Just curious who else is living super frugal

[faerielady]

I gave my dad all the info on the beef that has been posted so he and my mom could decide if they wanted to raise one or purchase part of one. I think they're now leaning on purchasing part of one, and if they do I'm going to go in with them for a quarter. Far more chicken gets eaten in my house than beef. I'm really going to look into meat chickens, but I don't know if I can get away with them considering my town has a noise ordinance against roosters.

ANYWAY. It feels like I'm just asking tons of questions all the time. I apologize for that, but I have another one. I want to make a large batch of apple sweet potato soup from a recipe a friend gave me. She told me that it makes 14 cups of soup (2 cups/serving, so 7 servings), and she told me that it freezes well. However, I'm at a loss how to freeze 6-7 servings at 2 cups each of a liquid without using tupperware (which I don't have that many).

Suggestions? Freeze them in ziplocks, maybe?

 

[Kassaundra]

That is how I would do it freezer style ziplocks. I prefer the kind w/ the zipping tab, they cost a little more but so worth it to me.

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
So the zipping tab won't leak with the introduction of liquid? Awesome. I'm going to make the soup tonight. I'm really new to freezing meals so I'm hoping that this is going to work out like she said it would...

 

[Raiquee]

I freeze soups in quart ziplocks. Fill ziplock, standing upright of course, wipe seal clean and then seal it. Lay it flat in the freezer to freeze, then you can stand them up and stack them to utilize freezer space.

Beef around here is about $3 a pound also, but thats hanging weight. What you get back after hanging weight isn't the same. You can get close if you get soup bones and such, but price per lb of meat will still be higher as you are paying for 3 a pound for bones, fat, etc.

 

[Kassaundra]

Just be sure the soup is COMPLETELY cool before putting in the bags or it will steam and fill w/ air increasing likelyhood of freezer burn.

 

[EweSheep]

My sister said that he is a good friend of her hubby's and he raise them up to finish and send them down to butcher. We will have to pay him and the processor for that amount of money. The bigger the beef cow is, the more expensive it would be.

I don't have that big of a freezer to store half a cow, maybe 1/4 if most of it is grounded, roasts and steaks.

May be looking into local chickens too! Or raise my own but I live in the city so it is very restricted.

 

[faerielady]

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I was planning to refrigerate it tonight and divvy it up tomorrow. I really didn't want melty plastic in my soup.

 

[In His Service]

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me too, I need to start looking around

Depending on how far you are from me I can hook you up with the same person--You can buy the whole cow or find others to go in on it with you..Typically he may have a list of folks who only want half or 1/4 and he waits until the whole cow is bought. He takes them to the processor for you-then you call processor and give specifications as to what you want-You pay the man who owns the cow ahead of time-then the processor when you pick up the meat!!! Pm me if you want

I am just about 4 hours south of you...but I have a BIL in Plattsburgh...maybe he would go in with us. I will get back to you, thanks.

 

[Totalcolour]

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You don't need to give up yogurt - make your own! You can even use powdered milk if you don't have any fresh. You don't need a yogurt maker either. I use fresh (at least, from the grocery) and add powdered milk to make it thicker. Heat it to 165, then let it cool to 115 (covered) and then add your starter. I use a plain Greek type yogurt as a starter. Pour into a thermos, let sit overnight. Next morning, it's ready to put in individual containers and chill. Add fruit or "stuff" when serving.

I make a lot of soups, stews etc, and can them. My garage "Pantry" is full of canned goods, because if the "electrickery" goes out and the freezers die, I will still have food.

Oh, and MGSU has stocked up on ammunition, just in case..........

 

[Rathbone]

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Ditto. I gave my bread machine away. I like making it by hand.