Cheap bike basket

Ok, I know you can't eat a bike basket but I'm sure some people reading this blog might be interested in learning a new way to create a cheap bike basket. In Boston, if you want to get a bike basket, it will cost at least $30. If you have some cable ties and a cheap basket, you can make one for much less. I created a video illustrating this in detail. This video has been featured on other websites such as Bike Club Info.

Then, these people copied my idea of using cable ties and added some of their own ideas:

Dehydrating fruit

When Ron Popeil first came out with the food dehydrator, I thought it was a useless piece of equipment because I did not have a purpose for it. I was also not a big fan of dried food. Now that I have been shopping at Haymarket and developed a taste for dried fruit, my opinion of the food dehydrator has changed. However, after reading numerous reviews of several machines, I decided to forget the Popeil model and go with the Nesco square dehydrator, which has more space on each tray because the trays are square and not round. The fan on top also seemed like a good idea.

If the haymarket connection is not abundantly clear, here it is: I have a tendency to buy too much fresh produce there and can't possibly eat all of it before it goes bad. So, one way of preserving the excess food is to dehydrate it and store it. Dehydrated foods can keep for up to a year. Freezing might be another option but some vegetables and fruits just don't freeze very well. Also, there is limited space in my freezer because I share it with three room mates. The other advantage to eating dried fruit is that it's less messy than eating fresh fruit. Whenever I snack on dried fruit, I consume several servings of fruit in one sitting. It's just a healthy way to snack.

So, what should you dry? The short answer would be "almost anything" but I have found that some fruits taste better than others. For me, strawberries need a little something (like honey) to make them taste good in dehydrated form. For those of you who like a little bit of tartness in your fruit, you will like dried kiwi and strawberries. Pineapple, however, is sweet enough on its own. Peaches, mangos, and apples are quite good too. Dried bananas are also surprisingly tasty. They taste like chewy candy!

To show you the degree of shrinkage that you'll see, I've posted some before and after photos of several trays of fruit.

Citrus slices - before

Citrus slices - after

Mango and Banana slices - before

Mango and Banana slices - after

Pineapple chunks and Mango slices - before

Pineapple chunks and mango slices - after

Fancy cornmeal for dinner

You might not want to eat only a bowl of boiled cornmeal (aka "polenta), but if you dress it up with some sauce and pan fry it to create a tasty crust on it, polenta can be a great side dish or even the bulk of a very cheap meal. This is especially good for students because it's the kind of thing you can make once and either eat it for 2 or 3 days, or freeze it for later. This is how I made the dish in the picture:

This is to be done ahead of time:

1. Boil 6 cups of water in a 3 quart sauce pan and add some salt (start with 1 tsp and add more later to taste).

2. Slowly pour in 2 cups of cornmeal, either whisking or stirring. A spoon might be easier as the polenta gets thicker. Cook for a few minutes.

3. Add some salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like.

4. Take the pan off the stove, mix in 2 Tbsp of olive oil or butter, and pour the polenta into a lined or oiled baking pan. Let it cool to room temperature and store in the fridge until it's time to make your meal.

When it's time to cook your meal:

1. Cut the cooled polenta into triangles or squares.

2. Either brush the polenta with oil or pour some oil in a frying pan and fry the polenta on low-medium heat until it's light brown.

3. Season with salt and pepper while frying. Cumin works well too.

4. As the polenta is frying, turn on another burner and make the sauces.

For the hollandaise sauce, I used Tyler Florence's recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/hollandaise-sauce-recipe/index.html

You can cut down on the butter if you like. Just make sure you don't overcook this!

For the tomato sauce, just take a sauce from a jar and warm it up. This is where you can throw in some meat (e.g. bacon, chicken, pork, or whatever you have) to make it a meal and simmer it while the polenta is frying. When everything is cooked, serve and eat!

I hope you enjoy this dish. It could work with whatever savory sauces or grated cheese you like.

BMS Paper Company - Jamaica Plain

While the name of the place might not sound like they sell food, they do! BMS Paper Company is actually a large warehouse-type store that serves catering companies. Recently, they were featured in a clip on NECN. However, anyone can go in there and buy whatever they want. Unlike Costco or BJ's, there is no membership fee or anything like that. So, what can you get there?

Today, I got a pound of butter ($2.99) (equal to 4 sticks but in one big block), 3 Litre bottles of ginger ale (on sale, 3 for $1), a 5 lb bag of 1/2 - oz frozen meatballs ($14.99), 100 chicken bouillon cubes ($5.99), a 40 oz bag of frozen corn ($2.79), and a double shot glass ($0.99). If you buy bouillon cubes from the supermarket, they're about $4 for only 25 cubes. The meatballs are not only a great bargain, they're also fully cooked and very tasty. If you'd like bigger meatballs (twice the size of the ones in the larger bag), they have 1lb bags for $4.69.

So, now that I have all this stuff, perhaps it would be helpful to suggest ways to use up those bouillon cubes, the bag of corn, and the meatballs.

1. If you have noodles or pasta, make a chicken broth with a bouillon cube and make a noodle soup. Add 5 to 10 meatballs (depending on how hungry you are) and some frozen corn to the broth while it's simmering. When the broth comes to a boil again, add your cooked noodles and let it heat up again. When it's bubbling, take it off the stove and serve. The bouillon cubes are also a good way to create a chicken broth base for soups and casseroles.

2. The meatballs are good for spaghetti and meatballs. Just get your favorite jar of tomato sauce and some pasta from the store and you're all set. To be extra fancy, add some Italian herbs (e.g. oregano, basil, etc.) and grated parmesan cheese. By the way, BMS also has very large containers of herbs, in case you want those. You'll save quite a bit if use a lot of herbs and spices at home.

3. Adding corn to whatever you are cooking (e.g. the noodle soup) is an easy way to get some fibre and vegetables in your diet. For breakfast, if you are making hash browns, throw in a handful of frozen corn. If you like broccoli and cauliflower, BMS also has bags of mixed veggies, green beans only, and broccoli only. The advantage of using frozen veggies is that they won't rot in your fridge and you won't feel like you have to use it right away.

One of the more recent new products at BMS is the feta cheese. They have a slab and a box of crumbed feta chunks. The other cheeses in the refrigerator case are American, provolone, and mozzarella. Those come in cubes, slices, and shredded forms. The feta might be a good amount for a regular household of 3 or more people but the other packages of cheese are quite large. However, if you are planning on making a large lasagna or having a party, the packages would be perfect. Cheese also freezes well so you don't have to waste any leftovers.

BMS Paper Company is on Washington Street between Green street and Williams street in Jamaica Plain. They have a small parking lot and it's within walking distance to Green Street station (orange line).
Here's the yelp review with a map: http://www.yelp.com/biz/bms-paper-supply-jamaica-plain