Waste Not Want not

It seems as many in my generation and those younger have an attitude of "disposability".   In the past, one would make use of resources to the fullest extent.  For example if there is a bumper crop of lettuce then you have a million recipes and ways to use it.  If you have a few peaches, instead of simply eating them you can use them in ways that waste nothing (or at least very little).  This is just one example, but the heart of the matter can easily translate to other areas.

Here is what we accomplished with a small gift of peaches from a friend.


1 small bag of peaches ($5)


First we looked up recipes to enjoy with the treat!  Trying new things can be a great form of entertainment.  Often it works out and a new family favorite is born, and some times we just learn a few lessons from the mishaps--(quite in keeping with life).

I peeled the peaches and the kids had a few slices as part of their after school snack (USE #1)


The peels were then placed in a small saucepan with some sugar and 1/2 as much water (simple syrup) and boiled for 10 min.  after cooking the syrup now tinted red naturally from the peels was put in a squeeze bottle and refrigerated ( great in ice tea or on ice cream).  (USE #2)

1/2 of the peaches went into a peach cobbler and right into the oven. (USE #3)

cooling syrup

 

bottled syrup

 The previously boiled peach skins (now candied in the syrup, were drained and rolled in sugar and place on our dehydrator. These natural gummy worms are a family favorite (USE #4)   Yes, they have sugar in them, but there are no colors or preservatives and the chemical load is greatly decreased.  If kept cool and in sugar they keep for months-then you can use the sugar in tea too-it has a slight hint of the peach flavor.

dehydrator

gummy worms almost finished

Scott's Crisp-minus one sample bite!

The last few peaches were made into a peach crisp-simply chopped peaches topped with a crisp topping using AP flour sugar and our home made butter.  Our butter adventure. (USE #5)  This Crisp will actually be sent to the bearer of the bag of peaches-Thank you Scott, we will enjoy these for several months!

So the break down becomes from 1 gifted bag of peaches:
1 afterschool snack for 4 little girls
1 peach cobbler
1 quart peach flavored syrup
4 cups peach gummy worms
1 peach crisp (gifted back to the giver)
and a few contributions to the compost pile--plus a few duck treats