Time for a Short Blogging Break ...

In-A-Pinch Meals!

For the purposes of this writing, in-a-pinch meals are defined as being able to put a meal on the table for your family when (1) emergency situations arise that take you out of the home or make it difficult to prepare a meal, (2) when you’re not physically able to cook, (3) when unexpected company drops in and a meal is needed (4) for Sunday dinner in a hurry or (5) for those days when your ‘best laid plans’ just don’t happen.

How do we have in-a-pinch meals on hand for those times when we need them and don't need or want to make a trip to the nearest fast food restaurant? We’re going to talk about 3 ways …

Freezer Meals
This is where once-a-month cooking comes into play. Plan ahead and decide on the number of meals you’d like to have on hand for the upcoming month. Then, decide what those meals will be. Prepare them to the point of placing them in the oven or on the stove to cook then freeze them. (Soups/stews can be fully cooked and then frozen.) Only prepare those meals that will freeze and thaw well. It’s a waste of time and food to go to all that work only to have a non-eatable meal after cooking. Some suggestions might include lasagna, soups, casseroles etc. When ready to use the meals, if possible allow enough time to thaw and cook. If time is an issue, defrost meal in microwave then cook.

Here’s another way to utilize the freezer along with any leftovers you might have. When you cook a meal, double your portions. Before you serve the meal to your family, fill a plastic divided plate that has its own lid for each member of your family from what you’ve cooked. Put the lid on securely, add a piece of freezer tape approximately 2 inches long on top of the lid and write the contents of the meal on the freezer tape along with the date. These can be taken out and microwaved in a pinch for a nutritious meal in a hurry.

Meals in a Jar
Soups, stews, and meats can be canned in jars which, means they’re ready to heat and eat at a moments notice. This is what I call meals in a jar. Add breads or side dishes to the meals in a jar and you have a complete meal.

What about you, how do you provide meals in-a-pinch for those times when cooking from scratch is not an option?

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Facebook and Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site via one of these ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

Banana Pepper Relish

Hot Banana Pepper Relish (use rubber gloves when working with hot peppers)

1 gallon hot banana peppers sliced into rings (remove seeds if you desire moderately hot)
4 -5 green sweet peppers, you can add one or two ripe ones for color (chopped)
2 - 3 medium onions (chopped)
2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 small bottles ketchup
1 T salt

Stir vinegar, ketchup, sugar, salt and oil together in a big pot.  (I use enamelware or stainless steel and stir with wooden or stainless steel spoon.)

Add vegetables

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil on medium for 20 minutes.  Stir to prevent sticking.

Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

Makes about 8 pints.

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Facebook and Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site via one of these ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

Canning Collard Greens

Question:  A reader asked what collard greens are and how to cook them ...

Here's my answer:  Collard greens are a southern thing but are also known pretty much all over most of the U.S. Collard greens are delicious. We grow and can several jars every year. There are two kinds and we've grown both. One looks similar to turnip greens without the turnip and the other looks like a HUGE overgrown cabbage that grow to 2 - 3 feet in height and 1 - 2 feet in width. Our favorite is the cabbage collard. After harvesting, washing and cutting the leaves off/apart I wilt them down in a pot of water, add salt and a piece of seasoning meat. Then I cook it all down in a slow/low boil for 1 -2 hours. (If you are canning them, you put them in jars after wilting the leaves down.)  They are so good! Collards, both varieties are a fall crop for our area. Since we can ours, when we are ready to have collards, I open a jar, empty contents into a pan and bring it to a boil for at least 10 minutes then serve.

I have some pictures from an old tutorial ... these were from a day of canning collard greens...

this is one cabbage collard plant ... we cut it apart and washed the leaves really well ...

preparing the leaves to go in the pot ...

more leaf prepping ...

these are ready for the pot ...

the pot with seasoning meat heating up ...

into the pot they go ...

cooking/wilting down  ...

going in the jars ...

processed in a pressure canner and ready for storage in my pantry!

(I process collard greens in a pressure canner at 10 lbs of pressure for 90 minutes. Consult a reputable canning book for pressure poundage for canning in your altitude.)

Hope this helps!

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 

My second blog:  From This Heart of Mine, where I 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.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay, and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked! 

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

How Do You Can Pecans?

I just turned the stove off after pressure canning 9 pints of pecans.

How did I do it?

I get asked that question a lot, so here's the answer ...

Spread shelled pecans out in a single layer on a flat baking tray.

Toast for 30 minutes at 250 degrees in the oven.

Sterilize half pints or pint jars ONLY and prepare lids and rings.

Fill jars with toasted pecans.  DO NOT ADD WATER OR ANY OTHER LIQUID INSIDE THE JARS.

Wipe clean the rim of the jar.

Place lid and ring on jar.

Place in a pressure canner with appropriate amount of water in pressure canner.

Pressure can them at 5 lbs pressure for 10 minutes.  (Consult a reputable canning book for pressure poundage for canning in your altitude as it may be different than mine.)

That's it!  It's really easy and they will last for years!  (I also can walnuts using this method.)

Until the next time ...

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.