Cooking shortcut & money saving tip

I have never really gotten into once-a-month cooking. There are several reasons for this: I don't usually have a whole day to devote to cooking. I tend to forget about what meals I have in my freezer or I don't plan ahead enough to get them out & fully defrosted in time for supper.

I like bargains. I like to shop in bulk when the price is right. And I do fairly well at planning a weekly menu. This week I found a great price on extra lean ground beef from the local grocery store, so I bought 25 lbs. and divided it into thirds. I cooked it with chopped onions, then divided it into baggies that held about a pound each (2 c.), I made meatballs & cooked them up, and I made two meatloaves (frozen raw) & meat pies (recipe below). I also bought sausage & bacon, and cooked & divided them for future recipes. I love to get chicken breasts or tenderloins at Sam's when I can, and do the same with them. It saves me time to defrost a bag of cooked hamburger meat, than have to mess with cooking it each time I make a recipe that calls for it.

This recipe for meat pie may not look all that appealing, but it is very tasty & filling. I like to serve it with brown gravy.

Pastry for 2 double crust pies

2 c. potatoes, peeled & grated

1 1/4 c. chopped celery

1 c. grated carrots

3/4 c. chopped onion

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 lb. uncooked lean ground beef

Roll out pastry & cover 2 pie pans. Combine potatoes, celery, carrots, spices & ground beef; mix well. Spoon meat mixture into crusts. Roll out pastry for top crust; place over filling & seal edges. Cut vents in top pastry. Bake @ 375 degrees for 1 hour. Pies can be frozen (raw) for up to 3 months. Bake frozen pie (or partially thawed) @ 375 degrees for 70 minutes.

For more great tips, be sure to check out Rocks In My Dryer.

I have my Grandma's old dining room table. I love that I inherited it, but all our love & use has taken its toll on the wood finish. I found a great & practical way to protect the wood top, that is also easier to keep clean. I buy the cheap vinyl tablecloths (anywhere from $2-$4). I lay it on the table & "eyeball" it, cutting the table cloth so that it will fold under the top about 2". Then I sew elastic around the whole perimeter. It stays put for several months & I don't have to worry or take extra care to keep the wood top finish in good condition. Warning: Don't put anything too hot on there, as it has the potential to melt the tablecloth! I learned this the hard way. :) For more great tips, check out Rocks in my Dryer.