I think it is time for me to get back to posting more frugal dinners for Frugal Fridays. I have been cooking a lot of unexpensive dinners lately, but either the pictures didn’t turn out good, the batteries were dead or I just kept forgetting to take pictures. But now I won’t be able to use the bad pictures excuse. Well, at least the bad lighting excuse. This week I received a new toy I found on eBay. For only 20 some bucks plus shipping costs I got these two very helpful guys:
It is so hard to get good natural light in the winter in this house so I decided to get the extra little help. They really make a difference and the best part is that they were really not that expensive and are very versatile. I really recommend the investment if you are looking for ways to get better food pics. It’s all about lighting!
Anyway, for this edition of Frugal Fridays I made a very simple yet delicious Mexican dish, Flautas de papa or fried potato tacos. It is frugal because all you need for them is corn tortillas, mashed potatoes for the filling, some cheese (grated queso fresco works great), sour cream, shredded lettuce (I added some cabbage, too) and avocado.
The preparation is not at all complicated. First, you have to prepare your mashed potatoes. I boiled some potatoes and garlic cloves togeter with salt. Mashed them, added butter, ground pepper and a little bit of milk. It needs to remain somehow dry.
Before stuffing and rolling the corn tortillas make sure they are warm. If they are cold they will break making it impossible to roll them. I don’t like warming them up in the microwave because the become mushy, but if you do it that way, make sure to wrap them in a kitchen cloth. Once they are warm just stuffed them with the mashed potatoes and fry them. Then top them with the lettuce, grated queso fresco, cream and avocado. That’s it. You’ve got a tasty, frugal dinner.
Remember that Frugal Fridays is all about cooking a dinner for 4 with around $10 US dollars. Right now that the economy is in the verge of collapse we all can use some frugality.
¡Buen provecho!
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Maven Meacham
I wondered what your new photo secret was Ben! Great buy on those photo umbrellas. I’ll have to check them out for myself. Thank you so much for passing this tip along!!
Oh, and I can’t wait to try out this frugal recipe. Perfect for the sophisticated palate on a budget. ; )
Teresa C. Cordell
Ben, I love these. I’ve made tacos de papa but somehow I never thought to roll them up like flautas. Great idea. I love your light kit. $20 bucks, great. I had actually found instructions on DIY on how to make your own light kit and just never got around to it. I’ll have to check ebay and see if I can find the same kit you found. The lighting in our house is very poor as well. I can’t believe you’ve never had a pinata. Every Latino kid I know has grown up with having them for birthdays. I’ll send you one for Christmas. Great post my friend.
recipes2share
Then lighting solution is great…I’m off to ebay.fr! Just yesterday I was pondering the same problem – a lot of what i photographed was for dinner so now too late in the day! Flautas de papa look great and there is such a requirement for this ‘frugal’ food which certainly doesn’t look so! Thanks.
Ivy
That’s a wonderful frugal recipe. Those light umbrellas are necessary for every foody taking pictures every day. If I had an extra table where I could have them permanently installed I’d buy them. It’s not easy to do this having a hungry family waiting to be fed
Stephanie
The picture looks great – Maybe some day I can afford those cool little light umbrella things!
And the recipe looks fantastic. I love flautas, but have never made them. Maybe I’ll have to give it a try. They look so yummy.
Jen of a2eatwrite
My DS would LOVE these and we have tons of potatoes from our share. Perfect! Thanks, Ben!
courtney
I’ll be investing in one of those soon. I love Flautas!
kat
Oh that sounds heavenly with the mashed potatoes! I plan on building a lightbox soon too, this fading light is not helping my photos at all
Sam
Looks really good, I really should try my hand at Mexican food.
Kevin
Nice photography setup!
Meeta
congrats on those lights. they really really make life easier – especially now when it’s starting to get darker earlier.
as for your frugal dish – it might be frugal to the pokcet but it certainly is not to the taste. lovely!
Maryann
Very cool set up Ben
Big Boys Oven
Just love your new toy and not expensive at all. Your dish is simple and so adorable!
maggie (pithy and cleaver)
Looks great—I have trouble with a dark kitchen being bad for photography too. And also DEFINITELY need to make more frugal meals. Thanks!
Adam
Ben the flautas look awesome. I love your whole presentation and the avocado on top. That filling sounds so frugalesque and delicious. Awesome job, and congrats on your new umbrellas
Jesse Kelly-Landes
Thank you for reminding me about these! Living in Texas I always forget to make Mexican food at home. We go out to eat it a lot, but it’s hard to find places that put potatoes in flautas and enchiladas down here. Deeeeeee-Licious!
Bellini Valli
Loving the new lighting system Ben. I wish I had one too…maybe I will check out E-Bay as you did. <ust not forget the food either because this looks like a delicious dish:D
peter
Here’s more proof that one can eat well and on a budget. The “photo studio” looks good, I have to get on that.
kittie
Great lighting system Ben! Now that I’m moved into my new (bigger!) place, I’m going to try to get a makeshift light box set up
mikky
your picture looks great… made your Flautas de papa look more appetizing…
Natashya
That looks great! I have a tortilla press and some tortilla cornflour. I should try these. How do you fry them without them opening up?
robin @ caviar and codfish
I think I’m going to have to break down and buy some good lighting – you photo looks great (and mouth-watering!)
nina
Oh, I dream of that toy!!!! One day, maybe!!! As for the flautas, they look super delicious!!!
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canarygirl
AY! Umbrella envy!!! I mean, the flautas look delicious and everything…but those LIGHTS! *cries* I need to go to Spanish ebay and see if there is anyone selling those. 20 bucks?! What a steal!!!
Teresa
Hey Ben, thanks for stopping by. I love Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos. There are so many legends and stories that surround the two. I’m still afraid of La Llorona. Talk to you later. BTY, I just signed up for your forum.
kellypea
These flautas look so yummy. I would never have thought of doing this which is why I love your recipes. I’m not so good at thinking “outside the box…” My mom always made these little mashed potato pancakes with our left over dinner potatoes when I was little and they were delicious — like I’ll bet these flautas are. And lucky you for those lights. I still haven’t gotten mine — but close. Such a procrastinator. And thanks for the reminder. I keep forgetting about frugal Friday. *sigh*
JennDZ_The LeftoverQueen
I love flautas! These look beautiful! I think your photos look great!
Heather
Man, I hear ya on the light thing. Winter is the worst time to be a food photographer! I have a janky Home Depot sunlamp bulb in one of those cheap metal cone lamps, with a cheesecloth draped over it to diffuse the light. I really wanna go to the camera store for something better, though!
The flautas look amazing, but not because of the lights.
Beatriz
Hi Ben, I love your pictures and blog. Came across your photo in Mexican Food Flickr group. I’ll be stopping by quite often now!
Rachel
Glad I “stumbled upon” this recipe. Frugal and tasty and easy!
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[eatingclub] vancouver || js
I love the sound of mashed potatoes and corn tortillas together. Great, inexpensive meal!
Mely
OMG!! This flautas took me in a Time machine way back to my childhood. My mom used to make them for us growing up. It made feel bad that I don’t cook them very often to my kid.
Great toy. I mean great umbrellas.
shayne
we have had Flautas several times since moving to mexico 6 weeks ago. My 5 year old daughter loves chicken Flautas very much and asks for them often.