Jammin' Wednesday Our Daily Dinner

Jammin' Wednesday

pointsevenout 14 years ago

It's time again to make a batch of grape jelly. Didn't get as big of a crop as last year because I didn't tend to the vines as I should. I have been busy setting up all the new vines.

Put up 16 half-pint jars last year. Will only get out half that this year. Definite proof that pruning the vines increases yield.

By the time I get this new batch put up it will be exactly one year from the last batch.

Saw someone selling canned goods at a flea market so it makes me want to take my jellies to the farmers market in town this Friday. Going to have to stop by a store and size up the price to maximize my income while still undercutting the store price.

I'm still on minestrone today. Dentist said I'm good to go except for the biopsy lab bill which he has no control over. Mouth is feeling stronger every day.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Good news Points! We are having chili and rice tonight. Had some in the freezer and still very hot here!

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notyourmomma 14 years ago said:

Aw, that is good news about the eating part, Points. Negotiate with that lab bill.
Too bad you can't barter with grape jelly. I'd gladly trade some of my applebutter for your grape jelly!! Good idea about selling canned goods....see if you can find some flea market jars and just get new lids, cuts down on the expense and initial outlay of cash.

Pat, we've been having chili and rice for lunch all week. I'm purging the freezer this week too.

Kid brought home a huge hunk of grouper and we are going to make fish tacos to stretch the fish into a meal for three. Scored some avocados from the sister's tree, so we will have some avocado added to the mix. Shredded cabbage, salsa crema (salsa and sour cream mixed together) should do the trick.

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

good luck points, I will be making grape Jelly in October, the grapes around here are not ready yet. I got 2 and 1/2 cases of the jelly jars at a flea market for $2.00. My sister picked me up some more lids at a special sale they were having at a hardware store, so I am ready to make jelly but the grapes are not. So far this year I have made blueberry strawberry & triple berry Jam. the blueberry is down to the last jar because it was sooooo good heated up and put on vanilla ice cream.
Still hot & muggy today, gonna do something with the eggs I didn't use yesterday.

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pointsevenout 14 years ago said:

Really! You think people will give up their canning jars? We have cases and cases of quart jars in storage because mother won't give them up. And until I get a proper water bath canner or pressure canner I'm happy using half-pint jars for the jelly.

I do understand the initial layout for the jars. Makes it almost impossible to turn a decent profit buying new jars always. Making pennies on the product is just not worth the trouble.

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otterpond 14 years ago said:

Hello out there. It would never have occurred to me that you can pick up the jars from a flea market. Sure does make sense. I wonder if same is true about yard sales. Someone's momma musta been storing those jars that never got used and wants the space back.

Picked up a terrific bag of South African clementine oranges at Costco yesterday. Tonight will be spinach salad with clementines. When I see those come back on the market it really starts to slam home that we are in the last stretch of the year.

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pointsevenout 14 years ago said:

I don't mind if the jars are used. That's what the pot scrub setting on the dish washer is for. Just as long as there is not a chip out of the lip.

If I ever tried to get rid of her canning jars there would be asphalt skid marks on my ear.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

LOL! You are too funny Points! Poor mother..................

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wynnebaer 14 years ago said:

Points, I belong to Freecycle.org and I see people posting canning jars and such on there all the time for free....You may want to check it out.

Another hot one here today....An official heat wave...Took some boneless chicken breasts out but no clue what I'll do with them yet......Not that inspired to cook lately.

That spinach salad sound scrumptious Otter...But I could never get away with salad for supper...He needs his meat!!!....LOL

Hope your'e having a fun vacation, Lillian!!

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lilliancooks 14 years ago said:

Blueberry jam sounds so yummy! I love blueberry anything!

I like to get my produce at Costco too Otter!!! Great deals and great quality!

Well, we went to Coney Island yesterday...I was very disappointed with Nathan's hot dog onions (nothing special) and the fries weren't that great either! I don't see what all the hype is about! Wendy's fries are soooo much better and I like my hot dog onion recipe soooo much more! Maybe Nathan's lost their original recipe and their just winging it! The onions weren't even cookied enough...they were still crunchy! But we did enjoy our time there! I had an Areapas...its a mexican cornbread type fried pancake with mozzerella inside. I always wanted to try it! It was very good!

Tonight I'm making pasta with garlic and sauteed cauliflower.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Coney Island isn't what it was without the amusement park. Was always the thing to spend the whole day there.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Never had Nathan's onions,was a mustard and kraut girl. However,I think there fries under normal circumstances are the best. Since you have only had once,maybe they had an off day . I have always enjoyed them and so have many others. I even stop at a Plaza on the way to Jersey shore and have them. They are great. Maybe you don't like frsh crinkle fries.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Nathan's lost the original recipe,duh!!!!

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lilliancooks 14 years ago said:

Oh...thanks Wynne! I didn't see you there! I must of been typing at the same time as you!

I love any shaped fries! Maybe they were just having an off day! Even my family didn't like them :(

We did have fun with the games and we loved looking at all the shops! The place is in desperate need of repairs. I heard their going to be fixing it up again! I hope they do!

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

That's really too bad Lillian that even your family didn't like them. They have been famous with a lot of people for a lot of years. Enjoy Wendy's!

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

They are turning most of that area into condos. Are you sure you are a New Yorker?

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lilliancooks 14 years ago said:

LOL! Well...now I consider myself a Long Islander! Condo's???? Oh No!!! Well I'm glad I got to see Coney Island...incase it'll be gone for good!

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Record breaking heat today, 90, then gonna start to cool down a little tomorrow. I swear my burger last night was the best in a long time, or course I was STARVING by the time I had it! I added a little horseradish to the mix with some bread crumbs, worchestershire and liquid smoke, Montreal steak seasoning. It was soooo juicy and delicious! Haven't a clue what I'm making tonight......
Points, glad you got the okay from dentist. I'd negotiate with that lab on the bill. LOL on the "skid marks on your ears"!

Pat, good thing you had that chili in the freezer with the heat you're having.

Tina, those fish tacos sound delicious wtih the salsa crema!

Wow, Laurie! you are a jam/jelly makin' diva!

I love Costco's produce, Otter, we get those clementines for my mom all the time, split 'em with her. I see canning jars at garage/yard sales all the time around here, but I don't can so I never buy them.

Wynne, you should try that Million Dollar chicken with those breasts - super easy and super good!

Lillian, you're cooking on vacation? Glad you're having a good time (except for the Nathan's experience)

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wynnebaer 14 years ago said:

Going to make MDC soon.....Looked at the recipe again and need to get apricot jam..

I found a recipe in Taste of Home that I'm trying tonight and it calls for cooked chicken so that's done....Just gotta let it cool, add all the other ingredients, assemble it and it'll be ready to throw in the oven for 10 minutes when I'm ready to make supper.....I'll post it if it's worth it...but I gotta say, I can't wait to try it!!!

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knoxcop 14 years ago said:

What is MDC?

Can someone send me some fresh jelly?

How do you can stuff--anyone giving lessons?

*questions off*

I remember my mother canning---almost all of it, but it still scares me to death to think of doing it on my own, LOL.

Got some leg quarters at Food City for 59 cents a pound---going to cut those into thighs and legs and have two big chicken packs to go in the freezer.

Roast chicken, mashed taters, green beans and the last of fresh tomatoes from the garden. I'm SO SAD that the garden's gone....gah. bleh. blah. meh. I want MORE fresh tomatoes!!

That is all.
--Kn0x--

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Knox,MDC is million dollar chicken,a rcipe by Liezel. Everyone raves about it,haven't had it yet. too hot for the oven. When it cools down a bit.

I didnt get but a few tomatoes Knox,what with the animals a some kind of disease. First year that's happened!

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

I'm with you Knox on the canning - scares the hell out of me! LOL
Wow, 59 cents a lb. for chicken - I'd be buying and freezing too. (hey whatever happened to the "cent" key - I know my old typewriter had one?)

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

No cent key,have to use .59

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Hey, is anyone else not getting any recipes on their page? Not normal. Surely you're posting, Pat?

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pointsevenout 14 years ago said:

Knox: With all the baking you do it surprises me that you don't can. There is at least one good canning group, "I Can Because I Can", here at GR. It has links to a good canning site.

Temperature and time is the key. As long as you elevate the product to the required temperature for the required time to kill all the bacteria you can can anything.

I'm still relegated to a simple water bath and foods with a lot of pectin because of my equipment, namely jellies but not all jellies.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Yes Donna,I posted a couple of recipes today!

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

You've had that problem before!

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Yeah, they're out to get me! LOL

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Huh? I open my big mouth and go back to my page and I have 3, guess not that many 'friends' are posting.... I did discover (after a year and a half!) there's this feature if you click on the "recipes" box on your "My stuff" page, it gives you ALL the recipes you've missed in order. Maybe it's a not a new feature, but I never knew about it!

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mrtnzangel8 14 years ago said:

Arrrgh, these freakin allergies arrrrrrgh. I feel like a bobble head doll again....

I've got some hamburger and bacon thawing out. Tons of onions that need to be used, thinking about doing...crap, what are they called? uh, uh...seriously can't think straight. You know when you make hamburger patties, grilled onions, put that on bread with 2 slices of cheese and then grill the outside outside like a grilled cheese? geez...someone help me here.

Having a CRAFT moment I guess, when I was a teen I worked at a family restaurant and that was the first time I tried em....

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mrtnzangel8 14 years ago said:

Patty Melts!

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lilliancooks 14 years ago said:

Yes, I'm cooking on the days we don't go out! We're not going out again til Sunday because the weather channel said it was suppose to rain til then! But today turned out to be perfectly sunny!!! Imagine that...they were wrong....As usual!!!

Thanks for that tip about the recipe feature...I never knew that!!! Thats so cool!

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

Oh yeah, use that recipe feature alot, Donna. I'm sure I will be using it a lot this weekend to catch up.

Office is basically packed up. No pix on the walls, small furniture already gone, etc etc.
And on top of that, it's been a crazy loan day! Got about 8 new loans, purchases with contracts, today! Whew...when we get the sales contract is when we start submitting to underwriting, ordering title, appraisal, etc. (8 new loans is a lot lot lot for one day right now). Not complaining, just hard to be in the middle of packing up our desks etc and make sure everything new coming in is handled promptly. lol

ANYWAY...one more day here, then I am at the new office on Friday!! (Whoopee). Will actually have a red light, and not have to take my life into my hands and play chicken with the idiots on this busy buys highway every time I leave the parking lot! Right now we actually turn right then go down and make a u-turn to go left, instead of trying to cross the hwy!

Anyway...not cooking tonight. Gonna take a little me time and run to Knoxville before I go home and do a little bargain looking.

LOVE Patty Melts, Ang. Sounds awesome.
Donna, those burgers sound good, be sure to post 'em so we don't forget 'em!
Love the spinach salad with clementines, and the fish tacos too!
I'm sure there's more good stuff here! lol Just skimming these days...be glad to get back in my groove! ; )

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mrtnzangel8 14 years ago said:

Whew, Lori, made my head spin....busy lady.

I gotta speak up and give Mr. Grouchypants some credit here....he just got home and explained how he got a call from a friend that was in need of help. He has been friends with her for over 20 years, well really her husband and him were good friends. He took his life about 4 years ago. After that she was so messed up and her home was in terrible shape. Steve rallied his buddies and they went and cleaned and painted and did repairs. He hears from her about every 6 months or so and when he heard from her today he couldn't understand her at all. He got to her house, she couldn't lift her right arm, slurring words really bad, just didn't look good at all. Her new guy didn't believe anything was wrong with her so wouldn't do anything. Steve scooped her up and took her to the nearest hospital. Sat with her for a couple of hours and is home now waiting to hear if she is staying overnight or will need a ride home. Which he will give her.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that he is a good guy and I know I give him mean little names but that is really just trying to blow off steam I guess.....

I'm still gonna call him names. lol

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notyourmomma 14 years ago said:

Ang.....Steve is an angel....how nice of him. Wow. I hope his friend is okay and they can help her. Bless him, I sure could use someone like him in our lives right now. I actually had a couple thar we let stay with us for weeks while they got on their feet TELL me that they don't want to even see Fred now....the husband is so afraid of his own mortality, he can't "handle" seeing his lifelong friend in this bad shape. They call and ask about him, but won't even speak to him. It hurts them to much to "hear" how altered Fred is and they can't handle it.....Excuse me, a phone call, a chat or visit with a friend would do the world of good for Fred's psyche. Of course, there is the story of our best man using our electricity and water while he had his motor home in my driveway for a week going to a continuing education class at the local university. He hardly spoke to Fred, he didn't offer to help with all the fairly obvious chores Fred couldn't do and needs assistance. He didn't contribute any $ for the bigger water or electric bill either. I know, I know, my middle name must be doormat. Anyway, off that rant......Give Steve a big "God Bless" from someone who admires his kind of friendship very much.

And as far as blowing off steam...that is what we are here for? I don't know what I'd do without ya'll. You've saved my sanity many a time.

Glad you got over your brief moment of CRAFT.....I love pattimelts. Must make them soon. Sounds delicious.

Remnants of Ana are blowing through and we are under a deluge.
Got to see to Fred's dinner, he is howling like Charlie Brown at the moment.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Ang,that is so nice to hear. He is a good guy. Of course you will still rant and rave. That's what we do!!

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mrtnzangel8 14 years ago said:

I've already let him know how good of a friend he is. Like you said, Tina, not many will step up to the plate like that. I wish we were closer. He would certainly lend a hand whenever he could.

Hearing more of the afternoon from him....Doc said to him could be a thing called 'Saturday Night Palsy'. They don't think it is a stroke...and like I said earlier she has been pretty messed up the last few years and is quite a drinker and has medical problems anyway. I feel bad for her. I've only met her a handful of times in the 16 years I've known Steve...he's the only one I know that still has best friends from Jr. High and High School. Gotta be something good about him for them to still be around. huh?

O.K. off to make Fatman a patty melt. ;-P

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Patty melts sound yummY!! I hope she will be alright!

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wynnebaer 14 years ago said:

Like you said, Ang....Gotta be something about him!!!

I love patty melts too.

sparow, please don't over do!!!

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Ang, sorry for your allergies, I know they can be miserable. Those Patty melts sound great. Hope Steve's friend is okay - sounds like bells (sp?) palsy - not dangerous, just happens sometimes. FIL had it.

Tina, how awful that they feel that way about Fred. But some people don't know how they're supposed to act and it makes them nervous. Too bad for them.

Just made cookies, yes in the heat, so and so was whining again that he was out of cookies. I just set up the Vornado fan on high blowing the heat out the door while I baked. It's not too bad inside - only 78 (he says LOL)

Still don't know what's for dinner tonight. Maybe I'll wing it..... scary.........

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Oh and Lori, glad you'll be in your new offfice soon. Sounds like you had one heck of a day. Good thing you don't have to cook!

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

didn't wind up cooking tonight. My friend came over for some frozen drinks by the pool, so we sent the guys to a local resteraunt/bar for pizza, but they didn't come back for hours and they had a couple in them, apparently her husband met a bunch of people he went to high school with.

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pointsevenout 14 years ago said:

I'm dubious about this years grape jelly crop. Not getting enough juice. Think I'm looking at 2 cups or less and haven't done the 2nd straining yet. The recipe will necessitate the addition of over 50% apple juice for a full batch. It will have to be labeled apple/grape jelly if I decide to make it.

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