My Jam Jar

Thanksgiving: Potstickers, WonTons & Perogies

2011-11-22T09:50:00.002-06:00

This year, the menu is unusual, but suitable for our family in an unusual time. I'm saving the turkey for another day, because at .69/lb it is a good buy. This year, it's meatloaf with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, green beans and overnight salad, topped with a dessert of warm apple dumplings and ice cream.

Amazing enough, the most expensive thing on this menu is the apples.

However, because of this unusual year, I'm spicing it up with foods my family also loves: Potstickers, Won Tons, and a new one I hope they love, Perogies.

This is a bag of perogies, my second batch. The first batch remained as my private stock. Translation: Too ugly for anyone to see. I froze them for my own "private stock" chicken soup, etc. Recipe later.

Notice the round ring. That is left-over dough, and some woman on YouTube, (I couldn't find her to give credit, or I would have) said this is something the unmarried girls take. I wish I could find that video, but time has to move on.

Here they are laid out on an overly floured cookie sheet. Take note: These are doughy/sticky and there's lots of flour involved.

I got the idea from Guy Fieri's road show and some woman-chef who did great perogies. She made hers with filling in the center of 2 rounds. My effort at that went into my frozen "private stock". :)

The potsticker shape worked just fine for me and didn't explode when boiled. (This is a major fear when making anything stuffed/dumpling.)

Here's the filling. It's really tasty. Of course it is. Packed with butter and cream cheese anything is "tasty".

Note the cutter, borrowed from a neighbor. I didn't want to pay $3 for a new one, when I didn't know I'd ever use one again. Now they come bundled with about 3-4 smaller ones. The lady on YouTube (apologies again) had a perogi cutter that she rolled across the dough.

Next are won tons. This is the little hat shape, made with squares: Fill w/tsp of seasoned ground pork filling, water the perimeter so it will stick, fold into a triangle by bringing opposite corners together, bring ends together under the point. Aren't they cute?

Tip: For these and the potstickers below, sit on a chair.

Both need to be boiled, prior to pan or deep frying. Since it is pork and I'm not too much into meat, I mixed tofu into the meat. That's Medium Firm as suggested by a Korean cook. Have to say I love those Korean pancakes, which is basically greens, onions, etc., eggs and tofu. We have an Asian grocery store and there is quite a savings on the tofu, etc.

Potsticker recipe: Got it from some lady on YouTube again. Need to take note of the people for credits. She called it Mandu and in my traditional style, I altered to suit myself, using gyoza wrappers. It's basically:
1/2 lb ground pork, tofu (maybe 1/3 block), 2 cups green onions, 1 tsp corn starch (I like that better than egg) soy sauce, some minced garlic, 1 T sesame oil, salt, 1/2 tsp ginger, black pepper.

I was given some ground pork, so watch what else I do with it. :)

More potstickers; use that flour so they don't stick.
I freeze these, too. They are great in chicken stock for soup. I take out a few at a time.

Chicken Stock: When making black bean with garlic chicken thighs, and skinning the thighs, use that skin for stock. Sometimes I just freeze it to boil later.

We waste too much. Try making your own stock. However, in a pinch I'll use bullion.

This is the meat mixture, always kept cold. Soy sauce makes it darker. Only use a teaspoon of filling.

The men/boys in my family devour potstickers. They haven't tasted perogies yet, or my take on these Polish dumplings.

The Perogi Recipe is below. Click at the Read More link below.

The frozen ones are boiled, and I'm not certain just how I'll serve them yet, But there will be Cream Cheese as I bought a big block of it recently at a good price.
Here's the recipe for perogies:

Perogies:

BIG NOTE: You need lotsa flour for kneading, shaping, laying out on cookie sheet whatever.

Filling:
Boil 6 Red potatoes*. This makes a lot of filling, which is good to just eat, too!
Retain water
Mash
Add ½ lb cheddar cheese or some cheese, I used cream cheese
Some paprika
*I agree with the YouTube lady, red potatoes are the best for boiling, mashing. I think of Russets, which are cheaper, as more of baker/fryers.

Saute 2 Vadalia onions
1 stick butter
Add some vegetable flakes or 4 vegetable bullion*
* Guy's lady used Polish vegetable flakes. I could find those and used bullion, which really did add a lot.

I mixed the onions with the potato mixture. But I think it could be used as a topping instead.
Dough:
3-4 cups flour
2T unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
2T sour cream (I used cream cheese)
Add 1 1/2 cups potato water

Knead and use plenty of Flour. This is a beautiful, soft dough, easy to handle.

Let dough rest 10-20 minutes covered.

Cut dough in half (I lack counter space, so that's why half)
Roll thin, cut in 3” circles
Pull/stretch each by hand
Add tsp filling
Fold over, crimp edges securely closed

Place on well-floured sheet

Boil in medium. When floating to top they are done, but need more time, maybe 5-8 minutes.
Drain.
Can be frozen, but thaw before serving

To serve:
Heat in microwave, or pan saute in butter
Top with cheese or fry bacon, saute more onions, add to heated perogi.
A good browned sausage is also good mixed together.

I'm serving sauteed onions as a side dish as some family members avoid onions. (There's always onion powder, folks :))

Many thanks to the unnamed YouTube.com people for their instructions on everything. And Thanks to Guy Fieri for his road show programs.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Enjoy your Turkey dinners!

Friendly Exchanges

2011-02-19T06:51:00.002-06:00

While thrifting the other day at my favorite Goodwill, I saw these spindles of wool crochet, "baby" thread as my friend calls them. Multi colors standing in a row like little soldiers, just waiting to be picked up.

I bought a few and then called a friend who actually crochets. She said get as many as I could and she'd repay me, so I did. If you can imagine a kitchen trash sack filled with these things, that's what I bought at .50/ea. They were from the Brown Sheep company, which she said was excellent.

My friend and I are both cooks and have a variety of shared interests, and we'd been discussing artisan breads, which these are my effort, from an Internet recipe. We have a lot in common, including webcamming at times, plus Internet stuff. She's a writer, too, with a wide spread of interests, so it's always interesting what we can learn from each other.

Her husband is quite interesting, too and together, they are quite a pair, with a big bank of how-to knowledge between them.

When we met to exchange the bag of baby wool, ("baby" because it was very fine and soft), her husband came along for a nice lunch at my favorite cafe. How much fun! She gifted me with this 200 Fast & Easy Artisan Breads. I have a favorite oatmeal and honey bread recipe which is sooo easy, but I'm trying these.

Then I had a favorite cookbook to share with her...

I have an older version of Whole Foods for the Whole Family and am enjoying it very much. Based on whole grains and whole foods, it also has a Kids' Cookbook. It is authored by the La Leche League, which focuses on nursing mothers and young children, but this book, based on nutrition is a prize for everyone.

It's amazing how friends can share. I'm really enjoying this one!

Old Cake Carrier Causes Big Trouble

2011-01-02T07:36:00.001-06:00

During the holidays, I baked several cakes: 2 chocolate birthday cakes for my grandsons, and one carrot cake--just because everyone loves that.

I usually just do the rectangular pan, but I saw this old cake carrier in a thrift store. I passed it by several times, thinking: What do I need with more stuff? But I was fascinated and hey, it only cost $2.

My fascination ran to imagining all the places and socials this carrier had been taken. It has 2 locks on the bottom, holding the top safely in place. My neighbor has an old carrier but smaller and said this one was intended for an angel food cake. Since I'm not into angel food cakes, it's destined for layer cakes. I love this thing, little dents and all.

But when I dug out my round cake pans, I only had one. A visit to Wal-Mart produced a nice $10 buy, a variety of jelly roll pan, 2 round cake pans, a pizza pan, and one loaf pan. I could use all and they were of a heavier quality, too. I baked tons of gingerbread men for my grandkids to decorate, so the cakes were diversions from so many cookies.

Then, because I used to decorate cakes, I bought a little starter set of decorating tubes/tips, etc. But I had forgotten a lot and these cakes were not pretty. I'm determined to relearn and grow up to the perfect frosting roses again. See how much trouble an old cake carrier can get you into? :)

Then, these little cuties were on sale and I couldn't resist...

I love the smaller ones and am in love with the little orange ones. There's a big orange pumpkin waiting in the basement, but these small ones are so easy for just a couple of pies.

And I'm a seed saver. So I saved the whole variety of these and tucked them into a bag with the labels. Save those seeds, if they are heirlooms.

While I'm not gardening now, except for potted herbs, I reap a few payback rewards when passing out these seeds to friends with gardens. And this year, I'll be sending some to my grandchildren to plant. I've thought about planting some against the back fence, but I'll see how energetic I am when planting season arrives.

I'm a writer, you know. And Jan/Feb are hard working months for us. You can find more at my blog, Daily or Not.

On New Years Day, my neighbor gifted me with a nut-covered cheeseball and crackers. Oh, my. Now I'm not a chocolate person, but turn me loose on cheese and crackers... So in passing she said how she loved marbled rye bread. Now that would be a nice gift for her.

I found a recipe I liked for German Rye bread and am going to do the dark one first (she doesn't like carraway seeds). I have the rye flour and everything but the molasses, wouldn't you know?

So that's next. Stay tuned...

Christmas Gifts

2010-12-06T16:51:00.001-06:00

I'm mailing packages to loved ones far away and thought you'd like to see some of the presents...

These are new, but donated to a favorite thrift shop haunt. Purchased for .25, I knew immediately what I would do with them. (Hint: think that new/used sewing machine I got some time ago.:)) By the way, these are Navy caps.

I used the machine's embroidery feature to place each child's name around the cap and then a little decoration to match. I don't do that often enough to remember, so some of the time was taken by re-learning the machine.

These are also my gifts, which they are expecting. Remember that 60 lbs of prune-plums at .38/lb?

Some of these are straight plum jam and some are my mother's recipe, plum/nut/pineapple. Jam can be used in all sorts of ways, i.e. mixed with yogurt or over ice cream, or just plain topping for freshly baked bread. And I'm doing a lot of baking now.

Please read the previous posts about these plums. Whew! Don't know that I'll do that one again. :)

Stay tuned for that...

Christmas Jams

2010-10-11T09:04:00.000-05:00

This is what 60 lbs of plum jam looks like in jars, minus a bit.

One jar went to family, and several "skimmed" batches are in the refrigerator. This skimmed stuff is good to eat, though not as pretty. It's the foamy stuff skimmed off between the cooking and the filling jars. Good for yogurt or ice cream, or spoon-dipping.
The smallest jar to the bottom right is probably what I consider the most important. Because it is tiny, it's just right for one individual and/or just that dab in the bottom of the pot.

Not a fan of jelly as I like those little chunky dudes in my spread. So here's a few tips about making jam:

Choose prime fruit, but for that fresh flavor, add a little not-quite ripe fruit. Brings up the flavor immensely. This year, strawberries weren't that fine, and I skipped them.

A food processor is great. I make the "mash" at night, so I can can first thing in the a.m.

Jam-making is messy. Place a kitchen towel next to the stove, a large cake pan next, and have your utensils at hand before start.

Wear a wristwatch and use for timing.

Those utensils: a ladle, a jar funnel, a wooden spoon (mine is huge), a flat "skimming" spoon, a lid-lifter or chicken fryer turner for lids.

Always heat more lids than your jars. They're sneaky and they tend to stick to one another. Or in this last batch, I dropped one.

After jars are properly cooled and set for required time, give them a sponge bath to clear away extra drippy-sticky.

These labels are printed with ye old laserjet.

And those are for my Christmas baskets, packed with freshly baked bread, cookies and/or rolls. I wanted to do salsas this year, but somehow didn't.

Plum Busy

2010-10-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

Okay, this isn't plums, rather tomatoes that are now in jars in the basement.

I'm enjoying my new Ball hot water bath canner, useable on a glass top stove. I was so frustrated when learning that my old granite hot water bath canner wouldn't be okay on my new stove. And that year, the tomatoes were lucious.

This is what I'm doing now, about 60 pounds worth of plums. These are what we called Italian plums, but prune plums is the common name.

They're smaller, firmer fleshed than the big black or red plums, and the seed is free clinging, which makes it easy to de-pit.

I'm making jam now, some of Mom's Recipe and just plain plum. Last night the sunlight passing through my kitchen window hit those gorgeous jars of plum jam, and they were, well, gorgeous.

My mother's recipe for plum jam can be added to yogurt, a bread-spread, mixed into hot tea (Russian), or used as an ice cream topping.

Her recipe follows:

STELLA'S PLUM JAM:
De-pit and chop plums with skins remaining (I used a food processor)
According to Can-Jel (my favorite) recipe:
6 cups of plums, mixed with Can-Jel mix
8 cups of sugar.
Process as directed.

Now. Those 6 cups of chopped plums can be any 6 cups, i.e. 1 cup chopped California Walnuts and 1 cup of crushed pineapple, to 4 cups chopped plums. Or alternate with different mixes your family prefers most, i.e. less nuts and/or less pineapple.

Again, process as directed. I like Can-Jel, because all you have to do is to bring fruit/mix to a full boil, add sugar and bring to a rolling boil as per directions, and fill those gorgeous jars. Turn upside down for 5 minutes, then return upright for 24 hrs.

Growing up, all my siblings had a jar of their favorite jam in the refrigerator. Mine was this recipe, though the plain plum jam is great, too.

Why 60 lbs of plums? Got one of those grocery store deals, 50 lbs for .39 and she threw in another 10 lbs for any bad ones, which there were only a few at the bottom of the crate.

And these are my Christmas presents for family and friends. Add a loaf of freshly baked artisan bread and the gift is very special.

Dining Fine

2010-08-08T12:09:00.002-05:00

Aren't these pretty? These are pint and a half jars, wide-mouths. From a $5/5-gallon bucket of canning tomatoes, the really good whole ones sorted out for fresh salads, etc., and a few cooked left-overs, but they pretty much came out to the 7 jars.

I live in town and pay for water. This raises a total cost issue. So the vegetable bargains are great for me and I've got that nifty Ball stainless steel canner--more about that later in this post.
This is $1/worth of mixed vegetables from a local stand. They are in small baskets originally. Sometimes they have eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, green peppers, sweet peppers, etc. You can also buy relish, jalepeno peppers, jelly of the same, etc. plus melons, etc., so a really good option for those who do not have gardens, but enjoy fresh produce. The 5-gal canning tomatoes are really great and I'm planning salsa.

Now about that Ball (a big name in canning):

I'd just made that one rack of 7 jars and was cleaning the canner, great for glass-top stoves.

I noticed what looked like copper-colored spots showing on the bottom and since it has a heavier bottom, and probably a copper plate for heat conduit (I don't know, just guessing), I was worried.

Basically, I'd ordered this canner after researching it, because I do have a glass-top stove. An Ace Hardware dealer ordered it in for me, and when these spots appeared, he instantly said to bring it in and they'd exchange.

I did take it back and James at the store went over it. The basic reason is that the metal rack doesn't seem to be stainless, which the canner is. (My mother always used stainless and that's what I use, too when possible.)

The rack had made those spots, he discovered as he went to work with Klean King, scrubbing them away. He also removed that big sticky label. It really, really wanted to stick, which lost a rating star out of 5 somewhere online.

I was thrilled. The canner from Ball is a good product, and can be used as a really large stockpot, too--because it is that stainless steel. You people with coil burners who use old-fashioned graniteware can also use this lovely product.

The lid is glass with 2 vent holes, which prevents seeping over onto the burner. Love that. Don't like to clean stoves. The lid and the handles are rubber-whatever coated, so will not burn.

This Ace Hardware store is located in Ozark, Missouri. I was really impressed with it, though all Ace Hardware stores have been great in my experience. James and crew there, were very friendly, and there is a store puppy. :)

It's always great to find a great product, and to find businesses who support their products and people in them who are cheerful as well as helpful.

I had a very good impression of this store and will return for other needs. It's always nice to find these great stores and helpful people.

Canning Time Cometh

2010-07-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

I used to can all the time and now I'm just getting back into it. Tomatoes canned in glass jars have an entirely different taste than those in cans. (I'm discovering it's the same with homemade pasta vs. dried/fresh in stores.)

I've just ordered this from Ball, the master name in canning supplies from a local hardware store. I can't wait for Missouri's August tomatoes. Now, without a garden, I "scrounge" from friends' gardens, farmer's markets, vegetable stands.

Canning tomatoes can be ugly or it's necessary to cut away parts, but they are an acid fruit, therefore call for hot water baths.

The typical hot water bath pot is granite ware, but glass top stove want a flat bottom, rather than the ripple of granite ware. That "ripple" is formed to connect with a coil burner.

But with my new glass top stove, I haven't found what I needed, though a friend says she's using a steamer canner.

This is what I've used before my glass top stove. I'm hoping the new one is going to be perfect for my needs, quite a bit smaller now than my family's hundreds of quarts each summer of every variety. Also, a couple years ago, I wanted to process kraut and was stumped.

Am so ready to try this canner and start again. For anyone just starting, I use my mother's plan: 1. lots of plain tomatoes, pints and quarts; 2. tomatoes with zuchinni and onion (this is helpful when you don't have enough tomatoes for a full batch).

Number 2 can be used in spaghetti sauces, stews, and the browned bacon stewed vegetable dish with parmesean cheese.

With all the rain Missouri has had, I should be able to scrounge enough cucumbers for dills, too!

Pasta Success

2010-06-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest attempt at linguine, much better than my first.

The booklet that came with the pasta maker had lots of little tips which helped.

Heating the die with hot water helped.

I use a chopstick to turn these, formed on a floured cookie sheet in an S pattern.

I haven't decided what to do with these, but they are very pretty and I'm anxious to try the other dies, especially the lasagna.

My first effort came out this this, ragged edges, the machine working very hard.

A few drops of water evened the mixture.

My daughter hangs hers over a extension rod to dry, and I might try that. Right now, mine are busy with curtains.

The booklet shows very pretty pasta, but a visitor said they like mushrooms in theirs. Mm.

I'll be making the spinach and others.

Remember this machine is a thrift-shop find, as described earlier.

But I'm enjoying it.

Cannot say enough about having the booklet and tips, i.e. adding a tsp of olive oil to the eggs, then filling the cup to the add water line.

I'd love any pasta tips that anyone wants to share with me.

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta

2010-06-08T08:40:00.002-05:00

I've just been gifted with a used pasta machine and am testing it today. It's an older model, but is complete from a thrift shop and a gift from a granddaughter who loves pastas.

I had another model, older yet and just had tested it, but this one came with a very helpful book of tips. So I'm looking forward to testing it.

My granddaughter, age 5, also loves pasta dishes, "but not spicy".

When they visited recently, I made this dish 2Xs for her, but changed it a little the second time. Adults love it, too :)

The 2 recipes follow:

1. Cook sliced carrots in canned or box of chicken broth. When carrots are tender, add frozen peas. To that mixture, add 1 box of "bow-tie" or farfelle pasta. (I used Barilla brand.)

Stir. Add 1 pkg of cream cheese, stir until melted.

Serve with cheese: Parmesan, etc. Top with chopped chives and/or fresh basil.

2. Place sliced raw carrots into pan with chicken breast. Add water to cover. Simmer until carrots are tender.

Add fresh spinach.

Add bow-tie pasta. Stir. Add cream cheese. Top as above.

I suppose you could use canned carrots and canned broth, but when I can, I try to use fresh and it isn't that difficult to scrape raw carrots.

Children love this dish. So easy and fast and does reheat easily in microwave.

Wish me luck on this new/used pasta maker. The tips book is going to really help.

Seed Saving

2010-04-25T22:51:00.000-05:00

With 2 kershaw squash sitting in my basement all winter, I was afraid that they might be ruined. But they weren't. With their green and white stripes, these old timers keep well.

I made a mistake last time, because these babies have some stringiness, and need to be pulsed. I used a blender, which worked fine.

I'm a pumpkin/squash fan, and each Halloween, I ache for all the good pumpkins. With the floods last year, pumpkins floating down the Missouri and Mississippi, I hope we have plenty. A new crop should ensure that.

I got both kershaw at $1.50 each at the end of the season, and thought I'd try them. There is really a big difference between canned pumpkin and those prepared from scratch.

If you notice the chopstick, I use those for testing doneness, and use them quite a bit for stir fry.

As a seed-saver, I was delighted that the kershaw seeds were all still good inside, as sometimes they want to sprout. Friends and I trade seeds, and a seed box is a real treasure, year to year. However, many people like to season and bake the seeds for a snack.

This year, my daughter and husband are starting their first garden and I'm excited. They have a deer problem, and are working on that.

A garden is good exercise, plus plenty of tasty benefits.

She's considering raising chickens. We'll see.:)

Back to Breads: Artisan

2010-03-30T05:23:00.001-05:00

This Artisan bread recipe is my neighbor's. Basically, it is an oatmeal bread with grains, and it has huge potential to be changed as I did.

Her recipe was pretty loose:
1 T yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (we both use a dry refrigerated yeast from the Amish)
1/3 c sugar (I used 1/2 c honey)
2tsp salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk, add 1/2 c lukewarm water (I used dry milk w/yogurt)
1 c old-fashioned oats (I used quick as that's what I had)
wheat germ (a handful; I used 2 T)
1/4 c oil (next time I might use butter)
enough flour
ENOUGH UNBLEACHED FLOUR. I used a little too much.

As an afterthought, she added she uses her coffee grinder, she would add barley or whatever. We both cook with pearled barley, usually soups.

I ground flax and sunflower seeds and tried the barley, but will not use it next time.

In lieu of sugar, I used honey. I'm big on honey and not white sugar.

She coats a cookie sheet with olive oil spray, raises again and bakes at 375.

Now. I think this recipe can be changed to a pumpernickel by using some rye flour, molasses, instant coffee, and cocoa, some of the standards of that bread. Maybe add caraway seed.

It's just one of those good basic recipes that can be made to suit the individuals. Not good to have around a person like me, who truly enjoys good bread :)

We're both wanting to try a pumpernickel or black bread recipe, but I think this one can be changed around. What do you think?

The following is just a photo of a collectible in our family, given by a ND grange. Note the phone number of 150.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T10:28:00.002-05:00

May your year be happy and full!

I'm not Irish, but many of us celebrate anyway. Wearing of the green, green beer and shamrocks are stamped on almost everything.

The very least I can do is bake soda bread. (See previous post.) As a yeast-baker, this is a new experiment for me.

Soda Bread bakers are purists and there is a history you can find online. However, it's appearing, modified, in many ways. Last night's effort wasn't my favorite, though I used the butter-crumb recipe. They are pretty, though, aren't they?

I plan to bake more, getting just the right recipe for me. I like the raisins, which purists call "spotted bread" and I like the honey and molasses, which isn't basic pure soda bread.

This had more soda and that sharp taste was there. However, the 425 temp was hotter and faster.

Then there's some flour called "white whole wheat", which I don't have and would like to check out.

I'll be looking for just the right recipe. . . .

Testing Soda Bread Recipes

2010-03-11T23:28:00.001-06:00

I'm on a mission to find the best Irish soda bread recipe possible, which means I'll be testing for awhile.

Irish Soda Bread is really interesting, its history, too. While I'm used to yeast breads, kneading, waiting to rise, etc., soda bread is ready to go from the mix-up.

The only problem I have with it is that it takes so much oven-electricity. On my first attempt, I baked 2 loaves because I couldn't see doing one, with so much kilowatts invested in the product--call me penny-pincher.

Artisan breads are also on my discovery list, but for now, it's soda bread. I downloaded several recipes and will test different ones until I get what I want. For now, this one was closest, using a hefty measure of oats.

To this whole wheat equals same of unbleached bread flour, I added a dollop of molasses, though honey would be okay, too. And a cup of raisons per loaf. Beware. The mixture is very sticky, thus the white flour on the loaf, which says I floured my hands generously to work--and work very little.

Some recipes call for egg and/or butter, but I haven't gotten to them yet.

All seemed to call for flour, soda (naturally) and salt, with usually buttermilk. Since I didn't have milk on hand and was ready to do my worst, I used dry baking milk. I mixed up the amount and added 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per cup.

Now, real soda bread enthusiasts differ with ingredients and call the variants different names, I'm just off to please myself, and my family.

This particular test stores really well, keeping moist when wrapped well. Excellent when heated and buttered.

I'll be testing a few more recipes before it turns hot, labeling them with cross-references to recipes and notes, and seeing how they freeze. All in all, the product tastes really good--to me, though not sweet and light as yeast bread.

Coupon Fever

2010-03-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

Since I started couponing one hundred years ago as a bride and as a young mother with small children, there’s a new high level of it available now.

While watching Joyce Meyers feature Sarah Roe on TV, I started researching what’s new out there. Sarah Roe, out of necessity, like most of us, I suppose, began using coupons heavily, and seeking out ways to get them. The now-owner of 918 Coupon Queen fed a family of 4 for $4 a month.

That’s enough to excite anyone and I dug in to see what was new—other than just using the regular grocery store flyer or what I accidentally caught in magazines and grocery flyers.

Apparently, I’m really slow getting back into couponing, because a lot has changed. For example: you can sign up for newsletters that send you coupons and Sarah recommended using some separate mailbox. You can download coupons from manufacturers, and All You magazine is filled with them—probably more than any I know of right now. I love the recipes in this magazine.

Separate industries have sprung up, i.e. specially designed coupon holders, charging for handling of coupons, and one Upromise has a points for college system.

So, I dug into see how much I was missing, thanks to Sarah who does offer devotionals at her website, plus links to top coupon places like Red Plum, Smart Source, and the best most centrally linked Coupons.

On her show, Joyce pointed out that this is a time-consuming activity and because of that drain, not everyone can take advantage of coupons. This is very true as I’ve just experienced for years. However, frugal times are here, and it might pay to sit someone down to click the little buttons on the coupon print out websites, print and cut them while watching TV.

Here are some ideas and sites I picked up while getting back into serious couponing:

Sites:
1. 918 Coupon Queen
2. Coupons
3. SmartSource
4. Red Plum
5. ShopatHome
6. Coupon Mom
7. Bargain Briana

Ideas:
1. Work places can have coupon donation boxes, where unused/unexpired coupons can be donated for someone with those shopping needs.
2. Adding to that, have a sit-down coffee with friends and trade your unused ones.
3. Develop a system that works for you. (My coupon holder is seriously-small and I need a better system.
4. Shop the websites regularly as coupons change frequently.
5. A Sunday newspaper is usually filled with coupons
6. Shop for future stockpiling, but not for hoarding. This is where busy people error and probably cannot help it, due to time-shortage: They hurry home from work, stop at the store and pick up just what they need. Don't think I'm condemning lack of time--I have that myself, though without the needs of small children now, which increases that time-shortage.

Because I live near a shopping center with Walgreens nearby, I always check out their online flyer and also the grocery store's. But some couponers make Wednesday their fun with friends shopping day.

So it's a old adventure updated for me. Any ideas you wish to share, all comments welcome.

Magazines in Thrift-Heaven

2010-02-24T11:25:00.000-06:00

The other day, I was in my favorite thrift shop. They have really nice measured and rolled new material, so I haunt them pretty regularly. These ladies are doing a terrific job in a very small crowded space.

I'd passed the magazine shelf many times before, but that day, I noticed 2 young women really prowling through the issues.

In today's economy, I'm like many others, buying very few magazines and like others, it is an industry that is struggling. Still, I love magazines and waiting-room magazines are almost a pit of enjoyment--though I struggle not to clip out certain articles.

At a meeting the other day, someone asked if magazines could be disinfected. Disinfected? Think of what could be on the pages in a doctor's waiting room. So I asked a person with connections to doctors and microbiologists if she could check on how to disinfect a magazine. She hasn't found answers yet. So if you know of any, please comment.

But back to these 2 young women, small children in tow: They were thrilled with these months-old magazines, talking with each other about how they would share, once home.

Thrilled with old issues. I thought deeply about that, about how they could not afford new magazines, though at the heart of the women, women's magazines are pure luxury. At ten-cents an issue, these women were each hugging stacks in their arms.

The clerk at the store said they have someone filter through the magazines, keeping only those 6-month old issues.

Then, with a coupon-wise daughter, there is another reason magazines or advertising material with coupons in it is useful: Coupons are helping a great many people these days, either in sales advertising material, or online, or in magazines.

Germs or not, 10-cents a magazine is thrift-heaven to very many people.

Here Comes Valentine's Day!

2010-02-09T08:00:00.002-06:00

I'm always big on Valentine's Day. I love the light-hearted feel of it, giving little gifts.

While I usually bake cookies and send little Valentine kits to the younger family, I sometimes send those little gingerbreadmen. Their working mothers have less time than I do, or that's the thinking, anyway, so I send unfrosted.

Traditional sugar cookies don't ship as well either, so this is a molasses recipe.

Sometimes I pick up handcrafts, like this coaster package.

I pick up things for Valentine's Day and Christmas all year long and keep them in my gift closet.

If you don't have a gift closet/shelves, consider getting a place to store those things on sale, or little ideas you've picked up through the year.

Then at Christmas or when I'm stuck for a gift, and running short on time, I just check to see what might be appropriate. If not, then it's shopping or baking time.

Bake a loaf of bread and give it with a little jar of jam and you've got a perfect gift.

Good for neighbors, during the winter freeze and snow, too.

Or, to get really creative, make some refrigerator biscuit dough, put it in a plastic tub, add that jar of jam and give it to your friends and neighbors to make their own hot breakfast biscuits!

But here's one of the best gifts I've ever gotten, this whiteboard drawing.

So, think about Valentine's Day, take a little time to remember those special ones, and make it fun and caring at the same time.

Super Value Winter Soup

2010-02-02T18:00:00.002-06:00

Winter seems to call for soup. Recipes are everywhere.

In Missouri, we've just had a "triple-threat" so say the weather gurus. My unofficial tab is about 6-8 inches, but then winds created drifting, so that's very unofficial.

At this writing, temperatures are predicted to dip into the single digits.

I'm not fond of getting firewood then, and pulling my loaded red wagon through snow. My home is all electric, so I'm saving what I've already packed in for whenever ice breaks powerlines.

In winter hours, a slow cooker allows us to do all the fun things and skip time-costly meal preparation. Now, I like to cook, but I also like to do other things. Those other things have caused a few scorched meals. There's no danger of that in a slow cooker.

This photo is of a small, first slow cooker design. I now have 3 designs, and one has been rebought 3Xs.

This one cost $3 in a thrift store. I probably use it the most. It can cook really fast on high. I think it is 3 quarts, my others are 6 quarts.

Why so many? Because each one serves a different purpose. I prefer to cook my dry beans, rather than used canned. It's a good savings, but also I'm not into canned anything very much.

The photo to the right is one of my favorite soups. Sometimes I cook a lot and freeze in cartons, but this time I didn't want that many leftovers.

This hardy, thick meal uses smoked pork hocks, but you could probably substitute. During the night, I'd already cooked pinto beans in the pot, then added the rest in the morning: minced garlic, onion, bay leaf and a little vinegar.

About 3 hours before evening meal, I added kale, one of the best nutrional greens. Sometimes I use collards, but at the store, kale looked healthier. Always go for dark green color.

Trim out the stem, chop the rest, and mix into the bubbly soup.

Garlic bread would go nicely with this, any artisan bread, but it is a little southern, so there's always cornbread.

These little out-dated pots are also handy to use when hosting large groups. They are excellent little helpers, so don't overlook them at yard sales or thrift stores. Just check the cords for safety, circle the lid with a fingertip to see if it is chipped and generally give the pot a good go-over. If the lid is chipped, sometimes you can find another good fit at thrift stores I did that with another pot. These small guys are also handy for RVs or vacation cabins.

So don't overlook the undervalued and out of date, because it just might be of great savings and value to you.

Another Winter Blast

2010-01-25T21:14:00.002-06:00

In December, Missouri had only 4 days above freezing. Now, we're looking at another round.

I knew that it was going to be cold when I gripped my front door knob. It was very cold, despite the storm door. Okay, it was 32 this a.m.

Three or so days ago, it was 64.

This time, according to weather reports, and I have a handy-dandy weather radio for our tornado season, this time, lovely ice and sleet and snow are predicted.

My gosh, the howling winds last night would have done any werewolf-types proud.

As this front moves in, it began threats with snow flurries on my high hill and sunshine lower in the valley. Here in the Ozarks, it's amazing how the weather differs from hill to hill.

I was very happy that I'd wrapped my outside faucets, though I'm the only person I've seen who did that. Maybe that's because I'm originally from WA state, about 1 hour south of Canada.

(I have a friend in Canada; she says they have better make-up there. Bragger.)

The blue stuff is really handy, cut-able with scissors, so I wrapped layers of that around, covered with a plastic bag and wrapped with good old duct tape.

I thought about covering the garage windows that face northward with it, until I saw this leaf.

It really needs that bit of filtered light, however cold. This poor plant was gorgeous, and then I didn't get it inside soon enough. But it is reaching for that light, so it might make it through the winter in the garage.

Amazing enough, my parsley pot, tucked close to the front porch has a few still live sprigs in it.
I just paid my electric bill (an all electric house) and wasn't happy with those freezing days in December. A timer on my water heater is on my list.

Flooding is also taking its toll in this area. Not good to have flooding and sleet and ice, all at the same time.

Thrifting

2010-01-21T20:23:00.001-06:00

If you’re a thrift-shop shopper, did you know you are “thrifting”? I found this word at Homemaking Cottage.

Shiloah Baker is amazing. She is a serious shopper for everything, while I’m just getting started and enjoying myself. Two daughters have been doing this for years, another one is just starting.

In this area of the country, thrift shops are rather new and now they are everywhere. They are helping so many families now. While thifting is new to me, I’m into it now.

In the past few months, I’ve gotten back into sewing a little, nothing like I did years ago. I sewed men’s wool shirts, patch them, turned the collars and cuffs and added leather elbow patches. I sewed Barbie and other doll clothes, made drapes and Sherpa-lined coats and if it was makeable I was sewing it on my Pfaff.

My first Pfaff was a black and gold portable, worked perfectly and was a hand-me-down from my mother. I traded it for a new Pfaff cam and cabinet model that I handed down to my sewing-daughter. You may have followed my back to sewing posts, but I’m not alone; grandmothers are getting back to sewing gifts for grandchildren. We enjoy going back to those days when our children were within our care.

When re-entering sewing after years, you’ll be surprised by the cost of material. I was in shock for a while, even the remnant tables seemed high. I watched sales and signed up for fabric center newsletters and coupons. Not much break there.
Then in one thrift shop, way to the back, were rounds of new fabrics, carefully measured and priced from .10 to $3.00. I made several Christmas gifts from these beautiful lengths and have several rounds waiting. While I do not plan to quilt, the cottons would make beautiful patchwork quilts.

The next thing I noticed was thread differences. While I had a lot of ends left over from those years of heavy sewing, the older ones could ball and break in the machine’s needle. One of my machines (and I found that almost anyone who sews a lot has 2 machines, the old dog and the fancier model) loves to spit out old thread. A friend told me to get the long spools, made in Germany, for that machine. I’m still getting used to this new/used model, a Viking Lily noted on earlier posts, so the problem could be the human running it. That would be me.

Since beginning, I’ve learned that each shop is very different. The people managing the goods are different. Some of the items are brand new, others worn/well used. But each shop seems to have its own personality. One Goodwill store has new items, probably donated by stores going out of business or changing their inventory. Some of the shops have special savings days, such as Senior Discounts 25% or so. Tuesdays seem to be the big day for many Thrifters, because that’s when many of the “new” items get stocked.

Then, one of my daughters loves to shop. However, in this economy, her budget is limited. She’s thrilled with her savings in children’s clothing and her own, and I think it may be her favorite sport now.

Tip: If you visit one store and it doesn’t thrill you, don’t get discouraged. There will be another you’ll love.

Winter's Shelf Foods

2010-01-04T05:57:00.011-06:00

Winter is upon us now with 4 degrees and lower, so many of us are snowbound and depending on our stocked kitchen cabinets for basic foods. Visits to the grocery store, those fresh greens are not possible for many.

My friends and I discuss our home heat-saving methods daily as the temperatures drop even more, the wind chill worse. We have no shame in hanging blankets over windows, using bubblewrap, Styrefoam sheets, towels and rugs rolled at window ledges and at doorways. Generally, unused rooms are sealed off, trips outside are only of necessity as heat can be lost. We're wearing more sweaters and sweat clothing, hauling out our ear wraps and gloves.

It's a good time for those who are not worried about childcare when schools are closed, and those not worried about sliding on icy/snow covered roads, getting to a job they badly need. Not long ago, I drove 9 miles on a curvy, hilly road to get to that badly needed job. Snow plows hadn't always cleared it and driving was slow and careful. I'll never forget those morning and closing-time drives, so glad when I pulled into my home's driveway.

Many people do not prepare their kitchen shelves for these times, but I do. Here are my suggestions for those winter emergency shelf necessities: Canned soups, tea candles and batteries, toilet paper and coffee/tea.

More....

Powdered milk (good for baking/cooking), beans/lentils, flour/yeast, canned vegetables including everything tomato (there's nothing like homemade pizza in cold weather), canned tuna/salmon (my family loves salmon patties), handy boxes of macroni and cheese. You'd be surprised what you can do with those boxes, including making tuna casserole, which means you should probably have cream of mushroom soup on your soup list, too. Any pasta, i.e. rigatoni is great for your shelves.

I cannot say enough about dehydrated foods/spices/herbs at a time like this. Yes, fresh is best, but best is not running to the grocery store for bits and pieces to make one meal (see photo). Basics are dehydrated onions, parsley, green peppers,cilantro and chives. I also have dehydrated leeks and other things. Dehydrated garlic is great, and good for keeping bugs from your shelves, too. I use a lot of garlic and onions in winter dishes and was gifted with a mix of dried mushrooms. Shitaki are super, but these are of every kind. Just rinse in hot water, chop and you've got reconstituted mushrooms, great for pizza, etc.

For spices: crushed red pepper, chili powder, paprika (I use both smoked and plain, not Hungarian), cumin. Those are basic taco seasonings, great for chili, etc. Paprika mellows taco seasonings, IMHO. Bay leaves for potato soup. I just made potato and kale soup last night, using that powdered milk for cream. Kale and collard greens are top on my fresh greens list, but I also use frozen collards. I try to get as much of those 2 as possible.

A personal favorite is an old time pinto bean, collards, ham hock and garlic and vinegar slow-cooked meal. Love to fill up the slow cookers and I have 3 for different needs and let them simmer and scent the house all day. By evening, someone else has cooked a meal for me. While driving those hard winter miles, and coming home, I always appreciated my slow cooker meals, waiting for me.

I always have a sack of onions on hand, but those dehydrated ones are great supplements. Then, while I don't use boxed potatoes regularly, I do try to keep some of the mashable flakes for a favorite potato roll recipe. Scalloped potatoes, etc., the boxed variety, are great for your winter shelves.

Rice. Great for breakfast or for anything else, but rice pudding with raisins is a great wintertime dessert, so is bread pudding, so don't forget to pick up some day-old bread or donuts for it. Donuts make great "bread" puddings, so don't forget to stock up on cinnamon, too. Canned milk, if you've got any left over from making those holiday pumpkin pies is great for those old-time favorites.

Eggs. Egg Beaters are great winter stock-ups. Do check expiration dates on eggs of any kind.

If tuna/salmon/sardines have expiration dates, or canned milk, etc., I mark them with a big, black X. They're perfect for stray cats, etc. Stale bread and cooking grease is also great for bird food.

Back to home heat-saving ideas or winter shelf-foods: In winter's grasp, we'd appreciate yours.

The Best Gifts

2009-12-15T06:47:00.007-06:00

Many of us are returning to gifts of our hearts and hands.

A week ago, I mailed two boxes of cookies and gingerbread men. The gingerbread men were not decorated as the recipients will enjoy doing that themselves. Plus, sometimes frosting does stick and arrive not so pretty on the other end. Sugar as coating also has a tendency not to ship well, but somehow it's just fine on gingersnaps.
But gingersnaps, a family favorite do ship well and improve with "aging" slightly. This year, I got 2 new cookie sheets, a little heavier than my usual cheapies and am enjoying how easy they clean. Oatmeal and raisin cookies usually ship well and can be freshened by tightly closing and adding a piece of bread. If you know of other ways to freshen stale baked goods, please comment, would you?

When baking, I usually like a fresh pot of tea, enjoying the baking scents and sipping and generally feeling pretty good that the boxes of cookies will be appreciated. But those cups of tea are pretty much my kindness to myself. It's important to be kind to oneself during the stressful holidays, and one of those ways--including a home pedicure and a good book--is a cup of tea, sipped while stepping back to enjoy life and the blessings we have without charging up our credit cards.

As for teas, I love green tea, chai, but also make my own. The important thing to remember when buying a "tea ball" such as the one in the photo, is that it needs to be small enough to fit within the pot's opening. This tea ball is large and I use a hot water kettle to boil water. Egad. There is nothing worse than microwaved water when making tea.

Okay, maybe there is. No tea at all.

My tea blends changes as it's a constant add as I go. Generally, I like bits of cinnamon, star of anise, cleavers, ginger, black pepper, cloves, orange peel, cardamon, etc. After pouring hot water into the pot with the filled tea ball and covering, I wrap the pot in a tea towel. I never got into tea cozies.

For me, this blend is sheer luxury and not to be sipped hurriedly, but it does change and sometimes I'll drop in more cinnamon bark.

Other than green and my own blend, I'll pick up chai bags for easy travel and visiting with non-tea-ers. When on long drives, I usually have a thermos of hot water with me in the car.

While green tea seems to be pretty much on every tea drinkers list, and I like English, jasmine or oolong--especially with oriental dinner, I'm pretty much open to trying other's suggestions.

Simple pleasures, that's what life is about.

Putting Christmas Together

2009-12-03T08:18:00.005-06:00

I'm just getting started putting my Christmas together. Last minute life and business, you know. But I'm almost set to start baking and making. You should see my kitchen now, the baker's rack loaded with Amish seasonings and bread flour.

Boxes to loved ones living away have to go out on Monday. And the photo is a sneak peek at what they'll be getting--nope, they are not bloggers, so they'll be sort of surprised. Sort of, because they usually get a year's supply of the same, along with some baked goods. One person on my list loves fruitcake and I'm looking for a good recipe now, something to bake in a foil bread pan, all the better for shipping. If you have a good recipe, without rum, etc. preferably dark and heavy and loaded with candied fruit, I'd appreciate a point to it.

I saved plastic boxes from fresh baby greens, spinach, etc., and they'll be great for shipping. Food goods need to be sent priority. And that sometimes means two boxes.

A whole wheat bread recipe is certain to do well in shipping. It holds well, if cooled prior to wrapping in plastic and foil.

This gingerbread cutter set is great, but trust me, don't try to set off and make a gajillion of the tiny ones as it takes forever. This year I have some new great cutters (stars, trees, a large gingerbread man) and trays, so that's pretty exciting. I send them undecorated as the families have small children and enjoy doing that themselves.

I love this machine, which is in a good sturdy cabinet. Getting it out to be serviced was no joy tho. Old machines are great, but they do need care every now and then. This one was purchased for a school years ago, $75 with cabinet, which I think is walnut. It still needs refinishing. If you're sewing a lot of material, there is nothing like a cabinet. (Keep in mind that I have a new/used portable for finer wear.) Most real sewers have a couple machines like this, the old guy for heavy duty and a newer one for fancy stiches and silky fabrics, etc. I just got material for projects, and sewing by my fireplace in cold evenings is really enjoyable. (See The Second Cup, my blog on women's life, movies, make-up, etc.) Also, check out Suzanne McMinn who is just starting her Firewoman experience.

Then these boxes, purchased at HobbyLobby last year were super ideas. For family, I filled each one with keepsakes. Because they are decorative, others can be added as needed.

Generally, for Christmas giving, I bake and make. I hope you're enjoying your Christmas preparations, too.

Thanksgiving Approacheth

2009-11-25T10:44:00.002-06:00

Time to try my first kushaw squash. (See earlier post.)

The rind was easier to cut than I had thought, though these are said to be easy winter-savers. Sometimes I cut pumpkin, place it with rinds still on in a pan with water, cover with plastic wrap if microwaving and let steam until soft. This can be done in an oven, too, but I'm a combo microwave/oven cook sometimes. When preparing this way, the meat easily scoops free of the ring.

However, this time, I used a chef's knife and went to work, and forgot to save the seeds for snacks. There are 2 more of these in the basement, so I'm going to save those for heirloom squash or snacks.
Chunked and placed into a pot with a small amount of water, these cook easily and there is little mashing either with the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
They cook into a yellow-gold, not a sugar pumpkin's orange. That can be remedied by a healthy dose of molasses and brown sugar and spices. This squash doesn't seem to be that sweet, but then, this was my first time. Next time, I'll use more brown sugar.
The cornbread and white bread is drying now, and whole sweet potatoes are baked now. My mother-in-law sliced these, placed in a buttered pan and topped with brown sugar. My family likes the tiny marshmellow thingie, but not for my portion, please.

The 22+ turkey is thawing in the sink, ice cubes floating around him. I'm searching for that big antique platter and clearing away my sewing from the dining room table. We'll need that extra leaf this year. More about my mother's antique table later, which is mine now.

Basically, at this point, I think everything is under control, guests bringing their share, too.

This year, I'm printing off the recipes I used and giving them to the guests--should they want them. I think that may be a good hostess idea, to have a ready list of favorite or family recipes for those who are interested.

This year, I think I'm more grateful than ever before. This additional dollop of giving-thanks may be due to the hardships suffered by so many this year, creating more appreciation for those we love and our many blessings.

About that under control statement: You never know, do you? :)

What's for Thanksgiving Dinner

2009-11-18T19:30:00.003-06:00

These are kushaw squash for pies. Got a bargain on them. Did you hear about the flooding of the pumpkin fields and that there will be no more canned processed this year?

I have to wonder where the flood took all those pumpkins and if there will be pumpkins growing all over the flooded area next year. Writers think about weird stuff like that. Revenge of the flooded pumpkins.

Family Thanksgiving dinners take strategic planning. This is the first I've done for awhile, so I'm really getting set.

Here's my plan so far:
1. A 20+ lb turkey.
2. cornbread dressing to go with said turkey.

Let's pause here and consider the dressing. My mother-in-law always used cornbread and that's how I learned, rubbing sage into the mix. She grew her own. So dried cornbread, broth, eggs, broth, poultry seasoning with dried bread until sort of soupy. If it seemed a little dry to her, and this was after her taste-test, she boiled water and added butter to add broth. So the broth: wherefore cometh it? She used giblets/neck and some chicken or broth from the oven turkey.

This brings us to the giblet discussion. Do they go into the gravy or into the dressing, or do we just forget about them?

My personal preference isn't like anyone else's, as I love cold dressing for a snack. I like it hard/dry cooked with giblets and plenty of sage, so I'm making a side pan for myself to freeze.

However, Paula Deen used dried white bread and crackers in her dressing with the usual celery and onion. Now Paula sauteed the latter, while my mother-in-law included them into the broth to cook.

Question? I'm making dressing, but am wondering whether a corn casserole which also used bread is overkill.

As for the rest of the menu that I'm doing--because someone else is bringing stuff, too. I'm hoping.

Pumpkin Pies: This year I bought kuschaw squash for the make-from-scratch pies. Never before used them, but who could pass up the bargain at $.99-1.50 apiece? I usually cook the pies from scratch, and prefer a really dull pumpkin that has great inner, bright orange tasty meat. This year, I couldn't find that pumpkin, which does not keep that well anyway. So I'm hoping these squash make good pies. With molasses how could they not be good?

One of my daughters loves pumpkin/molasses sweet dark pies. I should say that we do maybe 4-6 pies at a time.

Overnight Salad: This is my favorite, 7 layers of stuff, mixed just before serving and topped with crumbled bacon bits.

Rolls or Bread: I make these from scratch, so it will either be Denver Biscuits, a yeast and potato roll or whole wheat loaf bread. I loved the last recipe for the bread, see earlier posts. With butter and honey in the mix and toasted and served with more butter and honey, that's sounding better now as my oven will be busy.

About that Oven: This is when my toaster oven comes in handy.

My family will need to bring their share, which I'm hoping will be sweet potatoes, leaving the marshmellows off my part of them. Then the usual green bean casserole, topped with french onions, etc. I like that well browned, btw.

Other usual stuff. This year we'll eat early as apparently my family and not me, needs to rest up for Black Friday sales. Repeat: not me. I tried that once and that was the last time.

Watch for updates on my menu.