Food Bank Haul 4/20/23 Receiving 50 POUNDS of WHAT?!

[@SSanf]

Put that brown sugar into a heavy-duty trash bag. New ones are clean on the inside. Beat it out on the driveway with a mallet until you have chunks small enough to fit in the hopper of your food processor. Run it through the shredder blade on the processer. For so much brown sugar, you may want to pick up a super cheap processer at the good will or at a yard sale. Or see if you can get one at freecycle and save your good machine.

[@katydid1903]

I always keep around 15 pounds of brown sugar stored in an airtight container. I keep it soft by soaking a terra cotta plate that you would put under a flower pot in water overnight and then push it down into the sugar in the container. It keeps it moist for several months and when it starts to harden I just soak the terra-cotta overnight again and add it back into the container.

[@lswest1569]

That's great to know. Thanks

[@LiveFreeAndBeHappy]

That is GENIUS!! I'm going to try that!!❤

[@paulawinstead5660]

I just place a slice of bread or a biscuit into my brown sugar container. Slice of bread will work for months without having to "recharge" it like one does with a terra cotta piece.

[@Desertthorn11]

I just add a damp paper towel to an air tight container and the next day its soft.

[@lindahuffman6329]

Stop. Put lumps in plasric bucket. Add one fourth apple and close. Check in 24 hours and add additional section of apple as needed. When softened, pit portions of sugar in one quart ziplick bags and flatten before freezing.

[@sandytmobile4467]

Brown sugar no problem you need a raw piece of terracotta socked in water put in brown sugar it stays soft when Cotta dry sock again and place in . I have brown sugar bears in mine and when I do home made cookies to stay soft all my seasonings have Cotta leaf's in everyone dry so any moisture it keeps out of seasoning to stay not clump bad if wet or by a over that's a no no .

[@kannske7864]

I like to cook a mix of half white long grain rice and half wild rice mix (1/2 cup each) according to package directions. While that is cooking, I sautée sliced mushrooms and diced onions together in butter. I then combine the mushrooms and onions into the cooked rice. It makes a delicious side dish to a steak meal!!!

[@jeanettethiessen2476]

The trick to pre-made pie crust is to roll it out with your rolling pin just a bit before placing it in the dish. It helps fix any cracks and makes it fit better in the dish.

[@mimimcgee5512]

I recently discovered you and am addicted. I am single and am fortunate to not be in need so I don’t go to a food bank. But I grew up with very limited means and my mom always did the most with the least. So I enjoy learning those methods and strive to waste as little as possible. I just love how you use everything, you have no shame in your approach, you are funny and down to earth (I’m 41 and suspect we are close to the same age based on your references and jokes), your kids are the cutest, and you seem like you are a great wife. I wish there were more peeps like you. God bless!

[@mamabairds]

Thank you so much!! Welcome to the family!

[@jackandpiper]

If you soak a terracotta pot, or tray for plant pot in water, it will replace having to waste your bread…great haul Carolina!

[@reesep6847]

I use the terracotta brown sugar bears. But a terracotta pot is a great idea! It can double as a scoop.

[@jackandpiper]

@@reesep6847 exactly, and most people have them already

[@teridoster5840]

My fave mushroom dish is beef stroganoff (more mushrooms than beef, lol) or just some simply sautéed mushrooms with a steak. Yum! 💜

[@karbear26]

Mmm yes

[@reginabriggs7107]

Oh with the mushrooms and peppers and cashews . Yummy cashew chicken over rice

[@makingendsmeet]

That was some really useful food you received this time from your food bank. How nice to get the walnuts and cashews too, they are expensive here in Australia, especially when you're on a tight budget! Thanks for sharing the tip about softening sugar with bread Carolina - I always learn something new watching your videos!

[@l.michelle3497]

if yr in brisbane, Cocos annerley has walnuts at $3.99 a bag atm 👍

[@l.michelle3497]

Wow!! those strawberries look Divine 🤓

[@mamabairds]

They were so good! I ended up freeze drying them!

[@cambriaperez2865]

That blueberry muffin bread sounds so good! Probably would make a good French Toast 💝

[@deeregirl7356]

Sams club sells that bread

[@cambriaperez2865]

@@deeregirl7356 thanks for letting me know. I'm gonna need to make a trip lol It's like an hour away from me.

[@dlessard69]

Hi, my favorite thing for mushrooms is sautéed in butter for either steak topping or for omelettes.

[@catherinebarlow3079]

I like my mushrooms with chopped up red onions red and yellow peppers with bit of butter in a frying pan then add it to top of medium rare steak with pepper sauce and baby new potatoes or when middle of June when Jersey royals come into season in UK so nice with mint and butter melted on top

[@sammi_norris]

If you believe in your heart of hearts you are blessed with endless abundance, that is what you shall have! And staying thankful for EVERYTHING! I KNOW you believe and behave that way! God will ALWAYS take care of you and provide EXACTLY what you need!! ❤so glad you got great things to use and share!! Ps i wonder about putting the sour patch kids into the fruit salad lol may help preserve it snd hive it tang and sweetness -plus the juice from the fruit will melt the outside sprinkles on the SPK 😂 worth a shot on a small amount after the normal batch is made.

[@mamabairds]

Thank you so much! Life is great!

[@CandanceBrewer]

APPLE pie is my husband's favorite too

[@lizprofe6986]

What i find works super well is to put the hard sugar in a muslin bag and actually bash it into usable pieces with a hammer

[@mamabairds]

I'll give that a go next time! Thank you!

[@princessmariposa828]

Blueberry muffin bread is great for french toast

[@TheMerchant238]

you can buy replacement gears for you mixer...you will need them if you put it in a bind very many times.

[@jessicascott4846]

Steak and sauteed mushrooms

[@ashleymatthyssen5008]

Salisbury steak with the mushrooms! My family loves it, and I love it because it reminds me of my childhood 🥰🎉

[@pearlalthouse6643]

Put your brown sugar and Ziploc bags and put in a slice of bread I don't know why but it keeps your brown sugar moist

[@imarrywhales]

The senior food boxes that we put together on Monday at the food bank had a whole bag of organic local mushrooms. So the seniors get to have that this week.

[@erickadillman1418]

Hi! This may sound weird but I would have put the sugar on the floor and hit with a hammer into smaller pieces, then put it in a bucket with bread. You not only make life easier, but release stress too as you hammer the sugar! Lol..Make sure it's still in the bag as you hammer it tho!😂

[@tannaphillips6840]

I grew up with the bread in the brown sugar trick! Very blessed to receive that brown sugar!

[@Magdalena287]

Wow im suprised at what you get what an awesome food bank. The last time i did a pick up for my grandma they gave her like 6 cans of apple sauce and a can of like beef mush and a loaf of bread and thats it for the whole month. I usually just ended shopping at my local aldi and buying her groceries because our local food bank is slim pickings

[@pamc.7049]

You can sprinkle just a little water on the bread and it works well for that quantity.

[@daveshoemaker7137]

After you're done with the bread in the brown sugar you can use it for bread pudding. It sounds like you have a lot of food restrictions in your home. It's always fun to see what you get! Have a great weekend! The pie looks good you can use the gooey part for another thing maybe oatmeal to give it flavor!

[@dilsaliosatos8797]

Next time put One cups of flower And baking soda will help dis was my solushioum to my problem wit sugar

[@sortathesame8701]

With fifty pounds of rock hard brown sugar, I think I would store it in your five gallon buckets as it is and bring out a enough to fill a container large enough to hold about a month worth of sugar and add bread to just that amount. Otherwise you will need to continue adding fresh bread to the bucket every few weeks as it will get hard again and again! But please let us know, maybe I am wrong and once the bucket is softened it will stay that way!

[@mamabairds]

That's a good idea! Thank you!

[@tanjadouglass6834]

I'm NOT a big water drinker, so I've tried different ways to improve the taste. I don't like la Croix sparkling, but I have found a couple inexpensive, local brands that are more to my liking. Plus I'm trying to cut down my daily coffee consumption and make healthier choices. NOT EASY.

[@richardharris1183]

Mushrooms speak stroganoff to me. I do use them in soups all the time as well. Great video!

[@carolynscales8277]

A slice of apple also works to soften brown sugar.

[@InternetPersond]

If you can smash hard brown sugar into tiny pieces with a food processor or something use it in or on cookies for an amazing crunch.

[@mamabairds]

Oh good idea!

[@homeboundmama9968]

Omg!!!! 🤪🤪🤪🤪 wow!!!!!! That a great haul!!!!

[@mamabairds]

It really was!!

[@theworldaccordingtoian9240]

I make a brown sugar pie with meringue. It is so good.

[@mtwhyte8505]

Oh my gosh that brown sugar is lifesaver. You can make cookies pie's cakes. You can make your own caramel. I think I would die if they ever had sugar or brown sugar at my food banks. We have eight food banks running in our local area, and I'm signed up for 4. You can go to two of them every two weeks and then the other two I'm going to go to it's only once a month. And we are no longer in food stamps so I'll be going to food banks regular

[@candismith4080]

To break up the brown sugar I would try my food processor or blender, might just do the trick. Also the trick to those pre-made pie shells is to let them come to room temperature and then roll them out on a flowered surface to about 12 inches. Makes them so much easier to fit nicely on 9 or 10 inch pie plates and a whole lot easier to crimp the edges.

[@melodytallmage532]

I slice up mushrooms add 1 Lipton french onion soup mix and and 1 cup of beef broth makes a great french onion mushroom soup or for beef French dip

[@ashleighdavison7950]

My mom has the BEST mushroom soup recipe. Not for anyone watching calories for sure, but we have it as a rare treat. Only 5 ingredients: mushrooms, butter, salt, broth, and heavy cream. Soooooo good!

[@sandiemom8888]

Ashleigh Davison could you share the amt of ingredients for mushroom soup?

[@ashleighdavison7950]

Sorry, Sandie just saw this. 2 boxes white mushrooms 1 box brown mushrooms 1 stick butter 1 can chicken broth 1 can beef broth -or I just use one 32oz box of either kind -1 Cup heavy cream with 1 1/2 tablespoon flour shaken and stirred to combine -fry mushroom in butter till crisp, drain on paper towels -pour off remaining butter except for 3 tablespoons. -add broth to deglaze pan -bring to boil and add mushrooms - add milk mixture and heat on medium heat till desired thickness - salt and pepper to taste and serve w crusty pread to soak up all the awesomeness

[@rubyjackson5630]

Stuffed Mushrooms 😋 Yummy!!

[@ashleighdavison7950]

My kids will eat anything mushroom. They even like them raw.. I'll pass on that, but stuffed mushrooms are delicious!

[@reginabriggs7107]

Walnuts are good for diabetes. My daughter smoked some for me on her smoker grill so good

[@alishaparr577]

Maybe a few spritzes of water on a dish towel on top of the sugar overnight. Just slightly damp?

[@lettiggemmachooch8101]

That is my favorite type of content from you! Entertaining. Informative. Engaging.

[@marjorieoliver3284]

I believe they call it a shoe fly pie 🥧 in Amish communities near me.

[@melodytallmage532]

The pepperd jerkey makes good soups lots of meal planning

[@torchwoody58]

Pam says- if you still have that pie leftover, consider crumbling it together and using it as the base of a granola bar batch, or a crumble on an apple pie or dump cake. 😎

[@mamabairds]

Oh great idea Pam!

[@Kara-fv8fx]

I have been watching you for a year.i love you and your family. God bless you and your family.

[@mamabairds]

Thank you so much!

[@justcallmesuzzie]

We received those bags of fish sticks at our food bank during Lent season! I ate off them all through Lent.

[@mamabairds]

They were really good!! I'm glad you got some as well! I need to make some home made tarter sauce to go with it!

[@venessaevans8674]

I keep pieces of Tera Cotta in my brown sugar to keep it from getting hard just soak a piece in water and let it air dry for a few minutes even if your brown sugar is hard it will make it moist.

[@simplemealsbytvlog6491]

Wow! Your food bank gives some great stuff, I really want some fish stick so bad! I think I will make me some homemade.

[@denisemayer3837]

My favourite way to fix hard browns sugar I use potato skins it keeps it soft or it turns soft could have dump the whole bag in your bucket hen add the potatoes skins close it up give it a few days and voila 🇨🇦😉

[@cindyrought772]

One of my favorite uses for mushrooms is Chicken Marsala. The whole family loves it.

[@oliviaayala1219]

My mom use to make her version of chicken cacciatore. She seasoned her cut up chicken with salt pepper garlic and oregano to taste. She would brown chicken in a small amount of oil. She then got her crock pot or soup pot and added chicken, a big can of tomato juice, diced onion, black olives and sliced mushrooms. Let it cook until chicken is done, she never cut up the chicken. I cut up the chicken kids find it big pieces hard to eat and I cook until it has reduced by half then pour over pasta, potatoes or as is. Until next time, much love!!

[@vanessa4513]

I do brown sugar in my coffee so this is awesome

[@dilsaliosatos8797]

Put lemon to yes yas practis Food is practices brink perfección. And fan

[@saundragisler]

Michelle sent me from Chicken by the Lake ❤

[@mamabairds]

Oh awesome! She is wonderful! Welcome!

[@kathysorensen798]

What a great food bank haul! Congratulations!

[@mehtarelingolien]

Cream of mushroom soup with leeks and wild rice. I was a little concerned when you didn't discard the moldy piece before adding the rolls to the bucket; hopefully none of that mold got on the sugar. Mold LOVES sugar!

[@mamabairds]

I tore that part off and set it on the counter! Didn't add it to the bucket!

[@johnettehaines6291]

I put a little flour on the bottom of the pie crust and rub it over the crust. Then l roll it out just to smooth it out some before l put in my pan.

[@dorisanttila4436]

Love your videos I was wondering could you please do a diabetic meal? Thanks

[@tracymargeson3122]

I like to stuff the mushrooms with cream cheese and spinach and green onions and top them with cheese and bake them. My husband loves mushrooms

[@nancyshrout-wankowski7147]

Does not look like it was baked long enough. Break it all up and serve it over vanilla ice cream. To improve the taste of premade pie crusts: make a batch of that sweet butter from Texas Roadhouse (butter/margarine, cinnamon, sugar), you will need 2 - 4 TBS, and spread it all over the crust. Bake it for about 10 mins., take out and fill it and then bake your pie as directed.

[@mamabairds]

Thank you for that tip on the pie crust!

[@ashleighdavison7950]

I need to try that bread/sugar trick. I'd heard of that, but didn't think it actually worked. Nice!

[@sandytmobile4467]

Really sucks on trying to not have sugar . Have to get some meds down so over the age of 50 your blood sugar can only be 88 to 108 I almost was in a comma scarry so everything has sugar even fruit . But my daughter is doing lettuce wraps with tuna or chicken I get pink grapefruit. But my husband gets food food yep I can't cut the man who works. Oh ya TEMU I bought him salad cup's, really cool way to wrap a sandwich and cookies along with happy face bags for carrots, ect snack dip . There six drink go fill drink container we fill.

[@Soccermom1018]

My mother taught me to take a small amount of paper towel wrapped in tinfoil. The sugar would become soft again. Your ideas of bread & marshmallows probably better but the paper towel in foil is easy & works. Congrats on the stock up.

[@mamabairds]

Oh I haven't heard of that trick! Thanks for sharing it!

[@pitag397]

Mama Baird I'm glad you love mushrooms because I wish I did but I find them gross 😂

[@sammi_norris]

Ps mom and i went to longhorn steakhouse to celebrate something and they had stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer and omg they were sooooooo good. Otherwise i like either a good steak hoagie with mushroom gravy or put em on my pizzas or i like to have them over chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans!

[@mamabairds]

Stuffed mushrooms really are so good! Thanks for mentioningit!

[@glimmagma4551]

Wow, that bread 🍞 worked amazingly!!! Great share mumma, thanks xx ❤❤

[@mamabairds]

You betcha!

[@Budgetingonthefly]

I use the mushrooms in a Salisbury steak recipe using ground beef.

[@lilrustee]

Great haul! I never cared for the La Croix (la-croy) and ended up giving my daughter the ones I bought. Wish I liked it!😊

[@mamabairds]

They are kinda weird tasting!

[@LiveFreeAndBeHappy]

Try adding an egg and 1 can of evaporated milk to the pie filling.

[@triskaknee3548]

About the sugar I would put some in a plastic bag and hit it with a malot

[@karbear26]

Great job for the kids!!

[@countrymousesfarmhouse497]

You have such yummy bread and bagel flavours over there . I have heard of the bread trick for putting in with cake for keeping the cake fresh and I think I've heard of putting it in with brown sugar but I'd never tried it. I can't believe how well that worked. Well done because I was worried about that kitchen aid ..eek. lol. Ive never heard of a brown sugar pie but I'd have added nuts too , definitely needed something. I'll have to scroll comments to see if someone knows about that pie. Thanks for sharing lovely ❤

[@loveyourselfplease6842]

We are a family big on sauteed onions & mushrooms when we make burgers or steak but we cut up probably 5 onions & 3 lbs of mushrooms to make a huge bowl because we all love just to eat them on their own.

[@mamabairds]

Oh yum! I love that as well!

[@ashleighdavison7950]

Same! Soooo good

[@lindabeard488]

Thanks, Carolina.

[@midlifeandnailingit6342]

You can make fish tacos out of the fish sticks. I like to toast up tortillas and serve with cole slaw mix and chipotle sauce.

[@mamabairds]

Oh that's a great idea! Thank you!

[@valeriechapman6056]

Always lobe your content

[@connieshlaudeman1756]

I microwave the brown sugar to soften it when it gets hard.

[@cleorichardson4471]

Maybe a lil oil to the pan b4 the crust and a lil flour ...smidgen of flour...would have helped

[@johnettehaines6291]

I also put bread in my container of mini marshmallows to bring them back to life

[@nancyrosas6772]

Awesome blessings

[@Katie-gz4yq]

I just love your videos 🎉

[@mamabairds]

Aw thank you so much!

[@pearlalthouse6643]

If the brown sugar is too hard use a food grater to graded

[@bethhammond4106]

New to your show,but,loved it

[@mamabairds]

Aw thank you so much! Welcome!

[@vickieasberry9549]

You could have made a walnut pie also. Pecan pie, but with walnuts. I make a broiled icing with brown sugar on spice cake. Yum

[@mamabairds]

oh that sounds so good on the icing!

[@melodytallmage532]

Put in a zip lock bag and a pillow case and use a rolling pin to break it up

[@citygirlhomestead]

the fish sticks are awesome would love some of the stuff yours gives away great video as usual

[@lifewithmisty1]

All the animals seem to be enjoying the free rain water.

[@mamabairds]

They really did! Even the kids were out playing in it!

[@lifewithmisty1]

Mushrooms with bacon, onion, and garlic with spinach

[@mamabairds]

oh drool!!

[@jackiegromacki686]

I save a few pie containers when I buy pies and cakes to carry stuff in or to give stuff away. That way I don't have to worry with keeping up with it.

[@mamabairds]

That is a great idea!

[@brendamcclellan4927]

Put the brown sugar in the microwave sometimes that will soften it up.

[@NannyTam]

Wow!!! That sounds s so awesome to get brown sugar. Huge score! Good old white bread works amazing in a very short time. Only 1 slice of bread for the small bag will soften in a few hours. I’d fill up a bunch of ziplocks and add a slice to each one. Or fill up a huge bucket and stagger the slices. That’s the best way I’ve ever known 🤷‍♀️ Edited to say if I’d waited I would have saw you use the bucket method! 😂😊🥰

[@maryhancock9681]

i wish i lived near you. i am in olympia.

[@sammi_norris]

Suddenly I want, no, I NEED fish sticks 😂😂 idk the last time I had any lol prob when I was a kid 😂 but as a 33 year old i GOTTA add to my Kroger delivery this week lol

[@claudinepotvin-giordano1154]

Neat trick with the bread

[@alycadabra7956]

That Annie's mac is delicious

[@paulineclarke5388]

Maybe before you open the sugar bags you could bash it with a rolling pin to freak it up a bit first

[@mamabairds]

That's a good idea! I'll that on the next one!

[@lynnen264]

That trick is so cool!

[@truthteller3740]

Mushroom marsala or stuffed vegan Mushrooms ❤