March 11, 2010 by KerryAnn Foster.

I am often appalled at the price of hot cereals, especially gluten-free hot cereals.  If you have a blender or a grain mill, you can make them for a fraction of the cost of the commercially produced products and they will be fresher.  Rice farina is the perfect example of this.  Bob’s Red Mill sells it for $17.72 for 7 pounds, which comes out to $2.53 a pound.  You can get whole rice for the normal price of 40 cents a pound around here, probably less if you go to an ethnic market, and then do about 3 minute’s worth of work yourself to save the $2.13 difference.  I have also done this with sorghum and had excellent results.

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Posted in Egg-Free, Nut-free, Soy-Free, breakfast, recipe, Casein-Free, Cheap Eats, frugality, Gluten-Free | Print | 1 Comment »

March 9, 2010 by KerryAnn Foster.

This recipe has been one of the most requested and most loved dessert recipes I have used in the menu mailer.  I have modified it here to be more budget-friendly and usable for breakfast.

Clafouti (from the Menu Mailer)

Total meal cost $1.80, 60 cents a serving Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Menu Mailer, Nut-free, Soy-Free, breakfast, recipe, Casein-Free, Cheap Eats, frugality, Gluten-Free | Print | No Comments »

March 5, 2010 by KerryAnn Foster.

It seems so many are struggling with their finances right now.  My husband has been unemployed since May, so we know the struggle well.  I’d like to share some of the recipes we use to help keep the food costs down.  These prices are assuming that you are not buying in bulk and are shopping at a health food store.  I will be posting a series of recipes over the next few weeks.

Latkas (from the Menu Mailer, Volume 3 Week 20)

Total meal cost $1.25, 31 cents a serving without applesauce or sour cream and not reclaiming the oil Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Menu Mailer, Nut-free, Soy-Free, breakfast, recipe, Casein-Free, Cheap Eats, frugality, Gluten-Free | Print | No Comments »

February 12, 2010 by KerryAnn Foster.

I confess.  I hate making pancakes.  The first round sticks to the pan, you stand there for an hour flip flip flipping, just to get enough to feed your brood for breakfast with no leftovers.  Every one that hits the plate gets claimed and gobbled up before the next batch comes off the skillet.  I wind up eating my breakfast, consisting of the gnarled up pancakes the kids wouldn’t touch, standing up while continuing to flip.  Nope, not for me.  Too busy, especially knowing I will spend at least 30 minutes hands-on time in the kitchen for both lunch and dinner plus any time needed for the ferments, kefirs and what-nots.  THEN there’s the clean-up.

I’ve started doing oven pancakes instead.  In fact, I’m lazy.  I do oven pancakes AND cook my bacon in the oven.  No huge, greasy spatters to clean up afterward and a cast iron skillet to wash by hand.  Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in lazy cooking, Nut-free, Soy-Free, Menu Mailer, true confessions, Cheap Eats, recipe, breakfast, Casein-Free | Print | 6 Comments »