Chili

I'm trying to live within my budget. I used to be pretty good at it, or so I thought, but we took a rather long break from having a strict budget. So, now I've got a week and I've spent nearly my last dollar. In the pantry are lots of cans of beans...

Chili seems easy enough, I stood for a moment looking at titles when Potpies seemed like the best cookbook. Sure enough, a recipe for chili (p. 122) with a cornbread topping. At my feet was a crying baby..

TJ wasn't feeling like entertaining Little Guy, so I asked him to make dinner. I explained the difference of instructions since we had canned and the recipe called for dried, and took the stroller to the store to pick up the bell pepper. Everything else we had, or so I thought.

When I returned, he had a pot of spiced beans and tomatoes simmering. I sliced up the onions and bell pepper and talked him through sautéing. Then I hunted for the cornmeal. We're out of cornmeal? I used it recently for dumplings.. But, we're out. And I have quinoa. Hehe, we subbed the quinoa for the cornmeal and I was a little concerned it wouldn't breadify.

35 minutes later, a strangely colored, but tasty quinoa bread topping rose from the chili. It was a little chewier than the cornbread, but very tasty. And frugal.

Menu Planning 101

I've realized that I may need to get a regular menu going to make life easier. I'm not the greatest at figuring out & making nutritional, well-balanced meals.. It seems like if I could only get it set, it should almost take care of itself.. Right?

School will be starting by the end of August. So, I'd like to have a basic meal plan sketched & in place before then. I picked up a couple cookbooks Monday to help me get there. The $7 Cookbook has lots of salads & is arranged by type of food (ie, breakfast, soup, dessert) or main ingredient (beef, seafood, vegetarian). It's a 30 min or less style, so that would probably work well during the week. A child can be assigned a salad or other dish appropriate to his or her ability while I'm making the main course.

Poor Girl Gourmet is similar, but a little more extravagant. She even mentions that Anyone can at least have fresh herbs growing. I'm thinking this will be a cookbook for the school holidays (you know, those rare days when Mom feels rested enough to Make Something).

Last year, I picked up The Healthy Body Cookbook to work through with the children. It's set up by body part or system, with an experiment & 4-6 recipes meant to support the health of that area. With 12 chapters, it makes a nice semester course.