All about ground beef

Next to chicken, ground beef is the most popular meat of families. They are the most popular of the least expensive meats. Kids are partial to them.

It used to be that ground beef came from certain parts of the cow, and were marked accordingly. Now we grade ground beef by the fat content. The good news is that they now have ground beef that is as low as 7 percent fat. If you de-fat it, it will be even lower. This meat, however, won't make the best hamburgers. It is better off in taco meat or a casserole where it will pick up more liquid and not be dried out.

If I use hamburger,if at all possible, I cook it where it drains into something, rather than stew in it's own juices. Meatballs are cooked om the oven over a rack on a sheet pan. Meatloaf is cooked in a meatloaf pan that drains the fat into a second pan.

The book I read said to use ground beef with 2-3 days from purchasing it. The book was from the 70's. That would be another reason to batch cook ground beef soon after you bring it home.

Fall meatballs

2 eggs, beaten
1cup dry breadcrumbs
1 cup granny smith apple, grated.
1/4 cup grated cheese
Garlic, salt, pepper,
1 pound ground beef

Sauce:
1can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp w sauce.

Mix all meatball ingredients except the meat together in a large bowl. Add meat and mix together. Do not over mix, meatballs can become tough.

Shape into balls. Place into baking dish. Blend tomatoes in a blender. Add w sauce and ketchup.

Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 for an hour or until meat is done.

I would serve with rice or noodles.

SLOW COOKER BEEF VEGETABLE SOUP

1 pound ground beef, cooked
1tsp onion powder
1tsp minced garlic
16 ounces of tomato sauce
2cans kidney beans,rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
1cup carrots, diced
1/2 green pepper ,diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 Cup chopped, fresh tomato
1T chili powder
1/2 tsp basil
Salt



Shredded cheese, sour cream or tortilla chips for garnish.

Place all ingredients except garnish in a slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours.

Notes: if tomatoes are not in season, you could use a can of diced tomatoes. Drain the tomatoes, add the juice of the tomatoes to an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce and add enough tomato paste to make the right consistency.

1 pound of ground beef cooked, should yield 12 ounces of cooked meat, I am assuming that the article I read was using 25 percent fat hamburger.


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Jane

This weeks ads

Yesterday we talked about how to analyze the ads.
This weeks ads

TOP

Pasta 1.00
Apples .79
Turkey breast 1.99
20 percent ground beef 1.99
Pork shoulder 1.99
Bottom round steak or roast 2.99


Coleslaw .89

SAFEWAYS

FRIDAY ONLY
Boston cream cake 5.00
Grapes 3/ 5.00

Pork loin 1.99
Beef chuck cross robed B1G1 nets 2.50
Spinach 1.00j
Avocados .88
London broil 2.49
JFU
TORTILLA CHIPS .99
squash .99

5 lbs potatoes 1.00
NOTE. When figuring produce prices at safe ways, be sure to remember that just fornu gives you twenty percent (3.00) off of 15.00 worth od veggies.

QFC
broccoli 1.00
Sour cream 16 oz 1.00
Hunts pasta sauce 1.00
Pasta 1.00

Note repaid .88 for the same brand of pasta last week at safe ways. PSta sauce is usually ..80 cents or less on sale.

ALBERTSOMS

Berries 1.99
Chicken or tomato soup .75
Hillshire farm sausage 2.49 ( coupon)

That's about it. I don't see a lot of bargains maybe a few meat ones, at the "new" meat.

There are no ads for WinCo or Grocery Outlet. We were just at grocery outlet, but haven't checked out WinCo for about six weeks.

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Jane


prices.

Shopping !

I thought I would talk about shopping in depth. You will need to set aside a block of time to do this. Remember, you basically are getting paid for your trouble. If you spend an extra hour shopping,and you save 75.00 In the process, you are making 75.00 an hour, you would have to make an additional about twenty percent to net that 75.00. That's 90.00 dollars an hour!

Before you start, clean out the fridge and your bread bin and dump everything dead and note anything you need to use soon. Hopefully, you have done a quick mid week appraisal and used up things thar needed to be used soon.

First, take about ten minutes and gather the ads from the mail. Take a piece of computer paper and divide it into four. Mark each section with the grocery store on top. I have Safeways, Top, QFC, and Albertsons.

Now go through the ad, you are quickly looking for anyhing that is on your stock up list, and fresh fruits and veggies and meat that is a bargain. Jot down the item and the price. The quanity if appropriate for comparison. Mark it with a circled c if you need a coupon.

Now go through and mark off anything that is more expensive somewhere else, and anything you already have adequate stock of.

Now pick the two best stores. Plan your trip so you use the least amount of gas.

Take your savings list, coupons, and the ads.

Get in the store, get your food, and get out. The more time you spend in a sore, the more money you will spend.

I take a cooler bag with me to keep food cold between stores.

When you get home, put things away quickly. There are storage solutions that keep fresh foods fresh longer. It is an investment that pays for itself.

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Happy shopping

Jane

Ps I hear A rumor that we are gettimg a WinCo in Edmonds!! Yeah.
I can only hot there once every six weeks or so because it is so far away. A

Odds and ends

I don't know what to talk about, I wish I could get feed back so I know what you want to see. Don't think that all food has to come from the major grocery chains. Many bargains come from the dollar store, grocery outlet, and big lots. I am sure there are more stores, but I haven't the time to hit them all. BARTELLS has sales frequently too. I try to cluster my shopping trips so I dont waste gas.

Just a few notes. My daughter got sweet potatoes at the dollar store yesterday. Betty Crocker made them. They , I believe ,no longer make them. The pull date is far out.
They are really good and are easy to make. Think chicken, pork chops, turkey.

I found baby green beans, organic, for .25 and Gerber snacks for 4.00 for three cans at big lots. I also found bread dipping oil in a unusual bottle.

The grocery outlet always has cheap regular coffee. I think that they have some designer ones too.

They usually have an assortment of specialty cheeses , some low fat. Red peppers were.50. You have to know your prices, not everything is a bargain and check pull dates.

They have a yummy chicken, artichoke and cheese sausage. YUM. My husband likes it, and he hates chicken! I don't think that I would pair it with sauerkraut though! The Mexican peppers in a can were 1.00 and .69. I bought one of each so I could compare.I have been looking for peppers that were under a buck. Parmesan cheese was 3.00.

The main thing, is that you have to know what things cost elsewhere to know if something is a bargain.

The way I look at it, if I find something for .50 instead of 1.59 I have 1.09 left in my budget to spend on something that adds to our quality of life. We can go out to dinner or to a concert, or buy things for the women's shelter, or take our grandchild on a boat ride.

Years ago, I grocery shopped on the cheap because I had little money and I really needed to. It became a habit. Now it is a game to see just how good we could eat on a limited amount of money. It's a challenge. Anyone can go through a store and just pick up everything they want to eat, but it is a challenge to do it for 70.00 a week and grow a stock.

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Happy bargain hunting! Jane

It's chicken again!

I seem ro find more chicken recipes than I do any other meat-- except maybe ground beef.Probably because it is a favorite and it is less expensive than any other meat.
It's rumored that it is better for you. I don't exactly buy into that. Many cuts of beef when cooked properly nave less or the same fat as chicken. I have seen people with only chicken and pork end up anemic. I think that moderation is the key unless your doctor tells you different.

Now, Freezer chicken.

Chickens totaling 7-9 pounds.
Parsley
2 stalks celery,rough cut
2 carrots,rough cut
1medium onion, sliced
2 tsp salt
Pepper

1-1/4 cups water
1cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1) place chicken in a six quart soup pot and cover with water. Add vegetables and salt and pepper.

2) heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. About 45 minutes. Remove chicken from broth. Refrigerate until cool.
3) remove chicken from bones and skin. Cut into pieces. Return to refrigerator.

4) strain broth. Place 6 cups in saucepan. Shake water, flour, salt and pepper in container with a TIGHT-fitting lid. ( a jar, a lock and lock. )
gradually stir into broth. Heat to boiling. Boil and stir one minute.

5) divide chicken pieces into freezer containers. use two cups chicken each in quart containers. Pour two cups gravy over each. Cover and freeze.

Makes chicken a la king or the base for chicken pot pie, chicken broccoli, or chicken chowder.

CHICKEN CHOWDER

1 container freezer chicken
1six ounce package frozen hash browns.
1can corn
6 cups milk
1T parsley
Salt
1/2 tsp paprika

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled ( optional for garnish)

2)Thaw chicken either in microwave on the thaw cycle, or in the refrigerator.

3) put in pan and add hash browns and the can of corn ( don't drain the can )
Add milk, seasonings and heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes.

NOTE. You could also use a couple of potatoes that were diced .

CHICKEN A LA KING

1 container chicken
1 can mushroom stems and pieces
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/4 cup dry white wine

Cooked rice
Slivered



1) thaw chicken ( in the microwave or in the refrigerator.

In pan, add chicken, mushrooms , and vegetables . Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until veggies are done. Stir in wine. Serve over rice. Garnish with almonds

to make chicken pot pie, make above recipe adding frozen peas and carrots until you get to the bringing to a boil part. After bringing it to a boil, place mixture in a casserole dish and top with a bisquick crust. ( see the bisquick label or prior post. Bake off the crust.

CHICKEN BROCCOLI
1 container chicken
1cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
Nutmeg
1 pound broccoli, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup Parma

1) thaw chicken . Put in pan and heat to boiling. Add Sour cream, olives and nutmeg. Heat just to warm.
2) cook broccoli and drain.
3) place broccoli ima broil proof baking dish.
Pour chicken over it.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Broil 3-5 inches from heat about 5 minutes, cheese will be brown.

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Happy eating!
Jane

Apples and other fall favorites

Yesterday , when we went grocery shopping, my husband and my granddaughter picked out a pumpkin. They were a buck at safe ways. She is supposed to go to the pumpkin farm, but
That will depend on the weather. We are expecting a storm. This marks the start of fall, besides the fact that the leaves are starting to turn colors.

Last weekend we went to the off price mall. Our twice yearly trek for some time to ourselves and our clothing shopping for the year. We save enough on clothes to pay for the hotel. We go during the off season so it is cheaper. We got 70 per cent off the last marked price on clothes. Of course, I had to hit the Carters outlet for the grand baby. It's a nice get away for little money in the scheme of things. I couldn't afford it on retirement income if I didn't economize on food.

While shopping yesterday, I met a guy in the egg isle buying eggs. I told him that there was a coupon for the eggs he was buying and there was flyers at the front of the store. He acted in-different. It gave me an idea. If all the people who aren't in to watching their bottom line on their food bill were to take advantage of all the store coupons and specials for one week and give the savings to the food bank, it would feed a lot of people. We all hope that we will never fall on hard times, but if we know how to economize on food,we will be prepared to face the challenge if it ever comes.

On to recipes:
Apples are in season. I got 5 pounds for 5 bucks yesterday. We like to have sliced apples with a drizzle of caramel sauce. Yesterday on the chew, they fixed sliced apples on a skewer that were dipped on caramel and nuts etc. Like a caramel apple, but easier to eat. I'm sure the recipe is on the Internet. It is really quick to spread a single pie crust om a cookie sheet, put apples with cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch or flour in the middle of it and fold the edges over the filling. Bake it off until the crust is dome and the apples are tender. You cam add cranberries or blueberries.

I had a quick no fault pie crust recipe, but I can't remember it and didn't write it down. It was flour and fat and salt. A flour and water mixture was added until it came together. If I find it again, I will post it. If I gave this to someone, please let me know. It was on KING 5 TV when they had a morning show.

Apple crisp is really easy and nutritious. There is a recipe for apple pie on the Bisquick cookbook that my mother in law used to make often. It has a sour cream top crust. She always was a wonderful baker.

Apples cut the acidity of sauerkraut. Sausage and sauerkraut or spareribs and sauerkraut. My husband will not eat cabbage, but he loves sauerkraut. It is cheapest at big lots.

Apples and cinnamon in oatmeal for breakfast ?

I have an apple peeler I got from my mother. I use it for apples, but also for potatoes. It makes fast work of potatoes for scalloped potatoes or French fries.
French fries can be made on the oven. Toss them with olive oil . Season of you want, and bake them off at 375 or 400 degrees. Stir them half way through cooking. This works for red potatoes too. I add rosemary to the red potatoes.

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Jane

Scratch cooking

I am reminded that there are some people that have never cooked from scratch. It's not a hard thing to do. Learn a few basics and you have it made. If you watch the cooking shows on TV a little, you can gleam a lot of techniques. There are only a few things to remember.

1) when baking,don't over mix the ingredients. You want them to be homogenous, but you don't want to develop the gluten. This works for biscuits, quick breads, pancakes etc.

2) learn to make a roux. It is the base for a lot of things. Basically you start with a fat, add flour and make a paste, and then gradually add a liquid to make a thickened sauce. This is the basics for gravy, sauces, and Mac and cheese.

3) learn to tell when meat is done. Poultry will have juices that run clear. The leg will pull away from the breast easily. Check the temperature. Invest in a thermometer. They are really cheap at costco business. With beef, take it's temperature. Ground meet should no longer be pink.

4)When you dice or cut something, slice a little off so that you have a flat surface on the cutting board.

I am in no way a gourmet cook. I cook basic foods, usually fast. I just don't have the time. I cook things I can cook fast.

A quick way to cook a pot roast or country- style ribs is to put then in a crockpot, pour a bottle of beer over them, add enough water or broth to almost cover meat.Then add a onion that is peeled and cut in quarters. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. I take some juice from the pot after the meat is almost done and cook potatoes and carrots in the microwave with it. The meat is done when it falls apart and is tender.

A quick way to roast a chicken is to wash it with cold water. Clean out the insides, salt the inside cavity and stuff it with anything you have around-- a lemon, apple, onion, orange. Just cut it in half. pour some olive oil over the skin and massage it in- don't forget the back side. You can saltand pepper or use rosemary on the top. Put it on a roasting rack in a roaster . Bake at 375 until it is done, about 15-20 minutes a pound. Don't forget to wash everything thoroughly when you are cooking raw meat. Wash your hands frequently. Don't cross contaminate with raw vegetables. If you don't have a roasting rack, rough cut root vegetables and place chicken on top in a baking pan.



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Jane

The basic of 1/2 price shopping.

This blog is all about lowering your food bill to about 1/2 of the USDA stats for your grocery bill.


I promise no dumpster diving, no .28 chicken parts and no cheap hotdogs and four meal - three pound chickens. LOL

I take a sensible approach to the get a meal on the table cheap dilemma. If you spend more time on the front end of the meal train and less on the back end, you will be better off. You are basically getting "paid " for shopping wisely, but you don't get paid for cooking or doing dishes.LOL

Groceries on the cheap takes a three- pronged approach, planning and organizing, shopping wisely, and scratch cooking.

1) start making your own stack of main dish recipes that use low cost protein that your family will eat. Try to gather at least 7, but 14 is better off. If you have variety, your family won't get burned out of a particular dish.

2) After you get home from grocery shopping, jot down seven main dishes you plan on cooking in the week ahead. Use your purchases and your stock in the freezer or fridge to make your decisions. Before you shop, go through the fridge and bread bin and dump everything dead and make a note of what you need and what needs to be used soon.

3)The basic rule is never pay full price for anything. Make a list of all the staples that you use on a regular basis. At our house it would be canned diced tomatoes, beans, pasta sauce, pasta, cheese, some canned veggies, tuna and salmon.
List them in a small spiral notebook or on a computer spread sheet. List the item, the size of the package,where you got it and the date and price.
Pretty soon you will see a pattern of the lowest price in your area.
When one of your items goes on sale fir the lowest price, buy as many as you can , as many as the store will let you, or as many as you need to restock your supply-- which ever comes first. If I use something once a week, I want to stock 24. If I use it once a month I stock 6 or 7.
Pasta I keep a bin full. Pasta has a 8 year shelf life.

4) when the grocery ads come out, take a sheet of paper, divide it into quarters. Put the name of the store on the top of each quarter. Now write down everything that is on your stock list that's a low price, and the meat and fresh food that is cheaper. When you are done, cross off the items that are more expensive elsewhere, and the things that you don't need. Now pick the TWO stores that have the best buys. Go to the store with your list, get in and get out. The more time you spend in a store, the more you spend. Plan your trip to use the least amount of gas.

5) Cook from scratch. One of the easiest ways to derail your budget is to buy ready made and junk food. Think, good nutritious food. There are ways to cook from scratch and not live in the kitchen. Use the crockpot, use oven meals that you can throw in a pan and put in the oven and walk away to do other chores. Precook. By spending an hour or so cooking a batch of meat, you cut down on dishes and time, and spend far less time at mealtime. Roast off a chicken or pork or beef roast. Buy or make ground meat in bulk and portion it on meal-sized packages. Make meatballs, taco meat, meat loaf, meat crumbles -- whatever makes sense to your family. Defat the ground meat. Directions are on earlier blogs.

This actually sounds like a lot of work, but after you get the hang of it, it is less time consuming. Especially if you tend to run to the store to get what you are out of durimg dinner, or are accustomed to going to the store every two or three days.

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Jane

Jane

Meals from adds and extreme couponing

I was rocking the grand baby to sleep yesterday and happened on to extreme couponing.
I was trying to learn something. I think what I learned was that I don't need to spend a lot of time clipping coupons. Most of the things that I saw being purchased were not real food and many quantities were more than anyone needs in their pantry. Like, who besides many the family with eighteen kids needs almost 200 toothbrushes. One man bought enough deodorant to last an average family 150 years or so. This boarders on hoarding.

The way I look at it, I love a bargain, but I don't need to buy so many that I don't leave any stock for the next bargain hunter, I keep a realistic stock of some things that are food or other necessity items. It doesn't make much sense to take up valuable storage space for something you can't ever use before the expiration date.

I haven't seen stores that double coupons in Washington. most coupons I find are for pop, and other things that I don't consider a necessity or good nutrition.

I do applaud the COUPONERS that get actual food for almost free and take it to the food bank or a shelter. That is where extreme coupon ing makes sense to me.

On to the meal plans

This was not a week to stock up on staples. About the only thing on sale is the pasta.

Meals
1) roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad

2) roast beef a jus sandwiches, salad

3) Mac and cheese, broccoli

4) quiche, salad. Or pizza ( Safeways special Friday )

5) pork chops, applesauce, carrots, au gratin potatoes.

6) chicken pot pie, fruit cup

7) salmon on potatoes and tomatoes, salad*


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Jane

* slice potatoes thin and put in greased baking dish. Slice tomatoes and place on top.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until potatoes are almost done. Put salmon on top and bake until fish is done.

This weeks grocery adds

This weeks grocery adds..or should I say booze adds ! LOL

SAFEWAYS

5 dollar Fridays
H
Pizza
Cookies
5pounds apples

7% ground beef 2.69
15% ground turkey 2.59
Sirloin steak 2.99

Grapes 1.28

10 lb potatoes 1.99
Milk 2.69

Triscuit 1.99@
Barilla pasta .88@
Eggs 1.49@

@ coupon

Raspberries, blackberries 2.99
Squash .99


QFC

Grapes 1.28
Apples .99
Pears .99
Sirloin tip roast b1g1. Nets 3.00 pound

Loin chops BIGI NETS 2.50 pound

Hillshire farms sausage 3/ 10.00


ALBERTSONS

Apples .88
Chicken . 99
Pork loin 1.99
Raspberries 2.99
Iceberg lettuce 1.29
Green peppers .79

TOP

potatoes 10 poumds 1.99
Blackberries, raspberries 2/5.00


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Jane

THE BAKERY OUTLET AND WALMART.

Yesterday, my husbands trusty thermos finally gave up . It skydivered itself to oblivion.
We went to WALMART to replace it. I don't usually shop at WALMART, but it is the only place we know that has a stainless steel thermos. I checked food prices while I was there. They were cheaper than the most expensive grocery store, but more expensive than my sale prices.
Z
Finding the lowest price is a matter of noticing that you buy a lot of something, and marking down what price it is whenever you see an add and note the place. Start with one item and go from there.

My target price for cheese is 2.00 a pound. It is just under two dollars a pound for a 2.5 pound brick at Costco.

Canned beans target price is .50. I have been getting them for 15/10.00 at TOP.
I have seen them for as much as 1.29.

I buy diced tomatoes for everything. My target price is .50. I got them for .48 last week at Big Lots. They, too, are running over a dollar.

Hunts Pasta sauce is my pasta sauce of choice. They have a great variety and they peel their tomato skins with steam instead of chemicals. The cheapest I have foumd it lately is .78. I paid .80 at Albertsons.

Pasta is .88 cents often, and most generally you can find it for a dollar for the good brands.

On to the bread store.

Large crusty sandwich rolls are 6 for 6.00.
Good high fiber bread is 3/5.89.
They have speciality breads cheap that you can't find everywhere. I got Texas toast, and pumpkin regular bread.
Animal cookies, need I say more. I'm guessing they will be a hit with the "kids" in our house.

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Jane

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

A few days ago, I wrote about the angelhair pasta dish on "The Chew". Their cost was
.97. I think that those were NYC prices. Let's do the math and see an alternative that would have some protein and fit the 4+1=5 model.

Angel hair pasta/ spaghetti. .88
Olive oil-*
Parma- ** .50
Garlic *
Parsley- use dry unless you have it in your garden. It grows quite prolific I'm the nw.

* I don't usually price oil and spices when I cost out a recipe. I count them when I post my food expenses, but they are too minimal of cost to figure.

** I buy a hard cheese as an alternative at Costco. It is twelve dollars for a large wedge. My best guess is that it cost about .50. That would mean that I got 24 servings from the wedge. I use a micro plane to grate it.

The total without spices is 1.38.

You could add Roma tomatoes that have been seeded, and cut into a small dice.

And then either chicken small chunks ( cooked) or halved shrimp.
If I was using the shrimp, I would cook it in the oil and garlic. Then add the tomatoes at the last so they don't overcook.

If you use chicken, put it in at the last minute for the pasta to warm it up. Take it out and let it get to room temp while you cook the pasta, or heat it a little in the microwave.

The chicken would cost about 1.67. ( a third of a 5 pound chicken ( breast meat)
The shrimp would cost 2.50 for 1/2 a pound.

Tomato costs .50 (1/2 lb )

Total cost for chicken 3.55
Total cost for shrimp 4.38

1/2 head lettuce .50, dressing .20 or
(Broccoli 1.00)
Bread .89

Total chicken dinner 5.14 or 5.44
Total Shrimp dinner 5.97 or 6.27

Both of these alternatives would come in close enough to average 5 buck meals.

Many recipes can be made inexpensive just by omitimg an expensive Ingredient and
Substituting an alternative and still not change the integrity of the dish.

Romano can be a substitute for parmesan.
Celery can be a substitute for leeks.
Dry herbs can substitute for fresh ones. You can grow some fresh herbs year round.

Think texture, taste, and food value when making a substitution.


Check out:
Smokey chicken and potatoes ( family circle sept 2012. ) probably on line
Also meat ball lasagna.

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Jane

Soup and ?

It's getting hard for me know what to write about. I would really like to know what people want to know about. Today, I am on the road, and so I don't have access to my recipes.

I thought I would write about what to do for go withs for soup. Often I grate parmesan or another hard cheese. I get something from Costco-- maybe Romano. I take the label off and store it in a plastic bag so I don't know for sure. Twelve dollars worth of cheese lasts us a long time. I use a microplame to "grate " it. I also make a hard crusty bread with butter, grated Hard cheese and parsley and grate it or wrap on fol and heat until the butter is melted.

Toasted cheese sandwiches are always a hit with split pea or tomato soup. You can adult them up with spinach and tomato slices. Just be sure to deseed the tomato and slice it thin.

There is always a cheese, cracker and fruit plate or a salad.

Beer bread, cornbread, or a cheese muffin works well too.

Soup can often times stay warm in the slow cooker while Yiu fix a bread or sandwich,or you can get it ready before you start the soup on the stove.


That's about all I can think of now,

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Jane

SUPER SOUPS

It's fall weather finally. It has to be the wind blew th umbrella out of the picnic table! The noise scare me to death! lol


I rarely buy soup from a can. I usually keep cream of mushroom for casserole base incase I am in a hurry, chicken noodle for medicinal purposes, and a few tomato. The cost of soup has risen and I want fifty cents a can. I see it at .79 this week at Safeways. Sometimes it is a little lower at WinCo. I do buy tomato roasted red pepper soup at Costco when they have it. It is like 4.00 or more at the regular stores. Costco has it for about two. It comes in a box. I find some box soups at grocery outlet, but never tomato.

I fix the box of soup with chopped tomatoes, basil, and blue cheese. Sometimes I add a little half and half depending on how many I am feeding.

Sausage bean soup is a really quick crock pot soup.

I have posted this before.

Sauté veggies. I use onion, celery and carrot and sometimes red pepper if I have it. I cut them in small pieces. Sauté until they are so what soft.

Add veggies to the crackpot with :

3 cans of assorted beans , RINSED.
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2cups broth ( chicken, beef, or veggie)

2 T Italian seasooning, 1tsp garlic powder

1/2 pound sausage crumbles, cooked and defatted.

Cook on low 8-10!hours or on high for 4-6.

Note. Rinsing the canned beans makes a great difference on the amount of sodium that you get from the can of beans.

If I have fresh garlic I tomit the garlic powder and add the garlic to the veggies last during the sauté.


You can vary the recipe to be vegetarian by omitting the sausage and using vegetable stock.
You can add hamburger instead of sausage. I haven't tried it with ground turkey since my husband doesn't like it.

Beans are something that I buy canned. Unless you have the time to cook beans and use them the same day, beans and rice have a really short fridge life. They are the two things that spoil rapidly. I rarely have the time.

If you get canned beans on sale, the cost is the same. I would prefer 50 cents a can, but the 15 for ten dollars is 67 cents. Pretty close.

Don't forget,
Split pea soup...a matter of minutes in the pressure cooker

cream based soups, broccolli, carrot,asparagus etc, a Good way to use the last of a vegetable or the stalks of the broccoli.Potato soup, corn chowder.


Clam or seafood chowder

Beer or cheese soups

Pick the canned soup that you like the best, dialect it and make it from scratch.

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Jane

Baking...it's fall , right?

All things come to baking when fall and the holidays come.

I have been getting cookies for 50/ 5.00 on 5 dollar Fridays. I only get oatmeal or peanut butter.

When I was a kid, my mother started us learning to bake at 9 years old. There were some recipes that called for Ingredients that we always had on hand. ome was snicker doodles, and one was walnut squares. walnut squares are in the 1950's Betty Crocker cookbook.. They are essentially a blond brownie.

We also made a pudding cake that we called cowboy cake. I found the recipe on the Internet under butterscotch pudding cake. Basically you mix a cake and put it in the bottom of a 8 inch square pan. Then you put some vutter and brown sugar on top and pour boiling water over all. It was really good.

A few days ago I put a recipe on my blog that was basically the insides of a pumpkin pie. A good recipe for when you have a hankering for pie, but not the time.

Apples are a good bet for baking this time of year.

Baking ingredients are on sale with a coupon at TOP this week. Halloween cookies are fun for the kids to make and decorate.

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Yesterday I watched "The Chew".

Yesterday I watched "The Chew". It was all about a dollar a plate. Actually, you can get some nice plates at the dollar store for a buck! LOL

One contribution was angel hair pasta with parsley, olive oil, garlic, and parm. It looked really good ,but most men I know would be looking around for the next course.

Yesterday we had a vegetarian version of sausage bean soup. It cost 3.25. I served it with cheese quesadas. For less than the cost of two cans of chunky soup, I got six quarts of soup-- a lot less than a buck a serving.

My catch phrase is 4 plus 1 equals 5. Four people, One meal, Five bucks.
I don't always cook five dollar meals, but I try to average 5 dollar meals.
Meat has taken about a twenty five cent a pound hike. I suspect,we have only just begun. My plan is to add another vegetarian meal to the mix and maintain the average when meat prices get too high.


This weeks plans

1) Pork Loin Roast , mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, salad
2) pork chops, dressing, broccolli
3) meat balls with cream gravy on noodles, green beams, salad
4) Mac and cheese, mixed vegetables
5) vegetable soup , cheese sandwiches
6) tuna melt, veggie sticks
7) London broil, baked potatoes, salad




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Jane

This weeks adds / October 10

This weeks adds. I usually tale a piece of paper out of the recycle bin and divide in quarters and start listing all the things that are veggies in season and stock items or meat. Then cross off anything that is cheaper elsewhere or I don't need more of or want.

5 dollar Friday
Shrimp 5 a pound
3 pound grapes


Rump roast 2.49
Apples .88
Tomatoes 1.28
Lunch meat 2.50

Jfu
Tortilla chips 1.99
Salad dressing .99


QFC

Cottage cheese, sour cream 3/5
Pineapple 1.00
Lettuce 1.00
Roma tomatoes 1.00
Grapes 1.49


TOP

pork loin and London broil are 2.49

Coupons =@
Eggs .99@
flour 1.49@
Chocolate chips 1.69@.
Butter 2.50@

Beans 15/10.00
16 ounces cottage cheese 2.00

Cucumbers .69

ALBERTSONS

grapes .99
Beans .88

NOTE
price comparisons..cottage cheese is 1.67 at QFC, it's 2.00 for less product at top.
Beans are .88 at Albertsons. .67 at TOP
Rump roast, pork loin and London broil are all 2.50 a pound.
grapes are 1.49 at QFC, 1.67 at Safeways. They are .88 at Albertsons, but inwouldnt go there just for the grapes. The savings other places are greater than the loss incurred on the grapes.

All in all, unless there are a whole lot of extra stuff on personal jfu, itnwill be TOP and QFC for us. I have my stock pretty full. If I didn't , then the pork loin and beans would be green flags for me. Winter is coming and sausage bean soup is a slow cooker magic trick of mine. It is better, cheaper, faster. A can of soupmthese days is two bucks-- more than a head start on a whole slow cooker of soup. One reason to buy tomatoes at .50 cents a can and beans at .67.

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Fruit cobbler

Slowcooker recipes are a way to entertain almost effortlessly .
The less you have to do at the last minute the less stressful it is .

Berry Cobbler

1cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1tspg baking powder
1/4 tsp EACH salt, cinnamon, nutmeg


2 eggs
2 T milk
2 T oil

4 cups berries(blackberries or blueberries or a combination of both. )
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar

Whip cream or ice-cream

Mix dry ingredients.

Mix wet ingredients.

Mix dry with the wet ingredients.

Pour cobbler batter in bottom of greased 5 quart slow cooker.

In saucepan, combine berries, water and sugar. Bring to boil. Pour over cobbler.
Cover and cook on high 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Uncover and let stand 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

1-15 ounce can solid pack pumpkin
1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking mix
2eggs
2 T butter
1 T pumpkin pie spice
2tsp vanilla

Mix together all ingredients. Pour into greased slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6-7 hours or until thermometer reads 160 degrees. It helps if you put a towel between the slow cooker and the lid.

APPLE CRISP

4-5 cooking apples, peeled and sliced.
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
Cinnamon, nutmeg
1/3 cup butter
2T peanut butter

Place apples in slow cooker.
Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter and peanut butter. Pour over apples. Cook on low 5-6 hours.


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Jane

Our trip to Big Lots and Trader Joes

Yesterday my daughter and I stumbled upon the Big Lots 20 percent sale. One day only everything was twenty percent off.

Larry the cable guy garlic beer bread was .80.
Bumble Bee crab was 1.40
Sauerkraut was 1.60
White tea 1.60
Diced tomatoes .48 vs 1.29

You have to watch pull dates, but most of them were as far out as the other stores.

We then went to trader joes. I found good strawberries for 2.50 and a large basil plant for 5.00. There were a few prices that were as cheap as other stores. I saw a lot of organic and a lot of speciality vegetarian foods.


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Main dishes with ground meats

Ground meat used to be only beef. We had ground round, the best grade, and ground chuck. I can remember paying .88 a pound for ground chuck. Now they have ground chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and bison. We have tried bison ( it's supposed to be less fat than beef) and liked it. I like ground lamb, but my husband doesn't. I , personally think that ground chicken is hard to cook. The texture is different than beef. I haven't tried ground turkey. I think that you could substitute other ground meats that simulate the texture of the ground beef.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

1.5 pounds potatoes , cut into chunks (or use instant mashed)

1 onion, chopped
2cloves garlic
1T oil

1 pound ground beef ( or use already cooked hamburger)
1 T flour
1/2cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
3 T vinegar
2tsp W sauce


2 T butter
1 T milk

1) boil potatoes until tender

2)fry onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking 1 minute
more . Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
Stir flour into meat. Add beef stock slowly to thicken. Add salt, pepper, vinegar and w sauce.

Pour into 1.5 quart casserole.
Make mashed potatoes ( potatoes should be dense )
Spread over meat.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake at 400 degrees until top is golden.

Notes: I would use the hamburger crumbles I made last week and instant mashed potatoes to get out of the kitchen fast. I got instant mashed for .50 not long ago. That is more than the .21 that raw potatoes would cost but that's .29 cents for ten minutes work is 1.80 an hour. I can handle that. LOL.

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More oldies

LIMGUINE WITH ZUCCHINI CLAM SAUCE

12 ounces linguini

Olive oil
2 medium zucchini
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 cans minced clams
Salt, red pepper

1) cook pasta

2) sauté zucchini in some olive oil.


3) Stir in remaining ingredients including clams and juice.

4) turn heat down to a simmer and simmer 3 minutes.

Toss sauce with drained pasta and garnish with parsley.

I would serve this with garlic bread and a salad.

NOTE

Clams are on sale at BARTELLS sometimes. Pasta has remained a bargain at .88 to a dollar a pound.

Let's review the food pyramid. I haven't for a long time. It doesn't seem to be kind to dieters or diabetics however. It probably is what teens and active children need for fuel and growing bodies. Most of us on diets and those of us that are diabetic can't have 11 servimgs of bread or grain.

Bread and grains 6-11 servings
Veggies 3-5. Fruit 2-4
Dairy 2-3. Meat 2-3
Fats, sugar sparingly.

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Jane

More from 1970s personal cookbook

Sausage chili bake

3/4 pound smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 small onion, chopped
1tsp garlic salt
1-2 T chili powder
1can diced tomatoes, undrained
1can kidney beams, umdrained

2cups Bisquick
1/2cup cornmeal
1cup cornmeal
2eggs

1) cook sausage and onion in skillet for 4-5 minutes
Spoon into ungreased 9x3 pan . Stir in chili powder, garlic, tomatoes AMD beans.

2) in medium bowl, mix bisquit ingredients. Spread over meat mixture.

Bake at 350 35- 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.


Taco beef bake with cheddar biscuit topping

1poumd hamburger
Taco seasoning
1cup salsa
2 cups frozen corn

2cups Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheese
2/3 cup milk.

1) brown meat. (or use already defatted meat) add corn, salsa and taco seasoning.
Heat to boiling. Pour into 8x8 pan.

2) stir together in bowl, Bisquick, cheese, and milk. Drop by spoonfuls onto meat mixture. (12)

3) bake uncovered 20-25 minutes until topping is golden brown. 6 one cup servimgs.


NOTES. These are adapted from Bisquick recipes. Sausage was 3/10 at QFC last week. It is sometimes cheaper at the grocery outlet. You can make your own salsa or substitute diced tomatoes,onion and peppers. Taco seasoning recipe is on a previous post.

I'm thinking the cheddar Bisquick topping would be good on a lot of thimgs.

That's all for today.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Better, cheaper and faster than hamburger box mix and meals from the adds

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

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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!

The scoop on cheap groceries.

I have been reading a lot of articles on the Internet lately. they talk about 10 or 15
Dollars per person per week. Most if them talk about foods most of us have never tasted. My stats are based on about half of the USDA stats for a family of four-- 2 adults and two school aged children. I try to take a middle of the road approach. What I would describe as normal food, with a realistic approach to fat and salt intake with a limited amount of ready made foods.

I hav heard everything from top ramen, boxed Mac and cheese, tofu, and eating five days a week for free at work.Also I heard .28 cent a pound chicken parts and cheap hot dogs.

65.00 a week is not much more than the 15 dollars a person, and I think that I am pretty realistic in my meal plans.

We are not having steak and lobster, but we are not having cheap hot dogs and mystery chicken parts.

Groceries on the cheap has to be sustainable. Your nutrition has to be there too.

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Jane

This weeks adds

Before I go through the adds for the week,I thought I would talk about what to do with the hamburger I "put up " over the week end. I baked-off the meatloaf and we had it with baked acorn squash that I got last week and a salad. The rest we had n the next day. The meat balls were frozen in meal sized bags. They can become meat ball subs, spaghetti and meatballs, meatballs in cream gravy over noodles or in brown gravy over rice. Tacos are tacos. LOL. Crumbles can go in a casserole or spaghetti sauce or on a pizza.

Now, the adds:

QFC

20 Percent hamburger 2.66-- NOT. We paid 2.50 for 9 percent last week.

Chicken .88
English cukes 1.00
Pasta 1.00


TOP

Sirloin roast B1G1 nets 3.25. - used to be 2.25 cents this summer.
Coupons
2 off meat
2off produce
Butter 1.99
Cheese 3.99

Pasta 1.00 hagan brand
Potatoes 10 pounds for 2.00
Mayo 1.99
Gala apples 5 lbs 5.00

SAFEWAYS

Pork roast 1.49
Grapes 1.28
Milk 2.69


5 buck Friday

Brats , Safeways brand
Naval oranges 5/5. Lbs
Tuna 5/5
Boston cream cake

JFU
Potatoes 5 lbs .69

ALBERTSONS

Chicken thighs .99
Potatoes 5 lbs 1.49
Hunts pasta sauce .80
Strawberries 2.00
Squash .99
Chicken sausage 3.00
Fryers 1.39
Good hamburger 3.99

That's all. I have purposely added some comparison prices to this list. You need to cross off the items that are higher priced elsewhere. cross off anything that you don't need or want. Pasta sauce is about as cheap as you are going to get it. I have a recipe for what my nephew calls no brainer pasta.

I am not seeing salad fixings in the adds. The cheapest lettuces are usually iceberg and romaine. Probably at Costco. Sometimes the grocery outlet.
Cucumbers are a buck. My mother used to soak them in vinegar and salt and pepper. These are good with nasturtium vinegar.

Chicken thigh recipes are posted last month.

My mother used to fix carrot and raisin salad ( didn't go over to good with my nephews)
Apple and celery with walnuts , cottage cheese with pears, there is always sliced tomatoes with motts cheese and basil. I use dried basil if I don't have fresh. I planted some basil on the back porch. This is a good salad if you need to boost the protein level of a meal.

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Jane

Let's talk pasta !

The chew is starting a new trend to call Monday meatless Monday.


Pasta is still a real bargain at .88 to a dollar a pound. It has an eight to ten year shelf life. I keep a bin( lock and lock) full of elbow macaroni and a box each of several other shapes. A lot of recipes can be adapted to another pasta shape.

Angel hair pasta with broccoli

3 large broccoli stalks.
3/4 of a pound of angel hair pasta.
6 T butter
1/3 cup water
2cups cream
Nutmeg


2cups parm

1) Trim rough parts of the stalks. Peel stalks. Reserve broccoli tops for garnish. Finely chop remaining broccoli. Set aside.

2) cook pasta.

3) cook broccoli in melted butter. Add water. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked.
Remove the flowerettes and return pan to heat.

4) Add cream and nutmeg to broccoli in pan. Add pasta. Toss with some of the parm.
Top with more parm and reserved flowerettes.

NOTE: I use a hard cheese from Costco as a sub for parm. Sometimes I get parmesan from grocery outlet.

EARS ( pasta ) with cheddar sauce.

1 pound ears
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups cream
8 ounces ( two cups )cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces (one cup) jack cheese
4 ounces ham cubes
Salt, pepper, bread crumbs

1) cook pasta.
2) in pan, bring milk and cream to simmer. Add cheeses and ham. Stir until cheese is melted.
Salt and pepper.
3) drain pasta and put into 9x13 pan. Mix cheese sauce and pasta. Spread in pan. Top with breadcrumbs. ( mix breadcrumbs, parm and parsley. )

4) bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.


Notes:
Breadcrumbs can easily be made from scratch. Put your bread heels into the oven to dry. When you have enough, grate with a box grater, or whirl in the food processor.

Ham cubes are inexpensive at grocery outlet some times. I get several meals out of a package usually. You can put them in an omlette or on a pizza, or in a salad.

This can be made cheaper and with less fat, if you use milk only.

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The rest of the story

I thought I would embellish on yesterday's post.

Meal plans are a quick jot of the main dish in this house. I usually have a good idea what I am going to serve with the main dish.

I try to do balance them by using this formula:

2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish

You can use a different configuration to suit your family's tastes. The two vegetarian
Ones help to balance a higher cost of meat.

By stocking your staples, you almost never get stuck paying full price for them. I use a guideline of keeping about 24 of something that I use once a week, or 6 or so of
Something I use once a month. Things like mustard, mayo, artichoke hearts I keep one ahead so I don't have to make a special trip if I run out. Basically, when something is on sale for the rock bottom price, you buy 1) as many as you can afford to buy. 2) as many as the store will let you buy, or 3) as many as you need to reach your target goal for the product -- whichever comes first.

In the long run, after you get set up, you will find you probably spend less time shopping and cooking than you did before. If you spend more time on the front end of the meal to the table train, and less time on the back end, you will be money ahead. Basically, you get "paid" for shopping wisely, but you dont get paid for cooking.

On the subject of ready mades, sometimes salsa is cheaper ready made when tomatoes are not in season. You can also make salsa out of diced tomatoes. Tortillas are not worth making from scratch. Mashed potatoes when you can get them for 50 cents, are sometimes cheaper than scratch. I recenrly got sweet potato fries for .20 cents a pound and sweet potato in a box for .35 a meal. Pudding cups, fruit cups, boxed juice drinks, hamburger meal boxes, are not cheaper. Pudding takes no longer to make from scratch than it does from a mix. Read the ingredients on the package. They have to list them in order of volume. Fruit cups ready made, have 16 grams of sugar in them. The juice boxes I checked had 16 grams as well. That's thirty two grams of refined sugar. My carb max for a meal is 45 grams according to my dietitian. I wouldn't want it to be used on sugar syrup instead of good food. When cake mix or brownie mix is a buck, I think that they are worth it. I keep a few on hand. Base it on the amount of times you reach for them. I like an emergency stash in case I am getting company.

Stocking food at the lowest price gives you a sense of empowerment that you beat the stats; and a sense of security that you always have food in the house in the event of an emergency, be it unexpected company, sickness,or an act of God-- like snow!

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Basics of 1/2 price grocery shopping.

It's that time of the month. I thought I would go over the basics of 1/2 price shopping. We have all had times in our life when we have had to stretch a buck.
If that is you now, this blog is for you. If not, people enjoy the time saving tips and the recipes. It is my hope that I can help people.

The USDA puts out guidelines for food budgets . The last stats I can find was from 2009.
food has gone up since then and with the drought, I suspect it will go up more.

Food on the cheap takes a three pronged approach. Planning and organizing, shopping wisely, and cooking from scratch.

First: Collect your own group of recipes that use inexpensive sources of protein that your family will eat. Start with seven and go from there. It helps to have 14 so that you don't burn out on a particular dish. Daycare guidelines suggest a two week cycle.

List the staples you use frequently. Keep a log, either in a spiral notebook that you can take with you to the store, or a spreadsheet. Note the item,the size of the package, how much you paid, where and when. For us it is Diced tomatoes, refried beans, beans, mashed potatoes, pasta sauce, pasta, a few canned vegetables ( green beans and corn), tuna and salmon.

Plan a weeks meals after you get home from the grocery store from your stock and your new purchases. Use the most perishable foods first. One of the fastest ways to go off your budget is to not have a plan. If you have to answer the "what's for dinner?" question after a long, hard day it is too easy to reply with " take out".



Second: make best use of the grocery adds. I want to save as much as I spend at the grocery store. I take a piece of paper out of the computer waste basket, divide the clean side into quarters. Top each quarter with the name of the grocery store. Now go through the ad and put down anything that is really cheap that you can make a meal out of and the price. Use your notebook to record the cheapest price if it is one of your staples. By now, I have the prices in my head.
When you are done, cross off anything you already have enough of and anything that is a lower price somewhere else. Now pick the two stores that have the best prices that week. Go there, buy what's on your list, anything that you have to have and get in and out of the store. The more time you spend in the store, the more you are going to spend.

Plan your trip so that you drive the least amount. I plan a tight circle adding the dollar store and the pharmacy if needed.

The object is to never pay full price for anything. I have a guideline of 4 + 1 = 5.
Four people, one meal, FIVE bucks. That's for dinner. Lunch is leftovers, or a sandwich and fruit or veggie sticks. Breakfast is oatmeal or whole wheat toast and fruit or yogurt.

I try to use 1.00 a pound for veggies and fruit, and 2-2.50 a pound for meat for a guide line.

Third: Cook from scratch. Another way to de rail your budget is to buy pre packaged, pre made foods. a few of them are cheaper than scratch, but not many. Do the math.
hamburger meal boxes are about the most expensive thing in the grocery store, pound for pound.

There are ways to make meal prep fast from scratch.

1) cook ground meat soon after you get home or the next day. Defat it, package it in meal sized portions, label and freeze. If you freeze it flat in plastic bags, it will take up less room in the freezer. Buying it in bulk makes for the cheapest price and let's you portion control your meat so there is no waste. Works for ground turkey, beef, and sausage. Costco has Jimmy Dean at the moment for 6.89 for three pounds.

2) roast off a chicken, roast beef, or pork roast ahead of time and package it in meal sized portions. Slice roast thin for sandwiches and bag. I use the food saver bags for this so I can thaw it fast under cold water.

3) use your slow cooker and your pressure cooker if you have one. If you don't have a slow cooker, get one. If you are short on money, look at estate and garage sales and put the word out to friends and family.

I have several meals in my freezer that I can make in 20 minutes or less. Tacos, refried beans, roast beef a jus sandwiches and green salad, Super baked potatoes,
BBQ pork sandwiches and salad. Healthier fast food without the fast food price!

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Slow cooker recipes by request

I have comments that people want slow cooker recipes.

SLOPPY JOES

1 pound ground beef,defatted
1onion, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
2T chili sauce
1 T. W sauce
1T mustard
1 T vinegar
1Tsugar

Buns

Combine all ingredients in the slowcooker. Cook on low 4 a 5 hours.

Good hamburger is 2.50 cents a pound ar Safeways ( net). It is buy 1, Get 1.
I will make meatloaf, taco meat, meatballs and beef crumbles. The meatloaf will be cooked in a meatloaf pan so that the fat drains as it cooks, I will defat the tacos and the crumbles. I cook meatballs on a 1/4 sheet pan with a rack above it so that the fat drains. I am already using low fat hamburger. It should be fairly healthy; defatting low far hamburger makes less than boneless skinless chicken breast.

Vinegar is about two bucks a gallon at Costco. It lasts a long time and you can use it for cleaning as well. Nasturshim vinegar is really good. It has a peppery taste.

Chili sauce is at the dollar store, I believe.

Hamburger buns are sometimes free at the bakery outlet if you buy the months bread products. Stick to the bread products, the other products often are not a bargain.

I either get ketchup at the dollar store, or when it is a dollar om sale.


MEXICAN SOUP

2 - 15 oz cans of black beans, undrained
2 cans diced tomatoes, Mexican flavored if possible.
1cup salsa
chopped jalapeño peppers, chopped to taste
1 can tomato sauce ( or tomato paste and water to equal the 14 ounces.


Chicken cubes, cooked, grated cheese, tortilla chips

1) dump first five ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours.
2) turn cooker to high and add cooked chicken. Cook until chicken is warm. Do not over- stir so that your chicken gets stringy.Top with grated cheese and tortilla chips.


Note:

Roast off a chicken when you get it for a buck a pound. You should never buy a whole chicken that is less than 3 pounds. More like 4 or 5 is better. Under that you are paying for too much bone, and not enough meat.Have one " Sunday dinner" from the chicken breast. Cut off the wings, legs, and thighs for another meal.Cut chunks out of whatever is left from the breast. You can use them for chicken tetrezini, pot pie, soup, pizza, or tacos.

Tortilla chips are on sale often, or you can fry them on a little oil or brush them in oil and bake them.Check the food network for directions.

I am using pickled jalapeños at the moment. I am still trying to come up with chillies that are under 1.29 a four ounce can. It is one of those things that you can splurge on and make two meals out of it I suppose. For now, I am substituting until I find a solution.

SLOW COOKER BEEF SANDWICHES

2-3 pound of chuck roast or steak. Cubed.
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1can cola

1) dump meat and mix and cola in slow cooker.
2) cook on low 8-10 hours.
3) shred meat with a fork.
4) serve on buns.

NOTE: onion soup mix recipe is on a current post.
You could also put carrots and potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker before you layer the other ingredients and use it as a stew.serve with a crusty bread.
I have been putting butter, micro-planed hard cheese and parsley on French bread and heating it wrapped in foil in the oven.

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More mix recipes.

You could spend a lot of money on those mix packages. At a dollar a piece, do the
math. You are paying a lot of money per pound for something you probably already have in your cabinet. Spices are all over for a buck. They are also cheaper at costco and you could share with a friend if the quqnity is too much. Business Costco caters to restraunts. For four dollars I have enough basil for a lifetime. Spices loose their strength over time. None the less, makimg your own saves a lot of money and you don't get preservatives and can adjust the recipe accordingly.

ONION SOUP MIX.

3/4 cup dried minced onion
1/3cup beef flavored instant bouillon
4tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp sugar

5 T equals an 1.5 ounce package.

Onion soup mix is just under ten dollars a pound for beef broth, onion and sugar!


SALT FREE HERB MIX

3 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley
1 tsp each of basil, thyme, pepper



TACO SEASONING MIX

1/2 cup plus 2 T chili powder
2/3 cup paprika
1/2 cup plus 1T cumin
1/3 cup onion powder
1/3 cup garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp red pepper
1 T red pepper flakes

Mix together. Store in container with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool dry place for six months.

Use 2heaping tablespoons per pound of meat.


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Jane

Quick Main Dishes

We are heading into what for many families is the busiest time of the year. The kids are back in school, the adults groups are starting up again, and the holidays are upon us. I thought I would scour the many cookbooks I have and adjust some recipes to
be better, cheaper, faster.

Beef Satay

2 cloves garlic
1 large onion, quartered
2T ground cumin
1T sugar
2T olive oil

1 pound lean boneless sirloin.

salt


Cut beef into 1 inch cubes.

In a blender combine:
garlic
onion
cumin
sugar
oil

Whirl until smooth and place in large bowl.
Marinate beef cubes in bowl.

Thread meat on skewers.

Grill skewers on lightly oiled grill and cook 5-7 minutes until done to your liking.

Serve over red onions and sliced cucumbers with rice.

Beef Stirfry

2 large oranges
3T sherry
3T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch

1 pound bonless beef
Slice thinly across the grain into 1/4 inch slices.
2 T ginger

1.4 cups bean sprouts
1.5 cups chinese pea pods, cleaned.

1) Zest one orange. Squeeze juice from both oranges . Measure juice and supplement with water if necessary to make 3/4 cup. Add sauce ingredients .

2) Stir-fry beef until browned. Transfer meat to a bowl.

3) Pour orange juice mixture into pan. Deglaze pan. Add bean sprouts and pea pods and cook until pea pods are crisp-tender. Add beef and bring up to temperature.

Serve over rice.

NOTE: sirloin was on sale at Safeways last week.

Shrimp Fajitas

Make Salsa:
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
1/2 cup minced onion
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
salt, red pepper
parsley or cilantro, chopped.

Mix together, cover, and set aside.


Make Marinade :

2 green onions
3T lime juice
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each of cumin, ciili powder,
salt, red pepper

Marinate 1 pound of shrimp that has been cleaned ( remove shells and tails. ) about 5 minutes.
Stir fry shrimp in marinade until shrimp is done.

Heat flour tortillas . Lightly brush with hot water. Stack, wrap in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

Assembly:

Place shrimp over the center of the warmed tortilla. Add salsa and sour cream.
Roll.

NOTES: Shrimp is less than five dollars a pound at Safeways with JFU. If tomatoes aren't in season, use canned chopped tomatoes, well drained. Adjust seasonings to
your heat preference. Taco shells are cheapest at Costco. I store them in the fridge and they last a long time. Lime juice is cheapest in the bottle.

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Jane

PS. I made this for family . I would serve it with rice. I would also add lettuce and cheese and cut the shrimp in half. A double batch did not feed 5 adults. I think a
Single batch would of augmented with rice and lettuce. This would also work for a lettuce wrap.

SURPRISE. This weeks adds

First...there was a coupon booklet with the adds. I saw a lot of pet food, make up, and bathtubs. There was a coupon for cold cereal, and one for corn oil.
I think that's why I am not a coupon clipper except for store coupons.

Safeways

Good hamburger is B1G1. They are not telling how much it costs. It os valy pack, so batch cooking would be in order.

Gala apples are 1.00
Cabbage .69

FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAYS
Shrimp
Ribs
Cheese cake
Shredded cheese
Salmon

Coupons
Frozen veggies 1.29 a pound
Betty crocker cake mix .99

Jfu

Raspberries 2.99


Top

Coupons

Eggs .99
Salad 1.00

Meat:
Fryer legs 1.00
Country ribs or sirloin chops 2.00


QFC

Pasta 1.00

Cream cheese1.00
Oranges.99
Pears .99
Broccoli .99
Corn 2/88

Sausage 3/10

ALBERTSONS
Tangerines .88


That's all there is. That's one of the reasons why it is wise to stock. I don't have to go shop this week. We are sustainable for a while.

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Please Share this blog

Jane

Blog for September 25

I just got home from high tea with my girlfriends. I think that desert is on order.

I think this is like the recipe that we made when I was a kid. Have been looking for it for years. We called it cowboy pudding cake.

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp soda
1/4tsp salt
1/2cup buttermilk
2 T butter, melted
1/2cup raisins
1/4cup nuts
1/4cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cup hot water ( 130'degrees)

Heat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl, mix dry ingredients
Stir in buttermilk and butter.
Stir in raisins and nuts
Spread in ungreased 8 or 9 inch square pan

In small bowl, mix brown sugar and hot water. Pour over batter.
Bake 45-55 min or until top is brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Serve with ice cream.

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Please share

Jane

Roast Chicken with a dry rub.

I know, chicken again? Chicken remains the lowest priced meat in the meat case. I can still find it for a buck a pound for the good stuff. You need to buy a chicken that is over three pounds in order to get your best value. It has to do with the ratio of chicken to bone.

Directions:

Please remember to prep a chicken on a cutting board away from raw fruits and veggies.

Rinse chicken with cold water. Scrape out the cavity with a spoon. Rinse with cold water. Sprinkle cavity with salt.

Stuff cavity with anything you have around--a lemon, an orange, an onion, an apple .

Rub skin with olive oil.

Grease rack of roasting pan.

Rub dry rub or paste over chicken. Place chicken on roasting pan.

NOTE:

If you don't have a roasting pan, you can put root vegetables on the bottom of a bakimg pan and make it work.


Dry Rubs

Grind or pulverize seasonings with a bottle bottom in a shallow bowl.

CARRIBBESN

1/2 tsp each of
Onion powder
Thyme
Allspice

1/4 each
Ginger,
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
Salt


MEDITERRANEAN

1/2 tsp each
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Garlic powder


Pastes

1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 T flour, 1/2tsp salt. Add seasonings.

GREEK

1/2cup mint
1 T lemon juice
2tsp garlic
1/2tsp oregano
Pepper

MEXICAN

1/2 cup cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
2tsp chili powder
2tsp minced garlic

TO ROAST BIRD

PLACE BIRD IN LOWEST RACK OF THE OVEN. ROAST AT 375 degrees for about 20 minutes a pound. I insert an oven safe meat thermometer and set it to well done chicken.
Chicken should be 170 degrees. The leg should pull away from the breast and yje juices should run clear.


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Jane

Check this Out !

Yesterday, We were on our way to the bread outlet. I needed some French bread for a group. We were passimg the business Costco, so we went in to look. If I could get the bread there, it would save time and gas.


They had the bread for the same price as the bread store. They, however did not have regular bread for the same price, so it doesn't eliminate our once a month bread run.

But it brought to mind that not everyone knows that anyone can go to the business Costco and they have all kinds of things that the regular Costco doesn't.

I buy sugar free coffee syrup far cheaper than the grocery store. Cornmeal was half the price of the grocery store. They have a jus mix cheaper and more selection of spices.

Bulk beans are far cheaper and they have more variety. I would probably get with a few friends and split a bag--twenty pounds of beans is a LOT of beans. LOL

Good hamburger has always been cheaper in rolls.
Cornstarch and salt are really cheap in bulk they don't go bad and I haven't had to buy them for years.

Blue cheese was 17.00 and change for 5 pounds. It is 12.00 for two cups at TOP.
We, however didn't think that we could use 5 pounds of blue cheese crumbles.

Not everythimg is bigger portions, but a lot is.

They are not open the same hours as regular Costco, and not open on Sunday.

It's one of those places that I hit about twice a year and stock up on things like coffee syrup that I don't buy often.


It also works well if you have to feed a crowd for some reason. You can buy large packages and things that are semi prepared, and when you have the daunting task of cooking for twenty it is probably worth the little extra money. Do the math, if it is something that you use often for your family and find out if it can be used up fast enough and is it cheaper than buying it and prepping it yourself.

If you live near a Costco wholesale, it might be worth an exploration trip. The gas, by the way, was eleven cents a gallon cheaper the day we went.

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Jane

More crockpot..it's fall here

It's fall here..right on time!LOL

For some reason, fall is a time when our focus turns from BBQ and outdoors to home and
Hearth. Fall signals warm soup, and comfort foods. In the Pacific Northwest, ot gets colder and the rains come. We get busy with kids in school and our winter activities.
It is crock pot weather.

RED PASTA SAUCE

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 pound of ground chicken, turkey, pork, or sausage.
1 can diced tomatoes ( 14.5 oz)
1can tomato sauce ( or tomato paste and water to make 12/3 cups )
1/2 of a chopped onion
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1heaping T of Italian seasoning
1/2 cup wine
1/2 tsp garlic , minced.

Brown meats and defat.
Place all ingredients in the Slow cooker and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Notes

I usually have meat already cooked And defatted. It is easier to do batches of it When you get home from shopping or the next day. Label and freeze in meal sized portions.
Be sure to date them.

To defat any ground meat, fry the meat to 175 degrees ( no longer pink). Drain into colander in the sink or over a large bowl. Boil water on the stove, and place colander in the sink and pour boiling water over it. It is supposed to reduce the fat in hamburger by 17 percent and make it have less fat than a boneless, skinless chicken breast.

I generally cook meat in batches-- not at dinner time. I either refrigerate it if we are eating it in the next two days, or I label and freeze meal sized portions. This eliminates waste, and it gives you a head start on dinner. It is less stressful for me to either put something in the crockpot in the morning or have meat already cooked in the freezer. Cooked ground meat thaws quickly and gives you a head start on dinner and you are more likely to defat it if you aren't coming with growling mouths to feed! LOL

If you are in a hurry in the morning, get your veggies chopped the night before and put in the fridge. Dump everything in the crockpot and turn it on before you leave the house.

Using the crockpot when you entertain takes the stress out because you are not trying to do everything at the last minute.

I have a microwave pasta cooker. They are really cheap and they make for set it and forget it pasta. No watching the pot to boil, no stirring, and one pot, not a pot, a colander and a bowl.

Salad these days pretty much makes itself. They scientifically tested the question of to wash or not to wash salad from a bag. The washed salad had more germs than the unwashed salad.

I buy brown and serve baguettes from Costco or the bread outlet.

Remember, if you spend more time on the front end of the meal train, and less time on the back end of it, you are money ahead. You get "paid" handsomely for shopping wisely, no one pays you for cooking. As long as your family has good nutritious food you have succeeded and have dome it for half price!


Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog, my object is to help people stretch their food dollar if they need or want to

Jane

Time to break out the crockpot

One of the best investments I have ever made in the kitchen is the crockpot. You can get them for as little as 25.00 and the smell of cooked dinner when you walk into the house after a long day makes it totally worth it.

The crockpot cookbook is another good investment. It is full of good recipes from main dishes to deserts.


VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS

1lb dried navy beans
6 cups water
1small onion, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1tsp dry mustard
2 T dark molasses
1tsp salt

1) soak beans in water overnight in stockpot. Cook for 1.5 hours or until dome. ( or use canned beans that have been drained and rinsed. -- probably two cans

2) mix together all ingredients. Cook om low 10-12 hours


HERB STUFFING

1/2 cup butter
1large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
1 T poultry seasoning. ( parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) -- sounds like a song LOL
Salt, pepper
1 loaf stale sourdough bread, Cut into 1 inch cubes.
1 1-2 -2 cups chicken broth ( ornusenvegetable broth)

1) sauté veggies in butter until soft. Take off the heat and add herbs.
( use fresh if you have them in your garden)

2) place bread cubes in bowl and add onion mixture. Moisten with broth.

3) place mixture in GREASED slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours more.

Thanks for stopping by.

I am looking for a pulled pork recipe in the slow cooker.

Please share this blog.

Jane

Meal plans from the adds 9/20

Safeways has an electronic coupon that goes om your Safeways card. It is worth your time to set it up.

3 dollars off 15 dollars worth of produce.This works on the sale produce too that is an additional twenty percent.
Brownie mix .99
Coffee 6.99
Pasta .67 limit 3
Regular sale mashed potatoes are a buck

Meal plans from the adds

1) sirloin tips over rice, green salad
2) salmon , rice pilaf, green beans
3) Dagwood sandwich, veggie sticks
4) roast beef, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, green salad
5) cheeseburgers, fries, veggie sticks
6) Mac and cheese, fruit salad
7) chicken thighs, ( see recipes last weeks posts)

These meals are based on what I got from WinCo, and Safeways and Top. Albertsoms also has a lot mostly what I have already stocked.

Sirloin tips are from steak at S for 2.99, make enough ric to make pilaf the next day.
Dagwood sandwiches a Friday special at . Use it soon or the breadn gets soggy.

The roast beef is from top. Roast off one, have roast beef for dinner and after it cools off, slice it thin in meal sized portions for a jus sandwiches and freeze in sealable bags. Grind the other for hamburgers.

I got chicken thighs ar WinCo. They are also a buck at Albertsoms.

There are a few plans that are over five bucks, but the mac and cheese and chicken thighs should bring the average down to five bucks .

Thanks for stopping by

Please share with a friend

Jane

This weeks adds

I purchased the Woman's Day magazine savings issue (ithas a pizza on the front).
I didn't see much that I didn't already know. They talked about pairing coupons with sales. The problemihavewith that is my bare bones budget does not cover a lot of ready made things or non essentials.

The other thing that they covered was economical meals that do double duty. I call that stair stepping --making double of a meat or ingredient to get a head start on a meal later in the week. This too takes planning.

Half priced food does take some work. After you get set up it should take you about the same rime or less time than before. Basically, you trade a dozen trips to the grocery store or a marathon of time at Costco and the stress of what's for dinner every night for One trip to two stores and an organized meal plan for the week. An hour of prep when you find time shortly after you shop, saves about four hours of time during the week.

Enough soapbox

Albertsons

Chicken thighs. .99
Apples .88
Grapes 1.99
Corn 2/1.00
Mayo 2.99

QFC
Raspberries 1.00
Strawberries 1.99
Pasta 1.00

TOP
Bottom round roast B1G1. Nets 2.75
Pork loin 1.69
Apples .99
Milk 1.99 coupon
Canned beans and tomatoes 15/10.00
Pasta and olives 10/10

Safeways
Chuck Steak, sirloin steak 2.99
Grapes 1.28
Grands biscuits 1.00 coupon
Eggs 1.49cupon
Chili 1.00

5 buck Fridays

Sub sandwich
Cookies

JFU
PASTA .67
brownie mix .99
2lbs tater tots 1.89

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Jane

Winco trip and Costco

WE just got back from our once a month trip to Winco and Costco.

Costco had boxed tomato/roasted red pepper soup for 11.79.; brown and serve baggettes .89 each.


Winco

red peppers .78
diced ham 3.58
1.25 pounds salmon 6.98
Chicken thighs 1.18 a lb, skinless

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

I bought the womans day cut your grocery bill mag. ...tommorrow.

Recipes for ready made mixes

Through the years I have collected recipes for ready made mixes. There is also a book that was put out by HB books. I don't know if it is still in print or if you can get it at a used book store or garage sale.

Some things like BBQ sauce might be cheaper to buy if you find it on a good sale. I got BBQ sauce for 50 cents a couple of weeks ago at QFC.

Rice Seasoning Mix
6 T onion flakes
6 T parsley flakes
4.5 tsp garlic powder
.75 tsp EACH of cumin and pepper

For each cup of long grain rice, add 1/3 cup seasoning mix and cook according to directions on rice.

Basic BBQ Sauce

8 ounces of tomato sauce
1/4 cup EACH of ketchup, vinegar, water
2 T brown sugar
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T w sauce
Salt, pepper

Combine ingredients. Bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Store in sterilized jar for up to 2 weeks.

Personally, it is more cost effective to get it on sale. Any price that is less than a buck is probably cheaper.

White Sauce Mix

1 1/3 cups dry milk
1cup flour
2tsp salt
1tsp pepper

Place 1.5 T and 1/2 cup of mix in saucepan.
Blend in 2cups water, or chicken broth.
Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and simmer
until thickened about 3-5 minutes. Makes 2 cups.


I have not tried this, but it is a low fat way to make a white sauce.

For cheese sauce: prepare white sauce and add 2tsp Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, 1
Cup shredded cheese. Whisk until cheese melts.

Salsa

1clove garlic
1pound plum tomatoes, diced, but not peeled
1/2small onion
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, minced
1T lime juice
Salt

For HOT version: add 1 clove garlic, 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce, and 1T chopped jalapeño peppers.

NOTE: The cost effectivness of this would depend on if you can get plum tomatoes cheap enough. They are often in bags at Grocery Outlet. Lime and lemon juice is cheaper if you buy it in the bottle.

Meat Sauce

2T olive oil
1large onion, chopped
2large cloves garlic
1poumd ground beef
2 - 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
2 T Italian seasoning
Pepper

in a Dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add meat and cook until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour.

let cool. Makes 2quarts, refrigerate three days, or freeZenup to 3 months.
NOTE: I would precook my ground beef and defat it. Then, as soon as your onions and garlic were soft, you could dump everything else in and let it go. This also sounds like a good recipe that you could dump in a crock pot as soon as the vegetables were cooked.

This is about the same cost as Hunts Pasta Sauce if you get it for .78 a can.

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Please share this blog, you never know who you will be helping.

Jane

Fall is coming?

I decided that I would talk about two recipes that I foumd in my compilation if recipes
Personal book. Most of these are clipping from who knows where. Both recipes are good jumping off points. You can adjust them to suit your needs and what you have in your pantry and refrigerator or pantry.

Harvest pie

1 - 9 inch pie crust

FILLIMG

6 cups sliced fresh fruit , mixed. ( Use whatever sounds good to you. Apple, pear, cranberry,blueberry ? )

Dried raisins or cranberries, or blueberries or cherries.

Cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

TOPPIMG

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts ( walnuts, pecans ). If you don't have nuts, use regular oatmeal -not imstant

1/4 cup EACH of cold butter and brown sugar.


PLACE PIE CRUST IN PIE TIN

TOSS FILLING INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL. FILL CRUST.

MIX TOPPING INGREDIENTS IN BOWL. TOP PIE.
BAKE IN 400 degree oven, loosely over with foil for 1 hour. uncover and bake 10 minutes more.


Note: I got pears and apples for .75 and .78 cents recently. Don't overlook pears that are not all the same size. Sometimes theybare a lot cheaper and when you cut them up for a pie or fruit cup, no one can tell the difference.

When I was single my mother had a neighbor that would let his apples fall to the
ground. With his permission, I would pick them up. After I got my child to bed, I would make applesauce.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS

8 WARMED CORN TORTILLAS- about 5-6 inches around

3 cups assorted cheese ( Mexican blend, cheddar, jack, pepper jack )use what you have.
A good way to use up your bits. 12ounces)

Mix together:
1/2 cup sour cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, chopped jalapeños to taste.

Mix sour cream mixture with cheeses.
Put filling down the center of the tortillas. Roll.
Put seam side down in baking pan. Top with sauce. Bakeat 350for about 25 minutes or until bubbly.

SAUCE
use salsa or make sauce from a can of diced tomatoes that you have drained off part of the liquid, chopped onion and taco seasoning. you can add hot peppers if you like.

Notes

You can add leftover chicken, pork, or beef shredded. Pickled jalapeños can be used in any recipe that calls for chilies. Drain them, chop them. If you want some of them pickle taste off,put them in a colander before chopping them and run water over them. Drain well and chop. This is the cheapest alternative to diced in a can I can find. I got a gallon of pickled peppers for 5 bucks at grocery outlet. We shared them with a friend.

If anyone out there is of Latino heritage and knows how their grandmother made them from scratch, please leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog
Jane

Easy chicken pot pie

I know that I am on a chicken kick. I have been trying to cook chicken so that it is tasty for years. My husbands main problem with chicken is that it is bland. The reality is that chicken os still one of the most inexpensive meats that you can buy now.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie ( Bisquick )

1 pkg frozen mixed veggies, ( I use peas and carrots)
1 cup cooked diced chicken
1can cream of mushroom soup

1cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Mix veggies, chicken and soup in greased 2 quart casserole
Stir remaining ingredients together. spread on top of chicken mixture
bake 30 minutes or until dough is cooked.

CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

Sauté In olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 a red pepper, chopped
1/2cup onion, chopped
Garlic

Add
3cups COOKED CHICKEN, in cubes
Cook until chicken is heated through.

Keep warm

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine until done and drain ( 8 ounces)

Combine 1/2 cup of cream, 1/2cup butter In small saucepan. Heat on medium heat until butter is melted.

Add 1/2cup grated parm, 2T parsley, salt and pepper.

Toss chicken mixture and cream mixture with noodles.

Note. You could use reduced fat sour cream instead of cream and butter mixture. Or make a white sauce with a combo of olive oil and butter and milk and home made chicken broth.


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Jane

A can of fish

Canned fish can sometimes be a lifesaver. An easy dinner that can be pulled from the pantry. Look for sales. Be mindful that canned meat and fish has a shorter shelf life than veggies.

Salmon Noodle Ring.

2 cups, cooked noodles

Make sauce from :
2T butter, melted
1T flour
1cup milk

Add 2cups flakes salmon.


1 cup breadcrumbs

Alternate noodles, salmon mixture, and breadcrumbs in a well greased ring mold.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Unmold salmon ring and fill the hole with cooked frozen peas and carrots.

I would bet you can substitute tuna for the salmon.


SALMON PATTIES

1- 1pound can of salmon
1 beaten egg
3 slces bread crumbled
1medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp W sauce
1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt, pepper
1cup shredded cheese

Drain and flake salmon
Add remaining ingredients. Shape into patties.
Brown on both sides in hot oil until warmed through.


Thanks for stopping by

Please share on Facebook.

Jane

Meals from the adds

I ran into some recipes from my original 1970 cookbook.

Cheesy Mac Chili

1poind ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2cups tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup elbow macaroni
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1can kidney beans

Cheese

1) brown beef and onions
2) stir in remaining ingredients RXCEPT beans and cheese.
3) simmer 20 to 30 minutes.
4) stir in beans.
5) simmer until beans are warm.
Serve wit) cheese on top


Note you could get away with using 3/4 of a pound of ground beef. You could if your family will not squawk, use turkey instead.



MEALS



1) pork chops with stuffing, mixed lettuce salad
2) Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, waldorf salad
3) BBQ chicken legs and thighs , oven fries, coleslaw
4) chili Mac, beer bread
5) Tuna casserole with peas, cheese biscuits
6) ham and cheese quiche, mixed greens with blueberries and raspberry vinaigrette
7) Pizza, green salad


Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Ps. Beans are . 79 at QFC
Pizza is free at Safeways JFU