Posted on 06/12/2007 4:07:45 AM PDT by Kaslin
Growing up in a family of seven posed all sorts of culinary challenges. It was impossible, for instance, to divide a 12-pack of Popsicles evenly, or a cherry pie, without angering somebody. Bruised feelings were also inevitable whenever my mom pulled out the cookie sheets or a Duncan Hines cake mix. After she finished making the batter, the kids fought for the beater, spatula and bowl.
To end these kitchen free-for-alls, I decided to become the cook so I could claim ownership over any leftover cookie dough or icing. I started cooking in grade school and never stopped. In journalism school, my goal was to one day replace Craig Claiborne, the longtime food critic of The New York Times. I abandoned that idea after concluding that if I wrote about cooking for a living, I'd probably stop enjoying it.
What does this have to do with personal finance? Well it's a stretch, but since this is the third anniversary of my column, I thought I'd mix my love of cooking with my love of saving money. With gasoline prices rising, budgets are even tighter, but I see little evidence of people saving money by cooking. Look at any grocery store today and you'll find the expanded freezer sections stuffed with foods like pot roast, french toast, fried chicken and vegetable soup that people used to prepare themselves.
This willingness to spend more and get less is just as evident in the produce section where you can buy fruits and vegetables already sliced. When I was at the grocery store last week, I was amazed to find red potatoes that were already chopped. Who knew people couldn't cut up potatoes themselves?
The potatoes were near other unnecessary items like diced bell peppers and snack-sized packages of celery for lunches. The little package of celery costs $2.29, or about 33 cents an ounce. That might not sound so horrible unless you realize that buying a stalk of celery at that price would cost you more than $5 a pound.
While I was at the store, I paid $1 for a cantaloupe that weighed two pounds, but steps away from the pile of fat cantaloupes, I found precut cantaloupe that would have cost me $6.99 for 20 ounces. I can't help but wonder who buys precut fruit at these prices.
All this convenience comes with a higher price tag - and in the case of frozen entrees - less taste. I found lots of expensive food in the freezer case too, including a two-pound package of frozen pork ribs for $13.59. A few aisles away, the store was having a great sale on fresh pork ribs for just $1 a pound.
Some people assume that clipping coupons is all you need to do to save money at the grocery store, but that's not true. It's often the processed foods that offer coupons, which is why I rarely find any worth clipping. Instead, you can save money by buying healthful foods and cooking them yourself. If people tried cooking good wholesome meals from scratch, even just once or twice a week, they could probably shrink their grocery bill.
To get you started, I'm sharing my recipe for roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, which I've been making for my family for many years. It not only tastes good, but it's pretty easy to make and it costs much less than a frozen chicken dinner.
ROASTED CHICKEN
Most people dry chickens out by roasting them on low heat. Unless you enjoy chicken shoe leather, broil the chicken first to trap the juices.1 chicken (I buy mine at whatever grocery store is selling them for 99 cents a pound or less.)
Set oven for broil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and broil in roasting pan for 10 or 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until the chicken's drumstick is easily pulled out. For a 4.5-pound chicken, the bird should be done within 90 minutes.
MASHED POTATOES
3 pounds potatoes - Idaho or Yukon Gold
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup cream, half & half or milk
Peel potatoes, cut in large chunks and simmer in pot of water until barely soft. Drain thoroughly. Beat potatoes and butter together with a mixer or use a potato masher. Add liquid and combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
GRAVY
Most people would require hypnosis before they'd believe they can make gravy, but it's not hard. And making your own is far better than the jarred gravy glop that stores sell.1 cup drippings from roasted chicken1/3 cup flour1 can chicken broth
Heat chicken drippings in a pot on medium heat and then stir in flour. Continue stirring over medium heat for about a minute. The mixture should become a paste. Gradually add the broth. Continue stirring until the gravy combines and gets thicker. Season with salt and pepper.
If you don't have a cup of drippings, I generally use a ratio of three parts drippings to one part flour. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water.
You will note I didn’t say a word about how perfect I may (or may not) be... I’m just lucky and blessed that she’s stayed with me this long. Speaking of suiting people, I need to go fix cars and set up the pool, or I might find myself single tonight... ;)
Try this trick.
Turn the whole chicken breast side up. Slide a large, sharp butcher knife into the cavity along one side of the backbone. Chop down to separate that side cleanly. Then do the other side. Remove the backbone and save it for stock making.
Now flip the bird over and pull it apart making a 'flat' chicken. Season the bird liberally on both sides and roast it on a bed of celery, carrots, and onions.
You'll find the bird is ready in about 45 minutes as you've reduced the surface to mass ratio.
L
Lot of stores today wants to be food network savvy so they tried to get those items in for those who cook.
I heard about BTB years ago on QVC and than my unique produce store carried it!
By requesting many stores will accommodate!
http://www.superiortouch.com/contact.htm
Horse shoes about the roast chicken. I can spend 5 hours with my chicken at 250 degrees and it is wonderful. Today I will try it in the crockpot.
The problem is that pesticides reside in the skin. I’m not an alarmist, but my husband teaches in the agricultural area and he requests that we always remove the peel. So we do. But you’re right that you lose a lot of the vitamins.
Yes, children are work. Lots of it. I have one and am now too old to have more. To my everlasting grief. I wanted more than seven.
Yes. Yet the schlubs will continue to eat MickeyDs five times a week because it is “cheap.” I cook for myself during the week so I can save money for dates on the weekend. It works.
My problem is that I don’t know how good the vegetable or fruit was that the pre-cut things are cut from. I’ve harbored the concern that stores cut the good part they can find on bad plants. That concerns me. I find that with proper planning, I can do it ok. I do see your point, though.
All the Food Lions here have huge selections of peppers, so do all the other stores and it is not just for the Mexicans, there is a large contingent of Guatemalans as well.
I’m in heaven over it, as it was always a hassle for me in Dover to find specific ingredients without going to a bunch of different store or out of the county. Latin American cooking is among my favorites.
I do miss the oriental groceries in Dover, though. that selection is very limited around here.
I understand that you can save money by cooking. However, the quality of many of these pre-cut/cooked/sliced etc. foods has increased dramatically. Some of these new lunch salads with meat and the fixins are awesome.
I’m paying for convenience and quality. I’ll spend a few bucks to spend an hour with my kids instead of cooking.
LOL!!!! Our daughter is the same with the Calvin and Hobbes and from that age as well.
I have a 3 ingredient bread recipe that she whips up on a regular basis, my only help is getting it in and out of the oven. She and daddy have a perfected their own pancake batter, adapted from one of my cookbooks, and listening to the 2 of them in the kitchen on Saturday morning is bliss!
I find children in the kitchen to be very rewarding, as long as they pay attention, because it can also be very dangerous. she and I have our best relationship when we’re working in the kitchen together, and she’s starting to get very antsy to get more involved in my jelly making. I’m still leery of that, not just from the high temperature of the syrup, but also the fumes from the hot peppers can be very overpowering at times.
I feel that way about Dads. Without my husband being Dad, I wouldn't be Mom, just mother.
I like to live dangerously :)
All kidding aside, I understand your husband’s point, and I guess he would be one to know. I always scrub them well, and then cook them well, and have decided the benefits outweigh the slight increase of risk of a problem.
This was about to uplift his wife who is disable and feeling worthless!
“I feel that way about Dads. Without my husband being Dad, I wouldn’t be Mom, just mother.”
Being a Dad is the best job in the world. Bar none.
I’m sure it’s good- although cabbage I can do without. I cooked stuffed cabbage for the ex and it has a lingering smell I don’t like. Just that at $13, it didn’t seem very economical; although obviously still cheaper than store bought/fast food lunch.
I know that, and I’m sure it was appreciated because it is obvious she is appreciated and I’m sad she is feeling so down.
I was just expressing my appreciation for the men that stand up to the plate for their wives and kids.
So my husband tells me :)
Dads make Moms' lives so much more fulfilling (and easier to boot)
Boy I wish I could do all that. not enough land though, just a regular back yard. But I do have a few fruit tress and several blueberry bushes, raspberries, and grapes. nothing beats going out back, and coming back in to sit down to a bowl of fresh blueberries!
Just eat roadkill. It’s cheap, free meat.
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