Just a little post about odd ball things that I have been using up instead of throwing out or wasting. Sometimes just little items make a difference. It isn't so much about the money (that helps), but I just simply hate to waste things. I guess that is part of my upbringing! My folks taught me to not waste and to use things in SOME way.
None of this is earth shattering - just my little ways.
*Using all leftovers
*I had 4 very old apples in the crisper (since fall). I decided to make a small apple crisp for some sweets eating this week. It has been wonderful and just hit the spot!
* I used the last of the fresh mini sweet peppers from holiday trays in a dish with meatballs this week and the last two will be used in todays dinner
*I have 2 cans of sugar free orange soda (from Christmas company) and some much needed to use sweetened condensed milk. Saw a recipe to make orange 'sherbet' with it. I will add a bit of orange juice too - as it called for a liter of pop - and 1 can of milk. Mix together till frothy and freeze. Stir every now and then while freezing (or use an ice cream maker). I am making this this week. You can use any type of pop! I figure why not????? Nice little treat!
*I had a jar with dill pickle juice in frig. I used it this week for restless less on 2 nights. I have been lucky as of late, and not had too many problems with RLS. I drank the juice each night and it calmed my legs
*I found a jug of cider in the back - bottom of frig I forgot about. It got shoved to the back when preparing for company. It had a 'best by' date of Jan.1. It is still very yummy - with a bit of a zip!!! Yep, I am going to drink it all!
*Been saving newspapers for painting and other cleaning jobs.
*Used water from dehumidifier (from basement after rains) in the washer
*I have a couple broken clay pots out in the yard and some broken plastic pots (years old). I will transfer dirt to new pots I have stored in shed and the pots will be broken more and placed in the bottom for drainage. Will get re-use of the pots and soil again!!!!
*Used stale buns for toast and garlic toast
* Had just a tiny bit of vinegar left in a jar - put in in my bottle of Dawn w/water added for dishes. Doesn't it look pretty? They vinegar aids in cutting grease.
Just odds and ends - using some things in unconventional ways. It is always fun to figure out new ways for old things.
What have you been using in new ways? Looking for new ideas!!!!!!
Good job using forgotten and would-have-been-thrown-away items! I have some wrinkly apples and need to use them. Apple crisp is always good.
ReplyDeleteIt was enough to last me 4 meals of dessert! Very tasty indeed. Thanks - I just love coming up with some kind of use for things.
DeleteI've been using clippings of our wandering jew plant and my swedish ivy in various pots for our garden. I'm using seeds I cured myself from last year to grown cucuzza 'squash' and white squash. I've also cured roma tomato seeds slicing the tomato and laying slices in a pot in a dark place and they came up like crazy when watered last week. It's fascinating. Hopefully they will make fruit with the gmo thing going on. You can also grow cabbage from the stem part if you put it in water and then plant after you see it 'blossoming'.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day! It's so fun repurposing things! : )
Like hearing that the tomato thing really does work. I have seen that on FB so many times, and wondered if slicing and planting would work! Good jobs of saving the seeds.
DeleteWhen I grow cabbage - I always just cut the head off and leave the base - it will get lots of small cabbages. They are just as good!
I started my seedlings this week, using seeds I harvested from last year's plants - tomato, peppers, marigolds and petunias. Hopefully I'll get a few plants from them
ReplyDeleteI had leftover apples too, and made apple cinnamon muffins with them. So good, my son even ate a couple.
You guys are doing great on the seed thing!!!! That is neat. Hope they produce for you.
DeleteThe muffins sound yummy!
Great ideas, Cheryl! The other day I used up the last cup of homemade mixed nuts from Christmas, chopped, with a very ripe banana and some oats for what I'm calling "Chunky Monkey Breakfast Bread", since I also stirred in semi-sweet chocolate bits.
ReplyDeleteLOVE Amelia's ideas for plants from purchased produce. I think one could grow blackberry vines from those few shriveled blackberries in a container of fresh? Also, I've known some women who used the cut out "eyes" of potatoes to make potato starts for the garden.
For AZ readers, Safeway has blueberries and blackberries on sale at 4/$5 this week. Cosmic Crisp apples and navel oranges are 97 cents per pound, but Walmart had oranges for 88 cents per pound yesterday. Sanderson Farms chicken breasts, drumsticks, thighs and leg quarters are 97 cents per pound (also Safeway), and there's a coupon for Yoplait yogurt at 37 cents each, first 12. On Friday and Saturday at Basha's has Idaho russet potatoes at $2 for a 5 lb. bag, limit of 2. For the next week, ground chuck (80% lean) is $2.97 lb. (2 pkg. limit), avocados are 4/$5, and there's a digital coupon for Villa Roma Sausage links that saves $3 per package. Not many super sales this week, but every little bit helps. Circle K gasoline (in our area) is $3.49 per gallon. Have a GREAT Wednesday, everyone! --Elise
Hmmm - the chunky monkey bread sounds divine!
DeleteI plated potatoes a couple years back and used old sprouting potatoes I bought from the store - it worked! I didn't plant a lot - but I got potatoes!
Those are some great deals! Sound like some super prices to me. Wow, on the fruit deals. Unheard of price on chicken for a while!! Hope you stocked up!
Hubs will make a Safeway run today. :-)
DeleteElise, Chunky Monkey is my favorite store ice cream. YUM!!!
DeleteMy overall favorite is Pistachio at Baskin Robbins. Now I want ice cream lol.
FRUIT! https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/whole-grain-raspberry-bars/
ReplyDeleteThis is a healthy way to use fruit. I used blackberries this week. I double the fruit and not the sugar. Sooooo yummy! It would be awesome with apples.
Fruit bars are so yummy. I need to go there and look around - haven't visited her site in ages. I used to all the time. Thanks!
DeleteToothpaste! It always amazes me how much toothpaste is left when you can no longer squeeze any out of the tube, I cut off the top and got a week's worth.
ReplyDeleteI have cuttings on the go too, prayer plant, spider plant and lemon scented geranium. I haven't started any seeds off yet, we have snow today, it's just too cold yet, but they're all sat there just waiting patiently!
It is amazing to me as well. Toothpaste and lotion! I do the same thing.
DeleteYou gals are all gung-ho starting plants and stuff. Great way to get new houseplants for self or others. Patience - it is tough sometimes!!!!!
Good on you. I always use up the old mealy apples in yummy things.
ReplyDeleteThanks and it was so good!
DeleteI make carrot top soup from a recipe I got from myparisiankitchen.com. Nothing goes to waste on carrots. Apple cores and peel gets made into jelly. We also save organic citrus peels to make candied citrus dipped in chocolate like my grandmother used to make. Made rice custard this week with leftover rice. Some raisins that were past their prime and were a little dried out got plumped and put into Sheep Wagon carrot cake, which takes no eggs and only a tablespoon of butter. Making Easter cards this week using scraps of cardstock to die cut bunnies, Easter eggs, ducks and chicks and crosses. It turned cold again in our part of Pa. so I've resisted the idea of starting seeds this week. Last year we got loads of white sweet potatoes that we grew from slips that we grew from old sweet potatoes. Cookie
ReplyDeleteAren't you being all creative? WOW. All your foods sound yummy. The candied orange peel w/choc. sounds fantastic.
DeleteMy sister and brother both like rice pudding - I was never much a fan - but it is a great re-use.
Super neat on making your cards. I bet they will be so cute and appreciated.
Your ideas all sound great. The soda/milk dessert sounds like a chemical experiment, I’ll be very interested to see what it looks like. Last weekend I painted some old terracotta pots for a bit of a garden refresh. I used up some old paint that was decades old and now have new pots. Louise
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to let you know. It is worth a try.
DeleteGood for you - it is nice to refresh things. Something as simple as a little coat of paint can change the looks - all good.
Nice that the paint was usable!
Dinner tonight was part of one experiment! I found cases of Veg All at Sam's on clearance. I hated it as a kid. I liked the individual veggies, but not all together. However, it was a great deal and I bought 2 cases. I use it in place of fresh veggies for my beef barley soup. I drain the can liquid and rinse it. Mixed in with the beef broth, it tastes great. And Mr. I Hate Veggies gobbles it up.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time we threw food out. It's just not done in this house! I do many of the things that you do, Cheryl. My hubs takes all our caught shower water and waters plants with it. I currently have a mason jar filled with vinegar and orange peels stewing in the pantry. I will pour that in with the kitchen linens during the rinse cycle. It helps prevent the funk smell. Then it goes through the disposal.
I read somewhere that if you peel a banana from the bottom that you'll get no strings. THEY LIED 😂😂🤣🤣.
Sounds like an experiment that was a win-win! YAY. Nice to get Mr. I hate veggie s on board. One way or another you win!
DeleteI love the citrus vinegar. It works for so many things.
hmmm - well at least you know! You tried something new.
Marvelous way to use up all those bits and bobs that seem to hang around. You must let us know how the ice cream turned out.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks - we sure can accumulate things! I will let you know!!!!
DeleteAnother great use for apples aging out: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/amish-style-apple-and-cinnamon-baked-oatmeal/
ReplyDeleteI do a LOT of apple if I have them. This is a great brunch and a 9x13 is 5 or 6 big brunch servings. One can eat all week-a favorite way for me to cook.
I'll be adding the fruit bars and sheep wagon cake to my to- do list. They both sound good.
ReplyDeleteOne of my goals this year is to grow plants from cuttings or from produce leftovers. I did grow potatoes in my garden last summer from store potatoes that grew eyes.
When I was younger I didn't like to cook at all. But once I discovered how creative it can be I really came to enjoy it. It's fun to repurpose or or make use of something that is usually thrown out. I recently boiled the apple cores left from making apple sauce and will make jelly soon. A lot of times I end up with what I call "free food".
~margaret