Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: December 3 - December 9, 2023

[nomifyle]

I sear the pork chops in a bit of olive oil and put them in the crockpot. I use the drippings from the pan and mix cornstarch, black pepper, garlic, chopped onions, and a bit of salt with enough water to make the gravy. I cook the gravy until it thickens. Pour that over the pork chops and simmer all day. They come out fork tender with lots of yummy gravy.

At the end of cook time, if the gravy is too thin, I spoon out some of it and mix with more cornstarch. Add it back to the crockpot and simmer about 20-30 mins. longer. It thickens up quite nicely.

That sounds delish, I don't remember the last time I had a pork chop, years probably. I use to sear mine too and make a gravy similiar to that. I cooked like that when I was raising my family and they loved my cooking. My precious DH is picky and didn't like things like that, so I don't buy pork chops any more.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

That sounds delish, I don't remember the last time I had a pork chop, years probably. I use to sear mine too and make a gravy similiar to that. I cooked like that when I was raising my family and they loved my cooking. My precious DH is picky and didn't like things like that, so I don't buy pork chops any more.

Pork and chicken are still fairly cheap, here, so I keep a good stock of both in my freezer. We love pork. Cary loves gravy with his mashed potatoes, and pork chop gravy from the crockpot is great over them. Those pork ribs I fixed last night were good, too. So tender and marinated/seasoned just right.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I'm in the process of converting all my spices that are in the tall plastic bottles I get at Sam's into quart and pint glass canning jars. They get all hard and lumpy in the plastic bottles. I've got more jars to wash, before I can convert any more. The spices/herbs I buy in glass jars don't clump or get hard, so I'm converting.

It's cloudy and damp outside, today. Might get a shower or two this afternoon, but tomorrow, we're in for strong storms and possible tornadoes. Cary has a few outdoor things he needs to get done today, before the rain starts. Replacing rear taillight on his Jeep and the light on the dashboard.

 

[nomifyle]

I'm in the process of converting all my spices that are in the tall plastic bottles I get at Sam's into quart and pint glass canning jars. They get all hard and lumpy in the plastic bottles. I've got more jars to wash, before I can convert any more. The spices/herbs I buy in glass jars don't clump or get hard, so I'm converting.

It's cloudy and damp outside, today. Might get a shower or two this afternoon, but tomorrow, we're in for strong storms and possible tornadoes. Cary has a few outdoor things he needs to get done today, before the rain starts. Replacing rear taillight on his Jeep and the light on the dashboard.

I need to do that very thing with my spices. I bought several containers of the crappy fake cheese from dollar tree for the shaker tops. I've got some of the large plastic containers of onion and garlic powder from Sams that is hard as a rock. I'm planning on breaking the product up in smaller clumps and putting it in my bullet to make it powder again.

Our weather is the same as yours.

My kitchen is in good shape, only thing in the sink are a couple of jars soaking, that grease from the rendered pork fat is hard to get out. I've found that rubbing alchol is magic at removing grease from greasy things.

I'm working on laundry, that ticking clock over in the Q thread has me getting things done. And praise the Lord, I'm feeling stronger and stronger about getting stuff done.

 

[nomifyle]

I forgot to add that I vacuum seal the spices in jars and use a smaller jar of working spice with the shaker lid.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I need to do that very thing with my spices. I bought several containers of the crappy fake cheese from dollar tree for the shaker tops. I've got some of the large plastic containers of onion and garlic powder from Sams that is hard as a rock. I'm planning on breaking the product up in smaller clumps and putting it in my bullet to make it powder again.

Our weather is the same as yours.

My kitchen is in good shape, only thing in the sink are a couple of jars soaking, that grease from the rendered pork fat is hard to get out. I've found that rubbing alchol is magic at removing grease from greasy things.

I'm working on laundry, that ticking clock over in the Q thread has me getting things done. And praise the Lord, I'm feeling stronger and stronger about getting stuff done.

I have 3 of those tall plastic bottles of garlic powder that are as hard as a rock. I couldn't get it to come out of the plastic bottle, so I cut the bottle to where I could break it up a bit to get it out. I emptied the whole bottles into a plastic bag, laid a towel over it, and beat it up with a mallet. I made powder out of it again. I poured it into pint canning jars. I did the same with my taco seasoning, steak seasoning, and onion powder. I'm washing more jars to do the same with the rest of them. About 10 more to do, once the clean jars dry.

 

[summerthyme]

I forgot to add that I vacuum seal the spices in jars and use a smaller jar of working spice with the shaker lid.

You can buy plastic shaker lids that fit Mason jars.

https://www.amazon.com/Nakpunar-Shaker-Spice-Mason-Freshness/dp/B075716VND/ref=pd_bxgy_d_sccl_2/140-0845268-2053121?pd_rd_w=EFZ6Y&content-id=amzn1.sym.839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_p=839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_r=7JXAX9TAD0CF7CR3KMRH&pd_rd_wg=957Op&pd_rd_r=49edd0ee-abea-4fb6-9d1d-3ce9a8342402&pd_rd_i=B075716VND&psc=1

Lots of others... just search "Mason jar shaker lids"

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

forgot to add that I vacuum seal the spices in jars and use a smaller jar of working spice with the shaker lid.

Where did you find glass jars with shaker lids? Are you talking about salt and pepper shakers?

 

[SouthernBreeze]

You can buy plastic shaker lids that fit Mason jars.

https://www.amazon.com/Nakpunar-Shaker-Spice-Mason-Freshness/dp/B075716VND/ref=pd_bxgy_d_sccl_2/140-0845268-2053121?pd_rd_w=EFZ6Y&content-id=amzn1.sym.839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_p=839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_r=7JXAX9TAD0CF7CR3KMRH&pd_rd_wg=957Op&pd_rd_r=49edd0ee-abea-4fb6-9d1d-3ce9a8342402&pd_rd_i=B075716VND&psc=1

Lots of others... just search "Mason jar shaker lids"

Summerthyme

LOL! You just answered my question.

 

[connie]

I live in dry climate but my tomato powder stored in glass jar gets hard.
I had fruit powders that came in bags and they hardened too.
Everything else does fine.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I'm not vacuum sealing my jars, since the spices I'm converting right now are those that I'm already using out of. All of the bottles I have in storage that have never been opened are still good, not hard or lumpy. I guess my kitchen is damper than the rest of the house, since the hardened spices are on a shelf in the kitchen near the stove.

 

[nomifyle]

Where did you find glass jars with shaker lids? Are you talking about salt and pepper shakers?

not glass jars with shaker lids, but DT cheese mix has the lids, I buy them for the lids and toss the crappy fake cheese food.

 

[hd5574]

I save all my glass spice jars and the shaker lids.. wash and air them out...not every thing i use comes in a large size at a wholesale club..I vacuum seal the extra small size ones in the vacuum seal bags and store in a dark place.. I am huge on different spices because they can really change ho hum meals..

We shop at Costco and they have some Spice Island spices in the huge size...I was able to order a couple of things they sell in the small size spice rack jars from Amazon so I put the ones from Costco in ball jars and seal and refill the little ones I use from those...I think Walmart carries one brand of real bacon bits in a glass spicr size jar...

So many things are changing...a lot of things that were in substantial containers are now being switched to thin plastic bags or containers...DH said save every glass jar that has a decent lid...so I have started saving all the glass stuff..we have a package store in PA..that sells new lids for most of the odd size glass bottles and jars...many of the Amish buy those new lids and can in those bottles and jars..

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I save all my glass spice jars and the shaker lids.. wash and air them out...not every thing i use comes in a large size at a wholesale club..I vacuum seal the extra small size ones in the vacuum seal bags and store in a dark place.. I am huge on different spices because they can really change ho hum meals..

We shop at Costco and they have some Spice Island spices in the huge size...I was able to order a couple of things they sell in the small size spice rack jars from Amazon so I put the ones from Costco in ball jars and seal and refill the little ones I use from those...I think Walmart carries one brand of real bacon bits in a glass spicr size jar...

So many things are changing...a lot of things that were in substantial containers are now being switched to thin plastic bags or containers...DH said save every glass jar that has a decent lid...so I have started saving all the glass stuff..we have a package store in PA..that sells new lids for most of the odd size glass bottles and jars...many of the Amish buy those new lids and can in those bottles and jars..

I'll be saving all glass jars with lids from now on, too. I don't like using up my canning jars to store spices.

 

[nomifyle]

I've been saving jars for years and years. Lately DH has been using them for honey instead of using my canning jars.

 

[hd5574]

SB....we are very humid also ... most likely not as humid as you....but i have had a few things harden up in the jars..mostly the powdered things so I have started adding a little rice to my jars... treating them just like the salt shaker that has always had rice in it... here in the south ...at least I grew up that way..

Maybe 30 years ago I found a little marble two part mushroom..that is a grinder...I have used it to crush hardened spices back to powder.. and also to grind some to powder from the leaf form for a recipe or two..it is a very handy little item... don't remember where I found it...handy to have a little nutmeg grinder also ...for some things...

 

[SouthernBreeze]

SB....we are very humid also ... most likely not as humid as you....but i have had a few things harden up in the jars..mostly the powdered things so I have started adding a little rice to my jars... treating them just like the salt shaker that has always had rice in it... here in the south ...at least I grew up that way..

Maybe 30 years ago I found a little marble two part mushroom..that is a grinder...I have used it to crush hardened spices back to powder.. and also to grind some to powder from the leaf form for a recipe or two..it is a very handy little item... don't remember where I found it...handy to have a little nutmeg grinder also ...for some things...

Yeah, we have to put a few grains of rice in our salt shakers and sugar bowls to keep it from hardening. Very humid here in the South. I've got around 10 of those round cardboard boxes of salt in storage. They are all hard as rocks. I need to get those all converted, too. I don't know why I haven't done all of this already. I just never think of it, until I get ready to use a certain spice, and it's so hard I have to take a knife to break it up and scrape some out.

 

[hd5574]

I've been saving jars for years and years. Lately DH has been using them for honey instead of using my canning jars.

I have been saving some glass jars for years...I always buy Classico sauce for years ..it is in a mason jar...I don't buy tomato sauce and tomato paste in the cans any more..just treat the Classico .. like tomato paste and sauce and start cooking my sauce from there..

Years ago Marie's salad dressing was in a glass jar (now plastic)... that used a regular canning lids...and of course I have those and the pint and quart mayo jars of yesteryear..I know many women from years ago that canned in mayo jars..in fact i have done it..water-bath..but i know people who pressured them ...but now i just vacuum seal in them...and save my ball jars to can in...

 

[feralferret]

if you have any kind of power over that waterline fix - see if you can get the entire line replaced vs patching - especially if the leak isn't a coupling point or some other fitting - a rust thru or crack out of the wild blue is a sure sign of future problems .....

That is my intent. I used to work for a municipal water district near Houston around 40 years ago. I had my state licenses for water systems and wastewater systems.

I've seen firsthand what patching instead of replacing does when the failure is from age, not external damage. Nothing like being up to your waist in a water filled hole trying to blindly put a repair coupling on a broken water main in January because the water district is too cheap to replace the line that has already had three failures in that section in the past three months.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

.I always buy Classico sauce for years ..it is in a mason jar...I don't buy tomato sauce and tomato paste in the cans any more..just treat the Classico .. like tomato paste and sauce and start cooking my sauce from there..

Now that is a great idea! I buy salsa in glass jars, but they don't have screw down lids. I've never thought of using pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and paste in different recipes. I'll start doing that, and skip buying the cans of sauces and pastes. The jars will probably last longer than cans, anyway. I threw away a whole case of tomato paste last year, because the cans were bulging. It was one year past expiration date. I didn't replace it, because I seldom ever use it. I use more tomato sauce.

 

[kyrsyan]

I am beat. The positive from today, the doc could not find the reason for the CHF diagnosis. The negative, the prior heart doc apparently failed to actually read the test results two years ago. This doc did. He was not happy. There will be a new echo and stress test in January. And maybe new ultrasounds.

Son's neuro. That was a full on CF. Son had meltdown. We finally got out. The seizure med is starting to trigger some sort of metabolic issue. I need to go research. She was worrying over the big migraine meds and I had to bring her back to earth and explain that we needed a way to handle the low to mid grad headaches so that they wouldn't compound into a migraine. So new med to try. I also need to go research that.

We are home. Hopefully for the full weekend and until the appt on Thursday. I managed to get to two stores to buy the two gifts that were canceled in online orders. I came home to the last of the gifts on the porch and a surprise gift for son as well.

I'm going to eat, chill, knit, and watch some beat em up movies while son is chilling in his room with lots of little laughter. I think I'm sleeping late tomorrow and sticking with simple household chores.

Oh, and I have to contact Dell because the power supply for the laptop is arcing inside the adapter. Not a good thing. Hopefully the customer service will be open tomorrow. I'm just glad I heard it and unplugged the laptop. Hopefully before there was any damage.

 

[kyrsyan]

I woke up this morning tired but in much better headspace. I did research last night and realized the the vit c and lysine protocol was the best thing to do for the plaque and aneurysm and I've been doing since I ended up in the hospital with AFIB. So I'm holding faith there.

I'm going to change son's neuro after this last visit. I had already been considering it and this last visit was the last push. I could have handled most of it but the last nail in the coffin is that she's not going to monitor the metabolic syndrome. I researched it last night and the standard of care once diagnosed is regular monitoring. And there are treatments for it. He is not currently at treatment level but not monitoring it means he could end up there and we wouldn't know.

The metabolic syndrome is acidosis of the blood. His blood becomes acidic. I know there is stuff out there on dealing with this. It's become on of those fad things. But I'm going to see if any of it helps.

I've decided I'm not quite lazy enough to chose death by default. So I'm going to get serious about getting the walking going. And I will find whatever stretches I need to get the calf muscles to not lock up. I will follow aneurysm cautions to ensure that I am not actively doing something that might be a risk. And I'll pray.

I woke up to a roof leak drip somewhere. I think I know where but I was too tired to look last night and didn't find the water I was expecting this morning. I'll keep an eye out and get it figured out.

Today is walking, cleaning, and knitting. I need a simple routine for a while. Son woke up in a better mood then he went to sleep in. Last night he was still angry about the botched doc visit. This morning he seems to have processed that I wasn't any happier about it than he was. There were smiles and hugs.

Low grade headache from yesterday's stress and the storm systems that came in so going to try for any easy, calm day.

 

[patriotgal]

What a week. Being home full time has put a serious dent in flour, butter, etcetera stash. Gotta fill those holes and increase amounts kept on hand.

Job issue was nearing the red zone. Recent classes were intended to increase bring home pay while keeping the work from home option. Had guaranteed jobs that were not WFH. Applied for every online job that looked remotely interesting. Finally got the bright idea to talk to God about it. This introvert is now in a sales job that she loves. I reach out to people that have applied for jobs and pre-qualify them. Couldn't start work right away because of phone issues. Then boss shared her methods during a meeting. Google voice to the rescue. Yesterday was my first day on the job and it was amazing. Thank you God! My work time is based around the hours the facility is open. They are closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. When they are open I decide when and how much I want to work.

One of our grands is facing a hysterectomy. Fortunately she has children already. She also found a new therapist who has better methods and gets better results for those with PTSD. (Grand's sperm donor was quite the piece of work.)

Constantly changing weather is wreaking havoc on my sinuses. Couple days of horrific facial pain. Fortunately my aching days are never in sync with DH's so we still manage to get things done. Got a lot of items put on ebay this week and those sales have helped make up missing income. Managed to list items on those days my sinuses were a pain.

One of our kids is moving into their first ever home this weekend. They have been renting and house hunting for years. They are so excited and we are excited for them. Did I mention they are taking several furniture items from the farm house? Yippee. We don't have to move them and the pieces are going to a good home.

Today we celebrate 46 years together. What a journey. We are celebrating next month when we join friends and family for a group vacation.

Hugs and prayers to all.

 

[nomifyle]

We were supposed to get rain today, all day and not a drop coming and the sun is just about shinning. But its gonna get warm, 75, in the middle of December, oh that's right I live in Louisiana. Back in the 50's with sun shine tomorrow.

Our church is having a fish fry and Christmas party for a local "boys" home. Although the boys are all in at least their late 50's. One of our members has a son who has lived there for many years. Except for this one fellow none of the others have any family so the church does it up big. This church supports people locally instead of sending money to international organizations, I like that about them.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We're in for some serious weather this afternoon if it comes together like they say it will. I've got my laundry going in case we lose power. No sense in waiting. It's almost 70 degrees outside right now with a very high humidity level. It's at 87%. After this front passes, we're back to wintertime temps.

I didn't quite get finished converting all my spices, yesterday, so I got up this morning doing the last of them that I had jars for. I need more jars washed, before I do any more. That's not happening today though. I have house cleaning to do.

 

[moldy]

Converting the spices to glass is a great idea. Just need to find some time (hahahaha!)

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Well, I said something to Cary about needing more jars brought in from the mini barn, and while he was outside, anyway, he brought me more jars. I was in no hurry for them and told him so. I went ahead and washed them. Now, they are drying. These jars should let me finish out all my spices. I'll begin on all my boxes of salt, next. That's for another time. I'll remember to put some grains of rice in those, before closing them up.

I said in an earlier post that I don't like using my canning jars for spices. I'm going to be looking for decorative glass jars with screw lids next time I'm in town shopping. If I can find some that aren't too expensive, I'll get some. I'll empty all the canning jars into the decorative jars. If not, I'll use what I've got, and just buy more canning jars. The jars need to be food safe.

 

[SAPPHIRE]

Thrift store jars?......I had to pitch a lot of jars recently.......trying to declutter and I live in approx. 800 sq. feet......my "stock" is abundant and interfering with everyday maintenance.....????

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Thrift store jars?......I had to pitch a lot of jars recently.......trying to declutter and I live in approx. 800 sq. feet......my "stock" is abundant and interfering with everyday maintenance.....????

I wouldn't know if the thrift store jars are food safe.

 

[moldy]

Ones that I have seen sometimes still have labels attached. I'm sure you can make glass unsafe for food - But aside from putting heavy duty chemicals in it, I'm not sure how.

Doing little things today to try to, I don't know, make things better or easier or something. Freeze dryer is running, I mailed ebay packages and goodies to the kids, picked up more packing supplies from DG. DH had laid out some steaks earlier this week that didn't get used (long story), so I turned them into fajita/sandwich strips. What doesn't get used by mid-week, will get turned into stroganoff.

 

[nomifyle]

I was poking around in some stuff that DH pulled out of the camper, its on the screened in camper porch. I came across a nice over the door hook, not the usual kind but round and was great for scarves. It still had some scarves on it and I threw them all in the washing machine. I was cleaning the hook up and there is a rusty place on that can't be cleaned off easily.

I nicked my arm rushing through the hall on something sticking up on my way to the bathroom. I blotted the nick and put some of the new skin, liquid bandage. It really burned and smells like glue, but its holding the skin in place and won't leave much of a scar.

So I was thinking since it smells like glue and fingernail polish I'd put some on rusty place on the over the door hook. It's drying right now, maybe it will work. I just want the hook to hang my robe and night clothes on it during the day and at night hang my clothes on it to keep them all up and out of the way. The hook should be dry by morning, maybe it will work. I'm trying to keep things more tidy.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I wouldn't know if the thrift store jars are food safe.

all glass can be sterilized - except for heat treated for canning - a glass jar is a glass jar >>> it's the lids that are the usual problem - without a proper gasket the lids aren't much for proper food storage - and the gaskets need to be able to be sterilized along with the lids - paper gasket are too common - and no rust !!!

those cannister jars with the "V" shaped wedging lids and poly gaskets are almost as good as a canning jar >>>

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Now that I know, stupid me, that all glass jars are food safe, I have plenty of options to choose from while looking.

I finished off all the spices this morning. Actually, the canning jars look rather nice sitting on the kitchen shelf. I need to buy labels for the jars.

We had 3-4 severe thunderstorm warnings issued for our county last night, but none of them came directly over us. 2 of them got rather close, but no damage of any kind. Lots of rain.

Not much going on, today. I got all my laundry done and put away, yesterday. Chores are all done.

Tomorrow, I have a dental appointment for a check-up and cleaning.

Wednesday, Cary goes back to see his PCP to find out what all the different tests showed on his leg, and what needs to be done about it, and to have more blood work done to see what his creatinine level is. Cary will be asking him about the possible kidney disease, also.

Thursday, I go back to see my MDeg specialist. I sure hope she has a solution to fix my eye. The dimness is still there. She has mentioned specific RX eye drops and injections in the past. I absolutely cringe every time I think of having injections directly into my eyeball!

As ya'll can see, we have a rather full week ahead of us.

Ooops! Posted in the wrong thread.