July 2014

Periodically, because it's good household management but usually because we're in a budget crunch, I go on a campaign to eat the food that we have. Those items that have gotten pushed to the back of the pantry or freezer. Anyone else have this issue? I consider it the fat corn years intended to supply the lean corn ears (see Genesis, the story of Joseph and Pharaoh), but just like the biblical story, it takes some creative management.

I'm going to keep a journal, hopefully during the entire month of July, of my own efforts to economize as I clean and organize my food. My journey is happening in 2014, a time when Americans waste about 25% of what we buy (see newsstory here). That's appalling, but it easy to do. When my culture fails this way, it pains me. When I am too lazy to eat the rest of the spaghetti sauce in my fridge, hey, what do you know about my life? Stay off my back.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Day 12: so much cooking

Today is Produce Acquisition: a pick-up day for The Produce Gathering. I am now overflowing with produce again, a surprise assortment for $15.
If you live near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and want to see TPG started in your area, there is information on their webpage.

Today, I have to do a lot of cooking and planning. I am making homemade salsa because I have cilantro to use up (and a gazillion romas from the garden). I am making salmon stuffed with leeks for dinner--the salmon is a splurge, but it was $8.88 at Reasor's, so I bought a little extra to put back in the freezer. Salmon is very healthy. I know I just added to the freezer...I know, I know. I bought poblanos to cook with some corn for lunch (soft tacos--find the recipe here).

I'm going to juice most of the lemons, along with some citrus leftover from the last basket (both grapefruit and oranges). I will make pesto out of the kale, and serve that with fettuccine that needs to be used up (Sunday's dinner). Probably use the tomatoes for blt's after church tomorrow.

For the criminis, I will hunt for a vegetarian burger recipe. For the zucchini, I have a corn/zucchini skillet that I have been wanting, and I might serve it with couscous fritters (found a whole box of couscous that I need to use up). (The photo is corn & poblanos, cooked with queso fresca.)

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I really enjoy cooking, so it is good time spent--but it's still a lot. It is useful for me to notice how much time cooking takes, so I can adjust my expectations. If I think I'm just going to whip up everything I've mentioned in this blog entry in a matter of two hours, I am woefully ignorant.

If I commit one Saturday every two weeks to ONLY kitchen work, I wonder how long that will carry me? Will I find myself devoting two other evenings or afternoons to planning, prepping, and cooking?

A budget requires that you first record how you are spending your time/money/calories/whatever. Because I enjoy it, I haven't really thought of noticing how much time I spend cooking.

Here's to noticing.
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