The Dollar Hollering Homemaker

Getting spray paint off your hands

2013-05-22T03:30:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, my husband and I decided to spray paint our mailbox. Our crazy heat from last summer and our spring weather left our mailbox seeing better days. It was a windy day; however it was the first day in a number of weeks with no rain in the immediate forecast. So we got to sanding and spray painting.

The wind cause a bit of a blow back and my husband's hands looked like this:

Soap and water would not get the paint off his hands. I knew mineral oil would work; but of course we were completely out of mineral oil. Not wanting to run to the store, I decided to try coconut oil to see if it would help clean off his hands. It worked like a charm. After a few minutes with some coconut oil and a paper towel, his hands looked like this:

Yet another wonderful use for coconut oil:)

Ditching Sugar and a Meal Planning Update

2013-05-19T21:51:00.000-05:00

This is a transition week for us. My husband and I are going on a sugar-free/wheat-free diet of sorts. We are trying to break my husband's sugar habit (he loves lots of sugar in his coffee). I don't keep junk food in our house expect on rare occasions; however, my husband gets to eat a lot of not-so-good-for-him food at his office. He also has a habit of adding lots of sugar to his 4-6 cups of coffee a day.

We are not following a specific diet plan. I would like to do a completely grain-free, sugar-free. legume-free, dairy-free diet, but that would be too overwhelming for my husband and too expensive for our budget. Our main goal is for my husband to move completely away from his daily sugar habit and only consume natural sugars from fruits, maple syrup, and honey once or twice a week. Since he is trying to break from sugar, I thought eliminating wheat for 30 days might be helpful as well. We also plan to limit grains as much as our budget will allow.

Our 30 day plan:
No refined sugar at all.
No white flour, wheat flour
Limited grains
Plenty of healthy fats, protein, and veggies.
1 sweet made with honey, coconut palm sugar, or maple syrup per week
Dairy for my husband/ I'm going to try and limit my dairy

After the 30 days:
1 cheat meal a week like a slice of pizza, hamburger with bun, etc
Occasional sugary treat

We are starting CSA season around here. I kind of abandon meal planing during the summer. However, I plan to share pictures from our CSA/shopping trips so look for those posts in the coming weeks.

Our basic meal plan is something like this:

Breakfast: Omelet, made with plenty of greens and other veggies
Lunch: Large Salad with beans and/or lean meat or soup with plenty of veggies
Dinner: Lean Protein, Veggies

Snacks: Veggies/Hummus, Fruit, Nuts, Plain Yogurt with fruit, Smoothies, popcorn

Treat: Grain Free-Pancakes, Grain-Free Muffins or Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

This diet is not about deprivation. Our goal is to help my husband break his sugar addiction and improve our health as a family. It's important to note: that I am not making my husband do anything he doesn't want to. He asked for my help in finding a more balanced diet.

What's on your meal plan?

Cheese Stuffed Burgers

2013-05-10T18:12:00.001-05:00

This is such a simple recipe. Change up the fresh herbs and toppings to spice up burger night.

You will need:

1lb of ground beef

1/2 medium onion, grated

1 Tablespoon of fresh dill, cilantro, or parsley

1/4 cup shredded colby jack or mozerella

Pinch of garlic salt

Pinch of ground black pepper

Optional: cheese, grilled onions, grilled jalapenos, salsa,etc for topping

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, dill, garlic salt, black pepper and cheese. Don't over-mix. Divide into 4 patties and grill. Top with your favorite toppings. We serve ours on french bread. Or serve without a bun for a gluten free option.

Do you have a favorite burger recipe?

Free Health Screening at Sams Club

2013-05-07T08:47:00.003-05:00

Free Health Screening at Sams Club on May 11:

Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Dermascan (limited clubs, indicates skin damage from the sun), Cortisol, Weight, Height, Waist Circumference, and Vision.

For more info, visit Sams Club.

Meal Plan

2013-05-07T00:28:00.002-05:00

What we are eating this week:

Pantry Pancakes, Eggs, Apple Sausage
Bean and Cheese Nachos
Pulled Pork Taco Salad

Oatmeal
Pulled Pork Taco Salad
Vegetable Fajitas

Oatmeal
Vegetable Fajitas
Ham and Pineapple Pizza, Salad

Oatmeal
Ham and Pineapple Pizza, Salad
Bacon Chicken Subs, Salad

Oatmeal
Bacon Chicken Subs, Salad
Vegetable Fried Rice

Oatmeal
Vegetable Fried Rice
Tuna Salad Wraps, Roasted Broccoli

Eggs and Apple Chicken Sausage
Turkey Melts, Veggies and Hummus
Smoothies and Popcorn

My Favorite Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

2013-04-30T20:20:00.000-05:00

BBQ Chicken Tacos
Black Bean Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Mexican Pizza

Sopapillas
Stuffed Jalapenos
Flour Tortilla I
Flour Tortilla II
Tortilla Chips

Do you have a special menu planned for Cinco de Mayo?

Our Meal Plan

2013-04-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

What we are eating this week:

Eggs and Cheese Biscuits, fruit
Mediterranean Steak Salad
Leftover Salad, Smoothies

Blueberry Pancakes , Fruit
Spicy Burgers, Buttered Corn, Salad
Leftovers: Spicy Burgers

Eggs and Bacon, Fruit
Vegetarian Nachos
Vegetarian Taco Salad

Oatmeal
Vegetarian Taco Salad
Vegetable Curry, Garlic Naan

Oatmeal
Leftovers from the freezer
Re fried Beans, Spanish Rice, Salad

Oatmeal
Leftover: Re fried Beans and Spanish Rice
Tuna Mac and Broccoli

Eggs and Cheese Biscuits
Pizza and Salad
Leftover Pizza or Smoothies

What's on your meal plan?

Garlic Bread

2013-04-26T10:39:00.000-05:00

You will need:
1 loaf of french bread
*2 sticks of softened, salted butter
Garlic powder, to taste
Optional: parsley, to taste

Directions:
Slice you bread in half. Cover each side of the bread with a stick of butter. Sprinkle with garlic powder and any other seasonings you like. Bake in a 350 oven until the butter is melted (about 7 minutes), turn your oven up to broil and bake from another 5-7 minutes until the butter browns.

* 2 sticks is a lot of butter, my loaves are very big. You may be able to use less butter if your loaves are smaller. Just make sure that the butter completely covers the surface of the bread.

Dollar Hollering Tip: If you don't have salted butter, simply add a pinch of sea salt to your butter.

Do you make your own garlic bread?

3 Tips for Stretching Your Dairy

2013-04-24T04:00:00.000-05:00

How many times have you run out to the store just to buy milk? Have you ever had a time when you had more month than money? Or maybe you realize you are running out of milk right smack in the middle of a busy week? Today's post is about three ways to stretch your milk between store visits.

Buy whole milk and water it down

Ya know that 2% milk that you are drinking? It's basically waterdowned whole milk. It's mostly water, but in my neck of the woods it's only about .10 cheaper than whole milk. I always buy whole milk and water it down myself.

For drinking: I usually fill the glass halfway with milk and then fill it the rest of the way with water.
For cooking: I can get away with 1/4 cup milk to every 1 3/4 cups water.
For baking: I do about a tablespoon of milk for every cup of water.

Powdered Milk

Some powdered milk is really nasty. I would take the time to try a few different brands. We like this brand from emergency essentials. We also like Organic Nonfat Dry Milk Powder from Organic Valley.

You should buy a powdered milk that you enjoy drinking. Here are a few tips for making the powdered milk taste it's best:
- Make the powdered milk according to package directions.
- Use a hand mixer or blender to mix the milk
- Drink the milk cold
- Add a little vanilla extract to the milk mixture

Powdered milk works well in most recipes and can be easily used in homemade creamer and hot cocoa recipes. Stacy even makes her own "cream of soup" substitute with powdered milk.

Homemade creamer

My hubby loves his coffee and likes it with lots of milk and sugar. This tip is great for those that buy the speciality creamers from the store. I wouldn't say it's a "healthy" recipe. It is certainly healthier than the conventional stuff in the store. We love this recipe for when we are trying to stretch what we have between store visits.

We have only used this basic recipe; but feel free to experiment with different extracts.

2 cups of milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 teaspoon cinnamon

Simple mix all the ingredients together and store in a glass container with a lid. Shake mixture before each use as the sweetened condensed milk tends to settle.

* Cinnamon may seem like a crazy ingredients but it works really well with coffee. I learned this tip from my friend Felicia, who adds cinnamon to every cup of coffee. An added bonus is that cinnamon may help stabilized your blood sugar.

Edited to Add: Check out this video from Collin; she has a few different recipes for various flavored creamers:

Do you have any tips for making your milk dollars last?

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my site.

Meal Plan

2013-04-21T03:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a week! Between Boston, Floods, Leaking Basements, and other not so fun things, I'm ready for some rest and quality time with my family. I'm keeping meals simple. We will be using up a lot of odds and ends from the freezer.

What we are eating this week:

Eggs, Sausage, Hashbrowns
Chipotle Steak Salad
Leftovers

Oatmeal
Leftovers from the freezer/ Veggies and Hummus
Hashbrown Casserole

Oatmeal
Leftover Hashbrown Casserole
Bean and Rice Bowls, Stuffed Jalapenos

Oatmeal
Leftover Bean and Rice Bowls
Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan and Mango Lassi

Oatmeal
Leftover: Bean and Rice Bowls
Broccoli and Cheese Soup, French Bread

Oatmeal
Leftover Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Tuna Melts, Veggies and Hummus

Eggs, Hashbrowns
Turkey Pepper Jack Melts/ Roasted Veggies
Popcorn and Smoothies

French Bread

2013-04-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

This is a very frugal recipe. You should have everything in your pantry. I buy my flour, salt, seasonings and yeast in bulk at Sam's. This recipe makes a lot of bread. Fresh bread is only good for a few days, so freeze leftovers or make french bread pizzas, french toast, sandwiches or croutons.

You will need:
2 Cups warm water (you may need a little more)
2 T sugar
5 Cups flour + some for kneading
1 1/2 T yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use garlic salt)
Optional: 1-2 teaspoons seasonings ( Italian, rosemary/garlic, etc)

Directions: Combine all ingredients and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Add a little more water if needed (sometimes I need an extra tablespoon or so). Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Divide dough in half. Roll each dough ball out into a rectangular shape. Roll dough up lengthwise. Fold ends under and place seam side down on greased baking sheet. You can bake both loaves on one baking sheet just make sure that there is about two inches between them. Score dough and brush tops with butter or egg wash. Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 400, bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

This recipe can be made with a bread machine. Simply add the ingredients in the order listed and use your dough cycle. After first rise, divide dough and continue with the recipe.

What's your favorite bread recipe?

Meal Plan

2013-04-15T13:36:00.001-05:00

Our meal plan went a little crazy last week. Wednesday night a tornado hit our town. We are all okay, nobody was seriously injured. There was quite a bit of propety damage in our area and we were without power. As a result, our meal plan got moved around.

What we are eating this week:

Eggs and Apple Chicken Sausage
Leftover Jambalaya/ Salad
Peas and Rice

Oatmeal
Leftover: Peas and Rice
Hashbrown Casserole/ Veggies and Hummus

Oatmeal
Leftover: Hashbrown casserole
Vegetable Pizza

Oatmeal
Leftover: Pizza
Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan

Oatmeal
Choice of leftovers from the freezer
Bean and Rice Burritos

Oatmeal
Bean and Rice Burritos
Tuna Salad Wraps/Veggies and Dip

Eggs, Sausage, Hashbrowns
Chipotle Steak Fajitas
Leftovers

Sopapillas

2013-04-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

The first time I ever had Sopapillas was at a local Mexican restaurant in my hometown. What's not to love about fried dough, honey and cinnamon?

This recipe makes enough for 4-5 people.

You will need:
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter or palm shortening
3/4 cup hot water
Oil for frying.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the shortening until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Mix in the water until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Heat the oil to 350.

While the oil is heating up, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Fry dough until golden brown. Top with honey and cinnamon and/or powdered sugar.

Have you ever tried sopapillas?

Homemade Tortillas, Recipe II

2013-04-12T08:23:00.000-05:00

You will need:

3 cups of flour
5 T butter, lard or shortening
1 cup hot water
1/2 t sea salt

Directions:

Whisk together the flour and salt. Add the lard and use your hands to mix it in. Add the water and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Make 12 even sized "balls" out of the dough. Lightly flour your rolling surface and roll out each ball of dough until it reaches your desired thickness.

Place your cast iron skillet on medium heat. *Lightly mist the surface of your cast iron skillet with oil. If your cast iron skillet is not well seasoned, you will need to repeat this step in between each tortilla. Use your best judgement here. Add your tortilla. When you start to see small bubbles, it's time to flip. On my stove this happens between 45 seconds and 1 minute. Cook for an additional minute. When your tortilla is cooked through- place on a plate.

* I use a misto for this but you could use pam or some other spray.

Bonus Tip: To make a fried tortilla, use enough oil to cover tortilla, heat to 350 and place raw tortilla in frying oil. Cook until golden brown.

Do you make your own tortillas?

10 Things to Do with Your Tax Return

2013-04-10T04:00:00.000-05:00

This time of year, we all get bombarded with "great ways to use your tax refund"   Like "Bring in your W-2 and replace all your furniture for no money down" It's your money and you can do whatever you want with it. However, there are many ways to use that refund for things that will have a lasting impact on your financial well being. This is not an exhaustive list.

1. Pay off Debt
   Got student loans, a car loan or mortgage? Pay it off.

2. Increase your emergency fund
     Do you have enough money in your emergency fund? Ideally, you'll want six months worth of expenses.

3. Health care
   Even if you have great insurance, you might want to consider adding to your savings for health care expenses. Thanks to Obamacare, many employers are moving away from PPO and HMO plans towards high deductible plans. Over the last two years, we have had a $10,000 increase in our health care costs. If you already have a good amount of money saved for health care expenses, think about some future expenses you could start saving for: braces, doula or birth expenses

4. Retirement
   You could fully fund your IRA or increase your 401k contributions.

5. Bulk Food
    Would buying some beef or pork in bulk help you save money year around? Could a CSA help you save money on your weekly produce bill?


6. Deductibles
   Do you have your deductibles saved for your car and/or home?

7. Repairs
Maybe your car just needs a tune up or your furnace needs some maintenance. Regular repairs and maintenance can help you save in the long run.

8. Replacements
    Does your car have 400,000 miles on it? Is your washing machine on it's last leg? Start deal shopping for what you need to replace.

9. Emergency Preparedness
      Does each member of your family have a 3-day emergency bag? Do you have a good first aid kit? Enough shelf stable food to last through an emergency? Enough water? Enough chocolate?

10. Self Improvement/ Experiences/ Charitable Giving
     Would you like to go back to school? Would you like to learn how to sew? Do you want to take your kids to the Grand Canyon? Or take a weekend getaway with your spouse? Maybe you want to do more charitable giving or volunteer more. Maybe treat a new mom to a week's worth of meals? Use your money for something that will last.

Important Note: If you have a large tax refund you might want to reduce your withholding. Contact your HR department for more info.

Disclaimer: I am not a financial or tax advisor. Please consult your financial professional(s) for personalized advice regarding your individual financial situation.

Meal Plan

2013-04-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

What we are eating this week:

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Bagels
Taco Salad
Taco Salad

Oatmeal
Leftover Taco Salad
Carolina BBQ Pork Roast/ Salad

Oatmeal
Leftover BBQ Pork Roast/ Salad
Pizza

Oatmeal
Leftover Pizza
Jambalaya

Oatmeal
Jambalaya
Bean and Rice Burritos, Veggies and Hummus

Oatmeal
Bean and Rice Burritos
Peas and Rice

Bagels and Onion/Chive Cream Cheese
Leftover: Peas and Rice
Chili or Leftover Buffet

Homemade Tortillas, Recipe I

2013-04-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

Steak Fajitas, Hubby style:)

I have two recipes that I use for homemade tortillas. The first recipe makes a thicker tortilla which sort of reassembles a flat bread. This is a family favorite. It holds up well to big eaters that like to add tons of toppings (like Hubs). You can also use this recipe to make individual pizzas or melt some butter and toss some fresh herbs on top for an easy side to soup or salad.

Tortilla Recipe I
You will need:

4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons lard (you can sub palm shortening if you want)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions:

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard and use your hands to mix it in. Add the water and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Make 12 even sized "balls" out of the dough. Lightly flour your rolling surface and roll out each ball of dough until it reaches your desired thickness.

Place your cast iron skillet on medium heat. *Lightly mist the surface of your cast iron skillet with oil. If your cast iron skillet is not well seasoned, you will need to repeat this step in between each tortilla. Use your best judgement here. Add your tortilla. When you start to see small bubbles, it's time to flip. On my stove this happens between 45 seconds and 1 minute. Cook for an additional minute. When your tortilla is cooked through- place on a plate.

* I use a misto for this but you could use pam or some other spray.

Next week, I'll share my more traditional flour tortilla recipe. What's your favorite way to use tortillas?

Meal Plan

2013-03-30T04:00:00.000-05:00

Normally I make a Honey Glazed Ham for Easter; however, this year the price of ham is out of our budget. So I'm made some Cajun Fried Chicken.

What we are eating this week:

Eggs, Hashbrowns
Cajun Fried Chicken, Green Beans, Cornbread, Asparagus and Salad
Leftovers

Cornbread
Leftover Chicken, Salad
Chicken Noodle Soup, French Bread

Oatmeal
Leftover Soup
Bean Burritos

Oatmeal
Leftover Bean Burritos
Vegetable Curry, Garlic Naan

Oatmeal
Leftovers
Tuna Mac

Oatmeal
Leftover Tuna Mac
Popcorn/Smoothies/ Veggies and Hummus

Eggs, Hashbrowns
Steak Fajitas
Leftovers

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

2013-03-29T04:30:00.000-05:00

My friend gave me her old bread machine. It wasn't working for her and took up too much space. I've never used a bread machine before, so I started to experiment with recipes to see how it could make my life easier. I love making homemade breads, but in my tiny kitchen, it can be difficult to find a place to knead the dough and I hate making such a mess. I've been using the bread machine on it's dough cycle, and have made some lovely pizza crusts, bread dough, and cinnamon roll dough.

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk
3 tablespoons butter or light olive oil
3 Eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons fast acting yeast

Filling:
1/4 Butter
1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 T Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1-2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 t vanilla
2T -1/4 cup butter

Directions: Add dough ingredients in order listed. *Use dough cycle on bread machine. When dough cycle is completed, roll out dough. For filling, use a pastry brush and spread butter over dough. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and spread over buttered dough. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. While rolls are baking, make frosting. Note: I start with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 t vanilla and adjust as needed.

*If you have a stand mixer or knead by hand, knead ingredients together until combined, let rest, knead for 10 minute until dough is elastic.

What's worth buying in bulk?

2013-03-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

I get a lot of questions about where to buy things in bulk and what are the best prices. I have a hard time answering these questions because prices vary so much from region to region. Before you start buying in bulk, you need to find out what is the best price for items you buy. To do this, I suggest making your own price book.

A price book is highly customizable and can be as simple, or as complicated, as you want. I organize my food by category:

Fruit:
Apples (organic)
Apples (local)
Apples (dried)
Apple Cider (local)
Applesauce
Blackberries
Blueberries
Blueberries (Frozen)
Cranberries (dried)

- I like to keep similar items together on my list so that when I'm doing my shopping I can easily see what's the best deal. For example, buying local apples and making my own applesauce makes the most sense during the peak of apple season. But if I run out of homemade sauce in the middle of February, it makes more sense to buy applesauce than to buy apples and make my own.

- How you figure out prices is up to you. I don't go through the trouble of finding out the cost per ounce when I'm shopping at Sam's. I simply round up to the next dollar and write down the size of the package. I know what is and isn't a good deal when shopping there and prices are pretty static year around. However, when I shop at my local grocery store that does have a lot of price fluctuation, I keep better track of what prices are per ounce. You can see my Sam's Price List here: Sam's Club

- When you are just starting out, write prices in pencil or keep your price book info in a
Word document so that you can easily update prices. As things come into season, update your price book. If you see a great sale on ham around the holidays, update your price book.

Note: The easiest way to record prices is to get prices off your receipts. You can always look at the sale ads as well and price check a few items on each shopping trip until you fill out your price book.

What's worth buying in bulk?

This really depends on what your family uses. My number one recommendation is: to buy bulk items that you use multiple times per week.

We canned these tomatoes

Here is a list of some of the things I stockpile:
Beans: Pinto, Black
Grains: Popcorn, Cornmeal, Corn Grits, Rice, Flour, Pasta
Proteins:Pork, Chicken, Beef, Canned tuna, Peanut Butter
Veggies: onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes
Fruit: Berries, Peaches, Lemons, Apples (in season)
Spices: Chili powder, black pepper, garlic,cinnamon
Personal care: Toilet paper, mouthwash, razors, lotion, toothpaste
Oils: Olive oil, Sunflower, Coconut,
Dairy: Cheese, Butter
Sweets: Sugar, Honey, Cocoa Powder, chocolate chips
Extras: herbal tea, coffee, boxed organic mac and cheese, canned soups, canning jars and lids
Clothing: end of season

- Sometimes I stockpile enough of an item to get me to the next sale. For things like toothpaste, I buy enough to last me a year when I do the drugstore black Friday shopping. Some things I just buy in bulk because it's the best price. Do what works for you, your family and budget.

Last Week's Frugal Accomplishments

2013-03-24T09:11:00.000-05:00

We had a busy week.... I had a doctor's appointment that turned into a bit of an ordeal. Some ordered bed rest and Vicodin put me on my rear end for most of the week. Side note: I rarely take any OTC medicine and could take up to two pills at a time. One pill had me wondering why the room was spinning. My husband enjoyed the free entertainment I provided.

Made some of my favorite coffeehouse drinks at home, using my new milk frother.

Took advantage of some birthday freebies.

Combined errands to save money.

Made some homemade biscuits for breakfast sandwiches

Redeemed Viggle points for a little coffee date

Used free product coupons to pick up a frozen meal and a lip balm.

Free dog treats and body wash came in the mail.

Got some free Mucinex from Smiley360.

Used stuff we had on hand to ward off a sinus infection.

Made homemade Sopapillas and fried tortilla bowls

Watched my Golden Girls DVDs and Dragnet on Hulu.

Won some free seeds for the garden,

Got many calls and cards from family and friends. Some of the best "birthday gifts" that I got:)

What were your frugal accomplishments?

Check out more frugal accomplishments at The Prudent Homemaker

This week's meal plan

2013-03-24T04:00:00.000-05:00

I am keeping meals simple this week. We have a lot going on this week, it is Holy Week, afterall:)

Homemade Fried Tortilla

Eggs and Hashbrowns
Taco Salad
Leftovers/Popcorn/Smoothies

Oatmeal
Leftovers or Veggies and Hummus
Roast and a Salad

Oatmeal
Leftover: Roast, Veggies
Roast Wraps, Veggies

Oatmeal
Potato Soup
Pasta Bake

Eggs and Hashbrowns
Leftover Pasta
Butter Chicken and Veggies

Fasting

Eggs and Hashbrowns
Lentil Soup, Bread
Bean Burritos

What's on your meal plan, this week?

Apple Crisp (Gluten Free Option)

2013-03-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

Apple Crisp

You will need:
9- 10 cups of peeled, cored, diced apples: this equals about 1/2 a peck of whole apples
1 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon flour (all purpose, whole wheat, almond, or gluten free mix)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg
*1/4 cup water

Directions:

In a greased 9 by 13 inch pan, spread your diced apples. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. Sprinkle 1/4 cup water over entire mixture. Continue with the crumb topping....

* You can skip this step if you want. I recommend using the water the first time you make this recipe, if you substitute almond flour or another gluten free flour mix or you double the crumb topping

Crumb Topping
You will need:
1 cup flour (all purpose, white wheat, almond, or gluten free mix)
1 cup quick oats (use certified gluten free oats, if needed)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup softened butter

Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder. Cut in the butter and distribute topping over the apple mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

What I've been reading during Lent

2013-03-20T04:00:00.000-05:00

During Lent, I try to slow down and re-focus. Every year, I read A Simple Path. It helps me put things in perspective. I always like reading about the lives of the Saints- as we are all called to Sainthood- it helps to see others that have walked the path before me.

Here are some of the books I've been reading:

Description: Now, in her own words, Mother Teresa shares the thoughts and experiences that have led her to do her extraordinary charitable work. A candid look at her everyday life--at the very simplicity and self-sacrifice that give her the strength to move mountains--A Simple Path gives voice to the remarkable spirit who has dedicated her life to the poorest among us.

A Simple Path is a unique spiritual guide for Catholics and non-Catholics alike: full of wisdom and hope from the one person who has given us the greatest model of love in action in our time."

Description: James Martin has led an entirely modern life: from a lukewarm Catholic childhood, to an education at the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to ministry as a Jesuit priest, to a busy media career in Manhattan. But at every step, he has been accompanied by some surprising friends—the saints of the Catholic Church. For many, these holy men and women remain just historical figures. For Martin, they are intimate companions. “They pray for me, offer me comfort, give me examples of discipleship, and help me along the way,” he writes.

Description: Any of us, when we think of the saints, think of people who lived lives of extreme piety, their days filled with prayer and holy acts, and at times even visions of the divine. Whoever they were, these saints can often seem beyond our grasp of understanding and appreciation.

We tend to forget or remain unaware of the struggles of faith and everyday life that these people endured, struggles that we ordinary people can relate to. No saint lived a life of perfection, but all were able to persevere in faith, becoming our spiritual guides and models of Christian living.

In Saints Off the Pedestal, Amanda Roberts takes an in-depth look at the lives of ten well-known saints of the Catholic church. She makes their stories accessible so that we can find inspiration to follow their examples of holiness. She includes interesting facts about the life and times of each saint as well as questions for individual or group reflection.

What books are you reading?

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Last Week's Frugal Accomplishments

2013-03-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

We finally bought a new computer. We have been saving for one for close to two years. Initially we wanted to buy another Mac, as the one we have now works fine minus the fact that our operating system is so out of date that we can't update our web browsers. Since I work from home, we need a reliable computer. We decided to get a Samsung Chromebook (Wi-Fi, 11.6-Inch) It meets our needs, and we save around $700 over buying the Mac. We will continue to save for a new computer, but for the time being, we will use the Chromebook for the Internet and our old Mac for word processing/Excel/etc.

We bought our Chromebook on Amazon. Since we were getting free shipping, we added in a solar lantern and milk frother to our order. The solar lantern is for us to take camping and to be used during a long-term power outage. Last time our power went out, we used candles and a few hand crank flashlights. Not fun :( We used money already saved for these items.

The Norpro Glass Froth Master was a birthday gift from my husband. During college, I worked as a barista and fell in love with freshly made lattes. I've been wanting a an espresso machine with a milk frother, but for now, it's way out of our budget. So far, I love my milk frother. I also got a steam mop for my birthday.

My friend treated me to a glass fusion class, as a birthday gift. I picked up my items and I used some of the items I made to decorate my house. The class was a ton of fun and I really enjoyed experiencing it with my friend. One of the best gifts I have ever been given.

My Aunt sent me a few gifts and some blank greeting cards for my birthday. I really appreciate all the gifts she sent me and I can always use blank cards. I enjoy sending notes to friends and family. She always keeps me stocked on great blank cards.

I earned $30 from taking surveys online.

We watched some episodes of Dragnet for free, thanks to Hulu.

See more frugal accomplishments at: The Prudent Homemaker

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