The theme for this year is “Laser focused, hunkered down and spending as little money as possible.”
Let’s see how we did this week …
In the Garden: I continued
to thin carrots and pull spent plants from containers and raised beds. The spent plants went to the chickens and the
thinned carrots went straight into the compost bin. The thinned carrots went into the compost bin
instead of to the chickens for two reasons, (1) the compost bin is located
really close to the raised bed and (2) there really wasn’t enough to make the
effort to walk down to the chicken coop!
At any rate, they didn’t go to waste, and will return to me in the form
of food via compost.
I’m doing a garden seed swap with an online friend. I’m excited about this as it is a way for
both of us to get something we want for our gardens for the cost of
postage. Have you noticed the price of
seeds? If so, you will understand my excitement. Remember our theme for the year: ‘laser
focused, hunkered down and spending as little money as possible?’ This is a perfect example of what that looks
like in real life.
The seed testing, I did on old 2019 cabbage seeds gave me one
seed that germinated out of about 50.
That’s not enough return on my time to make it worthwhile so I’m going
to toss them in the compost heap! Hey,
maybe they’ll germinate there!!!! (I’ll
keep an eye out, you know … just in case!)
I have more old seeds to
test so it’s on to the next selection. (This
year I’m testing and clearing out all our old seeds.)
In the Kitchen: Last week
when I canned turkey, there was one jar that didn’t seal. This week I took that jar, drained the broth
off and used the turkey to make turkey salad.
I make a very simple turkey salad:
(all ingredients are to taste)
Cooked, chopped turkey
Chopped onion
Sweet pickle relish
Miracle Whip salad dressing
I just mix it all up and refrigerate. I’ve been enjoying a turkey salad wrap for lunch this week and it is quite tasty! According to my calculations, ¼ cup of this turkey salad and a low carb tortilla wrap comes to 151 calories, which I might add are quite delicious calories! I don’t know about you, but I want my calories to taste DELICIOUS!
We must not forget about the broth though, what did I do with it? I put it in a freezer container and froze it to be used in future soups, stews, etc.
Potato salad
Homemade French fries
Air fried potato wedges
We’ve still got about 40 pounds to go, so stay tuned as I work my way through this big box of potatoes! I’m pretty sure I see some potato preserving in my future …
In the Pantry: My preserving day this week was on Tuesday … what did I preserve … lemons! Yes ma’am! You can read the post I did on the process and details HERE, but in a nutshell, I added the following ‘lemon’ products to my pantry: lemon ice cubes, lemon zest, and then made lemon vinegar cleaner with what was left.
What I’m Reading: I’m about halfway through re-reading Delay, Don’t Deny by Gin Stephens. It’s been a good reminder as well as encouragement for me.
I also read How to Stitch an American Dream by Jenny Doan. I enjoyed this book so much that I read it all in one sitting! (The Libby app that I read it on said I read it in 1 hour and 11 minutes!)
I read and am reading both of these books on Libby the library
app for free!
Health/Fitness: I want to talk
a little bit about intermittent fasting.
I am doing the 16-hour fasting with an 8-hour window for eating. I can’t really say that it’s helping me lose
any weight, but what I can tell it’s doing is helping curb my appetite. It’s helping me feel more in control of my plan. If it does nothing else,
intermittent fasting is worth that to me.
I do not do what is called a ‘clean fast’ meaning that during the
fasting hours you only drink water, unsweet tea or black coffee. I may work up to that at some point, but
that’s just not where I’m at right now.
Throughout my fitness journey I have done things in baby steps and
that’s what I plan to continue doing.
Any changes implemented will be introduced one baby step at a time,
regardless of how long it takes.
Bargain and/or Loss Leader Shopping: We’re
staying out of the stores as much as possible, so none this week!
From my Sewing Nook: I’ve
been going through my patterns, and I think I’ve decided on the one I’m going
to use to make my quilt coat. I want the
coat to be big and boxy and I found an old Vogue pattern that fits the bill on which I can make a few modifications on the length, etc. I’ve still got a few patterns I haven’t checked
through yet, so I won’t make a final decision until I do, but I’m leaning
heavily towards this Vogue pattern.
Continuing Education and or Skill Building: Let me tell you about a skill I’ve set the goal of learning over the next 7 days. You will probably think it’s funny, but here goes …
We have a nice air fryer! It is the second one that we’ve had. The first one I gave to my daughter, because we just didn’t use it (It had been given to us by someone who it had been given to that didn’t use it either.). About a year later, after reading so many good things about them and after seeing one on sale, I decided that I wanted to try again, this time with more intention! I think I’ve used it once! Well, it’s time to learn how to use it or rehome it, never to be replaced. (Space is at a premium in our house, items don’t stay that don’t get used!)
I was talking with a friend via email about my ‘just sitting
there taking up space’ air fryer, as she has one and is a faithful user of
hers. I mentioned that I needed to start
using it or rehome it. She gave me lots
of inspiration and pointed me to a website that had a whole section on
cooking with an air fryer.
Long story, short is that I’ve committed to use ‘Mr. Air
Fryer’ every day for 7 days and then make a decision about whether I’m going to
keep it or rehome it … never to be replaced if rehomed.
Here’s what I’ve prepared so far and what my opinion of it is
…
On day 1, I cooked chicken thighs in it … they were delicious!
On day 2, I cooked potato wedges … Yum! Yum!
On day 3, I cooked Bratwurst … Not bad at all!!!
I have four more days to go and then it’s decision time! I’ll let you know in next week’s ‘A Journal
of My Days’ post, what the decision was.
Bible Study: I signed up to audit a
women’s Bible class being taught at the Christian university my husband attended. (It was a free offer!) The title of the class is Women
Teaching Scripture and I’m looking forward to learning ways to improve in my
Bible class teaching to women and children.
In addition:
with these cold frigid temperatures we’ve had for the last
week, can you believe that our temps are going to be in the mid to upper 70’s
this week? That’s going outside and
doing garden prep kind of weather! Bring
it on!
That’s it for this week,
until next time,
mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs
31:27
Sharing 44 years' experience of frugal,
prudent living and pantry building
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share my love for God and His Word through my personal Bibe study.
Physical preparedness is important, but not near as important as spiritual
preparedness. Ladies, join me over at From This Heart of Mine and
study God's Word with me.
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We loved our first air fryer so much that we got a second one. Then we missed them when we were at the lake so we bought one for that house. Bacon is our favorite in the air fryer.
ReplyDeleteLana, I'll have to try bacon in it, I hadn't even thought about cooking bacon!
Delete10 minutes at 400 degrees
DeleteLana, thank you! I'm going to give it a try. Do you flip it at any point during the cooking?
DeleteWe look at it after five minutes and rearrange if the outside ones are cooking faster.
DeleteAnother yummy thing is roasted vegetables.
Lana, roasted vegetables !!! I love roasted vegetables! Thank you for another idea! Mr. Air Fryer is looking better and better all the time!
DeleteSliced smoked sausage with peppers and onions. Yum
DeleteLana, you are giving me all kinds of ideas! Thank you! Smoked sausage, peppers and onions is a favorite meal of ours!
DeleteI use my air fryer every single day. Since I cook for just the two of us, it is much more energy efficient to use as a small oven.
ReplyDeleteAnne, that makes sense.
DeleteVery inspiring, Patsy! You're doing GREAT. I don't have an air fryer and will be interested to see what you think at the end of the week. I *do* have an Instant Pot taking up space on the counter, but always opt for a crock pot instead. Just seems... easier. May have to re-home the Instant Pot, because I like a bread maker and that could go there. --Elise
ReplyDeleteElise, it all comes down to which appliances we will actually use, doesn't it?
DeleteI thought more about the air fryer and I realized that we primarily use ours to heat or reheat foods. It's so handy to just throw things like leftover biscuits, fried chicken is almost like fresh, make quick garlic bread or heat rolls. Also so nice for hearing ng convenience foods like FF.
ReplyDeleteLana, hmmmm, I hadn't thought about using it to reheat!
DeleteI'm really looking forward to seeing your quilt coat. It sounds awesome. I love my air fryer and use it almost daily.. Tonight I made butternut squash and chicken on it to dinner. In the kitchen this past week I made several use it up dinners and baked 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies and sugar cookies Both were grain and gluten free. Crafwise started laying out Valentine's and am now almost finished embroidering a dish towel. I'm reading "All That She Carried". Only money spent was for eggs.
ReplyDeleteCookie, have you shared your peanut butter cookie recipe with me? I just went to my Libby App and looked up All That She Carried, it looks like something I would enjoy, so I borrowed it to read. I couldn't make out the writing on the sack at the beginning of the book on the app. Can you see what it says? Use it up dinners, I like that. Did you freeze them?
DeleteYes, I can see it. I'll type it out tomorrow and send it so you can read it. I made impossible pie and rice crust pizza. We love 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies. It's 1 cup smooth peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and one egg. Mic it altogether with a spoon. No mixer needed. Preheat oven to 350. With a cookie scoop or tablespoon scoop out some batter and roll into a ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.Flatten each ball slightly with palm of your hand or bottom of a glass. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes. Cool on the pan for ,,5, minutes before removing to cooling rack. Makes 2 dozen.I often add a handful or two of chocolate chips.
ReplyDeleteCookie, thank you!
DeleteI like the hairdryer for breaded shrimp. Really s y breaded fish. Also to reheat pizza. I don't have a separate airfryer, but my new stove has an hairdryer setting on it my kitchen is tiny, so i!I'm grateful for the setting
ReplyDeleteI love this..."I want my calories to taste delicious"! Thanks for the laugh.
ReplyDeleteMy oven has an air fryer setting, and I haven't really used it. Thanks for the link and comments. :)
We love making grilled cheese in it. We use it for crisping up pastries as well as left over pizza, etc.
ReplyDelete