A very dear friend of mine who raised a bunch of kids like I did, told me she learned that if you have a lot of potatoes, peel them and put them in water and keep them in the fridge and use them as the days go by. She said it saves a lot of time when us mommies are trying to multi-task, and the potatoes are already peeled. I did it for years while my kids were younger, and used a Schwan big ice cream bucket to put them in!! If you let them drain, you can slice and fry them also! I thought this was one of the best tips I ever got, and would peel them while I watched TV or helping the kids with their homework.
What do I do with THIS???
- Thread starter me&thegals
- Start date
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
I go through my fridge about once a week and see what I have to make my own dogfood. I don't generally go out of my way to cook for my dog, but rather than letting stuff go bad, I'll feed it to her instead of buying canned food for her. Last week I came across a cheeseburger, leftover roast beef and bits of steak someone didn't eat. I used frozen broth from prior meals, added the meat cut up into pieces, a little bit leftover pasta, fresh vegies from the garden (kale, swiss chard and wild mustard, chopped real small) and simmered this until heated through. Then I added some rolled oats, protein powder and flax seed. I put this mixture into canning jars, make sure I label it dog food, and freeze it. We use this as a treat, adding it to her kibble. My daughter's dog has cancer and is a very finicky eater, he loves my homemade dog food. She puts a couple of tablespoons in his kibble and then he'll eat it.
This saves in another way. My stepson is one of those incredibly inconsiderate, selfish, know-it-all teenagers. When he is asked to feed the dog, he will give the dog about a half a can of dogfood (we usually give her a couple of tablespoons, more as a treat). When he has to use the homemade stuff, he uses less. He is also the main contributor of left overs. The other night, it was his birthday, I asked him if he would be having dinner with us. He answered yes. I told him I would go out and get some nice steaks for dinner and did. Shortly after I came back with 3 $5.50 steaks he said he was going to his sister's and would be back for dinner. He didn't come home til late that night and never did eat his steak. His answer was: it won't go to waste, you can give it to the dog. Ugh. (I need a "wring the neck gesture") I could have bought a lot of dogfood for $5.00. The kid just doesn't get it.
This saves in another way. My stepson is one of those incredibly inconsiderate, selfish, know-it-all teenagers. When he is asked to feed the dog, he will give the dog about a half a can of dogfood (we usually give her a couple of tablespoons, more as a treat). When he has to use the homemade stuff, he uses less. He is also the main contributor of left overs. The other night, it was his birthday, I asked him if he would be having dinner with us. He answered yes. I told him I would go out and get some nice steaks for dinner and did. Shortly after I came back with 3 $5.50 steaks he said he was going to his sister's and would be back for dinner. He didn't come home til late that night and never did eat his steak. His answer was: it won't go to waste, you can give it to the dog. Ugh. (I need a "wring the neck gesture") I could have bought a lot of dogfood for $5.00. The kid just doesn't get it.
FarmerChick
Super Self-Sufficient
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HI GRGay Renee said:
WOW you brought back memories. Yup, we had 1 car and Dad would take Mom and us shopping. He would drop us off and he would hit the hardware store or something.....come out and he would load up the groceries for Mom and home we went.
There was no---run here every minute for this or that.
What was in the house was it for the week.....yup! WOW that doesn't happen much anymore....not with 2-3-4 vehicle homes..LOL
Iceblink
Maa Maa Mama
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My favorite leftover-user is quiche. I make a rice crust out of 1 egg, 1-2c cooked rice, 1-2oz grated cheese, some crushed garlic and pepper. Press it into a grased pan and bake until firm.
Then pile in any leftovers (sauteed greens, caramelized onions, meat, whatever you want) sprinkle cheese and pour over your egg mixture and bake for approx 45 min.
You can make the egg mixture out of 2-3 eggs, and whatever liquid you need to use up, milk, evaporated milk, veggie or meat broth with powdered milk stirred in.
You can use seasoned rice or plain, brown or white. I haven't yet tried it with other grains, but it might work with millet or things like that.
I also like to make bean and rice enchiladas. It uses up a lot of rice, plus any veggies that I have lying around can be sauteed and added.
Oh, and rice and black bean burgers are really good. Especially when piled with caramelized onions!
Last but not least, worm bins are great for kitchen waste.
Now I have an ingredient query: Does anyone have a way to use up frozen blackberries that doesn't involve a lot of added sweeteners? I was thinking I could strain out the juice, mix it with applesauce and make fruit leather, but that will be a whole lot of work. Any ideas?
Then pile in any leftovers (sauteed greens, caramelized onions, meat, whatever you want) sprinkle cheese and pour over your egg mixture and bake for approx 45 min.
You can make the egg mixture out of 2-3 eggs, and whatever liquid you need to use up, milk, evaporated milk, veggie or meat broth with powdered milk stirred in.
You can use seasoned rice or plain, brown or white. I haven't yet tried it with other grains, but it might work with millet or things like that.
I also like to make bean and rice enchiladas. It uses up a lot of rice, plus any veggies that I have lying around can be sauteed and added.
Oh, and rice and black bean burgers are really good. Especially when piled with caramelized onions!
Last but not least, worm bins are great for kitchen waste.
Now I have an ingredient query: Does anyone have a way to use up frozen blackberries that doesn't involve a lot of added sweeteners? I was thinking I could strain out the juice, mix it with applesauce and make fruit leather, but that will be a whole lot of work. Any ideas?
- Thread starter
- #35
me&thegals
A Major Squash & Pumpkin Lover
Yummy quiche ideas!
I use my blackberries just mixed into applesauce and eaten while they're still a little slushy.
Another great use is for smoothies:
1 cup juice (grape, orange, other)
1 cup blackberries
1 cup plain yogurt
1 T each wheat germ and ground flax, if desired
6 ice cubes
some sweetener. I usually put in a couple T jam or fruit sauce
Or, mix it into yogurt, add to other fruit for a fruit salad or stir into muffins, pancakes or waffles.
I use my blackberries just mixed into applesauce and eaten while they're still a little slushy.
Another great use is for smoothies:
1 cup juice (grape, orange, other)
1 cup blackberries
1 cup plain yogurt
1 T each wheat germ and ground flax, if desired
6 ice cubes
some sweetener. I usually put in a couple T jam or fruit sauce
Or, mix it into yogurt, add to other fruit for a fruit salad or stir into muffins, pancakes or waffles.
SKR8PN
Late For Supper
That boy needs to be out on his own or in the military. That would change his ways for the better.FarmerDenise said:This saves in another way. My stepson is one of those incredibly inconsiderate, selfish, know-it-all teenagers. When he is asked to feed the dog, he will give the dog about a half a can of dogfood (we usually give her a couple of tablespoons, more as a treat). When he has to use the homemade stuff, he uses less. He is also the main contributor of left overs. The other night, it was his birthday, I asked him if he would be having dinner with us. He answered yes. I told him I would go out and get some nice steaks for dinner and did. Shortly after I came back with 3 $5.50 steaks he said he was going to his sister's and would be back for dinner. He didn't come home til late that night and never did eat his steak. His answer was: it won't go to waste, you can give it to the dog. Ugh. (I need a "wring the neck gesture") I could have bought a lot of dogfood for $5.00. The kid just doesn't get it.
lol this is what we do... i meal plan since we have one car and i think the only thing we usually have to pick up is milk!!! otherwise we are usually pretty good about eating what we have. i keep lots of flour in the house... there are so many things to do with it!!!FarmerChick said:
my ils freeze rasberries... they make smoothies with them.. and they taste great! just some plain(or flavored) yougurt, and berries(or whatever other fruit) and belnd!!! yummy!!! my kids love them!!!
patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
They freeze pretty well. I break them and freeze in 3-egg batches (since that's what most of my baking recipes call for or at least can tolerate).
If you have lots of freezer space you can also bake things up iwth them and freeze those.
They make several great dinner entrees, such as egg burritos (can add sausage or ham and that's good too) or whatever-veggies-and/or-meat-are-in-the-fridge frittatas or quiche.
When I've got extra eggs, I may double rather than single-dip things that I'm breading (e.g. oven fried chicken) - egg then crumbs then egg again then crumbs again - to make a crispier thicker coating.
Desserts like custards, rice pudding, key lime pie, meringues (including meringue cookies) are good for using eggs, if you are a dessert person.
If all else fails you can scramble them up and feed them back to the chickens, no better source of protein
Have fun,
Pat
If you have lots of freezer space you can also bake things up iwth them and freeze those.
They make several great dinner entrees, such as egg burritos (can add sausage or ham and that's good too) or whatever-veggies-and/or-meat-are-in-the-fridge frittatas or quiche.
When I've got extra eggs, I may double rather than single-dip things that I'm breading (e.g. oven fried chicken) - egg then crumbs then egg again then crumbs again - to make a crispier thicker coating.
Desserts like custards, rice pudding, key lime pie, meringues (including meringue cookies) are good for using eggs, if you are a dessert person.
If all else fails you can scramble them up and feed them back to the chickens, no better source of protein
Have fun,
Pat
About the extra eggs- someone from BYC just passed this on to me yesterday.
Her DH scrambles eggs one at a time a couple days a week- a flat scramble, like a crepe, almost- he folds them into quarters, freezes them individually and takes one out each morning. He grabs a biscuit, English muffin, bread, whatever there is, plops the egg into it and nukes it at work for his instant breakfast. He adds a slice of bacon or sausage occasionally.
I extended the thought because I really want my DH to have a warm breakfast on the cold days. (he works outside a lot) I already make sausage biscuits and freeze them, but I worry about too much fatty sausage- so it led to eggs, of which we have a few, perhaps vary it with a piece of bacon, or cheese, or the sausage. Great way to use some eggs, and I could even sneak a veggie or two in- roasted peppers, a slice of tomato, etc.
Instead of using all those little baggies, use one big freezer bag with wax paper between the layers. Just take a layer out every night for tomorrow's breakfast.
Her DH scrambles eggs one at a time a couple days a week- a flat scramble, like a crepe, almost- he folds them into quarters, freezes them individually and takes one out each morning. He grabs a biscuit, English muffin, bread, whatever there is, plops the egg into it and nukes it at work for his instant breakfast. He adds a slice of bacon or sausage occasionally.
I extended the thought because I really want my DH to have a warm breakfast on the cold days. (he works outside a lot) I already make sausage biscuits and freeze them, but I worry about too much fatty sausage- so it led to eggs, of which we have a few, perhaps vary it with a piece of bacon, or cheese, or the sausage. Great way to use some eggs, and I could even sneak a veggie or two in- roasted peppers, a slice of tomato, etc.
Instead of using all those little baggies, use one big freezer bag with wax paper between the layers. Just take a layer out every night for tomorrow's breakfast.
