Being Broke Brings Out the Best!

I am not really creative but when times get rough, I can get the creative juices flowing. This past week, the kids and I were holed up in the house with colds and $20 in the bank. Sick AND broke??? How fuuuuun is that??!!! All that matters is the bills were paid and there was some food in the fridge and pantry.  So I had to be creative in the kitchen and for Halloween. Recently we were hit HARD by our gas and electric company. Too much to explain, so long story short we're paying an equivalent of 1200 bucks a month until February! So that forces me to tap my creative side with our food budget and Halloween costumes. My daughter really wanted to be a cat, so I made her costume up myself..though I had to purchase some things. My eldest son was a 'cheap ass' ghost. Basically a sheet with holes. Luckily they are cuties so my creation didn't look too horrific!  And again, like my daughter's birthday cake, all that matters is if they're happy. So on that note,  next year, in March even, I will be purchasing their costumes online ehehe! My daughter loooved hers, my son likes the idea of being a ghost rather than being a ghost. My baby didn't care, he's 19  months old hehe.

My friend Becca made the cat ears for her!!

Now on to the cheap ass food.

Monday I made a simple but soooo delicious Pork Belly from Jamie Oliver. This is actually one of my husband's favorite meals, but it's a guarantee hit with the kids and pork belly is so cheap. I paid only 1 dollar for 1 lb which is enough for us!  My daughter LOVES everything pork and potatoes. She is a meat and potatoes kind of girl, who loves vegetables. On Tuesday she ate 5 large carrots.......in one sitting. How can I say no to carrots?? But yeah, any night I make beef or pork, she will be more than likely to eat almost everything!  Also my Ninja Baby, who didn't eat meat for 6 months until he rediscovered Bacon, enjoyed the pork belly. So now Bacon, pork belly, and chicken are the only meats he will eat! 

Add the delicious sauce or 'jus' made from veg roasted in the fats and juices of the belly, along with water or more flavorful chicken stock and you have a winner! It's simple and delicious. I paired it with super simple mashed potatoes, the veg in the roaster and those microwavable steamed veg (they're awesome!!!) and I had a cheapo winner. Must try fo sho!

Pork Belly Roast

From Jamie Oliver (I halved everything but the garlic!)

Ingredients

1lb pork belly

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 onion thickly sliced

1 carrot, peeled and halved lengthwise and then halved crosswise

1 celery stalk,  halved crosswise

1 bulb of garlic

small bunch of thyme, leaves picked

1 1/4 cup water or stock

Preheat oven to full blast. It needs to be at least 220C or 425F.

Place pork on a clean work surface, skin-side up. With a small knife, score about 1/2 inch apart though the skin into the fat, but not too deep that you cut into the meat. Rub salt into the scores, pulling apart a little. Brush any excess salt off the surface and turn over, then  season rest of meat lightly. Place in a pan big enough for both pork belly and vegetables.

Roast for 15 to 30 minutes until the skin of the pork starts to puff and you see LOVELY crackling beginning to form. Turn the  heat down to 180C/350F and roast for another 30 minutes. 

Take out of the oven and baste with the fat at the bottom of the pan. Carefully lift the pork up to transfer to a clean chopping board. Add all of the veg, garlic, and thyme to the pan and stir in them into the fat. Place the pork on top of everything and put it all back into the oven. Roast another 30 minutes. Carefully move meat to a serving dish, cover with foil, and leave to rest while you prepare the gravy..

Spoon fat from tray, then add water or stock and place it on the burner. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to scrape up tasty brown bits.  When you have a dark gravy,  pour it along with the veg and garlic through a sieve. PUSH down all the veg to get all the flavor from it as you can! Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with whatever you want. The crackling is AWESOME! My baby loved this the best hehe. I hope you all enjoy!!!!Save as Draft