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A few things you should know

If you're new to reading this blog, there are some things I wanna tell you about the way I do things around here. I think you'll be glad you know them. It should make life a little easier.

All measurements are approximate, unless I'm talking about baking something. Baking is a very exact thing, but cooking is not. I almost never measure when I cook. I have a pretty good idea about what a cup or a teaspoon of something looks like, so my approximate measurements are pretty close, but don't take them as gospel. Trust your instincts...after all, you're the one who has to eat it.

I assume you have a stocked pantry, but I include estimated costs for my recipes which include ALL ingredients, including the staples that are probably already in your fridge and pantry.

Pricing is based on what I find when I shop. If I find an item on sale, I will estimate costs using the sale price of the ingredient. The only exception to this rule is if I buy an item for a ridiculous price (bread on the bakery clearance rack, for example) that you probably can't replicate every week.

I only tell you about recipes that we really like, and they will be affordable. This is real-people food. Be sure to look out for posts with tags like "man food", "Ashley's favorites", "beginner" and "kid-friendly".

I use a few basic rules to keep grocery costs down. You will see these rules in action more than once. These rules include the following:

1. Don't heavy-hand it with the meat. In most recipes, one can reduce the amount of meat called for by as much as half. (Your skepticism is dripping all over my screen. Stop it.) Did you know that the recommended serving size for meat is 3 ounces per person? That's about the size of a deck of cards. When was the last time you portioned your proteins out like that? All around the world, cultures consider meat the side dish rather than the main course. Once you begin to think of meat as a flavoring agent rather than the dominant ingredient, you can really stretch your dollar at every meal.
2. Starch will stretch. That is to say, a starchy component will take a meal a long way. Add frozen corn to your soup, rice to your casserole, or potatoes to your pan of pot roast. Starch not only fills you up, but it adds fiber to your meals! Just remember, it's true what they say about "too much of a good thing". Use these ingredients to stretch, but make sure it's not all you're eating...your body needs some room for other nutrients, too.
3. Stretch it with water. Or milk. Or broth. Soups usually accept this method the best. ;-) I usually add a little extra water to thin my pasta sauces, soups, gravies, etc. Yeah, that stuff is better when it's a little thicker and richer...but I'm trying to feed a family here. And it's a small sacrifice. And my pocketbook doesn't yell at me as much.
4. Beans are your friend. Cheap, filling, versatile protein. Yum, yum.
5. Eggs are your friend, too. An otherwise wimpy, protein-free dish--a veggie soup or meatless pasta dish, for example--can be suddenly transformed into a yummy main course when you add an egg (dropping an egg into a pot of ramen noodles to poach is one of my favorite tricks for turning something humble into a creamy, substantial lunch of yumminess.). Poached, fried, scrambled, deviled, omelet-ed...eggs are awesome. 
6. Shop in season. Take it from The Byrds (who took it from King Solomon, actually): to everything, there is a season (turn, turn, turn...). This especially applies to veggies. Buying fresh produce in season not only saves you a buck, but you generally get fresher, riper, more beautiful ingredients to work with. Artichokes, for example, are generally marked up 400% in the winter. And that's when they're the tiny, shrively, wilty, colorless, bland kind. At least, they are around here. Summer artichokes are a whole 'nother story. If you have your heart set on an ingredient that's not in season? Try flash frozen. Often, the quality is surprisingly good.
7. Shop the store brands. We all know the brand names generally cost more. That's not rocket science.
8. Shop infrequently. I'm still learning this one. But it's true...the more often I set foot in the grocery store, the more likely I am to buy stuff that I don't need while I'm there. (Darn those snazzy-looking displays of over-priced yummy things at the end of the aisle.) Plan your meals and you'll know exactly what you need to buy, so you can shop with purpose and get everything you need and nothing (or mostly nothing) you don't. I've heard of people who shop only once a month. I'm not there yet. I'm working on an every-two-weeks shopping schedule, though. I'm excited about that.

I love letters! Have a recipe you'd like to see, or maybe one you'd like to share? Did you come up with a brilliant way to smuggle kidney beans into the meatloaf so your kids won't notice? Just want to tell me you're reading? Comments on individual posts are always welcome...as are emails! Give me a shout anytime at beandiaries@gmail.com