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Stop throwing all the citrus (and all that money) away

Mary Hunt

I have a confession. For years, I’ve been tossing beautiful bright flavor into the garbage. This sad situation is the result of cutting a lemon in half, quickly juicing it for some immediate need and then tossing what’s left. Or, when facing a need for lemon zest, grating that thing till it’s bald, and then giving it a toss. Ouch!

There is a way to use up a lemon (or some other citrus fruit) in its entirety and preserve what I don’t need now for when I do need it later.

ZEST IT

My new routine is to always zest a lemon first, even if all I need at the time is juice. The easiest way is to place the lemon over a piece of parchment paper and then run all over it with a fine zester, which scrapes off the yellow part of the peel but not the white pith beneath. The paper — better than a plate or bowl — catches all the fine grates and loose strands and essential oils.

Once done, I scoop all of it into an airtight container or bag using a bench scraper to make sure I get every precious flavorful bit. I keep it in the freezer. The pieces are so fine that defrosting for use is never necessary. I just reach into my container of lemon zest and take what I need. It’s amazing and just as fresh as if I’d started with a new lemon.

Add a pinch of lemon zest to just about anything to brighten it up — salad dressing, cookie dough, meringue ice cream, butter, meat marinade and even pancake batter!

PEEL IT

There are times when you need a larger piece of citrus peel and zest won’t do, like for a garnish or to infuse in marinades, syrups or cocktails. Once your supply has reached a respectable level, you’ll have enough to make jam and marmalade.

Simply wash the lemon (or orange) well and peel it before squeezing the juice. Store the peels — with all of the pulp removed — in a plastic bag in the freezer. Now it’s easy to reach in to take what you need. You won’t believe how fresh and bright the flavors will have been preserved.

DRY IT

Strips of citrus peel can be dried out in a low oven (200 degrees F or so) and then ground to create citrus powder, the perfect addition to any spice rub.

CANDY IT

Homemade candied lemon peel is a treat, one that is so decadent and classy it makes for lovely gift not only at Christmas but any time of year. You can sprinkle candied peels on top of baked goods or even dip the delicate strips in chocolate.

Without a doubt the easiest and most efficient way to make candied citrus peels is in a pressure cooker — specifically, your Instant Pot. You can find the complete recipe with photos and detailed instructions on the Hip Pressure Cooking website.

You can use these methods with any citrus: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, Meyer lemons and even smaller citrus like key limes and kumquat.

**

What do a U.S. Social Security card and a Medicare card have in common? Both have the cardholder’s Social Security number emblazoned on the front in all its 9-digit glory!

The Social Security Administration warns: “Keep your Social Security card in a safe place with your other important papers. Don’t carry it with you unless you need to show it to an employer or service provider.” But Medicare instructs seniors, “Be sure to carry your card with you when you’re away from home.” Say what?

Dear Mary: You encouraged me to write in with my question, so here it is: On the back of my Medicare card it says, “Carry your card with you when you are away from home.” I am uneasy with that because it has my Social Security number printed right on it.

Doesn’t this expose me to identity theft if my wallet or purse were to be lost or stolen? But on the other hand, wouldn’t I need it in my possession in the event that I need emergency medical treatment or go to a doctor appointment? — Boe

Dear Boe: You’re right! Medicare advises seniors to carry their card at all times, but doing so makes them more vulnerable to identity theft if their wallet or purse were to be lost or stolen. A new Medicare card is coming, one that will no longer display the Social Security number. The agency has been working on it since 2015 (seriously), but as of this writing, no date has been announced for when new cards will be issued. The wheels of government grind slowly.

In the meantime, AARP suggests that Medicare beneficiaries ignore the carry directive and instead carry a photocopy of the card with the first five digits of the Social Security number completely blocked out, leaving only the last 4 digits visible.

While emergency personnel can’t refuse to provide care until you show an insurance card, it is true that you’d need to come up with billing information before leaving a hospital or treatment facility.

Dear Mary: I just need to add my kudos to all those confirming Home Chef! I am a disabled great-grandmother. My wonderful daughter and son-in-law come every week with my groceries and make a meal that will enable me to have leftovers during the week.

I had wanted to treat them by taking them out to dinner once a month or so, but it’s just too hard for me. I thought I’d try Home Chef, since I heard that two servings are quite plentiful, enough for the three of us. They were plentiful, and we love Home Chef! They enjoy making the meals because the recipes are very complete.

Now I’m ordering one other meal a month for the kind woman who brings me a meal every week. She’s thrilled, too. That’s another thing that is so neat — being able to order five, two or zero in a month. I can’t thank you enough for sharing about wonderful Home Chef. God bless you, Mary! — Jackie

Dear Jackie: I am so happy to hear that you’ve discovered ways to bless others with your Home Chef subscription! My husband and I have been doing some of the same. Because I can go into my Home Chef profile at any time and change the next week’s delivery address, I send Home Chef meals to families and others we know are going through tough times. We hope that will encourage them to just keep going. Bless you, Jackie, for blessing others.

For anyone who would like to give Home Chef a try, you can still take advantage of our coupon for $30 off your first order by visiting www.everydaycheapskate.com/homechef.

**

A friend of my grandmother always used to say, “If we didn’t need food, we’d all be rich!” This may be true. But then a life without food would be a little less pleasurable. There are ample ways to make great food cheap, make perishable food last and make the grocery budget stretch like nobody’s business.

The tips in today’s post are filled with practiced wisdom for practical solutions, novel ideas and inspiring concepts that make cooking fun and rewarding for you and your family.

FOUND FOOD. You know that last slice of bread? It’s often dry, past its prime and not enough to make a sandwich, so into the garbage it goes. Well, not so fast! Making your own breadcrumbs is as simple as whirring a few slices in a food processor until they become fine textured crumbs. Bake the crumbs on a baking sheet at 350 degrees F, stirring every 10 minutes. Depending on how much moisture you’re dealing with and the depth of the crumbs, it should take about 20 to 30 minutes. Make Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs by adding 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning blend to every 2 cups to crumbs before baking. Cool completely, and then store in an airtight container.

VEGGIE BOUQUET. Store asparagus in the fridge in a glass of water (like cut flowers in a vase). It will stay fresh for a couple of weeks. Works with celery, too.

BEEF IN BULK. Buying the family size package of ground beef will chop the cost per pound significantly! But if you use it up faster just because you have more, there go the savings. You need a reliable way to divide the meat into usable portions. If a recipe is filing and tastes great with just 1 pound of ground beef, why use 1 1/4 pounds? If you try to eyeball an amount, you could easily be off by a quarter pound. Investing in a reliable kitchen scale makes lots of sense. You don’t need anything fancy. Just make sure to purchase one that can be easily cleaned.

COKE MARINADE. Tenderize cheaper cuts of meat by marinating them in cola. Several hours ahead of time, place the meat in a bowl and cover it with cola. Add 2 of tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. While grilling, brush the cola marinade over the steaks. This is a great way to use up cola that has gone flat!

BYE BUGS. To protect dry cooking staples from contamination, such as flour, meal, grits, pasta and rice, pop in a couple of dry bay leaves. This won’t affect the taste, and it will prevent pesky bugs from ruining these products.

ACT LIKE A KID. If ordering a small smoothie from Caribou Coffee (or any coffee shop), get a kid’s size instead. It’s only 27 percent smaller and costs $2 instead of $4.29.

WEIGH BAGGED PRODUCE. Use the handy scale in the produce department to weigh pre-weighed bags. For example, if you’re buying a 10-pound bag of potatoes, weigh several bags. The bags will vary and you’re sure to find one that’s 10 1/2 or more for the same price.

GRATE SAVINGS. You pay a lot to have someone else grate your cheese for you, so grate it yourself. You’ll also save by cutting up whole chickens, slicing your own pickles, slicing meat for cold cuts and using a blender or rolling pin to make your own breadcrumbs (see above).

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving. com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate. com.

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