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Friday, November 13, 2009

Convenience Foods

I like convenience when it comes to cooking dinner.  I have found some convenience foods that really help out when I get home from work hungry, tired and basically lazy!  Some people might think this looks like food storage but I beg to differ...
Today's fast food features hamburger!


I found extra lean ground beef for $1.69 a pound.  I bought 17 pounds, brought it home, and browned it in 3 different frying pans.  When it was browned through, but not too brown, I rinsed it with hot water to remove most of the grease.  I packed it tightly into pint jars, added hot water, a couple dashes of salt and put on the lids and rings.


It needs to be processed in a pressure canner at 15# for 65 minutes.  I got it started, told my hubby what to watch for, then went to the movie with daughter and grandkids.  (I think my next post will be on how to strengthen your marriage!)  I (we) got 16 pints.  It can be used in soups, enchiladas, sloppy joes, casseroles, chili, or anything that calls for a pound of ground beef.  Just drain off the water.  How convenient is that?



Speaking of movies...we saw Disney's "A Christmas Carol." I recommend it - but there are some scenes that scared the 2-year-old and other scenes that didn't keep the attention of the 4-year-old. Maybe I should have just gone with Andy!  But then, who would have finished the hamburger?


Keep a smile on your face and have a happy weekend!

17 comments:

Camille said...

Forget the toddlers, this movie was escary for the one in her 30's! But really well done! I think I'll have a better attitude about Christmas this year - and less stingy with my money?

I love that bottled hamburger!

Yvonne said...

I had no idea you could bottle hamburger.

You are a wealth of knowledge--thanks.

I have heard the movie was scary but good.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I did hamburger last year when there was good sale, LOVE having it on hand!
However, I made it a bigger production....you know, bigger mess, more work and didn't yield any more burger than you. I should take your easy approach. Of course, leaving the hubs in charge would be great too.

I saw the show last weekend with my hubby. I wasn't sure if I liked it, there were scary parts.

Emma said...

Way to be prepared!!!!

I think I will take my kids to the movie I hope they like it!!

KC said...

I think you can find a way to bottle EVERYTHING. That is such a good idea to bottle the hamburger. We just bought half a cow, so I have a ton of frozen meat in our freezer...i'll have to keep this in mind for the future.

Kimmie said...

I can't wait to see "A Christmas Carol" as well. I love the message it teaches and can't wait to see the modern version. I love Jim Carrey's characters he plays. He is very talented.

LOVE your helpful tips for canning. My hubby and I (YES we do our canning together like you and Andy) bottled 21 quarts of your vegetable soup. We put our abundance of potatoes and carrots to use preserving them so we can enjoy them through the rest of the year.

One of these days when I spot a good deal on chicken I am going to try canning chicken and now it looks like I will have to try canning some ground beef as well.

You give the most helpful tips and info and you always have a way of making us laugh as well.

Hope you and Andy get to enjoy some weekend time together!! Hubby's are the best. My most looked forward to day of the week are the Friday night dates I take with my hubby!
(BTW...my word verification is "Hambyes").

Valerie said...

I'll have to try this! I do something similar, cook ground beef and chicken (not together), and then freeze it in 1 lb increments. It makes throwing a meal together much simpler!
All of my canning bottles have disappeared! I guess that happens when you move...a lot! I have 3 boxes of pints and 1/2 pints, that's it! GRRRR!!!
We saw A Christmas Carol last weekend. I thought it was scary too, but this movie has always scared me. We'll probably take the kids to it in a few weeks. (Shane likes scary movies!)

Kristina P. said...

This is a great idea! I do use hamburger a lot in my cooking.

Ann Marie said...

What?? Hamburger??
Connie.. you seriously amaze me.
I have seen Elk and chicken bottled.. but Hamburger?? Nope!
I am amazed!

I have lots of cow products in the freezer.. and I wish I had the GUTS to bottle it.. because if the power goes out.. all of my meat other than Tuna and stew is gone.. baby gone.
But.. I am SUPER freaked about meat. I always think my family is going to be poisoned.. so I admit.. I probably won't ever do it just out of fear.

Wish I had more GUTS.

CB said...

We saw Christmas Carol when it opened last weekend and loved it. My son who is 9 was at the perfect age. We saw it in 3D and I got a little motion sick on that third ghost with the horse chase - ha ha but it was fun!!

All your canning seriously amazes me. I didn't even know you could can some of this stuff. Your blog is definately an education and I think you are one cool lady to know how to do all this stuff!

Heffalump said...

I usually buy turkey burger and brown it and then freeze it 1/2 pound per ziploc baggie. Then when I need something quick, I take one out, toss it in the microwave to thaw it out and away I go. Canning it is a great idea though! I'll have to try that if ever I get a pressure canner!

wendy said...

What, you bottled hamburger?? way to go.
Once upon a time when I was domestic and lived in British Columbia, we canned/bottled everything that inhabited this earth.
one time my husband got a cow, and we cut it up in the basement and bottled the meat..for stew meat etc. his mom was there helping.

it was truly disgusting.
I am glad I wasn't a pioneer

Kazzy said...

I need to try that hamburger bottling. It really would be convenient to have it already cooked and ready to go. If I had a pressure cooker I might do more of this stuff.

Scrooge's frown is very scary.

Small House said...

I had aboslutely no idea you could do this with hamburger. I've fryed it and then froze it, but this is to COOL!!!!!

I've hear that the Christmas Carol was a good movie. Maybe that will be our Thanksgiving weekend movie!!
Have a great day.
Sandra

gigi said...

I've got plenty of pint jars and I'll start looking for a good sale on hamburger. I've been waiting on one of the men in my life to get a deer. We were going to have it all ground so we can "can" it.

I did put up 100 lbs wheat, 50 lbs of rice and 25 lbs of oats and pinto's this weekend.

Jill K said...

I just feel like eating a hamburger.

Jenny said...

Your such a great example me. I love how you share how to can everything with us. I feel so inspired.

I have wondered how good "A Christmas Carol" would be.