By Beth Rank
I am very blessed to have my choice of 4 different grocery stores within about a 1-2 mile radius of my home. This is very convenient for me because I can check the ads for sales and I do not waste a lot of gas going from store to store. I am able to take advantage of getting good deals. I realize that many do not have this luxury though, and must make do with whatever store is in their area.
I try to keep my pantry stocked with canned tomatoes and have found that Aldi's has the best deal on these. If you have an Aldi's near you, take advantage of their cheaper, yet good canned goods. I cannot stress how important it is to keep basic things stocked in your cupboards like canned and dried beans, veggies including tomatoes, canned soups, pasta and rice. Not only are they handy to use, they could be a lifesaver in an emergency.
This week, chicken is on sale, so I will be buying a couple of family packages and freezing some. I will probably make a casserole and put the rest in the freezer. Ground beef is on sale, so is block cheese, fresh tomatoes, and lettuce. Sounds like the old boy and I will be having tacos. Did you know you can make your own tortillas, refried beans and taco seasoning? I will post recipes below. My point is, I am planning my meals for the week around what things are on sale. Huge savings this way!
I would like to encourage people to share these articles with their children and young people so they can begin to learn how to stretch their money and show them how to take the time to prepare healthy food. I see so many living off from fast food! Such a waste of good health and money! Bring your children into the kitchen and teach them some basic, healthy recipes. Many have no idea how to cook an egg, let alone a casserole!
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chili powder
3 tablespoons dried minced onion (or add chopped onions when browning ground beef)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Additional Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup water
Directions:
Combine the first nine ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Yield: 4 batches (about 1 cup total).
To prepare seasoned beef: In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/4 cup taco seasoning mix and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Easy Flour Tortillas:
(Makes 8)
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide dough into eight portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle.
In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook tortillas over medium heat for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm. Yield: 8 tortillas.
Refried Beans Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of dry pinto beans (about 1 lb or 450gm)
3 quarts of water
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
2 Tbsp (or more to taste) olive oil
1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
Cheddar cheese (optional)
Directions:
1 Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.
2 Cook the beans in water.
Regular method Put beans into a pot and cover beans with at least 3 inches of water - about 3 quarts for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open.
Strain the beans from the cooking water.
3 Add the onions and oil to a wide, sturdy (not with a flimsy stick-free lining) frying pan on medium high heat. Cook onions until translucent. (Note the onions are optional, you can skip them if you want.) Add the strained beans and about a 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan, while you are cooking them, until they are a rough purée. Add more water if necessary to keep the fried beans from getting too dried out. Add salt to taste. Add a few slices of cheddar cheese, or some (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese if you want. When beans are heated through (and optional cheese melted) the beans are ready to serve.
Note that many recipes call for soaking the beans overnight and discarding the soaking liquid. The person who's recipe this is doesn't. They discard the cooking liquid and just add some water back into the frying pan when they are frying the beans.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Getting the Most Out of Ground Beef
by Beth Rank
Beef is starting to get very expensive. As I went to buy some hamburger and a roast that my local store advertised on sale, I found it to be full of fat. I am noticing that the more fatty, cheaper hamburger looks a lot like the other hamburger making me wonder if there is really any difference! I opted to buy a smaller amount of the higher quality, better looking, most expensive ground beef.
It is starting to appear that grilling hamburgers is going to cost much more money than it used to, so I have decided to start stretching it as best I can, yet keeping my meals as healthy as possible. This can be a real challenge!
I used to make spaghetti sauce with a pound of hamburger, but I am starting to use 1/2 a pound and adding veggies. I brown a whole pound with onions and seasoning and freeze 1/2 for my next batch or I can add a little barbecue sauce to it for a couple of quick sloppy joes for another meal the next day. When making chili, use less meat and increase the much cheaper beans. I stay away from the boxed "Helper" meals and opt for making my own casseroles. This way, I know what is in them. I do still use canned soups, but am working on tweaking my recipes so I can eventually get away from them.
Here is a casserole that my mother made quite often as we were growing up. It uses things that you should already have on hand. Remember to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with the basics!
7-Layer Dinner
Brown I pound hamburger with some onion if desired (please see *note)
In greased casserole layer the following and season as desired:
1layer thin sliced potatoes (about 2)
1sliced onion
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup rice
Carrots pealed and sliced (about 2 or can use frozen)
Frozen peas (may used drained, canned peas)
Layer on hamburger mixture
Pour 1 can of tomato soup and 1 can of water over it all.
Cover and bake at 375 for about 1 and 1/2 hours so everything is tender and rice is completely cooked. I use brown rice so it takes this long to get is completely cooked.
* note ~ You could use 1/2 pound of ground beef and add some beans to the meat mixture in order to stretch your meat a little farther. Freeze the other 1/2 for later.
Beef is starting to get very expensive. As I went to buy some hamburger and a roast that my local store advertised on sale, I found it to be full of fat. I am noticing that the more fatty, cheaper hamburger looks a lot like the other hamburger making me wonder if there is really any difference! I opted to buy a smaller amount of the higher quality, better looking, most expensive ground beef.
It is starting to appear that grilling hamburgers is going to cost much more money than it used to, so I have decided to start stretching it as best I can, yet keeping my meals as healthy as possible. This can be a real challenge!
I used to make spaghetti sauce with a pound of hamburger, but I am starting to use 1/2 a pound and adding veggies. I brown a whole pound with onions and seasoning and freeze 1/2 for my next batch or I can add a little barbecue sauce to it for a couple of quick sloppy joes for another meal the next day. When making chili, use less meat and increase the much cheaper beans. I stay away from the boxed "Helper" meals and opt for making my own casseroles. This way, I know what is in them. I do still use canned soups, but am working on tweaking my recipes so I can eventually get away from them.
Here is a casserole that my mother made quite often as we were growing up. It uses things that you should already have on hand. Remember to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with the basics!
7-Layer Dinner
Brown I pound hamburger with some onion if desired (please see *note)
In greased casserole layer the following and season as desired:
1layer thin sliced potatoes (about 2)
1sliced onion
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup rice
Carrots pealed and sliced (about 2 or can use frozen)
Frozen peas (may used drained, canned peas)
Layer on hamburger mixture
Pour 1 can of tomato soup and 1 can of water over it all.
Cover and bake at 375 for about 1 and 1/2 hours so everything is tender and rice is completely cooked. I use brown rice so it takes this long to get is completely cooked.
* note ~ You could use 1/2 pound of ground beef and add some beans to the meat mixture in order to stretch your meat a little farther. Freeze the other 1/2 for later.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Budget Friendly Potatoes
by Beth Rank
Potatoes are so economical and filling. I try to always keep a big bag on hand. I store them in a cool place. Never store onions and potatoes together. They will go bad much faster. I usually scrub them well and keep the peels on unless I mash them.
For those that may be doing the Daniel fast, I have found that a baked potato topped with a little avocado instead of butter, is delicious! Avocados have been running about 1 dollar a piece where I live. When you consider the nutritional value of them, they are worth the money. I only eat 1/2 at a time and store the other half in the fridge with the pit intact. This seems to keep it from turning too brown.
Remember, the stores are counting on you to buy lots of meat right now because people get their government assistance at the beginning of the month. The prices will be higher this week. Try to hold off buying a lot of meat until the end of the month when it will most likely be cheaper. I know that is easier said than done, but just try your best, ok?
Here are a couple of Potato recipes that use items you hopefully are keeping stocked up on.
Potato Omelette
Serves: 6
1 lb potato, peeled
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
5 eggs
salt
Directions:
1 Slice the potatoes as thin as possible and dry with a paper towel.
2 Sauté potatoes and onions in olive oil over medium heat, turning frequently, until golden brown (about three minutes).
3 Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper until foamy, 1-2 minutes.
4 Pour the eggs over the potatoes, cover, lower the heat, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the omelette is set and the bottom is golden brown.
5 Slide the omelette onto a plate, cover with the other plate, flip, and slide the omelette back into the pan, so that the cooked side is on top.
6 Cover and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
7 Cut into wedges and serve.
Potato Soup
Servings:8
3 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (I keep mine with the peel)
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1-2 cups smoked beef, turkey or chicken sausage
3 1/4 cups water or 3 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (omit if using chicken broth)
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
1 Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water/broth in stockpot and bring to boil.
2 Then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
3 Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt (if using), and pepper.
4 In separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.
5 Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form and all milk is added. Continue to stir until thick (4-5 minutes).
6 Add in cheese and stir until melted.
7 Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot and cook until heated through. (I also will break up some of the potatoes for thickness. It gets thicker as it cools and next day).
Potatoes are so economical and filling. I try to always keep a big bag on hand. I store them in a cool place. Never store onions and potatoes together. They will go bad much faster. I usually scrub them well and keep the peels on unless I mash them.
For those that may be doing the Daniel fast, I have found that a baked potato topped with a little avocado instead of butter, is delicious! Avocados have been running about 1 dollar a piece where I live. When you consider the nutritional value of them, they are worth the money. I only eat 1/2 at a time and store the other half in the fridge with the pit intact. This seems to keep it from turning too brown.
Remember, the stores are counting on you to buy lots of meat right now because people get their government assistance at the beginning of the month. The prices will be higher this week. Try to hold off buying a lot of meat until the end of the month when it will most likely be cheaper. I know that is easier said than done, but just try your best, ok?
Here are a couple of Potato recipes that use items you hopefully are keeping stocked up on.
Potato Omelette
Serves: 6
1 lb potato, peeled
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
5 eggs
salt
Directions:
1 Slice the potatoes as thin as possible and dry with a paper towel.
2 Sauté potatoes and onions in olive oil over medium heat, turning frequently, until golden brown (about three minutes).
3 Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper until foamy, 1-2 minutes.
4 Pour the eggs over the potatoes, cover, lower the heat, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the omelette is set and the bottom is golden brown.
5 Slide the omelette onto a plate, cover with the other plate, flip, and slide the omelette back into the pan, so that the cooked side is on top.
6 Cover and cook for about 5 minutes longer.
7 Cut into wedges and serve.
Potato Soup
Servings:8
3 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced (I keep mine with the peel)
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1-2 cups smoked beef, turkey or chicken sausage
3 1/4 cups water or 3 1/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (omit if using chicken broth)
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
1 Combine potatoes, celery, onion, ham, and water/broth in stockpot and bring to boil.
2 Then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
3 Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt (if using), and pepper.
4 In separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook stirring constantly until thick.
5 Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form and all milk is added. Continue to stir until thick (4-5 minutes).
6 Add in cheese and stir until melted.
7 Stir the cheese mixture into the stockpot and cook until heated through. (I also will break up some of the potatoes for thickness. It gets thicker as it cools and next day).
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