BOOK REVIEW |
 Not Just Beans
50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites
by Tawra Jean Kellam |
| Reviewed by Mira O'Connell |
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| Not Just Beans is a wonderful cookbook and frugal resource. Tawra Kellam has brought together 50 years of recipes from her Grandmother, her Mother and herself. She is a devoted tightwad who offers both basic and advanced recipes that wont break your budget and utilize easy to find ingredients. She has put together humorous antidotes, 540 delicious recipes, 400 money saving & food preparation tips & leftover ideas all in an easy to use format with lively illustrations. Not Just Beans is for everyone from the recent graduate to the veteran miser looking for new menus ideas. |
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| Not Just Beans covers every area of food preparation. |
- Breakfast
- Breads
- Soups & Sandwiches
- Beans & Vegetables
- Pickles, Dressings & Salads
- Pasta, Rice & Side Dishes
- Meats & Main Dishes
- Cakes, Pies & Fillings
- Desserts
- Candies
- Sauces
- Beverages
- Jar Mixes
- Miscellaneous
- Kids
- Substitutions, Herb Guide & Conversions
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| If you have children you know how expensive food marketed for kids can be. Tawra Kellam's cookbook is packed with recipes that can be substituted for that fast food family favorite. She also has a kids section that includes snacks & crafts. |
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| Every recipe my family has tried has been wonderful. Try some of these tasty treats for yourself and test the quality behind the Not Just Beans Cookbook. |
Ice Cream Sandwiches
1 egg
1/2 c shortening
1/4 c softened butter (margarine)
1 t vanilla
1 pkg devils food or yellow cake mix
1 - 1/2 gal of brick ice creamHeat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg, shortening, butter, vanilla and half of the cake mix (dry) until smooth. Stir in the remaining cake mix. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a 10x6 rectangle on a lightly floured board with a floured rolling pin. Cut into rectangles 3x2 1/2 inches each. Place rectangles on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges look set (centers of cookies will be slightly puffed). Prick surfaces of cookies lightly with fork. Cool; remove from baking sheet. Cut ice cream into 3x2 1/2 rectangles about 3/4 inch thick. Place each ice cream rectangle between aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze at least 24 hours. Store up to 1 week. Cookies should be frozen separately if you want to freeze them longer.
Makes 16 sandwiches. |
Catsup
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 T sugar
very small dash of cinnamon
1 T plus 1 t vinegar
Pour tomato sauce into a small saucepan and boil away some of the water until it begins to thicken. Add the
sugar, cinnamon and vinegar. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes longer. Refrigerate. Warning: Go easy on the
cinnamon because it's easy to put in too much. Then every time you eat it you're thinking "cinnamon" instead
of "catsup." |
Potato Flake Starter Bread
Starter
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1 Pkg or 1 T of Yeast
1 c of warm water | 3/4 c sugar
4 T instant potato flakes |
| Bread |
1/3 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c warm water | 1 T salt
1 c starter
6 c flour |
| To Make |
Starter
Mix ingredients in a glass or container. Cover loosely and let stand 24 hours at room temperature. Put in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. On the 4th day, feed the starter with 3/4 c sugar, 3 T potato flakes & 1 c water. Stir and store at keep at room temperature for 24 hours. You will use 1 c of starter to make the bread. Store remaining starter in the refrigerator and feed every 4 days. |
Bread
Stir together all the ingredients except flour in a 4-quart , mixing bowl. Add flour a little at a time to the other ingredients, mixing well. Put dough into a large, greased bowl. Turn dough to grease the top. Cover bowl with Aluminum foil. Let rise at room temperature overnight for at least 8 hours. Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured board and knead. divide into 3 parts and shape into loaves. Put in 3 greased loaf pans. Brush tops with oil. Cover with a paper towel and let rise 4-5 hours longer. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Brush with butter and remove from pan. Cool and keep covered. |
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| Tawra Kellam is someone who could have let life get her down with a debilitating illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, the illnesses of her children and volatile family economics through low wages and lay offs but with quotes like"If you have melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly." You can clearly see that she has made the most of life with levity and grace. Through the tips in her cookbook and self determination her family has paid off $20,000 in debt in 5 years on an average of $22,000 per year. We all can learn a little something about cooking and life from Tawra Kellam. |
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| The book retails for $14.95 and contains 540 Recipes, 400 tips, an Index and conversion, measurement and substitution charts. This cookbook is worth every penny and will pay for itself within just a few recipes. |
| Order Your copy of Not Just Beans 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites and start saving money without compromising taste or nutrition. |
