Generosity utilized at its best

Once in a while we run across a great freebie, good deal or something is given to us and we just don't know what to do with it. We cannot eat it fast enough or have no place to store it. Over the years Ive picked up things in garage stores and put it in storage with a use in mind but no use for it at that moment. I picked up a dehydrator 2 years ago in a garage sale for only $3 and had to have it. What a deal! These things are pricey when bought new so I snatched it up fast. I took it home, cleaned it up and put it in my pantry.

This week my daughters are working for my neighbors who are on vacation. They have a huge garden which takes about an hour to water each day. They are also taking care of their dog by feeding him, putting him in at night and playing with him during the day. So each day we pick anything ready and what we cannot eat, we put in their fridge. Well about 5 days have past now and so

me how each day I missed a post it note on the handle of the fridge. I don't know how I missed it but I did. Today I went to put in zucchini and found the note that read "Please take the carrots, oranges and wine". There was a large bag of juice carrots, about 2 dozen oranges and a bottle of wine that needed to be drank. Yipee!! Well that's a whole lot of stuff we cannot eat in one day so I had to think quick. Here is what I ended up doing.

Carrots

Ive already frozen a bunch from my own garden so I had no room in my freezer for these. Ah ha! Remember my dehydrator? Finally I can use it!

I simply peeled the carrots and cut off the yucky ends. Cut up the pieces as if I was making soup and then laid them in the dehydrator. I have never dehydrated carrots so I'm not sure how long these will take. I think I will peek on them every few hours and once they are done they will be put into glass jar's for later use. To reuse them simply put them into water (along with any other veggies you dehydrated) and boil them for about 20 minutes. Yummy soup would be perfect on a fall day.

Oranges

These oranges were about to be spoiled so I had to use them quickly. I cut off the bad ends and threw them in the compost along with all the others. I used my fancy 70's Tupperware juicer in another large square Tupperware container then squeezed all the juice I could out of them. Poured in a juice pitcher that had a strainer just in case a pesky seed decided to come with the juice. I ended up getting a whole pitcher of yummy orange juice. I could freeze it for later use but its the perfect amount for my girls to have at lunch and breakfast the next day.

I hope this inspires you to rethink your way of thinking next time a opportunity comes along. Don't ever deny food of any sort when its given to you. Freeze it, dehydrate it, or use it up quick. Maybe you can make something from it and give some to who ever gave you it to begin with. What a great gesture that would be!