I'm scrappy

Vegetable broth. A staple in most Meatless Monday meals - and pretty darn expensive for what you're getting. Seriously. Why on earth have I been paying $3.50 for this stuff when it's so easy to make myself - FOR NOTHING?!?

Since starting my budgeting kick - you know, since I'm so broke - I just hate wasting food and throwing away things I can use again later. (Remember saving the cranberry water for crandied orange peel?) So, when a friend mentioned making her own vegetable broth all I could think was "Why aren't I doing that?"

I've been collecting the scraps from my cooking endeavors - you know, the leaves off the outside of the lettuce head, the butts of the onions, spinach stems, the veins from my peppers - and yesterday I put em all in a big pot, added water and garlic and set it to simmer for an hour. Then, I strained it and put it in jars.

Now I have 48 ounces of vegetable broth - that didn't cost a dime!!! How's that for being scrappy with the budget?

I didn't need any vegetable broth for the Roasted Cauliflower and Penne I made for dinner tonight, but I'm ready for the next batch of vegetable soup or veggie chili. Bring it on, Monday, my pocketbook and I are ready for you.