Saturday, December 21, 2019

Did Someone Say PIE?

It's rather sad that going to Costco is the adventure of your day.  Despite the lure of 75% off everything in the stores, I've been sticking close to home.  There's just too much stuff out there I really don't need.  With willpower like mine, it's better to be bored in the house!

Then again, Costco is almost as dangerous as the Mall.  Look at these pies.  Have you ever seen so many in one sitting?  They are stacked FIVE deep!!  Do they really sell all this stuff?
How about APPLE?  By my count, there are 200 apple pies sitting here.  Lucky for me, I had eaten a big breakfast, followed up by a large box of goodies from the bakery in Idaho, owned by my nephew's wife.
Nothing kills the thought of pumpkin or apple pie more than a huge chocolate-mint chubby,
followed up by not one, but TWO chocolate dipped marshmallows.  Basically, I was on the verge of a sugar coma, which I later regretted!!
At any rate, I checked out Costco's meat counter.  Here's what I found.  If it's PRIME, it is so stated, not only on the label, but on the wall behind.  Here are two lovely pieces of New York steak.  Check out the white fat marbling.  THIS would be a tasty steak to eat, and tender to boot.

Then look at the price.  $13.99 a pound.  That makes this package $30.78.  A little steep for my budget, even if I cut it into four pieces.  However, if beef were really my thing, I would buy this.  Trouble is, I've just had too much beef over my lifetime to really want any more steaks.
As for Costco's hamburger, it was choice and only 85% lean, meaning there would be cups of grease to throw away.  Prime hamburger is hard to find.  For those that asked, here's the recipe for my meatloaf.

1-1/2 pounds hamburger
1 egg
Half an onion grated (or chopped up fine)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (or bread crumbs)
1 tblsp parsley
Every spice you can find in your cabinet
including salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder
and just a tiny dash of smoked paprika
One big glug of barbecue sauce, which I also
pour over the top after patting it down in a pan.  
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes

So here's my next question.  Is chicken graded?  Sometimes I get really good tender chicken, and sometimes I get something akin to leather, so tough even the pressure cooker can't make it better.  And what about turkey?  Inquiring minds want to know!!

Oh look ....... CRAB!!!!!





10 comments:

  1. That is a lot of apple pie! Must be the country's favourite!
    My question - did you make your meatloaf in the IP? The sauce on top doesn't turn out the same but the meatloaf is yummy. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cover it loosely with foil, just like you do a cheesecake. That keeps the water off the top and it should be better.

      Delete
  2. USDA has an interesting website about inspection and grading.
    It doesn't mention the current administration's policy of allowing pork producers to inspect themselves.

    https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/production-and-inspection/inspection-and-grading-of-meat-and-poultry-what-are-the-differences_/inspection-and-grading-differences

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup ... that's the USDA. They are working more for safe meat than quality. As long as it won't kill you, they don't care what it looks or tastes like.

      Delete
  3. The USDA grades for poultry are A, B, and C. Grade A is the highest quality and the only grade that is likely to be seen at the retail level. Grades B and C poultry are usually used in further-processed products where the poultry meat is cut up, chopped, or ground.

    About Chickens. Arkansas is a huge chicken producer, being the home of Tyson and all. We had two plants in town which processed chickens. They are hauled on trucks in cages, which sometimes allow a stray bird to escape and it wanders along the highway and roads eating and pooping. There are fryers (broilers), and layers. The fryers only live for 35-50 days, while the layers live for a year or more. Even the layers are eventually killed for eating purposes, and they are much, much larger than the average chicken fryer. My guess is that the chickens roasted at Sams and Costco are laying chickens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well those laying chickens are mighty taste. I do like Costco's version of the roasted variety, and only $4.99. I didn't know they were graded however. No wonder those huge breasts I buy at the store are so tough!!

      Delete
  4. I think you're looking at the 30$ steak all wrong
    If you cut the two steaks in half you get four pieces that comes to $7.70 each
    If you want a potato to go with it let's just say $.25 each ( based on a 5 pound bag )
    If you add broccoli 1/2 a head. 1 dollar
    So if you added it up per meal 8.95$ That $30 steak is pretty damn good ,
    you can't go to the restaurant for that price
    So you think of your house food as a restaurant and you plan $cost$ per meal
    So you see if you take your meatloaf an ingredients to a projected cost of 9 dollars
    It's the same as your seven dollar pie you cut it in seven.
    each portion you eat is a dollar
    How many meals can you get out of it, you divided that way you will see your food portions in a different light
    How much is a bag of oranges divide that cost by the number of oranges in the bag
    My mother used to do that with food until it drove me crazy
    Until I had to start paying for it myself

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are exactly right. I'm laughing because I figured out the cost divided by 4 while at Costco! OMG ... I'm like your mother!!!!! LOL

      Delete
  5. I have to think like Mister Ed. Jerry and I love steak. I eat very little at a meal and Jerry has cut back on his portions so we would get a couple of meals plus leftovers for lunch. Maybe for a Christmas gift to each other I'll buy steak....the good kind!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a GREAT idea Elva! I couldn't possibly eat an entire steak anyway!

      Delete