Frugal Cooking

Here’s another example of using “formula cooking”. Tonight I was really in the mood for something *LIKE* potato salad. I didn’t have any potatoes but I wasn’t going to let a trivial problem like that stand in my way. I used the formula for potato salad and came up with a very tasty quinoa and vegetable salad that was exactly what I was craving.

In this post, I proclaim that I am the creator of the phrase “formula cooking”. I’ve googled around and can find no other references to this that aren’t about something completely different. After this phrase catches on and gets it’s own Wikipedia page, you can say that you read it here first! Even if I actually am the first to use the phrase, I’m far from the creator of formula cooking and to some extent every professional and home cook does this every day. I wanted to explain my thoughts around formula cooking because it’s a fun way to cook and super frugal, of course.

Before you call PETA, let me explain… I’m not advocating the hunting of hedgehogs or even collecting roadkill to eat. The hedgehogs I’m referring to are fudge-like bars filled with dried fruit, nuts and cookie bits. I’ve never heard of hedgehogs until recently but these sound a lot like bars I’ve seen in candy shops called “bark”. From the web sites that talk about hedgehogs, I’ve gathered that it’s some kind of British and/or Australian comfort dessert. Do we even have real hedgehogs in the US?

I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I started this blog to keep track of recipes that I come up with that I want to be able to make again. This curry recipe is one of those. It’s an Indian-style curry with lots of inflammation-reducing (hence, “incredible shrinking”) ingredients like turmeric, ginger and garlic. These ingredients are known to help reduce pain in those suffering from arthritis and fibromyalgia. It’s also super low in carbs and really satisfying.

I just read a great article in the South Bend Tribune (online) about how the comfort food of our parents and grandparents is coming back in style. It’s no surprise considering that dishes like tuna casserole and meatloaf were developed to weather bad economic times. Sound familiar?

I’m obsessed with classic dishes. I’m not talking about handmade plates. The classic dishes I’m talking about are those regional recipes that are so ubiquitous in their area that life just couldn’t be the same without. One of the best examples in the US is chili. Even if you aren’t a big chili fan, you still have to admit that chili has become an integral part of American culture. So when I find a classic dish that I’ve never had before, I get excited- and obsessed with trying to recreate it. That’s what happened when I had the Northern Thai dish Khao Soi.