Government & Charity Assistance

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:19:57 GMT

Dear Seaturtle, I have the freezer shelves in the kitchen fridge full to bursting with cheeses. I have to buy vegan of everything that I can't buy Kosher. It happens that the brand of cheddar that I bought (Josephs Farms) IS Kosher, & there is Kosher cream cheese, but it's impossible to find mozzarella, Parmigian, Swiss, Havarti, other cheeses that are not very soft Kosher. So I buy vegan. The vegan comes ready-shredded. The Josephs Farms, we slice one lb thinly, & just leave the other uncut & ungrated. That's for grating at a future date; it is very much easier to grate thawed cheese than new cheese, because it crumbles naturally.

I am very well prepared for the winter, except for Indian spices & dals (seasonings that are made of legumes), & except for fresh produce to replace that already in teh Great Room chest freezer.

Thank you for your good wishes about the surgery! Yours in Him, L'hitarot (until we "meet" again), Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

seaturtle — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:47:59 GMT

Greetings, Deb,

What a price on cheese! I was wanting some the other day and found $6 - $8/lb (and up) in the store, so passed it up. You did well. Do you freeze some of it? With your brown rice, you're getting all stocked for winter. By the way, how severe is the winter there? I lived in SF for just a short while, and don't remember a real winter. Compared to Vermont, that is.

We already have snow here.

II got two bags of lentils and two of split peas from food shelf, cooked them together and just added salt and pepper, and it is delicious. I froze a lot of it. And got another two cases of canned beans at the Boxes and Cans Store, 4 pounds of organic oatmeal. All of this for under $10.

Deb, I hope the surgeries go well. I will think of you today. As for the Fritos - I haven't had them for maybe 30 years (my goodness!), but when I last had them, oh boy! Just the thing to take along to the surgery. Enjoy them. I am glad you are giving yourself a bit of comfort with them.

Shalom, Deb.

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:27:42 GMT

Dear All, We went to Foods Co, a discounter, for loss-leaders today. I got 2 lbs of Sharp Cheddar cheese for $7, 2 avocados @ 57cents (I got them green so that they will be ripe when I pick up 50 cents red lettuce when I have time in a few days (a loss leader elsewhere.), 8 small kiwis @ 25cents, & Fritos (9.75 oz) @ $1.78.

I would NEVER buy the Fritos, which I pig out on whenever I'm stupid enough to buy them, except that I have 2 laser eye surgeries that should cure my glaucoma -- 1 tomorrow the 30th & the other on 11/6 -- & I want to bring some comfort food with me.

I spent $11.92, & have $28.31 left to go into Nov (on Nov 1st).

Yours in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:29:59 GMT

Dear Tracy LateNightLeader, Please remember to buy enough eggs to be able to freeze a few dozen. (I freeze 3 at a time in a container.) Please remember the coconut. Please remember to be sure to have enough baking supplies on hand to be able to have a normal Christmas season! Love in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

latenightleader — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:57:29 GMT

Bought a gallon of milk, bagels, cream cheese, a few things for dh, who goes out tomorrow, my EBT is going down pretty fast, and next month is reduced further. I will be trying to buy mostly just milk, eggs, cheese, fruit, and bread for the next few weeks. I feel my pantry is stocked with a better variety of food for when my stamps are reduced.

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:36:46 GMT

Dear All, Whole Foods didn't carry curry leaves, so I went to New India Bazaar. I was DELIGHTED that they take Food Stamps, as I can buy all my legumes there from now on. I bought a bag of curry leaves ($2) & a 1 lb container of tamarind paste (no extra ingredients, so it's Kosher -- it's just the tamarind with the inedible portions cut away, & the tamarind then mashed) for $4.20. (The expiration date is 18 months from now, but the last time that I was in an Indian cookery mode, it lasted in the fridge easily for 3 years.)

I had $46.43 on my EBT before; I have $40.23 left over in Food Stamps now until the 1st. Yours in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:18:34 GMT

Dear Tracy, I am always gratified when I can be of help ...! Love in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

latenightleader — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:38:31 GMT

Deb, I'll have to put that on my list!

Today two gallons milk, 4 pizzas-BOGO, and 2 dozen eggs at 99 cents on sale. Spent $19, saved $14.

I have $112 left until 11/13.

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:08:25 GMT

Dear Tracy LateNightLeader, I'm sure that you have food color in the house. Why not get some coconut that you can decorate your Christmas cookies with? Just in case you don't get Food Stamps next month, it would be such a shame if the Grinch stole your Christmas. Coconut works out cheaper than sprinkles, I believe, & has some nutritional value, too .... Love in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

latenightleader — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:39:42 GMT

Picked up milk, eggs, bread, crackers, fruit, butter and margerine, 2 of each, and powdered sugar today, also got a little 2 oz bottle of real vanilla that I am going to hide for Christmas baking!

Spent $42, have $131 left until 11/13.

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:54:24 GMT

Dear Tracy, Yes, I have lots of cashews -- vegan as well as Indian recipes very often highlight them.

I guess that eacch of us has a list of must-have's -- I ALWAYS use real vanilla; it doesn't seem extravagent to me. On the other hand, there was what I mentionend in my last post.

ALSO, it is very hard to find Kosher things that mix ingredients. Maybe I can find one kind of say ketchup that is Kosher in the store, but I have to hunt. I haven't searched head to toe, but I have yet to find Thai or Indian mixes that are Kosher.

Just like you, I spread out my buying of high-ticket items.

Love in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

latenightleader — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:57:56 GMT

Deb- I have found both the garlic and ginger paste last forever in the fridge, and you don't use much. I always have a list of a few things I want to buy that I try to make room for sooner or later, Italian seasonings was on that list this summer. I have it now, used it when canning some spaghetti sauce, and saved money by having it. Currently on my list is real vanilla for holiday baking, I have two bottles of imitation. Not the same.

However, it is a putsy and long recipe, although the end result is very good. Do you have a bag of unsalted cashews, we have one in our freezer, from the Indian section of the grocery store? It is much cheaper than in the nut section, and goes well in most Indian recipes for a gravy and veggies.

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:47:54 GMT

Dear All, The Walgreens that I went to today, catty-corner to my personal physician's office, keyed in my EBT Food Stamps numbers, so I was able to buy my 3 cans of salmon @ $1.59. A great buy, & I'm grateful to have FOUR Walgreens within walking distance, so that when one can't help me (out-of-stock or whatever), I can always go to another. Your s in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:18:51 GMT

Dear Tracy, Thanks so much for havign takent the time to give me the recipe! Sounds scrumptioius, but I'm on a diet & it's too rich for me to actually eat it -- but THINKING about it is Heavenly! Love in Him, Deb PS I think I just told a white lie -- so I'm editing this. I could buy non-fat cream; I think that they sell that; & I could use margarine instead of butter. So I COULD reduce the calories in the recipe, at least if I baked the koftas instead of deep-frying them. But you have several ingredients like ginger paste that are in my firm list of things-too-expensive-to-buy; things that if I REALLY wanted them, I can figure out how to make (& maybe my SUBSTITUTIONS book would help). It is just that it is too much of a hassle to both reduce the calories so much AND get around the expensive ingredients. I hope that you don't take offense at this, after you went to all the trouble of postin g the recipe. I hope that you can forgive me. PPS, For ginger psate, I could always mash in a tad of canola oil a thumbnail size of the fresh ginger root that I keep in the freezer, as an example. Love in Him, Deb

Re: October Food Stamps

latenightleader — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:34:40 GMT

Here's a recipe- you could also use corinder chutney from a jar, instead of coriander, for a little milder taste.

Malai Kofta Curry
For the Koftas:
1 pound boiled, mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup grated cheese Note : Do not use Mozzarella
Salt and pepper to season
Oil to fry

Put the mashed potatoes through a sieve. Add the grated cheese. Add the cornstarch and salt and pepper for taste. Mix and knead it well. Make one-inch balls and deep fry in oil. Keep aside.

2    tablespoons butter
2     bay leaves
1/3 cup     onions finely chopped
2 teaspoon    ginger paste
1 teaspoon    garlic paste
1/2-cup    tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon    garam masala
1/2 teaspoon    turmeric
1/4 teaspoon     coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon     Pepper
1/4 cup     powdered cashews
1 teaspoon    cornstarch
1/4 cup    heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup    yogurt

Heat the butter. Add the bay leaves. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes till golden brown.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry till light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté till the oil starts to separate.

Now add the garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder and mix well. Now add the yogurt, cashew powder, salt, and pepper.

Add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and stir continuously till it is all mixed in. Cook till the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and add the heavy whipping cream.
Add the koftas into the curry.