Barack Obama

I think I was inspired by gansie’s recent attempt at eating down the fridge to exercise a bit of frugality of my own the other night.  Or maybe it was just an empty stomach and a lack of hot sausage that made me reconsider something that usually is bound for the garbage.

Monday night was pasta night in the TVFF household and the dish this week was orecchiette and broccoli rabe with olive oil and toasted garlic.  Typically, that dish gets some crumbled Italian sausage to make it more substantive, but I found myself without.  And so I turned to the lonely broccoli rabe stems, which I usually lop off and toss in the trash.

It took a bit of time and some tedious peeling, but what was left was the size and consistency of tender asparagus.  I gave them an extra minute’s blanche and then threw them in with the florets and leaves, providing a slight crunch and a fuller meal.  The net result was a very tasty dish and a guilty conscience about usually discarding a perfectly edible item.

So…any great, thrifty hints that can save you a buck and make better use of the ingredients in your kitchen?  Share your frugal secrets in the comments.

Nothing ever goes to waste in the smörgåsbord!

–  After the past week, I have newfound culinary respect for the President–despite my previous reservations.  I had my first Five Guys experience (great burgers, even though they don’t serve medium or rare) and now the prez is grillin’ and chillin’ with Bobby Flay.

– Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali talk Italian food in Aspen.  The YumSugar folks list some of the advice that they provided, although we suggest you avoid adopting Mario’s unconventional hair-care technique.

After the jump: free investment advice (which is worth every penny you paid for it), your last chance at fame and fortune (yeah, good luck with that) and Gordo runs afoul of of the bobby while pushing his pram and driving his lorry (insert additional British slang here).