11/7/08 - What's for dinner?

Yes, I have been feeding my family. Lots of Angel Food items, as usual. As a matter of fact, what I am cooking now is from October and July.

Currently in the crockpot is 4.5 lbs of chicken. I put it in to the 6qt pot fully frozen, added water, and turned it on. Eventually the paper on the bottom of the chicken thawed enough to pull off. I added more water, pepper, salt, and celery that has seen better days. I'll let that cook all day. Tonight I will pull out the chicken and chill the broth.

Tomorrow, I can remove the fat and place in a 1 gallon Ziploc (or 2, we'll see) and freeze for later usage. The chicken I can de-skin (I would have done that sooner if it had been thawed) and debone to freeze in 2-3 cup bags.

For tonight, I had 1 lb dried soup mix bean. I rinsed and quick soaked them on the stove. I drained, added additional water as well as pepper, chopped garlic, celery (that which looked more edible from the above stalk) and bay leaves. I also found a ham bone from the last Honeybaked Ham that was served in this house. I don't know how old it is, but it was in a Food Saver bag and not freezer burned at all.

After the beans have cooked a bit, I'll add chicken boullion, salt, liquid smoke, hot sauce and check for the need for additional seasonings. Eventually I will pull the bone and pick off what ham I can find.

It will be served over brown or white rice (or a mixture, depending on how much I have of either one.

I have leftover apple coleslaw from last night that we can finish off.

Kroger trip

It is currently their $5/10 event. I haven't made my full grocery list as it isn't payday yet, but I decided with enough coupons I could start stocking up on baking goods.
6 cans Carnation Evaporated Milk ($.50/2x3 - free)
2 Betty Crocker cookie mix ($.75x2 - free)
2 Nestle Chocolate Chips ($.75x2 - $1)
1 Betty Crocker cake mix (free)
1 1/2 lbs green grapes (2.05)


OOP - $3.05 (actually, it was a gc)

So, when I took everything out of the bags, it didn't look terribly healthy. But, think of all the money I'll have for real food when the Christmas season starts and I don't have to pay $2 or more a bag for chocolate chips.