What a stalking revelation!

 

Words from my son -

Son: I don't like leftovers.

Myself: Too bad you have to eat them.

Son: I wish it was the old days, before microwaves, people didn't have to eat leftovers then.

Myself: ...



                  Now lets talk stalks!

I play the stalk market, but only in the kitchen.

I'm talking broccoli stalks, kale stalks, cauliflower stalks, ends of carrots (yes even the leaves), you guessed it, throw them in a bag, toss in the freezer. You can boil them up later for a great vegetable broth, removing them after you have boiled the flavors out. And you guessed it, vegetable broth too is freezable!

These go hand in hand with my soup bucket. 

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.” - Orson Welles



~ Miss Frugal

The Frugal Family's Soup Bucket

I grew up in a large family, with 6 siblings. Many times we had relatives or their children staying with us for the summers. We had foster kids now and then. We also had an open door policy, so many friends were around, or stayed with us. Our house was always full.


We weren't, no, we couldn't be wasteful.


When I was a child I remember thinking 'Mom is sure stingy when it comes to food'. The irony... that all I was taught then, is so important to me now.

My parents were born in the 30's, if any generations know about resourcefulness and preservation, it was theirs, now I am grateful for their words of ``waste not, want not``.

One of the things that Mom taught us was to keep an ice cream bucket in the freezer, as vegetables started to wilt or lose life, they would be chopped up and tossed in to freeze. When the bucket got near to full, it would be used for a big pot of soup. Then after a couple days of soup, the soup itself would get frozen in smaller containers too, the cycle repeated.

Added to my bucket are my leftover veggies from dinner, we all have put those last few tablespoons of corn in the smallest container in the fridge to save for never... only to throw it out after it gets buried for weeks, and we have to wear a hazmat suit to open it later!

You can also throw wilted herbs in too. (Later on my page though I will show you how to make an herb log for freezing.)

I do not have much space in my fridge freezer, so I put the cut up veggies in large freezer bags, as they can stand up in mine.

I also do this with my (on the way out) bell peppers and tomatoes in smaller separate bags, which later I can saute for omelettes, frittatas, stew, or stir-frys.

So don't throw that wilted celery and other veggies out!!!!

The soup bucket is great to have on hand for last minute company showing up the next day. I can pop a soup in the crock pot in the morning without all the prep, and let it simmer for lunch, while I run around hiding my piles of messes, all before 10 am!

Don't care for soup?
That's OK, I will be sharing a lot about composting for the garden too.

~  Miss Frugal

Who Is This Miss Frugal?

Money doesn't grow on trees, 

but food does.... so we are rich!

Yes I made that up (I think), and it's true.

However if I had a dollar for every time I have said that to my son, I might have an investing or playing the stock market blog! Alas, here I am Miss Frugal.

I am a single Mom of a 17 year old, and we both love good eats! 

Having a lowly income while being environmentally sound has forced us to practice different methods of maximizing and minimizing.

~ Maximizing money, health and space, while minimizing impact and waste ~

Today more than ever, people are finding their food security is in peril due to low finances, inflation, or limited space. How do we balance social impacts, the environment, and health, while feeding ourselves and our family?

Touching on those very dynamics that threaten our households survival and sustainability, I hope tricks I have learned and invented over the years will be of use to everyone. Follow along with me to explore food choices, food management and yes even the best part – Eating!

As an avid foodie, penny pincher, gardener, and non – vegan 'freegan', I want to put some of these issues into feasible solutions for everyone. I also want to hear from you in the comments! The only way we will get through these times is if we adopt the village rather than individual mindset once again in society...

Let us walk (and eat) together,

Miss Frugal