Comments on: Cooking from scratch: 4 Moms 35 Kids http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/ the methods and madness of one family of 12 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:08:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: kimc http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-30999 kimc Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:26:01 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-30999 Junglewife, Thanks for visiting and taking time to introduce yourself. I agree that convenience foods don't always save time. We may live in "the land of plenty" but we're 30 minutes from the nearest grocery store, so I have to plan ahead anyway. I find it's easier and more convenient to buy and store basic ingredients than to find room on my list and in my pantry for a lot of convenience foods. Convenience foods just aren't all that convenient for us! Junglewife,
Thanks for visiting and taking time to introduce yourself. I agree that convenience foods don’t always save time. We may live in “the land of plenty” but we’re 30 minutes from the nearest grocery store, so I have to plan ahead anyway. I find it’s easier and more convenient to buy and store basic ingredients than to find room on my list and in my pantry for a lot of convenience foods. Convenience foods just aren’t all that convenient for us!

]]> By: Junglewife http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-30976 Junglewife Sun, 20 Jun 2010 01:12:31 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-30976 Thanks for a great post. I subscribe to your "Frugal Hacks" blog but I think this is the first time I've visited your personal website... I really admire you and all the things you make from scratch, especially since you live in the "land of plenty." I am a missionary wife and live overseas, in an area where we can get little to no convenience foods, so I make most of my food from scratch out of necessity. We're back in the States on furlough right now, and I'm enjoying the convenience foods and eating out while they're available, but I agree with so many of your comments - why buy many of these "convenience" foods when they're just as easy to make from scratch? I remember commenting to my husband once, as I was making dinner rolls that if I added up all the time it took me to make the yeast rolls from scratch, I could hardly save time by jumping in the car and driving to the store to buy them, had we been back in the States. Of course, the time it takes to make yeast bread is spread out in little chunks, not all together, but it just is surprising to think about how many times we think we're saving time, and really we're not saving any time OR money! Thanks for a great post. I subscribe to your “Frugal Hacks” blog but I think this is the first time I’ve visited your personal website…

I really admire you and all the things you make from scratch, especially since you live in the “land of plenty.” I am a missionary wife and live overseas, in an area where we can get little to no convenience foods, so I make most of my food from scratch out of necessity. We’re back in the States on furlough right now, and I’m enjoying the convenience foods and eating out while they’re available, but I agree with so many of your comments – why buy many of these “convenience” foods when they’re just as easy to make from scratch? I remember commenting to my husband once, as I was making dinner rolls that if I added up all the time it took me to make the yeast rolls from scratch, I could hardly save time by jumping in the car and driving to the store to buy them, had we been back in the States. Of course, the time it takes to make yeast bread is spread out in little chunks, not all together, but it just is surprising to think about how many times we think we’re saving time, and really we’re not saving any time OR money!

]]> By: 4 Moms 35 Kids: homeschooling in real life | Life In a Shoe http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-29070 4 Moms 35 Kids: homeschooling in real life | Life In a Shoe Thu, 13 May 2010 11:22:28 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-29070 [...] 15 - Cooking from Scratch.   What we make from scratch and what we would like to make from [...] [...] 15 - Cooking from Scratch.   What we make from scratch and what we would like to make from [...]

]]> By: 4 Moms 35 Kids: Extreme Homeschooling | Life In a Shoe http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28800 4 Moms 35 Kids: Extreme Homeschooling | Life In a Shoe Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:52:07 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28800 [...] 15 - Cooking from Scratch.   What we make from scratch and what we would like to make from [...] [...] 15 - Cooking from Scratch.   What we make from scratch and what we would like to make from [...]

]]> By: Jacqueline http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28673 Jacqueline Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:20:28 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28673 We've added tortillas to the "homemade" vs. "premade" list in the last couple years. We're hispanic and so are most our friends, so I can say these tips are the real deal ;) Just remember corn can't be rolled and flour can't be pressed. A couple tips: 3 parts Maseca to 1 1/2 to 2 parts wheat (or white) flour mixed with warm water until soft but able to be formed into flat balls make very manageable, very delicious corn tortillas (pressed between two pieces of plastic, grocery bags work the best, even though that is arguably not food safe). For flour tortillas I use 2 c flour, 1/2 t salt, 2 T- 1/4 c butter (I take it right out of the fridge and use a box grater), 1/2 t baking powder and 1/2-3/4 c warm (not hot) water. If you grate the butter as suggested, you can use the dough hook on a mixer for these. it is MUCH easier (and faster) if you let the dough rest 10 minutes after kneading and 10 minutes after forming into balls. Use plenty of flour and remember they'll shrink when they hit the hot pan, so roll accordingly. These are great thick or thin, so either is fine. For both corn and flour, place tortillas on a hot griddle and flip once (corn sometimes, 1 extra time). Flip corn when the dough turns sort of grey; flip flour when there are plenty of bubbles. Take either from the griddle to several layers of folded kitchen towels. Flour tortillas benefit from the extra steam provided by placing the towels in a plastic bag. Hope this helps...¡buen provecho! We’ve added tortillas to the “homemade” vs. “premade” list in the last couple years. We’re hispanic and so are most our friends, so I can say these tips are the real deal ;)
Just remember corn can’t be rolled and flour can’t be pressed. A couple tips: 3 parts Maseca to 1 1/2 to 2 parts wheat (or white) flour mixed with warm water until soft but able to be formed into flat balls make very manageable, very delicious corn tortillas (pressed between two pieces of plastic, grocery bags work the best, even though that is arguably not food safe).
For flour tortillas I use 2 c flour, 1/2 t salt, 2 T- 1/4 c butter (I take it right out of the fridge and use a box grater), 1/2 t baking powder and 1/2-3/4 c warm (not hot) water. If you grate the butter as suggested, you can use the dough hook on a mixer for these. it is MUCH easier (and faster) if you let the dough rest 10 minutes after kneading and 10 minutes after forming into balls. Use plenty of flour and remember they’ll shrink when they hit the hot pan, so roll accordingly. These are great thick or thin, so either is fine.
For both corn and flour, place tortillas on a hot griddle and flip once (corn sometimes, 1 extra time). Flip corn when the dough turns sort of grey; flip flour when there are plenty of bubbles. Take either from the griddle to several layers of folded kitchen towels. Flour tortillas benefit from the extra steam provided by placing the towels in a plastic bag. Hope this helps…¡buen provecho!

]]> By: 4 Moms 35 Kids: Cooking for a Crowd | Life In a Shoe http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28622 4 Moms 35 Kids: Cooking for a Crowd | Life In a Shoe Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:01:26 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28622 [...] things first.  In my last 4 Moms post, I promised you recipes for some of our cooked-from-scratch foods.  Here are the 3 most-requested. [...] [...] things first.  In my last 4 Moms post, I promised you recipes for some of our cooked-from-scratch foods.  Here are the 3 most-requested. [...]

]]> By: Bri http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28593 Bri Wed, 21 Apr 2010 04:06:16 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28593 Just tonight I had planned on making spaghetti with meat sauce only to realize that I was completely out of store-bought spaghetti sauce! I'm not very good at improvising, but I figured I had everything on had I would need so I set out to make my own and my husband said he won't accept store-bought anymore...uh oh :) Anyway, I just added 2 large cans on tomato sauce, 1 small can of tomato paste, oregano, italian seasoning, sea salt, garlic powder (was out of fresh garlic), and dried minced onion (was amazingly out of fresh also). It was a tad on the sweet side, but I think with fresh garlic and onion it would have been perfect! If you like chunky sauce you could also add crushed/diced/fresh tomatoes. All of you moms put me to shame on how much you make from scratch, but that is my biggest point to work on this year! Hopefully by the end of the year I will be consistently making our own bread, cream sauces, spaghetti sauce, and refried beans. At least that is what I tell myself right now. ;) Just tonight I had planned on making spaghetti with meat sauce only to realize that I was completely out of store-bought spaghetti sauce! I’m not very good at improvising, but I figured I had everything on had I would need so I set out to make my own and my husband said he won’t accept store-bought anymore…uh oh :)

Anyway, I just added 2 large cans on tomato sauce, 1 small can of tomato paste, oregano, italian seasoning, sea salt, garlic powder (was out of fresh garlic), and dried minced onion (was amazingly out of fresh also). It was a tad on the sweet side, but I think with fresh garlic and onion it would have been perfect! If you like chunky sauce you could also add crushed/diced/fresh tomatoes.

All of you moms put me to shame on how much you make from scratch, but that is my biggest point to work on this year! Hopefully by the end of the year I will be consistently making our own bread, cream sauces, spaghetti sauce, and refried beans. At least that is what I tell myself right now. ;)

]]> By: kimc http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28573 kimc Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:05:02 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28573 Beth, It's nice to meet you. 10 in 1000 sq ft? Wow! We should swap ideas someday! We hope to have more room someday soon, but in meantime there's a certain amount of freedom and a sense of accomplishment in knowing that we can live well in so little space. I loved meeting your parents and family. Have they decided if/where they'll be moving? Beth,
It’s nice to meet you. 10 in 1000 sq ft? Wow! We should swap ideas someday! We hope to have more room someday soon, but in meantime there’s a certain amount of freedom and a sense of accomplishment in knowing that we can live well in so little space.
I loved meeting your parents and family. Have they decided if/where they’ll be moving?

]]> By: Beth Discher http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28558 Beth Discher Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:48:49 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28558 Hi, Kim. Very good practical post. We have learned to do most of these "from scratch" items fairly consistently by adding a few skills here and there. I have tried to encourage other moms that "you too can do this!" and realized that what we are really talking about is gradual lifestyle changes. Babysteps are definitely the way to go - otherwise it is easy to become overwhelmed (especially for perfectionists!) Wonderful wonderful blog! Beth Discher --Bonnie's daughter (who just moved from a 1000 sq ft house w/ a family of 10 to a much larger one and is loving the extra room but knows we can be reeeely creative when we have to be!) Hi, Kim.

Very good practical post. We have learned to do most of these “from scratch” items fairly consistently by adding a few skills here and there.

I have tried to encourage other moms that “you too can do this!” and realized that what we are really talking about is gradual lifestyle changes. Babysteps are definitely the way to go – otherwise it is easy to become overwhelmed (especially for perfectionists!)

Wonderful wonderful blog!

Beth Discher
–Bonnie’s daughter
(who just moved from a 1000 sq ft house w/ a family of 10 to a much larger one and is loving the extra room but knows we can be reeeely creative when we have to be!)

]]> By: Lindsey in AL http://inashoe.com/2010/04/6491/#comment-28551 Lindsey in AL Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:52:10 +0000 http://inashoe.com/?p=6491#comment-28551 Jamie- An old-fashioned wooden drying rack works great! They are generally available at Walmart and the like for $10-20. I have only made pasta a couple times and have some durum wheat berries on order to try my hand at whole wheat pasta. Looking forward to that adventure but usually I just buy pasta when I have a hankering for it. Jamie-
An old-fashioned wooden drying rack works great! They are generally available at Walmart and the like for $10-20. I have only made pasta a couple times and have some durum wheat berries on order to try my hand at whole wheat pasta. Looking forward to that adventure but usually I just buy pasta when I have a hankering for it.

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