The frugal gourmet

[Sachita]

like many here I grow in season which can be pretty long here in southern virginia. There is no way i could afford to eat what i eat if I had to buy it fresh. But off season or if I'm busy and can't grow as much as I consume I bake a whole chicken once a week. I eat two meals from this and then prepare a noodle soup. Whatever chicken is left I can pretty much get a quart or two of soup so one batch I might make a broth and meat with coconut milk, lemon grass and curry. I'll add hopefully shitaki mushrooms I buy in a can from Ollie's for a buck a can (I buy 20 cans use them all the time) I add roasted red pepper I also buy at ollies unless its season and I'm growing them. I then add some kind of Japanese Somen, rice noodle or the like. I love this soup.

I make another batch with big egg noodles or ziti, chopped celery,basil portabella mushrooms. More of an Italian chunky soup.

Sometimes a Chicken Cacciatore. It's light on chicken but I can get at least 2 meals from a left over chicken.

So I eat the legs and thighs, my favorite, 2 meals and the rest goes towards meals I freeze. Lots of bang for your buck and everything I cook and eat is gourmet. I never skimp on ingredients.