Recipe #2

Here is another recipe for you.

This one is another easy and quick recipe. There really isn't a need to go buy any thing special for this soup. I just used a pound of ground beef and some left over vegetables that I stored in my freezer. I also used beef broth. You can either buy your broth or make your own. Cook your ground beef and then drain if you need to and add your vegetables and broth. Add any spices or herbs you like.

I keep an old ice cream container in my freezer to put all my leftover vegetables in. When the container gets full I make a soup. If I don't have any potatoes in the container I do add some. They can be canned or fresh. It does take longer to cook if you use fresh. This is a great way to use up those vegetables. Also you can add any type of meat. If you use chicken just use chicken broth instead. You can also use vegetable broth instead of the beef or chicken. You don't have to add meat either. I usually add a salad and/or some kind of bread.

I am hoping that these ideas helps you in some way.

recipe

Better late than never, here is a recipe that I said I would start posting.

This is a homemade hamburger helper. I got this recipe years ago when we lived in Del Rio, Texas.

This recipe can be adjusted to fit your family size.

1 pound of ground beef

1 envelope of dry onion soup mix

2 cups of water

1 cup uncooked rice

Brown the ground beef, drain if needed.

Add the soup mix, rice and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes until rice is cooked. Serve with a vegetable or salad.

 I added cooked carrots in the one above.

I don't remember where I got this recipe but it is a quick one for busy nights. You do need to add some extra flavorings because it is bland. I just gave you the basic.

New Mexico trip

Aryan, David and our nephew Kydon

David and Kydon entering into the caverns

Heading down into the cavern

David and Kydon

Aryan

On the way back to the campgrounds after the caverns

entering the caverns. Aryan is barely shown. He had to take off by himself because we are too slow for him.

David and Kydon. Taken with a better camera

Aryan again taken with a better camera

One of my favorite pictures.

We really enjoyed ourselves in New Mexico. It was still warm but it would have been worse in July when we first wanted to go. September was a great time to go. It wasn't to crowded. On Friday the 16th we went to see the bats fly. we were not allowed to take pictures but it was awesome to see thousands upon thousands of bats leaving the cave to go get their breakfast. We took Mike's nephew with us so he could get a chance to have some fun with us. I have a lot more pictures that I can post if you interested. It was fairly inexpensive to go because they didn't charge for the boys since they all are under 16. It is fairly steep so we had to be careful. There are handrails throughout the caverns and it was nice and cool. I would strongly recommend going and seeing the caverns.

canning session

24 pints of salsa

9 pints grape jelly

5 jars of raspberry/blueberry freezer jam

8 pints of sugar-free raspberry/lemonade jam

I had several days of canning. I didn't put the pictures in order but you get the idea. I kind of cheat when I make my salsa I use the Mrs. Wages salsa mix. My family loves it. I also cheated on the grape jelly since our grapes dried out while we were on vacation this summer. I use frozen juice concentrate to make the jelly. David loves grape jelly over any other kind of jam. He will eat the others but he prefers grape. The other two jams I used the fruit from my freezer. I  bought the raspberries and blueberries when they were on sale and then froze them. These are new recipes I haven't tried yet so decided to go for it. You can get them out of the new Ball canning book. The raspberry/lemonade used a lot of honey so ended up being a little pricey. We have actually tried this one. It is okay but I probably won't make this very often because of the cost. I like my jam sweet and this isn't as sweet as would it. I know it is sugar free. Jam shouldn't be sugar free in my opinion. I do enjoy doing this and it really doesn't take all that long.

Jazzy update

Here is an update on Jazzy. If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook you have probably seen these pictures. On September 2nd I took Jazzy into the vets for her routine shots and to have a lump checked out on her right shoulder. If you know Jazzy she isn't the most cooperative cat when it comes to getting her into the kennel to get her to the vet. Once there she actually let the aid take her weight and temperature. That was it before she decided she was done and it was time to go back home. Unfortunately we weren't done because the vet hasn't seen her yet. She became one mean kitty and flatly refused to come out of the kennel, she bite me and scratch me and clung to the kennel. Needless to say we had to sedate her so the vet could check her out. Her lump was removed after her did a quick microscope exam from an example because he said it didn't good. While she was out he gave her the shots and removed some matted fur.

I had to take the kennel apart to get her back into it to bring her home. She was out for almost five hours.

Here is a view of her right shoulder. We did have a biosopy done on the tumor. It took about a week. Unfortunately it wasn't good news. She has cancer. The vet gives her 19 months. The tumor was fast growing. We could take her to the Springs and see a specialist  but it would be to hard on her because she hates the kennel and anyone messing with her without her consent. Besides they are expensive and there isn't a good percentage rate for her survival. We will just keep an eye on her and let her enjoy the rest of her life to best of her ability and when she starts showing signs of suffering we will let her go. It is sad because she is only 6 years old. Right now she is doing great and ruling the roost, since she is the Queen of the house.

baking day

homemade pizza rolls

homemade pizza rolls

homemade white bread

homemade donut holes

peanut butter cookies

I try to bake once a week. Sometimes I have to do it more because it doesn't last.  Mike and the boys love homemade items and eat it faster than I can bake it. I did this baking on Wednesday the 17th and we are totally out of the donut holes, and pizza rolls. I am almost out of the cookies I have just enough for school lunches tomorrow. The bread has a couple of slices left. This loaf lasted longer because I used a longer pan. I will be doing another baking day in the next day or two. I will post pictures of that also.

canning session

peach jam and peaches

pickles

It is that time of year where I am busy stocking our pantry. This year I have already canned apricot-pineapple jam, and the above. We were almost out of jam so I needed to get busy. David is wanting grape jelly but our grapes dried out while we were on vacation, so I will have to do something different. The pickles will last us about a year. The boys take them in their lunches and love to snack on them. I have  also done some peas. We didn't need to do green beans this year because we have a lot left over from last summer. Mike and the boys aren't to fond of green beans. 

I go to one of the many farmer's market in the area to get our produce.