Cooking With Cents

I guess I need to get back to my blogging, vacation is over and the kids will be back in school soon. I have been spending more on meals recently because we were traveling and I need to get back to the focus of this site and show some of the ways I have found to be thrifty. 

Buying a produce item in season to bring home is something I have done regularly for years when making a trip down south. This year was one of my favorites ... peaches! I find it interesting to seek out markets and sometimes even a grocery store that might have things I can't find where I live. If it's something plentiful in that area you will often get a great deal. It's kind of like extending the vacation just a little longer with a treat you bought during your travels. Local items are often reasonably priced and you can find everything from fresh grown to artisan goodies and wine that will be an adventure to look for each time you return if you find something you love. 

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One of my favorite summer quick fix meal is stir fried chicken with vegetables and rice. Often if there are special veggies in season for a good deal I will go with fresh, but to be honest, buying a vegetable Asian blend in the frozen section will give a better variety of vegetables on the plate for a better price. Because of the amount of each individual item and the quantity, unless I am feeding a large group, or can use everything I buy in another meal, the portion for a frozen vegetable bag works better and often I can find them for less than 2 dollars on sale. Combined with the frozen chicken strips I get from Sams and a bag of rice this is a true value meal, and I can have it on hand any time with out the worry of things going bad before I use them. This is one of my favorite on hand quick meals for times when I haven't made it to the store in a few days.

The easiest meal I can make at home has to be tacos. The kids love them and I can pick up or thaw some ground beef for a quick meal on the fly. Browning the ground beef and adding the seasoning is as quick as going to any drive thru. I have a kid each that like crunchy and soft respectively, they seem to like different things no matter what I choose. But this meal is inexpensive with either or both options available. And there are lot of fresh healthy options to choose for toppings and a little fruit on the side.

I am at a disadvantage when it comes to growing vegetables. I have a lot of trees and shade that keep plants away from the sunlight that they love. This year I am trying a little container gardening. I have 2 salad tomato plants, some herbs and a zucchini and eggplant all growing in pots. I even planted a few seeds, but I started a little late on those. I will just have to hope I can get them going enough to harvest something before fall. Fresh basil comes in very small packs at my grocery store so growing it at home will surely give me more at little cost. Plus it's there when I need it. It has been fun working with the plants no matter how much they produce, I am certain I can get my money back out of them, and they make a nice little hobby for getting outside in the summer.

At 24 cents and ear fresh corn for Memorial Day at the lake was a great bargain and so tasty. I soaked the ears on the drive up and steamed them right in their husks. They were juicy and delicious. We also had threw in some potatoes wrapped in foil under all that corn. Along side burgers and hot dogs it was quite a feast. I think it's fun to play with the fire and see what I can cook. Just imagine how it must have been when this was the only way to cook!

A few years back I had never heard of this steak cut. But I have quickly grown to love it. It's a long, fairly lean but tender steak. I can cut it to feed all 4 of us. The price has gone up a bit since they first hit the market and became more popular, but it's still a good deal when you want steak. It grills great, even without a marinade. I often grill it up with just a little salt and pepper. If you have never tried it I recommend you add it to the list and give it a try when you fire up the grill this summer. 

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Here locally we once had a Smokey Bones restaurant, but it closed. It was one of my husband's favorite places. They had lots of "man food" not so much light and green but heavy meaty and smokey. For his birthday he requested I make him the meal he normally would get at Smokey Bones. Pulled Pork, baked beans and a baked potato was his dinner tonight. Amazingly inexpensive and there is always enough for sandwiches later in the week. I spent 8.95 for a pork shoulder with my store card and I have enough to freeze for another meal even if we keep enough out for sandwiches.  It's nice that one of his favorites gives so much for so little.

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Of all the things I use in my kitchen, a good Chef's knife has been the best investment I have made. It's not the top of the line or an expensive brand, but it's good and sharp and that saves me money. Oh sure I want a full set of Shun someday and I look at them every time I go to the kitchen store. But, this one knife I have right now does a great job and I have many others, but the one chefs knife I use the most can cut thru a rib end pork roast to give me chops as fine as any butcher would sell. I get more for the dollar buying the roast and with the ribs as a guide they are easy to cut. Everything from whole beef tenderloin to a whole chicken will save money if I buy them and cut them up myself. It might seem challenging but there are so many resources online and on the food network that will show exactly how to do it. I don't do the whole chicken very often but it's good to know how. I just remember my grandparents didn't have stores that did all of these things for them and they managed to do it on their own. If they can do it I can do it, if I take the time to learn. Even if I make a mistake it's still edible and I learn more each time. I need more practice with the chicken, but The chops are simple, cheap and they look pretty good when they are done.

Every time I go to the grocery store it seems like there is a new bag in the frozen section with pasta meat and veggies. All claiming to only require a single skillet to prepare ... or "one pot meal" printed on the side. I can't help but wonder if people realize they could buy the ingredients much cheaper and prepare all but the pasta in that one skillet or pan. I do it all the time, just brown the meat. and remove it from the pan, then add my veggies and cook them, all while my pasta is boiling in a neighboring pot. It's simple to strain the pasta and add it right to the skillet everything else was cooked in then top with the meat and a sauce.

A simple soapy brush around the pasta pot and a rinse of the strainer and they are clean. I don't even need to use the dishwasher it's so easy. My meal is in that single skillet those bags brag about and I can make enough to feed a family without buying 2 expensive portioned for 2 people bags from the freezer section. Using fresh or frozen vegetables it is a money saver. On a busy night I usually have frozen vegetables and frozen chicken tenders on hand and that gives me the option of always having a quick meal ready in minutes combined with pasta in the pantry. There is enough for more than one meal for less money.

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