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Yep, hot dogs $.88, buns $.69, mac and cheese $.49, corn on the cob 4/ $1, margarine $.59, 2 liter root beer $.88, strawberry jello $.33... for a total of $4.86 feeds four. Gourmet its not, but it will work.
A mess of mustard greens, beans, rice and hot sauce. Is hot sauce OK? Some soy margarine - earth balance - always on hand. Ans sliced fresh tomatoes. Stuff yourself.
A brilliant meal is one I'll remember with pleasure for the rest of my life as outstanding artistry. I'm 68 and I've had perhaps fifteen in my life, and I have eaten at good restaurants my entire life. It often means doing something unexpected. I recall a lobster and asparaus omlette, simple but magnificent.
Brilliant meals are always marked by the best ingredients and care in preparation. Whether they're simple or complicated isn't relevant.
A brilliant meal needs no occasion; it's an occasion in itself. When it's unexpected the pleasure is only heightened.
I too think of something different than others when I think "brillant" or truely "unforgetable" I have made a few and have eaten a few, but not too many. Like you said, it can be something thwon together that worked well, it can be the person you are with at the time, it can be many thinkgs, but not often, today, would I think brillant meal and under $5. If it did work, I would be brillant!!!!!
I think fresh herbs are cheap and wonderful. Adding fresh herbs can make a simple meal "brilliant."
but unless you grow them yourself they really are not cheap because you have to buy more than you need for a meal. We have the packaged herbs here: about $3 for a pack, and they don't keep well, so it is either use or lose. We also now have some stores carrying smaller, one serving herbs for a buck. I have bought them several times, they only have about 4 kinds or so and they really are not all the fresh or they don't have the strong fragrence that usually goes with truely fresh. So, I don't find them cheap at all. I use them a lot but not on a $5 dinner.
Small bag of trail mix - 1$
1 Apple - $1
Bag of salad (On sale sometimes at my local store for $2)
Mayo from the fridge - or - snatch two self serve packs from somewhere.
1 Orange or grapefruit ~$1
I could make a brilliant salad with that. I'd squeeze some of the orange juice into the mayo. Man, that sounds good, actually.
That's the spirit!! It sounds like a brilliant salad too!
Could you cook a brilliant course for two with a lone five dollar bill? No outside stocks, spices nor oils... every ingredient used to prep has to be purchased with the fiver.
Coupons, manager's special and day old donuts are all fair game. So if you could what would you cook?
So yes, it's great that people can buy cheap herbs. But unless your entire meal for two consists of herbs and nothing else, you're not cooking a course for two - brilliant or otherwise - with a lone five dollar bill.
How much do the ingredients for that meal that you're cooking cost, that you're adding those herbs to?
Sliced and Roasted Sweet Potatoes (currently 87 cents/ 1lb at my local store... so for 2 average Sweet Potatoes approx 58c) with Sliced and Roasted Yellow Squash & Zucchini ($1.49 /1lb) Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans (currently 89 cents) mixed with chopped Green Peppers (99 cents)
Total: $3.95
Not having Salt & Pepper, Garlic and Olive Oil would kill me though Of course, I always have that on hand. My meal would taste decent, but not fantastic. If there was some Crusty Bread on sale that came in within budget I'd probably throw that in there as well as a side!
but unless you grow them yourself they really are not cheap because you have to buy more than you need for a meal. We have the packaged herbs here: about $3 for a pack, and they don't keep well, so it is either use or lose. We also now have some stores carrying smaller, one serving herbs for a buck. I have bought them several times, they only have about 4 kinds or so and they really are not all the fresh or they don't have the strong fragrance that usually goes with truly fresh. So, I don't find them cheap at all. I use them a lot but not on a $5 dinner.
Precisely!
P.S This should be easy for the vegetarians. Rice, beans, greens etc......
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