TheKitchenCookie

Things have been kind of quiet on here for a few weeks, but we are working hard to finish our big basement remodel project in time to host our youth group Valentine Supper in a few weeks. Hopefully by next weekend we will have it finished! We are super excited about this! For that reason and because hubby and I are avoiding (95% of the time) sugar, white flour, and dairy for a while, cooking has been a bit different here lately. Lots of salads, lean meat, and fresh fruits and veggies. It has been affecting the way I prepare food for the children too. We all feel much better and I find the only thing I really miss is chocolate. ha The 90% lean ground beef was on sale at the local grocery store so I decided to work ahead a bit and get a 10lb. bag and mix it right away for cheeseburgers or mini meat loaves and put them in the freezer. I used fresh shredded zucchini and was very pleased that the burgers were quite moist and juicy. 10 lbs. 90% Ground Beef 3 cups Zucchini, ...

From as far back as I remember my Mom had one of these very handy hand cranked food grinders. We used it for lots of things! One thing in particular that I find it handy for is making 'real food' perfect bacon bits. My MIL introduced me to the uncured bacon ends from our local grocery store that are sold for a very good price and perfect for this type of thing. If I put the package into the freezer for a half hour before grinding it works like a charm. And the kids love this job! ☺ Fry and drain well. I usually drain most of the fat off like this and then pour the bits onto several layers of absorbent paper towels. Place a couple more layers of towels on top and press to remove the rest of the grease. I made the mistake recently of not pressing the grease out. Bad idea! It froze in a solid clump and had to be reheated and drained again. Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and freeze. I use these on pizza, salads, or wherever else that bacon bits a...