A Productive Day Of Winter Preparations Part 2

 

I talked to you yesterday about what I've been doing to get winter ready.  My work continued bright and early the very next day.  I didn't even wait to get dressed first!  I was still in my pajamas when I went into the kitchen and began by cooking up some Italian sausage and putting a huge batch of pasta sauce on to cook in my large slow cooker.  I set it on low for six hours and boy did it ever smell good.

 

I browned up the Italian sausage

I reserved some cooked sausage in small containers to use to make pizzas

Once my sauce was in the slow cooker I cooked up some pork breakfast sausage, whipped up a dozen eggs and made a pan of scrambled eggs and sausage.  Then I pulled out some leftover grated cheese and some low carb tortillas and made myself some breakfast burritos.  I even sprinkled some chipotle Tabasco sauce on the eggs before I rolled my burritos and that made them even better.  Each of my breakfast burritos went into a separate Ziploc bag and then I put all of them into a larger gallon sized Ziploc bag and into the freezer.  I was going for ten and ended up with eleven burritos (Spinal Tap anyone?) for quick grab and go meals to take to work.

I already had eggs and tortillas on hand as well as some extra cheese left

I drizzled each one with chipotle Tabasco sauce

Next was to mix up some meatloaf using the rest of the pork sausage and some ground beef I had thawed.  I made one for us to cook and eat that week and one for the freezer.  I put the one for the freezer into a Ziploc bag and we can either use it as a meatloaf or make meatballs out of it, whichever we choose.  Then it was time to clean up a bit and move onto my next project.  Baking!

 

Chopped onion and some leftover mushroom I had in the fridge

One meatloaf for now and one for later

I divided the markdown beef franks into four meal sized portions for the freezer

Wrapped and ready for the freezer

We were pretty lucky that day in that the weather was significantly cooler and I wasn't afraid to turn on my oven.  I also hadn't baked anything since Christmas so I was really itching to do that.  I decided to use up a couple mixes I had on hand in the pantry picked up for mere pennies at the store.  I made a batch of peanut butter cookies and a pan of brownies (with added chocolate chips!) and that made my girls plenty happy.  Especially my youngest.  She and I love our cookies, which is bad for me, but good for her.  I did indulge, I'm not going to lie, and it was heavenly.

 

My daughter was thrilled to find a full cookie jar

And brownies too!

My daughter headed off to work and I took a break until the pasta sauce was done cooking.  Then I set up the canner and filled up nine pint jars of sauce.  Once they were canned and cooling down my job was pretty much complete.  In eight days we had managed to get us stocked up and ready for the upcoming winter and it felt, and still feels, pretty darn amazing.  It was a lot of bargain shopping and strategizing to get it all done and without blowing the budget, but we did it.

 

Breakfast burritos, sausage for pizza and beef hotdogs ready for the freezer

The broth from cooking chicken the day before sat in the fridge overnight

I removed the fat and packaged it up for the freezer to use in future recipes

Finished pasta sauce ready to be processed

I will go over more about what I spent on everything when I post my next grocery budget update.  I think you'll be impressed.  I was thrilled.  Are any of you doing any canning or making preparations for the winter ahead?  I'd love to hear about what you are doing.

 

 

A Productive Day Of Winter Preparations Part 1

 

It had been a long time since I'd done any really big grocery hauls or stocking up and even longer since I'd done any canning or meal prepping either.  In 2020 I did a lot of stocking up and built my first ever prepper pantry.  I invested in a dehydrater and we dried a lot of vegetables and some fruits.  I invested in a pressure canner and we canned a lot of other stuff as well.  It was hard work, but well worth it in my opinion.  Plus I really enjoy doing things like this.  We still have most of the things we canned and dried last year and it has been really nice having all of that on hand.  I plan to use more of it this year and well into the next.  This year my goal for preparing for winter has been to fully stock the chest freezer in our garage and use the kitchen freezer for meal prepping and storing small items as well as odds and ends.

My youngest was super excited to spend a day with me doing some winter food preparation.  I was up before sunrise on a Saturday two weeks ago with a cup of hot coffee, dressed and ready to go.  She, not so much.  That was totally fine because I had plenty to do to get ready so I let her sleep.  The first thing I did was to wash up a huge package of bone in chicken breasts and get them into my largest slow cooker.  I set it on high and let that get to cooking.

 

I watched Youtube videos while I processed my cheeses

Next I set up our dining room table as a cheese prep station with scissors, Ziploc bags, a Sharpie marker, a measuring cup and fourteen pounds of cheese I'd acquired over the course of a week of bargain shopping.  I got that all processed and ready to go into the chest freezer.  Click here for more details about how Istore cheese.  I cleaned up the table and then moved on to a large package of pork chops and two of the rolls of pork and Italian sausage I'd bought that week as well.  Click here to read about that process.

 

I went out to the garage and literally pulled out everything that was in our freezer from last year and reorganized everything I have bought this year including the cheeses and pork.  Then  I placed what is left from last year on top so I am sure to use it first and not allow it to get lost and freezer burn.  Next I did the kitchen freezer pulling everything out and wiping the inside clean.  I grabbed a small empty bin from the garage to use to corral all of the things we want to use up soon and filled it up placing it on the top shelf so we see it every time we open the freezer.  My daughter and I agreed to check the bin first before we go get whatever it is we think we need.

I didn't let this go to waste

As I finished up the freezers my daughter was up and ready to join me.  I mixed a quart of whole milk with a quart of filtered water and placed it in the freezer as well.  We had some extra and I didn't want it to go to waste.  I want extra milk in the freezer this year going into winter so we plan to do this and put up some more containers.  Then I filled up the vegetable bin with bags of frozen fruit and veggies I had pulled from the garage freezer and that task was complete.

 

The girl and I each got out our vintage pots and got to cooking!

Ta da!

The next thing on the list was to make up a big batch of homemade salsa.  Since we didn't have fresh tomatoes I decided to raid the pantry and put together a big batch of City Dweller Salsa.  While shopping I had picked up fresh onions and bell peppers and we had the rest of the ingredient we needed already on hand.  I made a batch and my daughter made a batch and then I showed her how to can salsa using our pressure canner, pint jars from the garage and lids I had leftover from last year.  We were able to put up nine pints of salsa with a half pint left for us to snack on.

 

Once the salsa was done the chicken had finished cooking.  I removed it from the slow cooker and let it cool.  I filled the slow cooker with another package of chicken and set it to cook while we cleaned up our dishes from canning and waited for the jars to finish processing.  After a much deserved break I deboned the chicken setting the skin aside for the kitties.  I cut up some of the chicken and made my aunt's recipe of curry chicken salad.  It was so good and I ate some right away for my lunch.  The rest of the chicken was package up and put in the kitchen freezer to use for quick meals after work and school.

 

This has been one of the best things I've invested in

Once the kitchen was tidied up and back in order we relaxed and watched a movie before we got ready for bed.  Needless to say I was a little bit tuckered out, but very happy with my progress.  Stay tuned to hear what I did the next day.

 

Revisiting An Old Post - Homemade Yogurt

 

I think we can all agree the price of groceries is steadily climbing.  With the steady climb in fuel prices this comes to know great surprise to me.  The cost of shipping goods is going up and that expense gets passed along to us, the consumer.  In order to keep in line with our budget we will need to be a lot more resourceful.

 

One of those resources is to make a lot of our food from scratch and we do that already.  One of those from scratch items is to purchase whole milk and make our own yogurt.  If you have ever read the ingredients list on a container of yogurt you know it has a TON of sugar in it and if you get the light yogurt it usually contains aspartame.  I have purchased Oikos Triple 0 greek yogurt made with better sweeteners, but it is really expensive, even on sale.  So, moving forward, homemade it is!  Click here for a really easy and delicious recipe if you are interested in making your own yogurt.  I'm always impressed that it turns out so well and stays amazing.  And!  I know everything that's in it.

 

What I’ve Learned About My Work & My Life - Part 2

 

I have worked everything from entry level positions to upper management both in the medical and accounting field.  I’ve been with my present employer for almost eight years now and when I decided to go to work for this particular company it was with the sole purpose in mind to cover our expenses, provide us with health insurance and get me to the finish line.  Retirement.  I was all about “What can this company do for me?”

 

This was a big shift to my previous mindset where I went into interviews and new jobs thinking I needed to convince them of all the wonderful things I could do for them and then prove it beyond all reasonable doubt.  Not this time.  I went in with the knowledge of what the job was and told them how my experience and expertise would meet their expectations and then I asked them a lot of questions.  Pay?  Raises? Bonuses?  Benefits?  Available vacation time?  Paid holidays?  Educational opportunities?  401k?  Matching?  I think I had more questions for them than they had for me, quite honestly.  Then I hit them with a big one.  What is the long range goal for this company?  Then I finished with “Tell me about your Mission Statement”.

 

Since I began here I’ve worked in four different departments until I found the right fit for me.  I’ve lobbied for pay raises and I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity provided to me to increase my wealth.  I went into this job with the idea that it is all about me.  Personal gain.  Because quite honestly, if it isn’t about personal gain then why am I here?  This isn’t my company and it never will be.  Working, thinking and acting as if I’m an owner would be ridiculous.  A sheer waste of my time, talent and effort. 

 

From the onset, despite my resume, I made it clear that I did not want to supervise people or manage anything.  I’m not here to establish my career or climb the corporate ladder.  I’ve already done that and I definitely do not feel the need to do it again.  I don’t want the nonsense or added stress along with the longer hours and added responsibility.  And if you’ve ever worked a salary pay position you know you end up working for free far more often than you’d like.  No thank you very much.

 

What I do offer to my employer is a good days work for a good days pay and that’s it.  I show up, I get my work done, I’m pleasant and respectful.  I do what is expected up to a point.  I keep my responsibility and my workload commensurate with my pay grade and job description.  If you want more, you have to pay me more.  I don’t take my work home with me and I don’t bring my personal life to work.  I clock in and do my job and then I clock out.  I go home and that is where my life truly is. 

 

There are lots of jobs out there.  Fact is, if I wasn’t working here, I’d be working somewhere else.  The bottom line, I just work here.  It currently meets my needs.  This not the end all be all of my existence.  This is just a job.

 

Last Week's Thrifty Moves

 

On Sunday we were back in winter preparation mode after a busy Saturday of it.  We got so much done it will take a two part post to tell you all about it.  Watch for that on Thursday and Friday.  Needless to say by the time all was said and done we were pooped and I was ready to head back to work on Monday so I could rest.  Now that we are pretty much set our focus will turn to getting the kitties, bunny and chickens winter ready and then the vehicles.  So a little bit more to do but we are gaining on it.

 

Our internet went dead on Tuesday leaving us in a lurch primarily because my daughter is in summer school and it is all online.  And they can't come out and fix it for a week!  Unreal how this employee shortage is affecting pretty much everything.  We did speak with a supervisor and explained the situation and he said he would try to squeeze us in sooner, but he is down on manpower.  I get it.  We have the same thing going on where I work too.  In the meantime we got an extension on her summer school course.  Using the library after I get off work isn't an option because they now have limited hours due to the pandemic and my employer is stingy with the wi-fi password and won't let us use the company internet which is virtually unheard of in this day and age, but it is what it is.  My daughter asked what we did before the internet?  I said "Chores".  She didn't bite.  Fortunately they had us back up and running on Thursday.

 

About midweek our temperatures climbed back up toward the triple digits again.  Our nights were cooler though so we managed to keep the house nice by opening it up in the mornings and cooling it off and then closing it back up for the day.  We didn't have to turn the A/C on until late afternoon.  I love summer, but with fall just around the corner I think I'm ready for the change of seasons this year.

 

I topped up the fuel tanks in both the car and the truck and nearly had a heart attack (okay, I know that isn't funny).  Both vehicles were at the halfway point and it was over $60.  I am very grateful I live so close to work and the grocery stores.  I think my youngest has decided she isn't in a hurry to finish learning to get drive and get her license.  The thought of filling a gas tank isn't all that appealing now.

 

We have started seeing some signs of stronger rules and restrictions going into effect due to the surge of COVID cases.  I had two co-workers, not in the same building I work in, out with it and both had been vaccinated.  Not a good thing people.  I have a feeling there will be lockdowns again pretty soon.

 

On a more exciting note, my youngest and I planned a morning mother daughter date for Saturday.  We went downtown, walked around, checked out some shops and the Saturday market.  We didn't buy anything but it was fun just to hang out together and look at stuff.  We were home in time for lunch and ahead of the hottest part of the day.  After lunch we got a call from my oldest to see if we would go look at a car with her.  She's been ready for an upgrade in preparation of graduation and going off to grad school.  She been doing her research and car shopping for quite a while and was ready to do a test drive.  What she wasn't expecting to do was negotiate her first car deal and what an experience that can be.

 

I'm extremely proud of her.  She knew what the car was worth, what she was willing and able to pay and she stuck to her guns.  I think it helped that I was there for moral support and to back her play.  It was stressful and at times a little upsetting and she was willing to walk away if she didn't get what she wanted.  She got what she wanted and the car she purchased and paid cash for is a Prius in excellent condition and very low miles for its age.  The Prius is something she has wanted for quite some time and she got a really good deal for it.  I think the salesman was happy to see us go.  We were tough and it was not an easy transaction.  She didn't buy into any of his salesman rhetoric and he couldn't wear her down.  When she stepped away to "phone a friend" he tried to appeal to me.  That sure as heck didn't work.  I wasn't about to cave in anymore than she was.  Besides this was her decision and her money.  It was actually the other way around.  He gave up and she got the car for what she was willing to pay and knew what it was truly worth.  I honestly think she paid less than it was truly worth.  This car is like brand new.

 

Then my daughters did a little business transaction of their own and my youngest is now the proud owner of a Scion XB.  She purchased her sister's old car and that has worked out extremely well for both of them.  She reduced the price from what she had planned to sell it for on Facebook Marketplace and ended up with a tidy sum to put toward replacing the cash spent on her new car.  And now my youngest has a really nice little car for not a lot of money that she can finish learning to drive with, she knows its history and it is pretty fun to drive.  I think both of my girls made out very, very well.  It's kind of nice having that Scion back in my driveway.

 

THINGS WE ATE LAST WEEK:  Curry chicken salad, crackpot chicken, breakfast burritos, meatloaf, salads.  We had a lot of really good food to eat over the past week and we were really good about using up our leftovers.  I had really good choices for quick and easy work lunches too.

 

THINGS I CLEANED IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS:

 

Laundry Room & Half Bathroom - Vacuumed & spot mopped floors, cleaned mirrors.  Daily swish & swipe. 

Kitchen & Dining Room - Vacuumed & spot mopped floors.  Daily swish & swipe. 

Bedrooms & Main Bathroom - Scrubbed sink & tub, vacuumed & dusted.  Daily swish & swipe. 

Other - One large load of laundry.  Vacuumed & dusted living room, hallway & both entryways.

 

THINGS I DID TO SAVE A SMALL BUNDLE OF $$:  I washed out a few Ziploc bags to reuse.  I didn't do any more grocery shopping.

 

THINGS I DID TO EARN EXTRA $$:  I worked a full time work week with a couple hours of overtime.  It was a crazy busy work week.

 

How was your thrifty week?