You don't get better at phoning for pizza

[Gerard]

I've been making my own flour tortillas for a couple of years now, and just decided that the stuff in my fridge was ideal for making pot stickers. So I made my own pot sticker dumpling wrappers, which is easy now that tortilla-making has improved my dough-rollling skills.

That got me thinking about how insourcing is kind of like compound interest. The spread between doing something yourself and getting someone to do it (buying premade, ordering in, phoning an "expert") gets bigger every time you do it. So even things that seem barely worth it at first often grow into something amazing.

Maybe this is obvious to everyone else in the world. But for some reason it's really striking me today.

[rocksinmyhead]

honestly I never even thought about it, but you're right. that's awesome!

[MsPeacock]

We go through a ton of torillas and I keep thinking I need to try making them. Maybe I will give it a go this weekend. I mean, pizza is a piece of cake. I can make pizza dough in about 1 minute w/ my food processor w/o a second thought.

[jmusic]

That's a great thought.  I just looked up a recipe for tortillas, and they have a whopping 4 ingredients:  Flour, salt, lard, and water.  Buying 2 dozen at the store probably costs $2.50 or so, but the ingredients probably cost $.25!  Bonus points for being fresh and warm too... 

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/ns8jt9x5/flour-tortilla.html

Then there's the paleo version, a bit more complicated and expensive...

http://paleoaholic.com/paleo/paleo-tortilla/

[Bracken_Joy]

I've been making my own flour tortillas for a couple of years now, and just decided that the stuff in my fridge was ideal for making pot stickers. So I made my own pot sticker dumpling wrappers, which is easy now that tortilla-making has improved my dough-rollling skills.

That got me thinking about how insourcing is kind of like compound interest. The spread between doing something yourself and getting someone to do it (buying premade, ordering in, phoning an "expert") gets bigger every time you do it. So even things that seem barely worth it at first often grow into something amazing.

Maybe this is obvious to everyone else in the world. But for some reason it's really striking me today.

Oh this is great. This acutally really helps to respond to the, "why wouldn't I just order dinner for $6 vs spending 2 hours cooking? My time is worth more than $3/hr". It's a barrier to entry type situation- the more you do it, the less time and energy it takes, thus making it a better value. Whereas $6 will always be the $6.

...I absolutely have a friend I'm going to keep this reply on deck for. He ALWAYS makes this argument.

[zinnie]

This is so true! Deciding to try pizza crust not only has me doing that now, but bread, tortillas, etc. One snowballed into many other things that I would have never even thought of making myself before.

[Cookie78]

Awesome thought! Too true. :)

I've been making a lot of pizza dough lately. I used to do it ages ago too, but had stopped because it was too delicious and I was gaining weight!

I'm going to have to try the tortillas too!

[netskyblue]

I tried making corn masa tortillas a few weeks ago.  Dis-as-ter.  Kitchen a mess, not one was anything approaching edible.  We had to make a trip to the store, BUY tortillas, and dinner was delayed by a few hours.  I'm not sure I'm up to another try.

[horsepoor]

This is so true.  The more I cook, the better I get at improvising, hence the cheaper it is to cook.  The other day I made an awesome one-pot dish of fried rice with the bits off a leftover roast chicken and bunches of random veg.  Not something I could have figured out how to make ten years ago.  We waste less food now, make tastier meals for cheaper, and now it even seems easy to do stuff that used to seem intimidating, like making my own hot sauce and chile powder (OK, having a high speed blender helps).  Oh, the fried rice had a bunch of Thai pesto in it that I made from my bumper crop of Thai basil this summer, so another thing that kind of compounds and pays dividends over time.

[merula]

The problem with homemade flour tortillas is that they are SO DELICIOUS that you'll eat 2-3 times as many, so the cost calculation works out to more like 1/3 the cost of buying them, and they'll completely ruin you for flavorless packaged flour tortillas forever.

Additionally, going as far as rendering your own lard might sound like a really good idea because butchers will basically give away pork fat, but it's a terrible idea because at the end of the process you have LARD and CRACKLING.

[KMMK]

I wrote about making tortillas on my website recently, including a cost analysis. Check it out from my signature.

[arebelspy]

You don't get better at phoning for pizza

Level 1: Look up phone number every time
Level 2: Save in speed dial
Level 3: Order online, google for site every time
Level 4: Bookmark site, save order under favorites
Level 5: Incorporate online coupon codes

...I'd say you can get better at ordering pizza.  ;)

Cooking though, like many learned skills, does offer lifetime benefits.

[Gerard]

rendering your own lard might sound like a really good idea because butchers will basically give away pork fat, but it's a terrible idea because at the end of the process you have LARD and CRACKLING.

And it's such good lard! I scored ten pounds of fatty pork skin at the Asian supermarket last month. Outcome: 5 yogurt tubs of chicharon and 3 of Mexican-style (i.e., porky-tasting) lard. Total cost: one dollar.

Arebelspy: Do people often refer to you as "smart-ARS"? :-)

[arebelspy]

Arebelspy: Do people often refer to you as "smart-ARS"? :-)

:D

This penguin may need some practice at ordering pizza:

[Beric01]

Arebelspy: Do people often refer to you as "smart-ARS"? :-)

:D

This penguin may need some practice at ordering pizza:

Pretty much describes me in a nutshell. I hate using the phone. I ordered pizza by phone for the fist time a bit over a year ago (after practicing what I would say), and the only reason I managed it is that my current job requires a phone call every day or so. So, yeah, I could definitely get better. :P

[Metta]

I tried making corn masa tortillas a few weeks ago.  Dis-as-ter.  Kitchen a mess, not one was anything approaching edible.  We had to make a trip to the store, BUY tortillas, and dinner was delayed by a few hours.  I'm not sure I'm up to another try.

I used to have terrible luck with tortillas also. But most of the secret seems to be in rolling them thin enough. That said, this is my favorite recipe for tortillas. (I find flour tortillas easier than corn tortillas, btw.)

http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2013/08/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/

[RetiredAt63]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

[Cookie78]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

[Tabaxus]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

[Cookie78]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

This was all pre-mustachian, so I didn't do those calculations and hadn't even considered it until now.
Materials cost me $1300, plus a little extra time getting permit problems straightened out (it's built onto the side of the garage which I needed the permit to build). I couldn't tell you the value of herbs and veggies I get per year, partly because I've never actually bought chilis or habaneros here, but I'll keep track this year. Lot of the other things are started in the greenhouse and moved outside when it's warm enough. Some things are just planted directly in the soil outside. So it might be a tricky calculation

If I had to guess the total value of the produce each year, maybe $300-500? Last year I got a late start since I didn't get home until April so it was lower. The previous year I grew enough peppers that I dehydrated most of them, gave so many away, and still have so many left!

Also, I'd like to think it will add to the value of the house when I sell it.

[MustacheExplorer]

Hot and Ready, five bucks.

:)

[horsepoor]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

I built an 8x11' lean-to greenhouse onto our shop a couple years ago.  It ran about $500.  Hard to say how long it will take to pay for itself with increased garden production, but if I was FIRE it would be a money maker for growing out plants to sell in the spring.  It also doubles as extra garden storage and a fabulous place to sit and soak up some sun on a cold, windy day.

[Cookie78]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

I built an 8x11' lean-to greenhouse onto our shop a couple years ago.  It ran about $500.  Hard to say how long it will take to pay for itself with increased garden production, but if I was FIRE it would be a money maker for growing out plants to sell in the spring.  It also doubles as extra garden storage and a fabulous place to sit and soak up some sun on a cold, windy day.

What type of material did you use for the greenhouse? Glass? Polycarbonate?

[MsPeacock]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

.

The past 6-7 years (since I have been in my current home) I have thrown myself into gardening flowers. There are too many deer and too much shade, and too hilly for a vegetable garden. I never buy cut flowers - I do give loads and loads of bouquets of the most amazing flowers to my friends and neighbors all spring and summer. My neighbor used them for her bridal bouquet! It is so satisfying. If you plan your garden right you can have flowers blooming all season. Soon my Helleborus will start blooming (late Feb early March, generally) and the crocus will be up and the flowers will start and I'll have them until October or so.

And I am going to try making tortillas tonight!

[horsepoor]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

I built an 8x11' lean-to greenhouse onto our shop a couple years ago.  It ran about $500.  Hard to say how long it will take to pay for itself with increased garden production, but if I was FIRE it would be a money maker for growing out plants to sell in the spring.  It also doubles as extra garden storage and a fabulous place to sit and soak up some sun on a cold, windy day.

What type of material did you use for the greenhouse? Glass? Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate.  I toyed with the idea of collecting old windows and making them into a greenhouse, but my dad came to visit so I took advantage of the free labor and carpentry skills and we put this together in about 3 days.  Here it is framed out with the roof going on.

[Cookie78]

This applies to everything we outsource. 

One common shift: Buy cut flowers at the grocery store.  Buy flowering plants and keep them healthy. Start balcony gardening.  Rent/buy a house with yard, start flower gardening.  Start growing tomatoes, and then start growing your own from seed instead of buying at the garden center.  Then peas, beans, carrots, onions, squash, other vegetables.  Then branch out into fruit trees, berries.  Watch the grocery bill go down and food quality go up. 

This was my change in habits - and more food preservation (dehydrating and major freezing) is the next step.  If I didn't love winter travel, I would be going for the chickens and rabbits as well.  Plus this summer I will be growing sweet potatoes for the first time - slips are ordered, I get them in May.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

How long will that take to pay for itself?

I built an 8x11' lean-to greenhouse onto our shop a couple years ago.  It ran about $500.  Hard to say how long it will take to pay for itself with increased garden production, but if I was FIRE it would be a money maker for growing out plants to sell in the spring.  It also doubles as extra garden storage and a fabulous place to sit and soak up some sun on a cold, windy day.

What type of material did you use for the greenhouse? Glass? Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate.  I toyed with the idea of collecting old windows and making them into a greenhouse, but my dad came to visit so I took advantage of the free labor and carpentry skills and we put this together in about 3 days.  Here it is framed out with the roof going on.

That looks very similar to mine, except mine is 6x12 and the roof is much more sloped. My polycarbonate is the flat kind too. I had free carpentry skills for the framing when my dad and brothers were here to build the garage. It took me 2-3 years later before I decided to figure out how to do the rest on my own. But it was pretty easy once I got started. :)

[RetiredAt63]

Sweet potatoes are grown from starts from a sweet potato, but most varieties in the grocery store need a longer growing season. Plus if they have been chilled at all (<10^oC) they don't sprout well. I am getting Georgia Jet which is relatively short season, and of course being well-rooted slips they should grow well.  I won't plant them outside until the temperatures and soil are consistently warm, which means early June.  I'll let you know how it goes come fall.  If all goes well I will save a few potatoes (at >10^oC) and start my own next spring.

I have thought of a greenhouse, but the way the house is built it would be really awkward to add to the house.  I could easily add to the (stand-alone) garage, but no water supply. The garage is far enough away from the house that piping water in would be difficult (and I would worry about pipes freezing) and carrying water in -20^oC weather is not appealing.  What did you do for water?  Horsepoor, what did you do?

Instead, I have a large shelf stand (the metal baker's rack type) and three shop lights, and put high-output fluorescents in them (on a timer).  I can get lots of things started under them, and since they are in the laundry room I have a good water supply and don't care if I drip a bit on the tile floor.

I'm on the road to doing this! Built a greenhouse a few years ago to extend the Canadian growing season. Managed to produce wayyyyyyy too many chili and habanero peppers. Sweet potatoes would be a great idea! I'm testing out the branching out to fruit trees this year. Planted a raspberry bush last spring. :)

[Cookie78]

I have thought of a greenhouse, but the way the house is built it would be really awkward to add to the house.  I could easily add to the (stand-alone) garage, but no water supply. The garage is far enough away from the house that piping water in would be difficult (and I would worry about pipes freezing) and carrying water in -20^oC weather is not appealing.  What did you do for water?  Horsepoor, what did you do?

At first I used a hose from the house, or carried water if I didn't need to use much. The next year I built a stand and put a water barrel on it to collect rainwater from the garage roof. Then I used a hose from the rain barrel and ran it under the wall and into the greenhouse. Then all I had to do was switch the valve and I had water. Some day I'd like to set up an automatic system so it can water itself using the rain barrel.

[horsepoor]

It doesn't really need any water when its freezing, but sometimes I just carry water out there.  When not freezing I just stretch out a hose from the house.  One of these days I'll add a water barrel with a spigot so I can just fill it periodically than water via gravity feed.