Posts Tagged ‘comfort foods’

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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Could Your Head EXPLODE?

August 31st, 2010

You won't BELIEVE what is happening to our healthy choices!

SOMETIMES Mother Connie is sure her head may explode!  Get a load of THIS:  There is an advertising campaign which takes baby carrots, packages them like junk foods-e.g. chips, cookies, etc-and trots them out to tempt children!

Oh, this is fraught with issues.  #1, it’s probably a clever concept and someone will likely be handsomely paid for thinking of it.

#2, I have serious issues with baby carrots.  Yes.  Baby carrots are NOT healthy, NOT nutritious and in some cases they are downright dangerous.

#3, is it kosher for people to appeal to kids in this way?  It makes me squeamish.

The reason why baby carrots are not good is that the clever food processing people take all the ugly, misshapen carrots and make them look perfect because after all, we eat with our eyes first.  Right?  Right.

The problem is that after they get them shaped just so, they dunk them in a vat of slush that purports to keep them sanitary.  That vat has CHLORINE in it in order to kill the bad guys that might be growing there.  Those carrots sit in that brine from the time they go in to the time you use the little critters.  Didn’t you ever notice how LONG those things keep and HOW SLIMY THEY ARE? Yuck!

The manufacturers can dress them up any way they like to sell more stuff.  But if you dress up a pig and put lipstick on it, IT IS STILL A PIG.

Does Mother Connie make herself clear, people?

Families who are managing their food dollars with the help of WIC or SNAP and an EBT,  need to have accurate information about the food they purchase.  For people who use Angel Food Ministries, for those who have items from a food pantry or use food commodities, these are important considerations.  If you have goods from a Farmer’s Market or are just plain frugal and you love food, especially comfort foods, you need to have good information about the food you and your loved ones consume!

Good food is good food.  It should be good FOR you, not just perfectly pretty.

If you have REAL carrots, with their imperfections and all, I want to share a prep tip with you.  And if you get your kids involved in shopping or growing or digging or cleaning the produce the chances of them EATING it are much, much greater.  Here’s what’s really good:

COOKED CARROTS

1 pound of real carrots, scrubbed, not peeled.  Do cut off the end pieces for your stock pot.

Cut the carrots the way you want them to look.  They can be grated, cut crosswise, chopped into chunks-however you like them.

Put them in a heavy saucepan and add some water and salt.  Bring them to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer and allow them to cook till fork tender.

Drain them, add a spoonful of butter to them and let that melt.  Add 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar and a sprinkle of nutmeg.  These will smell divine, taste so elegant and those kids will beg for second helpings!

DON’T EAT THE BABY CARROTS, NO MATTER HOW THEY ARE PACKAGED!

Mother Connie

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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Food Stamps Cooking Club: End o Summer EZ Do?

August 28th, 2010

Who wants to spend the last, lazy days of summer in a hot kitchen?

We are experiencing the last dog days of summer.  The nights are cool enough for delicious sleep and rest but the days are humid, breezy and way warmer than we feel is comfy.

One of my guilty pleasures is listening to Lynne Rosetto Kasper’s radio show that’s designed for people who love to eat.  She talks about food and how to prepare ordinary things in interesting and creative ways and it strikes my fancy.  Her food ideas are always simple and easy to duplicate.  Best of all, her concoctions never send me out to buy something special that I won’t have on hand!

As I am wont to do, I reworked one of her summertime supper notions and it is uber divine! I think it falls under the umbrella of “comfort foods.”   Here’s what’s for dinner tonight at our house:

MOTHER CONNIE’S VERSION:

PASTA, TOMATOES AND CHICKPEAS

1 ripe tomato for each diner.  Peel them if you like, or not.  As you prefer

1 clove garlic, finely minced-I only had garlic powder on hand

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinega

1 tablespoon basil-I used dried sweet basil from my pantry shelf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Combine the tomato pieces with the garlic, salt, pepper, basil and oil in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas. Stir and adjust the seasonings to suit your palate.   This can stand, macerating all those lovely tomato juices for a few hours before you cook the pasta.

I cooked regular old $.99 cent sale priced spaghetti.  If you want to use the whole wheat or other styles of pasta products it would work just as well but might not be as cost effective.

We had freshly baked Foccacia bread with this and it was a big hit with The Normanator.  It’s hard to impress that man, so I took that as a very positive sign!

If you are swiping an EBT card from WIC or SNAP, this is a dish that will be very easy on your food budget.  If you happen to have goods from a food pantry, it is very likely you could easily put this together.  Maybe you’ll even put your own spin on it.  If you use food commodities, this dish will help those commodities to stretch as far as your month. For users of Angel Food Ministries food or Farmers Markets food, this is a superb way to manage those resources.  And for all those frugal, thrifty types-this will be very kind to your food budgets!

Besides,  who wants to hang out in a hot kitchen at summer’s end?

Maybe you would like to learn more about healthy eating.  Mother Connie Sez has some big ideas about how to get and stay well.  Her rhetoric and rants can be found on the Mother Connie Sez blog

It might even be that YOU should like to rant and rave.  You can leave us your comment-we’d be pleased-or you can send an email to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com.

You are most welcome to visit the sponsors of this blog: Saving Dinner, Rapid Cash Marketing and ToothSoap, too.  Each has interesting ideas and there may be possibilities for extra income for your family that you’d find appealing.

Connie Baum

The FTC wants you to know there are links in this post.  If you should click on them and sales result, your humble blogger would be fairly compensated.  Please do your due diligence when conducting business online or offline.  Do business only with those you trust implicitly.

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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Tomato or TomAHto?

August 17th, 2010

The Normanator's Handiwork...is he a KEEPER or is he a KEEPER?

Whether you call them tomatoes or tomAHtoes; whether you eat them fresh or preserve them all luscious in jars that sparkle with their red goodness-it all means great eating year round.

So many tomatoes!  So little time!  So how can we present them to our families so they do not groan and complain, “Oh, no!  Not tomatoes AGAIN!”

Mom used to stuff tomatoes with tuna or chicken salad on little beds of lettuce.  We always thought that was the chi-chi poo-poo version and that must be what people ate who had servants.

SIDEBAR:  Most who find their way to this blog do not have servants!  We are the uber thrifty; we use EBT cards from public assistance like SNAP or WIC.  We might have food from a food pantry or we might use food commodities.  Farmers Markets coupons could get us some tomatoes.  We might even use Angel Food Ministries.  Servants are not an option.  END SIDEBAR.

My mom also made a brine for chopped tomatoes.  She would use vinegar, salt, pepper and a little sugar.  Sometimes there were cucumbers and/or onions swimming in a bowl of that.  She reused that brine, adding tomatoes as we ate them.  This was a summertime staple on the table for lunch and dinner.

My dad taught me how to love tomato sammies for breakfast.  He would slice some of Mom’s home made bread, lather it with butter and pile on slices of tomatoes from the garden.  This was comfort food for me as I was growing up.  Sometimes when I’m hungry and don’t know what I want, I still settle on tomato sammies!

Mom’s best friend, Helen, used to make a concoction using quartered tomatoes, garlic buds, onions and oil.  She would spread it out over a baking sheet, drizzle the oil over all of it and pop it into the oven.  When it came out, Helen would chop it up and pour it over cooked spaghetti noodles.  She toasted garlic bread for us, too.  We thought it was absolute luxury.  And so it was!

Myra, our landlady, used to treat us to fried green tomatoes.  As I recall, she dredged quarters of the green fruit in corn meal and fried them in oil.  I can still remember sitting at her kitchen table, watching her work, and having her present me with a plate full of the beauties.  Such delicious memories…

We eat breakfast at the ungodly hour of 1:30 AM.  One of our faves is to stir up a few eggs and add chopped tomatoes to the pan.  It makes for a flavorful and filling breakfast with lots of nourishment.  Better yet;  it is cost effective.

Call them tomatoes or call them tomAHtoes. They are delicious and nutritious whether they are fresh, cooked, canned or pickled. Even better than that, they are easy on the food budget!

What do YOU do with these beauties?  I can’t wait to hear from you!

We appreciate you!  Please consider yourselves hugged.  Now I’m going to enjoy a tomato the way you might enjoy an apple:  just with a shake of salt AND A NAPKIN TO CATCH THE JUICE DRIZZLES!

PS/There is a link below that will transport you to a website offering a healthy, cost effective way to clean your teeth.  Please check it out.  It’s important to save money any way we can and if we eat well and wisely and can keep our medical care costs low we have won TWICE!

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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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Sheila Went to Idaho?

August 16th, 2010

Sheila was responsible for the famed "Ben Bowl" we received so joyously. Now Sheila has traveled to Canada. AND IDAHO.

Sheila is another of our faithful Food Stamps Cooking Club members.  She’s been vacationing and eating well and wisely in the process.

Always eager to lend a helping hand to our Club Members, Sheila has offered this recipe on a post card she picked up in, as you might expect, Idaho!  Mother Connie jumped all over this because of the great crop of taters The Normanator has produced in this year’s garden.  And, not surprisingly, has put HER spin on this tasty dish.

IDAHO BAKED POTATO SOUP 

*Mother Connie says this translates as “comfort food!”


2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

7 cups milk

4 large potatoes, baked, peeled and cubed-approx 4 cups

4 green onions, sliced

12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

In large soup kettle, melt butter.  Stir in flour; heat and stir until smooth.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add potatoes and onions.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Yield:  8 to 10 servings.

***Mother Connie, in her quest to be thrifty, used 3 cups of potatoes and 1 cup of shredded sautéed zucchini.  Also, not having green onions, white onions from the garden were substituted.

Remember the Foccacia bread recipe we shared recently?  The leftover bread we had was cut into cubes, drizzled with olive oil and parked in the oven to toast.  That made for lovely, yummy croutons and we felt as if we were attending a feast!  We had a salad with Swiss Chard and tomatoes from the oven.  What a great meal!

Thank you, Sheila.

Users of EBT cards provided by WIC or SNAP; Angel Food Ministries users; those who frequent food pantries or use food commodities can appreciate the value and cost effectiveness of this soup, even in warm weather.  If you garden, if you have taters and no meat you could make this sans bacon and have a very nourishing meal.  For those who watch their food budgets closely; for those who yearn for comfort food-this is a wonderful menu item.

Your cards and emails and comments are priceless to us.  Thank you SO MUCH for your participation in this effort to help folks stretch their food dollars.

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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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia?

July 28th, 2010

 

I HEART CHIA SEEDS...and these amaranth seeds, too!

No doubt you’ve heard that annoying jingle for the green and living Chia pets…what you may not know is that those little seeds are powerhouses of nutrition and flavor!

Renita, who is a frequent contributor and Club Member, turned us onto these beauties.  She found a recipe for Chia Pudding and the stampede to get these seeds was on!  We offer her recipe here and cannot overemphasize how delicious and nutritious it is.  PLUS-and this is critical for Food Stamps Cooking Clubbers-it is economical. Furthermore, it could become your family’s new favorite comfort food!

RENITA’S CHIA TAPIOCA PUDDING

2  cups almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk or fruit juice

1/2  cup Chia seeds

1/3  cup honey  *Or use 15-20 drops Stevia

1/2 – 1  teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1/4 – 1/2  teaspoon cinnamon

Stir.  Use raw Cacao Powder for chocolate flavor if desired.

Keep in fridge and use for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks!

Here are some facts about Chia seeds you may find interesting:

  • Chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 – it has 700% more than wild salmon!
  • Soaked Chia seeds are gelatinous, so are ideal for adding to soups and puddings
  • Considered to be a Superfood, Chia seeds soak up 9 times their weigh in liquid.  Add 9 teaspoons of water for every teaspoon of Chia seeds you put into any dish.
  • For baking, make a gelatin and replace 1/2 the oil in your recipe with the equivalent…if your recipe calls for 1 cup of butter or oil, you would use 1/2 cup of oil or butter and 1/2 cup of the Chia gelatin
  • Chia seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder or food processor to be used to dredge meats before frying or baking.
  • Chia seeds have 500% more calcium than milk; 200% more iron than spinach; 1400% more magnesium than broccoli; and they are rich in fiber, protein, selenium and phosphorous!

Wouldn’t it be fun to make up a batch of this yummy-ness and pour it into ice cube trays so you could give your kids “cubes” of pudding? Kids are going to love this stuff and you’ll be happy to have them eating such a healthy snack!

For users of SNAP or WIC or Angel Food Ministries, this could really be helpful.  If you utilize a food pantry or have food commodities Chia seeds could help you stretch those food dollars.  If you are frugal and health conscious you will be delighted to have Chia seeds on your pantry shelf.

Boy, do we ever owe Renita for this one!  Thanks again, Renita!

We hope you will send your food ideas to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com because we love getting mail and we love, love, love getting your comments here!  Thank you for your participation!

Connie Baum

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

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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Sandra Discusses Cukes and Zukes?

July 20th, 2010

Do you recall the “almost oopsie” Mother Connie had with using veggies recently?

That post prompted one of our faithful Members to send this comment.  We chose to offer  it here as a mini blog post because it is so comprehensive and valuable.  Thanks, Sandra.  We appreciate that you are so generous with your ideas!

“Wow!  Mother Connie, that sounds wonderful!  I usually just roast my zukes in the oven with some salt and pepper.  But I have a friend who marinates hers and then dehydrates them.  So they turn out like chips but are healthier.  Imagine some zukes chips flavored with italian dressing, balsamic vinegar, or even bbq sauce.  Yum Yum!  And zukes are so easy to grow.  :)

I also love to use zukes in veggie fajitas a few times a summer.  I just cut zukes and yellow squash in long strips and saute them with onions, peppers, and peeled tomatoes.  Then I serve them in tortillas with some sour cream and cheese.  Yummy and healthy!  :) “

Even though we just pushed ourselves away from the dinner table, these ideas are mouth-wateringly appealing!

Thanks again, Sandra!

Anyone who is frugal, anyone who uses WIC or SNAP or Farmers Markets; even users of Angel Food Ministries can benefit from these helpful ideas.  If there are folks reading this blog who simply yearn for comfort food, want to better manage their food pantry food or food commodities, we hope this is a helpful place to come.  Whether a person loves to cook or hates to cook, we hope to offer some assistance.

A message was sent out today about cooking with beans.  Here’s hoping you found that beneficial, as well.

I’m guessing YOU ALL have better ideas than Mother Connie…I surely hope you’ll all take a page out of Sandra’s book and share with the whole class.

Another point to consider:  Chef Shawn Bucher and Chef Joshua Stokes left comments for us on the post that featured their work!  (We were as excited as teenagers being invited to a Prom!)   They were also kind enough to send personal messages via email.  No doubt they like having Food Groupies…grin

The offline Cooking Class will be happening on THURSDAY!  We will keep you all in our loop!

Connie Baum

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


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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Is It HOT Enough For Ya?

July 19th, 2010


 

This girl is so happy because she helped her mother clean out the refrigerator and discovered there was a box of popsicles in the freezer compartment!

 

If you took the opportunity to opt in to the Food Stamps Cooking Club’s series of tips, you know about the “ritual” of clearing out the fridge on Wednesdays.  It’s become routine here that the big ole box gets emptied, wiped down-scrubbed thoroughly on some Wednesdays-and tidied.  That way no food will be wasted because it got shoved to the back of the unit and became a science project.

Last Wednesday was no exception.  The fridge was all sparkly and even had a fresh box of baking soda, ostensibly to soak up unpleasant odors.  The only problem was that there WAS an unwanted, unidentified aroma that was not a good thing.

When Renita and I were on the phone I happened to open the door and I complained loudly and bitterly into Renita’s ear.  She had the solution:  “Try folding some newspapers into fours and slip those onto the shelves.”

Now, why hadn’t I thought of that? It worked like a charm right away, I might add. Thanks, Renita.

This story is true and it is meant to reinforce to you how much all of us Club We members need one another.  Some of us are users of SNAP.  Others who come by here depend on WIC or Angel Food Ministries.  Some folks depend on food pantries, food commodities, even Farmers Markets.  We all crave comfort food and most everybody aims to be good stewards and shop wisely and frugally.  These are the reasons why this blog exists and since we are all in this together, we had just as well pitch in and SHARE ideas.  I know you all are filled with creative solutions to all sorts of household and kitchen dilemmas.

Please, won’t you leave YOUR comments, hints and tips here?  You are also welcome to send your ideas to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com.  Oh, how we love mail!  Almost as much as we love your comments!  Thanks, people!

I bumbled onto a yummy salad combo I wanted to share with you:

KIDNEY BEAN SALAD WITH RICE

1   can kidney beans, drained or 2  cups home cooked kidney beans

4  medium eggs, hard cooked; peeled and diced

1   small onion, peeled and diced

1  rib of celery, diced

1  cup of cooked rice-any type you like best

1/4  cup pickle relish

2  tablespoons prepared mustard

vinegar-enough to moisten *My fave is Rice Vinegar but use whatever you have on your shelf.

mayo or salad dressing-enough to moisten

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a good sized bowl and mix gently.  Serve over a bed of greens.

This salad reads like a potato salad but has personality and packs a protein wallop.  The beans and the rice give a complete protein.  AND IT IS ECONOMICAL, quick to fix and delish!

Experiment with the seasonings, if you feel adventurous.  Your bunch may appreciate a sprinkle of turmeric or a dash of ginger for a touch of heat.  If you want to add a little more color you could use some red pepper bits or pimiento. This is a good dish for kids to get involved in creating.

You would be well advised to keep a container of cooked rice and/or cooked beans in your refrigerator for adding them to stir fry meals, casseroles, or for use as side dishes for any menu.  These items are wonderful meal stretchers and work as a team to provide complete protein at very low cost.

Here’s hoping you are enjoying your summer with your family and that we’ll hear from you soon!

Connie Baum

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Food Stamps Cooking Club: We’re STILL Full of Beans…

May 20th, 2010

If soup costs a dollar, does it have BEANS in it?

Your humble blogger still has beans on the brain.  It’s all Sandra’s fault. Grin…  I found a recipe for something I love but not everyone in our family is so crazy to have…HUMMUS.  It is just the BEST, in my humble opinion.

YUMMY HUMMUS

Try to say that quickly three times!

  • 1 can of chickpeas *You can use your own dried, soaked and cooked beans with some of the cooking liquid.


    •

  • 2 tbsp of olive oil


    •

  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice


    •

  • 1 clove (1/2 tbsp minced) of garlic


    •

  • 1/2 tsp salt


    •

  • cumin to taste  *The smoky flavor is wonderful; I’d suggest using about a palm full.


    •

  • up to 1/2 cup of water

It works best for me to use my food processor to make a smooth paste of all the ingredients but if you don’t have one, not to worry.  The Kitchen Police are not picky; you can use a tater masher if that’s what you have.  I have a friend who uses a fork in a shallow bowl.  MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU.

If your family is not fond of garlic, you may certainly omit that.  You may choose to add chopped cilantro or parsley for some variety.  This is your chance to experiment and shine!

This spread is wonderful to top toasted bread slices.  Or you might like to use it to fill celery ribs.  It is an ideal sandwich spread-preferable to the soybean mayo products we have come to think of as standard.  Hummus makes a wonderful, healthy and filling snack for youngsters or  adults who wait impatiently for their dinner!

Hummus is a standby staple for people who love comfort food, people who use food commodities and food pantries, and folks who utilize Angel Food Ministries or Farmers Markets Coupons.  It’s cheap, nourishing and tasty.   It’s also very quick and easy to prepare.   That’s a combo that’s hard to beat.

We have BEAN writing a great deal about beans.  We’ll see who sends us more suggestions.  HINT, HINT, SANDRA! Just drop something into our inbox: foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com

Connie Baum

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


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Food Stamps Cooking Club: How Have You BEAN?

May 20th, 2010

 

Have you BEAN eating well?

 

One of our many faithful Club Members left us a note the other day with a message about beans.  She reminded us that they are great on their own and can even be sprouted.  She offered a  super reminder.  Thanks, Sandra!

Users of food commodities and food pantries, fans of SNAP, WIC, Angel Food Ministries and those who keep a close eye on their food budgets are likely to use beans in a wide variety of ways.

Or, NOT…sometimes we cooks get into a rut and just have the same old things fixed the same old ways.  It happens, all right.

This week I had a partial bag of dry red beans on the shelf.  I thought it would be interesting to pair them with some rice and add some spices to see what I could create.

I chopped some onions and celery and sauteed them in a bit of olive oil.  The fragrance filled the house and soon faces peered into the kitchen to wonder aloud if there were a need for “Taste Testers.”

The beans had been rinsed and drained; they had soaked overnight.  They bubbled along in a rich, tomato-y broth when the sauteed veggies went into the pot.  Then I discovered the barley!  I toasted a half cup of it, tossed it into the mix and added some rice, along with plenty of water so the grains could absorb that, along with the fragrant flavor.  A touch of garlic powder went in with the other goodies, followed by a pinch of red pepper flakes, and of course there was salt and pepper. Sea salt is the only type of salt Club House shoppers ever buy, for health reasons.

The resulting soup was a huge hit with those who put their toes under our table!  Some even begged for seconds!

This bean dish could have easily been prepared using the crock pot.  Since I was home to stir and taste and babysit the soup I opted to cook it on the stove top.

A simple salad of lettuce garden-fresh radishes, onion, celery and cabbage coated with a sweet dressing made for a filling and nourishing meal that was under budget.

Canned beans are wonderful to have on hand to add to salads, stir fry dishes and to use as a side dish.  One of our favorite snacks is an open faced pork-n-bean sandwich!

Another big rave in the Club House is the pork n bean dish with a chopped apple added in!  That combo sounds implausible but I promise you, it tastes really good.

Chef Shawn Bucher recommends that every meal should consist of a protein, a starch and a vegetable.  When you make your meals, consider beans for your starch.  When beans and grains are combined it makes for a complete protein.  The variety of beans that are available are pretty, tasty, and fun to create in your kitchen.

Getting the small fry in your household involved in choosing, preparing and eating these delights will do much more than fill young tummies:  you will form bonds and make memories; you will have fewer fussy eaters because they will feel invested; they will be contributing members of the family and that will enhance their self esteem.

By using beans and teaching your children to grow bean sprouts, choose varieties for the family meals and help to prepare bean dishes for the family you’ll create comfort food, happy tummies, and super kids!

Beyond that, you will have BEANED all that take out food, too!

Connie Baum

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

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Food Stamps Cooking Club: Curly Dock is Frugal Food?

April 26th, 2010

This bright delight soaked in the kitchen sink til Mother Connie cut the spines away and cut it into ribbons...

Oh, what fun it is to go to  “market” in your own back yard!

Since we use no pesticides  and we’re sure our neighbors don’t as well, we have the luxury of “shopping” for fresh produce right outside our door!

This bright bounty of tender, sweet and nutrition-packed Curly Dock hung out in our sink, soaking up the pure water and letting the dregs left by lawn mowing fall away.   Each leaf was folded to cut away the tough spine and the rest of the leaves were clipped into ribbons of fresh, green deliciousness.  The spines will be chopped and sauteed for another meal.

The ribbons were divided into salad bowls, sprinkled with a dash of Parmesan cheese and dressed with a bit of mayo, pickle juice and spot of sugar.

The remainder of this green goodness will be sauteed with a bit of onion and combined with a wonderful white sauce.  This will make a “comfort food” side dish for our ground beef patties that will grace our dinner table.

We're excited to finish off this lovely, leafy crop with our dinner!

If you are users of SNAP or WIC; if you are devotees of Angel Food Ministries or Farmers Market Coupons; if you just like to save money-and, have you noticed how close we are to the end of the month?-THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR YOU!  If you have food commodities or food pantry food in your cupboard and you make the opportunity to dress up your supper table with FRESH goodies from nature’s bounty, you may feel like a lottery winner!

Food is comfort.  Food is life.  Food should be FUN!  And yes, even if the Food Police are standing in your kitchen, you may play with your food!

Please share YOUR food ideas: foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com     Thanks, kids!

Connie Baum

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

 

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