Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Just a Random Morning Chat

Howdy everyone.  It is sure a pretty morning - yesterday started and ended with storms.  Last night was something - wind, lightening, thunder and downpours.
I did a walk around this morning and I did a little wading in the back forty!!!!  I went out to get the trash can (after trash p/u) and had to wade a little.  I need to go out in a bit and stake up the tomato cages.  They are so heavy with tomatoes and with the ground being saturated the are leaning.
Kitties were here bright and early for breakfast - I bet they were scared when the storms came through.
The sky was pinks and oranges this morning and the sun is shining - nothing damaged in my area - all is good.


I got a request on comments from Sunday post from Judy, asking about my salsa recipe.  Well, it is easy.  Mrs. Wages!!!  I love that stuff - it sure makes life easy.  Now I know some who don't like it and others say I am cheating.  So be it!  The packets contain all the spices, dehydrated onion and such needed - I add my tomatoes and vinegar.  I really like the taste as do the family members that receive in gift baskets - so I am no hurry to change it.
I use Mrs. Wages for pasta sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, and my pickles.  You can also find mixes for canning fruit as well - to make pie filling, etc.  I have never used the fruit mixes.

You can always tweak the mixes if you need to change it up a bit.  I use the leftover  brine from pickles for relish.  I have made Kosher relish and sweet relish.
The mixes work out for me - all the spices needed are in a bag.  Many items I wouldn't use for anything else - so no need to waste them.  I also buy these mixes marked down at the end of the season - and use the next year.  Heck I have even used some that were a couple/three years old.  Just keep dry and cool.

I thought I would mention a good You Tube you might want to watch about stretching the food budget.
The channel is The Bealles - and she recently did a challenge to stretch a small food budget over a week.  She spent just under $40 at a outlet grocery (she got some great deals) and she fed her family of 5, three meals a day, for 7 days.  105 MEALS less than $40!!!!!
She used only ingredients that she bought - as if assuming you had nothing else in the house.  It was really neat to see what she fixed and she DID provide some really nice meals.
I liked one idea she used - she needed to make a little rue and didn't buy flour - so she ground up a bit of the oatmeal she had purchased and used that!  Ingenious.  It worked!

What a great way to get oat flour when you can't find it at the store or you can't get out.  I always have lots of oats on hand - this would be a neat way to add fiber to bread recipes.  Nice way to add a lot of fiber without spending a dime.

There are just so many tricks that we can all use to stretch a budget.  All it takes is a little creative imagination and we can save money and eat good.
I have been seeing a lot of FB posts lately about using dehydrated zucchini and squash as a flour type ingredient.  Dehydrate and grind.  Replace some of flour with squash powder.  Adds hidden nutrients and flavor.
I first saw Vickie at Vickie's Kitchen and Garden  post this and then saw it several other times on FB.
I have a LOT of dehydrated zucchini and yellow squash in the pantry that I need to use.
What a great way to add to cakes, breads, cookies, muffins and even sauces!!!!!!  ALL for FREE!  You could add it to about anything!



I love finding new uses for things and ways to stretch the pantry and the food budget.

Tomorrow we will chat again.  I think I will talk about changing' up some ingredients in common dishes - utilizing what you have on hand and to make things a little fun and interesting.

Have a blessed day and BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING!

25 comments:

  1. I grind up oatmeal and use some (about 1/4 C) in my pancake recipe and you can't even tell a difference! Also, my daughter makes homemade salsa using one can diced tomatoes (substitute fresh if you have them), cilantro (if you like it), onions, jalapeno, little salt. Place in blender and blend until consistency desired. It tastes so fresh! Other things could be added if one wanted, too!

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    1. Love that idea for pancakes. Waffles, pancakes, biscuits - oh my.
      Yes, that is a fantastic way to make salsa fresh. I am not a cilantro person AT ALL! So many love it - I guess we all have different palettes. Otherwise it sounds perfect for fresh.
      Fresh is so good when you can do it.
      Thanks for the ideas.

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  2. I've not seen those seasonings packets here in Canada. I'll have to check the dollar stores as they tend to bring in items the groceries do not. I like the idea of fresh salsa.

    Take care and stay well!

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    1. They sure are handy to have. Fresh is yummy.
      Have a good one.

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  3. I also love to find way to stretch out the budget and meals!

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    1. Me too - it's like a game with me!! I challenge myself sometimes. Might check out that You Tube video.
      Blessings

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  4. You are so full of reminders and good thoughts we need you to blog nationally.

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    1. Thank you my dear. I guess I kind of do - we have ladies here from all over. LOL

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  5. Thanks for the tips. I love fresh salsa and could make a meal off chips and salsa.
    I'll check out the video too.

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    1. I HAVE made a meal of chips and salsa - yumm!!
      I think you will enjoy it. She does some neat things.

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  6. I have pinwheel(?) oatmeal for porridge and I have the quick cook for other types of cooking but I think I will add some regular oats in order to have the option of grinding them for oat flour - great idea!
    I bought some bulgar (Red Mill) yesterday as I am determined to learn to use different grains over this Winter. I know that I can use it in Tabouli but I'm going to check out some other recipes as well.
    I also picked up some more dried fruit - I have raisins & currents, prunes, figs, cranberries & blueberries but still want cherries, apricots & dates, along with mixed peel so my baking supplies will be ready to go. I got a really good buy on the cranberries & prunes last week so that helped as these can be quite expensive.
    I'm going to check out that Youtube channel so thank you for that.

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    1. Sounds like you have a good plan. Love all the dried fruit you have on hand. I have raisins, cranberries and dates. I love apricots and pineapple and cherries dried as well - not just for baking, but for snacking!
      It is always nice to have a variety of supplies and to be ready for anything. Sounds like fruit cake at your house!!!

      Enjoy the You Tube.

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    2. I tried The Bealles but I can't find them - keeps sending me to the Beatles! Is there a different spelling or perhaps their channel has a different name?

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    3. See answer below to Frances Mosley. I had the same problem doing a search. That is just crazy, as they have had a channel for years.

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  7. Thanks for the salsa info. I will look for mrs.wages.

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    1. I just love it - they have mild, medium and hot.
      ENJOY

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  8. I forgot, no cilantro either. My son uses can diced tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, salt, a little lime, onion. Yum.

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  9. Cheryl, I usually just read all your posts...love your blog and the helpful things you do. I, too use the Mrs. Wages and have for years. I find them very economical since I do not raise the hot peppers, etc. Everyone loves my salsa. Just made 11 pints of the chili sauce with my tomatoes and Mrs. Wages chili mix.

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    1. Hi Judy. I have been using the mixes for years as well. It makes life so easy. I think I have used most of the tomato and cucumber mixes. Haven't found one I didn't like.
      Mmmmm chili sauce!

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  10. Hi Cheryl, I am having the same problem as Marge from Toronto. When I search for The Bealles, I get directed to The Beatles. Any suggestions?

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    1. OK I had the same problem when doing a search. I watch Homestead Tessie a lot and it was in the sidebar suggested videos.
      The Bealles have had a channel for a long while. That is crazy.
      Here is the address to the video I was talking about - don't know if that will help.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9nWE_2noK0

      Crazy stuff.

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  11. You always have the best ideas! Think outside the box!

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  12. I want to try and remember to look up that video...it would be interesting to watch. Great idea about the oats, too.

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