How to lose those pantry items you never use...

I enjoyed this article from Mark Bittman this morning, titled "Fresh Start for a New Year? Let's Begin in the Kitchen."



Bittman, The Minimalist, offers some refreshingly simple ideas for what to throw out and what to keep. He says bouillon cubes are "OUT" and offers a simple suggestion for how to make your own tasty stock.



My fave suggestion Bittman offers is to make your own salad dressings instead of buying them for $4 a whack at the grocery - fabulous.



But while the items on Bittman's "OUT" list may not be as '09' as you or your pantry would like, I'm guessing your cookbook collection has a great selection of ideas on what to do with the bread crumbs, dried parsley and basil, and tomato paste in a can, which all made the "OUT" list.



The CASSEROLES edition of the Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers vintage cookbook set has more than 2,000 classic recipes that call for everything but the kitchen sink. The beauty of casseroles, especially the casserole recipes in this book, is they don't have wild ingredient lists yet you can usually throw anything into them and get a good result. They also make a good amount of food and you can chow on yummy leftovers, possibly while standing in front of the fridge with a fork in hand, for a day or two.

Nostalgic for Pot Roast

It was a ritual at our house to have pot roast on Sundays.

My wonderful family was like the many other American families that have always minded its grocery bill, recession or no.

Pot roast is delicious, feeds a whole family, and even leaves leftovers, all costing maybe $30 at the most.

So on Sundays, Mom would throw a mean chuck roast, lots of red potatoes, carrots, celery, any other vegetable that needed to be used, a lot of spices and tons of garlic into the crock pot and turn it on "low."

We'd roll off to Sunday School and church for a couple of hours. The house would smell and feel amazing when we'd get home and change out of our Sunday clothes. Mom and Dad would go about working on the house or in the yard. I'd help them, do homework, whatever - but we'd all busy ourselves until dinnertime - like we had to stay occupied because we couldn't wait to eat. The roast would slow-cook all day, the smell only getting better and richer throughout the house.

We rarely ate dinners together at the table. But on those Pot Roast Sundays, Mom would make garlic toast as the rest of us would fix our plates, and we'd all sit down together at the table to enjoy what we'd been waiting all day to eat.

It was a really simple thing - a pretty simple meal really - but a time we spent together, enjoyed together, and were thankful for. It's a little nostalgic memory that means a lot to me.

I found this recipe for "Slow-Cooker Pot Roast" in Recipes Worth Sharing, a new compilation cookbook that honors community cookbooks and is loaded with simple, delicious recipes that don't cost much to create.

For old-times sake, I enjoyed this recipe last Sunday and have actually been digging on the leftovers all week. It's a fabulously easy, inexpensive recipe that yields tender meat and tons of flavor. Start your own tradition.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 large garlic cloves, sliced - 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper - 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup olive oil - 8 small read potatoes, peeled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 cups red wine - 8 carrots, peeled and quartered
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce - 3 ribs celery, chopped

Directions
- Cut the roast into halves and make small slits in the top of each half. Insert a garlic slice into each slit. Coat the roast with a mixture of the flour, salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the roast on all sides in the hot oil. Place the roast in a 6-quart slow coooker and add the wine and onion. Mix the tomato sauce, brown sugar, oregano, prepared horseradish, prepared mustard and bay leaf in a bowl and pour over the roast. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery and cook, covered, on Low for 8 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Serves 6+++

Leftovers make great sandwiches or are delicious mixed as a sort of goulash with jasmine rice.

Go Vegan on the Cheap

The potato became famous in seventeenth century Europe because it was recognized as a food source that could save people in times of famine.

While our economy is shaky, we’re certainly not a country on the verge of starvation. Conversely, we’re overweight. Unfortunately, many health food items are more expensive than junk food.

The good old potato, however, is a healthy staple that costs pennies, can be bought in bulk, fills you up, and delivers nutrients that every body needs.

A 5 lb. bag of potatoes costs, on average, five dollars or less. Each potato delivers potassium, iron, calcium, Vitamin C and folic acid. While the potato often gets a bad rap for being too starchy, eating them won’t make you fat, unless they’re smothered in butter and sour cream or a cheesy sauce. Like every other food, deep frying them isn’t the best health option either.

Potatoes can be easily and deliciously prepared in a healthy manner though, which will save on the grocery bill as well.

Kay Hansen, author of the cookbook, Vegan Homestyle: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living, has several recipes for preparing delicious potato dishes so you can tighten your belt and your wallet.


Home Fries
Ingredients
6-8 medium Russet potatoes, steamed until just tender and cooked
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. basil (optional)
paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Cut potatoes into quarter and then into 1” chunks. Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and paprika (basil, if desired), stirring to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and browned, about 20minutes. Serve immediately. They’re the perfect low-fat answer to French fries. Serves 8.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 193 calories; 3 grams fat; 165 mg. sodium; 36 grams carbohydrate; 4 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein.



Garlic Potatoes
Ingredients
4 large potatoes
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup warm water
1 tsp. oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tahini
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. paprika
dried parsley


Directions
Scrub potatoes and dry. Cut into ½” strips. Place in a 9”x11” baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Stir tahini smooth in the water. Add the rest of the seasonings and garlic. Pour over potatoes and turn to coat all sides. Bake at 400F degrees, uncovered, for 1 hour or until tender. (Place a stainless steel cookie sheet under the casserole to prevent burning, if needed). Stir occasionally. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 160 calories; 1 gram fat; 160 mg. sodium; 33 grams carbohudrate; 3 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein



Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

“A traditional Jewish favorite. My mother served them with applesauce and a dollop of sour cream. This vegan version makes a nice light evening supper dish.”
Ingredients
2 cups warm mashed potatoes
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup soy milk
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. Rumford baking powder or EnerG baking Powder

Directions
Stir together all ingredients to make a soft batter. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Create pancakes by spooning batter onto the baking sheet. Bake until brown on the bottom, for about 10 minutes. Turn and bake for about 10 minutes more. Remove to a platter and keep hot in a low oven until ready to serve. (Latkes can also be baked on a non-stick griddle.) Serve with applesauce and Tofu sour cream or plain soy yogurt. Makes 12 pancakes.

Nutritional Information: 1 pancake; 67 calories; 1 gram fat; 193 mg. sodium; 12 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 0 grams sugar; 2 grams protein




Vegan Homestyle (ISBN 978-0-9788632-0-3; $24.95) is available at major booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. It is also available directly from www.cookbookmarketplace.com.