These three words symbolize where many of us are in the culinary arts these days. Add to this economical with a dash of comfort foods (to warm us up in the cold weather) and you have a recipe for meals that are family pleasers! One way to accomplish all of these goals is to turn to “speed scratch” cooking. Rather than starting from “scratch,” you start with some basics where the work is partially done for you. It’s cooking from almost scratch, saving money and time! Try these ideas as starters for your creativity.
- Packaged Au Gratin Potatoes ready for you to prepare adding chopped ham or cooked chicken for a one dish meal. Add a vegetable and some hot rolls and you have a meal.
- Instant Mashed Potatoes is a great topping for a mixture of ground beef browned with chopped onions, mixed vegetables and flavored with canned tomatoes, tomato soup or ketchup! Almost instant Shepherds’ Pie!
- Brown ground beef or strips of minute steaks with onions and peppers and use them as a filling for crescent rolls ready to pop in the oven and bake. Adding some cheese or chili powder to the ground beef filling adds a Southwest flair. A touch of salsa in the vegetables on the side completes the meal.
Giant Eagle®, Betty Crocker®, Green Giant® and Pillsbury® make it easy for you to enter the speed scratch world!
Have a question for Judy about this article or need some other meal and snack solutions to meet your budget? Send her an e-mail at nutritionist@GiantEagle.com.
January 2010