I went and picked up the free food. We aren't going to starve for awhile. My friend had like a pallet of each stuff to give away, apparently. A place in the city contacted her, had extra I guess, and figured she could share it with her community/small town, so she did. I didn't get there until about 11:45 because I ended up on hold with Lowes (for a second time) for an hour trying to resolve (again) the order they shipped wrong almost 2 weeks ago and were supposed to ship me out the correct item(s). I pretty much got there just in time, she was down to her last boxes of the meats. She said it all went pretty fast.
A huge box of bacon, layered on parchment paper, so will be easy to pull out a "sheet" when needed. This will last a good long time. A partial box that had 3 full racks of pork spare ribs. I think it had like 6 in it, but I told her it's too much, so as I went to get my car pulled up close another lady came and took the other half. A big box of produce: leaf lettuce, bag of apples (though really tiny ones), peaches, bag of peppers, bag of onions, potatoes and yams. And an "emergency kit" box of misc canned and dried goods (rice, peanut butter, tuna, canned chicken, can veggies). Not any brands I've ever heard of, but just as good I'm sure. Feels good to put a bit more food in the freezer for future use.
So, now I need to figure out how to do the spare ribs. Even one is way too much for DH and I to eat. Any suggestions? it's all frozen, so I can't split in half unless I thaw it. Is there something I could do with the leftover meat once I cooked one of these? I'm thinking some pork sandwiches, but after a couple meals of pork, we'll probably have had our fill awhile. Could the cooked meat then be frozen to use later in sandwiches? I'm not much of a cook, so pretty clueless here.
I doubt we will eat the apples, they are super tiny, haha. Never seen ones that small. I'll probably cut them up over time and give to chickens as scraps. I found a recipe that looks pretty easy and delicious to make an apple crisp crumble. I think I will make a cobbler with the peaches. I also stopped at the grocery store for a few things and bought the half and half and whip cream to make ice cream this weekend with my kitchenaid attachment. Ice cream and apple crumble and peach cobbler sounds pretty tasty!
how long will onions last? I should probably share some of this food with my neighbors. With just the 2 of us, we probably won't be able to eat all the fresh stuff before it goes bad. But, I can also share with my chickens :)
Tried the bacon with dinner tonight (eggs and bacon) and it was decent. Kinda thin, but free is free.
My mom is so funny. She's had a perspiration problem for years (dr notes think it's from the paroxetine medication) but now she doesn't seem to remember that's been on ongoing problem for many years, so every time she gets a little perspiration on her forehead she is convinced she has a fever. ("my forehead feels really hot". I'm like you can't feel your own forehead, LOL) She took a note down to the main desk to let them know she will be gone from today through next Tuesday and got back to her apartment with perspiration. She calls me convinced her forehead is really hot and she must have a fever, but she's going to wait a bit to take her temp. I'm like why don't you just take it now, then you'll know. 98.2. haha.
You can freeze cooked meat if it was frozen raw before. I re-stocked my pantry and fridge and I am amazed how much money I have spent. I am good to go for a long while but still...
ReplyDeletethat's good to know I can freeze it. Then it won't go to waste.
DeleteI refreeze pork all the time. I don't eat meat, so when I make it, I take the meat off the bone and freeze in portions just for my husband. He loves a pulled pork bbq sandwich any day of the week! Chop and freeze those onions and peppers too. Could the apples be crab apples? They're good for jelly. Peel, steam and mash those yams-they'll freeze up nice. You are going to save "Future You" so much time and energy! Lol
ReplyDeletethanks for all the ideas! They are just regular apples, just on the small side. DH loves yams, so I think I will just make him some "sweet potato's" like we have on Thanksgiving with them
DeleteYou could make some applesauce if you like that. Also I bought some pork ribs a few weeks ago that were frozen solid when I bought them. That’s way too many ribs for just Dh and I. I just let them sit on the counter for an hour or so, just till they were starting to thaw a bit, and then took a good knife and cut them down to meal sized portions, then wrapped them up and tossed them in the freezer. Ribs and chicken both often come into stores frozen, then it’s thawed there (or in my case still frozen), but we think nothing of taking that thawed meat home and refreezing it again.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering that too, let it thaw enough to cut in half and them put the still mostly frozen part back in the freezer.
DeleteWhen I gather the ugly, misshapen apples from our yard, rather than peel and core apples when I bake, I simply cut off the skin and core. I wind up using more than I would if I took the time and care, but as they are free, I don't mind. We'd give the scraps to the neighbor's cows, so not a true waste. You can give the scraps to the chickens, and it composts beautifully.
ReplyDeletethat's what I figured, too. Chickens will eat it. Last night I had an older little chunk of watermelon left and some salad greens. I set them out there in the little plastic tray the watermelon slices had come in. They were so funny. They couldn't figure out if they wanted to try it (I had broken the watermelon into smaller pieces) and finally one of them took it and decided she liked it, so the other 3 tried to take her piece, rather than just getting their own, LOL
DeleteChop up your onions and freeze them save alot of time doing this
DeleteMy chickens love watermelon more than any fruit I think. I throw the rind out to them and they pick it clean. I also give them banana peels and they like those too. There are vegetables they don’t like but I can’t think of any fruits. I keep a small bucket on the counter for their scraps and then give it to them every day. It’s full right now cuz I cut up a bunch of peppers for the freezer this morning So they get the scraps, plus we had corn on the cob last nite so I have the cobs for them too, and stale bread which is always popular. Whatever the chickens or geese can’t eat gets thrown in the compost.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try giving them banana peels. DH eats one every day
DeleteChickens would rather chase one than get more for themselves. As they get older, they are a bit better at knowing there is more, but not much better.
ReplyDeleteChop and freeze onions in amounts you will use. You can put them in a snack bag, wrap in waxed paper, just smaller amounts to put into a larger bag. I think you already do that. Same with celery, although you can slice it in short sticks to add as seasoning. Make applesauce. Cook the meat and pull off the bone for other pork uses--sandwiches, in beans, etc. The chickens will love to peck the bones, too, as they will get any speck of meat from the bones. They love meat since they are omnivores. You can remove the bones from them later. It is a treat for them. Everything you got can be frozen after prep, but I seem to remember that you do food prep. All scraps except onions can go to the chickens and they will compost it for you. Great haul. I got food today but not meat. I did get milk.
good idea on chopping up all the onions and put in snack bags. I did know chickens can't have onion, but I wasn't sure if there are other foods they shouldn't have. Sounds like they can have most things!
DeleteI was going to say to freeze the onions, etc., but, I see that others have already suggested that. :) Enjoy the free food.
ReplyDeleteI've got to get busy this evening or tomorrow chopping it all up!
DeleteIf you keep the onions in a cool dry place they will last quite a while as is. Here when we fire up the smoker we cook several slabs of ribs at a time. Then I leave some on the bone and freeze that way or take it off the bone and freeze. Cooked meat freezes well, but does not have as long of a freezer life as raw meat does. It has more to do with food quality than food safety though.
ReplyDeleteI've got them in my pantry, so I'm hoping they'll last a bit, then when I have a bit more time (next week while I'm off work) I'll get to chopping
DeleteI do ribs in the crockpot. slow cook overnight, meat is so tender. Then refreeze what we dont eat. Some I had barbque sauce, others add to dried beans, Im sure there are lots of ideas online.
ReplyDeletethis rack of ribs is too big to fit into my slowcooker, but that sure would be the best way. Maybe I can cut it in half or thirds once thawed and then slow cook
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