Frugal Cooking Tips For Moms

Frugal cooking is something that most moms have to practice at some point. Whether you're dealing with lowered income or higher food prices or simply have a teenage boy in the house, there are times when you'll need to cut costs on what you make for your family.

Ideally, frugal cooking will be food that not only leaves a minimal dent in your wallet but also provides quality, nutritious meals that your family will enjoy. If no one eats, you're not really saving money.

Where to Start

The first thing to do is cut back on what you spend on the food you regularly use. This can be done in a number of ways.

Using store brands or no name brands of things like rice, cereal, etc. often is unnoticeable, but can save you quite a bit of money. Switch things your family won't notice first, like the rice or beans.

Look for coupons, then use them on double coupon day at your local supermarket. You can also stay on top of sales and use coupons to get extra savings. Just be careful not to do this with foods you wouldn't normally buy, since this isn't a savings, at all.

Making your own biscuits, cookies and bread may be a little more time consuming (though many are surprised to find that it's that hard!) than simply buying them, but homemade will keep your family fuller, give them better nutrition and help you save money. And, if you make a large batch each time, you spend the same amount of time and freeze the extras for later.

Advanced Frugal Cooking

Making filling meals will cost you less in the long run than if you provide your family with food that tastes great but leaves them hungry shortly afterwards. Rice, potatoes and other starches make excellent bases for meals.

Use less meat by cutting it into smaller chunks and mixing with fried rice, pasta sauce, or something else that will help spread it out a bit more without anyone feeling deprived. For hamburger meat, you can mix in breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or textured vegetable protein to make it go further when making meatballs, meatloaf or hamburger patties.

Add flavor by using your bacon drippings in the mashed potatoes, etc. A little goes a long way and fat is the best way to add flavor to a simple dish. It also makes you feel fuller and more satisfied, so it's a very good way to go.

These frugal cooking tips are all very easy to implement and can have a drastic impact on how much you spend on feeding your family.

Frugal Cooking Tips For Moms

Frugal cooking is something that most moms
have to practice at some point. Whether you're dealing with lowered
income or higher food prices or simply have a teenage boy in the house,
there are times when you'll need to cut costs on what you make for your
family.

Ideally, frugal cooking will be food that not only leaves
a minimal dent in your wallet but also provides quality, nutritious
meals that your family will enjoy. If no one eats, you're not really
saving money.

Where to Start

The first thing to do is cut
back on what you spend on the food you regularly use. This can be done
in a number of ways.

Using store
brands or no name brands of things like rice, cereal, etc. often
is unnoticeable, but can save you quite a bit of money. Switch things
your family won't notice first, like the rice or beans.

Look for coupons, then use them on double
coupon day at your local supermarket. You can also stay on top of sales
and use coupons to get extra savings. Just be careful not to do this
with foods you wouldn't normally buy, since this isn't a savings, at
all.

Making your own biscuits, cookies and bread may be a little
more time consuming (though many are surprised to find that it's that
hard!) than simply buying them, but homemade will keep your family
fuller, give them better nutrition and help you save money. And, if you
make a large batch each time, you spend the same amount of time and
freeze the extras for later.

Advanced Frugal Cooking

Making
filling meals will cost you less in the long run than if you provide
your family with food that tastes great but leaves them hungry shortly
afterwards. Rice, potatoes and other starches
make excellent bases for meals.

Use less meat by cutting it into
smaller chunks and mixing with fried rice, pasta sauce, or something
else that will help spread it out a bit more without anyone feeling
deprived. For hamburger meat, you can mix in breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or
textured vegetable protein to make it go further when making meatballs,
meatloaf or hamburger patties.

Add flavor by using your bacon
drippings in the mashed potatoes, etc. A little goes a long way and fat
is the best way to add flavor to a simple dish. It also makes you feel
fuller and more satisfied, so it's a very good way to go.

These
frugal cooking tips are all very
easy to implement and can have a drastic impact on how much you spend on
feeding your family.

Easy Grilling For The Beginner

Grilling or Barbequing food is a wonderful way to make an everyday meal a special event. Even if you are only cooking for yourself, modern grills allow you to prepare, cook and clean with no fuss. Add some friends and you have instant mood for a party.

If you are new to grilling here's a few tips to get you started with confidence. Prepare ahead, walk through the process and get everything ready before you need it.

Firstly check the weather, many a party had been ruined by the natural elements and grilling inside is not quite the same. Once you know it's going to be fine, decide on a recipe. Stick with one grilled course for your first few times, prepare other courses inside to begin with. That way you can focus on your grilling.

The recipe you choose should be simple but utilise the full advantages of grilling. If you don't want to get to fancy simply browse the meat department of your local supermarket for cuts of meat that have been prepared for grilling. With the addition of a few herbs and spices these can be a real hit. You can accompany the meat with salads like coleslaw, Italian salad or potato salad.

If you want to branch out and try preparing your own make sure to read the recipe thoroughly. Many grill recipes require marinating overnight and you don't want to discover this when your guests are about to arrive. Simple favourites include Lemon butter fish, Lemon Marinated Chicken and Ribeye Steaks marinated in Worcestershire Sauce.

On the equipment side of things make sure your energy supply is topped up, whether gas, briquettes or natural wood make sure it's all fully stocked. Make sure your cooking implements are ready at hand and all clean and perfectly functioning.

Have a contingency plan worked out. Grills are reliable and simple pieces of equipment but it always helps to have a backup plan. Mostly take care of your grill and enjoy the special atmosphere a freshly barbequed meal creates.

How To Make A Mean Matzo Ball Soup

The Matzo Ball soup is the Holy Grail of Kosher food. The Matzo Ball, or knaidel/ knaidelach, has been around for millennia. It all began when Moses led the Jews through the desert. A young boy while wandering with some matzo in hand, found a hot spring. He knew that simply dunking the matzo in the water wouldn't be any good, so he crumbled his matzo in his hand and molded it into a ball. He somehow was able to bind it together - perhaps he had a chicken with him at the time, perhaps with divine aid - and when he tried his creation, he found a delicious alternative to eating flat matzo. This practice evolved into the modern matzo ball soup that we know and love today. (Maybe). Everyone knows what matzo ball soup is, it's a kid-friendly kosher meal, and even Gentiles frequently enjoy it. There are, however, many differing qualities that distinguish good matzo ball soup from bad. So if you really want to impress your guests this Passover, or heck, even if you want to change up the pace on Sabbath, follow these instructions.

1. To really get that fresh taste, we have to prepare the poultry. Wash a turkey neck that has been cut into pieces, and add one pound of chicken wings. Then place them into a large soup pot, and fill it with water until the meat is submerged at the bottom with about two inches of water on top.

2. Bring to a roiling boil. Scrape any froth from the top of the water.

3. Next it's time to add the veggies. Take 3-4 carrots, 3 zucchinis, 3 celery sticks, 2 small onions, 1-2 small parsley roots, an optional piece of pumpkin (which you should add, because pumpkin happens to be extraordinarily healthy for you and your family), some fresh parsley, and spices to taste, with some chicken soup powder. Bring them to a boil.

4. Lower the heat to a simmer. Let it go for two hours, and allow the steam to escape. If the water level dips below the vegetables, just add some more.

5. During this time, you can prepare the sacred matzo balls. Take 4 egg whites, 4 tsp. of water, 4 tsp.

Easy Breaded Pork Chops And Velveeta Macaroni And Cheese Bake

When you don't feel like making a big effort to make dinner for the night, you need a simple dinner plan that you can count on to deliver a tasty meal. There's nothing easier to prepare than the humble pork chop.

Like chicken, pork chops are great for preparing cheap, easy meals that still have that good, old fashioned homemade taste. While plain pork chops are good, breaded pork chops are even better. But, at first, it may seem like a little too much work for a simple meal.

Fortunately, there's an easy way to make breaded pork chops. As you'll see in our Easy Breaded Pork Chops recipe, all you need is a package of chops, some flour, eggs, crushed crackers and some margarine.

Even someone who doesn't cook much can whip up these chops in no time.

=> Easy Breaded Pork Chops

6 pork chops, 1/2 cup of flour, 2 eggs, beaten, 15 Ritz style crackers, crushed, 2 tablespoons of margarine.

Add the flour to a medium sized bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs. In a third bowl, add in the crushed crackers.

In a large skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat.

Coat each pork chop on both sides in the flour, then in the eggs, then dip in the cracker crumb mixture. Cook the chops on both sides until completely done and no pink is showing.

BONUS RECIPE

=> Cola Pork Chops

1 cup of ketchup, 1 cup of regular cola (any brand), 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 8 pork chops, salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the ketchup, cola and the brown sugar.

Place the pork chops into a baking dish and pour the cola mixture on top. Be sure to coat the chops well. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper.

Bake for 1 hour or until the chops are completely done.

Now, you need a great side dish to go along with your pork chops. Macaroni and cheese made with Velveeta cheese is a classic that many people love. Keeping with our simple dinner theme, all you need to make this delicious dish is a box of macaroni, some butter and flour, milk, and of course, Velveeta cheese.

=> Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese Bake

1 (16 oz.) box of Macaroni '“ uncooked, 1/2 cup of butter or margarine, 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, 4 cups of milk, 1 (14 oz.) package of Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks, salt and pepper to taste, 8 slices of Velveeta cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking oil or spray.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble and thickens.

Put in the chunks of Velveeta and allow them to melt. Add in the salt and the pepper.

Pour the uncooked macaroni into the baking dish, then pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and place individual cheese slices on top.

Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or when you see that the cheese slices on top have melted. Allow dish to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants are molecules capable of curtailing or arresting the consumption of oxygen by other molecules. Oxidation produces free radicals, which initiate a chain reaction and damages cells. Antioxidants attach themselves to free radicals and inhibit the oxidation process. Low levels of antioxidants and/or enzymes, cause oxidative stress and damages cells, which leads to aging and eventually death of the living entity. We cannot escape mortality, but we sure can regress the aging process, through consumption of foods rich in antioxidants. They are widely used as ingredients in medicines and dietary supplements, and as preservatives in food and cosmetics.

A paradox in metabolism while the complex life requires oxygen for its existence, yet it is a highly reactive molecule that damages living organisms by producing reactive oxygen elements. Subsequently, organisms contain a complex network of antioxidants and enzymes that inhibit the oxidation process and prevent damage to cellular components like DNA, proteins and lipids.
Brain due to its high metabolic rate and elevated levels of lipids is exceptionally vulnerable to oxidative injury; therefore medicines containing antioxidants are used to treat various forms of brain injury. Antioxidants appear to prevent oxidative stress in neurons and prevent neurological damage, hence are now being used as possible treatments for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease Fruits and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants, and people who consume them regularly are at a lower risk of contracting heart diseases and some neurological diseases. There are plenty of foods that contain antioxidants and most are from a vegetarian diet, because plants are exposed to abundant sunlight, causing cell damage, and to counteract it plants develop and use antioxidants.Almost all berries, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables and bright colored vegetables contain antioxidants. An excellent way to get antioxidants in your diet is incorporate two servings of vegetable and one serving of fruit, alternatively, if tired of eating vegetables you can switch to consuming more fruits, dry fruits and fruit juices. To maintain a fine circulation of antioxidants in your body and excrete the detoxified substances, drinking 8-10 glasses of water is essential.

Since, there exists different types of antioxidants that protect your tissues from different types of damages, it is advisable to eat a wide range of antioxidant-rich foods. If, you are unable to prepare a bowl of salad everyday, buy a juicer and within minutes a big glass of juice will be dating you at your breakfast table. Another, convenient option is to use a high quality super green food product.

Fruits like exotic acai berry, blueberry, cranberry, and blackberries. Vegetables like beans, artichoke hearts, and particularly russet potatoes. Nuts like delicious pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts. And those aromatic spices like cinnamon, oregano, and ground cloves. And not to forget the bright colored foods like apples, bananas, papaya, lemon, lime, orange and other citrus fruits.

The oxygen radical absorbance capacity is a parameter that defines how well the body can fight diseases, which in turns depends on the strength of your metabolism and absorption process. Today antioxidants are readily available in tonics, natural extracts, powders and food supplements and conveniently available in your nearest supermarket and your grocery store. A little effort on your part, will guarantee you longevity and a robust health.

These Old-Fashion Beef "birds" Are Made With Round Steak. Try Them Soon!

I am a firm believer in family-style meals at home several times a week for today's busy families. This is a time for family bonding, discussion, and passing on family values to the younger generation. Call me old-fashion but I do believe that a lot of our old-fashion recipes are the best route to go here. They are easy, usually inexpensive, mostly healthy or can be adjusted to be, and they are tasty. This recipe is a perfect example. The ingredients are relatively inexpensive, easy to prepare, and can easily be adjusted to make it more healthy by using lower-fat cheese, canola oil instead of solid shortening, and cutting the amount of salt in half.

OLD FASHIONED BEEF "BIRDS"
This recipe is another from the area where I grew up in Southern Indiana.

1 1/2 lb round steak
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp shortening
1 can condensed consomme
1/2 tsp dry mustard

Cut the steak into 6 serving pieces and pound with a meat mallet or the edge of a saucer.

Chop the mushrooms and mix with the onion and Cheddar cheese. Put 3 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each piece of steak; reserve remaining mixture. Roll the beef pieces jellyroll style and fasten with a wooden toothpick. In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the meat rolls in the flour mixture, rolling to cover all sides.

Melt the shortening in a large skillet and brown the meat rolls in the skillet. Pour off the drippings. Combine the consomme and dry mustard; add to the skillet with the steak rolls. Cover and cook slowly for 45 minutes. Add the remaining cheese mixture to skillet and continue to slow cook for another 45 minutes. If desired, thicken the liquid with some cornstarch or flour to make a gravy to serve over the steak rolls.