Good morning this Tuesday. It is a windy day here and feels very damp. We had some storms go through overnight and lots and lots of STRONG wind! I have phone and internet lines down off the pole this morning! There is one hanging about 5' above ground and one laying on the garage. Everything works - so I just need someone out to place back on pole.
Hope everyone is safe - there are a lot of storms going through the country. Hoping everyone's families are safe and not involved in the Baltimore bridge disaster. That is just awful.
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Today I am going to pick 2 different items that can be used in many, many ways. Not just the conventional. I think I may do this once a week for a bit - just as a reminder to all and a push to newbies that things aren't always what they seem!!!
JAMS AND JELLIES
Lots of us make both of these. I always have several jars on hand - mainly for gifting. I don't eat that often, and when I open a jar - it often gets sugary before I use it all. I bet everyone has some of those baby jars on hand - those little jars that come in food gift boxes! Here are some ideas to use it up.
Jelly rolls
Blend with other ingredients to make sauces and BBQ and glazes
Cupcake centers
Melt and use over ice cream
Use with cream cheese on crackers for great snacks
Add to vinegar for specialty dressings
Granola bars
Use in oatmeal, over pancakes and waffles
In yogurt
OH, and maybe a PBJ!
ITALIAN OR FRENCH BREAD
Whether this is homemade, or store bought - it isn't just bread at my house. Many uses.
Garlic bread
Garlic toast
Bruschetta
Cheesy bread
Individual slices for mini pizza bites
Party sandwich
Individual sub sandwiches
French toast
Croutons, breadcrumbs
Bread pudding
Bread pizza
Pizza
Roasted open face sandwiches of any typeGrilled sandwiches
Dipping bread
What different ideas do you have for these items? Do you use these things in different ways?
I love being creative and using things in a way that many would not. It sure does stretch the food (no waste) and it helps stretch the budget. And as a bonus - you get some tasty food and goodies, by playing with your food a little!!
What items would you like to see other uses for in upcoming weeks? Doesn't have to be just food to eat - many food items can be used for other things.
Look forward to your ideas.
Have a beautiful day!
I love the bread pizza idea! I need to try this soon! I hate you have some lines down from the storms, but so glad you are ok. We had some yesterday, too. Just lots of rain and wind, thankfully!
ReplyDeleteBread pizza has become my favorite. The crust is crunchy and topped with all the goodies - yum.
DeleteYes, it is all good here - the wires just pulled loose from the pole. Lots of wind. Glad you are safe.
That bridge disaster in Baltimore was something else! How could the captain of that ship not see that bridge?
ReplyDeleteYou really did some strong wind! Hopefully someone will come soon to put everything back in place. We didn't get the rain as predicted last night. The sun keeps peeking in and out. The ground should be perfect for weeding tomorrow (unless we get a gully washer.)
Good ideas for using the jams and jellies, and the French bread. I'm sure other readers will chime in with their ideas also. Good community here!
Enjoy your day! Looks like a good day to stay in and read.
From one video I watched the ship lost power several times and without power there is no steering. It was 1:30 AM as well. Just such a shame.
DeleteI am on the schedule for today - so that is good. I got some rain, but not as much as they said. Just wind!!!
Thanks - yes, a good community indeed.
I have been out a couple times - temps aren't bad, but that wind! House cleaning today!
Interesting. If an electric vehicle loses power it has no steering? Boats were steered before electricity was the power. I wonder, if an electric car loses power does it also have no steering?
DeleteMaryB
I'm glad that you didn't lose your internet! It's raining here today.
ReplyDeleteRegarding eating dandelions, I do not use the plants that have flowered. They become bitter when that far along. Choose young plants; the flowers will be little buds, like capers on young plants. I remove any tough outer leaves and the root. Wash the remainder. There is a dear departed lady who has a nice video about dandelion salad you might enjoy....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51VhG8MKxJY.
I had a successful shopping trip and found so much reduced produce. Strawberries for $1. a pound! Bananas for .25 a pound. Much more, in fact it took about an hour and a half to wash and prep all of it. We had eggs for supper and again for breakfast along with fresh strawberries and fresh tomatoes. My fridge was totally empty of fresh food but all better now.
Pretty great deal on ham butts too! $1.37 per pound; that's about $1. U.S. per pound. I stocked up! Cocoa is supposed to be more expensive; I bought 2 pounds for $14. Should last a long time. I make hot chocolate from scratch with it, a quart at a time.
One of my favorite uses for dried bread is french onion soup. It is so filling. Which reminds me, Walmart kindly had 3 # of carrot and / or 3 # onions for .97 per bag. That's a lot of good food for cheap.
Home for another month!
Have a great day, everyone.
Thanks for the info on the dandelions and the video link!
DeleteGreat shopping trip. You did really well. It is so much fun getting deals like that! I hope you are now rolling in eggs!!!! LOL
Oh, I forgot about French onion soup - num, num.
I love cheap food - what you are got is plain old fashioned good eats. Love that you only go once a month!
The bridge disaster in Baltimore is so sad. I do hope they are able to find the missing people. Good luck with the utility wires. Hopefully the companies are on the ball and have crews out repairing the damage quickly.
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to take leftover pancakes, spread jam or jelly on them, roll them up and sprinkle with icing sugar. It was a great use of the leftovers and a sweet treat.
I know such a sad situation. Thanks, I am scheduled for a repair today. It isn't hurting anything, just don't like them dangling!
DeleteWhat a great use of leftover pancakes and jelly. That sounds like a wonderful treat - young or old!
I hope they get your lines put back asap, Cheryl. I'm also happy it wasn't any worse than that for you.
ReplyDeleteAll those things you mentioned for the jams and jelly are so good, and it's also good in cottage cheese. And that pizza looks fabulous!
Thanks - it should be fixed today.
DeleteG would have loved that idea with cottage cheese. Never entered my mind, as I don't like cottage cheese! Good idea though.
I love bread pizza - it is just so yummy. Better than regular pizza in my opinion!
My family loves French bread pizza better than any regular pizza. Every time I go grocery shopping I check out the clearance and if there is French bread there I pick it up for pizza that night.
ReplyDeleteJess, I am with them! It is my favorite way to have pizza. I always check the clearance too - buy and freeze until ready for it.
DeleteYou listed a lot of great choices. I use jalapeno jelly with cream cheese to put on crackers. I also use different jellies to make a savory sauce for meatballs and other things.
ReplyDeleteThe wind was really strong here yesterday too. It took a large tree down in our neighbors back yard. Three feet closer and it would have hit their house. I'm glad you had no real damage.
Jalapeno and cream cheese is a treat - if someone has never tried it - they are missing out.
DeleteSo many yummy things to make with jelly.
Gosh, that is bad. No trees down here thank goodness. It is still very windy today. I am glad your neighbor had no other damage.
I make cayenne pepper jelly to put atop crackers and cream cheese. I cannot eat jalpeno. I make it mild by not including the seeds and color it green. I use the seeds in the hot jelly and color it red.
ReplyDeleteGreek yogurt with a tsp of grape jelly is a sweet treat for me.
Any kind of pepper jelly and cream cheese is dandy in my book! I think the cream cheese really mellows it out.
DeleteGood treat!
I also like yogurt with jelly or jam mixed in. Daughter suggested a sprinkle of VanillaSugar over top, because "something" was missing. So I made Vanilla Sugar and she was right, it adds just that hint of vanilla. :)
DeleteOne of my friends adds vinegar and oil to an almost empty jelly jar and makes salad dressing.
MaryB
Great tip on the vanilla sugar. I do the same with an almost empty jelly jar - makes great dressing.
DeleteY'all covered about everything. I've previously mentioned my cross cut Pull apart pizza. Cross cut a loaf without cutting thru the bottom , spread bread open and pour melted butter all over. Stuff shredded mozzarella and bacon or pepperoni bits in and bake. Pull apart and dip in marinara. Or, stuff with cheddar and diced ham and dip in tomato soup. Hubs LOVES the pizza version. I'm thinking a cinnamon sugar topping would probably be pretty tasty, but I don't dare try it lol.
ReplyDeleteOh yum! That sounds wonderful and so easy. That would be great for a fun appetizer. The pizza one sounds so tasty. Thank you!!!!
DeleteLots of great ideas, Cheryl. Even though it's not an idea to use jams and jelllies so they don't go sugary, We don't use a lot, so I often just take the jam and place it in smaller containers and freeze it. Works like a charm. If we have different flavors I freeze about a tablespoon of each flavor in icecube trays and VOILA, just one or two servings per cube. Cookie
ReplyDeleteI don't use mine fast enough either. That is a great idea to freeze by the spoonful. I have ice trays specifically NOT for ice - so that would work! Thanks
DeleteYes, I do the same thing. I grew up frugal and creative. We had what we had and we made things stretch. So much can be made with one ingredient. It's the best. And never ever, ever did we toss ketchup. Nopers. We did the add water, swirl and squirt. It's the best.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what you can do with simple ingredients and how inventive we can actually be. I think many of us grew up the same way. Ketchup, good to the last drop!
DeleteThe bridge disaster is horrendous.
ReplyDeleteI have used plum jam to make plum sauce for Chinese food.
God bless.
Yes mam, it sure was. Such a tragedy.
DeleteThat sounds good. Jams and jellies can make a lot of really lovely sauces.
I always enjoy when you write how you can use things many different ways. I have tried quite a few. I am very much into using jam in a variety of ways especially strawberry which is a favorite in my family.
ReplyDeletethanks. I will try to do this once each week for a while. Just random things. It is always fun to try new things.
DeleteWell, I thought I posted yesterday. I guess I have lost it now. I enjoy learning new ways from you.
ReplyDeleteLOL - dear somedays I SURE I have lost it! Thanks - it is fun to share different things.
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