What can be done with $6.00? How many people can you feed? How many meals can you make? Take a journey with me through the last two dinners I fixed and find out.
I started with what I already had in our little kitchen, which I have to say, once again wasn't much. Butter, six potatoes, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese, that's it, that's all there was. Our super shopper Marilyn went to the store and found the most beautiful whole chicken on sale for $1.29 and a loaf of bread for 99 cents. Yes, that's correct, there is no typo here, she found that chicken for a little over a buck. Jeff picked up a bunch of carrots for 99 cents and we were off and rolling. Out of that and the other ingredients as listed above I was able to make an awesome Chicken Stew that fed five people.
The next day was just as great. I, of course, saved the chicken stock and deboned the rest of the chicken from the stew. Once again, shopping by the Starving Artist method we now added an onion and bag of short grain rice for a little less than $3.00. This with the chicken stock, leftover chicken and the parmesan cheese was turned into Chicken Parmesan Risotto! Three of us ate dinner (we probably ate enough to actually feed five or six, but we had been hard at it all day and thought we were literally starving), and we have leftovers!
Can't wait for the book to find out how we do this? Stay tuned, subscribe to your blog. We are getting ready to film our first Starving Artist Cooking show! Which we will be announcing here!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
I Can Cook?
I Can Cook?
One of challenges of any cookbook is to produce recipes that can be re-created outside of the kitchen of the chefs/cooks writing the recipes. Our biggest challenge? We asked our photographer Jeff Broughton to prepare recipes from the pages of our book. In order to understand the significance of this let me introduce you to Jeff.
Jeff Broughton is one of our best friends. We have dubbed him our "Harley-riding, macho, opinionated bachelor" within our pages. Jeff is a car guy. He does indeed have and ride a Harley. I met Jeff a little over a year ago and at that time his diet consisted mainly of eating out, frozen dinners, cold cuts and toaster pastries. Marilyn and I soon made him the guina pig for our recipes that will adorn the pages of The Starving Artist Cookbook and enlisted him to take the photos for this project. Jeff is not unlike many singles. They don't cook. In fact, when he was approached with the idea of being the test cook, he laughed.
After some coaxing, and begging, Jeff consented to learning to cook from recipes for us. So, now to his first attempt at preparing a meal for himself, Marilyn and me. Irish (Beef) Stew is a wonderful meal for a cold winter night, so we picked up the ingredients and headed to Jeff's house. Not, just a little nervous considering he knew I would be writing about this experience both here and in the book, Jeff began the process. He followed the recipe with ease only asking one or two questions. The result? A delicious dinner of Irish Stew and corn on the cob totally prepared by Jeff.
The best testament to just how good his first meal turned out is the following comment he sent us in an email after the evening was over.
"It was fun tonight, thanks for the help. I thought it actually tasted pretty good for a first attempt… all I can say is that ya’ll are mighty brave women!!!"
Even better than that... the day after (yes, we had leftovers) Jeff wrote to us again and said:
"I’m going to take the stew with me to mom’s"
GREAT JOB JEFF!!!!!
One of challenges of any cookbook is to produce recipes that can be re-created outside of the kitchen of the chefs/cooks writing the recipes. Our biggest challenge? We asked our photographer Jeff Broughton to prepare recipes from the pages of our book. In order to understand the significance of this let me introduce you to Jeff.
Jeff Broughton is one of our best friends. We have dubbed him our "Harley-riding, macho, opinionated bachelor" within our pages. Jeff is a car guy. He does indeed have and ride a Harley. I met Jeff a little over a year ago and at that time his diet consisted mainly of eating out, frozen dinners, cold cuts and toaster pastries. Marilyn and I soon made him the guina pig for our recipes that will adorn the pages of The Starving Artist Cookbook and enlisted him to take the photos for this project. Jeff is not unlike many singles. They don't cook. In fact, when he was approached with the idea of being the test cook, he laughed.
After some coaxing, and begging, Jeff consented to learning to cook from recipes for us. So, now to his first attempt at preparing a meal for himself, Marilyn and me. Irish (Beef) Stew is a wonderful meal for a cold winter night, so we picked up the ingredients and headed to Jeff's house. Not, just a little nervous considering he knew I would be writing about this experience both here and in the book, Jeff began the process. He followed the recipe with ease only asking one or two questions. The result? A delicious dinner of Irish Stew and corn on the cob totally prepared by Jeff.
The best testament to just how good his first meal turned out is the following comment he sent us in an email after the evening was over.
"It was fun tonight, thanks for the help. I thought it actually tasted pretty good for a first attempt… all I can say is that ya’ll are mighty brave women!!!"
Even better than that... the day after (yes, we had leftovers) Jeff wrote to us again and said:
"I’m going to take the stew with me to mom’s"
GREAT JOB JEFF!!!!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Art and Food, Food and Art
Take a look back into art history and what do you find? From the earliest art found on the walls of caves you find food depicted. Throughout history food and drink have managed to make it into all art forms and eras. Most of the greats have painted, photographed, or sculpted food at one time or another. Just to name a few: Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and DaVinci. Obviously not a comprehensive list. My challenge to you is to find an artist who NEVER depicted food in a piece of work, or used any type of food or beverage in the title of a work. It's not that easy is it.
So is it any wonder that the great chef's of the world are considered by many to be great artists? Of course they are. Not just in the creation of wonderfully delicious delicacies, but also in the presentation of the food or drink.
Of course, art is used in all aspects of the food industries from advertising, packaging, and display, to the color on the walls of your favorite restaurant. Think of a logo, quick... how many of you thought of one related to food? My guess is that most of you did. Food is the mainstay of our existence without it, simply put, we don't survive. Consequently, food plays a major role in art, because in one way or another, much of art depicts life, even in abstract... and food is life.
So is it any wonder that the great chef's of the world are considered by many to be great artists? Of course they are. Not just in the creation of wonderfully delicious delicacies, but also in the presentation of the food or drink.
Of course, art is used in all aspects of the food industries from advertising, packaging, and display, to the color on the walls of your favorite restaurant. Think of a logo, quick... how many of you thought of one related to food? My guess is that most of you did. Food is the mainstay of our existence without it, simply put, we don't survive. Consequently, food plays a major role in art, because in one way or another, much of art depicts life, even in abstract... and food is life.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
SuperShopper
How, you ask, is it possible for anyone to eat cheaply these days? I have the answer. You need to be a super shopper, or know one. Luckily for me, I know just such a person. She is a co-author of this book and one of the ThreeMonkeys I refer to.
Of course, I'm still not revealing names... what fun would that be? Besides a little suspense never hurt anyone... and is great for us... keeps you coming back for more.
Back to the subject at hand. Our SuperShopper. We would not be able to produce this book without her expertise at finding the best bargains at the grocery store. For example: an almost 8 pound ham for 99 cents/pound? That is totally unheard of. So as I write these recipes and tell you how cheaply we were able to prepare them, you must realize that I can not take credit for the value and savings. Our own SuperShopper, who just happens to be an accomplished singer/songwriter (there, it's the only hint you are getting today), is at work saving all here money. Be looking forward to our chapter on Super Savings and How to Shop by our SuperShopper when the book is released.
Talk to you soon.
Of course, I'm still not revealing names... what fun would that be? Besides a little suspense never hurt anyone... and is great for us... keeps you coming back for more.
Back to the subject at hand. Our SuperShopper. We would not be able to produce this book without her expertise at finding the best bargains at the grocery store. For example: an almost 8 pound ham for 99 cents/pound? That is totally unheard of. So as I write these recipes and tell you how cheaply we were able to prepare them, you must realize that I can not take credit for the value and savings. Our own SuperShopper, who just happens to be an accomplished singer/songwriter (there, it's the only hint you are getting today), is at work saving all here money. Be looking forward to our chapter on Super Savings and How to Shop by our SuperShopper when the book is released.
Talk to you soon.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
RECIPE CONTEST!!!!!
Starving Artist Cookbook
Announces Recipe Contest
Submissions are now being accepted for the Starving Artist Cookbook Recipe contest.
Submit your favorite low cost recipe to us for our contest... our chef will prepare your recipe and judging will be provided by our cookbook staff. The winners will have their recipe with a short article appear in the book and will receive 2 free copies of the book upon publication and will be invited to appear at the booksigning or reception at a location near you.
Deadline for entry is January 31st
Submissions can be made to:
Starving Artist Cookbook at www.myspace.com/starvingartistcookbook
or
Thestarvingartistcookbook@gmail.com
Announces Recipe Contest
Submissions are now being accepted for the Starving Artist Cookbook Recipe contest.
Submit your favorite low cost recipe to us for our contest... our chef will prepare your recipe and judging will be provided by our cookbook staff. The winners will have their recipe with a short article appear in the book and will receive 2 free copies of the book upon publication and will be invited to appear at the booksigning or reception at a location near you.
Deadline for entry is January 31st
Submissions can be made to:
Starving Artist Cookbook at www.myspace.com/starvingartistcookbook
or
Thestarvingartistcookbook@gmail.com
The Starving Artist Cookbook: Origins
Starving is a relative term. It doesn't necessarily have to mean physically starving for food. Starving has been applied to the need for sustenance such as food, drink, finances, emotional health, and many other aspects of our existence. For me, it encompasses several of these aspects not the least of which is a lack of financial stability at this point in my life. That is not to say it has always been that way, or that there is nothing I could do about it. I have made a choice; the choice to pursue my artistic dreams after years of living a more traditional life. Some might call this a mid-life crisis... I chose to simply call this living. There is a difference between living and existing and for years I only existed. I am choosing to live life to the fullest and pursue long since forgotten dreams during my short stay in this life. Hopefully, my pursuit of these dreams will inspire others to reach out for a little piece of that pie themselves. Thus the background for arriving at the place where the book idea began.
I came to Winston-Salem, not by choice, but by circumstances. Thinking my stay here was temporary, I chose to explore the arts district to seek inspiration before returning home, which at the time was Wilmington, NC. As I strolled down Trade Street, I passed a collaborative Atelier with a "Studio For Rent" sign in the window. Curious, I stopped to inquire, although I had absolutely no intention of renting anything. Inside was a cute little woman who's art happens to be painting clothing, and she was funny, curious and very engaging at the time... and I found myself saying, "I'll take it," and handing her a small cash deposit. That was a little over a year ago. Within a few months several other artists had come to reside with there wares inside this unique little collective, and we started collaborating on events that included both visual and performing arts.
It was at one such event that the book was born. We had been working all day preparing for an event and at some point realized that none of us had eaten that day. I had cooked several times before in our little kitchen thus I was elected to try to find something to feed us, as most of us did not have the funds that day to order any type of take out. After checking the kitchen I was dumbfounded as to what to do. What I found was: a package of 18 chicken legs that we had picked up at the grocery store for less than $3.00, a couple of eggs, some canned vegetable, a tiny bit of butter and the crumbs in a leftover bag of flavored Doritos. I couldn't even find any salt or pepper. Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind and the rest is history. I took the eggs and coated the chicken, then rolled the chicken legs in the Dorito crumbs and fried it in that little bit of butter I had. I served it up with whatever that can of vegetables was and it won absolutely rave reviews. Someone piped up and said I should write a book. Someone else piped up and said "Yeah, The Starving Artist Cookbook."
That is how the book came to be. The premise: How to create delicious food for practically nothing. It is challenging and fun to create something from nothing. Oh, isn't that the very essence of art? Creating something beautiful where nothing existed before? Of course it is. I am having a great time working on this project and I hope upon completion, ya'll will enjoy the finished product as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
I came to Winston-Salem, not by choice, but by circumstances. Thinking my stay here was temporary, I chose to explore the arts district to seek inspiration before returning home, which at the time was Wilmington, NC. As I strolled down Trade Street, I passed a collaborative Atelier with a "Studio For Rent" sign in the window. Curious, I stopped to inquire, although I had absolutely no intention of renting anything. Inside was a cute little woman who's art happens to be painting clothing, and she was funny, curious and very engaging at the time... and I found myself saying, "I'll take it," and handing her a small cash deposit. That was a little over a year ago. Within a few months several other artists had come to reside with there wares inside this unique little collective, and we started collaborating on events that included both visual and performing arts.
It was at one such event that the book was born. We had been working all day preparing for an event and at some point realized that none of us had eaten that day. I had cooked several times before in our little kitchen thus I was elected to try to find something to feed us, as most of us did not have the funds that day to order any type of take out. After checking the kitchen I was dumbfounded as to what to do. What I found was: a package of 18 chicken legs that we had picked up at the grocery store for less than $3.00, a couple of eggs, some canned vegetable, a tiny bit of butter and the crumbs in a leftover bag of flavored Doritos. I couldn't even find any salt or pepper. Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind and the rest is history. I took the eggs and coated the chicken, then rolled the chicken legs in the Dorito crumbs and fried it in that little bit of butter I had. I served it up with whatever that can of vegetables was and it won absolutely rave reviews. Someone piped up and said I should write a book. Someone else piped up and said "Yeah, The Starving Artist Cookbook."
That is how the book came to be. The premise: How to create delicious food for practically nothing. It is challenging and fun to create something from nothing. Oh, isn't that the very essence of art? Creating something beautiful where nothing existed before? Of course it is. I am having a great time working on this project and I hope upon completion, ya'll will enjoy the finished product as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
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