Budget Stretching Meals

~patches~ said:

I kind of started this thread once another poster told of her situation
but it could likely help anyone trying to stretch their food dollars yet
still eat good.

I roasted an $8.15 chicken, served with mashed potatoes, stuffing,
gravy, green beans on day 1. Day two was reheated leftovers. Day
three, today, was hot chicken sandwiches, with enough chicken left for a
salad tomorrow, with biscuits. The bones and scraps are in the freezer
waiting to be made into stock. This is for just two of us, but they're
still inexpensive meals. I could go on, with potroast, day two-
leftovers and day three, what's left in a pie with some added veg. Lots
of ways to stretch the dollar.....Sharon

~patches~ said:

I kind of started this thread once another poster told of her
situation but it could likely help anyone trying to stretch their
food dollars yet still eat good. If everyone posts one budget
stretching homecooked meal it would be a huge help.

Quoted message said:

Ok there are two recipes following - spud special potato soup and
breadmaker french bread (but you can make it manually and bake in the
oven). This combination goes well together and is rather inexpensive.

Spud Special
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lg onion sliced
1/2 c thinly sliced carrot
1/2 c diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c diced potatoes
2 c chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley flakes [fresh is nicer]
2 c milk
1/2 grated cheddar cheese [optional]

Put the first 5 ingredients into a large saucepan. Sautee vegetables
until onion is soft and clear. Add potato, chicken stock, salt,
pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer slowly until
vegetables are cooked. Stir in milk. Heat without boiling. Garnish
with grated cheese if desired. This will make a gererous 5 cups of
soup.

French Bread (ABM)
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp sugar [raw or honey]
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 c white flour [unbleached]
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put ingredients into breadmaker pan. Select dough setting.
Alternately use a mixer or even mix by hand then let proof. When
done transfer either to loaf pan or shape on cookie sheet. Bake 400
F until loaf sounds hollow and is golden brown.

I don't have specific recipes to offer at the moment, just some general
observations.

Chuck roast makes a lovely and tender braised roast. It's an inexpensive
and tasty cut of meat. The key is to slow cook it with liquid, be it water
with some seasonings, broth, or stock. If you have a crock pot/slow cooker,
throw it in there and let it cook all day on low while you're at work or off
doing other things. (To me, it tastes better if you brown it in oil first.)
You can add vegetables as you wish - onion, carrots, potatoes, parsnips,
whatever. If you have a family of four, a 5 lb. chuck roast with veggies,
either cooked with the roast or on the side, should offer a couple of meals.

Someone in another thread seemed to think the use of bay leaves require an
education. Uh, not really... just throw them into the liquid and fish them
out when the meal is done. Bay leaves are wonderful, simple things.

Another simple dish is roasted chicken. A whole chicken is very
inexpensive, particularly when you compare it to the price of buying
skinless/boneless (or even the bone-in) chicken breast halves. If you're
worried about the fat from the skin on a chicken, get your fingers under it
and peel the skin off. It's not that difficult (except you probably can't
peel the wings LOL). However, I find the skin pretty much essential to a
moist, roast chicken and you don't have to eat the skin itself.

The key is (and this harks back to the kitchen equipment thread) a pan to
roast it in. When I was a bride I bought an roasting/broiler pan. It's
basically a roasting pan with a slotted insert that fit over the top for
when you want to broil stuff and have the fat drip down below. Looked
similar to this:

http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/images/SBP-912.jpg

You can pick something like this up at almost any discount or even a drug
store like Walgreen's for under $10.

Back in the day, I didn't know a thing about roasting a chicken. I read a
Betty Crocker recipe and it pretty much just said to sprinkle the chicken
with salt & pepper (including inside the cavity of the chicken). It wasn't
until much later I discovered the joys of tarragon (which I forgot to add to
your seasoning list), lemon, etc.). I roasted the chicken in the pan
without the rack and used a spoon to spoon the pan juices over it a few
times as it roasted to make the skin golden brown. I don't pay much
attention to specific recipes now, but I think I roasted a 3 lb. chicken at
375-400F for an hour and a half. The old test was to poke it with a fork
between the leg and the breast and if the juices ran clear (rather than
pink) it was done. Another test was to jiggle the leg. Maybe *that's* the
stuff we need to teach the "I don't know how to cook" generation 🙂

At any rate, a whole chicken stretches a long way. The carcass and any meat
which remains on the carcass (usually much more than people think) can be
used to make broth or stock. Only takes an onion and a carrot or two with
water to make broth or stock.

With the stock, you can make chicken & noodles or chicken and rice or
chicken and dumplings.

Granted, I don't cook for a family of 3-4 people. But when I was at the
grocery store last week I spent $70 and I got a LOT of food. Ground beef
was on sale in these "family packs" larger than I'd ever seen; I got almost
6 lbs. for $6. I broke it up into 1 pound packages in freezer bags and made
room in my freezer. I bought a lovely lean 4 lb. corned beef brisket for
$6; it was probably priced for St. Patrick's day but for a family of four or
even six people if served along with cabbage and maybe boiled potatoes,
quite a nice meal for under $10. For someone like me (or for a family of 2
adults), 3-4 meals.

I also bought dried pasta (don't make my own; no room to roll it out) and
jarred sauces which of course I'll enhance; frozen vegetables since I don't
have any place to grow my own.

Fresh vegetables (yellow squash, which I love, is just coming into season
and a straggler of acorn squash which is going out of season).

I got some nice (supermarket) bakery bread which I find is not only better
tasting but often on sale (they get afraid it will have to be marked "day
old" or "two day old"😉 but also better in terms of ingredients if you read
the label on Wonder Bread products. I wrap it up well and stick it in the
freezer. No, I don't have a large freezer; just the one on top of my
refrigerator. Somehow, I make things fit 🙂

Jill

~patches~ said:

I kind of started this thread once another poster told of her situation
but it could likely help anyone trying to stretch their food dollars yet
still eat good. If everyone posts one budget stretching homecooked meal
it would be a huge help.

Here's a nice one using ground beef:

Cabbage Roll Casserole

(If you have a favourite family cabbage roll recipe, you can use those
ingredients instead of the ones I use.)

1. Coarsely chop up a large green cabbage. Put the pieces in a large
roasting pan or cast iron dutch oven.

2. Mix a pound of *raw* ground beef with some cooked rice. The amount
of rice isn't important - the more you use, the further this will
stretch. I usually use 2 cups. Dump this mixture on top of the
cabbage.

3. Dice up 4 slices of bacon. In a large skillet, fry this up along
with some chopped onion. I usually use one very large onion. (You may
need to add a bit of oil to this.) Stir in a tablespoon of paprika.
When cooked, spoon this on top of the ground beef mixture.

4. Open up a small can (12 oz, I think) of tomato sauce, and dump it
in a bowl. Add to this about 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup
lemon juice. Add a bit of hot water and mix well. Pour over everything
else, making sure some of the sauce drips down past the meat into the
cabbage.

5. Cook this at about 250F for at least 3 hours.

Serves six to eight, depending on how hungry they are. Freezes
extremely well in single servings.

Cost (if not purchased on special):

Cabbage $1.00
Ground beef 4.00
Rice .25
Bacon 1.00
Tomato sauce .75
Other n/a

Total $7.00 or about $1.00 per serving

Jo Anne

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

French Bread (ABM)
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp sugar [raw or honey]
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 c white flour [unbleached]
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put ingredients into breadmaker pan. Select dough setting. Alternately
use a mixer or even mix by hand then let proof. When done transfer either
to loaf pan or shape on cookie sheet. Bake 400 F until loaf sounds hollow
and is golden brown.

I've never baked bread before, and I don't have a bread machine. Could you
please explain in more detail how to make it without the machine. Or does
anyone else have a good recipe? Do homemade loaves freeze well? We don't
use a lot of bread, so I always freeze it.

Thanks.

Jen

here's a very simple and quick one that's saved me a few times...

(Sorry - I'm not one for exact measurements as my meals are usually
made up of what I can find leftover in the fridge/cupboard...)

Hot & Sour Fried Noodles

Handful of shredded cabbage
About a teaspoon of minced garlic
A chopped up onion
Bit of mince (chopped up left over meat will also do)
Dried vermicelli
Tom yum paste
Oil

Place dried vermicelli in a bowl.

Pour boiling water over dried vermicelli and leave to soak for about 5
minutes while you cook the other things.

Heat some oil in a wok/pan and add the garlic and onion.

When onion is "see through" cooked, add mince.

When mince half cooked, add cabbage. Drain water from vermicelli and
add to wok along with about a tbs of tom yum paste and fry until
cabbage is cooked.

Plate up and eat.
Add lemon juice to taste.

On Wed 22 Mar 2006 11:28:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

French Bread (ABM)
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp sugar [raw or honey]
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 c white flour [unbleached]
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put ingredients into breadmaker pan. Select dough setting.
Alternately use a mixer or even mix by hand then let proof. When done
transfer either to loaf pan or shape on cookie sheet. Bake 400 F until
loaf sounds hollow and is golden brown.

I've never baked bread before, and I don't have a bread machine. Could
you please explain in more detail how to make it without the machine.
Or does anyone else have a good recipe? Do homemade loaves freeze well?
We don't use a lot of bread, so I always freeze it.

I have made this recipe for years and find it quite easy to make. It's
important to weigh the flour for accuracy.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Classic French Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pk Active dry yeast
2 1/2 c Tepid water
2 lb +3 oz hard wheat flour
[mixed with unbleached white
[flour, or just unbleached
[white flour - mix them half
[and half
1 t Salt dissolved in
1 t Water
Cornmeal
Additional flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water. (Tepid: not hot, not cool, but barely
warm.) Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve.

Using a small paper sack on your scale, weigh out a total of 2 pounds
and 3 ounces of flour. (If you can't get hard wheat flour, use a good
unbleached white.)

Make a sponge of the water and yeast, together with 4 cups of the
weighed-out flour. Whip for 10 minutes with an electric mixer. It will
pull away from the side of the mixing bowl.

Add the salted water. Add the remaining flour and knead for 5 minutes
in a good machine, or 15 minutes by hand.

Place on formica counter, or on a piece of plastic wrap, and cover with
a large metal bowl. Let rise for 2 hours. Punch down, and let rise for
another 1-1/2 hours.

Punch down again, and mold into 2 loaves. Let the loaves rise. I use
an extra oven with a pan of hot water in the bottom. This allows for
steam heat, perfect for raising dough. Place the loaves on a greased
baking sheet before letting them rise; you may wish to place cornmeal on
the greased baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. When the loaves have risen to double
in original bulk, place them in the upper one-third of the oven.
IMPORTANT: Place a pan of hot water on the bottom shelf. This will
assure you of a great crust.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the bread is nicely
browned and the loaves sound hollow when you thump their bottoms with
your finger.

If you wish an old-world look to your bread, simply dust the loaves with
flour before the final rising. You can use an egg and water glaze, but
I am convinced that you will get a much better crust if you simply use
flour.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed 22 Mar 2006 11:28:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

2 pk Active dry yeast
2 1/2 c Tepid water
2 lb +3 oz hard wheat flour
[mixed with unbleached white
[flour, or just unbleached
[white flour - mix them half
[and half
1 t Salt dissolved in
1 t Water
Cornmeal
Additional flour

That sounds great! Just a few questions though!

Is that 1 teaspoon salt and water, or 1 tablespoon?

Does it matter if it's risen for longer, in case I have to go out or
something?

Does it freeze well?

Thanks.

Jen

On Thu 23 Mar 2006 12:15:13a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed 22 Mar 2006 11:28:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

2 pk Active dry yeast
2 1/2 c Tepid water
2 lb +3 oz hard wheat flour
[mixed with unbleached white
[flour, or just unbleached
[white flour - mix them half
[and half
1 t Salt dissolved in
1 t Water
Cornmeal
Additional flour

That sounds great! Just a few questions though!

Is that 1 teaspoon salt and water, or 1 tablespoon?

Sorry, that's 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of water.

Quoted message said:

Does it matter if it's risen for longer, in case I have to go out or
something?

Actually, the longer the rise the better the flavor. It will rise more
slowly in a cooler room. Try not to let it rise much more than double in
bulk.

Quoted message said:

Does it freeze well?

Yes, extremely well. As soon as it's completely cool, wrap tightly in a
double layer of plastic wrap and freeze. I prefer to unwrap to before
thawing on a wire rack.

Quoted message said:

Thanks.

You're welcome!

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If everyone posts one budget stretching homecooked meal

it would be a huge help<<

It is going to be different ingredients depending on where the poster
is, but generally beans, rice, pasta type combinations are going to
always reduce costs. Here's one of mine:

Salade de Lenteilles Auvergnaise

About a pound of large green lentils-- or other
1 carrot chopped very fine
1 1/2 small onion chopped fine
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cubes or spoons of vegetable broth beads or bouillon
about 2 ounces of country style ham cut into batons of about 1/3 inch
by 2"
about 1/4 cup good strong French style mustard
about 2 Tbsp of dry mustard powder mixed with water to form a creamy
paste and left to develop flavor

Warm a large heavy pot, and put in the oil, the carrots, onion and ham.
Sauté' until the onion is clear. Add the lentils, stirring them into
the mixture, then cover with hot water to about an inch over them.
Simmer until the lentils are almost done, adding water as needed, then
add salt but keep it just a little less salty than if you were eating
them alone.
Take about 1/3 of the lentils out of the pot and stir in the prepared
mustard. Start stirring in the homemade mustard and tasting. It should
go right up your nose without burning your tongue very badly. Take it
all the way to hot, stirring and tasting, because you have the other
lentils to draw back with if you go too far.
This should jump right on your tongue, make your nose run, and the
lentils should remain firmish. If they break up a bit, add more mustard
and then add back some of the whole ones.
Served warm as a first course, like soup.

That said, I find it useful to look at serving costs. For most meats
100 grams or 3.5 ounces is a serving, but that is of the meat. A bony
piece means a bigger serving, so it takes a little experience to figure
out if a lamb chop is pricier if you eat just one or if sausage is
cheaper when you know you'll eat three. Beef spareribs are cheap here
and make the most wonderful braises served over polenta usually. But
then I have to clean them up before serving and I toss a lot of fat and
bone. So if I can serve 6 people with a 1 kilo package and that
package costs $7.75 to $10.50, I'll do that rather than the chicken
which costs, I kid you not, almost $4.50 a pound for factory grown. I
can't feed 6 with one of those.

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu 23 Mar 2006 12:15:13a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed 22 Mar 2006 11:28:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

2 pk Active dry yeast
2 1/2 c Tepid water
2 lb +3 oz hard wheat flour
[mixed with unbleached white
[flour, or just unbleached
[white flour - mix them half
[and half
1 t Salt dissolved in
1 t Water
Cornmeal
Additional flour

Just another thought. Can I just use plain white flour instead. I always
have that in the pantry. Sorry to bother you again.

Jen

On Thu 23 Mar 2006 04:10:30a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu 23 Mar 2006 12:15:13a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> On Wed 22 Mar 2006 11:28:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Jen?

> 2 pk Active dry yeast
> 2 1/2 c Tepid water
> 2 lb +3 oz hard wheat flour
> [mixed with unbleached white
> [flour, or just unbleached
> [white flour - mix them half
> [and half
> 1 t Salt dissolved in
> 1 t Water
> Cornmeal
> Additional flour

Just another thought. Can I just use plain white flour instead. I
always have that in the pantry. Sorry to bother you again.

Jen

Yes, of course. It won't be quite the same, but it will still make a very
good bread. I have done this before when I've been out of bread flour.

Do let us know how it turns out for you.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

Jen said:

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

French Bread (ABM)
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp sugar [raw or honey]
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 c white flour [unbleached]
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put ingredients into breadmaker pan. Select dough setting. Alternately
use a mixer or even mix by hand then let proof. When done transfer either
to loaf pan or shape on cookie sheet. Bake 400 F until loaf sounds hollow
and is golden brown.

I've never baked bread before, and I don't have a bread machine. Could you
please explain in more detail how to make it without the machine. Or does
anyone else have a good recipe? Do homemade loaves freeze well? We don't
use a lot of bread, so I always freeze it.

Thanks.

Jen

Jen, homemade loaves freeze nicely as long as they are well wrapped. I
normally make whole wheat or multi-grain. Here is a link to a basic
white bread on recipesource. I chose this one because it has good
directions for making bread by hand. It makes 3 loaves.
http://recipesource.com/baked-goods/breads/03/rec0352.html

Just a couple of comments in general - I make the bread dough in the
breadmaker but bake the bread in the oven. I like the results better.
Sometimes I use the full bake cycle of the breadmaker but not very
often. If you are interested in buying a breadmaker but not sure if you
will use it enough, check the second hand stores and yard sales. I've
seen them as low as $5. If you decide just to go ahead and buy a
breadmaker, wait until around Christmas as they are always on sale for
bargin prices. Some of the newer models even have settings to make jam
or cake. It is a good idea to learn to bake bread my hand though and I
still do occasionally. It will give you a better guage to trouble shoot
if necessary. I recommend Breadtime by Susan Jane Cheney.

~patches~ said:

I kind of started this thread once another poster told of her situation
but it could likely help anyone trying to stretch their food dollars yet
still eat good. If everyone posts one budget stretching homecooked meal
it would be a huge help. I'm a big veggie user because I grow veggies
and they are cheap here most times, I use a lot so any recipe I post
will likely be heavy on the veggies. I also think one pot meals
especially soups are general budget stretchers. BTW, I posted a nice
carrot soup recipe that is filling and inexpensive to make.

I make "eggs in purgatory" once a week, at least. It's good with a salad
and some bread or roasted potatoes.

Eggs in purgatory:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tb olive oil
1 cup canned tomato puree or tomato sauce
1/4 tsp each dried oregano and basil
a pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
a TB of grated parmesan

Cook the garlic for a minute over medium heat in a small skillet. Add
the tomato sauce and the seasonings. Simmer over a very low heat for
about 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
Using a spoon, make a well for each egg, and carefully slide the eggs
into the sauce. sprinkle with the cheese and a little bit more pepper.
Cover and cook over very low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the
eggs are done to your liking.
--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

email:
anisaerah at s b c global.net

Adam Bowman said:

I always wonder when someone brings up a point about Bush, and you
then bring up something that Clinton did, are you saying they are both
wrong? Because that's all it points out to me, places where they both
messed up. It doesn't negate the fact that Bush did wrong; was that
your intention?

That type of argument is like

"Bob shot someone"

"Yeah, but don't you remember when Don hit that guy with a bat?"

~patches~ said:

Jen said:

"~patches~" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

French Bread (ABM)
1 1/4 c water
1 tbsp shortening
1 tbsp sugar [raw or honey]
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 c white flour [unbleached]
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Put ingredients into breadmaker pan. Select dough setting. Alternately
use a mixer or even mix by hand then let proof. When done transfer
either to loaf pan or shape on cookie sheet. Bake 400 F until loaf
sounds hollow and is golden brown.

I've never baked bread before, and I don't have a bread machine. Could
you please explain in more detail how to make it without the machine. Or
does anyone else have a good recipe? Do homemade loaves freeze well? We
don't use a lot of bread, so I always freeze it.

Thanks.

Jen

Jen, homemade loaves freeze nicely as long as they are well wrapped. I
normally make whole wheat or multi-grain. Here is a link to a basic white
bread on recipesource. I chose this one because it has good directions for
making bread by hand. It makes 3 loaves.
http://recipesource.com/baked-goods/breads/03/rec0352.html

Just a couple of comments in general - I make the bread dough in the
breadmaker but bake the bread in the oven. I like the results better.
Sometimes I use the full bake cycle of the breadmaker but not very often. If
you are interested in buying a breadmaker but not sure if you will use it
enough, check the second hand stores and yard sales. I've seen them as low
as $5. If you decide just to go ahead and buy a breadmaker, wait until
around Christmas as they are always on sale for bargin prices. Some of the
newer models even have settings to make jam or cake. It is a good idea to
learn to bake bread my hand though and I still do occasionally. It will give
you a better guage to trouble shoot if necessary. I recommend Breadtime by
Susan Jane Cheney.

get a good breadbook. or find one in a store and read the first few
pages... it'll get yous tarted on what you need to know about proofing and
kneading etc.

lena

Lena B Katz wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and I still do occasionally. It will give you a better guage to
trouble shoot if necessary. I recommend Breadtime by Susan Jane Cheney.

get a good breadbook. or find one in a store and read the first few
pages... it'll get yous tarted on what you need to know about proofing
and kneading etc.

Breadtime is one of the best bread books out there. It explains
ingredients, what they do, how to use them, how to substitute, and has a
multitude of recipes from yeast breads, breadmachine breads, flat
breads, and more. I highly recommend it. Next to that Breadmachine
Magic is a good book if using a breadmaker.

Quoted message said:

lena

I'll do that rather than the chicken

Quoted message said:

which costs, I kid you not, almost $4.50 a pound for factory grown. I
can't feed 6 with one of those.

Judith,

Just for curiosity's sake: Where do you live with chicken at
$4.50/pound. Here in California, I can get a whole chicken on sale for
much less than $1/pound. $4.50/pound, wow!

Ken

Ken said:

Quoted message said:

I'll do that rather than the chicken
which costs, I kid you not, almost $4.50 a pound for factory grown. I
can't feed 6 with one of those.

Quoted message said:

Just for curiosity's sake: Where do you live with chicken at
$4.50/pound. Here in California, I can get a whole chicken on sale for
much less than $1/pound. $4.50/pound, wow!

I can't speak for Judith, but I live in Kansas and chicken is 2.99 to
4.99 per pound. The cheaper prices are the bone-in pieces or the whole
chicken, and the more expensive is the bs chicken breasts. Sometimes
older chicken, or chicken which froze on the way to the store, will be
BOGO, otherwise expect to pay a lot.

Stacia

Glitter Ninja said:

Ken said:

Quoted message said:

I'll do that rather than the chicken
which costs, I kid you not, almost $4.50 a pound for factory grown. I
can't feed 6 with one of those.

Quoted message said:

Just for curiosity's sake: Where do you live with chicken at
$4.50/pound. Here in California, I can get a whole chicken on sale for
much less than $1/pound. $4.50/pound, wow!

I can't speak for Judith, but I live in Kansas and chicken is 2.99 to
4.99 per pound. The cheaper prices are the bone-in pieces or the whole
chicken, and the more expensive is the bs chicken breasts. Sometimes
older chicken, or chicken which froze on the way to the store, will be
BOGO, otherwise expect to pay a lot.

Stacia

I feel so terribly blessed to be able to shop at a military commisary.
One of the BEST things there are the meat prices...

Boneless, skinless chicken breast cost only $1.99 a pound! and that is
for "name brand" stuff (ie tysons...depends on the State I have found)
I will often by boneless skinless chicken thighs (to make things like
enchiladas with) for around $1.50/pound

I haven't ever tried to cook a whole chicken (I am ashamed) but I am
going to check out the price and try it!

Roberta (in VA)

[email hidden] (Glitter Ninja) hitched up their panties and posted
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Ken said:

Quoted message said:

I'll do that rather than the chicken
which costs, I kid you not, almost $4.50 a pound for factory grown. I
can't feed 6 with one of those.

Quoted message said:

Just for curiosity's sake: Where do you live with chicken at
$4.50/pound. Here in California, I can get a whole chicken on sale for
much less than $1/pound. $4.50/pound, wow!

I can't speak for Judith, but I live in Kansas and chicken is 2.99 to
4.99 per pound. The cheaper prices are the bone-in pieces or the whole
chicken, and the more expensive is the bs chicken breasts. Sometimes
older chicken, or chicken which froze on the way to the store, will be
BOGO, otherwise expect to pay a lot.

Stacia

I'm not all that sure about being budget stretched. Here is what I know.
Brown as much ground beef as you can afford, add the trinity to it. I
usually dump in some rice and diced tomates and season it. I'll either use
it for a soup or pasta base although the rice sort of is not good on pasta.

I'm not really trying to budget but sometimes it comes in really handy when
we're busy. Being budget strapped must be a huge challange. I don't think I
could do without Straubs or Dierbergs. I wouldn't know where to start.
It's just me, and I'm not being an ass. Steven makes Chili which lasts
almost a week. My beef and veggie soup lasts longer 😉

Michael <- not financially strapped but budget conscious and really, really
want my new kitchen
--
"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she
served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been
found."

--Calvin Trillin