Rendering your own Lard

I know some will turn up there nose at this.  But Lard doesn't have transfats.

I always boil down bones from meats to make my own stock/broth.  I have always had fat left over.  What do you do with it.  Yesterday I had used pork stock, and the left over fat.  I used the fat instead of shortening in my biscuits.  My Goodness those were the best biscuits I have ever had.  My middle child asked if I had gone and got Popeye's biscuits for breakfast.  Well they didn't exactly taste like Popeyes but they were soft flakey and so yummy.  So I started thinking, maybe I can make my own lard because whole generations use lard.  Well, I decided to look online this morning and see what I could find.  And low and behold I found something.  How to render and can your own lard.  Yippee!  I read it and decided this needed to be shared.

http://www.howtobaker.com/techniques/insane-foodie-projects/how-to-render-and-can-your-own-lard/comment-page-1/#comment-41660

Also on the site, How to make your own sea salt and How to make Cream cheese without starter cultures.  This guy is Brilliant.  I have set this site as a favorite and I think those like minded will too.

Remember real fat from meats are okay it is transfat that is bad.  And Lard is 100% natural, pig fat and water are the ingredients.  Gee can you get more natural?

Its Chili Baby

Who doesn't like Chili on a cold day?  I am no stranger to Frito Chili pie on a cold day.  I made it last week well, except I didn't have Fritos I made do with Doritos.  They had been on sale.  Those of you that don't know me will learn I am a couponer and I am cheap.  

Back to the Chili...This is easy to make with a little prep work.  First things first, you will have to make some dehydrated hamburger meat or buy some FD hamburger meat.  Here are some great directions to make your own.  This is how I do mine too.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/hamburger_rocks.html

Chili recipe for storage.

1/2 c red beans

3/4 c hamburger rocks (dehydrated hamburger meat)

1/4 c freeze dried tomatos

2 cubes of tomato boullion

1/4 dried minced onions

1 cube of beef boullion

1 tsp of garlic

2 tbsp of chili powder

1-3 tbsp of chili flakes (depending on your taste)

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper.

Layer in a bottle, add an oxygen absorber, and seal.

To make 3-4 cups of water and cook.

This is the Tomato Boullion I buy.  

A little hint,  I use a funnel I bought from automotive department for $0.99 as opposed to $5.99 in the kitchen department.  I take a wooden spoon to help get the ingredients in the bottle.  Sometimes it takes a lot of force.

Serves 5 and has about 10 g carbs

Baked beans for storage

Depending on what part of the country you are from these can be called Pork n Beans or Baked Beans.  Well, whatever you call them, they are yummy.  Seriously you can make many things with this.  It can be a side dish or a main dish, cut up some wienies and you will have beanie wienies or Franks and beans.  Again it is a cultural thing.  Where ever you are and whatever you call them, they are yummy and even your kids will ask for seconds.  

2 cups small navy beans 
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chopped onion (dried)
1 garlic clove, minced (dried)
1/4 c brown sugar
1 package of Ham seasoning

Store in an air tight bottle (soda bottle) with an oxygen absorber.  

To make add 4 3/4 c water, 
2 tablespoons of mustard.

In case you are wondering, what the ham seasoning looks like:

That ham seasoning is a great thing to have on hand.  You can add it in with any type of beans or greens you would add salt pork or fat back too.  I have sneaked this in on my family several times and they couldn't tell the difference.