Cheap & Easy

Read an Excerpt

Introduction: Little Miss Hubbard

If you're like us, you enjoy cooking — or want to — but too many recipes seem insurmountable, with ingredients you've never heard of and preparation times that would stress June Cleaver. Sure, we want the gourmet dinner, but there are some major obstacles between us and our three-course meal, like our long day at work, our half-empty refrigerators, and our rumbling stomachs, which will not wait.

We all want the good stuff, and we're all tired of spending half our paychecks at the deli counter or on I'll-just-be-really-cheap-tomorrow dinners. We expect gourmet fare, but we don't have the time to baste and caramelize. We're too nutrition-savvy to subsist on fast food, and we need meals that are quick, simple, and inexpensive. Jello Biafra, front man of the iconic '80s punk band the Dead Kennedys, astutely summed it all up when he said, "Give me convenience, or give me death." We want it fast, and we want it now. And there's no way we're moving in with our mothers.

Lucky for us, cooking for ourselves can be cheaper than going out and as easy as heating up a TV dinner. Homemade meals are a lot better for our bodies than the nuclear yellow powder that comes in commercial mac and cheese — and taste better, too. You may still have a futon, but you don't have to live on ramen noodles. Even if you're a lazy Susan.

When you're your own short-order cook, you're in control of how much oil, butter, and sugar make it onto your plate — and you can relax about the ingredients you don't want in your meals, like animal fats for vegetarians and anything you're allergic to or just dislike. No more snooty maître d's: your living room is the perfect setting for a gathering, and you'll be in charge of the menu, the music, and the potential for mischief. So cancel your reservations, crank up the stereo, and get your home fires burning.

Girl, meet spatula.

The recipes in this cookbook are brought to you by two women who created it out of necessity — we wanted good, fast meals on the cheap and easy. We live about ten blocks from each other in downtown Brooklyn. Alexis's studio is near DeKalb Avenue, which bustles with a restaurant row where you can eat in Paris or Cape Town by just crossing the street. Along Fifth Avenue, where Sandra's apartment is, the street is lined with cafés, and the talk and tables spill out onto the sidewalk. When we became friends, we would visit one or another of the local gems, exploring the areas around our homes and enjoying crisp brunch salads, fruity sangria in the evenings, and dizzying desserts on relaxing Sunday afternoons. But we were digging deep craters in our savings accounts, and we needed other options.

Alexis has worked in hot restaurant kitchens and as a caterer to the rich and cranky. She was once a home chef for caloriephobes who refused to eat anything with added fat but kept a closet full of Ding Dongs and Ho Hos hidden away in the basement. Her Key-to-My-Heart Lime Pie makes grown men swoon, and an invitation to brunch at her apartment is like a backstage pass to food heaven. Sandra has been a vegetarian for more than ten years and cooks with a variety of produce, beans, and whole grains. As a cookbook editor, she learned from cooks with whisks in their left hand and pens in their right about translating from the kitchen to the page, how to tell if wine has gone bad, and how to make the perfect omelet.

We had always cooked for ourselves, but then we started cooking for each other. At Alexis's studio, she'd putter in the kitchen while Sandra sat on a barstool cataloging and asking questions. We went to the market together, and Sandra ogled the purple potatoes and the yellow beets while Alexis swooned over the baguettes. Sandra finally bought a hand blender at Alexis's urging, and she can now make olive tapenade (see Olive You, page 71) in less time than it takes to toast a piece of bread. Alexis learned that a bland block of tofu can be prepared to satisfy the finickiest carnivorous taste buds. We stirred and we tasted and we learned what we each did — and did differently — to get fantastic feasts on the table. These banquets and conversations developed into the recipes you are reading now. Together, our cooking styles reflect a fresh, healthy sensibility — perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters alike — that won't make you sacrifice your day or your budget for a fine plateful.

We make these dishes in our homes (our friends always go for seconds), and they were inspired by the selections we order in restaurants, the ingredients on our local grocer's shelves, and meals we've been treated to in the homes of others. Bloody Murray was inspired by an accidental vacancy in our own cupboards. Mark's Breakfast Burrito was created for a cute fireman who just can't say no to a little salsa on a Saturday morning. This cookbook grew out of our own needs, and our own experiences, which we'll share along the way. And you can learn more at www.cheapandeasycookbook.com.

After gathering our recipes, we called for backup. We turned to our friends, who turned to their friends, and more than fifty women (and a few token guys) offered their time and their kitchens to make sure these were recipes for perfection and not for disaster. Cries of "so refreshing!" and "so easy!" flooded our e-mail inboxes. "My boyfriend does all of the cooking in our apartment, but I had no trouble at all with these recipes," said one tester. Another suggested that we "consider putting a warning on the recipe for Love in a Time of Sangria. 'Warning: Too much sangria may lead to love and/or headaches.'" At ranges and counters from the hood to the hills, from Brooklyn to Berkeley, our test drivers let us know what was right — and wrong — with the recipes.

We went back to the kitchen, where we fixed and we fussed, and Cheap & Easy evolved into the handy little book you're holding. These recipes are delicious, elegant, and user-friendly. The dishes are fun and healthy, the ingredients are easy to find, and the techniques are simple enough for the most uncoordinated chef. We conquered our kitchens, and you, too, will soon be the master of your culinary domain. Because being prepared means never having to say, "Do you deliver?"

Copyright © 2004 by Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer

BABES IN TOYLAND: Tools of the Trade

Okay, baby. We know you love to shop. There are more than ten thousand Dollar Stores in the country, and all of them are overflowing with the kind of supplies that will help you transform your kitchen into a well-stocked work space without breaking your budget. The same goes for the larger discount stores — Target, Kmart, Wal-Mart — all of which have endless kitchenware sections with gadgets and necessities alike that won't leave you broke.

You may not believe it, but think about this: your kitchen cabinets and bedroom closet have more in common than you realize. Yes, we know you have nothing to wear, but somehow you manage. If you ever decided to toss it all and start from scratch, it would cost heaps of dough to replace those well-worn blue jeans, your favorite cashmere sweater, and even the inexpensive flip-flops you can't do without. But over the years, buying from sample sales here and there and occasionally from higher-priced boutiques when you fall in love and can't walk away empty-handed, you've accrued enough pieces to pull it together every day.

Ditto for the kitchen. As you use your kitchen more, you'll start to realize which implements you'll need to, well, implement. The third time you reach for an extralarge bowl and don't have one, trust us, you'll make your way to the store. That's the way to do it. Stock up on the basics — we've provided a starter list below — and expand from there.

Cookware and Bakeware:

• Mixing bowls: a small, medium, and large bowl, ranging in size from 1 quart to 3 quarts^

• 4 by 9-inch or 5 by 10-inch loaf pan^

• 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish^

• 12-inch skillet or frying pan^†

• 2-quart saucepan with lid^†

• 4-quart pot with lid^†

• Steamer basket

• Cutting board (Plastic or tempered glass is economical and easier to keep clean than wood.)

• 2 baking sheets, preferably nonstick

• 6- and 12-cup muffin tins, preferably nonstick

• Blender (Varieties with more speeds and functions than a racing bike are available at discount stores for under $30.)

Tools:

• Heat-safe spatula

• Wire whisk

• Plastic or glass measuring cup with pouring spout

• Measuring spoons

• Multipurpose grater, for cheese, zest, and ginger

• 8-inch knife (This is often referred to as a "chef's knife," for its usefulness with chopping, mincing, slicing, and dicing. You want a good knife, but you don't need to spend more than you would on a pedicure.)

^Some cookware companies, like Pyrex, sell what they call "starter sets" for around $15 to $20, which include all of the starred items plus handy extras like refrigerater storage lids.

^†Same goes for cookware. There are very affordable starter sets that include all of these pots and then some. Those with nonstick interiors that are oven safe are most desirable.

Miscellaneous:

• Aluminum foil

• Clear plastic wrap

• Small and large freezer-safe Ziploc bags

• Food storage containers in assorted sizes, including some single-serving-size ones, preferably microwave safe

• Glass jar with a lid for shaking up dressings, marinades, etc. (Save your next empty jelly jar for such tasks.)

• A few disposable deep-dish rectangular aluminum pans

Copyright © 2004 by Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer

PANTRY RAID: Shopping List

Late-night raids on your kitchen cabinets can leave you feeling empty. With only a box of stale Saltines and a dusty can of corn on hand, you know you'll be going to bed hungry again. Basic cooking staples will be your salvation. With just a bit of effort, you'll be able to fix yourself a lovely little treat with ease. There's no need to run out and get five varieties of flavored vinegar when one will do. Our pantry list is streamlined so that you'll have what you need and you'll use what you've got.

Pantry:

• All-purpose flour

• Baking powder

• Baking soda

• Brown sugar

• Canned broth — chicken, beef, vegetable

• Canned diced tomatoes

• Canned pitted black olives

• Unsweetened cocoa powder

• Dijon mustard

• Granulated sugar

• Hot sauce

• Inexpensive white wine (Do not buy anything labeled "cooking wine" at the grocery store. The salt content in these products is through the roof.)

• Maple syrup (Aunt Jemima just doesn't cut it. Period. You can find the real stuff in your local grocery store, in specialty stores, or even online. If you're ever on a road trip and pass a farm with a sign that says it has real maple syrup for sale, pull over. A gallon container will last you all year.)

• Olive oil

• Pasta — linguini, penne, or your favorite shape

• Peanut butter

• Salt

• Soy sauce

• Vegetable oil

• White wine vinegar

Spice Rack:

• Black pepper

• Ground ginger

• Ground cinnamon

• Curry powder

• Pure vanilla extract

• Cayenne pepper

• Chili powder

• Crushed red pepper flakes

• Garlic powder

Fridge:

• Eggs

• Milk

• Bread

• Fresh head of garlic

• Unsalted butter

• Fresh lemons and/or limes (or the presqueezed bottled stuff if you prefer)

So there you have it. What used to house a can of beer and your nail polish is now a center of homemaker helpers. Even if you've been misbehaving, you won't have to go to bed without any dinner.

Copyright © 2004 by Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer

FREEZER FENG SHUI: Making the Most of Your Freezer

To a young lass living on her own, few paths are as well worn as the supermarket aisle that leads to those little frozen dinners. You swing open the heavy door, feel the deep, chill, and remember long ago when these were supposed to be backup, break-glass-in-case-of-emergency, meals. But somehow they've gone from one-night stand to fully committed relationship. Let's face it. Your freezer is a bad neighborhood on the wrong side of town, sis.

Time to summon your cute inner stock boy. Here are the basics:

Baking Soda

Yes, the arm with the hammer. Pop the top and hide that bad boy in a dark corner of the freezer. This will control freezer B.O. for about six months. (You can stick a box in the fridge, too, for extra odor protection.)

Bread

A good loaf of bread from the bakery, presliced and stashed in a freezer-safe plastic bag, is a must. Ten seconds in the microwave and it's like fresh-baked. Pop slices into the toaster for crunchy thick slices of really yummy toast. This bread can also be the basis of your French toast recipe. Remember, good bread is one of the cheapest luxuries you can gift yourself with. And it's great for rounding out a sparse, last-second meal.

Precooked Pasta and Rice

Frozen in freezer-safe plastic zip bags, pasta and rice come back to life quicker than a sleeping beauty. Next time you make pasta or rice, make extra. Making extra is the key, because you are always your own houseguest.

Diced Vegetables

The basic rule of thumb is the less water a vegetable has, the better it freezes. Diced onions, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, and olives are endlessly fabulous frozen staples to have on hand. Dice 'em and stick 'em in a freezer safe plastic bag or container. Chop now, stir-fry later!

Frozen Herbs

Dried herbs, unfortunately, have a limited shelf life: for maximum freshness and potency, you should use them within a year; some lose their zip in six months. The good news is that you can have farm-fresh herbs year-round. Buy a bunch of your favorite herbs, rinse, and pat dry with a paper towel. Use what you need for now, and freeze the rest for later in an airtight container. The flavor of a frozen herb is almost as vibrant as fresh, and far superior to dried.

Soups and Sauces

Soup can be frozen in small, serving-size containers for easy one- or two-portion defrosting weeks after you've stood over the pot with your glasses fogging. Defrost in the fridge the day before or stick in the microwave for a homemade snack that's ready in minutes. Is there a jar of pasta sauce going to pot in the back of the fridge? Transfer it to a freezer-safe plastic container and save it for another day.

Fruit

Every time you open your refrigerator, you feel a pang of guilt about that pint of strawberries you've meant to use every day since you scored them from that quaint little roadside stand. And now they're furrier than your cat. Don't get blue over abandoned blueberries. Pop those little guys into the freezer in an airtight container, and save them for pancake batter or smoothies. Peeled bananas, cut into chunks, also freeze exceptionally well.

Bottle of Water

It's always good to have a frozen bottle of water around, especially during the warmer months. Toss it into the trunk with your sandwiches, to keep packed lunches chilly. Carry it in the bottom of your beach bag, and you'll have icy water on the hottest days.

Copyright © 2004 by Sandra Bark and Alexis Kanfer