Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Stocking up was so worth it!

I had so many people tell me to "take a break" and "is it really worth the work?" while I was putting up my 530# tomato season last summer.  Honestly, I see that I didn't stock up enough green peppers (diced), nor onions, but we learn each year too.  I need to freeze more homegrown asparagus too.  I really miss it this time of year.

Was the work worth it?  

Absolutely.

The weather is terrible today - ice, slush, high wind and snow on the way....who wants to go out to the store in this weather (unless you have to go to work of course).
 
Dinner prep from yesterday - pulled homemade noodles from the freezer.  I also pulled some chicken, a jar of home canned BBQ sauce, some potatoes and some frozen green beans.  All the work for the real food was worth it.

I would have loved to make a beef and noodle dinner, but these vegetarians in my home had me thinking of something else.

I made a mushroom sauce with leftover cream cheese and sour cream with the noodles, made mashed potatoes, and then put the chicken in the "crocky" with the BBQ sauce.  This made every one happy.  By the way, this last recipe I used for canning BBQ sauce is a keeper.  Best flavor yet!


Spaghetti squash breakfast frittata!  I almost tossed in a chopped jalapeno ring, but decided to leave out the cheese and the heat.  Bad move.  Not much flavor.  I made it with mushrooms, onion, a tiny clove of garlic, kale, chives and eggs.  It was good, but needs a bit more flavor.  I got my greens anyway.  So did the rest of the family.

I see so many diet programs this time of year, and it really gets on my nerves.  I just turn off the TV (which was a bad habit I got after getting home from the hospital), and get to work now.  If people just ate real food, and rotated the sources with good, real, healthy food, they wouldn't need to waste money on such "diet" fads.  So sad that America looks for so many "quick" fixes for their lives.  I hope I have taught my kids better.

Okay.  Off my soap box.

What needs restocked already?

- meatballs (never got the chance with getting sick)
- green peppers, diced and sliced
- onions
- pre-mashed and frozen potatoes
- pre-mashed and frozen sweet potatoes
- organic meats
- homemade breads
- butter (I like to freeze extra over winter, and never got the chance)


What's being pulled from storage for dinner tonight?

- frozen stuffed green garden peppers (YUM!), sweet potatoes from the "pretend root cellar" and maybe a side veggie to go with it all.  The peppers have meat, so vegetarians will need something.

Have a wonderful Tuesday today!  Life it too short to let drama flood your good mood, to let chaos wreck your happy mojo, and it's too short to spend it all day on electronics (tell my kids that, ha ha!).  

Today.....I choose.

Or just crack open a bottle of wine, and say the "heck with it."

 

8 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Time for me to do some "re-stocking" of my own. Have the raw ingredients (fortunately) but need to get some good meals put by to make meal preparations easier on the cook around here. (That would be me.) But I know you can relate.

Sandra said...

I need to stock the freezer before lambing season.
Our weather is yuck too, a good day for catching up.

Tracy dixon said...

Can you share your home made noodle recipes and how to store them properly? I'm just now getting into making my own noodles with my kitchen aid attachments. I love it. I've only made noodles one time but cooked them right then. I want to make up batches and store them and want to know the best way. Thank you in advance. My email address is mstracydixon@yahoo.com

RB said...

I always have 3 of everything. I think I learned that growing up in NW PA where a blizzard could mean 2 weeks being house-bound. I wish I could get Bro Tom to get in the habit of jotting things down on the shopping list as he uses them, but I haven't managed to yet. I just double-check everything myself before going to the store.
Prayers everyone's having a great week, and a warm safe one too.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, my stash of noodles is running love, but green beans are stocked well (ha ha!) I'm fresh out of meatballs too (sadly, as those were wonderful quick comfort meals). I better bet to the store for some organic pork. I am still stocked well with good ground beef.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sandra, aren't bad weather days the greatest for that sort of work? And for some "spring" cleaning too.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Tracy, will get a post up soon on noodles. I will have to dig out my recipe too. It's basic. I've written a sticky note down (will get going on that soon).

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, that is a good number to buy with. I have to triple that here with so many still living at home. The kids, and hubby, have asked for the sweet potato chili again already. I am pretty sure I have all the ingredients too.