We’re having sewer put in at our house. It’s not my choice, the township is making everyone. I’ve had people digging in my yard on and off since December, 2009. I work for a plumbing and heating company. You would think that would give me a great chance to get my work done quickly. Nope, I keep getting moved to the bottom of the list. I’m understanding. At least that’s what they tell me. So of course, it came down to the wire and we had to get the work done before Monday. That meant I had 7 manly men at my house at 6:30 Saturday morning. They started hauling stone around 7 AM. There was 180 feet of ditch that needed stone. That’s hard, tiring work. It makes a man hungry. I should have thought about that. So, it was no surprise when hubby asked if I’d make lunch for everyone. Not a problem, except I’d been sick all week and hadn’t gone to the store. In fact, I hadn’t been to the grocery store in almost 3 weeks. What to do? I could run to the store except my car is in the garage and that ditch is behind my car.
One of the guys offered me his truck.
Guys can be so funny! I could order takeout except they don’t deliver here so that means…
Hit the freezers and the basement. Pizza! Manly men like pizza, but I don’t have any sausage or pepperoni. I do have canned hamburger and pizza sauce, that will work. I’ve got tons of onions and peppers, even jalapenos. Manly men love hot, spicy food. I’ll make my One Minute Pizza Dough recipe. It’s quick, easy and delicious and since they want to eat in less than 2 hours it will work perfectly.
I’ll also make a pie–men love pie. Even if lunch is slim pickings, pie will make up for a multitude of faults. I’ve got apple, peach and blueberry pie filling in the basement. Who wouldn’t like fresh, homemade pie? I made a blueberry pie with apples thrown in.
They didn’t drink all the coffee from this morning’s pot. I’ll make Black Magic Cake with Mocha Frosting. It’s rich, delicious and chocolaty. Guys like chocolate, too!
Here’s the spread that my daughter and I managed in one hour and 40 minutes minus the pie, which was already eaten by the time I took this picture.
Here are the leftovers:
Seven guys ate 4 pizzas and 3/4’s of a cake and one blueberry/apple pie. They didn’t seem worried about calories. I forgot to mention that I made 14 egg sandwiches for them for breakfast.
A few years ago, this same situation would have caused me great anxiety because I wouldn’t have been prepared. Now I just head to my well stocked basement shelves and throw a few things together for a tasty meal. I’ve gone from being dependent on stores and fast food to being dependent on me coming up with meals for my family.
By the way, the one young man actually asked me who delivered the pizza. He’d never had homemade pizza and didn’t know that you could actually make it yourself. He went home with the recipe for my One Minute Pizza dough. Gee, maybe I should have told him about CiTR.
You can also find Kelly at Yahoo’s Canning2.Interested in contributing a guest post to the Farm Bell blog? Read information here for Farm Bell blog submissions.
Want to subscribe to the Farm Bell blog? Go here.
bonita says:
That has to be very comforting. I’m trying to picture your stash…are you the CITR’er with the Aisle One in the basement? (Can’t find post to check)
On October 21, 2010 at 3:33 am
glenda says:
Wow! What an impressive spread. Those were lucky guys and I know they appreciated it.
That would have thrown me into a tizzy to end all tizzies.
On October 21, 2010 at 6:05 am
CindyP says:
Yes, bonita, Kelly does have Aisle One and probably Aisle 20!
I would have taken that truck for a spin….then come back and made the pizzas! Think of the power on the road you’d have! LOL!
Great job, Kelly, I bow to you!
On October 21, 2010 at 6:42 am
kellyb says:
bonita and CindyP,
I have Aisle One but it ends there. Although after this gardening season I’ve got canned goods tucked everywhere.
Let’s just say it did stress me out a bit I just didn’t have a complete nervous breakdown like I would have years ago. It really helped that DD was here and formed and baked the pizzas.
I did move the one excavator. They didn’t think I would do it and let me tell you, wish I would have had a picture of the look on their faces. MEN!
On October 21, 2010 at 7:00 am
NorthCountryGirl says:
You go girl!! That was some spread! Bet they volunteer to come back to work at your house again!
On October 21, 2010 at 7:04 am
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
You Go Girl!! Isn’t it amazing, that peace of mind we can have from having great storage and the knowledge of how to use it? You have it whipped!
I’m still amazed though when people don’t know that such things as pizza don’t have to come from a store or restaurant. Sad, sad.
On October 21, 2010 at 8:09 am
kellyb says:
Having a well stocked pantry is huge peace of mind for me. I also think it’s terribly sad that folks just aren’t familiar with what homemade really means. My DH had never had homemade bread before he met me. He’s amazed by all the preserving that you can do. Fortunately, he not only encourages me he helps.
Weird example of this. DSD wanted eggs from my chickens. I gave her eggs that I had gathered on 9/21 & 9/22. She threw them away on 10/5 because she thought they were “OLD”. Those eggs were about 2 weeks fresher than anything you’d get at the store. Oh well, I just need to do a better job educating.
On October 21, 2010 at 8:50 am
Anita says:
CAKE! CAKE! Gotta have that cake recipe!!
On October 21, 2010 at 9:22 am
Natalie S. Cyphers says:
Way to go! Gotta keep working men happy with full bellies 🙂 That cake looks like my chocolate cake recipe I posted…it looks yummy! 🙂
On October 21, 2010 at 9:45 am
kellyb says:
The cake and frosting recipe are already in the files. I don’t know how to attach a link to them.
Natalie, does your recipe become more most the next day? This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe. When I make the recipe as cupcakes I always eat a cupcake while it’s still warm. HEAVEN!!!
On October 21, 2010 at 10:00 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
The links to the Black Magic Cake and the Mocha Frosting are in the post now! I added them!
On October 21, 2010 at 11:14 am
kellyb says:
Thanks Suzanne, you are simply the best!
On October 21, 2010 at 12:18 pm
ML Cauley says:
If I had a basement or a really good storage room….. unfortunately I don’t… 8^(
On October 21, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Miss Judy says:
When DD said she was bringing a new guy for Sunday dinner I started to freak about the dessert…but wait I had just canned apple pie filling! Apple crisp…and it was delicious. And people can’t understand why I like to can. I love having a well stocked pantry and freezer…so do my adult kids who “borrow” now and then.
On October 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm
kellyb says:
Miss Judy,
The kids decided to come over for dinner Sunday evening, unfotunately, everyone forgot to tell me. They love dessert so I knew I was going to need one. We had blueberry/apple crisp. I just dumped two quarts of pie filling together. It was delicious. Love canning and preserving.
On October 21, 2010 at 3:13 pm