Mom’s Money

Summer’s Here And You Don’t Want To Think About Cooking

We’re all trying to stop wasting our money, and throwing away our cash on fast food or meals out is certainly a painful way to destroy our budget.  Quick homemade meals are the way to go, but how do you cook cheaply and fast?

There are many ways, but if you haven’t read or heard about The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn, you are missing a fun look at saving your pennies.  My particular favorite is her way of looking at cooking meals quickly and easily.

Often, especially during the busier summer months, my thoughts turn quite easily away from cooking, until the yell “what’s for dinner?” comes through the door.  It’s usually a little later than during the colder months because we tend to stay out until the sun goes down, which comes closer to bedtime now.

So, sitting down with an easy formula for creating a simple meal is a must for me and my family.  Here’s an inspired “outline” for throwing together a fast and delicious meal that your family will never tire of because no two meals are ever the same!

You’ll need:

• 1 cup of a main ingredient -  like tuna, chicken, turkey, ham, or beans
• 1 cup of a second ingredient -  like celery, onion, mushrooms, peas, or tomatoes
• 1 or 2 cups of a starchy ingredient -  like potatoes, cooked pasta, or cooked rice
• 1 1/2 cups of a binder -  like a cream of soup, sour cream, yogurt, or any white sauce
• 1/4 cup of something extra -  like olives, almonds, nuts, pimiento, or anything special
• seasoning to taste -  with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, or whatever you desire
• topping to match the dish -  like bread crumbs, cheese, croutons, french fried onions, or nuts

Just list your main ingredient choices, second ingredient choices, and so forth, in columns, post it on your refrigerator so you’re ready to pick and choose according to what’s on hand. Be sure that all the ingredients are cooked if needed, then throw everything together in a casserole dish, and heat together.

You can go any direction you want… Mexican, Italian, Asian, or, my favorite, School Cafeteria!  Surprise your family, and yourself, with your ingenuity!