I'm introducing this new post in hopes that you'll share tips and helpful hints for those of us who want to "get back to the basics."

For starters---Does anyone have a good recipe for homemade veggie soup that they freeze? If so, please give the recipe and tell how you freeze it (including what containers you use, spices, etc...)

Or if you have a good way to freeze green beans, fresh asparagus, or other veggies, please share with us.

And it doesn't have to be freezing items. There's making your own dressings, canning, making preserves, and many more items you could share. What about growing your own herbs?

ANY item you feel would be "get back to the basics" , or fall somewhere in that category...PLEASE SHARE!

Great idea! JJ...
When I freeze fruits and veggies, I just throw them in a freezer bag, without washing.
I'd like a soup recipe that can be home canned - in the event I do decide to learn.

HALF CUP LENTILS OR YELLOW SPLIT PEAS
SOAK LENTILS IN WATER ( HALF A DAY)
1 1/2 HALF PINT STOCK
4 CARROTS diced
2 LEEKS sliced
1 POTATO diced

COOK ALL TOGETHER FOR THREE QUARTERS OF AN HOUR.
ADD
1 GRATED CARROT
PARSLEY
if freezing add last two ingredients before serving.
.............................
same recipe but brown rice instead of lentils
no need to soak rice.

add cooked diced chicken for last five minutes.

I use round boxes slightly smaller that my pan to freeze..for reheating
Can stand these boxes in warm water if in a hurry to use soup.
I always make double quantity.Just double the ingredients

spices for soup Jaw Jaw
BOUGHT AT HEALTH FOOD STORE.

Herbamare® Original

An original and unique Alfred Vogel formula, which perks up your recipes to salt your dishes the healthy way. Fresh organically grown plants are combined with sea salt and steeped for several months before being vacuum-dehydrated. This method ensures the ingredients' quality and flavour. Replaces table salt.

By far the most popular of the A.Vogel condiments, Herbamare has been a staple in Europe for decades. A brilliant blend of celery, leek, watercress, onions, chives, parsley, lovage, garlic, basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and kelp, all organically grown.

Herbamare Original replaces dreary conventional table salt. Use it as a condiment to perk up your recipes or at every meal to salt your food the healthy way. Add after cooking to enhance taste!

A. Vogel Herbamare



Worth sourcing..

I make a nummy veggie soup...and don't use a recipe so I haven't a clue to tell you how to make it! My son teases me without mercy 'cuz when he likes something I can't do it again 'cuz I "just throw in" what is handy and the spices on hand. Although onion, garlic, black pepper and salt and standards.

Crud...I knew I should have written down what I put in (grin). We cooked it in the crockpot, then divvied it up into freezer containers and when we defrosted it, it was sooooooooo good. I usually get the veggies on sale (except for onions...for some reason it isn't cooked by MR if it doesn't have onions!).

Not a lot of help, eh? Smile

* 5 Carrots, peeled and diced
* 1 Onion, diced
* 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
* 2 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
* 500ml Vegetable stock
* Freshly ground Black pepper
* 2 tbsp Tomato puree
* 200g tin of Butterbeans
* 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Lightly fry the onion and garlic until softened.
2. Add the stock, vegetables and parsley (don't add the butterbeans) to the onion, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes have cooked through.
3. Allow the soup to cool slightly, and blend two thirds of the soup.
4. Add the blended soup to the remaining vegetables, add the butterbeans and tomato puree and mix well.
5. Reheat the soup and serve immediately, garnished with a little chopped parsley if desired.

OMGosh! What great responses! You gals are something else!

MA--on the first recipe where you say you can add chicken. Do you add that after you have thawed out the soup? Or do you freeze the chicken in it? I'm just curious.

MR--if it don't have onion in it, why bother eating it? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE onions. Could eat them for breakfast. And do when I make a casserole.

MA--I don't like butter beans...any suggestions for a substitute?

JJ, you can literally freeze any vegetable. I clean mine first well, then usually dice and slice them except for corn on the cob which I freeze whole. Then lay the pieces out on a cookie sheet, put that in the freezer until the pieces all are hard, otherwise they will stick together in a hard lump! Now transfer them into plastic freezer bags, this way they freeze separately and you can scoop out as much as is needed for soups, casserols etc. That way you always have a nice supply you can add to as you use some.

I have spinach, green beans, peas, broccoli pieces, cauliflower and chinese mixed veges (already frozen when purchased) also carrots and mushrooms.

I like to throw a handful of frozen veges into my morning omelet.

There are so many good recipes already in the Favorite Recipe section if you'd want to go back and check. I like to from time to time.

Try white northern beans or baby lima beans.

Don't like lima's either. But I LOVE white beans, or Northern beans (I think that's what you call them)...so I'll try those.

So nobody uses aluminum foil to freeze veggies? I know I have on occasion and had no problems with it.

JJ, I think aluminum foil won't give a vaccum seal if it gets knocked around in the freezer and food can lose quality.

Wish we were all closer so we could trade our wares like Meredith does.

Here's a guideline to start researching.

blanching/freezing veggies http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/he187w.htm

canning
http://www.freshpreserving.com/

SAFE HOME CANNING of fruits veggies and meats
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/components/DJ0516section5.html

I only like frozen peas...and get them from the store.

No I've never frozen nor canned fresh veggies.
Even my mother who raised 6 children with father on a low income, did not buy bulk fresh veggies to freeze/blanch to keep for wks. or months.

Real good Asian fresh cooking,...does not use frozen veggies. Sorry. Really, recipes that suggest frozen veggies for an Asian recipe, no it's not a great tasting stir fry, that's for certain.

If you blanch them, you are using them the next minute for a stir fry. I'm even lazier, I don't blanch any hard veggies in advance for a stir-fry.

My partner doesn't like frozen veggies either. The only thing he does is make bulk applesauce from scratch, a bag of semi-damaged apples ..in spun into a cinnamon-aniseed-cardamon spiced applesauce. I'm not into applesauce, though I will sneak off with tasting globs. It's for his daily plain yogurt. He loves making fresh salads.

So not much freezing/canning veggies won't be happening in foreseeable future at our end. I just go to Chinatown to buy certain veggies and fruits cheaper.

Instead getting back to basics for me or some parts of the population in North America, 21st century would be:

*cooking rice WITHOUT a rice cooker. (I only started using a rice cooker 1 decade ago.)
*using fresh ginger root
*tofu, as naked as you can see. Without disguising it to look like meat, etc.
*making my own focaccia

and so on.

I might make a soup next week because I got 4 giant leeks at the market and was told to use them for soup. Monday night is the group I go to once a month where it's potluck and so many great cooks I really have to work hard to keep up! So I've decided -- IF it cools off -- I'll make soup. Big IF, since it was 96 yesterday, but then temps have been swinging 70s-90s-70s-90s within one week. IF I do, I'll write the recipe here as I add things.

Jaw JAW
Chicken...either way before freezing..or serving cannot see it would matter
ham cubed could be added to the lentil (i dont but some do)
Butter beans no dont substitute. ..its the creamy texture from them that counts.


actually soup can be made from most veg...using what is grown at that season.
also onions can be subsituted for leeks no problem or use both

Mushroom Soup


4 cups button mushrooms, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
salt
black pepper
finely chopped parsley
1 small clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 pint vegetable stock
1 carton lowfat cream or subsitute

Method
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and garlic gently until they are transparent.
- Add the mushrooms and cook until soft but do not brown.
- Add the stock and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and season.
- Taste to check seasoning.
- Blend.
- add low fat cream
- Stir in a little chopped parsley.
- Reheat and serve.

I use HERBAMANE as a seasoning

Chick, I LOVE your new avatar! I'm assuming that's one you made in honor of this month? You are so creative. Thanks for all of those links. I'm going to follow them and if I see something in particular for "getting back to basic" I'll post it here.

MA - I may try that Mushroom Soup first. I love mushrooms and that is such an easy recipe. I looked up HERBAMANE on the net and there are several good places to purchase it. I made sure that it was the original, when looking.

I'm not a big fan of garlic, but I'm going to stick with the recipe you gave.

I know I started this thread asking about recipes for homemade soups, etc., but I also wanted us to share tips on getting back to the basics.

I've thought about it and one tip I'll share is to get a library card if you don't have one. I tell ya, some weeks I just couldn't live without mine! If I want to rent a movie (FREE) I go the library. When we get ready to discuss a book choice here, I first see if the library has it. Another savings...

One more tip would be to buy generic brands at the grocery store. I cannot believe the cost different between some well-known brands and store labels. Holy cow! Now I'll add with a red face that I won't skip on the mayo...gotta have Helmans. GOT TO!

Anyone else with a tip to get back to the basics? Or maybe it's not really getting back to the basics, but cutting back on the cost of living and if you are getting back to the basics (called GBTB in the future to save typing) then all the better.

Orchid, I told mom I want a new wok for Christmas...

Another thing I would LOVE to have is a dehydrator. Anybody got one of those? If so, do you love it?

Here's something most of you already knew about freezing, but for those of us who didn't:

Not all vegetables freeze well. Those that don't include green onions, lettuce and other salad greens, radishes, cucumbers, and tomatoes (except as juice or to use in cooking). Uncooked potatoes often develop an uncharacteristic sweet flavor when frozen.

and for blanching:

Blanching is scalding the vegetables in water or in steam for a short period of time. It is a very important step in freezing vegetables because it slows or stops the action of enzymes. These enzymes are essential for growth and maturation of the plant. If the enzyme action is not stopped before freezing, the vegetables may develop off-flavors, discolor, or toughen so that they may be unappetizing in a few weeks.

Do any of you ladies know AGGIE AND KIM who feature on TV on
"How clean is your house ?"
They use lemon juice and vinegar..scrunched up newspapers to clean windows.etc..non proprierity cleaners..from the grocery store..
well many of the tips I saw in my home when I was small.Wish I had thought to write a book earlier..usual thing...took the knowledge for granted.

mind you some the people they visit need counselled and should have follow up help..beyond having an untidy house...some are a health hazzard.
so any tips to share....?
Mountain ash

Light it up.

naaaw...I buy bio cleaning products...without any scent. Then I open windows wide...and let the fresh air in. I try to have a pattern, so nothing gets too dirty. And even if it doesn't "look" dirty I do the room anyway.

We had a cleaning lady that came in twice a week for over 10 years. She quit, and now Hubby and I do the house cleaning. We actually like it. It's like the house belongs to us again; instead of living in a hotel room atmosphere, where you don't dust.

As for tips...vinegar is great for dirty vases. A bit of vinegar in a glass vase will make it shine like new.

One thing I almost forgot was that I pour about a cup, sometimes less, of baking soda down the drain, followed by about 1/2 cup of vinegar. Cover the drain and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with boiling water. Use this treatment regularly to prevent clogged drains. Also, pour boiling water down drains on a weekly basis to prevent grime buildup.

Sprinkle washing soda crystals down the plughole of sink then some vinegar..leave half an hour.then one kettle boiling water .beats all the plughole cleaners.

JAW Jaw...great minds think alike..well nearly..I use washing soda.

BAKING SODA great for fridges ..


used vinegar for my windows in the summer ..hubby thought I had been bottling beetroot..was disappointed!!
smell faded quickly .but I usually use a clear lemon spray bought at grocery.

I have to laugh...we pulled out the same treatment for clogged drains at the same time. One can tell what you and I have been doing recently.

Vinegar is great for so many things, too. I use to use half and half of that plus water to soak wallpaper and then strip it off the wall. Works really good if the wall was primed before it was papered. If not, you're screwed anyway.

I also use it to mop floors. It's cheap, gets stuff clean and like MA said, the smell goes away almost immediately.

I use aluminum foil to freeze things sometimes, if I'm out of freezer bags. I double wrap with it to keep it from coming loose when in the freezer. It works so long as you label whats inside.

Being a lover of all things Asian Food, I shop near my home at the new Asian market. Its sooooooo expensive, but Orchid is right, nothing like fresh veggies for your stir fry meals, but if you aren't a millionaire and know the value of quick frozen foods, you'll do just fine with frozen veggies etc. and not break the bank for a meal either.

get creative with leftovers, and use them before they spoil.

free cleaning supplies:
for scrubbing -- the plastic end squares from bread loaves. Non-abrasive and scrubs well. Also old toothbrushes.
cut-up old socks and underwear for dust rags and cleaning sponges.

I dilute ammonia with water to wash floors and counter clean-up. Ammonia is $1/gallon and goes a long way.

Meredith I had forgotten the many uses of Ammonia. Thanks for the reminder. Also, that idea of the square thing on the bread, great tip!

That same item is sold by Pampered Chef...and there you're telling us how to get one free. I love it!

I too use old socks to dust with. I don't cut them up though, I just slip them on like a glove and dust.

I wonder if anyone else does this...

Once I've printed something out, if I don't need it anymore, I recycle it and use it again. I just flip it over. Saves on buying so much paper. And if it isn't in shape to be reused, I cut it up for scraps to make notes and lay it by the phone.

The librarian here (me) would like to remind folks that buried deep in the website of most large public library systems are licensed research databases. Since some of you run small businesses or might do consulting on the side, do seriously check out what you can access for free if you have your library card or if you visit the library in person.

To illustrate since Dotsie lives near Baltimore, I checked the website for Baltimore Public Library. And buried deep (amongst other juicy, free meaty research databases with verifiable/authenticated info.) was this link which requires Baltimore library card number:

http://www.prattlibrary.org/findanswers/database.aspx?id=2604
Most likely this link for only Baltimore residents with library cards, gives you access to a meaty database or more full of extensive business directories and business research information all in 1 place.

Rethink what your public library website offers. Alot of library directors for all the big city library systems have become aggressive in purchasing annual licenses to such databases. Same for the university libraries...in your local area. However if you don't have a university library card, in many cases you might be able to search freely if you visit library in person.

Cookie, great tip. Absolutely! I'm going to do that. I get so tired in the winter time of walking across the carpet then one of my grandchildren will reach out to me and ZAP! So great tip and a money saver, too.

Orchid...I don't have enough good things to say about the public libraries around the country. If you women are not utilizing them, you're missing out on a very valuable and FREE resource. Plus I've never been in one of them yet where the staff wasn't pleasant and helpful. I love libraries...

When I was doing genealogy, I visited many in different states. It's the only place I know where you can go and the people working there, many of them volunteers, WANT to help you. Thanks for pointing that out Orchid.

JJ, I am a sicko about saving on paper. I do those things you say, and use newspaper borders for notes as well.

When I visited my brother in August, the first thing I did was go to their public library and get a temporary library card. Every 4 days my grandaughter and I would visit the library, play with the games there and get new picture books. It was a lovely walk along the beach, and on the way back we snuggled on a bench across from the harbour. We enjoyed the view and looked at our new gems once again before going home. Those were precious moments with my grandchild.

Cookie, that is a fantastic tip! I can't think of a new tip now...but love reading all of yours.

I love the smell of books and once thought of an MLIS. Recently, I've cancelled my netflix account and check out movies from the library. Last weekend I watched "Martian Child" and will soon view "Volver" and "27 Dresses", plus a few others on reserve. Since the main library is only 3 blocks away from my office, I walk there during lunch or after work. Oh, and I check out about 2 books monthly for lunch time reading! As for freebies, sometimes they offer lovely paper handle bags to carry your checked out items which make for great storage containers for the pantry of top of closet!

Thanks for the tip on socks! I've a bad habit of throwing them out - now I'll use for cleaning!

Not to hijack the thread, but a friend recently told me to check out The Lace Reader. It must be good because all the libraries in town have a waiting list for it, dang it all! I've been on one for a bit and will get my copy on Monday, along with Loving Frank, the one Dotsie has recommended for the next read.

Anyway, movies I check out from the library are all the British mysteries. If anyone EVER has ANY of those for sale, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, let me know!

My tip for the day...eggshells and coffee grinds make great fertilizer for plants!

Also, making calendars for Christmas or Birthday gifts is an easy thing to do if you're looking for a homemade gift!

Save your old worn out brooms to use outside for sweeping the front porch or carports. Lordy...I get my monies worth out of those!

We have some large beautiful libraries here in Vegas with artwork from local artists in the lobbys and on the walls. I have been known to take a bottle of frozen water and go to the library, select a book and just sit in one of the many comfortable lounge chairs there, usually near a window looking out into the courtryard and read the entire book. It is the best destresser I know...

Humm, a tip for the day?

Okay, when wanting to cut up and freeze veges for use later. First cut them and lay them on a cookie sheet which you place in the frig. When they are hard, frozen, remove them and scrape/place them into a plastic freezer bags, this way they DO NOT stick together and you can grab a handful whenever you need some...

I had fishhead soup...yea, just use 1 fishhead to make the stock and throw in ginger root, veggies, etc.

Fresh fishhead is only $1.00 per lb. or less. However this time I must have bought a monster head...

Jaw Jaw

I have had the same broom all my married life...only had a new shaft twice and a new head three times..

Wow, MA...I can't tell you how many I've been through. Once when I had worn out a broom I cut off the shaft, hung a couple of chains from the kitchen ceiling and insert the shaft (after I painted it white) and then bought some inexpensive S hooks. Then I hung my pots and pans from it. That freed up some much needed cabinet space. Just a nuter tip...

what did you do with the brush part??

The brush part was done for...it was in bad shape and I threw it away.

Not on ebay ?

HUH?

To whom do to you.."HUH", JJ? I'm confused.

JJ, never mind. I see you were replying to MA. I'm slow today.

JJ
you said earlier about liking Scotland

well a brush is called a besom in OLD SCOTS LANGUAGE
and besom can be used also for Woman

sure you can do something with that information..

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...don't you love a blonde? Mahahaha....

Cookie, how special that you have that from your grandpaw! It speaks highly of him that you keep it and do so...lovingly. I like that...

My broom and I fly together when the moon is full. cackle cackle

(getting into the Halloween spirit here)

I have a rolling pin made by an old man long gone..he even made a child size one for my then five year old...its good for marizpan sweets...though meant for a kiddie.

and one pyrex bowl must be 40 years old...used daily it has earned its keep.This is not a joke like the brush JJ

In case any one believe the brush story...sorry...

I resorted to using the $3 brooms from the dollar store. I try to keep one broom for the indoors, one for outdoors. My DH and grands seem to forget and it's off to the dollar store for me. I can't stand the thought of an outdoor broom being used in my kitchen, only on of two rooms that we use a broom for.

How cool for you to have a broom made by your grandpa, Cookie and Mountain, I have a rolling pin made for me by my dad, and two small ones he made for our girls. I have small hands so the girls' fit me best. My DH made me a holder for the wall... mine is on top and the other two below. Prized possessions.

I have a collection of roller pins in graduated sizes. Wish I had one of those holders to display them. Right now I have them swirled inside of the oyster bucket that there's a pic of in the FOR SALE area. It works, but they would look better on the wall in the kitchen.

My DH cut a small version of a gun rack out of a plank of redwood with a jigsaw. The bottom finger broke off of one side... we Gorilla glued it a couple of times, so it still holds them all. I'd like to have a new (nice and finished) one, but the small rollers belong to the girls and I'm sure they'll be wanting them to pass on to their girls (who are now starting to learn to cook) soon. The memory is what I'm hung on...

I bet your house is to die for, comfy and cute... I come to thinking this by way of you and hints of what it's like from past posts.

Honey, my house is more like to DIE IN...not for. It is a mishmash of old...and after having been married to Mr. [censored]...I am not one of those people who tidy up every second of every day.

If you came to my house, you could take off your shoes and curl up on the couch...it wouldn't bother me a bit...in fact, I would probably beat you to it.

My sisters (four of um) all have big beautiful homes and they are decorated to die for....now THEY have the knack.

Mine is Early American Poverty. LOL! But hey, it's mine. I love whimsical, too...and cottage style. Overstuffed, lacey, etc...I belong in the 1800's...and probably look like it! LOL!

But thank you for that sweet comment anyway...

I'm sure you're selling it short!
You describe it so much like I'd have my living quarters, if it were just me - comfortable, homey, cottage style and whimsical... I might even add cooky.

JJ, you make me laugh out loud.

Yes, I think a home portrays the personality living in it. although, every room in our house is different. What does that mean? Am I schizophrenic?

There is an underlying element in all our rooms. That is the love of the sea. I have many nautical decorations and pictures. Our bedroom is Laura Ashley, our living room is Toscana, we have a "Bavarian" room, a beach room...but somehow they all do fit together.

Oh my word! You have names for your rooms? Hmm...let's see, my kitchen is "Dishes in the Sink," my living room is, "Dust-A-Million," my bedroom is "Can't Get No Satisfaction," <insert giggle> and my office is, "The Twlight Zone."

I like your room names better! Full of personality! Like you JJ. lol

JJ, you're a nut. I'm afraid to ask what you call your bathroom.

And EW, your home sounds lovely. The love of the sea could be a theme for one of the rooms in my son's home. We've always taken the kids on beach vacations since they were teeny. Seeing that my son has picked up on that theme in his home is touching. He has this one photo of the beach. The ocean is in the background and there's a dog digging a big hole, with only his butt and tail sticking out of the hole. The hole digging reminds me of that same son. Whenever he sits in a beach chair, he digs a hole directly in front of the chair, then puts his feet in the hole when he sits.

Well for JJ's bathroom how about the STOP AND DROP room...LOL!

chatty - YOU bad!...lol....
naming rooms - we only have one room which has a name (to speak of)... we call our family room the "orange room," because of the ugly orange carpet it had when we bought the place. Leave it to JJ to come up with such names... dots, aren't animals a most curious creature? EW, you have a LA bedroom - WOW! Do you mind sharing pictures of that?

Hey Gims, I could have said the STOOP and POOP room! or the SIT AND SHI/ room. You forget, I AM A POET, lol!!!!

Say JJ, can we still put recipes here too?

This is YOUR site...we can put whatever we want...within reason! LOL!

gims are you talking about my son or the dog?

I should have known I'd get soem names for JJ's bathroom. Great ones, cahtty.

I'm not sure what this says about our house, but none of our rooms have names. We call them the living room, the den, the kitchen, blah, blah, boring. But I still love our home.

Gims asked me to post some pictures of my bedroom…So whoever is interested; here is the link. Turn up your volume! And let’s have a pajama partyyyyyy!

My bedroom if the link doesn't work, then just copy this ; http://www.immobilien-schwarz.de/making_whoopee.html and paste it.

Oh and Gims, how about you posting your favourite room in your house? Or anyone else want to share? Dots, has your son taught yet how to post pictures yet? Do I have to come over and teach you? lol.

WOW! It's beautiful!

EW...thank you for sharing! What a beautiful and inviting room. Such a clean, sleak, yet warm room. I love the last pic where you're in the mirror! YOU NUT!

That floor, by the way, is first class!

Wish we could have seen it without the frames though..Had to scroll up and down really fast to see it all.

I love that floor in the bedroom Edelweiss. Making whoopie, well hopefully that is the reason for such a lovely room, LOL!!! And I have to say, I felt so worldly with all the German wording on your site...DUNCA!

Thanks, EW. I agree with the others - what a beautiful room. Hope you don't think of us every time you go to bed, now...
I'd show you a room, but oh, I can't ... I'd be too embarrassed. Some day, though, some day. Ending up humming, "making Whoopie"... you are a nut... leave it to you to add some humor!

dots, I was talking about the dog, I could envision the dog's bohunkous sticking in the air, tail a waggin,' excited about finding a cool spot deep in the sand -- I guess what I said could apply to all animals, though... humans included.
One of our past dogs use to dig a cool spot - ruined part of the flower bed and the roots to a shrub.

Thanks girls. And yes, I did think about you all before going off in slumberland; only nice thoughts.

Mountain Ash, those are my kind of soups. The Frugal Gourmet has some of my favorite soup recipes.

EW, thanks for posting. What a warm and inviting bedroom. Loved your choice of song. I bet your hubby would llike to know that you chose that one.

I like the bedside tables that are attached to the walls. It takes up less space and is much more airy. Also like how the lamps are attached to the wall. Again, a space saver. Is the wall with closets all built it? I love that look.

My favorite picture was the on eo fyou in the mirror. You need to figure out how to take a photo without having the camera at your face!