photo by orsorama
There are some convenience foods that I have grown dependent on, so I don’t frequently make them from scratch. It’s not that I prefer the prepared foods. It’s simply that I’ve grown accustomed to saving time and money. For example, I can buy a loaf of bread. It’s not expensive, and it’s handy when it’s time to make family lunches. My homemade bread is superior, but I don’t always have the spare time to devote to the process. The same principle applies to foods such as spaghetti sauce, cooked pumpkin, biscuits and noodles. However, it feels good to know how to cook from scratch. The experience of using a canned, jarred or boxed ingredient in a recipe pales in comparison to shopping for fresh ingredients, bringing home the bag and devoting time to an entire meal cooked from scratch.

When I’m buying fresh ingredients, I’ve been asked at the checkout what I’m planning to use them for. It’s mind-boggling, but the average person just doesn’t buy fresh ingredients regularly. It’s personally fulfilling, and your loved ones will notice. Maybe you can’t take the time every day, but taking the time occasionally offers variety and can help build precious memories.

It’s common for people new to frugality to want to learn “from scratch” cooking. The most requested recipes are for homemade noodles for soups and homemade biscuits, so I’m sharing simple tried-and-true recipes with you. The biscuit recipe has a hint of sweetness, so they are wonderful served with butter, honey or jam. They are excellent as breakfast biscuits, too. Simply add a sausage patty or bacon, egg and a slice of cheese. These can be frozen and reheated on busy mornings. Give the following recipes a try when you have a little extra time. You won’t regret it.

Thick Homemade Noodles

6 eggs
2 tablespoons salt
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for mixing

Beat eggs and salt together with a fork. Slowly add flour in 1-cup increments. Mix with fork until 3 cups of flour have been added. Mix with hands to add an additional 1/2 cup flour. Place your dough on floured counter. Knead and form a ball. Split dough into two balls. Roll one ball of dough flat onto counter until it’s about 1/16-inch thick. Use additional flour to prevent sticking.
Cut using a knife or pizza cutter to any size and width you prefer. Let dry 30 minutes.
Place noodles into a colander to shake out excess flour. Add noodles to boiling water or soup. Takes 20 minutes for them to soften.
Adapted from a recipe submitted by Valerie, Washington

No-Yeast Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 F. Mix first four ingredients together in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. Add milk. Mix and add more milk if needed to make a soft dough.
Roll out to 1-inch thickness. Cut dough with a biscuit cutter. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Makes 12.

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