Vegetable Fried Rice - Meatless Meal Series -

I'm doing a "Meatless Meal Series" to help us and others combat the effects of high inflation on groceries. This is my kind of eating. I love to eat vegetables. I enjoy all types of fried rice. In this recipe I use only vegetables. I used the vegetables that I had on hand. You can do the same. No need for special purchases. You can use more or less or omit whatever you do not like. Add other vegetables if you want.  This is not the type of recipe that is set in stone. It is very forgiving. Don't be afraid to be creative.

I used basmati rice for this recipe. You can use whatever type of rice that you have on hand.

Rinse the rice over and over until the water runs clear.

As you can see there is a lot of excess starch on rice.

This makes a big difference when making fried rice. The rice will be less sticky if you use this technique. I don't bother with this step if I am just making regular rice. I don't want to rinse away extra nutrition. 

I'm using my pressure cooker to cook the rice. It is the best way to cook rice for us since we live at 9000 feet. We also make our own electricity, so we get to save on propane too. It's a win win.

Nice!

Fluff with a fork. Let cool completely before refrigerating. This helps the fridge not work so hard. Refrigerate the rice overnight. Cold leftover rice makes the best fried rice.

Choose your ingredients. Wash and prepare to chop.

I chose kale, celery, cabbage, red, white and green onions, mushrooms, frozen peas and carrots.

I gave my green onions growing in the windowsill a haircut.

Choose a large heavy bottom well oiled pan or wok. Fried rice cooks best in a hot pan.

Cook the hardiest vegetables first. They need a head start in the cooking process. The goal is hot, but still crisp veggies. 

Now add spices like garlic, ginger and pepper flakes.

Toasted sesame oil, liquid aminos or soy sauce, ginger root, red pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar are the seasonings that I used this time. Season to taste. 

Add the rest of the veggies to the pot and sauté a few more minutes with the desired seasonings. 

Add the cold rice and mix well stirring constantly to avoid scorching.

Stir fry until hot. Adjust seasonings at this time. Usually, I  need to add a bit more soy sauce or liquid aminos. Watch out, they are super salty. 

Enjoy!

Mrs. Smith

Homemade Tortilla Bowls

We enjoy eating salads in baked tortilla bowls. Any kind of soup, salad or chili can be served in these crunchy bowls. We also use these to make rice bowls. We are only limited by our own imaginations. They are really simple to make. 

Choose oven safe bowls that fit the size of the tortillas that you are using.

Use room temperature tortillas for best results. Place a tortilla in your oven safe bowl. Mold it to the bowl by pressing the tortilla gently into the bowl. I double stacked mine using two different types of bowls to show the limitless possibilities.

Bake in a pre-heated 325* oven until brown. I also baked homemade croutons at the same time to save on propane and electricity. Recipe is coming soon...

Enjoy,

Mrs. Smith

How To Grow Green Onions In Your Windowsill...

I like to grow green onions and celery in my windowsill. Green onions add such good flavor to rice, beans, salads, soups and more. They can be added to recipes or used as a topper for soups and salads. I actually only grow the leaves of the celery. Celery leaves are used in the same fashion. It takes a very small amount of chopped leaves to flavor foods. 

I figured this out out of necessity. We do not live close to a grocery store, so it makes it hard to keep green onions on hand. They do not last very long in the fridge after purchasing them, so buying more was just a waste of money. I had heard that you could re-grow some vegetables buy cutting off the bottoms and growing them in water to re-plant. I have also used this technique with regular onions that have spouted. I let the roots grow out and then plant them in pots with soil. As far as green onions go, I just let them grow in water and give them a haircut when I need them or if they need one. 

I can get four or five re-growths out of one bunch of green onions. They are easy to grow and they only require water. That's it. That is all there is to it. 

I also grow my own sprouts and micro-greens for year-round greens. Keep an eye out for a future post... 

Pick a short glass container to grow the green onions in like a jar or short glass.

Add water and water as needed.

Cut to fit the container your using. I could have cut them shorter.

I chopped the tops of the green onions and...

I put some chopped green onion tops in a bowl to dehydrate.

I just let them dry on a counter and I stirred them on occasion. 

Store in a jar or baggie. Add to soups or rehydrate with water.

Moisture is an enemy to your fruits and vegetables. I use a napkin or a paper towel to extend the life of processed fruits and vegetables. 

I put some of the chopped green onions in a bag to freeze and I put some in the fridge for future use.

This is the last growth for this bunch. It will continue to grow, but it won't yield very much. I replaced it with a new bunch after I washed the container.

1st Growth after about two weeks. I used them in vegetable fried rice. Post coming soon...

Mrs. Smith

What In The World Is Going On? Ramblings From The Ranch....

 

We are living in very strange times. It is particularly strange because it is on a global scale and continues to get worse with almost every headline. The pandemic is crazy enough, but it's the confluence with other global events that makes this time in our lives very precarious. 

I decided to start journaling about pandemic life from the beginning. What we consider the beginning of the pandemic in the USA and what others may consider the beginning differs a lot. As I am writing this I am on day 592. 

As I look back on those 592 days a lot has happened and it continues to happen. I remember the last day that I went into Costco and I was mocked by the employees in the pharmacy and some of their customers for wearing a mask. People were panic buying toilet paper and other items on that day. That was the beginning to us. Even though our government was telling us over and over that there was no threat to the American people. Some people knew that this was not the case. Something was definitely wrong.

Number One was in the car and watching people filing out of the store with carts filled with toilet paper and some other items. I'm not sure why toilet paper was such a hot commodity. It doesn't make too much sense to me. It seems like they would run out of other items before they would run out of toilet paper. 

Fast foreword to today and we are still dealing with consistent shortages across the board. We have a pandemic, massive droughts, infestations, flooding, fires and increased crime across the globe. Natural disasters have put a strain on our crops. We will really start to feel this in the next few months through inflation and shortages. This will continue until the next crops are grown and processed. What does it look like if we have a repeat of last year or worse?

We have had to learn how to live with the people that actually live within the walls of our homes. Many people learned that they didn't like their lives and opted for divorce or separation. Parenting also took on a new meaning when homeschooling became the only way to educate children. Some parents couldn't handle the new norm of being forced to be at home with their children. Domestic abuse, violence and even murder became a common headline. 

We have shortages of people, containers, packaging, contents for packaging, computer chips, automobiles, parts, tires, raw materials, metals, heating oil, gases, food and more. More than I can list. We have inflation on all these items. Has your income increased along with the inflation of almost everything you use? The answer for the most part is a resounding "No". The world has seen a six fold increase in people living with famine like conditions. Have you ever wondered how these mega corporations have had record profits while the rest of the world is drowning in inflation? 

I think that these events have come in such record succession that it has been hard to wrap our heads around our new world. Plus, we are told one thing one day and it changes the next. This leads me into my next point which is our divided republic. Fake news is the latest buzz word. Let's call fake news what it really is... Lying. Lying and deception are now tolerated and considered to be standard practice to get ones own way and force an agenda driven idea on the people. What confuses me most is the fact that no one is held liable for their actions. The attention span of people is now eight seconds. A gold fish has an attention span of nine seconds, but gold fish can't drive a car.

As we weave our way through this new world we must pay attention to what is going on around us and adapt and overcome to our new circumstances. I urge you to read about World War I, II and the Great Depression. We can learn a lot from those who have gone before us. 

Mrs. Smith

  

What Did I Get For $41.83 - Small Grocery Haul - Inflation

Sorry for the blog silence lately, we have been nursing some physical ailments that started with Number One. I am sitting here as I type with my trusty water bottle. It's tough when one of us can't, but when two of us can't...

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

We had to go to town yesterday to run some errands. We hadn't been for over six weeks, so to our surprise many things had changed. 

The first thing was the high cost of gas. We have a low grade 85 octane, but it was still $3.59 a gallon. The really bad part was it had gone up to $3.69 at other stations, so as soon as this station gets a new shipment it will be the same or more per gallon. We got a total of 25.115 gallons for $90.39. We had just under a half a tank in the car and three gas cans to fill up. 

The second thing was that Walgreens had closed it's drive-thru and there were a total of three workers inside. Normally, I am a drive-thru and pick up only kind of gal, but we had already driven the 40 miles one way to pick up the things we needed. They had also reduced their store hours. Their signs stated something to the fact that it was unforeseen circumstances and it would continue through the 22nd or 27th. I didn't have my phone to take pictures. Sorry, that thing is not an extension of my hand. They did have cashew halves and pieces for $1.99 for 8 ounces regularly $5.69. That is $12.38 a pound for cashew halves and pieces. Ouch! I bought two pounds for $7.96. Cashews are Number One's favorite. These are not included in my grocery haul.

Third, was a trip to Safeway to get our favorite bagels. I figured why not? I had already broken my I don't go inside rule. Plus, we hadn't had them in over two years. They do not have a pick up service. I could not believe how different it was inside. The outrageous prices hit me as soon as I walked in the door. Safeway is a high end store in our area. I should have just picked up the bagels and ran straight to my computer and ordered from Misfits Market. The beautifully arranged fresh fruit and vegetables did not hide the fact that there was a very small amount available and that there was a very limited selection. 

The shelf space has also shrunk. The store looked full, but it was an illusion. The items were one or two deep with only one or two varieties spread out. There are no size selections either. The best varieties were in the Asian and Hispanic areas. The prices were much better in those categories too. I encourage you to look for spices in those areas. 

There were a total of six organic sweet potatoes, no regular available, three pineapples, three watermelons, five types of apples on pyramid shelves, but the cheapest was $1.99 a pound. Winter squash was only $.99 a pound which is a pretty good price for our area. Selections of green vegetables were available, but also expensive. Mushrooms were $5 for 1.5 pounds. There were a small number of bagged potatoes available.

The frozen fruits and vegetables selections were also very limited. We avoid the junk food areas, so I don't have anything to say about that other than the chip area was limited and was pretty empty. Humus was $6 for the small container. I make my own, but I wanted to see how much I was saving by doing so. I save about $4.50. 

Packages were smaller and more expensive in some cases. I can do much better shopping online. Plus, I do not have the expense of traveling. I also save by buying in bulk from big box stores. I will do my regular shopping in a couple of weeks and will be able to see what's what. I'm sure that I will be getting a lot less for more money. I'm not going to increase my budget until I absolutely have too. I will be doing a blog post about about shopping less and getting more on my next grocery haul. I am a little concerned that I will not be able to get what we use due to shortages. Stay tuned...

10 oz Kale $2.99

2  1 lb Boxes Small Shells $2.00

Jalapeno Cheddar Bagels 6 Count $3.49

2 lbs Frozen Peas and Carrots $2.99

1 lb Frozen Baby Lima Beans $1.69 

Organic Blue Corn and Sesame Chips 10 oz  $3.00

1.5 Lbs. Mushrooms $5.00 

Apple Cider $5.99

2 Green Onion Bunches $1.58

1 Green Cabbage $2.81

Anaheim Peppers  @ $1.99 lb $1.17

1 Bunch Cilantro .50

Sweetie Apples @ $1.99 lb $6.81

Tax $1.81

If I had to shop at this store all the time we would have to double or triple our budget and I would really have to shop the sales. Imagine what the price tag would have been if I purchased meat. What do your local stores look like? Comment below and share the ways you save on your groceries. Your input could really help others with the rising costs of groceries.

Mrs. Smith

Refrigerator Soup - Save Money - Save Food - No Waste

Soup is a primarily liquid food. Generally served hot. Made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth. Soups are similar to stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, soups generally have more liquid (broth) than stews.^[1] Wikipedia...

Many years ago, my mom was in a time of transition after the death of my dad, so she stayed with us for about six weeks while waiting to move into a new rental.  It was getting cold outside, so I started making "Refrigerator Soup" and my mom loved it. It is my favorite way to use up leftovers in the Fall and Winter months. 

First snow of the season happened today.

This technique of cooking leftovers is nothing new, in fact, it was probably created out of necessity and used frequently during wartime and depressions to help with the effects of shortages. Soup kitchens also used this technique to feed more people. It makes complete sense not waste food even in times of plenty. Save money. Save Food. No waste. 

Homemade vegetable broth.

I make stock out of scraps that I keep in a bag in the freezer.

 

Every week I gather up the fragments from leftovers or items that need to be used up before they go bad and I create a meal or meals like burritos or veggie fried rice. In the Fall, I start making "Refrigerator Soup". I take any meats, pastas, grains or vegetables that I have leftover and I make a pot of soup. I usually have homemade stock to use as a base, if not, store bought can be used instead. If I don't have enough leftovers to make a pot of soup I just add potatoes or rice to the pot. 

I am not limited to using leftovers only. I use whatever I want to add flavors to the pot if it needs it. Be careful with seasonings like salt. Most leftovers already have plenty of seasonings. It's easy to make soups like chili or taco soup with leftover ground meats. Just add the other ingredients to the pot and cook. 

I made a soup out of leftover smoked chicken and veggies. I threw everything into a pot, added water, seasonings, celery, onions and carrots. I cooked it in the Sun Oven until the meat fell off the bones.

Sad celery. 

Homestyle Pasta

Seasonings

Pasta

I cooked the pasta in the broth on the stovetop until the pasta was done.

I made a lovely chicken noodle soup. I could have easily made a chicken pot pie with potatoes and a little dough instead of noodles. Options are only limited to my own imagination.

I Cooked the broth in the Sun Oven and saved hours of propane use.

My dad... 

My dad and Abby, our dog.

My mom and dad.

Cooking together...

Blessings,

Mrs. Smith