Cooking from scratch

[momof42003]

Toile asked about a cooking from scratch challenge, and it got me thinking what could I cook from scratch instead of buying prepared..

While doing grocery shopping, I nearly picked up a 3 boxes of hamburger helper (that is about how much I need for my family), and realized that it would be just as easy to make "goulosh" I took:

1/2 pound hamburger
1 large can tomato sauce
2 small cans of stewed tomatoes
can of olives
macaroni noodles

Brown the hambuger and combine the next three ingredients, simmer for about 10 minutes, cook macaroni and mix together. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

Instead of spending 7 dollars on one meal I spent about 4 dollars and got two plus meals... I just served canned corn and a glass of milk with it. Tonight I am going to make cornbread and have some fruit with it.


Sunday night I made stirfry over rice:

one bag of stir fry veggies 4.98
extra broccoli 1.50
spice packet 99cents
little oil
some rice (5.00 for the box and used 1 meals worth=about 1.00 maybe less)

So for about 8.50 I fed a family of 6 (both boys got seconds), and if we had gone out to Chinese it would have easily been 40-50 dollars.. Saved a bunch of money..

I think that I will begin to enjoy this cooking from scratch or close as I can to scratch challenge I am doing for myself... Any one else trying this??

[momof42003]

I used the stew meat we had gotten last year when we ordered our side of beef. It was all cut into perfect sizes. So that didn't cost me anything on Sunday....

[Ceashels]

Isn't it a great feeling to save so much. And the hamburger helper meals really don't take up that much time. I do taco seasonings in my meat then add pasta with a little extra water so it isn't too dry. Then top it with cheese. Everything is good with cheese!

[Momto2Boyz]

Goulash is always soooo much better than Hamburger Helper! I'm actually making it tonight for the family!

My recipe for a family of 4 is a bit different but mostly the same.

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 package of macaroni noodles

The cost of this meal for my family of 4 is $2.18 which includes a side of green beans (from a can).

I have to say, I've been breaking down each of my grocery lists on my blog, basically finding out how much we are spending on each meal...where our budget is "leaking" money unnecessarily, etc. And it helps to see how much cooking from scratch is saving me!

Here is what I spent on meals for the week ( I shop at Aldi's and use their ground turkey, becuase it is cheaper, and each recipe that calls for burger meat gets 1/2 pound):
$2.37 ~ Chicken Casserole (with cheese)
$5.92 ~ Meatless Chili Frito Pie (with cheese, sour cream & corn chips)
$2.18 ~ Goulash with Green Beans
$2.30 ~ Spaghetti with Homemade Garlic Bread
$1.43 ~ Hamburger Casserole w/ Veggie
$1.36 ~ Tator Tot Casserole w/ veggie
$3.18 ~ Eggs & Hash

[sunshine]

I rarely buy canned soups anymore -- I can make soup easily from ingredients on hand, control the amount of fat and salt in it, so it's healthier too.

TV dinners -- I went to the Dollar Store, several years ago, and purchased a stack of divided plates with lids. Now, I put portions of meat, veggies, dessert in the plates BEFORE I serve dinner, freeze and have on hand for those times I used to grab a TV dinner.

[toile]

I have been cooking from scratch since the day I posted that.
I only had 2 slips ups, $5.99 pizza for one large pizza locally, and one Wendys trip LOL.

I have cooked a lot from scratch mostly anyways... so it wasnt totally new for me.
More of a get back on track sort of thing

[mandimade]

I found this on a blog and it is super good. You get a huge loaf.

One-Hour French Bread
1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
3 - 4 cups flour (any combination of white and whole wheat)

Combine water, salt, honey, and yeast in a medium bowl. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes, until bubbling. Add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, until dough is no longer sticky (I'll sometimes dump the dough out onto the cutting board with what flour is in the bowl and roll it around,adding a bit more flour, until it's not sticky). Roll dough into a 12 - 14" roll (or you can divide it in half and roll it into two long skinny baguettes). Place dough roll(s) on a cookie sheet (this won't work in a bread pan), greased or sprayed with non-stick spray, cover, and let sit 20 minutes. Preheat oven 375º Make diagonal slits, 1/2" deep, on top with a razor blade. (Optional: spray with salt water). Bake 20 minutes.