Like, getting everything done that I want to when it comes to food. I'm sure it's because I'm getting old, but over the years I've grown a real love for cooking. Especially grocery shopping. I can spend hours in a market, and spend lots of money too! But since we're "starving students" now, I have to be a little more careful of my spending. Before, Kelly (my BFF and old roommate) and I used to grocery shop together. Man! We could really do some damage! The checkers would even open up a lane just for us because they wanted to be able to see how much we could/would spend. And since we were shopping at VON'S, we'd wait to enter our member card until the very end and see how much we saved just for shits and giggles. I think the most we ever spent was like $1200. We'd usually save around $200-$300. No shit.
This was usually basket #1 of 2.
As long as we were buying fresh and healthy stuff, we didn't much look at prices. Split between three ladies for a full month of food (eating all three meals and snacks and not going out to eat), it isn't really too bad. It's a sickness that has carried on to my ways of shopping here in Laramie. It's a sickness I tell you! I blame Kelly. Even though it was probably all me. Now that I don't make mad amounts of money anymore and we're solely living off of Johnny's GI bill. My budget I set for myself is about $300 a month and that serves three meals a day for 2-3 people. Sometimes we'll even feed others since most of our friends don't eat too many home cooked meals very often. Knowing my budget when we first moved here, I ran to Sam's club and $1500 later, I stocked our house to the brim! Some may call it hoarding, I call it being prepared. Sam's club is still my bestest friend. So, cooking strategies were going to have to be thrifty and I was going to go further into the "made from scratch" world of cooking. Challenge accepted! Seriously though, how did we get so busy in this world that people stopped cooking from scratch and just started buying pre-made food instead? Don't get me wrong, I don't look down on others, I just don't see the cost effectiveness of it. Not to mention, the shit they put in food is just awful these days! I've experimented a lot over the last few years, and by experiment I mean: I've fucked up a lot of meals and doughs.
Here's a "cake" that I made, but instead of cake, it was a watermelon. Looks pretty right?? Well, I pre-cut it so it'd be easy to serve. BIG MISTAKE. It juiced everywhere like it was bleeding for a good day, day and a half. How can watermelon have so much damn juice in it?? My refrigerator did not appreciate it at all. Neither did I once I dragged myself to clean it all up.
And then there's the altitude problem. It really is no joke. You have to change a lot of what you know in the cooking world. It's quite humbling, and infuriating if you're trying to make nice stuff. Like this German chocolate cake I attempted to make for Johnny's birthday last year.
All made from scratch, and all down the trash bin. I even bought some expensive ass chocolate and melted it all down to be part of the batter. I also learned the parchment paper is not supposed to reach up to the brim. Inside that cake, was mush. Inedible, ugly mush.
Which is why today I'm going to talk about my successful (so far) pie crusts instead. I swear, I CAN cook!
On my small budget, I still manage to buy unbromated, unbleached flour. Flour is seriously like the holy grail for me. Look at it in all it's spectacularness!!
I won't cut flour out of our diets, but I can at least choose a more healthier option. God I love flour.
I found this recipe on Face book, and I've really liked it so far! I'm sure I'll stray away from it and find another, but this is what I use for now. (Erica- you should try this one)
Here's the dough, all mixed. And I left in the pastry cutter to show my mother in law my appreciation for this gift. Seriously, such a life saver.
So there you have it folks. Within 20 minutes or less I had ten pie crusts made and in the freezer, waiting for me to make something delicious.
In case I haven't proven my case enough, check the price of a box of pre-made crust, and look at the ingredients. I'm not a health freak, and I realize my crust is made with shortening, but if I don't know what one of the ingredients are, I'm not happy with the product as a whole. Plus it's just plain cheap to make! I don't always have a lot of time either, but I can spare 20 minutes a day to stock up on whatever I need and most of all, save money so we're not on a Top Ramen budget. You can totally make $300 a month budget work if you're willing to put in the time.
Before I end, here's a cute picture of Johnny getting dinner ready one night. Potatoes on the bottom, veggies and meat on the top. Zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and chicken sausage. Season it, cover it up, throw it on the grill and 30 minutes later, wonderfulness that is called dinner.
Here's another picture of Johnny.
Happy Thursday everyone! Thanks for listening to my nonsense!
Next time I'll talk about starting my second attempt at a garden. I'm sure I'll manage to fuck that one all up too like last years crop.
