Budget Conscious Kitchen

New Budget Friendly Cookbook by Betty Crocker!

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:43:17 GMT

With the holidays around the corner, here’s the perfect gift for the family on a budget. “Betty Crocker Money Saving Meals” is the latest cookbook from Betty Crocker.

I have a copy and plan to cook from it this week. I’ll come back with recipe and review.

What I love about this cookbook is there is a price breakdown on each serving. I also like that every single recipe has a photo (I like to compare my creation to the cookbook photo.) In the end, I like that is proves that a food budget doesn't have to be boring!

Here is the link in the Betty Crocker Store for more information:
http://www.bettycrockerstore.com/p-260790-0-betty-crocker-budget-cookbook_Betty-Crocker-Money-Saving-Meals.aspx?Ntt=betty%20crocker%20budget%20cookbook&Ntx=mode%20matchall&Nty=1&Ntk=All

If you seen (or cooked) from this book yet, please let us know what you think!

So, what cookbooks do you use when you are on a budget? Please share!

MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:16:16 GMT

We're trying to make a huge dent in our grocery bill. Does anyone remember great recipes our mom's whipped up to stretch meat and other staples? We do a lot of soups and stews, but are in need of a fresh menu. I'm looking for those home favorites with simple ingredients. I love to try new recipes, but by the time I buy all the ingredients, my budget is shot. Kids aren't crazy about tuna, but other than that, they're not too picky. any ideas?

Recipes for Food Pantry

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:08:58 GMT

I am looking for recipes for our Food Pantry that do not require any perishables ingrediants.� We have a Food Pantry and we do not currently supply perishables.� I would like to add recipes with all the ingredients to make the dish, everything included.

Thanks,

�

Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:51:48 GMT

Here's a Hot and Sour Soup recipe that we like a lot.

We used to eat out a lot just for this soup.�

Making it at home saves a lot of money.

It tastes very close to what you get at a�

Chinese restaurant. All of these ingredients�

should be available at the supermarket, some in the Asian

foods section. The white pepper and sesame oil are the

"secret" ingredients that seem to give the authentic taste.

�

Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

�

4 cups of chicken broth

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup cooked shredded chicken or pork

1/2 cup drained canned mushrooms (type of your choice), sliced or diced

1/4 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained and julienned

1/2 tablespoon Thai Chili Garlic Sauce (Tabasco Sauce and a little garlic powder as a substitute is ok)

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water

1 egg, beaten

3 oz firm tofu, cut into 1/4 inch dice

2 green onion stalks, diced (including green tops)

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

�

Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan.

Add soy sauce, meat, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, Thai Chili Garlic Sauce

and white pepper.

-Simmer for five minutes.

-Combine two tablespoons of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold

water in a cup. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to

soup and stir well.

-Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes until soup is thickened.

-Beat egg in a cup until yolk and white are combined. Pour beaten egg

slowly, in a fine stream into soup. Stir soup several times.

-Wait 30 seconds.

-Add tofu and green onions to soup. Stir well. Remove from heat.

-Add distilled white vinegar and sesame oil.

-Stir a few times and serve.

Homemade Hot Dog Chili

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:38:38 GMT

Cans of hot dog chili cost at least $ 1.50 for a 14-oz can.

Here's a recipe that I think is better than canned and cheaper.

�

Homemade Hot Dog Chili

Cooking time 45-minutes. Makes about 8 cups

1 lb ground beef

1 Tbs bacon grease

6 cups cold water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup all purpose flour

8-ounce can tomato sauce

4 Tbs mild chili powder

1 Tbs paprika

1 Tablespoon dried minced onion

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 �tsp table salt

1 cup fritos corn chips, crushed

�

1. Brown the meat with bacon grease in 4-qt dutch oven. When browned, pour off�excess grease except for 2 Tablespoons.�

2. In a 2-qt mixing bowl, add water. Whisk in cornstarch until fully blended. Whisk in flour until fully blended. Whisk in tomato sauce until fully blended.

3. Stir into the water mixture chili powder, paprika, dried onion, cumin, garlic powder,�pepper and salt. Mix well.

4. Add water mixture to meat in dutch oven.

5. Stir in the crushed fritos corn chips.

6. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

7. Simmer 45-minutes. Stir well and scrape bottom of pot every 5-minutes�to prevent burning.

8. Serve as is or blend slightly with hand blender for a smoother chili.

9. Serve over hot dogs, hamburgers, polenta, etc.

Win Free OXO Products

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:31:00 GMT

all this talk about how to save money, so I started looking on blogs for contests and sweepstakes to win free things- theres not better way to save money haha

I came across this OXO contest this weekend and figured I should share it with my fellow cooks :) All you have to do is record a video of yourself using your favorite kitchen tool and you are entered to win a trip to NYC and $1000 worth of OXO products.� It's pretty simple, and definitely worth the prize so you should check it out.� There are more details at www.oxocontest.com

enjoy :)

Eating at Home more? what about easy preparation and left-over storage?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:19:07 GMT

Hello! I'm new to this posting stuff as I'm normally a 'reader' and not a 'writer'. But as I see more/more families (like mine) seeking out recipes and solutions for simpler and cost effective living, I just had to jot a note. "Green" eco-friendly solutions that make preperation easier (from frozen left-overs to what's quick tonight?) and don't overload our landfills... Tupperware!

We all have some in our cupboards and pantries as we grew up with our moms hosting parties and buying it from friends. I'll admit I have some that was my grandmother's! but Tupperware has come a long way and I need help coming up with ideas on how to use the new stuff. Folks are 'rock-n-serve'ing, 'vent-n-serve'-ing and now they are even 'fridge-smart' to keep fruits and veggies lasting longer. It all looks and sounds great, but how are you making it work in 'real' life??

Come on all you sports-moms, band-moms, scout-moms, working-moms (and dads!): Let me hear your ideas!! -- TupperwareMom

Simple and Budget Friendly Recipes

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:16:47 GMT

hi to everyone

this is my first time on a blog. i need some ideas about meals for kids that is simple to make, taste great for mom and dad.� my husband and i are going to be foster parents in the near future and our finances will be limited.� i need recipies that the whole family will love.� my email is **********************�

�

thanks for your help.

maryann from mass.

cooks

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:59:22 GMT

lookin for new recipes

�

Grocery Budgets: Tell us your tips & tricks!

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:13:49 GMT

Keeping a budget can be tough and a real challenge. I’m a newlywed and the hubby and I are still trying to master our proposed budget. (I tend to love the 10 for $10 sales…)

How do you budget for groceries? Tell us your successful tips and tricks!

The below was just posted on Betty Crocker, and think it’s helpful! This subject was touched on before but it deserves some focus.

Don’t shop cheap; shop smart – maximize your grocery savings by paying less for the foods on your list. With our handy budgeting tips, you can join the new wave of coupon clippers and money savers at the grocery store.

Top 5 Planning and Budgeting Tips for Grocery Savings

Spend just a bit of time planning before your weekly shopping trip, and the savings may astonish you.

1. Shop smart: make a list

Make a list before you go to the store, and stick to it. Impulse items add up in a big way. Bring coupons only for items you actually need, and make fewer trips to the store. Not only will you spend less on impulse items each time you go, but you’ll save on gas, too.

2. Clip grocery coupons and use local discount books or cards

Maybe you haven’t clipped coupons for years. Maybe you never did. But economically challenging times call for extra measures, and coupons are just the way to keep your grocery budget in check. Truly, it’s like FREE MONEY.

Check online sources for coupons that you can use at your local grocery store in addition to coupons available in weekly newspaper circulars. Some people claim to save 10% to 20% on their weekly bill—just by using coupons. To start saving, check out the coupons on BettyCrocker.com.

Another great way to save money is with those school or community discount coupon books or plastic cards. You know, the ones that offer everything from free car washes to two-for-one meals at local restaurants. Buy them and remember to use them. These booklets can pay for themselves with one or two uses.

3. Buy in bulk for grocery savings

Even with a small family, you can buy in bulk if the product can be shelved, frozen or refrigerated for some duration. If not, combine your food purchases with another family. You can save hundreds of dollars a year on everything from toilet paper to coffee and baking supplies.

4. Frugal living: make it at home

Seek recipes for dinner and lunch that have few ingredients, which generally translates to fewer dollars spent at the store.

Saving money by making it at home also applies to your daily cup of coffee. Make a small pot for yourself in the morning and bring it along in a travel mug. You won’t believe how much you’ll save by skipping your morning stop at the espresso shop. One latte a day adds up to about $1,200 a year .

5. Save money on meats for big grocery savings

Resist the urge to buy expensive cuts of meat for casserole or soup recipes. Instead, purchase the most economical selections available.

For example:

(1) Purchase inexpensive ground beef, rather than the more expensive leaner packages. Brown the ground beef over the stove, drain it in a colander, then rinse with hot water to dispel remaining fat. You’ll be left with very lean ground beef for your recipe, but at a great cost-savings to you!

(2) Use inexpensive stew meat in casseroles, soups and stews that call for cubed beef or pork, rather than more expensive lean cuts. The meat will have ample time to tenderize as it cooks, and it will become infused with the other flavors in the dish.

(3) Cooked rotisserie chicken can save you money and time. Many stores offer whole cooked rotisserie chickens at a great price. Take one home and put it in the slow cooker with an inch of water for an hour or so. The meat will fall right off the bones for your casserole, soup or stew recipes.

Looking forward to reading your posts!