Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Mixed Vegetables and Green Beans

I think I told you a while back about the changes in my grocery delivery service.   They have put out a catalog and I can only order what is included in it.  While it is substantial, that means if a specific item is on sale but not in the catalog, I can not order the sale item.  Much of what I normally order is included, but there are items I can no longer have delivered.

This week, for instance, two pound bags of frozen vegetables are on sale.  Unfortunately, the catalog lists only one pound bags.  And that is where an angel of mercy came to my rescue.  Oldest Son's friend who lives with him now, said she would not mind a bit going to the store to get the sale items I can no longer order.  So this morning I tossed some cash and a list in her direction and off she went.

She brought me 24 lbs. of mixed vegetables and 12 lbs. of green beans, along with a couple other small items.  When she brought them to me, it was then I realized I had not taken the weight of the vegetables into consideration.  There she was, poor girl, outside my door, all knackered out from lugging them up the stairs.  And she was still cheerful, bless her heart.

The green beans are in the dehydrators.  12 lbs. of mixed vegetables are in my big stock pot on the stove, thawing out and heating up.  As soon as I see how many pints I get out of that, I'll decide whether to can the other 12 lbs. or dehydrate them.

I know that for gardeners, it must seem like a sacrilege to be canning frozen vegetables.  I would prefer canning fresh from the garden as well.  But if I want my shelves of home canned foods to be full, I will do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal.  And should the time come when store shelves are empty, I doubt anyone will care about whether the vegetables started out as garden fresh or frozen.  I would think they would be happy to have food to eat when others do not, no matter what the source.

8 comments:

  1. Well done on the sales. And it sounds like your son has found a gem of a new friend.
    As for veggies, I have a small garden but have followed your advice and dehydrated both mixed veggies and country-style hashbrowns (i.e. potato cubes). I have to say that with the frozen veggies, there's absolutely no waste and virtually no prep time. As opposed to cleaning the garden fresh produce. I really think you're on to something!!
    Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC Canada

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  2. Hi SJ...I wish I could claim credit for the idea of dehydrating frozen vegetables, but I can't. I found that information on several websites. I like it too because the veggies are already blanched - just spread them out on the trays, turn on the machine and let it go.

    I've dried a lot of the frozen, shredded hash browns and they turn out really well. My grocery order comes tomorrow and I ordered some of those mini frozen tater tots as an experiment. I have seen videos on both dehydrating them and how to rehydrate them and it looked like it worked well. I like having as much variety in food storage as possible.

    Yep...she is a gem. They knew each other in high school, so she isn't a stranger. I like her. Of course, it isn't important if Mom likes her - it is that they like each other. :)

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  3. Welllll, it helps when Mom and the family like the special friends. At least that has been true in my life.
    Wherever you got the idea for dehydrating the frozen veggies, I'm grateful. I had not run into the idea until I read about it here.

    The weather has taken a turn to colder and wet. It feels like Fall, yikes! I'm hunkering down in my apartment for the day.
    Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC Canada

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  4. SJ...Whoever came up with the idea of dehydrating frozen veggies was a genius! I need to just bite the bullet and get a bunch of frozen broccoli, for I haven't got very much dried. I dried lots of sweet corn, and that rehydrates back to where you can't tell it was ever dried. And if you grind up some of it and mix it with store bought cornmeal, it makes just the best cornbread ever.

    The rain has been sliding off to the south of us or going north, but last night it found my town and it rained most of the night. The air is still humid, but cooler. I have opened windows just because I can. Good grief, SJ...sounds like you might need to dig out the flannels. :)

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  5. Yes they are, Gorges...It was so kind of her to help when I can't get out to do it myself. Son usually runs those errands for me, but he has been working 12 hour days with lots of overtime and I won't ask him to do anything for me when his time is so limited. Her help is greatly appreciated.

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  6. A cheap can of corn is $.48 at WM. MN grown corn on the cob,at MP is 4 for a buck. Some farmers are selling sweet corn $5.00 a dozen.

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  7. Rob...I just can't afford fresh corn unless I just buy a couple of cobs to eat. I can the frozen corn because most of it goes into half pint jars which are just right for one person. That's a good price at WM. But it still costs me less to can the frozen corn.

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