The Frugal Living Thread

[Alflives]

20 minutes ago, gwarrior said:

I grow and pickle my own jalapenos. Much cheaper, and more satisfying than buying a jar of em.

I pickle myself! 

[Curmudgeon]

 

2 hours ago, gwarrior said:

I grow and pickle my own jalapenos. Much cheaper, and more satisfying than buying a jar of em.

Excellent. I don't have enough room to grow enough Jalapeños to make it worthwhile pickling them, but I bought six pounds a couple of years ago and pickled them and you are right, they are better than anything commercially processed. I do grow tomatoes in containers and have usually made and canned ripe tomato salsa, and one time peach and tomato which turned out pretty good. This year I had an abundance of green tomatoes so I made and canned green tomato salsa verde. Five pounds of green tomatoes (plus onions, red bell pepper, garlic and cilantro) made six 500ml jars. Nice late summer project.

[Barnstorm]

Aug 26/23… homegrown hot pepper mix. 1/4 cup honey in the brine gives just a hint of sweetness. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

10 pints yield. 

[Barnstorm]

July 30/23… homegrown Jalapeño/Cherry Bomb combo, my Christmas colour blend. I usually remove seeds and pith as it can impart a slight bitterness to flavour. Still get the heat. 
 

 

5 qts. 

[Barnstorm]

Aug 10/23… Red Pepper Relish.

All homegrown ingredients…cucumbers (peeled), sweet green peppers, Roma tomato’s, onions, red sweet peppers , mix of red hot peppers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

7 qts 3 pts, good on burgers , sandwiches or even as a side condiment. Low ph due to vinegar in brine ensure good storage once open although it never lasts long anyways. 

[ronthecivil]

On 9/4/2023 at 10:04 AM, -DLC- said:

I grow a lot of my own herbs, super easy to grow and cheap.

 

My recipes are becoming "less is more" and using fresh and quality ingredients. Pasta....toss it with sautéed garlic, grape tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, a little evoo and some fresh parm.  Quinoa with a cut up chicken breast (or not), fresh spinach, grape or cherry tomatoes and a bit of seasoning (I like the Clubhouse mixes...some good ones). You don't have to have meat, which is getting ridiculously expensive, to have a nice meal.

 

With that, I just buy cheap pasta when it's on for $0.99/box or bag. Fresh is becoming too $$ for me.

 

Lettuce is also a really good grow in the summer...pick it fresh all season long.

 

I was also given a nearly dead raspberry plant a few years ago...put it outside and not only has it taken off but it's spread into other pots. This year I had fresh wild raspberries...they were small but delicious. I grabbed a discount blueberry bush that was fading out too...we'll see how that goes.

 

It doesn't have to get all crazy and expensive. And having fresh tomatoes, parsley, basil, cilantro (used to have oregano, thyme, rosemary...will get going on those again) on hand is always helpful. I'm making the most of my little patio garden.

Herbs are like the only thing I have that's reliable lol. I do have a big garden but what I get depends on how well I can keep the critters away, etc.

 

One good trick with herbs. If you have a ton of them at the end of the season, you can cut and wash them all up into one giant mix that you like. Like after washing put them into the food processor almost. And then you mix them together with a little bit of your favorite oil. Then you make little blobs like proto cookies. Then you put them on wax paper cookie sheet in freezer. Once frozen they can go in one freezer bag. I usually add garlic too, or just garlic ones.

 

Herb bombs! Mow down the herbs, but in like an hour of work, and you have herb bombs to drop in like everything all winter!

[ronthecivil]

15 hours ago, Alflives said:

I pickle myself! 

I subcontract out the pepper pickling to my sister lol.

[-DLC-]

3 hours ago, ronthecivil said:

Herbs are like the only thing I have that's reliable lol. I do have a big garden but what I get depends on how well I can keep the critters away, etc.

 

One good trick with herbs. If you have a ton of them at the end of the season, you can cut and wash them all up into one giant mix that you like. Like after washing put them into the food processor almost. And then you mix them together with a little bit of your favorite oil. Then you make little blobs like proto cookies. Then you put them on wax paper cookie sheet in freezer. Once frozen they can go in one freezer bag. I usually add garlic too, or just garlic ones.

 

Herb bombs! Mow down the herbs, but in like an hour of work, and you have herb bombs to drop in like everything all winter!

I love this idea, thanks!

[Barnstorm]

Homegrown Pizzano tomatoes canned whole with fresh basil / thyme and Roma sauce. 15 qts. Sept 6/23.

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Barnstorm

[Barnstorm]

Sundried tomatoes (authentic) with oregano or thyme and packed in olive oil. Roma and San Mariano tomatoes  from my garden are cut in half , seeds and pulp removed with a sharp edged spoon and halves are placed on drying racks.

 

Then a light sprinkling of kosher salt and left in sunshine to dry. Depending on weather and humidity  they typically dry in 3-4 days.

 

Then they are bathed in red wine vinegar and drip dried. Into hot jars with alternating sprinkles of kosher salt and dried herbs of choice. Olive oil at about 200 ‘F is poured in with each successive 2 “ layer and any air is removed with a plastic implement. 
 

Jars are filled to within 1/2” of rim ensuring tomatoes are fully covered with oil. Rims are wiped clean and dry with clean vinegar soaked cloth and sterile lids placed on top. Then into 240’F oven for 10 minutes , remove from oven, install screw bands (finger tight only) and allow jars to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check lids for correct seal and store in back of fridge.  Some olive oils will fully coagulate into a whitish lard when refrigerated… this is fine. 
 
Fridge storage is not mandatory however I have room for it and gives me that extra piece of mind…food safe always.

Typical home canning is stored without the screw bands as they corrode if left on and can also give the appearance of a good seal when in fact the seal has failed. Sun dried tomatoes in oil are the  one exception where I leave the screw bands on when storing in fridge. I have consumed them after ad much as 2 years and they taste like the week they were made. 
 

Been canning for 50 years and can proudly say I’ve never made anyone sick. I could count on one hand the jars I’ve had fail.

8 pints this year. Good satisfaction when I see a 180 ml jar  selling for $6.95 or more in the stores. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Barnstorm
Drying not “frying”

[Barnstorm]

This mornings harvest. Some for drying and rest for pickling. 

[Barnstorm]

3 hours and much (almost too much) coring, seeding and chopping later…

 

 

Spot the Ghost and Habanero peppers?

I put one in each jar but leave them

in large (halved) sized pieces. That way they can be avoided or not inadvertently eaten but still provide a nice fruity citrus flavour.  I made the mistake of eating a Ghost pepper once and I paid for it for 12 hours. Intense stomach ache and terrible burn. 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Barnstorm

[Barnstorm]

Won’t have to do this again for a couple of years.

 

 

Quick pick for the neighbours this am at the backyard wash station. I feed my dog pumpkin all winter , excellent for his health.

 

[luckyjack]

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Edited January 28 by luckyjack