Mushroom's Mondays on Tuesday This Week
There are so many reasons to have a well stocked pantry. Maybe some sort of natural disaster like a snow storm that keeps you home for a few days, or suddenly becoming unemployed. Even the skyrocketing prices at the grocery store is enough to get you started. What you paid for that "can of corn" today is a whole lot cheaper than it will be next week or next month.
There is something quite satisfying about being able to open your pantry and knowing that you can put together a great meal. I love not having to run out to the store because "I don't have anything to cook for dinner". Or being right in the middle of preparing a dish and thinking... Darn it, I'm out of "_______" , now what do I do? If you have a well stocked pantry of things you use regularly, this won't happen to you! And if you have some way to substitute some other item for the one you are out of... then that's even better!
"Cooking from scratch is one of the easiest ways to stretch your family food budget. " Honestly, it is just as easy and as fast to cook from scratch as it is to eat out of one of those box meals. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in those things? Ask yourself, "Can I make this same meal from scratch?" You will be surprised at how many times the answer will be yes. Using ingredients that are in season and available in your area is a great way to go. Buy things on sale and work around them to plan your meals when you can.
Winter is coming soon and along with it comes the dreaded flu season. It never seems to fail that when one person in the house gets sick it seems to go right around the entire family. I don't know many people that feel up to cooking when they are sick. Heck I don't know ANYONE who does. One really easy and very healthy choice during times like this is a good old fashioned soup! I know that a hot bowl of soup when I'm feeling under the weather somehow makes me feel better. Just make yourself and your family a big ol' pot and you won't have to be worrying about the cooking for a few days.
Here is one of Mushroom's soup recipes. I have tried this one and I give it 5 stars***** It's really simple and works with things from the pantry.
M.R.'s Vegetable Beef Soup
1 pint jar diced beef
3 pints beef broth
2 quarts water
1/2 cup small beans ( I use Pinquito beans)
1/4 cup pearled barley
1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
1/4 cup dehydrated onions
1/2 teaspoon dehydrated minced garlic
Dark beer or red wine as desired
Salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare beans according to directions. Add beef, broth, and barley when beans are almost done. Add remaining water that was not used in cooking the beans. Simmer for 30 minutes then add vegetables and continue to simmer for another 45 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve. More broth or water may need to be added as the cooking goes on. Use your judgment. Make it as soupy or chowder-like as your family likes. Spaetzle, macaroni, or oyster crackers can be served with the soup, according to taste.
Mushroom's Hint: I make my own mixed vegetables by dehydrating frozen mixed vegetables. I just find it easier.
Mushroom's Hint: When you have leftover vegetables from a dinner like that little bit of corn or beans etc... Put them in a container in the freezer. Keep adding left over veggies until you need them in a soup or stew.
As with any recipe tweak this one anyway your family likes it. Try doubling the recipe if you want it to last a couple of days or want to freeze some for later. Trust me... this soup will disappear fast!
Thanks to my friend Mushroom for all her input and especially for this wonderful recipe.
She and I will be working on lots of things related to Recipes , Food Storage, and all things related! Please feel free to leave comments and ask any questions you may have.
Love it ... gonna give it a whirl.
ReplyDeleteHaving canned the beans in advance sure would help if you were sick!
ReplyDeleteGood Idea Anon6:18 Feel free to tweak this anyway that makes the most sense! As a matter of fact, I'm gonna jot that idea down...
ReplyDeleteActually, I have been known to use a can of beans of a different kind in this recipe so I can just dump and simmer. Feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand. Add more or less meat as desired. Sometimes you need a bit more flavoring so you can add a 1/2 tsp of Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce and a tsp of beef boullion for a deeper flavor. I sometimes add a little pasta. This is like the old fashioned soup pot that used to stand on the back of the stove in great grandmother's kitchen. Never the same way twice.
ReplyDeleteMushroom
My wife used to purchase dehydrated soup off the internet. It came in small packs and had a lot of different varieties. All you had to do was put it in a pan of water and simmer it.
ReplyDeleteWe would pack them in the RV before we left for a trip and they came in handy for emergency meals or just when we wanted a great tasting bowl of soup. You making your own is even better.
Great idea about saving the tbsp here and there of leftover veggies. I always end up eating them even if I am full so they don't go to waste. And yes, even veggie calories start to add up.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of dehydrated vegies as they will soak up the broth and be extra tasty. This recipe is on the list to make as making soups is not one of my strengths. Thanks Mush!
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