Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: June 27 ~ July 3 2021
- Thread starter ReneeT
- Start date
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Yes, thanks! You were great support. That team broke up due to poor mgmt and parents got disgusted.
We joined up with the little christian school sandlot team. Its been wonderful. All ages, boys and girls, littles to adults. Barefoot and all. We practice for an hour then play an hour. So much fun and really how it should be done.
Dad practices with the boys several times a day and they are getting very good. Turned out to be the best decision. They just started 4H too.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
My grandma would cook the green beans down with some "new potatoes" and a bit of bacon. Yum yum yum
Wow! You've got potatoes already, Meemur? Ours have been blooming for a week, so I figure another few days and I'll be able to scrabble some out and cook them with some new peas. Yum!
Summerthyme
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
DDIL dug her first new potatoes, yesterday. She sent me a photo of them. She was so excited. It was her first try growing potatoes. I'm so proud of her. She's so committed to learning all about gardening. She also picked her first summer squash and cucumbers, yesterday. Her and DS got their little garden in the ground way early. I didn't think it would make it, but it's doing great. She had to use a cover over it a few times.
I like new sweet peas and new potatoes cooked together in a cream sauce, and I cook green beans down low in bacon grease with an onion and a bit of salt.
I like new sweet peas and new potatoes cooked together in a cream sauce, and I cook green beans down low in bacon grease with an onion and a bit of salt.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Oh, yes! I dug into a hill to check and pulled out several not quite golf-ball sized potatoes. Last year at this time, they were "shooter" marble-sized, about 1.5" diameter. I added more aged manure to the bed in March, and there are a lot more worms there now than last summer. Obviously, they have many more weeks to go, but I wanted to pull a few to see how they were growing in this high heat. I have kept up with the watering but they really don't like 90+ degree temps.
And the tomatoes are stressed! They flowered last week but only half have set fruit, the ones I wheeled into the garage (I've got several rolling containers). Fortunately, it will be more seasonal soon (80s). The herbs don't care. They are all growing like gangbusters. I'm expecting a bumper crop of garlic.
Re: new toaster oven. I'm heading to the outlet mall in a bit. They are also well stocked. I like the features on the $150ish ovens but I really don't want to pay that much. I'm going to see if I can do a little better. I won't go too cheap: that's probably part of my problem, too. I think I paid $49 for the last one at Walmart. It wasn't made for every day use and both the baking and broiler rods went out within about two weeks of each other. I did take it apart and looked into fixing it, but I think I'll spring for something sturdier.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I always have trouble with potatoes that I buy at the store beginning to sprout or rot, before I can use them all. I buy them every 2 weeks, and they always look fresh when I buy them.
I know Summerthyme said that you could cut them up for french fries, and freeze them. Do you have to do anything, like precooking them a bit, before you freeze? We eat a lot of oven fries, and this would be a way to get the potatoes to last longer for me.
Tomorrow is shopping day, and I'll be buying another 10 lb bag.
Summerthyme?
I know Summerthyme said that you could cut them up for french fries, and freeze them. Do you have to do anything, like precooking them a bit, before you freeze? We eat a lot of oven fries, and this would be a way to get the potatoes to last longer for me.
Tomorrow is shopping day, and I'll be buying another 10 lb bag.
Summerthyme?
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
If the produce manager is around, I'd have a chat about where the potatoes are coming from and how old they are. For example, our Fareway is getting some that are a year old. There was a poor crop last year, and this year's crop isn't much
better, which is why I struggled to put in an extra row for my use in the community garden. I'm babying those suckers!
So part of your problem might be really old potatoes. If the potatoes that are sold individually are fresher, you might want to just get several of those and maybe switch over to a different starch for awhile. I've been using orzo in a lot of side dishes.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/8285588-orzo-with-parmesan-and-basil-H-L-4x3-1-971af3fcf4e249b1a029ae593d046634.jpg)
Orzo with Parmesan and Basil
This Parmesan orzo is sautéed in butter, simmered in chicken stock, then mixed with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for an easy, flavorful side dish.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
If the produce manager is around, I'd have a chat about where the potatoes are coming from and how old they are. For example, our Fareway is getting some that are a year old. There was a poor crop last year, and this year's crop isn't much
better, which is why I struggled to put in an extra row for my use in the community garden. I'm babying those suckers!
So part of your problem might be really old potatoes. If the potatoes that are sold individually are fresher, you might want to just get several of those and maybe switch over to a different starch for awhile. I've been using orzo in a lot of side dishes.
Orzo with Parmesan and Basil
This Parmesan orzo is sautéed in butter, simmered in chicken stock, then mixed with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for an easy, flavorful side dish.www.allrecipes.com
View attachment 274613
Over the past year, I've bought potatoes at different places/brands, and they all turn out the same. It must have something to do with the humidity. I store them in a wire basket, so they can breathe. Not sure, though, what's causing them to go bad so quickly.
We also eat a lot of rice and pasta to make the potatoes stretch as far as they will go. By the end of 2 weeks, I'm already out of potatoes, because of rot, wrinkled, or sprouting.
Yes, you must cook them before freezing. I fry them to a pale gold (slightly less than "done"), then freeze. Reheating in the 400 degree oven (or you can fry them, but it spatters) finishes the process.
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Ok, thanks. Can I just bake them in the oven, instead of frying them first, before freezing? Just until a bit browned?
Y'all are making me hungry with all this talk of menus and recipes! We are enjoying fresh garden fare as many of you are. We probably take it to the extreme though! Today I ate a tomato and an ear of corn with a bottle of water for breakfast! I then raided the blackberries and blueberries! My husband is worse than I am! I think I saw him munching green beans with his tomato! And then we picked bushels of purple hull peas. I am now cooling off and chilling for a bit. Too hot to work outside right now. At least for me!
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Do you shell all of those peas yourself, or take them to a pea sheller? I never minded the picking part, it was the shelling and washing, and washing, and washing them that wore me out.
Call me weird but I LOVE to shell!
I haven't tried that. Go for it... see how it works. Essentially, you are "blanching" the potatoes, which stops enzymes from continuing to "ripen" (even though more slowly in the freezer) Its important for maintaining flavor and texture.
Summerthyme
thompson
Certa Bonum Certamen
Those are called baconized green beans at our house. And the pot likker is fought over, too.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
my daddy called beans and potatoes like that cooked low and greasy, I can just about hear him saying that now.
God is good all the time
Judy
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
DS and DDIL are having a big family get together on Saturday for the 4th at their house. DS requested Mom bring some of her home canned green beans cooked that way (low in bacon grease and onion). She'll have to open 2-3 quarts to make enough for all of us, LOL! Mom's green beans always turn out better than mine, and we cook them the same way. I guess it's just something about Mom's cooking.
Marseydoats
Veteran Member
The wasps have taken over my tomato plants. I have gotten really good at spraying them with the water hose. I'm tired of getting stung. I sprayed wasp spray where I thought their nest was, but it didn't do any good. This morning I took the trash to the dump and thank goodness I went in the truck. Evidently there was a nest in one of the bags of outside trash, they swarmed me when I threw the first bag in the dumpster. Luckily I didn't get stung this time.
It was only supposed to be 71 this morning but the humidity was so bad I was soaked, and I didn't think I was going to get thru morning chores. I guess the AC will be on continually until mid Sept now.
I've just been cleaning up. Found some things I've been looking for for awhile. My sailmaker's needle reappeared, naturally after I'd given up and just cut the headliner out of my car instead of trying to stitch it back.
I had been wondering why dh's stack of soft drinks wouldn't sit flat on the floor, and it turned out he had stacked them on 2 cans of Spam, which I couldn't see because of the cat food sitting in front of them.
Hope everyone has a nice 4th! I really hope we get some rain before then or dh & I will have to be on fire watch all night. Our neighbors had a really nice fireworks show last weekend, I can hope they don't shoot anymore.
It was only supposed to be 71 this morning but the humidity was so bad I was soaked, and I didn't think I was going to get thru morning chores. I guess the AC will be on continually until mid Sept now.
I've just been cleaning up. Found some things I've been looking for for awhile. My sailmaker's needle reappeared, naturally after I'd given up and just cut the headliner out of my car instead of trying to stitch it back.
I had been wondering why dh's stack of soft drinks wouldn't sit flat on the floor, and it turned out he had stacked them on 2 cans of Spam, which I couldn't see because of the cat food sitting in front of them.
Hope everyone has a nice 4th! I really hope we get some rain before then or dh & I will have to be on fire watch all night. Our neighbors had a really nice fireworks show last weekend, I can hope they don't shoot anymore.
ginnie6
Veteran Member
started the canning today. I'm still really good from last year but those veggies won't keep! I even planted less than half of the squash and zucchini I usually plant and what does dh do? He's bringing in trash bags of those from one of the guys he works with. So I'm giving zucchini away! I can only fit so much in the freezer and we can only eat so much. Plus a friend has been pleading for my extra for 2 years now.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
It just aggravates me to no end when I make plans, and something comes along to cancel them. Today was supposed to be my shopping day, but NO.......
Yesterday, the crew that's stringing DSL cable wire down our way, stopped to tell Cary that they would need to get on our property to bring the wire to our house. We have our property fenced, and the only way onto our property is through the locked gate out at the road. So, we have to be home when they do it. No one comes on to our property, without us being here. Plus, the gate being open when we're not here will allow our dog to get out. Supposed to be here first thing this morning. I was going to wait, until this afternoon to do my shopping. We're still waiting for them to show up! I'll probably still be waiting this time tomorrow! If they even show up til next week! I know there will be crowds in town, and will not go by myself, even armed. I may have to send Cary just to get a bag of potatoes, because I have to make potato salad for DS's get together on Saturday. I'm out.
Had to use our storage water all day, yesterday, and today. Community water went out. It's been restored, but we are still under a boil water notice, until this afternoon. We have plenty stored away, plus we've had so much rain, lately, that our rain barrels are over flowing.
I went out to sweep the front porch, and heard bees buzzing all around. I looked up, and hornets had begun building a nest in one of the birdhouses hanging on the porch. Good thing I didn't get stung. Cary gassed them last night, but didn't do a kill shot, and we're out of wasp and hornet spray. Another reason I needed to get to town, today.
I love it when a plan comes together. I don't like surprises, or having my cage rattled!
Yesterday, the crew that's stringing DSL cable wire down our way, stopped to tell Cary that they would need to get on our property to bring the wire to our house. We have our property fenced, and the only way onto our property is through the locked gate out at the road. So, we have to be home when they do it. No one comes on to our property, without us being here. Plus, the gate being open when we're not here will allow our dog to get out. Supposed to be here first thing this morning. I was going to wait, until this afternoon to do my shopping. We're still waiting for them to show up! I'll probably still be waiting this time tomorrow! If they even show up til next week! I know there will be crowds in town, and will not go by myself, even armed. I may have to send Cary just to get a bag of potatoes, because I have to make potato salad for DS's get together on Saturday. I'm out.
Had to use our storage water all day, yesterday, and today. Community water went out. It's been restored, but we are still under a boil water notice, until this afternoon. We have plenty stored away, plus we've had so much rain, lately, that our rain barrels are over flowing.
I went out to sweep the front porch, and heard bees buzzing all around. I looked up, and hornets had begun building a nest in one of the birdhouses hanging on the porch. Good thing I didn't get stung. Cary gassed them last night, but didn't do a kill shot, and we're out of wasp and hornet spray. Another reason I needed to get to town, today.
I love it when a plan comes together. I don't like surprises, or having my cage rattled!
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I'll bet she has a secret ingredient! Mine is to use a little chicken broth (about 1/4 chicken broth to 3/4 water) when boiling the beans.
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Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I love it when a plan comes together. I don't like surprises, or having my cage rattled!
Same here. However, when then is a huge delay, I sometimes think it's my guardian angel keeping me safe. For example, I was going to head down to West Des Moines several days ago and had several things come up and I couldn't go. I saw on the news that evening that there had been a 6-car pile up in a section of I-80 I generally take, around the time period I would've been on that stretch!
I'm slowly getting better about rolling with the changes.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
No secret ingredients that I'm aware of. I don't think she uses as much water to cook hers down. When hers are finished cooking, there's not much liquid left. Almost as if they're fried.
Donna_in_OK
Veteran Member
Had a bit of a prepper score today. 
Yesterday, when I went out to do my weekly shopping, I forgot to pick up some dishwasher detergent. So, I ran to the closest Wally (about 30 minutes away). Picked up a couple of the clear water flavors, and rounded the corner to be floored. You know those rolling racks that they sometimes have food on? Well... I scored Keystone Pork for 3.00/can. I got all they had. To bad I wasn't there earlier, as it looked like they had more.
I've never had keystone canned meats before, but hear that they are delicious (at least the beef). I made a nice little addition to the protein stash. Dates were good till the end of 2026.
Yesterday, when I went out to do my weekly shopping, I forgot to pick up some dishwasher detergent. So, I ran to the closest Wally (about 30 minutes away). Picked up a couple of the clear water flavors, and rounded the corner to be floored. You know those rolling racks that they sometimes have food on? Well... I scored Keystone Pork for 3.00/can. I got all they had. To bad I wasn't there earlier, as it looked like they had more.
I've never had keystone canned meats before, but hear that they are delicious (at least the beef). I made a nice little addition to the protein stash. Dates were good till the end of 2026.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
Fried is what DH calls cooking this way, no water left. Nor any water left when my mother cooked green beans and new potatoes for daddy and she cooked them in a cast iron pot.
All this talk about green beans is making me want some.
We are not planning anything special for the 4th, holidays are really just another day for us. We will of course be conscious about the 4th being independence day and thanking God for all of our blessings.
I'll be cooking ribs for the 4th, baked beans and probably green beans.
God is good all the time
Judy
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We're still waiting on the DSL cable crew to show up. I sent Cary to a small store in our area to see if they had any russett potatoes. They did, and he brought them home. Now, I can wait, until next week if I have to about going to the grocery store. I'm covered for my potato salad this weekend. Hopefully, they will come later today or tomorrow. I'm ready to get this out of the way. I just don't like strangers being on our property. When Cary was out talking to them, yesterday, he came back in the house, and told me they were all foreigners. Barely could speak English! They're all black, too.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Worse, they may not show up at all today. A lot of them have a different concept of time than I do.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
True. Cary told them, yesterday, that if they didn't come this morning, we would be gone this afternoon. They said they would be here first thing this morning. NOT! I'm not expecting them at all, today. I doubt if they will come tomorrow, either. It's supposed to be storming all day tomorrow. That's another reason I wanted to go shopping, today. Storms tomorrow.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
yes, I use very little water in the beans. Grandma did hers in a big cast iron pot too.
Made up 4 loaves of the milk bread, they are so easy and deliscious.
Went to free store with friend. Donated some and got a beautiful handmade quilt, full size.
We are all taking the day tomorrow to do a hike down to the caves nearby. Haven't been in awhile.
Watching Grizzly Adams series on dvd player. Daughter is digging and planting up a storm lol, all day. Got the boys helping.
Made up 4 loaves of the milk bread, they are so easy and deliscious.
Went to free store with friend. Donated some and got a beautiful handmade quilt, full size.
We are all taking the day tomorrow to do a hike down to the caves nearby. Haven't been in awhile.
Watching Grizzly Adams series on dvd player. Daughter is digging and planting up a storm lol, all day. Got the boys helping.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Given that it's almost the holiday (and a Friday tomorrow), I doubt your crew will show, SB, and I doubt the guy who is supposed to give me an estimate on raising my front porch step and first block of the sidewalk will show tomorrow at 9:00 am, but I'll hang around for a bit.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
No, they didn't show up, yesterday. I'm not looking for them, today, either. It'll probably be next week. I've already decided, and Cary agrees, we will go to town one day next week, and make sure the gate is locked when we leave. That way, if they show up while we're gone, they can't get in. They will just have to work around our schedule, not theirs.
I'm ok with it. Maybe, there's a reason God didn't want us in town, until next week.
I canned up a canner load of small potatoes. Those are the ones that usually go waste because I don't want to peel the little ones. I washed and scrubbed them good. Some have peelings on some peelings off. I know USDA says peel them, but I did not peel the marble to golf ball size. But I did scrub them and they are thin skinned being new, so some peelings scrubbed off. I did follow the rest of the canning rules.
Today is my Mother in laws 89th birthday. I am sure it's her last on earth. We are going to visit and take her some flowers. She is weaker by the day. Father in law still expects her to wait on him as she has for 40 years. His dementia just prevents him from grasping that she is sick and at the end of life. It is so sad.
My green beans I replanted are coming up. I saved some hair from my brush and put along side them. Maybe the deer will let them grow. I am picking squash now. But something ate my new variety of Italian squash I was trying. I was going to pick it and it was gone.
Today is my Mother in laws 89th birthday. I am sure it's her last on earth. We are going to visit and take her some flowers. She is weaker by the day. Father in law still expects her to wait on him as she has for 40 years. His dementia just prevents him from grasping that she is sick and at the end of life. It is so sad.
My green beans I replanted are coming up. I saved some hair from my brush and put along side them. Maybe the deer will let them grow. I am picking squash now. But something ate my new variety of Italian squash I was trying. I was going to pick it and it was gone.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Heck those are selling for as much as $15 per can on line. Great Score!!Had a bit of a prepper score today.
Yesterday, when I went out to do my weekly shopping, I forgot to pick up some dishwasher detergent. So, I ran to the closest Wally (about 30 minutes away). Picked up a couple of the clear water flavors, and rounded the corner to be floored. You know those rolling racks that they sometimes have food on? Well... I scored Keystone Pork for 3.00/can. I got all they had. To bad I wasn't there earlier, as it looked like they had more.
I've never had keystone canned meats before, but hear that they are delicious (at least the beef). I made a nice little addition to the protein stash. Dates were good till the end of 2026.
20Gauge
TB Fanatic
Since it was raining and I couldn't do any outside work, I decided to travel the hour to Jacksonville.
Why?
Wanted to get some #10 cans and our local Sam's didn't have them. Got there and nothing!! They were out of all #10 cans of tomatoes and sauces.
I did get some large cans of tuna so that area was fixed.
Also, there was a 1/4 pallet of cat food that ours would eat. So I also got 4 boxes.
Why?
Wanted to get some #10 cans and our local Sam's didn't have them. Got there and nothing!! They were out of all #10 cans of tomatoes and sauces.
I did get some large cans of tuna so that area was fixed.
Also, there was a 1/4 pallet of cat food that ours would eat. So I also got 4 boxes.
Illini Warrior
Illini Warrior
someone else reported the same thing - think it was their Cosco - totally vacant aisles and consolidation of the small cans >>> the tomatoes are ripe - being processed - NO CANS - going to push the new poly packaging forward with all these problems