Cooking

It has been an interesting couple of weeks meal wise. We ended up having an unplanned dinner on Christmas Eve and hosting an unplanned dinner on the 26th. We also had unintended guests on New Year's Day. Needless to say I managed to do it without having to spend too much money.

Christmas Eve was thrown together fish dinner. I used crab already in the house that I'm in purchased months ago. I did have to pick up shrimp, will use 2 pounds. I guess brought stuffed lobster tails. And we made crab sauce. Pasta and bread were already in the house. Total cost for this unplanned to dinner was $40. Not too bad I thought.

We did plan on having a locally raised turkey for the day after Christmas so I just extended that meal with extra sides. Potatoes already in the house, baked squash already in the house, brussels sprouts already in the house, stuffing made with sausage. I did have to purchase the sausage. Sausage was 999, and the plan and the planned for turkey purchase was $55. We got this from Gozzi's in Guilford. 

   DH tossed the neck without thinking I would need it, so I saved the roasted wings and froze them for soup later in the month. I also saved enough meat from that carcass to freeze to add to the soup.

I had purchased a grass fed Australian beef tenderloin months ago from ShopRite. This is been waiting in the freezer for New Year's day. I also purchased from a local IGA store ate lobster tail is frozen. These came to $60, and we're part of my holiday budget.  

Since we had so much protein, it was easy to share with the unintended dinner guests on New Year's Day. DH made his usual risotto, I had brussels sprouts and mushrooms already in the house. So we did not spend any additional cash to share this dinner with friends.  There was enough lobster and beef left to supply lunches the next day.

In between the holidays we had ham that was gifted to us from Christmas day dinner at a relatives house. Ham and pea soup which I made.   Broccoli Rabe and Sausage. Mushroom lasagna.  Pizza take out.