Recipe substitution happens all the time if you think about it. Don’t have white rice for a recipe? Maybe you could use the brown rice in the pantry. No vanilla? You could try leaving it out of the recipe. Only skim milk in the house and need to make a cream sauce calling for whole milk? Try the skim. The rationale here is to think about what you have on hand first before dashing to the store for “a few things”.
Recipes can usually handle substitutions or minor omissions of an ingredient (like vanilla) fairly well unless it is a key ingredient. But, even a key ingredient (like cheese or meat) can be lessened with a good outcome. Don’t be afraid to try a substitution here and there, such as garlic powder for real garlic, celery for cucumber, or pasta for rice. As long as the ingredients are of a similar texture or taste, it will probably work.
One thing I do several times a month is called “Dinner Challenge”. This usually happens when we start running out of food. I take an inventory of all the food available and try to come up with a new recipe. I did this one night and came up with Refried Soup, which is now a regular part of my soup-making endeavors. All I had one night was 4 cups of homemade refried beans, frozen chicken broth, ½ cup of cheese, a half bag of tortilla chips, and 2 apples. I put it all in a pot (except the apples!) and heated it up, topped it with the cheese and tortilla, and then grabbed a New Mexico pepper from my garden (no other stuff was ready). It was a hit. I figured cheese and beans go together and chips would give it a little crunch. Served with apples and glasses of milk, this was a healthful vegetarian meal.
Try to challenge yourself to make something when it appears you have nothing. You are smarter than your pantry! Stretch yourself a bit first and you could save a last-minute dash to the store for a frozen pizza. Let me know how it turns out!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Healthy Can Mean Red Meat
Ground beef gets a regular beating these days by a lot of people. It has a lot to offer if prepared properly, and it can be had very cheaply if you know where to buy it. Yes, ground beef is fatty, especially regular (73% lean) ground beef. I usually at least try to buy ground chuck (80% lean), and I use only 8 ounces of it to make a meal for my family. When ground beef is combined with vegetables and whole grain brown rice or pasta, this is a healthy, satisfying, and inexpensive meal. I have created 3 recipes that my kids really like and I alternate them so they are not repeated too often. I make cheeseburger macaroni pasta, a beef tomato skillet with rice, and spaghetti with meat sauce. I usually serve a side of vegetables (not with the skillet meal), such as broccoli or green beans (from the freezer). Each meal costs less than $3.00 and provides leftovers for 2 more adult servings the next day for lunch.
Buying ground beef at a good price can be tricky. I have learned Wal-Mart is not the best place to buy cheap ground beef, even in the 10 lb. rolls. The cheapest I have seen at Wal-Mart is $1.59/lb for regular 73% lean. Ground chuck is usually $2.49/lb. At Kroger, the price is about the same. I found ground chuck for $0.99/lb at Bay Area Meat Market on Kirby (next to the smokehouse by Robinson Elementary school). They had no limit, so I bought 50 lbs. It was already wrapped and frozen in one-pound packs. They don’t always have this special, but they have it often. They also have great fryer chicken specials too ($.49/lb for a 3 lb fryer; I get 2 dinner meals for my family from one fryer). I passed by the store this morning (they are closed on Sundays) and they were advertising $0.39/lb fryers. I hope there are some left on Tuesday when they open again. Check the meat markets in your area for specials (you have to ask, a lot of the time they are not advertised).
Cooking ground beef to optimize fat loss from the meat is my main goal. To do this, I fry the beef until browned, and then drain off as much fat as possible. I then dump the meat in a strainer and rinse it with hot tap water for about 10 seconds. Then I blot it dry with paper towels. I promise there is not a lot of fat left after all that rendering. I learned this tip from Amy Dacyczyn, author of one of my all-time favorite books, The Complete Tightwad Gazette.
Finally, here are the recipes! Prices listed for the ingredients assume the lowest prices that I can find at the stores in my area.
Cheeseburger Macaroni Pasta ($2.26 for meal not including side veggie, with leftovers)
8 oz ground chuck ($0.50)
1 ½ cups macaroni, any kind, or other short pasta ($0.75 – I use multigrain)
2 ½ cups milk ($0.36 – I use skim)
2 Tbs. butter ($0.12)
2 Tbs. flour ($0.03)
½ cup grated cheddar or other cheese ($0.50 or less)
Salt to taste
Dash cayenne (optional)
Tiny dash turmeric (optional, but helps give a little color to the sauce)
Cook ground beef and drain, set aside. Heat butter in a saucepan on medium heat until melted and add flour; whisk to combine. Cook over medium high heat for about 45 seconds and slowly add milk while continuing to stir. Allow to come to a low boil while stirring continuously. Add the cheese and optional spices, if desired, and stir off heat until cheese melts. Add salt to taste. Combine sauce, pasta, and cooked ground beef and stir. Serve with a green veggie and water.
Tomato Beef Skillet (2.60 for meal with leftovers, not including milk)
8oz ground chuck - $0.50
1 28oz can whole tomatoes in juice, tomatoes quartered, juice reserved -$0.83
1 small onion, chopped -$0.30
2 carrots, sliced -$0.10
1 bell pepper (any kind) -$0.35
1 clove garlic, minced or ½ tsp garlic powder -$0.01-.05
½ - 1 tsp. paprika, to taste -$0.05
Salt and pepper to taste -$0.02
3 cups cooked brown rice -$0.40
Brown ground beef in a skillet; drain and remove but reserve 1 tsp of drippings in pan.
Sauté onion and carrots for about 5 minutes, add bell pepper and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add paprika and garlic, sauté for about 30 seconds and then add reserved tomato juice. Add browned ground beef and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve over hot rice. Serve with milk for kids and water for adults.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (2.75 for meal with leftovers, not including side veggie)
The sauce base is from a recipe I altered from Cook’s Illustrated magazine, which is a superb magazine for anyone who loves to cook!
8 oz ground chuck - $0.50
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes – $0.83
½ medium onion, grated ($0.10)
2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.10)
½ tsp. oregano ($0.10 – guessing here)
½ tsp. salt ($0.01)
½ tsp. sugar ($0.01)
½ cups chopped fresh basil leaves (free from my garden) or 2 tsp dried basil (0.10?)
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil ($0.10 or so), plus 1 tsp. for sautéing grated onion
¾ lb. spaghetti or any pasta on hand ($1.00 – I use multigrain so it costs a little more)
Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain and set aside. Grate onion and set aside. Mince garlic and add salt and oregano to garlic in a small bowl, mix to coat garlic. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add grated onion. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Add garlic/spice mixture and sauté for 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Add cooked ground beef. Add the chopped basil and 1 Tbs. olive oil to the sauce off the heat. Serve over cooked pasta with a green veggie and water. If I have some bread I may serve that with this meal for sauce dipping.
Ground turkey is also a really good substitute for ground beef, but is usually higher in price from what I have seen; I admit I have not thoroughly researched ground turkey prices in my area. I will put that on my agenda and report back on a later post. If you make the recipes please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions or improvements!
Buying ground beef at a good price can be tricky. I have learned Wal-Mart is not the best place to buy cheap ground beef, even in the 10 lb. rolls. The cheapest I have seen at Wal-Mart is $1.59/lb for regular 73% lean. Ground chuck is usually $2.49/lb. At Kroger, the price is about the same. I found ground chuck for $0.99/lb at Bay Area Meat Market on Kirby (next to the smokehouse by Robinson Elementary school). They had no limit, so I bought 50 lbs. It was already wrapped and frozen in one-pound packs. They don’t always have this special, but they have it often. They also have great fryer chicken specials too ($.49/lb for a 3 lb fryer; I get 2 dinner meals for my family from one fryer). I passed by the store this morning (they are closed on Sundays) and they were advertising $0.39/lb fryers. I hope there are some left on Tuesday when they open again. Check the meat markets in your area for specials (you have to ask, a lot of the time they are not advertised).
Cooking ground beef to optimize fat loss from the meat is my main goal. To do this, I fry the beef until browned, and then drain off as much fat as possible. I then dump the meat in a strainer and rinse it with hot tap water for about 10 seconds. Then I blot it dry with paper towels. I promise there is not a lot of fat left after all that rendering. I learned this tip from Amy Dacyczyn, author of one of my all-time favorite books, The Complete Tightwad Gazette.
Finally, here are the recipes! Prices listed for the ingredients assume the lowest prices that I can find at the stores in my area.
Cheeseburger Macaroni Pasta ($2.26 for meal not including side veggie, with leftovers)
8 oz ground chuck ($0.50)
1 ½ cups macaroni, any kind, or other short pasta ($0.75 – I use multigrain)
2 ½ cups milk ($0.36 – I use skim)
2 Tbs. butter ($0.12)
2 Tbs. flour ($0.03)
½ cup grated cheddar or other cheese ($0.50 or less)
Salt to taste
Dash cayenne (optional)
Tiny dash turmeric (optional, but helps give a little color to the sauce)
Cook ground beef and drain, set aside. Heat butter in a saucepan on medium heat until melted and add flour; whisk to combine. Cook over medium high heat for about 45 seconds and slowly add milk while continuing to stir. Allow to come to a low boil while stirring continuously. Add the cheese and optional spices, if desired, and stir off heat until cheese melts. Add salt to taste. Combine sauce, pasta, and cooked ground beef and stir. Serve with a green veggie and water.
Tomato Beef Skillet (2.60 for meal with leftovers, not including milk)
8oz ground chuck - $0.50
1 28oz can whole tomatoes in juice, tomatoes quartered, juice reserved -$0.83
1 small onion, chopped -$0.30
2 carrots, sliced -$0.10
1 bell pepper (any kind) -$0.35
1 clove garlic, minced or ½ tsp garlic powder -$0.01-.05
½ - 1 tsp. paprika, to taste -$0.05
Salt and pepper to taste -$0.02
3 cups cooked brown rice -$0.40
Brown ground beef in a skillet; drain and remove but reserve 1 tsp of drippings in pan.
Sauté onion and carrots for about 5 minutes, add bell pepper and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add paprika and garlic, sauté for about 30 seconds and then add reserved tomato juice. Add browned ground beef and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve over hot rice. Serve with milk for kids and water for adults.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (2.75 for meal with leftovers, not including side veggie)
The sauce base is from a recipe I altered from Cook’s Illustrated magazine, which is a superb magazine for anyone who loves to cook!
8 oz ground chuck - $0.50
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes – $0.83
½ medium onion, grated ($0.10)
2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.10)
½ tsp. oregano ($0.10 – guessing here)
½ tsp. salt ($0.01)
½ tsp. sugar ($0.01)
½ cups chopped fresh basil leaves (free from my garden) or 2 tsp dried basil (0.10?)
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil ($0.10 or so), plus 1 tsp. for sautéing grated onion
¾ lb. spaghetti or any pasta on hand ($1.00 – I use multigrain so it costs a little more)
Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain and set aside. Grate onion and set aside. Mince garlic and add salt and oregano to garlic in a small bowl, mix to coat garlic. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add grated onion. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Add garlic/spice mixture and sauté for 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and sugar and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Add cooked ground beef. Add the chopped basil and 1 Tbs. olive oil to the sauce off the heat. Serve over cooked pasta with a green veggie and water. If I have some bread I may serve that with this meal for sauce dipping.
Ground turkey is also a really good substitute for ground beef, but is usually higher in price from what I have seen; I admit I have not thoroughly researched ground turkey prices in my area. I will put that on my agenda and report back on a later post. If you make the recipes please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions or improvements!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
It's OK To Eat White Bread
Really, it won’t kill you. In our whole-wheat, flax seed, double-bran fiber world, we all need a little white bread. And when it’s homemade, that’s even better. I bake hearty white bread for my family a couple of times a month, usually two loaves at a time. It makes awesome toast, sandwiches, and French toast. It’s great just cut and buttered. And, it’s really cheap. “Hearty white” bread sells for about 3.99 or so at WalMart and Arlan’s. I can make it for a lot less:
Hearty White Bread (2 loaves)
½ cup milk ($0.06)
3 Tbs. white sugar (0.05 – I’m guessing here)
2 tsp. table salt (0.01)
5 tsp. active dry yeast (0.10)
3 Tbs. vegetable oil (0.05)
2 cups water (free)
6 cups unbleached white flour (0.72)
Grand total: $0.99 (less than a dollar for 2 loaves)
Heat water to approximately 110 – 115 degrees, or warm to the touch but not too hot. Add yeast and sugar, stir and let sit for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add 5 cups of the flour and the salt to a large bowl and stir well to combine. Warm milk to just above room temperature in microwave (about 20-30 seconds) and add to yeast mixture, stir. Add oil to yeast mixture and stir. Add yeast mixture to dry ingredients and mix with a spoon, add about 1 cup of flour and keep stirring until the dough leaves the side of the bowl, about a minute. Add a little more flour if the dough seems too wet. Dump out on to a floured surface and knead for about 6-8 minutes. Place dough ball into a greased bowl and cover with a towel; let rise in a warm place for one hour. Punch down and divide in half. Press out each half into a rectangle and roll up into a loaf. Place loaves in greased pans, cover with a towel, and let rise for about 40 more minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Turn out on a rack to cool. This bread freezes well too, if your family will let you put a loaf in the freezer for later!
Hearty White Bread (2 loaves)
½ cup milk ($0.06)
3 Tbs. white sugar (0.05 – I’m guessing here)
2 tsp. table salt (0.01)
5 tsp. active dry yeast (0.10)
3 Tbs. vegetable oil (0.05)
2 cups water (free)
6 cups unbleached white flour (0.72)
Grand total: $0.99 (less than a dollar for 2 loaves)
Heat water to approximately 110 – 115 degrees, or warm to the touch but not too hot. Add yeast and sugar, stir and let sit for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add 5 cups of the flour and the salt to a large bowl and stir well to combine. Warm milk to just above room temperature in microwave (about 20-30 seconds) and add to yeast mixture, stir. Add oil to yeast mixture and stir. Add yeast mixture to dry ingredients and mix with a spoon, add about 1 cup of flour and keep stirring until the dough leaves the side of the bowl, about a minute. Add a little more flour if the dough seems too wet. Dump out on to a floured surface and knead for about 6-8 minutes. Place dough ball into a greased bowl and cover with a towel; let rise in a warm place for one hour. Punch down and divide in half. Press out each half into a rectangle and roll up into a loaf. Place loaves in greased pans, cover with a towel, and let rise for about 40 more minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Turn out on a rack to cool. This bread freezes well too, if your family will let you put a loaf in the freezer for later!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Bread Baking as an Investment Strategy
The price of a good loaf of bread is about $3.50 – 4.50 in my area. I’m not talking Walmart-brand bread; but the good stuff (Pepperidge Farm, Orowheat, etc.). I have always bought whole wheat bread and occasionally a good sourdough or country white, but recently I have started baking my own for several reasons:
1. It’s easier than you think;
2. It’s way cheaper than buying your own;
3. I like to know what I’m eating and what I’m serving to my family
If you look at the label on a good loaf of bread, it’s full of weird stuff (dough conditioners (?), bromates, preservatives, and other stuff) that I don’t think we should be eating. And of course, there is always the ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup, which is a man-made freak of nature no one should be eating. That stuff is dangerous and I avoid it as much as possible because it is in almost everything because it’s so cheap to produce. But I digress…back to bread. I always loved how great fresh bread smelled and tasted. It’s also a lot cheaper to make your own. To make 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread, it costs about $4.00. Not bad, and you know what’s in the bread. I know day-old bakeries can be cheaper, but you lose the great smells of bread baking plus you get the bizarre ingredients again. I like to think that baking your own bread is a healthy middle ground, and if you do it in bulk, the savings are significant.
Today after church I made 4 loaves of wheat bread with only about 15 minutes of hands-on time. The recipe I use below I got off of the back of a King Arthur flour bag. I quadruple the recipe; I have used honey, molasses, maple syrup, and brown sugar for the sweetener and it came out great every time but my favorite is the honey. I have also used an equal amount of butter and it was great too. I usually use oil because it is cheaper.
1. It’s easier than you think;
2. It’s way cheaper than buying your own;
3. I like to know what I’m eating and what I’m serving to my family
If you look at the label on a good loaf of bread, it’s full of weird stuff (dough conditioners (?), bromates, preservatives, and other stuff) that I don’t think we should be eating. And of course, there is always the ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup, which is a man-made freak of nature no one should be eating. That stuff is dangerous and I avoid it as much as possible because it is in almost everything because it’s so cheap to produce. But I digress…back to bread. I always loved how great fresh bread smelled and tasted. It’s also a lot cheaper to make your own. To make 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread, it costs about $4.00. Not bad, and you know what’s in the bread. I know day-old bakeries can be cheaper, but you lose the great smells of bread baking plus you get the bizarre ingredients again. I like to think that baking your own bread is a healthy middle ground, and if you do it in bulk, the savings are significant.
Today after church I made 4 loaves of wheat bread with only about 15 minutes of hands-on time. The recipe I use below I got off of the back of a King Arthur flour bag. I quadruple the recipe; I have used honey, molasses, maple syrup, and brown sugar for the sweetener and it came out great every time but my favorite is the honey. I have also used an equal amount of butter and it was great too. I usually use oil because it is cheaper.
King Arthur Recipe:
2 ½ tsp. instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 Tbs. water
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup nonfat dry milk
1 ¼ tsp salt
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the yeast/water mixture, honey and oil to the dry ingredients and mix until combined and the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Turn out on a floured surface and form gently into a ball. Knead for 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm area for 1 hour. Punch down dough. Form into a loaf and place into a greased bread pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes ort until loaf is about 1 inch over the top of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn out bread onto a rack to cool. Makes one loaf.
Here’s how I do it:
Whole Wheat Bread for a Week
10 tsp. instant yeast dissolved in 5 1/3 cups warm water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
14 cups whole wheat flour (this is exactly one 5lb. bag of flour)
1 cup nonfat dry milk
5 tsp. salt
I mix all the dry ingredients up in a party tub bowl with a wooden spoon; it’s huge and I don’t have ingredients flying out of the bowl when I’m mixing. I got the tubs at Kroger for $4.59 each (I use the other tub for the rising step):
2 ½ tsp. instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 Tbs. water
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup nonfat dry milk
1 ¼ tsp salt
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the yeast/water mixture, honey and oil to the dry ingredients and mix until combined and the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Turn out on a floured surface and form gently into a ball. Knead for 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm area for 1 hour. Punch down dough. Form into a loaf and place into a greased bread pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes ort until loaf is about 1 inch over the top of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn out bread onto a rack to cool. Makes one loaf.
Here’s how I do it:
Whole Wheat Bread for a Week
10 tsp. instant yeast dissolved in 5 1/3 cups warm water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
14 cups whole wheat flour (this is exactly one 5lb. bag of flour)
1 cup nonfat dry milk
5 tsp. salt
I mix all the dry ingredients up in a party tub bowl with a wooden spoon; it’s huge and I don’t have ingredients flying out of the bowl when I’m mixing. I got the tubs at Kroger for $4.59 each (I use the other tub for the rising step):
I then mix all the “wet” ingredients together and then add them to the tub:
Mix the dough until it starts to leave the sides of the bowl and then dump it out on a floured surface:
Form into a ball:
Knead for about 8 minutes:
Place dough ball into a greased bowl:
Cover dough with towels and place in a warm spot for 1 hour: ( I put it by my coffee maker; which always has heated water)
After one hour, punch down dough and turn out on a floured surface. Cut dough in quarters:
Press out each quarter into a rectangle about twice as wide as it is long:
Roll up the dough and shape into a log:
Place dough in greased bread pans and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes: (my coffee maker does dual duty!)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn out on racks to cool. Makes 4 loaves.
When the loaves are cool, I put them in clean produce bags that I pick up at the store (nothing has been in the bags) and use a twist tie. One loaf gets double-bagged and goes in the freezer. The remaining loaves are used up during the week. The loaves stay fresh for 4-5 days after they are baked. If anything is left after the 5th day, it goes in the refrigerator. I use the bread for toast, sandwiches, grilled cheese, and French toast. Most of it is eaten as toast or sandwiches.
My rationale for bread as an investment strategy is twofold; the bread is cheaper this way than if bought at the store, and it is healthier for my family so it is also a health investment. Another plus was that I found I could actually bake bread and it tasted good, which was a boost to my cooking self-confidence and makes me less afraid to try baking other things. If you want to try making this bread, go for the King Arthur recipe first, but I highly suggest you double it because once your family has homemade bread, it’s hard to go back to store-bought!
Place dough ball into a greased bowl:
Cover dough with towels and place in a warm spot for 1 hour: ( I put it by my coffee maker; which always has heated water)
After one hour, punch down dough and turn out on a floured surface. Cut dough in quarters:
Press out each quarter into a rectangle about twice as wide as it is long:
Roll up the dough and shape into a log:
Place dough in greased bread pans and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes: (my coffee maker does dual duty!)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn out on racks to cool. Makes 4 loaves.
When the loaves are cool, I put them in clean produce bags that I pick up at the store (nothing has been in the bags) and use a twist tie. One loaf gets double-bagged and goes in the freezer. The remaining loaves are used up during the week. The loaves stay fresh for 4-5 days after they are baked. If anything is left after the 5th day, it goes in the refrigerator. I use the bread for toast, sandwiches, grilled cheese, and French toast. Most of it is eaten as toast or sandwiches.
My rationale for bread as an investment strategy is twofold; the bread is cheaper this way than if bought at the store, and it is healthier for my family so it is also a health investment. Another plus was that I found I could actually bake bread and it tasted good, which was a boost to my cooking self-confidence and makes me less afraid to try baking other things. If you want to try making this bread, go for the King Arthur recipe first, but I highly suggest you double it because once your family has homemade bread, it’s hard to go back to store-bought!
A special thank you to my daughter Juli for being my expert photographer.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
The USB (Universal Soup Base)
The USB is actually just 3 things: onions, tomatoes, and tomato paste. What is unique about this combination is that if cooked in the right order, this produces a rich, multilayered flavor base for many different soups. This is the base for many of the broth-based soups my family enjoys, such as Chicken Tortilla, Chicken Black Bean, and Tuscan Italian Sausage soups.
Once the USB is cooked, you can add the rest of your soup ingredients, add some bread and maybe a raw veggie tray for side dishes, and you have a very satisfying, and healthy, meal. We usually do a soup/bread night at least once a week or so, and I always make at least a double batch to freeze for later meals.
Soup is probably one of the easiest and cheapest family meals to make, because almost anything can be thrown in to the pot and it will turn out great. Raw veggies than are getting limp, potatoes, that half cup of dried pasta, bits of meat someone didn’t eat, a steak someone gave you from a cookout (really!), the last bit of frozen veggies in the bag, etc. You get the point. Soup is a “use it all up” meal. And, as far as the soups that I have made goes, they all freeze well for another meal. Here is the USB recipe for a soup that will feed about 6-8 adults:
3 small or 2 large tomatoes (any kind), chopped (1.00 or less, or free if from a garden)
1 medium onion, chopped, but not too fine (0.25)
1 6oz can regular tomato paste (0.25)
In the soup pot, add 2 tsp vegetable oil and heat on medium high for a minute or two. Add onions and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until light golden. Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes being to break down. Create a hole in the center of the vegetables and add the tomato paste. Cook tomato paste, stirring constantly in the middle of the pot, for about a minute until it turns a rich brick color. Mix thoroughly, and your USB is done. You can then add broth or water with bullion cubes, vegetables, meat, and whatever else you need to use up. You can even make a triple or quadruple recipe of USB and freeze it in 1-pot portions for soups later. If you have a garden, your tomato cost will be zilch, and tomato paste is usually on sale for 4/1.00 somewhere. Onions can be grown (I have not been successful) or purchased on sale.
The USB goes really well with one of my family’s favorite soups:
Chicken Black Bean Soup (can also be vegetarian; just omit meat and use vegetable broth)
1 recipe USB (1-1.50)
3 ½ Cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water with 4 large bullion cubes (.50)
4 cans black beans (puree 3 cans in a blender before adding (2.40, or much less if you make your own from dried beans)
1 can chopped mild green chilies (.50)
1-2 Tbs cumin, to taste (pennies)
dash cayenne pepper, to taste (basically free)
1-2 Cups of leftover chicken, steak, or ham (.50)
Salt and pepper to taste, and depending on whether you used bullion cubes
Toppings: (we usually have tortilla chips and cheese)
tortilla chips
cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onion or cilantro
This soup freezes amazingly well, and actually tastes better a day or two after making it. I usually make the black beans from dried because it is so cheap (about 1.00 for 10 cups or so of beans). If you want to cook your own beans try this:
1lb dried black or pinto beans
one onion, chopped
one hot pepper, chopped and seeded (use gloves, especially if you wear contact lenses!) (ancho, jalapeno, Serrano, etc.) if handy, but not necessary
Sort beans for debris and rinse. Cover beans with water and let soak for at least 8 hours. Pour off water and add beans and hot pepper, if using, to a large crock pot. Add chopped onion, and add water to cover. Cook on low about 12 hours and check for bean tenderness. If not tender cook for another 2 hours and check again. I soak the beans overnight, get them in the crock pot at about 7am, and cook until 7 pm. I do not cook the beans the same day I need to eat them. When the beans are done, I let them cool off for a while and then refrigerate them overnight. Then I puree most of them. The puree can be made into bean dip, soups, fake “refried” black beans, bean spread for pita sandwiches, enchilada/burrito filling, and ad infinitum. Bean puree is really versatile.
If beans make you, ahem, uncomfortable, just try having a couple of bean meals a week at first. Your body adjusts and the health and financial savings of being a bean-eater will far outweigh the initial getting used-to period. Give homage to the humble bean, for it has nourished the masses and will continue to do so!
The USB is actually just 3 things: onions, tomatoes, and tomato paste. What is unique about this combination is that if cooked in the right order, this produces a rich, multilayered flavor base for many different soups. This is the base for many of the broth-based soups my family enjoys, such as Chicken Tortilla, Chicken Black Bean, and Tuscan Italian Sausage soups.
Once the USB is cooked, you can add the rest of your soup ingredients, add some bread and maybe a raw veggie tray for side dishes, and you have a very satisfying, and healthy, meal. We usually do a soup/bread night at least once a week or so, and I always make at least a double batch to freeze for later meals.
Soup is probably one of the easiest and cheapest family meals to make, because almost anything can be thrown in to the pot and it will turn out great. Raw veggies than are getting limp, potatoes, that half cup of dried pasta, bits of meat someone didn’t eat, a steak someone gave you from a cookout (really!), the last bit of frozen veggies in the bag, etc. You get the point. Soup is a “use it all up” meal. And, as far as the soups that I have made goes, they all freeze well for another meal. Here is the USB recipe for a soup that will feed about 6-8 adults:
3 small or 2 large tomatoes (any kind), chopped (1.00 or less, or free if from a garden)
1 medium onion, chopped, but not too fine (0.25)
1 6oz can regular tomato paste (0.25)
In the soup pot, add 2 tsp vegetable oil and heat on medium high for a minute or two. Add onions and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until light golden. Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes being to break down. Create a hole in the center of the vegetables and add the tomato paste. Cook tomato paste, stirring constantly in the middle of the pot, for about a minute until it turns a rich brick color. Mix thoroughly, and your USB is done. You can then add broth or water with bullion cubes, vegetables, meat, and whatever else you need to use up. You can even make a triple or quadruple recipe of USB and freeze it in 1-pot portions for soups later. If you have a garden, your tomato cost will be zilch, and tomato paste is usually on sale for 4/1.00 somewhere. Onions can be grown (I have not been successful) or purchased on sale.
The USB goes really well with one of my family’s favorite soups:
Chicken Black Bean Soup (can also be vegetarian; just omit meat and use vegetable broth)
1 recipe USB (1-1.50)
3 ½ Cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water with 4 large bullion cubes (.50)
4 cans black beans (puree 3 cans in a blender before adding (2.40, or much less if you make your own from dried beans)
1 can chopped mild green chilies (.50)
1-2 Tbs cumin, to taste (pennies)
dash cayenne pepper, to taste (basically free)
1-2 Cups of leftover chicken, steak, or ham (.50)
Salt and pepper to taste, and depending on whether you used bullion cubes
Toppings: (we usually have tortilla chips and cheese)
tortilla chips
cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onion or cilantro
This soup freezes amazingly well, and actually tastes better a day or two after making it. I usually make the black beans from dried because it is so cheap (about 1.00 for 10 cups or so of beans). If you want to cook your own beans try this:
1lb dried black or pinto beans
one onion, chopped
one hot pepper, chopped and seeded (use gloves, especially if you wear contact lenses!) (ancho, jalapeno, Serrano, etc.) if handy, but not necessary
Sort beans for debris and rinse. Cover beans with water and let soak for at least 8 hours. Pour off water and add beans and hot pepper, if using, to a large crock pot. Add chopped onion, and add water to cover. Cook on low about 12 hours and check for bean tenderness. If not tender cook for another 2 hours and check again. I soak the beans overnight, get them in the crock pot at about 7am, and cook until 7 pm. I do not cook the beans the same day I need to eat them. When the beans are done, I let them cool off for a while and then refrigerate them overnight. Then I puree most of them. The puree can be made into bean dip, soups, fake “refried” black beans, bean spread for pita sandwiches, enchilada/burrito filling, and ad infinitum. Bean puree is really versatile.
If beans make you, ahem, uncomfortable, just try having a couple of bean meals a week at first. Your body adjusts and the health and financial savings of being a bean-eater will far outweigh the initial getting used-to period. Give homage to the humble bean, for it has nourished the masses and will continue to do so!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Cheap good food, I think, starts with a little planning. First of all, it doesn't have to be fancy with a bunch of garnishes (unless it's a cheap garnish) or have 5 courses. Here is an example of a typical meal day at my house and the approximate costs per meal:
Breakfast:
Apple cinnamon muffins (homemade with apples from Arlan's "bruised fruit basket") ($1.50/dozen)
Strawberry-banana smoothies (strawberries frozen after getting on sale at Kroger for $3.88 for 4 lbs./bananas at .99/5 lbs and frozen) 0.50 more or less for 5 medium glasses
milk (0.65)
Total: $2.65
Lunch:
Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches (homemade bread, store brand ham/cheese slices) (2.50)
Fruit (2 apples, sliced) (0.50)
water
Total: $3.00
Dinner:
Black bean chicken soup (using leftover chicken from the roast chicken the night before) (2.00 per meal/6.00 for whole pot)-This makes enough for 2 more family meals)
soup toppings (cheese, green onion, tortilla chips) (0.50-1.00)
cornbread (1.00)
carrots with ranch dip (0.50)
Total: $4.00-4.50 (this is probably a bit high)
The whole family (2 adults, 11, 8 and 4 year old) is fed for about 10 dollars/day. Some days are less and some are a little more, but this is about our average. This can be done with a little planning and flexibility, which was something I had to develop and learn. I started with reading other frugality books, such as "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Daczyzyn and "Miserly Moms" by Joni McCoy. The common theme I found in the many books I read was planning so you never are in a panic about what to do for dinner. The panic is what lays the road for takeout disaster, which is no good for your budget or your body if done to excess.
Some books advocate planning a month or more in advance, some two weeks or a week, and some 24 hours in advance. All have valuable points, and I use all of these methods to some degree depending on what I have in the house, what's on sale, and what the schedule is for the family. The general trend I follow is doing a weekly menu of all meals on a simple meal planning sheet a week in advance, with activities noted on the menu like evening sports practice or Bible study which occur near dinnertime. I go "shopping" first in my pantry, freezer and refrigerator first to see what I have on hand. There is usually something to make a couple of meals with if I get creative.
A huge budget saver is doing a soup and bread night at least one day a week. This tip comes from "Miserly Moms" and has really helped. We have soup and bread about 2 meals a week (dinner and a lunch). Any extra is frozen for a later meal a few weeks down the road. Making soup is really easy and cheap because almost anything can go in the pot (old veggies, leftover pasta/rice/potatoes, bits of meat) and it will usually come out tasting great. I usually serve it with homemade bread. If the soup has enough veggies in it I won't serve another side veggie or fruit.
I learned a lot about soup at the library, which is an awesome place to be if you're into cheap cooking because the library is FREE. ALL FREE ALL THE TIME! Check those cookbooks out and you will see how easy soup is. Which leads me to my next post for next time: The USB (Universal Soup Base).
Breakfast:
Apple cinnamon muffins (homemade with apples from Arlan's "bruised fruit basket") ($1.50/dozen)
Strawberry-banana smoothies (strawberries frozen after getting on sale at Kroger for $3.88 for 4 lbs./bananas at .99/5 lbs and frozen) 0.50 more or less for 5 medium glasses
milk (0.65)
Total: $2.65
Lunch:
Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches (homemade bread, store brand ham/cheese slices) (2.50)
Fruit (2 apples, sliced) (0.50)
water
Total: $3.00
Dinner:
Black bean chicken soup (using leftover chicken from the roast chicken the night before) (2.00 per meal/6.00 for whole pot)-This makes enough for 2 more family meals)
soup toppings (cheese, green onion, tortilla chips) (0.50-1.00)
cornbread (1.00)
carrots with ranch dip (0.50)
Total: $4.00-4.50 (this is probably a bit high)
The whole family (2 adults, 11, 8 and 4 year old) is fed for about 10 dollars/day. Some days are less and some are a little more, but this is about our average. This can be done with a little planning and flexibility, which was something I had to develop and learn. I started with reading other frugality books, such as "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Daczyzyn and "Miserly Moms" by Joni McCoy. The common theme I found in the many books I read was planning so you never are in a panic about what to do for dinner. The panic is what lays the road for takeout disaster, which is no good for your budget or your body if done to excess.
Some books advocate planning a month or more in advance, some two weeks or a week, and some 24 hours in advance. All have valuable points, and I use all of these methods to some degree depending on what I have in the house, what's on sale, and what the schedule is for the family. The general trend I follow is doing a weekly menu of all meals on a simple meal planning sheet a week in advance, with activities noted on the menu like evening sports practice or Bible study which occur near dinnertime. I go "shopping" first in my pantry, freezer and refrigerator first to see what I have on hand. There is usually something to make a couple of meals with if I get creative.
A huge budget saver is doing a soup and bread night at least one day a week. This tip comes from "Miserly Moms" and has really helped. We have soup and bread about 2 meals a week (dinner and a lunch). Any extra is frozen for a later meal a few weeks down the road. Making soup is really easy and cheap because almost anything can go in the pot (old veggies, leftover pasta/rice/potatoes, bits of meat) and it will usually come out tasting great. I usually serve it with homemade bread. If the soup has enough veggies in it I won't serve another side veggie or fruit.
I learned a lot about soup at the library, which is an awesome place to be if you're into cheap cooking because the library is FREE. ALL FREE ALL THE TIME! Check those cookbooks out and you will see how easy soup is. Which leads me to my next post for next time: The USB (Universal Soup Base).
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Well here I go, trying to make a go of blogging about frugality, good cheap cooking, and staying within your budget.
One of the things that I have found can drastically help a strapped budget is cheap cooking. Cheap does not mean UNHEALTHY; it just means cheap. There is so much variety you can feed your family all sorts of different meals and save a ton in the process.
My goal for this blog is to share with you honestly how cooking, shopping wisely, and rethinking about food can help you save money, make more money, and have fun doing it!
One of the things that I have found can drastically help a strapped budget is cheap cooking. Cheap does not mean UNHEALTHY; it just means cheap. There is so much variety you can feed your family all sorts of different meals and save a ton in the process.
My goal for this blog is to share with you honestly how cooking, shopping wisely, and rethinking about food can help you save money, make more money, and have fun doing it!
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