So, here's the deal. I'm going to share my menus, methods and techniques and I'm requesting your feedback. Would you cook these things? Do you have shortcuts or suggestions? Kitchen tools or gadgets to make life easier? Tried and true recipes to share? Quick meals that get you through in a pinch?
Here are some of my grounds rules for cooking:
- Most nights I only have an hour for preparing and cooking meals.
- I need really fast on Tuesdays.
- I'm willing to make my most involved meals on Sundays.
- I do as little as possible on Saturdays.
- I have to make enough food to have leftover for Matt and I to pack as lunches Monday-Friday.
- I plan all of my menus for the week and do my grocery shopping on Saturday.
- I never buy cuts of meat that cost more than $2.00 a pound.
- I never buy fruit that costs more $1.00 a pound.
- I try to cook vegetarian once or twice a week as a means of controlling cost.
- I don't do canned vegetables (although I do occassionally buy canned corn for Taco Soup).
- I try to make a wide variety of foods and expose my family to different things, though I have staple ingredients that many of my meals are planned around.
- I cut fat where I can, but I'm much more interested in providing nutritious foods than "low fat" meals.
- I don't discriminate against any food groups, although we don't do a lot of seafood because of the cost and the fact that I don't like fish.
4 comments:
my eternal quest as well! soups are great for the cheap and easy route, as well as most anything crock-pot. i have taken to making double of whatever i'm preparing and freezing the other half...this means that at any given time i have 5-7 dinners in my freezer, handy! i also won't spend more than 30 minutes on prep.
as for really fast on tuesdays...it's mcdonald's $1.99 happy meal night. :)
I was going to also say, don't forget freezer meals! If you want to take one day and make a bunch, it can be really nice--I have a few books you can look through for recipes, some more gourmet than others.
I wish our McD's had $1.99 happy meal nights. To feed everyone eating out is way too expensive these days!
I have a lot of those rules for cooking, too. I am a big fan of Food Network, but I really only try the quick, easy, and inexpensive recipes. I'm excited to watch for your recipes.
Oh I am so excited to look at your blog and try your recipes! I have been using a cook book that a lady up here wrote. I have had a lot of success with a lot of the recipes and it might fit your criteria. The book is called The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner by Liz Edmunds. She is currently filming a reality show for BYU. She has a unique way of making each day of the week Italian day, Mexican day, Comfort Food day, etc. Plus she gives all kinds of tips and suggestions about what to serve with your meal, make ahead, portion size etc. If you do want to buy the cook book, Costco is the cheapest place. (Although I heard they sold out...) I can't wait to see what you cook up.
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