Meals from the shopping trip

Safeways was the store of choice this week. I'll fill in at grocery outlet tomorrow.

Meals from the specials

1)baked salmon, corn on the cob, Waldorf lettuce salad w balsamic vinaigrette.

2) stuffed zucchini with shrimp. Green salad

3) red potatoes, brats, peppers crusty bread

4) hamburgers, fries, coleslaw

5) Mac and cheese, broccoli

6) pesto salad, green salad, sliced London broil

7) quiche, spinach salad, rolls


Note:

London broil from last week.
Brats, salmon and shrimp on 5 dollar Fridays, shrimp additional percent off on. Just for u. Coleslaw, spinach, fruit on sale and 3 dollars off 15 just for you includes 3 for a dollar corn on the cob.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog.

Jane

1970's main dishes on the cheap

The earliest USDA stats I can fimd in my notebook is 1992...twenty years ago. The "typical American family" of four-- mom, dad, and two school aged children is listed at thrifty for 358.50 and liberal at 693.20.


APPLE PUDDING CAKE with cinnamon butter sauce

Cake

1cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1cup flour
1 tsp soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

2medium cookimg apples, chopped

Sauce

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/3cup /2 and 1/2 cream
1/2tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8 or 9 inch square pan
Cream brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy
Beat in egg.
Stir in dry ingredients
Fold in apple

Spread in pan

Bake 25 to 35 minutes until cake tests done

Before serving
Heat sauce ingredients until butter is melted and sauce is warm. Serve over cake.


Note:
You could also dust top of cake with powdered sugar and omit the sauce

SESAME CHICKEN WITH NOODLES

Sauce ingredients ( make two batches. Save one for the end)

2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T sugar
2tsp olive oil
2tsp vinegar
1tsp cornstarch
2drops hot chili oil


2chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into 1/8 inch strips

1/4 cup orange juice
1cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup celery, sliced diagonally.
2cloves garlic


4 ounces broken spaghetti, cooked

In shallow non metal dish, place one batch of sauce.

Marinate the chicken in the sauce. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add 1 T oil. Remove the chicken from marinade with a slotted spoon and stir fry. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. You may have to do it in batches. Transfer chicken to plate and keep warm.

Add the orange juice to the skillet. Deglaze pan. Add veggies, cover and cook for 3minutes. Add the second sauce mixture and the chicken. Cook 1minute until sauce thickens. add cooked spaghetti.

NOTE.
Chilli oil is at the dollar store
It is a good way to use up the spaghetti in the bottom of the box, or spagetti now comes broken on purpose.
Oranges are on sale this week as is chicken.

Tomorrow. Mock tenderloins. Meat ball casserole, country pork burgers

Thanks for stopping by...and please share this blog.

Jane

Chicken and corn

Chicken is less than a dollar a pound still. Beef is rising rapidly in cost. pork is falling right in line. The secret to groceries on the cheap is to get the cheapest prices you can and be flexible. Take advantage of what is on sale that week.

Peppery corn soup

4 slices bacon.
2T oil
1large onion, finely chopped
2stalks celery, finely chopped
2carrots, peeled and diced
1poumd potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt
Pepper

2 cups chicken stock
2cups milk

2cups corn

Red pepper flakes

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1T cilantro or parsley or chives


1) fry bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels

2) sauté chopped vegetables, EXCEPT the potatoes

3) add potatoes, salt pepper and stock.

4) lower the heat and Simmer avoutn15 minutes untilmpotatoes are tender.

5) add milk and corn. Heat 5 minutes.

6) add red pepper flakes and cheese.

7) garnish with bacon crumbles and chives or cilantro.

NOTE: You can use hot peppers instead of red pepper flakes. I am still trying to find cheaper chilies in a can.
Vegetables are a buck at QFC this week. Chicken stock can be made from the bones after
You roast the chicken.


Mexican Potato cheese soup

3T chillies ( canned)
3 T butter

1large onion, chopped

4 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes

1 large red pepper, cores, seeded, and thinly sliced
2cloves garlic

4cups chicken stock
Bay leaf
Salt
1-1/4 tsp cumin

1cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

2cups shredded cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1) sauté onion in butter
2) add potatoes, red pepper, and garlic. Stir fry for 2minutes
3) add stock, bay leaf and salt, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook until potatoes are tender.

4) puree the soup, chili and cumin.
5) return the soup to the pan. Stir in milk and sour cream. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Don't let milk curdle.

Ladle in bowls and garnish with cheese and cilantro


Note: You could also add shrimp. Shrimp is frequently on five dollar friday at Safeways. You could reduce the amount of cheese on top of the soup bowls. I still haven't found a solution to the high price of chilies except red pepper flakes.

You can use a stick blender, a blender ( in batches, not to full) or a food processor to puree soup.

I would serve either soup with a piece of good crusty bread or a cheese biscuit or beer bread.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Please share my blog with a friend

Jane

This weeks adds

Albertsons

Chicken breasts or thighs 1.00

Salad 1.00
Salad dressing 1.00
Blues 2.00 pint
Zucchini .99
Taco shells 1.00
Taco saucr1.00
Corn 2/1.00
Celery .89 bunch

QFC

Cake mix .99
Frozen vrggies1.00
Top round 3.25 end price ( BIGI)


TOP

Bottom round 2.97
Green beans .89
Onions .33
Tomatoes 1.00
Beans .79

Safeways

Grapes .99
Salad 1.00
Oranges1.00
Fryers .89

Five dollar Fridays

Pizza
Cookies
Salmon


97 percent hamburger 3.99
Peppers 1.99 lb
Strawberries 1.99


Just for you
Klondike bars 2.49
Sausage 2.49

Dont forget to cross off anything that is cheaper elsewhere , and anything that you don't need or want. Bring coupons if it is necessary. Download any you need to on your store cards. Decide from what's left which two stores you are going to.



That's all. It is getting g harder and harder to find protein sources.
Note that top roast is 2.97. And good hamburger is 3.99. That's about a dollar a pound difference. grind 5 pounds in about 20 minutes and you are making 15 dollars an hour.
And you are getting better hamburger.


Thanks for stopping by


Jane

Spam and other almost FREE food.

Yesterday I deleted my blog. It was about spam and other despicable things in my life.

There are two definitions of spam. One is a food product that is full of fat;the other
Is a cyber term and it is full of of $&@!. I don't like either of them crammed down my throat. I can choose not to buy the canned version,I can't refuse the other one.Google has no provision to block spam or porn.

Consequently, I am writing in the dark, what you want to read is a mystery.

Enough said.

The other almost FREE foods in the Pacific Northwest this time of year is zucchini and blackberries.

Blackberries grow wild , they can be used in about any fruit desert recipe. Pie, cobbler, as a sauce over ice cream or pancakes or in a mixed berry fruit cup.

Zucchini is in any gardeners garden. Sometimes they get away from us and grow to enormous proportions. They are still good for zucchini bread or muffins. chocolate zucchini cake is a great way to get kids of all ages to eat a veggie.

From my retro cookbook. This recipe was from a dear lady that spent her life enriching the life of sick seniors.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

In bowl combine
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa, unsweetened
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2tsp soda
1tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
In separate bowl cream until light
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
Add 3 eggs, one at a time
Continue beating until well mixed and light and fluffy
Stir in
2cups unpeeled, grated zucchini. ( no seeds)
2tsp grated orange peel
2tsp vanilla

Alternately, stir in dry ingredients and
1/2cup milk
1cup walnuts
Pour into greased and floured bundt pan
Bake at 350 1 hour or until tests done.
or bake in a 9x13 for 45 minutes.
Allow to cool 15 minutes.
If using bundt pan, remove from pan and glaze
You can also put the glaze on the 9x13 in the pan

Glaze( optional)
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1TBLS orange juice
1/2tsp graded orange peel
Add more juice if necessary

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

How much zucchini is in your garden?

This is the time of year when zucchini is real plentiful in your garden or your neighbors garden.

Zucchini with shrimp

8 small zucchini
2T butter
1green onion, minced
1tsp paprika
2medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
Salt, pepper
1/2pound peeled small shrimp
2T parm

For sauce:

2T butter
2T flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup parm
1/2tsp Dijon type mustard

Wash zucchini and trim each end, but do not peel.
Blanch in boiling salted water for 5minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water.
Cutna thin lengthwise slice from each zucchini. Scoop out pulp.
Chop pulp .

Melt butter in saucepan . Add green onion and cook until soft, but not brown.
Add paprika, zuchinni flesh and tomatoes. Salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp.

Arrange zucchini boats in casserole dish. Fill with shrimp mixture.

Make a white sauce with listed ingredients. Take off the heat and add mustard and parm.


Pour sauce over zucchini . Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 425 for ten minutes.

NOTE: zucchini is in season and inexpensive if not in your garden.
Shrimp has been on 5 dollar Friday at Safeways a lot lately.

Twice baked Potatoes with ham and cheese

4large baking potatoes, baked
1cup ham cubes
10 ounces frozen corn.
Small onion chopped
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt

1cup white cheese grated ( 4 ounces)
1/2 tsp cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400
Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Leaving a shell, scoop out potato.
Mash potatoes well. Add jam, corn, onion , yogurt,1/2 the cheese and the seasonings

Fill the potatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Arrange potatoes in 9x13 pan
Bake 25- 30 minutes. Broil 1-2 min until brown.

Use a broiler pan if necessary .

Serves4.


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Jane

And yet more retro recipes

More retro recipes.

SAUSAGE AND POTATO PIE

2T olive. Oil

1red pepper, core, seed, and cut into 1/4 inch strips

1med zucchini sliced thinly

2tsp minced garlic

1/2tsp black pepper

1/4cup chopped basil OR parsley OR 2tsp dry basil

1pound bulk sausage or ham

3medium russet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

1cup grated parm

2cups grated white cheese, jack, morts, or cheddar 1/2 pound

Preheat oven to 425.

Sauté red peppers, and zucchini in 1T oil until tender. Add garlic. Add spices and sauté 2min Longer. Add cooked and defatted sausage.

Toss potatoes in remaining 1T oil. Place 1/4 of the potatoes, over aping slightly in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place a third of the meat mixture on top of the potatoes.

Place 1/3 Of both cheeses on top, making the third layer.
Repeat layers, ending with a layer of potato.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5- 10 min longer until potatoes are crisp. Cool 5-10 minutes.

Calories 500
Protein 27 grams
Carbs 17
FAt 36 ( before defatting)
cholesterol 91mg

to defat ground meat ( takes away about 17 percent of the fat) according tonwhat I read.

Fry meat until no longer pink. Drain in colander over sink. Pour boiling water over the meat . Return to clean pan and heat through.

Mexican ground beef salad

Layer
Crisp corn tortilla ( nacho chips?)
lettuce chopped
Taco meat
Red pepper
Avocado
Jalapeño peppers
Grated Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese

Use oil and vinegar dressing.
Salsa, lime juice?

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Please share this blog address with a friend
Google: Janes cheap groceries

Top foods charity cookbook

Top foods has a charity cookbook out for .99 cents, the sole proceeds going to northwest harvest.

Really good tasting recipes, some are pricy, some are doable on a budget

Grilled romaine with Roma tomatoes and parm dressing.
Nutrients in berries

Chicken breasts with black olives, lemon and fennel. Either splurge on fennel or substitute celery.

Shrimp and Brie Mac and cheese. --Brie is sometimes cheap at grocery outlet, shrimp is 5 buck Friday at Safeway often.

Orange glazed shrimp skewers with chipolte veggie medley...I don't know chipolte, figure a substitute if you need to. Kids.. You could use olive oil and herbs.

Burgers burgers burgers

Salad with romaine with shrimp and watermelon

More recipes, but they are pricey.


That's all

Thanks for stopping by.

Please share and comment so I can tell who is real and who is not. Lol. Thanks

Jane

Recipes from my retro book

I still have my book from the 1970's. It still has recipes that s t r e t c h your food dollar.


Freezer meat " balls".

3 pounds ground meat ( beef, pork, turkey or a combination

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 T Italian seasoning
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp onion powder.


Mix all ingredients. Do not over mix, you can have tough meatballs like tough quick bread.

Spread in a sheet pan with sides. ( like a jelly roll pan).
15x9 inches. Cut into 1.5 inch squares, wiggling your spatula to separate squares some. Cook in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink.

Cool. Put into meal sized portions on zip lock bags. If you lay the bags flat to freeze, they will take less room in the freezer.

Use in red sauce, with a cream sauce over rice, meatball subs with BBQ sauce.

BEEF PROVENCALE

1 16oz can tomatoes
1/2tsp garlic powder
1pound of meat "balls".
2small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup ripe olives
1/4 cup grated parm

Heat tomatoes and garlic powder in 3quart saucepan
Break meatballs apart and put in saucepan with tomatoes.
Reduce heat to simmer and heat through about 10 min.
Stir in olives and zucchini
Cook on simmer until the zucchini is crisp tender, about 10 minutes
Sprinkle w cheese


Serves 4 - 6

NOTE. Tomatoes now come in slightly smaller cans.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share this blog with friends and comment you can comment anyomous, but if you
Comment I can tell you are a real person and not porn spam. Lol

Jane

...and more chicken

The rest of the story

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

Lightly grease a baking pan. Have a 9x13 ready

Mix reserved minced garlic with 1T olive oil. Brush on remaining 4 drumsticks and thighs.

Mix in a zip lock , 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs, 2T parm, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Add chicken and shake to coat evenly.

Arrange on prepared pan.

Bake at 400 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

Cut 2lbs of baking potatoes in wedges. (1/8 th s)
Put in baking dish with reserved carrots and 1 T olive oil. Toss veggies to coat.
Put pan in oven. After15 minutes, add the remaining cut up zucchini.bake 15 minutes longer until chicken is done.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Melt 1 stick of butter in small saucepan , whisk in 1/2 cup of flour. Gradually add in 2 cups of milk. Add 2cups chicken broth. Add 1/2 tsp rosemary and salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, whisking constantly , lower heat and simmer until thickened. Add 5 cups chicken reserved from the chicken soup recipe, carrots and peas. Divide pot pie filling into 2 containers.

When ready to serve. Heat THAWED filling 20 minutes in 400 degree ovem. Make corn muffin mis. Place on top of pie. Bake 20 minutes or until cornbread is done

NOTE. I usually use a Bisquick topping recipe for chicken pot pie.
Read the entire recipes before beginning. I would use trays or pieces of brown paper bags and assemble my ingredients in small bowls or on foil as I prep them whenever possible. Check ingredients as I go along. Many things are cooked and then split into
Parts for separate recipes.

This should yield 11 dinners. Chicken legs and thighs are .89 cents a pound at Albertsons and I have found them for a dollar a lot lately. With careful shoppimg, you should still yield 44 servimgs at a buck or less a piece average. Even with additions to your menu,you should still be in the five dollar range. Four people, one meal, five bucks.

Please repost this on facebook.

Chicken Chicken Chicken

This very well may be my last post. I need to figure out how to block the Russians and the PORN sites from 'reading " my blog. I suspect they are spaming for whatever reason. Google security doesn't seem to care.

The last day, I have one facebook entry and the rest are from other websites. Some I am sure are legit, but many aren't .

On to the real stuff....
Marathon cooking is not for the faint of heart. It helps if you have another adult or teenage child to help. It does make for eleven meals (maybe 10.5) that are cheap and at the ready for those nights when you want to get out of the kitchen fast. It makes for more efficient use of your kitchen time and only one massive clean up.


Marathon Chicken ( 11 meals for four)

Oven Fried Chicken and Vegetables...serves 4
Chicken Cacciatore - Serves 8
Coq Au Vin Serves 8
Chicken Burritos Serves 10
Chicken Vegetable Soup Serves 8
Chicken pot pies. Serves 8

Grocery List
62 chicken thighs (20 pounds)
20 chicken drumsticks (5.5 pounds)
4 slices bacon.

Vegies

20 ounces mushrooms
18 Carrots (4.5 pounds)
9 onions
6 celery ribs
5 zuchinni
6 red peppers
4 green peppers
3 medium jalapeno peppers
1 orange.

10 large flour tortillas
4 boxes (jiffy) corn bread
1 cup long grain rice
Chicken stock
Bread crumbs
vegetable and olive oil
flour

3 28 ounce cans tomatoes
2 cans refried beans.

1 bag frozen peas
Butter, eggs, milk, parm cheese
8 ounces cheddar cheese.

3 cups dry red wine.

To begin :

Heat oven to 400 degrees . Put 12 chicken thighs in baking pan and roast for 30 min.
These are for burritos.

Meanwhile, Remove skin from 30 thighs and place, divided in two stockpots. To EACH
pot, add 4 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken stock, a bay leaf and 6 pepper corns.
Bring to a boil, de foam, and simmer covered for 45 min. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes more until chicken is very tender. Remove chicken with slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, chop celery, and divide between pots.
Cut 3 onions in quarters for soup. Slice the remaining onions into rings and set aside.

Peel carrots , Put 6 whole ones in each soup pot. Cut remaining in half lengthwise and
set aside for tonights dinner. ( Oven fried chicken and veggies ) .

Halve zuchinni lengthwise, then slice crosswise. Divide into two units. One is for the soup and the other for tonights dinner.

Seed peppers and cut into thin strips.

Mince 6 cloves garlic. Reserve 2 minced cloves for tonights dinner.

Heat 1T veggie oil in each of two ten inch fry pans.
To Each, add half the sliced onions, bell peppers,jalapenos, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Remove skin from raw drumsticks and remaining raw thights and scrub potatoes. Reserve for tonighs meal.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Serve with pasta, or french bread,and a salad.

Have ready, 2 , deep, 2 quart baking dishes.
To EACH, add 1/2 the onion /pepper mixture from ONE skillet.
One cup broth from soup pot.
one 28 ounce can tomatoes
italian seasoning
salt and pepper
two three inch strips of orange peel (use veggie peeler)
bay leaf
4 raw thighs and 4 raw drumsticks.

Bake in 400 degree oven one hour and 10 minutes. or until chicken is done. Cool and cover with foil. Seal in airtight containers and freeze. (can be referigerated 3 days. )

COQ AU VIN

Cut bacon in pieces and fry in skillet until most of the fat is cooked off.
Trim mushrooms and cut into quarters.
Remove bacon from pan, pour off drippings.
In batches, brown 8 raw thighs, and 8 drumsticks , about 2 minutes per side.

To EACH of TWO 9X13 pans, Add 1/2 the bacon and 4 each of the drumsticks and thighs.
Cook mushrooms in two batches until golden. Add 1/2 of the mushrooms to each pan.
To each pan add:
1.5 cups red wine,
1 cup of stock from the soup pot. rosemary and salt.
Bake at 400 for 40 monutes.
Cool and Seal in Airtight container for the freezer.

CHICKEN BURRITOS

In a 5 quart dutch oven

Add:
1 28 ounce can tomatoes
1T chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt

Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until thickened.
Shread Cheese
Remove meat from cooked chicken thighs (First Step)
Add chicken to dutch oven and simmer 5 minutes longer.

Place softened tortillas on countertop. Spread 1/4 cup refried beans on each tortilla. top with 1/2 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup onion pepper mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese.
Fold tortilla. Wrap burritos in foil for oven heating, or in wax paper for microwave and seal in zip lock bags. to Serve: Heat in foil wrap in oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Microwave in wax paper on high for 2-3 minutes.

CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP
Place a colander over a large bowl. Strain soup broth from both pots. Reserve Carrots and Chicken. Place broth back in pot . Reserve 2 cups broth for pot pie.

Add 1 cup rice, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until rice is almost tender. Meanwhile, debone chicken and cut into bite sized chunks, reserving 5 cups of chicken for pot pies. slice carrots. Add sliced zucchini and 1.5 cups peas to pot. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add chicken and carrots. Cook quickly, Freeze in airtight containers.

NEXT Time:

TONIGHTS DINNER and CHICKEN POT PIE

thanks for stopping by.
please share on facebook. I want to omit this from the public. I want to help people, but I don't want the spam and it is distasteful to me to have porn anywhere near my wholesome site.

Jane

This weeks ads. 8/14/2012

This weeks ads as pueny as they are.

Albertsons

Chicken thighs or legs .99
Peaches .99
Chicken leg quarters .89. **
Strawberries 4lbs for 7.99


TOP

London broil bigi. 2.75 lb net cost
Cherries 1.98 pound
80 percent ground beef 2.49
Grapes 2.00
Carrots 2lbs 1.00

Green pepper .69

QFC

Peaches.99
Corn 2/.88


Safeways

Peaches .97
Blues2.99
Pot roast 2.49
80 per cent ground beef 2.49

5 buck FRIDAYS

Bar cake
BIG sandwich
Ground turkey
Shrimp


Strawberries 1.99
16 ounces salsa 2.50


That's it.
Again, there is not much out there.

Safeways has just for you. If they have the three dollars off 15.00 worth of veggies, they will be a lot cheaper than other places. 2.75 for London broil is probably cheaper for ground meat because the fat will be a lot less.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Cornbread revisited

After researching for the tamale pie, infound corn muffin mixes at a variety of costs.

A mix from a well known eatery is a dollar at the dollar store. The small quick one is .89 at Albertsons.

I suspect that the price of cornmeal will rise and a mix might be your hedge on higher prices. None the less, here is a recipe for corn bread mix from scratch.

CORN BREAD MIX

2 cups yellow cornmeal
2cups flour
6 T sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt

Mix ingredients together. Store in an air tight container . Shelf life 2 months
Enough mix for 28 or 9 inch square pans of cornbread.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400
Place 2 1/4 cups mix in bowl. Make a well.
Whisk 1cup milk,
1/4 cup veg oil
2slightly beaten eggs.

Stir just enough to mix.
Pour into greased 8x8 pan.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Variation:
Add 1tsp chili powder, 1tsp unsweatened cocoa powder, and 1/8 tsp EACH of cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper to sry ingredients.

Make as above with 1cup milk, 1/4 cup veg oil, 1 slightly beaten egg, 1can drained chillies, and 1/2 cup grated cheese.

Poor batter into 9x9 greased baking pan . Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Mexican cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer. Serves 9.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share my blog

Jane

My retro personal cookbook

I dug out my personal cookbook from the seventies. I discovered " new" recipes that I forgot about.

I can remember tvp And chicory when coffee was scarce. I remember making my own bean sprouts and trying to cook soy beans...that was a bust!LOL

But there are a lot of recipes that have stood the test of time.

Sometimes a little special touch will make a regular meal special. that's what people pay big bucks for at a fancy restraunt.

Pepper butter
1/3 cup butter
2T parsley
1/4tsp red pepper flakes
1/4tsp pepper
1/8 tap garlic powder

Cilantro lime butter
1/3 cup butter
1T cilantro
1tsp lime peel

dijon dressing
8 ounces sour cream
1/2cup milk
2T Dijon mustard
1T parsley
1/2tsp dill

Blue cheese butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup blue cheese
1T parsley
1tsp dry basil
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped

On another note

MAGIC APPLE PIE
1egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2cup flour
Pinch of salt
1apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup raisins or craisens

In mixing bowl, beat egg and remaining ingredients EXCEPT
Apple and raisins. Fold in apple and raisins. Spread into a 9 inch pie pan that as been greased. Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes. Or until golden and toothpick in center comes out clean. Serve with whip cream or ice cream

Basic salsa

1clove garlic
1pound ripe plum tomatoes, coded, finely diced, but not peeled.
1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup of EITHER cilantro, parsley, or 1/2 tsp ground coriander.
1T lime juice
1-4 tsp salt

Blanch garlic and mince.
Add the rest of the ingredients and let set at room temp for 1 hour. Transfer to a covered jar and refrigerate up to 10 days.

Depending on how much you have to pay for tomatoes,salsa could be cheaper store bought.
Lime and lemon juice is cheaper in a bottle and keeps a long time.
Cilantro vutter would taste good on chicken breast.
Blue cheese butter would be good on beef.

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Please share this blog.
Jane

Re discover quick breads

Quick breads have been given a bad rap lately. They are a good source of fruit and vegetables and can be a good source of fiber.

Cheddar chive muffins. A good add to a meal that has no or little protein.

1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup mashed potato flakes
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 2/3 cup flour
3T sugar
3 T total of chives and parsley

1Tbls bakimg powder
Tsp salt

In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in potato flakes.
Let stand 2 min. Whip until smooth. cool slightly. Beat in egg, oil and cheese.
Combine dry ingredients, stir into potato mixture. Batter will be thick

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until done.


orange nut bread

1 large naval orange
3 cups flour
1cup sugar
1Tbaking powder
1/2tsp salt
1egg
1cup milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Peel orange. Place orange peel in saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, drain. Cover peel again with water and cook 3 minutes longer. Drain and chop finely chop peel.

In mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine milk and egg, and stir into dry ingredients. Fold in orange peel and nuts. Turn into loaf pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 50 to 60 minutes or until done.


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Please share with a friend. Google Jane grocery cheap.

Jane

And you buy your groceries WHERE? Part 2

A prime example of always having one eye open for a good buy. We went looking for a larger baby toy bucket. The dollar store one has been repurposed to the pantry. That is the result of one spoiled grand baby! LOL

What I found was a brand name diced tomatoes for .60 cents. The same tomatoes that were a buck on sale a few weeks past. The tomato paste was .40. My target price is .50 for diced tomatoes and .50 for tomato paste.

I finally got a bucket for 60 percent off at Joannes.

I have not got a post in the last two days. I think that something is broken.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Dinners under 9.00 adjusted LOL

Family Circle this month as nine dollar dinners. They are priced at that amount because I am sure that they are using NYC prices. At any rate, with minor adjustments and careful shopping, I am sure we can reduce their costs. At least they aren't clove studded bologna. Lol

1) slow cooker brisket BBQ chili.
Uses chuck roast cut into 2 inch pieces. any beef that can stand up well to slow cookimg can be used. What's on sale? Omit the molasses and use a substitute, use white beans instead of butter beans, omit the lime wedges, lime juice is cheaper.

2) Rotini with sautéed chicken sausage and vegetables
Use chicken sausage *. Regular rotini, homemade chicken broth or vegetable stock, cut and seeded tomatoes and dry basil unless younhave itnin your garden.

* chicken sausage with cheese and artichokesnis usually on sale at grocery outlet.

Asian beef and lentil sloppy joes
I'm sorry, that just sounds Barry to me. And considering that not one person hit on my sloppy joe blog, I choose to skip this one. Lol

Chutney Pork Chops and Cousxous

Make chutney, use your own Broth, omit the apple juice and add more broth unless you drink a lot of apple juice, or find it cheap. It has too many carbs for me.

Baked Flounder and herbed panko

Use any white fish that is cheap. Costco has some frozen reasonable. Panko is coarse bread crumbs. You can season them yourself. Cream cheese is on sale frequently, check your per ounce prices. Use chopped, seeded tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes. Do as have morenflesh and are frequently less per pound.

A simple fish dish is to spray the bottom of a baking pan with cooking spray. Slice potatoes and arrange in the bottom of the pan. Top with sliced tomatoes and drizzle w olive oil. Bake at 400 until potatoes are almost tender. Add a white fish and continue baking until fish is done. Sprinkle w herbs.

Almost any recipe can be made more economical with a few substitutions and careful shopping. Now, that being said, I have yet to find a replacement for lobster! LOL

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Please share with a friend.

Let's talk sloppy joe's

While researching sloppy Joe,s I discovered that there are many different takes on them. I have always used a recipe I found in a women's magazine years ago. It has ingredients I always have on hand and is easy and cheap. What more can you ask for?

Canned mix is over two dollars last I looked and you still have to add hamburger.
Buns are often on sale in the summer. They are cheaper at the bakery outlet.

Taste of home ultimate freezer cookbook.

Salsa sloppy joes. Pg 72

Sloppy joes

1 pound ground beef, cooked and de fatted
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup water
1can tomato soup
Hot pepper sauce to taste.

Sauté veggies in oil. Add meat. Water and soup. Simmer. Add hot pepper sauce if desired.

Janes sloppy joes on the cheap

1pound ground beef, cooked and de fatted
2/3 cup catsup
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

Put all ingredients in a frying pan. Heat for 10 minutes until flavors meld.


Note: catsup is a dollar at the dollar store. You can mix part ground turkeynwith ground beef. Didn't work at my house because my husband screamed foul play! Lol.

I usually serve them with salads, sweet potato fries, or veggie platter.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog with friends.

Jane

Four plus one is five. 8/10/2012

I thought we might talk about four people, one meal five bucks and go through the process of pre shopping.


Take a piece of computer paper. Divide it in four. Place the name of each grocery store add at the top of the page.

Go through the adds and write anything that you eat that is a good buy.
86 the pre made, high priced garbage.

Then go through and cross of anything that is a cheaper price elsewhere, or that you already have enough of.

Make meals from your stock on hand and what you bought.

1) Sirloin Tip Roast, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, Broccoli


2) Roast Beef A Jus sandwiches, green salad with grapes, apple, and walnuts .
raspberry vinegrette.

3) Chicken drumsticks, coleslaw, oven baked steak fries.

4) Mac and Cheese, Broccolli

5) spareribs, corn of the cob, coleslaw , beer bread

6) Quiche, designer lettuce salad with strawberries.

7) Shrimp stir fry. rice. ( brocolli, carrots, celery, red peppers, )

Notes: Shrimp is 5 bucks a pound at Safeways.
If you pick a protein that is less than 2.50 a pound (average) and don't buy expensive side dishes, you can pretty much figure on spending less than five dollars average.

The roast and the shrimp costs are being tempered by the quiche, mac and cheese, and the chicken.


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Thanks for stopping by.

Jane

A rose by any other name

I just read an article by Jane E Brody on downsizing the food budget as she so eloquently put it. Her article was based on research and it was well written, but
Didn't day much more than what i have been saying.

She did warn against buying empty calories. The biggest culprit there is sugary drinks. She suggested chicken, eggs, beans,and lean ground beef for protein. Guess she hasn't heard of the other white meat! Lol.

She does advocate scratch cooking and if you were used to eating out a lot, buying the proper equipment to cook. Her stats look at 40 minutes a day in the kitchen.

I find it interestimg that she said that frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are better than fresh. They are not as cheap at times. She is working on the assumption that the frozen and canned products are picked at their peak and put up,and fresh have been sitting around the store.

I got peaches frozen for a dollar a pound. We paid the same amount last week for fresh and I didn't have to peel or slice them. We made the peaches and cream muffins. Next time, I would use part sour cream and part milk. Costco sour cream is really thick.
I probably wouldn't use the silicone muffin tins either.

Basically, Jane Brody in her article said that you can downsize your food budget and still eat healthy. I have been trying to show people how to do that in this blog.
Albeit not so eloquently.

I was really excited about my number of hits in this blog until I found out that half of them were spam. I am really trying to help people here. Please repost this site on your Facebook. People usually don't shout from the rooftops the state of their finances. By spreading the post, we can reach more of the people that might benefit from it.

Thanks for stopping by

Tomorrow..meals from the grocery ads.

Jane