I use the Farmer's market as training. All this fresh, local food. I don't even have to grow it. But, how on earth do you cook some of these things? Eggplant? - well, purple is a cool color, but, um, ya - weird food. Zucchini? No idea.
So, I buy a couple here and there of the different things. An eggplant in the fridge until I'm no longer afraid to cook the weird thing. Squash, over and over, till I'm forced to learn new things it can do. Keep the tomato drippings - if they came off tomatoes that yummy, they should be good for something! - Ah, yes, broth for winter's soups.
After doing this for two years, I know not to plant eggplant in our sunny garden, since we don't eat it yet. Summer squash will get planted, and I'll learn more ways to cook and store it. Sungold tomatoes? German Striped slicers? Yum! Cabbage, too, so that I can put up homemade sauerkraut - it's the only kind I can eat. Green beans get a double row, because they'll end up dried or canned in the pantry.
Right now? It's Egg Season (spring). I have 5 dozen eggs in the fridge - yes, five! - so I'm training on how to serve them all! And quiche would be good but isn't on the menu (because of the dairy in it). Hmm... Perhaps I ought to start baking...
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Meat Pot Pie - Leftover friendly!
I had to find a dairy-free version for our family. This is a very leftover-friendly meal! It’s popular, and flexible - I’ll happily put in leftover veggies. Leftover greens are good, too; you can also add turnips or parsnips. The meat is usually leftovers, and the broth is homemade.
Also, if you make too much filling, freeze it in 3 to 4-cup amounts (a quart canning jar of broth with meat or veggies; with both it’s too much) and that’s the right amount.
Pot Pie Recipe
Makes one 9” pie. Can be modified, of course, to make smaller ones.
2 pie crusts
4 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups chicken broth
about 2 cups of mixed veggies/leftovers
(OR 2 carrots, diced; 2 small potatoes, diced; and 1/3 cup peas)
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1) In large saucepan, melt butter (or heat oil). Add celery, garlic, & onion and cook until they start to soften. Add flour, and cook for another minute for the flour to begin to brown.
2) Add broth, a bit at a time, stirring as you go. Add veggies (except peas) and continue cooking as sauce thickens. Add more flour if needed.
3) Remove from heat and add chicken, peas, and poultry seasoning.
4) Put bottom crust in pie pan. Pour in filling, add top crust. Flute edges and cut steam vents.
5) Bake @ 350F for one hour. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Poultry Seasoning Recipe:
makes about 1/2 cup
2 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground marjoram
3/4 tsp ground rosemary
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Mix well. Store in glass jar, out of the sunlight.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Ahead of the Bean
For years, I was unwilling to buy dry beans. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with them, or how to incorporate them into my schedule. I finally decided they were inexpensive enough that I could afford to destroy the food on accident.
It never happened (destroying food, I mean). It's easy to use them. I decide dinner one day in advance anyway; if I make it two days then I have time to soak the beans. Or I can soak extra beans and freeze them, then when I need them it's thaw-and-cook. So now on Taco Night we have homemade refried beans instead of the brand-name canned stuff. I'm still learning the recipe but I have the beans soaked, in the freezer and waiting for me. The home-soaked beans have a better texture than canned ones, as well.
To soak beans for a recipe that calls for canned beans, use about 1 cup of dried beans and remember that they'll need to cook a little longer than the canned beans. Keep an eye on how soft they are to adjust the time, or cook them a little in advance before adding to the recipe (see cooking directions below).
To be 'ahead of the bean,' I will soak a bag of beans starting on Friday, with a change of water on Saturday. The water from the soakings can be re-used for watering plants, if desired. On Sunday I put the beans in fresh water on the stove and cook until they mash easily against the side of the pot with a fork. Not smooshy-soft but with a bit of resistance before they mash. They are then cooled and packed into pint jars with water to cover (remember that 1" to 2" of space at the top). Then label, date, and freeze. I use pint jars for this because one jar is enough to make the refried beans or to add to soups & stews.
Cost-wise, most dried beans run about $1 a pound here. Canned beans run about $1.50 a can, and that bag of dried beans will make two to three cans worth of beans. So that $1 bag of beans is equivalent to $4.50 worth of canned beans. Plus, I've never seen cranberry beans or many other delicious varieties available canned.
It never happened (destroying food, I mean). It's easy to use them. I decide dinner one day in advance anyway; if I make it two days then I have time to soak the beans. Or I can soak extra beans and freeze them, then when I need them it's thaw-and-cook. So now on Taco Night we have homemade refried beans instead of the brand-name canned stuff. I'm still learning the recipe but I have the beans soaked, in the freezer and waiting for me. The home-soaked beans have a better texture than canned ones, as well.
To soak beans for a recipe that calls for canned beans, use about 1 cup of dried beans and remember that they'll need to cook a little longer than the canned beans. Keep an eye on how soft they are to adjust the time, or cook them a little in advance before adding to the recipe (see cooking directions below).
To be 'ahead of the bean,' I will soak a bag of beans starting on Friday, with a change of water on Saturday. The water from the soakings can be re-used for watering plants, if desired. On Sunday I put the beans in fresh water on the stove and cook until they mash easily against the side of the pot with a fork. Not smooshy-soft but with a bit of resistance before they mash. They are then cooled and packed into pint jars with water to cover (remember that 1" to 2" of space at the top). Then label, date, and freeze. I use pint jars for this because one jar is enough to make the refried beans or to add to soups & stews.
Cost-wise, most dried beans run about $1 a pound here. Canned beans run about $1.50 a can, and that bag of dried beans will make two to three cans worth of beans. So that $1 bag of beans is equivalent to $4.50 worth of canned beans. Plus, I've never seen cranberry beans or many other delicious varieties available canned.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Freezing & Utilizing Leftovers
Our only freezer space is the freezer on top of the refrigerator. Just to make life fun, the fridge is the however-old one of questionable maintenance that came with the apartment. Dependable, not too much of an energy hog, but still not exactly top of the line. Things do get freezer burn if we're not careful. There's also the option for avalanches if stacking isn't done well! I thought it would be useful to post an overview of what has worked for us when it comes to utilizing our freezer. I'm also including ideas on how to stretch leftovers, so that not-quite-enough becomes plenty for all.
I'm gradually using more glass than plastic when storing food. With glass, it's extra important to leave space a the at the top of each jar to allow for the expansion of the food as it freezes. I always leave at least one inch, preferably two inches, at the top. When I haven't allowed enough space, I've often thawed the food so I can throw out the jar because the bottom broke off! In those instances, I throw out the food too, just to be safe. I don't want to take chances with glass shards.
Quart jars hold 3 cups/24 ounces, which is two to three servings depending on the food. Pint jars hold 2 cups/16 ounces. I will re-use commercial glass jars for this, or I use my regular canning jars. Be careful with the commercial jars as I've found them to be a bit less sturdy than the canning jars. I cool off the food in the fridge, and then transfer it to the freezer.
Keep in mind that some foods will soften due to being frozen. I believe this includes pasta and beans. Detailed information on freezing foods can be found here.
Leftovers
Leftovers are frozen by serving amounts whenever possible. Don't forget to label and date the packages, and to keep them rotated. Not everyone needs to be able to identify frozen broths by color, even if I had to learn the hard way!
Single Servings:
Some leftovers are intended as single-servings, often for me to take to work for lunch. For these, I will set the food up ready-to-eat: Leftover chicken with the stuffing and veggies in the same dish, either side-by-side or stacked; spaghetti with sauce on top and perhaps cheese; etc. Essentially thaw-and-serve. I can take the food out at bedtime, put in the fridge overnight, and then take it to work with me for lunch the next day. I do not refrigerate it at work as it is still slightly frozen and will finish thawing in the morning, while it also cools my drink. I've done this with rice dishes, spaghetti, meats, and veggies - just about anything. Often I pack the food with a pat of butter on top as the extra moisture while reheating seems to help. Then again, I like butter on just about anything, so your mileage may vary on that one.
Multiple Servings:
When there are enough leftovers for a second meal, I will often freeze it in Quart canning jars. For the three of us, one quart jar with an added side (say, soup with garlic bread or a salad) is enough for one meal. For two of us, just the quart jar is enough. For a larger family, or unexpected company, you can adjust from there. Plan on two quart jars for dinner for four, and add sides to feed five or more.
Planning on three people, and your parents stop by? Salads and bread for everyone, and add pasta to the soup while it heats. You could also add a can of veggies to stretch it; I keep canned carrots and potatoes on hand for this reason. They need heating rather than cooking, so they'll cook at the same speed as the rest of the soup.
To freeze soups, I add 2 cups of solids and then pour in the broth until the jar is full (1" to 2" below the top). The jar is labeled with the contents and date, and frozen. Meats are often shredded or diced, then packed gently into jars and frozen. Veggies are frozen in the juices they cooked in, or in vegetable broth or water depending on what I have. I make sure the water covers the veggies so that they'll be in the best shape when they come back out.
Soup can be used for planned-overs by using it as the base for a potpie. Follow the directions for the potpie with these substitutions: drain the broth of your soup into a measuring cup, and add water if needed to get the amount of broth needed for the soup. Use where the recipe calls for broth. Add the solids from your soup when the recipe calls for the veggies, keeping in mind that it may not need quite as much cooking time since your veggies are already cooked. If there is meat in your soup, you will not need to add meat to the pie filling. Follow the other directions as given. This turns two or three servings of soup into six to eight filling servings of potpie!
I'm gradually using more glass than plastic when storing food. With glass, it's extra important to leave space a the at the top of each jar to allow for the expansion of the food as it freezes. I always leave at least one inch, preferably two inches, at the top. When I haven't allowed enough space, I've often thawed the food so I can throw out the jar because the bottom broke off! In those instances, I throw out the food too, just to be safe. I don't want to take chances with glass shards.
Quart jars hold 3 cups/24 ounces, which is two to three servings depending on the food. Pint jars hold 2 cups/16 ounces. I will re-use commercial glass jars for this, or I use my regular canning jars. Be careful with the commercial jars as I've found them to be a bit less sturdy than the canning jars. I cool off the food in the fridge, and then transfer it to the freezer.
Keep in mind that some foods will soften due to being frozen. I believe this includes pasta and beans. Detailed information on freezing foods can be found here.
Leftovers
Leftovers are frozen by serving amounts whenever possible. Don't forget to label and date the packages, and to keep them rotated. Not everyone needs to be able to identify frozen broths by color, even if I had to learn the hard way!
Single Servings:
Some leftovers are intended as single-servings, often for me to take to work for lunch. For these, I will set the food up ready-to-eat: Leftover chicken with the stuffing and veggies in the same dish, either side-by-side or stacked; spaghetti with sauce on top and perhaps cheese; etc. Essentially thaw-and-serve. I can take the food out at bedtime, put in the fridge overnight, and then take it to work with me for lunch the next day. I do not refrigerate it at work as it is still slightly frozen and will finish thawing in the morning, while it also cools my drink. I've done this with rice dishes, spaghetti, meats, and veggies - just about anything. Often I pack the food with a pat of butter on top as the extra moisture while reheating seems to help. Then again, I like butter on just about anything, so your mileage may vary on that one.
Multiple Servings:
When there are enough leftovers for a second meal, I will often freeze it in Quart canning jars. For the three of us, one quart jar with an added side (say, soup with garlic bread or a salad) is enough for one meal. For two of us, just the quart jar is enough. For a larger family, or unexpected company, you can adjust from there. Plan on two quart jars for dinner for four, and add sides to feed five or more.
Planning on three people, and your parents stop by? Salads and bread for everyone, and add pasta to the soup while it heats. You could also add a can of veggies to stretch it; I keep canned carrots and potatoes on hand for this reason. They need heating rather than cooking, so they'll cook at the same speed as the rest of the soup.
To freeze soups, I add 2 cups of solids and then pour in the broth until the jar is full (1" to 2" below the top). The jar is labeled with the contents and date, and frozen. Meats are often shredded or diced, then packed gently into jars and frozen. Veggies are frozen in the juices they cooked in, or in vegetable broth or water depending on what I have. I make sure the water covers the veggies so that they'll be in the best shape when they come back out.
Soup can be used for planned-overs by using it as the base for a potpie. Follow the directions for the potpie with these substitutions: drain the broth of your soup into a measuring cup, and add water if needed to get the amount of broth needed for the soup. Use where the recipe calls for broth. Add the solids from your soup when the recipe calls for the veggies, keeping in mind that it may not need quite as much cooking time since your veggies are already cooked. If there is meat in your soup, you will not need to add meat to the pie filling. Follow the other directions as given. This turns two or three servings of soup into six to eight filling servings of potpie!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Planned-Overs
Planned-overs is what I call it when I make too much food one night, so that I can turn it into something else for another night's dinner. Right now, I have chicken broth, salsa, leftover soups, summer-fresh diced tomatoes, and cooked beans in the freezer waiting for us. If I take them out tonight they'll be ready for tomorrow.
Roast chicken is a good illustration of this: I cook the chicken in my oval slow-cooker. That night, I remove all the meat, then add more water to the crock and make sure all the bones are covered. I set it to cook on low for 10 hours and leave it until I get home from work the next day - it will automatically go on the warm setting until I turn it off, so it will still be warm. I pour the broth through a strainer and into a large container and discard what gets caught by the strainer. The broth is put in the fridge for 24 hours to chill. I skim the fat from the top, and freeze the broth. Often I'll freeze a quart canning jar with 2 cups meat and 2 cups broth, label it, and it will be the base for chicken soup or pot pie later on. My "leftovers" become, quite frequently, two to three other meals which may generate their own leftovers (potpie lasts two nights, here; it's very filling).
Roast beef is much the same way. Cook a roast in the slowcooker, with enough water to cover, and it will make dinner with a delicious, meaty broth that can serve as the base for wonderful stews and potpies. Cook the broth with lentils, barley, carrots, and sauteed onions and it's a wonderful, easy meal. Don't leave out the spices when you cook the meats; just keep them in mind when you decide what to use the broth for so that the flavors will complement each other, or blend - not fight.
Dry beans can be made ahead - soak, cook, and then freeze in 2 cup amounts (the same as a store-bought can) and you get better quality food that's nearly as easy for half the price.
Spaghetti sauce or chili can be made in large batches and frozen in 3-cup portions - dinner for two, or serve over rice or pasta for three. Add a fresh salad and you'll enjoy the compliments without the work.
Roast chicken is a good illustration of this: I cook the chicken in my oval slow-cooker. That night, I remove all the meat, then add more water to the crock and make sure all the bones are covered. I set it to cook on low for 10 hours and leave it until I get home from work the next day - it will automatically go on the warm setting until I turn it off, so it will still be warm. I pour the broth through a strainer and into a large container and discard what gets caught by the strainer. The broth is put in the fridge for 24 hours to chill. I skim the fat from the top, and freeze the broth. Often I'll freeze a quart canning jar with 2 cups meat and 2 cups broth, label it, and it will be the base for chicken soup or pot pie later on. My "leftovers" become, quite frequently, two to three other meals which may generate their own leftovers (potpie lasts two nights, here; it's very filling).
Roast beef is much the same way. Cook a roast in the slowcooker, with enough water to cover, and it will make dinner with a delicious, meaty broth that can serve as the base for wonderful stews and potpies. Cook the broth with lentils, barley, carrots, and sauteed onions and it's a wonderful, easy meal. Don't leave out the spices when you cook the meats; just keep them in mind when you decide what to use the broth for so that the flavors will complement each other, or blend - not fight.
Dry beans can be made ahead - soak, cook, and then freeze in 2 cup amounts (the same as a store-bought can) and you get better quality food that's nearly as easy for half the price.
Spaghetti sauce or chili can be made in large batches and frozen in 3-cup portions - dinner for two, or serve over rice or pasta for three. Add a fresh salad and you'll enjoy the compliments without the work.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monthly Meal Planning - Options Version
Here is my version of meal planning: I plan monthly, and choose what we're eating a day or two or three in advance. It allows for whimsy and cravings in a planned menu, and that is key to its success for us.
This is how I do it:
I make a list of the recipes we like so that I don't forget any of them, or have my cookbook nearby.
On a sheet of paper, I make a chart - 7 days by 5 weeks. Each week, two days say "Leftovers." I try to schedule one day with chicken, one with red meat, and one or two meatless meals. The remaining day or two is "planned overs" (leftovers that you have plans for when you make them). I list five weeks instead of four, because some months do look like they're five weeks, and also it gives us a couple extra dinner options. Good for company visits, or if we just don't want something on the menu.
The nice part: Each weekend, get a piece of paper to write down the week's meals on. Look at the menu, and keep in mind the weather forecast. Decide what you want to eat that week, write it on the week's menu, and check it off the monthly menu. Keep in mind that anything more than two days out is flexible.
It might go like this:
"Well, it's warmer this week but Thursday looks chilly and rainy; let's have Winter Bean soup to fight off the chill. Monday we'll have roast chicken. I'll make stock from the bones to use for the bean soup, and freeze the leftover meat. Tuesday we'll have Yellow Rice & Beans, Wednesday will be leftovers. Friday we can have spaghetti or sausage grinders, and then eat those leftovers Saturday. Sunday we'll have pot pie made from the meat & more of the stock we froze from Monday's chicken. "
Monday: Roast Chicken. Shred & Freeze leftover meat; make broth from carcass.
Tuesday: Yellow Rice & Beans
Wednesday: Leftovers - oops, very busy day; ate on the run, froze the leftovers instead...
Thursday: Winter Bean Soup using homemade stock
Friday: Sausage grinders or spaghetti
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie, made from Monday's planned-overs.
I have had the "eek! food run!" days several times. I'm now convincing the slow-cooker that it needs to cook dinner for us more often.
Portions are guesstimated at 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of meat or starch, or about 8 ounces (1 cup) of anything else. I like to serve the meat with veggies & a starch, or two veggies. Starches could be pasta, grains, rice, stuffing, rolls, garlic bread and so on. During the summer, veggie choices will vary depending on what's at the farmer's market. Portions can have built-in cushions - if you make extra rice, you can add it to soup or stir-fry another night; leftover veggies or meats can be saved for soup or stock; a lunch can be packed up and frozen for another day.
At the beginning of the month, I make sure we have everything on hand to make the meals I've listed. You can do this as often as you get paid; our budget is set up for the big grocery trip once a month, and weekly trips for milk & perishables. Once a week is about the most I want to go - I find I spend too much money if I'm constantly getting 'just one thing.'
Once I'm home from shopping, I'll do any prep that's needed. I chop & freeze any bread that wasn't finished to use later for stuffing, croutons, and so on (still learning this one!). I make sure the freezer contents won't fall on you when you open the door. Then - I get a cold drink and curl up with a book until it's time to start dinner.
This is how I do it:
I make a list of the recipes we like so that I don't forget any of them, or have my cookbook nearby.
On a sheet of paper, I make a chart - 7 days by 5 weeks. Each week, two days say "Leftovers." I try to schedule one day with chicken, one with red meat, and one or two meatless meals. The remaining day or two is "planned overs" (leftovers that you have plans for when you make them). I list five weeks instead of four, because some months do look like they're five weeks, and also it gives us a couple extra dinner options. Good for company visits, or if we just don't want something on the menu.
The nice part: Each weekend, get a piece of paper to write down the week's meals on. Look at the menu, and keep in mind the weather forecast. Decide what you want to eat that week, write it on the week's menu, and check it off the monthly menu. Keep in mind that anything more than two days out is flexible.
It might go like this:
"Well, it's warmer this week but Thursday looks chilly and rainy; let's have Winter Bean soup to fight off the chill. Monday we'll have roast chicken. I'll make stock from the bones to use for the bean soup, and freeze the leftover meat. Tuesday we'll have Yellow Rice & Beans, Wednesday will be leftovers. Friday we can have spaghetti or sausage grinders, and then eat those leftovers Saturday. Sunday we'll have pot pie made from the meat & more of the stock we froze from Monday's chicken. "
Monday: Roast Chicken. Shred & Freeze leftover meat; make broth from carcass.
Tuesday: Yellow Rice & Beans
Wednesday: Leftovers - oops, very busy day; ate on the run, froze the leftovers instead...
Thursday: Winter Bean Soup using homemade stock
Friday: Sausage grinders or spaghetti
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie, made from Monday's planned-overs.
I have had the "eek! food run!" days several times. I'm now convincing the slow-cooker that it needs to cook dinner for us more often.
Portions are guesstimated at 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of meat or starch, or about 8 ounces (1 cup) of anything else. I like to serve the meat with veggies & a starch, or two veggies. Starches could be pasta, grains, rice, stuffing, rolls, garlic bread and so on. During the summer, veggie choices will vary depending on what's at the farmer's market. Portions can have built-in cushions - if you make extra rice, you can add it to soup or stir-fry another night; leftover veggies or meats can be saved for soup or stock; a lunch can be packed up and frozen for another day.
At the beginning of the month, I make sure we have everything on hand to make the meals I've listed. You can do this as often as you get paid; our budget is set up for the big grocery trip once a month, and weekly trips for milk & perishables. Once a week is about the most I want to go - I find I spend too much money if I'm constantly getting 'just one thing.'
Once I'm home from shopping, I'll do any prep that's needed. I chop & freeze any bread that wasn't finished to use later for stuffing, croutons, and so on (still learning this one!). I make sure the freezer contents won't fall on you when you open the door. Then - I get a cold drink and curl up with a book until it's time to start dinner.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Making Banana Chips
I started with 7 pounds of fresh bananas. This picture is where we started; below are the results.All I did was purchase quick-sell 'brown' bananas at the store. Brought them home, sliced for drying or smashing (the bowl).
I now have 1.5 quarts dried banana chips - wonderful sweet snacks - and enough smashed bananas for a round of banana breakfast muffins. Add in the second batch to dry (I had enough to fill the trays twice) and it was 2.5 quarts dried and two batches of muffins. Not bad for $3 and some patience!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Independance Day - Oct 25
1. Plant something – nothing.
2. Harvest something – Nothing.
3. Preserve something – Drying banana chips as we speak. Will soon be making banana bread with the pieces pretty enough to eat but not to dry. Have local turnips that need drying as well.
4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling and eating of leftovers. Still playing heater-chicken, made much easier by the fact we just had a week of 70's and it hasn't gone below 50's during the day yet. I guess being in an apartment helps; thermostat say's it's 70's in here.
5. Preparation and Storage – re-did most of the craft stash storage. I now know where things are LOL.
6. Build Community Food Systems – went to farmers market.
7. Eat the Food – Regular eating from pantry. Using the farmer market as primary store. Still trying to figure out how to store 4 months of food for when they're closed for winter. Fresh broccoli for dinner. Eating one chicken a week and looking for leftover recipes. Eating egg salad sandwiches for lunch - eggs are local, lunch meat isn't.
8. Crafting – First sock for class is just past the heel. I haven't done other crafts this week.
2. Harvest something – Nothing.
3. Preserve something – Drying banana chips as we speak. Will soon be making banana bread with the pieces pretty enough to eat but not to dry. Have local turnips that need drying as well.
4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling and eating of leftovers. Still playing heater-chicken, made much easier by the fact we just had a week of 70's and it hasn't gone below 50's during the day yet. I guess being in an apartment helps; thermostat say's it's 70's in here.
5. Preparation and Storage – re-did most of the craft stash storage. I now know where things are LOL.
6. Build Community Food Systems – went to farmers market.
7. Eat the Food – Regular eating from pantry. Using the farmer market as primary store. Still trying to figure out how to store 4 months of food for when they're closed for winter. Fresh broccoli for dinner. Eating one chicken a week and looking for leftover recipes. Eating egg salad sandwiches for lunch - eggs are local, lunch meat isn't.
8. Crafting – First sock for class is just past the heel. I haven't done other crafts this week.
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Local Dinner
Local beef stew I canned, with the Italian flatbread from the farmer's market.
Delicious!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Self-Care
I'm one that rarely goes to the doctor. I have one that knows me- I've been going to her for many years and refuse to switch doctors to keep the insurance happy. I go for my yearly visit, and only rarely otherwise.
My first defense is my kitchen- the things that we eat, that keep us healthy enough to stave off most of the little illnesses. This is part of why I'm building a from-scratch pantry (more on that in another post), and eating as local and seasonal as we can. It's also part of why I prefer organic as often as I can get it - I realize USDA organic certification has some problems, but I do know it means no GMOs and a more natural way of farming. I believe those things result in a more nutritious plant, thus more nutritious food.
Second defense is cleanliness. We wash dishes by hand, as the dishwasher has shown it can't clean properly - and we noticed less colds after that change. I have sanitizer by all the sinks (to be used IN ADDITION to hand-washing, not instead of!) If someone has a cold, I start changing all hand-towels daily, and disinfecting handles and the like just before bed. I don't want to let cold germs breed all night! I make sure to get sections of wall that are often touched, as well. (ex: light switches, and the place you always put your hand to push open the door).
The third defense is treating symptoms as soon as possible. Rest is one of my treatments - as soon as I realize I'm starting to catch something, I spend the day at home in bed. I eat well, and maybe eat some homemade soup. *poof* the cold is gone! (alright, not quite *poof* but definitely gone.)
With these simple steps, we went from several small colds and a couple of larger ones, to one small cold, in two winters. And yes, we have a child in public school.
Related posts elsewhere:
Bulls-eye Medicine: about re-localizing medicine, among other things.
Improve Your Diet Now: from the Preparedness Pro.
A Brief History of Health and Medicine - makes for an interesting read.
How to Avoid GM Foods - a Wiki article
My first defense is my kitchen- the things that we eat, that keep us healthy enough to stave off most of the little illnesses. This is part of why I'm building a from-scratch pantry (more on that in another post), and eating as local and seasonal as we can. It's also part of why I prefer organic as often as I can get it - I realize USDA organic certification has some problems, but I do know it means no GMOs and a more natural way of farming. I believe those things result in a more nutritious plant, thus more nutritious food.
Second defense is cleanliness. We wash dishes by hand, as the dishwasher has shown it can't clean properly - and we noticed less colds after that change. I have sanitizer by all the sinks (to be used IN ADDITION to hand-washing, not instead of!) If someone has a cold, I start changing all hand-towels daily, and disinfecting handles and the like just before bed. I don't want to let cold germs breed all night! I make sure to get sections of wall that are often touched, as well. (ex: light switches, and the place you always put your hand to push open the door).
The third defense is treating symptoms as soon as possible. Rest is one of my treatments - as soon as I realize I'm starting to catch something, I spend the day at home in bed. I eat well, and maybe eat some homemade soup. *poof* the cold is gone! (alright, not quite *poof* but definitely gone.)
With these simple steps, we went from several small colds and a couple of larger ones, to one small cold, in two winters. And yes, we have a child in public school.
Related posts elsewhere:
Bulls-eye Medicine: about re-localizing medicine, among other things.
Improve Your Diet Now: from the Preparedness Pro.
A Brief History of Health and Medicine - makes for an interesting read.
How to Avoid GM Foods - a Wiki article
Monday, October 5, 2009
Hobbit Stew
.. better know as Mushroom Stew.
Recipe:
I had to adjust the recipes I had found, since I needed one without dairy and without the sherry or whatever it was. This made 3 pints of Soup, and I had a half-pint of broth remaining. Also, this will taste better after freezing or as leftovers.
16 oz each regular mushrooms (can mix in some portabellas if desired)
5 cups venison, beef, or veggie broth*
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
4 Tbsp butter
Rosemary sprig
salt & pepper
Dice the mushrooms, onions, and garlic.
Melt butter in large saucepan on med-high heat. Add onions and garlic, sweat them for about 8 minutes, keeping the temp low so as not to brown things.
Add diced mushrooms, stir well to coat. Sweat for 10 minutes. Add a bit of water or more butter if needed.
Add broth and rosemary sprig. Simmer on low for 1 hour.
Taste and season as desired with salt & pepper. Remove rosemary sprig & serve.
*I’ve only used venison broth. My second choice would be free-range beef broth. YMMV.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
But I don’t ~want~ to cook tonight!
So what do you do, if you also don’t want to buy processed foods? I know you can cook ahead and freeze, say, casseroles and the like, and I do use this for some meals. Thing is, my freezer is small – all I have is the one above the fridge. With ice, breads, frozen fruits and meats, the freezer stays full. Also, I don’t like depending on the freezer – we live in hurricane country, and a Category 1 or 2 storm can leave us without power for a week or two. Cooking will be hard; freezing, impossible.
Dehydrating and Canning
I can dehydrate mashed potatoes, and freeze homemade gravy – they can be ready in about 10 minutes. Soups can be assembled from dried ingredients in advance (everything except the meats!) and cooked in the slowcooker or on the stove for until hot & juicy. Broths and meatier soups can be canned, as well as meatballs and unseasoned chicken or beef chunks. That meat can be used as the basis for other items – BBQ, chicken salad, to add to soups, etc. – just heat well before eating!
Dump & Heat Dinner ideas:
Soups: chicken, beef, mushroom, lentils, etc.
Meatball sandwiches
BBQ sandwiches
Anyone have more ideas? I do tend to cook a lot of soups...
Dehydrating and Canning
I can dehydrate mashed potatoes, and freeze homemade gravy – they can be ready in about 10 minutes. Soups can be assembled from dried ingredients in advance (everything except the meats!) and cooked in the slowcooker or on the stove for until hot & juicy. Broths and meatier soups can be canned, as well as meatballs and unseasoned chicken or beef chunks. That meat can be used as the basis for other items – BBQ, chicken salad, to add to soups, etc. – just heat well before eating!
Dump & Heat Dinner ideas:
Soups: chicken, beef, mushroom, lentils, etc.
Meatball sandwiches
BBQ sandwiches
Anyone have more ideas? I do tend to cook a lot of soups...
Saturday, September 19, 2009
For Love of Basil
Basil is one of my favorite herbs to cook with, both fresh & dried. There is a taste difference between the two, and I'd like to share with you how I preserve the flavor of fresh basil for winter dishes.
You will need:
-Fresh basil
-Olive oil (I use extra virgin cold pressed)
-mortar & pestle, or an alternative
-an ice cube tray
-a Tablespoon measure
-- Pinch off the fresh basil leaves. You don't want flowers or their buds, just the fresh leaves. Rinse them off in water and pat dry.
-- Rip them into small pieces (or cut or dice). Place in a small bowl - I'm using my mortar & pestle here. Dribble some olive oil on them, and crush the leaves into the oil. You don't need to create a pulp but rather want to bruise the leaves into the oil.
-- Using a tablespoon, measure the crushed basil into ice cube trays. I do one tablespoon per cube for ease of measuring later. Pour a bit more oil onto them, and tuck all the green down under the surface of the oil. Put into the freezer.
-- The next day, check them. They should be completely frozen. You can add another layer of oil on the top, and freeze again, if you feel it would be helpful or there is green sticking up - you want to protect the basil.
--Whenever you are making something and want the flavor of fresh basil, toss in a cube or two. It makes even canned spaghetti sauce taste much better, & doesn't need to be thawed in advance. I try to put some up every winter.
You will need:
-Fresh basil
-Olive oil (I use extra virgin cold pressed)
-mortar & pestle, or an alternative
-an ice cube tray
-a Tablespoon measure
-- Pinch off the fresh basil leaves. You don't want flowers or their buds, just the fresh leaves. Rinse them off in water and pat dry.
-- Rip them into small pieces (or cut or dice). Place in a small bowl - I'm using my mortar & pestle here. Dribble some olive oil on them, and crush the leaves into the oil. You don't need to create a pulp but rather want to bruise the leaves into the oil.-- Using a tablespoon, measure the crushed basil into ice cube trays. I do one tablespoon per cube for ease of measuring later. Pour a bit more oil onto them, and tuck all the green down under the surface of the oil. Put into the freezer.
-- The next day, check them. They should be completely frozen. You can add another layer of oil on the top, and freeze again, if you feel it would be helpful or there is green sticking up - you want to protect the basil.
--Whenever you are making something and want the flavor of fresh basil, toss in a cube or two. It makes even canned spaghetti sauce taste much better, & doesn't need to be thawed in advance. I try to put some up every winter.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Rubber Chicken
One chicken, three or more meals. Popular enough idea, and yet sometimes I still forget what to do with it. Here's what we've done this week, for two people:
1. Slow-cooked it all day, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with herbs. Delicious. The honey gives it a very nice golden color that's often hard to get in the slow-cooker.
2. Zataran's Smothered chicken. Used about 3 cups of shredded chicken. Had just enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
3. Chicken soup - using the broth it made in the slow-cooker, another 3 cups of shredded chicken, and assorted root vegetables. Put enough in the freezer to feed us another night, as well.
4. TBD. There's about 2 cups of chicken in the freezer. I didn't even pick the chicken clean; I had just pulled out the easy stuff for saving.
Other ideas:
-Heat shredded chicken with BBQ sauce in a skillet, and serve on a bun with green side items.
-Use for soft tacos, burritos, and the like. I don't make a lot of these so I'm not as sure.
-Chicken Salad.
-Casseroles
-Chicken & Dumplings
-etc.
Enjoy!
1. Slow-cooked it all day, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with herbs. Delicious. The honey gives it a very nice golden color that's often hard to get in the slow-cooker.
2. Zataran's Smothered chicken. Used about 3 cups of shredded chicken. Had just enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
3. Chicken soup - using the broth it made in the slow-cooker, another 3 cups of shredded chicken, and assorted root vegetables. Put enough in the freezer to feed us another night, as well.
4. TBD. There's about 2 cups of chicken in the freezer. I didn't even pick the chicken clean; I had just pulled out the easy stuff for saving.
Other ideas:
-Heat shredded chicken with BBQ sauce in a skillet, and serve on a bun with green side items.
-Use for soft tacos, burritos, and the like. I don't make a lot of these so I'm not as sure.
-Chicken Salad.
-Casseroles
-Chicken & Dumplings
-etc.
Enjoy!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Pantry Planning
I tend to cook from the pantry. As part of eating locally, and eating homemade food, I'm attempting to plan for several months worth of food stored - aiming to be able to store what we need between harvests. Jellies, preserves, soups and other convenience meals, meat stock; lots of tomatoes, veggies, and meats. I looked at how we eat, and wrote up a basic plan for canning.
Then I looked at the available storage. I set aside the previous plan as ‘goals for another year’ and started over – we simply don’t have the space. I am glad I did all that planning, as it gives me a basis for the scaled-back plans. The new focus will be homemade convenience foods – instant-ready or dried ingredients (canned chicken is ready much faster than frozen!), pre-made dinners (the beef stew, for example), and a couple small items I like to have and can’t always find. For example, I really like my mushroom stew but I’m the only one who eats it. By canning some in 8-oz jars, I’ll have single-size servings when I want some. Items like the canned chicken can be refreshed when our stocks are low, and the store has a sale. That will save us space as well as money.
Even this may stretch our small pantry space, but I can handle the new plans better (35 quarts, a dozen pints, & the jellies) than the old ones (49 quarts and 150 or so pints, plus jellies).
For veggies, I will be using my knowledge of what’s in season (or could be kept in a root cellar), along with what’s available to purchase. The goal is to cook seasonally as much as possible, rather than using store-canned or shipped-in (out of season) food all the time.
For both plans, the number of jars is determined by what we'll eat, compared with what fits in the canner. If we're going to use a 28-oz can of diced tomatoes every week (not unusual during the winter), then we'll need 1 quart (about 24oz) per week. For eight months x 4 weeks = 32 quarts. The canner will hold 7 quarts, so 32 divided by 7= 4 (28) to 5 (35) canner loads. I'd rather make more that I expect to need, and if the canner is running anyway it may as well be full. So I'd plan for 35 quarts.
I'll discuss drying foods in another post.
New canning plan:
canned chicken, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
jellies, 8oz jars, aiming for 24 or so of mixed varieties
beef soup, 7 quarts, can be varied with additions when served
broths, chicken/beef/bison, about 8 pints each
mushroom soup – 1 batch of 8 oz jars
spaghetti sauce, 6ea. 8oz jars
seasoned diced tomatoes, 6ea. 8oz jars
7 quarts meatballs in sauce
Canned kidney beans, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
Canned blackeye peas, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
Preserves, pints, about 4 each strawberry, raspberry, blackberry
Then I looked at the available storage. I set aside the previous plan as ‘goals for another year’ and started over – we simply don’t have the space. I am glad I did all that planning, as it gives me a basis for the scaled-back plans. The new focus will be homemade convenience foods – instant-ready or dried ingredients (canned chicken is ready much faster than frozen!), pre-made dinners (the beef stew, for example), and a couple small items I like to have and can’t always find. For example, I really like my mushroom stew but I’m the only one who eats it. By canning some in 8-oz jars, I’ll have single-size servings when I want some. Items like the canned chicken can be refreshed when our stocks are low, and the store has a sale. That will save us space as well as money.
Even this may stretch our small pantry space, but I can handle the new plans better (35 quarts, a dozen pints, & the jellies) than the old ones (49 quarts and 150 or so pints, plus jellies).
For veggies, I will be using my knowledge of what’s in season (or could be kept in a root cellar), along with what’s available to purchase. The goal is to cook seasonally as much as possible, rather than using store-canned or shipped-in (out of season) food all the time.
For both plans, the number of jars is determined by what we'll eat, compared with what fits in the canner. If we're going to use a 28-oz can of diced tomatoes every week (not unusual during the winter), then we'll need 1 quart (about 24oz) per week. For eight months x 4 weeks = 32 quarts. The canner will hold 7 quarts, so 32 divided by 7= 4 (28) to 5 (35) canner loads. I'd rather make more that I expect to need, and if the canner is running anyway it may as well be full. So I'd plan for 35 quarts.
I'll discuss drying foods in another post.
New canning plan:
canned chicken, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
jellies, 8oz jars, aiming for 24 or so of mixed varieties
beef soup, 7 quarts, can be varied with additions when served
broths, chicken/beef/bison, about 8 pints each
mushroom soup – 1 batch of 8 oz jars
spaghetti sauce, 6ea. 8oz jars
seasoned diced tomatoes, 6ea. 8oz jars
7 quarts meatballs in sauce
Canned kidney beans, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
Canned blackeye peas, 7 quarts, refresh as needed
Preserves, pints, about 4 each strawberry, raspberry, blackberry
Monday, July 20, 2009
Independance Day Update - Week 5
1. Plant something – nothing yet.
2. Harvest something – nothing. Need to either eat the lettuce or start a new crop - still there, still short, hasn't bolted yet.
3. Preserve something – Still working on a full stock of green peppers. Froze venison broth to use later. Need to learn what else I can dry, as dried foods take up so much less space.
4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling. Better meal planning.
5. Preparation and Storage – re-planning what we're canning/drying for winter. The more I learn, the less I want to eat non-organic food (I really don't want to eat anything that's been genetically modified, thanks anyway..) Finding a place to store it all is another matter!
6. Build Community Food Systems – Visited newest farmers market, bought veggies.
7. Eat the Food – Steamed squash for dinner. Ate venison from the freezer.
8. Crafting – Cross-stitch, snippets of sewing.
2. Harvest something – nothing. Need to either eat the lettuce or start a new crop - still there, still short, hasn't bolted yet.
3. Preserve something – Still working on a full stock of green peppers. Froze venison broth to use later. Need to learn what else I can dry, as dried foods take up so much less space.
4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling. Better meal planning.
5. Preparation and Storage – re-planning what we're canning/drying for winter. The more I learn, the less I want to eat non-organic food (I really don't want to eat anything that's been genetically modified, thanks anyway..) Finding a place to store it all is another matter!
6. Build Community Food Systems – Visited newest farmers market, bought veggies.
7. Eat the Food – Steamed squash for dinner. Ate venison from the freezer.
8. Crafting – Cross-stitch, snippets of sewing.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Market Day
Today was a local Farmer's Market. Peppers for drying and for dinner; bison meat; onions and cucumbers for Bread & Butter Pickles. The yellow squash are already steaming for dinner. The peanuts are yummy snacks, grown locally & processed on her farm.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Dried foods
I've dried a few things for our pantry, for winter's use. Celery, carrots, mushrooms, and green pepper.
I dice the veggies, then dry them long enough to snap when bent (about 24 hours for me), and often toss them in soups that spend the day simmering in the slow-cooker for dinner. So much more can be done, but I'm still learning. This is the first year I've done much with it, and I'm enjoying it!
- Shredded Carrots: 3 cups fresh = 1 cup dried (33%)
- Diced Carrots: 2 cups fresh = 1/4 cup dried (25%)
- Celery: 6 cups fresh = 1 cup dried (15%)
- Green Pepper: 6 cups fresh = 1 cup dried (15%)
- Mushrooms: 2 cups fresh, diced = 1/4 cup dried (25%)
Related links:
National Center for Home Food Preservation: Drying
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Agriculture: Drying Food
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Welcome!
I'm starting this blog because I have not seen much, if any, information about homesteading in an apartment - there are a lot of great sites out there, but everyone seems to have yards or livestock. I have a shady balcony - great for catching breezes, not so much for catching sun with tomato plants.
I do a lot of crafting as well as cooking from scratch and using natural cleaners. Right now I'm learning to can food and knit. My guideline is "what would I do without electric?" or "what would I do if I couldn't drive to X?" It does lead to creativity!
I'm new at blogging, so comments and feed back are always welcome.
Thanks for stopping by!
I do a lot of crafting as well as cooking from scratch and using natural cleaners. Right now I'm learning to can food and knit. My guideline is "what would I do without electric?" or "what would I do if I couldn't drive to X?" It does lead to creativity!
I'm new at blogging, so comments and feed back are always welcome.
Thanks for stopping by!
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