Sesame Oil Flavor for a Salad by Toasting Hulled Sesame Seeds

(this 10-oz bottle sells for $5.53 on Amazon)

I was making a favorite Asian chicken and noodle salad for dinner last night and realized that I've been out of sesame oil for eons. At $4 or so for a small bottle, sesame oil has not been on my active shopping list since the early 2000s. It adds so much flavor to this salad, though, so I knew I'd be sad without that extra depth of flavor. To get that same sesame oil flavor I toasted hulled sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden brown.

1/4 cup of toasted sesames added just the amount of flavor that I wanted for a family-size bowl of salad.

I was also out of green onions.

This time of year, my chive plants produce an abundance of blossoms. In addition to making flavored vinegar with the blossoms, I also add pulled apart blossoms to salads, soups and to top casseroles, for a little oniony flavor.

I don't know if you ever buy sesame oil, or if you happen across a recipe which calls for it. You can get a similar taste from toasting your own sesame seeds.  I buy sesame seeds in 1-lb bags for about $3 per pound. Sesame seeds keep in the freezer for a very long time, BTW.

Cheap & Cheerful Suppers for the Last of May

Friday (just 2 for dinner)

• hot dogs in homemade buns 
• homemade French fries
• roasted carrot sticks
• sherbet

Saturday

• leftover pasta in sauce
• scrambled eggs
• frozen broccoli
• sherbet

Sunday (husband cooks)

• egg, cheese, and rice dish
• fried corn tortilla
• carrot sticks

Monday (Memorial Day)

• baked hot dogs in buns
• green salad (lettuce from garden), topped with olives, celery, roasted pecans, and prunes)
• sherbet

Tuesday

• black bean and cheese burritos
• roasted carrots
• olives
• sherbet

Wednesday

• baked chicken
• brown rice
• broccoli
• rhubarb pie

Thursday

• spinach frittata
• baked potatoes
• rhubarb pie
• what it really was -- waffles, whipped cream, frozen blackberries

Busy week. Life is having to take a back seat to some other situations and projects. I hope your week went well. What was on your menu this past week? Anything interesting? How do you change menus when the warm weather hits your area?

Have a wonderful weekend!