Helpful Hints:
Growing up, my mom shared many helpful hints for stretching things in the kitchen with cooking and cleaning. Here are just a few things that she shared with me. I thought I would pass them along to you:
1. Don't throw away the cookie crumbs or that lonely cookie in the cookie jar just because you think it might be stale or no one wants it. Start a bag (or jar) of these orphaned cookies. When the container is full, just pull out your handy processor (or Magic Bullet in my case) and grind these to a fine mixture. Don't have either of these items? No problem, just use your rolling pin (cookies in sealed bag, of course). To this mixture, add about 2 tablespoons sugar (taste to make sure sweet enough), and melted butter. Mix. Press into a pie plate and VIOLA! Cookie crumb pie crust for any of your pie recipes (no need to bake crust prior to filling). Left over graham crackers with ginger snaps are my favorite!
2. Don't throw away your lonely piece of cornbread or crumbs left after cutting. Store these in a bag (or jar) and freeze. When you have enough, make a cornbread dressing with these. [Recipe will be in the Recipe section of this site]. Same thing with only one piece of bread left. Just freeze until you have enough or until you need breadcrumbs. Toast the bread, cube (for croutons) or crumble for breadcrumbs. Save that last little piece -- it adds up!
3. Are you like me? You have leftover veggies from dinner - not enough for another meal - but, you hate to throw them out. Again, using your nifty bag or jar, freeze the leftover veggies. Keep adding to the bag until you have enough to add to soup or stew. They keep well in the freezer and you are being thrifty with saving them.
4. Have you ever cooked or roasted a whole chicken and you don't know what to do with the bones, skin, and 'other stuff'? What about your turkey bones and 'stuff' from Thanksgiving? Pull out the BIGGEST pot you have, throw the bones, skin (not all of it), and 'stuff' in the pot. Add 1 onion, cut in half, 3 cloves garlic, and any herbs you like. Cover the bones with water. Boil on low for about 1 hour. Pull out the bones, skin, and 'stuff'. If you want to be REALLY thrifty, let it cool, and pull off any meat that you find on the bones and freeze it for another meal. For the next part, you can do one of two things: A. Pull out everything from the water (onions, etc.) and throw away. Season and let the broth cook down (about halfway). B. Scoop out 1 cup of broth with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Blend these together until smooth. Pour back into the broth, season, and cook down. After the broth has cooled a bit, you can store it in baggies, jars, or pour into plastic ice cube trays, and freeze. Pop the cubes out into a bag or jar and freeze. Whenever you want to flavor your rice, potatoes, pasta, cornbread dressing, or anything, just put in 1 to 2 cubes. Use the broth to make soups and stews.
There are a lot more things that she taught me -- more than I will ever be able to put down -- but for now, this is it. I'll add more as they come to mind or as I use them in my day-to-day life.
Growing up, my mom shared many helpful hints for stretching things in the kitchen with cooking and cleaning. Here are just a few things that she shared with me. I thought I would pass them along to you:
1. Don't throw away the cookie crumbs or that lonely cookie in the cookie jar just because you think it might be stale or no one wants it. Start a bag (or jar) of these orphaned cookies. When the container is full, just pull out your handy processor (or Magic Bullet in my case) and grind these to a fine mixture. Don't have either of these items? No problem, just use your rolling pin (cookies in sealed bag, of course). To this mixture, add about 2 tablespoons sugar (taste to make sure sweet enough), and melted butter. Mix. Press into a pie plate and VIOLA! Cookie crumb pie crust for any of your pie recipes (no need to bake crust prior to filling). Left over graham crackers with ginger snaps are my favorite!
2. Don't throw away your lonely piece of cornbread or crumbs left after cutting. Store these in a bag (or jar) and freeze. When you have enough, make a cornbread dressing with these. [Recipe will be in the Recipe section of this site]. Same thing with only one piece of bread left. Just freeze until you have enough or until you need breadcrumbs. Toast the bread, cube (for croutons) or crumble for breadcrumbs. Save that last little piece -- it adds up!
3. Are you like me? You have leftover veggies from dinner - not enough for another meal - but, you hate to throw them out. Again, using your nifty bag or jar, freeze the leftover veggies. Keep adding to the bag until you have enough to add to soup or stew. They keep well in the freezer and you are being thrifty with saving them.
4. Have you ever cooked or roasted a whole chicken and you don't know what to do with the bones, skin, and 'other stuff'? What about your turkey bones and 'stuff' from Thanksgiving? Pull out the BIGGEST pot you have, throw the bones, skin (not all of it), and 'stuff' in the pot. Add 1 onion, cut in half, 3 cloves garlic, and any herbs you like. Cover the bones with water. Boil on low for about 1 hour. Pull out the bones, skin, and 'stuff'. If you want to be REALLY thrifty, let it cool, and pull off any meat that you find on the bones and freeze it for another meal. For the next part, you can do one of two things: A. Pull out everything from the water (onions, etc.) and throw away. Season and let the broth cook down (about halfway). B. Scoop out 1 cup of broth with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Blend these together until smooth. Pour back into the broth, season, and cook down. After the broth has cooled a bit, you can store it in baggies, jars, or pour into plastic ice cube trays, and freeze. Pop the cubes out into a bag or jar and freeze. Whenever you want to flavor your rice, potatoes, pasta, cornbread dressing, or anything, just put in 1 to 2 cubes. Use the broth to make soups and stews.
There are a lot more things that she taught me -- more than I will ever be able to put down -- but for now, this is it. I'll add more as they come to mind or as I use them in my day-to-day life.
Summer Processing
We didn't get to put out a garden this year. First there was too much rain and the ground was way too soggy to plow, every time we tried to rent the plow it was out, and then it got REALLY hot fast. By the time things cleared up and cooled down, it was too late to put most things out. During this time of waiting, we had bought a few plants - tomato, basil, mint, thyme - I just planted them in pots in hopes of being able to transplant them, but no such luck.
I am not a very good gardener. It seems that whenever I plant and try to care for something it dies. I've been deemed to have an 'acid thumb.' However, my husband was blessed with knowing just what to do with things and how to get them to grow. So, we are keeping the plants we bought in the pots and they are flourishing very well. The tomato plants have small tomatoes on them. I've used the herbs (basil, thyme, and mint) in many recipes. Our youngest daughter has learned how to make basil pesto and basil butter for future use in recipes.
Since we do not have a garden, I've been keeping an eye on sales from the grocery stores. I've been able to find GREAT deals on fruit - strawberries, mangos, pineapple, lemons -- and some vegetables already - corn, green beans, and tomatoes. I've decided to just keep an eye out for vegetables and fruit and adjust my budget to allow for buying extra of these. I have then 'processed' these either by making strawberry jam, cutting into 'chunks' (pineapple, mango) and freezing or drying, and even canning salsa already. There is NOTHING better than dehydrated pineapple and mango -- so sweet and yummy! As things come into season, I'll continue processing more and be thankful for God's provisions and other people's hard work in cultivating their produce. I'm learning to be 'flexible' in all things.
We didn't get to put out a garden this year. First there was too much rain and the ground was way too soggy to plow, every time we tried to rent the plow it was out, and then it got REALLY hot fast. By the time things cleared up and cooled down, it was too late to put most things out. During this time of waiting, we had bought a few plants - tomato, basil, mint, thyme - I just planted them in pots in hopes of being able to transplant them, but no such luck.
I am not a very good gardener. It seems that whenever I plant and try to care for something it dies. I've been deemed to have an 'acid thumb.' However, my husband was blessed with knowing just what to do with things and how to get them to grow. So, we are keeping the plants we bought in the pots and they are flourishing very well. The tomato plants have small tomatoes on them. I've used the herbs (basil, thyme, and mint) in many recipes. Our youngest daughter has learned how to make basil pesto and basil butter for future use in recipes.
Since we do not have a garden, I've been keeping an eye on sales from the grocery stores. I've been able to find GREAT deals on fruit - strawberries, mangos, pineapple, lemons -- and some vegetables already - corn, green beans, and tomatoes. I've decided to just keep an eye out for vegetables and fruit and adjust my budget to allow for buying extra of these. I have then 'processed' these either by making strawberry jam, cutting into 'chunks' (pineapple, mango) and freezing or drying, and even canning salsa already. There is NOTHING better than dehydrated pineapple and mango -- so sweet and yummy! As things come into season, I'll continue processing more and be thankful for God's provisions and other people's hard work in cultivating their produce. I'm learning to be 'flexible' in all things.
I have had the pleasure of getting to "know" Kate over the past 10+ years (Has it been THAT long Kate? :O ) through Christian Homeschool Fellowship (www.chfweb.net). We have shared ideas for homeschooling (well, Kate has shared them with me - she's a pro!), homemaking, Bible study, Titus Two, families, etc. I have had the pleasure of praying with and for Kate and her family throughout the years. We have never met face-to-face, but she is a "kindred spirit" if there ever was one! This is Kate's new ebook and is amazing! How she does what she does is beyond belief! God has blessed her with a wonderful family and "they rise up and call her blessed!" She is DEFINITELY a Proverbs 31 woman if there ever was one! Check out her new book 'Cut It Out!' The website is:
http://www.cutitoutwithoutcoupons.com/