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kappydell

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Everything posted by kappydell

  1. I'll see if I can dig out m y "survival" dookbook that Ive been accumulating recipes for over the years since Y2K. For using stored/dehydrated/prep foods.
  2. We are waiting for easter hams too! We get the spiral sliced Sams Club ones, then cut & freeze in meal size portions. Our favorite dinner with them is scalloped potatoes and ham (mmmmm) but we also dice and use in omelets, grilled ham & cheese sandwiches (for quick dinners) and sometimes plain ol ham and eggs. I did can up some navy beans and ham and the recipe was tasty..... C'mon Easter hams!!! We are saving freezer space for you! (not to mentio split pea soup with those ham bones!)
  3. I feel sorry for those who have no idea how to make their own stuff from scratch. I get worried when I see those "meal kits" sold on TV...you know.....they sell you the (expensive) ingredients and the recipe ("and all the hard work like chopping is already done!" they breathlessly brag) and you get to cook it. Not terribly cost effective I am certain. Since when is eating supposed to be a "restaurant quality event"???? OY! Frankly the restaurant quality foods are not all that tasty compared to homemade, and not all that healthy either. I gave a talk and handed out recipes at a prepper meeting about 5 yrs ago, based on very basic long-term storage foods, to give folks ideas on how to use their storage. I got many compliments, but whast I most recall was one rueful comment from one of the menfolk..."oh, great...now I gotta learn to cook, too!" Either that or recruit a cooking granny for his team...
  4. I've missed lots while I was unable to use computer for very long at a time. I had one cataract removed. Now I have one nearsighted eye, one farsighted, LOL, Kinda like bifocals except I have to shut one eye depending on what I'm looking at! We are finally getting some strength back from our bouts with covid... and we getting the garden in. Today I planted some Catawissa Walking onions, the other onions and garlic have not arrived yet. (The catawissa ones are larger than the Egyptian ones, and were bred originally in Pensylvania, to make more small topsets. They were supposedly used to produce 'baby onions' commercially.) I'm hoping they will establish here quickly. Some pickled onions would be a tasty relish for a pickle tray. I have been setting aside kitty litter pails for a while, and they are coming in handy. They will hold some herbs. IDK why but we ALWAYS get too many things to fit in our garden, and end up stuffing in extras all over the place. The litter pails work nice - I made 2 wicking ones last year for catnip and lemon balm, and both are growing back after their winter die down. One of our cats got in a heck of a fight - we are thinking with a raccoon- and had to go to the vet. He is still there, with half his body shaved to get at and clean all his puncture woulds which were infected (naturally). Thank goodness for a vet who takes time payments. There are cheaper ones, but this one takes time payments the others do not. So kitty is lounging in his cage there, and when he comes home will be indoors in a cage ti finish healing. The vet says all our kitties are very friendly when we bring them in - no biting, hissing or fighting. We handle them a lot, even the outdoor ones, so they do not go feral. But it sure is pricey when they get banged up. First Woodsey was grabbed by an owl and fought free (gouged throat and shoulder) and now Roamer gets his side torn open. Ouch. Chainsaw Mary's birthday was yesterday. I made her a red velvet cake (her favorite) and tried out the triple deck pan set I found online. It has one 7 inch, one 5 inch and one 3 inch pan to make tiers, and takes one box of cake mix. She thought it was cute, especially that little old "hat" of a third layer...about the size of a cupcake. We ate it first so we could fit the rest under the cake cover, LOL. 6 inches was too tall for the cake covers we have. I also got her a 9mm Bodyguard semi-auto, and a set of paracord wrapped handle tools with belt holders - a hatchet, a knife, a firestarter and a flashlight. Then she got another huge surprise to us both...when we picked up the Bodyguard, they were having a raffle, so we put in $10 and she won 3rd prize - a $300 gift certificate from the gun store. (AMMO!!!) I told her maybe we should find a gun store to buy lottery tickets in since our luck seems to revolve around firearms, LOL. Euphraysne, how is that wrist doing? Not your dominant hand I hope. That is one tough way to learn to be ambidextrous.
  5. kappydell

    Funnies

    My tabs would have to fill both arms....Im old enough to remember that we were all supposed to ie because of: water pollution, air pollution, Y2K, etc, etc, etc.....
  6. Our prayers will, of course continue...
  7. I recycle my used cheese shaker jar (Kraft Parmesan and the like) to hold flour. Much easier to sprinkle over potatoes when making scalloped potatoes, or over the counter to roll out cookies and other stuff. I save my large cranberry juice jugs (3 to 4 quart size) and refillk with uncooked rice, small pasta, oatmeal, dry beans, and other dry goods for kitchen use. They are easier to pour frojm with the nice handles than the 2 qt bottles I used to use. I keep the 2 qt bottles to store water in, and make fly traps, tippy taps and for jug fishing. Old Walmart onion powder containers with shaker tops hold homemade spices mixes: ranch, taco, Italian, and cinnamon sugar. And the Argo cornstarch jars (square ones) hol precisely 1 lb of flour, sugar, and coffee and perch nicely on back of the stove, From my local grocer (the one with a bakery) I pick up the small covered pails. Although I have to wash them out they are perfect size (2 gallon) for Christmas cookie and chex mix stashes, which we have in quantity for the season. After they provide nice covered storage for dry pet foods, dry bread being saved for making crumbs, that 10 lb sack of flour I am currently using, and as easy to handle tote pails for garden produce and tools. Walmart has them too, they wash them out for you but charge $1 each. Best of all they fit in the dishwasher! I always buy the big coffee containers, transferring contents to several smaller coffee 'cans" for day to day use (you know those that pretend to be 1 pound). The empties are also washed and used to hold the parrots peanuts, the small cat toys, dog treats, and anything else that comes in multiples with those fragile plastic bags guaranteed to split and drop the contents all oover).
  8. UH OH.... I never thought of that. I have several who think dismembering toys to find the squeaker is part of their job descriptions! I only buy toys at the dollar stores as a result.
  9. https://www.naturalnews.com/2022-01-29-rubbery-blood-clots-in-bodies-of-vaccinated.html odd
  10. Now THAT is creative use of resources! I wonder if it would keep my dogs from pressing the wrong buttons when they walk on my remote?
  11. Blackout curtains may be making a comeback but if they are using heat sensing targeting systems they wont work effectively...I am reading old WWII rationing bulletins on how to save on rationed items...good money saving hints. I pray for those caught in the tentacles of war. It must be terrifying.
  12. Welcome back Becca! The house is gorgeious! and I love a wrap aroupnd porch to sit on and snip tails off green beans and other veggie prep stuff. Lewss mess indoors and a shorter walk to the ompost area. You are in for such fun planning new gardens and orchard areas! An acre is just about the perfect size, too.
  13. The chili beans always disappear on me...they are just so handy to pop open a pint and eat as a side dish...especially with eggs in the morning. YUM.
  14. CHILI BEANS BIG BATCH Makes 16 cups 1 c chopped onions (21 cents) 1 pint canned tomatoes (88 cents) 6 TB chili powder(50 cents) 2 lb beans (pinto or red types) ($1.94) 2 TB salt (1 cent) 7 1/2 c boiling water 1/4 tsp pepper (1 cent) Wash beans and soak overnight in cold water, or quick soak if you want them faster. Drain soak water. Mix remaining ingredients into beans. If canning, boil 5 min, then pack beans hot in jars within 2 inches of top of jar. Fill with hot sauce liquid up to 1/2 inch of top of jar, cap and process at 10 lb pressure for 60 min both pints & quarts. If making in crockpot, cook soaked beans until tender in plain water. Drain, then return beans to crock pot with remaining ingredients and cook to blend flavors nicely; 4 hr on high or 8 hr on low. Total recipe $3.55; 1 cup = 22 cents If cooking on stovetop, presoak beans, then rinse. Simmer in fresh water to cover until tender. Drain, return beans to cook pot with remaining ingredients & simmer 20-30 min to blend flavors, stirring to keep from sticking. Why buy them when you can make them? These wont stay on shelves very long they are just too darn handy. Prices are from about 6 years ago so dont expect them to be as cheap anymore. WHITE CHILI 10 cups 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2 med onions chopped 1 garlic cloves, minced 1 TB veg oil 2 cans (14 1/2 oz ea) fat free chicken broth 2 c cooked great northern or cannellini beans, mashed 2 cans chopped green chilies 1 tsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp dry oregano 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp pepper 1/8 tsp cloves 1/8 tsp ground red pepper Optional toppings: sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro Cut chicken bite sized. Put in heavy kettle or Dutch oven and sauté along with onion and garlic in the veg. oil, over med high heat. Cook for 10 min until chicken is cooked. Stir in broth, beans, chilies and spices. Bring to a boil, the cover, lower heat and simmer 30 min longer. Serve with sour cream & cilantro garnish. SOUTH OF THE BORDER PIZZA (8 servings) 1 package (8 ½ oz) corn muffin mix (97 cents) 1 16-oz can or 2 cups refried beans (70 cents) ¾ c shredded cheddar cheese (87 cents) ¾ c shredded Monterey Jack cheese (90 cents) 1 cup tomato sauce ($1.00) 3 TB chopped green pepper (20 cents) 3 TB sliced green onions (10 cents) 2 TB salsa (20 cents) 1 tomato, chopped (50 cents) ½ avocado, peeled and sliced (60 cents) Preheat oven to 400. Make corn bread according to package directions, reducing milk to ¼ cup. Spread batter evenly in a 14-inch pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 min, remove from oven and reduce oven to 350 degrees. Spread refried beans over cornbread. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Combine tomato sauce, green pepper, onions and salsa. Spoon over refried beans. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 15 min or until cheese melts. Garnish with avocado slices and chopped tomatoes before serving. Total recipe cost: $6.00. Per serving 75 cents. SWEET BAKED BEANS Nutrition Note: This recipe makes 16 servings. Each serving has 150 calories, 1 g fat, 7 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 37 mg calcium, 52 mcg folate, 296 mg potassium, and 291 mg sodium. Ingredients: 1 pound (2 cups) dry pinto beans ¾ cup dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon dry mustard 10 cups cold water ¾ cup ketchup ½ pound cooked, smoked ham pieces ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup chopped white onion ½ cup cold water ½ cup real maple syrup Method: 1. In a 4-quart kettle, add salt to 10 cups water and heat to boiling. 2. Sort dry beans into a strainer and rinse with cold water. 3. Add beans to water and boil for 10 minutes. 4. Pour beans and water into a crockpot and cook overnight on low, or 1 to 2 hours on high, until beans are tender. 5. Drain beans and return to crockpot. 6. Add remaining ingredients, stir and simmer 5 to 8 hours. Add more water, if needed, to keep beans moist.
  15. Today I canned a canner full of meat, and helped Mary unload another load of a topsoil-compost mix. We are both still waiting to retrieve our energy post covid, but we managed to get everything done before the rain came in this evening. I called Lowes and got a refund on missing copper tape. I will re-order. This morning I watched this kitty climb the wrong side of the ladder to check out a bird in the tree. She is no dummy.... Drip irrigation system laid out & hooked up Copper anti-slug tape on sides of raised beds. Off loading what turned into 7 scoops of dirt-compost mix.
  16. Its a small victory, but a sweet one. Marys high school BFF back up is Wisconsin is finally stocking up. They have been getting hints from her for years to "put a few things by, just in case". Last summer she is the one we took a huge cooler of meat to, because we couild get it at a reasonable price and where she was, it was several times as expensive, and nowhere near the quality. Tonight when Mary asked her how the meat was holding out, she said "I've been rationing that" and went on to say they were stocking up on other nonperishable foodstuffs "nothing drastic, just bit by bit". That was how Mary told her we had done it, bit by bit over time, to build up a food security pantry (friend does not like the P word, it makes her think of "scary" things). They are even going (as far as) buying a generator and fuel in case of power outages. For her that is a MAJOR step, so we are happy they finally took the plunge. Frankly we dont care what you call it, as long as you DO it. I suffered a slight case of sticker shock at the pharmacy today. Went to pick up eye drops, and one of them cost me $50 (that was the co pay) for an infinitesimal bottle. Then in the mail yesterday my annual letter stating they were not going to cover one of my meds that I pay a huge co-pay on (ranges between 40 and 80 dollars for 30 days) because the ones in their formulary have bad side effects. So tomorrow I will be calling my doctor to call them and explain why I need them to cover this. Without insurance its almost $500 per month (!!!) They have been covering it but I have to go thru this annually. Its beginning to get mje down. Soon I will not be able to afford my meds even with insurance (and mine is far better than most). Im already using generics wherever I can, and splitting pills, and all the other tricks to get the price down to a reasonable level. ARRRRGH! At this rate i WILL have to choose between food and medicine. Or declare my homestead "clothing optional". We can always claim we are training for the TV show "Naked & Afraid" The garden is tilled, fertilized and ready to plant as soon as this next round of week long rain storms passes. Today I cut up 12 quarts of meat chunks in older cuts of frozen meat to can up. It takes me longer than it used to, but it is so good to know I can just open a canm, thicken up the broth and serve over whatever else I have around. I am dehydrating a full dehydrator of parsley after moving one keeper to the large pots I am putting me herbs in. The sqge and marjoram are thriving there too. Collard greens will be dehydrated as well. And I have 5 cabbages to "use up" from the garden clean up. We laid out our drip irrigation system yesterday, Mary set it up today, so we are good to go gardenwise. I also picked up two trash cans to compost in at the local Ollie's thrift store ($10) so after the canning and dehydrating I will set up the composters too. Plenty to keep us busy here increasing our self sufficiency quotient.
  17. Have you noticed the rice at Walmart is in short supply? People are thinking about storable, adaptable, reasonably priced food again, to make sure the kiddos get fed no matter what happens. Here are some recipes I found on another site, plus a collection of others from various sources Beans and Rice – five ways Basic recipe: 1 cup rice 1 can drained and rinsed beans, or 2 cups cooked dry beans 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp vegetable oil Cook the rice according to directions. Heat up the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice. Asian Beans and Rice Substitute beans in basic recipe with black beans, then add the following to the basic recipe: 1 cup chopped carrots, rehydrated 2 tbsp ginger 2 tbsp soy sauce ½ cup rehydrated chopped green pepper ½ tsp Chinese five spice Fry the carrots, green pepper and ginger with the bean and onion mixture for a few minutes until carrots are cooked but still crunchy. Stir in the soy sauce and remove from heat. Mix the Chinese five spice with the rice, salt and pepper to taste. Caribbean Beans and Rice Substitute beans in basic recipe with red kidney beans, then add the following to the basic recipe: ½ cup tomato sauce 1 tsp thyme ½ cup rehydrated chopped green bell pepper 2 tbsp hot sauce or chipotle sauce 2 tsp oregano Stir the thyme and green pepper into the bean and onion mixture and fry for a few minutes. Add the tomato sauce and hot sauce. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes no longer taste raw. Add oregano into the rice; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with flour or corn tortillas. Mediterranean Beans and Rice Substitute beans in basic recipe with great northern beans, then add the following to the basic recipe: ½ cup rehydrated chopped celery 1 small can sliced black olives 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/3 cup fresh parsley or 2 Tbsp dried parsley 2 tsp dry dill weed Add the celery and olives to the bean and onion mixture and fry for a few minutes to soften. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and heat through. Stir the dill into the rice; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh Italian bread, or foccacia. Mexican Beans and Rice Substitute beans in basic recipe with pinto beans, then add the following to the basic recipe: 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained 2 tbsp lime juice ¼ cup fresh cilantro or 2 tbsp dried Stir the cumin and chili powder into the bean and onion mixture and fry for a few minutes. Add the can of tomatoes and lime juice. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes no longer taste raw. Add cilantro into the rice; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with flour or corn tortillas. ===================================================================== PERFECT WHITE RICE (4 servings of ¾ cup each) 2 cups hot water 1/2 tsp salt (1 cent) 1 c dry white rice (20 cents) You need a pot with a good lid for this recipe. Put the water into the pot, bring to a boil over high heat. Add the salt. When the water is at a full, rolling boil, add the rice. Stir it up, and return the water to a boil. Now reduce the heat to the lowest possible simmer, put the lid on and let it sit and simmer for 15-20 min. Do NOT peek. The rice will cook, you just have to trust it. When the time is up, uncover and serve – easy as pie, Perfect Rice. This recipe is easily doubled, as long as you keep the proportions of water to rice the same. I usually make a double batch (2 cups rice, 4 cups water so I have leftovers for fried rice for breakfast or lunch! Total recipe for one batch: 21 cents; one serving 5 cents. BROWNED RICE (3 – 4 servings) 1/2 cup uncooked rice (10 cents) 2 TB chopped onions, celery, green peppers, or even meat (50 cents) 2 TB shortening (any kind , but margarine has a nice flavor; bacon grease is tasty, too)(margarine 6 cents) 1/2 tsp salt (omit if bacon grease is used)(1 cent) 1 3/4 cups water Heat shortening in a skillet, and add rice. Cook and stir constantly until rice is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add vegetables or meat, continue to cook and stir another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and water. Bring to a simmer, and simmer over low heat 20-25 min. or until rice is tender and excess liquid has evaporated. Total recipe cost (using margarine): 67 cents; one serving 17 cents. SONG OF INDIA RICE (4 servings) 1 c white rice (20 cents) 1 TB onion powder (2 cents) 1/2 tsp salt (1 cent) 1/4 tsp ground turmeric or rosemary (2 cents) 2 c water 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (1 cent) 1/4 tsp pepper (1 cent) 2/3 c raisins (optional) (36 cents) Heat 2 TB water to a boil in a 2 qt saucepan over medium heat. Add onion powder, cinnamon, salt, pepper, turmeric or rosemary, and stir. Add remaining water and heat to a boil. Stir in rice, lower heat. Cover and simmer 15-20 min without stirring until liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork, stir in (optional) raisins, cover and let stand 5 min. Total recipe cost: 64 cents; per serving 16 cents. HERB FLAVORED RICE (4 svgs) 1 c white rice (20 cents) 1 TB margarine (6 cents) 1 TB onion powder (2 cents) 1/4 tsp oregano (1 cent) 1/4 tsp salt (1 cent) 1/4 tsp thyme (1 cent) 1/4 tsp ground sage (1 cent) 2 1/2 c water Melt butter in saucepan over med heat. Add 2 TB water, bring to a boil, then stir in salt and herbs. Add remaining water, and heat to a boil. Add rice, lower heat, cover and simmer 30-40 min without stirring until liquid is absorbed. (You may vary herbs to suit your taste, or omit all herbs and substitute ¾ tsp Italian seasoning. Lemon pepper and dill are also a good option. There is lots of room for experimentation here.) Total recipe cost: 32 cents; per serving 8 cents. BAKED RICE (for when you have the oven on cooking something else, anyway) 1 c rice (20 cents) 2 TB margarine (6 cents) 2 bouillon cubes (16 cents) 1 TB onion powder (1 cent) 2 c water Preheat oven to 375. In saucepan, melt margarine and add onion powder. Simmer over low heat 2 min. Add rice, stirring continuously for 3 min until rice is coated and white. Add water; bring to a boil. Add bouillon cubes, making sure they dissolve thoroughly (I crush them first.) Pour into a casserole, cover and bake at 375 for 30 min. (A little longer for 350, if that is what you are cooking at.) Variations: -Dice a green pepper, add with the bouillon cubes. - Toss in ½ to 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables when pouring into the casserole. -Add up to 1 cup diced leftover meat, vegetables, or a combination when pouring into the casserole. FRIED RICE (1) 3 c cooked rice (47 cents) minced onions carrots, celery about 2 TB each (10 cents) 2 eggs (10 cents) soy sauce (10 cents) Combine, stirring well, then pour into heated, greased skillet and stir-fry until mixture solidifies. Makes one dinner size serving for 87 cents. FRIED RICE (2) 4 servings 3 c cooked rice (20 cents) 2 TB oil (4 cents) 3 eggs (15 cents) 1/3 c green onions, chopped (30 cents) Heat oil in a pot, add the rice. Stir until rice is well coated. Add onions and stir. Form a well in the center of the rice, and crack in the 3 eggs. Wait until they partially set, then toss until they are finished cooking. You want tiny bits of egg mixed with the rice. Makes 4 servings. Total recipe 69 cents; per serving 17 cents. FRIED RICE (3) 1 c white or brown rice (68 cents) 2 cups water 2 TB cooking oil (5 cents) 1 chicken bouillon cube (8 cents) 2 eggs (10 cents) 3 TB finely chopped green onions (6 cent) 1/2 c sliced or diced carrots, cooked or canned (20 cents) or green pepper (20 cents) 2 TB milk (5 cents) 1/2 c frozen peas, uncooked but thawed (20 cents) 1/2 TB soy sauce (13 cents) In a frying pan, heat oil, add rice and stir until lightly browned. Slowly add water and bouillon cube. Cover, simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (20 min). Beat together eggs, milk, and onions and pour over hot rice mixture. As mixture begins to set, gently draw spatula across bottom and sides of pan. Continue cooking until eggs are thickened and no visible liquid egg remain. Add peas and carrots and season with soy sauce to taste. 4 servings. Total recipe cost $1.69; per serving= 44 cents. FRIED RICE (4) 6 cups of cooked white rice, cooled (made from 1 ½ cups dry rice) 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables thawed (peas, carrot and corn is a good option) 3 eggs, whisked 3 tbsp canola spread or margarine, melted Serves: 4 Cost per serve: 62c Process: Melt the canola spread in a large frypan over medium heat. When hot, add the whisked eggs and tilt pan so eggs cover base evenly. Cook 1 min on either side and remove from pan. Add remaining canola spread and heat pan as high as it goes (while that’s heating, slice your egg into thin ribbons, and get your frozen veggies ready). Chuck in all your cooked rice and start stirring quickly. You want to coat as much of the rice as you can in spread. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the thawed frozen veggies and egg ribbons, cook it all together for another minute, and then take it off the heat and serve. FRIED RICE WITH SMOKED HAM 4 svgs for $4.02 or $1.00 ea 1 1/4 cup rice, long grain 1 cup frozen peas 2 eggs size large, beaten 3 tbsp canola oil 1 onions, finely chopped 2 slices smoked ham, diced (9 oz) 1 pinch salt [optional] ground pepper to taste [optional] Keep the serving dishes in the oven at the lowest setting so they are warm when you serve. Cook the rice. Cook the peas, still frozen, by plunging them 3-4 min in a small pot of boiling salted water. Drain them, then set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg, then set aside. Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 2-3 min until it becomes translucent. Add the rice then stir-fry 2 min, breaking up the rice with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the rice, exposing the bottom of the skillet. Add the remaining oil then stir in the egg. Immediately stir-fry to incorporate the egg throughout the rice, until the egg is almost cooked through, 1-2 min. Add the ham, peas, salt, and pepper then stir-fry 1-2 min until it is heated through. Serve on the warmed dishes. thegauch : april 05, 2009 | I would make this recipe again It was simple, quick, and tasty but it lacked some flavour. We are going to make it again but next time we're going to add soya sauce in the final step and a few more seasonings. Prepping the rice in advance truly made it a 10 minute recipe. FRUGAL FRIED RICE 2 cups or 1 main dish serving = 31 cents 2/3 c raw rice 1/2 broccoli stalk 1/8 onion a few TB cooking oil Water Cook rice using preferred method. Finely chop broccoli, and onion and saute in a little oil. When onion is brown and broccoli softened, add riceand toss. A beaten egg is a nice addition if you can afford one. KOTONK FRIED RICE (4 servings) 3 c cooked, refrigerated rice (25 cents) 1/4 of a can of Spam, ham or other meat- 4 green onions, sliced (40 cents) like canned food (75 cents) 2 eggs, beaten like they owe you money (23 cents) salt and pepper (1 cent) Start off frying the Spam. Add the rice, using your spatula vigorously. Add vegetable oil whenever necessary. Ideally, you would scramble the eggs separately, but let’s not get too cray here. Add the green onions when the rice is hot and the eggs are scrambled. These will wilt in a matter of seconds. You are done. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. MEXICAN RICE 280 g rice (1.3 cups US) 2 TB oil (2,2 TB) 1 onion, diced 1 galic, crushed 1 chili ppper diced 1 tin tomatoes (14 oz/US) 400 ml cnickn stock (1 2/3 c US) 150 g peas (1 cup US) Heat oil in a pan and when hot add the onion, garlic and chilli. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to absorb the oil. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Add the peas and cook for a further 3 minutes. SE ASIAN EGG & VEGGIE FRIED RICE 500g/1lb 2oz cooked rice (preferably one-day old) or 200g/7oz rice 2 tbsp oil (2.4 TB US) 4 eggs, beaten 3 tbsp light soy sauce (3.6 TB) ½ - 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste 1 medium courgette (zucchini or summer squash) (approximately 200g/7oz), cut into cubes 150g/5½oz frozen peas 1 bunch coriander, leaves and stalks separated, leaves roughly chopped, stalks finely chopped 1 lime, juice of half, half cut into wedges salt and black pepper If you are not using precooked rice, cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and then refresh in cold running water to speed up the cooling process and stop it sticking together. Leave in the fridge overnight or spread onto a tray and leave to cool and dry. Once the rice is ready, heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Once hot, add the egg, a dash of soy sauce and the chilli flakes. Fry the egg, stirring constantly and breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once the egg is cooked through, golden-brown and broken into small pieces, add the courgettes and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the courgettes are tender and just turning golden. Add the frozen peas, cold rice, the remaining oil and the chopped coriander stalks along with two tablespoons of soy sauce. Stir fry over a high heat, mixing constantly with a wooden spoon until the rice is hot and everything is mixed together. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed, plus a little salt and black pepper if necessary. Turn off the heat, squeeze in the juice of half the lime and stir in three-quarters of the coriander leaves. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and the wedges of lime. Serve immediately. GINGER EGG FRIED RICE 75 g frozen mixed vegetables (1/2 cup US) ½ tsp minced ginger (rounded US) ½ TB coconut oil (0.6TB) ¼ tsp turmeric (rounded, US) pinch salt 100 g rice (1/2 c US) 1 egg Cook the rice, drain and rinse. Steam/boil the vegetables and set aside. Meanwhile, beat egg with turmeric and salt. Heat the oil in a wok and saute the ginger on low for 30 seconds. Turn u the heat and add the rice, and toss until covered with oil. Add cooked veggies. Add beaten egg, stirring rapidly for about 30 sec so it cooks and coats the rice. Transfer to a serving dish, and eat. FRIED RICE, EASY A couple of people on Facebook mentioned fried rice, which is another great way to make something tasty and new from leftovers and fridge scraps. Here’s an easy recipe to follow: In a large frying pan or wok, brown a bit of garlic in a tablespoon or two of oil, then add one sliced onion. When the onion is softened, drop in two eggs and scramble them up on one side of the pan. Now crank up the heat and toss in whatever other ingredients you want or have on hand — peas, corn, mushrooms, broccoli, diced carrots, pineapple, or chunks of ham all work well — along with your leftover rice, a spoonful of sugar, and up to a 1/4 cup of light soy sauce. Cook on high heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, and serve right away. 2 cups or more of leftover cooked rice: Free 1/4 cup of soy sauce: 50 cents Minced garlic, sugar, and 2T olive oil: 50 cents 1 onion: 99 cents 2 eggs: 50 cents Frozen peas or other veggies: $1.29 Total: $3.78 (makes six servings) Price per serving: 63 cents CURRY RICE (4 servings) 1 cup rice (20 cents) 2 cups liquid (water, broth, bouillon from cubes) (10 1 TB margarine or other fat (3 cents) cents for broth) 1 c chopped carrots (40 cents) 1 chopped onion (4 cents) 2 minced cloves garlic (20 cents) 1 tsp curry powder (2 cents) 1/8 tsp pepper (1 cent) 1 TB lemon juice (bottled) (5 cents) 1/8 tsp pepper (1 cent) (optional) 1 pound shrimp, cut up chicken, leftover meat, etc. Put it all in a pot, bring to a boil. Stir once, lower heat to simmer and cover. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let sit 5 min, then fluff with a fork and serve. (Hint- get a mild curry powder, you can always heat it up with some cayenne pepper if you want more ‘fire’.) Total recipe cost: $1.06; per serving 27 cents. CHINESE RESTAURANT WHITE RICE (4 servings) 1 c rice (20 cents) 2 c water 1 TB oil (4 cents) 1 TB lemon juice (from bottle) 5 cents) splash white vinegar or rice vinegar (3 cents) Put it all in a pot, bring to a boil. Stir once reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Simmer until all water is absorbed, about 20 min. Remove from heat, let rest 5 min before serving. Fluff with a fork & dish it up. Total recipe cost 32 cents; one serving 8 cents. RICE CAKES (4 servings as side dish) 2 cups cooked rice (12 cents) 1/2 tsp salt (1 cent) 1/2 cups flour (3 cents) 1/2 tsp baking soda (1 cent) 2 TB sugar (2 cents) 1 beaten egg (5 cents) extra flour for coating(2 cents) oil for frying (5 cents) Combine all dry ingredients (flour, soda, sugar) and rice, mix well. Add egg, and rice and stir with fork until all grains are coated with egg. Shape into cakes about 2 inches in diameter and 1/4 th inch thick. Coat sides with extra flour, place in heated oil and saute on both sides until lightly browned. Serve plain, with butter, or even jelly for a sweet. Total recipe: 31 cents; per serving 8 cents. STICY RICE, VEGETABLES & SOY SAUCE This meal, shared by Leslie, is pretty simple and similar to something I used to cook up during my college years with an unhealthy amount of soy sauce. Using the ingredients below, you can whip up a delicious dish in minutes. All you have to do is steam some rice, dump a can of vegetables (or a bag of frozen veggies) in a microwave-safe bowl and heat them up, then mix the vegetables and rice together with just the right amount of soy sauce. These three ingredients may not make a flashy meal, but the concoction is fairly healthy, cheap, and easy. (Next time you order take-out, save any extra soy sauce packets to make this dish even cheaper.) 2 cups of uncooked rice: $1 Canned or frozen vegetables: $1.19 Soy sauce: $1.99 Total: $4.17 (makes six servings) Price per serving: 70 cents BLACK BEANS AND RICE Black beans and rice, suggested by Angela and others, is one of those easy, cheap meals almost everyone loves, and a staple dish of many cultures. This recipe only requires a handful of inexpensive ingredients, yet is full of flavor. Start by heating your oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes, then add the rice and saute for another 2 minutes. Next, add in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. The spices and black beans should be added right before you’re ready to serve. 1 Tbsp. of olive oil: 25 cents 1 large onion, chopped: 99 cents 2 cloves garlic, minced: 50 cents 3/4 cup uncooked rice: 50 cents 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth: 50 cents 1 tsp. ground cumin and 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper: 25 cents 3-1/2 cups canned black beans, drained: $1.98 Total: $4.79 (makes 6 servings) Cost per serving: 80 cents WAYS TO USE EXTRA (LEFTOVER OR ON PURPOSE) COOKED RICE 1. Add a little cooked white rice to other burrito ingredients to make a nice, fat, burrito. 2. Substitute rice for crumbs in meatloaf or meat balls; it will also work well in stuffing, instead of bread crumbs. 3. Rice adds body and texture to any soup, and the grain protein complements any beans in it too (rice with chili, for example). 4. I do not usually buy soups to stir into cooked rice (expensive) BUT there is one exception. Wal-Mart makes a house brand chili-dog sauce (fairly cheap by the can) that is perfect stirred into 3 cups of warm cooked rice for a Tex-Mex rice with a little meat in it to boot. The sauce is still half the price of soup as of this writing. 5. Rice and Beans: any kind of rice, any kind of beans, mixed is the main meal of choice for balanced nutrition, protein and energy in many lands. Any ratio of beans to rice may be used, but most recipes call for half and half. The addition of diced onions is a flavor enhancement preferred by many for a quick, cheap and filling meal. Add a sauce and you have a really classy casserole. PLEASE NOTE, ANY PRICES ON THESE RECIPES DATE FROM 2018 WHEN I FIGURED THEM OUT FOR A NEWLYWED COOKBOOK...OF CHEAP EATS. LEFTOVER RICE FRITTATA Servings: Serves 2-4 Prep: 2 min Cook: 10 min 1 cup cooked arborio rice, or rice of choice 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese 4 tbs. extra virgin olive oil 8 large organic eggs 3-4 fresh basil leaves finely chopped (optional) 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper 1/2 tsp. sea salt Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in a medium frying pan for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice, seasoned with salt and pepper and stir for 2-3 minutes to heat through. In the meantime, whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl with the Parmesan cheese. Add the eggs to the frying pan and stir occasionally. Once the eggs looks look loosely scrambled, remove the everything from the frying pan and return to the mixing bowl used to whisk the eggs. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the frying pan, increase the heat to medium-high for 2 minutes. Return the eggs to the frying pan and form a patty along the sides of the frittata with a spatula. Cook with frittata for 3-4 minutes and continue to move the spatula along the sides to ensure the eggs don’t stick to the side of the frying pan. To flip the frittata, take a large plate (larger than the frying pan) and press the dish firmly on the frying pan with one hand, flipping the pan with the other hand on the handle. Cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Set aside to cool for 5 or so minutes before serving. This frittata keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 day BAKED LEFTOVER CHEESY RICE BALLS (Arancini) Servings: 12 balls Calories: 105 kcal 2 cups leftover risotto (try this one) 100 g mozzarella cut into 1cm cubes 1 cup home-made breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried parsley 1/2 tsp smoked paprika tsp ½ sea salt pinch black pepper 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2 eggs beaten Preheat to oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper Make up your breadcrumb mixture by mixing the breadcrumbs with the oregano, parsley, smoked paprika, salt and pepper Set up a little 'dipping station'. Have 3 medium bowls, fill one bowl with the whole wheat flour, one bowl with the beaten eggs and the remaining bowl with the breadcrumb mixture Take one heaped tablespoon of risotto, and roll it into a ball. Take one piece of the cubed mozzarella and push it into the rice ball. Fix it back into a round shape and continue with the rest of the risotto Take each ball, roll in the flour, shake off excess, roll in the egg, and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the pre-prepared baking tray, and continue will all the rice balls Bake for about 10-15 minutes, when the breadcrumbs are nice and crunchy on the outside, and the cheese is all melted and gooey on the inside Serve with some marinara and enjoy RICE MILK 4 cups hot/warm water 1 cup cooked rice (I've used white or brown) 1 tsp vanilla Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Let the milk set for about 30 minutes, then without shaking pour the milk into another container ( I use an old honey jar) leaving most of the sediment in the first container. This makes about 4 - 4 1/2 cups. Notes: When I have used cold water and the rice was taken out of the refrigerator, it just doesn't come out that well. I don't know why but its best to use warm water and warm rice (you can nuke it if its leftovers but freshly made is best) I have even let it set longer than 30 minutes (overnight) without it making a difference. Y2K SOY SAUCED RICE Angustia 1 c Uncle Ben's rice 2 Tbsp cooking oil garlic powder onion powder (optional) bouillon 3 Tbsp soy sauce with half teaspoon vinegar (in place of lemon juice) salt to taste (optional) parsley flakes NOTE: You can boil bouillon with the rice, but omit salt as package suggested. Cook Uncle Ben's rice according to package, except omit butter. You can adjust saltiness later. In a non-stick skillet (preferably), heat cooking oil. Add cooked rice, garlic, onion powder, and the soy sauce-vinegar mixture, and keep stirring. The amount of soy sauce can be adjusted to suit how dark you want your rice to be. Cook for 5 minutes, and add parsley flakes (if desired). Serve this with any meat, beans, and veggies on the side. PANTRY RISOTTO No heavy cream needed. 1 c rice 3 2/3 c chicken broth 1 Tbsp fat (or non-stick spray) 1/2 tsp white pepper 1 1/2 c fresh spinach 1/2 c peas 1 tsp dill 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp grated lemon peel In a medium saucepan, bring broth and pepper to simmer. In the large saucepan, either use cooking spray or butter to grease the bottom. Put in the dry, uncooked rice. Cook and stir it for 1 minute. Stir in 2/3 cup of the broth - cook and stir until the broth is absorbed. Do the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting till one batch of broth is absorbed before adding the next. With the last 1/2 cup of broth, stir in the spinach, peas, and dill. Cook, stirring gently, until all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender but firm to the bite. (Total time for adding broth is about 40 minutes.) Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in cheese and lemon peel. SPICY PEANUT BUTTER RICE 1 c rice 2 1/2 c liquid (chicken broth preferred) 1 Tbsp fat (oil, butter, etc.) 1 onion, sliced 1/2 c raisins 3 Tbsp peanut butter 1 Tbsp honey 1 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cinnamon Sauté onion. Put all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir it so the sticky ingredients are sort of blended in. Bring to boil. Stir once, reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes, until the rice is done. Remove from heat, let rest 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve. BAKED RICE Pat Haug, WA 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can consommé 1 c white rice Mix, pour into greased casserole, bake at 350° F for one hour to one hour fifteen minutes. *Really good with ham or stuffed green peppers. *You can use a bouillon cube and boiling water for the consommé. *Cream of mushroom soup can be changed to any cream of and/or the substitute for creamed soups. Y2K CHILI RICE - A ONE-DISH MEAL (2 VERSIONS) Angustia 1 c Uncle Ben's converted rice 1 can vienna sausages (or 1/2 can (opt) 1 can corn kernels Spam, or ham) (opt) 1 c canned/cooked kidney beans 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional) 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1 c cut-up canned tomatoes 2 Tbsp cooking oil VERSION 1: Cook Uncle Ben's rice according to package directions. (Note: If using any canned veggies, you can use the liquid from these veggies to add to the water needed to cook the rice. This not only helps you save water, but also uses the nutrients found in those liquids.) In a non-stick pan, heat the cooking oil, and sort of brown the meat on all sides. Add the tomatoes, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked rice, and keep simmering and stirring for another 5 minutes. Serve. VERSION 2: (Much simpler and more into fuel-conservation!) In a non-stick pan, heat oil and brown meat on all sides. Add tomatoes, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add un-cooked Uncle Ben’s rice, and necessary amount of liquid to cook it. Add everything else, and cook rice in this mixture. NOTE: You have to cook this dish following the directions on rice package, as far as covering the pan, so rice will cook properly. 20 MINUTE SUPPER This recipe was made in desperation... nothing interesting in the fridge to make after being out all day, but my kids love it! Bring four cups of water and 2 packages dried onion soup mix to boil. Add four cups instant rice, and set aside to do its thing. In a frying pan, brown 1/2 lb hamburger (or more if you have it). I also shred a couple of carrots into this to get veggies into the family. Add burger to rice and stir... great goop, and very filling! *Can have a green veggie with it, and maybe homemade pudding, because a meal with dessert always seems better. *Very cheap if you don't put the meat in, and use Aldi's dried soup at 59 cents for a box of 2 packets. *Can be made with real rice - if I have time, I put the rice/soup mix in my rice cooker. OLDWAYS JOLLOF RICE WITH BLACK EYED PEAS 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (save liquid) 4 cups liquid (see step 1) 2 cups uncooked brown rice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups) 2–3 garlic cloves, minced 1 large carrot, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/4 head of green cabbage, chopped (2 cups) 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (15-oZ) can black-eyed peas, drained & rinsed 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes Parsley, for garnishing Drain liquid from diced tomatoes into a measuring cup. Add enough water to equal 4 cups of liquid total, and put in a medium pot with the brown rice. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer until rice is tender to your taste, about 30 to 35 minutes. While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a large pan. Cook onions and garlic until onion is soft and pale, about 5 minutes. Add chopped carrots and cabbage, tomato paste, and tomatoes, black-eyed peas, and spices. Simmer with the lid on for a few minutes on low heat until the vegetables are done to your taste. Adjust spices until you’re happy with them. When the rice is done, mix it with the vegetables and beans, or simply serve the rice with everything else on top. Garnish with a little parsley if you’d like. Note: Original published here: https://oldwayspt.org/recipes/oldways-jollof-rice-black-eyed-peas AUSSIE RICE SALAD (12 Servings) This recipe comes from Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia. It is a favorite family gathering recipe of Lucy Strathearn. 1 E cups long grain enriched white rice, 2 apples uncooked 1 onion 1 sweet green pepper, ½ red and ½ green 1 12 oz. can whole kernel corn 1 cup raisins parsley, for garnish 1 tablespoon curry 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or other vinegar ¼ cup peanut oil, or salad oil 2 tablespoons sugar Cook rice according to package. Cool. Combine curry, vinegar, oil, and sugar. Shake well. Pour dressing over rice and toss to coat. Leave peel on apple and remove core, remove seeds from pepper. Dice all vegetables to uniform size. Add apples, onion, red and green pepper, corn, and raisins to rice. Add more or less vegetables and fruit according to taste preferences and appearance. Garnish with parsley or additional bell pepper. Chill. Serve as a side dish with meats and barbecue. NOTE: Fat grams per serving may be reduced by reducing the amount of oil used in dressing. Amount Per Serving: Calories 220; Calories from Fat 45; Fat 21%; Protein 5%; Carb. 74%; Total Fat 5 g 8%; Saturated Fat 1 g 4%; Cholesterol 0 mg 0%; Sodium 4 mg 0%; Total Carbohydrate 41 g 14%; Dietary Fiber 2 g 6%; Protein 3 g; Vitamin A 3%; Vitamin C 19%; Iron 9% JAMBALAYA (6 Servings) Jambalaya is a traditional Creole rice dish. It may have ham, chicken, shrimp or use left over meats. The name comes from the French word "jambon" meaning ham and the African word "ya" which means rice. The "a la" means with. 1 teaspoon margarine or butter 1 onion, small, chopped ½ cup celery, chopped (about 1 stalk) 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ cups ham, cubed 1 cup shrimp, small, shelled, uncooked 2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce (optional) 1 bay leaf ¼ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon basil 1 cup brown rice, or white rice 2 ½ cups water Melt butter or margarine, add chopped onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Saute until onion is tender and clear but not brown (about 5 min). A little water or chicken broth may need to be added to prevent vegetables from scorching; add 1-3 tsp liquid at a time. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and small chilies, if desired. NOTE: Shrimp may be replaced with chicken, sausage, fish, etc. Reduce cooking time by using instant rice and reducing the water to equal the amount called for on the package directions. Amount Per Serving: Calories 232; Calories from Fat 38; Fat 16%; Protein 25%; Carb. 58%; Total Fat 4 g 7%; Saturated Fat 1 g 6%; Cholesterol 60 mg 20%; Sodium 898 mg 37%; Total Carbohydrate 34 g 11%; Dietary Fiber 1 g 6% Protein 15 g; Vitamin A 19%; Vitamin C 51%; Iron 14% SUSHI (4 Servings) A favorite rice dish. Sushi was originally a way to preserve fish. Seafood in brine naturally fermented and acted as a natural preservative. Later on cooked rice was added to improve fermentation. Today sushi means vinegared rice which is garnished with or without raw fish or seafood. This easy version uses prepared vegetables, and is served in a pocket of seasoned fried bean curd called inarizushi-no-moto. It is garnished with fried eggs and pickled ginger root (if desired). 1 ½ cups short grain rice, uncooked ¼ cup rice vinegar, seasoned (or see 1 10 oz. can inarizushi-no-moto, or below) aburage (seasoned fried bean curd or ½ 7 ¾ oz. can chirashisushi-no-moto, tofu) (quick sushi vegetable mix) frozen peas, or chopped parsley for color 2 eggs 1 teaspoon cornstarch pickled ginger (optional) Cook rice according to package directions. While still warm place rice in large bowl and sprinkle with seasoned vinegar. Gently mix rice and vinegar using a cutting fluffing motion. Add more or less vinegar to rice according to taste. Stir in quick sushi vegetable mix and enough thawed frozen peas for color. Gently open sides of aburage and stuff filling into each pocket. Be careful not to overstuff and tear aburage pockets. Make thin sheets of fried eggs by beating together eggs, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water. Lightly oil a non-stick pan, heat. Pour in enough egg to just coat bottom of pan. Rotate skillet to coat. Cook until edges begin to curl up and surface becomes glossy. Slide egg sheets onto waxed paper or plastic wrap. Cut egg sheets into thin strips. Garnish sushi with strips of eggs and thin strips of pickled ginger. TO MAKE SEASONED VINEGAR: Combine ½ cup rice vinegar, ½ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat slightly and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Amount Per Serving: Calories 460; Calories from Fat 82; Fat 18%; Protein 14%; Carb. 68%; Total Fat 9 g 14%; Saturated Fat 3 g 14%; Cholesterol 106 mg 35%; Sodium 866 mg 36%; Total Carbohydrate 78 g 26%; Dietary Fiber 1 g 3% Protein 17 g; Vitamin A 19%; Vitamin C 2%; Iron 25% CREOLE BEEF & RICE (8 Servings) ¼ pound country sausage ¼ pound ground beef 1 cup celery, chopped (about 1-2 stalks) 1 onion, chopped 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, more or 1 ½ cups uncooked white rice less to taste 2 14 oz. cans canned stewed tomatoes 1 12 ounce vegetable juice, spicy 1 ½ cups frozen okra (optional) Brown meat with onion, celery and Cajun seasoning, stir frequently. Add remaining ingredients. Add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Amount Per Serving: Calories 331; Calories from Fat 64; Fat 19%; Protein 14%; Carb. 66%; Total Fat 7 g 11%; Saturated Fat 3 g 13%; Cholesterol 23 mg 8%; Sodium 736 mg 31%; Total Carbohydrate 55 g 18%; Dietary Fiber 1 g 5%; Protein 12 g; Vitamin A 29%; Vitamin C 62%; Iron 22%
  18. Today we picked up Duke's ashes and brought him home. We reminisced about him, and a few tears were shed. But we agreed we did the right thing, not letting him suffer. Today I cut up 5 loaves of bread to dry for crumbs. When I cleared out some older meat to can up from the freezer I discovered that 2 packages of bread had started rising when the freezers were off a short time. Ugh, all the loaves had run together...so I baked bread - 10 loaves worth. One brand tasted better than the other, so I cut up the less tasty ones to dry out. We had enough room in our freezer after I sorted thru only one of them, so I will have to do more canning in a bit to clear out the older stuff in the others if we cant eat it fast enough. We got some more dirt for the garden, so tomorrow I will help Mary put it in. We also picked up some vegetables at the same garden center - 6 each of cabbage, romaine lettuce, collards, broccoli and tomatoes. We are clearing out the winter stuff and putting in the summer stuff now. Cabbage was a fair yield, broccoli did not do much, the kale was stunted, but collards were good and mustard greens were enormous. For this spring, I have ordered walking onions and garlic. IDK when they will arrive...the place that sells them is under staffed yet. I am still trying to get FEDEX to find my 6 rolls of copper anti-slug tape that they say they delivered Feb 27 but never came. Is copper so sought after that someone would pilfer it? Hope not. I hope it was an error that ocurred because a box was delivered with 2 rolls in itl (I ordered twice) that the computer thought it was ALL delivered. FEDEX is "investigating" and says they will get back to me. IDK how or when. Hope it is soon because I need that stuff to keep slugs out of the garden. Oh well. tomorrow is another day. We will probably plant the new plants once we get the dirt replenished, except for the tomatoes, which we will put in the greenhouse for a bit until it warms up a little more. We bought them today though because they disappear around here very fast, and it is worse since the drums of war are sounding, making folks nervous. The country folks in our neighborhood like to ensure their food supply with their own hands, so gardens have expanded and from all the crowing I hear one more neighbor has a new flock of chickens. Noisy little critters. Then when the cooler full of stuff from the freezer is thawed I will cook & can it. Its a hodgepodge of steaks, chicken and pork loin pieces. The only thing I wont can is the cheese bratwurst. Its too spicy for Marys stomach to handle. Im not canning anything we both cant enjoy. If the dogs dont like it its compost.
  19. OMG You knew about that! Mary knew about putting something on windows but couldnt remember what the paste was! M:y dad swore by it for scrubbing things you didnt want to scratch (bugs off car windows). Hard to find but now I'll have to grab some next time I see it.
  20. Today we decided it was time to do something about our west windows. The living room, my bedroom, and Marys bedroom windows all face west, which faces the road. We tried putting curtains up for both privacy and to cut the heat. No-go. The cats swung from them like tarzan until they were shredded. OK then, we tried venetian blinds. That was worse. In their quest to see outside so as to watch for passers by to bark at, the dogs wrecked those in short order, with the cats able assistance. Last night we were brainstorming and I mentioned that as a child we had painted the windows with tempera paint, which is easily removed with water if one wants to., for Christmas. So today we went to Walmart and bought the tempera paint in white, and 2 brushes. Total cost, $3.84. A whole lot cheaper than the usual window coverings. Mary painted window #1 tonight, and it looks great! It looks so much nicer than boarding them uip in desperation, LOL. Our other mission accomplished was taking the Thompson hunting rifle I won to the local gun shop. We fired a friends similar rifle, and the recoil was too much and the darn thing is HEAVY. I had given it to Mary as a Christmas present, and she asked if we could trade it for something else she would like and could use. She picked out a new SMITH & WESSON 9mm semi auto pistol, and we traded even up. (Around here you can hunt with handguns, so what the heck. I dont care if the meat in the pot was shot with a 9mm or a cannon. As long as it is available for dinner, LOL.) Mary is delighted, she loves it, her birthday comes up in March so I told her happy birthday. The shop owner REALLY liked the rifle so he gave us a nice deal. BUT..........We gotta quit all this gallivanting around though...housework is piling up! In the photos, one window is done, one is not. Inside and outside views. Notice the improvement? I love it when we find a CHEAP solution!
  21. Our income taxes came badk! Hooray! We had extra $$ to get thosethings we need but had kept putting off "til payday....maybe". The inflation does not help that issue much, but we all know that. First thing we did was check the grocery store we always buy our meats at (they really do have the best meats in the whole county!) They had whole rib-eye slabs on sale for $8.98 a pound. They were gorgeious so we bought us some, then called our friends who asked us to grab them a couple too. The Mr in that couple had been ospeaking wistfully about not having had a steak in "forever" so now he has a whole lotta steak. I kept envisioning him standing in their kitchen, grinning away, while cutting up those rib eye slabs into steaks for their freezer. We have a running joke with them...Mary and I called ourselves "Frick and Frack F--king Freaky Fast Freight and Delivery Service" one day while dropping off some things we had picked up at wal-mart for them. It stuck. The Mrs got us two T shirts and lettered them up with that name on the back, andl the names "Frick" and "Frack" on the front. (I'm Frack). We about busted a gut laughing. They are the ones who warned us to fill our cars and gas cans when their son (stationed in North Carolina) saw gas prices shoot up by $2.50 a gallon overnight. We filled up before the gas went up here, and passed the warning along. We try to look out for each other - good friends and neighbors are harder to come by than they used to be. Anyway, we stocked up on beef, some 5 lb bulk pkgs of chicken were on sale for $1 a pound (that is cheap nowdays for here). and the things we find there but no place else. Over at Walmart we picked up extra basics for personal care (soap, deoderant, undies & sox) storage foods we use a lot of, and lots extra canned cat food - then went to the grand opening of Ollies (a discount store) and got bedding sets (upper & bottom sheets & pillowcases in each set) for $10 ea (she is queen size so we saved quite a piece there) some large size plush throws for $5 each, things like that. Wish their towels had been cheaper...maybe next time. We ordered Hydromousse for Mary to use on the lawn and my anti-snail copper tape for me to put on the garden. I ordered the walking onions and walking garlic sets, too. All of which we had been wanting for some time, just trying to wiggle out the money to get them. The inflation has hit everyone hard, us included. With the uncertainties over war now, and folks talking about Putin mabe doing a cyber attack on internet or banks, things are going fast so our tax return came back at just the right time. We got in, got our stuff, got out. Then we drew out remaining money from the return in cash, leaving enough to pay bills in there. More and more folks are doing this, hope it does not cause a "panic" in the financial sense, but I would not be surprised at anything anymore. Putin and China are stirring the pot for all they are worth.
  22. Today was a good gardening day and Mary & I got some garden work done that needed doing. We had replaced and expanded our garden fencing to make it more sturdy and were considering putting in a third long raised bed, since one of the neighbors mentioned that she might want to plant some things if we had garden space she could use.. So today we went out and dug away the soil in one raised bed to straighten up the side boards - they had develoed an outward lean. It went amazingly quickly - an hour or so - with both of us digging, then levering it up straight and pounding in new retaining stakes. Then Mary called that neighbor, but she had decided not to raise anything, so we did not have to put in an extra bed for her use (which was what we were considering). Instead we can expand and revamp the strawberry bed as we do not think it likes its current location. I can move in some pots for herbs instead - it keeps them from spreading and fighting each other to take over a big bed abd I can customize the soil blend for each herbs preferences I like the half-barrel style planters, and have a lovely rosemary bush in one, so I'll be looking to move other ones into that unused fenced in area. I have saved kitty litter pails for temp use as we develop our herb plantings. We also discussed getting yet another wheelbarrow, but after some discussion decided to get a 450 lb load bearing garden wagon. It is getting harder for us to manage a wheelbarrow (actually Mary, I cant handle one very much at all) and a 4 wheeled wagon would be much easer to move things in. Of course payload is not as big but we are working around that part. As Marys back deteriorates, it will be less painful for her to move things via wagon, too. For larger loads we have a wagon that hitches on the riding mower - now that baby can hau l some STUFF!. Plus we are mulling over putting in a side door to the garden enclosure so we can back the pickup truck in when we have compost or dirt or truck sized loads, and then we can unload where needed saving time and effort. Tweaking things again...LOL!
  23. Still feeling down over having to put down one of our dogs (cancer). He was my little shadow...whever I went he followed and guarded me (heaven knows from whatk LOL) then laid beside me as I tyoed on the laptop in the evenings. He had a little ged bsdie mine, lower so he couild get into it easily, and he loved sleeping there. I will miss my little min-pin. But I am grateful forthe time we had. We never knew his age or entire history, just that he had been abused, and when he came he did not know how to be a dog (bark, play, run, etc because he had been caged most of the time and I suspect alone.) He enjoyed playing with us and the other dogs, adored the kitties, and was very snuggly. Duke, I will miss you. But I am glad you came and lived with us for a couple years, and I know you loved us in return. Sleep well, little buddy.
  24. When I was a teenager I first read a reprint of this bulletin by George Washington Carver and was fascinated. Since I have founbd a great number of his bulletins fromn the Tuskegee Institute, on many as0ects of subsistence farming. But what I like best is that after he tells you how to grow a particular southern croo, and why, and how to utilize it, he generally gives a great number of recioes which are very good indeed. So he has become one of my historical go-tos on basic farm crops, especially in that he spacialized in cros for the Southern and susbsistence farmer. Fascinating and useful, too. He did bulletins on acorns as animal feed, sweet potatoes, cowpeas, wild plums, how tu build worn out soils, peanuts, tomatoe, sweet potatoes, foraging greens, poultry raising, raising hogs, canning and preserving, to make some of the b ulletins I have cached. All geared toward the small farmer rather than big business. Just my cup of tea!gw carver how to grow the peanut and 105 ways of preparing it.pdf
  25. cast iron is indeed "da bomb" Inside, outside, over a fire....with a side of good thick pot holders of course, LOL.
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