How to Be a Great Cook on a Very Low Budget

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you watch too many cooking shows, and you'll begin to think that you need expensive gadgets and fancy, rare ingredients to be a great cook. But if you love to make food and shop wisely, you can make gourmet meals on a tight budget.

Steps

1. Save money [1] for a few quality cooking tools by learning to Shop Carefully with a Tight Budget [2].
   
2. Learn new cooking techniques, complimentary flavors, etc. by studying the free cooking shows on public television. Your local station probably shows them on Saturdays or Sundays.
   
3. Assess your current kitchen tools, and create a list of essential tools to buy when you have enough money. Prioritize based on need. You will want to get knives, cookware, a cutting board, and a few important gadgets.
   
4. Set the amount of money that you can afford to spend on a meal in order to meet your purchasing goals.
   
5. Make a game of combining your on-sale ingredients to stay at or below budget using your new-found knowledge of complimentary flavors.
   
6. Track the grocery ads. Know when sale items are normally featured. Some people keep a price book detailing sale items.
   
7. Learn to calculate cost per ounce. Sometimes buying in bulk is not the cheap purchase. Learn to do the math by dividing the amount into the actual cost of the item. For example: Store brand tomatoes are 16 ounces for 60 cents versus the name brand that is 15 ounces for 60 cents. The store brand is cheaper as the size for the store brand can of tomatoes is larger.
   
8. Purchase store brand products. Most are of equal quality as their name brand counterparts. If in doubt, buy a can or two of the store brand products and try them out. If the products pass inspection purchase them in quantity when they are on sale.
   
9. Buy seasonal produce. Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and of higher quality. Also, this provides built in variety in the diet.
   
10. Check the bottom or top shelves. Most grocery stores place the inexpensive, and usually less processed foods, on the shelves that are out of sight. The middle shelves will usually contain the pricier goodies.
    
11. Practice your new cooking techniques when preparing your budget friendly meals.
    
12. Write down recipes when you discover a good one so that you can make it again.
    
13. Strategically practice cooking in areas where you have weak skills in order to improve.
    
14. Purchase necessary cooking tools when your budget allows it to make cooking easier and expand your capabilities.
    
15. Learn to use leftovers creatively. Sometimes planned overs taste better than their original meal.
    
16. Plan vegetarian meals. Eat a meatless meal a couple times a week.
    

Video

Tips

• Essential knives: Chef (8 or 10 inch), Paring, and a serrated blade (like a bread knife).
  
• Essential Cookware: Skillet (10 or 12 inch), Sauce Pan (2 qt), Stock Pot (4 qt).
  
• Essential Gadgets: Cutting board, colander, spatula, large spoon, whisk, measuring cups, measuring spoons, plates, bowls, grater.
  
• Essential Cookbooks: The Joy of Cooking, Betty Crocker, Better Homes and Gardens, The Way to Cook, Living on a Dime (or Not Just Beans by the same author), Frugal Family Kitchen Book, More-With-Less cookbook, Miserly Meals: Healthy, Tasty Recipes Under 75¢ per Serving, 15-Minute Cooking or Feed Your Family for $12 a Day or Eat Healthy for $50 a Week.
  
• Learn to make your own food mixes. The classic cookbook is Make-A-Mix but there are other cookbooks available using the same idea.
  
• Learn freezer cooking. There are several cookbooks available including Frozen Assets and Once-A-Month Cooking.
  
• Essential Cooking Techniques: Chopping, slicing, dicing, sautee, boil, fry, blacken, and broil.
  
• High quality knives are quite expensive, but if you maintain them you will never buy another set for the rest of your life and they work great. It's worth the money if you can afford the investment.
  
• Purchase the best cookware you can afford. Buy cookware by the piece as sets waste money. Most come with pans you will never use.
  
• Purchase a small set of knives, if you can find the right set. You can save money, without purchasing a bunch of knives that you don't really need (like a cheese knife).
  
• Consider taking a job in a restaurant, as a cook or even a waiter. You will earn extra money, get exposed to flavor combinations, learn cooking techniques, and befriend people who love to cook that can share their knowledge with you. Some restaurants will let employees take home leftovers which may help save money on the food budget.
  

Warnings

• It's essential to follow good sanitary practices while cooking. You'll never be a great cook if you repeatedly give yourself or others food poisoning.
  
• Trying to gain new skills will require a lot of practice. You will likely fail a lot in the beginning. Stick with it! Make it easy to remember your successes by writing down your good recipes. Learn from your failures, and keep practicing until you get it right.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Cook
  
• How to Understand and Use Basic Cooking Terms and Skills
  
• How to Make Quick Cooking Taste Nice
  
• How to Create a Working Budget
  
• How to Shop Carefully With a Tight Budget
  
• How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
  
• How to Dilute Canned Soup
  

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money


2. ↑ http://www.wikihow.com/Shop-Carefully-With-a-Tight-Budget

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Great Cook on a Very Low Budget. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Save Money by Shopping Once a Month

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

How often do you go to the supermarket? Could you get by with making only one trip per month? What if it saved you money? When people shop more often, they buy more stuff. Supermarkets and grocery stores know this, and that's why they often bury the most common items in the back of the store - so you have to walk through the aisles to get there, and the probability of an impulse purchase goes up![1] Besides making a list and sticking to it, another way to limit your spending is to minimize the amount of time you actually spend in the store. Why make four or more trips per month when you can make just one? That's right--go grocery shopping 12 times a year. It takes time. It also takes organization. Here's how to pull it off.

Steps

1. Make a list of the things you need, which you should update continually.
   
   • Start saving your receipts. Ideally, you should have all of your shopping receipts from a typical month. Go through them all and highlight the essentials (the stuff you ended up using/eating). Skip over impulse items (you know what they are, like the four cartons of cookies and cream ice cream that was on sale and that you know are incongruent with your dreams of having six-pack abs).
     
   • Plan your meals. Imagine that your home is a restaurant - what is on your menu? You could go all out and plan every meal on a calender (like once-a-month cookers do) but even just thinking of some "master recipes" that can be adapted to several different dishes will help. Take a large amount of cheap, normally tough meat, for example, and put it in a slow cooker until it's tender, then shred it and use it in hot sandwiches, enchiladas, etc.[2]
     
   
   
2. Accumulate coupons and ads for the things you use and the stores you frequent. During the days before your monthly shopping trip, match sales and discounts to the items on your list.
   
3. Divide and conquer. If possible, bring a friend along to help. One person tackles the perimeter of the stores (meat, produce, dairy, and baked goods) while someone else scours the center (processed food, household goods, baking supplies). Each monthly shopping trip takes longer than a weekly shopping trip, so a division of labor will make for a smoother shopping trip (with fewer frazzled nerves).
   
4. Hit multiple stores. Different stores have different strengths. If you shop every week, it may not make sense to drive all over town to save a few pennies. By shopping just once a month, however, travel costs are diminished.
   
5. When you bring the food home, prioritize. Certain produce (grapes, bananas) need to be consumed earlier in the month. Other foods (milk, bread) may need to be frozen.
   
   • If you're concerned about not having a supply of fresh fruits or vegetables, consider growing your own or perusing the local farmers' market for good deals. Or, you can focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables in the beginning of the month, then eat canned or frozen fruits and veggies towards the end of the month.
     
   • For milk, you have several options.
     
     • drink fresh milk for the first half of the month
       
     • freeze milk to drink in the second half of the month
       
     • powdered milk
       
     • ultra-pasteurized milk (long shelf life)
       
     • OR if you like Soy Milk, it lasts for a couple of months! (However, it is much more expensive than regular milk.)
       
     • Rice Milk is also a good alternative, also lasting a couple of months (You can't even taste the difference after mixing it with cereal or in cooking/baking).
       
     • Almond Milk is especially healthy.
       
     
     
   
   
6. Evaluate and adapt. When you start off, there will be a little trial and error. There will be some trips to the store to get something you forgot. Just don't let those "emergency trips" become a habit. Make sure that you only come home with the item you needed, and nothing else. Then add that item to your monthly shopping list.
   

Video

Tips

• You can start by cutting your trips to twice a month (with a supplemental weekly run for milk and eggs). On the other hand, some people take this concept to the extreme - they go shopping only once a year![3]
  
• You might find that shopping once a month ‘forces’ you to use up all of your food that you can. You know what it’s like to buy a bunch of broccoli thinking you are going to eat it but when you go shopping in another 4 days you just buy something else and cover it up.
  
• This can be paired with once-a-month cooking for maximum efficiency and savings.
  
• You will need adequate storage space for all of your groceries. If you are shopping for a family of 4 or more, or if you live in a small apartment, you probably won't have enough food storage space. You could utilize a spare closet or a guest bedroom if you have one. Or don't forget about the space underneath kitchen cabinets, or odd drawers and shelves around your living space. Cans and jars can be stored quite safely all over the apartment or house. Just don't forget where you put them!
  
• If you are serious about once a month shopping, then a large freezer would be a good investment. Energy star chest freezers have large capacities and low running costs.[4]
  
• If you are lucky enough to have a greengrocer, small alternative grocer, or grocery co-op nearby, you may be able to shop there without having to contend with many of the "impulse items" or the stress of larger supermarkets. (They're often much like just the perimeter of larger stores, without the junky innards.)
  
• If you live near a drive through dairy you can have fresh milk as needed without going into a store.
  

Warnings

• Leave younger children with a babysitter. You can save time and money by leaving younger children at home instead of letting them distract you from the task at hand. Older children, however, can actually help.
  
• Check expiration dates on coupons.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Do Once a Month Cooking
  
• How to Resist a Sales Pitch
  
• How to Save Money at a Farmers' Market
  
• How to Reduce Expenses
  
• How to Have a Successful Day of Shopping
  
• How to Be a "Locovore"
  
• How to Get Started in the Slow Food Movement
  

Sources and Citations

• GetRichSlowly.org - Save more by shopping less. Original source of content, shared with permission.
  
• America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money. By Steve Economides, Annette Economides. ISBN 0307339459. Source of many of the ideas in this article.
  

1. ↑ http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/11/09/how-not-to-get-ripped-off-at-the-grocery-store.htm


2. ↑ http://www.fractured.net/article/beginners-guide-to-once-a-month-cooking.html


3. ↑ http://www.christianitytoday.com/mp/2006/summer/7.44.html


4. ↑ http://www.thefrugalzone.com/money-saving-tips/

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Save Money by Shopping Once a Month. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Do Once a Month Cooking (OAMC)

How to Do Once a Month Cooking

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Cooking once a month can save both time and money. Not only do you take advantage of sales by buying in bulk, but you also give yourself more free time on a daily basis by cooking in bulk. And if you're creative enough, you can fit thirty meals in a standard freezer. So put on your apron, play your favorite music, and clear the kitchen--once a month, you're a lean, mean cooking machine.

Steps

1. Make a menu. Collect recipes from various sources. Read several once-a-month type cook books for ideas. Choose recipes that are "hits" in your household, and that you've cooked successfully before. When you're making large batches, you don't want to experiment with new recipes. Assuming you're only making dinners, you don't need to cook thirty different dishes. You can cook several batches of the household favorites like pizza (up to four, if you like a particular dish enough to have it once a week).
   
   • Think of some "master recipes" that can be adapted to several different dishes. Take a large amount of cheap, normally tough meat, for example, and put it in a slow cooker until it's tender, then shred it and use it in hot sandwiches, enchiladas, etc.
     
   • What you decide to cook will also depend on what you found on sale. Many once-a-month cooks base their "menu" around which meats they found for a good price.
     
   • Soups, stews and casseroles are the easiest to cook ahead of time, but make sure you don't go overboard on these. Keep the dishes varied. Make a big batch of empanadas and/or wontons. Make a pot of tomato sauce with meat in it (or pesto), cook some pasta, and freeze both (stored separately).
     
   
   
2. Avoid foods that don't freeze well. That includes:[1]
   
   • Sour Cream (becomes thin/watery)
     
   • Mayonnaise (separates, but is fine if mixed into a recipe)
     
   • Cream Cheese (becomes watery and texture changes)
     
   • Cheese (crumbles, but is fine for shredding or in recipes)
     
   • Fried Foods (lose crispness or become soggy)
     
   • Egg Whites- cooked (become tough & rubbery)
     
   • Cream Pies (become watery or lumpy)
     
   • Cream Fillings (texture changes)
     
   • Frostings (texture changes)
     
   • Icings made with egg whites (become foamy)
     
   • Potatoes don't taste good after being frozen, whether in soup, stew, or casserole.[2]
     
   
   
3. Keep in mind how some foods respond to freezing.[3]
   
   • Raw Vegetables (lose crispness, but if prepared correctly can be used for cooking or stews & soups.
     
   • Yogurt (may change texture)
     
   • Heavy Cream (will not whip when thawed but can be used for cooking)
     
   • Pastas & Grains (softer after freezing/reheating- undercook before freezing to counter-balance)
     
   • Seasonings, onions, green peppers, herbs & flavorings (flavor may increase or diminish with freezing. Add afterwards when possible)
     
   • Thickened sauces or stews (may need thinning after thawing)
     
   • Gravies or Fat-based sauces (may separate & need to be recombined)
     
     • Don't thicken stews until you're ready to eat them. Liquids with cornstarch or flour added can separate after freezing and the texture isn't quite right. Thicken after thawing..[2]
       
     
     
   • Soups. Freeze the components of soup separately (broth, chicken, blanched onions, celery, and carrots) rather than freezing the assembled soup. Put the ingredients together when preparing the meal.[2]
     
   
   
4. Schedule an entire day (or two half days, back to back) to devote entirely to cooking. Let everyone know that your sole focus for that day is cooking--not errands, playing, walking the dog, etc. Be prepared to order pizza or go out to dinner, as quantity cooking can be tiring.
   
5. Make a grocery list and go shopping using the recipes selected. Look at all your ingredients lists and consolidate them so you know exactly how much of each ingredient you'll need. Shop the day before the cooking session. Gather flyers from your local grocery stores and supermarkets to see what's on sale. Visit any wholesale clubs in your area; you can get deep discounts if you buy in bulk, especially when buying meat. You can also save money at farmers' markets. Don't forget to stock up on storage containers and supplies (sealable bags, plastic containers, aluminum foil, plastic wrap).
   
6. Set out all the cooking utensils and pans the night before in preparation for the tomorrow's cook-a-thon. You may also want to do some of the minor food preparation. A good example would be to chop onions using a food processor and then refrigerating the chopped onions for later use. Print and tape the recipes to the cupboard doors for ease of reading while cooking.
   
7. Follow the cooking and freezing directions for each recipe. Think of your kitchen as an assembly line. Efficiency is key.
   
   • Start crock pot recipes and preparing whole chickens first.
     
   • Do common kitchen tasks all at once. For example, if several of your dishes will require ground beef, cook it all at once.
     
   • Blanch vegetables before you freeze them to preserve color, flavor, and texture.
     
   
   
8. Freeze the meals. Always seal, label and date the prepared meals. It's no fun playing the guessing game when finding the mysterious freezer dinner.
   
   • Freezer bags - Remove as much air as possible. A vacuum sealer is highly recommended. Soups and stews can be poured into freezer bags, sealed, and stacked flat; once they freeze, you can store them vertically like books on a shelf.[4]
     
   • Use aluminum pans or line cake pans or casserole dishes with heavy aluminum foil so the food can be removed from once it's frozen; later, you can put it back inside that pan or dish for thawing and serving.
     
   
   

Tips

• Cool cooked foods to room temperature in open containers (or even trays) before placing them in their containers for freezing. You may choose to make this process even more gradual by refrigerating afterward and then moving items to the freezer. This helps to keep ice from forming over the tops of what you cook, makes operation of your freezer less costly and keeps you from accidentally defrosting by proximity, foods that are already frozen.
  
• If you have limited freezer space or are just starting out, consider mini sessions. A mini session typically prepares 10 to 14 days worth of meals.
  
• Cook according to what is on sale. Some cooks will have chicken session, a beef session or a breakfast session. The advantage to this method is the shopper can purchase what is on sale at the grocery store.
  
• Blanch vegetables before freezing. Almost all vegetables need to be blanched before freezing to preserve quality. Check a cookbook for blanching directions. Chopped onions and bell peppers do not need to be blanched. Flash freeze them by spreading them on a jelly roll pan. Freeze until solid and then store in a labeled freezer bag.
  
• Fresh fruits may need processing by dipping them in acidulated water or by using Fruit Fresh to preserve color. Check a canning cookbook for further directions on how to prepare different fruits for freezing. Berries such as strawberries, raspberries or blueberries can be flash frozen on a large jelly roll pan. Rinse, drain and freeze. Once frozen solid place in a labeled freezer bag.
  
• Prepare dishes that mix well with rice. Rice cookers are commonly available and require no expertise to use, and rice only takes 15 minutes to cook.
  
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, as well as an apron.
  
• Share the cooking session with a friend. Split the prepared meals and share grocery costs.
  
• Consider using pre-chopped onions, bell peppers or other frozen bagged veggies. This can cost a bit more but sometimes saving time is worth the extra cost. Food processors are also a fast, and efficient way to save time and money.
  
• Wash the dishes as you cook.
  
• Plan to use a couple of slow cooker recipes as part of the cooking session. The night before, start a slow cooker recipe and allow the food to cook overnight. The next day use the slow cooker for second batch of food.
  
• Playing music while you cook can make the process more fun. Books on tape/CD/MP3 or online talk radio (such as NPR) can also help the time pass quicker.
  
• You can use a drinking straw to suck most of the air out of zipper bags. Just leave the last 1/2inch or so open, insert the straw so just the tip is inside the bag. Suck the air out and zip the bag closed as you finish and remove the straw. If this does not appeal to you or if you require a more perfect seal, a vacuum-sealer can be found for very cheap at many second-hand stores. Also, contrary to what they want you to think--they work perfectly well with any old plastic bag. Just cut off the zip-top of the bags and they will work just fine. Meats and veggies kept this way can last for well over a year in the freezer. (If they are freezer friendly, that is.)
  

Warnings

• Follow current safety practices when freezing meals.
  
• If you have roommates, be sure that the increased use of fridge and freezer space is OK before starting.
  

Things You'll Need

• Freezer containers.
  
• Measuring spoons, cups, bowls, cookware.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Start/Create a Freezer Group
  
• How to Make Freezer Pickles
  
• How to Learn Cooking Basics
  
• How to Clean and Disinfect Wooden Cooking Utensils
  
• How to Survive Without Cooking
  
• How to Defrost a Freezer
  
• Dilute Canned Soup
  

Sources and Citations

• http://busycooks.about.com/od/makeaheadrecipes/Make_Ahead_Recipes_and_OAMC.htm
  
• http://snider.mardox.com/OAMC.htm
  
• http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp
  

1. ↑ http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/freeze.html


2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.organizedhome.com/start-small-sneak-freezer-cooking


3. ↑ http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/freeze.html


4. ↑ http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/freeze.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do Once a Month Cooking. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make a Breakfast Burrito

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Breakfast burritos are a great and delicious way to start off your day. By following these directions, you can be sure to make a great breakfast burrito that you will want to eat every day.

Steps

1. Take two eggs and crack them into a microwave safe bowl. Take a whisk or spoon and beat the eggs until they are properly mixed.
   
2. Finely dice some ingredients of your choice: green peppers, onions, ham and/or bacon. Sausage works well too.
   
3. Add the diced ingredients into the bowl. Add milk or half and half to give the egg a more fluffy texture,water works, too. Mix everything again.
   
4. Microwave the bowl for approximately three minutes. Cooking times will vary so check once the egg starts to rise. Do not overcook.
   
5. Take a tortilla of your choice and set it down flat on a plate. Try tomato basil, which has excellent flavor. At this point add a touch of salsa to give it more of a 'mexican' flavor as well as american cheese. However, this is all up to your taste.
   
6. Once the egg is done, scramble it up in the bowl and put contents into the tortilla.
   
7. Wrap both sides of the tortilla inward and then roll it up from the bottom. This should 'seal' both sides and allow for easy eating. Enjoy!
   

Tips

• Be creative and experiment with the ingredients
  
• Add some oregano, salsas, avocado or your favorite spice for added zest.
  
• Try frying up some hashbrowns and adding them to your burrito!
  
• Try dicing your potatoes, onions, peppers, etc, frying them, then when they are done add your eggs, scramble, cook until done then roll up in tortillas
  
• Try using frozen Potatoes O'Brien with extra chopped onions and Jalapeños
  

Warnings

• Don't add too much milk/cream as this will not allow the egg to properly cook
  
• Remove the dish from the microwave carefully
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Flour Tortillas
  
• How to Make Cheesy Bacon Deviled Eggs!
  
• How to Make Breakfast in Bed
  
• How to Make a Good Cup of Tea
  
• How to Make Hillbilly Gravy for Biscuts
  
• How to Make a Macchiato Coffee
  
• How to Make Corp'l Caramel Cereal
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Breakfast Burrito. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Breakfast Sandwiches

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Serves 4
Enjoy a taste of the simple life with these deliciously simple ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
  
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk
  
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  
• 8 slices toast bread
  
• 250 g Tasty Cheese
  
• 420g can Spaghetti
  
• 4 slices ham or 100g sliced salami
  
• pinch cayenne pepper or Mexican chilli powder to season
  

Steps

1. Beat the eggs, milk, black pepper and cayenne pepper together.
   
2. Place 4 slices of bread on a board and top with the Tasty Cheese. Spread over equal amounts of Spaghetti and then top with slices of ham or salami. Top with the remaining bread slices to make sandwiches
   
3. Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan and when hot, dip one sandwich into the egg mixture quickly to coat.
   
4. Place into the hot frying pan and cook over a moderate heat for about 2 minutes or until golden.
   
5. Flip and cook the other side until the sandwich is hot and golden.
   
6. Cook the remaining sandwiches and serve hot.
   

Tips

• These sandwiches will cook in a sandwich maker.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Breakfast Tacos
  
• How to Make Healthy Breakfast Meals
  
• How to Make Your Own Homemade Cereal
  
• How to Choose Toppings for Crumpets
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Breakfast Sandwiches. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Muesli

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Eating a healthy breakfast is very important to give you the best possible start into a busy day. If you want to increase your fibre intake at the same time, muesli is the perfect breakfast food for you. You can easily make your own and skip all the unwanted additives in pre-packaged mueslis or breakfast cereals.

Ingredients

• Oats
  
• Dried fruit, to taste
  
• Nuts, whole or chopped, to taste
  
• Chocolate chips, to taste
  
• Mini-marshmallows, to taste
  
• Milk
  
• Yogurt
  
• Fresh fruit, if desired
  

Steps

1. Decide on the type of muesli you want to create. It can be a typical raisin-nut muesli, a chocolate muesli, a tropical muesli.. there are so many choices!
   
2. Write a shopping list of your ingredients. This will definitely include oats, the base of all mueslis. Depending on what kind of muesli you decided on in Step 1, the other ingredients may include different types of nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, dried pineapple, dried bananas, bran flakes, mini marshmallows, etc.
   
3. Buy your ingredients. If you choose to, buy organic foods and/or unsulphured dried fruits. You may get a better taste. Remember, though, that organic foods are more perishable, so only buy as much of them as you'll use up in a short period of time.
   
4. Clean and set up a large airtight container. This may be a plastic box, an extra large resealable freezer bag, or a glass jar (make sure it closes tightly).
   
5. Add your muesli ingredients to the jar. Add as much of every ingredient as you prefer. The largest part should consist of oats. They fill you up quickly and dried fruit is high in calories, so try to find a healthy balance.
   
6. Mix well. A good method is to leave some space at the top of your container, then close it tightly and slowly turn it upside down. Turn it right side up again and repeat until well mixed.
   
7. Store your muesli in the airtight container and make sure it is closed tightly when you're done using it. If you aren't diligent about this, you might find bugs in your muesli one morning, as it presents a perfect environment for insects to breed in.
   
8. Enjoy your homemade muesli! You can add milk to it or enjoy it with some yoghurt and fresh fruit (prepare those separately).
   

Video

Tips

• If you like variety, use smaller containers and make a bit of chocolate muesli in one, some dried-berry muesli in the next, etc.
  

Warnings

• Don't add sticky foods or fresh fruit to your mix. They typically contain a lot of water, which makes them mould very quickly.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a McAmerica Bagel Clone Sandwich
  
• How to Make a Vegetable and Cheese Omelet
  
• How to Make a Cereal Sundae
  
• How to Make Eggs Ala Paysanne
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Muesli. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Granola

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Granola is a healthy and nutritious cereal, not just a filling for granola bars. Making your own at home is a great way to control what goes into it and you can make it as healthy as you like.

Ingredients

For Dry Mix

• 3 cups rolled oats (like Quaker Oats)
  
• 1 cup Walnuts, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup Almonds, sliced
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
  

For Binder

• 1/2 cup Canola oil
  
• 1/2 cup Honey
  
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (see Tips)
  

Steps

1. Use your hands to mix dry ingredients well in a very large bowl.
   
2. Bring binder ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until ingredients are throughly mixed, 1-2 minutes.
   
3. Pour some of the binder in a thin stream over the dry mix, and mix with a wooden spoon. Mix well before adding more binder. Continue adding binder and mixing until you have the consistency you want.
   
4. Add more binder for a sweeter/sticker mix, less for a drier, less sweet mix.
   

Tips

• Using dark brown sugar gives a strong molasses taste, if that's not your favorite flavor use light brown instead.
  
• Ask at your local bakery for the poppy and sesame seeds, they have them in large volume, and can give them to you for alot less than a grocery store. If you're a good customer, you may even get them for free!
  
• If keeping for a long time, refrigerate in a sealed container. There are no preservatives in this recipe.
  
• You can put the warm mix into a tupperware-type container and press into a solid chunk which can be cut into chunks after it's cold, or put into ice cube trays and made into individual blocks for the kids to take to school.
  
• You can toast it in the oven until everything is slightly brown and crunchy.
  

Things You'll Need

• Very large mixing bowl
  
• Wooden spoon
  
• Small saucepan
  
• Baking sheet if you are going to toast it
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Apple Pie Oatmeal
  
• How to Make Canadian Pancakes
  
• How to Make a Tropical Breakfast
  
• How to Make Chocolate Dipped Cheerios
  
• How to Make Noodle Salad
  
• How to Make Berry Granola
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Granola. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Order a Subway Sandwich

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ordering a sandwich from Subway can be more complicated than the average person would think. There are certain steps that need to be looked at to get that perfect sub.

Steps

1. Decide before you approach the counter what type of bread, meat, and veggie you want. Do not wait until coming to the front of the line to begin deciding. If you are unsure, allow others to order first.
   
2. Ask any questions you have before beginning the order process.
   
3. Tell the staff the type of bread you would like (Italian, white, wheat, honey oat, Hearty Italian(sprinkled with cornmeal) or herbs and cheese) and if you would like a six inch or footlong. Keep in mind that if you are with a friend, you can buy a footlong sub and share it and still get more than enough to eat. Also available are flatbread, wraps, and salads.
   
4. Tell what type of sandwich you would like. If you don't know the exact name, the staff can help determine what you want. For example you don't know the name of it, but your friend had you try a sandwich with chicken and a sweet sauce. The staff can quickly tell that you want the chicken teriyaki.
   
5. Add cheese if desired. Not all Subways carry the same kinds of cheese, and some cheeses look similar, so be specific. Do not just say the white cheese as almost all Subway cheese variates are white.
   
6. Decide upon warming. Would you like you sandwich placed in the oven and toasted or microwaved,(Note, Subways in the UK no longer allow the microwaving of sandwiches,only the meats) Toasting a sandwich is a good idea if it is a wet sandwich like meatballs or with a hot meat like steak or chicken. Try cold cut subs hot for a different taste.
   
7. Tell the worker what type of veggies you would like on your meal. Be specific a little lettuce or a lot of pickles,.
   
8. Order condiments: mayo, mustard, sweet onion sauce, etc. If you're not ordering off the menu, nothing is 'automatically' put on.
   
9. Pay at the register the amount you are told. Unless the price seems very unreasonable, do not argue or comment about the price because it is preset by the computer. Unless a wrong item was rung up there is nothing a member of staff can do to change the price. However, if you wish to save money, avoid going for the combo deal. Also, you can ask for water and they will provide you with a free cup.
   
10. Say thank you.
    

Tips

• Be as polite as possible, for the happier the Subway employee is, the better crafted your sub will be.
  
• When you have a large order, be extremely polite, especially if it is a busy time.(It's more polite to place large orders over the phone) A tip is always a very nice gesture in thanks for these big orders.
  
• Subway has recently introduced an option called "The Works" which includes every veggie offered: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, pickles, red onions, green peppers, & (optional) jalapenos & banana peppers. This greatly simplifies your order if you want a lot of things, with a few exceptions. For example saying "I want the works with no pickles or hot peppers" is much quicker than saying "I want lettuce, and tomatoes, and cucumbers, and olives and-" etc.
  
• If you go during off-peak times (between lunch and dinner and late evening) there are likely to be a fewer employees. Therefore, if there is a big line, do not expect to be served quickly. Be nice to the employee(s) because this is a very stressful situation for them.
  
• If you go to the same store often, learn the employees' names and, if not busy, strike up a conversation with them. Friendly, repeat customers make everyone's day better, and if employees like you, they are more likely to bring specials and discounts to your attention.
  
• If you think the employee did not put the proper amount of any item (especially meats or cheeses which cost extra), or if you think they are putting on too much, you should politely ask to see the chart that tells each Subway employee the standard quantities. This will better inform you for this and future orders. Each Subway store should have this chart available to the employees, but it is generally behind the counter (not in a public area) so please be polite and patient if making this request.
  
• Do not be surprised if you are asked the same question about your prospective sandwich by several different employees. It is rare that the same employee completes more than two or three steps of making your sandwich before getting distracted and wandering off to do something else.
  

Warnings

• Many Subway restaurants do not accept coupons from other franchises. Therefore, do not be surprised when they do not accept your coupon and read it carefully before using. If you have a question, ask them before you use it.
  
• Many Subways do not accept checks either so ask about this before the hassle.
  
• Do not berate the staff member because they do not have an item you want. Ask to talk with the manager, he/she is the person responsible for ordering supplies and, if asked politely, might get that other kind of cheese or your favorite kind of chips for next week.
  
• Do not anger the people who prepare your food. They can make your lunch very unpleasant.
  
• DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ORDER WHILE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE! This is extremely rude and will almost definitely lead to your sandwich being made incorrectly.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Order at Starbucks
  
• How to Have the Best Experience at McDonald's
  
• How to Order Coffee
  
• How to Eat Healthfully at a Fast Food Restaurant
  
• How to Properly Eat a Fast Food Meal
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Order a Subway Sandwich. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A visit to a health food store can convince anyone that eating healthy is a luxury rather than choice. To the contrary, eating healthy does not require buying the hottest new diet food or piles of exotic fruit. Nor does eating cheaply limit you to a menu of pre-packaged pastas. The exact items that make up cheap, healthy diets vary greatly by location, but the methods to creating these diets vary little. Since most of what you pay for in food is convenience, you can save money and maintain your health by investing time and planning into your diet.

Steps

1. Determine what kind of diet is healthy for you. Generally, a diverse diet that is heavily based on unprocessed plant products is healthy. Fortunately, grains, fruits and vegetables can be bought for low prices, if you know where and when to look. Potatoes and carrots, for instance, are very beneficial for most people and are often very cheap. Meat, unprocessed vegetables and eggs are the main foods you should be buying. Meat and dairy products should be treated as side dishes (or eliminated altogether) and prepared foods should be avoided.
   
2. Get an idea of what kinds of foods are inexpensive in your area. Check your local grocery store(s) and other food vendors such as farmers' markets, bakeries, and specialty stores. For best results, explore with an educated mind and adventurous palate. Generally, foods that grow well and sell well in your area will be the cheapest. The more willing you are to substitute new foods for your regular purchases, the more likely you are to lower the total cost of your shopping list while still eating healthy.
   
3. Eat seasonally. Harvests come in waves, showering consumers with abundance that results in cheap prices. You'll not only save money by eating what's in season, but you'll also eat food that's fresh. Find local farmers' markets and strike bargains with the farmers. Many times, they'll be thrilled to sell at a discount if you buy regularly and in bulk.
   
4. Invest in food storage facilities. If you're purchasing foods that are in season and you're buying them in bulk to realize savings, then you'll need to take measures to store all that food. It's best to have a cool, dark cellar or pantry as well as a large freezer for meat and vegetables.
   
5. Buy the least expensive variation of any type of food. Some foods come in pre-seasoned frozen packages, in cans, and dried in bags. Establish which forms of foods are available in each store and at what prices.
   
6. Stop eating out. On those rare occasions that you do go out to eat, choose the simplest item on the menu, which is often the cheapest, too. Eat only half or one third of what is served (most restaurant portions are enormous) and take the rest home to eat later, combined with healthy side dishes.
   
7. Learn to cook from scratch. Cooking from scratch is the cheapest (and best) way to eat. Get in the habit of using leftovers. Manage your refrigerator: never let anything go bad. Eat it or use it as an ingredient in a sauce, casserole, or soup. For example, old lettuce can be chopped and put into a soup, old salsa can be added to a curry, and old milk can be turned into a quiche. (Of course, don't use anything that has actually gone sour or rancid!) Make your own pasta.
   
8. Use greater quantities of cheap food than of expensive food in cooking. Use a base of enriched or whole-grain rice, whole-wheat pasta or bread, or cooked oats to provide cheap, healthy bulk to more expensive, flavorful foods. For example, you can use less beef in some chili recipes by halving the amount of ground beef called for and adding water and instant plain oats instead. Be original and try your own variations.
   
9. Cut down on the amount of meat you consume. Meat is one of the most expensive food items you can buy, so by going meatless once or twice a week, you can save a lot of money. Meatless Monday is a national public health campaign and their site has a bunch of meatless recipes that you can try. Meatless Monday Recipes
   

Video Demonstration

Eating healthy on a budget, as demonstrated by Natalie.

Tips

• If it's in a box or in a metallic bag, don't buy it.
  
• Consider giving up dairy products. Not only are they expensive, but they are also suspected to be associated with chronic conditions and diseases. If you can get your calcium elsewhere, it'll likely benefit both your health and your wallet.
  
• Replace soda with tap water. If you prefer, you can also purchase an inexpensive water filter that will provide you with gallons of the same quality water that is found in bottles.
  
• Make your own snacks and bring them with you whenever you go out, along with a bottle of water.
  
• To save time set aside one day a week and cook in bulk. Then get creative and package it in a way you would buy at the store.
  

Examples:
Put a meal on a three portion dish cellophane it and freeze it for a quick TV dinner later.
Cook waffles or pancakes ahead of time and freeze them, later you can toast them like Ego's.
Pre-cook many of your different foods, then seal them so that you can heat them up later.
Pop large amounts of popcorn on the stove (not the microwave kind the kernels are more expensive) and store in individual sandwich bags for a grab and go snack.

• Learn to substitute. Often home cooked meals do not get cooked because ingredients are missing. If you are running short on butter learn the appropriate water-to-Crisco substitute instead. Keep powdered milk for cooking purposes or invest in boxed milk that stays fresh on the shelf. (In dire cases of need we have used coffee creamer in place of milk for cooking; works fine and you will not know the difference.) You will never know what will not work until you try it out. Soon you will find plenty of frugal alternatives to common cooking ingredients. If all you have is elbow noodles and you want to make spaghetti, try it out. There are no laws against using alternatives -- you might discover that you like it more!
  
• The web is a plethora of information. If you don’t know what to try Google it! Book mark pages like hillbillyhousewife.com. http://hillbillyhousewife.com/
  

Warnings

• In order to eat healthy on a budget, you must sacrifice convenience, which means you'll have to spend a lot more time shopping around and cooking than others do. You can't have it all!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Eat Healthy at a Fast Food Restaurant
  
• How to Eat Healthy and Excercise
  
• How to Choose Healthy Snacks
  
• How to Eat Healthy on Vacation
  
• Dilute Canned Soup
  

Sources and Citations

• hillbillyhousewife.com
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Eat Healthy on a Budget. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Meal Plan

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Meal Planning Saves Money, Time and Makes Eating Healthy Easier

Steps

1. Choose a period of time to plan for. One or two weeks is a good place to start. For this example, assume a one week period.
   
2. Grab a calendar with room to write on. A wall calendar, a print out from your electronic calendar works great.
   
3. Divide each day into thirds and mark the first with B (breakfast), the second with L (lunch) and the third with D (dinner).
   
4. Mark the top of the calendar with number of servings for each meal. If there is a specific meal where you need more or less mark the number next to the appropriate letter.
   
5. Establish a goal for total daily calories Gather your favorite cookbooks, recipes and stuff you have wanted to try.
   
6. Establish how much time you will have for preparation and cooking on a daily basis. This will be important as you evaluate recipes.
   
7. Decide how many days of the week you plan to cook. Consider allowing days for eating leftovers and the potential for a night out or family pizza night. Planning for 6 days usually works well.
   
8. Select a beef chapter and look for one or two recipes that looks good, is 1/3 or less than the daily calorie budget you and meets the preparation time and cook time budget you set. Add the cookbook name and page number to your calendar.
   
9. Repeat step eight to find one main recipe for each day you plan to cook. Consider having one day of poultry, fish, pork, tofu or meat substitute and lamb each week. This should complete your dinner planning.
   
10. Repeat step 8 for each day you plan to cook breakfast.
    
11. If you aren't going to cook breakfast consider what you will eat each day for breakfast and the serving size for each person you will be feeding and add that to each day. As an example: if you will be feeding 6 for breakfast and plan a 6 oz yogurt cup for each, a banana and toast. Add the list of items to one of your days for breakfast.
    
12. Repeat step 10 or 11 for each day you plan to cook lunch.
    
13. Create your grocery list by writing down each item from each recipe. As you encounter and item already on the list add the amount to the previous amount. Remember to look at and adjust the amounts to match the number of servings you need to prepare.
    
14. Then add the items for those meals where you won't be cooking, such as the breakfast above - be sure to take into account the total servings you will need.
    

Tips

• If this seems like a lot of effort try a meal planning service. The one cited below is only one of many. Look for one that meets your needs and eating style. Most services cost less than $1.25 per week.
  
• Shopping: stick to the list and avoid grabbing those impulse buys. Only shop after you have eaten and are satisfied. Planning for two weeks and shopping every two weeks will save on gas.
  
• Cooking: all your ingredients are at home so no more running to the store for last minute items. Choose recipes with short prep times and require minimal attention during cooking.
  
• Use your weekly grocery store ads & national coupons to identify sale items and plan your meals around what is on sale.
  
• Use fresh food and minimize the use of prepackaged or processed food to maximize your grocery dollar and minimize intake of salt and simple sugars.
  
• Only buy in bulk when you know you will use it all before it expires or if you can put it away in storage (freeze, dry, etc) so it won't expire or go to waste.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Plan Dinner Menus for the Family
  
• How to Enjoy a Home Cooked Meal
  
• How to Keep Healthy on a College Budget
  
• How to Cure Sugar Cravings
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.SwiftDelicious.com
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Meal Plan. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Prepare a Grocery List on Your Laptop Computer

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Placing a grocery list on your PC will allow you to track your costs and keep a running balance. This procedure will work for a spreadsheet created in Excel™.

Steps

1. This will not teach you how to use a spreadsheet program. Only how to set up a dynamic grocery list.
   
2. Create your headings.
   
   • Cell A1 should be titled "Item".
     
   • Cell B1 should be titled "Price".
     
   • Cell C1 should be titled "Quantity".
     
   • Cell D1 should be titled "Total/Item".
     
   • Cell E1 should be titled "Grand Total".
     
   
   
3. Format columns B, D, and E for two decimal places in currency.
   
   • In cell D2, enter the formula " =B2*C2 "
     
   • In cell E2, enter the formula = D2
     
   • In cell E3, enter the formula = E2 + D3
     
   • In cell D2, grab the bottom right hand corner. You should see the icon change to a cross. Without releasing, pull down about 100 spaces. If you move to the right, just move back over to the "D" column. This will put the formula in all of the places you made dark.
     
   
   
4. In cell E3, NOT E2, follow the same procedure, bringing the formula down as far as you did in column "D". As you have not entered any numbers in yet, columns D and E should have numerous zeros listed.
   
5. Save this spreadsheet as "Grocery_Master".
   
6. Open anytime you need it, but give each new list a unique name to protect your original template.
   

Warnings

• Always test new programs, spreadsheet or otherwise, to ensure they work properly.
  
• This program does not compute sales tax. Sales tax is determined differently depending on where you live.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Go Grocery Shopping
  
• How to Memorize a Grocery List
  
• How to Create a Master Grocery List
  
• How to Grocery Shop and Cook Frugally
  
• How to Shop
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prepare a Grocery List on Your Laptop Computer. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Create a Master Grocery List

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Why have a master grocery list? Well, working from a master list does a few things for you. First, it keeps you from having to write the same 20 items over and over. Second, it allows you to go through the house (or have a child do it) and inventory what you do and don’t have - checking it off, rather than trying to remember what’s missing. And third, and perhaps most important, it keeps you from buying “off list.” Once you see how much you really buy in a month - buying more is almost impossible to do!

Steps

1. Create categories for the things you buy, like "Pantry" and "Produce"- and then create subcategories, perhaps breakfast foods; canned goods; snack foods or baking supplies.
   
2. Write down every item, in it's appropriate category, that you purchase at the grocery store. Include sponges, shampoos, and doggie treats, even if you don't necessarily buy these items at the grocery store. Check every room in the house to make sure you have not forgotten to write down all the needed items.
   
3. Type these items in a Word document on your computer (use the tables feature) or in a spreadsheet. If you have a student in the house, make them practice their typing skills.
   
4. Leave space at the bottom of each category for write in items - this is particularly handy around the holidays.
   
5. Print out and use the list when looking at the weekly circular in your paper. Highlight or circle items you need and cross them out as you buy. If you keep the receipt after your trip, you should also be able to start a very up-to-date price book, which will help you start saving money on your shopping too.
   

Tips

• Try and keep the list to one page by using columns. If it's more than two pages, it seems overwhelming...and is kind of a pain to carry around.
  
• If you use coupons, clip them to the list, so that you are more likely to use them.
  
• A good example of a master grocery list is available at http://www.organicallyinclined.org
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Go Grocery Shopping With Fifty Dollars in the Bank
  
• How to Make a Shopping List
  
• How to Use the Shopping Buddy at Stop & Shop
  
• How to Budget Your Money
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Create a Master Grocery List. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make a Cheese Crisp

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have you ever wondered how to make a healthy lunch in a short amount of time? A cheese crisp is the perfect way to make a quick healthy meal, without much time or effort.

Steps

1. Gather your ingredients. You will need a flour tortilla, refried beans, cheddar/Monterrey Jack cheese, and a grater.
   
2. Preheat the oven. You will just need to put it on broil 2.
   
3. Place tinfoil over a cookie tray. Make sure most of it is covered, and if it hangs out the edges, tuck the foil over the bottom.
   
4. Grate your choice of cheese, about one cup, into a bowl. All types of cheese work. You can also mix different types of cheese.
   
5. Place the flour tortilla onto the cookie tray.
   
6. Open the can of refried beans, and with a spoon, spread enough beans to cover the whole tortilla. It should be about one centimeter thick.
   
7. Spread the cheese over the tortilla.
   
8. Place into the oven for about 5 minutes. Check the cheese crisp often to make sure it does not burn.
   
9. Take the cheese crisp out of the oven and let sit for one minute.
   
10. Place onto a plate and eat!
    
11. (Optional) You can also add sour cream or salsa to the top of the cheese crisp once out of the oven.
    

Warnings

• Not all ovens are the same! 5 minutes may be too much/too little time. In this case you will have to check the cheese crisp every minute and when all the cheese is melted, take out.
  
• When you take the cheese crisp out of the oven, be sure to use a pot holder!
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Cheese and Jelly Sandwich
  
• How to Cook Cheese on Toast
  
• How to Make a Cheese Toasty Sandwich
  
• How to Make a Delicious Ham and Cheese Sandwich
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Cheese Crisp. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Buttery Mashed Potatoes

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Enjoy this creamy mashed potato dish for Thanksgiving or any occasion. Here is a recipe for buttery mashed potatoes.
Serves 2 people.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds 4 ounces (1 kg) of starchy potatoes
  
• 7 ounces (200 grams) of cubed butter
  
• 9 ounces (250 ml) of milk
  
• salt
  

Steps

1. Put the potatoes, unpeeled, into the large pan and pour water in the pan so that it covers the potatoes.
   
2. Season the potatoes with salt and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
   
3. Drain the water from the potatoes, either using a strainer or holding back the potatoes with a spoon.
   
4. Peel all of the potatoes and place the peeled potatoes in a bowl.
   
5. Dry out the pan that you used to boil the potatoes with. Put a sieve over the pan and mash the potatoes through the sieve.
   
6. Heat the milk over medium heat in a separate pan until it's warm throughout the pan.
   
7. Heat and dry the mashed potatoes, also on medium heat.
   
8. Add and fold in the butter in small amounts. Stir thoroughly until the butter is completely mixed in.
   
9. Stir in a third of the heated milk. After well mixed in, stir in another third in. The more milk you pour in, the creamier the mixture is going to be; so the rest depends on your taste.
   
10. Season the mixture with salt and stir. Remove from the heat and serve.
    

Video

Tips

• Use truffle or olive oil as a garnish topping. Nutmeg is also a good garnish.
  
• Starchier potatoes are better for this recipe.
  

Things You'll Need

• Paper towel
  
• Whisk
  
• Small knife
  
• Sieve
  
• Bowl
  
• Saucepan
  
• Rubber spatula
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Potato Salad
  
• How to Bake a Potato in the Microwave
  
• How to Make Savoury Mashed Potatoes
  
• How to Make Canapés of Stuffed New Potatoes
  

Sources and Citations

• VideoJug - Original source of information, shared with permission
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Buttery Mashed Potatoes. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Bagels

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Bagels are among some of the most versitile foods, beaten only by bread. (Poor bagels-- getting beaten by that mean ole bread) There are so many things you can do with a bagel, from making a pizza to a nice breakfast. Making bagels, though, is more than easy, it's fun!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons, instant yeast
  
• 3 teaspoons, dark brown sugar
  
• 1 ½ cups, room temperature water
  
• 1 Tablespoon, salt
  
• 4 cups, bread flour
  
• 2 teaspoons, baking soda
  
• About ½ cup cornmeal & flour for dusting
  

Steps

1. Mix the yeast in a large bowl with the brown sugar and the warm water. Stir in the salt and flour, ensuring all the flour is well hydrated. Knead the dough 5-7 minutes, until it is smooth. Cover the bowl and set aside for 2 hours.
   
2. Lightly dust a cutting board with flour. Turn out the dough onto a floured board. With a dough knife, cut a 4oz portion and mold into a ball. Allow the dough balls to rest 5 minutes. Pierce the ball with your finger and rotate the dough around until the hole is of desired size. Set the bagel on a cornmeal-flour dusted sheet tray and repeat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 450 F or 232 C. Dust another baking sheet with a mixture of cornmeal and flour.
   
4. Fill a large, wide pot two-thirds full of water, and bring to a boil with the baking soda. Drop the bagels in batches into the water; they must not touch. Boil on one side for 2 minutes. Turn the bagels and boil on the second side for 1½ minutes. They should firm and puff up. Carefully remove from the water and drain for 1 minute on a rack.
   
5. Place the bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Immediately place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the sheet tray 90 and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the bagels are tan to medium brown. The finished bagel should reach 185 on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the baking sheets and cool for 30 minutes before attempting to cut.
   

Tips

• Add a whisked egg and some warm honey to the mixture for a sweet, crispy bagel. Note that this will make the bagel be hotter than normal, so once removed from the oven, refrigerate in a paper bag immediately.
  
• For a more savoury bagel, add pumpernickel and a dash of pepper
  
• The quick dip in the water ensures the authentic taste of a true bagel; the interior is tender and flavorful.
  

Warnings

• Cooling is a necesary part of making bagels. Cool for, at very least, 30 minutes. If possible, refrigerate in a tightly closed and sealed paper bag.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Beer Bread
  
• How to Make Bannock
  
• How to Make Garlic Bread
  
• How to Make Irish Soda Bread
  
• How to Make Lefse from Instant Potatoes
  
• How to Make Heavenly Rolls
  
• How to Make Rice Cooker Bread
  
• How to Knead Dough
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Bagels. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make a Super Healthy Breakfast Burrito

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy body shape/weight, or just want something tasty for breakfast, read on!

Ingredients

• Olive oil, margarine or flaxseed margarine
  
• 2-3 eggs
  
• Veggies (broccoli, onion, green pepper, red pepper etc.)
  
• Tortillas
  
• Salsa
  
• Salt and pepper
  

Steps

1. Crack 2-3 eggs (for one person) into a bowl or large cup.
   
2. Whisk with fork or spoon until the yolk and the whites are all mixed together.
   
3. Leave it aside. Get out a medium pan and grease it with a healthy oil; use extra virgin olive oil if you can, or margarine (flaxseed margarine is great).
   
4. Leave the pan aside with the eggs. Now start chopping up the veggies you prefer into bite sized pieces.
   
5. Put the pan on the stove top and turn to medium-low heat to start. Add the veggies after about 2-3 minutes.
   
6. Cook the veggies until a bit less then golden-brown. Or until the smell of the yummy looking veggies hits your face.
   
7. Add the eggs and do a chopping/mixing motion to make them scrambled eggs.
   
8. Take off burner when golden looking. Let them cool a bit. You still want them warm and not ice cold.
   
9. Take out two tortillas and place them on a plate. Add a small line of the eggs down the middle, depending on the size of the tortilla.
   
10. Add salt and pepper. This is optional.
    
11. Add salsa. This is optional.
    
12. Roll it up. Spin the plate/tortilla so that the line of salsa and egg are facing you vertically.
    
13. Take the bottom of the tortilla and bring it up 1/5 of the tortilla.
    
14. While one finger on your left hand is holding that down, start to roll it form the right to the left. The bent end will keep the filling from falling out the back when you pick it up to eat it.
    
15. Do the same with the other tortilla.
    
16. Stick a tooth-pick in each one.
    
17. Chow down on your healthy breakfast.
    

Tips

• Use only egg whites for a healthier choice.
  
• Use whole wheat tortillas for a healthier choice.
  
• Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthier oils to use.
  

Warnings

• Be careful around the stove burner, as it will be hot.
  

Things You'll Need

• Access to a stove
  
• Pan
  
• Bowl and plate
  
• Tooth-picks
  
• Knife
  
• Cutting board
  
• Spatula
  

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