Posted on 06/24/2005 6:35:23 AM PDT by Gabz
I was participating in a thread the other day started by a FReeper who has started to grow his own tobacco because of the ever escalating increases in tobacco taxes.
The fact his "crop" is tobacco is neither here nor there and I only mention it as way of introduction to the idea for the title of today's thread theme.
We all got talking about the benefits of making and or growing our own things as a means of saving money and were called on the carpet by a bean counter who claims that when one adds in the time it takes to prepare the things we grow or make we are not saving any money and in fact are losing money because the time could better be spent doing soemthing that actually pays money.
I disagree and would like all of your opinions.
If you are putting them in soup just slide them into boiling broth.
If you are going to do them with a sauce, do them in boiling water and then drain. They don't require rinsing. They don't have the pasty taste of store bought pasta.
This recipe makes very light noodles and they are a little fragile. They are too delicate for a robust sauce.
The dough for dried pasta is a hard flour.
The pasta machine makes the thinning process and the cutting easier. But a rolling pin is the old fashioned way.
No baking, you can air dry but it isn't mandatory.
It is easier to work with smaller chunks of dough. Rolling all of it at once will make a sheet about the size of a newspaper and really long noodles.
Start out with a chunk a little smaller than an egg. And start rolling. You also get the practice of adding just enough flour. Too little and it will stick to everything, too much and it will be a brittle crumbly product.
A little labor intensive but you will not get a store egg noodle any better.
I use the same recipe for chicken and dumplings. (My German Grandma's recipe) Just cut diamonds with a pizza cutter, you want them no wider than an inch. They get wider when cooked.
Ping for later
careful about 'growing your own'. SCOTUS will claim you are interfering with interstate commerce. ;)
Oh yes! Just the thought of that first tomato makes my mouth water. And we're already enjoying basil, cilantro, parsley, dill and rosemary. Nice to see you on a thread besides NH!
I love to can! We just made strawberry jam last week. Enough to last the whole year. We always do pick your own fruit, it is just more fun!
I'm a coupon clipper, sales watcher. I will go to a few grocery stores to shop, get things when they are on sale, I am not store loyal at all.
I sold that book NEW on eBay. You probably could have saved money buying it from me.
Mystery Shopper! Some woman recently took me to lunch c/o the Mystery Shopper. The meal was FREE!
Yep. I just followed a link one day recently and figured "What the heck", filled out the application and Ta Da! - I should be able to get 75 to 95% of my groceries free.
This is another company that does meals mostly. . .
Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone cause I hear it is DEMOCRAT run COSTCO.:-)
I live in Eastern Washington State.
While I understand your point - I respectfully disagree. I took myself out of the "earning" pool several years ago to be a full time SAHM...that alone saved tons of money because I do not have to pay for child care. And so therefore everything I do is on "my own time," thus saving lots of money :)
My tip.
Dry your laundry in the sun.
Nothing beats the smell of laundry dried in the fresh air :) Now if I could just get my hubby to put up another clothes line for me!
I totally agree with you regarding birthday bashes one can ill-afford.............I put those in the same category as any purchases that one can not afford.
Our daughter wants a swimming pool (so do I) but it is out of the question for at least another month, so yesterday we spent $8 and bought one of the water slide things that lays on the ground and attaches to the hose...........she'll get to play in the water and my berry bushes and fruit tree will get watered without me having to lift a finger :)
Absolutely NOT a chick thread - EVERYONE is welcome!
Good luck with the Mystery shopper. I had looked into it a couple years ago, but there was never a call for it in my area and definitely not where we live now :(
I'll check out the Craigslist link - thanks!
Be careful because according to Mark Levin, homegrowers can run afoul of the interstate commerce clause in the constitution as determined by a liberal activist supreme court back in the day.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!
It's amazing how many people have commented about the commerce clause ruling and home gardening.
I don't see what the big to do is over growing a "weed" but it seems to me that until there is federal law against growing one's own veggies that ruling won't impact any of us home growers.
Sorry for the misunderstanding - not enough caffeine in me at the time :)
There's a couple of hit or miss salvage stores in my area. Places where truck salvage goods are sold retail.
Lots of odd ball stuff but I make it a point to hit them about once a month or so just because you never know what is going to come in next.
For example, I bought several Calphalon frying pans for $4 each once and some Ralph Lauren Polo shirts for $3 each. I have bath vanities that take 4, clear-globe bulbs that costs $3 each at Home Depot. I buy them at the salvage place for a $1. I also get my kitchen and laundry soap there at el cheapo prices.
Also there are great deals on food items as well. Usually I'll only buy the dry goods where I can see an expiration date or confirm a sealed package (taco seasoning, rice, etc.) I'm leary of any edibles with liquid in them coming out of a salvage place.
I used to shop in place like that - my niece dubbed it the "used food" store!!!!!!!!
Like a lot of folks, we think living in the country and having pets is great....... but those darn FLEAS!
To safely and inexpensively get rid of fleas, salt you carpets!
Yep, good old table salt will kill the buggers dead!
Just vacuum, lightly sprinkle salt over the entire carpet and vacuum again 24 hours later.
Now it won't make your house smell *pretty* like those 5-buck-a-pop flea killing carpet powders, but for 30 cents and a flea-free house, who's gonna argue?
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