Grocery costs (your opinions wanted)

[Frugal Girl]

It seems I'm reading a lot of posts about how everywhere groceries are sky high. I would like to propose that we all brainstorm and come up with something else that we can do during these hard times.

Honestly, I know that everyone is doing what they can, such as coupons, off-brands, home cooking. And maybe that's all you CAN do. But isn't necessity the mother of invention?

Is there anything else we can do to cut down food costs? (Besides not eating)

What are you gals doing? Do you have any creative recipes to feed your fam for super cheap?

I've noticed that my dinners are averaging $4 - $5. Anyone got cheaper meals?

Thanks and I can't wait to read what you post!

[EmilyD]

I try to make several meals from one meat purchase.

Examples:
Beef roast:
Roast
Hash
Sandwiches for lunch

Chicken:
Baked chicken
Chicken and rice soup
Chicken and noodle soup and mashed pots.(carcass and leftover chicken)
Sandwiches for lunch
Leftovers from soup makes at least 2 lunches each

Mashed potatoes (I cook enough for several meals at one time)
Potato pancakes
Hotdogs with mashers and cheese

Any ground meat:
Leftovers for lunch the next day

[sdrjeolsen]

I got on ebay and bought a few depression and war era cookbooks, boy, talk about simple recipes. Alos, there are lots of great ones for no sugar, no flour, no butter etc for when the rations ran out. It helped me to think simple when it comes to cooking from scratch. That's pretty much all I try to do anymore, I quit buying processed foods unless I can get an incredible deal on it or it is something my dh wont give up, otherwise have tried to switch over to basic scratch cooking as much as possible. Also I cherry pick loss leaders and cook from that. So far this month I've spent under 70 for a family of 5, 2 adults, 3 teens. About 22 of that has been toward stockpile items. We do have fresh fruits & veggies, also I have lots of frozen veggies. I think we probably eat healthier now than when we ate lots of processed foods. I will say, I have the advantage of growing my own meat and eggs and we are eating from our stockpile too, that offsets quite a bit of costs.

A person could raise rabbits for meat and often a chicken or two if the neighbors are warned, nice and given eggs from time to time. We had some in the city before with no complaints. Also, planting a garden helps.

I think the tightwad gazzette has some cheap recipe ideas too.

[C@rol]

When a recipe usually calls for a pound of
ground beef I will usually cut that in half
and there's a second meal right there.
No one usually notices.

Smaller quantities in general. A lot more
pasta and rice dishes. More soups, casseroles
and stews. The cheaper cuts of meat can
be cooked in a crock pot and come out
really tender.

[tbs727]

A person could raise rabbits for meat and often a chicken or two if the neighbors are warned, nice and given eggs from time to time. We had some in the city before with no complaints. Also, planting a garden helps.

Not our neighbors, DH is deathly allergic to chickens. Well, feathered chickens, not cooked.

I would love it if you would share some of your favorite recipes from your new/old books.

Cooking from scratch really helps me keep my costs down and it helps me afford healthier foods. For example, I can make a loaf of Whole grain bread with no extra preservatives for about .50 in my bread machine. A loaf of bread is more than $2 and it has all that extra stuff I don't want. Spaghetti sauce is another example of something I make from scratch for a lot less and a lot fewer add-ins.

[sdrjeolsen]

I would love it if you would share some of your favorite recipes from your new/old books.

Give me some time, I'll try to regularly post them on my pennies blog.

[Lady_V]

When times are tough and food is limited, be creative. Necessity IS the mother of invention.

I have a cookbook from Sturbridge Village (1800's).

I also have some 'foreign' depression recipes. The US wasn't the only country to have to deal with famine and tight belts.

RecipeZaar has some great frugal cookbooks and 'MaMa' has some awesome recipes.

Sometimes you just have to think outside the 'box'.

[Momto2Boyz]

I shop at Aldi's which has been my saving grace! Most of my meals are $2-$3 and feed a family of 4. I can copy and paste some of them off my blog for you!

[changed4life]

I make lentil soup and also navy bean soup for pennies when we are low on dinner choices. My family loves it and it's so easy to make.

[Frugal Girl]

Thanks so much for all of your tips. I'm looking at all your blogs in just a few minutes. Can't wait to see what recipes you've got.

I'm looking forward to beating the high prices. It just sometimes feel like the MAN is trying to control us by the high prices.

[sunshine]

From a cookbook dated 1946- I found it when going through stuff. I got it free from the library in a huge box.

BEAN ROAST

1 1/2 c. cooked dried beans
1 onion, minced
1/4 c. chopped parsley and green celery tips, mixed
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 c. whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/2 t. salt
2 t. melted butter
paprika

Combine the beans, onion, and parsley with the well beaten eggs. Mix in the remaining ingredients and turn into a buttered shallow baking pan. Pat into loaf shape and sprinkle well with paprika. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) 15-20 minutes, until browned. Serve with green pepper sauce and garnish with springs of parsley.

BEAN PATTIES

1 c. cooked navy or other beans
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/2 c. chopped parsley, packed
1 c. canned tomato pulp
2 eggs, well beaten
4 T. melted butter
1 t. salt
1 c. whole-wheat b read crumbs

Mash the beans or press though through a sieve. Mix in the other ingredients to make a mixture dry enough to shape. Form into round cakes and place on an oiled shallow baking pan. Brush the top of each cake with milk several times during the baking. Bake 15 minutes in a hot oven (450 degrees). Serve with tomato sauce or any other desired.


BEAN CROQUETTES

1 1/2 c. baked beans
1 onion. shredded fine
3/8 c. tomato juice
1 T. chili sauce
3/4 t. curry powder
1 1/2 T salt
1 1/2 T. melted butter
1 1/2 c. dry whole-wheat bread crumbs

Mash the beans or press them t hrough a sieve. Add the remaining ingredients, except crumbs, and mix thoroughly. Then add the crumbs, using only enough to make a mixture firm enough to mold. Divide into heaping servingspoonfuls and mold into the desired shape. Roll in whole-wheat bread flour or crumbs. Dip in either the white or yolk of 1 egg, thoroughly blended with 1 T. of water. Roll in whole-wheat cracker crumbs and place on a buttered baking pan. Bake in a hot oven (425 degrees) about 15 minutes, until browned. Turn once during baking if necessary to brown both sides. Serve with a be getable cream sauce or as an accompaniment for a raw vegetable salad.

Nut Rice Roast

1 c. cooked brown rice
1/3 c. drained cooked tomatoes (pulp)
1 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. finely chopped nutmeats (Filberts or black walnuts are good)
Butter for basting

Combine all ingreidents and mix thoroughly. Turn out onto a buttered pan and pat into loaf shape. Bake in a moderate oven until browned, basting several times with a mixture of butter and broth in equal parts. Bake about 35 inutes. Serve with a tomato sauce and garnish with sprigs of parsley or chopped green onion tops.

Mock Meat Loaf

1 c. minced onion
1 T. minced celery, leaves and all
2/3 c. finely chopped walnuts
2/3 c. drained cooked tomatoes
1 T. grated raw beet
3/4 t. salt, crushed thyme, or nutmeg as desired
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 shredded wheat biscuit, curmbled fine

combine the ingredients in the order listed. Mix well after adding the egg, then add the crumbled shredded wheat and mix in lightly. Pack into a buttered and floured loaf tin and bake in a moderate (350 degree) oven until firm enough to be turned out-- about 45 minutes. Serve with gravy and garnish with spring of parsely.

[sunshine]

Rice Muffins
1 1/2 cup flour - 4 tsp. baking powder - 1/2 tsp. salt - 2 tbl. sugar - 1 egg - 1/2 cup boiled rice - 1 cup milk - 3 tbl. melted butter. Sift flour, measure and sift again with dry ingredients. Beat egg ; add to milk and rice. Combine mixtures; add butter and beat only until well mixed. Drop in greased muffin tins and bake in a hot oven, 425 degrees, for twenty minutes. 12 muffins. Circa - 1929.

[sunshine]

CRISPY SKILLET BURRITOS

1 cup uncooked quick cooking rice
15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup each salsa and shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup each chopped cilantro and scallions or green onions
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 burrito size flour tortillas

Prepare rice as package directs. Stir in next 6 ingredients. Spoon 1 cup
mixture on each tortilla. Roll, tucking in 2 opposite sides to enclose filling.
Coat with nonstick spray. Heat a skillet. Add burritos, seam side down, and cook

5 min. or until browned. Reduce heat, cover and cook 2 min. to heat filling.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.*

[sunshine]

Soup Kitchen Potato Soup
1 medium onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup oleo
2 cups water
4 medium or 6 small cubed potatoes
Saute minced onion in 1/2 cup oleo. Add carrots, celery and 2 cups water. Boil 15 minutes. Add cubed potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add more water if needed.

Bread Line Stew
1 lb. ground beef
3 large carrots
2 large onions, sliced
2 large green peppers, sliced
1 large head cabbage
Brown ground beef; drain fat. Add sliced onions and green pepper. With vegetable peeler, shave cleaned carrots into the mixture. Slice cabbage thin and add to pot. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are done. Serve with applesauce and crusty bread.

Shoofly Pie

This is a recipe leftover from the depression some of you may remember it.

one and one half cups sifted flour
one-half cup granulated sugar
one-half cup brown sugar
one-half cup shortening
one-fourth teaspoon salt
one-half teaspoon nutmeg
one-half teaspoon cinnamon
one-half teaspoon ginger
one-half teaspoon soda
three-fourth cup hot water
three-fourth cup molasses or sorghum
PASTRY FOR ONE CRUST

Make crumbs by combining flour, sugar,nutmeg,ginger,cinnamon,shortening
Dissolve soda in hot water and combine with molasses OR sorghum --mix
all ingredients together. Pour into crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes
Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 40 minutes longer OR until
filling is firm. You can use all brown sugar IF you use sorghum

POOR Man's Casserole




1 small head of cabbage
2 large potatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds of hamburger
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less. depending on taste
pepper to taste
dash of paprika

Cut cabbage into cubes, salt and pepper to taste and cook until well done. Drain. Peel and quarter potatoes. Salt and cook until well done. Drain and mash potatoes with butter but make sure the mash potatoes are on the dry side. Place hamburger in large skillet, add onion and cook until well done. Drain off all the fat. Stir in the cumin. Line baking dish at least 3" inch deep with cabbage. Place meat mixture on top of cabbage. Cover the top with the mash potatoes, sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 25 minutes at 350/o. makes 4 large servings. In the casserole you had your whole meal. Meat potatoes and your vegetable.


Lima Beans en Casserole



1 1/2 cups lima beans, fresh, dried or canned,
1/4 pound bacon
1 cup milk
2 medium sized onions
salt and pepper
1/4 green pepper
flour

Cook beans until tender. Sear bacon in hot frying pan, then remove from pan and add onions and sliced green peppers. Cook these until tender. In greased casserole place layer of lima beans. Sprinkle onions and small pieces of bacon, salt and pepper to taste and a little flour over the surface of beans. Repeat until all material is used. Add milk and bake in oven, 400/o for 30 minutes. just before removing from the oven increase the heat 2minutes. Just to brown. If already brow omit this extra 2 minutes.

Beef Casserole



1 cup rice
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
little pepper
1 small onion
1 pound ground beef

Wash rice thoroughly. Add tomatoes, add seasonings, half the salt and pepper and all the sugar. Let stand for about 2 hours, then add ground beef seasoned with remaining salt, pepper, and the minced onion. Mix all well. Pour into casserole, cover and bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour, then uncover and continue to bake for 30 minutes. If tomatoes are a solid pack, it may be necessary to add just a little water to the mixture. Serves 4

Casserole of Vegetables with Ham



1 pound cabbage
2 cups carrots, cubed
2 cups turnips, diced
1 quart tomatoes
3 onions, sliced
bit of bay leaf
1 cup celery, diced or 1 teaspoon celery seed
end of ham
3/4 cup uncoated or polished rice
6 cloves
6 peppercorns

Quarter the cabbage and place in a deep casserole dish or pan. Add other vegetables alternately with the rice. Put the ham {from which the skin has been removed} in the middle, together with the spices, tied in a small piece of clean muslin cloth. Cover with boiling water and cook very gently for 3 hours in a slow oven at 275 degrees F..


Hot Dog Casserole



1 large green pepper, cut into long slivers
1 large onion, cut in half, then in long slivers
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons bacon fat
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" inch pieces
8 hot dogs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
dash cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Preheat the oven at 350/o. In a large frying pan, place green pepper, onion, and garlic in bacon drippings.Saute until slightly tender but not soft. Set the pan aside. Place potatoes in a large saucepan filled with salted water. Cook the potatoes at a slow boil for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. To prepare sauce, put tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix well. Add the sauteed vegetables, potatoes and hot dogs to the sauce. Mix well. Place the mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish or pan. Cover the dish and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Allow the dish to set for a few minutes before serving.


Scalloped Corn
1 can corn
3 eggs
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups sweet milk
1/2 cup soda cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs separately, put 1 teaspoon of butter in baking dish and 2 tablespoons butter melted butter into cracker crumbs. Add yokes of eggs, milk, salt and sugar to corn, fold in whites of eggs. Bake in casserole dish for fifty minutes in moderate oven.

Stuffed Cabbage


1 medium head cabbage
2 ounces pork, chopped fine
2 ounce veal
2 tablespoons butter
2 egg yokes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon onion
1 cup crumbs
1 pimento

Parboil cabbage, drain and let cool. Open leaves and scoop out center of cabbage, save the center and chopped it fine, add bread crumbs, moistened with butter, add meat, seasoning and the cabbage that has been chopped fine. Mix these all together. Stuff into the cavity of the cabbage. fold the leaves back over, and tie with a string to hold. Bake in moderate oven for about 3 hours.


Spanish Rice


6 slices chopped bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
2 cans canned tomatoes
3 cups cooked rice
1 cup uncooked rice { makes about 3 cups of cooked rice }
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Fry bacon until crisp, remove bacon, then cook onion and green peppers until the onion turns a yellow color. Add all remaining ingredients to the bacon and onion mixture. Bake in greased casserole dish, at 350/o for 30 minutes. If desired sprinkle grated american cheese over the top before baking This recipe will serve 8.

Crazy Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cold water


Directions:
1 Sift flour, sugar, salt, soda, and cocoa together into a 9 x 13 inch ungreased cake pan. Make three wells. Pour oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into third well. Pour cold water over all, and stir well with fork.
2 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Frost with your favorite icing.


OATMEAL PIE - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need 1 unbaked pie shell.

2/3 cup regular oats, uncooked
2/3 cup light corn syrup (or honey equivalent - maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
2/3 cup sugar, (white or brown, your choice)
1 tsp. vanilla, or your favorite flavor extract
2 eggs beaten (or use equivalent egg mix)
2/3 cup melted butter, cooled (or use equivalent butter powder, reconstituted)
Mix all ingredients in the order they are given. Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

[sunshine]

Fake crab cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup water
8 oz imitation crabmeat
3 tbsp tartar sauce
1 pkg of stuffing mix

Mix everything together and let set in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Spray the pan with cooking spray and slowly cook them so the outside is
golden brown. Be careful when flipping them so they don't fall apart.