Last night for dinner, I made veggie soup. The ingredients were all things I had lying around in my pantry and refrigerator. Here is what it included:
-two cans chicken stock
-small can tomato paste (the fancy Muir Glen organic kind that I got for less than the generic with a coupon)
-four cups water
-one bag frozen corn
-one bag frozen peas
-two carrots, chopped
-two stalks celery, chopped
-one big can diced tomatoes
-two cups cooked shell pasta
-splash of red wine vinegar
-splash of extra virgin olive oil
-sprinkle of “Italian seasoning”
-salt & black pepper, to taste
The broth was exceptionally rich and delicious, but the carrots and celery could’ve been cooked a little bit longer. I put them in about half an hour before I started adding the other veggies, but I guess it still wasn’t long enough. It was pretty decent over all. My roommate and I had it with a side of scrambled eggs – delicious! The leftovers take up three plastic containers of various sizes in the fridge. There’s probably five or six bowls left.
One way in which my frugality shows through is that I wash and reuse plastic and glass containers. (Including plastic baggies sometimes, but only the sturdier ones.) Some of the ones from fast food places are even microwave-safe, so that’s a bonus. I have a coupon right now that I could combine with a sale to get eight of those Ziploc containers for $3.50, but I don’t think it’s worth it. After all, I already have about nine containers I got “free with purchase.” Why buy more?
After dinner, I made popcorn on the stove for the first time ever! I was amazed at how easy it is. And it’s less expensive and more fun than making the pre-buttered microwave packet popcorn. Just two bits of advice: use a saucepan with a long, sturdy arm, and use a potholder to help hold the lid on.
I’ve been trying to cook more and rely less on prepackaged foods. One thing I’ve been trying to learn is how to cook dried beans. I’ve been unsuccessful so far because they still taste only semi-cooked when done. I soak them overnight in the fridge, then boil and simmer them in fresh water. Do you think I just need to cook them longer? Could the problem be that I’m soaking them in the fridge? We also have really hard water here, and I read online that the mineral content of the water you cook them in makes a difference. I’ve been mostly experimenting with black beans, a little at a time, because I bought a 5-lb bag of them, in case the type of bean makes a difference. What say you, readers? Do you have any advice?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I never soak beans anymore. I cook them in the crockpot and add about a tablespoon of vinegar at the beginning of the process. My grandmother told me that this breaks down the fibers in the beans. I put them on high when I’m ready to go to bed; I usually have to get up once in the night and add hot water so they don’t burn. They’re usually ready to go by the next morning, but if they need to be cooked a little more, then I just set them on low at that point.
Thank you for the tip about the vinegar!
See, the thing is, I don’t have a crock pot. And leaving the beans out cooking all night on our somewhat unreliable gas stove just seems unwise. ^__^ Maybe just letting them stew for a whole Saturday or Sunday while I’m home would work?
I always soak my beans overnight, but not in the fridge. Plus I cook them longer than called for, I like my beans well cooked. Just keep cooking them till you like them. I’ve also read not to add salt or tomatoes till the beans are fully cooked. Here’s a page from cookinglight.com that has directions on cooking dried beans. They always have very informative articles in their cooking class section.
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/cs/allabout/package/0,14343,1665468,00.html
Thank you for the link!