Sorta Frugal

29 Years

2009-11-30T12:55:00.001-08:00

Mike and I celebrated 29 years yesterday. Well, we actually went out to dinner Saturday night. He gave me 2 gift cards and I gave him...glue. No kidding, glue. What do you give a guy who wants nothing? He's a man of simple tastes who is not into sports or cologne or anything fussy. I had bought several different kinds of sticky stuff as a Christmas gift, but then I got an idea. So I put it in a bag and wrote: "Me and You--Stuck Like Glue!" He thought it was great and it made him laugh. And since he's always fixing this-or-that around the house, he now has a stash of various glues that cover just about any project.

We have been together 38 years total. Hard to believe, but I still think he's 'hot.' Or is that TMI????

Okay, change of subject. I found a cute blog!

And she's having a snowman ornament giveaway! Go check it out...it'll put you in the Christmas spirit!

http://keepnthesunnyside.blogspot.com/

Cookies today

2009-11-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today I'm trying out the new cordless cookie press I bought from Michael's a few weeks back. With the 40% coupon, it was 20 dollars. So far, so good, although it would have helped if I'd had fresh batteries for the first batch. I keep all my new batterieso in a basket (which I change with the seasonal decor) and throw the old ones into a recycling bin. But I guess a few oldies got mixed in there.
Anyway, even with the dying batteries, the press is pretty cool. I changed out for new ones, and when I make the next batch, I'm sure it will work better. I'm making spritz cookies. Here's the link back to last year's post:
http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2008/11/dare-to-share-thursday.html

I don't know why I don't make these more often. They are easy and good. I'm doing a pumpkin design today, mostly. I'll bring some to the friends we're visiting tonight. Luckily, I happen to have orange sugar, LOL!

Turkey Dressing (Frugal Friday)

2009-11-06T09:38:00.001-08:00

It's Frugal Friday over at Life as Mom. http://www.lifeasmom.com/2009/11/frugal-friday-freezer-cooking-on-cheap.html

Here's my donation. We all love stuffing, but lately I keep hearing that you aren't supposed to stuff the bird. It's because you can't get the internal temperature of the stuffing to a safe number (165 degrees F, I believe) without overcooking the bird.

I think I understand why I was sick on so many Thanksgiving Fridays as a kid. And my mom made/makes the BEST stuffing.

I've had the kind made in a casserole (which I think is called 'dressing') but it just doesn't taste the same. I figured there had to be a safe way to get that 'cooked in the bird' flavor. Then it hit me: turkey broth! And not some canned stuff, but real, homemade broth.

The trick is that you have to think ahead. Buy yourself a small turkey, a turkey breast or legs and wings for a meal. Sometimes, you can find a pre-cooked turkey breast on sale at your supermarket's deli counter.

After you have taken off the meat, throw the bones in a pot, add water, and boil for about an hour. I add Kosher salt and sometimes some pepper corns. Strain it all out when you are done, then put it in the fridge. The next day, take the fat off the top. Freeze the broth, or use it right away.

This is how I make stuffing now:

A loaf's worth of broken up bread
A small onion
A stick of butter
Sage to taste
Homemade Turkey Broth

Chop up the onion.
Melt the butter in a little pot.
Cook the onion in the butter for about five minutes, until the onion is soft.
Add butter/onion mixture to bread and toss. Sprinkle with sage to taste.
Now add in the turkey broth until you get a nice consistency. I like my dressing firm so I don't use too much broth. You can always add more later in the cooking process if you need to.

Put it all in a buttered casserole. Cover and pop it in the oven with the turkey, for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Freeze Ahead Breakfast

2009-10-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.lifeasmom.com/
Jessica over at "Life As Mom" has a recipe swap going on today with breakfast as the theme. I love the way she makes eggs (what I would call 'over-easy') and totally plan to steal that idea next time I'm making my egg/cheese/bacon biscuits.

One problem some families have with breakfast is the morning rush. That's where 'freeze-ahead' comes in handy. In fact, my son James just asked me when I was going to make those fake-o Egg McMuffins again. (Well, I use biscuits, not muffins, but I'm sure English Muffins would work here.) Here is the recipe:

Freeze-ahead Egg/Bacon/Cheese Biscuits

A can of Grands Biscuits (Yeah, I cheat. Make your own if you like, but biscuits aren't my strong point, and I can get these pretty cheap with coupons)
Eggs--if you scramble them, you can probably get two sandwiches from one egg
Your favorite cheese, sliced
Bacon

There are no set amounts here--just go by what you think your family will eat, or at least by what won't fall off the edges.
Bake the biscuits and split them in half
Fry or scramble the eggs.
Fry the bacon.

Put some egg on a biscuit, then a piece of cheese, then some bacon. Put the top on the biscuit. Do this with all the biscuits.

You can eat these right now, or you can wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and throw them in a plastic bag in the freezer. For my microwave, it takes about a minute for each biscuit to reheat from frozen, but you have to adjust for your own.

Of course, you can trade out the bacon for ham or sausage. Those round sausage patties you brown and serve would work great.

Whether you make this from scratch or cheat with Grands as I do, they are better than McDonald's and oh-so-much cheaper!

Halloween Craft

2009-10-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

This decoration was very easy to make. I had a bucket that I'd bought at a garage sale, which I painted with chalkboard paint and decorated with chalk. The pumpkin is made of felt, except for his stem. I couldn't find my box of felt so I had to use cardstock.

I gave the pumpkin head some body by cutting a smaller shape out of cardboard and sandwiching it between two layers of felt. The stick came from some other decoration that broke, but you could use a dowel.

I had this 90% made for quite a while because I was trying to figure out how to get the stick to stand up. I had thought of filling the bucket with rocks, but did not want to spend the money on them.

So I ended up crushing newspaper and filling the bucket 3/4 up, then covering the newspaper with real leaves from the back yard. On top of that, I sprinkled these cute plastic acorns I bought a while back at Michael's.

You could duplicate this in a smaller version with a simple can and smaller parts. It goes together easily and I think kids would have fun with it. It's on my front steps now (we have a bit of an overhang so it won't get wet.)

Sew Crafty Friday

2009-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

I miss "Sew Crafty Friday." Shereen's blog hadn't been updated for months last I saw. I hope she comes back again, but she is probably busy with her family. Meantime, I need something like this to push myself to get my crafting done. Here is my donation for the week: a baby blanket.

It isn't for any particular baby, but my nieces and nephews and my daughter's friends will surely be having them soon!

This is my own design--at least, the combination is! I don't think anyone really designs original 'stitches,' LOL! It is a simple shell stitch. I don't like working with baby yarn, so this is done on an "I" needle. I think the yarn is sport weight? Just standard, but soft and pretty.

One of the things I bought with the $50 gift card Mike gave me is a book called "100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet." I will make several flowers from the book and scatter them over the blanket.

I like that the shells make a nice, tight pattern. We want to keep baby cozy, LOL! As you might be able to see, I'm grading the size of each stripe. The first ones are about 11 rows, then I have 7 rows and if I feel I need to add length, the final group will be about 3 or 4 rows.

If you've got something going this week, please let me know and I'll come over and visit you!

In Ohio This Week

2009-10-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm really awful at keeping up with this blog! I apologize--I'm just so tired all the time and seem to have so much to do. Nick takes his second road test later this month. In the meantime, I drive him to and from college. It's only 20 minutes away, but that's 40 minutes round trip and I despise driving! Well, for 2 days he is only in class an hour and fifteen minutes, so I use that time to shop at some of the stores nearby. My husband helps whenever it fits into his work schedule. Fortunately, Nicky's classes don't interfere with my work at all.

I'm off this week, spending it in Columbus with my mother. We're having such a good time together. We went to a favorite restaurant yesterday and hit a few Amish stores. The prices are so reasonable! I got a good stack of fabric to play with when I get home.

Before I left New York, Mike surprised me at the airport with a $50 gift card! (Amex, so I can use it almost anywhere.) Well, I've had my eye on these cute valances for several years now. They are sold in the gift shop of the restaurant, but I never felt justified in spending money on them. I finally got them, along with a few matching things like potholders and towels--and I still have a little left over!

My aunt and my mother think Mike is sweet. I totally agree.

I hope everyone (all four of you) who reads this blog is doing well!

A Savings Reminder

2009-09-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

Now that school has officially started all over the country, and stores want to make room for Halloween merchandise, this is the perfect time to start shopping for school supplies!

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, as my ten or so readers are smart about these things. But doesn't it blow you away how many people aren't?

At work the other day, some mothers were lamenting at the expense of school supplies. Of course, I told them that they should prepare for January by buying up what's on sale now. After all, we all know folders never last beyond the holidays. Why pay a dollar later when you can pay a dime now? I reminded them that they can store things in a closet or the attic, and they'll have a jump on new supplies. Pencils and paper don't go bad!

You would have thought I was a guru at the top of a mountain, with information no one else had,the way these young moms looked at me. Made me feel really good about being frugal. I love to share the wealth--the wealth of knowledge I've gotten from my on-line frugal friends, that is!

I'm glad I was...

2009-08-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

...born when I was, which is 1956, for the record. That made me far too young to pay much attention when the S*xual Revolution reached its peak in 1969. There was a show on the History Channel last night about just that.

If I'd been among the first Baby Boomers, I'd have been of legal age by 1969. I might have dared to go to Woodstock, but I've never been one for crowds, so I doubt it.

Not sure whether I'd have marched for or against anything. But I do know I've wanted to be a wife and mother from a very young age. Maybe that is why the subtitle of the placard carried by a Woman's Libber (there's a phrase from the past!) bugged me.

I can't remember the top of the sign. The middle said, "Don't Get Married." And below, she had handwritten this: "Washing Diapers is Not Fulfilling!"

And all I could think of was... if your definition of Motherhood starts with 'washing diapers,' then maybe it's a great thing if you don't get married. (I also called her something that rhymes with 'witch,' but I do try to keep this a family-friendly blog). Who'd want you for a mother? Or a wife?}

Miserable human being...I wonder if she ever married and had kids? Did she find joy in it, or was she still stuck in the 'washing diapers is not fulfilling' mode. If so, I feel danged sorry for any kids she brought into this world!

Okay, the soapbox is yours now!

A product I like

2009-08-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

One thing that is nice about building up a stockpile is that eventually you have enough 'on hand,' and your shopping list is so small, that you can treat yourself. You can try something new you might not have wanted to swing otherwise.

My new thing is Purex 3-in-1 complete. Basically, it's your detergent, softener and dryer sheet all in one. (I never knew people used dryer sheets if they already used softener.)

How is this fancy product even 'sorta' frugal? Well, it is if you get a deal. It is on sale this week BOGO at CVS. And I have a dollar coupon, making each less than half price.

But here is what makes it even more frugal. You can cut those puppies in half, and even thirds! Really, who needs the whole enchilada if you're only washing slightly dirty items?

I still use regular detergent most of the time. But you all know the story--sometimes you are too tired, or sick, or busy to remember to add the danged softener. So for those times, this product is great!

Did anyone else do this back in the day?

2009-07-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

My daughter uses that expression: "back in the day." Not sure what day she's talking about, but in this case I'm talking around the 1960s.

I don't know why this memory popped into my head this morning. When I was in grammar school, I can remember that we often made corsages for our friends' birthdays. My sister, who is 4 years older than me, probably did it in high school, too, but by the time I got there it was the 1970s and nice little things like that just weren't 'in.'

We would take one of those cheap bows you stick on top of packages and add either a piece of gum (always Bazooka!) or a mini Tootsie roll to each loop until we had the number of years old the friend was. Sometimes, you had to add streamers for more ribbons. I think we sometimes did this with pennies. Hey, back then 8 cents actually bought something.

Did anyone else do that? Or do they still give out handmade candy corsages?

:)

Frugal Friday: CC warning

2009-07-03T13:10:00.001-07:00

There are lots of great tips for living frugally over at "Life as Mom," so go check them out here:

http://www.lifeasmom.com/2009/07/frugal-friday-save-money-on-birthdays.html

Here is my tip. If you are lucky enough to be able to pay off a credit card, there is something you need to keep in mind. Just because the card is 'closed' doesn't mean there won't be some charge on it!

I have recently been able, thanks to the best husband on earth, to pay off most of my big, fat debt. As I pay off a card, I also close it. But I double-checked the next month to make sure the balance was at $0. Well! To my surprise I found out this isn't always true. Yes, there will be no more charges from outside sources. But what about the CC's own finance charges?

You could pay off the current balance on a card, without knowing that your finance charges weren't scheduled to show up for a day or so. Those charges go on your card. And there you are, happily thinking of $0 balances, while those sneaky charges lay in the dark, waiting to make your life miserable!

So...take a second look at any CCs you close and make sure they really are finished and done!

BTW, IMHO...credit card companies are legalized loan-sharking establishments. Thank goodness there will be regulations to stop this nonsense in the next few years!

He did it!

2009-06-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

My fourth and youngest, Nicholas (Nicky to us, Nick to his friends) graduated high school today. It was a nice ceremony that ran just under two hours. There was a dark cloud in the nearby sky, but it moved away from us. Pleasant breezes took care of the heat that usually plagues these outdoor ceremonies. (And to think, I had four personal fans in my pocketbook!)

Nick will be attending a local community college. He recently took a two-day program meant to assess his strengths. We haven't gotten the results back, but he's best at math and science. (He's great at history, too, if the topic interests him.) The program will help him pick his major.

With the economy as it is, many more kids than before are attending community colleges. This means a longer waiting list. We got our notice that Nicky's application is being processed. I'm pretty sure he's in. He has the grades and I think community colleges have to accept local residents as long as they qualify. It isn't like Harvard. Thank goodness...it isn't like the tuition there, either.

So the future begins. I only have two of four kids living home now. It is weird to come home and know the house will be empty for a few hours.

My frugal, florist daughter

2009-06-10T15:38:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I had a nice lunch at an all-you-can-eat Sushi buffet today, followed up by a visit to Michael's Crafts store. I didn't buy much--just some glue and yarn. But it's fun to look at things. Katherine picks up a small package and says, "I'd sure like to meet the idiot who'd buy this!"
It was a packet of broken up dried leaves, named "leaf confetti", which I suppose is used in card-making or scrapbooking. The price was $3.99! And I'm talking a packet that would fit in the palm of your hand. Why would she call the buyer of such an item an idiot?
Because this is the kind of thing she sweeps off the floor of the floral department at her store, LOL!
Honestly, the things people will pay for, right?

We should all get along like this!

2009-06-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to have my camera ready when I discovered my cat, Melody, taking a snooze with my ferret, Austin! Melody was even grooming him. How sweet is that?

Grrrrocery Pet Peeves

2009-05-30T10:56:00.001-07:00

There are two things I find really annoying at the supermarket:

1)People who park their cart dead-center in the middle of an aisle so you can't get around them.

2)People who come up behind you on the self-checkout line and start their order before you're finished bagging your own. Thank you, but I'd rather not have my bread smashed by your 12-pack of Snapple!

Yep, someone needs to make an official 'Grocery Etiquette' guide!

Make a Freezer Map

2009-05-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

We have one of those freezers that opens from the top. It's one of the best household investments we ever made, but if you have one, you know what a pain they are when you want to find something.

Mike and I are making a great effort to be debt-free by the end of the year, and one of the ways I'm helping is by upping my frugal efforts at food shopping. What better way than to use as much as I have on hand as possible?

So I decided to do an inventory of the freezer downstairs. Then it hit me: when you want to find something, what's better than a map? (If they create GPS for freezers, please lmk!)

I took everything out, and as I put it back in an orderly way, I did several things:

1. I used a piece of paper (on a clipboard) and drew a front-view of the freezer. Then I blocked off where each item went, and wrote down how many I have.

2. I took out things I need for dinners this week, which mostly includes meat I've browned or marinated and leftovers.

3. I put all of my daughter's diet foods in one area so she can take them down to her new apartment. This will free up almost 2 square feet of space!

4. I moved all the meat from the upstairs fridge's freezer to the downstairs, making more room upstairs. I'll get to that upstairs freezer another time.

So, if you are going to do an inventory anyway, think about creating a map, too!

Salad Festival!

2009-05-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

There's a summer salad festival going on over at "A Heart for Home." I don't know about you, but I can never get enough salad! Here's the link:
http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/2009/04/calling-all-salads.html

Here is a salad my family really enjoys. Because it has a cabbage base, instead of lettuce, it 'keeps' longer. You really do want to go for the celery seed and the Longhorn Colby cheese for this, as they 'make' the recipe!

Delicious Vegetable Salad

A small head of cabbage (or half a big head) cut in chunks--don't shred it, this ain't cole slaw!
About a cup of Longhorn Colby Cheese, also cut in chunks
Cherry tomatoes
Broccoli, cut up
Carrots and celery, cut up
Anything else you like!!!!

Put these all in a big bowl.

The dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard...or squirt of the 'wet' kind
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
A dash of onion powder
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (I think olive oil would be too strong.)

Mix all the dressing ingredients, except for the oil, in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about a minute (depending on how strong your microwave is). Then stir until the sugar is dissolved and everything is nicely blended. Drizzle in the oil and stir--or do like I do, and just put it in a jar and shake like crazy.

Pour the warm dressing over the salad and toss. You can eat it like this, or later. You don't have to eat it warm--the heat is just to melt the sugar, I think!

All I know is, this tastes just as good a day later, if it lasts that long!

Gotta love this site

2009-04-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm the type of person who will check out a blog if it has a catchy name. Who could resist a name like "Sugarpie Farmhouse." You can almost smell the shortenin' bread. Okay, I'm from New York. I have no idea what shortenin' bread is or what it smells like. But I bet it smells like grandma's kitchen, you know?

Sugarpie Farmhouse is a homey site dedicated to all things hospitable and domestic. The girl talk forums (for Sugar Pie Sistas!) is full of great advice and encouragement.

Go check it out:

http://sugarpiefarmhouse.com/

WFMW: Idea for 'gifts' box

2009-04-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's "Works for Me Wednesday" over at "We Are That Family."
http://www.wearethatfamily.com/

Here's my donation. I actually posted this Monday, but don't tell anyone that, okay? Nobody stopped by so I'm editing it to fit in with WFMW.

Do you keep a gifts box? You know, nice things you find on sale and keep for future use as gifts? I have an idea for you.

Check out CVS or Walgreen's (or maybe even your local supermarket) and see if they have any of those pre-made Easter baskets left. Frankly, IMHO, at full price they are a ripoff. But I picked up the last basket at CVS today for only 79 cents! It was 90% off. Besides the cheesy little bags of candy (which I'll give to my boys), it has a nice jumprope and a ball-and-jacks set. I couldn't buy one of those toys for 79 cents.

So they go in my 'giftie box. My kids are way past the birthday party age, as you know. But I babysit sometimes, and have a three-year-old nephew. So I keep my eyes open for goodies to use as gifts that won't break the bank.

Oh, and speaking of saving money: if you have a Passover section at your grocery store, check it out. Now that the holiday is over, you can find some really good buys there!

Mouthwatering Mondays

2009-04-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

I found a new (to me) 'carnival' over at "A Southern Fairytale" http://asouthernfairytale.com/ and thought I would participate, too. It's called "Mouthwatering Mondays." I'm all for new recipes!

Here's mine:

Broccoli Salad

4 Cups of cut-up broccoli
A few handfuls of red, seedless grapes--cut in half if big
1 Cup mayo
1/3 Cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Chopped Nuts

You'll notice I didn't put measurements in for the bacon or nuts--just knock yourself out, LOL!

Combine the broccoli and grapes.
Mix up mayo, sguar and vinegar.
Toss together.
Add the other ingredients.
Enjoy!

BTW, you could leave out the grapes and broccoli and use a cole slaw mix with this, too!

I like it!

2009-04-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

I give the Chop Wizard a 9 out of 10. Only a nine because it is a bit of a pain to clean, but it comes with this weird comby thing that helps a lot. Also helps to use the spray hose from the sink to rinse off the stuck pieces before putting it in the dishwasher. Other than that, it works just like it claims. I was a choppin' fool last night, since we had sausages and peppers for dinner. If you can find a deal on one, or just want to swing the full price, I'd say "go for it."

It pays to wait

2009-03-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

My kids gave me a $100 gift card for my birthday, and I've probably stretched it at least 2x as far as the ordinary person. "Ordinary person" does not, of course, include my fellow frugal bloggers!

Okay, so I've had my eye on the Vidalia Chop Wizard for a while now, but even with the gift card I wasn't sure I wanted to pay $20. So I kept passing it by.
What do you know? Today I found it on the clearance rack at Walgreen's for only $12.99! Seven dollars saved just by putting it off.

Think about it. How often do you just 'need' something, but it's really a 'want'? If you are willing to wait a bit, most of the time those 'wants' go on sale for a much better price. At the very least, if you wait until they show up on an "As Seen on TV" shelf, you won't have to pay for shipping.

I've heard a vast range of reviews for this puppy, mostly very good, so I'll have to let you know how I like it.

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: electric knife

2009-03-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

Do you have an electric knife? If you do, chances are it sits in a drawer forgotten most of the year. Well, it can be useful for more than carving roasts or turkeys! Use it to prep raw meat, too.

Today, I got a *BOGO deal on top round. This is what we usually put in the pasta sauce my husband makes on Sundays. Life is a lot easier when the meat is already cut up and ready to go.

So, today I took out my electric carving knife and went to work on two nice steaks. I was able to trim them and cut them into bite-sized pieces in half the time it would take for a regular knife. The pieces went into labelled bags and are now in the freezer. Four Sunday's worth of beef for sauce in less than 20 minutes! (BTW, we also add sausage and sometimes meatballs or brasciole. My husband makes a gooooood sauce.)

Hey, speaking of BOGO: whenever you have a deal like that where the items have various prices, be sure to match up the prices as closely as possible for the maximum savings. Remember, they always discount the lowest price, so you want that low price to be as close to the high price as possible.

For more great tips, visit "Tammy's Recipes" for Kitchen Tip Tuesdays. The link is over there on my sidebar!

Easy Onion Rings

2009-03-21T08:59:00.001-07:00

I rarely fry anything. It makes too much of a mess. But once in a while, I get in the mood!

I don't have a deep fryer. I use a regular 3-quart pot and fill it about halfway up, then I use a thermometer to make sure I'm at the deep-fry temperature. Having your oil at the correct temp and making sure you have enough in the pot is key to successful frying.

So here is the recipe:

Onion cut into rings (Sweet onions like vidalias or mayans are best)
Complete Pancake Mix
Seltzer
any spice you like--I use just a bit of onion powder.

Mix the onion powder (or whatever) in with the pancake mix. Add seltzer until you have a nice consistency--not too thin, not too thick. Just a little thinner than actual pancake batter.

Dip the onions, then fry them a few at a time. Never overload your oil! You want to keep it at a steady temp, and too many goodies will bring it down. That will result in mushy onion rings. They cook up fast enough, so don't worry if you only do 2 or 3 at a time.

Drain on paper towels and add salt, as you go along.

Keep an eye on the temp, and either let the oil sit a minute to gain or remove from the burner for a few moments to let it cool again.

When you are all done, enjoy! But put a few in the freezer for the future. I flash-froze about 8 of them and put them in a bag. Today, I took them out and reheated them at 350 degrees in the toaster oven. They were great!

BTW, seltzer makes them 'puff' a little, so they come out just like diner onion rings.

PS...I strain and decant my oil into a canning jar and use it again. Twice is about my limit, but I think you can use it a few times with success.