Publix Bargain Meal June 18-24

Do you eat grillades at your house? I don't remember eating them growing up, but we now love them. When my mom married my step-father, he had just moved here after a couple of years in south Mississippi. He couldn't get some of the flavors of that area off his mind, and my mom started cooking a little bit more creole food. I think that time period is when I first had grillades. Whenever it was, I knew that it was good stuff, and I latched right on.

This is another recipe from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. Full of good stuff, I tell ya! It was originally written for 1.5 pounds of round steak that you tenderize yourself. Always one to cut out a step, I just buy cube steak. And, it's a recipe that I have cut the meat way down in, without noticing a big lack of flavor. It's a breakfast for supper meal for us, which is usually served on a night that we're not desperately hungry. If folks are really hungry, you can always add some scrambled eggs on the side. Or you can put salad on the side and ignore the "breakfast for supper" angle. It is a meal like quiche--easily able to transfer from breakfast to dinner.

**as an aside** If you don't like grits (and if you don't--what is wrong with you??), this would probably be good over rice, too. But, first, you ought to try making grits with half water and half milk. Or even all milk. Or if it's a holiday, half and half. You'll be a grit lover before you know it.

Grits and Grillades

1/2 pound cube steak--on sale $3.99/lb--$2
3 T all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp creole seasoning (like Tony Cachere's)
2 T butter, melted and divided--$0.16
1 onion, chopped--$0.25
1 green bell pepper, chopped--not on sale yet--use frozen--approx $0.50
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes, undrained and chopped--$1
1 cup water
4 cups hot cooked grits--a little over 1 cup dry--approx $0.30

Cut meat into 2 inch squares; set aside. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a ziploc bag. Add steak and shake to coat.
Brown steak in 1 T butter over med-high heat about 2 minutes on each side. Do in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining 1 T butter, onion, and next 3 ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and water; return steak to pot. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring once.
Spoon grillades over grits, and serve hot.


Serve with canteloupe--on sale --$1.47



Total cost for this meal--$5.68


There are lots more bargain meals to be had over at $5 dinners. Find your favorite store and what folks are creating out of the weekly sales flyers.