I figure some researcher has figured that we are attracted to what we consider yummy foods.
I have been researching saving at the grocery store to see of I could gleem , any new ideas. Most of the articles I see are a rehash of what I learned I'm the 70's. Most of the extreme componers are buying toiletries most of which we don't buy in the first place. We buy razors, deodorant, and soap and toothpaste. Not all states will allow you to get the extra money in cash. It used to be that the coupons said not redeemable for cash of them. Cash value 1/20 of a cent. Our state doesn't double coupons. ALBERTSONS has some coupons that let you double like three or four coupons. And, it doesn't make sense to buy 93 bottles of hot sauce when you can never on your lifetime use them. Now, of you are buying for the food bank or a shelter, I can understand the mass amounts. I applaud
that. I try to keep a six month supply. That allows me to eat things before they expire. the only thing that I have more than a six month supply of is pasta. Pasta has an eight year shelf life.
Food of the Day. PASTA
The pastas of today have great variety. We have whole wheat, vegetable, and I just found white added fiber.
I like to pay a dollar or less a pound. I got it for .49 this week.
It's a good fill me up and as late, there are a mirage of recipes to make it healthy and varied.
Almost any combination of meat and veggies that can go on a pizza can go on pasta.
Summer brings pasta salads. You can gleem ideas from the pasta salad mixes. The mixes are far to expensive for something that you still have to do the majority of the work.
There is a recipe for cheeseburger macaroni from scratch on an earlier post. ( See below)
It's a real eye opener.
Repost of hamburger dinner box
In order to expose the true value of cooking from scratch and the actual cost of dinner mixes, I bought a box of a cheeseburger dinner mix.
The actual cost of the box was 2.09. That works out to 5.77 cents a pound for the whole box.
The amount of macaroni in it is 4.23 ounces, about .21 cents
When you subrtract the amount of the macaroni, that leaves you 1.57 OZ for the sauce. That means, that you are paying 1.88 for 1.57 ounces of cornstarch, salt, and spices, dry milk and cheese Whey. The ingredients have to be listed in order of volume. Cheese whey is the last on the list. There is more cornstarch than cheese Whey. and the total of all of it is 1.57 OUNCES.
That's about 13.28 a pound for cornstarch, tomato powder, salt, parsley, paprika and cheese whey.
Cheese whey is what is left over after the take the solids and fat out of milk to make cheese.
You still have to add the hamburger. And milk.
Scratch hamburger macaroni is cheaper, more nutritious and doesn't take much more time.
My daughter and I tested it. I made more product and the difference in time was 3 seconds
My Cheeseburger Macaroni
Cook 1/2 lb macaroni until done.
Sauté 1 celery stick, finely chopped and 1 slice red pepper, chopped in 1T olive oil until soft, add tsp each of onion powder and garlic powder.
Add 3/4 pound hamburger and cook until no longer pink (or use already cooked hamburger.
Add 1 can of diced tomatoes,drained and 1/2 can tomato paste.
You can add the tomato "juice "to the pasta water if you don't want to waste it.
Simmer 15 min until flavours blend.
Add cooked macaroni and pasta water if needed to make it the right consistency.
Add 1 cup of grated cheese and cover. Cook on low heat until cheese is melted
1.75 for other ingredients plus hamburger and you have more nutritious food.
You are getting a whole cup of tomatoes,plus the tomato paste instead of less than a tsp of dried tomato and a cup of real cheese.
Serves 6
Other ideas for pasta
Mac and cheese
Macaroni salads
Speghetti
With veggies and herbs
With pasta sauce
With meatballs
No brainier pasta ?.pair a hunts sauce with an appropriate cheese and pasta
- Wagon wheels with hamburger and cheddar cheese. Sauce with meat
- Vegetable pasta, chunky vegetable pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese
- Rotini, Italian sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese
- Elbow macaroni, taco meat. Spicy white chees
- Any combo your imagination can conjure up. Use typical flavor combinations
- Italian
- Greek
- Mexican
- American burgers
- German sausage
No brainier pasta on an older post.
Thanks for stopping by
Jane
I talked about no brainer pasta a few days ago. Here it is. TADA!
It's not the most sophisticated dish In the world, but a teen can easily handle it. They may need some help with the oven.
1-27.5 ounce can of pasta sauce
Water
1 pound of DRY pasta.
8 ounces (two cups) Grated cheese.
Leftover meat
1) put dry pasta in 9x13 pan
2) mix together 1 can of pasta sauce and 1 can of water. You should have 7 cups.
3) pour over pasta and stir.
4) cover with foil and bake at 425 for 45 minutes.
5) uncover, Put cheese and any leftover meat on top.cook an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
NOTE. The reason why this is faster, is that you can take the five minutes to get it in the oven and then walk away to get something else done. No watched pot here.
You have enough time to make a salad and set the table and still check the mail. LOL
You can pair the pasta with the cheese and the sauce variety. Wagon wheel pasta with cheddar and regular sauce and hamburger crumbles makes cheeseburger macaroni.
A Italian spiced sauce with a white cheese and pepperoni makes pizza pasta. Use your imagination.
Cost: pasta .88, sauce .80, cheese 1.00. 2.68
This makes a 9x13 pan. Serves 6 .45 a serving
Hamburger mix is 2.33 serves 5 or .47 a serving
Meal plans
1) no brainer pasta
2) chicken thighs ( see older post)
3) Roast chicken dinner
4) salmon
5) Mac and cheese
6) tortilla soup
7) meatballs with cream sauce and noodles
Thanks for stopping by
Please share with Facebook or twitter.
Jane
Ps. The picture shows the dish with hamburger crumbles and a vegetarian alternative. It needs to be stirred to look more appetizing. You could put a little parm on top!
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