Eating from the Stockpile

Ok, this is week two of the EPIC BLIZZARD of 2011 or as some are calling it SNOWMAGEDDEN 2011!  I'm ever so thankful that I stockpile shop!  I had to actually make up something last weekend so my husband had an excuse to leave the ponderosa and check out the roads.

I still don't need to grocery shop but my stockpile will be a bit depleted after this is all over.  We have been eating like kings though.  I've been able to keep to my menu as I typically have a two week delay between eating and buying.  Plus, I always have a few meals that I always keep handy for those just in case nights that are quick and easy.  Things like soup and spaghetti and a few frozen casseroles.

It's been nice to know I don't have to venture out and fight the crowds at the grocery store.  I can just follow my menu and feed my family.  Plus, I purchased most of the food with coupons on sale so I'm saving money too!  That deserves a little happy dance!

I actually had time to make the world famous bar-be-que sauce that I've been meaning to make.  I've been buying the items when I could get them on sale and finally had them all together.  I put up twelve pints so that should keep us for this year.  I can it so I don't have to store so much in the fridge.  I just put it into the canned food pantry along with the summer produce and fruit.  Here in Oklahoma, it's also a great quick gift for someone.  Everybody loves bar-be-que and everyone is always looking for the best sauce.  My son thinks I should sell it.

I'll tell you the bar-be-que story tomorrow.  It's full of intrigue and is steeped in family history!  Oh great, another family story.....

Taking stock of the pantry!

January means that I try to maintain a very frugal budget.  I believe starting off the new year this way sets the tone for the rest of the year.  One way I do this is to try and use out of my stockpile in my pantry.  It's time to clean out the pantry and wipe down all the cabinets.  I use as much out of the pantry as possible during this time and begin to purchase new items for the stockpile.

I have quite a few recipes that use out of the pantry stockpile I've created.  Taco soup, potato soup, chicken tortilla soup, just to name a few.  I also try to use up pasta and boxed meals so they don't get old.  Canned goods can live indefinitely in your pantry but I like to keep a rotation going so I'm not always leaving old things in the pantry.  When I purchase something, I place it in the back of the pantry behind what is already there.

I do the same thing in the freezer.  I am planning to use up the cheese in the freezer this month.  I've noticed that my local grocery has cheese on sale this week and I have coupons for the brand that's on sale.  I'll be going in this week and stocking up.  I'll plan cheese quesadillas and creamy tomato soup next week for dinner.  I'll also be making a few casseroles for the freezer that includes cheese.

I just recently cleaned out the freezer when we moved it into the new garage so at least I don't have to defrost and clean it!  That is one of those jobs that I absolutely hate to do!  As my stockpile of frozen berries gets smaller and smaller, I have more room in the freezer for storing quick meals for our family.  I cooked two beef roasts over the weekend; one with carrots and potatoes for dinner and one to freezer for later, I'm thinking barbeque sandwiches.  I have leftovers that will make a great hash later in the week. I took the strained leftover beef broth and froze it in one and half cups for making rice later.  I don't usually purchase rice mixes because I can use this leftover broth to make long grain rice and it tastes just as good but is a lot cheaper and has less sodium than the mixes.

January is always a month of getting things in order for me.  I'm starting this year in my kitchen!