"Cooking Something from Nothing"
Christine Dabney
I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
to European dishes for inspiration.
This topic comes from something Madeline Kamman talks about in her
classic book, "When French Women Cook". She talks about the
ancestral cooking of millions of French women, and refers to it as "la
Cuisine de Misere"...or "how to cook something from nothing"... How
to stretch a tiny piece of meat to feed an entire family, or a small
piece of cheese... That sort of thing....
I know that is probably not limited to Europe, but it probably
worldwide.
How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
you had to do it, and what did you cook?
Jill was mentioning "stone soup" the other night, and I think this
could fit under this category as well....
Christine
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
I put my 2 cents in in the old thread...... :-)
Hope it helps a bit??????
While beans, rice and pasta are some of the cheapest foods around, one
can NOT live on those and be healthy IMHO!
--
Peace!
Om
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson
Kris
meals out of what is around the house, without buying anything
additional. Usually when I'm too lazy to get to the store. :)
I find that soup is particularly good for this. You can add most
anything to it: beans, vegetables, grains, any pasta, spices, any meat
or protein, even cheese. You can kind of clean out your cupboard with
your creativity! Plus it's frugal and can be very filling.
You can slant your soups to particular areas of europe, like
minestrone-type if you have beans around, eastern European if you have
cabbage, Greek if you have lemon, eggs & rice, French if you have
onions or rich ingredients, etc.
I also find that stir fries and pasta dishes are good categories for
this type of cooking. You can add almost anything to them. Plus rice
(for serving) & pastas are cheap and can be stretched out easily with
whatever you use.
This is a lovely (and inexpensive) soup with just a handful of
ingredients:
Avgolemono Soup (Greek lemon rice soup with egg)
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup rice
4 eggs separated
juice of 3 lemons
fresh ground black pepper.
Boil broth, add rice and simmer until tender (about 20 min). Whip
whites until medium peaks, add yolks beating continuously, add juice,
beating. Temper eggs with 1 cup of the broth, adding in constant slow
stream while continuing to beat furiously so you do not curdle the
eggs. Add egg mixture back to remaining broth and serve.
If reheating, heat slowly until very warm or you may curdle the eggs.
Hope this helps somewhat.
Kris
Christine Dabney
<ompo...@removespam.gmail.com> wrote:
>> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
>> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
>> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
>>
>> Jill was mentioning "stone soup" the other night, and I think this
>> could fit under this category as well....
>>
>> Christine
>
>I put my 2 cents in in the old thread...... :-)
>
>Hope it helps a bit??????
>
>While beans, rice and pasta are some of the cheapest foods around, one
>can NOT live on those and be healthy IMHO!
Well..not entirely. I don't mean buying stuff and doing stuff with
it from scratch.
I mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
Or taking that reduced for quick sale piece of meat and fixing
something with it that will feed a family.
Or looking in your fridge for those almost forgotten vegetables..and
maybe that piece of meat hiding in the back..or piece of cheese..and
turning it into something delectable.
Sometimes this means resorting to beans and such to extend such
ingredients......
Christine
Christine Dabney
<arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>I mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
>taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
>meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
Replying to my own post:
For instance, I had a chicken carcass with which I made some chicken
broth. I also have a piece of Polish sausage in the fridge, as well
as some boneless chicken thigh meat leftover.
From this, I am making gumbo. Not the most classic of gumbos, but it
will still be good, I think.
I still have a piece of cheddar cheese in the fridge. I have some
other Monterey Jack cheese too, which will have to be trimmed of a
tiny bit of mold, but I really can't see throwing it away... I am
thinking of trying to extend these in something..to feed myself for a
meal or two....
I am heading out to the market to get some chickens that are on sale.
I will check out the meat section for reduced for quick sale items.
Maybe I can find something that I can extend with whatever veggies I
have here....
This thread is not just for me. I am just interested in how you all
have done this...if you ever have. Part of my interest in just
cooking cheaply, and not just for myself.
Christine
Wayne Boatwright
Homemade noodles and dumplings come to mind. Very cheap to make and can be
added to modest amounts of meat or vegetable dishes to greatly expand the
meal.
--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________
Useless Invention: Double-sided playing cards.
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
Oh I have nothing against using rice and beans to extend a meal... Sorry
if I gave that impression! :-)
There are just a lot of poor families around here that live on mostly
that, and tortillas..... and little else other than food bank donations!
I personally prefer rice instead of pasta for a food "base" for a lot of
things.
But, I'm allergic to wheat so have an ulterior motive. <G>
Cheers!
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 11:59:48 -0600, Christine Dabney
> <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
> >I mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
> >taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
> >meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
>
> Replying to my own post:
>
> For instance, I had a chicken carcass with which I made some chicken
> broth. I also have a piece of Polish sausage in the fridge, as well
> as some boneless chicken thigh meat leftover.
>
> From this, I am making gumbo. Not the most classic of gumbos, but it
> will still be good, I think.
Gotta add sliced Okra. <G>
>
> I still have a piece of cheddar cheese in the fridge. I have some
> other Monterey Jack cheese too, which will have to be trimmed of a
> tiny bit of mold, but I really can't see throwing it away... I am
> thinking of trying to extend these in something..to feed myself for a
> meal or two....
IMHO cheese that has aged to where it's a bit moldy is usually richer
and better!
>
> I am heading out to the market to get some chickens that are on sale.
> I will check out the meat section for reduced for quick sale items.
I do that too!!!!!
> Maybe I can find something that I can extend with whatever veggies I
> have here....
Rice. <G>
>
> This thread is not just for me. I am just interested in how you all
> have done this...if you ever have. Part of my interest in just
> cooking cheaply, and not just for myself.
>
> Christine
I've been poor. I know what it's like and at the moment, (due to the
assinine rise in energy costs!) I'm overdrawn at the bank so having to
compromise my usual preferred diet as well. :-(
I'll be eating more canned foods for a start. <sigh>
Mr Libido Incognito
That's where soups, casseroles and stews come into the forefront. With a
basic soup you can add availible ingredients say found veggies on the
grocerystore discount rack and meat scraps chicken backs etc... to change
it's taste. Most poor Europeans had a soup pot bubbling on the stove.
These days most people on assisstance or poor spend their money/food
stamps on carb rich processed food thinking they are getting value.
--
Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect
-Alan
rox formerly rmg
"Christine Dabney" <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:4jrah2drbgh46ap8c...@4ax.com...
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
I usually keep buckwheat soba noodles in my pantry for such occasions. They
can be made into yummy cold salads with various veggies and a little asian
seasoning, or put into miso soup with other various items.
Eggs for omelettes or fritattas are also a big one for desparation times...
I tend to be more of a vegetarian during lean times - your references to old
cheese and mystery meat are part of the reason :-P
Mr Libido Incognito
> Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com>
> news:4jrah2drbgh46ap8c...@4ax.com:
>
> > Hiya all,
> >
> > I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
> >
> > I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
> > to European dishes for inspiration.
> > Christine
>
> Mac 'N Cheese. If tomatoes are in the house I dump them in.
>
> Michael
>
>
>
bread crumbs or oatmeal as fillers for ground meat patties and other
hamburger type recipes. They make less meat go farther.
Margaret Suran
Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
Shortly after we moved into our first apartment in 1947, my husband
and I had company on a Saturday afternoon, two couples who came to see
what the apartment looked like and to just hang out with us.
The afternoon passed and our company didn't leave. I would have loved
to invite them to stay for dinner, but our refrigerator was nearly
empty, except for two Knackwuerste and possibly some sauerkraut, I do
not remember, but certainly there must have been a part of an iceberg
lettuce. One of the visiting women, Edith, my husband's cousin asked
me (whispering into my ear) whether I intended to serve dinner and I
told her I had nothing at home. I told her to come into the kitchen,
so that I could show her. Did I have potatoes? Yes, I said. How
about onions and again I said that I did. How about bread? Yes, nice
fresh bread. Would I let her cook something? Yes, yes, yes, but it
would not be real food, would it?
Edith peeled the potatoes and put them into a pot to boil and peeled
and chopped a few onions. She sautéed them in butter and when they
were golden brown, she added the two Knackwuerste, sliced and browned
the slices. By then the potatoes were almost done and she added them
to the onions and Wuerstchen, added some water and covered the pot
tightly.
When we sat down to eat, we were presented with one of the best meals
that I remember. The onions and sausage slices mixed with the
potatoes had produced a gravy almost as thick as you get when you make
a Gulasch (and I found out later on that this dish is called Potato
Gulasch) and we ate it with either sauerkraut or lettuce salad, I do
not remember which, but there was plenty of bread with which to soak
up the good gravy.
For dessert, Edith made Palatschinken, when she found that I had all
the ingredients she needed.
The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
prices.
Little Malice
> Christine Dabney wrote:
> > How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> > you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> > you had to do it, and what did you cook?
<snip>
> The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
> prices.
I love your stories, Margaret... :-)
--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~
kilikini
If I have left over chicken, fish or shrimp I make tacos. If I have left
over sausage, I saute it in onion or eggs for my husband ('cause I won't eat
it!!!). We usually don't have all that many ingredients around because we
don't have space to keep them and we don't have the money to buy much. I
pretty much eat ramen packages and canned soup and my husband lives on
sausage and eggs, for the most part.
What we do keep on hand, *always*, is cheese, tortillas, onion, peas, beans,
cauliflower, butter, eggs, soup, sour cream and cottage cheese. If I get
bored or I want to stretch a meal, I usually have to stretch my imagination!
kili
Little Malice
<snip>
> While beans, rice and pasta are some of the cheapest foods around, one
> can NOT live on those and be healthy IMHO!
Okay, the following is offered as helpful information with
a big smile -- I'm not being argumentative. :-)
While I agree about pasta (granted, I've got a diabetic's
slant against the stuff), rice and beans can be a healthy mix.
The two together make a whole protein combination that's just
as good as meat:
www.ag.ndsu.edu/food/factsheet/bean-ag2health.pdf (page 5)
"Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Certain amino
acids that we cannot make in the body are required (essential) in
the diet. Beans are limiting in sulfur-containing essential amino
acids. The combination of beans with certain other plant-based
proteins (which are limiting in different essential amino acids)
can produce an amino acid profile containing all the essential
amino acids. This combination of plant-based proteins containing
all the essential amino acids forms what is called a 'complete
protein'."
http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_whatsnew_ricebeans.html
"Whole grain and beans are Nature's most important nutritional
duo. Beans are a valuable source of two essential amino acids not
found in cereal grains, lysine and threonine. In turn, whole grains
complement beans and together deliver complete protein with all
essential amino acids, together with a full spectrum of important
antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals."
So I tend to think that beans and rice or other whole grains,
combined with some cheap canned veggies and a good calcium source
like milk or cheese, can be a healthy and cheap, if boring,
diet... :-)
Nancy Young
"Little Malice" <Little...@gmail.communge> wrote
> One time on Usenet, Margaret Suran <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> said:
> I love your stories, Margaret... :-)
I was riveted. Margaret, write a book.
(smile) nancy
notbob
> While beans, rice and pasta are some of the cheapest foods around, one
> can NOT live on those and be healthy IMHO!
Actually, beans are supposed to be just about the most perfect single
food around. As I recall, they supply all but one of the 27-28(?)
proteins necessary for good health. They also fill the bill for
carbs. The only thing missing is fats. So, some beans with any kind
of fat is all one really needs. I know this for a fact, having
survived almost soley on bean burritos and Budweiser for almost eight
months. Lost 60lb to boot! ;)
nb
Sheldon
> Hiya all,
>
> I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
>
> I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
> to European dishes for inspiration.
> worldwide.
Absolutely international... and Europeans are the least likely to
resort to frugal cookery... Orientals have then beat by light years.
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
There have definitely been times I've had to watch my pennies, and for
me the easiest area is my food bill. Soups and stews probably offer
the most vast array of possibilities, especially if you like seafood...
most of the planet's poor resort to the sea's bounty for free protein,
and protein is typically the most expensive dietary element... but if
you live near the sea there's no reason one needs to purchase seafood,
anyone can learn to catch a fish.
My favorite poor man's meal however relies on the egg. Eggs are
probably the least expensive source of high quality protein, and only
ones imagination limits ways to prepare low cost egg dishes, from
tomato egg drop soup, to fried rice, to at least 100,000 versions of
omelet. And I don't necessarily prepare cheapo omelets to save money,
last nightt's dinner was a potato omelet, because I like it... couple
potatoes diced and fried slowly until just browned then pour a mess of
beaten eggs over.... season however... s n p and some garlic powder
worked. Could add onions, could add a bit of ham/chicken, whatever's
taking up room in your fridge. Not only are eggs inexpensive, they're
quick!
Sheldon Ova
Wayne Boatwright
Margaret, that was a lovely story and really quite a lovely dinner. I love
Palatschinken! For many "contemporary" folks of today, that would be an
impossible feat. I'm glad I learned frugality at home.
Joseph Littleshoes
> Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote on 23 Sep 2006 in rec.food.cooking
>
>
>>Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com>
>>news:4jrah2drbgh46ap8c...@4ax.com:
>>
>>
>>>Hiya all,
>>>
>>>I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
>>>
>>>I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
>>>to European dishes for inspiration.
>>>Christine
>>
>>Mac 'N Cheese. If tomatoes are in the house I dump them in.
>>
>>Michael
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> bread crumbs or oatmeal as fillers for ground meat patties and other
> hamburger type recipes. They make less meat go farther.
>
I was forced by circumstance once, to make "roti de porc a la
boulangere" (roast pork in the manner of the bakers wife) with ground pork.
It turned out so well that i am still occasionally asked for it.
It's sort of an upside down shepherds pie with the sliced, rather than
mashed potatoes on the bottom rather than the top. Though if roasted in
a pan just large enough to hold the ingredients it can be turned upside
down to serve, thereby having the potatoes on top.
The original recipe i have calls for an 8 pound bone in pork loin, i
used about 3 pounds of ground pork to serve 4 people, which, with the
potatoes and onions in the recipe was sufficient.
Fortunately, while the pantry at the time was rather sparsely stocked,
the wines were abundant and so nobody complained over a first attempt at
what some may have considered a mockery of a classic dish.
Back when i was a starving student i would cook black eyed peas in just
enough water to cover, mash them when done and form a loaf with them &
various spices, onions, garlic, salt & pepper.
When cold it could be sliced and used with a bit of mustard or mayo for
sandwiches.
---
JL
Margaret Suran
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> Margaret, that was a lovely story and really quite a lovely dinner. I love
> Palatschinken! For many "contemporary" folks of today, that would be an
> impossible feat. I'm glad I learned frugality at home.
>
Wayne, we are friends, therefore that you will always find something
nice to say about my posts and I about yours. :o)
Mr Libido Incognito
> mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
> taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
> meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
>
> Or taking that reduced for quick sale piece of meat and fixing
> something with it that will feed a family.
>
> Or looking in your fridge for those almost forgotten vegetables..and
> maybe that piece of meat hiding in the back..or piece of cheese..and
> turning it into something delectable.
>
> Sometimes this means resorting to beans and such to extend such
> ingredients......
>
> Christine
>
>
The big secret is cooking things that the leftovers can be turned into
meals...Things like roast beef/lamb...which of course becomes
cottage/shepard pie and sandwhich meat. Turkey and all the various meals
leftover turkey can be turned into, same with ham. So I'd say meal
planning...no I feel like duck tonight kinda meals.
Using basic inexpensive meats and cheap staples and cooking with what's
on sale as your food budget, instead of just for comfort foods.
Can you say coupons?
Margaret Suran
Little Malice wrote:
> <snip>
>
>>The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
>>prices.
>
>
> I love your stories, Margaret... :-)
>
Thank you. When you get to be as old as I am, you will have just as
many stories to share as I do. :o)
Christine Dabney
<ompo...@removespam.gmail.com> wrote:
>In article <6itah2t75755rcu89...@4ax.com>,
> Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>IMHO cheese that has aged to where it's a bit moldy is usually richer
>and better!
I hope you are right.. ;)
I found a recipe in my W-S books that is a layered tortilla casserole
of sorts. One makes a mixture of green peppers, pinto beans,
tomatoes, and spices, and then layers that with tortillas, and cheese.
Served topped with tomatoes and lettuce. Seems like a good idea, no?
I have pinto beans, and some declining green peppers...and I got
tortillas here cheap.
>>
>> I am heading out to the market to get some chickens that are on sale.
>> I will check out the meat section for reduced for quick sale items.
>
>I do that too!!!!!
I scored!!!!! I went to a store that supposedly didn't have chickens
on sale..and what did I find, but whole chickens marked down for quick
sale. I got what they had.... One will be roasted somehow
tonight...and the rest went into the freezer...
>I've been poor. I know what it's like and at the moment, (due to the
>assinine rise in energy costs!) I'm overdrawn at the bank so having to
>compromise my usual preferred diet as well. :-(
So this is timely. Part of this discussion is just my endless
fascination with eating well and inexpensively. Even when I am more
flush with funds, I am just fascinated with the topic.
Christine
Little Malice
Oh dear -- I'll bet you did a lot of, um, *venting* on that kind of
diet...
Margaret Suran
Nancy Young wrote:> "Little Malice" <Little...@gmail.communge> wrote
>
> I was riveted. Margaret, write a book.
>
> (smile) nancy
>
>
Yes, as soon as you write a story about your Nancy Moments and another
one about Moxie, The Weirdest Cat In New Jersey. :o) Moxie is her
name, right?
Christine Dabney
<marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
>Edith peeled the potatoes and put them into a pot to boil and peeled
>and chopped a few onions. She sautéed them in butter and when they
>were golden brown, she added the two Knackwuerste, sliced and browned
>the slices. By then the potatoes were almost done and she added them
>to the onions and Wuerstchen, added some water and covered the pot
>tightly.
>
>When we sat down to eat, we were presented with one of the best meals
>that I remember. The onions and sausage slices mixed with the
>potatoes had produced a gravy almost as thick as you get when you make
>a Gulasch (and I found out later on that this dish is called Potato
>Gulasch) and we ate it with either sauerkraut or lettuce salad, I do
>not remember which, but there was plenty of bread with which to soak
>up the good gravy.
This reminds me of one of the dishes in Jacques Pepin's Everyday
Cooking..an earlier book of his. Actually several dishes. He talks
about some of the dishes his mother used to make....one of which was a
pepper and potato stew. And I think there was one with sausages and
potatoes.
Christine
Kswck
> Well..not entirely. I don't mean buying stuff and doing stuff with
> it from scratch.
>
> I mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
> taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
> meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
>
> Or taking that reduced for quick sale piece of meat and fixing
> something with it that will feed a family.
>
> Or looking in your fridge for those almost forgotten vegetables..and
> maybe that piece of meat hiding in the back..or piece of cheese..and
> turning it into something delectable.
>
> Sometimes this means resorting to beans and such to extend such
> ingredients......
>
> Christine
http://www.cookingbynumbers.com/search.html
Christine Dabney
>My favorite poor man's meal however relies on the egg. Eggs are
>probably the least expensive source of high quality protein, and only
>ones imagination limits ways to prepare low cost egg dishes, from
>tomato egg drop soup, to fried rice, to at least 100,000 versions of
>omelet. And I don't necessarily prepare cheapo omelets to save money,
>last nightt's dinner was a potato omelet, because I like it... couple
>potatoes diced and fried slowly until just browned then pour a mess of
>beaten eggs over.... season however... s n p and some garlic powder
>worked. Could add onions, could add a bit of ham/chicken, whatever's
>taking up room in your fridge. Not only are eggs inexpensive, they're
>quick!
Good ideas. I saw eggs in one market today, (both large and extra
large) that were two cartons for $1.69. I was sorely tempted to get
them, but I already have a carton in my fridge and couldn't justify
getting them at the moment.'
Some of the Spanish omelettes have potatoes in them...maybe peppers
too. And frittatas...I am looking towards those myself.
Christine
Margaret Suran
Schaller & Weber web site.
Nancy Young
"Margaret Suran" <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote
> Nancy Young wrote:> "Little Malice" <Little...@gmail.communge> wrote
>> I was riveted. Margaret, write a book.
> Yes, as soon as you write a story about your Nancy Moments and another one
> about Moxie, The Weirdest Cat In New Jersey. :o) Moxie is her name,
> right?
Ha ha!! Yes, it's Moxie, she was named sight unseen but, as you can
tell, the name fits her. And, yes, I've called her by her predecessor's
name, Mugsy, more than once.
Your stories are way better.
nancy
Boron Elgar
And it will be a pleasure to regale you with some of then.
Boron
Sheldon
I always buy eggs when I see them on sale, eggs last quite a while in
the fridge so I typically have two or three dozen. I think my favorite
egg dish is also the easiest, egg salad... boil up a dozen eggs and use
half for egg salad, the rest can become quick sliced egg sandwhiches.
Christine Dabney
>
>Christine Dabney wrote:
>
>I always buy eggs when I see them on sale, eggs last quite a while in
>the fridge so I typically have two or three dozen. I think my favorite
>egg dish is also the easiest, egg salad... boil up a dozen eggs and use
>half for egg salad, the rest can become quick sliced egg sandwhiches.
Darn... You may have talked me into going back and getting these
eggs.... Egg salad is sounding really good to me right now,
especially nice and spicy egg salad.
Christine, now trying to think of egg dishes she could freeze for
later.
zxcvbob
>
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
First, you create the universe...
Best regards, ;-)
Bob
Bob Terwilliger
> bread crumbs or oatmeal as fillers for ground meat patties and other
> hamburger type recipes. They make less meat go farther.
Then there are the things which add a meaty flavor of their own. Mushrooms
fit in that category. Duxelles, a sautéed mixture of finely-chopped
mushrooms and onions, is also a good way to get great "meaty" flavor. And
lentils can have a great texture. The cauliflower-lentil curry in
_20-Minute Menus_ has a fantastic flavor, and it really does have a
mouthfeel like there's ground meat in there.
But I thought Christine was mainly looking for frugal Musgovian recipes, and
those don't really qualify.
Bob
Bob Terwilliger
> When we sat down to eat, we were presented with one of the best meals that
> I remember. The onions and sausage slices mixed with the potatoes had
> produced a gravy almost as thick as you get when you make a Gulasch (and I
> found out later on that this dish is called Potato Gulasch) and we ate it
> with either sauerkraut or lettuce salad, I do not remember which, but
> there was plenty of bread with which to soak up the good gravy.
>
> For dessert, Edith made Palatschinken, when she found that I had all the
> ingredients she needed.
>
> The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
> prices.
What a wonderful story, Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I
wish I could make you a National Treasure, I'd do it on the spot after
reading that.
Bob
Goomba38
> What a wonderful story, Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I
> wish I could make you a National Treasure, I'd do it on the spot after
> reading that.
>
Not to mention talented Edith who made the meal!
I admire people (usually women, from my own experience) who have the
confidence and ability in their cooking to work wonders in those type
situations. I strive to be as creative and relaxed in those situations.
Christine Dabney
<virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:
I am not really looking so much for myself, although I find some
suggestions really good.
As I mentioned earlier, I find this subject endlessly fascinating. I
think many of the world's great cuisines have this as their basis..of
trying to fix things to cover up meat that is starting to go bad, to
extend a small portion of something...and to cook cheaply and
well..with whatever is available, which oftentimes wasn't very much.
Especially in times of famine.
It just so happens that this subject fits in nicely with my current
status...and I am thinking that many of us might have been in these
situations before.
I love hearing these stories..and sometimes there are fantastic
suggestions in these stories...
Christine
Little Malice
> > <snip>
Perhaps, but I don't picture myself sharing them in such a delighful
way... :-)
Sheldon
Omelets freeze well.
Sheldon
Bob Terwilliger
> Darn... You may have talked me into going back and getting these
> eggs.... Egg salad is sounding really good to me right now,
> especially nice and spicy egg salad.
>
> Christine, now trying to think of egg dishes she could freeze for
> later.
Curried hard-boiled eggs are a good meal, too. And if I didn't stop myself,
I could eat a dozen deviled eggs all by myself.
Bob
cybercat
"Bob Terwilliger" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote in message
news:4515b2c5$0$37641$bb4e...@newscene.com...
What IS it about deviled eggs? There is something downright sexy about them.
:)
Dave Bugg
> What IS it about deviled eggs? There is something downright sexy
> about them. :)
They make me fart like a bull. Sexy? Not so much :-)
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com
Margaret Suran
Nancy Young wrote:
>
> Your stories are way better.
>
> nancy
>
>
So, where is today's tailgating report?
Margaret Suran
Little Malice wrote:
>
>>Thank you. When you get to be as old as I am, you will have just as
>>many stories to share as I do. :o)
>
>
> Perhaps, but I don't picture myself sharing them in such a delighful
> way... :-)
>
I am sure glad that you made a smiley after "delightful way". :o)
Margaret Suran
Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Margaret wrote:
>
>
> What a wonderful story, Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I
> wish I could make you a National Treasure, I'd do it on the spot after
> reading that.
>
> Bob
>
>
Thank you. >>Blush<<
Wayne Boatwright
>
>
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>
>> Margaret, that was a lovely story and really quite a lovely dinner. I
>> love Palatschinken! For many "contemporary" folks of today, that would
>> be an impossible feat. I'm glad I learned frugality at home.
>>
>
> Wayne, we are friends, therefore that you will always find something
> nice to say about my posts and I about yours. :o)
:-]
--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________
Useless Invention: Double-sided playing cards.
Little Malice
said:
Well, certainly! You've always been one of my favorite
posters -- you just have a way of making me smile. I know
I'm just echoing the sentiments of many others, but nice
people like yourself are why I read RFC... :-)
Nancy Young
"Margaret Suran" <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote
> Nancy Young wrote:
>> Your stories are way better.
> So, where is today's tailgating report?
Oh, change the subject, will you? Heh. It was too rainy to tailgate,
and we didn't bother going to the game. Looked like it was nice and
sunny there by game time.
So we had stromboli at home.
nancy
Margaret Suran
Nancy Young wrote:
>
>
>>So, where is today's tailgating report?
>
>
> Oh, change the subject, will you? Heh. It was too rainy to tailgate,
> and we didn't bother going to the game. Looked like it was nice and
> sunny there by game time.
>
> So we had stromboli at home.
>
> nancy
>
>
I believe that you missed a good game. :o)
maxine in ri
Christine Dabney wrote:
> Hiya all,
>
> I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
>
> I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
> to European dishes for inspiration.
>
> This topic comes from something Madeline Kamman talks about in her
> classic book, "When French Women Cook". She talks about the
> ancestral cooking of millions of French women, and refers to it as "la
> Cuisine de Misere"...or "how to cook something from nothing"... How
> to stretch a tiny piece of meat to feed an entire family, or a small
> piece of cheese... That sort of thing....
>
> I know that is probably not limited to Europe, but it probably
> worldwide.
>
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
>
> could fit under this category as well....
>
> Christine
Stews are a good example of making odds and ends and leftovers into a
new meal. Add a starch and some fresh veggies (salad or cooked), and
it's a healthy meal.
Asian cooking uses meat and vegetables as flavor elements with their
rice.
Europeans used "everything but the squeal/moo/baa" when they had meat.
That's why you have things like chopped liver, sweet and sour tongue,
blood pudding, etc.
Vietnamese restaurants serve tripe and tendon as part of their cuisine.
My personal cheap eats are stews, stirfries, and pasta and beans. A
full spice shelf and plenty of onions and garlic serve to make variety
out of the basics.
Cooking seasonally helps as well. Winter is lots of root vegetables
(cut into approximately 3/4-1" pieces, tossed in a little oil and
herbs, and roasted until tender and lightly browned), carrots, cabbage,
frozen veggies, apples, pears, and such. Spring is tender greens
picked in the back yard or any place where you know noone's been
spraying weedkiller or dumping toxins.
hope that helps some
maxine in ri
Margaret Suran
Little Malice wrote:
>
> Well, certainly! You've always been one of my favorite
> posters -- you just have a way of making me smile. I know
> I'm just echoing the sentiments of many others, but nice
> people like yourself are why I read RFC... :-)
>
Thank you. People like you and others are nice to me, because they
were taught to be kind to the oldsters. :o)
maxine in ri
Christine Dabney wrote:
> I still have a piece of cheddar cheese in the fridge. I have some
> other Monterey Jack cheese too, which will have to be trimmed of a
> tiny bit of mold, but I really can't see throwing it away... I am
> thinking of trying to extend these in something..to feed myself for a
> meal or two....
> Christine
Mac&cheese. You can buy a box of the stuff, or start your own with a
quick white sauce, then add the cheeses in small chunks or grated while
stirring, to make your cheese sauce. I usually add a dash of mustard
powder, onion and garlic powder, and paprika (my daughter likes the
yellow stuff). Cook on medium-low to low heat, to melt the cheeses
gently, or else you'll end up with curds.
maxine in ri
Nancy Young
"Margaret Suran" <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote
> Nancy Young wrote:
>>>So, where is today's tailgating report?
>> Oh, change the subject, will you? Heh. It was too rainy to tailgate,
>> and we didn't bother going to the game. Looked like it was nice and
>> sunny there by game time.
>>
>> So we had stromboli at home.
> I believe that you missed a good game. :o)
(laugh) Luckily it was on tv, and it looks as if they had lots of
people there, cheering them on.
Wasn't pretty, was it. Glad we were on the right side of those
numbers for a change.
nancy
maxine in ri
Christine Dabney wrote:
> Good ideas. I saw eggs in one market today, (both large and extra
> large) that were two cartons for $1.69. I was sorely tempted to get
> them, but I already have a carton in my fridge and couldn't justify
> getting them at the moment.'
If you have space, buy them. They will stay usable for about a month.
And after a couple of weeks, they make great hard boiled eggs. that
peel easily
maxine in ri
maxine in ri
Feh! People are nice to you because you are nice to them! What goes
around comes around.
L'shannah tovah Margaret.
maxine in ri
Puester
People would be nice to you even if you were a youngster, Margaret,
because you are a very kind, considerate, positive person (regardless
what Ms. Schaller says!) ;-)
Seriously, you have a very kind way of phrasing things and you don't
antagonize people (except Bubba Vic, sometimes.) And you stories are
wonderful, even when you make fun of yourself.
You may never be a National Treasure, but I hereby nominate you for
Official rfc Treasure.
gloria p
Christine Dabney
wrote:
>
>You may never be a National Treasure, but I hereby nominate you for
>Official rfc Treasure.
Seconded!!!!!!
Christine
Nancy Young
Blair P. Houghton
>While beans, rice and pasta are some of the cheapest foods around, one
>can NOT live on those and be healthy IMHO!
But you can thrive on corn, beans, and squash.
--Blair
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"rox formerly rmg" <roxmarie_no...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> "Christine Dabney" <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:4jrah2drbgh46ap8c...@4ax.com...
>
> > How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> > you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> > you had to do it, and what did you cook?
>
> I usually keep buckwheat soba noodles in my pantry for such occasions. They
> can be made into yummy cold salads with various veggies and a little asian
> seasoning, or put into miso soup with other various items.
>
> Eggs for omelettes or fritattas are also a big one for desparation times...
>
> I tend to be more of a vegetarian during lean times - your references to old
> cheese and mystery meat are part of the reason :-P
Eggs are always a bargain and so very versatile! :-)
Egg salads and crustless quiches can add some real variety.
Scrambled eggs are also an excellent protein addition to fried rice.
--
Peace!
Om
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Margaret Suran <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
> Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> >
> > How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> > you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> > you had to do it, and what did you cook?
>
> Shortly after we moved into our first apartment in 1947, my husband
> and I had company on a Saturday afternoon, two couples who came to see
> what the apartment looked like and to just hang out with us.
>
> The afternoon passed and our company didn't leave. I would have loved
> to invite them to stay for dinner, but our refrigerator was nearly
> empty, except for two Knackwuerste and possibly some sauerkraut, I do
> not remember, but certainly there must have been a part of an iceberg
> lettuce. One of the visiting women, Edith, my husband's cousin asked
> me (whispering into my ear) whether I intended to serve dinner and I
> told her I had nothing at home. I told her to come into the kitchen,
> so that I could show her. Did I have potatoes? Yes, I said. How
> about onions and again I said that I did. How about bread? Yes, nice
> fresh bread. Would I let her cook something? Yes, yes, yes, but it
> would not be real food, would it?
>
> Edith peeled the potatoes and put them into a pot to boil and peeled
> and chopped a few onions. She sautéed them in butter and when they
> were golden brown, she added the two Knackwuerste, sliced and browned
> the slices. By then the potatoes were almost done and she added them
> to the onions and Wuerstchen, added some water and covered the pot
> tightly.
>
> When we sat down to eat, we were presented with one of the best meals
> that I remember. The onions and sausage slices mixed with the
> potatoes had produced a gravy almost as thick as you get when you make
> a Gulasch (and I found out later on that this dish is called Potato
> Gulasch) and we ate it with either sauerkraut or lettuce salad, I do
> not remember which, but there was plenty of bread with which to soak
> up the good gravy.
>
> For dessert, Edith made Palatschinken, when she found that I had all
> the ingredients she needed.
>
> The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
> prices.
That is a priceless story, thanks!!! :-)
It's amazing what you can make on the cheap if you really know how to
cook......
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Little...@gmail.communge (Little Malice) wrote:
> Okay, the following is offered as helpful information with
> a big smile -- I'm not being argumentative. :-)
>
> While I agree about pasta (granted, I've got a diabetic's
> slant against the stuff), rice and beans can be a healthy mix.
> The two together make a whole protein combination that's just
> as good as meat:
>
> www.ag.ndsu.edu/food/factsheet/bean-ag2health.pdf (page 5)
>
> "Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Certain amino
> acids that we cannot make in the body are required (essential) in
> the diet. Beans are limiting in sulfur-containing essential amino
> acids. The combination of beans with certain other plant-based
> proteins (which are limiting in different essential amino acids)
> can produce an amino acid profile containing all the essential
> amino acids. This combination of plant-based proteins containing
> all the essential amino acids forms what is called a 'complete
> protein'."
>
> http://www.edenfoods.com/issues_whatsnew_ricebeans.html
>
> "Whole grain and beans are Nature's most important nutritional
> duo. Beans are a valuable source of two essential amino acids not
> found in cereal grains, lysine and threonine. In turn, whole grains
> complement beans and together deliver complete protein with all
> essential amino acids, together with a full spectrum of important
> antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals."
>
> So I tend to think that beans and rice or other whole grains,
> combined with some cheap canned veggies and a good calcium source
> like milk or cheese, can be a healthy and cheap, if boring,
> diet... :-)
>
> --
> "Little Malice"
You are totally correct on the fact that rice and beans make up a
complete diet. I think it's why the food bank includes those and flour
tortillas in every box that is given out... :-)
The only drawback tho' is the tremendous increase in carbohydrate intake
and total calories for those two items. While complete, they are calorie
dense and inefficient.
Hence the fact that many of the hispanic poor here that live on food
bank donations are generally obese, and many of them are diabetic.
A better, cheap, and more efficient (and lower calorie) source of
complete amino acids is chicken.
Unfortunately, it's perishable so there is little to no meat given out
in food bank boxes. :-(
That's why I said it was not healthy. Hope that explains it? :-)
Cheers!
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"Sheldon" <PENM...@aol.com> wrote:
<snipped for space>
> Not only are eggs inexpensive, they're
> quick!
>
> Sheldon Ova
I totally agree!!!!!!
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 13:56:31 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> <ompo...@removespam.gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >In article <6itah2t75755rcu89...@4ax.com>,
> > Christine Dabney <arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>
> >IMHO cheese that has aged to where it's a bit moldy is usually richer
> >and better!
>
> I hope you are right.. ;)
Just make sure you trim ALL the mold and take off just a smidgen of the
"healthy" cheese. Otherwise it tends to taint the flavor unless you like
the flavor of mold. Some people do. <G> It's one reason I cannot stand
blue cheese. ;-p
> I found a recipe in my W-S books that is a layered tortilla casserole
> of sorts. One makes a mixture of green peppers, pinto beans,
> tomatoes, and spices, and then layers that with tortillas, and cheese.
> Served topped with tomatoes and lettuce. Seems like a good idea, no?
> I have pinto beans, and some declining green peppers...and I got
> tortillas here cheap.
Corn or flour?
I personally prefer corn.
They are always cheap!
> >>
> >> I am heading out to the market to get some chickens that are on sale.
> >> I will check out the meat section for reduced for quick sale items.
> >
> >I do that too!!!!!
>
> I scored!!!!! I went to a store that supposedly didn't have chickens
> on sale..and what did I find, but whole chickens marked down for quick
> sale. I got what they had.... One will be roasted somehow
> tonight...and the rest went into the freezer...
Cool. :-)
The cheapest chicken around here are the hindquarters in 10 lb. bags.
There is a lot you can do with them if you are creative...
>
>
> >I've been poor. I know what it's like and at the moment, (due to the
> >assinine rise in energy costs!) I'm overdrawn at the bank so having to
> >compromise my usual preferred diet as well. :-(
>
> So this is timely. Part of this discussion is just my endless
> fascination with eating well and inexpensively. Even when I am more
> flush with funds, I am just fascinated with the topic.
>
> Christine
I totally understand. :-) I did splurge on some fresh Shitake mushrooms
today tho' when I was in Austin for $4.99 per lb. but there are a
helluva lot of mushrooms in a lb.!
The dried are generally about 1/10th the price but they are just not the
same......
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"Bob Terwilliger" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:
> Alan wrote:
>
> > bread crumbs or oatmeal as fillers for ground meat patties and other
> > hamburger type recipes. They make less meat go farther.
>
> Then there are the things which add a meaty flavor of their own. Mushrooms
> fit in that category. Duxelles, a sautéed mixture of finely-chopped
> mushrooms and onions, is also a good way to get great "meaty" flavor. And
> lentils can have a great texture. The cauliflower-lentil curry in
> _20-Minute Menus_ has a fantastic flavor, and it really does have a
> mouthfeel like there's ground meat in there.
>
> But I thought Christine was mainly looking for frugal Musgovian recipes, and
> those don't really qualify.
>
> Bob
Lentils are a good suggestion...
Loaded with flavor, very versatile, and cheap!
Split peas too.
Felines&Fuzzbutts
nothing. Remember my mention of the strawberry cake mix-based
pancakes? Case in point. He wanted pancakes, we didn't have any mix
on hand, so he started digging through the pantry to see how he COULD
make them.
In a pinch, I've found that a quick white sauce is a great foundation
for lots of things: Creamed eggs on toast (sliced hardboiled eggs laid
on toast, then covered with white sauce); potato soup; macaroni;
casseroles made with dibs and dabs of this & that -- never enough
ingredients to be anything in and of themselves, but when combined --
zowie!
When I find I have a leftover chicken breast, or some leftover steak,
or a pork steak, etc., I check to see if I have some veggies on hand --
cabbage, carrots, celery, spinach, whatever -- and throw the leftovers
into a stir-fry. Or a fritatta. Or maybe some burritos.
It's amazing what you can make with what you have on hand.
~Eri
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" <shop...@foodsource.eat> wrote:
> Sometimes I'm too lazy to get to the store. Usually I make whatever. There
> is almost always left over meat so I use that as a base. I almost have
> stock in the freezer. If all else fails I make soup.
>
> Michael
Soup is always excellent for cleaning out the refrigerator/freezer. :-)
While I generally have stock on hand, it's not that hard to make if I
don't. Just takes a bit longer.....
Serene
<ompo...@removespam.gmail.com> wrote:
>You are totally correct on the fact that rice and beans make up a
>complete diet. I think it's why the food bank includes those and flour
>tortillas in every box that is given out... :-)
>
>The only drawback tho' is the tremendous increase in carbohydrate intake
>and total calories for those two items. While complete, they are calorie
>dense and inefficient.
How so? Carbohydrates have around 4 calories per gram, as does
protein. Fat has 9. Beans and rice are in themselves not
calorie-dense. Now, fry them in lard and I'd agree with you.
serene
--
"I can't decide if I feel more like four ten-year-olds or ten four-year-olds." Laurie Anderson , on turning 40.
Lou Decruss
<arti...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>Darn... You may have talked me into going back and getting these
>eggs.... Egg salad is sounding really good to me right now,
>especially nice and spicy egg salad.
I'm always happy with a plain and simple comfort food version of egg
salad. BUT, a few years ago I went on a quest to make something a
little different. I'm sure someone will rip on me for all the things
in my recipe but pick and choose what you like.
Lou
Lou's Famous Egg Salad
2 1/2 pounds hard boiled eggs (approx 2 dz.)
4 oz chopped onion
3 oz chopped celery
2 1/2 oz black olives
3 oz green pepper
2 tb dried chives
1 tb. cider vinegar
3/4 c. mayo
1 t. salt
1 tb. black pepper
1 tb. worcestershire
1/3 c. prepared mustard
5 oz. chopped dill pickles
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 tb. lemon juice
1 tb. chopped capers
1 tsp. paprika
1 tb. dijon
1 tb. sugar
2 tb. Prepared horseradish
1 tb. hot sauce
Possible additions:
parsley
cheese
tarragon
bacon
Goomba38
> My dad taught me that you can generally make something from almost
> nothing. Remember my mention of the strawberry cake mix-based
> pancakes? Case in point. He wanted pancakes, we didn't have any mix
> on hand, so he started digging through the pantry to see how he COULD
> make them.
Have you considered using flour for your pancakes instead of a "mix" ?
kilikini
"Goomba38" <goom...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:u5mdnTg9cPZGIIvY...@comcast.com...
No, because it would be RAW. <vbeg> (Sorry, based upon a past thread, I
had to say that.)
kili
Christine Dabney
<shop...@foodsource.eat> wrote:
Soon it will be Thanksgiving and I'll have enough turkey meat left
>over to make some turkey stock. I'll be having probably 15 people over,
>maybe more.
>
>Michael
Make turkey gumbo with that stock and leftover turkey. And andouille.
It makes a fabulous gumbo.
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/turk-gumbo.html
Christine
Sheldon
notbob wrote:
>
> I know this for a fact, having survived almost soley on bean
> burritos and Budweiser for almost nine months.
> Lost 60lb to boot! ;)
Is Bubba Gonzales a boy or a girl?
Christine Dabney
<shop...@foodsource.eat> wrote:
>Dayum this sounds good. What exactly is creole seasoning? It said I could
>use chile peppers instead.
>
>Michael
Hmm.. I am not sure of the exact ingredients in it, but you can find
it readily in stores. I think I used a Cajun seasoning mix, and I
think Penzeys has such a blend.
You can also make up your own, which I what I think I did. However,
right now I cannot remember the recipe I used. Might have been an
early Emeril recipe: an eGullet member turned me onto one of his
earlier books, Louisiana Real and Rustic.
Believe me, turkey gumbo is incredibly good. My leftover turkey and
stock is reserved for turkey gumbo.
Christine
Felines&Fuzzbutts
Goomba38 wrote:
> Have you considered using flour for your pancakes instead of a "mix" ?
You have to understand -- this was MANY years ago...back in my
childhood. I don't recall why he didn't make them from scratch;
perhaps we were out of flour. Or out of another ingredient. Maybe he
was feeling creative. Or perhaps he was just trying to impress his
young daughter with his ability to create "magic pancakes". In any
case, it was certainly a memorable experience! :)
~Eri
Goomba38
put it that way, I understand. I didn't realize it was long ago.
How were they "magical"? I know my five year old princess would love the
"pinkness" of them :)
Margaret Suran
OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <ozfRg.198$Y24...@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net>,
>>
>>For dessert, Edith made Palatschinken, when she found that I had all
>>the ingredients she needed.
>>
>>The price of that dinner for six? Something around a dollar at 1947
>>prices.
>
> It's amazing what you can make on the cheap if you really know how to
> cook......
I didn't know how to cook, but Edith did. :o)
Margaret Suran
maxine in ri wrote:
\ What goes
> around comes around.
>
> L'shannah tovah Margaret.
> maxine in ri
>
Thank you, Maxine. L'Shanah Tovah to you and yours.
Margaret Suran
Christine Dabney wrote:
Puester wrote:
Nancy Young wrote:
>>>
>>> You may never be a National Treasure, but I hereby nominate you for
>>>Official rfc Treasure.
>>>
>>> gloria p
>> Seconded!!!!!!
>> Christine
> Goes without saying! Some things just *are*.
> Nancy
Thank you for your kind sentiments. *Blush*
That would make me sort of second after Basil, wouldn't it? :o)
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Serene <ser...@serenepages.org> wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 04:38:32 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> <ompo...@removespam.gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >You are totally correct on the fact that rice and beans make up a
> >complete diet. I think it's why the food bank includes those and flour
> >tortillas in every box that is given out... :-)
> >
> >The only drawback tho' is the tremendous increase in carbohydrate intake
> >and total calories for those two items. While complete, they are calorie
> >dense and inefficient.
>
> How so? Carbohydrates have around 4 calories per gram, as does
> protein. Fat has 9. Beans and rice are in themselves not
> calorie-dense. Now, fry them in lard and I'd agree with you.
>
> serene
Fiber has 0 calories per gram....... :-)
A higher fiber diet (fibrous veggies as the main source of carbs)
provides higher volume with lower calories.
Beans and rice are more calorie dense per volume than, say, celery,
lettuce, cabbage, spinach or broccoli.
As for amino acid sources, protein is not broken down the same way as
carbohydrates, the body lives on glucose. The cells have to work a lot
harder to get glucose out of meat than grains. Even tho' the calories
per gram are the same (4 calories per gram of protein or carbs), the
energy utilized to break it down is not the same.
Hence the concept of a "metabolic advantage" using a high protein diet.
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" <shop...@foodsource.eat> wrote:
> OmManiPadmeOmelet <ompo...@removespam.gmail.com>
> news:ompomelet-5DF91...@news.giganews.com:
>
> > In article <Xns98484A443EB5Fzj...@69.28.186.121>,
> > "Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" <shop...@foodsource.eat> wrote:
> >
> >> Sometimes I'm too lazy to get to the store. Usually I make whatever.
> >> There is almost always left over meat so I use that as a base. I
> >> almost have stock in the freezer. If all else fails I make soup.
> >>
> >> Michael
> >
> > Soup is always excellent for cleaning out the refrigerator/freezer.
> > :-)
> >
> > While I generally have stock on hand, it's not that hard to make if I
> > don't. Just takes a bit longer.....
>
> Beef stock takes me forever. I do the whole bit, roasting of bones etc. I
> use ice cube trays in the freezer to store it and chicken stock. I also
> store some in quart containers. I make enough to last a few months when I
> make it. Soon it will be Thanksgiving and I'll have enough turkey meat left
> over to make some turkey stock. I'll be having probably 15 people over,
> maybe more.
>
> Michael
The beauty of a pressure cooker..... ;-)
But roasting bones is better than browning them in the bottom of a pot!
<G>
The thing that tends to take the longest for me is the fact that I like
to refrigerate stock overnight for defatting. If I use a low fat meat to
start with, that speeds things up.
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Margaret Suran <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
But you know now eh? <lol>
Neat story by the way! I appreciated reading it.
TammyM
wrote:
>> Well..not entirely. I don't mean buying stuff and doing stuff with
>> it from scratch.
>> I mean extending that piece of cheese that has seen better days... Or
>> taking that leftover piece of chicken..and extending it for another
>> meal.....to feed more than 2 people.
>> Or taking that reduced for quick sale piece of meat and fixing
>> something with it that will feed a family.
>> Or looking in your fridge for those almost forgotten vegetables..and
>> maybe that piece of meat hiding in the back..or piece of cheese..and
>> turning it into something delectable.
>> Sometimes this means resorting to beans and such to extend such
>> ingredients......
>> Christine
>http://www.cookingbynumbers.com/search.html
What a fun web site! Thank you. I sometimes do an ingredient search
on allrecipes.com
TammyM
Julia Altshuler
usually comes out to a good bargain. Roast whole chicken the first
night. Have chicken salad the second day for lunch. Make stock from
the carcass and have a variety of chicken based vegetable soups for many
nights thereafter. I'm not sure why, but chicken is many supermarkets'
lost leader.
Turkey tends to be a bargain too. Don't wait for Thanksgiving. Buy
turkey pieces and roast them. Sprinkle them with some dried herbs, and
put sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips in the pan with them. A little
oil helps them cook. Very easy, elegant, and inexpensive.
--Lia
Bob Terwilliger
1. Good God, that's a lot of egg salad!
2. I think this is the first time I've seen a recipe for egg salad which
called for sugar and horseradish. I'm wondering how different it would be
if you left the sugar out and substituted Miracle Whip for the mayo.
Bob
werty
French women cooking ? Cher Che la Famme !!!
If there is a crime , catch the woman .....
________________________________________________
Christine Dabney wrote:
> Hiya all,
>
> I was reminded of this when replying to Margaret...
>
> I am penny pinching as you all know, and lately, I seem to be heading
> to European dishes for inspiration.
>
> This topic comes from something Madeline Kamman talks about in her
> classic book, "When French Women Cook". She talks about the
> ancestral cooking of millions of French women, and refers to it as "la
> Cuisine de Misere"...or "how to cook something from nothing"... How
> to stretch a tiny piece of meat to feed an entire family, or a small
> piece of cheese... That sort of thing....
>
> I know that is probably not limited to Europe, but it probably
> worldwide.
>
> How do you all "cook something with nothing"? What do you fix? Or do
> you ever have to do this? Have you ever been in this situation where
> you had to do it, and what did you cook?
>
> Jill was mentioning "stone soup" the other night, and I think this
> could fit under this category as well....
>
> Christine
OmManiPadmeOmelet
Julia Altshuler <jalts...@comcast.net> wrote:
I tend to stock up on turkeys when they are on sale over the holidays.
Thaw the bird and cut it up into smaller portions since I only cook for
two most of the time, then re-freeze it.
If done right, doing this does not harm the meat one bit!
OmManiPadmeOmelet
"Bob Terwilliger" <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:
> 1. Good God, that's a lot of egg salad!
>
> 2. I think this is the first time I've seen a recipe for egg salad which
> called for sugar and horseradish. I'm wondering how different it would be
> if you left the sugar out and substituted Miracle Whip for the mayo.
>
> Bob
Miracle whip.... <gag!!!>
Sorry luv. ;-) I'm a mayo lover!
I just cannot stand the sweet taste of MW even tho' I know many people
love it. To each their own and all that...... <g>
I make egg salad the same way I make tuna salad:
1 can of drained and rinsed "Chicken of the Sea" tuna
(rinsing cuts the sodium content)
or
6 to 8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
or
2 cups shredded cooked leftover chicken meat
or
2 cups of any other shredded leftover meat. Turkey, pork or beef.
2 heaping tbs. pickle relish
1 small can (I think they are 4 oz.?) of minced black olives
1 tsp. Soy Sauce (or Bragg's liquid aminos if I have them on hand!)
1/2 cup of Hellman's lime based mayo.
Light sprinkling of salt free lemon pepper
Mix well, serve with celery spears
or crackers if you don't care about carbs......
Little Malice
> Margaret Suran wrote:
> > Little Malice wrote:
> > > Well, certainly! You've always been one of my favorite
> > > posters -- you just have a way of making me smile. I know
> > > I'm just echoing the sentiments of many others, but nice
> > > people like yourself are why I read RFC... :-)
> > Thank you. People like you and others are nice to me, because they
> > were taught to be kind to the oldsters. :o)
>
> Feh! People are nice to you because you are nice to them! What goes
> around comes around.
Exactly! Thanks for saying just what I was thinking, Maxine... :-)
--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~
Blair P. Houghton
>When you add up nutrition, flavor and calories per pound, chicken
>usually comes out to a good bargain. Roast whole chicken the first
>night. Have chicken salad the second day for lunch. Make stock from
>the carcass and have a variety of chicken based vegetable soups for many
>nights thereafter. I'm not sure why, but chicken is many supermarkets'
>lost leader.
If it wasn't a loss leader, the margins on it would be
only a couple of pennies per package. So the competition
actually drives it negative and, of course, depends on
the auxiliary purchases to make up. It seems to work. Who
goes to the store just for a chicken? One 12-pack of cola
pays for it. One six-pack of beer pays for ten of them.
>Turkey tends to be a bargain too. Don't wait for Thanksgiving. Buy
>turkey pieces and roast them. Sprinkle them with some dried herbs, and
>put sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips in the pan with them. A little
>oil helps them cook. Very easy, elegant, and inexpensive.
I wonder what turkey with pumpkin spice rub is like...
--Blair
Sheldon
Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
> I wonder what turkey with pumpkin spice rub is like.
Hehehe...
Sheldon Sprinkler
Julia Altshuler
> If it wasn't a loss leader, the margins on it would be
> only a couple of pennies per package. So the competition
> actually drives it negative and, of course, depends on
> the auxiliary purchases to make up. It seems to work. Who
> goes to the store just for a chicken? One 12-pack of cola
> pays for it. One six-pack of beer pays for ten of them.
The funny thing is that that seems to be the case with almost all
ordinary, old-fashioned food as opposed to processed stuff. Inexpensive
cuts of meat, milk, cheese, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, squash, apples,
flour, rice, sugar, oil, oatmeal, almost anything that's not too exotic
and doesn't come from far away, tends to be a good bargain. If you can
avoid the soft drinks, the mixes, the chips, the candy, you can still
eat pretty well for pretty little.
> I wonder what turkey with pumpkin spice rub is like...
Report back, okay? That's one I'm not trying for myself.
--Lia
Melba's Jammin'
Margaret Suran <marg...@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
> > I love your stories, Margaret... :-)
> Thank you. When you get to be as old as I am, you will have just as
> many stories to share as I do. :o)
We'll maybe have as many but they won't be as nice as yours.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com