How I use my food storage in winter

Today was a food storage day.

Not because we couldn't go to the store, but because there is not enough money in the world to get me in a store with all of those crazy last minute shoppers. I like to be stress free during the holidays, there's no reason for all of that crazy shopping behavior.

messy counter, as usual

For breakfast I made a rustic peach tart/pie thing. Basically, I took homemade whole wheat pie dough (1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup COLD grated butter, 1tsp salt, 1/4 cup of milk. Mix dry, add wet, refrigerate for one hour, roll out).


Then, I went to our stash of jams, jellies, and sauces and pulled out a small jar of peach preserves. Empty the jar on the pie crust (you can use any jam you like), fold over the edges, and sprinkle with coarse sugar (I used turbinado, aka sugar in the raw).

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 or so minutes. Cut a wedge, serve with hot coffee (or ice cream, if you're super adventurous). I don't add a lot of sugar to my preserves, so this wasn't as unhealthy as it may seem. Ahem....aside from the butter....

Pantry meal #2 was Butternut Squash Soup. It was off. the. chain. Hands down, one of the best soups I have ever made, especially on the fly.

Stated with a freezer bag full of butternut squash I had preserved from the garden last summer. It was taking up way too much room in my freezer so I was happy to use it up...

Put it in a pot with 2 cups of water, 2 TBS chicken bullion, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp red pepper flake. Cooked until squash got very soft, then added 1 cup of milk. Using a potato smasher, I smashed the heck out of that squash till smooth.  Simmer for 1 hour on low.

smash it, smash it real good!

Before serving, I cooked up 3 hot italian sausage links, and sliced into bit sized pieces. Add to soup.

 Serve with a small bit of sour cream on top. YUM!

fancy cookin'