COOKING AT THE LEAVITT LODGE, or just enjoying a meal

It's been pretty busy these past 3 months.  Most boxes have been unpacked, my "office" is semi-organized, and the guest room nearly completed.  Almost everyday one of the kids or grandkids come over to visit, go swimming and/or spend the night and sometimes go to church with us.  More often than not, when anyone pops in I am usually in the kitchen, behind the counter stirring, mixing, canning, bagging, or something of that nature.   

Silly picture of me.  Just home from church, got my apron on & I'm ready  for dinner

     Although I am not the worlds greatest cook, I do a pretty darn good job at food preparation and storage since we buy in bulk.  When someone comes over they usually meander to the kitchen as well - either cooking, eating or snacking. 
     I've been asked a lot if making most of my own foods saves me more than if I couponed.  Yes, but, its a lot of hard work, yet well worth every minute, for sure.   I really think every thing I know about making from "scratch" I learned from my dear Aunt Florence.  One of the first things she taught me was how to make bread.

      My homemade bread costs me $1.31 for two loaves of bread.  Heres the breakdown: .45c/lb wheat; 3.9 oz @ 1.48/lb dry milk = .36c; 3.2 oz brown sugar @ .61c/lb = .12c; .20c oil; .18c yeast:  TOTAL COST OF HOMEMADE BREAD $1.31.  That's .61c a loaf.  I'd  say that's pretty darned cost effective!!

     And then, there were the bananas on sale.  Well, more than on sale - there were a few that were marked down from the sale.  I asked the produce man if he had any he could mark down & he said, "Come back at noon".  So, we did.  And look at what we got:

72 lbs of bananas for a total of $12.00.  That's .16c a pound (actually almost .17c a pound)

After spending 4+ hours peeling, mashing & vacuum sealing we got this:

64 cups ready for the freezer & 8 lbs ready to eat!

     My step-son Sam & wife Stephanie came to visit for the first time.  Stephanie immediately found her way around my kitchen and taught me how to make the most delicious mouth watering Taco Meat I have ever tasted and the best Spanish Rice EVER.  She said "I don't use measurements.  Just add to taste".  I said, "Well, how much do you know to add to at least taste it?  Half teaspoon?  One teaspoon???"  She said, "Well," then rolled her eyes upwards to give it a thought, inhaled, then matter-of-factly answered, "about a half.  Maybe one teaspoon.  Just depends.  Thats the way my mom taught me and she was taught by her mom".  The formula for most great handed-down recipes.  Then she added her seasonings, stirred, added more here, a little there & finally dinner was served.  

Stephanie making Spanish Rice

     What really stood out about Stephanie is how she said she never buys season packets.  Never has, never will.  Her mother never bought them either.  She said "Garlic powder, cumin, tomato sauce, onion, salt & pepper, oregano.  That's about all you need for Taco Meat & Spanish Rice"  I like that.  And, she said its all freezable!!  I like that even better!

     And my step-daughter Jessie spent 2 weeks with us and let me tell you, she is no stranger to a kitchen.

                                       

                                                                                Jessie making Guacamole

Jessie whipped up a bowl of Guacamole in no time at all & it was oh-my-goodness- GOOD.  Oh my, to say the least.  Not only did we waddle away from the table, I got three GREAT recipes to add  to our Leavitt Lodge Cookbook.                                                      

... and Spice Cake  

    Even the granddaughters love to cook at the Leavitt Lodge 

And, when it's time for dinner we always have someone around to feed.  

Grandpa is having fun.  Happy 4th!!!

     In my kitchen there are no fancy shelves, no expensive cupboads, nothing from Lowels or Home Depot (except the plank I used for my shelf - on the left, painted white). But, what I do have is a nice work space that works just fine for me (heck, my grandma didn't even have running water or gas stove).  The canisters are metal that I picked up at a yard sale for a buck.  The buckets hold my Wheat, Oats, Dry Milk, Dry Potatoes and White Flour.  What you see on the left is my refrigerator decorated in "Grandkid Art".  There was a  freestanding pantry shelf  when we moved in, but the door fell off.  So, I painted it white & nailed some apple print cotton fabric to make it less boring.  On the top shelf is a turntable I picked up for a couple bucks at a yard sale.  The jars hold all my spices (we buy in bulk).  If you look real hard, you can see my rolling pins (on a rack I got for .50c at a yard sale) & hanging on the side of the cupboard are my measuring cups (on the left) and sifter (on the right).

     We're not fancy here at our little Leavitt Lodge.  We are comfortable and we hope everyone who comes is comfortable.  We enjoy our family & they seem to enjoy us.  I tell everyone who enters to make themselves at home, put their feet up & relax because before long, someone will be cooking. :)