More DIY mixes

I dug  out my old 1970s personal cookbook.   A lot of those  recipes I still use , albeit adapted for more healthy cooking,  

In case no one has noticed, I tend to be middle ofmthemroad when it comes to almost anything.

Homemade croutons

1T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cubed day old bread
Pinch of onion powder

Pour the oil and garlic in an 8 inch baking pan.    Bake at 325 for about three minutes or until the garlic is barely  browned.  

Add bread and onion powder and toss to coat.    Bake another 10 minutes or until the bread is lightly browned, stirring frequently.

I have also done this on the stove top on a skillet.   It is easier for me to watch it while o do other things in the kitchen.

Rice  seasoning mix 

6 T onion flakes
6 T parsley flakes
1 tsp celery salt
2-1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp pepper

Place ingredients in a air tight container,   Shake to mix,   Stores for 3 months. Makes 1-1/2 cups?


 Ranch dressing mix

A lot of recipes call for ranch dressing mix as well as the actual dressing that is a favorite here.  
All ingredients are dried-- found in the slice isle.

1/2 cup parsley flakes
2 T dill leaf
2T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a air tight container.   Shake to mix before use.
Use 1T mix for 1 cup  of a mixture of mayo and sour cream or buttermilk.  

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 mend 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.