Frugal Living Today

I did the traditional Christmas Day meal this year which included a whole turkey.  Unfortunately I would not be able to eat standard leftovers on the day after Christmas because that morning (yesterday), I was slated to have some pretty heavy duty oral surgery.  Thinking ahead as I tend to do, I was able to prepare for it quite well.

I used a baking bag for the turkey which did well to keep it juicy as well as keeping all of those delicious juices for me to make soup.  All of that liquid was transferred to a large stock pot to which I added fresh water, rice, chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic.  I allowed the soup to simmer long enough for the rice to cook and I was in business.  It was (and is) some of the best soup I’ve made in a long time.For tomorrow I’ve made a simple turkey salad with chopped turkey, onion, celery, hard boiled egg, mayo, salt & pepper.  I sampled a quick bite to make sure I had everything right and I was amazed that anyone can complain about being sick of turkey.  I ate turkey on Christmas, turkey and rice soup all day yesterday and today and will love my turkey salad tomorrow.  Because I only cook whole turkey twice a year on average, I enjoy a few days of these special treats.

I’m not crazy.

I’ve actually done this and it is delicious, not to mention simple. You really can make fantastic oatmeal for breakfast in the electric rice cooker on your counter without even turning on the stove or the microwave.

I’ve mentioned my love for the rice cooker here at Frugal Living before, so I’ve decided to show you a few of the other reasons I love to use mine. It seems hard to believe that this would yield delicious oatmeal with almost no effort whatsoever but it really does. This is a tremendously easy way to make a good hearty yet frugal breakfast while you’re getting ready for work!

Michael’s Simple Rice Cooker Oatmeal 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/3 Cup old fashioned oats (not quick cooking!)
• 2 Cups water
• 3/4 Cup milk
• a pinch of salt

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• raisins
• chopped nuts
• honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray the inside of the rice cooker well with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add all ingredients and stir.

3. Turn on rice cooker.

4. Stir once during cooking process, at about 7 minutes.

5. When the cooker stops, stir again and re-cover, allowing it to sit for another 10 minutes before serving.

Okay, everyone loves pancakes right?  And by everybody I mean me.

It seems as though there’s some big mystery about making good pancakes but the truth is that people are too busy trying to make it more difficult than it really should be.  To prove my point I’m going to share my basic pancake recipe - and it never mentions Bisquick once!

Michael’s Basic Pancake Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 heaping Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk (+/-)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Start by combining flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and blend thoroughly with a wire whisk.  This serves two purposes - sifting the dry ingredients and ensuring they are completely mixed.
2. In a separate bowl or a coffee mug (my choice), crack the egg and beat slightly.  Add egg to the dry mixture and add milk.  Whisk until smooth.  The mixture should have the consistency of a medium batter.  If you need to add a bit more milk or flour, do so at this point.
3. It is best to use a nonstick griddle or pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray to cook your pancakes, over medium to medium high heat.

That’s really all there is to it.  Why do people bother with baking mixes when it is this simple?  I can make a batch of pancakes from start to finish - from scratch - in 10 minutes.  It doesn’t get any faster than that! Even a drive through window takes longer first thing in the morning!

Today we’re going to talk about rice.  Not a generally exciting topic admittedly but it is a staple food that should be a regular part of your diet.  It is loaded with beneficial carbohydrates and protein and is a good source of several vitamins and minerals as well.

Typically rice is an inexpensive foodstuff, but our lazy society has created various convenient ways to buy rice that end up costing a fortune if calculated against doing it yourself.  While most people value the convenience because cooking rice can be a pain in the rear, the use of a rice cooker can make the process a lot easier and even though you have to spend a little money at the beginning, it can save you a lot over time.

Rice Cookers
Most people who ever purchase and use a rice cooker swear by them.  They can range in price from quite inexpensive to eye-poppingly pricey.  The thing to know here is that the cheap ones will work just as well as the more expensive models.  You don’t need bells and whistles, it is just rice after all.

Most rice cookers come with a small measuring beaker and you should use it until you get the feel for the right combinations of rice and water.  Another thing to keep in mind is that the amount of water you use is dependent upon the type of rice you are cooking - brown and wild rice take more water than white rice.

There are even recipe books devoted solely to what you can prepare in a rice cooker!

Because I am about to cook dinner, here are a few random ideas for ways to save a little money in the kitchen:

1. Always make your own stock.  It tastes better, it is better for you and you’re already cooking the beef, chicken, ham or turkey anyway so it is nearly free.  Think about that the next time you buy cans of stock for fifty cents or more.
2. Save leftover fresh herbs by putting them in empty ice trays and filling with water.  Freeze them, pop them out of the trays and store in freezer bags until the next time you make a soup or stew.
3. Don’t waste your money buying convenience foods.  There are tons of recipes available for making these high dollar items yourself for pennies.  My upcoming ebook will have an entire section devoted to convenience foods.

I realize that I have been remiss in my duties to you frugal folk herein and for that I apologize.  The reasons have been good ones but I daresay they would only be seen as excuses so I will keep them to a minimum.

One of the more promising things that has been happening recently is that I have been feverishly working on my new e-book called “Michael’s Frugal Kitchen (a cookbook for everyone)”.  I call it new but in reality this e-book was started in 2003 and I have only recently taken the time to pick it back up.

This cookbook will combine frugal shopping and kitchen tips with my love for good, healthy and homemade food and it has been something people have been trying to get me to do for years so now I am doing exactly that.

When complete, this e-book will be offered for sale with proceeds going toward an organization called Magic City Harvest.  This organization is local to me here in Alabama and I can attest to their work.  They take leftover food from restaurants and supermarkets and redistribute it to organizations that feed people in need.  I can’t imagine a more appropriate place for my charitable donation than that and I do hope that you will help me support Magic City Harvest when “Michael’s Frugal Kitchen” is finished.

It is one of the most basic of kitchen staples.

It can be spread on a sandwich, mixed with tuna or chicken to make salad, or added to shredded cabbage to make coleslaw.  It is mayonaise and you don’t have to buy it anymore.  In fact, after you have made your own homemade mayo a time or two you probably will not even want to use the store bought versions again.

Here’s a simple homemade mayonnaise recipe that anyone can make.

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