Wordless Wednesday-How easy it is to make homemade bread.

Take your ingredients,

Mix it gently...it's kind of a shaggy mess.
Let it rest...
Make Pizza and bread, for less than a dollar!

Recipe for basic whole wheat bread from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

Cream Soup Substitutes... a homemade, chemical free (and totally frugal!) substitute.

Everyone has fifty recipes that call for a can of cream-of-whatever-soup.

At least fifty recipes. That stuff kind of freaks me out. It manages to be both creamy and gelatinous, while having enough sodium to stop a beating heart in its tracks.

Tasty, though. And versatile.

 The good news is, there are a bunch of alternatives. You can google around and find one that works for you...I start with half milk and half chicken broth (or water with bullion powder, as a last resort), slightly more than a half cup of each, in a Tupperware container with a tight fitting lid. Add two heaping table spoons of cornstarch, and shake it till it's smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until it's nice and thick. 

Flavor appropriately for whatever you need. If it's mushroom, dice up some mushrooms and saute them in a bit of butter. I would use mushroom or beef stock for this one if you have it. You can hit the mushrooms with a little Marsala wine or a bit of dry sherry if you happen to have it about.

About a cup of broccoli florets, steamed and pulse in a food processor, or chopped finely, will take it to cream of broccoli. You can do cauliflower as well. (Although I never would, dear, if you're reading.) For cheese, simply stir in some shredded cheddar, asiago, Parmesan, or another hard cheese.

Make sure to taste and adjust seasonings, both in the base and in your final dish. Since this recipe has SO much less sodium than the original, you will need to add a little more flavor to your final dish. It doesn't have to be salt, though, experiment with some herbs before you hit it with the salt shaker.
 
Good luck, and happy, healthy, eating!

Potluck worthy fare

I know, here I go with another recipe.

 I'm sorry, Dad. It's got to be done.

 So, what makes a good dish for a potluck? Usually, my beer, sausage, potato and cheese soup. However, I needed my crock pot today for Sunday sauce. And this potluck was kind of last minute.

 OK, not really last minute, but I kind of didn't really plan for it that well.

 Easy fix... I made bruschetta pasta salad. I like this dish so well, I served it at my wedding,and although I think my husband is still mourning the loss of the end of season heirloom tomatoes he hoped would appear in a pizza, I think he was happy to bring it.

How to make it:
1 lb of whole grain pasta cooked al dente in lightly salted water (I used wegmans super pasta.), drizzled with olive oil and cooled slightly.
1 pint of gorgeous brightly colored heirloom tomatoes. (I'm sorry, baby)
2 really nice ripe red tomatoes. Get them someplace where you are absolutely certain they've never been refrigerated. If you happen to have a relative that will let you pilfer them from their yard, that's ideal.
A gigantic fistful of fresh basil. Really, about twenty large leaves, but more is ALWAYS better.
 5-6 cloves of fresh garlic.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (No, there's no measurement there, sorry. It's more like, stir, pour, stir pour, till the salad is dressed.
4 ounces of fresh mozzarella, diced small
Salt and pepper to taste.

The method:
 Force half asleep uncaffeinated husband to halve cherry heirloom tomatoes, and dice garden tomatoes. Feverishly chiffonade the basil and chop the garlic, toss with tomatoes, pasta, mozzarella, salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil around the pasta, stirring to toss and coat. It takes about twice around the bowl.

 Taste and adjust seasonings, garnish with one of the tops of the basil plant.

 Shove still-caffeine-deprived husband out the door with a large bowl of pasta salad and hope he makes it on time.