Saturday, I told Tommy we needed to clean out the refrigerator. Now, I mean clean out food and sort and possibly throw out. I wanted to do it before I lost the natural light since it is a cave in there otherwise. At 4:30 I told him now was the time since he kept sitting. He was watching Cash Cab. He is hard to interrupt when he is engrossed in that show.
He got right up, thankfully for both of us. All of a sudden this early afternoon I felt weakness flood over me as quickly as the ill feeling comes on. I know it is weird how I describe it.
His job was to take things still good and put them on the counter, like all bags of carrots together. That way, I did not have to get up over and over. I had the kitchen garbage can right up against my leg so I could put wasted food in it.
At any rate, I could not stand or bend for long, so I found a chair and unloaded it. A box of food was holding it down. I thought I was going to have to sit on the low stool and try to figure out how to get up.
At any rate, we got it done. Not everything had to be removed and we did not clean the inside! I know I know. First of all, I finally felt I was sinking back into illness; I was incredibly tired. Plus, even sitting I cannot reach it all, not by a longshot.
We have done well keeping the cheeses in the box I bought at DT for sorting food. Tommy had nothing in his. His grapes were elsewhere, but that is okay.
We had losses. Remember, I have been mostly too ill to do much. It has been all I could do to get in there and cook or cobble together a decent dinner. I am heartbroken at what was lost, all produce and nothing wasted that I had cooked. But, there was no help for that waste. I have five one-lb bags of baby carrots that I am going to freeze for soup this winter. But, first, I have to blanche them. Also, there are four heads of celery to freeze. There are plenty of my Delicious Apples and more oranges for Tommy than I realized.
Saturday night, if all goes like I expect, I will roast fresh Brussels sprouts and green beans. The fresh peas will be cooked separately. Maybe there is a quick meat in there...lol. Probably not. But, I have planned to have tuna and MW with lettuce and mayo--all as a salad.
Scratch that plan! We had beans and a salad of Romaine, tomato, and bacon.
Last week or the week before, I bought a Lodge skillet. Mine are either in dump or in a jumble in the storage unit. Either way, not available for me to use. Of course, I was not going to use it until I cured it. I had uncured bacon from hog jowl to cook, so I put that in the oven and saved some of the bacon grease.
Yesterday, I poured about a Tbsp into the skillet and rubbed it into the skillet with a paper towel and stored it in the oven overnight since I was in no shape to do more and it was very late. Today, I rubbed it onto the bottom and handle and set it on a pan and baked it for a while. Then, I turned it upside down and baked it more. While I am quite sure it is not fully cured, I will cook bacon in it tonight to help complete the finish.
Even though I was exhausted, we went to get bargains about to expire in the Dollar General ad--Diet Pepsi and Coke. Then, I had a rain check for Dasani on sale and got that from Walgreen's. At Publix I bought 3 half gallons of a2 milk and bananas. Smithfield bacon was two for $12. AND, the package has 16 ounces! Imagine that! My favorite bacon has 12 ounces and is just as expensive.
Two Campbell's Cooking Soups were reduced to $0.75 each so I bought one pumpkin and one roasted bell pepper cooking soup. I figure just one can of each can be tolerated. There were many on sale. Kraft chunk cheese, 8 oz., was $2.10 each. But, I only got two. I should have gotten more.
Lastly, I bought a huge box of sandwich bags so I can freeze small portions in them inside a sturdy freezer bag. Saturday night, I cooked and froze 5 more cups of the shelled beans, putting them in sandwich bags and then into a freezer bag. So, that will cover ten meals for $12 I paid for the beans. Well, actually we have eaten three meals from the beans, so that is 15 meals for $12, making a meal element for the two of us for $0.80.
I have a stack/bag of staples for the guy next door. He is still not working. Well, it appears they are moving. Too bad. They were nice neighbors.
Do you use Lodge cast iron skillets? Have you lost food in the refrigerator or elsewhere because of uforeseen circumstances?
we have to keep a constant vigilance on the contents of the fridge. I hate throwing out bad food yet it happens all the time, especially produce which feels a crime.
ReplyDeleteUr-spo,
DeleteUnfortunately, fresh produce was what went bad.It does feel like a crime! I ws just too ill to get in there and do anything.
It is so difficult most of the time to keep on top of the fridge contents. I also don't like to throw things away but inevitably I must. You did well with the cleaning and the shopping given your limitations.
ReplyDeleteJoyful,
DeleteYes, difficult! I try hard to avoid waste, but my limitations, like being ill, dragged me down.
Re inadequate kitchen lighting: perhaps a drop light (the kind used by auto mechanics) would be of help. They have a hook that would allow you to move from one place to another and could be used with a heavy duty extension cord if necessary. I have a plastic one that I got at Wal-Mart years ago (around $10 I think) it solves the problem of a dark closet with no overhead lighting,...lightweight, portable, reasonable price, no home should be without one.
ReplyDeleteBetty,
DeleteI had two of those at my house. There is no hook anywhere and door handles would just hinder me. Things would be dragged off the counters in the moving. I have ideas, though. Thanks.
I'm pretty sure both my son and son-in-law have lodge skillets! My daughter has a cast iron pan, I'm not sure of the brand. It's a delight to cook in
ReplyDeletekylie,
DeleteI cooked in a different brand and was happy until I used a Lodg. Cooking in Lodge is a happy experience. The are about 150 miles from my home, and maybe 200 from here. They feel so local compared to China.
I have one Lodge but I have mostly Wagner and Birmingham Stove and Range that are 60 plus years old.
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteI had a Wagner. I will have to look into that other brand. I imagine they are good skillets.
I hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteR's Rue,
DeleteI am not there yet, but much better than I was. Thank you for the concern.