DIY Recipes for the Thrifty Mom!

 

Even before we decided to homestead I started replacing some of my store bought items with homemade ones.  Things that I could make at home in bulk and freeze to save money.  This not only saves me tons it give me control over what goes into my food.  This has only improved over the years as we learn more about where our food comes from and as we begin to grow our own, it also made my transition to gluten free easier as I was already accustomed to making my own items.  I wanted to share with you a few of the easy swaps you can do to.  Some of these things take a little time but you really only have to do it once every few months and then you’re done!

Spaghetti Sauce

My oldest and my husband can be very picky when it comes to eating veggies so I like to make my own tomato sauce and use it as a vessel to get extra veggies in.  Here is my recipe:

Whatever veggies I find in the fridge (I like to make this up when I am cleaning out my fridge and toss in any veggies that are on the verge of death)

These are my staples:

Carrots 2-3 large or a couple of handfuls of babies

Half a squash/ butternut or acorn

Peppers 2-3 red, orange or yellow (you can use green but I don't care for them,  Also the more peppers you use the more your sauce will taste like them)

2 Large cans of crushed tomatoes

2 Small cans or one regular can of tomato sauce

1 Can tomato paste

On occasion I have used any of the following:

Spinach

Broccoli

Summer squash/zucchini

Onions 

To start, add some olive oil to the bottom of your big pot (I use my stock pot) over medium heat.  Then add the veggies and a good amount of salt.  Sweat the veggie until they are just soft.  Add all of the canned tomatoes and paste along with 2 of the large cans of water.  Season with more salt, pepper, a bay leaf, Italian seasoning and oregano.   Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours.  Once all the veggies are soft remove from the heat and cool.  Once the sauce is cool use an immersion blender or a regular blender and blend it up.  I blend mine completely as I'm hiding the veggies but you can do this to your preference. Once done I like to put mine in large zip lock bags in 2 and 4 cup increments. This seems to be about all I need for one meal.  I also want to note that the amount you season the sauce is completely up to you.  I like to use mine not just for spaghetti but for any tomato based sauce so I tend to go light on my seasonings and then when I am actually making a meal I will add more.

* I want to note that last time I made this sauce following this recipe I got 24 cups of sauce!  You can easily cut back the amount of everything and make less. 

Broth

Making your own broth is so simple and saves you so much!  I can get a package of beef bones, a small organic chicken or a bunch of veggies for under $10 each and make 8 quarts or more of stock.

For the base of all broths you need a few stalks of celery, carrots and a seasoning pouch.  I use bay leaves, rosemary, thyme in a piece of cheese cloth tied up.  I also add salt and pepper to the water.  Once again I tend to lean on the light side of seasoning so I can use it anywhere.

For Chicken Broth:

Place all the veggies and seasoning in a large pot with the chicken and cover with water.  Boil for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is done.  Be careful not to overcook the chicken as it will turn to mush and not be appetizing when you shred it.  Remove the chicken and allow the whole thing to cool.  You can bag the shredded chicken and freeze it for later meals or save yourself the hassle and use it for dinner that night.  For the broth place it in the fridge overnight.  This will allow the fat to float to the top and solidify.  Then next day you remove the fat.

For Beef Broth:

In a large pot roast the beef bones seasoned with salt and pepper at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  When you can smell the beef it’s time to take it out.  Add your veggies and seasonings and cover with water.  Simmer for 3-4 hours, then remove from heat and allow to cool overnight so you can skim the fat off just like the chicken broth.

For Veggie Broth:

Veggie broth is a little trickier to make.  You really have to play around with the veggies and seasonings you put in to make it flavorful.  I like to use the traditional carrots, celery, onions.  I also have used sweet potatoes, peppers and kale.  Bring everything to a boil and let boil for 2-3 hours.  Then allow cool.  The next day you want to separate the liquid from the veggies.

For all 3, once the broth is cool you will want to separate it.  I divide it up by 1 cup increments into small zip-lock baggies labeled.  Then I put them on a cookie sheet and freeze.

A couple other things I make are my own frozen pizza pockets and burritos.  My husband takes them for lunch when we don't have leftovers.  I save myself time by making a double batch and having it for dinner that night.  The following recipes are for single batches.

* The amount of broth you make will all depend on how much water you add in the beginning.  Adding less water will give you less broth and also mean less cooking time.  

Burritos:

One can of refried beans

One and half pounds ground beef (I wouldn't recommend turkey as it would be too soft with the beans)

One package taco seasoning

One small can chopped green chilies

Shredded cheese

Salsa Verde

A package of burrito sized tortillas

Brown the meat in a large skillet until cooked through.  Drain off the grease and add the taco seasoning and a 1/4 cup water.  Mix well, add the refried beans and green chilies and mix until the beans are warm and everything is mixed well.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Once the meat is room temperature, take one tortilla and spoon in 1/4-1/2 of a cup of filling.  Add a table spoon of Salsa Verde and a handful of cheese.  Fold the side in to meet in the middle and the top over and roll.  Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.   Once you have used all the filling (I get about 8 burritos from one batch), spread a little olive oil over the tops and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until just golden.  Allow to cool and wrap in freezer paper. 

* You can also adjust the recipe and add shredded chicken or pork! Just make sure your meat is moist enough so it doesn't dry out in the microwave. 

* To make this recipe gluten free you can use a gluten free tortilla shell.  I like Aldis the best, microwave it for 15 -30 seconds before trying to roll.  I don't recommend corn tortillas as they don't do well frozen.

Pizza Pockets

Pizza dough:

1 3/4 to 2 1/4 Cup flour (I use a mixture of half whole wheat and half all purpose)

1 Package yeast

1 1/2 TS sugar

3/4 TS salt

2/3 Cup water

3 TB oil

For the sauce I use a jar of pizza sauce and improve it by adding more Italian seasoning, salt and oregano.  

Toppings are whatever your heart desires! 

Mix 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Add the water and oil and mix well.  If the dough is to sticky then add more flour as needed.  It should come together in a ball and not stick to your hands too much. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead to finish bringing the dough together.  Divided the dough into 1/2 Cup portions.  Using a floured rolling pin roll the dough out to desired thickness (remember that the thicker the dough is the more bread you will have in your pocket).  Add 3 TB of Pizza sauce of your own choosing, leaving a 1/4 of an inch rim around the edge, and a handful of cheese.  From here you can fill it with whatever you want!  We have used drained chopped olives, cooked and cooled Italian sausage and pepperoni.  

Once filled fold, wet the edges, and fold in half.  Roll the edges to keep sealed and place on baking sheet with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool and wrap with freezer paper and freeze. 

* This recipe will yield me about 10-12 pizza pockets.  

*This recipe is not gluten free and I have not yet figured out how to make it so!  Any suggestions would be welcome.