I like cereal out of a box. But not for breakfast. If I'm going to eat breakfast, I want something hot. And with a small child, finding time to make anything wholesome and fresh in the morning is sometimes impossible.
Convenience food is tempting - it's so easy to throw it in the toaster or microwave. Unfortunately it's a budget (and diet) killer.
Last year, when I was still working, I went on an oatmeal bender. I don't like the little packages but found this great frozen oatmeal at Trader Joe's. I got to thinking, how hard can it be to make this from scratch? So I did. Here's the link to the recipe for freezer oatmeal. It's healthy, filling, inexpensive and quick. Did I mention inexpensive?
Something else I started doing was making extra waffles and pancakes on the weekend and freezing them as well. G is obsessed with waffles, and I like that I can control what goes into the ones I make from scratch. How do you do it? Simple - make your favorite waffles or pancakes. Under cook them slightly. Layer individual waffles/pancakes between waxed paper, seal in a freezer bag and throw into the freezer.
When you're ready to use them, take out what you're going to eat and throw it in the toaster. That's it - so simple!
For more tightwad tips, scurry on over to Being Frugal.
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
3.31.2009
Tightwad Tuesday: Make Your Own Yogurt
Back in the early 70's, my Aunt Cindy published a book full of recipes, tips and anecdotes called Out of the Molasses Jug. She is a very talented artist, and the whole book was hand printed and illustrated. It is difficult to find these days, but I have my old copy up with all my cookbooks. If you can find it, it's a really charming how-to book - how to live off the land, how to reduce your footprint, how to live naturally - quite ahead of its time, really.
I was thumbing through it the other day and ran across a total tightwad tip.
Did you know you can make your own yogurt?
To start, you'll need 1/2 cup plain commercial yogurt. From there, you can keep using the yogurt you've cultured from that starter batch to make your own. You just need to reserve a bit from each batch.
Here's the recipe:
Warm a quart of milk in a saucepan (whole, skim, whatever you like). When milk comes to almost a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool till lukewarm - about 110 degrees - where you can stick your finger in it and it feels hot but endurable). Add 1/2 cup commercial yogurt, or yogurt from an earlier batch. Stir well with a wooden spoon.
Pour into preheated jars or earthenware containers. Wrap snugly with a couple of kitchen towels and place somewhere where the yogurt will not be disturbed.
In three to six hours, a firm custard like curd should form. When this happens, refrigerate.
When you're ready to eat it, combine the culture with three cups milk and one large can of evaporated milk premixed with 1/2 cup powdered milk.
This will keep in the fridge three to five days.
I like mine sweetened with a bit of honey. This is also good in place of sour cream or in lieu of mayonnaise in dips.
For more tightwad tips, head on over to Being Frugal. And stay tuned for more fun stuff from Out of the Molasses Jug. It's a gem!
I was thumbing through it the other day and ran across a total tightwad tip.
Did you know you can make your own yogurt?
To start, you'll need 1/2 cup plain commercial yogurt. From there, you can keep using the yogurt you've cultured from that starter batch to make your own. You just need to reserve a bit from each batch.
Here's the recipe:
Warm a quart of milk in a saucepan (whole, skim, whatever you like). When milk comes to almost a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool till lukewarm - about 110 degrees - where you can stick your finger in it and it feels hot but endurable). Add 1/2 cup commercial yogurt, or yogurt from an earlier batch. Stir well with a wooden spoon.
Pour into preheated jars or earthenware containers. Wrap snugly with a couple of kitchen towels and place somewhere where the yogurt will not be disturbed.
In three to six hours, a firm custard like curd should form. When this happens, refrigerate.
When you're ready to eat it, combine the culture with three cups milk and one large can of evaporated milk premixed with 1/2 cup powdered milk.
This will keep in the fridge three to five days.
I like mine sweetened with a bit of honey. This is also good in place of sour cream or in lieu of mayonnaise in dips.
For more tightwad tips, head on over to Being Frugal. And stay tuned for more fun stuff from Out of the Molasses Jug. It's a gem!
3.24.2009
Tightwad Tuesday: DIY Dog Grooming
We have a Golden Retriever, Carl.
He is absolutely beautiful until you get up close. And man, does he smell.
This morning, I'd had it. Dog hair everywhere, and the dirt that comes inside with it. Gross!
My husband cuts his own hair, so I thought hey, I'll give the clippers a try.
And lo and behold, it worked wonderfully. Though, for the sake of being sanitary, for future grooming, I'll probably invest in a pair of clippers for the dog only - something like this.
Here's what I did:
- Gathered all my tools - clippers, a pair of scissors, a dog brush (I love my Furminator, it is amazing), ear cleaner, paper towels
- Coaxed Carl out to the garage, where I clipped him to his lead and tethered him to an object heavier than he is - my husband's weight bench with a bunch of weights stacked on top.
- Went over his coat thoroughly with the comb.
- Buzzed him with a #3 guard.
- Used the scissors to trim around his toes
- Cleaned out his ears with ear cleaning solution and paper towels.
- Gave him a treat for being such a good boy!
I would have bathed him as well but this process took a good hour and I was filthy and exhausted. But he looks SO much better. And once you've invested in the tools and done the grooming yourself a few times, it sure beats a $50-$75 trip to the groomer.
However, I will not be learning how to express anal glands. That, my friends, I will leave to the professionals.
He is absolutely beautiful until you get up close. And man, does he smell.
This morning, I'd had it. Dog hair everywhere, and the dirt that comes inside with it. Gross!
My husband cuts his own hair, so I thought hey, I'll give the clippers a try.
And lo and behold, it worked wonderfully. Though, for the sake of being sanitary, for future grooming, I'll probably invest in a pair of clippers for the dog only - something like this.
Here's what I did:
- Gathered all my tools - clippers, a pair of scissors, a dog brush (I love my Furminator, it is amazing), ear cleaner, paper towels
- Coaxed Carl out to the garage, where I clipped him to his lead and tethered him to an object heavier than he is - my husband's weight bench with a bunch of weights stacked on top.
- Went over his coat thoroughly with the comb.
- Buzzed him with a #3 guard.
- Used the scissors to trim around his toes
- Cleaned out his ears with ear cleaning solution and paper towels.
- Gave him a treat for being such a good boy!
I would have bathed him as well but this process took a good hour and I was filthy and exhausted. But he looks SO much better. And once you've invested in the tools and done the grooming yourself a few times, it sure beats a $50-$75 trip to the groomer.
However, I will not be learning how to express anal glands. That, my friends, I will leave to the professionals.
3.22.2009
"A" For Effort
You can't escape it, it's everywhere. The Today Show, even Oprah.
Budgeting. And in particular, couponing.
I said to myself, self, you can do this couponing thing. It can't be that hard. You just need to concentrate on remembering to buy the Sunday paper.
So last week, I did. And I clipped. Did I EVER clip. I had a huge stack of coupons.
I bought myself this cute little coupon folder at Big Lots and went to sorting.
Then, on Wednesday, I noticed my grocery store flier had four coupons which would double the value of manufacturers coupons.
This was serious. I was so excited. I grabbed my scissors and snipped away.
Today, when our house guests left, I gathered up my orange folder and made my way to the store. I even sat in the car for a few minutes to make sure I was sorted out.
As I pulled items from the shelf, I made sure I found the corresponding coupon and placed it in the basket next to the item.
Damn girl, I thought to myself, you are totally rocking this coupon business.
I even pulled out the double the manufacturers coupons coupon's and placed it in the basket so I'd have it handy.
Nearing the checkout stand I was actually giddy about all the money I was going to save.
I placed my items on the conveyor belt with their coupons and then I realized something had gone very wrong.
My big bad double coupon coupons were GONE.
As quickly as possible I scanned my cart - nothing. I dug through my purse - no luck. And I rifled through my little folder - not a freaking thing. I tried to remain calm and mentioned to the cashier I'd lost my coupons.
'Too bad.'
Uggghhhhh.
So close. So very close.
Budgeting. And in particular, couponing.
I said to myself, self, you can do this couponing thing. It can't be that hard. You just need to concentrate on remembering to buy the Sunday paper.
So last week, I did. And I clipped. Did I EVER clip. I had a huge stack of coupons.
I bought myself this cute little coupon folder at Big Lots and went to sorting.
Then, on Wednesday, I noticed my grocery store flier had four coupons which would double the value of manufacturers coupons.
This was serious. I was so excited. I grabbed my scissors and snipped away.
Today, when our house guests left, I gathered up my orange folder and made my way to the store. I even sat in the car for a few minutes to make sure I was sorted out.
As I pulled items from the shelf, I made sure I found the corresponding coupon and placed it in the basket next to the item.
Damn girl, I thought to myself, you are totally rocking this coupon business.
I even pulled out the double the manufacturers coupons coupon's and placed it in the basket so I'd have it handy.
Nearing the checkout stand I was actually giddy about all the money I was going to save.
I placed my items on the conveyor belt with their coupons and then I realized something had gone very wrong.
My big bad double coupon coupons were GONE.
As quickly as possible I scanned my cart - nothing. I dug through my purse - no luck. And I rifled through my little folder - not a freaking thing. I tried to remain calm and mentioned to the cashier I'd lost my coupons.
'Too bad.'
Uggghhhhh.
So close. So very close.
3.13.2009
On Mushroom Soup and Neil Diamond
As so eloquently put by Bob Wiley (What About Bob) :
"There are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't."
I feel the same way about mushroom soup. On which side of the spectrum to I fall? I love mushroom soup (for the record, I love Neil Diamond too)!
Condensed mushroom soup was a staple in our house growing up - with chicken and rice, pork chops, and the ubiquitous tuna noodle casserole. Though it is widely pooh-poohed, I still fall back on it once and a while. What can I say? Its comfort food.
Today I was in the fridge and realized I had a huge container of crimini (baby portobello) mushrooms from Costco that were looking pretty bleak. So I decided to use them up in homemade mushroom soup. I've never even tried to make it before, and I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.
Mushroom Soup
3 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
1 lb mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped (I would stick with crimini or a wild variety over button)
1/2 cup sweet onion or shallot
3 T dry sherry (don't skip the sherry - also use it for this amazing recipe)
5 T Flour
1 t thyme
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil and butter at medium heat in a deep pot - add the mushrooms and onions, saute for about five minutes. Reduce the heat and the flour, sherry and thyme, cook for another five minutes to cook out the floury taste - scrape the bottom of the pot periodically. Add the broth, salt and pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes - the soup will start to thicken.
If you want cream of mushroom soup, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream (I actually used condensed milk because I had it on hand). Adjust seasonings - i.e. add more salt and pepper - and bring to a simmer.
Even if you don't care for condensed cream of mushroom, you might actually enjoy this soup. It's very earthy with the criminis and the thyme.
As for the Neil Diamond...well, I don't know if I can help you there.
"There are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't."
I feel the same way about mushroom soup. On which side of the spectrum to I fall? I love mushroom soup (for the record, I love Neil Diamond too)!
Condensed mushroom soup was a staple in our house growing up - with chicken and rice, pork chops, and the ubiquitous tuna noodle casserole. Though it is widely pooh-poohed, I still fall back on it once and a while. What can I say? Its comfort food.
Today I was in the fridge and realized I had a huge container of crimini (baby portobello) mushrooms from Costco that were looking pretty bleak. So I decided to use them up in homemade mushroom soup. I've never even tried to make it before, and I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.
Mushroom Soup
3 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
1 lb mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped (I would stick with crimini or a wild variety over button)
1/2 cup sweet onion or shallot
3 T dry sherry (don't skip the sherry - also use it for this amazing recipe)
5 T Flour
1 t thyme
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil and butter at medium heat in a deep pot - add the mushrooms and onions, saute for about five minutes. Reduce the heat and the flour, sherry and thyme, cook for another five minutes to cook out the floury taste - scrape the bottom of the pot periodically. Add the broth, salt and pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes - the soup will start to thicken.
If you want cream of mushroom soup, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream (I actually used condensed milk because I had it on hand). Adjust seasonings - i.e. add more salt and pepper - and bring to a simmer.
Even if you don't care for condensed cream of mushroom, you might actually enjoy this soup. It's very earthy with the criminis and the thyme.
As for the Neil Diamond...well, I don't know if I can help you there.
3.10.2009
Tightwad Tuesday: Dying Veggies
Confession time: I'm awful at using all the produce I buy. I stock up on all kinds of fresh veggies with the best of intentions, but eventually find them at the bottom of the produce drawer turning into a science experiment.
Yesterday, I was cleaning out my fridge and getting irritated with myself. There was lot in there that was just going to waste - wilting celery, bags of carrots that were looking a bit dry, half a bell pepper that was a little mushy (not rotten yet) in some areas. All of the vegetables were still edible, but would not taste so great fresh.
So, I made soup.
Soup is a great way to use up all the vagabond stuff in your fridge - not just veggies. Half a carton of chicken broth? Chicken carcass? Half and half you never got around to using (not rotten of course!)? All can go into a soup of some sort.
Yesterday, I pulled out my trusty Joy of Cooking and cobbled together this recipe, I call it:
Waste Not Lentil Soup (ha)
2 Tb Olive Oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with liquid (I was out so I substituted 1 small can of tomato sauce and a few handfuls of chopped up grape tomatoes that were going soft)
1 tsp thyme
Heat the olive oil and add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add the broth, lentils, tomato products and thyme.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
That's it - I served mine with shredded Parmesan on top. This freezes well too - throw in the microwave for a quick lunch - and save money on takeout!
There are many more Tightwad Tips over at Being Frugal. Check them out!
Yesterday, I was cleaning out my fridge and getting irritated with myself. There was lot in there that was just going to waste - wilting celery, bags of carrots that were looking a bit dry, half a bell pepper that was a little mushy (not rotten yet) in some areas. All of the vegetables were still edible, but would not taste so great fresh.
So, I made soup.
Soup is a great way to use up all the vagabond stuff in your fridge - not just veggies. Half a carton of chicken broth? Chicken carcass? Half and half you never got around to using (not rotten of course!)? All can go into a soup of some sort.
Yesterday, I pulled out my trusty Joy of Cooking and cobbled together this recipe, I call it:
Waste Not Lentil Soup (ha)
2 Tb Olive Oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with liquid (I was out so I substituted 1 small can of tomato sauce and a few handfuls of chopped up grape tomatoes that were going soft)
1 tsp thyme
Heat the olive oil and add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add the broth, lentils, tomato products and thyme.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
That's it - I served mine with shredded Parmesan on top. This freezes well too - throw in the microwave for a quick lunch - and save money on takeout!
There are many more Tightwad Tips over at Being Frugal. Check them out!
3.03.2009
TIghtwad Tuesday: Breadcrumbs
Lately I've been working on being more frugal. I have to admit now that I'm at home full time it's actually easier - when I was working I was all about saving time, which doesn't always translate into saving money.
But one thing I've always done is make my own breadcrumbs - and I don't use 'new' bread. Every time I get to the end of a loaf of bread, I'm usually left with two heels. I'm sure they taste fine but no one 'round here will eat them. I have a dedicated bag in my freezer to bread rejects. The heels go in the bag, also any bread product - hamburger buns, bagels, English muffins - that are just little too stale but still edible.
When the bag fills up, it's breadcrumb time!
Bring out the bag and let the bread thaw. Heat the oven to 200F. Pull out a bunch of cookie sheets or jellyroll pans - enough that you can dry out all your bread at once.
Tear apart all your bread products - by the way, it's fine to mix wheat, white, multi grain, pumpernickel, whatever - and lay them in a single layer on the cookie sheets. Place the bread in the oven for about an hour, more or less, until the bread is dried out. A good way to check is squishing some in your hand - if it crumbles and breaks, you're good. If it squashes into a ball, it needs more time.
Once the bread is dried, you have two options - you can crunch the bread up into crumbs by placing the bread in a big Ziploc bag and running it over with a rolling pin or beating it with a mallet. Both are equally satisfying, but leave you with uneven crumbs.
The second option is running the bread through your food processor. This will leave you with nice little uniform crumbs.
You can add dried herbs to spice it up a bit (if that's your thing), and store in the freezer. The crumbs will keep for quite a long time in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Head on over to Being Frugal for more tightwad tips!
But one thing I've always done is make my own breadcrumbs - and I don't use 'new' bread. Every time I get to the end of a loaf of bread, I'm usually left with two heels. I'm sure they taste fine but no one 'round here will eat them. I have a dedicated bag in my freezer to bread rejects. The heels go in the bag, also any bread product - hamburger buns, bagels, English muffins - that are just little too stale but still edible.
When the bag fills up, it's breadcrumb time!
Bring out the bag and let the bread thaw. Heat the oven to 200F. Pull out a bunch of cookie sheets or jellyroll pans - enough that you can dry out all your bread at once.
Tear apart all your bread products - by the way, it's fine to mix wheat, white, multi grain, pumpernickel, whatever - and lay them in a single layer on the cookie sheets. Place the bread in the oven for about an hour, more or less, until the bread is dried out. A good way to check is squishing some in your hand - if it crumbles and breaks, you're good. If it squashes into a ball, it needs more time.
Once the bread is dried, you have two options - you can crunch the bread up into crumbs by placing the bread in a big Ziploc bag and running it over with a rolling pin or beating it with a mallet. Both are equally satisfying, but leave you with uneven crumbs.
The second option is running the bread through your food processor. This will leave you with nice little uniform crumbs.
You can add dried herbs to spice it up a bit (if that's your thing), and store in the freezer. The crumbs will keep for quite a long time in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Head on over to Being Frugal for more tightwad tips!
2.26.2009
Circa Old
Here it is. The sewing machine on which I will learn to sew or decide I will never sew again.
This sewing machine is well traveled. It has lived in many states and even more houses. It was born long before me. It is, however, electric. Whew.
It has been instrumental in the production of many colors of elastic waisted corduroy toddler pants. It has stitched many an Easter/Christmas dress. It tried to sew stirrup pants when those were in style - I swear they were at some point. Ditto for camp shirts and jams (JAMS?!).
I should hate this machine and the torture it inflicted on my childhood.
And here I am, gearing up to torment my son with homemade clothes. And yes, my feelings will be hurt when he starts to insist on REAL clothes from the store.
But I ask you, how can I really be mad at the machine when it made this little gem?
Wish me luck. Hopefully I won't stitch my fingers together.
This sewing machine is well traveled. It has lived in many states and even more houses. It was born long before me. It is, however, electric. Whew.
It has been instrumental in the production of many colors of elastic waisted corduroy toddler pants. It has stitched many an Easter/Christmas dress. It tried to sew stirrup pants when those were in style - I swear they were at some point. Ditto for camp shirts and jams (JAMS?!).
I should hate this machine and the torture it inflicted on my childhood.
And here I am, gearing up to torment my son with homemade clothes. And yes, my feelings will be hurt when he starts to insist on REAL clothes from the store.
But I ask you, how can I really be mad at the machine when it made this little gem?
Wish me luck. Hopefully I won't stitch my fingers together.
2.23.2009
Vendetta
I hate utility companies/internet, phone & television providers/credit card companies. I don't understand why they feel it's okay to for me to pay them exorbitant rates for mediocre service and then waste hours of my time on the phone.
Case in point - last December we signed up for satellite service. I won't name names, but they're pretty well known. They were advertising a great rate - 29.99 a month for 12 months. Not bad.
So today I get a bill for 132.00. WHAT THE $*%&#*?! I figured out part of it was from last month's bill, which I thought I'd paid through autopay. I promptly paid that $41.00 and then got on the phone. I was calm and figured it was just a billing mistake.
Forty-five minutes and three customer services representatives later, I learned that I could only get that rate if I filled out an online form within 60 days of starting service. Which was three days ago. And no, they simply couldn't fix my account retroactively.
Let's just say I wasn't very nice. And the matter has now been escalated to some sort of committee who will decide the fate of my satellite rate. And by the way, I can't cancel without some sort of major fee. Like I said - #*&@#@!!!!!
Maybe what these companies should understand about me is that I do not take no for an answer and I will fight them till I get what I want. I have taken a few phone companies and a car dealership to the Better Business Bureau and won. Seriously, I worked with attorneys for nearly eight years. Some of that bullheadedness is bound to wear off. And now that I'm unemployed, I've got all the time in the world (well, not really, but I've got enough to be really obnoxious).
So watch out major satellite provider. I will get my promotional rate. OH YES. IT WILL BE MINE.
Case in point - last December we signed up for satellite service. I won't name names, but they're pretty well known. They were advertising a great rate - 29.99 a month for 12 months. Not bad.
So today I get a bill for 132.00. WHAT THE $*%&#*?! I figured out part of it was from last month's bill, which I thought I'd paid through autopay. I promptly paid that $41.00 and then got on the phone. I was calm and figured it was just a billing mistake.
Forty-five minutes and three customer services representatives later, I learned that I could only get that rate if I filled out an online form within 60 days of starting service. Which was three days ago. And no, they simply couldn't fix my account retroactively.
Let's just say I wasn't very nice. And the matter has now been escalated to some sort of committee who will decide the fate of my satellite rate. And by the way, I can't cancel without some sort of major fee. Like I said - #*&@#@!!!!!
Maybe what these companies should understand about me is that I do not take no for an answer and I will fight them till I get what I want. I have taken a few phone companies and a car dealership to the Better Business Bureau and won. Seriously, I worked with attorneys for nearly eight years. Some of that bullheadedness is bound to wear off. And now that I'm unemployed, I've got all the time in the world (well, not really, but I've got enough to be really obnoxious).
So watch out major satellite provider. I will get my promotional rate. OH YES. IT WILL BE MINE.
2.21.2009
Frugal: The Energy Edition
I come from a family of penny pinchers. My mother rinses out and reuses plastic bags, hangs clothes to dry year round, and scrapes mold off of cheese - and I'm not talking about cheese that's supposed to be moldy. Think cheddar. Mmmmm.
She didn't acquire these habits on her own. My grandmother did all of the above - plus rinsed out aluminum foil to reuse, had an entire drawer full of twist and bread ties from the grocery store and when she died, we cleaned out her chest freezer to find frozen applesauce from 1964 (she passed in 1983). Though I was a little young to help out with the cleaning out of the house, I remember boxes and boxes of old school work, clothes still needing a button or patch, and several boxes in the attic full of rinsed out plastic sandwich baggies, waiting for a new life. I guess these practices border on - scratch that - are full on hoarding. But I can't really hold it against her - as a young adult during the Great Depression, she learned to stretch or save every cent.
After growing up in a household which always had plenty but every cent was accounted for, I became a bit of a rebel. While B and I were both employed, we did a lot of take out and barely reused anything. I have a closet full of half used hair and beauty products. I have WAY too many clothes. My kitchen is overflowing with hardly used gadgets and food products that we tried and then migrated to the back of the pantry. We don't have a lot of luxury or big ticket items, but we have a lot of excess. And now I find myself in a situation not as awful but certainly comparable to what my Grandmother experienced. I know, this recession is not on as grand a scale as the Great Depression, but most of us are going to have to learn to live with less and modify our over consuming ways.
Besides the obvious, which is spend less, I'm trying to figure out ways we can save money on bills - namely gas and electricity. Our gas bill this winter has been obscene - I know it was cold - but our house is only 1100 square feet. We have gas heat and hot water, and I'm sure where most of the cost is accruing. So, my newest mission is seek and destroy energy and natural gas suckers.
Some ideas:
- Hang dry laundry, especially jeans and towels. I let them dry almost completely then throw them in the dryer for a quick fluff.
- Always turn off the light when leaving a room. I've been keeping the blinds open during the day to take advantage of the natural light (when we have it).
- Showers instead of baths - except for George. He's not quite ready for the shower and is too wiggly to take one with either of us.
- Seek and destroy drafts. We have an ugly draft that leaks around our front door. And a huge draft from the cat door into the garage. I'm not sure how to fix these, but I'm going to do some research - I know we lose a lot of heat from these two areas.
- Only run the dishwasher when full.
These are just a few ideas that I can deploy immediately. I have others, like insulate the attic and buy a new, energy efficient refrigerator and furnace, but those things will have to wait.
Anybody have any other energy saving tips out there?
She didn't acquire these habits on her own. My grandmother did all of the above - plus rinsed out aluminum foil to reuse, had an entire drawer full of twist and bread ties from the grocery store and when she died, we cleaned out her chest freezer to find frozen applesauce from 1964 (she passed in 1983). Though I was a little young to help out with the cleaning out of the house, I remember boxes and boxes of old school work, clothes still needing a button or patch, and several boxes in the attic full of rinsed out plastic sandwich baggies, waiting for a new life. I guess these practices border on - scratch that - are full on hoarding. But I can't really hold it against her - as a young adult during the Great Depression, she learned to stretch or save every cent.
After growing up in a household which always had plenty but every cent was accounted for, I became a bit of a rebel. While B and I were both employed, we did a lot of take out and barely reused anything. I have a closet full of half used hair and beauty products. I have WAY too many clothes. My kitchen is overflowing with hardly used gadgets and food products that we tried and then migrated to the back of the pantry. We don't have a lot of luxury or big ticket items, but we have a lot of excess. And now I find myself in a situation not as awful but certainly comparable to what my Grandmother experienced. I know, this recession is not on as grand a scale as the Great Depression, but most of us are going to have to learn to live with less and modify our over consuming ways.
Besides the obvious, which is spend less, I'm trying to figure out ways we can save money on bills - namely gas and electricity. Our gas bill this winter has been obscene - I know it was cold - but our house is only 1100 square feet. We have gas heat and hot water, and I'm sure where most of the cost is accruing. So, my newest mission is seek and destroy energy and natural gas suckers.
Some ideas:
- Hang dry laundry, especially jeans and towels. I let them dry almost completely then throw them in the dryer for a quick fluff.
- Always turn off the light when leaving a room. I've been keeping the blinds open during the day to take advantage of the natural light (when we have it).
- Showers instead of baths - except for George. He's not quite ready for the shower and is too wiggly to take one with either of us.
- Seek and destroy drafts. We have an ugly draft that leaks around our front door. And a huge draft from the cat door into the garage. I'm not sure how to fix these, but I'm going to do some research - I know we lose a lot of heat from these two areas.
- Only run the dishwasher when full.
These are just a few ideas that I can deploy immediately. I have others, like insulate the attic and buy a new, energy efficient refrigerator and furnace, but those things will have to wait.
Anybody have any other energy saving tips out there?
2.07.2009
Makin' Baby's (Food): A Simple Tutorial
I've never fed G any food out of a jar. When I tell people this, I sometimes get comments like 'wow, you must have a lot of free time' - sha' right! While it does take a wee bit of commitment to get up and running, making your own baby food is super easy, economical (HELLO RECESSION!), and the best way to make sure your kiddo is getting the very best ingredients and a varied diet.
So, I'm going to hop off my soapbox now and actually tell you how to whip up some baby grub.
First, the gear.
Must have:
ice cube trays
blender or food processor
nice deep pot and a steam basket (this one is cheap and easy to clean)
sieve or fine mesh strainer
Freezer bags
Sharpie marker
Nice to have:
stick (also called immersion) blender - these are great if you have little space and can replace the blender/processor
food mill - good for grinding things like peas where you need to get rid of the skin
Next step - grocery shopping! To be very honest I'm not super vigilant about organic. B works in a nursery and is very knowledgeable on pesticides and the like, so I don't get too worked up about organic vs. regular produce. Especially for things like squash where you're going to discard all of the peel. But that decision is entirely up to the chef - that is the beauty of making your own baby food - you get to decide what goes into it!
Here are a few ideas for some easy, freezable first foods:
Pear - Peel and core, chop and steam. Cool and puree, then pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Apple - See Pear.
Butternut Squash - Peel, chop and steam OR bake in the oven (pour a little water or orange juice in hollow and cover with foil) and scoop out the flesh. Puree, adding water to bring to the right consistency. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Yams - Bake in the oven (this produces the sweetest taste) and scoop out insides. Puree like the squash. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Peas - I buy frozen, no salt added. Steam the peas, puree and push through a fine mesh strainer or sieve to get rid of the excess skin - the skin is a little tough for beginners. Pour pea puree into ice cube tray and freeze.
You might ask why ice cube trays? I find they freeze just the right portion for a baby just starting solids. Once the food has frozen, I pop the little portions out into marked freezer bags. At mealtime, simply choose your food and pop it in the microwave for about 25-30 seconds. Stir vigorously to get rid of hot spots and check the temperature before feeding to baby.
That's it!
If you're still skeptical about the time this takes - take heed. It only takes about an hour, max, on a Sunday afternoon to produce enough food for an entire week - or maybe two. So it's really not too much of a time commitment.
Now, for a little inspiration. Once your child is old enough that you've tried a good base lineup of foods and ruled out allergies, you can start using more complicated recipes. I've found a couple of really great cookbooks for ideas:
Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel - Easy to read, quick recipes and very tasty. This is a good book to start with, goes over all the basics of preparation and nutrition.
The Petit Appetit Cookbook by Lisa Barnes - This one is fun, creative and especially good if you're going the organic route.
I've gained so much from preparing all of G's food - I'm not home with him all the time, so it's a good feeling to know that when he eats meals while I'm at work, it's something I put time and effort into. I know it benefits his health and saves some money. And who doesn't want to do that these days!
So, I'm going to hop off my soapbox now and actually tell you how to whip up some baby grub.
First, the gear.
Must have:
ice cube trays
blender or food processor
nice deep pot and a steam basket (this one is cheap and easy to clean)
sieve or fine mesh strainer
Freezer bags
Sharpie marker
Nice to have:
stick (also called immersion) blender - these are great if you have little space and can replace the blender/processor
food mill - good for grinding things like peas where you need to get rid of the skin
Next step - grocery shopping! To be very honest I'm not super vigilant about organic. B works in a nursery and is very knowledgeable on pesticides and the like, so I don't get too worked up about organic vs. regular produce. Especially for things like squash where you're going to discard all of the peel. But that decision is entirely up to the chef - that is the beauty of making your own baby food - you get to decide what goes into it!
Here are a few ideas for some easy, freezable first foods:
Pear - Peel and core, chop and steam. Cool and puree, then pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Apple - See Pear.
Butternut Squash - Peel, chop and steam OR bake in the oven (pour a little water or orange juice in hollow and cover with foil) and scoop out the flesh. Puree, adding water to bring to the right consistency. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Yams - Bake in the oven (this produces the sweetest taste) and scoop out insides. Puree like the squash. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Peas - I buy frozen, no salt added. Steam the peas, puree and push through a fine mesh strainer or sieve to get rid of the excess skin - the skin is a little tough for beginners. Pour pea puree into ice cube tray and freeze.
You might ask why ice cube trays? I find they freeze just the right portion for a baby just starting solids. Once the food has frozen, I pop the little portions out into marked freezer bags. At mealtime, simply choose your food and pop it in the microwave for about 25-30 seconds. Stir vigorously to get rid of hot spots and check the temperature before feeding to baby.
That's it!
If you're still skeptical about the time this takes - take heed. It only takes about an hour, max, on a Sunday afternoon to produce enough food for an entire week - or maybe two. So it's really not too much of a time commitment.
Now, for a little inspiration. Once your child is old enough that you've tried a good base lineup of foods and ruled out allergies, you can start using more complicated recipes. I've found a couple of really great cookbooks for ideas:
Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel - Easy to read, quick recipes and very tasty. This is a good book to start with, goes over all the basics of preparation and nutrition.
The Petit Appetit Cookbook by Lisa Barnes - This one is fun, creative and especially good if you're going the organic route.
I've gained so much from preparing all of G's food - I'm not home with him all the time, so it's a good feeling to know that when he eats meals while I'm at work, it's something I put time and effort into. I know it benefits his health and saves some money. And who doesn't want to do that these days!
1.30.2009
Birthday Bonanza!
We had G's birthday party last weekend. Twenty or so people in our TINY (I mean tiny) house. It was snug. Poor dude only napped about an hour so we were teetering on the verge of a meltdown all day. Thankfully, there were lots of distractions.
One year old birthday parties are tricky. I mean, honestly, who are they really for? The kid doesn't care. So I tried to keep it as low key as possible. Early dinner, presents, cake, done. I tried to keep it as simple and inexpensive as possible, and I think I succeeded, less insisting on making the cake from scratch (but it was worth it!). Here's the menu and the links to the recipes:
Pulled pork on onion buns with coleslaw
Baked beans (from a can - seriously, why make them from scratch when the canned are so good?)
Potato Salad (family recipe, below)
Fruit Plate - thanks to my sis in law who brought a lovely plate full of melon and berries - yum!
Carrot Cake - this cake was super moist and delicious. I doubled the recipe and did two layers.
Here is the potato salad recipe. I will try to guess at the measurements - I don't think we've ever written it down.
Carter Family Potato Salad
10 boiled (till fork tender) and peeled russet potatoes, diced
10 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped pickles
1 cup mayonnaise (my mom uses Miracle Whip - I refuse!)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
splash pickle juice
celery salt, pepper and salt to taste
paprika to garnish
In bottom of very large bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, and seasonings. Add potatoes, eggs, celery and pickles. Toss. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Put a little paprika on top to make it pretty.
That's it. Simple and wonderful. A word of advice - mix your beans and potato salad. I have no idea why, but it's SO good.
Next year, I promise to do the out of hand birthday party, complete with the bouncy house, ball pit and magician...who am I kidding? I hyperventilate in Chuck-E-Cheese. We'll have to play it by ear.
6.27.2008
Freezer Food: 1st Edition
A few months ago I became obsessed with this frozen oatmeal Trader Joe's sells. It's about 1.50 for a pack of two, which isn't too bad, but if you think about it, IT'S OATMEAL. Oats are cheap. So I came up with my own version:
Freezer Oatmeal
You'll need:
4 cups oats
1/4 cup flax seed if you like it
6 cups water
dried or fresh fruit, your choice, any combination, any amount
- dried cranberries
- fresh or dried blueberries (I prefer fresh)
- raspberries
- peach
- diced fresh apple
- dried apricots
1/4 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
brown sugar, to taste or maple syrup (use the real stuff folks)
Boil water and add oats and flax seed, reduce heat to med/low (you can also boil the water with the oats in it for a creamier oatmeal...I like mine chewy). About 2 or 3 minutes in, add the dried fruit and apple. Stir regularly. Pull the oatmeal off when water is gone (check it around 5 minutes). Stir in fresh fruit such as berries, and also the nuts, let rest until it reaches your desired consistency. Eat some now and freeze the rest! I use freezer bags - freeze in individual portions. Press out as much air as possible and flatten the oatmeal in the bag so it defrosts evenly. To defrost, remove frozen portion from bag and reheat in microwave about 4 minutes, checking and stirring about 1/2 way through.
This is so good and an easy way to have a healthy filling breakfast.
Freezer Oatmeal
You'll need:
4 cups oats
1/4 cup flax seed if you like it
6 cups water
dried or fresh fruit, your choice, any combination, any amount
- dried cranberries
- fresh or dried blueberries (I prefer fresh)
- raspberries
- peach
- diced fresh apple
- dried apricots
1/4 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
brown sugar, to taste or maple syrup (use the real stuff folks)
Boil water and add oats and flax seed, reduce heat to med/low (you can also boil the water with the oats in it for a creamier oatmeal...I like mine chewy). About 2 or 3 minutes in, add the dried fruit and apple. Stir regularly. Pull the oatmeal off when water is gone (check it around 5 minutes). Stir in fresh fruit such as berries, and also the nuts, let rest until it reaches your desired consistency. Eat some now and freeze the rest! I use freezer bags - freeze in individual portions. Press out as much air as possible and flatten the oatmeal in the bag so it defrosts evenly. To defrost, remove frozen portion from bag and reheat in microwave about 4 minutes, checking and stirring about 1/2 way through.
This is so good and an easy way to have a healthy filling breakfast.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)