Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
How to Make Turkey Stock – johanna
November 20th, 2009 | Filed under: KITCHEN SCIENCE, RECIPES - Soup / Salad, THE BUDGET PANTRY
Photo by: Chow.com
When I make soups I use a product I buy at Costco called Better Than Bullion. Basically it is stock that has been boiled down into a concentrated paste. I like it better than bullion or canned broth but it does not compare to the real stuff. I made a pot roast the other day and saved the juices to make beef stew. It was ten times better than anything from a can. Stock can be made using the drippings from a roast pan or by boiling the leftover turkey or chicken carcasses.
To make turkey stock:
- De-bone the turkey by removing all the meat from the bones.
- Chop up the turkey to fit in a large pot. Cover with water about 1-inch or so above the turkey. Bring the water to a boil then turn down the heat to low; cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Occasionally skim the foam from the top.
Variations:
- Strain the broth into a large bowl or container using a thin kitchen cloth or cheese cloth placed on a strainer. Let cool. Skim the fat from the top. Freeze. This version does not have much flavor. It is best used in soups.
- Once the water has simmered for an hour add chopped onions, carrots, celery with the leaves, whole garlic cloves, parsnips, thyme, parsley and peppercorns. This version has flavor and can be used in soups, sauces or in anything else chicken or turkey stock is called for.
- Add the turkey neck and giblets to the pot with the turkey.
Should make about 3-4 quarts of stock.
At Home Vacations and Nickle and Dime Get-a-ways – johanna
April 3rd, 2009 | Filed under: THE BOOKSHELF, THE BUDGET PANTRY
In February, the local schools were out for Presidents week. The mother hen that I am, I loved having Mason home. We enjoyed sleeping in, staying up late, a morning in the mountains playing in the snow, a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, stomping in mud puddles and bike rides to the park on the days it was not raining.
Spring Break is coming up and like most families watching their cash, we want make the most of the week on very little spending. I learned about some really great ideas from the Family Fun website, Woman’s Day Magazine and other moms in the area for fun activities and adventures that will not break the bank.
At-home summer camp: Give each day a theme. Monday is park day, Tuesday is library day, Wednesday is swimming, Thursday is trip day- visit the zoo, go up the canyon for a hike, or some other fun activity. Friday is jar day- Write activities (bake cookies, jump on the trampoline, take a bath, play game, write a story, call a friend to play with) on slips of paper and place in a jar. Whatever they draw out, they need to do for at least a half hour.
Souvenirs: Kids mostly remember the special treats and souvenirs. If you plan on staying home, give the kids a little spending money. Take the kids out for a treat one evening. Going grocery shopping? Let them pick out a souvenir. It could be candy, a magazine or a pretty bar of soap.
The Plaza Hotel: Ever thought of getting into the Bed and Breakfast business? Now you can. Have the kids book a room at home. Complete with turn down service and a chocolate or an origami towel on the pillow. Make a mom and dad do not disturb sign. Create a room service breakfast menu with check off boxes. Clear the counter off and leave mini soaps and folded towels.
A Night Out: Fancy a little night life? Pull out the board games. Work on a puzzle. Watch a movie. Play glow in the dark volleyball or ghost in the graveyard.
Act like tourists: Take public transportation or walk.
Send Postcards: Buy or make postcards and send them to loved ones near or far.
Buy vacation food: Purchase single serving cereal boxes.
Back yard camping trip: Set up the tent in the backyard. Grab flashlights, the Coleman and a cooler of food and drinks. Tell stories and roast marshmallows just as you would on a camping trip.
Host an iron man chef contest: Host a family cook off.
Neighborhood Attractions: Take advantage of the best your state has to offer in your own backyard by spending the day carousing nearby cities and/or landmarks. Choose a different destination each day, returning home to sleep at night. Enjoy fishing, hiking, river rafting, whale watching, national parks, dinner cruises, the beach, an amusement park, museums, water parks, cave exploration, the zoo, historical tourist stops. Grab breakfast at home and do not forget to pack a cooler with snacks and lunch. Visit Trip Advisor for ideas on locales just tank of gas .
Timeshares and camping: Book a timeshare or go camping. Both options are cheaper than a hotel stay and because the kitchen is on site you save on the cost of meals. Camp sites usually run from $16 dollars to $25 dollars a night. With the economy upside down a friend of mine says you can snag a timeshare for $200 a week.
Farm Stays: Ever wonder what life is like on a farm? Now you can get in the thick of things with a “haycation“. Dine on meals made with fresh picked food. Help gather eggs and milk a cow. Take a horse ride. Both working and non-working farms provide accommodations be it a room in the main farmhouse or a cabin located on the land. Farm stays can vary from bed and breakfast to dude ranch to actually lending a hand with the chores on the farm.
Airfare: Register with Airfare Watch Dog to get rock bottom steals on airfare tickets. A friend of mine purchased 2 round trip tickets to Iowa for $400 versus the $700 per ticket going rate. My sister found tickets from Florida to Califorina for under $200.
Hold the Crust Please – johanna
March 23rd, 2009 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
I had an Epiphany while making PB&J Sandwiches for lunch. As I stood there staring at the pile of wasted bread crusts (the kids do not like to eat the crust), I thought this is almost two and a half slices of bread about to be thrown into the garbage. My mom always told us to eat our crusts, because it makes your hair curly. It was a saying passed down from her father who loved the crust best of all. “Back in my day…” untouched food on the plate usually elicited a comment like “eat your greens, there are starving kids in China.” Or something like “Waste not, want not.”
What I should have done, was cut the crust off before spreading the peanut butter and jelly and used it for croutons or bread crumbs. With stopping the waste on my mind, I saved the leftover half eaten bananas from breakfast and used them in a banana smoothie at snack time. I try to freeze extra fruit and vegetables before they go bad, especially blueberries and strawberries, which we use to make smoothies. Once I tried to compost from leftover food scraps, it ended in a fly-infested mess. Making a compost pile is not as easy as it sounds. Most of the time, I try to scale down recipes or try to turn a leftover into something else. Stephen refuses to eat leftovers and some leftovers are not as good the next day.
The teacher’s aide at Mason’s school uses up vegetables by throwing them in a pot for soup, or roasts them with some meat. My mom used to make her version of tootsie rolls from pie dough scraps. My brother told me about some friends of ours who continuously used the same enormous pickle jar by adding fresh mini cucumbers to the brine. Love Food Hate Waste is a site dedicated to helping the community become more mindful of what we throw away and how to use what we have. The Kitchn suggested using a magnetic whiteboard on the fridge. Every time they buy produce, they write it down. As it gets used up, erase it from the board. Also, write down any leftovers in the fridge.
A friend’s mom once asked me to help her make a menu using a list of food items. A college student at the time, I took great care to make sure every ounce of the food I picked would be used up. She laughed when she saw my final draft noting it looked boring. Where was the variety? I was thinking as a budget-minded college student, which is probably the mindset we should have when planning our meals. Planning meals around each other ensures we use every cent spent and it is less likely the food will go to waste. Every item has a purpose. It is just as important when making a shopping list to write down the exact amount of ingredients needed. Check the freezer, pantry and refrigerator first. Why spend the extra cash on something you already have. When planning a weekly menu keep in mind, if you like to eat out one or two nights a week, only plan dinners for five or six nights.
I learned a valuable lesson during our last move. 1. It is easy to stockpile goods and 2. There are at least four to six meals hidden away in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry.
Text Before You Buy With Google – johanna
February 19th, 2009 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
The next time you are out shopping and wonder if you are getting a good deal send a text message to Google at 466453. The service is free although carrier text message fees may apply. Text the name of the item, the price and the product code. Google will text you back a list of stores and their price fore the same item. Simply go to Google Mobile link to get started.
I Paid That Much? – johanna
February 3rd, 2009 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
I ran over to Target to buy Mason a prize for achieving his quota. He has a hard time not goofing off when it comes to homework and signing his name each morning at school. So, we made a chart to keep him on task and ultimately win a reward. I also was in search of inspiration. The kitchen chairs are in desperate need of new covers. The third item on my list was cleaning supplies. Normally, I purchase cleaning supplies at the dollar store, but I had Mason and only wanted to make one stop. An enormous mistake I will never make again.
Mop- $10
2 packs of 6 scrub sponges- $8
Dish scrubbers- (Stephen’s request) $27.18 total
2 canisters windex wipes- $5.38 total
2 cans Comet- 1.58 total
All Purpose Green cleaner- 3.59
Cleaning gloves- 2.49
Total: 58.22
Dollar Store total: under $20.00
Beef - Is on the Menu….All Week! – johanna
January 27th, 2009 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Earlier in the month I bought a package of steaks and pork chops. Somehow the packages ended up in the freezer before they were divided up and sealed. Needless to say they had to be used before frost bite set in. I had four huge steaks thawing in the refrigerator and here is what I made with them. On Taco Tuesday we had steak fajitas. Asian style Friday was Broccoli Beef Stir-fry. The next night Salad Saturday a steak salad with grilled vegetables. Lunch the next day, steak sandwiches.
My steak and potato boys definately had their fill. It is not often that we have beef. What a shame it had to be consumed all in one week.
30-Day Meal Plan: Planning and Shopping for the Month Saves Time and Money – johanna
November 26th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Make it Simple:
The idea of once a month cooking is to simplify life. If a month sounds too overwhelming start small. Try once a week cooking, gradually adding more meals as you become acclimated. Trouble finding the time? Hire a baby sitter, cook in smaller amounts during the day, double favorite recipes and freeze the excess, cook with a friend.
Meal Planning:
A few days before the beginning of the month begin assembling a menu for the month. I am a list person. On my menu I like to write down the name of the recipe, where to find the recipe (including the page number if it is in a book). My sister Allison uses recipe cards she pulls out and keeps together for reference. Choose 6-14 recipes. This number is based on the probability of eating a particular dish several times throughout the month. My sister-n-law Natalie has three monthly menus she rotates. She gets the kids involved in planning the menu by having them choose a few of their favorite recipes. Or designate one day out of the week to each child and let them come up with the menu for that day.
Now that the menu is in order it is time to compile a shopping list. Go through each recipe to determine how much of each ingredient is needed. Factor in how many times a particular recipe will be used that month. (If using a OMC recipe the amount should already be calculated for 4-6 meals) Other products to include on the list may include freezer bags-gallon and quart, freezer wrap, aluminum foil and aluminum baking pans (optional).
Grocery Shopping:
Utilize the weekly sales flyer to plan meals around sale items for maximum savings. To get the most for your money shop around for the best deals and consider buying in bulk from a warehouse. Warehouses tend to have the best deals on spices, meats, dairy and bread. Use store circulars to compare prices on fruits and vegetables.
Plan to go shopping on a day when you will not be rushed. Hire a babysitter or trade babysitting with a friend. Give your self time to frequent several stores to get the best prices.
Once the food is home take care of your purchases. My sister uses shopping day to separate and bag the raw meat by quantity per recipe or sauce. She freezes chicken or beef in marinades to be used in simple dishes. She does not cook anything on shopping day. Some once a month veterans shop and cook on the same day.
Cooking Day:
At home divide the meat for each meal into bags. Add a sauce or marinade if needed to the bag. My sister puts the rest of the groceries away then goes through the recipe cards and organizes them by meat or sauce- chicken, beef and tomato. Then she picks the meals she wants to make that week. Instead of making every meal at once she prepares according to what is on the menu that night. If it is a tomato sauce night, she doubles the recipe to make sauce for general purposes and then makes other tomato based dishes to freeze. When beef or chicken is on the menu she checks her recipe cards for other meals that have the same basic flavoring and doubles the meat to assemble the other recipes. Add garlic and onion to beef for an Italian flavor. Add chili power the next night for tacos and an egg with oatmeal for meatloaf the following night. Double each meal then freeze.
Freeze your Meals:
Once your meals are cool, find a place for them in them in the freezer. Label all meals with the name of the meal, cooking instructions and the date it was frozen.
Freezer Bags - The bags spread out flat and they stack up nicely on top of each other taking less space. Pour cooled liquid such as soups and sauces into freezer bags and lay flat on a shelf in the freezer. For casseroles, freeze in the pan then pop out and store in a freezer bag. Remember to remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn.
Foil Pans or Freezer Containers – For casseroles such as lasagna or enchiladas, put a layer of plastic wrap on top of the food then cover with foil. Make sure that you use enough wrap to cover over the entire top of the dish.
Vacuum Sealer - These are great because they help to protect your food from freezer burn allowing the food to stay really fresh tasting. Never seal liquids unless they have been frozen first. Same goes for raw meat. The suction can cause the juices to enter the sealer and damage the unit.
Recipe Links:
pammshouse
bakingdelights
christysclipart
Cooking Tips:
- Do not freeze pasta in sauces or soup. It turns mushy (I learned that the hard way). Grains such as barley may be added after the soup cools. Use fresh beans cooked until slightly tender. Canned and over cooked beans turn to mush in the freezer.
- I have tried freezing raw potatoes, not a good idea. They do say however mashed potatoes are fine to freeze.
- I read once it was not a good idea to free meals with cream of soup in them but every recipe labeled OMC pretty much has some cream of soup in it. I am guessing it must be ok.
- Use marinades for raw meat.
- Cooked meat has a shorter life span in the freezer than raw.
Never refreeze meat. That includes cooked meat that was once frozen.
Fast and Easy Cooking Tips – johanna
November 15th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Dinner time for us is the most hectic time of the day. The kids are on overdrive and usually require constant mediation. And, there is very hungry baby attached to my leg while I am trying to cook who knows if I am in the kitchen, there is food involved. My tactics to keep them occupied last, only so long. Therefore; if I want to keep my sanity, dinner has to be quick and easy.
Plan ahead: A weekly menu is my shopping list and it eliminates the hassle of trying to find something to cook at the last minute. I always know what is for dinner ahead of time and plan accordingly. That may include dicing vegetables in the morning or at lunch time.
Double a Recipe: When I make a meal that will freeze well, I double or triple it and freeze for later. Sauces generally take the most time to make. I like to make extra and freeze it in plastic bags or plastic containers. The same goes for soups.
Restaurant Night: This idea I found on budget101. We are not big on leftovers, so I freeze what is left in individual portions. One night when I do not feel like cooking, we have a restaurant night. Everyone gets to choose what they want to eat.
Crock Pot Dinners: Fast and easy. Just throw in the ingredients and leave it. Add a couple side dishes for a complete meal. Clean up is just as quick.
Three Meals Out of One: A whole chicken transforms into Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Soup, a dinner salad and enchiladas. Make a pot roast with roasted veggies, Stroganoff with potatoes, beef stew, tacos and Asian beef stir-fry. Tomatoes become pizzas, spaghetti with sausage, chicken parmesan with left over spaghetti. If I have time in the kitchen, I put the meals together all at the same time and then refrigerate or freeze them.
Make Dinner in the morning: A friend of mine cooks dinner in the morning. Come 5:00 all she has to do is heat it up.
The Grill: Another friend of mine takes out the meat in the morning and puts it in a dish or plastic bag, pours in a marinade such as Italian dressing and puts the dish back in the refrigerator. When she gets home from work, she fires up the grill. While the meat is cooking, she puts together a few simple sides dishes.
30-Day Meals: At the beginning of the month, my sister lays out her recipe cards for the whole month and makes a shopping list. Once she gets the food home, she separates it into piles: beef, chicken, tomato, etc. She divides up the meat into portions and puts them in freezer bags, adds marinade such as Yoshida’s Teriyaki sauce, juice, tomato sauce, seasonings, Italian dressing-liquid or power, then places the meat in the freezer. When it is time for dinner, she pulls out a meat, puts it in a casserole dish, adds some frozen veggies and bakes it while she takes a walk.
Eliminating Debt By Spending Less and Using What you Already Have – johanna
November 8th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Everything costs more these days. Only a short while ago I could purchase 10 ears of corn for a dollar. Now they sell for .50 cents an ear. With the cost of just about everything on the rise the hum in the air is how do I get the most on a limited budget and eliminate debt. How much you save depends on how aggressive you are.
For budgeting and finances I turn to Mary Hunt. She writes the “Solutions your Money†column in Woman’s Day magazine and has her own website at debtproofliving.com
Some other great budgeting sites I use are flylady.net, budget101.com, cafemom.com, pioneerthinking.com. You can also find recipes, organization and other household tips.
When I started making a list of all the helpful tips I have learned over the years the list kept growing. This is a list I put together from tips I have used and those I have read from the websites listed above.
ELIMINATING DEBT:
- Stop spending!!! Change your habits!!!
- Think hard before you buy. Do you really need it?
- If you have to impress your friends they are not really your friends.
- Eliminate the extras: cell phones, movies, cable, eating out.
- Walk more, drive less.
- Save postage by paying bills online.
- Shop thrift stores and yard sales for clothing, books and kitchen essentials.
- Buy clothing out of season when they are on sale.
- Borrow movies, books and music from the library.
- Shop the dollar store for cleaning supplies, party goods and snacks.
- Join a food co-op for cheaper groceries. Receive a box of fresh fruits and vegetables on your door step every month. Go to localharvest.org, coopdirectory.org/ or niany.com to find a co-op.
- Relax while getting a massage at a massage school.
- Cut your children’s hair or take them to a Cosmetology school.
- Enjoy free local entertainment.
- Sell unused unwanted items on Craigslist.org, ebay, amazon, sell.com or have a yard sale.
- Have books in good condition? Go to cash4books.net or visit a local used books store to make a trade.
- Take your gently used and in perfect condition clothing to a Consignment Shop. Depending on the shop, some will give you money up front while others set up a store account.
- Turn off the electricity when not in use.
- Buy out of season: Can or freeze fruits and vegetables when in season.
- Abandon the pre-packaged foods.
- Use Coupons
- Create a Menu.
- Do not buy or use more than you need.
- Make a month’s worth of meals at once. savingdinner.com
USE WHAT YOU HAVE:
- Take care of purchases.
- Food: wrap it up, use it and freeze it.
Clothes: Wash stains out immediately. Hang dry, keeps clothes nicer longer.
Wash and dry comforters at a self service laundry mat instead of the dry cleaners. - Turn old clothes into something new: Tote Bags, Kids clothes, doll clothes, dust rags, a quilt, photo album, pillow case…
- Make your own: broth, lunchables, baking mixes, baby food, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, snacks, bread.
- Grow your own garden.
- Cook more at home. Eat out less
- Brown bag it.
- Use over ripe fruit to make breads or muffins.
- If a recipe calls for egg yolks save the whites to make an omelet for breakfast.
- Use water, fresh fruits and veggies rather than the prepackaged snacks and juice boxes.
- Use fruits to flavor water: lemons, limes, unsweetened cranberry concentrate, cucumber slices, mint leaves or blueberries to flavor water.
- Use what you have on hand by creating budget meals from items in your freezer and pantry.
- Turn one meal into three.
- If your family is not fond of leftovers only make enough for that evening’s dinner.
- Freeze leftovers in individual portions using a vacuum sealer. Have a restaurant night complete with a menu listing the “leftover†entrees.
- Use fewer ingredients. If the recipe calls for two cans of beans ask your self, do I really need to use both cans. Same with meats, one chicken breast shredded or cubed goes a long way.
- Make a double batch and freeze it for another day when you do not feel like cooking.
- Make your own cleaning agents.
How to Lower Your Grocery Bill- Using Coupons – johanna
November 7th, 2008 | Filed under: THE BUDGET PANTRY
Extreme shoppers can slice as much as 50% - 60% off their monthly grocery bill just by using coupons and waiting until the item goes on sale. If it is not on sale, they do not buy it. They stock up on the items they use the most while they are on sale and they plan their menus around the bargains they can pick up at the grocery store that week.
To get the scoop, check out thegrocerygame.com. The site tells you what’s on sale at the store you choose, then click the coupon and print. It does cost money, but you can get a four week trial for just a dollar.
Other sites worth a visit include: couponing, MommySavesBig, CouponMom, MyGroceryDeals, thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot, budget101.
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