Michelle wrote in comments:



"One of my favorite tips that I picked up through reading message boards and blogs is along the lines of "waste NOTHING"!



When trimming your veggies for dinner prep, don't throw out things like the thin, tough, but moist outer ring of the onion and the moist trimmings from the top and bottom of the onion (don't save the dry peels!), ends of garlic cloves, root and tip ends of carrots, celery, zucchini, etc. Throw those trimmings into a ziploc bag in the freezer and keep saving them until your bag is full. Then dump them into a small stockpot, cover with water and stew down into your own veggie broth, a great base for homemade soup. Pour everything through a fine strainer to remove all veggie stuff from your broth.



If you've kept all of these veggie trimmings completely separate from meat and meat juices, you can then throw the strained stewed/spent veggie trimmings from your veggie broth into the compost heap outside and feed the soil.



The original poster of this idea said that she learned this from a chef who worked in a five-star restaurant. Restaurants NEVER waste food! So, feel great about serving your homemade waste-not soup right in your own five-star kitchen at home!


Blessings, Michelle"



What thrifty kitchen tips/frugal recipes would like to share?