Monday: This week I have a small bit of waste: asparagus that was leftover last week which John has refused repeatedly since then. I don't blame him. Somehow I'm over asparagus, as well. The packet I bought had over 60 spears in it and that was way too much for us. I should have halved it and offered part to Katie. I didn't and so it's wasted. I carried over some stems to the chickens who apparently don't care for asparagus either, so I'll compost this.
I have about half a jar of marinara left from our end of week meals. I used a portion of that on Saturday as pizza sauce but there's still a bit more. I have a pint of Bolognese sauce in the freezer and I think I'll add the Marinara into that. It will extend our sauce for the next Spaghetti Bolognese meal we have.
I have produce: green beans, half a cucumber and another two that are whole, 3 tomatoes, a green onion, a small acorn squash and an eggplant.
We have half of the small meatloaf leftover. And coleslaw. I made Slaw Dogs for lunch. I'll wager the meatloaf ends up being sandwiches for lunch one day as well
Tonight I used up the last bit of a tomato, half a large zucchini and the last of the spinach from the produce bag. I added in potato and onion and cooked Italian sausage in with it. It was really good. John asked if we hadn't eaten this before and I answered "Well yes, it's just that I usually roast everything instead of cooking it on the stove top and this week I added in potato instead of pasta...and it's the same thing we ate last Monday with pasta and hamburger instead of with sausage as we are tonight." I sat thinking and realized that I could add eggplant and call it Ratatouille...Zucchini and tomato are just versatile together.
Tuesday: I peeled the two ripe bananas and put them in the freezer. It was later in the day and I simply didn't want to bake that late in the day. Making toast in the oven this morning had warmed things up plenty! Besides, I am longing to make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins as my next thing rather than another batch of Banana Chocolate Chip muffins just now.
I used the last of the meatloaf (not one of my better tries) to make nachos for lunch. It was okay. I'm glad it wasn't wasted and glad to see the empty pan in the sink.
I am holding off until end of the week with the cucumbers if possible. If I can make it until then and I get another one or two in my produce bag or at peach shed, I will make Sweet Pickle relish which I will can in a hot water bath. This is something we could use in future and I would love to make my own, even as a small batch item. I've got my recipe ready tagged and know how much it should make and how long to boil to safely can it.
Wednesday: Noted the plums were starting to look wrinkly. I washed them well and set them on our table at lunch today and we finished them off. I didn't mention to John that they looked wrinkly. I just said, "Oh these are perfectly ripe now and boy do they taste sweet." And they were and they did!
Friday: Moved some things from the fridge to the freezer that I knew we likely wouldn't eat this weekend.
Noted which leftovers would do for lunches: bbq chicken, corned beef and Italian sausage
Blanched green beans and steamed squash with onions both of which went into the freezer. I also cut okra and battered it and then spread on a cookie sheet to flash freeze and we'll have those things for future meals.
I noted what I still need to deal with but it shall wait until Monday...
6 comments:
Can Asparagus be frozen or does it get all gross when thawed out?? I've seen it canned.. tried it and hated it. I prefer it fresh.
I'm a little unsure how long cooked meat can be left in the refrigerator before having to be thrown out. Or perhaps moved to the freezer. What is your policy?
I found your blog through Brandy's and I just love to read it. Thank you for sharing.
Your comment about the meatloaf nachos made me smile in sympathy. I've tried to that combo as well and wasn't thrilled. I do like it with a baked potato or mashed potatoes. I even add a little sour cream to the potato.
Thanks for the wonderful fragment ideas!
Amy S
Here's something I like to do with asparagus that seems different than just the usual oven roasted version. I cut the stalks in about 1.5 inch pieces and sauté them in a little olive oil along with diced red peppers or maybe a bit of onion. I season with lemon pepper and garlic salt. Cook until just crisp/tender. This is also good served cold over a tossed green salad.
Finally found the garden peas at Aldi's that you posted about as being as good as Le Seur. They were limit 4 so I got my 4 cans. Cooked a can this week and hubby agrees just as good as Le Seur-- he couldn't tell any difference. 50 cents a can is much better than $1.48 to $1.99 per can. Thanks for passing on the info on them. Years ago I had a ham and asparagus casserole-- it was out of this world-- wish I had gotten the recipe.
Louise, Asparagus can be blanched and frozen and roasted or steamed after. I like it either way. This was fresh and had been cooked and John simply didn't want anymore of it, and confession, neither did I...I think often that when you purchase things out of season they aren't nearly as pleasing as when they are in season.
Anne, I think rules of thumb are individual on keeping meat in the fridge. I am willing to go 7 days with most cooked meats because I know my fridge is set at a low enough temperature and holds it, but others insist that 3 days is too much already. I am less keen to keep raw meat that long in the fridge but do go by smell. I have a very sensitive nose so the least bit off smell and I'll do away with it.
Amy, Welcome! And I shall certainly try one of your suggestions in future, lol. I was just not happy with that meatloaf overall, and then to put it on nachos was just not a good choice either.
Deanna, I've done a sort of stir fry with asparagus with ginger and garlic and it was super tasty, too.
Deloris, I'm glad that you liked the peas as well. I'm definitely going to try to get more of those myself. I was very well impressed with them.
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