Friday, April 19, 2019

Just a Bit of a Ramble

It has been one of those weeks when nothing of any great value gets done, but lots of little chores are accomplished.

First off, Bella the Rat Terrier stayed with me for three extra days, not that I'm complaining, mind you!  Apparently the restaurant where Duane is working was so happy to have him back at work that they scheduled him for more days than he thought they would.  So Vicki's Doggie Day Care Service was called upon to help out.  And when there is a pup to pet and belly rub and spoil, not much else gets done, especially when said dog is afraid of the thunder when a storm rolled through on Wednesday morning.  If I sat at my desk, she was under it with her chin on my foot.  If I sat in my recliner, she was on my lap, snuggling and trembling.  I don't think she got more than two feet away from me all morning.  But once the storm passed, she laid claim to my green fuzzy blanket and snoozed until Duane picked her up later in the day.  She went home Wednesday evening in order to be there when her owner arrived on Thursday.  I miss her.

I have four large jars of bread and butter pickles in my pantry.  I can not eat an entire jar of pickles and chances are pretty good that if I put a large opened jar of pickles in the fridge, I will either lose it or forget about it.  So I re-can them into half pint jars.  This was the plan until I discovered I am low on canning lids.  Canning lids are not in the catalog I use for ordering groceries, but I have found a couple of places where I can order them in bulk, so that is on my 'to do' list for next month. 

I re-can several food items that I buy in bulk - usually in #10 cans - that are cheaper to buy than individual cans.  There was a time when I would get 25 lb. boxes of tomatoes from the Farmer's Market and make my own pasta sauce, tomato sauce and ketchup, but these days, age and arthritis have slowed down that process.  Re-canning makes it possible to get some foods at a good price and put them up in smaller batches that work better for a single person living alone.  I have done the same thing with cheese sauce and nacho cheese sauce, both of which turn out just fine.  Pickles turn out just a wee bit softer than the original, but that doesn't bother me at all. 

Most grocery stores have a shelf of bulk foods.  Mine includes instant mashed potatoes in a 3.5 lb. carton.  I will buy two or three cartons and divide the contents into single servings, stored in zip lock bags.  If I want flavored mashed potatoes, I just add a little garlic powder or onion powder or parsley flakes when I make it.

There was a time when I thought it was a sin to serve anything that wasn't totally made from scratch.  But that was when I had a huge garden and when I milked my own cow and raised my own chickens.  And when I was decades younger.  I have since changed my mind.

I know how to make chocolate or butterscotch pudding from scratch, but I prefer to add milk to a mix and whisk it for a couple of minutes instead of standing at my stove and cooking the pudding.  Sometimes I would rather use a Hamburger Helper mix for a quick meal rather than making a casserole from scratch.  Same with stuffing or the mashed potatoes.  Those of us with mobility issues often look for methods of doing things that don't hurt.  But it seems we need permission to use convenience foods because our mothers and grandmother cooked everything from scratch.  Sometimes I use store bought mixes and sometimes I make my own.  But if they will make life a little bit more bearable, it is OK.

And that is enough rambling for one day.

This is me...wishing all of you a blessed Easter.

18 comments:

  1. Life brings changes regardless of age. One thing I appreciate is the opportunity to keep learning. Thanks for showing me another way to do many things, Vicki.

    Have a blessed Easter, Fern

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    1. Fern...They say necessity is the mother of invention and whoever 'they' are, they are right. There are many who have taught me that even though I have limitations, there are ways to do what I love to do. If I ever stop learning, it will be time to pack it in.

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  2. I don't mind using "short cuts" for cooking, but that's probably because I don't really enjoy cooking much. I actually prefer the instant mashed potatoes than what I can make from scratch. I like your idea of adding your own seasoning to it!

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    1. One Family...There was a time when I enjoyed cooking a big meal with all the trimmings, but that was also the time when I had a bunch of kids around the kitchen table to devour it. These days I eat mostly because I need the fuel. I think one reason I can so many foods like soups or stews is because I can have a tasty meal by just opening a jar. Works for me. :)

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  3. my mom was not a good cook but she made butterscotch pudding from scratch delicious but i don't have her recipe.
    at my age i'm not going to make it anyway but remembering it was nice!

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    1. deb...It is funny how certain foods can trigger memories. A tender beef roast with mashed potatoes and rich brown gravy always reminds me of the meals I had at Grandma's house. Potato salad brings to mind family picnics at the lake in the summer. And if I don't stop here, I will be making myself hungry. :)

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  4. Times have changed and so have we. Do what works. (And consider getting you a little dog, IF you can afford the cost. Vet care and shots are expensive these days.

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    1. Gorges...Nothing stays the same, no matter how much we wish it would. It takes us longer to get thing done these days, but we still keep plugging along. :)
      I have thought about getting another little dog. It isn't so much the expense that stops me. It is my inability to take care of one. I live in a building surrounded by concrete and asphalt. I can't just let a dog out to do what it needs to do. And I can no longer physically walk a dog the way I would need to. It just isn't fair to any animal when I can no longer properly take care of one, so I will settle for enjoying those that visit from time to time and consider myself lucky to have had dogs in the past that I fully enjoyed.

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  5. We've gotta do what we've gotta do, Vicki. If you want to stay independent, you've got to adapt to and and overcome whatever is slowing you down. An aside, doing this also makes your grocery dollar go further, and minimizes waste. My wife used to cook EVERYTHING from scratch. Since the kids left home though, there's no need for such big productions. Sometimes it comes down to a rotisserie chicken from the market if she's tired enough! It is what it is...

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    1. Pete...Staying as independent as possible is a high priority for me. Adapting has not always been easy and admitting that I occasionally need help has been tough. But here I am, still in my own little apartment, living my life the way I choose and not the way some nurse's aide in a nursing home thinks I should. :)

      I did the math on re-canning large amounts of ketchup or pasta sauce or other products versus buying small cans or jars of the same thing, and it turns out to be very cost effective. If I had to buy canning jars every time, it wouldn't be, but I already have an abundance of jars. Works well, all around.

      Like your wife, I cooked everything from scratch as well, up to the time when the kids were out on their own, and then it seemed like a waste of time. I still eat well, but do it with a minimum of effort these days.

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  6. I am sure you miss her but little Bella will return one of these days and will feel right at home. She is a cutie!

    Vicki, I am at the same place in life; glad to be older and wiser but unable to run races. I just do what I am able and let it be good. I know when to stop.

    This week I found boneless skinless chicken beasts on sale so purchased right at 25 pounds. I washed and cut it that afternoon and then canned it the next day. I ended up with 7 quarts and 7 pints to place on my shelves. Making it a two day job saved my feet and back. I have also purchased #10 cans of applesauce and recanned when we had a poor apple harvest. With a little doctoring it turned out fine.

    Enjoy the warmer weather with a window or two open. Wishing you, Duane, and the rest of your family a blessed Easter, CW

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    1. CW...I had to laugh at Bella. She was all over me right up to the minute Duane walked in the door and then she forgot who I was! She is silly in love with Duane. :)

      That's a good way to put it. I don't run races any more, either. Sometimes I forget that I am no longer 40, and take on more than I should, but am learning that if I do, I pay the price the next day.

      Great score on the chicken! I am watching for a sale as I use chicken more than any other meat. There are ever so many ways to make a meal from a pint of chicken. I also buy legs and thighs when on sale, pack them in wide mouth quart jars to can. Those make great chicken and dumplings, a favorite.

      I'm glad you mentioned the applesauce. I can get large jars of applesauce in my grocery order and have wondered how it would turn out to re-can it. As soon as I stock up on lids I will give it a go. I like applesauce in half pint jars. Makes for a nice addition to a meal or an evening snack.

      It is forecast to hit 70 degrees today. Windows are open and a lovely slight breeze with all the smells of spring is flowing through my apartment. Heavenly!

      I hope you and yours have an absolutely lovely Easter weekend.

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  7. So, when you recan the applesauce or pickles, is it as easy as filling smaller jars and then putting the jars in a water bath? No extra liquid? Or pressure canner depending on what you're doing?

    I'm using the 'slow and steady' approach with my veggie gardens. And, I've had to ask for help for someone to shovel up the compost and drop it on my garden spot.
    I'm slowly adjusting to my new and much quieter normal. Fun to hear about your time with Bella.
    Cheers, SJ

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    1. SJ...I haven't tried applesauce yet, but the pickles are easy. I just empty the large jars of pickles into a pot and heat the pickles until they are just hot. Then I use a slotted spoon to pick up the pickle slices and fill warmed half pint jars, then filling them with the pickle juice. So far, the amount of juice in the original jars is just right to fill the small jars. They are canned in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. If you like really crunchy pickles, you may not like this method because the pickle slices do soften up just a little bit. In any kind of re-canning, the use of the water bath or pressure canner is the same as if the product being canned is fresh.

      Nobody here is planting as yet. The snow just barely has melted and the ground hasn't warmed up much. I'm glad you have someone who will help with the heavy stuff. 'Slow and steady' - yup. That pretty much sums up my life. :)

      Bella is a hoot, but she also reminded me why I don't have another dog. It was fun to have her here, but she can wear a person down! You have been on my mind, knowing the life adjustments you are making. My prayers are with you, my friend.

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    2. Thanks for your prayers. I'm doing better. It was four weeks yesterday and I'm still counting in my head, so to speak. It's so quiet in my apartment, but I'm ok.

      Thanks for the information about the recanning. I probably won't do pickles since I have a store brand I like that comes in 1-litre jars and is on sale frequently. I can can get through a jar before it goes bad. I am interested in trying both the applesauce and also store bought salsa though.
      Happy Easter - He is risen!!
      SJ

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    3. Glad you are doing alright, SJ...Was worried about you but didn't want to intrude. The quiet wad hard for me to deal with, too. Still is.

      Some things like relish I can get in small jars at a reasonable price, so it isn't worth buying large amounts to re-can. Hadn't thought about salsa, but it might be nice to have a few jars on hand for a change of pace food.

      Happy Easter to you, too. :)

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  8. Over time we do need to adjust our menu planning. As we get more experienced with life's chores, it all right to find time saving foods and products to buy. Have a blessed Easter.

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    1. Agreed, Rob...Sometimes life just needs to be made a bit easier. Happy Easter, my friend.

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