Easy Recipes for Thrifty Cooking

Host Chris Fennimore welcomes guest cooks who present recipes that are easy on the cook and the pocketbook. The recipes, used by thrifty gourmets for years, use simple ingredients to make nourishing and filling family meals.

Times are hard. Family budgets are stretched and cooks have to bethrifty gourmets. In times like these, using simple ingredients to make nourishing andfilling family meals is a must. Chris Fennimore takes to the kitchen to prepare recipes used by thrifty gourmets for years in this cooking marathon. Chris has collected more than 100 tips, tricks and recipes to save time and money while still creating delicious and nutritious meals. The cooking segments are: Chicken, Legumes, Crockpot Magic, Hearty Soups, Grandma's Wisdom, One Pound of Ground, Meat, Leftovers Live Again, and Classic Casseroles.

Begin at the beginning
Saving money in the kitchen need not be difficult. 
It's not like a diet. It is for getting by and still eating well. 
There are a few things you will need to begin

A sense of adventure 
A desire to experiment and try new things 
Proper cookware if possible 
Pantry foods in supply (as much as possible)
Although I will give you some recipes, eventually you will start your 
own experimentation. Some will work, some will not, 
but there is only one way to know, and that is by trying

SAMPLE THRIFTY RECIPES:
Black bean and salsa soup
1 1/2 Cup soup stock
2 Cans black beans
1 Cup of your favorite Salsa
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 or 2 Green onions, chopped.
Put the beans, salsa, cumin, and 
soup stock into a food processor 
(a blender is OK too). Puree the mixture 
until it is creamy in texture. Pour the mixture 
into a mid-sized pot and heat on low-medium 
until it is completely hot. This allows the flavors 
to merge. If you are going to serve it cold, move 
it to the fridge to cool off till it is time to eat. 
To eat it hot, simply serve into bowls and garnish 
with the onions and some of the sour cream.