Offended by chicken cutlet recipes

heidi

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:36 am

OP, I feel your pain.
Living in Israel, I absolutely do not enjoy reading recipes from American frum magazines that call for ingredients you just cannot get in this country.
Lately everything seems to call for beef fry, navel pastrami, wonton wrappers. Nope, nada, not happening.
However, it's not the magazine's fault that I chose to live in this country bereft of so many material niceties.
I do understand why you find it frustrating.

amother

Red

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:37 am

I'm offended that people think that spaghetti and meatballs is a cheap dinner that can be sent over to a new mother.

I priced out all of my dinners, and most are between $15-$20 each. Guess how expensive meatballs are? Over $30.

(For whatever it's worth, if I can get by on a single family pack of cutlets, I can make shnitzel for under $25.)

amother

Charcoal

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:38 am

chanatron1000 wrote:

Are we so "rational" that we can't handle people having feelings?

Look at this: ppl get upset , ultra sensitive because of something they don't have at the moment. Where is it going to stop? Why can't ppl be happy with what they have? she is mad at the magazine. She can't handle someone having something else. Insanity!
Make your own recipe book or blog or whatever and put whatever recipe you like.

happytobemom

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:41 am

amother Charcoal wrote:

She's venting her frustration anonymously, in a supposedly safe place.
She's not (as far as we know) writing letters to the editors of the magazines, or telling this to all her friends, coworkers, and neighbors, or telling the people buying cutlets in the stores that they are insensitive for being able to afford it.
She's allowed to get it out here.

amother

Charcoal

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:47 am

happytobemom wrote:

Yep. And anyone reading her post is allowed to have a different opinion than hers. Or than yours.

happytobemom

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:51 am

amother Charcoal wrote:

Yep. And anyone reading her post is allowed to have a different opinion than hers. Or than yours.

True. And so am I.

chanatron1000

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:52 am

amother Charcoal wrote:

Yep. And anyone reading her post is allowed to have a different opinion than hers. Or than yours.

And we're also allowed to tell you to read the room.

Iymnok

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 1:54 am

I have to translate most recipes for what’s available that time of year in Israel.
For chicken recipes, I look at the spices and use the same flavors for whatever cut I have on hand.

Amarante

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 2:06 am

juggling wrote:

Sorry for being off topic. I'm just curious. In the US tofu is cheaper than chicken breast? In Israel it isn't.

Yes. Tofu is significantly cheaper than kosher chicken.

You can get kosher chicken less expensively in some stores but the per pound cost would still be higher than tofu.

And beans, lentils and other legumes are also inexpensive, are a complete protein when combined properly with their complementary vegetable protein source and make some delicious food.

There is a lot of interest in easy and fast vegetarian food because traditionally it was thought to be time consuming to prepare.

ETA - I know this isn't a request for recipes but here is an example of a recipe that uses legumes - is inexpensive - uses relatively inexpensive pantry ingredients and when served over rice (especially brown rice) is a complete protein equivalent to meat. It would also heat up well if made in advance.

Rosemary White Beans With Frizzled Onions and Tomato

Source: Melissa Clark

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
Fine sea salt
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, more for serving
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or butter beans (preferably canned with salt), drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, more for garnish

PREPARATION

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil until it shimmers over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned all over, 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, transfer half of the onions to a plate and season lightly with salt.

Add remaining 6 tablespoons oil, the garlic, rosemary, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt to the onions in the skillet. Cook until garlic is pale gold at the edges (don’t let the garlic turn brown), 2 to 5 minutes.

Add beans, chopped tomatoes, ½ cup of water and 1 teaspoon salt to skillet; stir until beans are well coated with sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until broth thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in lemon zest and parsley, and taste, adding more salt if needed. Garnish with reserved onions, more parsley, olive oil and red-pepper flakes, if you’d like. The beans thicken as they cool, but you can add more water to make them brothier if you like.

Last edited by Amarante on Fri, Dec 30 2022, 9:17 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Sienna

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 2:41 am

I don't go for the recipes with expensive ingredients, I don't even read the magazines. It's not part of my life. I have certain things my kids like and that's what I cook because I know it will get eaten. Why would I go get some rare spice or ingredient just to have none of my kids touch dinner.
I'll admit that often I am surprised at what people consider normal food for dinner or for shabbos, I know the cost in my supermarket and I wouldn't dare consider it in my menus.
I've stopped using chicken breast much because they've shrunk the packages while raising the price per lb, so now we need almost two whole packages for one dinner. Ground beef is much cheaper. Even a small roast I can shred is cheaper, especially if I find a turkey roast. Regular chicken thighs are cheaper since I buy a case when on sale.
I am anyways looking for the simplest quickest dinners to cook. I don't have time to patchke and I don't particularly enjoy cooking. The magazines are irrelevant to me.

Bnei Berak 10

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 3:27 am

amother Outerspace wrote:

Well truthfully, when I see some of the influencers Instagram, they’re always posting expensive meats and fish, or extravagant dinners out, where they have multiple appetizers and desserts. It is a certain luxurious lifestyle.

Shut off instagram and go back to recipes without the fancy pics.
My very best cookbook is from 1964 by Julia Child. No lifestyle around it. Just cooking.

Cookies n Cake

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 3:30 am

I never think the magazine would have regular go-to dinners and I look at them for fun. If I find a good recipe, great.

imaima

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 3:30 am

amother Ultramarine wrote:

You’re offended??? So because you can’t afford cutlets you want the magazines and cookbooks not to offer recipes?

That’s like saying because you can’t afford tuition, you want all the Yeshivos to shut down. Not realistic.

I suggest googling recipes for whichever cuts of chicken or other ingredients you do have and can afford.

Certainly if you make yeshiva education expensive AND claim that it’s the only proper chinuch and a must and a fundament for raising a frum child, then it is the same. If you stigmatize those who go to public school for money reasons, it is the same as claiming that expensive meat is a „basic dinner“.

juggling

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 3:34 am

Right. Between various special diets and other considerations I rarely find most recipes suit my needs. I do read them, though, sometimes I get good ideas, even if I can't use them exactly as written.

I do think in general the magazines find a good balance of something for everyone.

As far as cookbooks, different cookbooks are geared to different needs. If you're into frugal cooking and you're looking in a "quick and easy" cookbook you probably will find a lot that doesn't work for you.

a2z

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 3:49 am

Mishpacha has had many bean & other vegan recipes

amother

Lightyellow

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 5:33 am

I'm actually offended by the multiple salmon recipes in the Jewish magazines. Has anyone checked the price of salmon lately?

imasinger

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 5:59 am

OP, would you like some less expensive ideas and recipes? If you give us an idea of your weekly food budget, maybe we can help.

LovesHashem

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 6:23 am

I hear OP. I can afford chicken cutlets but we try to eat cheaper to save money.

I wish the magazines would offer a column for easy dinners in a budget. Learn how to use legumes, beans, and other cheaper sources of protein in easy dinners.

amother

DarkGray

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 8:13 am

Op I get you! When the Mishpacha features the Shabbos menus of random people, with expensive meats on the menu, I feel similar to the way you do!

But then I remind myself that I do have plenty to be grateful for- a dh, sweet kids, a meaningful job, our health…

I said nishmas for 40 days and while I didn’t see a huge change financially (yet) I see a huge change in my attitude in that I’m able to appreciate what I have more.

But when magazines make it seem like everyone can afford x and I’m the odd one out, it’s hard

scruffy

Fri, Dec 30 2022, 8:18 am

I can't afford to make magazine recipes either.

I was just on Between Carpools and there was a recipe for a cilantro lime dressing that called for three packages of checked cilantro. That is like $15 right there for a dressing!! I can't believe that enough of their readership can afford that either.

(Yes I get that I could check my own cilantro but that is a pain and the point of BCP is that their recipes are easy)