Round Steak Two Ways for Two

I found some cube steak at the Roth’s ‘Buy 5 for $20’ sale. I watch what I buy; sometimes it’s only a savings of less than $.50 per item. But on things like steak, ground beef, and cube steak; I buy the heaviest, thus most expensive, meats. That can mean about 50% off or more.

I love to use cube steak for Swiss Steak. Scott doesn’t like the texture and prefers round steak. Okay, cube steak is tenderized round steak. He prefers regular round steak for Swiss Steak.

Sausage Noodles and Cabbage

Selene asked what we were having for dinner that night.  "Sausage noodles and cabbage." 
She and Nate began to whisper back and forth.  "Um, Mom, how do you make noodles out of sausage?"
"Roll it out really thin."
"We're having pizza."
"Oh, come on, it's egg noodles with sausage and cabbage."
"Yeah, we're having pizza.  Think Dad would like some?"

Chowder Head

Yum, that’s the only sound I make while eating Mo’s Clam Chowder. An institution on the Oregon Coast for over 60 years, Mo’s has the best chowder ever! Okay, Scott prefers the Chowder Bowl in Depoe Bay and Dad loves the recipe Gracie uses at the Sea Hag in Depoe Bay; each to their own.

Now, I had never tasted Mo’s chowder until the mid ‘70’s when I made a batch for a party. I found a recipe in a magazine that said it was the same used in the restaurant. It started with 10# of potatoes, peeled; yep, I had a blister from that one.

What I Keep in My Pantry

I have taken a page from our Moman sisters:  Stock the pantry for times of need.  We have had a year's worth of staples on hand but now just have about a month's worth on hand.

Alright, just this once, I will give my secret on how to stock the pantry, even on a tight budget. SHOP THE SALES! On the front page of the store sales flyer will be a few 'Loss Leaders', products that are priced ridiculously low just to get you into the store. If you can, buy more than one of these loss leaders. Put the extra in the pantry or freezer. Also, SHOP SEASONALLY1  Holiday time means sales on baking staples. Stock up. Also a good time to get a couple extra turkeys or hams for the freezer. Summer means sugar will be on sale. Also it is a great time to pick up fresh food direct from the farmer, at the Farmer's Market, or grow your own. You can freeze, can, or dry veggies and fruits at home for later use.

What Does Scott Have In Common With Homer Simpson?

When it comes to pork products, Scott has much in common with Homer Simpson. One day Scott ran to the store for coffee creamer and came home with two family size packages of pork chops. He forgot the creamer.

Pot Pies

I remember eating frozen pot pies a couple of times as a teen. In our house, they were seen with the same ilk as TV Dinners. As newlyweds, I asked Scott what his favorite foods were so I could fix them, He listed Tuna Noodle Casserole, Beef Pot Pies, Grandma Pearl’s Fried Chicken and Biscuits, Steak, and that was about it. The list of foods he didn’t like was miles long!

Well, pot pies went on sale and I bought a few and cooked them up. For our 20 year old palates, used to too much salt and fat, they weren’t bad. So I added them to our meals about once a month. While I loved the tuna and chicken, Scott was a beef kind of guy.

Less Sugar Cookies

I cannot remember the last time I made cookies. Really, since Scott developed Type II Diabetes, I have almost stopped baking.

I used to bake once a week. I made our bread and then, while the oven was hot; I made cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, etc. Then I stopped baking bread because I could get it for $1 for two grocery bags full at the H2O. And with using Splenda, yech! The products don’t rise and the aftertaste was horrid.

We know that brown sugar or molasses is taken up by the bloodstream slower than white sugar, but it is still sugar. I finally decided to try Stevia. I bought some packets at the Safeway and we like it on cereal and in coffee. I tried it today in the cookies.  The cookies are fluffy and no aftertaste.