Simple Oil and Vinegar Slaw Dressing

I make up 2 or 3 cups of this at a time, and then store it in the refrigerator for a fast dressing for shredded cabbage. It's a nice alternative to the more traditional mayonnaise version.

Oil and Vinegar Slaw Dressing

Sugar	1/2 C
Vinegar	3/4 C
Oil	3/4 C
Mustard seed	1 tsp
Celery seed	1 tsp

Stir ingredients together in small saucepan.
Heat to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
Pour into canning jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month.
Use about 1/4 C per pound of cabbage.

Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. Many people make this with twice the amount, but I find it far too sweet.

The Price is Right

The Price is Right
Originally uploaded by darthdowney

Here's this week's best buys in southeast Michigan. Ingredients in italics are more expensive than the rule of thumb I use for truly frugal cooking, 45¢ per serving.
Meat
Cost for a cooked 3 oz serving
45¢ Ground chuck 1.78 per pound (Kroger)
46¢ Whole chicken .89 per pound (kroger)
46¢ Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1.79 per pound (Meijer)


Meat Alternatives
Cost for equivalent to 3 oz serving of meat
25¢ Eggs .98 per dozen (Meijer + Kroger)
37¢ Milk 1.99 per gallon (Meijer + Kroger)
50¢ Cheese 2.69 per pound (Kroger)
50¢ Cottage cheese 1.99 per 24 oz (Kroger)


Fruits and Vegetables
Cost for 1/2 cup serving
12¢ Cameo apples .88 per pound (Kroger)
14¢ Onions .56 per pound (Kroger)
16¢ Green beans, frozen .91 per pound (Meijer)
17¢ Green beans, canned .60 per can (Meijer)
19¢ Broccoli, frozen .91 per pound (Meijer)
19¢ Zucchini, fresh .99 per pound (Kroger)
24¢ Avocado .91 apiece (Meijer)
26¢ Roma tomatoes, fresh .99 per pound (Meijer)




Stock The Pantry
Macaroni + spaghetti .50 per pound (Meijer)
Walnuts 3.99 per pound (Meijer)


Other good buys
Saurkraut .6o per 16 oz can (Meijer)
Mac&Cheese .40 per box (Meijer)

Many Meijer-brand products are on sale this week. It's a good time to stock up on the items on your personal shopping list.

How To Calculate The Cost Per Serving

Several people have asked how I know what the cost per serving is for different items.

My main source for information is the USDA database called The Nutritional Composition Of Foods. For years I owned the paperback versions that they printed in the 70s and 80s. Fortunately the information is now available online. I use other USDA publications as well, including a pamphlet I picked up when my kids were little that lets you calculate how much food to buy for day-care centers that serve meals. Now I use it to help my sons to figure out how much food to buy for their growing families.

Over the years, I've created a spreadsheet that does all the arithmetic for me. All I have to do is type in the price per pound, and the number of servings and it tells me how much to buy and how much it will cost. This week I spent a bit of time working on the spreadsheet to create some Magic Numbers for folks who read this blog.

The Magic Number for a food item is used two ways.

1) Multiply the Magic Number by the price per pound. That will give you the cost of a 1 ounce serving of cooked meat.
2) Multiply the number of servings by the size of the serving in ounces. Then multiply that by the Magic Number. That will tell you how much raw meat to buy.

Magic Numbers for fruits and vegetables work in a similar way. You'll get a different number of servings from a pound of fresh green beans than you will from frozen. And you'll get a different number of servings from a 1 pound can of green beans than you will from a 1 pound bag of frozen green beans. The Magic Number times the price per pound will give you the cost of a 1/2 C serving of that fruit or vegetable. The Magic Number times the number of servings will give you the amount you need to purchase.

When I post the price per serving each week, I take all these differences into account. That's how I come up with the comparisons between the various sale prices in the ads.

For those of you who want more details:
Let's try an example. The Magic Number for chicken thighs is .1202.

If chicken thighs are 99 cents per pound, you multiply .1202 times .99. That gives you .119. Read that as the dollars per serving, ie $0.119, or roughly 12 cents per 1 oz serving. (Only look at the first 2 or 3 numbers to the right of the decimal point. The rest is just junk).

If you need to serve 4 people, and you want each of them to have a 4 ounce serving of meat, you first multiply 4 times 4, or 16. Then you multiply the Magic Number by 16. 16 x .1202 = 1.92. Read that as 1.9 pounds of chicken thighs. If you want to serve 4 people 4 ounces of cooked meat, then you'll need to buy about 2 pounds of chicken thighs. If you only want to serve 3 ounces per person, then you'll only need 12 x .1202, or 1.4 pounds of chicken thighs.

If people want this information, I will start including it in my posts. Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Simple Savory Custard

Savory Custard
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Most of us think of sweet desserts when we hear "custard". But custards can be savory as well. When eggs and milk are cheap, think about serving a simple custard that provides bunches of protein in a slightly different style. Quiches are one version of savory custards, but this is a fun version that doesn't require a pie crust and comes in individual servings.

Serve this with a salad for lunch, supper, or brunch. When it is cooler, steamed broccoli complements these flavors.

Savory Custard
6 Servings

Milk	2 C
Thyme	1/4 tsp
Garlic	1 clove
Eggs	3
Egg yolks	2
Cayenne pepper	1/8 tsp
Salt	1/2 tsp
Swiss cheese	1/2 C
Parmesan cheese	1/4 C

Preheat oven to 300F.

Crush garlic and shred cheese.
Boil about a quart of water.
Grease 6 custard cups or ramekins.

Put thyme and garlic into milk and heat just to boiling. Remove from heat (or microwave) and allow to cool.

Beat eggs, egg yolks, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in shredded cheese and parmesan. Add milk and beat several times.

Pour or ladle mixture into custard cups. Place cups in a baking dish and place on oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water around the custard cups, until water is about 1 inch below the edge.

Bake until set, approximately 30 minutes. Remove custard cups from baking pan with tongs. Leave pan in oven until cool enough to handle easily.

Simple Broccoli Quiche

Quiche
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

When eggs, milk, cheese, and broccoli are all on sale at once, try a new twist on the standard Quiche Lorraine. This quiche uses Cheddar cheese and broccoli for its flavors

Ingredient	9 inch	Tart
Broccoli	1 C	1/4 C
Cheddar cheese, shredded	8 oz	2 oz
Onion, grated	2 tsp	1/2 tsp
Flour	1 Tbsp	1 tsp
Salt	1/4 tsp	pinch
Egg	3	1
Milk	1 C	1/4 C

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Grate onion, shred cheese.
Shred or chop broccoli small.
Combine cheese, onion, flour and salt, mixing well.
Layer filling and cheese mixture in pastry shell.
Mix egg and milk, pour over cheese and filling.

Bake in 450 oven 15 minutes, then lower heat to 325 and bake 30 minutes longer, or until just firm in center. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Here's a way to use the mangos that are in season for the next few weeks

Mango Salsa

Red bell peppers	1 C
Mango	1
Red Onion	1/4 C
Cilantro	1/4 C
Green chiles	2 Tbsp
Lime juice	2 Tbsp
Chili powder	1/4 tsp

Dice mangoes, peppers, and red onions.
Mince fresh cilantro and green chilis.
Combine and sprinkle with lime juice and chili powder, stirring once or twice.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Extremely Frugal version
Use canned tomatoes instead of red peppers and canned green chilis.
Substitute yellow onions for red onions and lemon juice for lime juice.

Simple Three-Chili Chicken

Use mild green chilis, flaked hot red peppers, and chili powder in this chicken and rice combo. You can adjust the heat by adding more red pepper flakes.

Three-chili Chicken
Makes 4 servings

Chicken Thighs	2 pounds
Onion	2/3 C
Green chilis	2 Tbsp
Cumin	2 tsp
Chili Powder	1 Tbsp
Red pepper flakes	1/4 tsp
Garlic	2 cloves
Chicken broth	2 1/2 C
Rice	1 C

Chop onion and green chilies. Crush garlic.
Brown chicken thighs in frying pan, remove. Reserve drippings.
Saute onion, chilis and garlic in drippings until onion is translucent.
Add cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in rice, coating well. You may want to add a tablespoon of oil if the pan is dry.
Pour chicken broth into pan, and return the browned pieces of chicken.
Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and turn to low.
Gently steam rice for 20 minutes.
Check chicken for doneness before serving.

$5 Dinner Three-Chili Chicken

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Put a Mexican-flavored dinner on the table with this week's bargains at Kroger
Chicken Thighs Menu - Kroger

This ~$5.25 dinner provides 4 oz of chicken, 1 cup of rice, and 1/2 C salsa per serving.

Three-Chili Chicken, Mango Salsa

Buy: Chicken thighs, mangos, cilantro, red pepper
Pantry: rice, onions, green chilis
For 4 servings

2 lb chicken thighs $1.90
1/2 lb rice $0.35
1 mango $1.00
1 C onion $0.58
1 can green chilies $.99
1 bunch cilantro $0.50

Total $5.30

The Price is Right

The Price is Right
Originally uploaded by darthdowney

Here's this week's best buys in southeast Michigan. Ingredients in italics are more expensive than the rule of thumb I use for truly frugal cooking, 45¢ per serving.

Meat
Cost for a cooked 3 oz serving
36¢ Chicken breast, bone in 1.29 per pound (Meijer)
36¢ Chicken thighs, bone in .99 per pound (Kroger)
36¢ Pork shoulder, bone in .99 per pound (Meijer + Kroger)
50¢ Ground Round 1.99 per pound (Meijer)
51¢ Chicken, whole .98 per pound (Meijer)
53¢ Chuck roast, boneless 1.77 per pound (Kroger)
68¢ Chicken breast, boneless 1.88 per pound (Kroger)


Meat Alternatives
Cost for equivalent to 3 oz serving of meat
25¢ Eggs, large .98 per dozen (Meijer)
38¢ Cottage cheese 1.00 per pound (Kroger)
50¢ Cheese, chedder 2.69 per pound (Kroger)


Fruits and Vegetables
Cost for 1/2 cup serving
14¢ Apples 1.00 per pound (Meijer)
19¢ Grapes 1.00 per pound (Kroger)
20¢ Broccoli 1.00 per pound (Kroger)
26¢ Mango 1.00 each (Kroger)
30¢ Cantaloupe 1.50 each (Meijer)
30¢ Pears 1.18 per pound (Meijer)


Stock The Pantry
1.98 Milk, per gallon (Meijer + Kroger)
1.00 Mustard 24 oz jar (Kroger)

Other good buys
60¢ Campbell's Tomato or Chicken Noodle soup (Meijer)
Red bell peppers 1.00 each (Kroger)

Let The Posting Begin (Again)

Weeks ago, I fell and crushed two bones in my right arm, leading to ambulance rides, hospital stays, orthopedic surgery, casts and total inability to use the keyboard.

But I've now got a splint instead of a cast, and I can take it off enough to do my physical therapy and type again!!

Watch for this week's Price Is Right posting on Sunday.

$5 Dinner Roast Beef

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

If you're new to SaveALot, take a look at this post to see how to get the best values.
How To Shop SaveALot. Check the pantry before you go, to stock up on the low every-day price of many basics.

Also check their website for several months worth of $5.00 meals. Their Fuel Your Family program gives you hundreds of menus that feed 4 people for less than $5.00.

Meat and produce specials run from the 1st to the 14th of the month. This month you can stock up on bottom round roasts at $2.49 a pound, which is about a dollar per pound less than the usual Kroger sale price. You can also stock the freezer with boneless chicken breasts at $1.69 a pound. You'll enjoy the extremely low price for the rest of the month.

This week, you can get 5 pounds of potatoes free with $10.00 additional purchase.
This ~$4.50 dinner provides 4 oz of roast beef, 1 cup of potatoes, and 1/2 cup of green beans per serving.

Roast beef, roast potatoes, green beans
Buy: Bottom round, potatoes
Pantry: Green beans
For 4 servings

1 1/2 lbs Bottom Round $3.62
1 3/4 pounds Potatoes free
2 cans Green beans $0.94

Total $4.56

Corned Beef

Corned beef requires long, slow cooking. It's a perfect Crockpot dish.

Corned Beef

Beef brisket	4 lbs
Mustard seeds	1 tsp
Caraway seeds	1 tsp
Peppercorns	1/2 tsp
Coriander	1/2 tsp

Crush mustard seeds, caraway, coriander and peppercorns*. Rub into both sides of beef brisket.
Pour 1 cup of water in bottom of crockpot, and add brisket.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Slice thinly to serve.

*If your corned beef comes with a spice packet, use that instead.
*I use a small coffee grinder to crush whole seeds.

Extremely Frugal Colcannon

A traditional Irish potato and cabbage dish

Colcannon

Cabbage, shredded	2 C
Potatoes	4 C
Green onions	6
Milk	1/2 C
Butter	1/4 C

Boil cabbage, chop fine. Peel and boil potatoes, then mash. Chop green onions.
Bring milk to boil, add onions, salt and pepper to taste.
Add butter and cabbage to milk, fold in mashed potatoes.
Beat well until light and fluffy.

Simplify:
Substitute 1/4 C chopped onions for the green onions.

$5 Dinner Corned Beef

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

This week's specials at Meijer include corned beef brisket and green cabbage.

This ~$4.50 dinner provides 4 oz of corned beef, 1 cup of potatoes, and 1 cup of cabbage per serving.

Corned Beef, Extremely Frugal Colcannon

Buy: Corned beef, cabbage
Pantry: Onions, butter, potatoes
For 4 servings

1 1/2 lbs Corned beef $3.56
1 3/4 lbs Potatoes $0.50
1 1/2 lbs Cabbage $0.30



Total $4.36

The Price is Right

The Price is Right
Originally uploaded by darthdowney

Here's this week's best buys in southeast Michigan. Ingredients in italics are more expensive than the rule of thumb I use for truly frugal cooking, 45¢ per serving.

Meat
Cost for a cooked 3 oz serving
26¢ Chicken leg quarters .59 per pound (Kroger)
30¢ Whole turkey .77 per pound (Kroger)
44¢ Boneless, skinless chicken breast 1.69 per pound (SaveALot)
46¢ Whole chicken .89 per pound (Kroger)
48¢ Ground chuck 1.88 per pound (Kroger)
53¢ Pork loin, boneless 1.79 per pound (Meijer)
68¢ Bottom round roast, boneless 2.49 per pound (SaveALot)

Meat Alternatives
Cost for equivalent to 3 oz serving of meat
25¢ Peanut butter 1.21 per pound (Kroger)
25¢ Eggs, 1.00 per dozen (Kroger)
50¢ Cottage cheese 2.00 for 24 oz (Meijer)

Fruits and Vegetables
Cost for 1/2 cup serving
03¢ Green cabbage .19 per pound (Meijer)
09¢ Spinach salad .91/ 10 oz (Meijer)
16¢ Green beans frozen .91 per pound (Meijer)
16¢ Celery 1.00 per bunch (Meijer_
19¢ Broccoli, frozen .91 per pound (Meijer)
20¢ Broccoli, fresh 1.00 per bunch (Meijer)
26¢ Roma tomato .99 per pound (Kroger)
38¢ Spinach, cooked .91/10 oz (Meijer)
56¢ Onions 3 lb $1.68 (Kroger)

Stock The Pantry
1.00 Tomato paste 15 oz Contadina (Meijer)
2.50 Vegetable oil 48 oz $2.50 (Meijer)

Other good buys
91¢ Pasta sauce, Hunts 26.5 oz .91 (Meijer)
40¢ Yogurt 8 oz (Meijer)
91¢ Zatarain Side Dishes (Meijer)

Cantaloupe Salsa

An interesting way to make cantaloupe a dinner side dish.

Cantaloupe	1 1/2C
Onion	1/4 C
Red bell pepper	1/4 C
Fresh chilis	1 Tbsp
Cilantro	1/4 C
Salt	1/4 tsp
Lime Juice	2 Tbsp
Oil	1 Tbsp

Coarsely chop the cantaloupe. Dice the onion and bell pepper Finely chop the fresh chilis and cilantro.

Toss vegetables with salt, lime juice, and oil. Let sit for at least one hour. Served with broiled or grilled chicken.

Simplify it:
Use green bell pepper instead of red.
Or substitute diced tomatoes for bell pepper.
Use canned green chilis instead of fresh.
Use lemon juice instead of lime juice.

$5 Dinner BBQ Chicken

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

This week's specials at Kroger include chicken thighs, potatoes, and cantaloupe.

Barbequed chicken thighs, Cantaloupe salsa, Roasted potato wedges.

This ~$5.00 dinner provides 4 oz of cooked chicken, 1 cup of potatoes, and 1/2 cup of salsa per serving.


Buy: Chicken thighs, cantaloupe, cilantro
Pantry: onions, potatoes, bell pepper, green chilis

For 4 servings

2 lb chicken thighs $2.40
1 cantaloupe $0.99
1/4 lb onions $0.10
1 lb potatoes $0.12
1 bell pepper $0.80
1/4 C cilantro $.20


Total $4.70

Simple Fresh Plum Chutney

Plums
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

An easy side dish for baked ham

4 servings

Butter	1 Tbsp
Plums	1 lb
Onion	1 C
Ginger	2 tsp
Brown sugar	1 Tbsp
Vinegar	1 Tbsp

Chop onions coarsely. Remove pits and stems from plums and cut into quarters. Grate ginger.

Saute onions in butter until soft. Add plums and ginger and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add brown sugar and vinegar, and stir well. Set aside until ready to serve, then reheat. You can even make this the day before and refrigerate. The flavors blend nicely when held overnight.

Fancy it up:
Use balsamic vinegar instead of cider vinegar. Use only 1 tsp for a very subtle flavor.

$5 Dinner Baked Ham

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

This week's specials at Meijer include a bone-in ham, and fresh plums.

This ~$3.00 dinner provides 4 oz of baked ham, 2 biscuits, and 1/2 cup of plum chutney per serving.

Baked Ham, Plum Chutney, Extremely Frugal Biscuits.

Buy: Ham, plums
Pantry: Onions, fresh ginger, brown sugar, cider vinegar, cloves, cinnamon, flour, shortening,
For 4 servings

1 1/2 lbs Ham $1.40
1 lb Plums $0.99
1 lb Onions $0.56
2 cups Flour $0.15


Total $3.10

The Price is Right

The Price is Right
Originally uploaded by darthdowney

Here's this week's best buys in southeast Michigan. Ingredients in italics are more expensive than the rule of thumb I use for truly frugal cooking, 45¢ per serving.

Meat
Cost for a cooked 3 oz serving
25¢ Chicken leg quarters .59 per pound (Kroger, SaveALot)
26¢ Ham, bone in .99 per pound (Meijer)
30¢ Turkey, whole .77 per pound (Kroger)
42¢ Ground beef $1.60 per pound (SaveALot)
43¢ Chicken thighs $1.19 per pound (Kroger)
46¢ Ground chuck $1.79 per pound (SaveALot)
51¢ Chicken boneless skinless breast $1.99 per pound (Meijer)
60¢ Italian sausage $2.50/20 oz (Meijer)
71¢ Cheese $3.76 per pound (Kroger)
72¢ Pork, western ribs $1.99 per pound (Kroger)
75¢ Ground round $2.99 per pound (Kroger)
95¢ Bottom round $3.49 per pound (Kroger)
$1.07 Catfish fillets $3.99 per pound(Meijer)

Meat Alternatives
Cost for equivalent to 3 oz serving of meat
13¢ Lentils .79 per pound (SaveALot)
27¢ Peanut butter [80 oz jar] (Meijer)
32¢ Eggs (SaveALot)

Fruits and Vegetables
Cost for 1/2 cup serving
03¢ Cabbage .39 per pound (SaveALot)
09¢ Onions .43 per pound (SaveALot)
12¢ Potatoes $2.98 for 10 pounds (Kroger)
14¢ Green beans .47 per can (SaveALot)
18¢ Plums .99 per pound (Meijer)
19¢ Grapes .89 per pound (Meijer)
22¢ Nectarines .99 per pound (Meijer)
29¢ Cantaloupe .99 per melon (Meijer, Kroger)
38¢ Peaches .99 per pound (Meijer)
83¢ Asparagus $1.99 per pound (Kroger)

Stock The Pantry
Sugar 40¢ per pound (10 lbs 3.99) (Meijer)
Bacon $2.00 per pound (Meijer)
Walnuts $3.99 per pound (Meijer)

Other good buys
Chipotle Honey BBQ sauce Sweet Baby Ray $1.00 (Meijer)
Almonds $4.99 per pound (Meijer)

Milk continues to drop in price. Both Kroger and Meijer now have a standard sale price of $2.00 per gallon.

Simple Sunday Lentils

Sunday Lentils
Serves 4

Lentils, dry	2 C
Basil	2 tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Water	4 C
Onions	1 C
Cumin	2 tsp
Oil	1/4 C
Garlic	2 clove
Tomatoes, diced	2 C

Boil lentils with basil, salt and water, drain.
Saute onion, cumin and garlic in oil. Add lentils and tomatoes. Cook until very thick.

$5 Dinner Sunday Lentils

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Lentils are always a good deal at SaveALot. This basil-cumin tomato sauce adds an interesting flavor twist

This ~$3.00 dinner provides 1 cup of lentils, 2 biscuits, and 1/2 cup of green beans per serving.

Sunday Lentils, Cheese biscuits, Green beans.

Buy: Shredded cheddar cheese, lentils
Pantry: Basil, onions, cumin, flour, green beans
For 4 servings

1/2 lb Lentils $0.43
2 cups Tomatoes $0.75
2 cups Flour $0.15
4 ounces Cheese $0.83
2 cups Green beans $0.80

Total $2.96

Parisian Carrot Salad

Parisian Carrots
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

An easy side dish for winter meals.

Parisian Carrot Salad
Serves 4

Carrots	2 C
Parsley	1/2 C
Olive oil	1 tsp
Garlic	1 clove
Salt	1/4 tsp
Pepper	1/8 tsp
Red wine vinegar	1 Tbsp

Mince parsley very fine, and shred carrots.
Drizzle oil over mixture.
Crush garlic and add to mixture along with salt and pepper.
Stir well, coating carrots thoroughly.
Sprinkle vinegar over mixture, toss, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Simplify:
Use vegetable oil instead of olive oil
Use cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar

$5 Dinner Simple Lemon Thyme Chicken

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Broccoli is on sale at $1.00 per bunch, and the Value brand leg quarters are $5.90 for 10 pounds.

This ~$3.00 dinner provides 4 ounces of cooked chicken, 1 cup of rice, and 1/2 cup broccoli per person.

Buy: Chicken leg quarters, broccoli
Pantry: Oil, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, rice, chicken broth.

For 4 servings
2.5 lb chicken $1.50
1 bunch broccoli $1.00
1 1/4 C rice $0.35

Use the chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice. After the chicken has baked, skim off the fat from the juices left in the pan, and pour the flavorful juices over the rice at the table. Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice over the broccoli as it is steaming for a bright flavor.

Simple Lemon Thyme Chicken, steamed broccoli, Rice

You can add some Baked Pears for a seasonal dessert.

Simple Lemon Thyme Chicken

Lemon Thyme Chicken
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Lemon Thyme Chicken
4 servings

Leg quarters	2.5 lb
Olive oil	1 Tbsp
Garlic	3 cloves
Lemon juice	1 Tbsp
Thyme	1 tsp

Arrange leg quarters in roasting pan skin side up.
Whisk together olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice, and thyme.
Brush over chicken, and let marinate for 1 hour.
Place in oven (no need to preheat) and set to 350 F. Roast for 50-60 minutes, checking to be sure thick part of thigh is done.
Drain off pan juices, and skim off fat. Serve pan juices on the side.

Hungarian Pork Goulash

Hungarian Pork Goulash
4 servings

Oil	1 Tbsp
Onions	4 C (1 lb)
Pork shoulder, bone in	2 lb
Paprika	2 Tbsp
Tomato paste	1 Tbsp
Garlic	2 cloves
Salt	3/4 tsp
Flour	1 Tbsp
Chicken stock	2 Tbsp
Green pepper	1/2 C
Sour cream	1/2C

Slice onions thin, and saute in oil. Add pork, saute 5-10 minutes.
Add paprika, tomato paste, garlic, salt, and flour.
PUt in slow cooker on low for 7 hours, adding liquid if necessary.
Half an hour before serving, dice and saute green pepper and add to meat mixture.
Mix a small amount of the cooking liquid with the sour cream, and stir back into cooker.

Serve over noodles.

$5 Dinner Hungarian Pork Goulash

5 Bills
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

This week at Meijer, you can get a good deal on western ribs, and green beans.

This $3.50 dinner provides a 4 ounce serving of pork ($2.25), 1 cup of noodles (.53), and 1/2 C (.63) of green beans per person.

Hungarian Pork Goulash, Noodles, Green beans

Buy: 2 lb western ribs, 1 lb frozen Freshlike green beans, 1 green pepper
In the pantry: Sour cream (on sale last week), onions, tomato paste, garlic, salt, flour, noodles.

The Price is Right Feb 22 - 28

The Price is Right
Originally uploaded by darthdowney

Here's this week's best buys in southeast Michigan. Ingredients in italics are more expensive than the rule of thumb I use for truly frugal cooking, 45¢ per serving.

Meat
Cost for a cooked 3 oz serving
25¢ Chicken leg quarters .59 per pound (Kroger, SaveALot)
32¢ Chicken thighs .89 per pound (Meijer)
35¢ Pork, western ribs .99 per pound (Meijer)
42¢ Ground beef $1.60 per pound (SaveALot)
46¢ Ground chuck $1.79 per pound (SaveALot)


Meat Alternatives
Cost for equivalent to 3 oz serving of meat
13¢ Lentils .79 per pound (SaveALot)
25¢ Peanut butter 17 oz 1.29 (Kroger)
32¢ Eggs (SaveALot)

Fruits and Vegetables
Cost for 1/2 cup serving
03¢ Cabbage .39 per pound (SaveALot)
09¢ Onions .43 per pound (SaveALot)
12¢ Potatoes $2.98 for 10 pounds (Kroger)
14¢ Green beans (frozen) $1.00 per pound (Meijer)
18¢ Broccoli $1.00 per bunch (Kroger)
20¢ Grapes $1.00 per pound (Kroger)
24¢ Avocado $1.00 each (Meijer)

Pantry Items
Walnuts $3.99 per pound (Meijer)

Simple Baked Pears

Baked Pears
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Seasonal fruits combined in a simple dessert

Pears	3
Oranges	1
Raisins	3 Tbsp
Brown sugar	1/4 C
Water	1/3 C
Butter	1 Tbsp

Slice oranges without peeling.
Layer in bottom of baking dish, and sprinkle raisins on top.
Halve and core pears. Place cut side down on oranges.
Mix brown sugar and water, and pour over pears.
Dot with butter, cover, and bake a 325 F for 45 minutes to an hour.


Fancy it up:
Add 1/2 C white wine before you cover the baking dish. A flavor-enhancer that makes the dish stand out.

Televaros

An interesting combination of creamed corn with bay leaf

Televaro Casserole

Ground beef	1 lb	1/4 lb
Corn, cream style	1 1/2 C	1/2C
Green pepper	1/4 C	1 Tbsp
Onion	3/4 C	1/4C
Celery	1 C	1/4C
Worcestershire sauce	1 Tbsp	1 tsp
Bay leaf	1	1/4
Salt	1 tsp	1/4 tsp
Sugar	1 Tbsp	3/4 tsp
Noodles	12 oz	3 oz

Brown meat, add celery, onions, green pepper, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until tender. Add corn and Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and sugar.

Boil noodles until just tender.

Layer meat and noodles in casserole. (Optional: cover with breadcrumbs and dot with butter).
Bake at 375 F until browned, about 30 minutes.