Prep Genrl weekly prep thread April 21-April 27

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SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Getting the thread going. Good Sunday morning to All.

Home fellowship today for us and a lazy day, afterwards. We plan to relax and get ready to meet this coming week head on. Cary has to go to his Cardiologist tomorrow for an echocardiogram of his heart. Just making sure he doesn't have Afib. He's never had any heart issues. The rest of the week is open, but these days, we never know what might pop up.

It's still raining but should stop late this afternoon. Temps are cold for us in the low 60's and windy today, and 39 for our low tonight. I'll be glad when this cold snap is over. I'm ready to enjoy summer. We have our little propane heater going this morning. We use it when it's not cold enough for the big wood heater.

Not much cooking, tonight. There was plenty of meatloaf left from last night to slice and make sandwiches. I'll roast potatoes in the oven to go with. We like roasted potatoes. I peel and cut them up in medium, not too large, size chunks into a bowl. Add enough olive oil to coat well. Pour them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer. I spray the cookie sheet with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, black pepper, onion powder, and lots of garlic powder. 425 oven until fork tender or browned to your preference.
 
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nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
DH would love your potatoes and they sound good to me too.

It was supposed to rain today, but the sun is shinning and its pretty cold. It got down to 66 next to my chair last night which is pretty cold when you are sleeping, another night or so like this and them back to warm. Personally, I don't look forward to the heat that is coming.

There are so many chickens in one spot out in the chicken yard that its looks like a chicken convention.

Got church this morning. I'm having to force myself to to, the same issues that have cause me to stop going in the past are cropping up again, we've been going this time for almost two years and that's about the amount of time when I just about can't stand to go. I always have Jesus in my heart, but the church people themselves start to grind on my nerves. We pretty much have no one else so we need to keep going. They are having a pot luck after services for the pastors wife's birthday. She's a nice lady and really has a heart for the Lord.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
Got up really late. Just put in laundry and started some beef stew in the slow cooker for later. Right now, I'm eating a homemade egg and Canadian bacon sandwich on a muffin and scanning the news before I go for my walk and a quick outing.

One of the retail buildings under construction is going to be a hardware store! I'm excited. It's useful, plus the nearest hardware is two towns over. Now, if we could also get a small drugstore, I could potentially do my weekly errands either on foot or via bicycle.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I had insomnia again, and so did son, so it was 3am before I crashed. So a late wake up.

I decided to follow my normal morning rituals and still felt like crud come lunch time. Which is when I realized that I hadn't gone on my walk. So off to walk. That helped. And a short time starting to pull weeds that invaded one of the garden beds.

Now time to feed son his lunch. Then work on the pile of laundry.
 
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kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well, weeded more in the garden. I opened the new garden hoe. And then I sat down with 10 of the kitchen knives to sharpen them. Yes, I have a lot of kitchen knives for multiple reasons. That's about half of them.

I like the sharpener I found and may order a second to tuck back. It does take some damage in the sharpening area. Having a good sharpener makes it likely that my kitchen knife collection will not continue to grow. Unless I decide to specifically swap out for a higher quality knife. And I may eventually do that.

Other than that, laundry and cleaning. The body desperately wanted a nap and I resisted. I am hoping that will help stop the insomnia issue.

Son is napping. And the last week... he's been throwing his blankets out the window so he has an excuse to go take my blanket to curl up in. I'm not sure why he is feeling the need to wrap in my scent but if it keeps him calm, I'm good with it. I've told him that it's okay to take my blanket without tossing his out, but he is being very rigid about this. I know he's understanding some of it because I get the sass grin. Maybe it will just take some time. He has been very good about putting my blanket back on my bed every evening.

Anyways, about to put dinner in to cook.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Church was good, the pot luck was fine, not many in the church though. I did get a nap when we got home. The sun was out but the temps were pretty cool. Nice day

Got commodities to pick up tomorrow and DH as to take a saw back to walmart that he bought the other day and does not work.
 
M

moldy

Veteran Member
Got most of the plants moved out to the greenhouse with the heater and thermostat connected, put some stuff in storage, put together and emailed a protocol to the client I saw Friday, laundry, cooking ahead for the week, and a little more this and that. I also made some brownie batter hummus with cooked great northern beans. It's a little runny, but will work for a 'sweet'. If it doesn't work, it will get put in a smoothie. I worked some on the blog I am starting - there is certainly a learning curve!

My schedule the next few weeks is going to be a mess. I just need to get as close to 40 hours in a week as I can. I"ll admit I'm feeling 'itchy' for no good reason. I just really don't like leaving home.
 
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H

hd5574

Veteran Member
We don't go that far from home... there are a number of stores and shopping center within 25 miles of the house... but we only occasionally go that far ....we don't eat out nearly as often because the quality of the food has dropped and the prices have skyrocketed..
We do go to several grocery stores because we can find different things at different stores... since we so often but we have short lists so we are not gone long....
Our favorite grocery...has gasoline saving.
.. with the station just across the parking lot...our credit union is next door to the gas station... the shopping center has s Home Depot and a pet store.. we just don't drive as much... the next shopping center down has a farm store....
 
C

connie

Veteran Member
We had a little much needed rain over weekend but temps were in 40's which is much colder than normal for this time of year. It is going to be in 80's this week and should stay there.
Grocery shopping needs to be done and probably a trip to Costco- 2 hours away- in the next couple of weeks.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Once upon a time, the only places we went were bi-monthly shopping trips, a couple of doctor visits a month and to visit my mom. That's it. If it weren't for all the different doctor visits we have going on now, that's the way it would still be. We're just home bodies, and don't like for our simple laid back lifestyle to be interrupted. Sometimes, you don't have a choice, though.

Our days of going away on vacations are over with. Neither of us want to get that far away from home anymore. Other than trips to my aunt in Alabama to take or pick up Mom, that's as far away as we get. Aunt is 1 1/2 hours away. We have to do that 2-3 times a year.

Echocardiogram for Cary this afternoon. No other plans in Tupelo, except to eat out, before we come home. This should be the last in all the different tests doctors wanted done. Our next appointments don't start until May 8. I'll be on Medicare by the time my next appointment rolls around.

Our cold snap is over after today. 70 for our high, but still in the upper 30's tonight. Then, we're off to having summertime temps and weather.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
The sun is shinning, warmer day today, but hot later in the week. So this is also our last cold snap for the season, I dread the heat but will make the most of it.

We pick up commodities today, sometimes I'd rather not go, but my friend Morgan and use the food.

I'm so lazy I bought precooked bacon for DH's breakfast sandwich. I cooked bacon last week and pretty much got no bacon grease from it. Good thing I have Baconup for grease.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
nomifyle said:
The sun is shinning, warmer day today, but hot later in the week. So this is also our last cold snap for the season, I dread the heat but will make the most of it.

We pick up commodities today, sometimes I'd rather not go, but my friend Morgan and use the food.

I'm so lazy I bought precooked bacon for DH's breakfast sandwich. I cooked bacon last week and pretty much got no bacon grease from it. Good thing I have Baconup for grease.
Click to expand...

I've often wondered about the precooked bacon. I haven't tried it. Does your DH like it? It's shelf stable, too, right?
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
nomifyle said:
He said it was fine, I'm not sure if its shelf stable. Just looked it says to keep it refrigerated in the resealable package. I took it out of the package and put it in a ziploc.
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I've seen it at Sam's outside the coolers laying on a table set up for it. That's why I thought it might be shelf stable. I can see having to keep it refrigerated after opening. We might not be talking about the same thing, though. Was yours refrigerated when you bought it?

I'm all for taking shortcuts from time to time. If it tastes ok, I might buy a couple of packs to keep on hand when I don't have any already cooked out and in the freezer.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
SouthernBreeze said:
I've seen it at Sam's outside the coolers laying on a table set up for it. That's why I thought it might be shelf stable. I can see having to keep it refrigerated after opening. We might not be talking about the same thing, though. Was yours refrigerated when you bought it?

I'm all for taking shortcuts from time to time. If it tastes ok, I might buy a couple of packs to keep on hand when I don't have any already cooked out and in the freezer.
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I got mine in a grocery pickup, so I don't know. If its not used up in about three days I'll put it in the freezer. The easiest breakfast (around noon) to fix for DH is and egg mcmuffin, he's been eating it with just egg and cheese, but I wanted to add some meat to it. I can't remember how many pieces, but one is sufficient for one sandwich. I also looked at sausage patties but the only ones I saw were Jimmy Dean and they are owned by Tyson, which I boycott.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
nomifyle said:
I got mine in a grocery pickup, so I don't know. If its not used up in about three days I'll put it in the freezer. The easiest breakfast (around noon) to fix for DH is and egg mcmuffin, he's been eating it with just egg and cheese, but I wanted to add some meat to it. I can't remember how many pieces, but one is sufficient for one sandwich. I also looked at sausage patties but the only ones I saw were Jimmy Dean and they are owned by Tyson, which I boycott.
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Oh, ok. We eat breakfast sandwiches a lot for our supper meal in the summer. Too hot to cook much. We don't eat breakfast sausage at all. It doesn't set well on Cary's stomach for some reason. We've tried different brands, but it's all the same outcome. I haven't bought any in years.
 
J

John Deere Girl

Veteran Member
moldy said:
Got most of the plants moved out to the greenhouse with the heater and thermostat connected, put some stuff in storage, put together and emailed a protocol to the client I saw Friday, laundry, cooking ahead for the week, and a little more this and that. I also made some brownie batter hummus with cooked great northern beans. It's a little runny, but will work for a 'sweet'. If it doesn't work, it will get put in a smoothie. I worked some on the blog I am starting - there is certainly a learning curve!

My schedule the next few weeks is going to be a mess. I just need to get as close to 40 hours in a week as I can. I"ll admit I'm feeling 'itchy' for no good reason. I just really don't like leaving home.
Click to expand...
We stay very close to home, but my DH can't travel very far anyway. Honestly, we've never been much for traveling. We've invested all the money we would have spent going on vacation into our farm and I'm very thankful we did that. We have fun stuff to do without ever leaving home.
 
H

hd5574

Veteran Member
There is date on the precooked bacon it is shelf stable it will last much longer in the freezer...
We freeze both shelf stable and regular bacon.
The pre cooked is thinner that regular cooked bacon...so we use more strips on say a BLT.
We also have some Yoder canned bacon which is shelf stable for many years..
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
hd5574 said:
There is date on the precooked bacon it is shelf stable it will last much longer in the freezer...
We freeze both shelf stable and regular bacon.
The pre cooked is thinner that regular cooked bacon...so we use more strips on say a BLT.
We also have some Yoder canned bacon which is shelf stable for many years..
Click to expand...

Thanks. The next time I grocery shop, I'll check the expiration date for shelf stable. If it's a year or more, I'll try some. If not, I'll just keep buying regular bacon for the freezer. I cook it and refreeze to have on hand, anyway. I thought having a few packs of precooked on the shelf might be nice to have, too.
 
H

hd5574

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
Thanks. The next time I grocery shop, I'll check the expiration date for shelf stable. If it's a year or more, I'll try some. If not, I'll just keep buying regular bacon for the freezer. I cook it and refreeze to have on hand, anyway. I thought having a few packs of precooked on the shelf might be nice to have, too.
Click to expand...
It is very handy in the summer if you don't want to heat the house up...
 
patriotgal

patriotgal

Veteran Member
We have to drive 30 to 45 min to small towns. Kids are 5 hrs away. We both hate going to town so make as few trips as possible. Current plan is to move closer to kids but still within driving distance of nursing home.

This week we are finishing a bunch of nagging little projects and making list of what must be done to list our place for sale. Power washer died so looking at replacements. Really tired of appliances and tools dying but we have had them for years. Guess it is time.

Grand cooked brunch and is cooking supper so I don't have to worry about meals today. Gotta mow 4 yards in the next couple days. I dream of a zero turn but when everything is sold I won't need it.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
psychgirl said:
We tried that one time whole camping.
Then I discovered cooking raw bacon ahead of time, freezing it in zip bags to pull out when needed.

I do it monthly. It works out perfectly!
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I do the same about once a month, too. I cook the whole 1 pound pack and freeze in a jip lock freezer bag. It's there when I need it. All I do is put it on a plate in the microwave to thaw and heat just a bit.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie
If I'm packing myself daily lunches, I might buy a box or two of shelf-stable bacon. One piece really adds a ton of flavor to sandwiches and salads and takes no time at all to reheat. It's a special treat, though. That stuff can get pricey.

Otherwise, I cook regular bacon. Sometimes I freeze some of it. It just depends on how busy I am.

I like Aldi's bacon ends and pieces. Those are pre-cut pieces which are perfect for adding to beans or similar dishes.
 
C

connie

Veteran Member
I buy the precooked bacon at Costco. I keep the package in the freezer and just take out enough for the week as I don't eat it every day. It lasts a long time.
As we age we eat less and not big meals.
Our town is under 40000 with a Wal-Mart and 3 grocery stores. Anything thing you really need beyond that is 100 + miles in a couple of different directions. University city has everything and good medical specialists.
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Toosh said:
Check the ingredients and make sure you're good with it.

  • Pre-cooked Bacon: Pork , Cured with : Water , Salt , Sugar , Sodium Phosphates , Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite.
  • Simple Truth Bacon: Pork, Water, Sea Salt.
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Actually that's a pretty low ingredient count. I've seen much worse when watching for bacon that is safe for son. "Uncured" bacon gets costly. I'll need to double check the Simple Truth bacon here. That might be more affordable.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, I guess I've been up for a couple of hours and now I'm feeling sleepy.

I got two deliveries yesterday, one from walmart and one from amazon. TP and ziplocs from walmart. Some fabric glue, glass storage container set, and a couple of other things from amazon. I need to clean out a space for all the glass storage containers I now have,
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We got up early this morning, too. It's going to make for a long day. It's ok, though, cause we've got a lot to do. Cary plans to mow, then put down insecticide and weed killer on the lawn, afterwards. All pet friendly. I've got a bit of reorganizing in the kitchen to do, plus get pork chops in the fridge marinating to bake, tonight. I would like to do more work in my flowers, too. Adding another color of Iris to the Iris bed. 76 and sunny, today.

If rain holds off this week, we plan to get our gardens started. At least, get them all tilled up and ready to plant. We've got another night of low 40's temps, tonight, then it turns off nice and warm. I think the soil needs to heat up more, before we actually put anything in the ground, though.
 
W

Wildwood

Veteran Member
SouthernBreeze said:
I've seen it at Sam's outside the coolers laying on a table set up for it. That's why I thought it might be shelf stable. I can see having to keep it refrigerated after opening. We might not be talking about the same thing, though. Was yours refrigerated when you bought it?

I'm all for taking shortcuts from time to time. If it tastes ok, I might buy a couple of packs to keep on hand when I don't have any already cooked out and in the freezer.
Click to expand...
I used the Sam's variety for years and we loved it but I always crisped it back up before we ate it. I had a couple ways that worked well...first was under the little broiler on the side of our stove (kind of like a small toaster oven) for just a minute or two and the second was in a skillet with a little cooking oil...in other words, I refried it briefly. I then used that oil to fry eggs, etc. Warmed in the microwave was not good for us.

I know that sounds fussy and you might as well fry it but it was still easier and a lot quicker than frying it from scratch on the stove top plus that bacon never had any gristle or tough spots, the texture was great and there was no waste. I imagine with an air fryer it would be even better. Actually, we are back to regular bacon cooked in the air fryer and that is really good and easy plus you still get the grease. I bet the precooked would be great in an air fryer for a minute or so. Next time I get to Sam's, I will be testing that theory.

It is shelf stable to a degree...probably a month or two or three unopened, on the shelf. Once opened, it last a good while in the fridge. I never tried freezing it. One reason we quit buying it so much is our kids moved out and we couldn't eat it all before it got too old but now that we have grandkids spending the night a couple nights a week...it would be no problem. I'm sure you could freeze it but it would have to be protected from getting crushed.
 
SouthernBreeze

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Wildwood said:
I used the Sam's variety for years and we loved it but I always crisped it back up before we ate it. I had a couple ways that worked well...first was under the little broiler on the side of our stove (kind of like a small toaster oven) for just a minute or two and the second was in a skillet with a little cooking oil...in other words, I refried it briefly. I then used that oil to fry eggs, etc. Warmed in the microwave was not good for us.

I know that sounds fussy and you might as well fry it but it was still easier and a lot quicker than frying it from scratch on the stove top plus that bacon never had any gristle or tough spots, the texture was great and there was no waste. I imagine with an air fryer it would be even better. Actually, we are back to regular bacon cooked in the air fryer and that is really good and easy plus you still get the grease. I bet the precooked would be great in an air fryer for a minute or so. Next time I get to Sam's, I will be testing that theory.

It is shelf stable to a degree...probably a month or two or three unopened, on the shelf. Once opened, it last a good while in the fridge. I never tried freezing it. One reason we quit buying it so much is our kids moved out and we couldn't eat it all before it got too old but now that we have grandkids spending the night a couple nights a week...it would be no problem. I'm sure you could freeze it but it would have to be protected from getting crushed.
Click to expand...

With only a couple of month's shelf life, I think I'll just stick to my own method of cooking the bacon myself and putting it back in the freezer. If it had a longer shelf life, I would buy some. I cook out my own bacon often enough to keep some on hand. I don't think it would pay me to buy the precooked bacon with that short of a shelf life. I don't like the idea of crisping it back up, before use, either. It only takes about 15 seconds to thaw and heat my home cooked bacon, and it's already crispy enough for us.
 
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