Cost Comparison

For the second week of winter break, I decided to conduct a cost comparison. I selected a past recipe for which I felt there could be a drastic reduction in the total cost if the ingredients were purchased from the grocery store. The recipe I chose was the Peanut Butter and Pretzel Ice Cream Cake and I purchased the ingredients from my local Hannaford. With the exception of the ice cream, all ingredients purchased were the same brands and sizes as the ingredients purchased in the markets. The ice cream purchased for the cost comparison was a 1.5 quart of Edy's Slow Churned Vanilla, costing $3.99. Below is the breakdown of costs with the total cost and cost per slice highlighted. You will note an almost three-fold reduction in the costs.

Peanut Butter and Pretzel Ice Cream Cake made with ingredients from the markets

Peanut Butter and Pretzel Ice Cream Cake made with ingredients from the grocery store

Difference in total cost: $14.00

Difference in cost per slice: $1.19

Holiday Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

I may be on winter break but Commodore Cooking is not! Winter break presents me with an opportunity to experiment with my cooking beyond the confines of the markets. I decided to use this first week to cook with something that is not readily available in the markets, meat. I purchased a pork loin and opted for a stuffing containing traditional Christmas ingredients including chestnuts and dried fruit. As many of the ingredients were already on hand in my home, there is not a total cost based upon the calculated cost per serving of each ingredient. I found this recipe to be relatively simple yet quite flavorful. Served with steamed green beans and roasted sweet potatoes, it makes for a filling and festive holiday dinner. Once again, Happy Holidays!

Holiday Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

• 1 boneless center-cut pork loin (2 pounds)
• 1/3 cup chestnuts, cooked and crumbled
• 1/3 cup mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped
• coarse salt
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked
• 1/2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, cracked
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, sliced

Prepare chestnuts by making cross-cut across flat side of the chestnut. Add to pot of boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Take a few chestnuts at a time, peel off shell and inner skin. Crumble in bowl and set aside. Coarsely chop dried fruit and set aside. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

Place pork on a work surface and cut almost in half, keeping knife parallel to work surface, stopping 1 inch short of cutting through; open like a book. Place pork, opened up, across 3 lengths of kitchen twine. 

Sprinkle with chestnuts and dried fruit, leaving a 1-inch border all around; season stuffing with salt. Fold one long side over the other, overlapping slightly to form a cylinder; tie with twine. Rub with oil; sprinkle with cracked pepper and coriander, pressing to adhere. Season with salt.

 

 Place pork in a roasting pan and roast for 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in meat registers 145 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest.

Meanwhile, add wine to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mustard and broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.

Slice pork, and serve with wine sauce.

 
Reviews 
"Very tasty. Like the sauce and the stuffing."

Peppermint Biscotti

This week's recipe is inspired by the Christmas tradition of cookie baking. It is at this time of year that Gingerbread Men, Sugar Cookies, Candy Cane Cookies, and Shortbreads abound. However, given the limited variety of baking supplies available in the markets, creating a Christmas Cookie inspired recipe proved challenging. I decided to utilize a seasonal ingredient, candy canes, that may be purchased in either Varsity Marketplace or Common Grounds. All other ingredients may be purchased at either Varsity Morgan or Varsity Towers. Although the total time to prepare these cookies is rather long, the sweet peppermint flavor packed into each small, crisp cookie is well worth the wait. Enjoy with a cup of steaming hot cocoa for an even better culinary experience. Based upon the calculated cost per serving of each ingredient, these cookies will cost you $5.05 or $0.11 per cookie. This does not include the cost of cooking spray. Happy Holidays!

Peppermint Biscotti
Yield: 48 cookies
Total Cost: $5.05 (does not include the cost of cooking spray)

• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 8 candy canes in a placing plastic bag and crush into small pieces. Set aside. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat until creamy. Add eggs and continue to beat until well combined. Add flour and baking powder and continue to beat until well combined. Stir in crushed candy canes.

On a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands, divide dough into fourths. Shape each into a 9 x 1 1/2-inch log. Place logs onto cookie sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until tops are cracked and ends are slightly browned.

Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Allow logs to cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer logs to cutting surface and cut into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated knife. Discard ends and arrange remaining pieces on the cookie with the cut-side down. Continue to bake for 12 minutes, turning once, until cookies are lightly browned and crispy on both sides.

Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack, and allow to cool completely. 

Reviews
"So good!"
"I just don't understand, in a good way."

Hot Cocoa Mug Cake

As we begin finals week, we find ourselves stressed, tired, and with very little time on our hands. But I encourage you to put down the books for a couple minutes, swing by Varsity Morgan or Varsity Towers for ingredients, and enjoy the goodness of hot cocoa mug cake. With a few basic ingredients, a microwave, and 5 minutes of time you can make a warm and yummy dessert that is sure to, at the very least, boost your mood. Better yet, you will only get one mug and one spoon dirty in the process. Based upon the calculated cost per serving of each ingredient, hot cocoa mug cake will cost you $1.31. Good luck on finals!

Hot Cocoa Mug Cake
Yield: 1 mug cake
Total Cost: $1.31

• cooking spray
• 2 packets Swiss Miss milk chocolate hot cocoa mix
• 4 tablespoons flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon chocolate chips

Spray the inside of your favorite large mug with cooking spray. In the mug, mix together the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir.

Add chocolate chips, making sure to incorporate all ingredients by folding from the bottom up.

Place mug on plate and microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Cake may rise over the top of the mug but don't be concerned! Remove from microwave. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying straight from mug. You may also release cake from mug onto a plate if you desire and garnish with toppings of your choosing. 

Reviews
"Odd texture. Ok taste."
"Fail."
"It tastes like a brownie sponge."

Biscuits and Vegetarian Sausage Gravy

A week of cold and dreary mornings has led me to believe that winter is well on its way. And on weekend morning in the dead of winter, there is nothing better than a warm breakfast. Without ever leaving the coziness of your dorm, you can prepare a hearty, out of the ordinary combination of homemade biscuits topped with vegetarian sausage gravy. The breakfast patties may be purchased at Varsity Marketplace and all other ingredients may be purchased in either Varsity Morgan or Varsity Towers. Based upon the calculated cost per serving of each ingredient, this hearty, fall dish will cost you $12.22 or $1.22 per serving. This does not include the cost of cooking spray or salt and pepper.

Biscuits and Vegetarian Sausage Gravy

Yield: 10 servings

Total Cost: $12.22 (does not include cost of cooking spray or salt and pepper)

For the biscuits

• 2 cups flour (plus additional for kneading biscuits)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons cold butter, diced
• 1 cup buttermilk substitute (scant 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice)

For the gravy

• cooking spray
• 6 veggie patties
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare buttermilk substitute by placing lemon juice in a measuring cup and adding milk until liquid reaches the 1 cup measurement. Let stand 5 minutes. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients for the biscuits.  Add butter and cut into flour mixture using two knives. Add the buttermilk and knead on floured surface just enough to bring the dough together.

Press dough into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter and place on cookie sheet so that they just touch. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare gravy by sauteing breakfast patties in frying pan over medium heat. Use a spatula to crumble the breakfast patties as they cook. Remove crumbled breakfast patties from pan after 5 minutes and set aside. Do not drain grease remaining from the patties. 

Add vegetable oil and heat. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. 

Gradually stir in milk so that no lumps form. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened. Add breakfast patty crumbles and stir to combine. 

Remove biscuits from oven. Slice each biscuit in half and top with gravy. 

Reviews