I quickly took stock of the jars on the basement shelves today because it's become evident that there are beginning to be more empty jars than full jars.
It appears we have a LOT of fruit:
strawberry jam/sauce, blueberry jam, canned peaches in honey, pears, pear butter, applesauce, frozen and dried blueberries, frozen strawberries
I only have ONE jar of canned tomatoes left. *sob!* Actually, I knew I didn't have enough. However, I dried a lot of tomatoes and they reconstitute really nicely and sweetly.
I was talking to another friend who cans a lot and bemoaned the fact that we didn't know more folks who canned. February would be the perfect month to have a mid-winter preserved food swap!
I do NOT need 8 half-pints of piccalilly type relish. Nor do I need 10 jars of unsweetened applesauce. I would gladly swap some for canned tomatoes.
We do have a lot of soup jars left. My favorite being a vegetable quinoa soup (no, I didn't grow the quinoa, it was left over from the grocery store days). Also have minestrone and chicken noodle. I don't care for the chicken noodle. I can't figure out why it tastes a little weird. It's not bad, something is just incredibly strong in it and I feel like it's the collards. It's edible tho for sure, and goes well with grilled cheese.
I still have frozen green beans, a little frozen corn, only a couple bags of collards (my absolute fave for throw-it-in-every-dish). I have some sugar snap peas too.
Also have some salsa verde and this strange summer salsa that is a general salsa made with onions, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro, but also has peaches, pears and mint thrown it. I did not make the recipe up, it came out of the Ball cookbook. The mint kind of over-powers it, making it not bad, just a bit unexpected and strange.
Have two beef roasts left, lots of various pork, at least 5-7 whole chickens, and many bags of chicken legs, thighs and breasts. We also have two whole turkeys gifted from G's work. I should try to thaw them out and grind them. I miss turkey burgers.
Anyone ever grind turkey meat? Do you use only the breast? How does it come out?
Our potatoes are sprouting in the basement. This being our first year, I was relieved to find that El, at Fast Grow the Weeds says this is fairly normal this time of year if your root cellar space is no colder than 50*. That's as cold as I can make it. So, we just break off the sprouts and cook up the potatoes. Some of the small ones need to be tossed out, but we still have many, many potatoes and at least 20 or so huge yellow storage onions. Only have 7 or so heads of garlic, which I'm using a far more sparingly than usual, but will be plenty until I can get them again at the farmer's market.
I'm feeling good about our inventory, even if it's a bit weird. I need to seriously start making some baked goods with all the fruity things downstairs.
This afternoon my daughter and I took my mother to the grocery store (she lost her car in an accident 2 months ago and has yet to replace it). It was weird to walk through the aisles, noting what I used to throw in my cart weekly. My daughter begged me to buy a mix of Jiffy blueberry muffins. I said, "Are you crazy?! Do you know how many blueberries we have at home? I'll make some!"
"Will they taste the same as Jiffy?"
"No, they won't, but that's because they'll be made with blueberries and not dried apples dyed blue and artificially flavored."
"Jiffy mix is good though", she said.
"Yeah, it is", I agreed.
And then we walked to the magazines and she checked out the Jonas Brothers while I looked at a hairstyles mag. I treated my daughter to "fresh-made" sushi ("Mom! Can't I get ONE THING at the grocery store?!"--her first choice was Capt'n Crunch, something I wouldn't have bought even when I did buy groceries regularly) and then we helped my mother carry her groceries.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
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6 comments:
I am always in awe of the way you have grown, and stored all of that food. It seems impossibe for me with the small amount I have produced in our garden so far, and anyway I don't think I could ever be that organized. I did invest in the Ball Blue Book of Preserving recently though so that is start I guess.
You have hit on something with the preserved food swap - I have heard the same from other people too, that it is common to have an overload of one thing, and none of another.
My potatoes are in a cool dark place at about 40*F, and so far no sprouts. But I am glad to know that they can still be used... What's strange is right about now, even though I have plenty of stores and a freezer I haven't dug into, I am getting worried about the months until the fresh veg comes again. I guess it's normal?
Hi! My friend, Lisa B., referred me to your website some months ago-love it :)
I have the same issues...I have several jars of salsa verde that I might or might not get through and a good # of jarred tomatoes and tons of frozen blueberries. I need more frozen greens...I just didn't freeze enough spinach!
Luckily, I've been getting some stuff from the Locavorious frozen food CSA. I just got some peaches from them,yum!
I love the idea of a preserved food swap. My daughter and I just inventoried the freezer as we just got a side of grass fed beef to packing it in seemed like a good time to take stock. We need to eat cherries!!! We've got lots of fruit left and are running out of tomatoes too soon as well. At least I've got some salsa left.
Judy
That's a pretty impressive roster. You should have another kid: you'll go though that applesauce in no time. :)
Most ground turkey is mostly dark meat b/c it retains it's moisture. You could grind the legs and roast the breast and make turkey enchiladas verdes with that salsa...
Oh man, I'm with you on the tomato envy! I have a friend who's still stocked up on them, but I ran out a month ago at least. Tomatoes will definitely be a super priority this year.
We "cheated" and while Jeff was at the grocery store he bought a big frozen lasagna thinking it would be this big treat. Not what I remember at all... Every time I think I want something I used to have I'm always reminded of why this way is better. Sounds like you guys are doing great!
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