Cooking On Pennies III *Miriam B. Loo's Budget Cookbook 🌞

Last edited Sat Sep 27, 2025, 06:21 PM - Edit history (1)

My Thoughts on Budget Cooking

Here are some tips to follow that will help you really stretch
your food dollar! First of all, plan ahead. It is an excellent
idea to plan your menus a week at a time. Start with the
main dish since the largest part of your food budget is
spent on meat and meat substitutes. Buy enough to be able
to prepare leftovers. Keep in mind that cheese, fish, and
eggs are reasonably priced and are nutritious enough to
substitute for meat in your family’s diet at least three times a
week. Legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts are also a good
source of protein. Rice and pasta are inexpensive and a
versatile addition to your menu. Potatoes are very nutritious,
but don’t dress them up too much or you will end up adding
useless calories. A good, nutritious diet does not have to be
expensive.

Many people spend an excessive amount on food and yet eat
poorly. Buy whole chickens and cut them up yourself. The
savings can be quite substantial. When you buy chicken or
turkey, buy one large bird rather than two small ones as the larger
ones provide more meat and less bone and fat per pound. Get the
most from your poultry by using leftover meat in cas- seroles,
salads, crepes, and sandwiches. Then make a tasty soup with the
skin and bones.

Fish is important in your diet and can be less expensive than red
meat. Buy the different varieties of fresh fish during the season
when they are most plentiful. Canned fish such as tuna can also be
a boost to your budget. Compare prices on small and large sizes
of the same item, and compare prices of frozen, canned, and fresh
foods. Don't forget to try the generic brands at your supermarkets
to see if they suit you. Often the main difference between generic
and well-known brands is expensive packaging for the latter.

Fruit and vegetables In season are often less expensive than
canned and frozen, and they are definitely tastier and more nutritious.
You might even want to try grow- ing your own! Try visiting your
farmer's market and buy enough to do some canning and freezing.
Be sure to buy produce that looks fresh and is in good condition.
It is a waste of money to cut away bad spots. Buying mixes such as
cakes, cookies, and rolls are, as a rule, more expensive than making
them from scratch unless you run across a super special. Make your
own salad dressings. They are less expensive and taste better.

Use coupons wisely. It takes time and organization. Be sure you are buying
items that you really want and will use. Do not buy an item because it’s a
good deal. Many times coupons are offered on expensive items. Perhaps
the same type items in other brands are just as good and more economical.
Trade coupons with your friends. Keep a supply of reconstituted nonfat dry
milk on hand to use for cooking and drinking. If you do not like it for
drinking, combine equal parts with whole fresh milk. Cooked cereals take
little time to prepare and are more nutritious as well as less expensive than
dry cereals.Try to think about cost per serving when buying meats. For
example, boneless cuts, even though higher priced per pound, may be a
much better buy when you figure the cost per serving. Also note the amount
of fat.

Believe it or not, it really is better to go shopping when you're NOT
hungry. All those attractive displays in the super- market just promote
impulse buying. Those unplanned purchases can really wreck your food
budget! And last, but not least, | have found that having my hus- band go
to the market with me is a mistake! He can find all kinds of expensive
goodies that we really don’t need. Make yourself a list, organize your
coupons, and take your time looking for the very best buys!

~Miriam B. Loo'


***********************************************************************


OLIVE-CABBAGE ROLLS

“Lemon sauce is the key difference to an old favorite.”

12 cabbage leaves
6-ounce can pitted black olives,
drained (reserve 1/4 cup whole olives for sauce)
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cook cabbage leaves in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until leaves are
wilted; drain. Coarsely chop olives. Combine with ground beef, onion, celery,
egg, bread crumbs, milk, salt, rosemary, and pepper; mix well. Place a
generous 14 cup meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Turn in sides and roll up.
Place rolls seam side down in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover loosely
with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove foil.
Carefully drain liquid from rolls into a measuring cup. Set aside for sauce.
Keep rolls hot while making the following sauce

Lemon Sauce:

1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup liquid (liquid drained from rolls plus water)
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouilion
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Melt margarine in a small saucepan; blend in flour, stirring for 3 minutes. Add
liquid; bouillon, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils
and thickens. Slice reserved olives and add to sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls
and return to oven. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8

From "Miriam B. Loo's Budget Cookbook"
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/30798540.Miriam_B_Loo



*******************************************************************************



TUNA TETRAZZINI

“Another variation of Tetrazzini with very good results. A real penny pincher!”

2 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 10 3/4-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
2 6 1/2-ounce cans solid meat tuna packed in water (reserve liquid)
1 soup can liquid (tuna liquid plus enough water to fill can)
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup sliced stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained

In a large skillet heat margarine; add celery and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes,
stirring. Add soup and liquid; simmer 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan
cheese, tuna, olives, and pimiento. Combine and heat thoroughly. Season
with parsley, lemon juice, thyme, marjoram, and optional garlic powder. Mix in
spaghetti and pour mixture into a greased 3-quart baking dish. Top with
remaining 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 30
minutes or until hot and bubbly. Brown under broiler.

Serves 6 to 8


From "Miriam B. Loo's Budget Cookbook"
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/30798540.Miriam_B_Loo


**************************************************************************


SALMON CASSEROLE

“A delicious way to stretch a can of salmon.”

1 3/4 cups milk
1 10 3/4-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups diced natural Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons margarine
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced pimiento
1/3 cup minced onion
1 16-ounce can salmon, drained, boned, and flaked
3 eggs, well-beaten
3 cups cooked small macaroni or noodles, drained

Heat oven to 350°F. In a saucepan mix together milk, mushroom soup, and
diced cheese with margarine and salt to taste. Cook until thick over medium
heat. Stir in bread crumbs, pimiento, onion, and salmon. Fold in eggs and
macaroni or noodles. Pour into a greased 8-inch square casserole. Set in a
larger pan filled with 1 inch boiling water and bake for 1 hour or until a knife
inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with the following Egg Sauce
Mimosa.

Egg Sauce Mimosa:

1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cream-style horseradish
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 hard-cooked egg

Melt margarine in a small saucepan. Add flour, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in
milk and cook over medium heat until sauce is smooth and thickened, about 5
minutes. Stir in horseradish and lemon juice. Reserve 1 egg yolk; chop
remaining eggs and add to sauce. When ready to serve, press reserved egg
yolk through a sieve and sprinkle on top of sauce.

Serves 4 to 6

From "Miriam B. Loo's Budget Cookbook"
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/30798540.Miriam_B_Loo


Weather's getting colder, time for some yummy casseroles!