Food Stamps Cooking Club: Cheap Comfort Food?

February 22nd, 2012 by admin No comments »
Dumplings!

 

When our kids were little tykes they introduced us to a whole new vocabulary; a new language, really.  We called it “Kidnese.”   One of the words they gave us was “dumps” –this was their gleeful acknowledgement that their grandma was making her famous dumplings!

One of our most faithful Club Members loves dumplings as much as we do.  They are oh, so easy to whip up; they cook quickly and they fill tummies even if you are living on a dime- or less!

Here is Rainy’s offering.  We present it here with our sincere thanks:

 

CHEAP COMFORT FOOD:  CHICKEN DUMPLINGS

During this time of year, money is tighter than normal for many folks…it is tax season, after all, and the cost of gas and groceries seems to climb higher with each shopping trip.  Knowing how to stretch what you already have in your pantry and fridge is a great way to help keep those higher costs at bay just a little while longer.  One of the best ways I know to fill up empty tummies with great tasting food is to make chicken and dumplings.

What if you don’t have chicken or it is a bit too pricey for your pocket book on any given day?  Do you skip this great tasting nutritious dish for some other option?  You don’t have to, IF you happen to have the fore-thought of freezing left over chicken bits from meals gone by…or you have some chicken stock on hand.  If that happens to be a stretch too, you can use canned chicken…or on those really lean times…use chicken bouillon to build the base of your broth.  The flavor will still be strong and wonderful.

Depending on the number of your dinner companions…pick a pan that will give you room to simmer your dumplings and goodies with room to spare.   Fill your pan will water and chicken bullion or chicken stock if you have it; add chicken if you happen to have some on hand.  Add to the pot some onions or onion flakes, some garlic, a little parsley and some salt and pepper. Bring this to a boil while you mix your batter for the dumplings.

Your batter will consist of flour, eggs water and salt if you desire it.   In a large bowl whip your eggs (the number is up to you).  Add a cup of water to this and your salt if you want it.   Blend it well…then start adding flour until your batter gets stiff and holds a shape.    Once that happens, drop it into your boiling broth by the fork or spoonful.   The dumplings will sink to the bottom and you will want to use a long slotted spoon to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  The dumplings will need to simmer for 20 minutes or so once you have dropped them into the broth.

If you have it on hand, you might like to add veggies to the pot to add extra nutrients.  I often add carrots, celery and sometimes corn…but you can add what you like and what you happen to have.  If you have fresh, add fresh…or  canned.   Frozen works just as well.

Spices add layers of flavor…you can add bay leaf, garlic, sun dried tomato flakes, basil, Italian blends…etc.  This dish is really about bringing flavor and comfort to your family meal.  Make it your own…but be prepared for the compliments.  This is a big family favorite. 

Add a side salad or crusty bread rolls and you have a complete meal.   Enjoy!

~Rainy

Mother Connie here:  That inspires me for tonight’s dinner, Rainy.  I have a bowl full of veggies I roasted and set aside to be morphed into another meal.  I love “dumps” as much as my children did when they were tiny and you said it all when you called it COMFORT FOOD!

People who depend on SNAP are doing all in their power to make those EBT cards work hard; WIC users are doing the same thing.   Many of our club members depend on food pantries and food commodities.  This idea will no doubt appeal to them and for cooks who are just plain old fashioned frugal–this is a true winner! 

We trust our mission to help the 40 million Food Stamp users is a real assistance.

Do YOU have a tasty, money saving menu item to share?  WE LOVE MAIL:  foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly.

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Beans, Rice and Food Stamps Cooking Club?

February 10th, 2012 by admin No comments »

Beans + Rice = Perfect Protein

You’ve heard it a million times:  “If you want to save money on your food bill, make beans and rice.”  And you have done that for a million times…now you are sick of eating this combo.  What’s a cook to DO?

The Normanator and I have been enjoying beans and rice this week with NO COMPLAINTS from either of us!  I’m not much for recipes in our kitchen; my modus operandi is to poke around to see what’s there and start creating.

On Wednesday I began with one cup of  dark kidney beans.  To that I added 3 cups of water and brought it to a full boil.  After it began to boil, I reduced the heat and let it simmer on low for a couple of hours.  While that cooked, I put a cup of rice  into another saucepan with two cups of water, a dash of salt and brought that to a boil.  I used what I had:  some white rice and some brown rice.

SIDEBAR:  It’s called using up what you have  on hand so you can open a fresh package of rice.  END SIDEBAR

I drained the beans, added a few cups of chicken  broth that was waiting in the fridge for this type of moment, and put in about half the rice.  It was beginning to smell divine.  I seasoned it with salt and pepper and when it was good and hot I added a couple of handfuls of chopped spinach for color.  We ate like royalty, oohing and aahing our way through lunch!  For dessert I found some canned pears.

On Thursday we had this soup again but this time we had a big vegetable salad with it.  There wasn’t much left, but I saved it in a refrigerator container for another time.  The rice that did not wind up in the bean pot became rice pudding, replete with cinnamon, sugar and whole milk.  YUM!

Today is Friday.  When it was time to prepare lunch, I pulled out the soup and thought I could add some sauteed onion.  That made the whole house smell delish!  I added those onions, along with frozen corn, more broth and brought it to a boil. We were so pleased with this hearty soup that we did not have salad OR a sammie to go along.  We did have some apricots and that made a great finale to a wonderful meal.

There is just a tad of this left.  It will go into the freezer for a quick meal on a day we are too busy to saute or create.

We all need to have quick meals at our fingertips from time to time.  Leanne Ely from Saving Dinner had a dynamite post on her website today about that very thing.  She has come up with Fast Food Drive Through food YOU MAKE AT HOME FOR PENNIES.  Check it out, won’t you?  I think you will be very pleased at what she has to offer.

If you are a user of food commodities or frequent food pantries, we make every effort to come up with assistance that makes your life better.  If you hold an EBT card for SNAP or WIC we hope we are meeting your needs.  Maybe you are just a frugal shopper and careful cook…we expect that our little corner of the world will enhance your life as well. Maybe you are living on a dime, barely scraping by.  We sincerely hope we are helpful to you.

We are thrilled to our toenails to see that our Club Roster has so many new members!  Thank you so much for coming by.  We encourage you to share YOUR money saving ideas and recipes.  You have a lot to offer those of us who have been here for awhile.

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly.

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Honeymoon Hash for Food Stamps Cooking Club

January 28th, 2012 by admin No comments »

Alice, everything but the kitchen sink?

Sometimes, when you cook,  do you feel as if various recipes call for so many things it’s dizzying?  And overwhelming?  Does it just make you want to forget meal prep altogether?

Judy came by today and, as we always do, we discussed food and food prep.  And rising grocery prices.  She mentioned Honeymoon Hash and I was intrigued.

Here’s the thing:  You can make Honeymoon Hash from leftovers or you can make a fresh batch.  I love using leftovers but this would be very tasty as a new entree AND IT’S CHEAP AND QUICK TO MAKE!  Thank you, Judy!

Honeymoon Hash

1# ground beef or ground turkey or ground chicken

1 medium onion

1 potato for each person at your table, peeled and chopped **This will come together more quickly if you scrub the taters and leave the skins intact.  More fiber, more nutrition, as well.

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrots, washed and sliced  ** Note the instructions for the potato

1 can hominy, drained

1 or 2 bouillon cubes + 1 cup water  **Use leftover gravy, if you have some on hand

Garlic to taste **This is optional; use whatever your gang grooves on…the Kitchen Police will never know.

Brown the meat in a good sized skillet, when it looks the way you like it to, add the veggies and the bouillon.  Salt and pepper to taste.  When the veggies are tender, your meal is ready!  Now, how easy was THAT?

Here’s hoping you’ll toss together some fruit for a salad, or crisp greens.  That will round out your meal and satisfy everyone’s hunger.

**Here’s a tip for frazzled cooks:  While you are cooking, offer the children a big plate or bowl of salad with lettuce, cabbage, celery, onion, peppers, carrot or any combination of those.   Also, have them drink tall glasses of water with their pre-meal treat.    They will load up on nutrition and consequently will need less of your main dish.  It might help your grocery bill, as well as your medical bills.

If you are a user of SNAP or WIC EBT cards; if you are a bargain shopper; if you have food commodities or depend on a food pantry for your family’s food needs, this recipe is meant to help you S T R E T C H those foods and food dollars while providing good nutrition.  Our goal at the Food Stamps Cooking Club is to help you.  We think YOU have better and more creative  ideas about food than we do so we encourage you to contact us:  foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com 

You  have been telling others about us–we know this because we are seeing more and more names of people who have signed up for our series of cooking tips.  THANK YOU!

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly

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Dill Pickle Soup for Food Stamps Cooking Club?

January 19th, 2012 by admin 2 comments »

It sounds odd, but Dill Pickle Soup is really tasty and satisfying!

After parting company with a tooth recently, all my menu called for was soup.  No problem; soup is one of my comfort foods.  When I was offered Dill Pickle Soup I was intrigued.  Now it is my new favorite soup.  Best of all, it’s easy and quick to make and it is really inexpensive.

Here is the list of ingredients and how I tweaked them:

DILL PICKLE SOUP

2 tablespoons butter or oil

1/2 cup flour

7 cups chicken broth *Make your own broth to save the big bucks; use bouillon + water if you have no broth

1/2 cup very finely chopped dill pickles  *I used the food processor

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice  *add this as  you process the pickles

2 tablespoons + 1 pinch white sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce  *Remember, the Kitchen Police will not arrest you if you do not have this in your pantry!

2 teaspoons minced garlic  *I used garlic powder and nobody died

4 teaspoons onion powder  *I know; it sounds excessive.  It’s perfect.

1 teaspoon curry powder  *Raise your hand if you ever had curry powder on hand…grin…

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2  cups warm milk

Melt the butter in a large soup kettle over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook til it becomes pale and light brown.  May take a coupla minutes.  Whisk in chicken broth until thickened and smooth.  Crank the heat to medium high, add dill pickles, juice and all; add sugar, W. sauce, garlic, onion, dill, curry  and pepper.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium LOW and simmer for about 5-7 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in warm milk.  This will serve 4 people.

***Mother Connie prefers a soup that is a bit thicker than this recipe made.  To accommodate this, I used some of the liquid from the soup pot with a spoonful of cornstarch, stirred it well, and added that back into the soup.  I whisked the whole business until it was the soupy consistency we prefer.  I could also have added leftover mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes.

The fun of cooking is the opportunity to be creative.   And devouring what you create!

I did not calculate the cost of this soup but I know it’s way less costly than most soups.  It will go really well with your favorite sandwich and a piece of fruit.

If you are a user of food stamps from the SNAP program; if you utilize food commodities; if you love dill pickles and enjoy being frugal, this will be ideal for you!  Those of you who depend on food pantries will find this recipe useful as well!

Drop us a line about your experience with this creation: foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly

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What’s New at Food Stamps Cooking Club?

January 16th, 2012 by admin 9 comments »

We hope everything is PEACHY in your world...

My, but it feels good to be back!  When life happens, we roll with it.  I’ve been rolling around awhile now but I’m back…with a grateful heart for all the new Members we have collected in my absence!   Thank you ALL so much!

SIDEBAR:  When this blog was  “born” I was warned that nobody would read it because the folks who would benefit the most would not have access to it.  I pooh-poohed their admonitions and pressed onward.  Our mail indicates that it IS helping people.  This is our mission, helping people to learn how to create nutritious meals for very little money AND LOVE DOING IT!  END SIDEBAR

The economy continues to be malodorous…people are still looking for work AND they are looking for ways to get dinner on the table for next to nothing.  Those who have jobs are working redonkulous hours and they are too tired to worry over their meals.  We hope the Food Stamps Cooking Club can be of service in this regard.

Let’s think for a moment about slashing food costs:  Are you utilizing any leftover food?  We had meat, gravy and veg for dinner yesterday…today I morphed what was left into hash by adding some sauteed onion and celery and a handful of corn.  It was quick to fix and really delicious!

Food that sits around in your refrigerator, looking more and more like a science experiment every day, loses its vitality-not to mention its appeal!  Make sure you grab what you can to use things efficiently.  Soup can be made from leftover bits of this and that with maybe a can of your family’s favorite vegetable.  Add the flavor of onion with powdered onion if you have some on hand, make it more interesting with spices or boullion or herbs.  This is your chance to be creative.  Just don’t get too heavy-handed; you only want to add flavor.  No need to create something that sets someone’s tongue on fire!  grin

Conventional wisdom dictates that low cost meals include beans.  Very true.  But don’t cook the same “flavor” of beans every time.  Use black beans today; later in the week use pinto beans and save the Great Northern beans for the week end.  I’m sure you get my drift.  I have learned that you can soak and cook them in ordinary tap water but after you have cooked and drained them, add some bouillon or chicken broth for good flavor.  Watery bean soup just tastes like watery bean soup.  Not your family’s best rave…

Food is not the only expense to consider.  There is the little matter of fuel for cooking.  By baking a dozen potatoes instead of 4 or 6 for your gang, you will save money on energy and time in having pre-cooked taters.  Oh, the fun you can have with THOSE.  Twice baked potatoes, warmed over in a steamer to be topped with veggies and sour cream;  fried up with scrambled eggs…oh, the list is long and yummy!

Here’s hoping I tickled your imagination with some new thoughts.  Surely YOU have better ideas than I.  Please share those novel notions with us at foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com 

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly

 

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Mother Connie’s Message and Food Stamps Cooking Club

August 8th, 2011 by admin No comments »

You may have taken note that this blog has been woefully neglected of late.  Mother Connie has been hanging out in the hospital with her son, who underwent his 30th and 31st shunt revision and is having difficulty recovering.

All you members are welcome to chat amongst yourselves in the comment section until the pace is picked up once again and the Club is fully in session!  We appreciate your patient understanding and concern and thank you for your prayerful support.

Please consider yourselves hugged until the Club House is back to normal again.

Connie Baum

PS/The offline cooking class is taking shape despite the disruption in activity!  YAY!

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I Heart Cooking and I Heart Food Stamps Cooking Club!

July 18th, 2011 by admin No comments »
My, but it’s been a long time since we were all in the Club House! You all have been sorely missed!

Oh, my!  It feels SO GOOD to be back as your humble blogger.  Technology is wonderful when it works and when it doesn’t–well, let’s just say it can interrupt the flow of life! 

Things have been happening at breakneck speed while the blog was quiet...we have so many new members to welcome and thank!  We are working feverishly on an offline cooking class and recipes have been pouring in!  WE LOVE IT ALL!

That we have so many fresh new faces around the Club House tells me that a need is being met.  People who use EBT cards from WIC or SNAP are getting some valuable assistance; those who have food from commodities or a food pantry are looking for help in creating interesting, low cost dishes for their families and those who are frugal by nature are coming to share ideas and offer their wisdom.  It is so wonderful to have all these souls coming together for a common cause!  Thanks, EVERYONE.

The Normanator and I are extremely grateful for Angel Food Ministries.  We feel that we are doubling our food budget dollars by using this valuable service that is open to EVERYONE, regardless of your situation.  They also welcome those EBT cards from SNAP and you can order online.  Point, click, save!

Before we were so rudely interrupted by electronic glitches we were on a rant about BEANS.  While we were down a wonderful recipe arrived at the Club House door by one of our most faithful charter members and I want to share it here.  I am warning you:  IT IS DELISH!

Pork and Bean Cake

Yes, pork and beans; that is not a misprint!  ~Mother Connie

1  15 oz can pork and beans

1  8 oz can crushed pineapple, juice and all

Beat well until beans are pureed.

Add 2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat well for 2 minutes

Add 2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat well.  Pour into large UNGREASED jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.

When cool frost with this mixture:

1  6 oz pkge cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

4 cups powdered sugar

The finished product will remind you of spice cake and you will be delighted!

Thanks to KIM for this offering.

Do you have something “beany” to share?  Shoot us an email:  foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com   We appreciate you and your ideas.

We will be keeping you all in the loop about the upcoming offline cooking class, so do keep your eyes open for that.  Those of you who do not live in SE Nebraska will have access to some of that information because we plan to video a portion of the presentation.  EACH OF YOU IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS GATHERING OF LIKE MINDS! 

Gardens around town are bountiful now; there are some tremendous ideas to share about TOMATOES so if the computer behaves itself, those ideas will be forthcoming.  grin

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly


 

 

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Black Bean Casserole at the Food Stamps Cooking Club

June 24th, 2011 by admin No comments »

 

Here is a Black Bean Casserole that's ideal for your Sunday Best!

Beans have been a major topic this week and a recipe came to my attention for black beans I could not wait to share with you Club Members!  Here it is:

2 cups chopped onion

1 minced cloves of garlic

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup prepared red salsa *The Kitchen Police will not arrest you if you choose green salsa.  Use what you like.

1 fresh pepper-choose red or green or yellow

3 cups cooked black beans

3 cups canned whole tomatoes, juice and all

2 cups frozen corn kernels

salt, pepper to taste

2 cups water

*Prepared in a soup pot as as, you will have a delicious soup.  For the casserole, just prepare as follows:

Add 3 cups cooked pasta.  *The cook gets to decide what KIND of pasta: bow ties, elbow macaroni, rotelli would work well.  Place in casserole dish, top with 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese and bake 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until it is thoroughly heated.

Besides being easy to prepare and easy on your food budget, this would travel well to a pot luck or to a neighbor who might need a meal because of a hospitalization.  It’s appropriate for Sunday dinner when a van load of your cousins  show up at meal time because it’s the end of the month, too!

This casserole is quite filling but you might want a little something sweet to polish off your meal.  This is a rerun; I made up a bowlful this morning and boy was it yummy:

Chia Pudding

1/2 cup white chia seeds  *Black ones work well, too

1/4 cup honey

1 can coconut milk

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla *or almond or mint or whatever YOU like

Mix together, cover and store in the fridge.  If you leave it alone, the seeds will float to the top and stay there.  You can stir it periodically to mix the seeds, but who has the time for that?  grin

At serving time you can pair it up with canned or fresh fruit or berries as a topping, or serve it as is.

This recipe doubles or triples beautifully, depending on how many toes sit around your table.  It makes a great snack and I’ve been known to eat it for breakfast, as well.

The mail continues to delight us: foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com  and we welcome all the new members who have flocked to the Club House lately.  ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?  (yes!)

If you hold an EBT card for WIC or SNAP or if you are using Farmers Market Coupons; if you have goods from a food pantry or food commodities, this blog is devoted to YOU.  We truly hope we are helping you manage your food budgets in this tight economy.  Maybe you are just a frugal shopper/cook; we aim to help YOU as well!

What’s so interesting is that YOU help US more than we ever could help anybody.  Your support, your comments, your emails, your links, your recipes–this is all so wonderful and we deeply appreciate every one of you.

One of the Club Members popped by yesterday and-bless her heart-she promised to get us the recipe for a BEAN CAKE that she says is amazing.  Well, I’m down with THAT.  Better get my baking stuff out…

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly


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Bean Talk at Food Stamps Cooking Club

June 22nd, 2011 by admin No comments »

 

If you are talking BEANS, I am hearing BLACK BEANS!

The bean does not exist that Mother Connie does not love.  I recall with fondness the many kettles of White Northern or Navy beans my mother cooked every Monday she washed clothes as she used the old wringer washer!  Bits of bacon or ham went into the bean pot, as did shreds of carrot and pieces of onion.  They soaked on the counter top every Sunday night and when supper time rolled around they were paired up with crusty cornbread!  We could depend on eating beans and cornbread every wash day, which-of course-was traditionally Monday.

SIDEBAR:  Could you live YOUR life, knowing that Monday was always to be laundry day?  END SIDEBAR.

Through the years, Mom often cooked lima beans, even though my dad groaned his displeasure.  She also made baked beans with weiners, back in the bygone days of CHEAP NATURAL CASING HOT DOGS!  And of course, she was big on bean salads of every stripe and color.

Mom talked about a childhood that was-shall we say austere?  She and her sister both remembered being hungry at bedtime on a regular basis.  Wash day was not the only time they saw a plateful of beans!  Grandma did well to have enough dry beans to make meals with, especially because meat-and money and food-was mighty scarce.

Neither Mom nor my aunt were never ill as youngsters, so what little food they did have to eat nourished them well. Mom was 86 when she made her transition…she still had her own teeth!  Maybe mineral-rich beans were all right, after all!

Beans provide color and variety; fiber and texture.  They are a staple all around the world.

My Inbox held a wonderful recipe for chickpeas and grains this morning.  I was thrilled about it until I found out that recipe was not meant for sharing.

SIDEBAR:  HUH?  No sharing recipes?  What’s that about?  And if it is not for sharing, why was it in my Inbox?  NO FAIR! END SIDEBAR.

Let’s just say again that beans and grains make a complete low cost protein and let that stand.  If you and your family favor a certain type of bean and you have a favorite grain, I would strongly encourage you to mix and match and come up with your OWN recipe.

SIDEBAR:  If/When you DO that, feel free to put it into our Inbox for sharing.  The email address will appear below!  END SIDEBAR.

Beans lend themselves to salads, side dishes, entrees and snacks.

Chef Shawn Bucher reminds us that RE-FRIED beans are really “smashed” beans.  I found that comical.  When I read that, my mouth watered and I pined for little tortillas with a dab of re-fried beans, topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Any variety of cooked beans-canned or home cooked-adds interest to stir fry dishes, soups, salads, or even sandwiches.  Have you mashed any beans and used those “smooshed” beauties as a sandwich spread in lieu of mayo or butter?  They can be run through the food processor, along with sandwich meat or eggs and flavored with a dash of vinegar, some pickle relish and a bit of salad dressing, oil, or mayo.  Used this way, they can fill lettuce cups or be a sandwich spread.  This is ideal for lunchboxes!

People who have food commodities are likely to have beans on the shelf in their kitchens.  The same is true for users of a food pantry.  If you have an EBT card for WIC or SNAP; if you have Angel Food Ministries foodstuffs or you are a coupon clipper, you are very likely to have a stash of canned or dry beans around.

On the other hand, if you just like being very careful with your food dollars you are very likely to have a variety of beans to make your home cooked meals interesting and economical.

We are eager to hear from all of you about the way YOU use beans.  Just send your info to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com !  WE LOVE MAIL!

We also l0ve having new Club Members!  We have a brand new batch, so treat ‘em all with love!  Please make all the new kids feel welcome here.

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  Should they be clicked, resulting in sales, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting affairs online or offline.  Always do business with those you trust implicitly

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Lotsa Food; Little Cost: Food Stamps Cooking Club

June 20th, 2011 by admin 16 comments »

 

Beans are inexpensive and nutritious!! These are red beans, as any fool can plainly see!

+

 

Rice is plentiful, nourishing, and probably sitting on your shelf!

EQUALS: A complete protein!

 

Ah, but you knew THAT, didn’t you?  And no doubt you are acutely aware that beans and rice are considerably less costly than beef these days!

The problem gets to be that the “end times” – of the month , that is – get to be tricky when it comes to making interesting, low cost meals.  It’s too hot to cook.  It’s too hot to eat but three squares are required every day. Those meals are necessary no matter how tired you are, or how hot is is, or how skimpy your food budget might be!

If you are using public assistance for your food budget you know all too well what the message is.  And you are sick to death of beans and rice, rice and beans.

How about if we re-frame the way we look at rice and beans?  What if we “built” a cool summer salad from rice you cooked and stored in the fridge?

SIDEBAR:  You KNOW how Mother Connie loves to cook once and eat twice..or more!  END SIDEBAR.

You really don’t need a recipe.  You could add some chopped vegetables to your rice: celery, onion, cucumber, peppers, carrots, radishes, zucchini, whatever you like-or whatever the kids will eat LOL.  Then dump in a can of drained beans you picked up for a song with a coupon or what they had at the food pantry.  You might dress the whole thing up with your own “signature” dressing.  Make up something like vegetable oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice; jazz it up with some dried herbs from your pantry.  Perhaps basil, oregano, cumin.  The choice is yours!

Rice is often included in the bundles available from Angel Food Ministries but rice is not the only grain you could use for this.  Bulgar wheat would work.  So would my personal favorite, quinoa.  You don’t need to limit your bean choices, either.  And they don’t have to be canned.  Dried beans, like grains, can be cooked and used as needed by storing them in the fridge.

SIDEBAR:  If you cook dry beans, soak them but do not salt them before you cook them.  If you do, they will cook up hard as stones,  END SIDEBAR.

You can stretch a summer salad like this by adding chopped lettuce to the salad before serving it.  Cutting the lettuce just prior to serving is wise, as shredded lettuce has a tendency to turn brown on the edges.

A simple and inexpensive home made pudding would top off this easy-do summer meal.  Or, fresh fruit would be nice if you are lucky enough to have some!

Next time we can talk about creative ways to add beans to your summer menu!

How do YOU manage combining beans and grains?  We LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear from you at foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com  and we thank you ALL for your participation!

There are new faces around the Club House and boy are we glad!  It’s great to have a place to hang out with people who understand where we are coming from.  Those who use food pantries, food commodities, EBT cards from SNAP or WIC-those who are suffering in this terrible economy need to know there is loving support for them.  No judgments.  No sales pitches.  Just an understanding and listening ear and some free advice about keeping food costs at bay.  Not all of us are users of public assistance…some of us just pinch every nickel until the buffalo bellows! grin  And we do love people!

Connie Baum

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