What We Ate July 23 - 29

I try to stay positive about stuff, I really do, but I’m really concerned about food prices right now.  I’m reading all sorts of reports forecasting steep price increases as a result of crop loss this season.  Apparently Mother Nature and big farming are not playing well together.

My response to worries about food prices, the job market, interest rates, and or other big issues beyond my control is always pretty much the same:  I stock my pantry.  Having full cupboards has gotten me through many a tough time.  I’ve had good cause during the lean seasons to be grateful for jars put up in the summertime when food is plentiful.  

So that’s what I’m doing now:  canning, and canning, and canning.  

I’ve put by so much food that we need to build new shelves to store it!

It seems paradoxical, I know, but when I’m spending hours and hours canning in the kitchen, meal preparation often gets pushed aside or neglected.  Once again, my husband has been a life saver; stepping into the breach and taking over much of the day-to-day cooking this week. 

We kept our meals pretty simple this week, but still managed to eat very well.  Here’s what we ate:

Monday, July 23:

• Breakfast – Yogurt, canned peaches, carrot and pineapple muffins
• Supper – Veggie pizza on whole wheat crust, tapioca pudding

Tuesday, July 24:

• Breakfast – Boiled eggs, whole wheat toast, prunes
• Supper – Slow cooker pinto beans and ham, sliced tomatoes and bell pepper with ranch dip, parfaits made from leftover tapioca pudding, nectarines, and lemon cake (from the freezer)

Wednesday, July 25:

• Breakfast – Raisin and chai scones, cheddar cheese
• Supper –  Steak, foil wrapped spuds, veggies in papillote (parchment envelopes) - all cooked on the grill, cherries and cream for dessert

Thursday, July 26:

• Breakfast – Oatmeal and applesauce
• Supper – Eggs baked in tomatoes, veggie hash made with leftover potatoes, onions, chopped red pepper and mushrooms, canned peaches for dessert

Friday, July 27:

• Breakfast – Peanut butter and banana sandwiches on multigrain bread
• Supper – Our monthly dinner out.  We went to a local Cantonese restaurant.  :)

Saturday, July 28:

• Breakfast – Butter dipped biscuits (I got the recipe from The Country Cook's blog), bacon, grilled tomatoes
• Supper – Vegetable curry, rice noodles, oranges

Sunday, July 29:

• Breakfast – Hash browns with summer squash and zucchini (I got the recipe from Premeditated Leftovers) topped with scrambled eggs
• Supper – Fried oysters (the oysters were a very kind gift from my co-worker, Linda), a salad of shredded carrots, radishes and red onion in red wine vinaigrette, cantaloupe