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Post by tasty on Aug 28, 2016 8:19:40 GMT -5
Good morning everyone. Can you believe that Labour Day is coming up so soon? Where did the summer go to? Must admit it is still very much summer weather -HHH. Even about 6am it was 70, and will head up into the 80s this afternoon and feel like 100F Yuk. I'm really glad I said no to golfing in a competition this afternoon so hubby and his buddy are going instead and that will leave me on my own for supper.
A good time to put a salad together that can finish up a few odds and ends from the fridge. There's a little cold meat, eggs and cheese, salad stuff and some fruit. Sounds good to me.
Somewhere this week I saw a discussion about making pastry and that is not my thing to do. But you may remember I said I had a few things in the pantry that would have to go come the end of this month if they weren't used and one of those things was a box of pastry mix. Sad but true - I gave up making pastry 20+ years ago. Anyway, I used it for a quiche a few days ago and - I love it! I have one more pastry case to use (the pack made 2) so one day this week I might make a half size raspberry pie for hubby. He loves pie and I don't make it very often for obvious reasons.
I froze some asparagus from the garden in the spring and I'd like to use it before it gets to beaten up in the upstairs freezer so that probably means a chicken and asparagus lasagne with a salad. If I make it early in the day, it will just be a case of baking it come supper time. There are 2 lonely hamburgers which I had planned to use last week and didn't so they are a must to use up, maybe just on a bun with raspberries and ice cream for dessert - a quick easy meal.
When I cook the chicken for the lasagne, it would make a lot of sense to cook extra to use in a salad one night - cook once, eat twice. I also have several ham steaks in the freezer. Think I'll pull one of them to defrost. It is big enough to use for dinner one night and then the rest would go on a pizza along with pineapple which is sitting in the fridge. They were on sale this week and looked good - much prefer fresh to tinned. Some for breakfasts with yogurt and some for a pizza. Omelets are always a welcome option in this house - another great way to use up the last bits of whatever.
I do still have a few things left on the pantry shelf so I'll see if there is a way to incorporate them this week. That is my pantry challenge for this week.
The garden is not producing much this year. I pulled the green beans yesterday - any beans they produced were way too soft to eat. Tomatoes are quite sad but the raspberries keep on coming - yeah! We will have carrots, rutabage and parsnips I'm hoping but probably not as much as usual. There is a plus to this - maybe I can actually gain some space in the freezer because I don't have the veggies to fill them up this year. I haven't even had to freeze the raspberries yet this year.
Wishing everyone a great (and frugal) week.
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Post by tasty on Aug 28, 2016 8:45:11 GMT -5
It was great to see such a positive response to this thread last week. As I said, this used to be on the Budget thread of TOH and a small group of us exchanged ideas on how "not to waste" what we have and to make the best use of what we have - be that emptying the veggie drawer in the fridge into the soup pot,using dried beans - cooking a whole bag at once and freezing in suitable sized containers for the size of family you are catering to, CORN - clean out refrigerator night etc. In other words, anything and everything.
Back in January we did a Pantry Challenge - ie using what is in the pantry (inc fridge and freezer) before buying new from the store and saving as much $$$ as feasible. During summer, some will can their garden produce, make soups and spaghetti/tomato sauces for the coming winter months. Speaking for myself, I find the accountability here keeps me on track (sometimes ;-| ) . I have enough meat in the freezer to do us until the end of the year - do I really need to buy that great deal at the grocery store? But when I see lean ground beef at a store I trust at 1/2 price or less - do I leave it there?
We share tips and recipes and most important, we are there for each other in good times and bad. So come and share your ideas, tips and chit chat, whether you cook a lot or a little, it doesn't matter.
Tasty
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Post by wilderness on Aug 28, 2016 9:12:56 GMT -5
Good morning tasty. I'm with you on making pie dough. Can make it but never turns out as good as my Mom's. I have my challenge pretty much worked out for the week but it is subject to change. I have checked and have all the ingredients on hand to make what I have planned so far. Some are a little more labor intense so will depend on my time if I have to cheat a little.
Two must have box items when my kids were growing up were hamburger helper and rice a roni. Will make hamburger helper one night with leftover green beans almondine. Rice a roni with be accompanied by a grilled pork chop and some fried hot Italian cabbage since I have fresh tomatoes for it. One Mc Donald's meal will be big mac with fries. Not sure on the vegetable but probably fresh tomatoes. A baked chicken dish with homemade condensed cream of chicken soup, mashed potatoes and napa cabbage salad with a copy cat Good Season's Italian Dressing. I have never made lomein so am considering that. Hopefully I can make the noodles. They are a little different that the pasta I am used to making. That may be a meatless night. A few other possibilities are Taco's which I make my seasoning and sauce for and Tuna noodle casserole made with cream of celery soup. Time will tell. I will post what I end up making on Nancy's thread.
Wish me luck.
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Post by tasty on Aug 28, 2016 9:27:32 GMT -5
I shall be watching ( and posting on) Nancy's daily thread too.
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Post by pippin3 on Aug 28, 2016 11:10:19 GMT -5
Wilderness, was wondering if you would be making your own pasta...what an ambitious lady you are! Only pasta I have made was gnocchi...was really funny...like them, so doubled the recipe and had those delightful little pillows all over the kitchen on anything that wouldn't move! Keep thinking I need to make them again.
Our tomatoes didn't do very well here in west Texas this year so I didn't get to make the tomatoes oregano that we love.
Do you make your own bread too?
Have a great cooking day.
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Post by wilderness on Aug 28, 2016 12:15:45 GMT -5
Pippin, I make a lot of my own pasta. Have had a hand crank machine for years. Now if you want to see a mess you have to be here when I have pasta laying all over the kitchen counters and the dining room table. I do want to make the noodles to go with the lo mien. They are an egg noodle but I think quite a bit more egg than my egg noodles take. It will depend on the weather whether I cheat or not on pasta. If it is nice I have to be outside working to get this place ready for fall and winter and not in the kitchen making pasta. I do make bread also but more in the winter as I have so much to do outside in the summer and I have been working 4 days a week for the last 3 summers until I quit last week. You can make a loaf of bread for less than $.30 if I remember correctly.
Bet
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Post by almonds on Aug 28, 2016 20:41:52 GMT -5
Sticking to a menu the past week has been hard as different adventures keep popping up and looks like it will continue until the official end of summer after Labor Day. I know that when at home we'll definitely be eating from the frig or freezer and no shopping with the exception of some fresh items. Right now we're enjoying time with friends and/or family and spur of the moment outings. Reality will set in soon enough and it will be much easier then to stick to a menu. That said, when we are home to eat it will be something already here.
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Post by tasty on Aug 29, 2016 7:53:05 GMT -5
Already my plans have changed. When I opened the fridge this morning, there were just so many jars of "stuff" so it's a case of use them or toss them and I hate to waste food if I can avoid it. So tonight we will still have chicken but it will be cooked in some salsa and served with rice. Another thing in its favour, it's lighter than lasagne.
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Post by tasty on Aug 30, 2016 19:45:24 GMT -5
Hubby got his raspberry pie tonight - just enough for 3 pieces!
Having talked about the cauliflower/potato cakes, I did actually get them made last week and I froze them. We tried them tonight with the ham steak and a slice of pineapple. Some meals just hit the spot and this was one of them.
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Post by tasty on Sept 1, 2016 14:23:37 GMT -5
Well, it's Thursday and I haven't strayed too far from my ideas at the beginning of the week.
One of the ham steaks came out and we ate most of it but I kept a small piece aside so that it could be used to make a pizza (knowing I had pineapple as well to use). I will use the rest of the Italian sausage too so that will make a good pizza for us and clean out the fridge. I do make my own pizza dough too.
How is your week going?
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Post by doogle on Sept 2, 2016 8:19:06 GMT -5
everyones ideas sound great! what in the world is hot italian cabbage? sounds interesting & since i have cabbage from the garden to finish up i would love your recipe! i went for the buys of the week yesterday while my poodle had a giant cyst removed from her back. i actually bot 4 thin cut t-bones for dh-the first in prob 5+ yrs. he was so excited to get a t-bone, baked otato & fresh toms last nite. makes me happy & he doesn't have to share his meats with me as i do not like meat. bot 80/20 hamburger for $1.77 a lb so bot about 5 lbs & i'll divy that up onto smaller pkgs for the frzr...only use about half a lb. at a time for us old folks. should last till next summer for us since i have a few sm dobs already in the freezer. may make several patties & freeze raw. i think we're good on meat now for quite a long time. should take us into late spring or later. only thin i will be short on is fish in a few mths.
looking to use some new to us recipes i've been looking at for a yr or more. hae plenty of meats to do it with. maybe around christmas we'll buy a small smoked ham when the holiday ham sales start. I have 4 frzn turkey breasts so we're good to go on Turkey for about a yr.
love everyones menu in-put & give me new ideas to experiment ith. thanks for sharing!
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Post by wilderness on Sept 2, 2016 8:37:15 GMT -5
Hot Italian Cabbage is a recipe that was given to me by a friend who owned a restaurant here. There is no set recipe, you just make it. It is shredded cabbage sauteed in olive oil keeping it crisp, you add cayenne pepper to taste and a fresh tomato chopped up and a little salt. Cook just long enough for the tomato to soften and mix with the oil a bit.
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Post by doogle on Sept 3, 2016 15:13:15 GMT -5
THANKS FOR THE TIP ON THE HOT ITALIAN CABBAGE & IT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. I DON'T TINK I HAVE COOKED A THING TODAY BUT DID CUT UP WATERMELON...DOES THAT COUNT? PLENY OF THINGS NEEDING TO BE FINISHED OFFIN THE FRIDGE SO IT'S A "YOU FIND IT, YOU COOK IT , YOU EAT" SORT OF DAY TODAY.
EXPERIENCED MY FIRST REAL EARTHQUAKE THIS MORNING A BIT AFTER 7 AM CST. WOW! DO NOT CARE TO DO IT AGAIN! IT WAS IN OKLAHOMA & WE FELT IT IN KANSAS CITY METRO. THE HOUSE WAS SHIFTING SIDE TO SIDE BUT DO NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE. MY BROTHER LIVES CLOSER TO THE PLACE IN OKLAHOMA WHERE IT WAS CENTERED BUT HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM YET TO SEE WHAT THEY GOT. THEY OWN AN ANTIQUE SHOP SO WON'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY SEE DAMAGE IN THEIR SHOP..LOTS OF BREAKABLES .
GOT LOTS OF 1 LB PKGS OF HAMBURGER PUT AWAY YESTERDAY IN THE FRZR. HOPE THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO BUY NEXT WEEK IS FRESH FRUIT & MAYBE BREAD. LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOOD TO GO FOR A WHILE...LIKE WHEN WE RUN OT OF A FRESH THING...
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