Super savings homemade basics

**jinx** · 01-30-2007, 07:45 AM

Here are a few things I make from scratch. I make marshmallows and gum drops. Occasionally I will make peanut brittle and cracker jax.
I bake from scratch alot. I usually make muffins, cupcakes scones, etc. I have a bagel recipe but I have yet to try it. When I was home more I used to make my own bread, and pasta. At least once a month, I make a huge batch of waffles and freeze them.
I always make my own salad dressing, we like mostly a oil and vinegar dressing.
Tomato sauce for pasta and all my soup stocks are homemade. The crockpot is a blessing for that, just throw everything in it at night and it is made when when I get up. I do keep some store bought chicken broth on hand.
I have never made any cleaning products, though I would like to try

**ImEmile** · 01-31-2007, 01:09 AM

Here's another suggestion, find some good cookbooks in English of traditional Georgian food. I don't know how healthy it tends to be (Lebanese food is naturally pretty South Beach Diet-friendly, for example) but the foods that are used by the people from that country are going to be cheaper for you, while things for more American-style foods are going to cost more. And if it tends to be heavier than you're used to (or your diet cares for) you can always adjust them after you've tried them a time or two.

**jkelstaten** · 01-31-2007, 01:42 AM

I have gotten ahold of the ONE Georgian cookbook that is in English, but it's a feast cookbook, not everyday foods. So the many of the recipes call for a walnut sauce which is their specialty, but my girl's are allergic to nuts and they are very expensive because of supply/demand. Everybody feels they "have" to have them or they are not serving an authentic Georgian feast....lol

Also, the foods tend to be very fatty, too thick for my palate, etc. There are a few good foods that we like, but the recipes are all verbal and they don't use measuring things like we do. It's all by site. They teach the daughters as they grow up and pass things down that way. So it will take me a long time to learn how to cook their food. They also don't have a very balanced diet. They are either very overweight or very underweight. We return to the states in 3 months, but will only be staying for a year or two before returning here. When we return here I will have a longer time to learn since we'll be here for 4 years at a time.

**ImEmile** · 02-01-2007, 03:00 AM

While you're home check out used bookstores and try to find older cookbooks from around the depression era. I've heard this advice but after I was already in Lebanon. LOL Apparently you can find all kinds of good recipes for cooking from scratch rather than using canned or processed ingredients. Also, if there's a community college that teaches cooking courses. You obviously how to cook, but maybe a course would be offered that would help with the scratch part and how to substitute various things, etc. They usuallydon't cost too much if they're part of the adult classes that are offered for no credit. I'm thinking of doing that if we're home for a whole summer or even after we move back because we're eating healthier when I'm cooking from scratch.

I checked out your website and I think I saw a picture of your family. Where will you be in the States?