Post your budget-stretching recipes here

[Le Taz Hot]

There seem to be quite a few posts regarding our shrinking dollar, how groceries prices are skyrocketing and how difficult it is to make ends meet. To that end, I thought it might be helpful if DUers could offer up their favorite budget-stretching recipes. Here's one to start:

I have a very inexpensive little Sunbeam breadmaker with which I make my family's bread and rolls. Because I buy in bulk, I'm able to make the following recipe for about 10 cents a loaf.

French Bread Rolls (Breadmaker version)

1 cup + 4 Tbs warm water
1 Tbs butter/margarine
1 Tbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3-1/4 Cups flour (white and/or wheat)
2-1/2 tsp. fast-rising yeast (SUPER cheap at Costco)

Put the first 5 ingredients in breadmaker pan. Hollow out a make-shift "bowl" in the flour and place yeast in. Set for French, 1-1/2 pounds. After dough has kneaded a SECOND time, remove and separate into 8 rolls. Cover with damp dishtowel and let rise about an hour. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Looks like I'm going to dust-off my breadmaker now. It hasn't seen action in nt

[w8liftinglady]

2. cowboy stew-can easily convert to vegetarian

COWBOY STEW

2 lbs. hamburger
1 can corn
Chopped potatoes
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 can ranch style beans
1 can stewed tomatoes

After you brown and drain meat, add other ingredients. Cook on low until hot, or until potatoes are done. Season to taste. Excellent. Takes less than 30 minutes to cook.

[datasuspect]

10. "ro-tel" and "ranch style beans"

you must be from texas.

i've eaten that before at friend's houses.

even better if you got some cornbread.

[w8liftinglady]

108. lol..I always make Martha White cornbread-25 cents a package

and ,yes-I live in the DFW area

[patrice]

3. "Meat"

1 cup dry brown lentils
2.5 cups water
.25 cup milk
1 cup Grapenuts
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
.5 teaspon poultry seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
.5 cup walnuts
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Place lentils and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked lentils, milk, Grapenuts, eggs and walnuts. Season with nion soup mix and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out balls of the lentil mixture. Drop the scoops onto a plate with the bread crumbs and coat while plattening into patties. Fry burgers in the hot skillt until nicely browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, depending upon the thickness of the patties.

...........................

This does not necessarily need the bread crumb coating. I have only used the seasoning specified, but I imagine other seasonings, such as curry, seasoned salts of various kinds, chili powder, or herbs would also be good. I also put a few extra walnuts in.

These are a little too crumbly when you try to form them into patties, but once you start frying them they solidify quite nicely and they get nice and crispy on the outside. The lentils give them a very nice texture, but I'm also going to try this with 1/2 of the lentils pureed before mixing with the rest of the lentils and other ingredients, to make them stick together a little easier.

These can be used for sandwiches on buns or in pita bread, but they'd also be quite yummy with different kinds of sauces, like the one used for gyros, or gravey.

I suppose the nuts could just as easily be peanuts or sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

[Le Taz Hot]

4. Kick

for more contributions.

[sniffa]

5. my grandfather's depression era recipe of "goozy"

1 can of condensed tomato soup
1 to 2 sLices of cheese (preferabLy government cheese)
1 sLice of white bread

cook the soup as usuaL, and add the cheese when the soup is a few minutes from done.
pour the soup-cheese mixture over the sLice of bread.

depending on how many peopLe are eating, you can aLways add more water to the soup.

[patrice]

6. That's whay my Mom called Rarebit and us kids called Rabbit, except

we toasted the bread.

We also used to make cereal by putting chunks of homemade bread in a bowl, sprinkling with sugar, and poaring milk over it.

[watercolors]

40. Macaroni soup!

Loved as a kid, cook elbow mac, than add milk and butter, salt & pepper. It filled you up. I some times fix it when I need a comfort food. I also remember the bread ceral, there were six of kids, you did what you had to feed that many. We never complained, always ate what was there.

[patrice]

51. There were 14 of us, so Mom made bread, because it was MUCH cheaper, but

she was kind of a snob about it, brought us up to think our bread was superior (and it WAS) though kids at school always made fun of it. It made great French Toast.

How about Macaroni and milk-gravy!! I can afford much "better" now too, but Macaroni is still one of my all time favorite foods.

[roguevalley]

114. brown hamburger as you are boiling penne pasta. Pour off the

water on the pasta and add the hamburger. Squirt in as much cheese whiz as you like and stir. Eat a lot and freeze the rest. does real well.

[riverdeep]

7. Don't have a recipe per say,

just wanted to point out, for those unaware, there is a 'frugal, energy-efficient living' DU group. It's totally worth perusing for those in this mind-set.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=353

I don't know why it's not more popular, but maybe as the dollar shrinks, it'll heat up.

[w8liftinglady]

13. thanks for sharing that-I'll be there more often now

[tridim]

8. Burritos can be dirt cheap

Use Cooked hamburger, ground pork or chicken thighs, refried beans, onion, jalapeños & whatever else you like. I like to use chipotle peppers.

Wrap them up and eat, or make 50 of them and freeze. Makes a great bachelor food too.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Easy, feeds four and keeps well

1 can enchilada sauce
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can veggies (I use mixed veggies), drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup instant rice (I use brown rice)

Mis together in large saucepan or skillet. Heat to boil. Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer until rice is done. Stir frequently.

Add vegetable, salad or fruit to complete meal.

[Katherine Brengle]

11. Making bread is time-consuming but a real $$$ saver. However,

my food budget is the very last place I ever make cuts (other than bills and rent of course).

[JimboDem]

17. 400 plus Ramen (noodle) Recipes

http://www.mattfischer.com/ramen/

;-)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

39. I was going to say Ramen! Thanks for this site! nt

[A HERETIC I AM]

68. Interesting that Ramen Noodles are made right here in the good, ol' USA

Gardena, CA to be exact.

http://www.nissinfoods.com/company/contactus.php

[DemGa]

12. High energy oatmeal

Cook oatmeal, pour in bowl
add about 3 spoonfuls of peanut butter and one sliced banana.

[tridim]

15. Oh yea, I forgot about oatmeal.. Use steel cut oats, not rolled

They take a bit longer to cook, but are so much more tasty.

I like Alton Brown's cooking method.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_17140,00.html

[Arugula Latte]

96. Mmmm...that sounds good.

:9

I'll have to try that.

[Frustratedlady]

14. Two standbys for our family during the Depression, were...

Potato Soup (with bacon pieces or ham...if you are lucky) with onion, celery and carrot coins. Navy bean soup, ham and beans. With any leftover beans, chop up celery and onion, add a vinegar/sugar/water dressing with celery seed and serve as a side salad. Both are great and satisfying.

Dried bread can be cut up into cubes and added to fried potatoes to make them go further. (Mom cubed leftover boiled potatoes or baked potatoes for frying...the best!) Dried/old bread was also used for bread pudding or to make dressing for chicken or turkey. You can also use it for scalloped chicken or grate to use on top of casseroles.

Tuna and noodle casserole is the old standby. You can also use creamed tuna on toast or Chinese noodles. Tuna salad sandwiches can be cold or grilled like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs chopped up and added to cream sauce. Eat over toast. If you have an asparagus patch, great over asparagus/cream sauce/bacon pieces and egg slices. Mash hard-boiled eggs and add mayonaise, pickles for egg salad sandwiches. Slice hard-boiled eggs on lettuce salad (can add cubes of leftover meats and cheese for chef salad).

Rice is a great extender for soups, pudding (baked custard with rice and raisins), use instead of potatoes or noodles in many dishes...not to mention Oriental foods.

Barley is also a great extender in soups or can be used for a stand-alone dish by simmering in beef or chicken broth with celery, onion and carrots. Cook liquid down. Use as a side dish like potatoes.

Carrots can be added to many meats, along with onion, potatoes, celery to stretch the dish. Cheaper cuts of beef can be tenderized while cooking by adding a couple tablespoons of vinegar directly on the meat before baking. For instance, a cheaper cut of beef can be roasted at low temps in a heavy pan with tight lid for a couple hours, or in a crockpot (for longer, of course). I don't know why, but the vinegar does tenderize and you don't taste it. Makes a wonderful brown broth for gravy. Just add your veggies when it is tender and let them absorb some of that wonderful broth.

A great American/Mexican dish is to brown 2# hamburger (adjust for quantity desired) with onion and Rotel's tomato until moisture is cooked away. Bake cornbread by mixing one box Jiffy cornbread mix with one box Jiffy yellow cake mix and all ingredients as listed...pour into an 11 x 13 cake pan. When cornbread is done, gently spoon hot hamburger mixture over top (this is why it must be as dry as possible), sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake for a few more minutes until cheese is melted. Cut in squares and serve with dishes of sour cream, salsa, for toppings and shredded lettuce, tomato chunks as sides. This dish goes a long way, due to the cornbread. Homemade cornbread can also be used, but the Jiffy/cake mix/cornbread mix is delicious, cheap and quick.

Save your leftover veggies in a container in the freezer. For instance, that 1/2 cup of corn, few green beans, cup of peas, etc., can be thrown into the same veggie container and when you have enough saved up, fix a beef roast or bake a chicken. Take the leftover broth and/or meat and peel a potato or two, throw in your frozen veggies...maybe some barley or a handful of macaroni pieces, canned tomato pieces/juice for veggie soup or beef or chicken boullion for others and let the soup simmer. Not only do you have the benefit of the pennies saved, but you have the wonderful aroma of the simmering soup. Use your imagination on soups. There are endless varieties, but they all come down to what turns your taste buds on. Soup is relatively cheap and good for you, as it is usually easy to digest and makes SO much.

Take leftover hamburger or hotdog buns, slices of French bread, etc. and butter. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and broil until toasted. Great with spaghetti, casseroles and/or soups and you use up that old bread.

I'll think of others, I'm sure.

[w8liftinglady]

19. that is an awesome post-thanks

[JaneQPublic]

127. Barley is inexpensive and high in fiber

I like it cooked with brown rice (simmered in chicken broth) and as you say, served as a side dish.

Barley can also be prepared "Mexican"style, with black beans, tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, garlic, chili powder, etc.

[mondo joe]

16. My grandmother fed 7 people a day (3x that on Sundays) on next to nothing, the

way little old Sicilian ladies did all the time. Plenty of tomato sauce and pasta dishes with cheap meats, like neck bones and oxtails. Another Sicilian meat substitute in tomato sauce was hard boiled eggs - boil them, peel them and toughen the exterior in a saute pan with a bit of oil.

Those were delicious meals.

[patrice]

26. Stewed neck-bones make the MOST delicious broth. After it's strained,

pour in cornmeal, cook briefly and pour it into an oiled loaf pan. let it setup. cut into slices and fry til crispy on the outside. Your mention of hard boiled eggs makes me think about pushing them down into the cornmeal right after you pour it into the loaf pan and before it sets up.

[mondo joe]

28. Even though I can now well afford more expensve options, it's not a great Sunday

sauce to me without oxtails and some hard boiled eggs.

Peasant food is some great stuff.

[patrice]

41. To me, the more provincial style of cooking, appreciates

the food itself more, whatever it is. Peasant cooking loves "the Carrot", "the Tomato", "the Potato", "the Briskett", the "Loaf of Bread", or whatever if you get my point here. I know some obsessed cooks, my sisters and brothers, so I've been exposed to many, many styles and my preference is for more Provincial cooking, because it loves "this Food" for what it is in itself.

[HamdenRice]

46. Do you guys worry about neck bones/oxtail and mad cow?

Oxtail is one of my favorite dishes. I also used to regularly make a big pot of beef stock using beef neckbones.

But once mad cow came on the scene and I learned that the prions that cause mad cow/Alzheimers are nearly indestructible proteins found in the brains and spinal cords of animals, I basically stopped using them. I still sometimes make oxtail, though, but have cut back drastically and am playing a statistical game.

Btw, oxtail, which was indeed peasant food when I first started cooking it, is now a delicasy and is one of the most expensive cuts you can buy in the NYC area -- another reason I stopped making it so often.

[patrice]

50. Yes! We have local organic meat producers who have a weekly market

along with other local food merchants and artisans in one of our big city parks.

I don't do that much Meat anymore, anyway, am becoming Vegetarian.

[mondo joe]

63. You're right about the pricing. It has increased ridiculousy.

:-(

[shanti]

121. mmmmm, oxtails!

they are such a treat to me (greasy, but good)!

[DeepModem Mom]

18. Great idea! I'm not much of a cook, but want everybody to see this post...

of one of the articles:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x315859

"...7-Eleven says its grocery sales have jumped 12-13 percent over the past year, compared with only slight increases for non-necessities like gloves and toys. Shoppers can't afford to load up at the supermarket and are going to the most convenient places to buy emergency food items like milk and eggs....With the fastest-rising food and energy prices since the 1980s, low-income consumers are stretching their budgets by eating cheap foods like peanut butter and pasta....

Many consumers, particularly those making less than $30,000 a year, are cutting spending on nutritious food like milk and vegetables, and analysts fear they're further skimping on basic medical care and other critical services....

Wal-Mart is becoming more aggressive on discounting. It announced Thursday it is expanding price cuts to 15,000 items, ranging from Motts apple juice and Progresso soups to women's fleece tops, heading into the holidays.

Family Dollar, whose food offerings were limited to candy and snacks until two years ago, has expanded its mix of groceries like fruit cups, cereal and such refrigerated items as milk and ice cream while cutting back on shoes. This summer the chain began accepting food stamps.

Food pantries are also getting creative. Samuels said her church, Full Gospel Tabernacle of Faith, just started offering free cooking classes to teach clients who are diabetic or have other health conditions how to prepare vegetables like squash. It's also offering free exercise classes."

[HamdenRice]

20. Use truffle butter instead of truffle shavings from a whole imported truffle

At $2,400 - $2,500 per pound, fresh imported truffles are beginning to be just a tad overpriced. For example, a backed potato with truffle shavings at the Four Seasons has gone up from $200 to $250 this year:

http://www.nysun.com/article/64148

"The price is also headed much higher for one of the classic Four Seasons truffle dishes — baked potato laced with truffles. In recent years, that spud went for $200. This year, tack on a 25% increase, to $250.

...

"Last year at this time, the city's restaurateurs paid, on average, between $1,300 and $1,700 a pound for truffles. This year, their truffle purchases are largely running in a range of $2,400 to $2,500 a pound, with some going for as much as $3,000 a pound."

<end quote>

Also, sushi grade belly tuna will suffice in a pinch for a recipe that calls for yellow tail.

When you are cooking with mustard, Gouldens is almost indistinguisable from Grey Poupon.

The NY Times did a story in its food section that said that when cooking with wine, the old addage that you should only cook with a wine you would like to drink isn't really true. Most dishes cooked with table wine were indistinguishable from dishes cooked with expensive wines. Therefore, I recommend using a $75 bottle of single terroire Napa valley chardonay, rather than the usual 1987 Lafite-rothschild Bordeaux Blend at $350 per bottle.

While obviously, Kobe beef will only do when having a steak, it isn't really necessary to have $300 per pound fresh Kobe beef imported from Japan by plane to grind into hamburger meat if you want to make a premium hamburger. A mail order porter house steak from Peter Lugars will usually do.

:sarcasm:

These are, of course, suggestions for the kinds of people profiled in the NY Times a few Sundays ago in their feature, "City Life in the Second Gilded Age."

What?? You mean you're not worried about the price of truffles?

[tandot]

21. not only cheap but you also control what is going into your bread

Just read the ingredient list of breads commonly sold.

[Ghost in the Machine]

22. Leftover Chicken Suprise

I made this once and my kids absolutely LOVED it. I do a lot of cooking from just throwing things together out of the cabinets and fridge. I had some left over baked chicken, but not really enough to do everyone justice. I had my older sister, her husband and their 4 kids staying with me at the time. Anyways, I got looking at what I could do with it to make enough for everyone.

I took all the skin off the chicken, then deboned it and chunked it up. I had a big package of egg noodles and some cream of mushroom soup (family size can).

Cook the noodles & drain them

Add chicken and cream of mushroom soup

simmer for 20 mins or until warm

Eat!

You can subsitute the soup with cream of chicken or cream of celery or whichever you prefer.

Egg noodles can be subsituted for elbow or seashell macaroni, too.

[Coyote_Bandit]

38. Something similar

1 can cream of chicken with herbs soup, water added
1 can veggies (peas, peas & carrots or mixed veggies work well)
2 cups uncooked egg nodles
canned chunk turkey or chicken or chunked up deboned skinless chicken

Cover and cook until egg noodles are done.

Can omit noodles and use torn pieces of canned biscuits (or dough from biscuit mix) for easy chicken dumplings.

[TalkingDog]

58. I've always called those dishes: "Refrigerator Surprise"

and sometimes, rarely, "Oops, I guess it's Dog Food"

Spousal Unit: "What are we having for Dinner tonight?"
TD: "Refrigerator Surprise."
Spousal Unit: "Ummm...what did we eat last week?"
TD: "Oh, that was completely different. That was Turkey Surprise."



My Favorite Master Artist: Karen Parker GhostWoman Studios

[H2O Man]

23. Rice & beans.

We eat a lot of rice and beans here. There are many different ways to prepare them, and I like them all.

[tabasco]

24. Beans and rice.

Soak beans overnight.
Rinse beans and put in pot covered with 1 1/2 inches water and beef or chicken bouillon cubes.
Cook beans / bouillon to boiling for 20 minutes.
Add more water to cover beans 1 1/2 inches.
Add rice.
Cook rice and beans together for 20-30 minutes.
Turn heat off and stir in a can of canned tomatoes with chilis.

I usually like this stuff with some hot sauce, a little margarine and salt.


Just use the quantities for however much you want to make. The canned tomatoes/chilis are the most expensive part but really necessary.

[A HERETIC I AM]

70. Cuban style Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

http://www.recipezaar.com/8969

2 (10 ounce) cans black beans, drained of liquid or 2 cups cooked black beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Or

From http://icuban.com/food/frijoles_negros.html

2 1/2 cups dried black beans
9 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled, and mashed with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Olive oil for sautéing
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons vinegar
3/4 cup dry Spanish wine
2 teaspoons sugar
Olive oil

Cover dry beans with water and let stand covered overnight. Drain and discard water.

Place the cleaned black beans in a large 6-quart saucepan. Add water and olive oil—this will prevent the beans from foaming. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.

Do not add salt to the beans when they are cooking. Salt at this stage of the game will make your beans very tough.

You may also cook the beans in a pressure cooker. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for exact times, but our pressure cooker takes about 20 to 25 minutes to cook the beans completely.

Whichever method you use, do not drain the water from the cooked beans.

Meanwhile, chop onion and green pepper. Mash the garlic with salt and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.

Sauté the onions and green pepper in olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add mashed garlic and sauté another minute or so.

Add the cooked beans, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, vinegar, and wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.

Some cooks—including us—like to thicken the beans by taking about 1 cup of beans and mashing them to make a thick paste. Mix the mashed beans back into the pot.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the sugar; then drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over the beans. Immediately cover the pot, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Serve the by now fantastically prepared black beans over white rice.

You may garnish the beans with cilantro and chopped white onions. Not only do they look good presented this way, they taste even better than they look.

It is the Cumin and the Vinegar that sets the flavor of this recipe apart. VERY inexpensive to make.

[Wiley50]

25. "...and there's hamburger on the highway in Mystic, Conn" -- Firesign Theatre

Roadkill Recipes*

We are greatly saddened by how many of our furry little friends we see flattened along our roadways on a typical daily drive to work. In a well-intentioned effort to turn those frowns around, we have proposed a tasteful end for those unfortunate creatures who wanted nothing more in life than to learn what might lie on the other side of the road. We think that they would have wanted it that way.

Raccoon Kabobs
(Also known as "Ringtail Surprise")

Two pounds, reasonably fresh raccoon, cut into one-inch cubes; one-half cup homemade French dressing; two green peppers, cut into squares; one large onion, cut into one-inch pieces; one-third pound mushroom caps.

Place raccoon cubes in a ceramic bowl and pour dressing over cubes. Let marinate two or more hours. Remove cubes, reserving marinade. Alternate raccoon cubes with pepper squares, onion pieces and mushroom caps on skewers. Brush all with reserved marinade and broil over hot coals until done to desired degree. Turn frequently and baste with marinade as needed.

Serves six.

Moose-and-Squirrel Meat Balls
(Especially useful recipe if main ingredients have been dead for 24 or more hours before harvested)

Three pounds, ground moose and squirrel, any proportion; six slices soft white bread; one-half cup water; one-third cup butter; one-and-one-third cups chopped onion; salt and freshly ground black pepper; two tablespoons chopped parsley; two tablespoons flour; one-and-one-half cups milk.

Soak bread in water five minutes. Squeeze excess water out. Melt four tablespoons butter in skillet. Sauté onion in butter until tender. Combine moose and squirrel meat, squeezed bread, four teaspoons salt, one-half teaspoon pepper and parsley. Form mixture into one-inch balls. Chill twenty minutes. Heat remaining butter in skillet. Brown moose-and-squirrel balls on all sides. Cover skillet and cook slowly 15 minutes. Remove balls to warm platter. Sprinkle flour over skillet droppings. Stir and cook one minute. Stir in milk and bring to boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return moose-and-squirrel balls to skillet. Simmer four minutes.

Serves eight

Pennsylvania Possum Pot Pie
(Often served to unsuspecting bed-and-breakfast tourists in Amish country)

Five-pound possum, cut into serving pieces; water; salt; 12 peppercorns; two ribs celery, chopped; two carrots, quartered; one onion; two cups flour; four egg yolks; six tablespoons hot water

Place possum in kettle. Add water to cover, salt to taste, peppercorns, celery, carrots and onion. Simmer until possum is thoroughly tender, about two hours. Strain broth and pour into clean kettle. Simmer while preparing remaining ingredients. Remove possum from bones. Discard bones and skin. Cut possum into bite-size pieces. Sift flour and one-half teaspoon salt together onto board. Make well in center and put egg yolks into it. Gradually work yolks into flour until stiff dough is formed, adding hot water as needed. Knead until smooth, about five minutes. Cut dough in half. Roll each half until paper thin. Cut dough into noodles about one inch wide. Add possum to simmering broth. Gradually add noodles. Continue boiling until noodles are done, about five minutes.

Serves eight to twelve.

Skunk Skillet Stew
(A sensory entree, not recommended for the weak-stomached)

Two adult skunks, skinned, deboned and shredded; save scent sacs and set aside; one-fourth cup oil; one-fourth cup butter; two cups finely chopped celery; one-fourth cup finely chopped parsley; two cloves garlic, finely minced; one bay leaf; two carrots, chopped; two tablespoons flour; one cup beef broth; one cup dry red wine; three tablespoons cognac; one pound ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped; salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; juice of half-lemon; one-fourth teaspoon nutmeg; one cup Madeira wine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large skillet, brown skunk well in oil and butter; add carrots and stir until lightly browned. Sprinkle with flour. Add broth as needed when mixture starts to brown. Stir to dissolve brown particles. Add remaining broth, red wine, cognac, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Place in oven, cover and bake three hours. Strain gravy, pressing as much of cooked vegetable mixture as possible through sieve. Bring strained mixture to boil. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, Madeira. Carefully puncture scent sacs and add fluids to mixture. Simmer five minutes. Pour sauce over skunk.

Serves eight.

Note: If any of these species are not commonly found on roadsides in your geographic area, you may easily substitute such other carrion delicacies as armadillo, alligator or mongoose meats. Be creative. Bon appétit!

*DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME. "Roadkill Recipes" have been created for twisted humorous purposes only. Consumption of rotting, dead animals of any kind is not recommended and could result in serious illness or death -- unless you're a vulture

[Vinca]

84. LOL - here's an idea for a sequel: stuff the cat leaves on the back stoop.

:rofl:

[AnotherMother4Peace]

27. Stuffed bell peppers -

mix cooked hamburger, left over rice, stewed tomatoes, seasoning, chopped onion & garlic & anything else you have to use up (celery,tomato)- stuff the peppers (green, red, yellow) & bake until peppers are very soft - top with cheese if desired. I'm going to try cooking them in the crock pot next time.

And with the rest of the rice - Rice pudding. - using whatever I have - creme or milk, cooked rice, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, an egg or two, sugar, coconut - just about anything you have to use up.

[CelticWinter]

31. i love stuffed peppers

I take a can of v-8 juice and add to them while they bake, the juice thickens and we pour that over top baby red potatoes.
CelticWinter

[AnotherMother4Peace]

34. I'll try that next time - thanks for the tip. n/t

[CelticWinter]

29. recipes

Potato Soup

Approx measurments
6-8 cups of water or enough to cover ingredients
6 potatos diced
1 stalk celery diced small
1 med onion diced small
3 carrots diced small
8 oz ham diced small
1-2 T ham base (or to taste)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Just before serving I add two cups of milk, bring to just before boil and add instant potatos to thicken (garlic or herb instant give a hearty flavor)

Serve with toasted homemade bread.

My family loves this on those cold winter days warms them from the inside out.

This is more than enough for 4 adults and we always have left overs.
******************************************************************************

This is my grandmothers Poor Man's Dinner her mother brought over from Ireland.

In a large stock pot add:
potatoes
onions
carrots
ham bone (like from a picnic ham)
ham base-to taste
salt & pepper-to taste
Add enough water to cover ingredients
When veggies are about half cooked add half a head of cabbage shredded cook til done. Once again I serve this with homemade bread. Its inexspensive and good.

CelticWinter

[Mrs. Overall]

30. My spouse comes from a large half Irish, half Italian family who were on a very tight budget:

Two of their dollar stretching favorites:

Pork 'n Potatoes (can be made with veggie meat, too)

Make a large batch of mashed potatoes, then add either frozen or canned corn, fry up some sausage or veggie sausage and add to potatoes/corn. Stir, add salt and pepper. Makes a tasty leftover as well.


The other one, his Italian mom called American Chop Suey (I had never heard of that before):

Brown a pound or two of ground beef (or veggie meat) with some chopped onion, fresh garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. After meat is browned add two or three cans of tomato soup, stir and toss with a pound or so of cooked pasta (any shape--macaroni, spirals, spaghetti work well) and serve.

These aren't necessarily healthy, but wow, what comfort food, especially on a cold autumn or winter evening.

[H2O Man]

32. Potato soup .....

is one of the best tasting meals for the cold months. Cheap and easy to make. Most people who come from large Irish families are familiar with it!

[CelticWinter]

36. Isnt that the truth :-) n/t

[WolverineDG]

61. South Texas name for the 2nd recipe

"Macaroni Mess." :9

dg

[tandot]

33. Pinto Beans and Ham

Pinto Beans and Ham Steak:

1 large lean ham steak (or not so lean smoked ham hock)
2 lbs. dry pinto beans
1 lg. onion, chopped
Spices to taste (I use paprika powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, & pepper)


Sort and clean beans and soak in water overnight. Cut ham steaks into bite sized pieces. Dice onions. Drain the water from the soaked beans. Add all the ingredients into a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans (water line should be about 1 inch above beans). Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 1 to 2 hours until beans are tender. If you don't soak the beans, cooking time will be longer.

Instead of water and salt you can use chicken broth or water and broth cubes.

Vegetarians can add a little liquid smoke to give it the smoked flavor and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

We crumble corn bread into the bottom of our bowl, cover it with the beans (including plenty of the liquid), add a splash of vinegar, and add green onions on top.

Serves 6-8.

[patrice]

42. I grew up on Ham 'n Beans. Still LOVE it.

Would like to work on a Vegetarian version.

We always had pan-style cornbread (NO sugar - thank you) with Ham 'n Beans and often great big, whole, ice cold, dill pickles that Mom used to make and maybe fresh out of the garden raw turnips that were wonderfully crispy and kind of peppery tasting, great to eat like an apple with the hot beans.

[Totally Committed]

35. Pasta with Lentils and Kale

PASTA WITH LENTILS AND KALE

The secret to this dish is the caramelized onions. I cook them long and slow until they are meltingly tender and deep golden brown. Their rich sweetness rounds out the earthy flavor of the lentils and Kale.

1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound kale (or other "greens")
3/4 pound dried short pasta (I usually use whole wheat or flaxseed Penne for the extra nutrients, but white pasta is cheaper and works just as well.)

Accompaniments: toasted bread-crumb topping and/or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (bread crumbs are traditional, because they were used in place of grated cheese because it was too expensive, but the cheese is really delicious, if you want to splurge)

Simmer lentils in water (2 cups) with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.

While lentils simmer, heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), about 20 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to moderate, then cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.

While onion cooks, cut out and discard stems and center ribs from kale. Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander to drain, pressing lightly. Keep pot of water at a boil, covered.

Coarsely chop kale and add to onion along with lentils (including lentil-cooking liquid), then simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to kale-cooking liquid and boil, uncovered, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta-cooking liquid, then drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta to lentil mixture along with about 1/3 cup of pasta-cooking liquid (or enough to keep pasta moist) and cook over high heat, tossing, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

• Lentils and onions can be cooked up to 5 days ahead and chilled, uncovered, until completely cooled, then covered. Reheat over low heat, thinning with water as necessary.
• Kale can be washed and trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels.

Makes 4 servings.

TC

[patrice]

43. I'm going to do this one; I'm real interested in the food value of

beans and legumes. And Kale is supposed to be a Wonder Food.

:hi: Thanks! :hi:

[Totally Committed]

45. And, this tastes wonderful, too.

You are very welcome!

TC

[Glimmer of Hope]

101. I am trying this. I love lentils because they are tasty, cheap and filling. Thanks!

[JerseygirlCT]

110. Can't eat onions, and not a fan of kale, but I love just lentil soup

I use a ton of garlic instead of onions, and in my house we always poured it through the blender after it cooked. Mom would sometimes chop hot dogs into it, but I don't bother.

I don't really have a recipe. Just rinse and boil some lentils in water, or maybe some broth, too. Add some carrots, maybe celery if you like, lots of garlic. Salt. Good amount of salt. Some ham if you like (I don't, myself, although I've occasionally put a bit of bacon bits in!). Cook it until it looks like it's done, lol!

And then the blender.

I like it with some crusty bread, and it's cheaper than cheap and fills you forever!

(My kids and husband won't touch the stuff, so I only make it for me and freeze single servings).

[mondo joe]

37. Pasta Fagioli

Many ways to make it, and many ways more inexpensive than the recipes you'll find online but here's a few for starters:





http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pasta-Fagioli/Detail.aspx

http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr0155.htm

[Cameron27]

136. Love it, love it, love it!

In my family (Italian both sides}we had that just about once a week when I was growing up. Delicious!

[laylah]

44. Poor Old Man's Potato Soup

cubed potatoes
chopped celery
chopped onion
s & p to taste
dollop butter

Combine all ingredients, simmer for about 25 mns.

Rich Old Man's Potato Soup
substitue milk for water
add chopped parsley


We always knew when Dad was on strike (POMPS) vs not (ROMPS) :rofl:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

47. Italian Meat Sauce and/or Quesadillas

I will make this basic chopped meat mixture and use it both for Italian and Southwest Dishes
Of course you can increase these recipes.

1 lb. chuck chopped meat
1 small onion - chopped
garlic powder to taste (fresh chopped garlic can be used too. I find the powder to be easy, economical and delicious)
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium can chopped tomatoes. Drain most of the liquid.

In An Oversizes frying pan

Brown chopped meat and drain off most of the fat, add a little salt and pepper
add chopped onions and garlic, saute until onions until transparent, add chopped tomatoes along with a little of the juice.
Once again a little salt and pepper. Heat until the tomatoes are cooked through.

I will then reserve half of this and refrigerate it. The rest
For Italian style,

1/2 lb. of penne or if you don't have that, ziti or elbow macaroni. Throw into salted boiling water and cook until al dente. While the water is boiling
Add Good Marinara sauce (they are always on sale or try your own)to chopped meat saute. Enough to bind the meat together but not where it is too saucy.
dried oregano to taste
for a bit of heat red pepper flakes
Add the Marinara sauce and seasonings. Simmer until the pasta is ready.

When the pasta is ready, add a ladle of pasta water into the sauce.
Drain pasta and add to pan. Toss thoroughly. Correct seasonings.
Top with
parmesian cheese (the good imported stuff is too expensive now)



For South Western Quesadillas

flour tortillas
Reserved cooked chopped meat (with tomatoes, garlic and onion)
add taco seasoning to taste
chili powder to taste or if you want it a bit smokey
chipolite powder
shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
Optional refried beans, olives, jalapeno peppers

Place meat mixture in a sauce pot, add seasonings. Simmer till warmed through.

Lightly oil frying pan and heat at medium to low.
Add a flour tortilla to the frying pan
top 1/2 side with meat mixture and any optional topping you'd like
add shredded cheese
flip the unfilled side over the filled side.
Yum.

[patrice]

48. K & R

[Marrah_G]

49. Thanks for this thread

I need to read the frugal group more often. It's getting harder by the month to keep my family fed and not have them eating crappy processed food.

[patrice]

56. There's so much that all of us have just forgotten!

Pan-style corn bread is some flour, corn meal, an egg, a little oil, salt, baking powder, and milk (or buttermilk). Mix it up, pour it in a hot, greased, iron skillet and pop it in the oven. You're going to get maybe 4-6 batches out of a bag of corn-meal, without ALL of the additives (BHT!!!), compared to 1-2 out of a mix with ALL kinds of stuff in it.

You can put a couple of eggs in if you want to up the protein. Using dried milk also increases the protein value. It gets all crispy and brown on the outside and it's absolutely wonderful hot and buttered and drizzled with honey or maple syrup, or just plane.

[malaise]

77. Chicken chili and rice

1lb chicken mince - 1 packet kidney beans, one can tomato paste, fresh cooking tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, carrots, stick of celery, one onion, salt and pepper to taste.

Soak beans overnight - saves cooking time. Cook beans. Let mince and chopped garlic, onion and cooking tomatoes cook in skillet without oil. Add cooked beans and water, one tablespoon of chili powder and tomato paste. When they're almost finished add chopped carrots and chopped celery. Serve with brown rice and lettuce and cucumber salad. Great meal - kids love it too.

[TalkingDog]

52. For the gluten free crowd

Curried Okra(now, now...okra is super cheap and good for you...stop wrinkling your nose)

Get a large bag of plain frozen okra (2 bucks for 2lbs, last for several meals)

Use about 1/2 lb for 2 people
1 to 2 heaping tblsp of Curry Paste (we like hot)
1 tblsp Olive Oil in a Cast Iron Skillet(or heavy pan)
Tend it while cooking as it may get sticky and burn
Cook until okra is tender. Very tasty


Easy Refrigerator Oatmeal
NO COOKING

6 c quick oats
1 tbsp cardamom (buy it at the Indian food store...it's cheaper)
1 quart (soy, almond, rice) milk
1 can pineapple (recipe calls for crushed, but we use chunk) incl. liquid
dried fruit bits on top to taste. ex.raisins, craisins, prunes(cut up)
Put in Fridge. Next day: 2 people can eat for a week.

The pineapple and cardamom help the digestive system break down the oat protein, so if you are sensitive, please don't skip those ingredients.


Rice Pan Bread

3 c. med or short grain brown rice
3 c. cold water
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp. gluten free baking powder (optional)

1)Place rice, water in large bowl, cover w/ light cloth or napkin and soak for 8-12 hours.
2)Grind rice into batter with blender or food processor in 1 cup batches. Rub a small amount between fingers. When the water falls away leaving table salt sized grains it's ready.
3)Put back in bowl cover w/ light cloth or napkin and allow to ferment at room temp. 68-72 degrees.

Use this chart to ferment to taste:
4-6 hours very mild yeast flavor
8-12 hours mild yeast flavor comparable to wheat breads, batter expands
18-24 hours strong yeast flavor.
After 24 hours sourdough like flavor

After batter has set for desired time, mix in salt and baking powder (if desired)

Place batter in well oiled pan (cast iron skillet) cover and bake for 50-55 min at 350 degrees.


Quinoa Salad

1.5 c water
1.5 c mild picante sauce (or salsa)
1 c quinoa rinsed
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 15oz can black beans, drained (or not...I don't)
1 1/2 c fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels cooked, drained
1 c cherry tomatoes (or chopped regular)
1/2 c thin sliced onion
1 jalapeno pepper thin sliced
1 tblsp oil

Med. sauce pan high heat. Combine water, picante, quinoa, salt, pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat to med. cover, cook til liquid absorbs, 15- 20 min.

Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Uncover, toss with fork. Transfer to large bowl, let cool slightly

Add remaining ingredients, toss well. Serve warm or chilled

4 servings.


Black Bean Salad

1 sm onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground clove
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1/2 red pepper chopped

Mix. Eat.


Basic Pumpkin Soup
A very flexible vegetable. The flavor is so subtle just about anything works with it. So you can have it 6 ways to Sunday.

Halloween pumpkins work fine. They are CHEAP. A little more work, and the smaller ones are more flavorful, but....

Bonus, roasted pumpkin seeds!

Cut pumpkin into large chunks. 400 degrees, skin side up, bake until pumpkin is tender. Cool slightly. Peel off skin. Cut into 2 inch chunks. Puree in blender or food processor. Freeze what you don't use.

2 med. onion
3 clove garlic
3 tblsp butter
4 c pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 pkg silken tofu blended with pumpkin (or 2 c. nut milk of choice. Coconut is AWESOME in this soup)

Optional spices and additons to taste for a little zest: Nutmeg, savory, cinnamon, allspice, lemon, apple juice, curry, peanut butter.

Chop onion fine, mince garlic, sautee in butter in a large pot until onions wilt.

Add pumpkin puree, bring to simmer, add spices, simmer about 30- 40 min.

Garnishes: Craisins, raisins, raw apple, raw red pepper, roasted red pepper.


Leek and Potato Soup

2 tbls Butter
2 tbls Garlic
2 good sized Leeks
2 good sized Potatoes
4 cups chicken broth or water and nut milk of choice (a little coconut, a little rice...super)
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper (I actually use more)

Clean and chop leeks. Sliced into 1/4 inch pieces is easiest. In a medium sized pot melt butter. Add leeks and garlic, cook over low til leeks are soft. Stir ocassionally so leeks don't burn

Diced potatoes.

Add remaining ingredients to the pot

Bring the soup to the boil and then let it simmer for about 15 to 20 min. depending on whether you like chunky potatoes (less time) or smoother.
Mash a little to desired texture.


Rosemary Potato Soup

2 tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion diced
1 tblsp butter
3 large garlic cloves slice thick
3 c chicken broth - or water and nut milk of choice (a little coconut, a little rice...super)
1 tsp dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste


Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot until shimmering.

Add potatoes, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more
frequently, until potatoes start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add butter and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a caramel color, about 10 minutes

Add broth/"milk" and rosemary bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.


If you have questions ask. I take a lot of shortcuts. I'm a very lazy cook


My Favorite Master Artist: Karen Parker GhostWoman Studios

[JerseygirlCT]

111. Oh, that potato soup sounds good

So long as I skip the onions, that is!

I do love some potato. Must be genetic.

[Totally Committed]

53. Fresh Homemade Ricotta

FRESH HOMEMADE RICOTTA

It is more delicate in flavor than any store-bought version and has a lovely dry curd. And, it is a cinch to make!

2 quarts whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Special equipment: large sieve, fine-mesh cheesecloth

Line a large sieve with a layer of heavy-duty (fine-mesh) cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Slowly bring milk, cream, and salt to a rolling boil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain 1 hour. After discarding the liquid, chill the ricotta, covered; it will keep in the refrigerator 2 days.

Makes about 2 cups.



Notes:


I made this a couple times and I dsicovered it is important to pour it through the sieve as soon as it curdles or it gets dry and tough.

I even made it with 2% milk (still added the cream) and it came out great.

Another lower calorie version of ricotta is to heat 2 quarts of whole milk and 2 cups of buttermilk and a pinch of fresh nutmeg, stirring frequently, to 180 degrees. Scrape the bottom on the pan and the curd will rise. Keep the brew at 180 for 1 minute. Then drain through cheese cloth in a collander and stir in 1/4 cup fresh parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Hang the cheese in the cheese cloth for 15 minutes. There you have a scrumptious, lower calorie ricotta for use in any recipe.

This is one of those recipes that is a true revelation. Homemade ricotta is NOTHING like the wet, pasty, grainy stuff in the tub. It tastes like the fresh milk from which it's made....INCREDIBLE! Fresh ricotta is delicious made with whole milk/cream, and even with lowfat milk alone (note: the yield is lower with the low fat version, and the curd is drier, but it is still absolutely wonderful). Try using this in the ricotta cheesecake, lasagna, cannolis, or for dessert in a dish with a little honey drizzeld over. Yummer dogs!


TC

[QC]

54. Here's a great lentil soup recipe.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/236772

Very tasty, and you can make a huge pot of it for less than five bucks.

[Totally Committed]

62. This sounds amazing.

I love lentil soup! I'm going to try this recipe this week.

Thanks for posting!

TC

[QC]

89. You're very welcome. It's an excellent recipe.

Instead of transferring some of to the food processor, though, I just used the stick blender. Worked nicely. I am also going to add a little roasted garlic.

Enjoy!

[cali]

55. Roasted Root vegetables make a wonderful meal

with a tossed Romaine salad with granny smith apples, toasted walnuts and mustard vinaigrette.

For the vegetables:

Peel 3 large russet or yukon gold potatoes and quarter
Peel 2 sweet potatoes and quarter
Peel desired number of parsnips and carrots, and cut in 2 inch lengths. Slice in half if large.
Peel 3 large onions, cut in half and slice thickly
scrubbed beets, still in their jackets are also nice.

In a large roasting pan place 3 tbs olive oil, toss veggies in oil add sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast for 30-40 min. in a pre-heated 400 degree oven.

Not high in protein, but delicious.

[JustAnotherGen]

57. Gluten Free Squash/Zucchini Soup

First - I buy organic (can't cut the prices there) meats - but I eat very little meat. Second - this is great for Wheat Gluten Allergies allergies! I also have window sill herbs I grow.

Make your own chicken broth from your left over Chicken Roaster scraps. Promise promise - it tastes ten times better than anything you will buy in the store and you really USE that chicken. ;-)

4 cups of broth
One Medium Zucchini (cut up into bite size pieces)
One Medium Squash (cut up into bite size pieces)
One Large Onion
A pound of the cheapest tomatoes (plum seem to be inexpensive here) -Cut up seeds and all.
Add some oregano, thyme, garlic, sea salt, and cracked pepper to taste.

Bring all ingredients to a boil then let simmer half an hour. You can also add pasta to this about 20 minutes into the cooking (think ditalini) or for those who are gluten-free - Brown Rice Pasta.

[w8liftinglady]

59. that sounds delicious.I have butternut squash I need to use

[Horse with no Name]

60. I always stock up on the Kroger brand of spaghetti sauce when it is $1 jar

IMHO, it is the BEST of all pre-made. Seriously.
I will take onions, tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash (or whatever veggies you have on hand)...saute them in cooking oil until they are tender. Season with garlic, seasoned salt and pepper.
Pour 1 jar of the cheap spaghetti sauce in them and simmer.
Serve over pasta.
Very cheap and VERY GOOD!
It is a meal that costs about $2.00. Can't beat that.

[DearAbby]

74. Kroger is King Soopers here

every week they have a veriety of items 10=$10. great for stocking up. We would freeze loafs of bread, they last quite some time that way, once thawed are pretty good.

[JustAnotherGen]

64. WeighlftrLady

At this time of year? When squash and root veggies are so cheap? Try this - I'm making it for dinner tonight. I grew up eating this.

Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seed.. Rub butter on the edges of the squash, and place 'cut side' down in baking dish. Bake at about 350 or 375 for about 30-40 minutes.

1 shredded carrot
1 small zucchini
1 small finely chopped onion.
Bread Crumbs/Rice Flour Bread Crumbs (about 1/2 a cup or or about two slices of bread if you are making yourself).
1 beaten egg
About 1/2 a cup of grated parmesan (that block you see in the store goes a LONG way - and tastes a lot better than the Kraft Faux Parmesan cheese with all those preservatives in it).



Saute the carrot, zucchini and onion in olive oil until crisp-tender. Remove from heat, then mix in the egg, breadcrumbs and cheese. Spoon this into the Squash Halves. Put just a tiny sliver of butter on each half and place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

I'm a foodie and love to cook - but again that Gluten-thing. . . my mom has been digging through her reservoir of recipes and knowledge of cooking (at one time was the head of Catering at a large hotel) and emailing me 'tricks' around gluten. This is 'Mom Food' without the gluten in your gut! Yum!

Just a note - I've tried it with Pure Olive oil (coating the Squash) and a dash on the top of each half before I set the 'stuffing' - but it seems to get a burned/icky coating on it.

[w8liftinglady]

102. yum!that sounds delicious!

I'll make it tomorrow!

[DearAbby]

65. Homemade Chicken - Egg Noodle soup

1. Package Chicken parts
2. 3c flour (non rising)
3. 1-2 eggs
4. pinch of salt

This Noodle recipe can be used for Beef and Noodles, or Chicken noodles, or any time you need egg noodles. Boil the chicken parts (or beef) until rich broth is made. Season how you like. cut up chicken into small bits and place back into the broth. You can add Vegetables you like to the broth, making your favorite Soup recipe.

Egg Noodles:

In large bowl place flour, make a well, add eggs and salt. mix together, make dough that can be rolled out. add more flour if needed.

(hint: this is a small batch, I used to add an egg for each person, so this recipe can be easily expanded. just add more flour until the desired consistency)If more liquid is needed use a tablespoon at a time, of the broth. Dough should be easily handled in your hand, without sticking to it.

Roll out the dough on a large floured area, table, counter top. Hand cut into small strips. allow the noodles to sit a bit once cut, under a towel.

Cook: Get the broth to a rolling boil, add the noodles a litte at a time, stirring often to keep them from sticking together. cook until desired softness. Serve.

[Frustratedlady]

66. Another hint for the near to be roasted turkey...

When finished slicing your turkey and you have removed what you believe to be all the meat (after your guests have gone home), take the carcass and press it down into a large soup pot. (It will break down into a workable piece.) Cover with enough water to be able to simmer long enough for the meat to fall off the bones. Remove bones. Add some onion, celery...whatever else you might think would taste good in a soup stock and simmer until done. Season to your taste.

If there is enough meat to create an entree, throw some noodles or rice into the pot and cook down the liquid. You can have turkey and noodles or turkey with rice. Add a veggie or salad and some type of bread...voila!

You can either freeze smaller portions for later, or use for a soup base. After a large Thanksgiving meal, soup is gonna sound pretty good. It's a good way to use up the carcass without spending all that time deboning to get the leftover meat.

[SoCalDem]

82. I buy bone-in chicken breasts and save the bony parts trimmed off

in the freezer until I have a bunch of them

Then I boil them with celery, onions, carrots for broth and pick the meat off them ..and add home made egg dumplings :)

Free soup :)

[Whisp]

67. buy real cereals,

oatmeal, cornmeal, cream of white, etc. (if they are still 'real', but that's another topic).
waaaaay better nutrition wise and cheaper than those crappy expensive boxes of sugar called breakfast. I curse whenever I see the vast acreage of that blight. some are better than others, I realise, but overall it's all just a big ad scam directed at children of all ages.

same for soups. homemade pea soup. for eg., is just delcious. or cabbage soup. or whatever you have leftover in the fridge soup. some amazing soups await you if think about what you might think of throwing away.

[Ghost in the Machine]

69. Ranch Grub

Ranch Grub

1 lb Ground Beef

2 cans Pork & Beans

small onion - diced or chopped

small green pepper - diced or chopped

BBQ sauce

Loaf of Bread



Brown ground beef in skillet, drain, put back in skillet

Add beans, BBQ Sauce, peppers & onions -

Bring to desired heat, stirring well

Serve over a slice of bread

Fast, simple, easy & kids love it.

Feeds 2 - 4 people

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Home Made Beans & Weiners

1 Pack Hot Dogs

2 cans Pork n Beans

Syrup and/or BBQ Sauce


Open beans, pour in pot

Cut Hot Dogs into bite sized pieces - add to beans

Add syrup or BBQ sauce

Heat to desired temperature

Serve in a bowl

Feeds 4 easily

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Creamed Chipped Beef

2 - 3 packages store brand sliced beef (in sandwich meat section: usually 3 packs for a dollar) - sliced into thin strips

2 cups flour

2 heaping tablespoons butter

2 boiled eggs - sliced, diced or chopped

Milk

Bread


Put butter in pan and melt

stir in flour until it makes a paste

slowly add milk until desired creamy consistency

add sliced beef and eggs - heat to desired temperature

Serve over bread or toast - salt & pepper to suit your tastes

Feeds 4 - 6

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Just some quick, easy recipes, especially good if you have kids and work a lot. Being a single father, I learned how to make stuff quick and easy that the kids would actually eat instead of wasting.

[Ghost in the Machine]

120. kick

[DearAbby]

71. SOS

As lovingly called, hamburger, or sausage. Crumble up the meat in a large skillet, cook until done. remove excess grease, saving some. Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour make a rue and brown, with the remaining bits in the pan. Add milk, evaporated milk is good in this. about a 1-1/2 Cups. Stirring constantly. Serve hot over toast.
or over fresh baked biscuits.

[DearAbby]

73. Poor Man's sloppy Joes

Crumble up some hamburger in a skillet, add some onion and peppers diced, brown, remove excess grease, squirt in some ketchup and mustard to taste.

[Vinca]

72. I make a giant batch of spaghetti sauce and meatballs for about $25

and get 5 or 6 meals out of it - typically 3 pasta meals, an eggplant parm, pizza and the final bits get tossed into chicken cacciatore.

[w8liftinglady]

118. YUM!can I come over?

that sounds like my grandma's house.

[avrdream]

75. Though sounding delicious, most of these budget stretching recipes are very starchy.

I also grew up in a large family on a limited budget. Mom stretched things all the time by adding more bread, potato, rice, and pasta. We always had an amazing vegetable garden, though, so had quite a few healthy side dishes as things were in season.

Nowadays I don't stretch meals with starches - I just buy the seasonal veggies from the local market as they are fresh and cheap. But, then again, I live in Cairns, Australia. I can only recall seeing these types of markets in Northern California.

[SoCalDem]

78. Meal-stretching recipes are usually starchy.. That's because they are intended

to make more servings of a limited "main ingredient"..

The funny thing is that in making my beef vegetable soup, the items I keep adding are actually vegetables :evilgrin:

I got my boys to eat cabbage & a lot of veggies the didn;t like, by adding them to my soups

My ham & beans got it's lovely color and creamy texture by running a pound of carrots through my food processor, and adding it to the beans as they cooked :)

[kineneb]

125. starchy foods are cheap

pasta, rice, potatoes, flours

It is also the kind of food given away by the USDA at free-food days and at food pantries. I have so many pounds of free pasta from past monthly give-aways that I won't have to buy any for some time. And there are many bags of instant mashed potatoes in my cupboard as well.

But those canned mixed vegetables and canned peas... any ideas how to make them edible?

I still haven't figured out what to do with the "vegetarian vegetable soup". It is ghastly. Take the cans to a range for target practice, maybe? Gluing weights in the woodshop?

[SoCalDem]

76. Yellow rice

2 cups of rice..(cook it and set aside)

a pound of bacon..chop it up before you cook it

5 or 6 green onions chopped up

4 carrots shredded

Drain most of the bacon drippings away...(set cooked bacon aside)
saute the carrots & onions

add rice & bacon back into the cooked green onions & carrots..stir it up and Yummy !!

You can also add water chestnuts & snow peas

or substitute ham for the bacon

This makes a ton of food and is quite tasty

[SoCalDem]

79. Taking back control over your food.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/SoCalDem/64


Taking back control over your food.
Posted by SoCalDem in General Discussion
Sun May 06th 2007, 02:17 PM
I know it sounds impossible, but every little bit you do CAN help.

Many people under 40 have been raised on "fast-food" or "packaged-mixes" or "frankenfoods".

The franken-foods are harder to eliminate since the very essence of them has been manipulated at the start, but there's a LOT you can do about the others.

NUMBER ONE:.. Ignore all the glitzy ads on tv and in magazines/papers

NUMBER TWO:... Stop buying the prepared stuff

NUMBER THREE:... Invest in some old cookbooks (used book stores/flea markets/estate sales..or even online)

NUMBER FOUR:...Buy a decent food processor

NUMBER FIVE:... PURGE your cupboards and freezer of all the "combination foods".

NUMBER SIX:...Learn how to cook..(It's not rocket science, and once you get the hang of it, it actually takes less time than you would think.

NUMBER SEVEN:.. Make your OWN "frozen dinners" for times when you don't want to cook.

NUMBER EIGHT:... Plant a garden and let your kids help..Anti-veggie kids will probably eat "their" own veggies..(Mine did)

NUMBER NINE:... Buy good spices

NUMBER TEN :... Make your OWN cake mixes, pancake mixes, baking mixes (HP Make-A-Mix Cookbooks are wonderful)

Modern people think they have no time to "cook from scratch", but it's not that hard and it takes less time than one thinks.

It's not a cheap as buying $1 Banquet frozen dinners or 2/$5 Dominos Pizza, but it's a lot better for you, and so-called convenience foods are LOADED with salt and artificial flavors.

Look for canned foods that have the FEWEST "ingredients".. Choose the no salt added, if you can.. Choose UNSWEETENED when you buy canned fruits.

Buy local and buy local in-season when possible.

Unsweetened iced tea made from water & teabags is better for you than soft drinks & adulterated juices. (My own kids did not have their first taste of soda pop or koolaid until they were school age, and they still prefer unsweetened iced tea as adults.

There are many things you can make on your own that are so cheap, you cannot imagine. You probably just never tried, and don;t even know it.

Here are a few family "specials" that we have always loved..and are super fast too

Left over rice, a little chopped ham, sliced green onions, julienned carrots, a little soy sacue and some other veggies and you have instant stir fry

Peel an apple, core it, split it almost to the bottom (in fourths)..sprinkle a little cinnamon on it and zap it in the microwave (covered)..serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Light frosting for a cake.. whipped cream with mooshed frozen strawberries blended in.. (sweetened with real sugar)

Make your own cookies.. (just about any ole recipe will yield more cookies and there's no comparison on taste)

MOST of the prepared foods actually started with a "real" recipe that has just been adulterated to accomodate the middlemen... not the comsumer.

Salad dressings take about 10 seconds to make..

If you have a breadmaker, and then buy the "mixes", you are still getting the "add-ins" from the corporate food companies.

Get a nice breadboard, and assemble the dough yourself from the basics.

If the box-mixes end up staying on grocers' shelves instead of in grocery carts, they WILL change . As long as people keep buying the stuff, it will elbow out more healthy stuff..

To us oldies, these tips are second-nature, and I am not trying to be "preachy", but I know there are busy people out there who just never took the time, or had parents who taught them to cook.

Commercials have been selling us "fast & easy" for so long that many people actually believe them.

That's a myth that needs busting..in a big way..
Read entry | Discuss (223 comments) | Recommend (50 votes) | Remove from Journal | Add/Edit Intro
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[Cleita]

80. How about boiling a big saucepan of rice and

opening a can of beans and eating it for a week? There is nothing more budget stretching than this recipe and this is what poor people who get $23 a week in food stamps have to do.

[bobbolink]

81. Ummm, yummm!

:pals:

[me b zola]

106. I cook a big pot of beans

I cook a big pot of beans and then (after they cool) freeze in individual containers for later use in various recipes. Much cheaper than canned beans and eliminates a time consuming step if you were to cook them for every recipe that calls for beans.

[alfredo]

83. Peanut butter soup

A couple cups of water, dependent on how much you want.
Chicken bullion
Chopped onion, sauted in oil or butter (a half onion is enough for two cups of water)
Salt and pepper
Peanut butter.

Cook the broth and onions until done, turn off heat and transfer a few spoonfuls of broth into a cup. Add a big glop of peanutbutter and mix with the broth until it is a loose batter. Turn off heat then add peanut butter and season to taste. Don't boil.

[Liberal_in_LA]

90. Unusual! Can't imagine what it tastes like.

[Arugula Latte]

98. I've had peanut soup a couple times -- it was delicious!

It's savory and much lighter than you'd expect. I think its origins lie in Africa. :9

[alfredo]

113. It's pretty good. There's chicken recipes that uses peanut butter.

Seems like celery is used in many of the soups. Celery and peanut butter is really good together.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,peanut_butter_chicken,FF.html

The peanut butter soup recipe I use is from Suriname.

More peanut butter recipes

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,peanut_butter_soup,FF.html

[KittyWampus]

85. What you can do with just a bag of onions!

Peel and slice onions. Saute slowly til translucent. Add salt.

Put on low heat over a second trivet. Continue cooking for an hour but remember to stir.

What you get is carmalized onions. You can put this over pasta. It is so good.

And cheap.

[SoCalDem]

86. and you can make a soup of them and float some stale bread on top

slap on some cheese and broil... french onion soup :)

[w8liftinglady]

87. I used to take 2 cans of chile,and top with cornbread mix...yum!

total meal cost about 1.50...add a veggie like chopped tomatoes in it or spinach on the side.

[KittyWampus]

88. What you can do with a bag of carrots.

Gajar Ka Halva (Carrot Pudding)

Ingredients:

6 medium carrots,
3 cups milk,
cardamom
6 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee,
6 tablespoons sugar,
1-2 tbs raisins,
1 1/4 cups double cream (heavy cream), lightly whipped (optional)
Method:

Peel the carrots and grate them either by hand or in a food processor. Put the grated carrots, milk, and cardamom pods in a heavy bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Turn head to medium and cook, stirring now and then, until there is no liquid left. Adjust the heat, if you need to.

Head the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-low flame. When hot, put in the carrot mixture. Stir and fry until the carrots no longer have a wet, milky look. They should turn a rich, reddish colour. This can take 10-15 minutes.

Add the sugar, raisins Stir and fry for another 2 minutes.

This halva may be served warm or at room temperature. Serve the cream on the side.

[w8liftinglady]

92. yum_that sounds great-I have been looking for dessert alternatives for my kids

[midlife_mo_Jo]

91. Black beans!

1 - 1 1/2 lbs dried black beans, rinse and soak overnight
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can "mexican style" stewed tomatoes (I use the kitchen scissors to chop in can)
Salt
Cumin

I cook on high in my crockpot, and add cilantro after it's cooked.

Eat on burritos with whatever toppings you like.

[NorthernSpy]

93. Pigeons: free. Squirrels: free. Rabbits: free. Get you some stew to go with that rice...

What? It's good protein!


We sometimes ate hares that my brother shot in the woods near our home when I was a kid. Not my favorite, but it made sense budgetwise.

[w8liftinglady]

94. I don't know how to clean them...any suggestions?

[NorthernSpy]

95. ah, here we go: "Skinning and Dressing Rabbits"...

My brother always handled that part. I can barely cut up a chicken. So I'll let the experts show you:


http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/lib2/dressrab.htm


They also tell you how to kill them. Hyurgggh....


:yoiks:

[w8liftinglady]

97. thanks-I'll let someone else kill them

I can't kill animals.I will eat them.

[NorthernSpy]

100. once you've got the, ah, unpleasantness out of the way, you can smother the rabbit Creole-style...

You can cut up the cleaned carcass, salt, pepper and paprika all over, and brown him off thoroughly but carefully in hot fat. Then mix in a lot of onion tops or green onion, and garlic (minced fine, don't allow it to scorch). Smother the rabbit under some green beans, and maybe chunks of zucchini, and some okra. Put in hot pepper and maybe more paprika, if you want.

You should then reduce the fire to very low, and let it cook covered for a long a time, until tender. (Should make its own broth pretty quickly, so you shouldn't need to add any.) When the meat and vegetables seem ready, uncover the pot, and let the sauce -- which should be nice and red -- reduce til it's glazy and thick-looking.

Have this over fresh hot rice. Mind the bones.


You can also make this with chicken (which I personally prefer).


You can also stirfry the okra separately and sprinkle it with vinegar, and then add it last, if you prefer to keeps its texture contribution to a minimum. (Or leave it out completely).


There are other ways to cook rabbit, too. Lots of people fry it, for instance.

[Cleita]

99. I dunno. I hesitate to eat wild food these days

considering the pollutants in their water and food supply that we will eat in turn. I stopped eating seafood because of mercury poisoning. I'd rather have beans and vegs with that rice.

[NorthernSpy]

107. but mercury contamination isn't really an issue with all seafood...

It's an issue with certain things like swordfish (which I happen to hate anyway). But it's not really a problem with other things like wild Alaska salmon.

Of course, neither of those items would exactly be considered "budget-friendly eating", so they don't really fit into our discussion, I suppose.


Gotta take it case-by-case.

[roguevalley]

115. greenland salmon is the purest in the world, pacific next and atlantic

wild last.

[Lars39]

123. My 80 yo father remembers a time when he was young when

there weren't squirrels and deer to be found because they had all been killed because of the Depression.

[itsrobert]

103. T-Bone or Porterhouse Steak

Meanwhile, build a two level charcoal fire or preheat your propane grill. Prepare your Porterhouse steak by seasoning with salt and pepper on both sides. I prefer to cook thicker steaks of about 1-1/4 inch to 1-1/2 inch in thickness (a little less than 2 pounds). During grilling, the thicker steak results in a more even medium rare throughout the meat.


Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill and leave it there for 2 minutes. If using a propane grill, close the lid. On a charcoal grill, keep the lid off, but keep an eye open for flame ups and put them out with a squirt bottle or simply move the steak to prevent charring. After two minutes, flip the steak over and brown the other side - two minutes.



Once both sides have been browned, move the steak over to the lower heat and finish cooking. In general it should take about 7-8 minutes to cook to medium rare (internal temperature of 130°F), but because the building of fires is different every time, I recommend using an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Just insert the probe from the side of the steak and plunge the probe into the center. Don't worry if it takes longer than eight minutes, that just means your heat is too low. Continue to let it cook until the internal temperature reads 130°F. Remove from grill and let the steak rest for five minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil.

The filet of the Porterhouse steak should not be cooked beyond medium rare or it may toughen. I solve this by rotating the steak such that the strip steak is closer to the high heat while the tenderloin cut is on the cooler side. This will cook the fillet a bit slower and not dry it out while trying to finish the top loin. Serve with mushroom topping over the steak or on the side.

stolen from http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/31/Grilled-Porterhouse-or-T-Bone-Steak

[Rosemary2205]

104. This sounds trite but

the best budget stretcher I know is choosing to live below your means from day one. Eat at home instead of eating out. Buy used instead of new on everything you possibly can and buy only what you really need, not what everyone wants.

Beans and cornbread every day for a month is meaningless if the kids are wearing whatever expensive thing peer pressure demands, everyone has their own cell phone, ipod, X box etcetera ad nauseum.

And yes, I know I sound like a real bitch. I don't mean it that way. My household income was just over $100,000 in 2000. We were both taught to live well below our means and save our money, which we did from day one in our working lives. Then we got run off the freeway by a drunk with no insurance and no resources. My husband is now mentally disabled, though mostly physically functional. I am physically disabled with the same brain power I had previously. In late 2005 I was finally recovered enough to return to work. - Almost 6 years with NO income AND horrendous medical costs. We survived because of our savings, my sister's family, and the generous American taxpayers. Now I am in my mid 50's and starting over. Last year I found a kind employer willing to take on a middle aged woman in a wheelchair and lots of medical costs. My family income is less than half of what it was and I have adjusted my standard of living accordingly so that I am living below my means - because I will not able to work right up until the day my husband and I are both dead.

If you find that food is taking a bigger bite out of your means then by all means be more frugal with your food budget if you can. But I really just encourage everyone to look at every area of spending and think about necessity versus desire. Get out of debt if you are in it and save for a rainy day, because I for one can tell you for sure, you won't know when that rainy day will show up.

[w8liftinglady]

105. I'm kicking this...a great thread

[w8liftinglady]

109. i'm kicking this because we need it

[w8liftinglady]

112. This is a great thread.people forget how to cook.

[HamdenRice]

116. Let's not forget recipes for our furry family members

During the tainted pet food scandal, I was looking around for an alternative to canned food. I used to feed my dog a mix of canned and dry food.

I was shocked to discover that a lot of human food is actually cheaper than canned dog food!

So now I buy beef kidneys or frozen liver, bulk chicken quarters (debone them after cooking) and other cheap meats and throw in carrots and potatoes and water in a pot, gently simmer, and presto! dog food.

It's actually cheaper than canned dog food and healthier.

I keep it in tupperware containers or baggies in the fridge and warm up as needed to mix with dry food.

[KT2000]

117. Mashed potatoes with

ANYTHING!

Costco has some good instant mashed potatoes. Make up the mashed potatoes (using all water - no milk). When it's done add a can of tuna, some chopped onion and maybe some peppers. Make a salad to go with. If using an Italian dressing on the salad, splash a bit on the potatoes too.

You can also use cooked ground beef or left-over chicken instead of the tuna.

[Shanti Mama]

119. from a third world country...

We have almost no processed food here, though you can now buy cake mixes and teriyaki sauce. I employ a cook! Sounds so decadent, I know, but it's the only option if I'm going to work. And it provides a good job for a local. Anyway, it's funny to read some of these posts. After 9+ years here in Nepal I forget how reliant Americans are on sauces and cans of beans. We do everything from scratch, literally. Recently I bought some tomato paste in a can but that's a first! I confess, I would LOVE to be able to buy some frozen food!

[kineneb]

128. for some of us, the canned goods are less expensive than scratch

beans, as an example: Hubby can't eat them (there are only two of us), so I buy small quantities of them canned. It takes more propane to cook them on the stove than it costs to simply buy them in a can. And I have less waste.

[Le Taz Hot]

129. My request didn't specify a source for ingredients.

Had I done so I'm sure DUers would have come through with at least as many "from scratch" recipes. People live very busy lives and if buying a couple of cans of beans eliminates a couple of hours of kitchen time, so be it. And if you look closer, you will see many "from scratch" recipes, mine included.

[Shanti Mama]

137. Didn't mean to imply anything...

I guess I need to be careful how I phrase things. I didn't mean to imply that 'from scratch' is better. Just that it's our only option. I did look around at the shop yesterday and realized that a lot has changed since I arrived here in Nepal. There are lots of canned goods, just not things I'd normally use or want.

As I said, I'd be VERY happy to discover a source of some of America's conveniences. Life here is basic but oh so complicated!

[Lars39]

130. Welcome to DU, Shanti Mama !

:toast:

[Shanti Mama]

138. Thanks for the welcome!

[JaneQPublic]

122. Healthy Black Bean Turkey Chili (or Chili Mac)

Healthy Black Bean Turkey Chili (or Chili Mac)

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground turkey
2 cups chopped onion
1 Tbs minced garlic
1.5 cups green pepper
2 16-oz cans whole tomatoes, quartered, undrained
1 15-oz can black beans, undrained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, undrained
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
2 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp salt (or replace with McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite seasoning)
Optional: to make Chili Mac, add 2 cups uncooked whole grain elbow macaroni

Directions:
1. In a large pot, cook ground turkey, onion garlic, and green pepper until meat is brown and veggies are soft.

2. Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, and salt (or Mesquite seasoning) and bring to a boil.

3. If making the Chili Mac version, add elbow macaroni now. In either case, turn down heat to Medium Low and let simmer for at least 10-15 minutes (until the macaroni is cooked.)

Serves 8 and tastes even better the second day.

[renie408]

124. Super inexpensive vegetable beef soup...

This is so easy and I bet everybody here has a version. I just thought I would throw it in...

1 bag frozen mixed veggies
2 large cans stewed tomatoes
1 large can chicken broth
1 large can V-8 juice
1 lb ground beef, browned
salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc. to taste

Throw all of it in the crockpot in the morning and cook it for 8 hours. I will throw other things in like a can of black eyed peas or a bag of frozen okra, just whatever I want to get rid of. It makes a ton of soup that is healthy and filling for less than $10 (way less if you leave out the meat).

[JaneQPublic]

126. Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cup chopped walnusts or sliced almonds
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F. In a bowl mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey. Whisk in vanilla.

Carefully pour the liquid over the oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. Spread granola in a 15x10 inch baking pan.

Bake 30 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Remove the granola-filled pan from the oven and let cool completely. Stir in raisins or cranberries. Seal granola in an airtight container or self-sealing plastic bag. Store at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.

[piedmont]

131. Tomato-y red beans and rice:

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 lb - 1 lb really tasty sausage (your choice)
2 cans Van Camp's (or other) red kidney beans
2 cans stewed tomatoes
some really good Louisianna hot sauce, and Tony Chachere's seasoning (optional)
several bay leaves

Chop and sautee the sausage to get it a little brown. Set aside on paper towels to drain the fat.
Sautee the veggies in a little olive oil and add the tomatoes, beans, sausage, and bay leaves.
Add hot sauce and Tony Chachere's to taste.
Simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve over white rice. Tastes even better after being in the fridge overnight.

[unpossibles]

132. not recipes per se, but some tips

* learn how to make bread. It's fairly cheap, and if you're home for a couple of hours, not hard to do - you just need to be there to babysit it mostly.

* buy in bulk for items that don't go bad. Not always cheaper, so check basic unit prices ($/oz. for instance)

* potatoes! A potato is cheap, and can be added as great filler to most things.

* leftovers! Not only in their current form, but as someone else said, if we had half-cans or partials leftover, we'd turn it into a casserole or pie or whatever. Be creative.

* grow your own herbs. I have a red thumb and I can grow herbs successfully. Plus most of them will grow inside and/or in pots. Much cheaper than buying and tastes far better.

* if you have any space, grow some of your own veggies. Tomatoes, peppers, and whatnot are easy to grow, and again taste better.

* this one will not be popular, but I ended up giving up meat originally partially because I could not afford it (the other part was being eventually grossed out by it at the restaurant I worked at). Meat is pretty expensive, and the cheap varieties are... well, less than appetizing, especially in light of food-borne illness stories. No preaching - just a money-saving tip.

* if you like meat substitutes (I can take or leave them), make your own seitan. Again, it's not hard, but requires you to babysit it. We make a huge amount of it for next to nothing and freeze it in portion-sized amounts. Great for a stew, a stir fry or a cheesesteak sandwich, among other things. Also, TVP (soy protein) makes a great ground beef substitute. Both take a little practice to make well, but once you get the hang of it, are easy to cook with.

* make your own croutons, bread puddings, etc. from your leftover bread instead of tossing it.

[librechik]

133. I've been using this website a lot: eating organic on a food stamp budget

the recipes and menus are on the right side under week numbers

http://www.rebeccablood.net/thriftyo/

[Aristus]

134. No matter what you're preparing, add brown rice to the mix.

That'll stretch the recipe to the breaking point.

[EOTE]

135. Veggie Burritos.

I'm really not sure what the cost per serving is, but I know it's pretty darn cheap. The ingredients are listed for a single burrito, but I usually make a lot of the beans and rice because they take the longest to prepare of all the ingredients. When cooking the black beans, I usually do a whole package at once (good for about a dozen burritos).

1 large burrito shell
1/4 cup black beans (salt, pepper and garlic to taste)
1/4 cup rice (I like jasmine, but any will do).
2 tablespoons sour cream
Tabasco chipotle sauce (I find the smoky flavor is great for burritos, but feel free to use something hotter)
1 ounce of shredded cheese (you can either shred your own cheddar, colby or jack, or use a Mexican cheese blend)
Cilantro and meat if desired.

When cooking a whole package, what I typically do is add enough water to cover all the beans, allow them to boil a good 3 minutes or so, dump the water into the blender and add a tablespoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper and a whole bulb of peeled garlic. I'll puree a minute or so until it's all liquid smooth, then add that mixture back to the blackbeans and cook covered on medium low 45 minutes or so until the beans are tender.

I like Chipotle's burritos, so I try to emulate their cilantro rice. Basically, I just take the leaves from several stalks of cilantro, dump it in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend for 10 seconds or so. Then I use that water to cook the jasmine rice. When you're done, give it a good stir to mix in the cilantro.

To prep the burrito, I will start with the largest tortilla I can find. I'll put it on a plate, cover it with a damp paper towel, then microwave for 20 seconds. This will make the tortilla moist and elastic so it's easier to roll. Spread the sour cream over the center half of the burrito, then add the rice, beans, (meat if desired), cheese and hot sauce. Tuck in two sides so that your burrito shell is more pill shaped than circular, then fold and tuck the end towards you into the far end.

The thing I like best about these burritos is that I can eat them almost any time and I rarely get sick of them. They're very filling and take very little time to make assuming you make the rice and beans ahead of time.

[dysfunctional press]

139. i cut the REALLY GOOD caviar with about 15% slightly less good caviar...

i know...i know...but sacrifices HAVE to be made.

[Arugula Latte]

140. Black-Eyed Pea "Salsa"

Mix a can or two (heck, or three) of mostly drained black eyed peas with finely chopped scallions or red onions, minced garlic or garlic powder, dollops of vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper, plus any chopped fresh veggies you have around such as celery, red cabbage, radishes, carrots, etc. (a good way to use 'em up). Add chopped fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro and parsley in any combo.

:9

[porphyrian]

141. Pasta and burnt butter.

Cook and drain pasta. Plate it. Put real butter in a sauce pan (it doesn't work with margarine to my knowledge) and heat it until it burns - first it melts, then it boils, then it starts turning brown, then black with little black specks, which is what you want. Pour it over the pasta. You can cook up some hamburger meat (or the tofu kind, if you're a vegetarian) and put that in with the pasta before you put the butter on it. You could also add some herb (parsley, oregano, sage, basil, whatever you like). Simple, easy, quick. The burnt butter tastes kind of nutty, if you're wondering.