Flour tip: ever had flour bugs? To avoid the problem, throw your flour in the freezer for 48-72 hours. This kills any eggs that *may* be present. After 2-3 days, set out and bring to room temperature before storing.
The holiday baking season is just around the corner. Survey your supplies and come up with a wish list. Between now and Christmas I expect to see great deals on traditional Thanksgiving foods and baking supplies. Remember many things store well, and can be used next year. I freeze margarine, butter, and nuts to prolong their life.
Here’s what I stock up on for the holidays and the price I’m looking for this holiday season:
- Flour 5# bag $0.99
- Chocolate Chips (name brand) 12oz $1.25
- sugar 5# bag $1.75
- brown sugar 2# bag $0.99
- powdered sugar 2# bag $0.99
- butter 1# sticks $1.50
- eggs $1/dozen
- imitation vanilla (any brand) 8oz $0.99
Watch my weekly deals posted on Monday’s to see when to stock up on these and other items.
Tip of the Week: Make it a habit to check the fridge before you go shopping.
- Throw out items growing fuzzies
- verify that containers actually contain said item. Some families have the problem of children putting away empty containers.
- What do you need for this week’s dinners? Is it in the fridge? If not, add it to your grocery list.
Not only will checking the fridge save your sanity, but also your pocket book. No need to run to the store for a single item for dinner. Those grocery stores are most crowded before dinner, and it’s rare that someone who goes in for one item actually comes out with only that one item.
Taking a few minutes to check the fridge can eliminate the frustration that occurs when tacos are served without sour cream and lettuce because someone thought there was enough in the fridge and didn’t pick it up during the weekly shopping trip.
One of my favorite money saving habits is simple. Cook and eat at home. Some days that’s easy, and others are more of a challenge. Recently I found a package of roast beef lunchmeat sitting in the fridge, just waiting to be used. But no one likes roast beef sandwiches. I didn’t want to throw it away (because I spent good money on it — even if I bought it on sale with coupons). Then it occurred to me…I pay good money at Bob Evans for their open faced roast beef sandwich. But I’ve never made it before. So, what to do. I checked a few cookbooks on my shelf and didn’t find anything. So off to Google a recipe.
I found quite a few options but settled on this one from cooks.com simply titled Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches. I made a few alterations to this recipe including:
- used water and Beef Boullion instead of stock. Estimated a can at 1.5 cups
- used 2 small onions from the garden
- used regular flour instead of Wondra (haven’t heard of it and didn’t look it up)
- couldn’t find onion powder in the cabinet so skipped it
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup because that’s all I could get out of the bottle
Other than that, I followed the directions. It was quick and easy to prepare and well liked by the picky crowd. A few things I’ll change for the next time around:
- use more onions
- don’t add extra salt, it didn’t need it
- cut roast beef up into smaller bits. would make it easier to serve small children
- make extra mashed potatoes
If you’re not happy with your current Beef Bouillon, check out my favorite….Better Than Bouillon. It comes in a jar that’s shelf stable until opened. Then store in the refrigerator. It’s MSG free! (most bouillons aren’t) and very tasty. Each jar makes 38 cups of broth. I buy mine at Kroger or Meijer and I think it’s worth the full shelf price of $4.99. I did see a sale a few months back for Buy 1 Get 1 Free. And guess what…..yup, I stocked up. Better Than Bouillon comes in a variety of flavors. I’ve used the chicken and beef and love them both.
Disclaimer: These views are my own. I was not paid for promotion of this product and the company that makes Better Than Bouillon probably doesn’t even know that I blogged about them.
Bread goes quickly at our house. But it needs to be stored somewhere. We use a tupperware breadbox or just plain old plastic bread bags. These hold a 1.5# loaf of our favorite homemade wheat bread from the breadmaker. I can reuse them several times before throwing them away.
To keep homemade bread soft, remove from bread pan and let cool for about 30 minutes. Then place in breadbag or breadbox. Wait another 30 minutes and then slice. It’s easier to slice when cool. Also, don’t leave the bread out very long. Once the meal is over, or lunches made, put the bread back in it’s bag.
For more Back to School Lunch ideas check out my other posts:
I was at my local Aldi last week and noticed a great deal…..
Baking Basics
Flour 5# bag $1.15
Sugar 5# bag $1.49
Brown sugar 2# bag $1.24
Powdered Sugar 2# bag $1.24
These are really good prices. I don’t know if they will go lower as we get into the baking season (last year they didn’t). So, if you need some of these staples, think about stopping by your local Aldi’s to see if they have similar prices.
Aldi reminders -
no coupons
bring a quarter to borrow a cart (it will be returned when you return the cart)
limited hours – most not open 24/7
no bags – bring your own, or plan to buy some there
cash – cash is king at Aldi. No credit cards accepted. You can use your debit card though.
Do your kids like sandwiches for lunch? Why not try some homemade bread. Not only is homemade bread usually cheaper than store bought, it can be made fresh, and tastes, ohhh, so good. If you have a bread machine, get it out and dust it off. I think this bread is worth having the machine sit on your counter for a few days.
Years ago I savored my Grandmother’s 100% whole wheat bread. We were visiting from out of town and she makes the best bread ever. I convinced her to share her recipe. The only problem was — it was written for a Bosch mixer to make 6 loaves. I didn’t have that big of a beast for mixing. So I played with the recipe and cut it down to size. Then a few years later I got a bread machine and tweaked it a bit more. In my tweaking I had to make an adjustment and it’s not 100% whole wheat anymore. But it’s still yummy and pretty nutritious.
Lawanna’s Bread Machine Wheat Bread
1 cup hot water
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 teaspoon dough enhancer (optional)
3 teaspoons wheat gluten
1 1/4 teaspoon SAF yeast
Put ingredients into bread maker in the order recommended by manufacturer (most say put the wet stuff on the bottom and the dry stuff on top). Set bread machine for a 1.5# loaf of wheat bread. We like a light crust.
Where do I find…..
SAF yeast – GFS about $3 for 1 pound (this lasts me about 4 months). Once opened, store in freezer in container. Wholesale stores like Costco, BJ’s and Sam’s also sell 1-2# packages of yeast. Brands vary.
Wheat Gluten – I bought a 5# bag from Walton Feed. Honeyville Grain also sells it and it’s even at Amazon
or directly from Amazon eligible for free shipping – Bob’s Red Mill brand 4pk
Dough Enhancer – I buy from Walton Feed or Emergency Essentials
some people use: this from King Arthur Flour
Wheat –
Soft wheat is used in pastries and most people don’t store very much of this.
Hard wheat is what most people store. It’s best used in baked goods.
Hard Red Winter Wheat — this is the wheat that’s been around the longest. It’s the “traditional” or standard kind of wheat. It has a small red kernel and produces a dark wheat flour. When used in bread it makes a hearty, solid loaf.
Hard White Winter Wheat — aka Golden 86. Newer to the market. It has a larger white/yellow/golden kernel that produces a light tan wheat flour. When used in bread it makes a lighter, fluffier loaf. Many people prefer this type of wheat in their breads because it’s more similar texture to store bought bread.
If you’re not ready to buy whole grain wheat, check out the flour sections at your favorite grocery store. Most have at least 1 whole wheat flour brand on the shelf.
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I commented about this post on this post from GetRichSlowly.