2019-03-01 Money

MARCH 2019 MONEY.COM (^57)
BEATING THE
BUDGETING BLUES
One thing that has been
killing people is that you
end up buying all this
stuff to make a specific
recipe, and then you’re
like, “Why did I make this
at home? It ended up
costing me more than
going out to dinner.”
What’s tough but
true is that the more
you cook, the more
economical it will be.
So if you’re cooking two
times a month, you’re
going to end up throwing
stuff away. If you’re cook-
ing three times a week,
then you’re probably
going to find crossover
recipes that you can use
those ingredients in.
I ALWAYS STOCK MY
KITCHEN WITH ...
I always have two olive
oils. I have one that’s the
cheapest, regular grocery
store version to cook with,
and then I have an expen-
sive one to put on a salad
or dip into with bread.
THE BEST KITCHEN
SPLURGE
That’s tough because
I have so much stuff
already. I’d buy a really
high-end ice cream
maker. Because I think any
of the average-priced ice
cream makers are bad.
I currently make it
with liquid nitrogen,
which I think actually
gives you the best flavor
and isn’t super expensive.
But I don’t always have
time for it because it
adds an extra stop: I have
to drive 20 minutes to
the only place that I know
of where I can actually
get liquid nitrogen, and
it lasts only for about
a week.
DON’T WASTE YOUR
MONEY ON ...
I don’t like the spiralizer
craze. I have a julienne
peeler, and that is one of
my favorite utensils. It’s
like $10, and it makes bet-
ter versions of those spi-
ralized sort of noodles. And
I think there’s less waste
and less cleaning. Anything
that does only one task, I
would prefer not to take up
my counter space with.
HACK YOUR KITCHEN: EVERYDAY SAVING TIPS
A DECADE AGO, Dan Whalen carved out a
true niche in the world of food bloggers:
mashups that merge distinct dishes and
flavors into a whole new experience.
There’s the pierogi burger, chicken
Parm nachos, kung pao calamari, and
dozens more on his blog, the Food in My
Beard. He’s been chronicling his kitchen
experiments full-time for the past three
years and published his third cookbook
last year, an exploration of 50 recipes
about Tater Tots.
THE
FOOD
IN MY
BEARD
I’d make homemade pasta. That’s one of the
most inexpensive things you can do that can
actually seem amazing to guests—because
it’s not something people do anymore.
I’d buy an inexpensive cut of meat and
put it in a slow cooker or Dutch oven with
some tomato, garlic, and onion until it starts
to break down and can be shredded. I’d
make the pasta into a thick-cut fettuccine or
tagliatelle shape, boil it, then toss it with
the meat mixture.
MY $2O DINNER PARTY
Best-Kept Secrets
CO
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