This will be just a quick update for you. Last night we really enjoyed baked sweet potatoes and a salad. I cannot speak highly enough of sweet potatoes! They are really high on my list of favorite vegetables, and are SO good for you. They are versatile and delicious, as well as being nutritionally fantastic. A special dinner memory for me is Mom's creation of mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, and a little brown sugar. This would be put into a baking dish and kept warm in the oven for celebratory dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's my very favorite way to eat them. Funny thing is, we'd never seen a fresh sweet potato when I was a young girl in Pennsylvania...Mom used the canned ones and that's all I knew until my sister introduced me to the fresh ones in our 20's. That was my first baked sweet potato, and a sweet memory it is too. Anyway, dinner was great.
Tonight was to be spaghetti with some of my husband's yummy sauce from the freezer, with the addition of 2 roasted red peppers I'd frozen. We were going to start off with broiled mushroom cap appetizers - yes, this was all on hand. Dinner plans have changed, though, and maybe we'll have the spaghetti tomorrow night. I'll let you know. Thanks for reading - let me know what you think!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Interesting conversation
Last night was to be some kind of surprise for dinner, as I hadn't even thought about it during the day. It was left up to my sweet husband, who always comes through! He did call me at the end of the day and ask me to pick up some evaporated milk so he could finish making dinner. Well, the only thing we make with evaporated milk is quiche, one of his favorite dinner items to make. Mom's 50-year-old recipe for Quiche Lorraine is quick and easy to put together, if you have all the ingredients. So I knew what we were having.
Our conversation when I got home went something like this, after I gave him the evaporated milk:
Me: So...Quiche Lorraine, eh?
Ken: I'm not telling.
Me: Huh. Okay, shall I make salad?
Ken: Nope, we're all set.
Me: (remembering what we have in the freezer) So, did you buy bacon?
Ken: No.
Me: (thinking that means we had bacon in the freezer, which I didn't remember) Oh, we had some in the freezer?
Ken: No.
Me: (My back hurt, so I wasn't paying attention) So you bought some?
Ken: (loudly) NO - IT'S A VEGETARIAN QUICHE.
Me: Oh...so did you buy anything for it?
Ken: (loudly) NO.
Me: So you found Swiss cheese and bacon in the fridge? (both of which Mom's recipe calls for)
Ken: (loudly, as if to someone of no wit) NO - IT'S A MIXTURE OF CHEESES AND NO BACON.
Me: Oh.
Well, maybe it was funnier the first time around, but it WAS funny. As I explained to him, I was just trying to ascertain the truth for my readers - what was from the freezer and what was purchased. As you can see from the above, the only purchase was the evaporated milk. :) That means we had eggs, cheese, onion and garlic (his additions) and a pie shell on hand. He meant to add a little leftover broccoli, but it ended up remaining on the breadboard instead of going into the quiche.
So ... what does this tell you? It tells me don't bother my husband with the details, just eat the darn dinner. What's he making for tonight? I don't know, but I'm not askin'. See you tomorrow.
Our conversation when I got home went something like this, after I gave him the evaporated milk:
Me: So...Quiche Lorraine, eh?
Ken: I'm not telling.
Me: Huh. Okay, shall I make salad?
Ken: Nope, we're all set.
Me: (remembering what we have in the freezer) So, did you buy bacon?
Ken: No.
Me: (thinking that means we had bacon in the freezer, which I didn't remember) Oh, we had some in the freezer?
Ken: No.
Me: (My back hurt, so I wasn't paying attention) So you bought some?
Ken: (loudly) NO - IT'S A VEGETARIAN QUICHE.
Me: Oh...so did you buy anything for it?
Ken: (loudly) NO.
Me: So you found Swiss cheese and bacon in the fridge? (both of which Mom's recipe calls for)
Ken: (loudly, as if to someone of no wit) NO - IT'S A MIXTURE OF CHEESES AND NO BACON.
Me: Oh.
Well, maybe it was funnier the first time around, but it WAS funny. As I explained to him, I was just trying to ascertain the truth for my readers - what was from the freezer and what was purchased. As you can see from the above, the only purchase was the evaporated milk. :) That means we had eggs, cheese, onion and garlic (his additions) and a pie shell on hand. He meant to add a little leftover broccoli, but it ended up remaining on the breadboard instead of going into the quiche.
So ... what does this tell you? It tells me don't bother my husband with the details, just eat the darn dinner. What's he making for tonight? I don't know, but I'm not askin'. See you tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Keeping up
So sorry to have been away...acute back pain kept me out of commission yesterday, but am much better today. We did have some dinners I wanted to tell you about. Sunday night we returned from our housesitting gig - friends returned from their trip. It's good to be back home but we keep reaching for things in the wrong places! We'd planned a simple dinner, and I went to the store to buy a few things, including a splurge of cheese and Triscuits. What came about - due to sheer laziness, I guess - was cheese and crackers, followed by popcorn for dessert. Yum. So the simple dinner made an appearance last night. We had scrambled eggs with sauteed onion, garlic and mushrooms, inside corn tortillas, topped with salsa. Everything was in the fridge, including the fruit cocktail for dessert. It was a nice light supper. There was some snacking going on later, though - I justified it because I had to take ibuprofen. We also thought we had a little ice cream in the freezer, but that was in our friends' freezer!
For the most part I'm still only buying milk, oj, lettuce and other salad stuff, cheese, and occasionally some other item or two. I spent about $30 on the above to keep us going for this week. I think we can work out of the freezer for the rest of the week...I'm planning more pizza, spaghetti and homemade sauce, and something with that poor can of tuna I keep looking at. My crockpot is calling, which means there might be soup in the forecast too - so stay tuned! Not sure what's on for tonight. See you tomorrow.
For the most part I'm still only buying milk, oj, lettuce and other salad stuff, cheese, and occasionally some other item or two. I spent about $30 on the above to keep us going for this week. I think we can work out of the freezer for the rest of the week...I'm planning more pizza, spaghetti and homemade sauce, and something with that poor can of tuna I keep looking at. My crockpot is calling, which means there might be soup in the forecast too - so stay tuned! Not sure what's on for tonight. See you tomorrow.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Winding down the week and some leftovers
What a nice dinner we had last night, all leftovers. I made Quickie Chickie again (finished the chicken) - it is SO good, and the recipe is in a previous post. We split the remaining baked potato (if you cut really small bites it lasts awhile!), and enjoyed a big salad with ... ONE of the remaining carrots. Ice cream hit the spot later in the evening (there's still some left, E).
I plan to make bread and cookies this weekend, possibly with the help of some grandchildren. Once we're back home from our housesitting gig, our own pantry and freezer will be front and center once again. With great plans in mind, I had brought some items from our pantry to use while housesitting...they never happened. They'll be first up at our house, though - a can of tuna, quinoa, some pancake mix from Trader Joe's (it's really good). Oh - not toGETHER, of course!
Once again, I realize just how easy we have it, trying to figure out what to make from items already on the shelf or in the freezer. I'm well aware that many do not have anything on their shelves to choose from...be thankful for what you do have, and for organizations like Meals on Wheels and InterFaith Food Shuttle. Thanks for reading and commenting - keep them coming. See you on Monday.
I plan to make bread and cookies this weekend, possibly with the help of some grandchildren. Once we're back home from our housesitting gig, our own pantry and freezer will be front and center once again. With great plans in mind, I had brought some items from our pantry to use while housesitting...they never happened. They'll be first up at our house, though - a can of tuna, quinoa, some pancake mix from Trader Joe's (it's really good). Oh - not toGETHER, of course!
Once again, I realize just how easy we have it, trying to figure out what to make from items already on the shelf or in the freezer. I'm well aware that many do not have anything on their shelves to choose from...be thankful for what you do have, and for organizations like Meals on Wheels and InterFaith Food Shuttle. Thanks for reading and commenting - keep them coming. See you on Monday.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I'm back...
Oh, thank goodness I'm back in the system...it's been too long. Well, after a few wonderfully relaxing days at the beach, we are back at our housesitting gig. It's been a week of shrimp and potatoes - oh, too bad! The potatoes are lovely Yukon golds, which we've had for a couple of weeks now - they needed to be used. Shrimp has faded into beach memories. To the freezer! Tonight it'll be the remaining chicken, salad, maybe a potato, and probably a veg. YES, hard to believe, but we still have a few carrots.
These last almost-3 weeks have been an odd time, with unexpected grandchild care, housesitting, and a few days at the beach in between all that. It's been a little unsettling, and until today I haven't been able to tell you about the past week. Work is providing its own stress, particularly since I couldn't get to my blog. Thankfully it's fine now.
We're looking forward to returning home and resuming eating down of our OWN pantry and freezer, though have been glad to help out our friends! Look for more updates as we transition our stuff back home, pick up the pace of 'eating down' and saving money!
These last almost-3 weeks have been an odd time, with unexpected grandchild care, housesitting, and a few days at the beach in between all that. It's been a little unsettling, and until today I haven't been able to tell you about the past week. Work is providing its own stress, particularly since I couldn't get to my blog. Thankfully it's fine now.
We're looking forward to returning home and resuming eating down of our OWN pantry and freezer, though have been glad to help out our friends! Look for more updates as we transition our stuff back home, pick up the pace of 'eating down' and saving money!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Winding down...
Well, I think we've recovered from the weekend (see my previous post). All is quiet on the housesitting front. We had a quick dinner last night of scrambled eggs, the rest of the beans from Sunday, and toast. I hosted my Scrabble group and, if you'll recall the events of the weekend, didn't really have time to create a special dessert for the ladies. I did, however, score a hit with Sara Lee pound cake, Breyers vanilla ice cream, topped with slightly warmed peaches.
A few weeks ago during peach season, friend Sandy's neighbor's peach tree was bearing prolifically. Sandy kindly gave me a grocery bagful of the sweet fruit, and after making jam and eating a few of them, I had frozen some of the peaches. I thawed them yesterday and added a few drops of vanilla, no sugar, and they were marvelous.
Tonight is spaghetti night with some leftover sauce - always a good choice in my book! This week we're going to take a break from 'eating down' for a couple of days for a little time out. My intention, though, is always to consider pantry and freezer options, no matter where you're cooking.
Sometimes a forgotten spice or seasoning packet on the shelf can lead to a creative and yummy approach to dinner. I plan to make friend Alicia's terrific Taco Soup over the next couple of days. I remembered some taco seasoning (my favorite is Wick Fowler's) on hand, and that led to thoughts of her yummy soup. It feeds a crowd, and one grandchild of ours can't get enough of it! With beans and canned tomatoes in the pantry, I think I can justify the purchase of some nice lean ground beef to make a pot of the soup.
Look HARD at your pantry shelves and freezer - I know you can do it! Think of alternatives to the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner items. What's wrong with cereal, milk and a banana for dinner?? I'll be back on Monday - let me know how YOUR pantry project goes!
A few weeks ago during peach season, friend Sandy's neighbor's peach tree was bearing prolifically. Sandy kindly gave me a grocery bagful of the sweet fruit, and after making jam and eating a few of them, I had frozen some of the peaches. I thawed them yesterday and added a few drops of vanilla, no sugar, and they were marvelous.
Tonight is spaghetti night with some leftover sauce - always a good choice in my book! This week we're going to take a break from 'eating down' for a couple of days for a little time out. My intention, though, is always to consider pantry and freezer options, no matter where you're cooking.
Sometimes a forgotten spice or seasoning packet on the shelf can lead to a creative and yummy approach to dinner. I plan to make friend Alicia's terrific Taco Soup over the next couple of days. I remembered some taco seasoning (my favorite is Wick Fowler's) on hand, and that led to thoughts of her yummy soup. It feeds a crowd, and one grandchild of ours can't get enough of it! With beans and canned tomatoes in the pantry, I think I can justify the purchase of some nice lean ground beef to make a pot of the soup.
Look HARD at your pantry shelves and freezer - I know you can do it! Think of alternatives to the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner items. What's wrong with cereal, milk and a banana for dinner?? I'll be back on Monday - let me know how YOUR pantry project goes!
Monday, October 11, 2010
really needs beach time...
What. a. weekend. You remember we're housesitting for friends and that's going just great. Lovely home, two cats, very peaceful. We had our grandchildren visiting us this weekend, which made it a bit more tricky to continue 'eating down' anyone's pantry and freezer. We did manage to use up some items, though. Friday night's supper was Quickie Chickie, which the children adored! Salad, broccoli and nice sauteed yellow squash were the accompaniments. Very well received - whew.
Due to some unplanned excitement on Saturday morning, we all needed nice hot soup for lunch, with crackers on the side. After an uneventful afternoon, dinner was also very successful - grilled brats on rolls, sauteed onions and green peppers, and the remaining macaroni and cheese. Andy really enjoyed the sauteed onions! We were going to have an ice cream snack later with a movie, but the evening's activities were cancelled due to other unplanned excitement.
After church on Sunday, we headed straight for brunch at Golden Corral. My frazzle factor had increased a bit after Saturday's unplanned excitements, so the 'easy' route was our choice. After a rather more calm afternoon, a little more excitement built up - but not too high - and a plain easy dinner of bean and cheese quesadillas with lots of salsa hit the spot for everyone. A trip to the airport to meet Dad rounded out the evening. My sweet husband and I came back to our "home away from home", dished out some ice cream (helping someone else eat down her freezer), and collapsed.
Oh...the unplanned excitement? How's this: a walkie talkie slipped into the pond (can't be retrieved); the canoe tipped over dumping my husband and grandson and gear (all were retrieved); I bonked my sweet husband on the head with the tailgate door of my car (no outward damage done); one cat who shall remain nameless stayed out all night, to be retrieved from the roof Sunday morning; some much-too-energetic and potentially dangerous horseplay sent two little people to bed at 7:30 on Saturday; and a miscalculation while backing up sent my car into a stone driveway pillar (I say it was due to distraction by little people in the back seat, but they don't agree). I think one of two old standbys are on tap for dinner tonight: spaghetti with leftover sauce, or some lovely organic eggs from our CSA and toast. I'll let you know tomorrow.
Due to some unplanned excitement on Saturday morning, we all needed nice hot soup for lunch, with crackers on the side. After an uneventful afternoon, dinner was also very successful - grilled brats on rolls, sauteed onions and green peppers, and the remaining macaroni and cheese. Andy really enjoyed the sauteed onions! We were going to have an ice cream snack later with a movie, but the evening's activities were cancelled due to other unplanned excitement.
After church on Sunday, we headed straight for brunch at Golden Corral. My frazzle factor had increased a bit after Saturday's unplanned excitements, so the 'easy' route was our choice. After a rather more calm afternoon, a little more excitement built up - but not too high - and a plain easy dinner of bean and cheese quesadillas with lots of salsa hit the spot for everyone. A trip to the airport to meet Dad rounded out the evening. My sweet husband and I came back to our "home away from home", dished out some ice cream (helping someone else eat down her freezer), and collapsed.
Oh...the unplanned excitement? How's this: a walkie talkie slipped into the pond (can't be retrieved); the canoe tipped over dumping my husband and grandson and gear (all were retrieved); I bonked my sweet husband on the head with the tailgate door of my car (no outward damage done); one cat who shall remain nameless stayed out all night, to be retrieved from the roof Sunday morning; some much-too-energetic and potentially dangerous horseplay sent two little people to bed at 7:30 on Saturday; and a miscalculation while backing up sent my car into a stone driveway pillar (I say it was due to distraction by little people in the back seat, but they don't agree). I think one of two old standbys are on tap for dinner tonight: spaghetti with leftover sauce, or some lovely organic eggs from our CSA and toast. I'll let you know tomorrow.
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