Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: October 13 ~ 19, 2019

[ReneeT]

Good Morning, All! Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the new week.

I've managed a bit of progress on my split chicken breast acquisition - up to 26# so far; hoping to pick up a bit more this morning when I stop in to pick up donuts on my way in to work, and I may stop by again on the way home if I'm not too peopled out - full moon, psych ward, 12+ hour shift; yeah, I might not make it to the store afterwards.... Oh well, the sale runs through Tuesday I'm just hoping that they don't have it mis-labeled this morning; yesterday half the packages were marked $6.99/# and I had to take photos to prove it was the exact same packages as were marked .97/lb in order to get the sale price.

Plans for tomorrow are to snag the grandsons - they are out of school for Columbus Day - and have them help me pick up the black walnuts in the side yard. I may have to bribe the with the promise of another trip to the apple orchard and some apple cider donuts. I'll need to check the pool schedule and see if they are offering an extra open swim period as well.

I am looking forward to my vacation that starts at 7:30 pm tonight - applesauce, applesauce, applesauce The grandkids have a 3 day weekend off from school the weekend of my vacation and daughter is planning a get-away, so I will have help in my applesauce making adventure! I may make a trip to Kentucky for a cousin's birthday party the last few days of my vacation, but otherwise I am going to stay home and soak up the silence and hopefully get a few things done. I keep finding boxes of assorted quart canning jars stacked in nooks and crannies inside the shed that need to be put in the wooden crates and carried to the storeroom, plus I was gifted a couple of dozen pint jars that I have to 'un-decorate' before I can wash and store them - they were used as decor in a wedding. I also found a couple of big boxes of Mother Earth News magazines from back in the 70's that I need to wipe down and bring inside. If I get bored with all that, there is plenty of yard work to do, for sure!

Well, my 15 minute warning alarm is going off; guess it's time to round up my scrubs, pack a lunch, and head out. You folks take care out there; stay safe!

 

[Freeholder]

I've been sorting out my books, getting rid of those I will probably never read again (or the first time, in a few cases). It's not the ideal timing, but reducing the number of books will make it easier to shift furniture around for working on the wiring, followed by replacing several windows, insulating the house, and sheetrocking the walls downstairs. So I guess it's progress, even though it feels a bit like a waste of time!

Kathleen

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Fall weather is finally here to stay. My project for this week will be to change out mine and DH closets from summer wear to winter. I will also be going through all of our summer clothes to see what I will donate to our local Salvation Army. We try to help them as much as possible.

Will be doing our bi/monthly shopping trip into town on Wednesday. Hoping for some good sales on items that will be added to my storage stash. The dang drought this year caused us to lose all of our pecans from our tree. No pecans! Now, I have to buy what I want for winter baking! I've used up all I had stored in my freezer. Those things are expensive!

 

[Marseydoats]

I am so far behind. Just getting started on outside fall chores that should have been done long ago, but it's just been too blamed hot. I've straightened and re-organized the pantry but every time I come home from work, dh has moved everything and piled stuff on top of it. It's no wonder I can never find anything. It's really depressing when I see how little food we really have.
Hope to make a big grocery run this week but the seasonal overtime has already started and there's just not enough of me to go around. I can't go to work, do my farm chores at home, and manage to drag myself to the store as well. I may just go back to ordering online but I'm trying to stop using the credit card. And the idiot FedEx guy will fight my neighbor's 22 dogs rather than come down my driveway. I can't pick up those 75 pound boxes and I have to bust them open on their porch and make several trips to my car. I don't like them knowing what I'm ordering.

 

[nomifyle]

Organizing my pantry and the adjacent room has come to a hault. The weather has gotten colder and DH closed the door on the room because its cold in there. Have to move things around so I can turn the radiator style heater on. I like to keep the door open because I can see in there and it reminds me to do a few things every day. I'm not sure I'll add much to my food stores today but will get more put away. I filled 6 five gallon buckets with beans, potato flakes and sugar that DH got out to the shed.

Judy

 

[prudentwatcher]

Well, I had a fun weekend and Monday--colonoscopy prep and then the procedure. Clean bill of health and it is out of the way for another ten years. Keeping up on health issues is a big prep and I'm trying to get the biggies knocked off this year. Hopefully looking at a knee replacement before the end of the year. See that doctor in two weeks.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Organizing my pantry and the adjacent room has come to a hault. The weather has gotten colder and DH closed the door on the room because its cold in there. Have to move things around so I can turn the radiator style heater on. I like to keep the door open because I can see in there and it reminds me to do a few things every day. I'm not sure I'll add much to my food stores today but will get more put away. I filled 6 five gallon buckets with beans, potato flakes and sugar that DH got out to the shed.

Judy

I have to keep my pantry room temp controlled, too. In the winter, I just close the room off to any heat, and it stays nice and cool. In the summer, I have an AC just for that room to keep things cool. I haven't seen any change in our electric bill to have the AC running in the room all summer. Our house tends to stay naturally cool in the summer anyway. It is canopied by huge oak trees.

I did a little reorganizing in there, yesterday. I went through two storage tubs, and counted how many bags of sugar I had. Only about 30 lbs, so I need to get more sugar. Went through the dry beans of all kinds, too. They aren't too old, and I have enough dry beans on hand to last years, LOL! I rearranged some of the shelves, and found that I had more storage space to fill. I'm saving that section for more canned meats. Everything else looked fine. No bugs, and no rusted cans. All of my home canned veggies were still sealed and in good shape, too.

I have a clothesline to hang laundry when it's warm outside, but in the winter, I don't like hanging it outside or using the dryer. So, yesterday, I also dug out my wooden drying racks that I use to dry laundry in the laundry room. Got them all dusted, set up, and ready to use. Yeah, it's turned cold here! For us anyway.

 

[20Gauge]

I was working on projects.

Finished power washing the house
Painted the back porch, columns and side door.

Next project is to replace all the blinds in the house. The wife was good to go when we got the $3 rental quality blinds 14 years ago. So she is looking to get a new set for the house. We put up the first one last night to test fit and quality. All things were good to go. Now we only have 10 or 11 more to buy and install. This is going to take a few weeks.

Now that the weather is good, I can now begin working on the planters once again. I have to move a pile of dirt to the fence line and level the blocks this week. If I can do that, then the next week I can begin filling the cells with concrete and stone.

Side note: the new plants we put in are now about 2ft tall in some cases. We may actually get some vegetables before the frost this year from them.

Also, we received our seeds for next year to replace the plants that were pulled for lack of acceptable production. We are going to make mini-greenhouses out of clear Taco Bell cups so we can get a them going and big enough to last through our 6 weeks of cold we get.

 

[prudentwatcher]

Quick trip to the store over lunch: 5 lbs of rice, 6 cans of diced tomatoes (on sale) and 6 cans of redskin peanuts (on sale). Nothing else worth buying.

 

[nomifyle]

We had to go to the VA today for an appointment for DH. While in the big town we stopped at one of the Dollar Trees in that town. This on is almost all ways well stocked, but I still can't find the sinus meds that I often have trouble finding, when I do I buy 20 boxes.

I picked up 10 more cans each of white chicken and dark chicken. I'm looking to at the 52 cans of this and that, but the canned meat I feel I need twice that of some meats because the cans are small and there are two of us. Running out of space.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We had to go to the VA today for an appointment for DH. While in the big town we stopped at one of the Dollar Trees in that town. This on is almost all ways well stocked, but I still can't find the sinus meds that I often have trouble finding, when I do I buy 20 boxes.

I picked up 10 more cans each of white chicken and dark chicken. I'm looking to at the 52 cans of this and that, but the canned meat I feel I need twice that of some meats because the cans are small and there are two of us. Running out of space.

Judy

Yeah, running out of space, too, Judy. I have one small area where I can continue to store meat, then I'm looking to reorganize the shelves and cabinets in my laundry room. I have some space there I can begin to fill. There are some canned meats that I don't quite have 52 of, but I add cans of corned beef hash to make a total of 52 cans. The same for canned chicken, I finish out the 52 cans with sausage & gravy in cans. Stews and soups make great substitutes, too. Plus, it adds to the variety. I concentrate on what we eat most, then go from there. My main goal is to keep in rotation enough canned meats to have one meat meal a day for a year. For other meals, no meat is necessary. Things like pasta and sauce, or dry beans and cornbread, pancakes, Cajun rice and beans, etc.

I love to read what you and everyone else are doing! It keeps encouraging me to keep moving forward!

I want to also add this. For me and DH to have a year's supply of food in storage is to create a buffer if an event happens that would keep us away from grocery stores for a while (a year, at least). If the event is big enough, and there would be no coming back to what we have today, after the year, we would need to already have in place plans to transition to a way of life that will keep sustaining us. We would bring back all of our gardens, and DH and Son would have hunting and fishing parties on a regular basis, etc. For us, here in our AO, we can grow garden veggies of some type all year, except in December and January. DH and Son are part owners of a private hunting and fishing club where there are plenty of deer, turkey, hogs, rabbits, and squirrels. A well known to our area, river runs through it, plus several large lakes for fishing. All this within a couple of miles from our house.

 

[nomifyle]

Yeah, running out of space, too, Judy. I have one small area where I can continue to store meat, then I'm looking to reorganize the shelves and cabinets in my laundry room. I have some space there I can begin to fill. There are some canned meats that I don't quite have 52 of, but I add cans of corned beef hash to make a total of 52 cans. The same for canned chicken, I finish out the 52 cans with sausage & gravy in cans. Stews and soups make great substitutes, too. Plus, it adds to the variety. I concentrate on what we eat most, then go from there. My main goal is to keep in rotation enough canned meats to have one meat meal a day for a year. For other meals, no meat is necessary. Things like pasta and sauce, or dry beans and cornbread, pancakes, Cajun rice and beans, etc.

I love to read what you and everyone else are doing! It keeps encouraging me to keep moving forward!

I want to also add this. For me and DH to have a year's supply of food in storage is to create a buffer if an event happens that would keep us away from grocery stores for a while (a year, at least). If the event is big enough, and there would be no coming back to what we have today, after the year, we would need to already have in place plans to transition to a way of life that will keep sustaining us. We would bring back all of our gardens, and DH and Son would have hunting and fishing parties on a regular basis, etc. For us, here in our AO, we can grow garden veggies of some type all year, except in December and January. DH and Son are part owners of a private hunting and fishing club where there are plenty of deer, turkey, hogs, rabbits, and squirrels. A well known to our area, river runs through it, plus several large lakes for fishing. All this within a couple of miles from our house.

I can eat many things without meat in it, but I do prefer a little bit for seasoning. But DH on the other hand is a big meat eater, although he can do with one meat meal a day. He does not like and won't eat rice, (I do have a lot stored though) but I've got a good supply of pasta. Although pasta and sauce he would require at least a hint of meat. That reminds me I need to get more canned sausage and gravy. That stuff is really tasty. Although I have some sausage flavored TVP that I could make it myself if I could figure out how to make that gravy, I've always failed at that. LOL

As for hunting and fishing, after a year of no grocery store its likely that there wouldn't be anything left to hunt or fish, I know the people around here would hit the woods and streams til the wild life would be all gone. No one would honor anything private.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

As for hunting and fishing, after a year of no grocery store its likely that there wouldn't be anything left to hunt or fish, I know the people around here would hit the woods and streams til the wild life would be all gone. No one would honor anything private.

Yeah, you may be right. I've heard that, too. In that event, we would do the best we can with what we can find. I don't think there will be any situation that's perfect. The best thing would be for people to grow their own food and raise their own meat under heavy guard. Raising your own chickens and rabbits would be a good start. We aren't set up to do either right now.

 

[Freeholder]

Yeah, you may be right. I've heard that, too. In that event, we would do the best we can with what we can find. I don't think there will be any situation that's perfect. The best thing would be for people to grow their own food and raise their own meat under heavy guard. Raising your own chickens and rabbits would be a good start. We aren't set up to do either right now.

This is why I've got chickens, and still have a couple of goats. I didn't breed the doe last year, but have the buck in with her now so we should have kids next spring, and goat milk again for the first time in a while. With eggs and milk, we could get by with little or no meat, at least for a while.

Kathleen

 

[nomifyle]

We have several goats, four females and three bucks. I know that's a lot of bucks but two bucks and a little female showed up around here back in the summer and we gave them a home. DH keeps the three younger females in a different pasture than the bucks. We have to leave our more mature female with our more mature buck because he would tear down the world to get to her and she would constantly whine if she wasn't with him. Buddy is his name and he showed the other two bucks who was king of the mountain in short order.

The first year we had goats DH milked our nanny but we had to give the milk away because he doesn't drink milk and neither do I so he quit. If worse comes to worse, we could milk her or them again to make butter and cheese.

As far as eating goat meat, I'd starve first. I've done alright with eating the port from pigs we've raised but never goat meat. And I was fond of the last three "hogs" we raised and butchered. I respected them and thanked them for their contribution to our food supply.

I love venison and so does DH, I never buy ground meat anymore.

Many years ago I got a wild hair to use TVP and it was okay. My ex and sons never knew the difference. I'm buying some of that.

I just counted the number of 20 oz cans I've gotten from commodities and I have 24 of those and 9 cans of beef. I may have a few more cans in another area. I'm paying closer attention to the canned meats that we have.

Judy

 

[Freeholder]

We have several goats, four females and three bucks. I know that's a lot of bucks but two bucks and a little female showed up around here back in the summer and we gave them a home. DH keeps the three younger females in a different pasture than the bucks. We have to leave our more mature female with our more mature buck because he would tear down the world to get to her and she would constantly whine if she wasn't with him. Buddy is his name and he showed the other two bucks who was king of the mountain in short order.

The first year we had goats DH milked our nanny but we had to give the milk away because he doesn't drink milk and neither do I so he quit. If worse comes to worse, we could milk her or them again to make butter and cheese.

As far as eating goat meat, I'd starve first. I've done alright with eating the port from pigs we've raised but never goat meat. And I was fond of the last three "hogs" we raised and butchered. I respected them and thanked them for their contribution to our food supply.

I love venison and so does DH, I never buy ground meat anymore.

Many years ago I got a wild hair to use TVP and it was okay. My ex and sons never knew the difference. I'm buying some of that.

I just counted the number of 20 oz cans I've gotten from commodities and I have 24 of those and 9 cans of beef. I may have a few more cans in another area. I'm paying closer attention to the canned meats that we have.

Judy

We can't eat soy, so TVP is out for us. (Gives me absolutely horrible gas and abdominal pain.) I like goat meat, but dairy goats aren't very good meat-makers. I'll butcher them when I have to, but there are more economical sources of meat. I thought about getting rabbits again -- there are a couple of cages attached to the back of the main chicken coop, and I have wire to build several more. But it's hot enough here all summer that I think it would be hard to get them to breed.

Kathleen

 

[nomifyle]

We can't eat soy, so TVP is out for us. (Gives me absolutely horrible gas and abdominal pain.) I like goat meat, but dairy goats aren't very good meat-makers. I'll butcher them when I have to, but there are more economical sources of meat. I thought about getting rabbits again -- there are a couple of cages attached to the back of the main chicken coop, and I have wire to build several more. But it's hot enough here all summer that I think it would be hard to get them to breed.

Kathleen

DH tried raising rabbits awhile back and he managed to butcher some and sold them, I wouldn't eat rabbit myself. But the climate here is not really condusive to raising rabbits. He gave all his cages to a young fellow and he had the same problem and gave the cages to someone else.

As for the TVP, I wouldn't want to use it all that often, soy does something not good to women's hormones.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Yesterday was our shopping day. I added more coffee, coffee filters, tea, sugar, egg noodles, more cans of BBQ pulled pork, more cans of roast beef in gravy, flour, peanut butter, more cans of chicken noodle soup, and more cans of lima beans to my pantry. Also bought DH a new pair of winter dress boots, and another pull over chenille sweater for myself.

I will be reorganizing the shelves and cabinets in the laundry room for added storage space today. Mostly what I have there are things like laundry detergent, dish wash, and soap. Most of that can be taken out to my outdoor storage shed to make way for more temp controlled food storage.

 

[20Gauge]

This is why I've got chickens, and still have a couple of goats. I didn't breed the doe last year, but have the buck in with her now so we should have kids next spring, and goat milk again for the first time in a while. With eggs and milk, we could get by with little or no meat, at least for a while.

Kathleen

Raising chickens is the plan in the next 2 years. We first want to get the garden up to speed. Then I have to build a prison that will keep out everything from foxes to coyotes, ( they are coming to the area ) so that I can keep them alive long enough to produce some eggs.

The wife did plant some seeds for next year's garden. We used the clear cups in order to keep things warm enough for them to sprout. The frost doesn't really start for another 2-3 months here.

One of the eve's had the edge pop off and let a small gap, so I will need to get a rivet gun and fix it today.

 

[Marseydoats]

My Dollar Tree has cute calendars for $1. They'd make good stocking stuffers for kids. Businesses used to give me calendars but not anymore. I got a cats/kittens one.

 

[1911user]

Due to african swine fever spreading across asia, I picked up some additional Spam (regular and bacon flavor) locally and ordered 6 cans of Keystone pork (not on sale).
I decided to assemble a serious first aid kit for a relative as a Christmas gift. The medical components arrived today.
I've also been buying pistol ammo on some walmart trips. Once the walmart ammo warehouses are out of pistol ammo, the stores will only be selling rifle and shotgun ammo.

 

[nomifyle]

Yesterday I was going through some shelves of canned food and organizing them. I knew I had several cans (20oz) of pork and beef that I'd gotten in commodities. I counted 24 cans of pork and 11 cans of beef. The contents are like ground meat, and also tasty. I had those cans here and there and now they are in one place so I know what I have.

Usually when we get commodities I just stash cans here and there do I can get them put away. Now I'm getting better organization, I organize every few months and then I don't and it gets out of hand, mostly because I'm running out of room.

I also did some cleaning out and organizing in my office which is a catch all for so many things. I can actually see part of the floor in there and found a couple of things that I'd been looking for. Its just so easy for things to get out of hand.

My energy level has gotten better lately and come to think of it its better since I started weight watchers about 6 weeks ago. I haven't lost much weight but I'm more in control of what goes in my mouth. I'm also getting more steps in. Yay for me.

Judy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Yesterday I was going through some shelves of canned food and organizing them. I knew I had several cans (20oz) of pork and beef that I'd gotten in commodities. I counted 24 cans of pork and 11 cans of beef. The contents are like ground meat, and also tasty. I had those cans here and there and now they are in one place so I know what I have.

Usually when we get commodities I just stash cans here and there do I can get them put away. Now I'm getting better organization, I organize every few months and then I don't and it gets out of hand, mostly because I'm running out of room.

I also did some cleaning out and organizing in my office which is a catch all for so many things. I can actually see part of the floor in there and found a couple of things that I'd been looking for. Its just so easy for things to get out of hand.

My energy level has gotten better lately and come to think of it its better since I started weight watchers about 6 weeks ago. I haven't lost much weight but I'm more in control of what goes in my mouth. I'm also getting more steps in. Yay for me.

Judy

I know what you mean about things getting out of control, LOL! When I was reorganizing my pantry shelves the other day, I came across a whole flat (24 cans) of Pork & Beans that I had stuck back, and forgotten about. Brought them to the front, so they can be used. They are already 5 years old. We'll be eating a lot of Chuck Wagon Baked Beans for a while just to use them up, LOL!

 

[Freeholder]

I did a little research on raising rabbits in areas with hot summers, and am going to post a link in the homesteading part of the forum.

20gauge, have you considered getting a livestock guardian dog to protect your poultry and gardens?

Kathleen

 

[20Gauge]

I did a little research on raising rabbits in areas with hot summers, and am going to post a link in the homesteading part of the forum.

20gauge, have you considered getting a livestock guardian dog to protect your poultry and gardens?

Kathleen

Nope. Have netting and several 22 caliber rifles. Cheaper to feed and they are effective.

 

[nomifyle]

We have a couple of sheds that need to be cleaned out and I was waiting for cooler weather to tackle them, also hoping to have help. Since the help is not going to happen I decided to bite the bullet this morning and tackle one of them. Way too much to do in a day or even two, but in an hour or so I cleared the door way and started working on the next layer, I can actually see to the back of the shed. Most of the stuff I pulled out went to the burn barrel. Little by little, getting things done.

We went to a local auction last night, spent more than we should, lots of treats for DH and some dark chocolate for me, a little at a time. They were selling a huge box of atkins drinks and I got it for $10. Good protein and one a day is not many calories or WW points. A four pack is around $6 at walmart and I got 60 bottles for $10. Thats a huge savings and they were right on the best buy date, not problem with that for me.

Judy

Judy

 

[GrewUpErie]

Ordered a greenhouse kit back in July, finally arrived by freight on Thursday afternoon. Hope the weather holds out while we put it together. Been working on the foundation, just needs painted and plan to paint tomorrow afternoon. Spent today putting teak oil on the cypress wooden parts of the greenhouse frame. It is a Gothic Arch greenhouse with triple wall polycarbonate covering. Can hardly wait to be able to use it. My husband finished running the electrical wire in conduit to the foundation this afternoon. He also mowed the lawn, cleaned up the downed trees in the pasture, cleaned out stalls (by hand) and is now in the recliner exhausted. For having surgery on both hands this summer, he is doing great!

I have had the urge to organize the pantry also. The walls are now freshly painted with new shelving. It was fun getting it organized. Just ran out of teak oil so the rest will have to wait till we can get to town tomorrow. Love reading all the posts, just came out of lurkdom for a bit. Cathy

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We've both been busy the past two days doing more winterizing, before cold weather gets here in earnest. DH got out the leaf blower, and blew a mountain of leaves off our back deck to pile into our raised beds. Got the outdoor "cat house" all fluffed and ready to go for our kitties. Cleaned out both flues for our wood stove and wood heater. DH made a new coat hanger for the wall in our family room and hung it. Put the cover back on the AC. Won't be needing it anymore.

This afternoon, I drug out all of homemade bread recipes, getting ready to start making bread, LOL. I've got to buy a new stash of yeast, before I can get started. I'm not good at making bread, but I still try....

 

[summerthyme]

Sherree... a couple of tips. First, yeast is stupidly expensive in those handy individual packets. If you belong to Sam's Club, you can get 1# vacuum packed "bricks" of dry, granulated yeast for not much more than 2-3 strips of packets.

Many people think the yeast won't last long, and hesitate to buy the big packages because they are afraid it will get wasted.

Not with a bit of care! First, I've used TWELVE YEAR OLD yeast, stored in our cold (0 degrees Fahrenheit) freezer. It worked fine. What I do, when I first ooen the new brick of yeast is put some in a half pint canning jar. This is my "working supply" and is stored in the fridge. The rest is put into another canning jar and immediately put back in the freezer. I try to not let it warm up much in this process... the better you keep it at sub-freezing temperatures, without multiple warm-up cycles, the longerbit will last. When I run out of the yeast in the fridge, I refill the jar from the freezer stash.

If you ever have a question about whether yeast is still good, just mix a pinch of sugar into a couple ounces lukewarm water. Sprinkle a bit of the yeast in question on the top. Wait 5-10 minutes... you should be seeing active bubbles forming on the top. If not, your yeast is dead or dying. If it bubbles but seems weak, you can either use a but more than the recipe calls for, or just plan on your rising times being extended.

And last...if you want to improve your breadmaking skills, or find answers to your questions or problems (plus find one of the best collections of tested and proven baking recipes anywhere), check out the King Arthur flour site... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...-TAIkgIoADAo&usg=AOvVaw3bkIvV9OIbn_r3fUXMt_KB

I've got all their cookbooks... they were an investment I've never regretted.

Summerthyme

 

[Meemur]

I'm not good at making bread, but I still try....

Practice makes perfect! And even when the loaf didn't quite turn out the way you wanted, it can often be used in bread pudding or other recipe.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Thanks, Summerthyme and Meemur!

I have those individual packets of yeast stored in my freezer in jip lock freezer bags. I don't know how long they've been in there. I will get one out and do as you say, Summer, and see if it's still good. I'll also look for the yeast at Sam's.

Meemur, Cary eats the bread whether it turns out good or not. He loves homemade breads, even though sometimes they aren't perfect. My main problem is the loaves turn out hard as bricks! I have a few no knead bread recipes, and those turn out good every time. But, yeah, practice, practice, practice, LOL! If a loaf ever turns out that Cary won't eat, I use it to mix with my doggie's food. He'll eat anything.

My Cheese Batter Bread recipe is a no knead bread, and that's the one I'll start with.

 

[Freeholder]

Thanks, Summerthyme and Meemur!

I have those individual packets of yeast stored in my freezer in jip lock freezer bags. I don't know how long they've been in there. I will get one out and do as you say, Summer, and see if it's still good. I'll also look for the yeast at Sam's.

Meemur, Cary eats the bread whether it turns out good or not. He loves homemade breads, even though sometimes they aren't perfect. My main problem is the loaves turn out hard as bricks! I have a few no knead bread recipes, and those turn out good every time. But, yeah, practice, practice, practice, LOL! If a loaf ever turns out that Cary won't eat, I use it to mix with my doggie's food. He'll eat anything.

My Cheese Batter Bread recipe is a no knead bread, and that's the one I'll start with.

Do you know anyone who makes good bread (by hand, not with a machine)? I learned from watching my mother make bread, and I've found that bread is one thing that is difficult to learn from just reading a recipe. It really helps to have someone who is a good bread-maker give you a lesson or two. You might also find a youtube video that would be helpful, but there's nothing quite as good as handling the dough yourself to know what it should feel like at each stage.

Kathleen

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Do you know anyone who makes good bread (by hand, not with a machine)? I learned from watching my mother make bread, and I've found that bread is one thing that is difficult to learn from just reading a recipe. It really helps to have someone who is a good bread-maker give you a lesson or two. You might also find a youtube video that would be helpful, but there's nothing quite as good as handling the dough yourself to know what it should feel like at each stage.

Kathleen

No I don't, but wish I did! My mom and both grandmothers never made bread other than biscuits and cornbread, and all I have are my recipes. My problems seem to always be that the dough doesn't rise as much as the recipes say it should. I've never had dough to double in size. I don't know if I'm adding too much flour, kneading it too much, bad yeast, or what. So, it's an experiment each and every time I try.

 

[moldy]

I never got a list started this month - probably because I knew how hectic it was going to be. The last 2 weeks have been busy - if not physically, it was mentally. We got the tenants out - they left the place cleaner than I thought it would be. We sold our cows and calves, so right now we have one old cow (that will go to the sale barn in a couple weeks), and 2 steers (that will go to freezer camp in December). When DH ran the numbers (with our small herd), we could make almost as much just renting out the property - and not have the risks associated with running livestock. While the decision was somewhat of a no-brainer, it is still so hard to give up something that has been a part of your life for so long.

This last week, we went out of state to visit family. It was a nice visit, highlighted with games of corn hole, a hot cinnamon bear eating contest, and lots of family. We rented an RV so we could stay close, but have our own space. DH is brilliant when it comes to things like this.

Back to work on Monday and back into the swing of things here and at work. I need to work on cleaning the house - our dog got fleas, and we have spent today bug-bombing the house, then vacuuming and wiping down things.

 

[Freeholder]

No I don't, but wish I did! My mom and both grandmothers never made bread other than biscuits and cornbread, and all I have are my recipes. My problems seem to always be that the dough doesn't rise as much as the recipes say it should. I've never had dough to double in size. I don't know if I'm adding too much flour, kneading it too much, bad yeast, or what. So, it's an experiment each and every time I try.

It's also possible that you aren't getting the water to the right temperature. If it's too cold the yeast won't rise as fast, and if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it kills some but not all, again you have problems with the dough not rising properly. Too bad we aren't closer to each other -- I could show you how to do it.

Kathleen

 

[SouthernBreeze]

It's also possible that you aren't getting the water to the right temperature. If it's too cold the yeast won't rise as fast, and if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it kills some but not all, again you have problems with the dough not rising properly. Too bad we aren't closer to each other -- I could show you how to do it.

Kathleen

Thank you! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and offer!