Menus for Frugality

[lcertuche]

My meal choices have always been eat or don't eat, lol.

 

[baymule]

I don't really plan a menu. I just cook what I feel like fixing. Tonight I made what we call Cornbread Supper, I browned a pound of sausage, saute'd a half chopped onion in the grease, grated 2 cups of cheese and put it in the middle of a skillet of cornbread. One piece is a meal and we'll have it for the next several days. Last night was fried chicken livers, gizzards and hearts with mashed potatoes. We had the leftover livers and gizzards today for lunch, the leftover potatoes will be used to make potato patties. If I just don't feel like cooking, there's always grill cheese sandwiches.

The freezer is packed with vegetables, blueberries, pork, chicken, pecans, and more. I canned chicken meat and used the first jar to make chicken salad for lunch a couple days ago and we ate the rest of it for supper that night. I can throw something together easily because of working for years and having to come home and having little time to fix supper.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Recipe? What's a recipe? LOL

I haven't made them in a while, but I basically just smashed the beans, added some "stuff", formed 'em into patties, dusted em with a little flour and cooked 'em in a frying pan and ate 'em. The "stuff" I added consisted of finely chopped onion and garlic, a little cilantro, some cumin, salt and lotsa pepper, an egg, breadcrumbs, a couple tablespoons of mexi-corn and a dash of hot sauce.

Probably leave the corn out in the future, lol! Those of you who may have read my thread about the trials and tribulations of my new LGD, Cowboy, on BYH will know why!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Cowboy ruined corn for you for a while huh?

 

[Britesea]

I would stick with the masa- the process of nixtamalization unlocks a lot more of the nutrients in the corn- making them more bioavailable.

 

[sumi]

I got a frugal recipe myself. Growing up in South Africa my mom often made us bean soup, which was a big family favourite. I've been unable to find the dried speckled beans she used here, in Ireland, but I found a good and cheap substitute that works just as well: mixed tinned beans. I found one with small red beans, chick peas and another small bean variety (sorry, I'm too lazy to go downstairs and look now ). I put a tin of these in a pan with about 2 cups of water, a little bit of meat, about half a carrot (chopped), 1-2 small potatoes (chopped), some chopped onion and half a stock cube of whatever meat I'm using (mutton or beef usually). Bring to boil and simmer for about an hour. It's delicious and costs me well under €2.00 for the meal, which is enough for two portions. Since it's only me and my son I cook "small".

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've been known to take an eggplant, slice it into rounds, brush it with olive oil and bake it on a cookie sheet. After it's about 3/4's done I'll spread a little spaghetti sauce on it and pile on some grated parm and let it finish baking. DH loves it because it's diabetic friendly and tastes like pizza. I might get some pepperoni and put on the next batch. Same thing can be done with zucchini/yellow squash slices.

 

[baymule]

Chunk up squash and roll in Ranch dry mix, then bake on a cookie sheet.

 

[lcertuche]

It's cinnamon rolls this morning for the Wildbunch. The dough is rising now. Pretty quick to mix in the blender. I just use my regular bread recipe and add and egg to it. Roll it out. Spread butter, on the dough, pour sugar over it and cinnamon it heavily. Roll up, slice and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake until done, about 25 minutes, give or take a few minutes. I usually don't bother with a glaze. Much cheaper than the bakery.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Since the hurricane I have been trying to cook bean soup with pasta at least once a week. I can’t believe how much canned beans and pasta I now have stock piled. I should probably think of something to do with the peanut butter. I have a feeling I will be eating it past the expiration date. I stopped going to the donation lines because of not having much room for more but it doesn’t matter because it gets delivered anyway 🤷‍♀️. Oh and the oatmeal. I have a feeling I won’t eat it fast enough too. Been making oatmeal cake sometimes.