Sally's GF3 thread

[Sally PB]

Yesterday, I went to Leppinks in Belding. It's a small, local grocery store. I wanted to see if I like it better than the local big chain, Meijer, which is redoing a bunch of things in things in their store, and I haven't liked any of them. So this was a reconnaissance mission. Here's my report.

As expected, a smaller store has fewer choices. Notably among the missing were the teas I use to make kombucha and hubby's favorite tea. We have plenty on hand at the moment, so no problem. I figure I'll be going to Meijer for some things, some times, like it or not.

Also as expected, the prices were higher. Some quite a bit, some not as bad. I will probably have to up my weekly budget a bit if I shop there regularly. I haven't changed the target amount since I started keeping track about 5 years ago -- still aiming for $100/week.

I have had to up the Costco budget. It went from $600/year to $1200, and I think it'll end up being closer to $1500 this year. The reason is I've found more things there, and that's probably how I've kept the weekly grocery at $100/week.

The good news about Leppinks is very good, however. They have the in house meat market like the store down in Dorr. (That store was Dick's Market, and was recently bought by Leppinks.) We have gone there on our way to/from visiting friends after they served us brats from Dick's. Which we all call Dick meat. (Yeah, we laugh about it.) So I came home with a couple of brats.

Leppinks has ... blackstrap molasses! You can tell by the iron content. I used to get House of Herbs at Meijer, but they stopped carrying it. Grandma's brand has very little iron; this stuff, Brer Rabbit brand has lots. This in itself is a big win.

They also had most of hubby's favorite beers. And one that Meijer doesn't carry.

The staff was very helpful and friendly, and not a self checkout in sight.

The drive is about 4 miles shorter each way. It's all back roads, which might be an issue in the winter; they will be farther down the plowing list, but so are we.

 

[cavemanrich]

I never had Black Strap molasses, but am willing to try some. Have not encountered any in stores I commonly shop at.
My main use for molasses ,,, is in baked Rye bread type stuff.
What do you use your Black strap mainly for???


and had to add this,,, I'm sure you know for which line .

 

[Sally PB]

I never had Black Strap molasses, but am willing to try some. Have not encountered any in stores I commonly shop at.
My main use for molasses ,,, is in baked Rye bread type stuff.
What do you use your Black strap mainly for??

Blackstrap molasses has a very strong flavor. To me, it's a combination of molasses and anise. So if you don't like black licorice, you probably won't like this stuff.

I don't know if the Grandma's brand tastes like this, as I've never bought it. I discovered blackstrap molasses 10? 15? years ago, back when Meijer carried House of Herbs. I don't recall how much iron HoH brand has, but this brand, Brer Rabbit, has 4.8 mg per tablespoon.

I put it in my coffee. I really like the mix of flavors.

Like all thick syrups, you can never spoon the last bit out of the jar. But being the frugal weirdo person I am, when it's down to the last part in the bottom, I just pour my coffee into the jar and stir it well. Then pour it into my mug.

If you do this... do NOT handle the jar with bare hands while it's full of hot coffee. There's a reason coffee mugs have handles.

And, yes, the proper term is coffee "mug." Not "cup," it should be a mug.

 

[cavemanrich]

Like all thick syrups, you can never spoon the last bit out of the jar. But being the frugal weirdo person I am, when it's down to the last part in the bottom, I just pour my coffee into the jar and stir it well. Then pour it into my mug.

Sally ,,, I think I just found my long lost twin.
I do same with all my jars. Spaghettis sauce, Jam jars., honey.
BTW. spaghettis sauce does not go into my coffee.
Well,,, only exception would be pickle jars. Have a secondary use on those. When pickles are gone, I cut up a fresh cucumber and drop into jar. After about one week in fridge, the new pickle is like half way pickled. It tastes good to my liking.
Now I'm determined to get some Black Strap. I'm not sure the Iron is that important to me. I have iron muscles.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm not sure the Iron is that important to me.

10-15 years ago, iron was still something I needed more of. Now that I'm "of a certain age," it might be less critical.

I think I just found my long lost twin.

You'll like this too. When I get down to the end of the jar and pour my coffee in it to get the last bit, I stir it with a knife. The knife fits neatly, and I don't "clank" it against the glass. (I'm always worried the jar will break.) Not only that, but in our silverware drawer, we have LOTS of knives. We might run out of forks and spoons, but we never run out of knives.

 

[Sally PB]

I had my yearly physical this morning. I had to fast for the blood work, so one cup of black coffee was it. Well, a mug. But no blackstrap molasses. Or milk.

Now I wait for someone to call with the results of the blood work. And I ask them to please send me a hard copy for my own records.

 

[Sally PB]

I got a couple of the fly traps that @gtaus (I think...??) mentioned on another thread. Rescue is the brand, and I splurged and got the plastic bottle kind, not the plastic bag. This way I can just buy the bait and reuse the trap.

Whooooo doggieeee! Does that bait STINK! Like rotting meat. Flies were on the trap within a minute or two. I have them hanging in trees, about 10 feet away from the front porch. Out of smell range. My smell range. Freya can certainly smell them!

 

[Sally PB]

I made lentil soup today in the Instant Pot. It is absolutely delicious!

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

1 pound lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 quarts canned tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups spinach
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cups salsa (I use mild green salsa)
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Sauté onion in the olive oil in the Instant Pot for 3 minutes. Add carrots and sauté another 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes.

Turn off the sauté function and pour in the canned tomatoes and salsa. Stir in the lentils, pepper, salt, bay leaf, and spinach.

Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally. Stir in the vinegar to act as an antioxidant/preservative.

This makes a lot of soup. I'm ok with that. It's also open to interpretation. I've made it with quart of bone broth in place of one of the quarts of tomatoes, I've added/swapped in/out other vegetables. The onions and garlic are mandatory for me, so they have to stay.

 

[Sally PB]

Well, it's hard to sauté onion without oil, which I forgot to put in the list of ingredient list and directions. Fixed now.

 

[Sally PB]

I made jelly out of (almost) all the black raspberries we've gotten this year. I found a no-pectin recipe, as I don't have any pectin on hand.

I had some cherry syrup that never quite got firm enough to be called jelly, so I mixed that in. I used about 1/2 the sugar the recipe said online; it was PLENTY sweet. Yes, I know the sugar helps the gelling process, but I thought the natural pectin might be enough....?

Maybe, maybe not. There was a little bit more than would fit in the jars, so it's in a jelly jar in the fridge. It's fairly thick now that it's cold. So maybe it'll be ok.

Holding one of the jar up to the light, it's black as tar. Hopefully, it's not the same consistency.