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~

Friday, February 24, 2023

Freezer Clean Out ~ Finds ~ Frozen Tomato Line Up

Painting  has been paused.  I wish I could be in the gardens, getting them ready, as the temperature warmed up to the low 60's.  It's so wet out there from the down pour we got.

I, instead, did a freezer clean out.  It wasn't too bad actually, but I rotated some, so the older was on top in the meat drawer.  I did find a small bag of jalapenos from 2021 (sheesh).  Oh and some homemade sweet potato butter that didn't make the cut.

I made a list of what was in stock, and meals will be made as I rotate items out.  I noticed I still have a good amount of tomatoes in the freezer, so I may be focusing on that first.  I hate to have them wasted.  

What's cooking this weekend?  First, walleye.  It's the last bag in the freezer.  


While digging around for a box of homemade vanilla (I need to refill my kitchen bottle), I saw a grocery bag with stuff in it.  Odd.  Ha!  Not sure how it ended up in my closet, but I found boxes of canning lids and some bond tape.  I decided to do an inventory check on canning lids when I put them away.


I had plans for that tape last summer, but last year was a bit stressful.  I hope to get that done this summer and share.  I noticed it is 3/4 inch width, and I need about 1/2 inch.  It went in my sewing box.



(seedlings under a grow lamp)

Anyway, I mostly had a mundane day, but feel good I got the freezer in order.  I feel  like most mornings I do not get to enjoy my coffee, as I am either unloading the dishwasher, baking, cooking, doing dishes, laundry, taking care of floors, the trash, the chickens. tending to my garden seedlings....so, I make time for coffee, crochet....



...the cooking channel.  I have been learning a lot on here, and have taken down some notes on tips and tricks.  With all of our upcoming repairs/builds and renovations, I feel like I should be watching "This Old House" ha ha!

What I learned:

Use a whisk instead of a spatula when folding ingredients.

Brush oil on your tortilla when making a stove top quesadilla vs. putting oil in the pan. Use 8 inch, fold, and sprinkle oiled sides with salt to make them crispy.


I wrote up a list of menu ideas for my frozen tomatoes, frozen tomato sauce and canned sauce.  I'm sure there are recipes I make I'm not thinking of right now, but...

Chili

Crockpot Sweet potato Chili

Goulash

Crockpot Fiesta Chicken and Black Beans

Slow Cooker Chicken Bolognese Pasta

Crockpot Enchilada Shredded Chicken (Healthy Fix-it and Forget it Cookbook)

Taco Stew


4 comments:

Faith said...

Hi Kristina. I've not kept up with the blog postings and I'm taking a moment to catch up. Your afghans are turning out very nice, a good project for wintertime, it is a pattern which just almost goes by itself. Sometimes you just need that. How do you sell your crochet items, how do you work out the cash end? I cannot seem to find a store or place to sell without having to charge way more because they take so much in fees. I'm not a craft fair person.

Debi said...

What a productive day! It's always nice to get things in order and to make a plan for the stuff we already have. I don't do that often enough.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Faith, I was selling some items in a museum gift shop, but after December they closed their door due to flooding (almost every business had pipes bust), I also sold ornaments in a store at Kelley's island, but they did not buy more this year, and I sell headbands in the salon my daughter works. I take cash only. I bring a money tin. This spring will be my last craft show. It costs too much to rent space otherwise.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Debi, I don't do that often enough, but started to do it. It keeps me on my toes so to speak.