Whether it’s a special occasion with someone special, a dinner with friends or any other important event, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on food. You might even have a budget in mind that limits your menu options. Before you fret, find out how you can make a few dishes that taste like you spent a lot more than you did.
Potato Leek Soup
Potato leek soup is easy to make, doesn’t cost a lot of money and you probably already have most of the necessary ingredients on hand. Peel and chop potatoes into fine pieces, and clean and slice the leeks into equal pieces. Place the vegetables in a pot of boiling water and cook until soft. After draining the water, add salt, pepper, garlic and heavy cream. Run the mixture through a blender until smooth before serving.
Maple Citrus Chicken
Mix ½ cup maple syrup with ¼ cup orange, lemon or lime juice. Add two tablespoons balsamic vinegar, one teaspoon Dijon mustard, a dash of sea salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour the marinade in a plastic bag, add four to six boneless chicken breasts and set in the refrigerator for several hours before cooking.
Roast Pork with Apples
Poke a whole pork loin with a fork multiple times to pierce the skin. Rub the pork down with a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic powder or fresh garlic. Place an oven-safe dish on the stove and turn the stove on medium-high. Set the pork in the pan and sear on one side. Flip the pork over until you sear each side of the meat. Place sliced and peeled apples around the edges of the pan. Bake the pork for up to one hour. This dish tastes just like something you might find at Vlora.
Individual Shepherd’s Pies
Cook ground turkey with a bad of frozen vegetables in a pan until the turkey is cooked through. Add a small amount of flour or cream of tartar, butter and cream to the pan. Keep stirring until the flour and cream creates a gravy. Line a muffin tin with pieces of puff pastry and bake until the pastry is lightly brown. Divide the turkey mixture evenly in the pan and top with mashed potatoes. Bake until heated through.
Flank Steak Fajitas
Rub flank steak with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and red paper flakes. Grill three to five minutes on each set. Slice the beef against the grain, which reduces the toughness of the cut. Serve with corn or flour tortillas, grilled vegetables and your favorite fajita toppings.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Place cuts of beef chuck, roast beef or your favorite meat in a slow cooker. Add chopped potatoes, carrots, onions and your other favorite vegetables. Add water, tomato juice or beef broth to the pot, making sure that it reaches halfway up the inside of the pot. Cook on low heat for up to eight hours, and serve with garlic bread or rolls.
No matter why you want to celebrate, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on your meal. You can feed a group for much less than you thought with these simple recipes, and later reuse leftovers to save money on food in the following days.