And the Oscar goes too.....(Veal Oscar deconstructed)

So it's Oscar time once again!!! Years ago my aunt Marion was famous for her "Oscar Parties". I can remember my mother getting dressed up in some gorgeous glittery mini cocktail dress ...her red hair a- blaze, make up flawless and heels..well lets just call them what they really were...stilts..every year to attend this black tie affair the next town over.
It was exciting! Marion would sing accompanied by  her husband Jack on piano. There was of course fabulous food and  champagne that seemed to flow endlessly ..you would think they were up for an award! Every one went to this event and the photos and stories following this gala were endless... I eventually got to attend one. I got all dressed up and true to form it was wonderful. A bit scaled down since Jack and Marion split up.But she put on a wonderful (and the last )Oscar party...she was beautiful and funny and stunning in her gold sequined mini sporting her post divorce sexy shag bob and newly toned body ...and I got a taste of what the big deal was...not to mention I had the pleasure of indulging in her yummy appetizers!!
If you ask anyone who went to one of her shin digs what their favorite dish she made everyone seems to go back to and that was the night Marion made Veal Oscar...and I was going to give that as my Centsational recipe for this weekend, however, I make it every year and this year I thought  would treat my guests to Veal Oscar...DECONSTRUCTED! I came up with some little appetizers using the main ingredients from the famous dish: VEAL CRUSTININIS/ ROASTED BABY POTATOES W/BEARNAISE/ ASPARAGUS STICKS AND CRAB SALAD ON CUCUMBERS!!!
So this year call a few friends over and have a little impromptu Oscar party of your own..who knows this may be the start to your own Oscar tradition...cheers! (FYI you will spend under $20 bucks for your little swaree! Ask each guest grab a bottle of Prosecco and get dressed up!!!This is a great way to get together and not spend a fortune!)
Veal Oscar Deconstructed:
1-Veal crustinis(1demi-loaf cut length wise then in half /2 veal cutlets/bunch fresh parsley/butter/ olive oil/mushrooms 2 cups/lemons/sea salt fresh ground pepper/sherry 1/2cup)

Brush bread with olive oil and grill until browned and crispy. Set aside.In skillet melt 2 tbsp butter add mushrooms and shallots until mushrooms are soft. Add veal cook 2 minutes each side.add sherry reduce the liquid down till sauce thickens up  about 5 minutes. take out veal and slice toss back into the sauce add salt and pepper place on crustinis and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon.

2-Roast baby potatoes with Bearnaise(12 small baby potatoes cut in half with some scooped out of middle/ olive oil salt pepper and Bearnaise sauce*)
tosss salt pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil on potatoes roast at 425 for 30 minutes. Prepare Bearnaise and then plate and top with sauce serve warm.


3-Crab salad on Cucumbers(one english cucumber sliced/one can lump crab meat washed/1/4 cup celery finely diced/8oz cream cheese softened and room temp/1/4 cup red bell pepper finely diced /1 tbsp mayo and old bay seasoning 1/2 tsp) mix together all ingredients and then spread onto the sliced cucumbers and serve chilled.

4-Asparagus Sticks- pie crust(one)/12 asparagus/olive oil/sprinkle cayenne pepper/ onion salt - preheat oven to 425 roll out pie crust and cut into 12 strips . toss asparagus with sea salt cayenne pepper onion powder and wrap each asparagus in a spiral down the asparagus and place on baking sheet bake about 7 minutes until golden brown and serve

There are too many fish sticks in the sea!!!!

I do not believe what I just saw!...Picture this: Mexican mariachi music playing in the back round and then some one opens a bag of fish sticks and then pan to a plate of Mexican fish stick tacos...the HORROR!!! Now I have been putting together some Centsational Gourmet ideas in honor of the "OSCARS" this weekend...but felt so compelled to take action before any of our cooking challenged friends got any ideas from this evil marketing ploy to assimilate "fish sticks" into every day gourmet recipes! So here is my life raft for those who were even thinking about it...even for a split second..I give you TACOS DE FISHYS con mango salsa...

1lb white fish (anything on sale)                   1 cup diced cilantro
1 pack corn tortillas                                     juice from 2 limes
1 ripe mango diced                                      1 yellow pepper roasted then diced
1small red onion diced                                cumin/oregano/garlic salt/onion powder/cayenne/chili powder
1/2 jalapeno diced                                       1 tsp coconut oil (or canola)

In small bowl combine the underlined seasonings about 1/4 tsp each then toss and coat fish and set aside. Next, combine diced mango/onion/ cilantro/yellow pepper and jalapeno with lime juice and sea salt and set aside. In med fry pan heat oil over med heat and then add fish cook 2- 3 min each side until fish is white all the way through. I like to steam my tortillas and then assemble fish with the mango salsa...OLE! Even King Neptune would make a run for the border for these! Fish sticks be gone!

I'm just a Bramblin Rose....

Something about a crusty baguette, fruit, cheese and a glass of wine that can immediately transport me to an outdoor Parisian cafe on a beautiful sunny day...when I am feeling especially poor this is my go to combination...pretty much any time you eat a baguette or even utter the word you feel all european and slightly churched up for a minute or two...lol
 This week there is a sale on blackberries...not in season locally ,mind you ,but it seems everything is always in season in Chili.And seeing how none of the big named stores seem to be buying locally these summer specialties are readily available year round(not as good you can clearly taste whats lacking but this recipe will bring out what ever luster may be within my little chilean imports!)..Off to the market where  I grabbed a quart of blackberries for $1.99, a block of extra sharp New York cheddar on sale 2for $4.00 ,a demi baguette for $1.29 and headed home to where a bottle of sympathy wine my man-friend got me was waiting!...
Tonight we will be making Blackberry Bramble. It is a fruit spread and it's divine! Pair this super sweet berrylicious spread with a super sharp cheese and a salty savory baguette and OOH LA LA!!Don't be surprised if you find yourself right in the middle of a Renoir painting!(with help from the vino of course)...

Blackberry Bramble              

1 quart blackberries                   1tsp ground allspice
2 cups sugar                              pinch nutmeg
1 1/4c white wine vinegar            1 stick Cinnamon
2 whole cloves                            squeeze lemon

In sauce pan mix all the ingredients and heat over Med heat till boil and sugars dissolved. Simmer one hour
remove from heat and let cool in the fridge...slice cheese and tear off a piece of baguette serve with a crisp white wine...and Put on a little Edith Piaf...I would recommend starring out into the starry sky and forgetting all about the fact that you are B R O K E! :)Bon appetit!

Get in the pan!!! What are you chicken?....

After an exhausting morning sending out resumes...I stopped to run over to the local Market Basket. I picked up some chicken cutlets(4 to be exact) and some spaghetti squash both on sale and then grabbed a bushel of basil and some shredded asiago and literally asked the deli guy for exactly 4 slices of prosciutto....after paying an outstanding $7.64 I headed back home.
Now I should preface this recipe by saying that over the weekend since I last checked in, I took stock of all the basics I still had in my cabinets and have been working on a list I have entitled "The Well Stocked Kitchen" ...That I will be posting along with money saving tips on how to get these basics with out having to spend allot...(lets face it if we had these basics we would be more likely to cook more and try more recipes...these are usually the items that prevent us from making something on a whim because what would cost $5 to make turns out to be $15 if you don't have the necessities on hand)....
Now back to the chicken...this is a twist on my "Chicken en Padella" which translates to chicken in the pan...and I am using fresh spaghetti squash steamed in beer in place of the starchy pasta.

Chicken in the pan
4 chicken cutlets                               fresh basil                                           small shallot finely diced
4 slices prosciutto                              sea salt pepper to taste                          asiago chz (1/4cup) 
one spaghetti squash whole              7 large cloves of garlic crushed          dried thyme
one beer                                              1/2 stick of butter
1/2cup sherry                                       olive oil  1tbsp
1dried chili (red) chopped                  lemon juice(one squeeze)


Preheat the oven to 350'  cut a triangle into the spaghetti squash and pour in beer (reserve 1/4 cup for the sauce) place in baking dish and bake for 1 hour. Take out and let cool while you heat skillet over medium heat ..add garlic and shallots and chicken..brown chicken on both sides. Add prosciutto chilli's and 1/4 cup beer and 1/4 cup of sherry and butter along with nutmeg and thyme. stir frequently and simmer so sauce reduces. In the meantime cut spaghetti squash open and scoop out the seeds (similar to pumpkin) and discard. Scoop out the fine stands of squash and place in a large bowl. add the lemon and sea salt pepper cheese and torn basil toss and serve. 

There are 3 lemons in my fruit bowl.....

Gone are the days of eating out whenever I want and $150 a week grocery bills I am out of a job...
I will persevere! I will emerge a savvy resourceful money conscious culinary genius!!!!
 Every week I will scour the Sunday circulars looking for the best bargains and sales and embrace my newly found limited ability to spend money and create amazing gourmet meals!! "BUDGET" will no longer be a 4 letter word in my vocabulary! In fact i will christin my new blog with a humble but appropriate recipe...lemonade. Made from the 3 remaining lemons in my 9 lemon center piece that will not only quench my thirst but refresh my culinary soul...I mean really...when was the last time you made lemonade(mixes don't count).


1 cup Sugar   1 cup lemon juice
1 cup water    3 cups water to dilute
1 tbsp honey   *glass full of Ice and a great attitude!

warm water in sauce pan and dissolve the sugar and add honey mix till dissolved completely. Remove from heat
stir together remaining ingredients and serve over ice(attitude optional)