New kitchen, new cooking style

[Homesteadmom]

Speaking from experience of having just moved(April) there is so much to get done on organizing your new house & getting unpacked(we still have boxes packed up) & how much help you get unpacking(me not much). there is a lot on your plate as it is. I wouold pick one thing to concentrate on this fall & then make a list of everything else you want to accomplish at your new place. Then prioritize it & start there next spring with one or two of them & as you are set in that project & have a good routine ass another thing or two(depending how much work is involved). That is how we do it & we do not get overwhelmed with things.

About the canning the intial cost can be high, but most of my jars I have gotten at yard sales, thrift stores too & they have also been given to me when an older lady who no longer cans found out I can & thught I could use some more(we can always use more). I also look for the lids at the end of the season for clearance sales for the next season. The jars last for years & years so when you calculate the cost over the years it is minute really.
For freezing you do not have to blanch vegies before freezing them either. My green beans I got a great deal on at the store I just washed, snapped & froze on a pan & they were just fine. Pressure canners last for ever too.
AS to your bread issue, make a ton of dough & freeze it, then when you need to bake it take out a loaf & put it in the pan to thaw & rise or use a bread machine throw everything in it & forget about it until it beeps at you.
Hope this helps.

 

[TanksHill]

I love this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I agree with everything. I also have been trying to become more ss, and yes baby steps are the best way. I can, only a water bath for several years. Jams, pickles, tom sauce. Asking for the pressure cooker for Christmas. I hava had a garden as long as I can remember, this winter my DH will be adding 3 new raised beds for me. I try to add a couple new trees to my orchard every year. I love to make homemade wheat bread. I found a basic recipe with only 1 rise. I make it by hand no machine. My 5 year old loves to kneed for me. I lucked out there. But, I stll buy at the store when needed.

All of you have such sage advice and I wanted to thank each of you for it. You know the thing that comes to mind is where everyone lives. The weather has such an impact on everything. The hens laying, the veggies growing. I am new here but do we have a "what I do this time of year section"? It would be great to hear "whats at the top or Your to do list". Hey that what I'll call it. Ok so I am rambleing.... Thats normal.
gina

 

[cknmom]

I make freezer bread a lot, otherwise I usually use the dough setting on my machine then shape , rise and bake.
This recipe is for white bread. I unfortunately use more of that as it is hard to find 25+lbs of wheat flour.

Freezer White Bread

4pkgs. yeast
3/4C.lukewarm water-110*
2 1/2C. hot tap water
1/2C. sugar
2T salt
1/4C. shortening
3/4C.milk
12 1/2-13 1/2C. flour

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water;let set 5min. In mixing bowl, combine hot water, sugar, salt and shortening;stir to dissolve, then mix in milk. When mixture is a lukewarm 110*, beat in 4C. flour; add yeast/water; beat vigorously until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board, knead for 15 min. Cover with atowel and let rest 10 min. Divide the dough into 4 ball; flatten each into a disc 6" across. Place discs on waxed paper; freeze until firm. Transfer frozen discs to a plastic bag, freeze up to one month.

Baking directions

Remove desired number of discs from freezer; each will make 1 loaf. Cover with clean towel, let thaw at room temp for 4 hrs. shape into loaves, put in gresed loaf pan. Let rise until doubled about 1 1/2 hrs. Bake at 350* for 35 min.


I sometimes shape the discs into loaves before freezing. I thaw overnight in the fridge in the loaf pan then rise and bake in the morning. I have done this with most of my bread recipes, I like this one becuase it makes 4 loaves. Our DGD has bread everyday, I have some 2-3 times a week, DH hardly ever has any; so these four last me almost a month unless we have fr. toast or stuffing.

If anyone is interested I can find my recipe for berry breakfast pastry. I used to always make two at a time , freezing one. I used to do a lot of that when I had more freezer room.

Monica