Frugal Fridays - Dutch, Dutch, Baby

So, I thought I’d introduce a new ‘segment’ to the blog called ‘Frugal Fridays’. Basically, I’m going to highlight a particular meal and give the rundown of the cost. This is by no means scientific. It is mostly to force me to make use of all those good grocery deals I get and make a conscious effort to further reduce my grocery budget.

And this one’s probably cheating a bit, but baby steps, Grasshopper, baby steps.

Next, I would like to say that no leafy greens were harmed in the making of this meal. But I was in a bit of a hurry, so I went really basic. But if you’re in a bit of a hurry, this isn’t a bad meal to turn out, I’ll have to say.

A Dutch Baby is basically an oven baked pancake. Took me about 5 minutes to put it together, another 5 minutes to load a baking pan with bacon and toss it in the oven alongside, and the potatoes were done cooking by the time everything came out of the oven. Start to finish, about 30 minutes total.

Now for the cost breakdown:

½ package of bacon - $1.50
1 lb potatoes - $ .79
Various and sundry additions to the fried potatoes
     (oil, ¼ of an onion, seasoning, etc) - $ .15
Dutch Baby ingredients - $1.04
Strawberry Freezer Jam (already on hand) - let’s call it $ .30 total
Total for the meal (feeding 2 people): $3.78, or $1.89 per serving.

This is what it looks like when it first comes out of the oven. It’s kind of like a soufflé in that it starts to sink very quickly once removed from its heat source.

Dutch Baby

4 Tbs butter
3 eggs
¾ cup milk, heated slightly (just toss in the microwave for about 30 seconds)
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs sugar
1/8 tsp salt
¾ cup flour

Preheat oven to 400º. Place a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Heat just until butter is melted. In a blender, combine remaining ingredients and half of the melted butter from the skillet. Process on high for at least a minute, until ingredients are completely combined and mixture is frothy. Pour mixture into the skillet and place the skillet in the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes. The pancake will ‘climb’ the sides of the pan and get brown around the edges, but make sure it cooks long enough to finish cooking the center of the pancake. Serve immediately with jelly and a bit of powdered sugar.

Or fresh fruit.

Or yogurt and a bit of lemon peel.

Whatever blows your socks off, really.