Mother's Day Without Breaking the Bank

Oh, boy. Mother's Day is just around the corner (again) and you know what that means. First, shopping for another gift that mom doesn't really want or need. Then, brunch with the family at some overpriced restaurant (probably a buffet that you don't want to indulge in) with poor service and mediocre food. And here I thought honoring your mother was something you did everyday. Silly me. Here are some suggestions to help you battle the need to buy in to what the greeting card companies tell you you must do.

"It's the thought that counts". You've heard it a hundred times, and it is especially true on Mother's Day. I don't know a mom that doesn't care more about the thought that went into the gift than the pricetag of that gift. So get something meaningful, like a photo, make a taped interview of the grandchildren, a box of mom's favorite candy, or just write a poem. These are the kind of gifts most mom's cherish. One of my most memorable Mother's Day gifts was a note one of my kids wrote to me. The gift is long gone, but the note is folded away in a safe place.

So now that you have mom's gift, how will you celebrate? You can always take the family out for a fancy brunch, say the Crown Room at the Hotel Del Coronado (http://www.hoteldel.com/). Their brunch will run you about $75 per person, plus tax and tip. Or, you could try Georges at the Cove in La Jolla (http://www.georgesathecove/), where they have a standard brunch menu that will cost you around $30 per person, plus tax and tip. Or, if you like buffets, the best value might be Belle Fleur in Carlsbad (http://www.bellefleur.com/) at $39.95 for a delicious, hearty meal. Another favorite is Jakes in Del Mar (http://www.jakesdelmar/) for a spectacular view and good food.


My favorite choice for brunch with the family is right at home, either my home or my mom's. To me, this holiday is all about getting together with family, sharing some good food and conversation. When did this holiday become such an extravaganza? A nice home cooked meal suits me just fine. Our family favorite is bagels, cream cheese, lox and other assorted salted fish, plus all the fixings (onions, olives, tomatoes) and fresh squeezed orange juice. There's little chance of getting that meal in San Diego, so I'm off to see family in Los Angeles. There's no shortage of great delis there!

Dinners For Under a Dollar

I tried an experiment several months ago, and this is the last post regarding my findings. I shopped exclusively at the 99cent store(http://www.99only.com/) for several weeks, to see if I could make healthy, delicious meals on a shoestring. Breakfast and lunch were not a problem. Most breakasts were around 50cents, most lunches were under a buck. The challenge was dinner, because the 99cent store does not carry a lot of protein choices. Surprisingly I succeeded, and here are my results.

• 4 ounce chicken breast, mashed potatoes, veggie salad, dinner rolls, pudding. $2per person
• pasta with marinara sauce, garlic bread, salad with veggies, cake. $1.50 per person
• homemade bean and vegetable soup, poached salmon fillet, cucumber and onion salad, pound cake and sliced fruit. $2.25 per person
• ham and cheese fritatta, salad, rolls, fruit or ice cream bar. $2 per person
• chicken tacos, black beans, pound cake. $2 per person
• macaroni and cheese, salad, garlic bread, cupcakes. $1.50 per person
• hot dogs and beans, sauerkraut, pudding or jello. $1.50

In order to achieve the goal of healthy and inexpensive meals, I reduced the amount of protein in my meals, which is actually a really good thing. I was surprised to find chicken and fish fillets at the 99cent store in 4 ounce packets. I did not include any casseroles in the above list, but there are many inexpensive casserole meals that could be put together, but I'll do that at another time...Healthy, delicious, and cheap. That's a combo that can't be beat. You can do it too with a little thought and imagination.

Skillet Apple Charlotte

One of my favorite chefs is Jacques Pepin. I have been watching him for 30 years, but have not seen him on the air since his series with Julia Child. I was delighted to find out he is back on PBS with 26 new shows teaching the viewer how to cook food fast, the Jacques Pepin way. I caught his show last week, and just had to make his quick version of the classic French dessert, Apple Charlotte. From start to finish took about 45 minutes, with only about 20 minutes prep time.

Skillet Apple Charlotte

Ingredients

3-4 Granny Smith apples-peeled, cored and cut into sixths

2 T. pure maple syrup

1 T. honey

3 T. unsalted butter

4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp. sugar

3 T. apricot preserves

sour cream or whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 7 or 8 inch ovenproof skillet, arrange apples snugly. Add maple syrup, hone and 2 T. butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 5 minutes, until apples are tender. Uncover and cook over high heat until liquid is evaporated and the apples are carmelized, about 7 minutes

Arrange the bread slices, spread with butter, sprinkle with sugar, and place over apples. Bake 20 minutes or until bread is toasted. (mine needed only 15 minutes). Invert the charlotte onto a plate.

Microwave apricot preserves for 45 seconds. Spread the preserves over the apples. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream, whipped cream or ice cream. Delicious

My Sunday Visitor

Sunday was such a beautiful day, I decided to open all the doors and get some fresh air. I got more than I bargained for. I was working at my desk when I heard a continuous "tweet, tweet." A sparrow flew into the house, into the kitchen, and was flying in and out of the blinds, totally disoriented. I am a huge animal lover, so all I wanted to do was get him out of the house quickly, because when they get scared they struggle and can die in a very short time. He was so uncooperative. He finally flew up to the skylight in the kitchen, and fluttered around forever. My husband's idea was to get a trash bag and tape it under the skylight, so that when he fell, he'd fall into the bag. He also thought a butterfly net might be just the prop we needed to catch him.

I was at a loss as to what to do when I decided to call PetSmart and found out that they had a pond net, so I hurried over and bought the net. It turned out to be just the thing. Since it had a very long pole, we were able to catch him right away. We put him outside and he flew right away, no worse for his ordeal. But I'm a wreck. I can't believe the anxiety I had not knowing if we would be able to save him. My husband, on the other hand, caught the bird, then took a nap. No big deal. My 18 year old dog Barney apparently could not see or hear him, as he just sat and watched and wondered what all the fuss was about.

So I didn't save any money today, in fact my wallet is $27 lighter because I had to buy the pond net without a coupon. But there's no price on saving a life!!!

Udderly Delightful

I just spent the afternoon in La Jolla, on a walking tour of the cow exhibit. It is called Cow On Parade, and you can go to their website (http://www.cowparadelajolla.com/) for more information. There are 40 life size cows, decorated by local artists. Most are displayed in the downtown La Jolla area, and can be easily found following the map provided by the web site. After the exhibit is over in June, all cows will be auctioned off with proceeds going to a local hospital. What a great way to spend an afternoon, and it's free. Of course lunch or afternoon coffee in La Jolla is always a great way to finish the day. Unfortunately I had already eaten lunch, but there are so many little restaurants I had never noticed I was sorry I couldn't try one. Let me know if you find something new and exciting.

Shopping on Line

Shopping on line has never been easier, and when you find out how much you can save, you won't want to shop any other way. I recently started exploring some on line shopping stores, and was I ever surprised. I will tell you about a few of the food finds I just discovered.

Omaha Steaks(www.omahasteaks.com) is a company that's been around a long time, and I always associated it with very high prices. I discovered them on line, and I was pleasantly surprised. If you check out their sale items, you can save up to 50% off the regular price. For example, a box of 4 six ounce filet mignon steaks, regularly $83.99, is on sale for $49.99. Four 10 ounce boneless strip steask are now $49.99, and the regualar price was $98.99. (i'm not sure they had a lot of buyers at the regular price!) These are great items to buy for yourself or give as a gifts.

Mrs. Beasley's (www.mrsbeasleys.com) makes gift baskets filled with with cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. I have been buying Mrs. Beasley's for 20 years, as they were located right near my home in Los Angeles. They are now nationwide on line, and are the perfect gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation, Housewarming, you name it. The gift is enjoyed by the entire family, and the goodies will be gone in no time. I urge you to check out their website if you've never seen their products. They're wonderful.

Finally, Boca Java(www.bocajava.com) has an on line store with monthly specials and sale items. Check the sale items in particular. Some of the things are practically being given away. They also do beautiful gift baskets for all occasions, and they have a monthly coffee club.

On line shopping is probably not new to you. If you're like me, you've bought from Amazon, J. Crew, I Tunes, etc. But with a bit more searching, you will discover so many, many items of interest to buy online. Be careful, it can be addictive. Look for specials and sale items and have fun exploring.

More Happy Hour Deals

As you know by now, I love a bargain. Some of my favorite restaurants in the Del Mar/Solana Beach area also have some of the best happy hours. All three that I will tell you about today have wine, beer, and mixed drinks at discounted prices, plus appetizers and main courses at very reduced prices. These are not your typical happy hour fare. The restaurants I will tell you about serve gourmet food all the time, including happy hour. Here they are.

Pacific Coast Grill (www.pacificcoastgrill.com) is one of my favorite spots for an early dinner when the weather is warm. I do not suggest going there during the racing season, Mid July through Labor Day, unless you don't mind waiting. Happy Hours is from 4-7 daily, either in the bar area or on the patio. An added feature for dog lovers is that they encourage dogs on the patio. They even have a dog menu, and each dog gets a bowl of water. The $5 gold margaritas are a great way to start. All appetizers are 40%off, but for my buck the meals are the best bargain. Try the delicious burger and fries for $4.95, the bag 'o bones (baby back ribs and fries), or the chicken fajitas for $7.95. Also available are braised short ribs with truffle fries, and on Mondays only, their signature dish, lobster tacos are half off. This is one happy hour you won't want to miss.

The Brigantine in Del Mar (www.brigantine.com) has another great happy hour. The restaurant overlooks the racetrack, thus it is very popular with the track crowd, and always busy, but especially during racing season. Again, happy hour takes place in the bar area from 4-6 daily, and from 4-11 on Tuesday. The house margarita is only $3.50. Other food items include artichoke fritters at $5.00, nachos at $6.00, shrimp cocktail at $8.00, and their signature fish taco for only $2.75. The Brig has lots of atmosphere and a very lively crowd. You won't want to miss it.

Finally, Sbicca in Del Mar (www.sbiccabistro.com) has a happy hour you must try. Except for the fact that it is in the very crowded bar area, everything else is exceptional. It takes place daily from 4-6:30, and you can have a wonderful meal for half what it would cost in the main dining area. For example, fish tacos are $6.50, grilled chicken tortilla salad is $6.50, 1/2 lb. bistro burger is $7.25, turkey cobb salad is $7.25, crab cakes are $6.50, and chicken spring rolls are $5.75. The food here is consistently good and the price is right. So eat a little early and save a lot of money!!