Easy Recipe-Finding

Do you ever have a surplus of a certain ingredient (in my case, it's usually produce) that you'd like to use in a recipe, but dread finding recipes that contain that ingredient? Well, the web has made that easier. Most cooking and recipe sites allow you to search by ingredient (www.cookinglight.com, www.allrecipes.com, www.epicurious.com). Yet Google has created a unique web-searching tool that is very helpful.... It's called "Cooking with Google." Just search for this phrase on the Google homepage to bring up a link to the search site (I believe it's the 2nd match that comes up).

You can search by any ingredient or keyword....and if you want to look for "blueberries" but don't want MUFFINS, just put a minus directly beside the word you want to leave out of the search (in this case, type this in the search box: blueberries -muffins).

I've found that this really cuts down on my time that I used to spend thumbing through indexes looking at all the recipes by ingredient.

Meg :0)

Old-fashioned tip...

Leave it to my creative daughter, Meg, to come up with this neat website idea!

My tip is an old-fashioned one, but a very practical one. If you are fortunate enough to be at home on laundry day, hang your freshly washed clothes on a clothesline. It will save you a bundle on your electricity bill--sunshine and fresh air are free!
I know that sometimes laundry dried outside can be "stiff", even if you used a liquid fabric softener in the wash. Just toss the whole load of dried clothes in the dryer (with a fabric softener sheet, if you want, but not necessary), and run the dryer for 5 or 6 minutes to fluff the clothes. Five minutes of dryer time is better on your electric bill than 45 minutes (or more) of drying wet clothes! There is nothing that smells better than a freshly- washed-and-dried-outside load of clothes! --Miriam-- (Meg's mom)

More Great Tips!

I'd like to add an "amen" to Meg's ranting b/c i wholeheartedly agree...impluse buys suck a budget dry!

Helpful hints from JuJu:
*Carry a calculator. Compare. Compare. Compare!
*Carry a little notebook. i will go to Sam's/Walmart/publix and write down the price of a product, then go to another store (or pay attention to ads) and compare. Then i do a comparison with a coupon (doubled if applicable) and go from there.
*Save ads. Like Meg said, shopping the stores for their bargains is a loss for the stores. They get their money from impulse buys. Stores like Walmart (at least in SC) will honor all competitors ads except for buy one-get one free ads. (Note, Walmart no longer honors Aldi's ads.)
*Pay attention to the time of year and prices. Hot chocolate in the summer is a steal. The price will shoot up in the fall. If you know you will use it, buy it now as long as it will keep that long.
*Pay attention to ads around holidays, too. Great bargains are had around Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, etc. Stock up when the prices are low.
*USE or EAT what you buy. Don't buy it just because it is a good deal. When i say "stock up" i mean on things like washing detergent, coffee, ketchup, tuna, soup, canned veggies, etc.
*carry an ice chest in your car when shopping. nothing is more frustrating than having berries go bad b/c of a hot day in the south and a trip home that took too long. I also keep a paper bag (ice cream bag) and a wool blanket in the back of my car - both are great for insulating cold things for the ride home.
*is it worth the gas or time to go different places? Yes and no. This is one reason comparison shopping is so important. Will waiting in line at the store for one item on sale "pay" for itself? you must know your time budget as well as money budget well enough to decide this.
*at the store, have a plan. For example, i am a walmart junkie b/c i save the most there. (i moonlight at publix when i need certain items.) sooo, i park at the door i will exit out of (cold stuff has less exposure to heat). i make my list from top to bottom in the order items appear in the store from the area i start shopping. i mark on my list if i have a price match ad/the cost/and if i have a coupon. Example: Bananas - Bilo 38 cents/lb. If walmart has them for 35 cents, i scratch the bilo part off my list. then at checkout, i lay all my price match items on the sales ads (with the new prices circled). so if it isn't a better deal, i know not to search an ad for a new price.
*if you purchase a paper just for coupons, make sure that your coupon use pays for your paper. :) coupons are rarely for basic needs items anymore. they are more for convenience foods. if you love to cook instead of purchasing insta-meals, it might not be worth the paper for the coupons. (i've never done coupons online - are these worth it, Meg? or anyone?)

Just some tidbits. One time i calculated that i saved $19 at Walmart by price matching ads there. $19! That really made me smile!

Happy shopping!
Ju

Menu Planning on a Budget

For those of you who know me well, you have probably heard me rant and rave about the importance of planning a menu before shopping at the grocery store. Why am I so passionate about this? Because I've done it the other way, shopping 3 or 4 times a week and buying impulse items....and watching it destroy our checkbook AND our health. I have made an appoint to set aside time each weekend to prepare a menu and set-in-stone grocery list....and we have been so happy with the results!

Here are some tips I will offer up....things I have read about, tried, and now do on a regular basis to help streamline my shopping and spending!

1. Make pretty forms to print out....I have a form for comparisons of weekly sales at grocery stores, forms for my shopping lists, and forms for menus broken up by the day of the week. It's so much easier to get organized (in my case) if I have pretty little sheets on which to write and plan! :-)
2. Don't toss those ads! You might find out that one particular grocery store has chicken breasts at an incredible low price....buy extra, stock up in the freezer, and enjoy for the next few weeks! I do this with the 7% lean ground beef, too, since it's so expensive. When it hits $2.79 a pound or less, I buy 3 or more pounds, separate and freeze it in 1/2-lb. bags, and I'm set for a couple of months.
3. Stick to the list! We know ladies, that hormones and even moods can make us want to reach for extra things from the shelves....but try to resist past one or maybe two special things...it will increase your total bill more than you'd like (and most likely, they aren't healthy choices, either!). (Shopping when I'm full, not hungry, also helps!)
4. Clip the coupons. The extra effort this requires really pays off, especially if your grocery store doubles or triples the coupons valued under $.50 (many do). Sometimes you can get name-brand, better-tasting goods for the same price as the generic version by using coupons. (But still watch...some items are still cheaper to go with another brand and forego the coupon!)

These are the things that work for me.... Here is an awesome site that gives even more good tips and info....check it out. http://organizedhome.com/content-50.html



Meg :-)

Recipes for a Crowd, etc.

I have found Allrecipes.com to be a wonderful resource for large-scale cooking recipes. Try searching for these dishes on their main page:
- Chicken Tetrazzinni for a Crowd
- Scalloped Potatoes III
- Three Bean Potluck Casserole
- Macaroni Salad III
- Be Prepared Five-Bean Soup Mix
- Grandma's Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Most casseroles can easily be doubled and baked in two large foil pans, too. I really have had little experience cooking for crowds except for finger foods....if you ever want to know how to turn your kitchen into a wedding reception food factory, I can really help out there. :-)

I have a wonderful recipe I'd like to share....a lighter dessert that is perfect for summer or for after a heavy meal. Every time I make it is gets rave reviews; who knew it was as easy as it is?

Brown Sugar Pavlovas with Fresh Fruit

4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple
3/4 cup chopped peeled kiwi
3/4 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries
3 tablespoons fat-free caramel sundae syrup

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 6 (4-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.

Beat egg whites, cornstarch, and salt at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Add vanilla, beating well. Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 6 drawn circles. Shape meringues into nests with 1-inch sides using the back of a spoon. Place meringues in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 300° bake 1 hour. Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven at least 4 hours or until completely dry. (Meringues are done when the surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Carefully remove meringue nests from paper.

Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and cinnamon at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form. Dollop 1/4 cup whipped cream into each meringue nest. Top each with 1/2 cup pineapple, 2 tablespoons kiwi, and 2 tablespoons blackberries. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons caramel syrup over each serving. Serve immediately.

Note: Whipping cream whips better when bowl and beaters are chilled.


Yield: 6 servings


Have a great day!
:0) meg

cooking for large groups

Hi all! I am extremely excited about this blog. And I have a question. I help cook for our Monday Night Home Group in Clemson/Central (see New Spring Community Church), and I would love some recipe ideas for large groups. Umm, when I say large, I'm "guestimating" over 20 people.

I will say, last night was quite creative and an info-mercial for George Foreman. Yes, we had 5 grills going (and didn't blow the circuit) to grill chicken for 20. That with a pot of cream corn and a pot of green beans, local bakery rolls, sweet tea, and incredible chocolate brownie pies (recipe to come from Laura soon)...am I making you hungry yet? Whew, so grand!

Cool tip I learned from Laura last night: Spray your measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray when measuring molasses - it drips right out without the sticky mess and does not mix with the molasses. If only we can find a way to do peanut butter!

Happy cooking! JuJu

Welcome to Homekeeping Central!!

Here is a spot where we can post tips, ideas, recipes, and links that others will enjoy finding out about. A great central hub for idea swapping, this blog will hopefully make all of us a little more creative, a little more frugal, a little more inventive, and a little closer as friends!!

Enjoy!
Meg