Mom's Frugal

Taco Chicken Mac

2014-05-27T20:07:00.000-05:00

This is a quick dish, for some of that shredded chicken in the freezer.

My kids love taco anything, so this works for a quick fix after a day in the garden!

Taco Chicken Mac

4 cups cooked pasta,cooked with one large diced onion

1 1/2 cups cooked beans (pinto, canned chili beans, whatever is on hand, even black beans)

1 small can green chilis

1lb shredded chicken

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup ketchup or tomato sauce

taco seasoning (use one pack or equivalent of homemade or bulk mix)

shredded cheese (opt)

Bring the 1/2 cup water to a simmer and toss in the chicken and taco seasoning. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and add the ketchup, chilis, cooked pasta, and beans. Heat to a simmer. (Add more liquid if necessary.)

Serve topped with cheese if desired.

*********

Frugal notes:

Chicken was bought on sale at .99lb as split chicken breasts. Cooked in bulk and frozen.

Ketchup and sauce are bought in bulk as well.

Chilis were bought at a discount store.

Pasta was whole grain, bought in the clearance bin in a bulk ziploc bag.

This dish was made for less than $2.

Psa 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Menu Plan: May 25, 2014

2014-05-26T20:18:00.002-05:00

Sunday:
-Cinnamon Rolls
-free lunch at friends- woo hoo!
-Vegetable Chicken Soup, strawberries
snacks: none needed, we were stuffed at friends' and ate soup late
(soup made from stock and 1lb chicken from the freezer @ .99lb, bits of veggies from garden and freezer, berries were bartered for with homemade baked goods so they cost me pennies pretty much)
total approx. daily cost: $2.00
Monday:
-Cinnamon Rolls
-Tomato Veggie Soup, Sourdough, homemade Raspberry Jam
-Eggs-Onions-n-Pasta, baby chard and kale salad from the garden, strawberries
snacks:strawberries
(tomato sauce bought in bulk and frozen in portions, veggies from garden and bits of carrots and potatoes, berries were bartered, eggs are almost free from our chickens, pasta bought in bulk)
total approx. daily cost: $1.75
Tuesday:
-Smoothies, toasted sourdough and butter w/ honey
-Cranberry Beans (but using home-rendered cracklin's rather than bacon), corn from the freezer, squash relish, Nourishing Kraut
-Venison Mushroom-n-Onion Soup, sourdough, strawberries
snacks:cream cheese and celery
(smoothies made from the bartered berries and homemade kefir, honey bartered work for, cranberry beans from dried from the freezer, corn was free for the pickin', squash relish and kraut was made from home-grown or free ingredients from farmer friends last year, venison free, mushrooms free, berries bartered)
total approx. daily cost: $2.25
Wednesday:
-Masa Porridge
-15 Bean Soup (no meat), fried cornbread, sauteed kale, strawberries
-Spaghetti Sauce with Turkey Meatballs over whole grain pasta, chard salad, strawberries
snacks:leftover smoothie popsicles
(porridge is .12 for 5 servings, half the soup today and half tomorrow, cornbread pennies, kale from garden, berries bartered, sauce made in bulk, turkey meatballs made 1 big batch by recipe linked, split for 3 meals, pasta bought in bulk on clearance 1 gallon bag for under $2, chard from garden, smoothies leftover from breakfast the day before)
total approx. daily cost: $4.75
Thursday:
-Bug Oats
-leftover soup and cornbread, berries
-leftover Spaghetti as a side, Tangy Kale Salad, green beans with onions, pickled carrots
snacks:Cinnamon-Applesauce Salad
(steel cut oats were given to me months ago, leftovers are free as their costs were figured in yesterday, kale is free from the garden but the other ingredients are a few cents, green beans free from freezer from last year's garden, pickled carrots were almost free for the making last year, applesauce bought #10 can for less than $2 on clearance and other ingredients are a cheap)
total approx. daily cost: $1.00
Friday:
-Orange Date Muffins
- fried eggs, baked potatoes w/ fake bacon bits, strawberries
-Shredded Chicken w/ Ramen and bits of shredded veggies, chard-kale mix from garden
snacks: Orange Date Muffins
(oranges on the cheap at Aldi weeks ago, dates in bulk, eggs basically free from our chicks and potatoes were bought at .18 per lb at local market, ramen bought in bulk, shredded veggies are pennies)
total approx. daily cost: $4.00
Saturday:
-Granola Bars
-Bologna Sandwiches, pretzels, sliced apples
-Venison Stew, Sourdough Bread, Blueberry Jam
snacks:Impossible Pumpkin Pie
(oats and choc chips for bars bought in bulk, bologna at .99 pack, pretzels @ .99 bag, half a bag, 2 large apples .40, venison free, veggies from garden with 2 potatoes @ .18lb, bread pennies to make, jam free for the making, pumpkin was free-cooked-pureed and frozen -no crust, so pennies to make the pies)
total approx. daily cost: $3.25

Easy Vermicomposting

2014-05-22T20:04:00.001-05:00

We had lots of educational fun at Nature Fest again this year.

The kids sat through salamanders, bats, and of course, Birds of Prey.

(Probably the trophy of the fest for kids!)

For me, along with the bliss of sitting in a class taught by the local legend, Hector Black, we also got to listen to an amazing organic farmer, Randy Dodson, from The Waters Farm.

I've met his son and another worker on their farm and they all are a wealth of information!

Vermicomposting was one of Mr. Dodson's demonstrations.

It's a subject that I've wanted to learn more about but online sources and books often made it sound SO complicated.

But Mr. Dodson made it as simple as pie!

(Vermicompost is used just as compost, manure, fertilizer, etc. So this is a cheap DIY project to keep your gardens frugal and productive!)

Ready?

First- a tub or empty container with 2 rows of air holes. Don't make the lower row too low or all of your worms will escape. (Some might regardless.)

You can use old ones, yard sale finds, or they are a little over $5 at Walmart.

Next, place some moistened cardboard in the bottom. (I used rainwater to moisten mine.)Worms apparently aren't exceptionally picky, and just about any cardboard will work.But not too compact, just a layer will do.

Moistened cardboard on the bottom.

Next; add some composted horse manure, a little peat moss,dirt, vermiculite, or a mix. I used year old horse manure. (Be aware of your horse manure- if they've wormed the horses and this isn't aged- it will uhm, worm your worms!)

You will want to moisten this.It needs to be wet enough to drip one or two drops of water if squeezed with one hand, but not standing in water.

Some nice composted manure, thoroughly moistened.

Worms need grit for their crops- who would have thought? You can use a handful of sand if you have it. I plan to get a handful from the creek later and add to my mix but for now, I've ground some egg shells and added that.

Now-Where are you going to get your worms?

Uncle Jim's is a good place if you must purchase them, I hear. But as for me- I think worms should be free! And, whaddaya know, so they are! See?

WORMS!!!

I keep a few boards thrown around the yard. (Yeah, my poor neighbors! :) But seriously, I don't know if they can even see them.) ...I started this habit for my chickens as a means of collecting a bug and worm feast for them. If you leave it long enough, you will find that you have plenty of worms to harvest for your compost. Try to get as close to a pound as possible, or more. Babies too! It's suggested to use 1 to 2lbs per square foot of bedding/dirt/compost.

Red worms usually stay in the top 3 to 4 inches of ground and will surface right under a board or anything left laying around for a while. Just turn several spots over with a shovel and break apart the clod and pick your worms.

Add the little squirmers to their new home. (Be aware that some will try to sneak out. It's okay, it doesn't mean you're a bad landlord! Enough will stay if you keep the apartment nice and comfy!)

You can use some shredded cardboard and tiny bits of kitchen scraps (just a handful!) to feed them. Just lay on top of the bed/soil. (They supposedly love the cardboard, which is why I guess you use so much of it in this process.)

Mr. Dodson said the waste from juicers is especially a treat since it's already so broken down and they particularly like sweets, like banana peels. You do not want to overfeed. It can build up mildew and ick, and harm the worms. Not to mention a smell! ...But if you have time to chop up your scraps, it will give them a head start, but isn't necessary.

What else can you feed them? Coffee grounds, wet hay, grass clippings, melon rinds, and other fruit and veggie scraps.

You will feed them once or twice a week, if previous feedings are gone.(They only eat about their body weight a day. So- if you can weigh the worms you add, that will give you a tiny idea of how much to feed.) I tried to start slow with feedings so as to avoid a problem. Also, you don't want to develop a 'composting' situation, so only add small bits of scraps.Otherwise it could heat up and harm your worms.

Bits or moistened cardboard, and kitchen scraps.

Now, finally, you will wet another big piece of cardboard.( I have 2 tubs (beside the rain barrels) in my yard where I can easily dip the cardboard and swish it side to side.) Then, just tuck them in and let them work their magic!

You need to keep them shaded. Remember they like it dark, they're used to being underground. You will need to keep them completely shaded , or in the garage, barn, etc. (There are vermicomposters that go under your kitchen sink. Pricey, though.) If using a dark container, which is good as far as keeping it dark, you will need to especially avoid the sunshine.

If you have them outside, you will have to pay more attention to moisture. Temps need to be between 60 and 80F. At 85-90F, they will leave and/or die.(They seem to be able to tolerate freezing temps and I asked if the containers could be sunken in the ground during the winter to help preserve them. Yes!)

One big 'blanket' of moistened cardboard to tuck them into their new home!

You will need to add water to the dirt to keep moistened. Better to keep it on the wet side than to have it dry out. Worms must have moisture, else they will start packing their bags and trying to get out! Worms can live in water, but they can't live where it's dry. (They are driven out of the ground during rain, for lack of oxygen.)

If you were to notice the least little bit of mildew or mold, I suggest you remove as much food scraps as possible, scrape the icky stuff out, allow it to stand outside (still kept dark by the cardboard covering) in a shady spot to air out some. Don't add anymore food for a few days until the problem resolves.

Gradually over time, your tub will fill up. Worms can double every 90 to 100 days if conditions are great, and that means faster fills in your tubs! And possibly more tubs! Think of the possibilities! Worm cousins, great-great-great cousins, great-great-great-great-great aunts!?!?!!

You can scrape your worms from the top, keeping the castings (ie worm manure, worm poop :) mostly in the bottom and ready for use in your gardens.

There are different methods to do this. You can just take the top 4 inches off and create another bin, and whatever worms may be in the castings can just go into your gardens.

You can scrape off the top and pick through it for the worms, if you like. ...Boring!

You can even dump mounds of it onto a covered table late in the evening or after dark. Use an overhead lamp (let it hover over the mound for 10 minutes or so), which will drive the worms down so you can scrape the castings off the top. Do this little at a time until you've went through the whole bin.

You can also rotate which side of the container you feed them on. Before harvesting, you will know more which side they are on.

And their are other more elaborate systems you can research if you like.(Some with screens and stackable drawers.)

Vermicompost apparently has more nitrogen, higher nutrients, higher moisture (70%), and other benefits. It makes a great compost tea; suggested soak/steep 24 hours to retain the benefits. It can also be added straight to the garden after collection, as it won't burn like other manures.

The worms are also of value to expand your vermicomposts as they grow and reproduce, you can start more bins, feed them to your chickens, or sell to fishermen!

The biggest two problems?
Overfeeding and not enough water.

If this can be kept in balance- why you might could have an entire worm colony!

Happy frugal gardening!

Isa 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Menu Plan: May 18, 2014

2014-05-19T12:58:00.001-05:00

Sunday:
-Homemade Coconut Granola
-Bologna Cups, homemade sourdough w/homemade pumpkin butter, home-canned pickles, sliced apple, sliced tomato
-Homemade Chicken Soup, sourdough, homemade blueberry jam
snacks:sunflower seeds
(granola, used coconut flour that was given to me, bologna bought on sale at .99-used half pack, eggs free from our chickens, grew cukes and pickled, was given pumpkins and canned, apples were 2.99 for 5lbs and used only one big one, tomatoes were .69 lb- used one, soup- homemade broth, chicken at .99lb-.25 for pasta, pennies for onions and celery, handfuls of chopped baby chard and kale from the garden)
total approx daily cost: $4.25
Monday:
-Bagels, cream cheese, honey
-leftover cup-of-soup, grilled cream cheese sandwiches, sliced tomatoes
-Pork Hash (with rice, rather than potatoes), pureed butternut squash, home-canned green beans
snacks:raw goat cheese and crackers
(bagels @ .99 clearance, used half bag, cream cheese clearance at .25- used 1/3 pack, honey free bartering with bee keeper, bread for sandwiches clearance at .99, used 1/2 loaf, tomatoes at .69 lb used one, pork was given to me by someone who killed their own pig, rice pennies in bulk, squash grown last year and beans, goat cheese was bartered for with homemade bread)
total approx daily cost: $1.75
Tuesday:
-Bagels with cinnamon butter
-Onion-Kale-and-White Bean Soup, Chocolate Custard
-egg and cheese sandwiches, side salad, home-canned applesauce
snacks:Pumpkin Breads
(bagels at .99- used half a bag, onions- pennies, kale from garden, beans from dried- pressure cooked and frozen, custard made from our chicken eggs, bread at .99-used half, cheese in bulk, salad made from free lettuce from a farmer who had leftovers at the market, pumpkin from pureed frozen free pumpkins)
total approx. daily cost: $2.50
Wednesday:
-leftover Custard
-Cranberry Beans w/ cracklin', cornbread, home-canned squash relish, Pepper Jelly
-Venison Goolash, Cinnamon Cake
snacks:crackers w/ zesty raw goat cheese
(custard price figured in the previous day, beans from dried-pressure cooked and frozen, cracklin' from free pork, relish and jelly made from free or produce given to me from other gardeners, free venison, pasta bought on sale with coupons, diced tomatoes bought in bulk and separated and frozen, cake mix was given to me from someone cleaning out pantry, cheese bartered for with bread but counting the cost of the bread)
total approx daily cost: $2.25
Thursday:
-Millet w/ butter and honey
-Bologna Cups w/ mustard, Simple Slaw, sliced tomatoes, corn on the cob
-Garden Lentils with Chapatis, leftover cake
snacks:chapatis w/ butter and honey
(millet bought at .99lb, bologna at .99-used half pack, our eggs, cabbage at .39lb and will last for several meals, tomatoes at .69lb used one, corn from another farmer last year, will use baby chard instead of spinach in lentils, green onions from garden, peppers frozen last year- and other garden veggies, honey free for bartering work for bee keeper)
total approx daily cost: $2.75
Friday:
-Frugal Vanilla Granola and milk
-Zucchini Soup, Sourdough w/ whipped cream cheese
-Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, leftover slaw, sliced apples
snacks:Fried Bananas
(zukes from last year- shredded and frozen, cream cheese bought at .25 clearance, chicken at .99lb using 1.5 lbs, apples at 2.99 for 5lbs- using one large)
total approx daily cost: $4.00
Saturday:
-Cinnamon Rolls
-PB and J sandwiches, baby carrots, homemade pickles
-Homemade Pizza, fried apples
snacks: sourdough with homemade Blueberry-Strawberry Jam
(bread bought at .99, using half, carrots bought at .99lb, using 1/3, cheese and pepperoni bought in bulk, apples from ours and orchard- frozen)
total approx. daily cost: $5.75

Menu Plan: May 4, 2014

2014-05-05T18:29:00.001-05:00

Sunday:
-Oatmeal
-pb and homemade gifted boysenberry jelly sandwiches, homemade Choc Chip Granola Bars
-fried eggs (our birds), homemade Sourdough Wheat Bread, home-canned apple butter
snacks:lemonade (not the most nourishing day, but we were on the go- frugally!)
total approx. daily cost: $3.00
Monday:
-Rye Porridge (someone gave me the rye, their family didn't like it- yay me!)
-Venison Stew, Sourdough Wheat Bread w/ Watermelon Jelly (stew- free venison, onion, a leftover nub of cabbage, free mushrooms (farmer), a stick of celery, and carrots and their tops from the garden- pennies to make, jelly homemade from bartered watermelon last year)
-Baked Kickin' Chicken Thighs, greens and onions from the garden, last 2 giant sweet potatoes from another gardener (only 4 here tonight- 1.5 lbs chicken at .99lb, split the sweet potatoes in halves)
snacks:kefir-blueberry smoothies (homemade kefir, berries a gift from someone cleaning out a freezer, will have a handful of spinach blended in from the garden too)
total approx. daily cost: $2.75
Tuesday:
-Oatmeal w/ frozen (gifted) berries
-fried eggs (our chickens), home-canned applesauce and apple butter, Country White Bread
-Venison Stir Fry (venison free, mushrooms free, greens from the garden, .50cents worth of frozen veggies, rice bought in bulk), home-canned Cinnamon Apples
snacks: tortilla chips w/ home-canned Fermented Bean Dip
total approx. daily cost: $2.00
Wednesday:
-eggs, toasted Country White Bread, gifted boysenberry jelly
-Zucchini Soup (zukes shredded in the freezer from garden last year, green onions from garden) Sourdough Wheat Bread, Blackberry Jam
-Spaghetti, Birthday Cake and Ice Cream
snacks:cake and ice cream!
total approx. daily cost: $6.75
Thursday:
-Scrambled Omelets (eggs from our chicks, peppers frozen last year, onions), toasted Country White Bread, home-canned Lemon-Balm Jelly
-1/2 recipe: Cream of Pea Soup, grilled cream cheese sandwiches on homemade bread (cream cheese bought on clearance at .25 per pack)
-3 Bean Meatless Chili with Jalepeno-Cheddar Cornbread
snacks: Homemade Fruity Yogurt
total approx. daily cost: $3.25
Friday:
-Masa Porridge
-Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwiches, leftover cup of chili
-Chick Pea Stew (from dried beans, garden greens and onions, celery stick, carrots from garden), fried cornbread (some with honey for dessert)
snacks: graham crackers and peanut butter
total approx. daily cost: $2.00
Saturday:
-Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
-PB and J sandwiches, pretzels
-turkey, Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Bean Casserole (turkey was given to me, sweet pots were bought on clearnce in #10 can, green beans from garden), Welcome Home Cake
snacks:leftovers
total approx. daily cost: $5.75

Homemade Fire Starters

2014-04-30T17:14:00.001-05:00

Well, it's almost time to cover the stove pipes and enjoy the warmth of summer, but it's not too early to be planning for next winter's fires!

Note to self: Must cover stove pipe before another bird get's down it!

I have already started to collect some items, otherwise known as 'garbage', to use for next year's fires in the wood stove.

I used them a lot in late winter and early spring and found them to work better (for me) and they are made from items that are basically free!

(Those starter logs and sticks are expensive!)

The garbage you need?

Toilet paper rolls and lint from the dryer.

What you need to buy on the cheap?

Petroleum jelly.

(But a little goes a long way!)

It only takes a teaspoon or two of the p.j. and you spread it thinly inside the rolls.

Then lightly stuff with lint, no need to pack.

If you like, you can wrap the lint in one square of tissue paper and leave it sticking out a little to use as a wick, but it's not necessary.

One little boy here likes to go out in his socks- can you tell from the straw?

There you have it- fire starters on the frugal!

Psa 104:4-5 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Menu Plan: April 28, 2014

2014-04-28T21:25:00.000-05:00

We were given a nice fat turkey this week (pretty cool gift, huh?!?!?), but- I'm gonna save it for week after next. Sailor Boy #2 is coming in and I may cook it with the fixin's to have that week.

We have lots of homemade bread and eggs this week. I'm also trying to keep focused on moving some home-canned goods before it's time to can more. :)

We will have a few grab-n-go days so I'm trying to plan for that too.

And you local-yocals don't forget, Nature Fest starts this week!

Monday:
-leftover Cinnamon Rolls
-Pizza Pockets (like these but with pizza stuff!), romaine salad, home-canned spiced-pickled carrots
-Fried eggs, Sourdough Wheat Bread, home-canned pumpkin butter
snacks: homemade Granola Bars w/ dried cherries
total approx daily cost: $2.00
Tuesday:
-Cream of Wheat
-fried eggs, toasted Wheat Sourdough, homemade jam, blueberry-kefir smoothies
-Chicken Tacos, shredded romaine with green onions from the garden, home-canned Cardamom Apples
snacks:Cinnamon Toast from Sourdough
total approx. daily cost: $3.25
Wednesday:
-Peanut Butter Granola
-Homemade Vegetable Soup, toasted homemade 10 Grain Bread with butter and Parmesan
-leftover soup with some leftover shredded chicken tossed in, leftover bread
snacks: Kefir-Blueberry Smoothies (berries were a gift!, kefir-homemade)
total approx. daily cost: $2.50
Thursday:
-Oatmeal Sundaes
-Spaghetti, Birthday Cake, Homemade Ice Cream
-Roasted Chickens w/ homemade gravy, carrots, Macaroni Salad, home-canned green beans (will freeze some of the leftover shredded chicken)
snacks: leftover cake and ice cream
total approx daily cost: $8.25
Friday:
-Sourdough, butter, and jam
-Bologna Cups, green beans and corn on the cob (freezer)
-leftover chicken and gravy on thick-sliced homemade Sourdough Wheat Bread, leftover macaroni salad
snacks:leftover cake and ice cream
total approx. daily cost: $2.75
Saturday:
-Breakfast Cookies
-PB and J Sandwiches, home-canned pickles, homemade granola bars
-home-canned Pumpkin Soup, homemade Spelt bread, butter, and jam
snacks: Homemade Granola Bars
total approx daily cost: $3.50
Sunday:
-leftover cinnamon rolls
-Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwiches with chopped chives, spiced-pickled carrots, mint tea (from the herb bed)
-egg-onion-pepper-cheese wraps, sourdough and jam
snacks:crackers-cream cheese-red pepper jelly
total approx. daily cost: $1.75

Dandelion Fritters

2014-04-22T14:26:00.000-05:00

While some folks fret over getting dandelions out of their yards, others eat them!

Why?

They're good for you!

And- - -you can eat the entire plant :)

Blissful, huh?

The greens can be eaten in a salad or cooked as you would other greens, the root can be dried and or/roasted and ground and used as you would coffee.

The flowers can be used to make jelly and syrup, stuffed in cakes, muffins, or pancakes- and as you see here, they can be fried.

You can dip and fry each flower individually or stir them all in your batter and drop by spoonfuls into hot grease- uhm- lard :)

When cooked this way, they hardly have any taste, but my mind seems to trick me into almost thinking it's squash, except much milder. The texture? Sorta chewy, and good!

You can mix up a whole grain batter if you like but this is quick, frugal, and easy....and being from the south, frying cornmeal, especially in lard, is tops!

DANDELION FRITTERS

2 cups rinsed, drained dandelion flowers

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (or flour, or half and half, or whole grain with salt and soda)

1 egg, beaten

1 cup of milk

Mix flour/meal, egg, and milk. Dip individual dandelions in batter and drop them into hot oil.

You can also stir the flowers into the batter and drop by tablespoons into hot oil.

Fry on each side until golden.

Drain on paper towel.

Serve plain, salt and peppered, or with a dip, such as Ranch.

Song of Sol. 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land...

Menu Plan April 20, 2014

2014-04-22T12:53:00.000-05:00

We will have LOTS of leftover bread this week along with lots of eggs, and a few things from the garden. I'm also trying to weed out last year's jams and jellies.

But these homemade and homegrown goodies will help in the frugal quest- especially when I need quick foods because there's so much work to be done outside :)

These gals have really been earning their keep- providing us with some wonderful eggs!

Sunday:
-Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
-Breakfast Sandwich Biscuit, fruit
-Wilted Kale and Green Onions with bits of bacon, bananas
snacks:kefir smoothies(with banana, leftover berry jam- gotta move some of these jars!), Wheat Sourdough
total approx. daily cost: $5.25
Monday:
-leftover Cinnamon Rolls
-eggs, sourdough and jam
-beans, green onions, Fermented Kraut, toasted sourdough and jelly
snacks:Fried Bananas
total approx. daily cost: $1.25
Tuesday:
-Homemade Wheat Bread and Strawberry Jam, bananas
-Cranberry-Almond Chicken Salad, home-canned spicy-pickled carrots, romaine salad, sourdough and jelly
-Home-Canned Vegetable-Barley Soup, Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwiches
snacks: Chocolate-Banana Smoothies
total approx. daily cost: $3.75
Wednesday:
-Fried eggs, sourdough, boysenberry jelly (gift!)
-Home-Canned Pumpkin Soup with sour cream, Sourdough Bread w/ homemade Violet Jelly
-Bean and Rice Burritos, romaine salad w/ green onions from the garden
snacks:Coconut Custard (our eggs)
total approx. daily cost: $2.75
Thursday:
-leftover Coconut Custard, sourdough toast
-Homemade Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches, cup of veggie-broth soup (from leftovers)
-Salmon Mac and Cheese, home-canned beets and green beans
snacks:carrots and celery sticks with veggie dip
total approx. daily cost: $3.75
Friday:
-Brown Rice Pudding
-Baked Eggs in Toast Cups (homemade bread), home-canned apples, buttered carrots with chives (garden)
-Baked Potatoes with fried eggs, romaine salad
snacks: Root Beer Floats (splurge!)
total approx. daily cost: $3.25

Menu Plan: April 13, 2014

2014-04-14T14:32:00.002-05:00

Frugal Chatter-

I bought a large pack of hamburger meat on Saturday, on "sale" for $2.19 a lb. I made a BBQ Joe mix that we will have multiple times on homemade bread.

We will have spinach and lettuce, green onions, chives, and kale from the garden.

The chickens have been providing a surplus of eggs! Go chicks!

I will also make a batch of slaw that will last for multiple meals. Love getting in raw veggies!

Sunday:
-Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
-Sandwiches, homemade Granola Bars
-BBQ Joes (used BBQ sauce- out of ketchup-crisis! :)homemade buns, spinach salad (from the raised beds)
snacks: fried livers (treat!)
total approx. daily cost: $5.75
Monday:
-bagels (half bag bought on clearance at .99bag), cream cheese (bought on clearance)
-leftover BBQ Joes on homemade buns, spinach salad (raised beds), leftover homemade Granola Bars
-Sausage ($1.49) on brat buns (half pack bought on clearance at .99) with onions and spicy mustard, slaw, home-canned Cardamom-Cinnamon Apples
snacks: toasted homemade Wheat Bread with homemade jam
total approx. daily cost: $5.50
Tuesday:
-bagels (half bag bought on clearance at .99bag), cream cheese (bought on clearance)
-home-canned Vegetable-Barley Soup, Sweet Potato Muffins
-the remaining BBQ Joe Mix on sandwich bread, slaw, sliced oranges
snacks: popcorn
total approx. daily cost:$4.00
Wednesday:
-egg and onion wraps (free eggs from our chicks)
-home-canned Pumpkin Soup, Quick Dinner Muffins (wheat)
-Grilled Cream Cheese Sandwiches, slaw, leftover muffins and jam
snacks: kefir smoothies
total approx. daily cost: $3.25
Thursday:
-Polenta (half recipe), fried eggs (free)
-Cranberry Beans with Cracklin' Cornbread, home-canned Squash Relish (yum!)
-leftover beans, cornbread, relish, kale from the garden
snacks:Orange-Apricot Muffins
total approx. daily cost: $2.50
Friday:
-Chocolate Oatmeal
-Frittata (onions and chives from garden, eggs-chicks), Tangy Kale Salad,(garden), home-canned apples
-Chicken salad sandwiches, chips-n-salsa
snacks: homemade Cinnamon Rolls
total approx. daily cost: $2.75

Menu Plan: March 31, 2014

2014-03-30T21:31:00.001-05:00

Monday:
-Banana-Nut Oatmeal
-Egg, cheese, onion, and pepper wraps, clementines (eggs and peppers free-homegrown)
-(Venison)Enchilada Bake, Creamed Asparagus (venison-free, beans cooked from dried)
snacks:popcorn
total approx. daily cost: $4.00
Tuesday:
-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal
-leftover Enchilada Bake, spicy beets, buttered carrots (beets- homecanned, free; carrots @.49 lb)
-Frugal Pantry-Style Sweet and Sour Chicken, rice, green beans
snacks:grapes, pretzels
total approx. daily cost: $4.50
Wednesday:
-Bug Oats (a friend gave these to me months ago, her family didn't like them -yay me!)
-Pumpkin Soup (free- home canned), Savory Onion Muffins,cake
-scrambled eggs with fried potatoes (both free)
snacks:Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Cooked Pantry Topping
total approx. daily cost: $1.00
Thursday:
-Lemon-Poppy Seed Oatmeal
-Leek Soup (homemade broth, veggies from garden), Chocolate Carob Custard (free eggs)
-Tapatio Chicken, baked potato wedges, roasted asparagus (potatoes were free, chicken at .99lb)
snacks:custard
total approx daily cost: $4.25
Friday:
-Masa Porridge (.12 for 5 servings!)
-Potato Soup, (free potatoes), Italian Bread, homemade jelly
-Chicken Fajitas (free peppers), saucy black beans (from dried)
snacks:bread and jelly, sliced apples with peanut butter
total approx. daily cost: $4.00
Saturday:
-Homemade Cream of Wheat
-Homemade Tomato Soup (almost free), Homemade Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches (cream cheese.25)
-Cranberry Beans, Cracklin' Cornbread, fermented kraut, homecanned spicy carrots (beans from dried, homemade cracklin' and lard)
snacks:boiled eggs and mustard (free eggs)
total approx. daily cost: $2.75
Sunday:
-Chocolate Granola
-Homemade Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches, carrot and celery sticks
-Venison Stew, cornbread
snacks: bananas with peanut butter
total approx. daily cost: $2.75

Make Your Own Homemade Slides for Microscopes

2014-03-29T18:49:00.001-05:00

Last year, one of our friends from the local college let us have an older microscope, per policy, on "long-term-loan." It has 10x and 40x objectives and I really would love it, if we could add a more powerful one (not sure that's possible) because as of yet, we've not been able to view anything 'wiggling'. (Maybe we're looking in the wrong place!) ...But we have seen some pretty cool stuff!

I think our favorites are hair- animal hair. The goat hair was neat in that the grey was distinctively different from the black. The cat hair was awesome, in that it looked like it had vertical chambers. Weird! And cool!

But- slides were an issue- so- we made some!

We used simple index cards, cutting a 'window' out of the center and using clear tape to make a 'glass' and to hold our samples in place.We left the 'windows' kinda big so more light would show through.

You could also use thin cardboard, like cereal boxes are made from.

We collected all sorts of little things to look at!

Here are some of the interesting things that we looked at;
-goat hair
-cat hair
-human hair
-local honey
-storebought honey
-water that's been standing in a bucket outside
-broccoli
-yeast
-strawberry leaves
-banana
-lint
-dust
-leaves (from trees, plants, etc- old dry leaves were really cool)
-chives
-dried dill
-pencil shavings
-straw
-corn husk
-beetle
-gnat (this was cool because it had WAVY hairs on it's legs)
-coffee grounds
-salt (at 10x these looked like ice cubes)
-black pepper
-mustard seeds
-onion skin
-bathroom paper
-cypress clipping (this was cool too, in that, we've always known this tree to kind of 'stick to us' but under the microscope, we were able to see why- tiny hooks on it's edges!)

Any of you girls found neat things to view under your scopes?
Would love to hear from any of you who have them on tips to make the most use of them!

Job 5:9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number

Oh...how He loves us so!...Counting Blessings Today and the "Little Things"

2014-03-28T19:17:00.000-05:00

Think the Lord doesn't know the delights of your heart? Think He doesn't care about the 'little things'? Think He doesn't know how to say "I love you" really loudly to your heart, in a very quiet way?

Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

I am convinced that the Lord knows the keys to our hearts and wants to remind us of His love for us and His care over the smallest details of our lives.

Here's some of the ways that the Lord knows blesses me:
-Jesus, the bible
-my children (and when someone blesses them, I'm blessed!)
-chocolate and/or coffee (mixed? even better!)
-teas, especially herbal and exotics
-books (can there be too many books!?!?!)
-flowers, especially those for the yard and gardens, because they keep giving!
-treats for the kids (For some, this might be candy bars, but personally I get a real kick when God gives them some good-for-you food stuffs or gives things to me to feed them. It says to my heart; "I care about their health too.")
-needful items like cleaners, toiletries and the like

The box of tea in the picture above, is one of several little blessings the Lord has slipped my way in recent weeks. This is not just plain black tea...this box has lots of chai teas, lots of WHITE chai teas. A sweet blessing to me for you see, there's one flavor in this box that reminds me of a most special tea that was bought for me years ago at an (expensive) tea shop in Nashville. It was amazing!( ..Along with a chocolate tea that is most worthy of mention :) ...It's a unique flavor and I'm sure it's yucky to some, but to me, it's bliss! And - God knew that! A little thing.

Ezek 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat... and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

One day this week, we had 2 large bags of items that we were taking to someone, in hopes of being the 'blessor'....but, as God would have it, we walked away being the definite 'blessee'. We had a bag, that I almost couldn't carry, full of toiletries, a wicker basket, and some clothing items that had been on the 'needed list'. There were also multiple (at least 3!) items in this mix that the boys had told me within the last few days that we were "out of"...their little things. (God- He just wows me sometimes!)

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

We were also given 2 very large stacks of books to borrow. ....Drooling....Lots of classics in these stacks. Dracula, Frankenstein, (I didn't know it, but one of the kids had been desiring to read those!)The Tale of Two Cities, Grimm's (Woo hoo!), Aesop's Fables, Nancy Drew (dd's favorites), and even a few Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, which a couple of the boys like. (There's also some Madeleine L'engle books in the mix that I don't know much about. Any of you girls????) ...She also told me when we finished them, we could come back and trade them out for more! Gasp!

Eccl 12:12 ... of making many books there is no end...

In that mix of books was also a boxed dvd kit of classics produced by PBS. The kids had been asking for a movie!

That's another thing I'm thankful for.....For the past three months or so, I don't think our television has even been on. We don't have a tv upstairs, just one in the den, where the wood stove is, which would make one think we'd be cuddled there all winter....and we were a lot of times, but not watching tv. We were building card houses, working puzzles, talking, reading books, breaking open hickory nuts (bartered for with bread), and one big chunk of time has been used for going through the Bible with this one book; Four Thousand Questions and Answers from the Bible - given to us many months ago. This book is older, has quite a few grammar flaws and typos, and I think it stretches some of it's typology theology, but it's fantastic for going through the Bible stories, hitting highlights, tying verses from the OT and NT, and also geology. We've used the globe and the internet to look up the cities that it mentions, or more often than not, at this point, the ruins of the cities....But that book...that's stirred up so much interest, was just a little thing, almost passed over in the midst of other books. A little thing, that God is using, to stir the bigger things in His precious Word for my children. -Just, wow!

One year ago, I might have had a couple of skirts and a handful of shirts. That was fine, I wasn't involved in much and I really had no need of more. The Lord has filled my closet this year, just as I needed them. Giving me shoes, skirts, blouses, sweaters, coats, and jackets. I was given a pair of new shoes for Christmas! My son and precious daughter-in-law also sent me a gift card for my birthday and insisted I spend it on myself. I was able to add several denim skirts to my closet, which I love for comfort and lack-of-ironing! :) The little thing in this was that I had ripped the favored denim skirt last year,beyond repair, and He gave me more than one back. You think He knows about my slackness in ironing?

1 Tim 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

The children have also been blessed. I think Kemmie has more clothes than all of us put together! But God knows, he is in those years where that is important and I think He is showing Kemmie now, in preparation for the future- I am your Provider and I can do exceeding, abundantly above all that you ask, or think. (Say on, Lord! Say on!)........And he might as well enjoy civies now- hooyah!

One of my children has taken a special interest in certain types of books. God has put some very, VERY special people in our lives this past year and this couple has seen to it, that this little fella has had numerous books to read on this special topic. (The goodness of God to my children is a bottomless well of blessing! When God taps into blessing in that area- my cup runneth over and over and over.)

Psa 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Why are flowers so special to me? I dunno, perhaps it's really a reflection of the beauty of God to my soul. When I see the individuality and the beauty of each flower, the attention to detail- it just stirs my heart. It reminds me God does care about the little things- the details- the specifics! And- there is beauty in the Lord.

Mat 6:29 .... That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

My daughter has honed her love for drawing this year. God has blessed her with the needs to make that happen. ....Such a small, small thing in some ways; but giant in this child's life. (When God reaches out to my children, it humbles me to my core, reminding me of my great privilege to share in God's divine purposes for them, of which, I'm not worthy. (But that He allows me to; THAT, is awesome.)

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

We've been given several pounds of apples lately and a ton of home-raised pork fat to render for lard. Now, apples speak for themselves- they're just good! But- let me tell you about the little things hidden in the lard! You see, hidden in the DNA of my children, is a predisposition to some auto-immune problems. One of those is craftily connected to low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is stored in the fat of pigs raised on farms and raised naturally. Such were the former days of Wilbur! (Convinced you yet, that He cares about the little things?)

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

You know what's in those jars? Bacon grease. Yep, just plain ole bacon grease. It was given to me. What's so great about that? ... I said on Facebook once; "You know somebody loves you when they give you their bacon grease!" ...But it says so much more than that. It says; "Every time I cooked bacon, I took the time to strain this grease off for you...Every time I cooked bacon, I thought about you. When I wiped the drips off of this jar, I did it for you. When I sat these by the door before I went to bed so I wouldn't forget to bring them the next day, I was thinking about you." Sure, this is just a little thing, in some ways, but how could I take for granted the times God had someone think of me during that process and to go through trouble, for me?! I don't see that as so little. That's a great big "I love and care about you", to me. (Thank you God. I heard it.)

And for me, I think the little things are humbling. They help with all of those yucky pride issues. And speaking of pride, and fat (lard-grease), this verse is almost funny to me, in that it reminds me of how old-timers would talk.

Psa 119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

Isa 44:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
(Note- willows by water courses equals BIG trees very quickly!)

One final little thing which is really a big thing. The willows are starting to bud out with tiny leaves and even the grass is starting to regrow. No big deal, right? This happens every year. I doubt anyone but my family pays any mind to those willow trees. Little things. ...But, I've noticed something big about this process every year.You see, every fall, that tree 'dies' and goes dormant. It's a little thing especially since it's leaves don't really turn some magnificent color. The tree also goes through this seemingly little process of blooming back out every spring as well. No big deal. But you know what, it seems to me, that every time that tree 'dies', it comes back a little bigger, a little stronger, has a little more character, and more shade and beauty. I'd dare to make a wager, that tree grows when it's 'dead'. You reading between the lines about this little thing? :)

We go through winter sometimes- but even in winter God is doing something to our root system! Just a little thing, no one can see, as it's just under the surface. But oh how big it is! How great it is! How very important it is- these little things.It is good to take note of them, to be mindful of them, to watch for them, and to make full use of them- the little things.

A strand of hair is a very small thing but-

Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

1 Pet 5:7 ... he careth for you.

Menu Plan- March 22, 2014

2014-03-22T20:50:00.002-05:00

In keeping under $30 this week, free eggs from our chicks and .25 cream cheese, helped with my quest!

Saturday:
-Breakfast Cookies
-Baked Nachos (leftover chili, beans, bl.olives, salsa, cheese, hot sauce), homemade cranberry sauce (berries from freezer bought on clearance in late fall)
-Bake Frittata, salad, bananas (free eggs, chives have popped up in the herb bed, salad given to me as well from leftover banquet)
snacks:apples, pretzels
total approx. cost for the day: $3.75
Sunday:
-Oatmeal-Wheat Pancakes from the freezer
-Beef and Cabbage Stew (gotta get a better pic, it's much better than the pics tell u), Quick Dinner Muffins, homemade jelly
-leftover soup and bread and jelly
snacks: Chocolate Cheesecake Balls (I bought 24 boxes of cream cheese on clearance at .25 each!)
total approx. cost for the day: $4.75
Monday:
-Vanilla Polenta
-Ham (frozen leftovers) and Cabbage Soup, sliced oranges, Cocoa Zucchini Muffins (zukes frozen from garden)
-Bologna and Cheese Sandwiches, leftover cup of soup
snacks: leftover Cheesecake Balls
total approx. cost for the day: $4.00
Tuesday:
-Basic Granola
-beans (precooked from freezer), cornbread, fermented kraut (made in summer from free cabbage)
-Oven-fried Chicken Legs (bought at .99bl), beets (free), dilled carrots (dill-free, carrots @ .49lb), oven potatoes (free from farmers during summer)
snacks:Pumpkin Breads (free -pumpkin from freezer)
total approx. cost for the day: $4.00
Wednesday:
-leftover Fried Polenta, scrambled eggs (free eggs)
-Onion Soup, (homemade broth, onions on sale) crackers, sliced oranges, leftover Pumpkin Breads
-eggs (free),home-canned fried apples (basically free), fried potatoes (free from farmers)
snacks:Cheesecake (not sure what fruit yet, perhaps jam!), celery sticks and dip
total approx. cost for the day: $1.50
Thursday:
-leftover Coconut Custard (bottom of this post) (free eggs)
-Sour Cream and Cheesy Onion Noodle-Bake, green beans (free, garden), Cole Slaw (chicken from whole chicks bought at .79lb, bulk noodles, .25 cream cheese, sale sour cream, cabbage .39 lb and several meals)
-leftovers from lunch, green salad (from raised beds)
snacks: Prune Cake

total approx. cost for the day: $4.50

Friday:
-Cream of Wheat
-Homemade Bean and Cheese Burritos (beans from dried, tortillas bought on clearance at bread store), salsa, sliced apples
-Salmon-I'm-Afraid-So, steamed broccoli
snacks: Chess Cake
total approx. cost for the day: $5.75

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Menu Plan: March 8, 2014

2014-03-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

Mexi Chicken Dish

Saturday:
-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
-White Bean and Turkey Bacon Soup (crockpot), cornbread
(small pack of turkey bacon bought on sale for $1, peppers from freezer-free)
-Mexi-Chicken Dish, clementines (beans cooked from dried and frozen, chicken bought @.99lb)
snacks:Chili-Cheese Popcorn
total daily cost approx: $5.00
Sunday:
-Breakfast Cookies from the freezer
-leftover bean soup and cornbread from Saturday
-Simple Hash,green beans from the freezer, crushed pineapple (potatoes were free from farmers, beans from our freezer, meat bought on sale, pineapple bought in #10 clearanced for $1.80, will divided through week)
snacks: Caramel Popcorn
total daily cost approx: $3.50
Monday:
-Chocolate Granola
-Turkey and Cheese Wraps, sliced apples
-Chicken Hollandaise over rice, green beans (freezer), home-canned beets, pineapple
(chicken bought at .99lb beans & beets were free)
snacks: Quick Pretzels
total daily cost approx: $3.25
Tuesday:
-Buttermilk Biscuits, fried eggs, Cinnamon-Pear Jelly
-Wintry Tomato Soup, Cottage Cheese Dinner Rolls
-Venison patties, pureed butternut squash, lima beans
(free meat, squash grown in garden)
snacks:leftover biscuits and jelly
total daily cost approx: $2.75
Wednesday:
-Muesli (with whatever dried fruit I have on hand)
-Cream of Sunshine Soup, Artisan Rolls, Basil Jelly (squash for soup-free, broth homemade-jelly too)
-Spaghetti, rolls, pineapple (I can get 3 meals from that recipe, often with leftovers)
snacks: No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
total daily cost approx: $3.00
Thursday:
-Wheat Germ Pancakes from the freezer
-Corn Chowder w/ Turkey Ham, leftover rolls from Wednesday
(corn, free-peppers free- both from freezer, potatoes free from farmers, ham bought and divided up)
-pinto beans, hot pepper jelly, cornbread, Nourishing Kraut (free cabbage from farmers last year)
snacks: Apple-Walnut Flax Cookies (apples and flax were given to me)
total daily cost approx: $3.25
Friday:
-Whole Wheat Choc Chip Waffles from the freezer
-Venison Goolash, home-canned fried apples (venison free, pasta bought on sale)
-Cheeseburger Pizza Pie, Baked Lemon Pudding Cake
snacks: Crispy Cinnamon Chips (bought tortillas at bread store for $1 a pack, may use 1/3 to 1/2 pack)
total daily cost approx: $5.75

Kefir Ranch Dip/Dressing

2014-03-06T18:04:00.001-06:00

I love kefir. Straight-up in a glass, over granola, with chocolate, in smoothies, and even rubbed on my hands when they're really dry :)

But, not everyone around here feels my affections for this nutritious treat, regardless of all the brain-washing that I try to do!

Not only is this a tasty, frugal, healthy dip/dressing, it's a great way to smuggle kefir in your less-than-enthusiastic consumers! (i.e. kids)

I have another recipe that is thinner than this one. We like this one for dipping, especially after a day or so in the fridge.

Kefir Ranch Dip/Dressing

1 cup kefir

1 cup mayo

1 small onion finely chopped

1 1/2 t lemon juice

3/4 t dried chives

1 t dried dill

2 t dried parsley

1/4 t salt

Blend well and store in refrigerator.

This thickens overnight after being well-chilled.

Pound Cake

2014-03-03T16:34:00.001-06:00

With eggs from our chickens and butter bought on sale months agao, from the freezer, I talked myself into believing this was a frugal thing to do today :)

I'm SO gullible!

More amazing than my conversations with myself are how many slices of pound cake that teenage boys can eat - at one time!

Kemmie ate 2 like the one below and the third piece was 2 1/2 times the size of the one below.

I finally said, "Don't touch the cake and stay out of the kitchen! ...Except to do the dishes...you may go do that now." :)

Perfect topped with my old-fashioned, home-canned blueberries in sugar-syrup.

Homemade Pound Cake

6 large eggs
1 cup of softened butter
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups plain flour
1/4 t baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sprinkle in the baking powder. Alternate the cream and flour, adding gradually until well-blended and smooth.

Bake in greased tube pan at 325 for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

Luke 11:11-13 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Menu Plan: March 1, 2014

2014-03-03T14:47:00.000-06:00

Saturday:
-Oatmeal
-Italian Stew, Rolls, homemade jelly
-sandwiches, bananas
snacks:apples with peanut butter
Total daily cost approx: $6.00
Sunday:
-toast and jelly
-Pizza! (a treat with a friend, but truly the biggest treat is always her company! God is good!)
-Homemade Chicken Soup (like this but with potatoes and tomatoes)
snacks: candy
Total daily cost approx: $2.00
Monday:
-Fried Eggs in home-rendered lard, toast and homemade cinnamon-pear jelly (almost free eggs)
-Lentil and Root Stew (with whatever veggies I have on hand), fried corn cakes
-Black Bean (Venison) Chili crackers (free venison, beans from dried in freezer, home-canned tomatoes)
snacks:Glazed Cranberry Bread
Total daily cost approx:$2.50
Tuesday:
-Lemon-Poppy Seed Oatmeal
-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, apples
-leftover chili, Brownies
snacks:Popcorn
Total daily cost approx: $2
Wednesday:
-Coconut Granola
-Onion Soup, French Bread
-Monkey Meat on Flatbreads (Dividing cost, I will get 3 meals from this.)
snacks: toasted bread wedges with pizza sauce, leftover brownies
Total daily cost approx: $4.75
Thursday:
-Oatmeal-Wheat Pancakes
-leftover Monkey Meat on Flatbreads, Peanut Butter Candy Bars
-15 Bean Soup (no meat), Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread
snacks: leftover bars
Total daily cost approx: $5.50
Friday:
-Masa Porridge
-leftover soup and cornbread, pb bars
-Turkey Meatball Subs on leftover French Bread
snacks: Homemade Ice Cream
Total daily cost approx: $5.00

Today's Baking- Artisan Rolls

2014-02-27T17:46:00.001-06:00

I used one of the recipes from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking

So cool to pull out your dough from the fridge, shape....fuggetaboutit for a while and then bake into these.

This dough can be made in a couple of minutes, refrigerated, and used throughout the week.

Baked per instructions, the crust is very chewy, and you can taste the unique, rustic flavor from the kosher salt. The yeast flavor becomes stronger over several days and I personally prefer it before the third day.

But the convenience! Awesome! -Especially for you working mommas.

Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Shaping Rolls and Buns, Toppings, Today's Baking, and more

2014-02-26T17:34:00.001-06:00


In keeping with the quick breads this week, I made some mini Apple-Zucchini-Pumpkin-Walnut Bread. I used the recipe for Pumpkin Bread and just mixed up the fruits and veggies.

The mini loaves I drizzled with melted white bark and the muffins I dusted with powdered sugar.

Is it just me, or is a messy table sometimes pretty?


I mean, doesn't flour everywhere just sort of say "I love you" in a wordless whisper? ...Ok, enough photographic theatrics.

Some of these are just round, button buns and others were shaped as kaiser rolls. All of them were brushed with an egg wash. The one in the center also had a powdered tomato based seasoning sprinkled on it.

In the front and center here, this bun was topped with a mix of dried roasted garlic and peppers.

This is one of my faves. The bun on the left has celery seed and dill. The one beside it, in the very center of the pic, has ground coriander. ...I also made some with dried onion, some with poppy seeds, and one with a sprinkling of triple-colored, fresh-ground peppercorns- yum! But those were gobbled up before they cooled!

Some of the dough I rolled out into a large rectangle and cut into squares, triangles, rectangles and odd shapes. They all make beautiful sandwich buns. This is simply minced garlic and dried parsley. The one in front is only garlic.

I'm seeing these style buns, stuffed with sandwich fixings, and arranged in large circles on serving platters. They look like pre-sliced pie sandwiches!

I really love this shape too. So much potential! Hot dog buns? Subs? Bread sticks?- And so easy! I used a one-day sourdough and a pizza cutter to have all this fun today.

Homemade bread dough is super frugal and easy to make. It's a great way to stretch your meals, keep things entertaining, and to dress up the same ole same oles!

Use rolls and buns for sliders, hamburgers, sloppy joes, chicken salads, BBQs, pulled pork, leftover roast, sandwiches, bean spreads like hummus etc, eggs, hot dogs, sausages (smoked and patties), egg salad, other meat salads, and more....or split for mini pizza breads :)

Prov 28:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

Menu Plan February 23, 2014

2014-02-24T21:46:00.001-06:00

This week's menu- under $30....

Sunday:
-Toasted Spelt Bread like Marilyn's, homemade jam
-Turkey and Cheese Wraps, popcorn
-scrambled fresh eggs (thanks chickens!), pineapple
snacks:treat-cheese balls and donuts (bought at Grocery Outlet: cheese balls 3/$1, $2)
total: $6.75
Monday:
-Bagels, milk
-Jumbo Banana Nut Muffins, eggs for those who wanted
-Spaghetti and Brownie Bites
snacks:clementines
total approx: $4.75
Tuesday:
-Poppy Seed Muffins
-scrambled eggs and potato wedges (basically free meal)
-Smoked Sausage on Homemade Buns (meat $1.39), sliced apples
snacks: romaine (.99 a head, divided into 3 meals) salad w/ parmesan and home-canned banana peppers, free green onions and tomatoes, crackers)
total approx: $3.50
Wednesday:
-Masa Porridge
-leftover Spaghetti from Monday, romaine salad
-leftover Italian Green Bean Stew w/ Venison, Quick Dinner (Wheat) Muffins
snacks: leftover muffins and homemade jelly
total approx: $1.50 (leftovers are free!)
Thursday:
-Millet
-Butternut Squash Soup(basically free w/ homemade and home grown ingredients), Rosemary Bubble Loaf
-Salmon Salad, stuffed celery, carrots and dip, home-canned pickles
snacks: Chocolate Cheesecake Balls, popcorn
total approx: $4.75
Friday:
-eggs and home-canned applesauce (basically free!)
-leftover Butternut Squash Soup, Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
-Cheeseburger Mac, Romaine Salad, leftover cookies
snacks: Chili-Cheese Popcorn
total approx:$4.50
Saturday:
-Vanilla Polenta
-Beef Rice-A-Roni, home-canned green beans, slaw, spicy home-canned carrots
-leftovers from lunch, leftover cookies from Friday
snacks:apples and peanut butter yogurt dip
total approx: $2.75

Baking in Picture, Today....

2014-02-24T16:31:00.002-06:00

Brownie Bites

Sour Cream Poppy Seed Muffins (I usually use yogurt.)

My All-Time-Favorite Banana Nut Muffins

In addition:

Pumpkin Breads

How to Make Your Own Brown and Serve Rolls

2014-02-12T17:34:00.001-06:00

The good news is, you can use your already-favored-recipes!

You are just going to bake them a little differently :)

You will make your dough as usual. Shape your rolls and allow them to rise.

I highly recommend that you do small pans if you do side-by-side rolls or that you space-n-shape them where they will not touch.
Doing them in a large baking sheet, touching on all sides, was difficult to get them to set. They would 'sigh' slightly once they cooled.

Once the rolls have risen, bake them for approx. 22 minutes at 275 (on well greased or buttered pan), just until a slight golden tint starts to form. The kind you have to double check to see if it's really there ;-)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Flash freeze then store in air-tight containers.

When you need rolls, place them on a baking sheet while preheating the oven to 400.
Heat for approx 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and golden.
Butter if desired.

Do You Know What Today Is?

2014-02-12T17:33:00.000-06:00

Today is Darwin's birthday- Which also means that's it's Question Evolution Day!

To celebrate, I asked a friend to give us some food-for-thought on the issue.

I thought this would be particularly interesting for home schoolers.

Old Earth, Young Earth, Atheism and Scripture
by Neil Aarons

One of the sites dedicated to ridiculing people who say odd things on Facebook and other social media had a picture of an odd comment. On New Year’s Day 2014, she wrote something like, “Wow, the world is 2,014 years old today!” Actually, that is just the current calendar’s date from the birth of Jesus (2014 A.D.), and there are a few thousand years before him (in the B.C. numbers). Personally, I think she was just trying to be funny. Someone else rudely commented, “Idiot! The earth is 20 billion years old!” Unfortunately, the guy embarrassed himself, because secular scientists tell us that the earth is about 4-1/2 billion years old, and, according to them, the universe is just under 14 billion years old. Whoops!

But just how old is the earth, really?

To go after this highly argued topic, I will have to use some specialized words. They apply to more than just the study of the earth, so you will probably be glad that you learned them now. One of those words is worldview. Everybody has a worldview. It is made up of things you know (or think you know), your learning, experiences, things you assume and so on. It adds up to how you live your life.

There is really no way to prove the age of the earth (or of the universe). People use evidence and observations, and then interpret it based on their worldviews.

Many people believe that evolution is true. They also assume that the world is very old, and need the earth to be old because most views about evolution require huge amounts of time for it to happen.

But do they know that the earth is so very old? People tend to believe what secular scientists tell them. One assumption is that “the present is the key to the past”. That is, what we see happening in nature today is constant, and it has always happened this way. But belief is not always based on truth. Methods used for coming up with the age of the earth as based on atheistic (God-denying) evolutionary worldviews. Although there are dating methods that can be calculated using the same principles, evolutionists reject them because they give ages that are too small; it does not fit their worldviews.

This is going to get fancy, but just hear me out, OK? You will hear and read about radiometric dating, which is based on comparing certain elements in igneous rocks with the elements that they decay into. Potassium into argon, rubidium into strontium, uranium into lead, and others. This demands assumptions: That they know how much, say, uranium was in the rock at the beginning, how much lead was there, and that the rate of decay did not change.

Think of filling the bathtub with water. You start with an empty tub, turn on the water, stand right there and time it. Look at this, it takes 15 minutes to fill up the tub, yippie. But wait! Suppose you saw that the tub was filling, but didn’t know how much water was there at the start. You could assume that it was empty, and start timing how long it takes to fill it. Then you stepped out for a minute. Somebody crept in and poured a bucket of water into the tub! There are two things wrong now. First, you didn’t know how much water you had to start with, and the rate of change was messed up because someone poured more water in when you weren’t looking. The same thing happens with radiometric dating, secular scientists make assumptions on three important things that they cannot prove.

Worse for them, there are certain elements in places that they do not “belong”. Diamonds are assumed to be billions of years old, but they contain Carbon-14. According to evolutionary assumptions, that is impossible, since Carbon-14 would have decayed and been gone a long time ago!

Although the Bible does not say that the earth is a certain number of years old, the chronologies (ages calculated from ancestries, the “begats”) add up to vastly different results than evolutionists and liberal Christians want to believe. These people insist on an old earth (“deep time”), and dismiss over a hundred reasons to believe that the earth is young, not old!

Evolutionists of various sorts rely on atheistic assumptions and interpretations of the evidence. Like I said, they need the world to be old because evolution requires it. Biblical creationists interpret the evidence by starting with the Bible as our foundation. We see that the evidence supports the biblical worldview, which includes the global Flood at the time of Noah (which gives a great deal of evidence for a young earth), and do not need to pretend that the Bible says things that are not there. That is, you cannot find millions of years in the Bible. Exodus 20:11 clearly states that God created the world in six days. Jesus, Peter, Paul and others in the New Testament referred to the Old Testament as literal history (see Matt. 24:37-39, Mark 10.6, Romans 1:20, 1 Cor. 15:45).

Let me mention the Flood. People portray Noah’s Ark as some kind of cute bathtub-like thing with giraffe heads sticking through the roof. No, it was a huge vessel. God judged the world with the Flood, and only eight people were saved (Noah and his family), and certain animals. People who want to dismiss the Flood as a local flood have to make excuses through the rest of Scripture, since it was talked about as a real event. Also, look closely at 2 Peter 3:3-7. Peter is not only talking about the Flood as a global judgment, but that another judgment is coming — this time by fire. Jesus is the only way to avoid that judgment. Because of his love for us, he died on the cross for our sins, was buried, then bodily raised from the dead on the third day. If we repent (turn away) from our sins, we can not only be free from the wrath to come, but become adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator of the universe.

For further information on the age of the earth, I recommend going to these links, and also searching on the sites for other information:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/age-of-the-earth (use the menu on the left side)
http://creation.com/young-age-of-the-earth-universe-qa
http://www.icr.org/age-of-the-earth/
http://youngearth.com/

Mock Maple-Nut Poppycock

2014-02-04T15:26:00.000-06:00

The first time I heard the word 'poppycock', was out of the mouth of my boys' great-grandmother. She used it as a slang word for- "you're full of it". (And she just might have said that too!) If she thought someone was giving her an incredulous story, no matter how serious they might have seemed, she would turn around while waving her hand at them and say with a scowl;

"Oh poppycock!"

Well, come to find out, the word means; nonsense or senseless chatter.

How on earth the word became associated with candied popcorn is a mystery to me ...but I would love to hear her say that again and she probably would if I told her you could MAKE homemade poppycock!

She was spunky.

Mock Maple-Nut Poppycock

9 quarts of plain popped corn (sift our kernels)

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup real maple syrup

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 t maple flavoring

dash of salt

2/3 cup pecan pieces (or more)

3/4 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 250.

Pour popcorn and pecans in buttered, lipped baking pan.

In saucepan, melt butter and stir in; brown sugar, syrup, flavorings, and salt.

Stir until butter is melted and mixture reaches 250 degrees.

Remove from heat, whisk in soda.

Pour over popcorn and toss.

Bake for 25 minutes, tossing a couple of times.

You will want to remove from pan quickly, once baked, to avoid sticking.

Cool and store in air-tight containers.

Luke 6:1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.