Brandied Chicken Drumsticks with Spinach Sesame Salad (about $2.80 per serving)

Another inexpensive meat at Trader Joe's is organic free range chicken legs. I bought two packages of five meaty legs each for a total of $7.00. So last night, I roasted them with a little brandy, garlic and oregano, and served them with a new salad I made up.

Brandied Chicken Drumsticks:

10 drumsticks
Olive oil
1/4 cup brandy or port
1 T. garlic powder
2 T. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste


The chicken is very simple. Drizzle each leg with olive oil and brandy and sprinkle them with garlic, a little salt and pepper and some dried oregano. Roast them in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour, turning them about halfway through. After an hour, turn the oven off and let them sit for 30 minutes or so. Don't let them overcook. This step creates a nice glaze and maximizes the flavor. Makes four servings.

In my recent attempts to save money, I am trying not to shop as often, which forces me to be more creative with the ingredients I have on hand. Last night, I had some random ingredients that I threw together to make this yummy salad, which is inspired by a very good Chinese noodle salad that my sister in law makes:

Spinach Sesame Salad

1/2 bag (about 3-4 cups) of prewashed spinach, julienned
1 small apple, julienned
1 cup broccoli slaw
2 thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
2 T. toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. honey
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Mix honey and sesame oil, whisk in pineapple juice a little at a time until thoroughly combined. Mix salad ingredients together. Toss with dressing.
Serves two.