The effects of hurricane Sally so far have been minimal even though the weather forecast had rain at 100%. However, the local city forecast for Hueytown showed no rain, just a cloud. So far, maybe a sprinkle.
We had thought about meeting friends in Cullman after we all got our take out lunch. They offered to sit on their porch and eat. This is the couple we eat with at the lake under a pavilion when we pick up a lunch. Today was spaghetti day. It would have included a nice salad. It would be nice to visit, but the chance of rain and maybe storms was too great. The clouds and rain bands are swirling up that way, so need to set off and encounter a storm.
I had 11 tiny bags of baby carrots, the kind in kids lunches or box lunches, a total of 1 lb in the 11 bags. Tommy cut them all into chunks and they are in the sink in ice water and another batch just went into boiling water to blanch, and he is working on a 1 lb bag. Those he is cutting into coins. So, this is a production line. These will be good in soup this winter. That makes 10 pint bags with almost 2 cups each this afternoon.
Tuesday, I bought bananas because I was out. Right there in the produce department was a dozen or so reduced packages of bananas at a quarter a pound. I now have 37 cents worth of 5 bananas to mash. Actually, these are nice enough for me to eat. I will mash these and freeze. This will be another 1 cup of mashed bananas in the freezer.
Even though I got a heaping cup from five bananas last week, I bought four bananas this week and got a bag with 1 cup and another with 3/4 cup. These bananas were so firm and free of blemishes and rot that they went further than the more ripe bananas. I will put enough bananas in the bag with little so that it is one cup, also.
I ran out of pint freezer bags and we had to go get more. I only needed three to finish the bananas and carrots. When I went to Publix, they had none. A guy who works there told me they cannot get canning jars, so people were switching to freezing. At the Pig, there was a whole shelf full of pint bags. I got two just in case they are going to be scarce. That is only 40 bags. If I had not found any bags, I would have frozen in half-pint jars.
Now, I have two packages of chicken to put into a cooking bag for dinner and for freezing and for another meal tomorrow.
Still, it is only sprinkling here. It was 69F here at 5 pm, and the rain with sprinkling and ac in the stores made me very chilly. Of course, when I dried out, I felt warmer.
Maybe I will cut and freeze red onions this evening.
Is anyone finding freezer bags scarce? There were very few on the shelves here.
I love carrots in soups and stews. They are harty enough to cook all day with the meat and still have a good texture. I haven't noticed that about freezer bags but I haven't purchased them for awhile.
ReplyDeleteNd. chic,
DeleteWe both love carrots, too. Most of the time, they better be put in early to get them cooked! I am looking forward to potato soup with carrots and kale and cheese. I had not purchased freezer bags in months.
We have been lucky here and able to find most things that we need. During the start of the Pandemic was the worst time to find anything like TP, paper towels or cleaning items. It has settled down around here for now. Who knows what the future holds. I do like you and process what I get and mostly freeze. I have jars but not enough to really can a lot. I only water bath can because I have never pressure canned. Hoping when some of the newbie canners decide it isn't something they want to do then I will be able to find jars and canning equipment reduced or at thrift stores. Who knows. Some people will keep it up and others may think it's too much work. Take care.
ReplyDeleteCrystal,
DeleteTP is back here, and now it is canning items. Hopefully, you can find a used canner. Now, they say air purifiers are hard to find because of the fires. I had to buy a freezer to be able to freeze so much!!!
I haven't had any issues finding freezer bags. They are always at the dollar type stores and the supermarkets. We have pretty much everything on the shelves but I noticed that yeast was the last thing to return. I didn't check last time I was at the supermarket but every other time there has been none or a very limited supply. The issue her is the very high cost of everything, even our dollar store have nothing for a dollar and everywhere else is outrageous. I always look for the sales but our sales are nothing compared to yours. I'm grateful for them anyway. Good decision you made to stay home out of the storm's way. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteI was looking in the supermarkets. It is hard for me to get into the dollar stores. Only the Dollar Tree has things for a $ around here. We do have good sales. Where do you live?
DeleteI live in British Columbia, Canada...Vancouver to be precise (on the far west coast).
DeleteJoyful,
DeleteThanks. That is a long ways from here, the land of sales and Dollar Tree.
I'm not even sure where you are. I think you live in Alabama state because I've seen you mention Cullman. I had to look that up on the map.
DeleteJoyful,
DeleteI am staying with Tommy in Birmingham right now. I am from Cullman and we go there often. My house was destroyed, so I cannot live there right now.
Wow! Sorry about the house being destroyed. I'm glad you have a place to stay. You two seem to have developed a rhythm and I'm sure Tommy is also benefiting from your frugal ways and your excellent cooking.
DeleteJoyful,
DeleteThanks. It was devastating to me. That was the word I was thinking, rhythm, the other day when we were doing something that required cooperation. He loves my frugality and my cooking.
❤️
ReplyDeleteR's Rue,
DeleteThanks
Yum, we love carrots here. :)
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteYum is right!
I haven't looked for freezer bags, as for some reason, about a year ago, DH came back from a Costco trip with a case of them. Wide mouth canning lids, though, are impossible to find, not so with regular mouth. I have plenty of regular mouth half pint jars, but use wide mouth quart jars for my applesauce. I'm kicking myself, because before our move, I donated two cases of regular mouth quart jars, figuring they had been sitting around in the garage for several years unused! And, the receiver at the thrift shop saw me coming with them, met me at the door, stuck a sold sticker, and said words to the effect of "My wife told me to keep an eye out for these." (I only ever used the regular mouth quarts for apple juice, grape juice and tomato soup, which I couldn't envision myself doing again so that's why I donated them, figuring my several cases of wide mouth quarts would keep me in good stead. Silly me.)
ReplyDeleteMeg,
DeleteWow, a case of bags! I have serendiptously found boxes of jars but no more! I wish I had someone on the lookout for jars!
Carrots are such a nice vegetable as they are quite versatile. I would feel bad if my family didn't like them.
ReplyDeleteSAM,
DeleteI was sad my two older kids did not like green beans! Carrots are versatile. I think I have about 15 bags in the freezer and 4 more will go in tonight. I love cooked carrots. Raw? No way.