Sunday, November 06, 2011

Thankful Day 6

Food in the freezer.  So thankful.

Jokes have been made about my compulsive need to have a full freezer.  Yes, I am a Costco shopper.  And, yes, after this weekend trip to the farm I have about 12 packages of hamburger.  We are trying for a low-based food budget for the next two weeks so everything will be burger-based.

I believe in having a second freezer.  Ours is an upright in the garage.  In stock, always:  a three pound bag of coffee beans, some butter, frozen vegetables of some variety, bread, ice cream, parmesan, chicken nuggets, water, flour, spare ice packs.  Whenever possible....cows, deer & elk.  I also enjoy chicken but I'm alone in that one.  Rotating in and out.... various convenience foods.... potstickers, pizza bagels, frozen pizzas, hot pockets, eggos, egg rolls..... things I might have on hand to make something.... bread heels to make croutons, freezer jelly, frozen cheese, muffins, homemade bean burritos, cooked beans or lentils, frozen fruit.  In the summer I stock a variety of delicious icy treats.  Pre-hunting season I clean out both freezers and rotate stuff to the front to be eaten before any meat comes back from the processor. 

This year Hot did his deer all to jerky & summer sausage.  Delish.  And the way my kids eat jerky it won't last long.

I'd like to be a more seasonal eater.  And eat more locally....putting up summer garden extras for the winter.  Heck... I love to garden.... if I didn't have 99 other things on the list in front of pulling weeds. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too many years in Alaska... I have a full pantry and TWO full freezers ... and we've only gotten our antelope this year. Hubby is out elk hunting this week...

And since I'm having surgery to remove a bone spur Friday, I did my Thanksgiving shopping and all I had to get was french onions, stuffed olives, pickles, and the turkey. Everything else is already in the pantry or freezer except the milk that I will get Wednesday. BIG contrast to the one year when I spent $600 on food for Thanksgiving. This year there will be 6 at the table and I'm only doing the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and green beans. Friends are bringing salad, sides, and dessert.

I would also love to garden, but would like a community garden with shared responsibilities... I just live too far out of town for that to be sensible.

You mentioned Costco... I keep their Philly steaks in the freezer because they're a quick bite to eat... imagine a sandwich cut in 4ths... they microwave quick and you can take out just what you're hungry for.

Christal said...

P.S. I've done the coop weekly veggie thing in the past and couldn't keep up with what I got ... it was great. Hope to do it again when I'm not in school.

I enjoy eating fresh vegetables in season... and fruit too. Farmer's markets are nice, but I seem to hibernate at home on the weekends, so the pick up a bag of veggies that someone else put together worked well for me.

Homestead said...

IS THE COOP HERE STILL AROUND?? We did the one (from Boulder) for a few years and loved it because I'm the same way... not coming to town on Saturday morning. But I think they quit doing it. I love being overwhelmed with veggies.

I wish I lived by my grandpa.... between the two of us we can grow a kick-ass garden.... he does pretty well on his own but he needs me to remind him to plant more corn and less radishes.

Christal said...

Sounds like we were in the same one. I picked up my veggies and eggs at a place south west from the city/county bldg in someone's garage.

There is another one going on that was mentioned in the paper a while back under Sara Groves at Montana Momoirs blog.

It's Western Montana Growers Co-op. Deliveries to Helena every Friday with organic produce.
Veggies - milk, meat, cheese, fruit, etc.

email montanacsa@hotmail.com or call Amy at 406.544.6135 http://www.wmgcoop.com/?p=csa-about

When I first heard about it I thought I was too busy with everything else going on... maybe this coming year I'll try to sign up.