How I stretch my food dollars...

[naturallia]

If I posted what I buy and make with what I get, complete with recipes, breakdown of what it cost me, and maybe pictures, would there be any interest?

[joystrength]

:yes :yes :heart :heart

I think we're all looking for ways to "stretch" ... even if it's just with new/different recipes.
I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for culinary/financial inspiration! :cool

[purplerose]

:yes

[RealLifeMama]

Yes, definitely!
I think that most moms on here are looking to make the most of their food budget.
:heart

[naturallia]

Okay, here's what I did on Wednesday.

a whole roast chicken I found on sale for $5
2 lb. potatoes - $3, I used half. (1.50)
baby carrots- 2 lb bag (free from WIC voucher)
1/2 onion, sliced and seperated into half-moons (1 onion was .89)

Preheat oven 350.

Scatter the potatoes (cubed), carrots, and onions in a baking dish and place chicken on top. Pat the chicken dry and be careful to not peel the skin off, this will keep moisture in. Drizzle all of the veggies and chicken with whatever oil you have on hand, I used EVOO and the sprinkle with herbs that you have on hand, I had rosemary, majoram, pepper,and salt.

Put in oven and leave it alone for an hour at 350. Check on it and if it's starting to brown, turn it down to 300. Leave it alone another 2 hours (the slow low cooking keeps juices in)

Check chicken by twisting leg. If it comes loose, it's done, even if the meat is a little bit pink. Just let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to let it rest and it will finish cooking through.

Serve the legs, thighs,and lower part of breasts with the vegetables. Pass the ketchup and bbq sauce if desired.

Cut up the chicken breasts and put in the fridge and mark it off limits. Put the carcass and the wings in a stockpot, pour the pan juices from dinner and scrape any bits of vegetables stuck to the pan up and put in the stockpot. Fill with water just to cover most of the carcass and press the bones down into water and set at a medium simmer and let it simmer until bedtime. After the kids are down, I strained this into a plastic container with a tight fitting lid and put it in the fridge. (it will seperate into three layers= tiny bits of meat and vegetables, the stock, then a layer of fat, peel off the top layer) and then have a freezer plastic bag handy as you work with the carcass. I pulled the meat off the wings, all the little bits of meat from between the ribs, everything. You want those bones bare by the time you're done with them. Freeze the bag of meat (I ended up with 1 1/2 cups of tiny bits of meat, including marrow) I will use this later to make "dirty rice".

Now you want to get out the bag of dry pinto beans and start them soaking for tomorrow's dinner.

On Thursday,

1 lb bag pinto beans .89
1 box cornbread stuffing mix .79
1/4 onion, chopped (same onion from yesterday)
1 slice of American cheese per person (1.09 for 24 slices)

Drain the beans that has been soaking overnight. Place in slowcooker and fill with water to cover and set to low and let it cook about 6 hours before switching off or to the keep warm setting.

At dinnertime, open the box of stuffing and I used the microwave instructions, only I used the juices of the beans instead of water for extra protein and flavor.

Serve by scooping out some stuffing onto plates and then ladling a ladleful of beans onto the stuffing. Rip up one slice of American cheese and put on beans and sprinkle with the chopped onion.

At the table, pass the hot sauce or the ketchup.

(I call this "Tootin' Stuffin' :shifty)

Here's what "Tootin' Stuffin" looks like. It's DELICIOUS! It costs less than $2 to make and made 6 servings, which is what we had for lunch the last three days.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5136.jpg

Yesterday,
I made rice and stirred leftover beans into it and let each member of the household tweak their own serving. My son wanted 1 slice american cheese on it, I wanted ranch dressing on mine, and DH wnted hot sauce on his.

Tonight, I'm making "jambalaya" from the leftover chicken breasts on Wednesday, the leftover rice from last night, the leftover beans, the stock from Wednesday, the last 1/4 of that onion, and a bag of okra I scored for $2.50. I will make it enough to last us tonight and tomorrow night.

[RealLifeMama]

Thank you for sharing.
It is always nice to hear what other people serve for dinner.

One thing that always amazes me when I read threads like this (pretty much anything that is about "use the leftovers in X,Y,Z") is how far the food goes. I guess my family must eat a lot, or else I just do not cook large enough quantities, but we almost never have enough leftover to do anything with.

[Unique]

Thanks for sharing Tishia, this helps me as we are totally lacking in the finace dept at the mo' and I hope to be more frugal with our money :heart

[naturallia]

Jambayla

bag frozen okra (this is the only thing I had to open, which cost $2.50, therefore, all of this food cost only that much)
leftover rice
leftover beans
leftover chicken
leftover onion
the stock, skimmed of fat.

Here's what I took out of the fridge...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5140.jpg

First, I heated the pot and put in a bit of olive oil and let that warm up. Meanwhile, I chopped up the onion and chicken into large chunks. By the time I was done chopping all this, the oil was hot enough for me to add the okra and saute just for 3 minutes to take the chill off, add the onion, saute for 2 minutes more, add the chicken and warm through, add the beans, stir, then dump the stock into the pot (It'll come out in a solid gel-like thing) and let that melt back into a liquid. Then stir in the rice. Voila! Dinner's done.

And look at how MUCH food this made...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5141.jpg


PLENTY for lunch and dinners for the next three days for us all. Not bad for how little I spent making it.

I have cheese for free from WIC- I grated up some and here's my own serving.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5142.jpg

[gentlemommy]

:ty I'm loving this. :) :popcorn

[naturallia]

Breakfast- DS and I had cereal and milk (provided by WIC)
Lunch- Peanut butter toast (also provided by WIC)
Dinner- Leftovers and I jazzed DS's serving up with salad dressing I found in the fridge for a different taste, I took my serving the same way I did yesterday, it's SO GOOD! The flavors has really melded and tastes much better tonight. Now we have half left! :rockon

So for all of our meals today, we didn't spend a cent!

[RealLifeMama]

Thank you for sharing this.
This is really making me think and challenging some of my preconceived notions about food.
By the time you eat all the Jambalaya up, how old is that chicken? You made it Wed, right? So, Sunday is 5 days old.
I had no idea you could do that!

[naturallia]

As long as you store it AIRTIGHTLY, it's okay a week, but if you freeze it, you can use it even longer. tomorrow will make it 5 days, which is my personal limit because of the taste

[naturallia]

And never mind... DH just finished the rest :giggle He got home from work STARVING and inhaled the other half of that big batch!

So tomorrow, I'll think of something else and I'll let you all know what I end up making instead.

[WI Mama05]

:popcorn Totally watching this for ideas!

[gentlemommy]

I really like the pics you're including! :rockon Very helpful for me. :heart

[naturallia]

Tonight, I made a bacon potato casserole, I'll be back with what I did to make it and pics! I've got a very clingy little baby girl in the sling right now trying to grab the keyboard and everything I come into close grabbable range with! :phew

[gentlemommy]

:rockon

[naturallia]

Okay, I finally got the baby content in her swing so I'm free to type. :phew She's been VERY clingy and wanted to stay in the sling so I had to improvise and do dinner a little differently so that it was safe to work around her in the sling.

the other half of the potatoes- $1.50, sliced (scrubbed, of course!)
1 pkg bacon- $1.50 (the 1 pound store brand kind)
6 slices american cheese (we're now out of that)
1/2 pkg of green onions- $1
margarine (butter or olive oil can be used, this is what I had on hand)
garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper,and paprika
1/4 c of milk (free from WIC)
1/4 bag of frozen peas, prepared according to directions.

I felt lazy plus I had a fussy baby on my hands, so I did this quickly.

Heat the oven to 400, put the bacon on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes (you don't want it cooked completely, they will finish cooking in the casserole and flavor the potatoes). Remove bacon from oven to paper towels and let cool then reduce oven to 350...meanwhile, if you happen to have a slicer or food processor, you can use that to slice the potatoes for you, but I had to hand-slice them with a knife. Then finely chop the 1/2 pkg of green onions. (or run them through a chopper if you have one)

I lined a 9x13x2 pan with foil to make clean up a cinch- just toss the foil and the pan's clean! I then rubbed some margarine on the foil and then lined the bottom with 1/3 of the sliced potatoes, then take 1/4 of the bacon and rip it up into bite size pieces over potatoes, then take 2 slices of american cheese and rip up and lay over bacon. then sprinkle with some of the green onions. Dot with more margarine and shake pepper, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika over all. Then put another 1/3 of the potatoes over this, another 1/4 of the bacon, 2 more slices of american cheese, some more green onions, and the seasonings again. Dot with more margarine and put the rest of the potatoes over all of this, pressing down, put the rest of the bacon over all of this, then rip up the last 2 slices of american cheese over all of this, and then sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Sprinkle with more salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and garlic powder and then put generous dots of margarine on top, especially the cheeses so they don't burn. Pour 1/4 cup of milk over all of this. Seal with another piece of aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes, remove the top foil and test a bite. If potatoes are still too firm/crunchy for your liking, bake 15 minutes longer. We like them a bit firm, but other families like them softer.

While the potatoes rest, I microwaved the peas.

Before baking:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5233.jpg

(Why I had to do it a different way, I would've fried the bacon, but with a baby in arms.... :rolleyes2

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5234.jpg

The finished result:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5236.jpg

I'm going to turn the leftovers into potato soup tomorrow.

Here's an individual serving:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5237.jpg

[Quiteria]

Mmmmm....

[Blue-EyedLady]

Thank you for posting this! I have no energy to plan right now, so this is awesome! I know that you can use leftovers creatively, I just can never figure out how. I'm loving that you've got all the planning done, I just have to follow directions. This is easy enough that DH can do it without a question.

[purplerose]

Oh that looks so yummy! I have some potatoes and bacon that I need to use up! Now I have a new recipe! Is there anything I can sub for the green onions? :)

[naturallia]

regular onions. garlic. finely diced bell pepper. Anything, really! :tu

[mom2threegirls]

Wow, thanks so much for doing this thread, Tishia! :heart I'm always looking for new, easy, healthy, cheap ideas and these are some great ideas!

I love all the pictures too! (especially that last one of you with your baby girl :hearts) :thankyou3

[ziggyplaid]

Man, you make some yummy recipes! :) I love this thread! :rockon

[purplerose]

I'm making the potato/bacon dish tonight! Can't wait!!! :yum

[naturallia]

Tonight was potato soup. Put the leftovers in a pot and add 1 can evaporated milk and let simmer 30 minutes to meld the flavors and then mash everything up. If you want it thinner, add more liquid, such as milk, broth, water. The great thing about soup is that it's very forgiving. It'll taste great, almonost no matter what!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5263.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5264.jpg

[naturallia]

Jack Mackeral Patties

Rice, cooked according to directions. (a 2 lb bag costs $3.38, I used 1/4 lb)
Frozen corn (free from WIC)
1 can Jack Mackerel 0.89 cents
2 eggs (free from WIC)
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes (a 12 oz container costs 0.99)

Optional: Jalapeno in jar, cheese

First, I started the rice to cook and then I opened a can of Jack Mackerel Fish and drained it; reserving 1/2 cup of the liquids.

Now dump the fish into a bowl and mash it up into small bits and if you don't like the fishy taste, add 1/4 teaspoon of asorbic acid (Vitamin C) but if you don't have that on hand, lemon juice will do. (or even vinegar).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5289.jpg

Next, add 1 cup of instant mashed potato flakes and stir well.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5290.jpg

Now stir in two eggs.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5291.jpg

Now add the 1/2 cup of reserved liquid from the canned fish.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5292.jpg

Now heat the skillet over medium high and use your hands to mash this mixture together and form 8 patties. (each about 1/4 cup) Let the skillet get nice and hot. When a splash of water dances across the surface, it's ready. Put four patties in the skillet and leave alone for 2 minute 30 seconds- it'll fall apart if you fuss over them.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5295.jpg

Flip and cook 2 minutes 30 seconds again. Repeat with remaining 4 patties. Meanwhile, microwave the corn according to directions.

To serve, ladle the rice onto plates and if your family prefers their food not touching, plate accordingly, but if your family likes pretty presentations, it's fun to form a rice log down the middle of the plates, scatter corn on either side of the rice and drizzle this with whatever you have on hand... I used jalapeno juice (you can use vinegar, soy sauce, teriyaki, anything, really.)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5296.jpg

Now I top the rice log with patties and then I found pepper-jack cheese I had from WIC so I added that to them. And I scattered a few sliced jalapeno peppers over all of this.

Here are pics of the final product.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5297.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5299.jpg

[Unique]

:) Tishia I am loving this....you are giving me so many ideas on being frugal and cooking more than just popping food in the oven :shifty :hug

[naturallia]

Yesterday, I made omelets, I forgot to update. Just make your typical recipe of omelets with cheese and have buttered toast with it.

Tonight, I made stir-fry. I'll type it all out when I have a free hand. :nak2

[naturallia]

First, I started the rice (cook according to directions)

then I peeked in my fridge to see what I had on hand and here's what I pulled out...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5300.jpg

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 t srichiari sauce
dash of garlic powder
dash of celery seeds

Mix all well in a small bowl.

I sliced up pork chops that I scored for $1.29 and stir-fried it in oil then added a bag of broccoli and green beans and stir-fried to cook the broccoli through, then I dumped the sauce in.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5301.jpg

Cook while stirring to let the broccoli get cooked completely through and then serve this stuff over rice! YUM!

[naturallia]

Split-Pea Soup

Here's what came out...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5302.jpg
1 bag split peas- $0.89
1/2 yellow onion- $0.69
bag baby carrots- free from WIC (use only 1 cup)
garlic powder
celery seed

Wash the peas and place in pot.

Chop the onion and carrots.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5303.jpg

Place in pot with split peas.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5304.jpg

Fill with enough water to 1 inch above the peas.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5305.jpg

Sprinkle with garlic powder and celery seed. Set to medium high.

Let it come to a rolling boil and here's what it should look like before reducing the heat to low.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5307.jpg

Now slap a lid on that baby.... and leave it alone for 35 minutes.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5308.jpg

Meanwhile, pull out the other 1/2 package of bacon and line them up on a baking tray and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5306.jpg

Now serve by ladling the soup into a bowl and topping with bacon. If you have cheese, go for it!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5309.jpg

[naturallia]

Here's what I pulled out...

a package of steak I scored for $2
5 eggs
the other 1/2 onion left.
instant mashed potatoes 0.77
1/2 bag frozen peas 0.89
and parmesan cheese= $2 for a can

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5311.jpg

First, make scrambled eggs (that's pretty easy, just do it.) Set aside.

Aw, the baby's crying. Let's go get her and settle her down. No luck and I need to feed the family... here's our solution...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5313.jpg

Now slice the onion into half-moons and saute them in the same pan the eggs were made in until they turn sticky and golden (this is carmelizing) and all the stirring motions rocked the baby to sleep....
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5314.jpg

SSSshhhhh!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5315.jpg

Now cook the steak.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5316.jpg

While the steak cooks, microwave the peas and the instant mashed potatoes according to directions-

Now... place a steak on the plate and spoon 1/4 of the scrambled eggs onto the steak and then 1/4 of the carmelized onions on that. sprinkle liberally with the parmesan cheese. Go BAM! BAM! BAM! to get a giggle out of your toddler ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5317.jpg

Now roll this steak up over the eggs and onions. Mmmmm!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5318.jpg

Serve with mashed potatoes and peas!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5319.jpg

YUMMY I don't have a name for this.... I just invented it on the fly.

[Blue-EyedLady]

Tisha - a while back you mentioned that after boiling the chicken for stock, you clean the bones and use that for "dirty rice." What is your recipe for dirty rice? I got about a cup of meat scraps when I did it, and would like to try making something with it.

TIA

[Katydid]

:popcorn

[joystrength]

This thread is great ... and inspirational!! :cool

[milkmommy]

Our food costs have gone up and I'm having trouble making things work. I can't do potatos rice or pasta which makes streaching food a lot harder.

Deanna

[naturallia]

Dirty Rice-

That's actually what we had for dinner today :P~ but camera wasn't handy.

Cook rice with the broth that was made (or canned broth, your pick) according to directions.

Add the bits and scraps from a roast (tonight, I used the bits from a chicken- the meat from between the ribs, bone marrow, all of the tiny bits, this made 1 cup) when the rice is still hot and stir so that the rice heats up the little meat bits.

Season to taste

*I used 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper, and 4 dashes worcestershire sauce*

Stir well.

Serve and pass the worcestershire sauce or the hot sauce (or any sauce you have on hand that's tangy/vinegary)

[naturallia]

Our food costs have gone up and I'm having trouble making things work. I can't do potatos rice or pasta which makes streaching food a lot harder.

Deanna


:hug2 Are all starches off limits? Can you do legumes? Barley? Cracked Wheat?

[milkmommy]

Our food costs have gone up and I'm having trouble making things work. I can't do potatos rice or pasta which makes streaching food a lot harder.


Deanna


:hug2 Are all starches off limits? Can you do legumes? Barley? Cracked Wheat?


Nope I can do all those I can do the others but right now we are trying to get my numbers under controll so aviding the above is best for now. The big issue I'm currently having which is somewhat more a time issue is that what I can have no one else will touch so like I made spaghetti the other day I did some spaghetti sqash for me but regular pasta for DH and DD. Not a huge expense other than again its one "more' thing and then its just one more thing to prepare in a tiny kitchen.

Deanna

[Blue-EyedLady]

Our food costs have gone up and I'm having trouble making things work. I can't do potatos rice or pasta which makes streaching food a lot harder.

Deanna


ITU about food costs and allergy issues. Cheap foods tend to contain common allergens. I went to the natural foods store this week to get some things I could actually eat, and spent nearly $40. I came home with enough food to fill half a paper grocery bag. :sigh I think there's a forum around here somewhere about this specific topic.

I'm dairy-free right now for my nursling DS, and it seems like EVERYTHING has milk products in it. I'm still investigating allergy issues - I may need to go soy free as well, and if that doesn't fix the problem, wheat is next. If I hafta cut all 3 of those, I might as well go on a raw food diet. Still - better than a family I'm close to who have major allergy issues - their kids can't have corn, and it seems that everything has corn, corn syrup, or is cross-contaminated with corn products.

[naturallia]

2 lb steak- $3
packet instant mashed potatoes 77 cents
frozen peas $1.50

Heat the broiler. lay the steak on a broiling pan and sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, and crushed pepper. Set 4 inches from source for 4 minutes and then prepare the potatoes according to instructions in the microwave, along with the peas.

Dinner's done in five minutes!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5450.jpg

[naturallia]

Chicken pieces $2
applesauce 1 cup (out of a 77 cent 24 oz jar)
cinnamon
snickerdoodles or oatmeal cookies (only 2 needed, a bag is 77 cents)
rice
milk
raisins

Heat oven 350. Lay chicken in baking dish and spoon applesauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Crush the two cookies and scatter over the applesauced chicken. Bake for 40 minutes.

Start the rice in the ricecooker according to directions and add as much raisins as you like. When the rice is finished, stir contanstly as you add enough milk to leave a little bit on the bottom and add 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover (leave it off) and let it sit to soak up the milk.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/samuraisbabe/food/100_5453.jpg

[abh5e8]

awesome!! any more dinner ideas?