Fat Frog Diary

Doesn't it just drive you nuts when a recipe calls for an ingredient you rarely keep in the kitchen because you rarely need it? One of those ingredients is self-rising flour. Unless you're making biscuits the hard way every day (bless you if you do!) then keeping self-rising flour around the house is wasteful. Here in Florida, you just set up a condo for every bug in town unless you keep a bag in the freezer.   That's why I love this quick DIY recipe to make just enough self-rising flour for a recipe, not a cannister to keep. Need three cups of self-rising flour? So triple this recipe.   Self-Rising Flour 1-1/2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 c AP flour   That's it. Mix it up or sift it if you're needing the really fine airy stuff. If you mix it in the food processor, don't forget to let it sit after pulsing so the fine cloud inside settles, or you're going to have flour all over your kitchen.   Lee Plumb  

Now that the holidays are behind us, we can again focus on a more outward look at how we as responsible human beings may positively affect our world. Today I focus on our 7 th Principle, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." When I hear those words, I think of one of our major crises affecting our very existence: Climate Change. We can vote, we can go to rallies, and we can "vote with our wallet, but the simplest and easiest thing we can do is grow our own food (at least in part.) Did you may a New Year's Resolution to eat healthier or lose a few pounds?   No matter how small your dwelling, no matter how poor your circumstances, you can grow a garden using the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) technique. Bonus: It's cheaper and easier than row gardening! I've done it in North Carolina and Colorado as well as my current home in Florida. It can be done anywhere, even an apartment balcony. Instead of long rows and much wasted s...

I don't have time to spend with complicated cookie recipes, especially when I run up on a deadline of Cookies Due Tomorrow! So here's a quickie cookie recipe to get you out of a jam.   Cake Mix (any flavor) 2 eggs ½ c. oil   Mix. Scoop on cookie sheet. Bake at 350F about 10 min. YMMV on cook time. Check and adjust.     Lee Plumb  

I wasn't sure if it was the banana pudding or overeating that caused me the stomach distress. It was the rich banana pudding. A second attempt to eat it resulted in pain and stomach cramps the rest of the night.  I also can't have freshly opened carbonated drinks or coffee. (dammit on the coffee)  I gained a couple of pounds, so I am back on soups and shakes until I get a handle on what I can do. Most meats are still uncomfortable unless I whirl up the food processor. So, I think I will step back to mushies and work on veggies. No carbs. I may even cut back on oatmeal. 

Lessons Learned  1. You still can't eat more than 5 oz.  2. Eating rich desserts mean pain and nausea.  3. You can't sneak in seconds later, either. 

It was a shock to see potatoes included in the list of pureed food. But, since I am craving savory foods and am repulsed by sweets, potato salad sounds ideal. Delicious and, eaten very slowly, my tummy doesn't react. 

I finally ate something too soon. I put blueberries in my yogurt. I mushed them up, so it is most likely to be the skins. Pain! OMG!  It will be a week before I am willing to try grit again. 

Woke up early, and excited to visit Dr. M. Left on time, and arrived a little early at 8 AM. Got weighed and registered the official 254 lbs. I'm good with that, since my home scale dipped below 250 recently. I should be hitting the 3-week slump soon, and that's fine. Now's the time to up my game. Biggest News: I can return to work at last starting Thursday 11/21/2019. Already contacted the boss, scanned the documents, and emailed Sedgewick. Whew!! So ready! Doc released me to start puree'd foods. Can't wait to tuck into a few of my favorites, and even the fishes I'm allowed. Still, I'll be good and introduce one new food at a time. I've not had a single dumping syndrome episode or any other food intolerance. This is going almost too well. I can start my elliptical too. Considering it's often cold out there right now, my elliptical will be my friend until spring/or at least warm days where I have no excuse. In both cases above, it's time ...

I'm bored. It's been cold and rainy, so I can't walk right now. I made the Thanksgiving grocery list and the Service Auction Casseroles grocery list too. I'm making crock pot tapioca pudding. Later I will make cubed steak burgers and sweet potato soup. The soup is for me. The burgers are for lunches this weekend.  I just had the last two pucks of taco soup, so I need a new go-to soup. 😋  Time for me to be a super cook. 

Cindy J. took me home, and I was so grateful I was almost crying. She even came back the next day to Stitch and Bitch in the afternoon. She advised me to try to do without my bed wedge and antacids. By golly, I slept better, and my reflux is gone! Yaaaay!  Maybe it's because I slept so well, but I realized I had been making a fundamental mistake in how I eat. I still want to drink with my meal, and that one habit is allowing food to pass before I get the signal that I am full! The time to correct the bad habit is now, while I am still on full liquids. 

At 0930 I completed the final tick on the checklist. My digestive system finally cooperated and gave up the end game product needed to prove it was fully functional. I had begun to worry.  Now I have to wait and worry. Nurse Shannon has confirmed Dr. Motamarry will be doing rounds today. Then, if he agrees he will put in the orders for my PICC line out, and the drain in one of my incisions to be removed. If so, my first act will be a shower at home!  Cindy J is supposed to pick me up when I call or email.  It is now 1350. The doctor has not come. I'm trying to hold on to hope. 

I slept all yesterday but lay night and today no one has let me sleep. Whether it's vitals, a pill or shot, lab work, another doctor coming in to c check on my labs will my stitches they have not let me alone more than 20 minutes I am ready to scream for need of sleep.

I thought today would never arrive. But three hours from now I will be on the operating table and my guts will be rearranged.  I have to praise the phlebotomists here. All of them so far have been consumate professionals. One stick, every time. Tina, who just left, never hurt me. I'm truly amazed.  At this moment I am free of all devices attached to my PICC line, and I want a bath. Penny, my nurse, is in a dither. She knows the Gabapentin has made my world tilt, so she wants someone with me, but the current PCT is male. LOL!  That's my current project. I get pretty bored.  Despite being a Clear Liquid diet, the food is good. I like the Blue Raspberry Popsicle and I even liked the coffee black but I had to sneak in sweetener from my stash in my suitcase. Still, yum! 

I just called Riverside Hospital. There's no direct admit orders for me today. I'm so angry I'm shaking. This is required for me to have two days of a heparin drip. I'm packed. I'm dressed. My CPAP has been cleaned and packed. I took extra days of leave to be there this morning, ready for two days of lab rats turning me into a pin cushion while they monitor my PT/INR, unless the doc also managed to send in the order for two IV's, like I asked. Four minutes until the doc's office opens. I hope they are ready for this phone call. Update: I called the office. Miss "M" (no relation to the doc) swears she had this conversation with me, informing me that a direct admit has to be done the day of admittance and when Dr. M gets in, he will call the orders in. Then, Miss M will call me to tell me when I may appear at the hospital. This doesn't march with any practice I know of. Always before doctors were able to schedule a direct admit many days ...

I'm dizzy and stoned on Gabapentin, so if my language offends you feel free to stop reading. I was told I'd be admitted on the 6th. I was told "M" would call and give me the time. I called the doc on Monday because M had not called. I was told M had the day off and they'd leave a message. Tuesday afternoon I called as a follow-up and was told M always calls between 3-5 pm, and I have to wait. I waited. At 6 PM, I stopped waiting. Now I'm angry. I went online to the patient portal and found out my surgery is at 7 AM on Friday. That's good to know, but not what I need. I will call at 8 AM and try again.

The nerves started to hit me today. I kept expecting a phone call from the surgeon's office for a time to appear to be admitted. No call. I finally called. They don't tell you until the day before your surgery. Ummm.. I should be admitted two days before so they can start the heparin drip.  Adding to my nerves is starting the Gabapentin tomorrow, and I thought I had lost the bottle. I called Walgreen's and was reminded that it was a liquid that needed refrigeration. Bingo! I found it in the fridge.  I'm always concerned when starting a new medication. Side effects and allergic reactions are top of the list. 

I was struggling with the diet because I had misread the list of allowed foods. I had been trying to follow the 24 hour clear liquids diet! OMG! No wonder I had been struggling. Needless to say, I have enjoyed vegetables and white meats this afternoon and evening. Full tummy and contentment. 

I cheated twice now. Halloween was impossible to resist. Especially when Snickers are in my face. Now it is the soups. I don't want to strain out the broth and drink only that. So far I have managed to restrain myself from eating meat. Just veggies, much softer by cooking. I've got to do better. 

I made this tonight. Even without the cheese toast, it's still delicious! 2 T butter or margarine 2 c thinly sliced onions 4 cups beef broth 2 T dry sherry (optional) 1 t Worcestershire sauce 1 pinch black pepper 4-6 slices French bread, toasted 1 cup shredded Gruyere, Jarlsberg, or Swiss Cheese In a large saucepan melt butter and stir in the onions. Cook and stir until the onions are golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Onions must be browned. Don't skimp. You need that caramelization. Add broth, sherry, Worcestershire, and pepper. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Optional for non-ops: Sprinkle freshly-toasted bread with cheese. Place under broiler until cheese melts and turns light brown. Float bread on top of soup in the bowl. Makes 4-6 side dish servings. Hints and tips: Use your food processor and slice up those onions. In fact, save time and do the whole bag of onions. Measure out your 2 cups for this ...

Feeling better today. I had to remember that it's better to avoid triggers like being bored or mindlessly watching TV (with food ads every few minutes.) I'm happy to report that being at work helped a huge amount! I've hardly noticed and ate even less. Diarrhea started mid-afternoon. That's no fun.  It's not so bad, so I'm going to get in the kitchen and make myself French Onion Soup for tonight. If the recipe comes out well, I'll post it. Lee Plumb, NCICS

Doesn't this look easy and yummy?

I'm not hungry, but I am angry. It's difficult to be this restricted. Maybe it's psychological. You're told you can't have something and that's immediately the only thing you want. It also doesn't help to be watching Halloween Wars, with all the sweet treats given the judges.  I'm going to finish my consomme and maybe make a shake or eat a Popsicle. They are at least sweet.  I posted Cream of Everything Soup Mix recipe in Bariatric Foodies FB page. Seems successful.  Not sure if I can make it without cheating all the way to hospital admission day. 

Lessons Learned: Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup- use the blender. I don't have time at lunch to stir a pot on the stove. Taste: Meh. Okay. The rotation isn't perfect, but it helps. Lee Plumb, NCICS

I've been reorganizing our freezers in preparation for my upcoming surgery and the dietary changes that come from one person (me!) having bariatric surgery while Da Roomie Dave copes with his new life as a Type 2 diabetic. I also finally got around to reading Marie Kondo's book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up." I've enjoyed having a very clean bureau, especially using shoe boxes as a primary organizer. They're cheap and versatile. I've already had one go at my closet, but I think a second round will be necessary. But enough of that. The point is, shoe boxes have a new respect in my life. So, since I had to clean out the freezer and I had a few spare plastic shoe boxes, I decided to "Kondo Mari" the small freezers above our two refrigerators. Before you diet-nazis get all huffy and feel superior, Da Roomie Dave and I each own a refrigerator. Mine is the black one currently in the kitchen and is one of the few remaining appliances lef...

Double Milk is the most interesting part of this. I've not tried it yet, so anyone who gives it a go before me, would you be kind enough to comment and let me know? It's supposed to be a "I can't go get more protein powder until payday" substitute when you need to keep drinking that all important protein.  I like the idea of it because you're allowed to add sugar-free syrups such as Torani and DaVinci, and I have quite a few of those. If you are curious, go to  https://shop.torani.com/Sugar-Free-Syrups/c/Torani@SugarFreeSyrups   or  https://www.webstaurantstore.com/51/flavoring-syrups.html?vendor=DaVinci   to see all the possibilities.  Note: I do not make any money from these links. They are offered as a courtesy to my readers.  

I don't talk about my diet much on Facebook. No one gives a rat's patootey about your diet except someone else on the diet. Your friends will applaud when you've lost a few pounds, but this is a long-haul marathon slog. In fact, it's a full lifestyle change. This is kind of like how vegans seem to brag about their diet choice and post recipes like they expect you to join in. The most I could ever manage was a lacto-ovo-pesco-pollotarian. (Willing to give up beef and pork, but will eat chicken, fish, eggs, and milk.) I've been back on a low-carb diet for months, and transitioning over to the Phase One of the pre-surgical diet has been relatively smooth. Do I miss my carbs? YOU BETCHA! Especially my morning bowl of hot cereals. Everything else I can live without, but that's a lifetime habit to have a bowl of carbs in the morning to fuel the day. I don't even miss red meat right now. This may change, but so far I'm okay with just fish, eggs, beans, white ...

The much-anticipated news arrived on Friday, Sept 27. I got an email saying I had either a referral or an authorization. I knew what it had to be, having received the referral approval for the surgeon himself a few days ago. Now I must wait on the surgeon's staff to get the message and choose to set my date. I'll be surprised if it's before Halloween, to be honest. I know where: St. Vincent's Riverside, where I spent my three delightful days in June with the bi-lateral pulmonary embolism. In the meantime, I will be getting serious about the Phase 1 of the pre-surgery diet. I admit readily that it was difficult to be motivated before today. Going on a low-carb diet is not fun, but I've been at least trying. So, we start with a shopping list. Mine is mercifully short, because I'd already been buying and stocking up. I've made stocks and broths, purchased a few more, and even purchased a few frozen fish. I'm not very well-versed in cooking fish, so I ...

Have you seen the 21-Day Fix diet? I kept coming across pins on Pinterest related to it, and I was intrigued by the seeming simplicity of simply measuring by using colorful containers. No counting! Let me state right at the beginning that I didn't buy the book, nor did I buy the colored containers. While they are inexpensive enough on Amazon, I want to "try before you buy" and simply see if it would help me in my weight loss adventures while I wait for surgery. I'm a dedicated foodie. That's one reason why my BMI is a whopping 43. I love food, and I love combining my foods into interesting and tasty combinations such as mini-peppers cut in half and stuffed with half a mozzarella stick. Yumm! Who says diets have to be boring? Anyway, I checked around and found the number of colorful containers for my weight. Each color represents a different food group and each container is a specific size to match a serving of that food group. For instance, I am allowed 3 gr...

Just a quick little tip for a snacker who doesn't want to fall off the wagon. (Me!) I'm sure you've seen those mini-peppers in the store in bags, looking colorful and tempting. Were you scared of the heat? Don't be. No heat! Those things wouldn't cause a hot flash even if Leonardo DiCaprio walked by stark naked. (Sorry Leo!) Cut them in half and you can stuff them with cream cheese and ground beef, but for a simple snack with no fuss, cut a mozzarella stick in half and stuff the pepper with that. I stuffed four peppers with four halves of two mozzarella sticks and microwaved them for a minute to melt the cheese to gooey deliciousness. Yum!

I found this on the side of a box of Jell-o Vanilla Sugar Free Pudding and tried it. I made one change and one omission. I changed the cookies to a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs and I didn't use any Cool Whip. Oh, and I used the sugar free varieties of the pudding and gelatin. However, I will type the recipe faithfully. Do what you want. It's your life. Mini Lemon Cream "Pies"  1 pkg (3.4 oz) Jell-o Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding 1 pkg. (3 oz) Jell-o Lemon Flavor Gelatin 1-1/2 cups boiling water 8 vanilla wafers (or graham cracker crumbs) 1 cup thawed Cool Whip whipped topping (optional) Combine dry pudding and gelatin powder in a medium bowl. Add boiling water, stir for 2 minutes, until completely dissolved. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Place 1 wafer in the bottom of each of the 8 dessert dishes. Cover with the pudding mixture. Top with the Cool Whip. Chill for at least an hour. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Pre-cooking meat in the crockpot works! Being an "old hand" at the crock pot, I already knew the trick of adding Kitchen Bouquet to my ground pork to give it that "browned" look, but this was a side adventure. After cooking, I drained away the grease and weighed what was left. Two pounds of raw ground pork became 10 oz each for two quart bags of cooked pork ready for a meal another day. The stock "pucks" made in my silicone muffin tins are now ready  for use! I can't wait for my next beef stew. It worked great when I melted one in the microwave for use in my stroganoff!  I already know making tea and coffee cubes work for iced tea and coffee. The big experiment for the day is: does Almond Milk freeze well enough to be used in my daily protein shake? I have used frozen yogurt and of course ice cubes. I'm looking for a different boost to my shakes. Let's go into pre-cooking the meat a little deeper.  1. Pre-cooking Meat in the Crock...

Go out for a walk Paint your nails Try cooking a new dish Read a book/ Go to a bookstore Take a long bath Write in your journal Catch up on your favorite shows Watch an inspiring TED talk Meditate Organize your room/closet Get a massage Experiment with your makeup Try a new workout class Explore your neighborhood Unplug Watch a funny Youtube video Apply a face mask Listen to an album you haven't heard yet Go to a comedy show Visit a museum Write a handwritten letter to someone you care about Make your own face scrub Head to a cafe for coffee/tea Research something you've been meaning to learn more about Clean your home Create a playlist Declutter your inbox Fix your resume Write a letter to your future/younger self Set intentions Work on manifesting all you desire Listen to a podcast Go to the movies Create a budget Drink water Take a nap Meal plan/ prep Find a new affirmation for your week Browse your favorite website Draw or color in a...

Today I start on a long-term experiment in food management. I have a deep freezer, and I'm going to follow some of the Pinterest ideas for keeping food long-term rather than wasting it. For instance, tomato paste. What if the recipe calls for 2 T.? What do you do with the rest of the 6 oz can? Cut it into rounds, stick them in an extra ice cube tray, freeze them, then pop them into a labeled freezer bag. Voila! No more waste. Bonus: The cubes are perfect for popping into a stew or other emergency recipe. Yesterday I found three gallon bags of saved items I can't use because of the size of the bag. One giant bag of beef stock doesn't do any good if I only need 2 cups. Two cups in quart bags, labeled and frozen flat for easy storage. I did this for chicken stock and that was pure joy. The recipe was twice as good with homemade stock and it wasn't a massive amount of salt. Same goes for the giant bag of frozen watermelon. Good idea done wrong. That needs to be sa...

I don't know about you, but most Jell-o Jiggler and Knox Blox recipes want you to use 4 boxes of Jell-o, and the Knox Blox formula looks like a chemist's list of ingredients. But what if you want enough for one person? What if you only have one box of three different flavors? Now what? Break out the calculator and guess? NOPE! Here's your simple formula. You can commit this to memory. For every one box of Jell-o, use one cup of hot water. Now here's the rest of the tricks: 1. Use a spray like Pam to lubricate the inside of your mold. Wipe most of the foam away with a paper towel, leaving just a slick surface. 2. When mixing the gelatin and hot water, stir with the whisk for two minutes. Yes, set a timer. There's one on your phone, microwave, and probably your stove. Use your Echo device. Use a timer. Seriously. Stir for the whole two minutes and pay attention. Create as few bubbles as possible. Stir, don't whisk. Bubbles leave unsightly pock marks on...

Yield: 4 servings 6 bacon strips, diced 2 small zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices 2 small yellow squash, cut into ¼ inch slices 1 medium onion, thinly sliced In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove to paper towels. Drain, reserving 2 T drippings. In the drippings, saute the zucchini, yellow squash, and onion for 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle with bacon to serve. Lee Plumb, NCICS

I'm setting my wish list now, even though I have no surgery date as of today, August 26, 2019. These items make sense to me. I gain no props for these links, and no commissions. They were chosen because they were reasonably inexpensive and had features I'll try to point out.  1. Sport Shaker Bottle -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1Z6WW6/?coliid=ICYRQPZGNMKKW&colid=1BNJ6DW3D6BG4&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it This shaker bottle is leakproof, and that alone is a big deal. I've got 3 or 4 shaker bottles that I can't take outside the house because the lid pops off at the least provocation. Their metal balls make enough noise to wake the dead and I prefer to be discreet with my bottle. This bottle above has a plastic ball, and all of it is dishwasher safe. There's even a place to store pills.  2. Liquid Protein https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1Z6WW6/?coliid=ICYRQPZGNMKKW&colid=1BNJ6DW3D6BG4&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it They say that, at least...

A creamy, smooth blend of three convenient mixes that's very versatile. 1 package (3-1/4 oz.) Jell-O sugar free pudding and pie filling 1 package (3 oz) Jell-O sugar free gelatin (any fruit flavor) 2-1/2 cups water, boiling 1 tub sugar free Cool Whip, thawed or whipped cream! Y Combine pudding, gelatin, and water. Stirring until thick and clear. Chill until slightly thickened. When thickened, add to Cool Whip, folding together. Spoon into individual dessert dishes. Chill until firm. Makes about 4 cups or 6-8 servings.

Look at this... https://pin.it/qtnnjo64t5wfxo Powered by Cricket Wireless Cheap plastic bins to hold SOS pads, Dish tablets, sponges, magic erasers, wash cloths. Rods hung from the cabinet tops to hold trigger sprays.

Yield: 2 Servings ½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed 3 Tbsp peach preserves Dash cayenne pepper 1. Place beans in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. 2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine preserves and cayenne. Cook, uncovered, on high for 30 seconds or until preserves are melted. Transfer beans to a serving bowl; add peach mixture and toss to coat. Lee Plumb, NCICS

Pork Diane Makes 4 servings Introduction (if any) Ingredients: 2 T water 2 T Worcestershire Sauce for chicken 2 t lemon juice 2 t Dijon-style mustard 1 lb boneless pork loin roast, cut into four 1" slices 1 t lemon-pepper seasoning 2 T butter 1 T snipped fresh chives or parsley Instructions: For sauce, in a small bowl stir together water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and mustard. Set aside. Sprinkle both sides of each piece of meat with lemon-pepper seasoning. In a 10" skillet or electric skillet, cook meat in hot butter over medium heat for 6-10 minutes until done (160F) and juices run clear, turning once. Transfer meat to platter; cover to keep warm. Remove skillet from heat. Add sauce to skillet and stir to remove brown bits from bottom of skillet. Stir until well blended. Pour over meat. Sprinkle with chives. Notes: The sauce is so good, you can use it for pork or chicken. Delicious! I got this recipe from BHG Phase 1 Low...

Powered by Cricket Wireless We made this recently and it was surprisingly good. Manufacturers do this a lot, and it's a great source of recipes. They want to showcase their product, so they have test kitchens make the recipe well before they put it on the label. These recipes survived the test kitchen, so they're the best of the best.

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Ranch Stew 1990 Powered by Cricket Wireless Another of my secret weapon recipes. Other than the ground beef, it's a "shelf special" recipe. My shelf specials are often made with ingredients I keep on hand, like vegetable soup and pork-n-beans. It's pushing 30 years old, and still one of our favorites.

Back on 07/22/2018, I mentioned that I was going to get my lap band removed and a hiatal hernia repaired. I had the surgery in August of 2018, and was doing okay. Then, came problems. The kinds doctors label "unfortunate" but most don't consider a serious issue. Yeah bud, you try living with acid reflux that goes into your lungs and makes you cough like you have a permanent case of pneumonia. It took a pulmonologist from the USN Hospital to finally figure it out. So, now I sleep on a wedge pillow. I stopped coughing almost immediately. Problem #1 solved. Problem #2 was my doctor himself. I did not want to have the second surgery until I'd cleared my lungs and the holidays had passed. I've had surgery at holiday time before, and it sucks big green donkey balls to miss out on the holiday fun. So I waited, gained a few pounds during the holidays (who doesn't?) and presented myself to the doc in January. Not surprisingly, he wanted me to lose the 8 pounds I...

Powered by Cricket Wireless This recipe is so old, it's "foxing." I have no idea how long I've had it, but at the time bulk Sweet-n-Low was what diabetics used mixed with sugar in their baking. It's still the best zucchini recipe I have.

What to keep in the freezer Let's go beyond coming home and dumping the meat you're not cooking tonight, the frozen veggies in the bags, and maybe the ice cream. Let's save money by using our freezers to actually make our cooking easier. None of this is difficult. It just means thinking ahead.  Note: Label your bags before you get your fingers wet or covered in food! And while we're at it, use good freezer bags. They're thicker than sandwich bags and made to hold up while in the freezer. Call it an investment in the future. You can write directly on the bag with a Sharpie. Don't forget to include the date so you can rotate out the oldest to use first.  I highly recommend a deep freezer if at all possible. After you see what you can store, you’re going to need extra room. While chest freezers are more efficient and can hold large items, upright freezers give you better access to your stored items. It's up to you.  Tomato paste – make sma...

You can actually make it with any flavor of Jell-O. It's worth the time and trouble when you're craving ice cream!

While waiting for the first of my two surgeries, I'm on a liquid diet. Now, the doc has an interesting definition of "liquid" which includes semi-solids like Greek yogurt, and vegetables processed to a semi-solid state. Not bad at all, when you consider the options include delicious "cream of" soups. I'm a big fan of vegetable soups, so this is not a hardship. Especially when you have these two great options for soup base, in addition to a powdered consomme I found in the international section of my favorite grocery store. This first one is my favorite for pure flavor! I can even substitute beef broth or vegetable broth, since both are also available. Now that's versatile. And now for your choice of vegetables and seasonings. Now think of the mix and match possibilities. Believe it or not, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes go together. Leeks go with onions, or go it alone if you're feeling adventurous. I'm from the deep South, so I know ...