It is the last week and the last post for the year. What a year it has been! I hope you had a beautiful Christmas! I think somehow I packed two weeks into one. I absolutely love this time of year, the days after Christmas and before New Years Day. Days to think over the year that has been and days to begin to plan for a fresh new year. A brand new planner and calendar like turning over a new leaf...
It confuses a lot of people that it is summer and Christmas here. We have produce coming in and it is all happening at once! This was certainly the case this week! After Christmas I felt somewhat exhausted but I knew I had two boxes of apricots arriving, zucchinis to pick, a lot of eggs everyday and two boxes of cherries!
I decided to begin with eggs and to freeze dry them for the future. It works out that one freeze drier tray takes a dozen eggs and you can do four trays per load. The eggs are blended which has something to do with distributing the fat content. I am very pleased with them as I know each egg was fresh and perfect and they are frozen very quickly so I will have full confidence using them.
It worked out one dozen eggs per jar. I repeated this process and so I have eight dozen eggs preserved.
Still I had more eggs so tonight I made a large Quiche which we had with salad.
We love cherries but they were extremely expensive before Christmas. I saw a deal this week with a good price and grabbed the chance to get some. We have enjoyed them fresh but what we cannot manage I began to stew today. These went into the freezer.
The apricots arrived. Some were soft and most were imperfect but they were a great deal.
First eating them fresh is number one. Then I picked out nice ones and filled my freeze drier trays...
I don't know how they turned out yet as they are still going but I hope they will be good!
The soft apricots that needed using right away were made into jam.
I picked more Zucchini. First I made my Nana L's tomato, onion and zucchini dish. I make this every Christmas in memory of Nan. She always made this to go with a roast. (Plus a lot of roast veggies.) I LOVED it. Now I realise she probably did this to make the roast meat go further as there were always a lot of us. I just fry up onions and zucchini until they have some nice colour, throw in tomatoes and some oregano and pepper. Then tip this into a large casserole dish (as you want a lot of surface area) and top with bread and grated cheese. Cook this until it is nice and golden. It is very simple but good.
If there are left overs the next day make little spaces with a spoon and crack eggs into it then bake again. This is a delicious breakfast!
Then I decided to have a spaghetti sauce cook up and a heap of zucchini went in which bulked it out a lot!
This went on to become dinner, two Lasagnes and two Pasta Bakes. One went to Chloe. It was huge so I know she will get her family at least two dinners from it.
I froze one of each another is for dinner tomorrow night. I am happy getting a couple of meals put away.
No joke... after all this I still had zucchini so I made another cake.
I have to praise my family and their gift giving! You will see what I mean...
Andy gave me more big pots for my veggie gardening!
There is an area outside my kitchen window that I am going to turn into another garden with containers. I hope to get this going next week.
Mum gave me a Kitchen Aid Spiralizer! I found out about these watching Becky on Acre Homestead. I am so exited to have this!
Lucy gave me Mylar bags and gardening hand tools!
Chloe gave me jars! (Ball and Kilner.)
Allie gave me Dinosaur cookie cutters, foil trays and stainless steel pegs. She thought of my baking and having little boys who like Dinosaurs... genius!
Oh, Chloe also gave me a food scraper... and jar labels. The food scraper has been in constant use... this is how I got the eggs off the pan and into the jars. HOW I didn't know about these before? ... this was another thing I discovered via Becky. So my family seem to have me figured out! And I am a big believer in if someone asks you what would you like then tell them! Seriously, if you say "nothing" they are going to get you something anyway! So help them out and make helpful suggestions!
I was very blessed and I had Christmas with all my family (including Mum who had a lovely time) and it was beautiful. I have to show you Chloe's Christmas table...
Thank you to everyone for your friendship all year. Life is so much better working alongside friends.
How did you build up your home this week?
I will see you on Sunday. We are going to start a whole new year in a whole new way. xxx
I will.have to try your zucchini dish, it looks yummy!
ReplyDelete* I had bought 2 spaghetti squash, 2 butternut squash, and an acorn squash at Aldi back in November. We then got sick and I forgot about them. I smelled something and one of the butternut was rotting and moldy, so I threw it away. The others were fine so I cut them in half, put olive oil on them and baked them. I will lay the spaghetti squash out on a tray and freeze then put in bags for the freezer. I cubed the butternut squash and will bag it for the freezer. I didn't cook the acorn squash yet as my oven was full. I saved a lot of seed from each. Then composted skins and pulp.
* I had some turkey we smoked that had to be used up to I made some turkey and dumplins and it was good.
* My freezers are packed. I have 2 upright freezers and two refrigerator freezers. I will start with the inside freezer and make as many meals as I can with what is in it. I want to can some items, but will wait until husband goes back to work in the new year.
Holly
Dear Holly, It is great you could save and use most of the squash. I have some Butternuts I also need to use. They are so good roasted! Turkey and dumplings sounds really nice!
DeleteI am doing a similar thing with the freezers! I joined the threeriverschallenge and each day Im sorting out a section or a shelf, using something up and then as I shop I will try and restock. Actually with fruit coming in so far I am refilling with that. It will save you a lot of money in January and a good start to the year! With love Annabel.xxx
Happy New Year! You having amazing endurance, what a huge amount of cooking! I am in awe ;). Best wishes for next year. Hilogene in Az
ReplyDeleteDear Hilogene, Thank you! Happy New Year! I hope we all have a very good year. With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYour food always looks delicious and amazing. Your freeze dryer is a real benefit to your food storage, for sure.
I am so impressed with the gifts your family gave you. Good for you letting them know what you wanted.
Those large pots full of gorgeous herbs, veggies or flowers will be so refreshing to look at through your kitchen window.
The barometric pressure is doing a number on my joints and muscles this winter. The constant ups and downs in weather temperature and snow vs sun is wreaking havoc. We had a -49 wind chill temperature for two nights and it never got above zero, during the day, for two days. Two days later it was 42 degrees. This has been very strange weather, thus far.
I did very little for the past week other than try to stay warm and cook. The extreme cold was a good lesson in having preps. We have a whole house generator so if the electricity goes off our generator, within five seconds, kicks on and is running our house on natural gas. It stays on until electricity is restored and runs five minutes after to make sure the electricity is constant. Then it shuts off.
The electricity went off, twice, during the artic blast that came through. It reminded us to purchase some preparedness items for our daughter that she does not have. Of course, they could always stay with us, but it is wise to have items for warmth, cooking, light and a complete medical kit in each home. If snow is involved in such cold temperatures it is, often, best to stay put.
I am excited to see what wonderful post you have for us Sunday.
With much love,
Glenda
Dear Glenda,
DeleteIt sounds just so cold. We also have the whole house generator and in our case it s more to save us from heat and be able to use roof sprinklers in a fire. Ours is diesel. So we have to make sure we have fuel in constant supply. In a crisis we are glad we prepared. I think it is good that your daughter could come to your place but also she has plenty of back ups at her place too. As you say the roads are no joke at these times.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year! I am thinking we will need to be on the ball this year! With love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel and friends,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sheila and I am from Alabama in the USA. My husband and I are retired in our early sixties and have three grown children. No grands yet but hopefully one day! I have been
Following your blog for a few years now and just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it and that I really look forward to your posts each week.
I love all your money saving ideas and hearing about your family as well. Your pictures are delightful too! I always learn something new from you and your readers each week. Looking forward to the new year and all your new posts.
Hugs, Sheila
Dear Sheila, Thank you so much for commenting, I am so happy to hear from you! Thank you for your kind words! Happy New Year to you also! I am getting ready to post a new start for the year and to hit the ground running! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteMy late Mother-in-law made a zucchini dish like your Nan's and it was delicious. I had forgotten about it but now I will make it again. I love all your gifts! Useful things are my love language as well. One daughter-in-law roasts coffee and we always get a bag of that which we very much enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend!
We had kids and grandchildren here until just a few days ago and now the weather is really nice so outside work is being done while we can do it. We made every effort not to waste any leftovers from Christmas. What we could not eat right away was frozen. The very last bit was a pineapple that was not eaten so I cut that up this morning and it is in the canner right now in three pint jars. Outside work will be finished up today and then we will work on inside work over the next few days while it rains. We are so well stocked with every sort of food that we will only need perishable foods in January.
Dear Lana,
DeleteThe pineapple will be vey handy to have canned up! I am so glad you had a Christmas full of family staying! It sounds like you will save a lot of money in January... I am doing the same with the threeriverschallenge to use and rotate my freezer and pantry supplies for a month. Happy New Year to you! With love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel and everyone,
ReplyDeleteAnnabel, your cooking is amazing! What a great week you had. I love the thoughtful gifts from your family, and that table is so pretty. Happy New Year!
This week I did the usual things and added veggies and sausage rolls to the big freezer, cooked up a big vegetable and beef stir fry, and made a big batch of turkey broth with the leftovers from our Christmas turkey. A trip to the price club yielded some nice produce and fresh dairy, and I received a $68 credit at checkout, so that was a nice surprise. (I know price clubs are not always frugal, but in my town the prices are much better than the regular grocery, and the produce is very nice. We also save a lot on medical supplies and OTC medicines.) My dad gifted us another turkey and some pantry items, so thoughtful, and I took him a few meals - Annabel, I got this idea from you and it is such a nice gift and something he really appreciates, so thank you so much.Two of my aunts who live in other states sent us wonderful gifts of lots of nuts and cheeses.The craft store was having a 70% off sale, so I got some ribbon, finishing items, and a set of drawing pencils for my husband and saved twice as much as I spent.
In case anyone else has a loved one who has to learn to live with a stoma, I wanted to mention that you can make a separate appointment with a wound care/ostomy nurse - wonderful experts with a wealth of knowledge! We just learned this, did one of these last week, and it was an amazing help. Also, Amazon can be a source for specific supplies if your regular supplier is being slow with shipping. Thank you everyone who is keeping my husband in your prayers - he is eating well and even gained 2 pounds this last time!
Crafts-wise I have been able to stitch a little and knit a little. I gifted my dad with a cross-stitch of a vintage truck and he loved it - so that was really a gift for me, too.
I hope everyone has a good weekend, and a wonderful new year.
<3
Kathy
Dear Kathy, Happy New Year to you both!
DeleteYour cooking all sounds beautiful! I think the gift of easy meals is lovely for your Dad. People who live alone especially to me seem to sometimes not be bothered for themselves. Singe servings are really easy to add to the freezer for them. I love how your Aunts sent pantry gifts and your Dad gave you a turkey and pantry items as well!
Thank you for sharing information that might help others re the medical treatments. It is so good to hear your husband gained weight, that is a good sign. I know your Dad will treasure the gift you made him!
You sound set with craft supplies so you can enjoy those while the weather is cold! With much love, Annabel.xxx
Happy New Year, Annabel. Looks like a lovely Christmas. We went from negative temperatures F with negative 40 windchills last weekend to in the 50's F today. The eight inches of snow is almost gone and it feels balmy like spring. I even saw a few robins who are back very early. A lot of the eastern and midwest/ central US had horrible weather.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly received lovely gifts. Cooking and crafting items would be on my list as well. This year though it was books! Looking forward to what you have in store for 2023.Blessings, Laura in Ohio
Dear Laura,
DeleteHappy New Year to you too! I heard about major storms... and wow you had wld weather swings! Glenda said this too. I hope you got the books you wished for! With love Annabel.xxx
Thankyou Annabel for a year of wonderful, inspirational reading. I remember you posting about your nanna's zucchini dish on another year, I have only seen this dish before on my mother in law's Christmas table (and other roast dinners through the year). I was just thinking now that my MIL is from the south east too. Maybe it originates there. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy Nana who made this game from Reeves Plains then later Gawler South Australia. I am wondering if this recipe was in one of the really old cook books? I like it so much I should be making it more often when I do a roast.
DeleteWishing you a very Happy New Year! xxx
Happy New Year, Annabel! Your week sounds delightful and productive. I’m learning so much from Becky, too!
ReplyDeleteJust two weeks ago, we closed the full-time RV chapter of our lives (we’ve lived in it for 5 years, but our kids are teens now, so my hubs and I decided it was time for a sticks-and-bricks home), and began a whole new life together in a purchased home with a nice yard. It even has a garden that’s already fenced off!
I honestly made every inch of space work beautifully in that RV, but I’m having fun spreading out a little and putting away my RV-home-canned foods in a canning cupboard with big plans for a garden and canning even more next year. Basically, I’ve been feathering my new nest by transferring everything from the RV to the home, planning my garden, trying to figure out how much I want to tackle for canning next year, and how I want to participate in the ThreeRiversHomestead pantry challenge. Some things in the RV haven’t had a consistent temperature, so I’m thinking the way I’ll organize my goals for the challenge is that I want to eat through our current dry goods in January and February in order to have money from the grocery budget to purchase fresh dry goods and get them stored properly.
It’s been a nice couple of weeks getting settled in the new home! I’m a minimalist and I’ve been in the RV for years, but I’ve enjoyed your blog the last year or two—it has encouraged me to keep at frugal-living, storing up what I can, and stretching what we already have, and I always learn a little something new from you, so thank you! Your positive attitude is incredibly refreshing!
Katie C
Dear Katie, Congratulations on your new home! You will have a wonderful time setting it up and starting the garden. I am in on the threeriverschallenge as well! I am doing it similarly to you as I will be reorganising and re stocking what I use up. Thank you for your kind words and Happy New Year! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteWhat a busy time, with both food processing coming on thick and fast and holidays, too! Wonderful, useful presents you received from your family...they know you very well! You have had such a wonderful year in so many ways...Happy New Year to you and all of your family, from all of us here!!
Lots of love,
Jen in NS
Dear Jen, Happy New Year to you! It is crazy that produce starts coming in at Christmas as it can be a handful but I am so thrilled to have cherries and apricots! Im still working on them...
DeleteI hope 2023 is a wonderful year for your family! With love Annabel.xxx
Gosh no wonder you were feeling weary after all that preserving on top of Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic gifts you received!
I haven’t really done much to get ahead as such this week, BUT I am diligently trying to use up all the leftover food from Christmas, so that it is not wasted, sadly a few things had to be thrown out/composted no matter how hard I tried! I must remind myself not to buy quite so much next year, it is so easy to get carried away at this time of year isn’t it 😌
I’ve been musing all week about my dreams for next year, I’ve got a big dream to start selling my pickled beetroot as a bit of a side hustle, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for so long and just lacked confidence to give it a try. Anyway do you know what I did to give myself a push along…I announced to everyone I knew that I will be selling my preserves soon, and then I was obliged to actually do it! Ha ha! So wheels are slowly setting in motion towards that goal. Nothing like tricking your own self into action LOL
I’m also doing a declutter 2023 things in 2023 challenge…no I’m not a minimalist BUT my house is groaning under the weight of so much stuff and a good clear out will help.
I very much look forward to what you have in store for us Bluebirds in the coming year. I can’t wait to start!! 🐦❤️
Dear Cheryl, congrats for your side hustle. The first step is the hardest but you did a smart thing, showing how determined you are! Well done! My side hustle is knitting/crochet and started the same - I was wearing my knitted jumpers and somebody said how beautiful it is and she wants one for herself, if I can make one. My whole year was covered with orders from different people seing my knitted work. Every penny from any side hustle will count in 2023. Happy Healthy New Year!
DeleteLaura_s_world from Romania
DeleteDear Cheryl,
DeleteHappy New Year! I think it is great to have a side hustle and think you will have many orders coming in. Now do your costings well because jars are not cheap. Do some comparisons around because it is very easy to undervalue our products and work! I am so glad you have announced it as that was a good way to get yourself going! With much love Annabel.xxx
You've been quite busy! Trusting you will have a fantastic 2023! Wondering if you've heard Laine and any progress on her health? Since its winter here in Kansas -weve been using our "Jars of Freedom" from our garden -spaghetti sauces, tomato soup, salsa- all the meat I pressure canned- it taste so wonderful! Thank you for your blog!
ReplyDeleteI love the name "jars of freedom" I think that is just great. I heard from Laine before Christmas.... she was doing ok. She has a lot of trouble sleeping but her treatments are going well! Happy New Year and thank you so much! xxx
DeleteThe week behind was a mix of things. We'd planned to attend to some business but having a 3 yr old underfoot has pretty much settled us at home more often than not. When he got ill this week it pretty much changed every plan we might have had. Fortunately he's on the backside of this illness with an appetite slowly coming back. Since he can out eat a man, it's something when he wants NO food and tells you NO FOOD!
ReplyDeleteI went into a grocery after his doctor visit to top up the family foods even though we were cancelling our family Christmas celebration due to a contagious little boy. I found markdowns on almond milk yogurt. I typically pay $1.79 per 5-ounce cup for this, and these were 39c a cup. Since I never have had yogurt go bad even past its best buy date, I have no issue buying several cups at this price.
Since all family celebrations were cancelled due to cold weather and illnesses in more than one household, food costs were kept well in hand for the holidays.
We have a propane heater to help offset the running of the heat pump when temperatures plummet as they did here in Georgia with the arctic cold front that came through. We never had the high gusty winds predicted and so never lost our power. I kept a kettle of water on the stove to insure that the air didn't dry out too much and set glasses of water about in the rooms to evaporate and add moisture to the air as well.
December has seen us need a repair to the hot water heater, the fridge, and something else. We also got some necessary maintenance work done on a family member's car to keep it running smoothly.
I am more than ready to see a New Year come in. I feel excited and refreshed just thinking about it. May we all see a pleasant year ahead, and many frugal alternatives to any outpriced items we'd typically have bought. Thank you all for sharing your seasoned frugal ways so that we all might learn and adapt!
Dear Terri, I am sorry your Grandson was not well but glad it sounds like he s doing better.
DeleteIt is good you never lost power! It sounds so severe. I think a new year is a new start and fantastic too! Happy New Year to you! With much love, Annabel.xxx
Hello Annabel and Bluebirds,. I like your presents, practical gifts are my kind of gifts, whether I give or receive. I am amazed by your power, how can somebody prepare Christmas and process lots of fruits in the same time? We have only a few hours until the new year starts, it is unusually warm for this period, I even managed to gather rain water for my plants. For 2023 my hope is for world peace, I want to stay positive and prepared for the hard year that comes. Wishing you all a Happy Healthy New Year! Laura_s_world from Romania🥂🥰🎆
ReplyDeleteDear Laura, It is always the way here, produce starts coming in at Christmas. All things happen at once! A very Happy New Year to you! We will be both hopeful and prepared! Thank you for all your support and reports from Romania Laura! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThis past week we were able to find quite a few sales and clearance items in the grocery. A ham for $.99 / lb has been baked and sliced and 4 packages frozen for future use as well as 2 meals enjoyed and the bone and broth saved for cooking. 3 chickens reduced to clear for $.50/ lb have also been tucked away in the freezer. 10 lbs of ground beef was also found for reduced price and again seperated into meal sized portions and frozen. 3 lbs of sale apples have been dehydrated and I have yet to decide what to do with the 3 red peppers. One of my aunts had a superstition that whatever you did on New Year's day you would be doing for the rest of the year. I can only hope that it extends to the week preceeding as well. Wishing you all a blessed New Year.
ReplyDeleteJudy in Tennessee
Dear Judy,
DeleteIt is great you found some good deals! Today my husband checked for ham and it was over $10 a pound! I very much like to dehydrate peppers, if I am not suing them right away. Yes if you are preserving like this and saving like this all year it will be amazing! Have a very Happy New Year! With love Annabelxxx
Happy New Year Annabel.
ReplyDeleteYou have got so much accomplished with your lovely jams, freeze dried eggs and apricots, lovely lasagnas and pasta bakes, lots of lovely stewed cherries. What lovely practical gifts your family gave you for Christmas and they certainly know you well to give you all the things you needed for the home.
In the home
We did a deep clean of the rumpus room and swept and dusted, damp dusted and vacuumed the table down there as well as brushed off all the skirting boards. It had become a bit of a dumping ground the table so DH is putting away all his tools in the shed along with varying WD sprays, gardening tools and more. It is looking so much better.
We got the wheat out of the trailer that was in containers, damp dusted all the country red dirt off the storage containers we had them in and bought them into the rumpus room. Will work on making a space for them all in the walk in pantry and we packed each container with oxygen absorbers and the lovely dried bay leaves you sent us to keep any weevils at bay, thank you.
We have been concentrating on topping up the household staples groceries and treats and needed work boots at the best prices we can and have done rather well on staples, meat, some medical and our work boots. With markdowns few and far between and getting less it is getting harder and harder to do so.
In the kitchen
Made 4 loaves of wholemeal white bread in the bread making machines saving $16.94 on prices we pay locally.
Cooked all meals and bread from scratch.
Purchases
Bought 2 x 3kg prescription dry cat food on end of year sale online reduced from $78 ea to $55.56 ea saving $44.88 over what we pay locally here.
On half price sale at WW bought coca cola 1.25 lt bottles on half price sale, on sale sarsaparilla, used a $10 off code, a rewards 10 x point promo, a 4000 reward point promo on purchase over $120. and used varying point boost promos to save $35.48 on our staples grocery shop and earn 6620 rewards points.
In another shop at WW purchased 3 jars of mustard pickles on sale, marked down cottage cheese, collected our 2 x 2pk of rewards glasses, and used our $30 off rewards dollars and picked up the rest of the staples we couldn't get before saving $81.50 (including glasses cost) on regular prices.
Purchased on eBay 2 pairs of Mongrel work boots with a promo code on eBay saving $88.24 on prices we would pay locally. Nice to have a spare pair each in stock.
At Coles we purchased on markdowns a lamb shoulder roast for $9.37 kg and a cream decorated mud cake reduced from $8.50 to $4.67 to save $10.96 on usual prices.
From IGA on clearances and markdowns purchased a chocolate cream filled roll marked down from $5 - $3, a 1.8kg red wine and garlic marinated topside roast reduced from $33.48 to $21.09 or $11.12kg, 2 x Qld 1kg raspberry yoghurts reduced from $10 - $3 ea, 3 x yoplait 1kg stawberry yoghurts marked down from $4.50 - $2 ea, 4 x packets of shapes reduced from $3.50 to $1 ea and they put on a seniors discount as well to save in total another $48.57 on usual prices.
From Wayne's World we purchased on markdowns 3 x 16pk of strepsils anaesthetic lozenges for $1 saving $ 8 a pack, 4 x 170g blocks of nestle golden rough reduced from $5 to $2 ea and a 120g pack of rollos minis saving $44 on prices elsewhere.
- From WW purchased 4 x 1kg blocks of Hillview cheese using our 4% off e-gift card to save another $44 on usual prices.
Have a wonderful week ahead Annabel and fellow Bluebirds.
Lorna.
Dear Lorna, I did wonder (and hope) if you came home from the farm with grain! I am so happy you did!
DeleteI agree on the deals being harder to come by. You did very well though even so! I am going to attempt to address some of these things to start the new year. It was good to be ahead on work boots.
We buy the Hillview cheese. I have some frozen too. It is the best value!
I hope you both have a very Happy New Year! Thank you for all your wonderful reports Lorna they are inspiring and encouraging. With much love Annabel.xxx