Yesterday I decided to make biscuits and gravy for dinner. I had milk that was getting ready to head south, about a half gallon of it. So I made a double batch of vanilla pudding, a quadruple batch of milk gravy (with Italian sausage), and a double batch of biscuits. I still had to pour about a half cup down the drain 🙁
So dinner was biscuits and gravy with greens (which were frozen from the garden, a mix of New Zealand Spinach and Swiss Chard.)
I am so impressed with me because I have finally figured out how to make greens that taste like the yummy southern greens. DH, who doesn’t really like veggies much, will go back for seconds now! Basically I just boil the greens with ham bullion powder, which I found at my local bulk food store, then add some red pepper flakes and dried minced onion. Viola! Easy Peasy. Of course you could use and actual ham hock or such, but the bullion powder is easier, and has a heck of a lot less calories and fat.
I purposely made the extra milk gravy because I will use the extra in place of “cream of” soup in a chicken casserole tonight. I probably won’t use an actual recipe, just whip something up with a noodle/milk gravy base and add in veggies and chicken. You know, chicken casserole 🙂 I probably will stick a green salad on the side as I actually have lettuce in the house, and those radish sprouts 🙂
I’ve also got to do my baking for my much reduced family Christmas Baskets. This year they are getting Pumpkin Pie Spiced Nuts, Peppermint Bark (I made a batch of this already but DH ate the whole thing. Side note, I used icky leftover candy canes from last year and they tasted fine! Frugal of me eh?) and some biscotti. No homemade candied orange peels, no homemade chili sauce or apple butter, no homemade watermelon rind pickles. . . . just too much going on, and shipping that heavy stuff is too much.
So today I swear I will make the peppermint bark (and threaten DH against eating it all) and some of the biscotti so I can get things shipped on Monday.
I love your Christmas series (and other ideas). I’ve learned from you, so I’ll add my own tip. Often you can save milk that’s “going south” by scalding it. If it curdles, you’ll know it’s too far gone. Otherwise, it will be sweet again.
ragamuffin
ohhh! cool, I’ll have to try that.
You mentioned that you had to throw out some spoiled milk. Did you know that spoiled milk can actually do wonders for a plant in need of a “pick me up”? The next time you have spoiled milk, pour it directly to the soil of a plant that’s not doing so well and you will see how it just livens up and turns a healthy green. 🙂
Good to know! Now I have two things to try next time. . .