This past week has been one of those times.
My grocery order last week included 9 lbs. of hamburger that I canned. Takes one pound per pint jar. I figure if I order 9 lbs. every other week for three months, I should have enough for a while.
I also got 12 lbs. of frozen sweet corn and 12 lbs. of frozen mixed vegetables. I canned most of that in half pint jars, which is just right for one person. It probably sounds a bit strange to can frozen vegetables, but it is cheaper for me to do that than it is to buy the veggies in cans. And I would rather have them in jars on the shelf than in my freezer. They last much longer in jars and should water ever become scarce, the liquid in each jar is enough to heat the veggies in.
I like to have those packets of rice side dishes on hand. But when I figured out the price per packet, I found I can make my own at a fraction of the cost. So using these recipes, I made up 25 packets of each flavor.
Chicken Rice Mix
3/4 cup rice
1 tablespoon dry onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon dry parsley
1 tablespoon powdered chicken bouillon
Combine the rice and all of the other ingredients in a resealable plastic container. Zip-lock bags work well for this. Label and seal. Store on the pantry shelf. This is enough for 1 package of mix.
To Prepare:
2 tablespoons butter
1 package of Chicken Rice Mix
2-1/2 cups water
In a 2-quart saucepan combine the butter, Rice Mix and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place a lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible flame. Simmer, covered until done or for about 20.
Beef Rice Mix
3/4 cup rice
1 tablespoon dry onion
1 tablespoon dry parsley
1 tablespoon powdered beef bouillon
Combine the rice and all of the other ingredients in a resealable plastic container. Zip-lock bags work well. Label and seal. Store on the pantry shelf. This is enough for 1 package of mix.
To Prepare:
2 tablespoons butter
1 package of Beef Rice Mix
2-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
In a 2-quart saucepan combine the butter, Rice Mix, soy sauce and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place a lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible flame. Simmer, covered until done or for about 20 minutes.
Sometimes I'll make up a packet of rice mix to eat as a side dish and other times I'll add a jar of canned beef or turkey and a half pint of vegetables for a one-dish meal. A couple of slices of cornbread on the side makes for a pretty good meal.
I suppose that if I were content to just fill my shelves and then sit back and admire all those lovely jars of food, I wouldn't spend so much time canning. But I eat what I store. It makes no sense to me to have buckets full of food that I don't eat on a regular basis. So when I see that I'm running low on a particular food, I get busy and can or dehydrate or package some more. The goal is to have one years worth of food put back. I'm getting close to attaining that goal.
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Do you can your hamburger raw or cooked? Tomorrow I will be canning HB and was thinking of just browning is quick and then putting it into pint jars and pouring a little left over broth over it. Is that OK, ya think?
ReplyDeleteTewshooz...It is probably a matter of taste, but I like canned hamburger best when I brown it, drain it, pack it into pint jars and pressure can for 75 minutes. I don't add any broth. When I first canned hamburger I added either water or broth, but then it reminded me a little bit of dog food. :) That's why I skip the broth part.
ReplyDeleteYou do stay busy. Been crazy for me too.
ReplyDeleteRob...Sometimes it seems like everything needs doing all at once! Better than being bored, though. :)
ReplyDeleteI like those microwave rice packets too. Sometimes that's all I have for supper if I want something quick and not messy, and I'm not too hungry.
ReplyDeleteHarry...These homemade rice packets don't microwave well and are better cooked on the stove. But I figure that I lived for a lot of years without a microwave. Won't kill me to make my supper in a pan over a flame. :)
ReplyDeletewe have a rice cooker. get at chinese grocery store. no burning cooks in 30 minutes. can be made in a.m. and left in cooker all day.
ReplyDeletedo not use like a crock pot!!
also cook quinoa in it although it's messier.
deb h.
Deb H...Thanks for the reminder. I had forgotten about the rice cooker I picked up at a thrift shop for $8. I'll have to dig it out and try cooking one of these rice mixes in it. Bet it will work really well.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I know you have been working hard on getting to this point. Do hope you are doing well with your other goals too and that you are feeling better...xoxo
ReplyDeleteMary...Thanks for the encouragement! I've got a little way to go to get to the one year supply, but there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
ReplyDeleteThe weight loss isn't going all that well, but all in all I'm feeling much better. I am surprised at the difference not smoking is making. I can breathe without coughing and climb stairs without having to stop to catch my breath. Life is looking better all the time. :)
Thanks for the rice mix recipes. How long would the dry mix last in the pantry?
ReplyDeleteWith all your preserving, don't forget to store some cool boiled water too - just in case ;)
Dani...Stored in air-tight containers in a cool, dark, dry place, the rice mixes should be good for at least 10 years and probably longer. I just used up the last of the ones I made over 5 years ago, and they were as good as if I had made them yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI had some friends and a neighbor save soda bottles for me. I have them filled with water and stashed behind and under furniture all over my apartment! I might not have thought to do that, but I think when a person has animals they are responsible for, you tend to consider their needs. Water is a big priority for me.