Jewish chicken with basmati, vegetables, and biscuits

Tonight's dinner was great. We had Jewish Chicken, brown basmati rice, Normandy vegeteables, and baking powder biscuits. The carmelized onions I wanted to make are done in a slow cooker and I didn't get them started in time so we'll have those another night. And no one wanted salad so we passed on that, too.

Jewish Chicken is a favorite in our house and it's thrifty if made with ingredients purchased on sale. No, I didn't name it and yes, I know no Orthodox Jew worth his or her salt would eat it! But it's magnificent all the same and here's the recipe:

Jewish Chicken



Chicken pieces (I used breasts tonight)
2 to 4 cans cream whatever of soup, or homemade version
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk (powdered or canned work fine)
5 to 6 onion slices
1/2 cup grated cheddar or other cheese (I left this out tonight)
salt and pepper and other spices you like

Rinse chicken pieces and pat them dry. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan and bake at 350 until almost done, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken and drain grease. Mix soup and milk in a bowl until smooth and creamy, using more milk if necessary. Pour the soup mixture over chicken, add onion slices to the top, and bake another 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, sprinkle shredded cheese on it before the second baking time. The more soup you use, the more gravy you get and that's the best part of this dish for my family.

Enjoy!

Golden nuggets from 'Living More With Less'

I bought my 'More With Less' cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre back when my boys were still very young, maybe 7 and 6. They're now almost 24 and almost 23 and it's still my favorite cookbook. It was also the book that got me started on the long and often arduous journey to a simpler life. So when 'Living More With Less' by the same author became available through PaperBack Swap I snagged it in a hurry. It's an amazing book, loaded with information on saving money, responsibly using resources, and caring for others and what we've been given. Mrs. Longacre weaves the words of others into her pages and although the book has been out for over 25 years, so much of it still stands true. Here are a few of the tidbits that impress me and marked by '**' are my thoughts on the concept and how I can put it to use in my own life.

I challenge all of you who read this entry to honestly look at your own life, your own priorities, and see if there are changes to be made that would improve your life or the life of another. Even small changes can make a big difference.

"Fremont always drinks his tea without sugar, remembering those who work unjustly for our abundance. Little acts of worship and sacrifice are a beginning." - Sara Regler

**That a person would make even think to make such a small change in remembrance of others strikes something deep within me. I already drink my tea without sugar as a matter of preference, but I think it can't hurt for all of us to give up something, be it small or large, in support or remembrance of others who have less.

"Most Americans don't live very simply. The money they waste by buying a dishwasher can better be sent to developing countries where people perish with hunger. The use of dishwashers and other electric things is much lower in Holland." - Ellen Orthmann, Netherlands

**I don't know if Holland is still well behind the U.S. in electric appliance useage but even if they aren't, many countries are. So many of us whine and act like spoiled children if something goes wrong with our dishwasher, food processor, air conditioner, etc. and really, in the scheme of things, how important are they? I don't use my dishwasher and I don't own a food processor, either. I hand wash dishes, hand chop vegetables, and hand mix batters and doughs. I do love my air conditioner but I've lived without air conditioning before and although the humidity and heat here in Texas are horrid, I can live without it again. Now that's something I can do - go without the air conditioner one day a week or set the thermostat higher and be a little less cool. Yes, it's just a small thing and yes, it will be unpleasant but it can't be pleasant to live without running water, electricity, and ample food, either. I need to remind myself of that daily.

"North Americans have to work more in order to buy things. For that reason they spend less time with their families, thinking that to be comfortable is more important for the family than to give them love and time together." - Inez Morales de Rake, Bolivia

**This is another one that rings true today! It's all about 'things' for most of us, and the pursuit of those things takes us away from family, friends, community, and Yah. My life is simple compared to most people I know but I'd like it to be even simpler. Sure, I'd like to have more money so that bills could be paid on time and so I could get some much needed repairs to my home but all in all, money isn't a big issue for me. I don't have much of it and don't need much of it so I don't chase it aggressively. I have little debt, no payments on cars, trucks, boats, or other toys, I pay cash for almost everything I buy, and I buy little. I could buy still less, though, and spend more time with my family. I'm going to cut down on my computer time and spend that time doing things with and for my family.

"When we first walked into a North American church, my friend from Indonesia said, "The cost of this carpet alone would build a beautiful church in Indonesia." - Sammy Sacapano, Phillipines

**And this was long before mega-churches sprang up! Imagine now, with churches that literally cost millions to build, how much good could be done with just a portion of that money. I've been in churches with first class audio and video equipment, sprawling buildings, brand new mini-vans and shuttles, and I often wonder if all that is necessary. Yes, it might be nice to look at and nice to brag about but is it necessary? And is it good? That depends on how those things are used but looking at the big picture, I think the money spent on some of those things would be better spent on helping the widows and the fatherless. James 1:27 tells us "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." That's what pure and undefiled religion is and if that's what you're looking for, why are you contributing to a church that does nothing or very little to help those in need? Do you even know where the money received by your church goes? Do you have any say at all in that process? Don't you think you should? Surely we can build and manage simpler church facilities and put the excess where it really should be.

Okay, I've rambled enough and I need to rest. I'm not over my throat infection yet and the medication I'm on is doing a number on me. I'll be back later to discuss tonight's dinner which will be Jewish Chicken, salad, brown basmati rice, and carmelized onions.

Is there something you can give up in an effort to be more resourceful or share with others? Are you willing to give it up?

Corn-Squash Bake

I still don't feel well but needed to make the Corn-Squash Bake I started last night so I did that. I also made stir fried garlic green beans with beans from the garden and baked new Yukon Gold potatoes, also from the garden. Rarely do I eat potatoes and even more rarely do I eat them two days in a row but since my throat feels like it's on fire and eating is very difficult, I'm happy to be able to choke anything down and soft food is all I can eat.

We're not big on casseroles, in general, but this one is very easy, tasty and frugal, especially if you have a garden with squash, corn and onion. The recipe is from the More With Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre.

Corn-Squash Bake

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut in 1 inch rounds:
3-4 medium zucchini squash or other summer squash, unpeeled.


Cook in small amount of water until tender. (This time I
cooked the onion with the zucchini)



Drain and mash with a fork.

Saute:
1 T butter
1 small onion, chopped



Combine:
mashed squash
sauteed onion
2 cups corn (Tonight I used canned, though I normally use fresh or frozen)
1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese (I used Colby Jack cheese tonight)
1/2 t. salt
2 beaten eggs

Turn into 1 qt greased casserole.

Combine and sprinkle on top:
1/4 c dry bread crumbs (I used cracker crumbs tonight)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T melted butter

Place casserole on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes.



When cooked, let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Normally, it comes out a little prettier, but one of the kids checked it while it was cooking and stirred it around then patted it back down, thinking I wouldn't be able to tell. Kids! ;)

There's just enough of it left for one or two of us to have it for lunch tomorrow. And this dish freezes very well, so if your family likes it, make a double or triple batch and freeze the remainder for a future meal or two.

Greens with Parmesan Cheese...

Our garden fresh dinner tonight turned out to be scrumptious! We had corn on the cob (bought on sale at the local grocery), salad made with leaf lettuce and carrot from the grocery and tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper and onion from the garden, boiled new Yukon Gold potatoes from the garden with butter, garlic, pepper and parsley, and kale and beet leaves from the garden. Rather than eat the salad I just had some cucumber and green pepper and a leftover beet from the garden. It was a frugal and healthy meat-free dinner and we all enjoyed it.

For those of you who haven't grown kale because you weren't sure what to do with it or for those who have seen it at the market but didn't buy it because you weren't sure what to do with it, we eat it as a salad green and cooked. We like it both ways but my favorite is cooked. I found a hand full of beet leaves in the fridge tonight and cooked those with the kale-don't be afraid to mix greens!

To cook kale or beet greens or swiss chard, I just wash and trim the leaves, leaving the stems but cutting the excess off from the bottom of the leaves. I put it into a skillet with a little bit of water, some onion, garlic or garlic powder, salt, pepper, whatever seasoning I'm in the mood for, and cook it lightly until it's not crunchy but not totally limp either, about 10 minutes.


Then I drain the liquid and add some Parmesan cheese, fresh if I have it, dried if I don't. I've also used other cheeses with it and they're all good!



I let it sit just a few minutes until the cheese is good and melted and then serve. It's a very tasty dish and beet leaves, chard, and other greens are excellent cooked this way, too.

If you haven't tried greens cooked this way, give it a shot! Even those who don't like greens might enjoy this dish.

This morning's garden goodies

This morning we got a nice little haul from the garden. We got several new Yukon Gold potatoes, some zucchini, some cucumbers, a few Sweet 100 tomatoes, two Homestead tomatoes, one Roma tomato, and a hand full of green beans.

Since I'm not feeling well (strep and all that) dinner tonight is something simple and easy;salad, corn on the cob, boiled new potatoes with butter and parsley, and green beans. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy it, thanks to Vicodin from the physician!

Light and slightly fruity summer pasta

Back in the early '80s a friend in Germany shared this recipe with me and it's been one of my favorites over the years.

Summer Fruit Pasta
Yield - 6 servings

1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
8 oz Spiral pasta
1 Tbsp sugar or other sweetener
1 small red pepper, cut in chunks
1 ½ cups slivered ham or cheese
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup thawed frozen peas
handful of cashews or other nuts
juice of one orange
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp crumbled sweet basil
¼ tsp black pepper
1 dash nutmeg (I usually exclude this)

Drain pineapple reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. Cook pasta according to package directions. Combine pasta, pineapple, bell pepper, ham, carrot, peas, and cashews in large bowl. For dressing, combine reserved 1/2 cup pineapple juice with 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1/2 cup orange juice, and remaining ingredients. Pour over salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Summer and pasta salads - they go together

With summer upon us, it's time for meals that require minimal cooking and are light and easy. Although I don't eat a lot of pasta, I really like it and enjoy it now and then. I've found that whole wheat and soy pastas spike my blood sugar less so that's what I generally use.

Over the next few days I'll post some of my favorite pasta recipes for Spring and Summer, starting with my all time favorite pasta salad, Perpetual Pasta.

The key to this being a great pasta salad is to keep the sauce refrigerated in a container with a lid and just add more cooked pasta. I use the same sauce for my garden vegetables, adding zucchini, bell peppers, cucumber, onions and tomatoes as they come from the garden. Now and then I add to the salad or to the marinated vegetable container some sliced black olives, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, or whatever else I can get at a good price. This is such a versatile recipe..make it your own!

Perpetual Pasta

Sauce:
3/4 c. vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 c. sugar or other sweetener (I use Splenda and use much less than what's listed)
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. celery seed

Boil pasta to your liking, drain it, rinse it if you like and add the sauce to it. Mix well and eat warm or cold. Store in closed container in fridge.

Happy Bottom's Apple Cake

This is a simple, frugal and scrumptious Apple Cake recipe. I got it from my mother who got it from my paternal grandmother, Gladys. Granny made this cake whenever we visited her in the Ozark foothills of Arkansas and each time I make this cake, it brings me happy memories of my grandparents. I don't know where Granny got the recipe but it's quite similar to many of the Amish apple cake recipes I've seen and she visited an Amish community quite often. I've made this with pears and it's great that way, too.

As a side note, one of my sisters and I recently talked about making this in the Bowl Maker. I'm not sure that can be done but I think it can be. If I do it, I'll blog about it.

Enjoy!

Happy Bottom's Apple Cake

4 cooking apples, cut up
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
4 Tbsp oil
Dash of salt

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl and put in a greased pan. The batter will be thick and might look a bit on the dry side but if the apples are good and juicy, it will be fine. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Not too long ago I was in the mood for this cake and had only 2 apples. I used them and added about 1/4 cup water. It was dry but was fantastic with freshly whipped cream on it. It's best when made with apples that are lightly bruised or too ripe.

Pick Texas

Speaking of fresh fruit and vegetables, Pick Texas is the only site you need to help you know what produce to buy, when to buy it, and how to find the freshest of it. If you live in Texas, that is...

Brought to you by the Texas Department of Agriculture, this is one handy reference list!

What's in YOUR pantry? Or..how to save money on food

Recently someone emailed me wondering how much I spend on food per month and what frugal meals I prepare. What ensued was a lengthy email conversation about food and frugality and how a person can reduce their grocery spending. I told the enquirer that I generally spend less than $200 a month for three or four people full time and two teens on weekends. She wanted to know how I managed that and here's my response:

"Besides the fact that I live in an area of the country that has a lower cost of living in some things, there are quite a few things I do to spend less and feed my family. Here are a couple of major concepts I put to use. One is buying items when they're on sale for what I call "Denise's price" and the other is buying a lot of those items at Denise's price.

We all have different food likes and dislikes, dietary needs and quirks but here are some of the things that are staples for our household:

white flour, whole wheat flour, and soy flour
corn meal, grits and oats
white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, and splenda
yeast, baking powder, and baking soda
salt, pepper, and other basic spices like garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon pepper, cinnamon, ginger and way too many to list here
extracts like vanilla, almond, and orange
white and apple cider vinegars
dried beans, peas, and legumes
white rice, brown rice, and wild rice
dried fruits
a variety of canned tomato products such as stewed, sauce, paste, sundried, and whole
several kinds of pasta, mostly whole wheat or soy
broths, barbecue sauce, steak sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, nut butters, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, mayo, salad dressings, and Teriyaki sauce
extra virgin olive oil and canola oil
canned milk, regular milk, sweetened condensed milk, and powdered milk
canned fruits and vegetables
canned meats and fishes
coffee, tea, and other beverages
fresh fruits and vegetables
frozen meats, vegetables, and fruits

There are many things I haven't listed but that should give a good idea of what we keep in our pantry."

The reader responded to the list with an admission of not keeping a good pantry and wanting to learn more about that so I thought I'd post about this and ask...what's in YOUR pantry and what are the two most important things you do to save money on food? Or do you not try to save money on food?

As a side note, tonight's dinner was beef roast with vegetables and Buttery Bread Sticks. The bread sticks were made with ingredients that were all on sale and cost less than $.75 for a very large pan of them.

The beef roast was purchased on sale at $1.29 a lb and while the carrots and potatoes were also purchased on sale at the local grocery, the onions, zucchini, and green beans were picked from the garden this evening. I cut the roast into good sized chunks before cooking it and seasoned it pretty heavily with this Gourmet Steak Seasoning.

The meal was delicious, very frugal at less than $1.25 per serving, and fed three adults and two teens.