Father’s Day Cooking With Food Network’s Melissa d’Arabian

I love cooking, and I love saving money. So when Melissa d’Arabian was selected as last year’s winner of Food Network’s Next Food Network Star series, I was thrilled! She’s straight forward – she wants to save money while feeding her family healthy and delicious meals. You can not beat that! After winning, Melissa was given her own show, Ten Dollar Dinners, where she keeps her healthy dinner ideas to a total cost of $10 or less! For a whole family!

As a treat, I was able to send over three questions to Melissa about Father’s Day cooking and saving money. Thinking of questions for a Food Network star was both hard and easy. I wanted some new ideas, but I knew I wanted to save money and come up with something creative for her. Here are the questions and answers from Melissa!

Q: What’s a fun and healthy way to use quinoa during the summer months?
Quinoa is a great grain option, especially since it’s a complete protein.  You can use it like rice or pasta in any of your favorite cold salad recipes. Or try my recipe:   Note: to cook quinoa, I have found my most successful method is:  Rinse in cold water, and then cook in a microwaveable covered dish, two parts water for one part quinoa for nine to ten minutes on high.  Let sit for a minute undisturbed, and then fluff with fork.  Drizzle a little olive oil or canola oil and use in salad recipe once cooled.

Here’s a great summer quinoa recipe:
Quinoa with Parmesan Cheese and lemon zest
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chicken stock
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

2 Tbs. olive oil (mild flavored preferred)
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

To cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in cold water using a sieve.  In a large microwave proof bowl with cover, mix quinoa, stock, water, and red pepper flakes, if using.  Cover and microwave on high for 9 minutes.  Let sit for two minutes and stir.  Quinoa should be tender enough to eat, but with a little “pop” upon biting.

Gently mix the olive oil, thyme and lemon zest into cooled quinoa.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Q: Instead of cake and ice cream for Father’s Day, what other desserts can I try?
How about coffee and ice cream?  My husband just loves my inexpensive take on affogado that I did in Season 2 of Ten Dollar Dinners.  Or for a more family-oriented option, try my Lemon Blueberry crepes.

Q: Are there certain things that seem to always go on sale around Father’s Day that I should stock up on for the following weeks?
Anytime we pass a major holiday or event, keep your eye on the clearance aisle or rack (or sometimes it’s just a shopping cart with a handwritten sign saying “clearance” or “managers specials.”  With school just finishing in most places, June is a great time to check the stores for clearance items from the school year.  If you are traveling and need small bags of pretzels, for instance, this is the time to check!  Also, a bunch of beauty products, like face creams and even some medicines (cold medicine, pain relievers, etc) are in the clearance baskets right now.

Check your local listings so that come July, when new episodes of Ten Dollar Dinners start airing, you can catch Melissa work her magic!