Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

Oh poor DH but

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I know....Bless his heart...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Decided today to start the pantry challenge (after I went shopping, lol) just to see how things go. Better to do it now and have an idea of how it's going before we get retired. I shopped today. My challenge is NOT to go back until April for "food." (Heck - I can probably go longer than that.)

There was a good sale on ground beef and since I don't raise cows I stocked up a bit. Also bought some chicken even though we've got some we need to butcher. Picked up salmon too - don't raise those either. Link sausage cuz it's DH's favorite and some bacon. That and a few more things for DH like his Atkins drinks he uses for breakfast and Lara bars that he uses when his blood sugar is dropping too much. I didn't even need to spend that much but, but, but..... good sales, lol. I know, I know... that's my problem. I can't resist a good deal!

So, I guess I need to start doing real meal planning instead of just throwing stuff together. And, actually try to get a bit of a garden together. Not sure how that's going to work - never gardened in pure mud.

Tonight we had eggs simmered in basil-garlic pasta sauce. Home grown eggs, jar of sauce(I know I know - I should make my own out of home grown tomatoes. But, first I'd have to have some home grown tomatoes), and a bag of carb-free imitation rice. Really cheap meal and sooo delish. I think the original recipe was intended to be served over angel hair pasta - but this works.

No new babies...yet. The two newest little boys are a riot! The latest one born is dumb though...what is it with these babies that can't figure out mama has two spouts...geeze. Looks like I'll be training this little doe to milk.

 

[tortoise]

Do you have a food processor? Larabars are easy to make if you do! Cashew cookie is easy - just dates and cashews. Dates must be in season now - I found them at ALDI and Walmart in the last week or two!

I have a hard time making bar shapes, so I roll 1 T in a ball, and squash it with a 2 T coffee scoop. Nice uniform "cookie" results.

I have dates saved in the freezer because I want to make a blueberry larabar.

I've saved all my date seeds and am attempting to grow palm trees from them. Would be awesome to offset the cost of buying dates. They're down to $4 - $5 per pound now, but were $8 per pound last month.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I had no idea that dates grew on a "palm". Learn something new every day! I was getting dates confused with figs!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@tortoise He loves the Lara bars because they are so simple without a bunch of crap in them. I'm glad you've made them yourself and give it a thumbs-up! He may have to learn to make them too. I found these on sale - AND - had a digital coupon off so I got a box of 6 for less than 4 dollars. I'm not sure I could make them cheaper than that. Dates and cashews are both expensive around here. But, I need to do some investigating to see if I can get bulk prices and maybe they'd be cheaper to make. I guess freshly made ones could be kept in the freezer? Let us know if you're successful growing the palms. I'll bet with my growing zone it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to grow them here. I wonder how long it takes them to produce and if they grow in mud?

Spring break is starting and there is a possibility of rain every day. Sheesh...

 

[baymule]

I bet you could make fig bars too.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I have plenty of figs!

 

[baymule]

Wish I did!

 

[sumi]

We grew some date palms years ago. Fairly easy to grow, but that is all I can remember now... I remember eating dates from the palm once or twice too. It's lovely!