Save Time and Money With Home Cooked Meals
Time yourself. Use a timer or regular clock and write down exactly how much time it took to go to and return from the fast food restaurant, deli or pizza place.
I usually make a big Christmas cake (2lbs fruit, 6 eggs, 2 cups flour, etc., that usually takes a good two hours to cook, problem is, there are now only two of us, and we never get through it.
It's easy to save money on peanut butter. Buy bulk, unsalted peanuts and grind in a blender. Add salt as needed.
I collect recipes and I was wondering if anyone had any they would be willing to share with me. I am really interested in old fashion recipes and homemade recipes.
Preparing Zucchini for Use in Baking
How do you shred zucchini for bread, cake, etc.? Do you peel zucchini first? Do you shred it by hand?
What makes dumplings heavy instead of light and fluffy?
Thrifty, tasty, and low sodium individual pizzas can be made quickly and easily. the contents are as varied as any pizza restaurant, and just about as tasty. I just use what I have at hand; left over roasted chicken or beef, for instance.
We make our own soy milk with a Soyquick machine I purchased at the Salvation Army. Soybeans can be purchased cheaply in the bulk goods section of Chamberlain's Natural Foods.
I make my own condensed creamed soups for recipes. I take 1-1/4 cup milk, 3 -4 tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water (or broth). Then I add about 1/2 cup chicken stock or pureed celery or mushrooms, dash of garlic powder, salt and pepper.
I often make up my own recipe. Drain most, not all, of the liquid from a can of whole kernel corn and pour corn in blender.
Never buy prepared pasta sauce! They are expensive, very loaded with unhealthy items, and very bland. You always have to add extras to make it taste like "your own". So why pay $3-5 for a jar of tomato product?
Pasta is an easy, fun and simple thing to make. If you are looking for something to do with the children you can look up pasta making and spend the day making pasta with your children. It will save money, make a great meal and would be something the children will talk about for years!
This about the humble little Vanilla Wafer. Did you know that the Vanilla Wafer is made out of just cake mix with less water, about 1 1/3 cup less than the cake mix calls for. Just use any cake mix, the oil, eggs and 2 Tbsp. milk or water. Put in a baggie or decorating bag with tip cut off, make silver dollar size or smaller dots of cake mix on parchment paper and bake 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or less, check after 10 minutes to make sure they are not burnt.
I am going to pass on some of my mother's and my aunt's "secret recipes" that they used to make for us. All can be made and frozen then reheated.
Food Processor Homemade Noodles
This is such a fast way to make homemade noodles (makes enough for a family or party of 8).
Making Your Own Evaporated Milk
How do you make evaporated milk?
Someone asked about how to save money on tofu. It has been 30 years since I last made some, and I have lost the recipe. It was in a book that I no longer have, because I can't digest soy products anymore. I did an email search and found only complicated, exotic-sounding recipes. So I am going to tell you as much as I can remember. It isn't a big deal, but you will have to experiment to get the temperature right. Don't let my vagaries stop you. It only costs the price of a pound of the dry soybeans to try this out.
Recipe For Tomato Sauce Using Garden Tomatoes
I am looking for a recipe for a tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes from my garden. Any ideas?
Homemade Ice Cream Leaves Waxy Film
When I make homemade ice cream, I get a waxy film on the spoons and even in my mouth. What is this and how can I keep it from happening?
Making Turkey (or Chicken) Soup
When making turkey (chicken) soup, simmer the broken up carcass. tiny bits of meat left on the carving board, the wing tips and tail, in enough water to cover. Add a little celery, carrot, onion and a clove of garlic to the pot...
My Frugal Life: Cooking From Scratch
<img src="/images/articles/winner.jpg" width="72" height="77" align="right">When our children were growing up we had very little extra money. We got clothes and shoes from the thrift shop and only bought groceries that were on sale. We had barely enough each month to pay our bills.
I am going to pass on some of my mother's and my aunt's "secret recipes" that they used to make for us. All can be made and frozen then reheated.
