Fake? Really? How can a Farmer's Market be fake?
 
A few years ago we were at a local farmer's market. As I perused the green beans, the person at that table brought out a box to replenish the supply. The box looked strangely familiar -- very familiar in fact. It appeared to be the same box that our local grocery uses when stocking their vegetable bins.
 
I stepped back and watched. Other boxes were pulled out with other things like bell peppers, zucchini, etc. All seemed to be the same shape, same size. And the boxes -- all the same. The materials to divide seemed like the ones from the store.
 
I thought to myself -- this guy is a fake. He's purchased this stuff and is implying he grew it and selling it as his own. And he was charging far higher prices than the local supermarket.
 
Humbug.
 
Apparently it's not just happening in our little city, but other places as well. I read an article about these being scams.
 
Fortunately our local community college also hosts a farmer's market and I do think most of the folks who set up are bringing stuff they raised themselves.
 
Frankly, fake is frightening not to mention being a rip off when it comes to farmer's markets.
 
Debbie's blog: http://frugalfoodie.savingadvice.com/

It is darn warm outside here in Central Illinois. It feels like July instead of May. Yesterday was warm too. I know the farmers are probably delighted because some of them have corn coming up and we did finally receive some rain earlier in the week and the corn popping up will enjoy the hot sun.

DH pulled some radishes, green onions, and picked some lettuce yesterday for our supper last night. It was so nice to have fresh stuff. He hasn't put in tomatoes yet because he normally waits until Mother's Day weekend to plant...our weather pattern has been so weird with the atypical warmer weather, but he was afraid of frost. My brother planted his tomatoes a few weeks ago and is bragging about how great they look...one never knows.

Our herbs in pots from last year are all looking pretty good since they didn't die off. The thyme looks like it might be knocking on the door pretty soon since it is growing so fast.

Looking forward to a bountiful garden this year...and hopefully saving a few bucks besides. We figure the herbs not dying saved us some money.

We had training today for Common Core reading. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is national standards for reading that most of the U.S. has adopted. Teachers normally do not get more than 30 minutes for lunch, so on training days, we often are allowed an hour.

I packed my lunch this morning -- a few leftovers and some fruit. My partner did the same. We were the only two left in the room as the mass exodus left to go purchase lunch.

I looked around when they came back. Many have complained how their money just doesn't go as far as it did or they have huge expenses...yet they thought nothing of going out for lunch.

When they came this morning, many brought their breakfast they had picked up or soda or coffee purchased. My old checkered Thermos almost seems out of place. One person was telling me what a deal it was for the soda they bought this morning on the way as I drank my home brewed coffee and then my Thermos of water after lunch.

It's a treat to go out -- I realize that, but tomorrow when we return, I bet many will treat themselves again to a hurried lunch and a thinner pocketbook.

I hit the library again and saw a cookbook with cooking with olive oil. It is a type of flatbread and I think one could serve it in place of cornbread. Other than the carbs, it appears to be pretty healthy:

Oatmeal honey bread



1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup honey

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil



Preheat oven to 400. Coat a 9 inch round or square baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl add the wet and whick. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until moistened.

Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan.



Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Can be served warm or cooled entirely.


We will be eating it with a few meals this week...fairly economical as far as bread goes too.

We had ham for supper. We originally had ham for Easter dinner. Then again for supper Sunday night. I had some for lunch on Monday as well as ham and eggs Monday. We ate it again tonight. Hubby had some for lunch too this week. I think we got our money's worth out of that $15 ham. Three meals Sunday noon; three meals Sunday supper. (We had a guest Sunday and then sent her home with some for her supper.) Supper Monday, lunch Monday, DH's lunch Tuesday, and then tonight...let's see 12 individual servings on one ham! I can honestly say I was glad to see the end of it for now, but I feel like we did pretty well...and it was economical.

Today is Easter and around my home, my hubby really likes a traditional Easter dinner at noon...ham, scalloped potatoes, cornbread, green beans, and deviled eggs. Anyway, that's what he considers traditional.

Each year for each holiday we extend an invitation to a former neighbor or ours. Sometimes she accepts. This Easter, she accepted. In addition to the above, I also fixed honey glazed carrots, peas, and a white cake with white icing since that is her favorite cake and her birthday was Thursday.

The table is set, the food is out, and I suggest I dip up the potatoes since I just got the pan out of the oven and didn't want anyone to burn themselves. She laughed and said that was OK and then said, "I really came for the cornbread." We laughed and then she was afraid she hurt my feelings. I told her no, it was taken as a compliment and she could have as much as she wanted.

The cornbread is baked in a skillet and it is Paula Deen's corny cornbread recipe, except I use less sour cream and more creamed corn. Why? Because her recipe calls for one of those expensive little cans of corn and I buy the corn on sale so I use what is on hand.

We had a nice dinner and we sent some leftovers, including cornbread home with her for her supper.

As a cook, having someone compliment on something is never taken as an insult.

What is a traditional Easter dinner for you?

Our weather has been weird! Living in the Midwest we didn't really have much of a winter...unseasonably warm! Then, the past few weeks it has been in the 70s and 80s and flowers are popping out, trees are blooming, grass is growing...DH has mowed twice already!

Normally one doesn't think about a hearty soup in this kind of weather, but fortunately DH likes soup year round. I had a meeting after school last night and wanted to get something fixed that we could have ready when I got home. I tried this new soup recipe and hubby took one bite and informed me it was a keeper!

Hearty Tomato Pasta Soup

1 lb bulk Italian sausage
6 cups beef broth
1 can stewed tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz)
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped in small pieces
3/4 cup of pasta of your choice

I browned the sausage with the chopped onion. I sauted the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil. I then added the sausage to the vegetables then everything else and let it simmer for about an hour and a half. I added the pasta the last half hour and it cooked. It was whole wheat pasta so I figured I could add it that early. I think you could wait and add the other pasta later. I refrigerated it over night and heated it up when we got home. With crackers it was a very, very heart meal!

By fixing it ahead, it meant we weren't tempted to go out and there is enough left over for lunch!

A couple of weeks ago when I was on spring break, I checked a out bunch of cookbooks and cooking magazines.

So, each evening as we watched T.V., I would peruse these periodicals and tomes. I found some interesting recipes. The following is for a bread that isn't really sweet, but still kind of yummy.

Savory Sweet Potato Bread

1 1/2 cups uncooked shredded sweet potato (about 1/2 potato)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons minced onion
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sesame seed

Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking loaf pan. Mix all ingredients but sesame seed. Put in loaf pan and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

10 servings and 31 g of carbs per serving

I made a loaf last week after attending a meeting that kind of upset me. There is something about baking something and having it come out that gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

The first time I made it, the batter seemed dry and I added and egg and that seemed to take care of it. I think although the eggs were supposed to be large, they must have been on the small side.

Anyway, it's kind of nice recipe and I feel that it sort of is healthy with the sweet potato and the whole grain flour. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

OK, didn't mean to be sexist, but if I added "and guy's" it would make the title kind of cumbersome. Not trying to hurt any one's feelings.

I use mine quite often. Last night I put a whole chicken with some herbs and vegetables and water...woke up to a house smelling wonderful. It wasn't a huge chicken, but there is enough meat for two casseroles and chicken salad, and I froze some of the extra broth.

I've made vegetable soup in the past two weeks, and I tried a new pork chop and potato recipe last week.

I have 4 different ones, all different sizes. I just find myself blessed to have this wonderful piece of kitchen appliance world.

I believe by using a slow cooker, I've saved money. I use a lot of casseroles and by cooking chicken ahead instead of buying a rotissere chicken I've saved money. Plus, I control what goes on and in the cooker. I keep broth frozen and that's handy for many meals tool. Healthier and cheaper than buying stuff from the store.

I get excited when I see recipes for the slow cooker that I think I'd like to try.

Don't tell anyone, but I gave a little hug to the cooker when I put it away today after washing it.

My husband hasn't met a potato he doesn't like!

For years he said he didn't like sweet potatoes, but a couple of years ago he asked me for a bite of mine and decided they were A-OK. So, I try to fix sweet potatoes frequently because I like them, but also because they are nutritious.

I am usually on the look out for potato recipes. I checked out a bunch of cookbooks from the library while I was on spring break and perused them and I found a recipe that I could hardly wait to try. I didn't say anything to DH, just served it last night and he tried a bite, asked me if it was a new recipe, and said if it was, it was a keeper. It has both sweet potatoes and white potatoes in it. So, it was a hit with hubby.

I think when I fix it again, I will add some milk because it was a little dry near the bottom, but it had a good flavor.

Two Potato Gratin

1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 lbs baking potatoes (about 3 medium)
12 oz sweet potato (about 1 medium)
5 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 c half and half
2 t cornstarch
1 T butter
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400

In oil, cook onion wedges until tender. Peel potatoes and cut in 1/8 inch rounds. Arrange half potatoes and onions in shallow 2 quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Potatoes should be in a single layer overlappying slices. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Arrange remaining potatoes and onions, creating pattern if desired.

In 2 quart sauce pan whisk half and half into cornstarch to dissolve. Add butter. Heat on medium high until bubbles begint o form. Pour over potato mixture. Cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle reaming Gruyere and bake 25 minutes until golden and bubbly.

I would think this could be changed up by using different onions (Vidalia or green onions) and cheeses. I wasn't sure how it would taste with the sweet potato, but it was more savory in this recipe and quite scrumptious.

Hubby has yet another way to enjoy the potato.

Last night's supper totally blew the budget!

Actually, it wasn't totally unplanned. We were at the meat market and the steaks looked so good. So, we bought two so I could grill them. I realize if we had gone out to eat, the cost would have probably been triple. Yet, I sort of felt naughty.

I have been on spring break and we have had th opportunity to get put and about. We went antiquing on Monday. I put beef and barley vegetable soup on the slow cooker so we would have supper waiting for us when we got home. On Wednesday we drove to Iowa to see the American Pickers' Antique Archeology as well as look at antique shops and when we got home, I heated up the leftover soup and used the last of the meatloaf we had Saturday for sandwiches.

I usually try to figure out what a meal costs to see if we saved money. The steaks weren't exactly cheap. But, they were good and a treat.

Tonight it is back to common food..sloppy Toms -- like sloppy joes made with ground turkey breast. One pound with onion, bell pepper, mushrooms makes two meals. Guess that will help the budget!

Givers and takers...we seem to fit one category or another, don't we? Sometimes both, but usually one is a better fit.

One gal I know lets me be both. I save our plastic containers such as cottage cheese and wash them and save them for her. She runs a small restaurant and uses them to take home leftovers for herself, her mom, and her daughter-in-law since they cannot service the stuff the next day. She said she loves having all these different sizes and she doesn't have to worry about remembering to bring back the good ones they used to use as she dashes out of the house early each morning. She said she's now using them at home to plant seeds for plants. She, in turn, has been saving me the box top things that schools use to send in for funds. I donate them to my schools and help them. So, we are both givers and takers.

Another person I know is a better taker. I save things like coupons and newspapers and give them to this person. I think they are appreciated. I usually don't mind saving these items.

I'm not a good taker. I guess I think I need to always be a giver and it is difficult to be on the receiving end. I guess we are what we are.


Otherwise, it was a nice day to be off. Our school district has designated this week as spring break. DH and I visited a friend and dropped off a birthday cake and a present and then voted, ran an errand and came home. He cleaned the siding outside and I worked on cleaning a room.

Supper was spaghetti with meat sauce made from ground chicken. I've been trying to figure out what we spent on suppers. I think tonight's was less than $7 for the spaghetti and sauce, homemade bread, salad, cottage cheese, and fruit. Last night we had beef and barley vegetable soup made in the slow cooker. It was about $7 and we have enough leftover for another meal. Sunday night I made a bruschetta with the homemade bread for a light Sunday supper. I think that meal cost less than $3. Not too bad for 3 suppers...guess I'll take that!

It's been an interesting month or so. Each weekend after the grocery shopping and menu planning, I spend a few hours cooking things that I can reheat or bake or whatever so there is something waiting in the fridge when I get home. Therefore, I have no excuse to not cook and eat out.

I try to hit sales and either stock up on stuff or buy what is on special many times so our meals are reasonable.

Some of the folks I work with ask me what I've fixed or what I'm planning. A few times previously this year I've shared some of the stuff I've made with my coworker. She and her hubby seemed to appreciate it.

Well, she started looking at the grocery ads, planning her list, and cooking on the weekend. She told me today that she thinks they have really saved money by planning their menu as well as cooking things ahead of time.

A personal benefit is we have been exchanging casseroles the past few weeks. So, we not only are getting to try different recipes, we have a bigger assortment of foods available.

I think that is saving money for both of us besides letting us try new things.

We had turkey pot pie for supper tonight. I have tried 3 different toppings and have concluded that I like the homemade pie crust the best. I have been using some things we had...I have some Bisquick that I need to use up so that was the top tonight. It was OK, but just a bit heavy. DH who normally loves all things bready, ate some, but said he wasn't in love with it.

We had turkey breast last Saturday night for supper, so I used some of the leftovers for the pot pie and roasted a large pan of vegetables over the weekend. Half went into the pot pie and half went into cooked rice. The rice dish is for supper tomorrow night with either salmon patties or tuna cakes.

It was pretty windy here today with gusts up to 50 mph, but I will not complain after seeing the tornado damage on the news in Harrisburg, IL, and Branson, MO. A few broken limbs and other things is nothing compared to the tragic loss these cities and some others had.

I guess I should research other ways to make pot pie. I've tried turkey and chicken and I imagine there is also beef. Anyone tried anything else?

I have been going through my cookbooks and found a recipe for the slow cooker. I am trying to use things up in the pantry before they are past their date, as well as use what I have in the freezer. At our recent meat shop run, they had beef stew meat on sale, so I bought some thinking I could always either make stew or use it to make another dish. Then I found this recipe:

Beef and Barley Vegetable Soup

1 pound stew meat -- trim all fat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2/3 cup of barley
2 cans of diced tomatoes (with garlic if possible -- if no garlic, mince a couple of cloves)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 cups beef broth

Put all in a slow cooker and cook 8-9 hours on low. I have it ready for tomorrow and dh walked by and said that I was mean.

Mean? I asked.

Yep, he replied. He said every time I put something in the slow cooker when I'm away are work, I torture him because he has to smell it when he's home.

I suggested I could possibly not make things and he said that perhaps torture was too strong a word, but it does make him very hungry by the afternoon. I guess the man likes pain!

Quiche is on the menu tonight. I have an easy recipe and feel that because it easy as well as economical, it makes for a good meal.

Recipe:

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)

3 eggs
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup shredded cheese
other optional items: spinach, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, etc.

I whip the eggs, half and half and cheese together and put it in the crust. I then add the other things -- usually what is on hand. Tonight is chopped green onions and cherry tomatoes. I put strips of foil over around the edge of the pie crust so it doesn't brown too much, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until solid.

I'm have a salad with this and this makes a fairly nutritious meal. I was telling a gal I work with about the recipe and she mentioned that using eggs is a reasonable meal. On Saturday we were talking to another gal and she brought up that you can't eat much more cheaply than having a few eggs.

Hubby loves eggs so he's a happy boy. He doesn't subscribe to the theory that real men don't eat quiche!

We went to the library and on the new arrival shelf was a book about being debt free by Gail Vaz-Oxley. One chapter talked about how our friends influence the way we spend.

I would say to a certain extent that could be true. I think it also can be said that some of us no longer bow to peer pressure. I would think that many folks on the SA site have chosen a different route.

Years ago it was tough when my friends in high school, most who had parents who had more money than mine, would tell me about this and that their parents bought them. Or the trips they were going on. I couldn't keep up with the Joneses so to speak then, and I choose not to now.

Yesterday we had a teacher inservice day and although we had an hour for lunch (unheard of for teachers), part of that time was also travel time because we came from different schools in the morning, to a larger school in the afternoon to all meet together. I packed saltines, peanut butter, apple, and a Thermos of water. Most of the folks who had to travel and set up stopped and bought sandwiches and soda.

It was interesting because one person watched me slather the peanut butter on the saltines and then said that she was jealous of my lunch...it seemed that I was getting an intrinsic joy of putting the peanut butter on the cracker in such a way.

I thought about it for a moment and realized she was right. I like saltines and peanut butter. I remember in college when my snacks were that and when I ran out of peanut butter (and money), it was just saltines. But, I also thought this little exercise gave me some control - not only of my spending and eating, but I "controlled" how I would spread the peanut butter.

Pretty weird for such a simple lunch!

Someone asked me why I brought my lunch and I just said I was trying to save money and the conversation then went to how overpriced "fast food" sandwiches were.

I don't ever think I'll be the one giving peer pressure to the spenders, but for one brief moment, I was the one they were jealous of with my simple lunch!

I have quite a collection of cookbooks. I never started out thinking I wanted to collect them, but folks have been generous in getting them to me.

Although I have so many, I have to admit I have been remiss in using too many new recipes.

So, I challenged myself to go through my cookbooks and try to locate something different. I will admit that my area in the family room looks like a bookmobile exploded with all these various cookbooks piled up. They are not the same size or shape and some are professionally bound while others are spiral, and a few are just like pamphlets with a staple holding it all together.

I stumbled on this recipe and thought I'd try it this week.

Chicken and rice casserole

1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup (1 stick butter)
1/2 cup flour
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups Half and Half
3 cups diced chicken
1/s t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T dried cilantro

Cook the rice according to directions on package. Saute onion in butter until tender, but not brown. Remove from heat and stir in flour, drain mushrooms, saving liquid. Add enough chicken broth to mushroom liquid to make 1 1/2 cups, gradually stir into onion mixture. Slowly add Half and Half, and stir until mixture is thickened. Add cooked rice, mushroom, chicken, salt and pepper to a greased 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with cilantro. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 to 35 minutes. Serves 6-8.

I have the casserole ready and will heat it up later in the week. I'm thinking already how maybe I'll change it the next time.

In the meantime, I will need to keep going through all these cookbooks! Yikes!

I'm just a little bit impressed that I actually fixed a supper and did not make too much. Granted, it isn't earth shattering, but I hate to waste food. Some of my lunches have been pretty diverse because I have a little of this and a little of that because I don't like to throw stuff away.

I fixed beef short ribs, brown rice, salad, homemade rye bread, and a fruit salad. The fruit and the garden salad were easy -- just portion out what we need. But things like rice and pasta usually drive me crazy because it is either feast or famine -- I either make too much or too little. Tonight, I can call it a Goldilocks portion -- it was just right!

So, I would say I saved money by not wasting food. We had sufficient to suffice and it was very, very nice!

A few years ago, there was a commercial where the question asked, "It is soup, yet?" as someone talked about making soup and how hard it is to wait. I think it was for a canned soup and how one can get homemade taste with the convenience of opening a can and heating it.

I have been trying to stay away from canned soups as much as possible, but want to make things that are both nutritious, economical, and something we'll eat. I ran across this recipe is a magazine, but changed it because I didn't care for the original.

Sweet Potato Soup

2 onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 T Turmeric
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 c cream

In a 5 to 6 slow cooker, combine the onions, carrots, ginger Tumeric, cinnamon stick, salt, pepper, broth and water. Cook covered 7 or 8 hours. Puree the soup in a blender and add the cream.

I actually halved the recipe because I didn't have that many sweet potatoes and I put it in a smaller slow cooker, but it was yummy. I like the fact I could use things I had on hand and the ingredients weren't so exotic (read expensive). It made a good lunch today.

At my schools, there's a company that sells books and usually it has a couple of cookbooks. One gal said she loved cookbooks, but anymore, she doesn't buy them because she either gets people to share recipes or goes to allrecipes.com. She said her cookbooks are collecting dust on the shelf.

That lead to a discussion that is appears that many of the cookbooks have recipes that most of us aren't going to really use and how sharing recipes and getting them online is probably more economical.

And so feeding the tummy and feeding the wallet, all in one step sounds like a great idea!

I live in Central Illinois and it is a rainy day. First, let me clarify I am not complaining. Given the choice between a ton of snow or freezing rain, plain rain is just fine. We had water restrictions this fall, so I'm sure the rain is a blessing. But, what a dreary day! We have had such a mild winter so far that most of my fresh herbs are still alive outside. I know we do need a hard freeze just to keep down the insect population, but as long as we don't receive all the snow and ice, I'm fine with that.

DH is under the weather so I'm trying to stay quiet while he rests. I did get some things done in the kitchen. I have a loaf of rye bread baking and I'm roasting some vegetables for two different meals this week. I have a turkey breast in the Crockpot and I am fixing fresh green beans as well. I wrote out my menus for this week. I'm' thinking of pulling out the other Crockpot and making some soup for lunches too.

I did go to the grocery store -- the one closest to us -- this morning. We usually run errands and are out and about and we frequent another one where the prices are a little cheaper. But, since I wasn't going too far, I only bought what I absolutely needed and did score some buys on Kleenex. With the store card and I had to buy 10 boxes, but got them for 99 cents each. Both of us have allergies and although dh often uses a hanky, it is nice to have a stash of facial tissue when we need it.

Hope you are having a great Saturday as well.

A couple of the restaurants we like have Facebook pages and often they post their specials for the night. As a joke, I have been posting what I've fixed for supper. I get some interesting comments, usually folks asking to come over!

One gal asked if I ever took a night off. I said I do because I do, but I also responded that I cook things ahead. Tonight we had lasagna. I had planned it because I wanted a filling supper as well as stuff for lunches. I had already bought the lasagna noodles on sale, had a coupon and a sale on the cheese, and hubby found a good deal on ground chicken. I used the tomato sauce I made last summer with our tomatoes, onions and basil, so it wasn't the most expensive meal either.

One couple we sometimes do things with never plan anything ahead. They have called and asked us to go out to eat and I have often had to say that I had already started supper. They act like I'm crazy. DH says they fly by the seat of their pants. I admit we do eat out, but I do cook a lot too. And, I usually plan my weekly menus to use what we have as well as utilize those items on sale. Maybe I'm anal, but it is reassuring to know I have our meals planned and some fixed and ready to heat.

I think planning goes farther than just food. We plan for vacation by saving up and reading up. We save up for most things and then check Consumer Reports to see if it is a good value. I have been trying to put a bit of money away for the past 20+ years for retirement. I can't say I'll be rich, but hopefully I won't live in poverty, either.

Is it safe to assume that if you are on Saving Advice you are a planner too?

I know in some cultures there are supposedly signs that it was a good meal if the folks who partook burb or belch. Kind of gross, in my book.

Usually people say it was good or rave about this or that if it really tickled their fancy. Not every meal is a gourmet feast, at least not around here. Sometimes it is just sustenance. But there are days when one wonders, how was it?

I have concluded in our house it HAD to be a good meal if I fill up the dishwasher.

OK, I'm being silly here, but we laugh about the fact the meal often is pretty good if we have enough dishes to fill up the dishwasher. I realize that really means nothing for taste. Our dishwasher is actually a source of a lot of teasing in our household.

Years ago when we bought new cabinets, I had borrowed lots of books from the library to pick out the cabinets and style I wanted. We visited some of the stores too. I didn't change the layout or anything because it worked and also because moving plumbing and electrical unless it was absolutely necessary was a huge expense. I was just thrilled to have drawers that opened correctly. The drawers on the old cabinet had been "stapled" together and as they aged, they would twist and I couldn't get them to open. I would have to take everything out of the drawer, then wedge that puppy out, take a hammer and try to straighten it. It made cooking a pain in the patootie to say the least.

When we were planning on the new cabinets, I teased my hubby that we should splurge and get two dishwashers. I was basically playing, but it has become a joke when the dishwasher is full and we have stuff left over. I won't run the dishwasher unless it is full so that means sometimes the second day we have dishes leftover.

So last night's meal must have been good because not only was the dishwasher full, we had to wash a couple things by hand.

Ah, if only life was that easy!

My hubby is a meatloaf lover. I have tried various recipes through the years, and I think I have finally found one that he loves. I have been buying enough meat to make four one pound loaves at a time. I purchased two glass loaf pans at a garage sale last summer giving me a total of 4. So, when I want to do meatloaf, I make up four of them, and freeze three of them.

The recipe is a combination of a different ones. This is for one one pound meatloaf.

Meatloaf
1/2 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork sausage
1 onion chopped,
1 green bell pepper chopped.
1 cup of catsup, separated into 2 1/2 cups
1 egg
1/2 cup of instant unflavored oatmeal
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup mustard, separated into 1/4 cup portions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Tumeric
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon dried Basil

Topping: (from the above ingredients) 1/2 cup catsup, 1/4 cup mustard, 1/2 cup brown sugar mixed together

Brown onion and bell pepper in olive oil. Add garlic near the very end so it doesn't burn. Take off heat and cool.

Mix the hamburger and sausage with the Tumeric, Paprika, and Basil. Add egg, oatmeal, and bread crumbs and mix with 1/2 cup catsup and 1/4 cup mustard. Add the cooled onion, pepper, and garlic. If the mixture is still too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Form a loaf and put in a greased glass loaf pan. Spoon topping over and put foil on top. Bake at 400 degrees F for an hour. Take out of oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

I have served this recipe over and over and dh loves it and a friend of ours will make a special trip to our house if he knows we are having this meatloaf.

Tonight we are having the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans,and homemade bread. DH thinks it is a perfect comfort meal for a wintery night.

Since I am feeling human again, and in dh's terms, "eatified" (I think he made up that word), I'm back to fixing stuff that both sounds good and tastes good. With our weather being a bit wintry, soup sounded good.

I have a Facebook account and a few of the restaurants post what they have for specials. So, as a joke, I have been posting on Facebook what I have been fixing. Last night I had a few friends request my recipe for Italian wedding soup. I originally tried the Barefoot Contessa's soup and it was good, but decided to make some changes and make it my own recipe. This is hubby's favorite way I have made it, so I try to make it this way each time now.

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:

1 lb of ground turkey or ground chicken
½ cup or 2/3 cup of bread crumbs
1 egg
2 teaspoons of Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of Tumeric
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 teaspoons of oregano

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake at 350 degrees until browned, turning once…takes around 30-40 minutes.


For the soup:

1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup of beef broth
1 cup of water
1 half of a package of fresh spinach
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 cup of whole grain pasta
Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini in the olive oil. Cook until soft. Pour into the broths and the water, and bring to a boil, then turn down and let it simmer. Add the tomato sauce and the pasta. Simmer for an hour or until the broth has cooked down some. Add the spinach and let it cook down. Serve hot and put some Parmesan on top, or refrigerate and heat up and serve with Parmesan. Should serve 3-4.


Hubby ate a lot of it, so the serves 3-4 wasn't true. But, we had enough to have it for lunch today as well. I fixed a salad and homemade biscuits with it.

The biscuits are from Paula Deen, except I've made a few changes:

Biscuits

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1-2 tablespoons mayonaise -- depends on how dry the mix is
1/2 cup of shredded cheese (any you choose makes it different each time)
1-2 teaspoons of spice of your choice -- oregano, basil, etc., whatever you have on hand
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Mix together until it sort of makes a ball. I spray a muffin tin with baking spray, then spoon them into the muffin tin. Bake at 400 for about 20-25 minutes -- or until tops are starting to brown. It will depend on what kind of tin you use -- if it is a dark one it might not take as long.

I figure over all the supper wasn't all that expensive and we had biscuits left over as well as the soup. It was a hearty meal and with leftovers, I kept up the idea of cooking once and eating twice, hence saving money!

Have you seen the new Foodnetwork show called "Pioneer Woman?" I watched it this week and was interested because although I knew she blogged, I hadn't really delved into it.

I guess I thought she would be cooking on a cook stove in a long dress. What a surprise to see a very modern and large kitchen.

It was an amusing program as she cooked for 15 and had pork, augratin potatoes and a slaw. Real food that filled a plate and it wasn't a contest.

I know competition is a big deal, but to be frank, I'm tired of all the contests on television. I never cared for shows like Fear Factor and some of the cooking shows are bordering on scary when they show bizarre ingredients.

I think Foodnetwork has figured decided that everyone loves competition.

Well, I for one am tired of it. I watch the shows to learn new techniques, new recipes, and sometimes to be entertained. I'm not saying there shouldn't be shows like Chopped or Next Foodnetwork Star, but why is it almost all the programs are going for that? I can't watch most of the programs during the day because I *ahem* work. If I didn't, I couldn afford the basic cable I have.

So, on the weekend during the afternoon and evenings when I can watch, all there seems to be are those shows that compete.

So, seeing Pioneer Woman was both refreshing and interesting. Although not a true pioneer, perhaps her title is being a pioneer of being someone who cooks in a society that usually doesn't.

The past seven days have been tough. We went out to eat last Saturday night. My food was cold. I sent it back and apparently it was reheated. It didn't taste right. I didn't finish it, but apparently ate enough because come Sunday I was very ill with food poisoning.

I contacted the owner who said it couldn't be. Uh huh. My body would disagree.

I was out of work three days and Monday was a holiday so I missed a lot of time.

I was thinking that restaurant owners need to realize how much faith customers have them when they walk through their doors. We trust them to be clean and fair and not put us at risk.

So, right now my trust has shattered.

We finished supper a little while ago and that was made with some of the chicken and broth I fixed over the weekend. We had chicken and noodles on a cold, blowy, snowy evening and there was enough leftover for dh's lunch tomorrow.

I had roasted a pan of vegetables over the weekend and used that for chicken and rice during the week, and also added them to the strata we had last night. I fixed extra rice and I have been taking that for lunch with the extra vegetables. I eat the last of that tomorrow for lunch as well.

Today's lunch was the leftover salad fixins from the past few nights. My fridge is starting to look kind of empty and sad. I'm trying to eat up the fruit we bought too so that was part of my lunch as well as part of our supper -- dessert,in fact.

I think I should figure how much I spend for meals because sometimes I beat myself up on how much we spend on groceries. I bet tonight's meal was probably less than $7 total and we have leftovers for a lunch. Last night's meal of strata, sweet potatoes, salad, and toast was probably less than $7, except I did splurge and open up some black olives for the salad to make it a little different.

Fortunately dh likes eating my cooking...and as I tell him if we don't spend the money going out, we have it for other things we really want!

It's the weekend and it means I'm planning the menus for this week.

It actually starts before the weekend. On Thursday I make out a list for Aldi and DH nicely goes on Friday and picks up what we need. I think about what we have this week based on what the inserts show on sale and what I have in the pantry and freezer.

On Saturday we go to the other store we frequent getting the things we didn't get at Aldi. Sometimes we go to a separate meat market. Their prices aren't any higher than the grocery and it is nice I can get stuff wrapped in portions I want. DH doesn't want to go in and ask for a chicken breast, but I have no problem doing it.

Well, my menu is basically planned by then. Last night I roasted some vegetables and cooked some rice. I had put a whole chicken in the Crockpot Friday night and I pulled the meat off and then strained the broth. I froze the extra broth in small containers.

Today, I made a strata out of leftover sausage. I had bought a roll of Bob Evans that was on sale and I had coupon the previous week. I used part of it for Friday's supper when we had quiche. So, I cooked the rest of it and let it cool and then added some of the vegetables to the egg mixture with the sausage.

Egg strata

5 eggs beaten
1/2 cup milk or half and half
4-5 slices of stale or older bread, torn up
1/2 cup of shredded cheese, your choice


optional: meat or vegetables

The strata usually needs to sit overnight in the fridge so the bread soaks up the milk -- it sort of makes a bread pudding out of it.

I bake it for an hour covered at 350. Your baking time can differ based on what kind of dish you have it in. It needs to be baked solid so the knife comes out clean in the middle. If it is a deep dish it might take longer. If it a a shallower dish, it might be shorter. If you want the top to brown, take off the cover during the last 10 minutes.

I often make a strata for a quick economical dish that also uses up things in the fridge.

It's funny, the other night I made a quiche. We both like quiche, but it was also a way to use things up and have a meal at home that is economically. I figured with everything, including the toast we made, juice, coffee and dh's tea, we spent less than $7.

Now that might sound like a lot, but DH is a big eater. So, spending $7 on a meal is pretty reasonable, especially since I don't like to use things with preservatives. Someone asked him why we just didn't go out and he smiled and said, "I'd rather eat at home."

Remember the adage, measure twice and cut once? The purpose was to make sure the measurement was correct before cutting something and possibly making a mistake.

Well, I like the idea of cooking once and eating twice or more. Yesterday I fixed a slice of ham. It was a thick slice bought at Aldi. I had made scalloped potatoes and cornbread and green beans to go with our New Year's meal.

Today, my last day of vacation, we had some errands to run, including running dh's vehicle in for a recall. We got home and I suggested we have a rerun of yesterday's lunch. DH was fine with that and we had a hearty meal on a windy, cold day. I still have some ham and potatoes left as well. Part of the ham will be a lunch this week with the leftover potatoes. The rest of the ham will be cut up and I'll make ham and beans for dh. I don't particulary care for ham and beans, but he likes it and apparently I've found a simple recipe to make a lunch size portion of them for him. I have to admit I use a can of navy beans, but I have been lucky and found them on sale.

I cut up the ham in small pieces and saute' it with onion and celery, then I add a little chicken broth. I then drain some of the liquid off the beans, but keep enough so the beans don't get dry. I add a half of a teaspoon of cumin and tumeric and let them simmer for about an hour, adding broth as needed. I put them in a dish he can heat up in the microwave and he's a happy boy.

I really think the idea of cooking once and eating twice saves money. I know I prefer cooking a whole chicken in the Crockpot and although we usually don't eat an intial meal off of it, I do make 2-3 dishes from the chicken and broth, depending on the size of the chicken.

On New Year's Eve we did go out to eat and we had some vegetables we couldn't eat on our plates. I asked to have a box with the skin from my baked potato. We got home and I added a couple of vegetables that were sitting around here with some herbs, and made a very rich vegetable broth. It has been strained and is in the freezer awaiting my next soup adventure.

Tonight we are having chicken and sweet potatoes. The chicken breasts were reasonable at Aldi when we went and I think there are more than two. Two will be used for us tonight, but the others will be made in a casserole with rice and vegetables for another meal this week. I'll just cook them all so I have them.

I did that the other day with sweet potatoes. I baked the 5 small ones we had. We had two for a meal and the other three I used to make a small sweet potato casserole for another meal. Sure saved time.

Well, the kitchen is calling, so I guess I better heed the call. Please share if you have some ideas on cooking once and eating twice.