1. Open jar of prefered sauce.
2. Add what you want to sauce...Spices? Meat? Vegetables such as onion, green peppers, extra tomatos?
3. Heat
4. Put on top of cooked noodles
Spaghetti is the workhorse of every working parent/guardians meal planning. Extremely filling, easy to change the recipe, and easy to cook, it is another recipe that falls on the cheap side. There are two camps though when including the recipe. A) EVERYONE knows this one; don't bother to include it. B)Nothing is easier...how can you NOT include it?!?!?! I agree with both sides...every time I see it, I roll my eyes but when it is missing I feel sad. To not see Spaghetti in an "easy to cook" anthology freaks me out. It's easy!!!
So as you can tell, I included it, and I really simplified it. Did I really need to remind people to cook the beef BEFORE you add it to the sauce? I hope not. And there are a million and one spices you can add (well maybe not quite that many but I am not taking an official count). However, there are a few variations I personally want to point out.
Variation 1
The most popular type of noodle for this is obviously spaghetti noodles...it is almost as if the person naming it knew there would be people like me!! How do you know what noodles to use in Spaghetti? Oh, spaghetti noodles! Whew!! But after having little kids and watching them struggle with these long noodles, or having to chop up the noodles so they were kid sized, inspiration hit after making mac and cheese. Different noodles!! I've used elbows, bow ties, penne....if it is short I was sold. Solved the long noodle problem, and way more kid friendly.
or....Variation 2
Inspiration hit again a few years later. I am not a noodle person....they are slimey. Rice on the other hand, is VERY nice. Same recipe, same ease, and rice can be just as inexpensive, but to me, a whole lot better. Again, there are lots of different types of rice...experiment. I love Basmanti rice...I think of it as white rice with flavor. Works great. Is it still technically spaghetti if you put it on rice? Who knows, who cares....it gets eaten! FYI...I cook my rice with chciken broth vs. water. SAME recipe, but chicken broth also adds an extra "pop" in flavor.
Variation 3
Hahahahaha...joke's on the reader! I have no idea what this variation is! But spaghetti is SO easy to tinker with and change about that I know that in addtion to a million and one spices to add to the sauce, there are a million and one ways to make this dish. Even as I write this I can hear about 10 different people saying "that isn't how Grandma made it", and another 20 shouting "Uncle Morton made a good vegetarian one!" But that is one reason spaghetti is so popular....everyone adds or subtracts what they feel like. Homemade sauce? No meat? Add sausage? Oregano? Onions? Cheese? Extra green peppers? Ditch the garlic? Add red wine? Make it like you want it and enjoy!!!!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Baby It's Cold...Fruit
Frozen Fruit
1. Get some sandwhich baggies that close (freezer bags acutally do work better simply because they don't rip as easily).
2. Get some of your favorite fruit-preferrably when in-season and cheaper.
3. Put fruit in bag.
4. Put bagged fruit in freezer.
Taaa-duum! You have a great side item!!
Okay, I broke my my own rule...since I didn't heat it up, I didn't really cook. BUT, I did put out effort and effort equals energy and energy equals heat somewhere, so maybe that counts?!?!
All scientific discussion aside, this idea came from sheer DESPERATION!! (Isn't that where a lot of parents get their ideas?) After the hundreth battle on eating vegetables, I gave up. I could not argue, plead, cajole, or beg my kids to eat...I was saving those actions for when I asked them to clean up their room. I switched to fruit instead, which has all the great vitamins and minerals of vegetables, but with a dash of natural sugar to make it sweet enough for my kids.
However, fruit out of season is EXPENSIVE and totally took away the "cheap" part of cooking. In stepped my freezer. In the middle of summer, when berries are AT LEAST half the cost of winter fruit, we load up on whatever we can get our hands on. I am not crazy about cherries...try getting a frozen pit out of there! But small berries work great. The one down side to this scheme is that you are limited by freezer space. I have a freezer in the garage with tons of room for raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries that we eat all year long. If all you have is the freezer that comes with the frig, this idea isn't nearly so economically. However, even if you are forced to buy the frozen fruit in the store (and I have in a pinch) it is still roughly the same price as buying some veggies and cooking them (your stove/oven doesn't run for free) and you have the added bonus that the kids eat them. A second concern is that the initial layout can get expensive. When your budget is week to week, spending money in the summer to save money LATER, can be difficult. U-pick's are cheaper, as are some farmer's markets. Look around...see what you can find. At the end of the day, even if you are only able to save a little after the summer is over, it still might be a nice treat in the middle of January.
A couple thoughts: freezing does change the consistency and obviously the temperature. Frozen fruit is cold!!! My younger son took some time to enjoy frozen fruit...he didnt like touching cold things. My older son loved it from the get go!! Freezing can also bring out the "fruit" in fruit as well. Raspberries for example, seem MORE tart frozen, and other fruits experience changes as well. And obviously if you have a really young child, choking is an issue so letting the fruit defrost a bit might be a must.
I would be remiss too if I didn't mention canning or other ways of preservation. I don't do this kind of thing, but I know a lot of other people who do. My sister doesn't have a freezer like I do, so they preserves apples in jars every autumn. Again, you are changing the consistency, but compared to cost and vitamin/mineral counts, it is still better than buying processed fruits/veggies. Again, pick your favorites and go crazy!!
A lot of people have looked askance at me when I tell them we freeze fruit and eat it straight out of the bag, but it hits just about everything parents, kids, AND some doctors are looking for....economically sound, kid approved, and a serving of vitamins right from the source with no fat, msg's, trans fats, additives, preservatives, or other weird things I can't pronounce. This is truly one of the most favorite meal additions in our house.
1. Get some sandwhich baggies that close (freezer bags acutally do work better simply because they don't rip as easily).
2. Get some of your favorite fruit-preferrably when in-season and cheaper.
3. Put fruit in bag.
4. Put bagged fruit in freezer.
Taaa-duum! You have a great side item!!
Okay, I broke my my own rule...since I didn't heat it up, I didn't really cook. BUT, I did put out effort and effort equals energy and energy equals heat somewhere, so maybe that counts?!?!
All scientific discussion aside, this idea came from sheer DESPERATION!! (Isn't that where a lot of parents get their ideas?) After the hundreth battle on eating vegetables, I gave up. I could not argue, plead, cajole, or beg my kids to eat...I was saving those actions for when I asked them to clean up their room. I switched to fruit instead, which has all the great vitamins and minerals of vegetables, but with a dash of natural sugar to make it sweet enough for my kids.
However, fruit out of season is EXPENSIVE and totally took away the "cheap" part of cooking. In stepped my freezer. In the middle of summer, when berries are AT LEAST half the cost of winter fruit, we load up on whatever we can get our hands on. I am not crazy about cherries...try getting a frozen pit out of there! But small berries work great. The one down side to this scheme is that you are limited by freezer space. I have a freezer in the garage with tons of room for raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries that we eat all year long. If all you have is the freezer that comes with the frig, this idea isn't nearly so economically. However, even if you are forced to buy the frozen fruit in the store (and I have in a pinch) it is still roughly the same price as buying some veggies and cooking them (your stove/oven doesn't run for free) and you have the added bonus that the kids eat them. A second concern is that the initial layout can get expensive. When your budget is week to week, spending money in the summer to save money LATER, can be difficult. U-pick's are cheaper, as are some farmer's markets. Look around...see what you can find. At the end of the day, even if you are only able to save a little after the summer is over, it still might be a nice treat in the middle of January.
A couple thoughts: freezing does change the consistency and obviously the temperature. Frozen fruit is cold!!! My younger son took some time to enjoy frozen fruit...he didnt like touching cold things. My older son loved it from the get go!! Freezing can also bring out the "fruit" in fruit as well. Raspberries for example, seem MORE tart frozen, and other fruits experience changes as well. And obviously if you have a really young child, choking is an issue so letting the fruit defrost a bit might be a must.
I would be remiss too if I didn't mention canning or other ways of preservation. I don't do this kind of thing, but I know a lot of other people who do. My sister doesn't have a freezer like I do, so they preserves apples in jars every autumn. Again, you are changing the consistency, but compared to cost and vitamin/mineral counts, it is still better than buying processed fruits/veggies. Again, pick your favorites and go crazy!!
A lot of people have looked askance at me when I tell them we freeze fruit and eat it straight out of the bag, but it hits just about everything parents, kids, AND some doctors are looking for....economically sound, kid approved, and a serving of vitamins right from the source with no fat, msg's, trans fats, additives, preservatives, or other weird things I can't pronounce. This is truly one of the most favorite meal additions in our house.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Yam Coins
Yam Coins are just like the title says...made with yams (I've used sweet potatos before too, and they taste okay but I like yams better). High in Vitamin A, and like most tubers, a cheap way to feed a lot of people, these little gems are easy AND relatively inexpensive.
Cover a baking sheet with tin foil. (The more yams, the more baking sheets needed.)
Spray the heck out of it with cooking spray.
Cut a yam vertically, into circles and arrange on baking sheet.
(Find the longest, tube like yams you can find. The size on these babies varies MASSIVELY!! I would guess about 3 adults per yam, but again size, how much people like them, etc. will really affect how many you need.)
Spray "coins".
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Cook about 15 minutes at about 350.
(Heat and length depends on width of "coin". Thicker cuts need more time. These things are pretty forgiving if you keep an eye on them. I have done 15 minutes at 400 for thicker yams, 20 minutes at 350 if I have other things cooking as well. )
To re-cap:
1. Set oven to 350
2. Cut yam
3. Arrange on baking sheet and spray with cooking spray
4. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
5. Cook about 15 minutes.
I LOVE this recipe! When I say easy cooking, this is always one of the first things that comes to mind. However, it brings up a few points worth sharing.
1. We all have our own ideas of being environmentally saavy, and I know someone out there is going "but she's using tin foil!!" I use tin foil a lot....talk about making things easy. No fuss, no muss, clean-up is a breeze and it touches a topic dear to my heart...conserving water. I know we will come up with better solutions for dealing with our garbage, and have no doubt that includes landfills as well. But how much water we have on the planet is finite, and you can't solve the world's problems when you are dehydrated. So before someone thinks I am cavalier about the health of our planet, let it be known I am first and foremost about using as LITTLE water as possible, and that extends to dishes and dishwashing. So you will see tinfoil-use mentioned often.
2. I do not work for any company that produces cooking spray, I am not advocating it's use if you have allergies, and there are other alternatives (some of which I will mention later). I live by cooking spray...easy to use, less mess (hits the "less dishes, use less water" mark), and easy to find in grocery stores, I keep this stocked as a "must have" item. But if you have another tried-and-true method, subsitute the cooking spray for what works for you.
Cover a baking sheet with tin foil. (The more yams, the more baking sheets needed.)
Spray the heck out of it with cooking spray.
Cut a yam vertically, into circles and arrange on baking sheet.
(Find the longest, tube like yams you can find. The size on these babies varies MASSIVELY!! I would guess about 3 adults per yam, but again size, how much people like them, etc. will really affect how many you need.)
Spray "coins".
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Cook about 15 minutes at about 350.
(Heat and length depends on width of "coin". Thicker cuts need more time. These things are pretty forgiving if you keep an eye on them. I have done 15 minutes at 400 for thicker yams, 20 minutes at 350 if I have other things cooking as well. )
To re-cap:
1. Set oven to 350
2. Cut yam
3. Arrange on baking sheet and spray with cooking spray
4. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
5. Cook about 15 minutes.
I LOVE this recipe! When I say easy cooking, this is always one of the first things that comes to mind. However, it brings up a few points worth sharing.
1. We all have our own ideas of being environmentally saavy, and I know someone out there is going "but she's using tin foil!!" I use tin foil a lot....talk about making things easy. No fuss, no muss, clean-up is a breeze and it touches a topic dear to my heart...conserving water. I know we will come up with better solutions for dealing with our garbage, and have no doubt that includes landfills as well. But how much water we have on the planet is finite, and you can't solve the world's problems when you are dehydrated. So before someone thinks I am cavalier about the health of our planet, let it be known I am first and foremost about using as LITTLE water as possible, and that extends to dishes and dishwashing. So you will see tinfoil-use mentioned often.
2. I do not work for any company that produces cooking spray, I am not advocating it's use if you have allergies, and there are other alternatives (some of which I will mention later). I live by cooking spray...easy to use, less mess (hits the "less dishes, use less water" mark), and easy to find in grocery stores, I keep this stocked as a "must have" item. But if you have another tried-and-true method, subsitute the cooking spray for what works for you.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Define Cooking
Let's call out the elephant in the room.....I HATE to cook. And for the record, if I have to heat it up (such as microwavble food) I count that as cooking. I know people who insist the microwave does in fact NOT count. They can write their own blogs. Cooking is heating up and/or creating something for consumption. That is my definition and it means that PB & J sandwhiches are considered cooking too, at least in my kitchen.
But back to the elephant....I HATE to cook. There are those that will argue, and correctly so, that food has always defined us. Whether it be an ancient tribal member collecting shellfish for an upcoming religious ceremony, or cook from the Reformation creating a banquet for a returning hero, food has always been an example of local tastes, customs, and available ingredients. Today, despite our abilities to ship out of area AND preserve food for huge amounts of time, food still has the same meaning to a lot of people. Holiday's are ripe with favorite dishes, as are some seasons (think blueberry pie in the summer) and most people are unaware that some of their favorite foods are being shipped "out of season" when something is no longer available locally. Food is, and continues to remain, a bonding component for many families and a way to celebrate life's milestones.
Having said that wonderfully, touching piece, there have always been those who never had to cook the food. Nobles, royalty, relogious leaders....these people rarely cooked for themselves. As happy as I would like to be one of them today, I am not. I am a mommy drone without the income to go out EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Seriously, when I win the gazillion dollar lottery, don't look for my new house. Instead you will find me at the local pub securing a permanent seat.) And let's be honest, who wants a PB & J sandwhich everyday? No one I know over 10, that's for sure.
So as a self-avowed non-cooker, it means you scour the "I Hate To....." series. I hate to cook, I hate to peel, I hate to braise, I hate to dice, I hate to....you name it. Or the "Cook It In 30 Minutes..." Cook steak in 30 minutes, cook potatos in 30 minutes, cook chicken in 30 minutes. Make a meal in 10. There is also the "5 Ingredients Or Less..." Take a turnip, some oregano, milk, tabsco sauce, and sausage; make a meal...go! And least I forget the million and one ways to use a crock pot, other than as the primo dust collector that mine is.
The trouble with most of the books I have found is they miss the key point....I want food, I don't want to be the one to create it. I don't have a stockpile of 20 different spices to liven things up. I don't have a bunch of pots with french names to whip out a "simple sauce". No matter how easy a recipe is, if it has a bunch exotic ingredients I can't find, how can I cook it? One "easy" cookbook had about 20 recipes for chicken....chicken with mushroom sauce, chicken with red sauce, chicken with chutney, chicken with broth, chicken with broccoli...and so on and so forth. While I appreciate the opportunity to be frugal with chicken, I like variety too!!
My goal here is to provide easy recipes that are truly easy. If the recipes aren't so easy, I will say so. But remember, I go by MY gauge, so when I say it's a hard recipe, don't panic. There are a million sites that talk about gourmet cooking, specially prepared holiday meals, cooking made cheap. That's great. But I want something that says, easy is as easy does. Note the key word here....easy. I hope I live up to that.
But back to the elephant....I HATE to cook. There are those that will argue, and correctly so, that food has always defined us. Whether it be an ancient tribal member collecting shellfish for an upcoming religious ceremony, or cook from the Reformation creating a banquet for a returning hero, food has always been an example of local tastes, customs, and available ingredients. Today, despite our abilities to ship out of area AND preserve food for huge amounts of time, food still has the same meaning to a lot of people. Holiday's are ripe with favorite dishes, as are some seasons (think blueberry pie in the summer) and most people are unaware that some of their favorite foods are being shipped "out of season" when something is no longer available locally. Food is, and continues to remain, a bonding component for many families and a way to celebrate life's milestones.
Having said that wonderfully, touching piece, there have always been those who never had to cook the food. Nobles, royalty, relogious leaders....these people rarely cooked for themselves. As happy as I would like to be one of them today, I am not. I am a mommy drone without the income to go out EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Seriously, when I win the gazillion dollar lottery, don't look for my new house. Instead you will find me at the local pub securing a permanent seat.) And let's be honest, who wants a PB & J sandwhich everyday? No one I know over 10, that's for sure.
So as a self-avowed non-cooker, it means you scour the "I Hate To....." series. I hate to cook, I hate to peel, I hate to braise, I hate to dice, I hate to....you name it. Or the "Cook It In 30 Minutes..." Cook steak in 30 minutes, cook potatos in 30 minutes, cook chicken in 30 minutes. Make a meal in 10. There is also the "5 Ingredients Or Less..." Take a turnip, some oregano, milk, tabsco sauce, and sausage; make a meal...go! And least I forget the million and one ways to use a crock pot, other than as the primo dust collector that mine is.
The trouble with most of the books I have found is they miss the key point....I want food, I don't want to be the one to create it. I don't have a stockpile of 20 different spices to liven things up. I don't have a bunch of pots with french names to whip out a "simple sauce". No matter how easy a recipe is, if it has a bunch exotic ingredients I can't find, how can I cook it? One "easy" cookbook had about 20 recipes for chicken....chicken with mushroom sauce, chicken with red sauce, chicken with chutney, chicken with broth, chicken with broccoli...and so on and so forth. While I appreciate the opportunity to be frugal with chicken, I like variety too!!
My goal here is to provide easy recipes that are truly easy. If the recipes aren't so easy, I will say so. But remember, I go by MY gauge, so when I say it's a hard recipe, don't panic. There are a million sites that talk about gourmet cooking, specially prepared holiday meals, cooking made cheap. That's great. But I want something that says, easy is as easy does. Note the key word here....easy. I hope I live up to that.
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