1/2 cup oil, or melted shortening 2 medium eggs 1 cup buttermilk, or yogurt, or sour milk (powdered buttermilk is fine) 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup cornmeal 1 cup flour Into your favorite big bowl, measure the oil or melted shortening. Crack in the eggs and add the […]
Continue reading1/2 cup butter (or margarine) (1 stick) 1-1/2 cups buttermilk (powdered buttermilk is fine, or even yogurt or sour milk would work) 2 medium eggs 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking soda You really need an iron skillet to make this, but if you just […]
Continue reading2 cups whole wheat or white flour or a combination 1/4 cup sugar or honey 1 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons yeast or 1 packet of yeast 1/3 cup dry milk powder 1/4 cup oil 1 medium egg 1 cup warm tap water In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and dry milk […]
Continue reading1-1/2 cups dry lima beans 1 quart tap water (4 cups) 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes 1 small onion, chopped 1 or 2 cups leftover chopped ham 2 beef bouillon cubes 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 cup milk 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch In a 4 quart saucepot combine the dry lima beans and tap water. Bring the […]
Continue reading3/4 cup dry lentils 3/4 cup brown rice 4 cups tap water 4 beef bouillon cubes 2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder In a 2-quart saucepan bring the water to a boil. As the water is heating, add the lentils, rice, bouillon, chili powder, cumin, onion […]
Continue reading2 – 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained OR 1 cup of dry beans, cooked tender (about 3 cups of cooked beans) 1/2 to 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 tablespoon dry onion 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon EACH garlic powder and oregano 1/8 teaspoon pepper 15 […]
Continue reading1 cup plain or unflavored TVP granules 3 tablespoons dry onion 2 tablespoons dry bell pepper (optional) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon oregano 2 beef bouillon cubes Combine the TVP and all of the other ingredients in a resealable plastic container. I like to use zip-lock bags. […]
Continue reading1 pound dry kidney beans (approximately 6 cups cooked) 2 quarts of tap water 1 pound turkey sausage 1 large onion, chopped 4 stalks of celery chopped 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic 2 teaspoons salt Good shot of Tabasco Sauce Hot Cooked Brown Rice or White Rice (double the recipe for the rice) Soak the […]
Continue readingHot Dogs, Wieners, Frankfurters, Franks, or Dogs; whatever you call them, they are one of the main stays of low cost cooking, especially if you have children to feed. In my hot dog explorations I have discovered that all beef franks taste the best, at least to my taste buds. They are usually the most […]
Continue readingAt most markets there are certain foods that are almost always good buys. In different areas of the country these foods will vary, sometimes considerably. For instance Grits are a great buy in the Southern US but in Australia they are impossible to find. Conversely, there are good buys in Australian supermarkets that I will […]
Continue readingThe concept of planning and preparing 3 meals a day, 21 meals a week or 1,092 meals a year is pretty mind boggling when you stop to think about it. Doing it all while short on cash is even more challenging. This is where the art of menu planning comes into the picture. By taking […]
Continue readingWhat to do when your manual is missing. The Missing Manual People often ask me what to do with a bread machine that doesn’t have its own manual. It can be very frustrating, especially when you have never used a bread machine before. Some folks find used bread makers at yard sales. Other folks may […]
Continue readingI’ve seen various places around the web claim that in an emergency you can feed your family for only $10 or $20 a week. While I appreciate their intentions, I have noticed that they all assume you have certain supplies already on hand. In my experience this isn’t always the case. Forty-five dollars will seem […]
Continue readingAn empty lunch box can be an intimidating thing at 6 am when you are wiping the sleep from you eyes and wishing you had taken the time to prepare and program the coffee maker the night before. To help you out of this predicament, I offer the following suggestions. You can mix and match […]
Continue readingEver wonder how our ancestors always seemed to have food on the table even in lean times? When we are visiting the grocery store every week to the tune of hundreds of dollars, we long to know their secret. In fact it isn’t a secret at all. It is actually good planning and preparation on […]
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