Frugal Foodie

It's oh so shiny and has chrome handles. The design is sleek and pretty powerful. And, it's almost empty!

Yikes...it's the end of the week and I need to restock the fridge. By Sunday afternoon the fridge is pretty full of dishes that I have made and use during the week. But by Friday night, the dishes have been consumed and it makes me think it's empty and lonely.

My romance with kitchen appliances is probably very similar to my husband's preoccupation with cars. When he was shopping for a new vehicle he checked out Consumer Reports. So did I. He went to look at different vehicles. I did that too. He test drove and then came home and thought about it. I sort of did that...can't actually drive a fridge, but did open stuff and measure. So when we bought our new sleek and shiny ice chest, it was a thing to behold.

Our old one was dying. I was finding food was not staying cool and it was pretty old, so we decided to buy an Energy Star appliance to replace it hoping to save money in the long run.

So last summer when the new one arrived, we bid adeiu to the old one and I gratefully used the new one. And it has been good.

But, as said, it's nearly empty. So, I guess I better quit blogging and get cooking!

"A chicken in every pot!" was the campaign promise of Herbert Hoover when the depression was going on in the 30's. It's actually the 21st century, but I have a chicken in a pot, a Crock pot, that is!

It's Friday night and it just doesn't seem like home not to have a chicken being warmed and "loved" by that slow cooker wrapped in some vegetables to make a savory broth.

My husband said I get my money's worth out of that chicken. I make a few dishes ahead for the week with the chicken and the broth and add vegetables, pasta, or rice.

Unfortunately Hoover was a victim of his times -- the economy didn't turn around and many people didn't have a chicken in their cooking pots. My dad said he hated grape jelly because someone gave his mom a bunch of grapes and she made grape jelly and many nights that's what they had for dinner -- grape jelly sandwiches.

I don't think his family was alone. And I think during the current recession, there are families who are struggling to feed themselves. I know we are blessed to have enough and I can choose to cook chicken on Fridays to make all sorts of dishes for the coming week. At one of my schools, it is very high poverty, and the children seem hungry most of the time. I've baked bread with them as a way to show them that bread just doesn't appear at the store and also gives them some experience in measuring. They inhale the bread and butter when it baked. We made "Stone Soup" one time and not many of them turned up their noses at all the vegetables in the soup -- two huge Crockpots full and homemade bread besides - it disappeared within minutes. I had kids ask about the recipe and when I explained it was basically using some canned goods and broth, they all thought they might be able to help their mom or grandma make some!

I hope that if you are also blessed with enough food, that you will consider putting some nonperishable items by the mailbox tomorrow (Saturday) for the National Mailcarriers food drive. I know you will be aiding families who need a little help. God bless you!

Greece may not be the most popular country right now due to the financial troubles and the fact it made the Dow drop big time, but ancient Greece has been considered quite the splendid civilization. Money aside, a lot of things we enjoy are from the Greek culture.

Tonight my dear husband and I are joining a friend to enjoy some Greek food at the local Greek church. The church does it once a year as a fund raiser and it is popular enough that the tickets are sold out in advance. They have a bake sale and I envy the baking skills of many of these Greek women. The intricate blending of Phyllo dough and honey that makes it sweet enough to enjoy and light enough to think you aren't eating a lot, but fills you up nonetheless.

Besides the delicious and mouthwatering food, they have a band from Greece and dancing. We enjoy dancing vicarously, especially after a big meal, but it is a lot of fun and nice to partake the gifts the Greeks have given us though the years. I'm not sure if other cities have such a privilege and delight, but I'm sure pleased we do. Opa!

It's nearly dinner time again, and I am pondering. I seem to think about a lot of things, especially the topic of meals. And I was just thinking if one could invite anyone one wanted to, what would make a great dinner party.

On the Food Network during the holidays they show some of the celebrity cooks getting together for this and that, but I always wonder if they really are as friendly as it seems. I mean, as good as Paula Deen is, would she really make the kind of food Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten would approve of? Not to mention health person Ellie Krieger. I can only imagine Ellie tch, tch tching Paula and the butter and fat in her foods. Emeril probably would like about anything he could "Bam" at, however. Alton Brown would probably like to either tell how something was made, grown, or created or else find out how it came into existence. And jumping off the Food Network, would the late Julia Child, if she were still around, enjoy the spicy Cajun and Creole dishes served? Not to mention the late Frugal Gourmet Jeff Smith -- would he partake of some of the many things served not stir fried? I always remember him and his Wok. Would he enjoy the temptations of fried food? Or even...gulp...Ramen noodles?

I'm not sure if it would be the friendliest of dinners once the oven mitts came off, but it certainly makes for some interesting thoughts. I guess I better go get dinner ready so my dinner partner doesn't go hungry tonight.

In the Bible Eve gave Adam a fruit and things were never the same. Unfortunately, that wasn't a good thing. But I like to think I have been a good influence on my man. Three years ago I talked him into planting a couple of tomato plants and he was super successful. Last year we branched out to tomatoes, green peppers, green onions and a few green beans. Well, bonanza...we have radishes this year. Supper tonight included some newly picked, chosen, and lovely cleaned rosy, robust radishes. Yum! We also had some green onions. Tomorrow my dear husband plants green beans and hopefully this weekend will be tomatoes, green peppers and herbs. There's something grand about fresh produce!

I must be big into confession the past couple of days. I'm a hoarder. Not a TCL Hoarding: Buried Alive hoarder, but I hoard staples in my pantry.

I want to blame it on my parents. They grew up during the depression and always felt it was necessary to have canned goods and pasta in the pantry "just in case." So, I have followed suit.

Years ago Chicago columnist Mike Royko wrote about an experience at his home. He said week after week he would go to the grocery store and buy frozen pizzas, chicken, T.V. dinners, vegetables, etc. And he and the kids ate the convenience foods and left the other stuff. Soon his freezer was full of chicken parts and the vegetables would rot. He decided he would not go back to the store until everything was used. He commented that near the end of the cycle, his kids found elsewhere to eat. He, in turn came up with some creative, if not gourmet meals.

Unfortunately I am not as strict as good old Mike. I don't like using everything up and then going to the store. I like finding things on sale and stocking up. I don't like to waste things so I do use things. But, I do find uses for food. Just this weekend I substituted Ramen noodles for egg noodles in a casserole dish for two reasons. I wanted to use the Ramen, but I also didn't have the egg noodles and wasn't going to go and buy any when I had perfectly good noodles in my pantry.

I'm that way with stuff in the fridge as well. I made a casserole called "Hillbilly Stew". I didn't have the vegetables listed in the recipe, so used what I had. It asked for a corn muffin mix for the top, but I substituted a biscuit mix. My husband gave it 8 out of 10 for taste. So, I'll share my "tweaked" recipe.

Hillbilly Stew
1 lb. ground turkey, browned
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2-3 potatoes, cubed
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
steak sauce (optional)
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
biscuit mix
milk
olive oil
spices of your choice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour

Chop the vegetables about the same size. Put in a baking dish or baking sheet, and use spices of your choice. I used ground pepper, dried oregano, sage, and Turmeric. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until vegetables are nearly done. Remove from oven.

Brown ground turkey. I also added a little steak sauce when it was browning. I added the minced garlic near the end so it wouldn't burn.

Grease a baking dish. Put the meat and vegetables in the dish. Using the pan you browned the meat; make a roux of the butter and flour. Stir or whisk until it is creamy. Add a little tomato sauce to keep it from lumping. When it has become smooth, whisk in the rest of the tomato sauce until it all mixed in. Pour over the vegetables and turkey and stir.

Here's where the part of measuring goes out the window: I don't measure the biscuit mix. I put some in a bowl and add a little milk until it is smooth. I see if there is enough to go over the top of the dish. If not, I add more mix and milk. I pour on top and bake at a 350 degree oven for between 40-50 minutes covered. The last 5 minutes I take the lid or cover off so the mix browns.

I'm sure you can make this recipe your own with your own vegetables or even ground beef or chicken...check out your freezer or pantry!

I am a self confessed murderer. Some people kill houseplants, I've killed bread machines. Three of them. Three delightful machines that only wanted to provide the delightful aromas of that staple we call bread. Three wonderful machines that would mix, knead, and bake, making home a happy place. Now that I have that off my chest, let me tell my side of the story.

This all started years ago when I was shopping with my mom and saw a bread machine on sale for under $40. I commented that for that price, I would really think about getting it. But, I didn't. However, for Christmas that year, my mom bought me that bread machine. And I was delighted. Oh, so delighted. The next day I went to the grocery and found the bread machine mixes and came home and fired that puppy up. Within a couple of hours the house had the pleasant aroma of homemade bread. My dear husband was ready to be the sacrificial guinea pig, armed with a knife and some butter. It was in a word, wonderful! I branched out and tried another mix and then another. But, the frugal instincts got to me and I thought, why am I paying so much for a bread machine mix? I looked closely at the instruction booklet and found a few recipes (remember this was years ago) and decided I would take the plunge into the unknown and make it from scratch. I had baked bread without a machine a few times, so it couldn't be THAT hard. It wasn't. We had homemade bread that was yummy for a fraction of the cost of the mixes. I branched out and tried whole wheat and other types. And it was good. Oh, so good. But then, the machine went kaput. It was a sad day. Hubby said, "Go get another, you'll use it." Of course, I will tell you that finding a bread machine after Christmas at department stores is a challenge. Before the holidays, they are plentiful. Afterwards, not so much.

But, I found a beauty. It was bigger, shinier, and fancier than the previous one. Of course it cost almost twice as much, but what a cream puff! And it was wonderful. Except after a couple of years of steady use, it expired. Mourning reigned in this household.

Again, hubby said, "Go get another. And do some research...find the best one." And I did. I just love the Internet because yet again the previous machine at the indignity of dying way before the holiday bread machine inventory was out. And this baby, ooo la la! It was longer, had two paddles, and was considered the very best. The loaves didn't come out tall, but like a "real" loaf of bread is supposed to. The recipe booklet was a dream come true. Ah, the breads that machine produced. Happiness again was abundant in our household. For awhile. Then things started happening. The "bread" didn't rise like it should so I bought different yeast. That didn't work. One paddle didn't mix as well, like it had been wounded in battle or something. It was getting to the point where I was taking the dough out, kneading it, and then putting it back into the machine. Finally, I decided this bread machine was ready for retirement...permanently.

So that's my story. But it doesn't end there. After enjoying the glory of homemade bread, I couldn't go back to...gasp!...store bought bread entirely. So, back to that lovely source of information, the Internet. I found some easy bread recipes. And then, lo and behold, I was reading the Chicago Tribune Magazine a few years back, and Leah Eskin had a recipe for No Knead Bread. It looks like a very rustic bread and was totally different than the bread pan shaped loaves I had been making.

Here's the recipe she had in her column:

No-knead bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 5/8 water
corn meal or wheat bran, optional

Mix in a large bowl: combine flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in water. Don't fret over the shaggy, sticky dough.

Rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at room temperature at least 12 hours, preferable 18. Dough is ready when dotted with bubbles.

Deflate: Lightly flour a work surface and scoop dough onto it, sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Shape: Dust dough lightly with flour, gently and quickly shape into a ball. Coat with a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran, or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked.

Bake: At least half an hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 4-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. Carefully slide pot out of the oven. Pull off the top towel. Slip a hand under the bottom towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Cover pot with lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 10 to 15 until beautifully browned. Cool on rack.


Since I've confessed my murderous ways, I hope you will grant me leniency, especially since I've shared some evidence of my rehab: a wonderful bread recipe that will rise to the occasion and make your house smell wonderful!

For the past couple of years I have worked on fixing things ahead of time on the weekend so when I got home from work, I could just heat up the main dish and add some sides. I've tried different cook books and web sites and have found some fabulous casseroles.

I recently checked a book out of the library called "Casserole Crazy" by Emily Farris. Emily apparently lives in New York, but grew up in the Midwest. In her book she talks about how many of her NY friends wouldn't have given a casserole a second thought until she started making them and letting them come and enjoy them. She now has casserole parties where folks have to bring a casserole following a few guidelines. She said it has become very popular with her crowd and they email their recipes to each other after the event.

She also wrote about how casseroles often helped families in the 50s and 60 stretch their food dollar. That I would have to agree with as well. I can take a whole chicken (not a tiny one) and get 3-4 casseroles or dishes from it and sometimes even have chicken broth left over to freeze.

There are a few recipes I'm tempted to try in her book, but like most cook books I encounter, it isn't one I would use every recipe. But it was an interesting read nonetheless.

I guess it's time for me to push away from the computer and get my casserole dishes started!

It's Friday night and after a long week at work, I rushed home thinking I needed to fix the pot pie I created over the weekend. Last weekend I had cooked a whole chicken in the Crockpot and used it to make 4 casseroles. With this one I had roasted vegetables and added some broth, a can of cream of chicken soup. When I got home I topped it with cover of baking mix and milk mixed together and baked at 350 for an hour. I'm pleased to say it was a good dish when combined with sliced tomatoes, cottage cheese, and fruit for dessert. My husband gave it a 10 out of 10 which made my day.

I'm glad that I took the time and effort to make it ahead of time. Friday night is a nice when so many people in my hometown eat out. I know we saved money by eating in and I controlled the ingredients. For a stormy, windy evening, it was a chicken pot pie kind of evening.