i was born on a farm way out in the county 72 years ago We did all of our own butchering and canning and gardening ect. In the fall when we butchered a cow or pig or venison or even a sheep we trimmed all the excess fat from the meat. we put it all in a large metal pot over a fire in the yard and melted it down and it was called rendering. we ladled off all the liquid and poured it into the 5 gallon lined tin cans that syrup or coffee or other bulk foods came in. we would put fresh butcherd chickens or steaks or other fresh meat in the liquid and in no time it would harden around the meats. With no electricity or refrigeration the busckets would keep for months down in the root celler. We used the lard or suet for frying food or seasoning veggies or in pie crusts or pastrys. The hard pieces or stuff that did not melt good we fed to the ducks or chickens or geese or even the pigs and the dogs loved cornbread made with lard. The fats from all the different animals was called suet or lard and varied which was used for what or as needed. the suet was not always melted but was ground up to use also. the flakiest pie crusts and pasterys were from pork lard. the beef suet used a lot in meat pies. and the sheep and venison suet used to season stews and soup and all were mixed with elk or venison that was ground for hamburger because it was not so dry then. Bacon grease was always saved to season foods cooked on the stove especilly snap beans or green beans or dry beans.

Steve, you're right, it's a lot of marketing. I saw a commercial a couple of nights ago for premade mashed potatoes, with a woman peeling potatoes. The commercial made it seem like it was a huge chore and long involved process to peel potatoes and these were already done, just stick in the microwave and voila, no more "drudgery" of peeling potatoes. I just ground my teeth, it's not that hard to peel a freakin' potato! Ashley is one of those consumers. She hates to cook. She'll eat my homemade macaroni and cheese, but would much prefer Velveeta Shells and Cheese. She likes the Cream of Mushroom soup right out of the can and loves cake from a boxed mix with canned frosting but isn't so wild about homemade cake, it's "too dense and too moist". Sigh. She'd buy the microwave potatoes. Woodie mentioned on a WFD thread that Ashley has been eating the same mashed potatoes/corn/whatever for as long as I've been posting here and that she'll be eating it when we're old and in "the home". Woodie is right! Amanda started cooking for David, he's very picky. Meat and potatoes. The only vegetables he'll eat are corn and green beans. No eggs, no rice, no gravy, nothing with fruit in it. No salad, no whole wheat anything. She has managed to branch out and learn to cook around his likes, making sure he has a meal but that there are other components for her and the kids. Occasionally she'll cave in and the kids will get the macaroni and cheese from the blue box which they love, or hot dogs, but not often. So, Ashley will keep those companies in business, Amanda won't. They were both raised in the same home with the same parents and with my cooking, go figure. As for low income people, I think there probably are some, but they probably aren't buying cheesecake goo in a tub. My sister is a professional welfare recipient, she and her husband and their children moved in with my stepmother when Dad died. My stepmother is on Social Security, and between all the government checks, they still just make ends meet because they all suck at budgeting and love to shop for useless crap. Anyway, they live on Hamburger Helper, lots of boxed macaroni meals, cold cut sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. Canned vegetables only, because both my sister and my stepmom say it's "too much work" to prep fresh vegetables to eat. No way is Sis snapping green beans when she can just pour them out of a can, or husking corn when she can microwave some frozen stuff. At least I don't have to worry about her raiding my garden very much. As for the cheesecake goo, it just makes me glad I don't particularly care for cheesecake! Eileen, you can have all of my share. Annie

I don't eat steak much these days but I never buy sirloin to serve as steak I do buy it to make in a gravy with long slow cooking almost like a roast. For a good steak I go for a bone in ribeye, boneless ribeye, true porterhouse not tbone, or filet. I do not care for NY strip they are so hit and miss. I have found what they call chuck eye steaks in some stores and they are pretty decent they are from the same area as the ribeye but a lesser cut and not as expensive. I like to squeeze a lemon on the meat and let it set for a little while marinating in it, helps to tenderize it. The amount of marbling is really the key a steak with little or no marbling is not going to be as good or tender as one with it. Angus beef is one type that is known to have good marbling and is one of the reasons it is popular. Marbling improves flavor, tenderness, and keeps meat moist while cooking. Highest marbling = Prime beef. I don't pay the extra cost for something labeled Angus however. A lot of cattle has some Angus mixed in them. I look for good marbling and the feel and texture of the meat. Method of cooking makes a lot of difference!

I don't recieve food stamps and never have. I wouldn't know if someone in the store was using them or their own cash. That being said I agree the system is not run correctly. My husband is almost 68 and has always been a hard worker but weeks ago he became very ill and had to stop working. We are raising our grandsons ages 7&8 . For the first time in our lives we ask the state for help for groceries. We went into the assistance office and filled out papers and submitted doctors letters..we were denied any help..they said my husband will return to work eventually in the next month and we will have an income again. I could not believe this, my husband has always been a hard worker supporting his family and yet we could get no help to feed these children..I am so sick of the struggle this month and to ask for help after a life of never doing so to be turned down...words can't even describe the feeling of ...no where to turn....so who does get help? Old people can't get it after a life of hard dedicated work to feed children. ..who does get the help? Drug addicts? Young able bodied? Who?