Ahoy mateys.
I’ve been itching to do a “Food Week” series on my blog and what better week than now? This week will be made up of random, food-related posts that might interest you in some way or another. I’d also like to open up the floor today for food questions or topics that you would like discussed.
Today we’re discussing a few ways you can be fancy-schmancy without going broke in the process.
#1 — Use Green Onions, over and over.
I find it hilarious how much I used to hate using Green Onions, which are also know as Scallions, and how much I love them now. Their flavor adds a freshness, crunch, and a nice brightness in color to most anything. But here’s the cool thing:
You can chop your Green Onions all the way down to the white bulbs and use everything, or you can leave a little bit there and they will re-grow in a few days.
Chopped:
4 days later:
Isn’t that cool? Now Green Onions aren’t really expensive, but over time they can be. Especially if you’re trying to store them in the fridge or on the countertop where they’ll wither within a few days.
All you’ve got to do is pop those Green Onions into a container of water and they’ll keep growing…quickly! Not all the shoots will regrow, but most will.
The roots will keep growing too, so make sure that you trim them every few days or they’ll become a tangled mess.
#2 — High-Quality Vinegars made at home.
Do you like using high-quality vinegar for salad dressings and such?
I know I do, but these things can be really expensive! The funny thing is, they couldn’t be easier to make at home. You just need some patience.
All you need to make your own amazing vinegar at home is…wine. You know how you end up with that extra little bit of wine at the end of a dinner or party and it ends up going to waste most times? Just use that and dump it into a mason jar.
If you pour some leftover wine (and sure you can just use new wine if you don’t have leftover) into a mason jar, leave the lid a little bit loose so that air and gasses can exchange. Put it into your spice cabinet for a couple of months and voila! You’ve got vinegar. You’ll know when it smells like vinegar. Just give it a swirl around every couple of weeks to mix things up.
And here’s the really cool thing; once you’ve created this vinegar at home, just add more wine to it BEFORE the vinegar is all gone and you’ll have more vinegar in about a week.
This is due to a “Mother of Vinegar” being created and thus blah, blah, blah…
It works! It’s also cool to say you’ve made your own vinegar.
#3 — Gourmet Vanilla Sugar
Have you seen that stuff in the store?
It’s ridiculously pricey. But it doesn’t have to be. All you need is a good quality sugar:
And a Vanilla Bean…I get mine from www.thespicehouse.com for about $2 a piece. This is for some of the highest quality beans on the planet! Super strong.
All you’ve got to do is add one or two of those Vanilla Beans to a container of the sugar (it will really start to taste Vanilla-y after a couple of weeks) and you’ll have an epicurean treat on the cheap. The essence of Vanilla will permeate all of the sugar eventually. This Vanilla Sugar is great for a dessert garnish, coffee, or anything else you want a little nicer touch added to something.
That’s it for today, but stay tuned this week for more food-related posts of all kinds. Remember, if you want to see something particular discussed here…I’ll try my best to tackle it. If I don’t know anything about what you’re asking, I’ll just make something up!
56 Comments
What great ideas!! Thanks so much for sharing, Pastor Ryan!
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I don’t think I have *ever* had left over wine that goes to waste.
Is there really such a thing in existance?
I’m definately going to try the vanilla sugar thing though.
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Great ideas! But the misspelling of the word “gourmet” made my OCD flare up. Sorry to point it out, love ya Ryan!
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Wonderful tips! Haven’t I read that you can make homemade vanilla extract by putting the beans in vodka for about 6 weeks? I’m going to have to try some of these tricks.
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These are my favorite types of posts. I love learning new things about cooking/foods.
Thx!!
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Awesome! I just threw away a bunch of green onions that were mutating into something else in the bottom of my produce drawer. This was the third such bunch to be thrown away in the course of a couple of months. As I tossed them into our compost bin, I thought to myself, “How can I make these last longer? I get to use them once and by the next time I can use them, they’re slimy and disgusting!” Ryan, you have answered my question… this rocks! Plus I love watching things grow and feeling all self-sustained. You’re the man!
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Thank you for the tips - I will definitely be trying them out! Especially the green onions - we go through a lot of them!
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Okay those first two? Mind. Blown.
Awesome!! Thank You!
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love the green onion tip, thanks!
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Love these tips! You could also add to the list vanilla extract. Just add some vanilla beans to a bottle of rum… In a month or so, you’ll have some really great extract
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uh-huh! shuddup!!! green onions will really do that?! i’m excited now!
::now to go back and finish reading your post::
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I’m going to add my “thanks” to the green onion idea. Brilliant! I don’t know why I have thought of “replanting” a pineapple before but never green onions. Thank you!
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Awesome tip about the onions!
Thanks for sharing!
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Neat tips.
I’d love to know more about your pasta making/bread baking process. I saw a little of it over at PW but more in depth would be great.
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That green onion thing is totally rad. Now I want to use some just so I can GROW some.
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oh speaking of bread, can you freeze the dough at some point? after first rising? 2nd rising? never? help!
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Thanks! great tips
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Love the onion trick! I learned that one this past summer except I would plant the white parts in my garden. Within 2 weeks they were fully mature! They did WAY better than the green onion seeds I planted.
My latest gourmet on the cheap trick: Rhode’s Bread Dough. You buy it in the frozen food section. It costs about $3 for 3 frozen loaves which is much cheaper than buying sliced/pre-baked bread. Plus it tastes SO much better and makes your house smell like you put a lot of work into it!
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I love these tips!! I am for sure going to try the onion trick and the vanilla sugar. I love posts like these.
My question is: if you were to prepare a course meal (think 7 or 10 courses) on a budget, what would you serve for each course?
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This is really cool. I love learning neat tricks and tips like this. Thanks!
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As a “home cook enthusiast,” I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post, esp. since I like the nicer, gourmet-y foods but lost my job earlier this year. Thanks so much for the tips!
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^PS, to take on Alicia’s question above, my husband and I would like to have a small (think 20-24 people) holiday party (appetizers, punch) but are concerned since finances are tight. What are some frugal/budget friendly options for a holiday gathering?
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I did not know about the onions or the vinegar! Thank you!
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Awesome ideas! Thanks! Now if I can only remember them when I need to…
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For the vanilla extract is it vodka or rum? I think I read about that years ago in a MS magazine but I’d forgotten all about it. Now that I know where to get vanilla beans. . .thanks for this post!!
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The Pioneer Woman blogged about a pork tenderloin involving Rice Kripies and brown sugar when you visited the ranch…would love it if you could share that recipe. Thanks!
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The green onion tip is brilliant.
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Wow I had no idea you could do that with Green Onions. I am so going to try this. I bet the kiddos will think it’s cool too.
Thanks for all this great info!
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Wow….thanks! Regrowing green oninons!! Who’d have thunk it???
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Wow, this is SOOO cool! I had no idea about the green onions. I am going to have to try that!
I just started making my own cheese at home (just heat up milk and add vinegar and strain). So easy, but so good!
I also have been trying to do homemade yogurt with VERY limited success… I have a friend who never buys it, just makes it at home and she hardly ever has a failed batch. I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong….. Help me Mr. Wizard! Do you have any advice on the yogurt?
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Tiffany - Vanilla extract is so easy! Just cut a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and put it in vodka *or* rum for about six weeks. I always make mine with potato vodka, so it’s safe for friends who can’t have gluten. When the extract starts to run low, just fill up the bottle/jar again with more alcohol. (I usually use replace the beans after two batches.)
Ryan - Do you have any tips for keeping herbs fresh? (Or freezing methods so they don’t get covered in ice crystals that melt and water down whatever you’re cooking?)
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE tips like this! Thanks !
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Love the topic! Keep it coming! And I’m off to grow more green onions…..
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Love the green onion tip, Ryan! Signed, a botanically challenged fan
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I first would love to say I have been following you for quite a while…I was blog surfing and found you and have loved your recipes and sense of humor…now the idea of the onions is one I am going to start right away…Cool! vanilla sugar….thanks!
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thank you for the fabulous information!!!!
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I’m a big fan of your posts, even if I don’t comment much, but I have to say, for this broke-as-a-joke housewife with champagne tastes, you have made my evening with this post!! Thank you!
I’m looking forward to putting these excellent tips to good use!
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Came by your way via Pioneer woman and have been a lurker every since…
I love these ideas!
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ohmygosh! Your green onion tip rocks my socks!
How about a scone tutorial? I am dying for a base recipe that I can throw whatever herbs or dried fruit or chocolate chips into. I tried two recipes today. The second one was pretty good, but I think I made brick mortar by accident when attempting the first one.
Thanks for the educational posts Ryan!
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I did not know you could do that with the green onions and the vanilla beans and sugar. I love it!
Thanks!
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Thanks… that’s how I found your site… from Pioneer Womans cooking forum. MOre! More cooking posts!
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We make our vanilla using a bottle of Bourbon and vanilla beans. Use it to flavor whipping cream for desserts. Gives it an extra something. DID NOT know about the green onions!! More food topics PLEASE!!!
How about homemade pizza?
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A. I love your ideas - practical and inventive! I never knew about vinegar and green onions. Thanks!
B. Spice House rocks! I adore going in and drooling over their amazing spices, rubs and extracts. Also, their online ordering is a breeze when I’m not in Old Town.
C. Your blog is cool.
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No kidding!! Green onions do that, really?!
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Love these ideas…especially the green onions…who would have thunk you can recycle green onions!?!? Keep the ideas coming!!!
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Awesome post! I have a friend who actually replants her green onions when she brings them home from the store. They spread and continue growing and when they start to get low or she uses them up she buys more and starts again. Great tips! My culinary daughter will love them!
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The green onion tip is the most awesome thing I’ve seen in a LONG time! I always hate buying green onions because I end up throwing half of them away…now I don’t have to…you’re too cool for school! LOL
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Am loving the tips! I just out of desperation learned how to make Creme Fraiche myself as I can never find it in my city. IT’s super easy and inexpensive! http://dishinanddishes.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/when-you-cant-find-creme-fraiche-make-it-yourself/
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Hi! Found your blog through the Pioneer Woman’s blog. I am so intrigued by the info you shared about green onions! That is so cool! I love green onions, but when I buy them they always end up going bad in the fridge. Thank you so much for sharing! Also, I love that you use the line- You know what I mean, Vern?
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Holy wow. I had no idea that green onions would continue to grow. This is going to be my small things make a big difference saving advice for the year. Thanks for the tip…
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Same as KB. I didn’t know about green onions regrowing in water. To think of the number of green onions that wasted away in the fridge
Well, no more! Thanks for the tips!
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I had to come back to this post and let you know that I’ve shown the green onion tip to all of my friends and family and we think it’s the coolest thing ever. They re-grow so fast! Inches in a day! We love it.
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hey - we tried the green onion trick and it works like a charm - they’re just sitting in a jar on the window sill growing away until I need them next time - thanks for the tip!
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Ryan - Just heard about your website and are checking it out for the first time. We enjoyed the pictures and especially the food tips. Didn’t know you were such a GOURMET!! Love !!
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I love this post! What great ideas…thanks for sharing!
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Brilliant!! I love all the ideas, especially the green onions. Just found your website thru Ree the pioneer woman, and your site is amazingly great!
Thanks for sharing.
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