What's cooking?!

What's cooking?? How about a vegetable soup simmering on the stove, for the freezer,for future meals? Hearty Stuffed Meatloaves,creamy scalloped potatoes & plum crisp for our supper? All delicious!! The last three recipes all came from "Cooking for 2" the Fall 2008 issue. I can always use inspiration in the cooking department, a woman spends so much time making meals,reading recipes is usually time well spent. The cooler day makes spending an afternoon in the kitchen fun for me. With Fall weather my cooking changes,with heartier dishes appealing to my appetite.
A friend had mentioned saving money on groceries & here's some of my thoughts,gleaned from experience: Simplify,simplify!! I know you hear this about everything from me,but if it works,why not share it?!First step-Have a meal plan!!!Look at your sales ad & feature their good sale items. Our local grocery store is featuring boneless pork sirloin for $ 1.59 a pound. Some of the pkgs. hold 4"chops"-enough for 2 meals for 2 or 1 meal for 4. By using the meat in a recipe like pork lo mein the meat can stretch even further. If you're a family of 2,the extra can go in the freezer for next week.
Some ideas:
If you're lucky enough to have a freezer, you might designate a certain amt. of money each week or every other week to stocking up on bargains. Say you set aside $10.00 this week & buy 2-3 pkgs. of pork this week.
Set aside your budgeted grocery amt. & challenge yourself to use less.Get creative!
Make simple meals with few ingredients.
Use what you have.Go through your cupboards or fridge/freezer & see what's been sitting there awhile.Bought 2 pkgs. of rice last month when it was on sale? Feature it at least once a week this month! Get creative! Use it in soup.Have it for dessert in the form of rice pudding! Top it with lettuce,seasoned taco meat & a bit of cheese, a little salsa or ranch dressing & you've got taco salad! Add it to meatloaf or meatballs to stretch that meat.Make a big pot & freeze it in portions for future use. Brown rice is the hand's down winner for the most fiber & nutrition... but maybe your family is a little resistant to change? Cook both kinds & mix them,maybe starting with 1c. cooked white rice to 1/4 c. brown rice?
Here's an old favorite of mine:
Combine in saucepan:
1 1/2 c. brown rice
1/4 c. chopped almonds
3 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Bring to a boil & boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover with lid,reduce heat to low & simmer 50 -60 minutes. This will make about 3 c. of cooked rice. Portion size can be 1/2 c. - 1 c. per person depending on the appetites in your family. That's all there is to it. Want to make a meal of it?? Stir fry some veggies & some of that on-sale pork & there you go!! Double the recipe,put it in the freezer in the portion size you need & you've got a fast side dish or the basis for a quick meal for a busy day! Enjoy!!!