Nothing says fun like...

...SCORCHED EARTH!!!

What is "Scorched Earth" you ask?

Scorched Earth is our name for the Fiscal Responsibility dinners Homer and I created a year ago.

The term comes from an episode of the Dave Ramsey Show where a woman (FAR over her head in debt and not sure what to do about it) called in and Dave had a little, humorous melt down. He started with a few of his standard Dave-isms. "Live like no one else so that later on in life, you can live like no one else." and "You shouldn't see the inside of a restaurant unless you're working there." and out of nowhere started yelling, "SCORCHED EARTH!!! SCORCHED EARTH!!!" It made Homer and I laugh like complete fools...and then became the title of our dinners.

The idea is essentially a potluck, but with parameters. The guidelines are as such: -Each couple/individual (whatever you want to do) brings ONE food item that costs less than $10 to make and that can be shared among the group. We've even done Scorched Earths that were under $5. It is a total blast. Everyone comes up with their inexpensive dish to share with the group. All the fun of a potluck and eating out with friends for a fraction of the cost. The rules are simple.

-Recipe and cost breakdown MUST be included.
-Items will be judged by the group Iron Chef style, based on a range of criteria by the group including cost, taste and presentation.
-Items grown or otherwise produced by the cook do not incur a cost in the recipe. (veggies, fruit, herbs...etc)
-Tie goes to the individual with the cheaper dish.

Now, we've had some GREAT meals this way. It is a cheap, fun and healthy way to spend time with friends. I'm so excited to have our new house...because we'll have even more room for Scorched Earth. Perhaps we should have a small one to bid adieu to the trailer?

My favorite was our first "Healthy Scorched Earth". Here is my review of the night(including dishes):


All of our dishes actually came in the $3-$4 range. That's right. $3-$4. How many people ate last night? Eight. Four meals, eight people fed, less than $16 total cost. Are you doing the math, kids? That means a SUPER healthy meal, fun and entertainment for EIGHT GROWN ADULTS for less than $2 a person. New Years Resolutions and failing economy...you won't get us!

On the table last night was: (and I'll try to get recipes from everyone and food totals soon)

Firstly, Kara brought Governor's rolls. ;) And for that, we were ALL very grateful.

Tomato Spanish Soup - A mild, sweet and slightly heated tomato base soup with layers of mild onions and peppers. A LOVELY starter. Brought by Kaitlyn.

Goulash over Noodles - A traditional beef goulash (lean ground beef purchased in bulk to drive down the cost) that was more heavy on the peppers (which was a delight), sweet tomatoes and a brilliant consistency, drizzled over egg noodles. Brought by Jamie and Jerry.

Quinoa with Truffle Oil and Mushrooms - DELICIOUS! If you haven't tried Quinoa yet, get on it. It is like a hearty couscous with some serious staying power. Saturated with mushrooms and having just a TOUCH of truffle oil made the flavor of the Quinoa jump out. Cooked in chicken broth only added depth. Brought by Amy and Brett

Tuscan Garlic Pork with Veggies - Lean pieces of pork cut into about two inch strips, marinaded in light garlic dressing and breaded, baked on top of a bed celery, carrots, onions and sweet potatoes (also marinaded) and topped with the slightest amount of Romano cheese. I was extremely please with how this turned out. The potatoes helped give it more staying power and at $1.89 for a pound of pork (yes, it was on sale. THAT is why I created this dish), there was plenty to go around. The combo of the sweet potatoes with the garlic and onions was terrific. And it was a very no-fuss meal. I chopped the veggies the night before and used a plastic bag to marinade them. Then I marinaded the pork and left the two bags in the fridge. Finally, I created the breadcrumbs and placed THEM in a bag. The next morning, I took my Pampered Chef large bar pan, spread the veggies over the pan and placed it in my oven on a timer. When I came home, the veggies were perfect and the house smelled divine. I walked over to the fridge, took out the pork, threw the pork into the pre-assembled breadcrumb back, shook and then placed the pork over the already gorgeous veggies. Baked for another 15 minutes. Removed from the bar pan, put in serving dish and topped with cheese. Just wonderful. And at a grand total of $3.63 for the ENTIRE MEAL and about 200 calories per serving (including a full serving of veggies!)...it will be a regular at our house and should be at yours, too. (obviously, this was Homer and my contribution. ;))