I get my TP and paper towels with my amazon subscribe and save. It keeps me out of Wal Mart (AKA hell). I agree that buying in bulk isn't worth it for smaller households in the long run unless you have really good storage space.
Artie
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Cooking for One
- Thread starter Mamanyt1953
- Start Date
Artie
Sam's Club will let you purchase without a membership, but they charge a little higher price for non-members. I would make an occasional purchase from Costco if they did the same thing but they are members only. I agree that a membership to either one isn't really too valuable for single people.
Sam's used to do a day pass for $5. I'm not sure if they still do that or just charge non-members a little extra. Either way, for a large purchase like a freezer it might be worth it.
I think I get my money's worth from my Costco membership. If you wear glasses, the savings on glasses will cover the membership fee right away (my mom's glasses usually cost around $600 because she has line-free bifocals, but at Costco they're only around $200). I do have a large storage area though; if I lived in a small apartment I suppose I wouldn't have anywhere to put the big thing of TP. Their dog and cat foods are pretty good and cheaper than foods of similar quality, so those savings probably pay for the membership too. Granted, a 25-pound bag of kibble or a 48-can box of Friskies probably is too much if you have only one cat! So, yeah, it depends on a lot of factors, but I think a Costco membership can be worth it for some single people.
I probably wouldn't have a Sam's membership if it were up to me, but my mom gives me her second card (since my dad is never gonna go shopping without her!) so free is worth it
. I don't buy much at Sam's though.
I think I get my money's worth from my Costco membership. If you wear glasses, the savings on glasses will cover the membership fee right away (my mom's glasses usually cost around $600 because she has line-free bifocals, but at Costco they're only around $200). I do have a large storage area though; if I lived in a small apartment I suppose I wouldn't have anywhere to put the big thing of TP. Their dog and cat foods are pretty good and cheaper than foods of similar quality, so those savings probably pay for the membership too. Granted, a 25-pound bag of kibble or a 48-can box of Friskies probably is too much if you have only one cat! So, yeah, it depends on a lot of factors, but I think a Costco membership can be worth it for some single people.
I probably wouldn't have a Sam's membership if it were up to me, but my mom gives me her second card (since my dad is never gonna go shopping without her!) so free is worth it
. I don't buy much at Sam's though.
About a year ago a Sam's rep was standing in WalMart trying to sell Sam's memberships. She didn't mention paying for a day pass when I asked if non-members can still make purchases. It sounded like I could walk through and shop freely. I don't remember if she said the non-member price was 5% or 10% more. I never did go check it out. If I were looking for a large appliance or television or something, I might shop Sam's, but I'm not going to pay $5 just for the "privilege" of walking their aisles.
Sam's will let anyone walk in and look around. If you decide to buy something and are not a member, there is a 10% surcharge. They used to check for membership cards at the door but stopped some time ago.
Oh, they let anyone in to walk the aisles and look around (at this Sam's, they don't even have a door checker coming in); you only have to pay the $5 (or whatever it is) to buy something. Costco also will let you in to look around, to decide if you want to buy a membership, but you do have to get the membership before you buy anything.
OK, it's now a 10% surcharge; I guess they got tired of people getting a $5 one-day pass and doing a year's worth of shopping on that day, lol: http://help.samsclub.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/279/~/one-day-pass
Oops, I'm slow---Kat0121 beat me to it
.
OK, it's now a 10% surcharge; I guess they got tired of people getting a $5 one-day pass and doing a year's worth of shopping on that day, lol: http://help.samsclub.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/279/~/one-day-pass
Oops, I'm slow---Kat0121 beat me to it
.
Last edited:
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I just found this thread. I used to shop at Sams until they jacked their prices up. I haven't bought at those kind of stores in 15 years. I used to price check and the prices per unit were more money than the grocery store! the only good thing is if you have a big family it's just easier to buy in bulk but I didn't notice a cost savings.
I love peppers. I have grown my own. One trick to growing them-the hotter the better. I used black plastic. And Epson Salts on them twice. Once when the buds are blooming and one more time when the fruit is growing if my memory serves me correctly.
I loved 1cat's talk about making lamb chops for the cats.
Eggs=I found I can nuke them in the microwave but it's a fussy way to cook them. 2 eggs scrambled in a bowl takes about 2 minutes but every 15 seconds you need to whip them. And with your peppers mamamy you can make a nifty omelet style scrambled eggs without dirtying a pan. just add the veggies to the eggs then stir every 15 minutes. Voila. Until they are done. sometimes I make 4 eggs at once..yummy.
I used to have a freezer but we just never used up the food fast enough before it got freezer burnt. So for now we just use the small freezer on the refrigerator.
I love peppers. I have grown my own. One trick to growing them-the hotter the better. I used black plastic. And Epson Salts on them twice. Once when the buds are blooming and one more time when the fruit is growing if my memory serves me correctly.
I loved 1cat's talk about making lamb chops for the cats.
Eggs=I found I can nuke them in the microwave but it's a fussy way to cook them. 2 eggs scrambled in a bowl takes about 2 minutes but every 15 seconds you need to whip them. And with your peppers mamamy you can make a nifty omelet style scrambled eggs without dirtying a pan. just add the veggies to the eggs then stir every 15 minutes. Voila. Until they are done. sometimes I make 4 eggs at once..yummy.
I used to have a freezer but we just never used up the food fast enough before it got freezer burnt. So for now we just use the small freezer on the refrigerator.
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- #48
If you have a bulk store nearby that gives good savings, consider banding together with other singles or couples and buying bulk items that all of you use. One trip a month would do it. Suzanne and Mary and I will be doing that when one of us has a car. There are several items that we all buy every month. Bulk would be great for those! And it's an excuse for a day out and lunch with friends!
Freezer burn problems are a result of 1) overbuying or 2) not putting the new meat at the bottom and rotating the oldest meat to the top...especially with the chest freezers. ....and I am Guilty, guilty, guilty!
I raw fed my pets from 2008 into early 2013 when I got a part time job with guaranteed hours 3 days a week that prevented me from participating in a local bulk meat-buying coop. Without the meat discounts I decided I couldn't feed 5 pets raw at grocery store retail prices and went back to "pet food". After losing one cat and one dog since September, I have gone back to raw since January.
Anyway now that I'm back to needing 40lbs of meat per month for 3 pets, plus a little for myself...I am defrosting the little freezer today and there is meat in there with 2012 dates!!!!
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oh I have things only a month old with freezer burn. It's the type of freezer. The next one is going to have the freezer on the bottom where the air stays cooler.
Yes, frost-free freezers burn food faster than the type you have to defrost. The circulating air that keeps the freezer frost free also dehydrates food.
Defrosting is a real pain though. I currently have the little freezer lined with puppy pee pads and bowls on top, and I'm still going to have to dump bowls of water every hour or so unless I want water running all over the garage floor. (Or I could be a little more organized and not let the freezer turn into an ice berg big enough to sink the Titanic and defrost more often.)
Defrosting is a real pain though. I currently have the little freezer lined with puppy pee pads and bowls on top, and I'm still going to have to dump bowls of water every hour or so unless I want water running all over the garage floor. (Or I could be a little more organized and not let the freezer turn into an ice berg big enough to sink the Titanic and defrost more often.)
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #52
OK, guys. The real culprit for freezer burn is air getting to the meat. The air in your freezer is hyperarid and will suck the moisture out of meat in a heartbeat, which is what freezer burn is. Wrap meats TIGHTLY in 2-3 continuous layers of cling-type wrap, pressing the air out before sealing the ends. THEN wrap TIGHTLY in 2 layers of aluminum foil, sealing the ends well. Mark with product and date using a sharpie. You can keep stuff for at LEAST 6 months without freezer burn doing this. You might go through more cling wrap and foil, but it's FAR cheaper than throwing out meat, and lets you stock up when you find sales.
i use a vacuum sealer, when i'm portioning up bulk packages of meat. that seems to keep my meats quite well in the freezer for at least several months, and probably longer. i have a Rival brand vacuum sealer, and buy vacuum sealer bags in bulk through amazon.
i also use Green Bags -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Meyer_Green_Bags. i've had very good results using green bags. you can use them up to 10 times before they lose their ability to keep fruits and veggies fresh. i use a permanent marker to put dots in the upper corner of the bags as i use them, so i know how many times they've been used -- and when i've reached 10 uses. i think it's important to follow the proper way to use them. i always make sure that no condensation is on the fruit/veggies when putting them in the green bags, and also check them here and there for possible new condensation to wipe off the fruit/veggies and out of the green bag. i rinse the green bags between uses, and let them dry inside out and over a liter water bottle. my results are that i'm able to keep fresh celery and fresh carrots for the 12+ weeks between grocery shopping, usually i'm finishing up the celery around the 10 weeks point and the carrots close to the 12 weeks point. i use a green bag to store my fresh cauliflower too, but i finish that off usually around the 3+ weeks point. when i was considering trying the green bags, i also looked into the green 'boxes' (containers), but read enough reviews stating that the containers weren't as effective as the bags that i went with the green bags.
tips about spices. i buy my spices through amazon and my spice sage dot com. spices that i use quite a lot of, i'll buy in larger quantity; and those i don't use much of i'll buy in one ounce or 4 ounce quantity. ground cinnamon and italian seasoning are ones that i buy in 16 ounce bags. while bay leaves and cumin are ones that i'll buy in 1 ounce or 4 ounce bags. i save quite a bit on the cost of my spices buying this way (compared to buying those little bottles of spices at the grocery store), and the spices from my spice sage especially are very fresh. amazon has it's various shipping costs, and my spice sage offers free shipping (it looks like from their website) anywhere in the US -- with a $10 minimum purchase, including Alaska and Hawaii, but not to Puerto Rico and not free shipping of over 10 lbs worth to Alaska and Hawaii. i usually place an order at my spice sage about once every 6 months or so.
i also use Green Bags -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Meyer_Green_Bags. i've had very good results using green bags. you can use them up to 10 times before they lose their ability to keep fruits and veggies fresh. i use a permanent marker to put dots in the upper corner of the bags as i use them, so i know how many times they've been used -- and when i've reached 10 uses. i think it's important to follow the proper way to use them. i always make sure that no condensation is on the fruit/veggies when putting them in the green bags, and also check them here and there for possible new condensation to wipe off the fruit/veggies and out of the green bag. i rinse the green bags between uses, and let them dry inside out and over a liter water bottle. my results are that i'm able to keep fresh celery and fresh carrots for the 12+ weeks between grocery shopping, usually i'm finishing up the celery around the 10 weeks point and the carrots close to the 12 weeks point. i use a green bag to store my fresh cauliflower too, but i finish that off usually around the 3+ weeks point. when i was considering trying the green bags, i also looked into the green 'boxes' (containers), but read enough reviews stating that the containers weren't as effective as the bags that i went with the green bags.
tips about spices. i buy my spices through amazon and my spice sage dot com. spices that i use quite a lot of, i'll buy in larger quantity; and those i don't use much of i'll buy in one ounce or 4 ounce quantity. ground cinnamon and italian seasoning are ones that i buy in 16 ounce bags. while bay leaves and cumin are ones that i'll buy in 1 ounce or 4 ounce bags. i save quite a bit on the cost of my spices buying this way (compared to buying those little bottles of spices at the grocery store), and the spices from my spice sage especially are very fresh. amazon has it's various shipping costs, and my spice sage offers free shipping (it looks like from their website) anywhere in the US -- with a $10 minimum purchase, including Alaska and Hawaii, but not to Puerto Rico and not free shipping of over 10 lbs worth to Alaska and Hawaii. i usually place an order at my spice sage about once every 6 months or so.
You are right Mamanyt. Most of the 4-5 year old meat I pulled out of the little freezer today still looks red or just a few brown spots, not the normal brown color of doom of freezer burned meat. I had wrapped everything in double saran wrap, then in quart freezer bags with the air sucked out then in Ziploc gallon bags with the air sucked out. There was one bag of beef ribs not as well wrapped in a Ziploc gallon bag which was unzipped. Brown as they could be. Although I will say that having a "frost-full" freezer also helped...like archeologists finding a fully-intact wooly mammoth specimen in the Antarctic ice shelf.
The FDA/USDA say that meat doesn't lose any nutritional value stored indefinitely below 0 degrees, even if freezer burned. But freezer burned meat has a bad, stale taste and texture to us humans. Plus it's, well, brown, so it's not visibly appetizing either. I'm going to try and salvage this as raw dinners for the dog. I'll alternate with fresh because I don't trust everything the FDA/USDA tells us. If he has any digestive issues, I'll toss it out. Freezer burn is just the intermediate step to making freeze-dried foods.
I checked everything in my medium freezer and it is all current and fresh (less than one year, except one old turkey my boss gave me). Seems like I just kind of forgot about that little garage freezer when I quit buying huge quantities of bulk meat for a raw pet diet. I'm feeling like an absent-minded fool today!
Mamanyt - Your thread here made me think "Hmmm...haven't looked in that little freezer in a while. Wonder what's in there (other than an overgrown iceberg)". I only remembered leaving some grass-fed beef liver and maybe one of two other bags of meat. There was a lot of meat in there. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
The FDA/USDA say that meat doesn't lose any nutritional value stored indefinitely below 0 degrees, even if freezer burned. But freezer burned meat has a bad, stale taste and texture to us humans. Plus it's, well, brown, so it's not visibly appetizing either. I'm going to try and salvage this as raw dinners for the dog. I'll alternate with fresh because I don't trust everything the FDA/USDA tells us. If he has any digestive issues, I'll toss it out. Freezer burn is just the intermediate step to making freeze-dried foods.
I checked everything in my medium freezer and it is all current and fresh (less than one year, except one old turkey my boss gave me). Seems like I just kind of forgot about that little garage freezer when I quit buying huge quantities of bulk meat for a raw pet diet. I'm feeling like an absent-minded fool today!
Mamanyt - Your thread here made me think "Hmmm...haven't looked in that little freezer in a while. Wonder what's in there (other than an overgrown iceberg)". I only remembered leaving some grass-fed beef liver and maybe one of two other bags of meat. There was a lot of meat in there. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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While I like leftovers, there are some things that just don't taste right when reheated. I found some teeny loaf pans and I would make a big batch of lasagna or meatloaf or casserole, divide into those pans and freeze prior to cooking what I wasn't using for the night. Yeah, you're still doing the full time in cooking when you get around to cooking them, but it's fresh out of the oven taste, not reheated in the microwave taste. (If you eat leftover already cooked lasagna, it tastes tons better if you put fresh mozzarella cheese on top after cooking.)
You could do the same with a crockpot, just get a little 1 quart crockpot, divide the recipe into 4 parts and freeze 3 of the parts prior to cooking. With a crockpot I would encourage freezing the veggies/sauce separate from the meat so that the meat can be fully thawed prior to being put in the crockpot, food safety issues. And definitely freeze the veggies/sauce in a shape that will easily fit into the bottom of the liner.
Stores with an actual butcher are good. The butcher meat is the same price whether you get a few ounces or a few pounds, so while you would not get your hamburger from the butcher unless there's a great sale, you can get other things. A steak sized right for your dinner, one porkchop, a little bit of bacon instead of pre-packaged bacon that turns a weird color after being opened, a single fillet of fish or less than a pound of catfish nuggets. A friend recommended deli meat for the same reason. She would buy a package of lunchmeat and it would go bad before she finished it, so she ended up saving money by getting 5 or 6 slices of deli meat at a time.
I would also get the pre-shredded lettuce. Yeah, it was a little more but at least I didn't have 2/3 of a head of lettuce going bad. Roma tomatoes are good, they are small but are usually comparable in price to hothouse tomatoes. Same with vine tomatoes, I'd pull one or two off the vine instead of grabbing a vine with 4 tomatoes.
For other quickly perishable produce products like cucumbers or broccoli that can't be bought in small portions, I'd pre-plan meals that are different but use some of the same ingredients in an attempt to not waste food. For example I could use a package of mushrooms in spaghetti, then stroganoff, then a lemon butter sauce and finally a salad with meat.
Avoid "quick" meals like hamburger helper, and not just for your health. Anything that can't really be divided prior to cooking will likely go to waste. However a pre-packaged sauce is easy to divide.
Frozen veggies are good because you can cook just a bit at a time, unlike a can. And healthier than a can.
I did hear of one guy saying he got an absolutely teeny crockpot, I think ½ quart, and would put leftover meat from the previous dinner into it with some veggies and cook up a soup or stew for lunch. I saw a teeny crockpot at Target that was designed for cooking an individual serving of soup.
Gladware and ziplok bags are your friend. One reason I like Gladware is because I can use it over and over and over, but when I forget about that one item a week too long I don't feel bad about throwing out the dish unopened. Another reason is because they are hard so you can get the right shape and it will be easier to use straight out of the freezer than a bag that just spreads all around.
Now one final suggestion for single cooking that isn't directly related to food portions. The oven uses a HUGE amount of electricity (or gas) in comparison to a microwave. It's due to both the size of the compartment being heated and the length of time it's heating. Now lots of food doesn't taste right from a microwave, like frozen french fries or a cake, because a microwave doesn't cook foods at a temperature higher than 212 degrees and a lot of food need a higher temperature to turn out right. Most of the toaster ovens that people get are teeny little things that are good for toast or heating a sub, but there are larger ones. I've got one that is so big it can rotisserie a chicken (has the attachments) but more important to me it can hold an 8x8 cake pan and it has both bake and broil functions. So your electric bill will go down by getting a decent size toaster oven and using it to near exclusion.
You could do the same with a crockpot, just get a little 1 quart crockpot, divide the recipe into 4 parts and freeze 3 of the parts prior to cooking. With a crockpot I would encourage freezing the veggies/sauce separate from the meat so that the meat can be fully thawed prior to being put in the crockpot, food safety issues. And definitely freeze the veggies/sauce in a shape that will easily fit into the bottom of the liner.
Stores with an actual butcher are good. The butcher meat is the same price whether you get a few ounces or a few pounds, so while you would not get your hamburger from the butcher unless there's a great sale, you can get other things. A steak sized right for your dinner, one porkchop, a little bit of bacon instead of pre-packaged bacon that turns a weird color after being opened, a single fillet of fish or less than a pound of catfish nuggets. A friend recommended deli meat for the same reason. She would buy a package of lunchmeat and it would go bad before she finished it, so she ended up saving money by getting 5 or 6 slices of deli meat at a time.
I would also get the pre-shredded lettuce. Yeah, it was a little more but at least I didn't have 2/3 of a head of lettuce going bad. Roma tomatoes are good, they are small but are usually comparable in price to hothouse tomatoes. Same with vine tomatoes, I'd pull one or two off the vine instead of grabbing a vine with 4 tomatoes.
For other quickly perishable produce products like cucumbers or broccoli that can't be bought in small portions, I'd pre-plan meals that are different but use some of the same ingredients in an attempt to not waste food. For example I could use a package of mushrooms in spaghetti, then stroganoff, then a lemon butter sauce and finally a salad with meat.
Avoid "quick" meals like hamburger helper, and not just for your health. Anything that can't really be divided prior to cooking will likely go to waste. However a pre-packaged sauce is easy to divide.
Frozen veggies are good because you can cook just a bit at a time, unlike a can. And healthier than a can.
I did hear of one guy saying he got an absolutely teeny crockpot, I think ½ quart, and would put leftover meat from the previous dinner into it with some veggies and cook up a soup or stew for lunch. I saw a teeny crockpot at Target that was designed for cooking an individual serving of soup.
Gladware and ziplok bags are your friend. One reason I like Gladware is because I can use it over and over and over, but when I forget about that one item a week too long I don't feel bad about throwing out the dish unopened. Another reason is because they are hard so you can get the right shape and it will be easier to use straight out of the freezer than a bag that just spreads all around.
Now one final suggestion for single cooking that isn't directly related to food portions. The oven uses a HUGE amount of electricity (or gas) in comparison to a microwave. It's due to both the size of the compartment being heated and the length of time it's heating. Now lots of food doesn't taste right from a microwave, like frozen french fries or a cake, because a microwave doesn't cook foods at a temperature higher than 212 degrees and a lot of food need a higher temperature to turn out right. Most of the toaster ovens that people get are teeny little things that are good for toast or heating a sub, but there are larger ones. I've got one that is so big it can rotisserie a chicken (has the attachments) but more important to me it can hold an 8x8 cake pan and it has both bake and broil functions. So your electric bill will go down by getting a decent size toaster oven and using it to near exclusion.
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Ive got a gas stove and we only use $35 in gas a year. Definitely cheaper to use the oven in my stove than the microwave where the monthly bill is over $100 easily. I love my gas stove. I never make small meals. I always make big servings. Jon doesn't mind eating left overs. When I make spaghetti type foods I always store the noodles separate and I never fully cook it. I cook it until it's just starting to get soft so that when the next cooking of it with sauce/veggies and steam will finish cooking it.
I will definitely look into the double wrapped method. THe problem is I have to be in the mood for it. So often I buy foods I think sound good then we never use it so I just end up throwing it out after spoiling. It's been months since I have done this. I am more careful and I tend to eat the same thing day in and day out. I wish I had more people to feed so I could do a variety of foods...and someone who likes veggies like I do would be nice because there isn't a veggie I won't eat given that I can put sauce or butter on it.
I will definitely look into the double wrapped method. THe problem is I have to be in the mood for it. So often I buy foods I think sound good then we never use it so I just end up throwing it out after spoiling. It's been months since I have done this. I am more careful and I tend to eat the same thing day in and day out. I wish I had more people to feed so I could do a variety of foods...and someone who likes veggies like I do would be nice because there isn't a veggie I won't eat given that I can put sauce or butter on it.
arouetta...I like all your tips. I love my little 1-quart crockpot. I like to put a chicken thigh or two, or chunk of pork roast, at the bottom and wrap a baking potato in foil to set on top. Let it go while I'm at work, then just steam up some broccoli or green beans or whatever veggie when I get home. I have 3 sizes in crock pots. Sometimes I feel like cooking in bulk and sometimes I prefer cooking individual small meals. I go through phases. I do like making home made chicken stock in the extra large crock.
My monster-sized toaster oven just bit the dust about a month ago. I mourn its loss. It faithfully sat out in the garage on top of the clothes dryer, so I didn't heat my kitchen up during the warm weather months (which are 9 months a year here). My regular oven in the kitchen has been used for a dish-drying rack for a few years.
foxxycat...I have always wanted to live somewhere with gas appliances, but always end up in all-electric. I envy you!
I buy the 5-6 pound bags of frozen vegetables that I like, and "try" not to overbuy the fresh stuff. A couple of weeks ago, Sprout's had organic tomatoes on at 99 cents/lb, and I was so tempted to buy a full bag. I managed to restrain myself though, and only bought 2 tomatoes and a bundle of asparagus they also had on sale. I love fresh veggies too, but they do spoil. I had a heck of a time eating a whole head of cabbage before it got icky, and had to eat cabbage every single day to prevent that. I get tired of eating the same thing day after day.
My monster-sized toaster oven just bit the dust about a month ago. I mourn its loss. It faithfully sat out in the garage on top of the clothes dryer, so I didn't heat my kitchen up during the warm weather months (which are 9 months a year here). My regular oven in the kitchen has been used for a dish-drying rack for a few years.
foxxycat...I have always wanted to live somewhere with gas appliances, but always end up in all-electric. I envy you!
I buy the 5-6 pound bags of frozen vegetables that I like, and "try" not to overbuy the fresh stuff. A couple of weeks ago, Sprout's had organic tomatoes on at 99 cents/lb, and I was so tempted to buy a full bag. I managed to restrain myself though, and only bought 2 tomatoes and a bundle of asparagus they also had on sale. I love fresh veggies too, but they do spoil. I had a heck of a time eating a whole head of cabbage before it got icky, and had to eat cabbage every single day to prevent that. I get tired of eating the same thing day after day.
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- #58
@arouetta You are SO right about frozen veggies! Since I only shop once a month, I rely on them, and I NEVER buy cans, except for the occasional can of baked beans. For one, MOST of the canned veggies are loaded with salt, and for another, it just chaps my fanny to pay for the water weight. AND the frozen ones taste fresher!
@Orange&White I'd give a bit to get hold of a bag of those tomatoes! I'd be making a HUGE batch of sauce right now, which freezes very well indeed. When I'm in the mood, and the budget will allow, I make sauce from fresh, whole tomatoes. It takes hours and hours, but MAN is it worth it!
@Orange&White I'd give a bit to get hold of a bag of those tomatoes! I'd be making a HUGE batch of sauce right now, which freezes very well indeed. When I'm in the mood, and the budget will allow, I make sauce from fresh, whole tomatoes. It takes hours and hours, but MAN is it worth it!
Oh, they were so good! I haven't had tomatoes with such flavor since I had a good year of tomatoes in my back yard. Most years with me trying to grow tomatoes are hit and miss, with more misses, and I haven't tried vegetable gardening in a few years. Yes, I should have made some from scratch spaghetti sauce but I've been lazy lately as far as cooking in bulk. I should buy a couple of tomato plants and try again.
I'm very optimistically putting in my tomato plants right now, along with a big bunch of peppers of varying heats. For snacking, you can't beat sweet Million. They're grape tomatoes. When you bite into them, there's a spurt of juice, followed by incredible sweetness. Then your mouth is filled with the most unbelievably rich tomato flavor. They're indeterminate, so they keep making and they're prolific. However, when my husband harvests them, only about half of them make it into the house.
The pot fairy (no, not THAT kind of pot) has promised me an extension of my container garden, so I'll have about 70 plants - tomatoes, hot peppers, and herbs. Ultimately I should have the world's most expensive veggies or the world's most expensive dead sticks.
For a quick, incredible salad, take a pint of grape tomatoes and slice them in half. Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil and 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing. Add salt and pepper if desired. Be of good faith. That's all the basil and ranch dressing you'll need.
Although you should NEVER store tomatoes in the fridge, you can chill the salad before serving. Don't waste your time cutting this recipe in half. It'll be gone in one day at most.
The new section will be at right angles to the three dark green pots. There is another row of pots on the other side of the ones shown. Behind the pots are two gigantic sugar fig trees. The brown boxes on the right are a dozen Earth Boxes, which are self-watering. You fill the reservoir at the bottom through a tube, and the plants pick up the water from the bottom as they need it. We have a drip system with a timer to keep everything watered in the Texas heat. The white pole on the left is part of my weather station.
The pot fairy (no, not THAT kind of pot) has promised me an extension of my container garden, so I'll have about 70 plants - tomatoes, hot peppers, and herbs. Ultimately I should have the world's most expensive veggies or the world's most expensive dead sticks.
For a quick, incredible salad, take a pint of grape tomatoes and slice them in half. Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil and 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing. Add salt and pepper if desired. Be of good faith. That's all the basil and ranch dressing you'll need.
Although you should NEVER store tomatoes in the fridge, you can chill the salad before serving. Don't waste your time cutting this recipe in half. It'll be gone in one day at most.
