Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

[nw_arizona_granny]

Howdy, I thought that I would try that applesauce bread recipe in the bread machine, can’t be any simpler......

[jetson]

Does 2T of cummin mean two tablespoons? Seems like alot.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Welcome to the thread, I hope you find lots of information you can use.

Please post, if you find something that we should know, LOL, other posters are welcome here.

[nw_arizona_granny]

2 T of cumin
(Note: I added some cayenne and cinnamon to round off the second TBSP)<<<<

It reads as though she did not use the full 2 tablespoons.

I like cumin, but would not want to use that much. One should be about right.

[nw_arizona_granny]

The rarity of the salmonella strain and the number of illnesses “suggest that implicated tomatoes are distributed throughout the country,” she said.<<<

Thanks for the alert, I am behind on my FR reading...LOL again.

They blame the animal, but I suspect they are using the ___from the sewer plants, there has been a big push in the west to get people to use the human sludge, say it is safe and the city fathers are pushing for it..........nawww, I did not suggest a payoff.

In the mid 1950’s, the orchid growers in San Diego, were convinced that this sewage/sludge was the new invention in fertilizer and it is true, the Cymbidium plants did grow well on it.

And the growers got blood poisoning in their cuts..........

I came on the scene in the late 1950’s and repotted for several growers, who were afraid to touch their plants.............and I was young and stupid and repotted hundreds of plants.

And have been sick for years, it would be interesting to know if there is a connection?

[nw_arizona_granny]

PIZZA CASSEROLE

This is really yummy, kids will love this casserole, you can leave out the
garlic if you want too. Easy to make. We all enjoyed it.

2 cups egg noodles
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
10 3/4 oz can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles following package directions. Drain and
reserve. Heat oil in a skillet. Add beef, onion and garlic. Cook 6 min. or until
beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess liquid. Stir in oregano, salt, soup,
1/3 cup water and noodles.

Take off the heat and add half of the cheese. Spoon into 11X7 inch baking dish
and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake 30 min. or until bubbly. Allow
to cool 10 min. before serving. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.*

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FrugalFriendsintheKitchen/message/24737

[nw_arizona_granny]

Here is another great crockpot recipe for you all to try...It is sooooooooooo
good!!
Enjoy!
hugs,
peg

SHORT RIBS

14 oz can beef broth
1 cup chopped onion
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise in 1/2 inch
thick slices
2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
8 oz baby carrots
4 meaty beef short ribs
1/4 tsp pepper
3 sprigs dill
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes in juice, not drained

Mix all ingredients except ribs, pepper and dill and tomatoes in a slow cooker.
Top with ribs, sprinkle with pepper, then add dill and tomatoes. Cover and cook
on low 7-9 hours or until ribs are very tender. Spoon fat off surface. Serve in
shallow soup plates, garnish with snipped dill. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.*

Recipe source: The Apple Dumpling Gang yahoo group, submitted by Russie

[nw_arizona_granny]

I made these cookies too for the mall gang yesterday...yet another hit! I think
those cookie monsters will eat anything! These cookies really are yummy, but I
found them to be more crispy than soft...they were chewy in the middle and
crispy on the edges....they were delicious!!
Enjoy!
hugs,
peg

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 1 dozen
Source: Kathy Wike @ Momsmenuplan Yahoo! group

Ingredients:

2 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 cup Brown sugar
1 1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter or margarine softened
3 Eggs
1 cup Creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire
Whisk set aside.

In a large bowl, blend sugars, using an electric mixer set at medium
Speed. Add butter, and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping the sides of
The bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix at medium speed
Until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. With a wet fork
Gently press cookies in a crisscrossed pattern. Bake for 18-22 minutes or
Until slightly brown along edges.

Recipe source: TNT_Recipes yahoo group, submitted by Christine.
PEG’S NOTE: When I made these cookies, they were very crispy instead of soft
and chewy…they were chewy in the middle, but crispy on the edges….but I made my
cookies much smaller using less dough. I made about 2-3 dozen cookies instead of
just one dozen…so that is probably why mine were more crispy .

[nw_arizona_granny]

HOMEMADE PANCAKES

Make pancakes and while they are cooking on the griddle drop fixings like apples
with cinnamon chips, bananas and blueberries, chocolate and marshmallows or nuts
onto them. Cheap and yummy.

RICE PUDDING

Prepare a 4 serving size box of butterscotch pudding. Stir in about 1 1/4 cups
leftover rice, some raisins and a little ground cinnamon. Makes a cheap yummy
treat.

OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE

12 large lemons
8 cups cold water
1 1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 lemon, sliced for garnish

Microwave lemons for 10 seconds. Cut in half and juice, 3 cups of juice. In a
pitcher or pot, combine lemon juice, water and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar.
Refrigerate 1 hour. Stir before serving. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
MAKES 12 CUPS.*

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FrugalFriendsintheKitchen/message/24760

MANGO PINEAPPLE SORBET

1 medium banana
1 cup mango cubes
1 cup pineapple chunks
2 tbs water
1 tbs lemon juice

Peel banana and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place banana, mango, and pineapple on a
wax paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Freeze 2 hours or until completely frozen.
Process fruit, water and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Serve
immediately or freeze up to 2 weeks. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.

PAPAYA PEACH SORBET

1 medium banana
1 cup red papaya chunks
1 cup peach chunks
2 tbs water
1 tbs lemon juice

Peel banana and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place banana, papaya and peach on a wax
paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Freeze 2 hours or until completely frozen.
Process fruit, water and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Serve
immediately or freeze up to 2 weeks. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.*

[nw_arizona_granny]

2 HONEY HINTS

Dont discard honey that has crystallized in the jar. Place the jar in a pot of
hot (not boiling) water for 5 or 10 min. Also, after you open a new jar of
honey, if you will place a piece of plastic wrap tightly and securely over the
mouth of the jar, and then replace the lid, it will keep the honey from
crystallizing.

A BETTER PIECRUST

Next time you roll out a piecrust, sprinkle buttermilk pancake mix instead of
flour on the dough board. It makes a tastier piecrust.

MARSHMALLOW MAGIC FOR CAKES AND CANDLES

Use mini marshmallows as candleholders on a birthday cake. The marshmallows keep
the candle wax from dripping onto the icing.

EYEGLASSES SLIP DOWN THE BRIDGE OF YOUR NOSE

Put a bit of clear deordorant on the bridge of your nose and glasses. They’ll
stay put all day.

TROUBLE THREADING A NEEDLE

A little bit of hair spray on the end of the thread will make it stiff enough to
pass easily through the eye of the needle.*

---

A granny note:

In the past, I crocheted long necklaces using a chain stitch and a metalic covered thread, with beads all over it, hit or miss pattern.....LOL

The thread would fray and was too thick to use a needle with and still go through a small bead or pearl.

I found that if you coated it with fingernail polish, it would not fray and acted like a needle, coat about 2 inches and you can trim the tip, if it gets worn..........

granny

[nw_arizona_granny]

Kitchen Tips

A few time saving kitchen tips gathered from here and there...

Jazz up a jar/can of plain applesauce by mixing in a teaspoon of vanilla or
sprinkling servings with apple pie spice instead of cinnamon.

A little basil in a dish of cooked peas and carrots really perks up the
flavor.

If you’re using boxed macaroni and cheese mix, add two slices of American
cheese for better flavor.

To make better brownies from a boxed mix, swirl chocolate syrup over the top
of the batter after spreading it in the pan. The brownies come out fudgey, they
don’t even need icing.

---

Kitchen Tips

A few time saving kitchen tips gathered from here and there...

Give ranch flavor to chicken drumsticks in no time. Empty an envelope of
ranch salad dressing mix and an 8 1/2 oz. box of corn bread/muffin mix into a
plastic bag. Dip the drumsticks in milk, then shake them in the bag. Place in
a greased baking dish and bake.

Dress up a package of long grain and wild rice by adding 1 1/2 c. cooked
chicken. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped green onions or canned
french-fried onions.

Give your French toast a different taste. Instead of adding all milk to the
eggs, use flavored liquid coffee creamer and just a touch of milk. The French
toast tastes so good you don’t even need syrup.

In place of butter or margarine, spread peanut butter on pancakes and top them
with maple syrup. Kids love this treat.

Add a few drops of vanilla to oatmeal. It perks up the flavor.

[nw_arizona_granny]

I was really happy to find this, as it always seem I pass up a recipe because I
am out of cream soup. So now I won’t have to .....
Sheila

Cream Soup Alternatives
For one can of cream of
“whatever soup” use the following simple, four ingredient recipe:
Basic Cream Soup
3 T Butter
3 T Flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chicken stock, water or milk
Instructions:
Melt butter in heavy
saucepan. Blend flour and salt into saucepan while cooking and stirring until
bubbly. using a wire whisk to prevent lumps, stir in liquid ingredient choice
slowly. Medium thick sauce is comparable to undiluted condensed soups and makes
approximately the same amount as a 10 oz can.
Variations:
Cheese Sauce: Add ½ C grated sharp cheese and ¼ tsp mustard
Tomato Sauce:
Use tomato juice as liquid and add a dash each of garlic powder or garlic salt,
onion powder or onion salt, basil and oregano.
Mushroom Sauce:
Saute ¼ C finely chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in the
butter before adding the flour.
Celery Sauce:
Saute ½ Cup finely chopped celery and 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion in butter
before adding flour
Chicken Sauce:
Use chicken broth or bouillon as half the liquid. Add ¼ tsp poultry seasoning
or sage, and diced cooked chicken if available.

[Joya]

Prayers lifted.

[Joya]

http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/recipes/allergiesintol/breads.html

Thanks for this link.

[nw_arizona_granny]

“The Question”

Hi,
I am going to make taco’s tonight and was wondering what to add to the ground
beef to make a pound stretch bigger? I was thinking rice..........but would that
ruin the taste? I do not the regular taco packet seasoning so I always use the
fajitas seasoning, that is really tasty.....

---

I also sometimes just add a cup of oatmeal you can use it wet if plain or
dry. That will also thicken it and help stretch the meat.

—
Darlene

---

You could also add a can of refried beans to the taco meat, it adds flavor,
and makes it more thick. I can make about 1 1/2lbs of ground beef stretch for 4
people, with 1 can of refried beans, salsa, cheese, and everything else.
Monica

---

I too add refried beans to stretch my meat and also recommend a great
way to cut costs is to forego the taco seasoning packet and mix the
spices. MUCH cheaper. Taco seasoning is just a combo of chili powder,
garlic salt, oregano cumin, salt and pepper and sometimes hot pepper
flakes. This will give you savings and the tacos are tastier!!!!
Cheers,
Julia
www.backcounterbuffet.blogspot.com

---

Beans, lentils, rice or even orzo pasta. You can use taco meat and
layer it with corn chips, cheese, veggies to get maximum mileage out of
it.

J.H.

---

I typically add refried beans to my taco meat to make it stretch,,,

I work in the cafeteria at my kids school, and we have always added refried
beans to our taco meat to make it go farther. The kids gobble it up here too!

Lyn

---

taco, burrito, and chili i use the same thing..... equal parts of meat to beans.
i grind uncooked pinto beans and then i can make my own refried beans when i
need them by cooking for 5 minutes with water. very frugal and very easy.

brenda

---

I often add a tin of cheap baked beans to my taco mince, or a tin of red
kidney beans.
Not sure if that appeals to you, but it works ok for me :)
kaz

---

[It is OK to laugh, I am, all the good hints above and below the final solution....granny]

Thats a good tip.
I actually wound up making this, and it was amazing. And I think the whole thing
cost under $10.00 as I got the ground beef on sale.

Mexican Lasagna
YUMMY

1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion diced
1 package of your favorite taco/fajita seasoning
1 lb ground beef
1 (10 ounce) can cheese soup
12 soft corn shells
4 ounces shredded cheese.

Brown ground beef and onion. Add tomatoes, ¼ cup water and
taco seasoning. Simmer until onions are tender. Add can of cheese soup.Spoon
some of the
mixture on the bottom of a casserole pan just to cover. Lay corn shells and
then some shredded cheese. Repeat. Topping with cheese. Bake at 350 until
bubbly, about 20 minutes.

[Granny sez! Where are the beans??]

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you for your prayers, I have not heard anything further, but then I won’t unless there is another officer who asks.

Knowing our prayers are on the way, will help.

Let me know if the link is anything worth while, found it while going thru old posts.

You are welcome, to what I find.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FrugalFriendsintheKitchen/message/24779

MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut bite size
1 1/2 tbs flour
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut bite size
1 yellow pepper, cut bite size
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups water
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 tbs salt free chili powder blend
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup frozen corn
16 oz can kidney beans, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Sprinkle chicken with flour, toss to coat. Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a pot or Dutch
oven. Add chicken, saute 5 min. or until cooked through. Remove.

Heat remaining oil. Add sweet potatoes, pepper and onion cover and cook 7 min.
or until lightly colored.

Add water, tomatoes, chili powder, garlic and oregano. Reduce heat cover and
simmer 10 min. or until vegetables are almost tender.

Add corn and beans, simmer 2 min. or until vegetables are tender. Remove from
heat, stir in cilantro. MAKES 6 SERVINGS.*

[nw_arizona_granny]

BROWN COW

Into each of 4 tall 12 oz glasses, pour 1/4 cup root beer or cola, stir. Add 2
small scoops vanilla ice cream and 1/4 cup root beer or cola to each glass and
stir slightly. Top with1 small scoop ice cream. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.

PINK COW

Into each of 4 tall 12 oz glasses, pour 1 tbs strawberry syrup, then 1/4 cup
club or cream soda, stir. Add 2 small scoops strawberry ice cream and 1/4 cup
soda to each glass and stir slightly. Top with 1 small scoop ice cream. Garish
each glass with a fresh strawberry. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.

RIBBON ICE CREAM PIE

Place 1 pint vanilla ice cream in large bowl, stir until smooth but not melted.

Spread into bottom of a ready to fill chocolate cookie crust. Freeze 30 min. or
just until firm.

Repeat as above with 1 pint reduced fat Dutch chocolate ice
cream, then 1 pint strawberry ice cream. Cover and freeze until firm.

Before
serving, slightly warm 1/4 cup fudge sauce in microwave. Drizzle over pie,
garnish with strawberries.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS.*

[nw_arizona_granny]

10 MINUTE MARINARA SAUCE

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp each Italian seasoning, salt, sugar and ground pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onions and garlic, cook 4 min. Stir in remaining
ingredients. Simmer uncovered 6 min. Good for topping grilled chicken, spread on
pizza crust, spoon on grilled Italian bread. MAKES 5 1/2 CUPS.*

BASIC TURKEY GRAVY

4 turkey wings
2 medium onions, cut up
1 cup water
8 cups chicken broth
1 chopped carrot
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup flour
2 tbs butter
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Large roasting pan, a pot, and a saucepan. Put wings
in single layer in pan, scatter onions on top. Roast 1 1/4 hours or until wings
are browned. Put wings and onions in pot. Add water to roasting pan, stir to
scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add to pot. Add 6 cups broth, carrots and
thyme.

Simmer uncovered 1 1/2 hours. Remove wings. When cool, pull off skin and meat.
Discard skin, save meat for another use. Strain broth into saucepan, skim fat
off broth. Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups broth until blended and smooth.
Bring broth in saucepan to a gentle boil. Whisk in flour mixture, boil 5 min. to
thicken gravy. Stir in butter and pepper. MAKES 8 CUPS.*