Why My Focus is on Food

My very wise 13 year old son asked me recently why, with all of the other things that our family does to save money, is most of my blog devoted to food?

I had to think about that for a few moments because we do save money in many different ways.

We cut costs in numerous areas of our life, such as using air conditioning condensation to wash our clothing (it's clean and free water pulled from our humid Kansas air). And I'm going to cover those items eventually. Because they are important as well.

But one area that can almost always be cut back in any household is the grocery bill.  I believe in this fast paced world we lean towards convenience. We work long hours and feel uninspired when it comes to mealtime. Long days, hungry children, lack of fallback recipes and an ill-stocked pantry translates into yet another trip through drive-thru.

Meals are important to our family's physical and emotional well-being. It's an area that can impact our finances, our nutritional status, our family traditions, and provide a creative outlet. I'd say that's way more exciting than turning the heat down!

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Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas

I have used store bought tortillas when I'm not in the mood to cook much but this recipe is so easy and tasty that I make them often. I use my electric pancake griddle to cook them on so I can cook two large torillas at once. Get your kids involved in rolling them out and you can have a lot of fun!

To make your own tasty tortillas -


1) Mix 4 cups all purpose flour with 1 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp baking powder.

2) Cut 1 cup vegetable shortening into flour mixture until mixture resembles cornmeal in texture.

3) Add 1 cup very hot tap water and blend until entire mix is moistened.

4) Knead dough until smooth and elastic. This takes about 5 - 10 mins by hand, only a minute or two if I use my KitchenAid.

5) Let dough rest covered for 15 - 20 minutes to allow the gluten to develop.

6) Heat skillet(s) on medium to high heat. I heat my electric skillet to 400°. Do not oil or grease. Skillet is ready when water droplets sizzle when dripped on skillet.

7) Pinch off walnut to golf ball sized pieces of dough and roll them very thin, almost as thin as construction paper.

8) Cook until tortillas begin to bubble up, then flip and cook the other side. Usually a minute on each side is adequate.

9) Place in a tortilla warmer or other covered dish to keep them warm and pliable.

Makes between 15 to 20 tortillas. If this doesn't seem easy at first, give it another chance. I promise you will get better at it and your family will appreciate the fresh tortillas!

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Seriously Easy Homemade Yogurt Recipe

If you love yogurt it's worth it to make your own. Then you can control what goes into it and enjoy a cost savings as well.

I found this recipe tucked inside one of my Grandmother's old recipe books.

1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees

2) Measure 4 cups of non-fat dry milk into a large glass bowl.

3) Add 6 cups of cool tap water and stir to mix.

4) Add 3 Tbsp of plain store bought yogurt. (I buy generic, just make sure it has live active cultures)

5) Place loosely covered in oven and TURN OFF OVEN.

6) Leave overnight - from 8 to 12 hours

7) Store tightly covered in refridgerator - it will keep for several weeks.

8) Add desired fruit, honey or sugar but remember to keep some of your plain yogurt aside to start your next batch.

Tips -
If yogurt seems soupy after 12 hours you can preheat oven back to 275 and repeat process for a few more hours. I've found just having my oven light on keeps the temperature perfect.

When you scoop out some of the yogurt, whey will seep into the indentation. Drain off the whey and the yogurt will thicken.

Remember that too high heat (more than 130, I think) will kill your yogurt. 

Enjoy!

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Beans, Beans and More Beans

Dried beans are undeniably a valuable food. They are nutritious, full of fiber and a good source of protein. As if that wasn't a compelling enough reason to serve them to your family, they are CHEAP!

That being said, I'm sure you gathered that beans are served regularly in our home. I have many recipes for beans but the following is the most common way we eat them.

Meal One - Ham N Beans

1) Rinse and sort 2 lbs of desired dried beans (we usually go with Pinto simply because they are easier to find in bulk quantity)

2) Put into large roasting pan, add a ham bone (bacon, ham pieces, or ham hocks can be used instead), a diced onion, a diced hot pepper (or dehydrated hot pepper), 1 tbsp of Cajun or Creole seasoning (we like spice so you might try less to start with) or a couple of tsp of cumin.

3) Add enough water to completely cover the beans, put on a lid or cover with foil.

4) Bake in 400 degree oven, adding water and stirring once an hour. My beans are usually very tender within 2 to 3 hours. I usually turn the oven to 350 after an hour and a half. Unless I'm in a hurry.

5) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cornbread or crackers.

Meal Two- Beans and Rice Casserole

1) Mix equal amounts of leftover beans with cooked rice.

2) Put in baking pan and reheat in 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 mins (covered)

3) Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream.

Meal Three- Bean and Cheese Burritos

1) Take remaining leftover beans, season with chili seasoning or cumin and garlic powder and mash while reheating in a skillet over med heat.

2) When cooked down to a creamy consistency, spread over tortillas and garnish with shredded cheese. Roll and serve with rice and salad.


I didn't put exact amounts of any ingredient because I am used to cooking for an army. I start out with about 4lbs of beans instead of 2lbs. I make the three meals from that batch.

Another note, I never soak my beans prior to cooking. I've found it doesn't take much time off the total cooking time plus I think the beans taste better when they've absorbed the other flavors from the beginning of cooking.

I'll post more bean recipes in the future.

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More Ways to Reduce Food Waste

A few more thoughts on wasting less food -

* This tip was given to me by a dear friend years ago, when we were young brides.

* Instead of throwing away those last few bites of veggies at the end of your meal, put them in a Tupperware container or freezer bag instead. Store in your freezer until you've accumulated enough to add to a soup, casserole or pot pie. (Thanks Andrea!)

* In the same fashion, save stale bread for bread crumbs, stuffing, cubed as croutons, or as bread pudding. I try cube or grate bread prior to freezing.

Make Your Own Convenience Foods From Leftovers - 

Save that last piece or two of your lasagna, casserole, or any entree in the freezer. For extra flair, you can make your own frozen "TV" dinners by freezing single servings of entree and veggies together in a foil packet. Accumulate enough and have a "no-cook" night for Mom! Or take a week's worth to someone who is ill, elderly or otherwise unable to cook.

Just reheat in a 350 degree oven for 30 mins to reheat.. or microwave (not in foil) for 5 to 10 mins)

Never throw away bacon drippings. Strain into a Mason jar and store in refridgerator. It can be used to fry foods, or in place of shortening in most recipes. It adds a wonderful flavor.

When your food has gotten too spoiled to eat, feed it to your compost pile for your garden. There are many sites that can tell you far better than I how to start one. I just throw my compost into a pile along with grass clippings and leaves.

Hope you find these helpful!

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Ham Pinwheels Recipe





Pinwheels in the oven! Yummy!



This is an easy and creative way to use up leftover ham or really any meat.
You'll need

For dough -

1) Mix 2 cups all purpose flour with 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt (I whisk together)

2) Cut 4 Tbsp shortening into flour mixture until crumby looking.  Gently and quickly mix 1 cup milk into mixture. Handle as little as possible to get a more tender crust.

3) Roll dough out into a rectangle, approximately 10 inches by 14 inches.



Pinwheel prior to rolling



4) Spread evenly a half pound to one pound of ground or finely chopped ham, diced onion (as little or as much as you like), and a cup or more shredded cheese.

5) Roll up as if making cinnamon rolls.

6) Slice into 1/2 inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet.

7) Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 mins. Cheese should be melted and crust will be golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6 people as a main dish.

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Making Homemade Christmas Decorations

Christmas (if you celebrate it) can be a time of renewed hope and excitement for your family, even if you are experiencing financial difficulties. Instead of lamenting over what you are not able to buy, focus on the joy of family togetherness.

Just as we are the gatekeepers of our own thoughts, I believe as women, we are the gatekeepers to the emotional well-being of our homes.

If you are unable to spend money on Christmas decorations take some time to think about what you have in the house to make decorations with your children.

Make a special occasion of it! I can promise that your children will remember making the ornaments with you way longer than they will remember what you bought them for Christmas .

Pop some popcorn, and enjoy the time with your kids! And remember to let them express their creativity.  It's easy to be controlling for some of us!

Oh, and don't forget to put their names on the ornaments so they can become family heirlooms!

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