One of the ways we have been saving money is by doing more cooking from scratch and bulk cooking. If you’ve been following our blog for awhile, you’ve probably figured out that it’s my husband who is the master chef in the household. But now, since I am not working outside the home, I am trying to learn how to cook from scratch, as this is a great way to make cheap meals!
One of the books that has been invaluable to me is Learning to Cook with Marion Cunningham. (This is also the author of some of the great Fannie Farmer cookbooks!) This book teaches how to cook everything from pot roast to homemade pie to roast chicken, all from scratch. It is written in easy to understand language and has great pictures of some of the dishes. It is PERFECT if you want to learn the basics of cooking, or how to become better at cooking from scratch.
For example, there are lots of great homemade soup ideas, many of which would be great meals under $5! Even if you already know the basics of cooking, this book offers a lot of great “everyday American” recipes… just like mom or grandma used to make. Almost all of the recipes in there sound so yummy, and the book really gives you confidence, making you feel like you can cook anything from scratch, even the most complicated dishes! I am so glad I bought this book. It’s one of the best investments we’ve made since I quit working outside the home. (although the total “investment” was only around $4, including shipping from Amazon, lol)