Suddenly Saturday 5/21/16

Last night we had an enchilada pie.   I had made similar Years ago, but didn't call it that.   This layered tortillas with a hamburger mixture wth taco type seasonings, mild chilies, enchilada sauce and cheese.  Top with cheese and bake.    I called for corn, but that didn't appeal to me, I could have added black olives.    Winco has small cans for .70.    Th chopped ones would have worked well.  

My made  up one had a layer of taco meat, and cheese and a layer of refried beans.    You could also add whole beans to the taco layer.    I add lettuce and tomato.    

It's efficient tacos!   

There are recipes for chicken enchilada pie as well.    I might try that one next.    

Let's talk about equipment.    My mother never liked small appliances,   She had a toaster and a mix master,   Her cooking style was plain and hearty.   She made banana cream pies and cream brûlée to die for.   

I tend to have appliances that make my life easy. 

1. A rice cooker -   I can't make ice without it.   I tried every method I could find.   I had success with a 16.00 black and decker rice cooker.   
2. Toaster.     That's a given 
3. Food processor.     I make everything from bread to bread crumbs, grate cheese, chop veggies when. I am  making large amounts,   
4. Kitchen aid mixer - for large baking orijects and mostly for grinding hamburger.    When a piece of meat is cheaper than ground round, we grind our own.   You can control the fat,   
5. Pressure cooker: makes beans in a hurry.   Makes split pea soup and just about anything and is a work horse in the kitchen.   
6. Slow cooker.   I have several sizes.    Makes everything from to die for chocolate desert to vegetable bean soup,   A great help if you need dinner when you walk in the door.   
7. Bread machine - better, cheaper, faster 

Some of these can be found at estate sales and the goodwill.    They are all workhorses in the kitchen.   

I just bought an insta pot.   It's supposed to do jut about everything,   I am anxious to try it.   It has been my experience that one thing does a lot of things, it doesn't do everything well.    I'll have to see.   My main objective was to be able to cook things in small quantities.    

Groceries on the cheap is looking at the Put Dinner On The Table meal train from a different

 Perspective . The  emphasis is on purchasing good food( shelf- stabll/ freezer staples )at the lowest possible cost and purchasing enough to last you until it goes on sale again -- Keeping a controlled non-perishable stock of the things you use on a regular basis. It means that when you shop, rather than purchasing just what you need for a day or a week, you  buy a loss leader protein, produce you will 

need on sale, a stock item if it's a RBP, and dairy instead.    This allows you to put well balanced meals 

on the table consistently  for a four dollar a day budget per person.   You spend more time on the 

planning and shopping end of the meal train and less on the cooking end by cooking efficiently.    

Four dollars a day is the target amount for people on snap.   My premise is that of you can do it on four dollars a day, spending more isn't hard.   You still get more bang for your buck.