How often can you treat yourself to a three-course dinner at one of L.A.’s best restaurants for under $30? On September 14 you can!

That’s when I will be hosting a “Friends Cook” dinner at the fabulous Canelé restaurant, celebrating “thrifty pantry” ingredients featured in my new book, Be Thrifty: How to Live Better with Less.

The three-course seasonal menu developed by Canelé’s Chef Corina Weibel and Aliza Miner, proves you don’t have to eat beans and rice to be frugal! The $28 prix fixe menu includes:

* market salad with corn, celery and buttermilk
* summer pork stew with beans and greens
* rice pudding with foraged fruit

When: Tuesday, September 14,  5:30 to 10:30

Where: Canelé restaurant in Atwater Village

3219 Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

Full menu available, regular dinner hours.

I am always carrying around at least two Moleskine journals—they’re classy, and I love the bright red. Now I will be adding a third book to my bundle, as they have just come out with a Moleskine recipe journal. (Thanks to Brooklyn Kitchen for the early notice!) The journal pages are organized into recipe format, and organized by course. It also includes a seasonal ingredients calendar and a nutritional content guide. And that wonderful little rubber band that keeps the whole thing tidy (and holds a pen nicely).

The recipe journal is part of Moleskine’s “Passions” series that also includes a wine journal, which I should also probably get since I’m always forgetting the names of wines that I like. Clearly, I’m going to need to start carrying a backpack again.