FRUGAL FOOD STORAGE, DINNER AND EVEN DESSERT!

  Well I decided to try to make a mexican casserole with what I have in the house.  I didn't have soft corn tortilla shells but  I did have hard taco shells so I will use those in the layers and they will soften while cooking.  I didn't have a can of black beans but I did have a bag of dried black beans so I looked at the directions on the back for quick cooking.  It said to put  them in a pan and cover with water by two inches over beans and boil for 2 minutes and then set aside with a cover for one hour.  After that hour drain and add water again and boil till tender, rinse and drain.

 It usually calls for burger but I used chopped turkey I had in freezer.  I used a couple tsp.'s of butter in a fry pan and cooked 1 medium chopped onion and 1 green pepper then added 2 cups of chopped turkey, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, a package of taco seasoning, couple tsp sugar to taste, salt, pepper, and a few squirts of red hot.  Any of these can be adjusted to taste.  Add the black beans and stir.  Layer in large oiled casserole  pan with whatever cheese you like.  I had a half bag of mozzarella, part of a bag of cheddar and half a bar of velvetta.  I crumbled some of the shells on top covered with foil and baked 1 hr on 350 degree's.

  My kids are going to  ask for dessert later so I figured I better get on it.  I checked the cupboard and I am out of alot but I had a big can of peaches and I have ice cream so I decided to make a chunky peach syrup for over vanilla ice cream.  I took the can of peaches and the juice I had saved out of a can of peaches I used for peach cobbler this last weekend and put in a pan with corn syrup(out of sugar), cornstarch, dash of salt and dash of cinnamon and boiled for a few minutes stirring constantly so corn syrup doesn't burn then remove from burner stir in a tsp of vanilla.  I put
mine in an empty applesauce container that I saved.

  I cleaned out a cupboard today and dedicated it to all my containers I save to reuse. It will hold food I want to freeze or just keep in the fridge.  I am keeping all my applesauce, pickle, spices, boullion, cottage cheese, ice cream buckets,sour cream, ketchup, mustard, etc. containers so  I do not have to buy any.  These containers have come in so handy lately.  Its  a comfort to me to know that anytime I need a container to send  food with anyone or want to freeze something I have any size I want right at my fingertips and it cost me nothing!  I don't need fancy containers when I use these it is such a sense of satisfaction to know I have what I need and it was FREE and I am not wasting!  I always say I wished I lived in the Little House on the Prairie days when it wasn't what kind of things you had it was just good that you had it at all.  Have a good night!

MY DAILY ROUTINE

  Eyes open, its that few seconds before you realize all that you have to do today.   I hear kids, my older ones got up with the grandbabies and gave them breakfast, good, now I can actually get a shower and get dressed before I go out of  my room.  My day goes so much smoother when I can stick to my routine.
I used to be the one that once my eyes were open I was up out of that bed, dressed and on task all day long.  Now its like get up, back hurts, stretch that out little then step out of bed and heals hurt also.  I think to myself just a few more steps to my flip flops and then smooth sailing.  Get to the shower and think I am always cold so this is not enjoyable till I am out and put back  together.  Then yes I feel like I can start the day, first hurdle jumped.

  Now out the bedroom into the hall hoping the living room is not to messed up since the kids have been up before me.  I have a certain routine in the morning.  I go to the kitchen  and if there are any dishes I load them into the dishwasher and clean off the counters (again).   I then make sure the highchairs have been washed up and sweep the floor. I can't cook until the kitchen is clean.

  I go to the living room and bring any cups into the kitchen then back to pick up whatever toys got left on the floor from night before.  Open the blinds and get the vacuum and get that done. Start to feel like I am gaining on my chores. Turn the ceiling fan on low cause by then I am finally warming up.  Back to the kitchen  to start laundry then what to cook?  Not sure.  Look in the fridge to refresh my memory of what was left over from the day before and think what I am hungry for.  I usually don't get around to eating till lunch.  Try to figure out whether to freeze left overs or serve them.  Do I feel like cooking? Sure I do. Probably will serve the Turkey noodle soup for lunch and freeze any left overs for my husband to take in his lunch for work and make something completely new for dinner.  Thats the plan then!

  I have turkey cooked, chopped and froze to put in something, pork chops, chopped and frozen chicken, frozen stock etc.  Not sure need to search web and see if there are any frugal recipes that give me any ideas, I usually never follow a recipe entirely, I always change something or add something.  I find that I like more flavor than most recipes call for.

  Have to get started!