5/28/08

Meal Shortcuts

• Whenever we have whole chicken, I take the chicken carcass, pick off all the extra meat and place the meat in a separate dish.  I take the bones and boil them in very little water.  When the rest of the meat has fallen of the bones, I strain the bones from the broth.  I take the broth and then add a can of carrots, potatoes, corn and beans with the juice, chopped celery, and chopped onions.  I add ground pepper, salt, bay leaves, oregano, and any other spice I desire.  After it simmers for an hour, I add the meat from the chicken I had previously removed.  This will feed a family of 4 for another 3 or 4 days.
• Take your left over meatloaf and chop into large cubes.  Add to spaghetti sauce to make "spaghetti and meatballs."
• Left over mash potatoes and corn bread can be used to make Sheppard's pie.
• Extra bacon from breakfast can be used to make BLT sandwiches for lunch.

Utilize Your Environment

• If you live in an area with hundreds of rabbits like we do, instead of raising rabbits, utilize the rabbits on your land.  Now we actually haven't done with but we have talked about it.  Why spend the extra money in raising rabbits for food when they live naturally outside without any cost of housing and food?  We see at least 50 rabbits a day when we drive around our property.
• Cattails are tasty plants that can be used during several stages of development.  This is free food that grows in swamp or wet areas.  You can also plant these in areas you didn't think you could use the land before.  The internet is full of recipes for cattails.
• Learn what eatable foods grow in your area.  You will be surprised how many eatable plants grow in your area.