Not fancy. Not expensive. Just… surprisingly good. Because great food doesn’t come from spending more. It comes from knowing how to use what you have —how flavours build, how simple ingredients come together, how small tweaks make a difference. That’s something I think about a lot in my Skool too —how to notice those moments and actually put them into words. 👉 I'm sincerely curious: what’s your go-to thrifty meal that never disappoints? Would love to hear.

Let me introduce myself. I’m Lynda, a new member, and also a grandma who loves to cook. I received my training at the apron strings of my mother, aunts, and grandmother, who were all great cooks from Texas, USA. Family time meant the ladies of the family spent many hours preparing their favorite dishes. None of them were elegant chefs, but they were all dedicated to putting their best food on the table. Simple, satisfying, smell-good, taste-good food topped the menu. And since money was never something any of them had in abundance, their ability to improvise, adapt, and create original recipes flourished. One thing you’ll notice about my cooking is that grandma-style leaves lots of room for self-expression. Why? Because I don’t precisely measure much — I taste for accuracy. A pinch, a dash, a palmful, and a smidgeon are all very exact directions when you learn to appreciate them. Down-home potato soup with meatballs: You can start this dish with any basic recipe for potato soup. I always start with a stick of butter, diced onions, and chopped celery, which I simmer in my favorite soup pot. I’ll season with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and a couple of spoons of chicken base. I add the diced potatoes, frozen meatballs, and a handful of chopped spinach. Then I fill my pot with liquid — 1 part water to 2 parts milk. Be sure to add additional seasonings of your choice if you desire. Cook on a medium/low heat until potatoes are tender. Just before serving, I’ll add a couple of tablespoons of sour cream to the mix. All that’s left is to dish it up into bowls and top with your favorite croutons. This soup is most appreciated on cold days when the inside of a person is in need of some additional warmth or when the soul is in need of something cozy. Enjoy!

Laura makes great potato soup. She wrote an article about it. https://harvestlanecottage.blogspot.com/2017/02/filling-tummies-in-hard-times-simple.html?m=1

Have you ever looked at your pantry and say…I don’t want to go to the store…..What can I make with what I have. There are many websites (I bet you known this) that when you put in what you have then provide you with a couple meal ideas to choose from. It comes in handy when you are doing a no buy week or just want the eat from the pantry and save a little money. I’m new here so this might have already been mentioned but I have used it a couple times and will continue to use it. Happy pantry shopping !

We used : 1 whole cabbage 1 whole onion 1 whole link or 1/2 of a link of kalbasa Garlic, salt and pepper to taste. We let the cabbage cook on high for about 4-5 hours, depending on how soft you want your cabbage. We cooked the kalbasa on the pan on the stove a hour before the cabbage was done just so it didn't over cook. Then added it to the cabbage. Turned out well.