Let me tell you something. Nothing feels better to me after a long day of being pissed at my boss and wondering how he makes (probably) 3 times what I make when he is so incredibly incompetent than coming home to accidentally stumble into a tasty dinner made for pennies. It's my own silent revenge.
It also helps that--despite having to deal with some tremendous bullshit--I got some pretty great validation at work. It is the kind of "attagirl" that no one else will ever know about but it is real and important and extremely gratifying to me.
You know what else helps? Wine.
So here is what I'm eating, as I write this post:
Classy Ramen & Greens: Dinner today and lunch tomorrow
Ingredients (Sorry, I don't have my prices up-to-date. I quit keeping track around the time that I quit blogging regularly.)
1 package of Ramen noodles sans seasoning (I'm fairly positive that I bought this when it was on special. So something already known for its cheapness, but cheaper.)
3 slices of bacon (It's from Aldi. After I got married, I quit going to Aldi, although I wasn't a frequent shopper at Aldi before I got married. While he doesn't like to go to the grocery store, husband never complains about going to Aldi. I tend to buy stuff there that I wouldn't buy at the regular grocery store very often--like bacon.)
Kale (From my garden. That counts as free for me. Some kale wintered over so it's practically free x 2. Also, I love me some greens.)
Onion (From the CSA, I split with my friend, Aspiring Maven. It's not bargain basement cheap, but it is a good value and I like the idea of it. Plus, I get to try things I normally wouldn't buy. It keeps the carnivores in us happy all summer long since there is always something meaty included every time I pick up.)
Red Pepper (Also CSA. This particular pepper was close to going bad. So really, I salvaged money I otherwise would have thrown in the trash. Almost the same thing as making money, right?)
Cherry tomatoes (Also from the garden. One plant I bought but the other was a gift. They were close to going bad too. It's like I earned money on that one.)
Feta (I've discovered that one splurge goes a long way in a dish. Not that this feta was break-the-bank, but it was a dash of something unexpected. It helped make even ramen feel special.)
Splash of wine (Free. This is what happens when you are the chauffeur to a bachelorette party. You get good karma.)
Pour a glass of wine to drink. Fry up the bacon. Drain on paper towels and pour off any excess bacon grease. Fry up the onion and red pepper. Slice up the kale and throw it in the pan and cook for a bit. Refill your wine glass. Crumble the bacon and toss it in. Add the feta, cherry tomatoes and a splash of wine. Turn the heat to low. Cook your ramen. Drain most of the water and add the noodles and a bit of the water to the pan. Turn the heat up and let the water cook off while mixing up the noodles and kale mixture. Eat half now and save half for later. Drink more wine. Sigh deeply and enjoy the lingering aroma of bacon. Yum.
