My daughter and I went to garden yesterday and picked 3 corn on cob, and a 5 gallon bucket of hot peppers, tomatoes, & tomatillos.
Today, I have a dutch oven cooking pasta sauce and a pot on the stove cooking salsa verde. I was smart this time, I wore rubber gloves as I cleaned the peppers. Almost choked on the fumes. I have several of the Roma tomatoes in the food dehydrator. Let's see how that works.
I hope I have time to clean the jars and do the hot water bath. I still have to do something with a large zucchini. I'm thinking of large cubes and cooking it with apple juice and canning it. What do you think?
Gave away vegetables - 2 quarts each to 2 neighbors.--Always fun to share.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Peaches
Went to the market to get peaches at 59cents/lb. Yesterday - dried 3 lbs (took FOREVER)--ended up with 1 pint of dried fruit. Made 9 pints of spiced peaches (med syrup) and have the peach nectar in fridge to cook and can.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Harvesting 2009
My garden is ready to be harvested:
tomatoes
peppers
brussel sprouts
corn
cabbage
swiss chard
tomatillos
mint
dill
basil
onions
zucchini (thought I planted acorn squash?)
not yet ready to process:
sweet potatoes
In addition to the edibles, we have cut flowers 2 dozen gladiolas and more to bring in, a mixed boquet, and sunflowers. Waiting on the gourds for fall decorations and also gifts for autumn birthdays. Will use the corn stalks as additional decoration for the house. Somehow, I have about 18 mums plants that will need to be transplanted or placed in pots for gifts.
beans and peas didn't do well this year, some cucumbers needed to be supplemented with grocery purchase at 25-33cents/lb.
From the garden, I have processed in August:
13 pints bread and butter pickles
?pickle relish - need to do a recount
13 1/2 pints tomatilla salsa (salsa verde)
1 batch zucchini 'crab' cakes
2 loaves zucchini bread
1 zucchini 'apple' crisp
2 heads of cabbage for coleslaw
1st and 2nd cuttings of lettuce and radishes from a friend and waiting on next planting
8 pints zucchini 'pineapple' cubes
3 pints salsa
6 pints pasta sauce
? quarts (frozen) kale
? quarts (frozen) swiss chard
? quarts of mint tea
? we have eaten the beans and peas as they have been harvested...unable to freeze due to lack of quantity
items from store
fuji apples @49 cents/lb
7 quarts 1 pint applesauce
yesterday, found food dehydrator on craigslist for $6 WOW!
today, purchased 15 lbs of peaches at .59/lb
leftover granny smith apples
put 3 lbs of peaches in dehydrator and 3 lbs of sliced apples in dehydrator
purchased 3 large green bell peppers @ 39 cents/lb
tomatoes
peppers
brussel sprouts
corn
cabbage
swiss chard
tomatillos
mint
dill
basil
onions
zucchini (thought I planted acorn squash?)
not yet ready to process:
sweet potatoes
In addition to the edibles, we have cut flowers 2 dozen gladiolas and more to bring in, a mixed boquet, and sunflowers. Waiting on the gourds for fall decorations and also gifts for autumn birthdays. Will use the corn stalks as additional decoration for the house. Somehow, I have about 18 mums plants that will need to be transplanted or placed in pots for gifts.
beans and peas didn't do well this year, some cucumbers needed to be supplemented with grocery purchase at 25-33cents/lb.
From the garden, I have processed in August:
13 pints bread and butter pickles
?pickle relish - need to do a recount
13 1/2 pints tomatilla salsa (salsa verde)
1 batch zucchini 'crab' cakes
2 loaves zucchini bread
1 zucchini 'apple' crisp
2 heads of cabbage for coleslaw
1st and 2nd cuttings of lettuce and radishes from a friend and waiting on next planting
8 pints zucchini 'pineapple' cubes
3 pints salsa
6 pints pasta sauce
? quarts (frozen) kale
? quarts (frozen) swiss chard
? quarts of mint tea
? we have eaten the beans and peas as they have been harvested...unable to freeze due to lack of quantity
items from store
fuji apples @49 cents/lb
7 quarts 1 pint applesauce
yesterday, found food dehydrator on craigslist for $6 WOW!
today, purchased 15 lbs of peaches at .59/lb
leftover granny smith apples
put 3 lbs of peaches in dehydrator and 3 lbs of sliced apples in dehydrator
purchased 3 large green bell peppers @ 39 cents/lb
Final Numbers for All You Contest 2009
4 week magazine contest need to spend less than $100/week including eating out and alcohol:week #1 - $95.86 -$20 mail in rebate week #2 - $101.98-$10 mail in rebate, 5 dom cats, 4 wal catsweek #3 - $136.07 - $25 mail in rebate, 15 jewel cats, 4 wal catsweek #4 196.37 with about $15 in cats plus misc product cats.
Monday, August 10, 2009
After the challenge week 5:
Monday:
homemade pancakes - with extra mix for next time, homemade syrup
coffee
packed DH lunch: tunafish sandwich with cucumber slices, lettuce & cheese (and extra sandwich for me), joint juice, bottle water, breakfast bar, yogurt, trail mix, apple
snack - yogurt (me), cereal (kids)
lunch - plan a bunch of leftovers for lunch and dinner.
Best guess for dinners this week:
Tues -chicken thighs (grilled - swap with neighbor for pantry items)
Wed - pot pie
Turs - asian
Fri - fish
Sat - ???--something for the grill and rice
Sun -???--something for the grill and rice
homemade pancakes - with extra mix for next time, homemade syrup
coffee
packed DH lunch: tunafish sandwich with cucumber slices, lettuce & cheese (and extra sandwich for me), joint juice, bottle water, breakfast bar, yogurt, trail mix, apple
snack - yogurt (me), cereal (kids)
lunch - plan a bunch of leftovers for lunch and dinner.
Best guess for dinners this week:
Tues -chicken thighs (grilled - swap with neighbor for pantry items)
Wed - pot pie
Turs - asian
Fri - fish
Sat - ???--something for the grill and rice
Sun -???--something for the grill and rice
How do I feel after the contest?
I didn't feel all that commited after the first week because I don't think I was registered correctly.
What did I learn: Many things, (1)I think we drink more than we should. My goal this next week is to only have cocktails on Friday and Saturday. This will improve my 'bottom-line' especially for my new wellness initiative. (2) I didn't make my husband's lunches like I did in week 1-3 because I ran out of mayonaisse. I didn't want to buy it without a good deal. Well I could have paid for the mayonaisse several times over with the costs of fast food. Sometimes, I forget that...especially with coffee/or the coffee containers. (3) We don't go out to dinner very often --about 3 times per year unless we are on vacation. I need to look at different savings strategies for this. (4) I did more baking in week 1 than in the other weeks. It is easier for me to bake in the fall and winter than any other time of year because I don't like to heat up my kitchen. However, the early mornings have been cooler and I should have gotten my butt up earlier. Again ran out of flour and didn't want to go to store for that without a coupon or deal. Silly me.
As far as nutrition: My family loves fresh fruit and vegetables. I think I could have done better by incorporating more vegetarian and fish meals. I tried organic milk in week 1. I really need to do a better job of buying better milk for our family. As far as other organic items, I don't typically purchase organic fruits or vegetables. I have a garden that I grow that has most of our vegetables for the year. In the garden, I don't use pesticides or sprays and have my own compost that we use from our yard to fertilize it.
As far as creativity: I could have swapped more and incorporated my friends network. The only problem is that many people in my neighborhood don't cook that much and my friends live a few towns away. I planted a new blueberry bush (purchased prior to the contest) and when the sales for these plants appear in the fall, we will plant a few more. My DH cleared out some unwanted perennials for me for the edible landscaping.
To be perfectly honest, my DH tries to please me. However, this last 4 weeks, it felt that I was checking up on him and I felt like his mother and not his wife. Asking for receipts and questioning him everyday. He usually spends his 'petty cash' on his lunches.
What did I learn: Many things, (1)I think we drink more than we should. My goal this next week is to only have cocktails on Friday and Saturday. This will improve my 'bottom-line' especially for my new wellness initiative. (2) I didn't make my husband's lunches like I did in week 1-3 because I ran out of mayonaisse. I didn't want to buy it without a good deal. Well I could have paid for the mayonaisse several times over with the costs of fast food. Sometimes, I forget that...especially with coffee/or the coffee containers. (3) We don't go out to dinner very often --about 3 times per year unless we are on vacation. I need to look at different savings strategies for this. (4) I did more baking in week 1 than in the other weeks. It is easier for me to bake in the fall and winter than any other time of year because I don't like to heat up my kitchen. However, the early mornings have been cooler and I should have gotten my butt up earlier. Again ran out of flour and didn't want to go to store for that without a coupon or deal. Silly me.
As far as nutrition: My family loves fresh fruit and vegetables. I think I could have done better by incorporating more vegetarian and fish meals. I tried organic milk in week 1. I really need to do a better job of buying better milk for our family. As far as other organic items, I don't typically purchase organic fruits or vegetables. I have a garden that I grow that has most of our vegetables for the year. In the garden, I don't use pesticides or sprays and have my own compost that we use from our yard to fertilize it.
As far as creativity: I could have swapped more and incorporated my friends network. The only problem is that many people in my neighborhood don't cook that much and my friends live a few towns away. I planted a new blueberry bush (purchased prior to the contest) and when the sales for these plants appear in the fall, we will plant a few more. My DH cleared out some unwanted perennials for me for the edible landscaping.
To be perfectly honest, my DH tries to please me. However, this last 4 weeks, it felt that I was checking up on him and I felt like his mother and not his wife. Asking for receipts and questioning him everyday. He usually spends his 'petty cash' on his lunches.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Week #4 - Yeah!!
Monday - cereal, coffee
packed snack - joint juice, cranenergy drink, breakfast bar, yogurt (DH was going to buy a sandwich)
Made several Jewel runs - I'll post later -spent 40 oop and received $41 in catalinas :-) unbelievable sales
kids snack - cereal, yogurt, grapes
kids lunch - pb sandwichs
my lunch - yogurt, grapes, leftovers
dinner - kids/me sloppy joes, green beans, frozen strawberries, DH steak/me and mashed potatoes w/green beans
special note - all rebates have been mailed in - went to library to copy forms/upcs. Hope to get them back in next couple of weeks.
Tues. - cereal, coffee
packed DH - joint juice, yogurt, breakfast bar
packed snack - joint juice, cranenergy drink, breakfast bar, yogurt (DH was going to buy a sandwich)
Made several Jewel runs - I'll post later -spent 40 oop and received $41 in catalinas :-) unbelievable sales
kids snack - cereal, yogurt, grapes
kids lunch - pb sandwichs
my lunch - yogurt, grapes, leftovers
dinner - kids/me sloppy joes, green beans, frozen strawberries, DH steak/me and mashed potatoes w/green beans
special note - all rebates have been mailed in - went to library to copy forms/upcs. Hope to get them back in next couple of weeks.
Tues. - cereal, coffee
packed DH - joint juice, yogurt, breakfast bar
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