Recipe for the simplest, most delicious, easy warm soup

This wonderful soup has few ingredients, costs little, is easy to make and feeds a family of four twice.

YOU WILL NEED
1.5 to 2 lbs very inexpensive beef cut for soups (can be any cut, with or without bone, as long as it is fresh and cheap)
1 large can of peeled tomatoes
2 leeks
1 bay leaf
thyme
a few peppercorns
a little salt
several quarts of water
and 3 hours of simmering time
fresh celery if you can get it

ALL YOU DO IS
fill a large pot half to three quarters full with water
throw in the meat, canned tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns (stab the tomatoes a few times so they break up)
simmer for 2 hours
THEN
wash and trim the leeks (make sure there is NO sand) and throw them in
wash and dice three or four stalks of celery, leaving on some leaves and throw them in.
simmer for another hour.
salt to taste and serve.

Enjoy.

How to Eat Well on a Tiny Budget ! The Seven and a Half Commandments

What can you buy with ten dollars?

A couple of Happy Meals ! Seven cigarettes each for a family of four! A two mile drive in a Hummer. Or, my personal favorite, one hundred millionth of the 2007 bonus of an AIG executive who drove his company to bankruptcy.

Ten dollars? But how? If only there were some easy commandments to follow...




The Seven and a Half Commandments

One: Thou shalt ignore food fads, food advertising, new food medical findings, and any hint of food political correctness like the spawn of hell !

Two: Thou shalt invest a few bucks to stock your kitchen with basic spices and one amazing device that will change your life forever: the French soup blender (otherwise known as the propeller on a stick).

Three: Thou shalt drink tap water. (unless it's really unsafe in your area)

Four: Thou shalt not keep up with the Joneses or otherwise compete, show off with, or define who you are with food.

Five: Thou shalt honor thy vegetables; including the ones you always hated until now on account of they were overcooked to disgusting, evil smelling mush in your childhood.

Six: Thou shalt not waste. (Seriously. You'll save a lot of money.)

Seven: Thou shalt learn to plan ahead. (ditto!)

Seven and a... Oh, heck, just buy what's fresh and cheap!

Hard Times Cooking: Thou shalt not keep up with the Joneses !

Keeping up with the Joneses

As unbelievable as it may seem, people still do that.

"Oh, I just experienced the most incredible thingamabog at Mrs. Joneses. She served pureed broccoli and feta in a little glass with a special spoon and napkin, then took that away and served a parfait of shrimp, eggplant and yogurt with cilantro in a different little glass with a different little spoon. It was amazing!" And so on.

People get a grip! 
If Mrs. Jones is hell-bent on lavishing such attention on her guest (and dishwasher) the thing to do is to get invited to Mrs. Jones, not to imitate her!

With the invention of labor-saving devices came, not paradise, but the creation of labor intensive fashions. A one-upsmanship contest of epic silliness.

So admire the Joneses. Pity the Joneses. Love the Jones. Envy (if you must) the Joneses.

But for heaven's sake, do yourself a favor and don't compete with the Joneses!

When you invite them to dinner, as you should and must, serve them a hearty family mean. With flowers and candles and pretty napkins. Perhaps a good bottle of wine. 
But be yourself. And enjoy!

Save money and eat better

Waste not, want not.
That's good advice!

Open your fridge. Does it look like the closet where you hide the body?
Too many "economy" megajars and unidentifiables growing green fuzz? Is there anything in there that you meant to eat but never got around to and now looks like it might eat you?

This, my friend, is not only gross but expensive !

Wasted food is literally money down the garbage disposal. A study at the University of Arizona concluded that we throw out 600 dollars worth of food each year. The rotting hamburger, the shriveled vegetables, the forgotten easy-reheat dinner. The left-left-left overs. But mostly, veggies. (We mean well but then "forget" to eat them.)

Now ask yourself three questions:

1. What in the world is this stuff?
2. Why is there so much of it?
3. How much does the bad stuff cost?

If you're like most Americans you are throwing out a goodly portion of the food you buy. That's money, folk!

The answer is not to say: well, that's the problem with fresh food! From now on only canned or frozen for me! No!

The answer is to buy less! And only what you need.

for more see:

10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping