Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
Food Gifts for Christmas
Several pages of suggestions, recipes and links.
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/6200.aspx
All Day Slow Cooker Recipes
I would really like to start using my slow cooker to make meals, but during the week, the food inside of it would be left unattended for 9-10 hours. All of the recipes that I see are for 5-6 hour stretches on low and may even include suggestions to stir once during cooking. Can you help provide me with some slow cooker recipes? Thanks so much!
Rachel R.
Love This Cookbook!
I found Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good’s Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with Your Slow Cooker to be very helpful. Many of these slow cooker recipes can be cooked either on low for all day (8-12 hours) or for half a day (4-6 hours) on high. Even the recipes that say 8 hours can sometimes be stretched out to 10 hours on low with no ill effect. There is no need to open and stir. In fact, it’s best not to when using the low setting because it takes so much time to heat back up to cooking temperature. I’ve marked my favorites in this book and we go back to them over and over.
Marsha in Tacoma, WA
The Beauty of Beans
I have found many wonderful all-day slow cooker recipes in vegetarian slow cooker cookbooks. Bean recipes are particularly good in this category, as beans will cook slowly and hold their shape as they absorb flavor from other ingredients. Beans are also inexpensive, tasty and good for you. They are packed with fiber and other nutrients.
If you have access to a computer, then check out www.allrecipes.com for great slow cooker recipes. And remember that in most cases, cooking a bit longer won’t hurt your meal at all.
Another solution is to purchase a slow cooker that has a built-in timer to switch a meal from the low setting to the warm setting. However, I would start with adapting recipes first, since that is the more frugal approach.
Barbara
From Freezer to Slow Cooker
I make soup, stew or casseroles and then freeze them in plastic containers that are smaller than my slow cooker. On mornings that I need a meal ready when I get home, I take out a ready but frozen meal, pop it out of the container and into the slow cooker, and put the slow cooker on low. Slowly it will defrost and then warm up. It will eventually be hot when you get home. Sometimes you have to run hot water on the outside of the container to loosen the meal or place it in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes.
C
Chill Ingredients Overnight
I’ve used a slow cooker for 30 years. On the lowest setting meals are rarely overcooked after 8-10 hours. You can assemble ingredients the night before (so all the peeling and paring is done) and place them in a bowl in the fridge overnight. Because the ingredients are cold, they’ll take and extra hour or two to cook, which gives you that extra time you need.
Carrie
Use Frozen Meat
I’m sure you’ll get fabulous slow cooker recipes, but one easy thing I have found to do with my slow cooker is to use frozen meat. I’ll freeze chicken thighs (make sure that they freeze in a way that will fit into the slow cooker) and put them on low. By the time you come home, they will be ready and perfect. I’ve done this with a small pork shoulder (fat side up), a bottle of barbecue sauce, and an onion. It is delicious! This can be done with a turkey breast as well. Add mushroom soup, an onion, celery, and a small cube of chicken bouillon to the turkey breast. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven when you taste it.
Cristina
Tried-and-True Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
Here are some slow cooker recipes for over 8 hours that are tried and true:
Beef Stew
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup flour 4 carrots, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt 3 potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp. pepper 1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup barley
1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup water
Put meat in slow cooker. Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Pour over meat and stir to coat meat with flour. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours (high for 4-6 hours). Stir stew thoroughly before serving. Serves 6.
Cornmeal Dumplings
1/2 cup flour 1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 TBSP. skim milk
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 TBSP. sugar
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, and oil. Stir into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto soup. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more without lifting lid until end of cooking. Serves 6 to 8.
Slow Cooked Rump Roast
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 TBSP. flour
2 carrots, sliced
1 TBSP. prepared mustard
1 onion, sliced 1 TBSP. chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2-4 lb. rump roast, fat removed
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Place potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic in bottom of pot. Place in rump roast. Salt and pepper to taste. Make a smooth paste of flour, mustard, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and sugar. Spread over top of roast. Cook on low 10-12 hours (or high 5-6 hours).
Corned Beef and Cabbage
3 carrots, cut in 3-inch pieces
2-3 medium onions, quartered
2-3 potatoes, peeled and sliced
cabbage, cut in small wedges
3-4 lb. corned beef brisket
1-2 cups water
Put all ingredients in slow cooker in order listed. Cover and set to Low for 12-20 hours. (High: 7-10 hours) Push cabbage wedges down into liquid after 5-6 hours (Low) or 2-3 hours (high).
To prepare more cabbage than slow cooker will hold with large brisket, cook it separately in skillet. Remove 1 cup of broth from crock pot during last hour of cooking. Pour over cabbage wedges in skillet. Cover and cook slowly for 20-30 minutes.
California Chicken
3 lbs. chicken, quartered
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 TBSP. green pepper, chopped
2 TBSP. soy sauce
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 TBSP. molasses (optional)
In bottom of slow cooker, arrange chicken quarters. In a small bowl, combine orange juice, chili sauce, soy sauce, molasses, dry mustard, and garlic salt. Pour over chicken. Do this at night before going to bed. Place it in the slow cooker liner and leave it in the refrigerator until morning allowing the meat to marinate.
Before work the next morning, take slow cooker out and plug it in. Simmer chicken at low setting for up to 10 hours. Add green peppers and oranges 30 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
from Country Friends Collection Crockery Cooking
8-10 potatoes, sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups ham, cubed
1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, diced
Layer one ingredient at a time, starting with potatoes, ham, onion and cheese in a 5-quart slow cooker. When done layering, pour soup over the top. Do not mix. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Makes 6-8 servings.
Debra in MA
Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe
This recipe is a standard for our family. It’s easy, and I routinely cook it on low for 8-10 hours.
Fake Rotisserie Chicken
1 whole chicken
Lawry’s seasoned salt
aluminum foil
Make 5 balls of aluminum foil and place in bottom of the slow cooker. Remove giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with water. Place chicken on top of aluminum foil balls (this keeps the chicken out of its grease while it is cooking). Sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. You can also cook on high for 6 hours.
Leslie
Still Need More Slow Cooker Recipes?
You’ll find over 400 recipes at www.50plusfriends.com/cookbook/crockpot/index-5b.html.
Loreen
Slow Cooker Potato Trick
I always prepare my slow cooker “dish” the night before and put it into my freezer compartment in a dish the size of my slow cooker. When I get up in the morning, I take it out of the freezer and drop it into the slow cooker. However, I find that if I am making stew and adding potatoes, I have to blanch the potatoes before freezing them or they turn dark, and according to the kids, they “look yucky.” Blanching (two to three minutes) in boiling water is enough. Now, with slow cooker liners, it is even easier to move your supper from freezer to slow cooker. There is also a programmable slow cooker out there, and if you are ever purchasing a new one, you might want to look into one of that type. I may investigate this option the next time I buy.
Marion
Cook the Night Before
I cook the food overnight instead of during the day. Then I don’t worry about leaving the slow cooker on and unattended during the day. You have more flexibility with time also. It takes less time to just pop the food into the refrigerator verses preparing the recipe in the morning.
Sharlin
Adapting to a Longer Cooking Time
Here are some suggestions to adapt your slow cooker to a longer schedule:
1. Buy a plug-in timer, like the kind used for Christmas lights or to turn lights on and off when you’re on vacation. Plug the slow cooker into that, and set it to start a couple of hours after you leave in the morning. If the food in the slow cooker is cold from the fridge, it won’t spoil in that time. Test the timer by using it for the first time when you are at home to make sure it comes on. Also, make sure that it’s rated for the proper load. Wouldn’t want to start any fires.
2. Put the meat into the slow cooker frozen. This works especially well for chicken, which gets overcooked more quickly than other meat. Also, it helps to prevent any threat of spoilage if used in combination with the timer as in the above suggestion.
3. Most stew-type recipes are quite forgiving. You can stir just before serving. We leave our slow cooker on from 7:30am to 6pm with things like beef stew, beef bourguinon, lamb stew and chili, and there’s no loss of quality. Pulled pork or beef for sandwiches improves with the longer cooking time. Sometimes the dishes benefit from the addition of some flour and water or sour cream at the end of cooking to bind the sauce together. Chicken dishes work better applying the two suggestions above.
Evelyn
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Reader Recipes,
Grocery and Food Tips
We get the greatest ideas from our readers. Here are just a few of the many money and time saving ideas that have appeared in “The Dollar Stretcher”. If you’d like to share a recipe with our visitors, there’s a link to send e-mail to the editor of The Dollar Stretcher at the end of this page. Tips are dated based on when they were reviewed by our editor, not necessarily when they were added to the web site. Thanks!
updated April 5, 1997
Chewy Granola Bars
Adapted from one I found on a Quaker Oats box years ago. This is very easy and good! The original recipe used sunflower seeds and coconut, which my family does not eat. Also, I changed the sweetener from brown sugar to honey to cut out the refined sugar.
1 cup honey
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 2/3 cups rolled oats (the old fashioned kind work the best)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 cups of mix-ins in any combination of the following:
coconut, raisins, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, unsalted peanuts (pref. NOT dry-roasted), miniature M&Ms, any finely chopped fruit such as dates, apricots, apples, etc.
Mix honey and peanut butter until well blended. It might help to warm the honey in the microwave about 20 seconds on “High” so that it is not so stiff. Stir in oats, flour wheat germ and mix-ins. If mixture seems too dry, add water 1 Tbsp at a time. If it is too sticky, add oats 1 Tbsp at a time. Mixture should not be so sticky that you can’t spread it easily in a pan with greased fingers. Press into a 9x13 pan lightly greased. Bake at 350 until barely browned. Cut while warm into desired size bars. When completely cool, remove from pan with a greased spatula. Allow to “season” on a cutting board until they can be picked up easily without falling apart. Wrap each bar in a small sandwich bag or plastic wrap and store in a zip loc bag. These freeze well. You can adapt the mix-ins (chips, fruit, nuts) according to what your family can eat. If you have some fall apart, save them for ice cream topping. yum!
A great, cheap hit! :)
Deb from Maryland
(4/5/97)
Camper’s Breakfast
I would like to offer my suggestion for a hot, nourishing breakfast of cereal that is similar to the oatmeal in today’s newsletter - but goes just a bit further. This rendition is slanted towards camping circumstances, but applies to home as well.
Mama Judie’s
STICK TO YOUR RIBS BREAKFAST CEREAL
If you want a breakfast that will stay with you on a hike, but not take up a lot of time to fix, try this cooked cereal. Everyone can eat a simple, nourishing breakfast, no matter what one’s taste choices and time crunches are. Fresh fruit in season is also a nice addition.
Ingredients:
Combine equal parts of rye, wheat, barley and thick oat flakes. I use a pound of each per batch I make up.
Directions:
For each serving, bring one cup of water to the boil and add a half cup of cereal mixture. Stir and turn the fire off and let it sit for twenty minutes or longer. If you are in a real hurry, you can leave the fire on low, but it is hard to keep a gas burner lit at a very low flame.
During this soaking time, you can put in any additions that appeal to you. I use coconut, chopped dates and chopped dried apricots. My husband likes dried cranberries in his. Any dried fruit is really good and it soaks up the water and becomes full and luscious.
Serve as you would any hot cereal. I mix in about a cup of yogurt and then sprinkle sesame seeds, wheat germ, toasted coconut and toasted pecans on mine. My husband uses less yogurt, and adds maple syrup, the coconut and nuts, and then granola and little shredded wheat biscuits.
So the possibilities are endless. Just put on what you like. You may want to reheat a bit before serving.
Another method is to put the cereal and boiling water in a vacuum bottle at night. In the morning it is all prepared - faster than pouring out cold cereal from a box!
For really cold weather camping, make this in the bottom of a double boiler and heat the bowls in the top part! A small luxury!
Eating well is at least half the fun of camping!
—Judie A.
(4/5/97)
Soda Savings
One of your readers mentioned the savings attributable to bringing a six-pack of canned sodas to work that you have bought at the grocery store. This is done to replace those expensive sodas out of the workplace’s vending machines. Some of these machines sell sodas from a low $.50 to a high of $1.00 per can. I typically drink a soda in the morning and one for lunch. This amounts to $1.00 to $2.00 per day or $5.00 to $10.00 per week. Buying the canned sodas from a discount chain is a great idea but I would like to suggest one step further. The 2 liter bottles of your favorite drink can be bought these days for $0.80 to $1.00. Two liter bottles contain approx. 68 ounces of soda, this equals 6.8 cans of soda, therefore two of these bottles will get you through the week with a start on the next week. Most offices provide ice and cups free of charge, if not they usually have a refrigerator with freezer compartment where ice can be made, otherwise you can keep your 2-liter in the refrigerator and bring your own favorite plastic cup from home. Either way you can save from $4.00 to $9.00 a week with this method. This amounts to $208 to $468 a year. Maybe after a few years of savings like this, you can buy your own vending machine and really make some money. One other note if you care to take this further, many discount chains and grocery stores offer there own brands of sodas in 2 liter bottles. Some of these can be bought as low as $0.50 for a 2 liter bottle, this will increase your savings even further. A final step is to take empty 2-liter bottles and fill them at home with a Kool-Aid type beverage, juice or tea. These items may even be more healthy for you and the savings may increase even further. Thanks for providing a parking lot for ideas!
—M.D.
(4/5/97)
Grocery Savings
I’m glad you’re going to do some stories about saving on groceries. You may have heard this before but I have to say that the “price book” described in Amy D’s Tightwad book made a HUGE difference in our lives. We now truly know how much things cost and can compare from store to store. It’s surprising to find that Costco doesn’t necessarily have the lowest prices on all items or that the “ritzy” grocery store has some great deals.
An example: My husband wanted to make a chicken recipe two weeks ago but we didn’t have any chicken and it wasn’t on sale. We know from our price book that chicken breasts periodically go on sale for 99 cents a pound (down from $1.99 a pound) at a store near our house. I told my husband to wait until we could get the sale price. The next week, chicken went on sale and we bought 25 pounds. By consulting the price book we saved $25 on chicken. That’s a tidy little sum!
The other thing I wanted to say is that we bought a freezer a few months ago for Christmas and it is turning out to be one of the best things we have ever bought. When you buy 25 pounds of chicken for a 2-person household, you need to freeze some. Also, we make double and triple batches of things and freeze one and two person meals. Then we have quick dinner options when we both come home late from work — and we can take great food to work for lunch (instead of paying outrageous prices for deli sandwiches). The freezer is paying for itself quickly.
We use all grocery money-saving ideas we can: coupons, specials, price book, buying day-old foods, store brands, replacing store-bought convenience foods with homemade items, etc. Used in combination, these strategies can truly slash your grocery bills.
Thanks for all the great $ Stretcher columns!
sue
(4/5/97)
Sandwich Time Saver
I save time and money making all the sandwiches after I buy the ingredients then freeze them. I pack the sandwich frozen with condiments and snacks in the morning and by lunch time it’s defrosted and still cool.
—CD
(4/5/97)
Grocery shopping
In your tips for saving money at the grocery store, you missed one of the most important tips - research. In my area, Cincinnati, most of the major supermarkets routinely advertise in the food section of the Sunday newspaper. In addition, a company called “The Door Store” delivers sale flyers to my door. The ad in the newspaper usually only promotes the super specials at each store. The sale flyers, though, may be as large as four-six pages.
Of course, just because an item is advertised does not necessarily mean it is on sale. That why it’s imperative to know what is a good price for the items you normally buy. During the last ten years that I have been watching grocery prices, I have compiled a list of regular and sale prices on products that I routinely buy. (If any of your readers would like a copy of my list they may e-mail me at RobertaPaolo@Juno.com.)
Other points to consider:
* I never prepare a menu. Almost every week, one cut or another of meat is on sale at a really good price. Each week I buy enough for multiple meals of whatever is on sale. As a result, I usually have a choice of chicken, pork and beef in my freezer. I might add that my freezer is the top of the refrigerator kind. By combining the meat choices with food in my well stocked pantry, I always have a variety of things to chose from. The only time I purchase frozen prepared foods is when I get them for next to nothing, so my freezer is usually not filled with space taking boxes.
* I stock my pantry the same way I stock my freezer, buy buying extra whenever things are on sale. I compiled a list of the things I like to have on hand. The list includes everything from spices to canned and dry goods. I don’t wait until my sugar canister is empty, for example, before buying more. Whenever an area store has it for 99 cents, I buy it. There is power in stockpiling. If I go to the store and “have” to buy sugar, I am powerless, I have to pay whatever the store is charging that week.
* Buy reading the sale flyers, I have learned the sales cycle and know when to expect certain items to go on sale and for how much. I’ve learned, for example, that early summer is the time to buy things like pork and beans, catsup, BBQ sauce, mustard and other condiments. Once a year I buy enough pork and beans to last until the next year.
* Never buy anything at regular price, including store brands. Store brands go on sale the same as national brands do. A national brand, on sale, is usually less expensive than a store brand at regular price.
* Don’t underestimate the power of manufacturer coupons. Manufacturer coupons are especially helpful with saving money on things like, condiments, health & beauty aids, and laundry and household cleaning products. Spend your coupons wisely by always combining them with store sales. An item bought on sale without a coupon is usually less expensive than one bought at regular price with a coupon.
* The two major concerns most people have regarding stockpiling is (a) the potential of food spoiling before it can be used and (b) where to store it.
(a) To learn how long food can be stored, check the package. Many products, like cereal, have expiration dates right on the package. You may be amazed at how long you can keep a unopened box of cereal - .six months to a year is not uncommon. Some things, like mustard, can be stored for up to two years. For a comprehensive list of how long to store pantry and freezer items, contact your local extension agency.
(b) I’ve found that the only people who are concerned about storing a stockpile are those who have never done it. Once you’ve done it, you learn it’s really a non-issue. Although I do recommend storing like things together, the entire stockpile does not have to be kept in one place.
* I don’t recommend shopping with children, not because I can’t tell them no, but because they break my concentration on the task at hand.
An aside:
Teach children to be smart shoppers from the beginning. My three-year-old granddaughter knows from shopping with me that I never buy anything unless it’s on sale. One day, when shopping at the grocery, for example, she would ask if we could by grapes and I told her “No, they’re not on sale and Grandma doesn’t buy anything that’s not on sale.” She has heard this so many times that now she says, “Grandma will you check and see if that is on sale?”
—Roberta
(4/5/97)
Homemade Chewy Granola Bar
This is in response to Rhonda from Ohio who requested a recipe for the above. I think these are wonderful!
1-1/4 cups Bisquick
1-1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 egg
Mix. until crumbly. Add your choice of dried fruit, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips—whatever!
Press into ungreased 13x9 pan; bake in 250 oven 15-17 minutes or until center is set.
Cut while warm—makes about 27 bars.
vlk
(4/5/97)
Soft Granola Bars
This is recipe for soft granola bars:
1c. honey
1c.raisins or dates, diced
1c. safflower oil
1c. nuts, chopped (optional)
2 eggs
2t. cinnamon
2c. oats
1t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. w/w flour
1/4t. salt
Heat oven to 350. Butter pan (13x9 or 15x10x1 or 2 round cake pans).
Blend honey, oil, and eggs in large bowl with spoon till smooth. Combine dry ingredients; add raisins and nuts; add to liquids. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 17-22 minutes just till center is set but not firm. Do not overcook. Drizzle evenly with honey glaze (optional). Cool completely. Cut into 40 bars.
Honey glaze: Heat 1/3 c. honey and 2 T. butter in pan over medium heat till heated throughout, stirring constantly.
(This recipe doubles and freezes well. Consider using it for breakfast with milk poured over it, and for cookie exchanges. And here’s a tip for plump raisins in baked goodies: let them sit in warm water while mixing the other ingredients. Drain and stir into recipe. They won’t burn or shrivel while baking; makes a big difference.) Enjoy!!
Ginger, Texas
(4/5/97)
Cutting Your Food Bill
I decided to cut my bill in half several years ago . We are a family of four with two teenage boys who eat a heck of a lot. We live in an area where food is expensive, but I now spend between $50 and $60 a week on groceries, and I could spend less but I choose not to. Here’s how:
1. Check all grocery flyers each week, circle what’s on sale. I go to two or three stores to fill in the groceries each week. If basics (flour, butter, sugar) are on sale, buy in quantity (but not too large a quantity because you don’t want to waste) .
2. I buy breakfast cereal, which the boys eat in large quantities, only if it’s about 10 cents an ounce or less - only possible if it’s on sale and you have a coupon. I clip coupons only for breakfast cereal and drug items. The rest of the coupons are usually for foods that are too expensive to begin with, I think.
3. I make our menus up after I’ve gotten home from the grocery store with what was on sale to avoid having to buy ingredients that are expensive. By now, I have a stock list of staples in the house and recipes with which I can always make a meal, no matter what was on sale this week.
4. Look around for cheap recipes. We eat mostly vegetarian, and I have many healthy recipes that are incredibly cheap. Bean and rice burritos, cabbage and tofu stir-fry, potato-carrot soup, many different soups and many different pasta sauces. There are many books and magazines that deal with cheap and healthy recipes all the time.
5. Eliminate sodas and most junk food (we still buy pretzels and frozen yogurt, sometimes - if it’s on sale). I make our cookies and snacks. Again, there are lots of easy recipes out there. It does take more time, but I think it’s worth it to cut our food budget more than in half.
6. Almost never buy prepared foods. The exception I make is for pierogies, which is a quick and healthy meal and which I can buy in bulk on sale, and sometimes veggie hot dogs and burgers when they’re on sale.
7. Make all the lunches for school and work and vary them.
8. We don’t go out to eat unless its a special occasion, and we seem to enjoy it more than when we went out a lot. We choose restaurants that we think we’ll really enjoy instead of the usual fast food or chain type places. It averages to going out about once every two months.
It all takes more time and effort, but our savings have gone up much more than I ever would have imagined. The trick with kids though is to vary the menu a lot. If I serve them the same things each week, they complain. So, I have lots of recipes to choose from.
—Deborah
(4/5/97)
Microwave Granola Bars
This recipe has the advantage of being all microwave-cooked — no opening the oven and stirring every five minutes.
1 / 2 c butter
2 c quick-cooking oats
1 / 2 c brown sugar
1 / 4 c dark corn syrup
1 t vanilla
1 / 4 t salt
Optional items: raisins, shredded coconut, chocolate morsels, chopped nuts
In large glass bowl, microwave butter on HIGH 45 seconds to 1 minute (till melted). Stir in remaining items, mixing well. Spread evenly into greased (I use the wrapper from the butter quarter-stick to grease) 8x8 glass baking dish. Microwave on high 4-6 minutes (till bubbly). Remove. Spread/pat to even-out surface. (At this point you can sprinkle with chocolate morsels). Microwave again 4-6 minutes on *MEDIUM*. Remove. (If used chocolate morsels, spread morsels out over surface, sprinkle with nuts.) Chill one hour. Cut into bars.
Hints: You might want to make pseudo-cuts before you chill — makes it easier to cut bars after chilling. Mine tend to be less-chewy, but I’ve made them chewy — just fool with the ingredients till you get the consistency you want. For my next attempt, I’m going to try using a fat-free spread (Fleischman’s) in place of the 1 / 2 c butter.
—Jim P.
(4/5/97)
Granola Bars
1 cup granola
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins or mixed dried fruit bits
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil. Grease the foil; set pan aside. In a mixing bowl combine granola, oats, nuts, flour, and raisins. Stir in egg, honey, oil, brown sugar, and, if desired, cinnamon. Press evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till lightly browned around the edges. Cool. Use foil to remove from pan. Cut into bars. Makes 24.
My cookbook lists, for each serving, 139 calories; 2 g. protein; 16 g. carbohydrate; 8 g. fat (ouch!); 11 mg. cholesterol; 5 mg. sodium; and 99 mg. potassium. Not exactly low-fat, is it? Maybe someone can use this recipe anyway!
Susan in Ft. Worth
(4/5/97)
Baking Tips
I ‘m still new at frugality but I have one little trick that I use. Every week I bake four loaves of bread for the week. When they are still pretty warm from the oven i rub them with the empty wrapper from butter or margarine. There is always enough on the paper for this. I just put the empty wrappers in a zip lock bag in the fridge for the week so that on baking day I have them available. Also I try to do any other baking on the same day so that I don’t waste time and energy preheating more than once.
—Judith C.
(4/5/97)
Many Hands Make...
One way that I’ve saved money in the past is to host a monthly get-together of friends who want to try new recipes as well as share old favorites. We make large batches of food, split the food evenly among friends, and package in containers that we bring from home. This is an excellent way to try new food, save money since you’re buying in bulk, and spend a fun afternoon with friends. It’s also nice because you don’t have a lot of any one dish, rather you have a variety of meals for the month.
—Ann R.
(3/12/97)
Use Commissary for Shopping
Reader Question: We are a family of 5. Our youngest child is classified as special needs and requires a special restricted-type meal plan. How can I keep to a budget that will meet his needs in addition to those of the rest of the family? Can anyone give me some ideas? We’re a military family.
—RJ
First and foremost—shop at the commissary at your base! At least half of the military families I know do not use this benefit, which will save you 20-30% off your grocery bills (even compared to the lower-priced chains). Your request wasn’t very specific in terms of what the special dietary needs are, but you will find most whole foods (as opposed to convenience foods) will be significantly cheaper at the commissary. Special food supplements are generally significantly less expensive there also. Be sure to differentiate between what the rest of the family NEEDS, as opposed to what they WANT. They need breakfast, but they do not need $4.00/box sugar frosted name-brand cereal. If your commissary isn’t conveniently close, shop once a week or once a month. Buy your milk at a wholesale club if you belong (recent price checks in my area show Price Costco beat our commissary by almost 30c a gallon). You will notice when shopping at the warehouse stores that most of the food on their shelves is convenience food. Find out the best local store(s) for produce and other perishables. Clip coupons (& get your kids to help). Check out the sale ads for the supermarkets and when a great sale comes along on something you NEED, stock up!
—Valerie
California Vegetarian Chili
and Simple Pizza Dough
Hi Gary!
Here is another crockpot recipe. It is very nutritious, low-fat, and inexpensive to make.
California Vegetarian Chili
# 2 cloves garlic, minced (I use the garlic in a jar that you spoon out)
# 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
# 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
# 2 14-1/2-ounce cans ready-cut tomatoes, undrained
# 1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
# 1 16-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
# 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), drained
# 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained
# 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
# 1 teaspoon oregano
# 1 teaspoon ground cumin
# 1 tablespoon chili powder
Throw everything into the crockpot. Heat on low 8 hours or so, or heat on high 4 hours or so. Great served with tossed green salad and cornbread.
Per serving: 320 calories, 17 grams protein, 64 grams carbohydrate, 18 grams fiber, 3 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 232 milligrams sodium (unless you use low-sodium canned corn and beans).
Enjoy!
Barbara B, who would rather sew than cook
Simple Pizza Dough
The Pizza Dough I use is this:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. salt
1Tblsp oil
1 pkg. yeast
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
This makes enough dough for one large pizza or a cookie sheet size. I am not in the habit of fixing a dry mix ready to make pizza but this recipe mixes up quickly and can be doubled if necessary.
—Evelyn
Pizza Crusts
This is out of a bread maker cookbook. I do make it in the breadmaker on dough cycle, but I can only imagine it’s workable by hand. I make the double batch for one fresh crust and freeze the other half of the dough, and it works well, even risen.
# 1 2/3 cups water and 2 Ta dry milk OR fresh milk to replace water works well. I even use skim.
# 2 Ta oil
# 1 tsp lemon juice (can be left out if replaced by liquid, but it gives “bite”, also substitute vinegar)
# 1 tsp salt (I once left salt out entirely and the dough tasted fine)
# 2 Ta sugar (you must put this in, however, or your yeast will starve)
# 4 1/2 cups flour
# 2 tsp active yeast (we all know how to test yeast?)
Bake your crust (with all the good stuff on it) at 425 for ~20-25 min.
Hope this helps and happy baking. :)
—Chris :)
Pizza Dough
The best I can do is give you the Hot Roll Mix recipe from Make-a-Mix Cooking. You would have to add yeast to this when you’re ready to make a batch of pizza dough. You may wish to replace part of the flour with whole wheat, too.
Hot Roll Mix
5 lbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 t. salt
1 c. instant nonfat dry milk
Stir all ingredients together to distribute evenly. Put in a large airtight container. Label.
Have fun!
Lee Ann
Crockpot Enchiladas
Here are some good crockpot recipes.
* Exported from MasterCook *
CROCKPOT ENCHILADAS
Serving Size : 6
Amount Measure — Ingredient — Preparation Method
# 1 lb Hamburger
# 1 Onion, chopped
# 4 1/2 oz Can chopped chilies
# 1 cn Mild enchilada sauce
# 10 1/2 oz Golden mushroom soup
# 10 1/2 oz Cheddar cheese soup
# 10 1/2 oz Cream of mushroom soup
# 10 1/2 oz Cream of celery soup
# 1 pk Dorito chips
Brown hamburger and chopped onion, pour off grease. Put all ingredients in crock pot except Doritos chips. Mix and cook low 4 to 6 hours. Last 15 minutes before you are ready to eat, add Dorito chips and stir.
—Barbara
Inexpensive Ham and Rice
I don’t have a crock pot but here’s my favorite meal! I make a large batch, and eat it all week (it nukes well, but try not to freeze it, the rice ends up a bit weird).
Ham Simmered Rice (Pork fried rice done differently)
# Cooked rice (3 cups or so)
# Similar amounts of peas and ham (cut in pea-sized chunks) (1/2 cup each)
# Chopped garlic, onion
# Ginger, pepper
# Soy sauce
cook the garlic and onion lightly, dump in the meat and vegetable (heat until thawed if you are using frozen), add the spices, add the cooked rice (may need to add a bit of extra water), put on a bit of soy sauce, simmer slightly.
Ham is expensive, and I don’t miss it if I cut back a bit and increase the peas. You can freeze ham cubes. I usually have ham for dinner when I need to impress somebody, then immediately chop up and freeze the rest in margarine containers which are easily thawed. I cook rice often enough that I can plan ahead and cook a whole bunch the previous night, and I buy peas frozen in a bag so it’s easy to break off a hunk to use in this.
—Jean D.
A Pizza Recipe
with Planned Extra Meals
Here’s a dough recipe for the person who was looking to make her own pizza crust. I generally make about a quadruple batch, and then freeze the dough in single-pizza balls. Then the night before I want it, I get the dough out of the freezer. After it’s thawed, I just shape it as usual.
For a large, thick-crust pizza on a cookie sheet:
1 T. yeast (original recipe said quick-rising, but I just use whatever I can find cheap in bulk)
1 c. lukewarm water
1.5 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
2 cups or so of flour. I like whole wheat, personally.
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the oil, salt, and flour.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed to keep the dough from getting sticky. (Now is the point where if you’re making larger batches, you can freeze the dough.)
Put the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 5 - 10 minutes while you’re fixing the filling.
We like vegetarian pizzas, and since these tend to get a little watery, I usually make the sauce by seasoning tomato paste. I roll the dough out onto a cookie sheet, spread it with the sauce, and cover it with whatever veggies are reasonbly-priced at or avaialable in the garden. I bake it at 400 F for maybe 15 minutes, then spread mozzarella on and bake for 10 - 15 minutes more. The other advantage to this approach is that you can use less cheese, thus reducing fat and cholesterol.
— Judith B.
Tomato Meat Sauce
One of the best recipes that we use is a tomato meat sauce one that can be used on pizza, spagatti and in baked pasta dishes
# 1 - 100 oz can of crushed tomatoes (we get ours at costco)
# 1 - lb. of hamburger
# 4 - tablespoons of Italian seasoning
# 1\2 teas spoon of crushed garlic
# 2 - glugs of white vinegar (about 1\3 cup)
# salt to taste
brown the hamburger with the garlic and spices (not the salt). Then add crushed tomatoes, vinegar, and salt. when heated through pour into plastic bags and freeze. we freeze it in 1 1\2 cups portions, this covers 2 pizza’s.
—Richard L.
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/3484.aspx
Need Quick slow cooker ideas
“Ham Bone Soup”
Leftover Ham, including bone.
One package of 16-bean soup mix, ham flavor (they sell at Kroger’s)16oz.
One onion, diced
Two minced garlic cloves
Two or three celery stalks
Two or three carrots
One small can of tomato sauce, 8 oz.
Rinse and soak the beans the night before in a bowl, covering them with water. In the morning, rinse and drain beans and place in the crockpot. Add ham and cover with water. Add chopped onion and garlic. Dice carrots and celery, add to crockpot also. Add can of tomato sauce. Cook all day on low or half day on high. Usually there is a ham flavor packet included in the beans, I add this later on along with any salt needed. Sometimes I add one tsp. of dried seasonings, such as oregano or thyme, but that is up to you.
Another Roast Recipe(Crockpot)
1 can of cream of soup
1 pkg of onion soup mix (or onion flakes and bullion granules)
Roast
Put it all together and cook all day on low.
Apple Polish Sausage Coins
Very Quick and Easy, Very Good
Base Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds cooked kielbasa or Polish sausages cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup apple jelly
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
In a large skillet, bring sausage and apple juice to a boil. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 more minutes. Drain. Add jelly and syrup. Cook and stir until melted and sausage is cooked. Put in crock pot on low for 3 - 4 hours, serve over rice or egg noodles.
BEEF AND BEAN TAMALE PIE
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 chopped onion
1 can 15 oz. dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
1 pouch (6.5 oz.) golden corn muffin and bread mix (you can use a mix that has cheese in it and skip adding the cheese at the end)
1/3 cup milk
2 Tsp margarine or butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chiles
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green chiles
1. In large skillet, cook ground meat and onion over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in beans and enchilada sauce. Place beef mixture in 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart slow cooker.
2. In small bowel, combine corn muffin mix, milk, margarine and egg; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy). Add cheese (you can skip if it’s in the bread mix) and chiles; stir gently into mix. Spoon over beef mixture in slow cooker.
3. Cover; cook on low for 5 to 6 hours (or high for 2) until toothpick inserted in center of corn bread comes out clean. Top servings with sour cream and green onions.
Cabbage Rolls With Ham & Cheese
Ingredients
Serves 4
8 poached cabbage leaves
2 cups diced ham
1/2 cup peppers (diced)
1/2 cup onions (diced)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
Salt, pepper, garlic to taste
Marinara sauce of your choice
Directions
1.) Poach outer cabbage leaves in boiling salted water until tender. 2.) Shock in iced water to cool.
3.) Mix remainder of ingredients, except marinara sauce.
4.) Fill inside of cabbage leaves with equal portions of filling. Roll tightly.
5.) Place inside 9 by 12 baking dish top with marinara sauce and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50-60 minutes.
or
Place into a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Caramel-Apple Nachos (Crockpot Dessert)
Makes 8 servings
Use 3 1/2 - 4 quart crockpot
Ingredients:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablepsoon quick cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups apple juice/apple cider
2 lbs. cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2” thick slices
1 tablespoon margarine/butter cut up
1 8-ounce carton vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup chopped nuts, toasted
1 recipe Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps(see below)
In the crockpot stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon. Stir in the apple juice/cider. Add the apple slices and margarine/butter, stir into the mix.
Cover; cook on low setting for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-3 1/2 hours. To serve divide the apples and syrup into 8 seperate serving dishes. Top each with the yogurt and toasted nuts. Serve with cinnamon tortilla crisps.
Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps
In a bowl combine 4 teaspoons white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut 2 - 8” flour tortillas into 8 wedges each. Or cut 3 - 6” corn tortillas into 6 wedges each. Lightly spray wedges with veggie spray. Place in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 12 minutes or until they are crisp. Bake corn tortillas about 8 minutes.
Cheesy Chicken(Crockpot)
1 can of cheddar cheese soup
1 can of hot Rotel tomatoes
8-16 drum sticks
Pour it all in the crock and turn on low for 8-9 hours. Serve juices over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes.
Chicken In Spicy Sauce(Crockpot)
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
About 3-1/2 lbs. chicken pieces
Combine all ingredients except chicken in bowl. Dip each piece of
chicken in the sauce. Place in the slow cooker. Pour remaining
sauce over the top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4
hours.
COUNTRY RIBS(Crockpot)
6 servings
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup orange marmalade
4lb. country style spareribs
2 tablespoons catsup
Combine soy sauce, marmalade, catsup, and garlic. Brush on both sides
of the ribs. Place in a crockpot. Pour remaining sauce over all.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Creamy Italian Chicken
Place chicken in crock pot. Put margarine on chicken and sprinkle Italian dressing mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Return to crock pot. In saucepan, combine soup and cream cheese. Place over medium-high heat and stir until cream cheese is melted and well-combined with soup. Pour soup mixture into crock pot and stir well. Serve over noodles or rice. Even better on homemade noodles!
Crock Pot Fisherman’s Chowder
1 to 1-1/2 lbs. fish (any combination of flounder, ocean perch, pike, trout, haddock or halibut)
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped carrots
1/4 C. snipped parsley
1/4 t. leaf rosemary
1/2 C. dry white wine
16-oz. can whole tomatoes, mashed
8-oz. bottle of clam juice
1 t. salt
3 T. flour
3 T. butter or margarine, melted
1/3 C. light cream
Cut cleaned fish into 1-inch chunks. Combine all ingredients except flour, butter and cream in slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours (3 to 4 hours on high).
One hour before serving, combine flour, butter and cream and stir into slow cooker. Continue cooking until mixture is slightly thickened.
Serves 4.
Crock Pot Pineapple Pork
5 pound pork roast, browned
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut into circles
1/4 C. brown sugar, not packed
1 can crushed pineapple or a fresh one, sliced
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of ground ginger or a few slices fresh
Add the pork roast to the slow cooker after browning it. In the same pan you browned the roast in, add the remaining ingredients. Stir together to blend and add to the cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Crockpot Omelette Casserole
(10 servings)
12 eggs
1 32 oz bag of frozen hashbrown potatoes — partially thawed
1 lb of bacon cut into small pieces — fried and drained
1/2 cup dieced onions
3/4 lb diced or shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
As if you were making lasagne, layer your ingredients as such (bottom to top):
1. potatoes
2. bacon
3. onions
4. cheese
5. potatoes
6. bacon
7. onions
8. cheese
Now, beat the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper together. Pour this over the whole mixture. Cook on low for ten to twelve hours.
Crockpot Ham ‘n Potatoes
1-2 cups diced ham
4-5 potatos pealed and sliced
1 onion chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup plus half a cup of milk(or make your own)
Mix soup ham and dash of pepper together. Put half of potatos on bottom then half onions. Pour half soup mixture on top and repaet layers. Cook on low 6-8 hours in crockpot. (spray crockpot to pervent sticking) Serve with green beans.
Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
2 lbs round steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 (14.5oz) can tomatoes
1 cup sour cream
Hot buttered egg noodles
Place steak, onion, mushrooms and garlic in crock pot. Stir in flour, coating steak. Add salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, bay leaf and tomatoes; stir well. Cook on low 7-10 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in sour cream during the last 30 min. Serve over hot egg noodles.
Perfect for large gatherings like hoilday brunch.
**Hope this gives you some helpful choices.
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980423b.cfm
All-Natural Facial Masks
Homemade Facial Mask Recipe?
If anyone there knows any homemade recipes for facial masks please send them in.
Thanks
B.
Three Choices
Depending on your skin type, here are some great masks to try. For oily skin use some plain Milk of Magnesia, rub it on and let dry, then rinse with lukewarm water. It absorbs oil wonderfully!
For Normal/combination skin mix one egg and 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal and a teaspoon olive oil until smooth. Spread on your face and leave 15 min then rinse.
For dry skin, mix one egg yolk, one teaspoon honey and a teaspoon olive oil and some vitamin E oil if you have it. Smooth on and leave on for 15 min. , rinse in lukewarm water and pat dry. If your skin is a bit dry you can put a dab or two of either olive oil, or any other light oil, or plain crisco if you want something heavier, on your moist skin after washing or a mask and your face is set without the $$ some people spend for the same look.
Jamie L.
Homemade Facial Scrub Instead of Soap
This is for the lady who wanted a homemade facial mask. First, clean your face with water only. Never use soap. You can open your pores with hot compresses (washcloth) For a facial scrub, moisten oatmeal to a “goo”, use it to scrub your face (not around your eyes). Wash off with cool water.You may also make a paste of the oatmeal and allow it to dry..remove with cool water.You may also beat an egg white, put it on your face and let it dry, rinse with cool water. Sliced fresh cucumber placed on your closed eyes will reduce bagginess and dark circles.To make your hair shine, rub in some regular mayonnaise,shampoo out after 15 minutes.
Sonja in Goose Creek
Honey for Best Facial
The best facial mask that i have found is honey. Use warm cloth to open pores, smear on honey, leave on 15 to 30 minutes, rinse off with warm water, and then use cold water to close pores. Use for 3 days in a row and then once a week. Sometimes I mix a little gound oatmeal with the honey, which makes a great mask.
M.
Facial Feels Good
One my daughter and I had fun with and found to have a cleansing and softening effect was to mix regular clean kitty litter, the clay kind, with water and strain out the grit. It really felt good.
Carol
Exfoliating Mask
For an easy exfoliating mask, mix three tablespoons olive oil or any good oil and one tablespoon kosher salt mix and gently rub into dry skin. Do not use around eye area. This works great on elbows and feet, but it can also be used on cheeks and forehead
Donna R.
Egg Whites
I use egg whites. Just beat one egg white until it is frothy. Spread it all over your face. Wait until it dries. Rinse it off. My face feels very clean and “tight” after this application. And then I use the yolk for cooking.( I have yet to have found a use for the shell)
DS
Egg Yolk
The best homemade facial mask that I have used is a raw egg yolk. just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very effective in healing blemishes.
Leona
Match Mask to Your Skin Type
For trouble-prone skin, mix oatmeal with water to form a paste.
For normal to oily skin, use an egg white.
For dry skin, use an egg yolk.
In all cases, spread mixture on face and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
For oily skin, witch hazel makes an inexpensive toner.
For dry skin, you may want to add moisturizer while skin is still damp.
Susan
Oatmeal
The cheapest and best facial mask I have ever come up with is oatmeal processed to a powder in the blender and either skim milk or if you are trying to fade spots lemon juice. Really works well for me and I have dry skin.
Jan
More Facial Maks Choices
The kind of the mask you want to use depends on your skin type.
For dry skin, try:
* an egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey
* sour cream
* plain olive oil
* avocado
For oily skin:
* dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);
* puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;
* cucumber (it will whiten your skin);
* beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);
* carrots (but don’t use this one more than about every other week because it can overdry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.
General refreshing masks:
* grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)
* strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are alergic to strawberies used this way even thougth they can eat them just fine)
* honey and ricotta cheese
Many fruits and vegetables can also be used to good effect. Anything acidic (lemon, strawberries, etc) will tend to whiten and refresh your skin, but you need to be careful if your skin is dry.
In general, don’t apply masks more often than about twice a week, and try to vary the ingredients.
It is a good idea to test the mask first. Apply a small amount behind your ear, wait 20 minutes, then wash off. Then wait 24 hours. If the skin behind your ear is normal, then go ahead and use the mask.
Marzena
Egg Yolk and Honey
I reader recently asked if anyone had a recipe for homemade facial masks. I often use an egg yolk and honey mask. Just mix one egg yolk with a little honey and spread it on your face and neck. When it dries, rinse it off. Your skin will feel so fresh and soft!
Sarah W.
Take the Next Step:
* Learn more about how to put together homemade facial masks and scrubs.
* Try these affordable ways to pamper yourself.
* Nurture your skin with ingredients you can find in your kitchen.
Discuss “Brandy’s Secrets to Beauty, a Collection for the Frugal and Feminine Woman” in The Dollar Stretcher Community
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/02/02oct14b.cfm
Fly Control
Trouble Controlling Flies
I live next to an alley where trash containers are kept. The flies have become overwhelming. We can’t sit outside without being “attacked” by them. This morning I walked outside and there were about 100 flies milling around the area where the trash used to be kept (even though we have thoroughly cleaned that area). Any ideas what we can use to get rid of all these flies?
LB
Homemade Fly Control Traps
You need a clean, empty one gallon milk container. Be sure to keep the cap. Cut four or five small holes all around about two inches down from where it starts to slope towards the cap (about where the center of the handle is.) Mix 1/4-cup syrup and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and pour into container. Fill to halfway with water and put on cap. Place a couple of these flytraps where the flies are thick. You will probably have to empty it out every other day or so. I would make new ones because I find emptying it to be pretty gross.
Jennifer
Solutions from East Texas
A friend of mine used to haul chickens and chicken by-products for a major poultry company. The factory farms here buy dirt daubers by the zillions/pound from horticultural/biological supply companies to control flies. They lay their eggs in the flies, or the maggots, and are extraordinarily effective at controlling the flies. They are cost effective, self-reproducing, and do not leave chemical/poison residues in the chickens/feed. If your winters are not mild enough for them, they still make a great warm weather investment. Also, they drive off stinging wasps. Dirt daubers look like large iridescent blue-black wasps. They build fascinating dirt hives on walls/eaves, and do not sting people.
Prison farms are common here, too. All the chow halls (where flies would tend to gather) have simple but quite effective fly dispensers at the doors. A clear bag filled 3/4 with water is hung above each side of the doorway. The flies get disoriented by the reflections, and can’t fly into or near the buildings. These are also common on many porches, and mom and pop restaurants where flypaper is distasteful. This is very inexpensive and good for keeping the flies out.
Encourage flycatchers to nest if they populate your area. Purple Martins eat mosquitoes and they devour flies. I believe Barn Swallows eat flies, but can be very territorial in the nesting season.
Check with a local university, AFDC/farm agent office or organic supply center to see what else may be local to your area or feasible to order as natural fly control. Check into whether there is something that infects flies, or maggots, that could be applied that would infect/reinfect the population and keep it in check. I know of products for other pests that use that process.
Take it upon yourself to hook up a garden hose and one of those hand held garden soapers and hose down the dumpsters while they are empty with an orange oil product and/or detergent mixture. Be thorough. Use enough that it foams up well and pools in the bottom where the slime builds up. Repeat several times when they are empty. Be sure to wash under the bin, too. Try hosing down the full dumpsters and contents with extra soapy/strong solution if they are dumped less than every week. If you have access to lots of orange peels, you can even make your own “orange oil” by soaking them in water for a day. Although free, it is not as concentrated. It is still strong enough to keep fire ants from crossing into a compost pile if applied in a 2-3 foot ring.
Less ecologically friendly and a lot more expensive is to use some sort of pesticide.
CW
A Commercial Fly Trap
I just bought a great flytrap from Lowe’s. It comes with a powder that you mix with water and return to the bag. Hang the bag up and the flies are attracted to it and get caught. It is kind of like the Japanese Beetle traps and bee traps. It seemed to work for my yard!
Karen
Butcher Tricks
Years ago, I worked for a butcher. During the summer, he would sprinkle cinnamon all over his scraps that were kept outside. I’m not sure why but it kept the flies away and was non-toxic.
Devlin
Really Did the Job
Go to your local home hardware superstore. They have a round container that is a “flycatcher”. You mix a small bag of “bait” with 1-2 cups of water inside the container, then set it near the flies. I put mine near my back door, where the flies came in every time I opened the door for the dog, children, etc. It immediately reduced the number of flies to almost zero! In a couple of weeks, there was an inch of dead flies in the bottom of the container. So I rinsed and refilled with new bait and water.
Sue
Advice from the Farm
My dad had a great way to rid us of flies near the home on our farm. He hung lidded jars from the porch or trees near the house. He would poke a hole in the top of the jar and put a piece of raw hamburger inside. It is safe and will catch a ton of flies. Once they get inside the jar, they can’t get back out. When the jars were filled, he would just put them in the burn barrel, but I am sure you could just throw them in the garbage.
Gramma
Ecological Method
Plant Marigold flowers. You can plant them in a window box or even in an old trashcan that has holes put in the bottom of it. Insects hate Marigolds. Put layers of Sphagnum Moss and potting soil in the container. If you use a large trash can, you could also plant a potato plant and a tomato plant in the center, surrounded by the Marigolds. This would feed a small family with tomatoes and potatoes for the growing season.
JC
Fool the Flies
Hang a CD up with string, to allow it to spin around. Free Internet CD’s work great. The hanging CD looks like a big fly’s eye and the little flies stay away.
JP
Health Authority Help
You might try contacting your city or town’s department of streets and sanitation to help eliminate flies. We had a similar problem with commercial trash bins below our living room window. Scroungers strewed trash around the bins, the smell was horrible, and the flies were thick. After I complained only once, the city sent out an inspector who ticketed the businesses for not being tidy, and the businesses were required to move their trash bins away from our apartment building.
JR
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04nov08c.cfm
Make-Ahead Recipes to Freeze for the Holidays
by Lois Breneman
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Since we all could use extra hours around the holidays, any shortcuts we can apply in our kitchen will give us more time and energy to be used elsewhere. Here are a few ways of trimming down our kitchen time and energy over Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If using a frozen turkey or turkey breast, be sure to give it a couple days in the refrigerator for safe thawing. For a juicy turkey or turkey breast, place a grapefruit, orange or lemon inside the cavity prior to roasting. Pierce the fruit to prevent it from bursting, and simply cook it as usual. You are “guaranteed” a juicy bird each time and there is no citrus or orange flavor in the turkey. I don’t know how this works, but it does. You simply take the fruit and dispose of it after roasting. Obviously, you don’t stuff this bird, but it works great to have a separate casserole dish of stuffing as a side dish. I have tried this and it works great!
Make-Ahead Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be cooked and mashed ahead of time, then frozen. When sweet potatoes are on sale, I like to stock up, because the prices fluctuate greatly. Autumn is when we find the best prices in the US. Bake the washed sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or roaster pan with a small amount of water for moisture. Bake at 350 F. for about an hour (check for tenderness). When cool enough to handle, peel, mash and freeze in freezer bags. It’s as simple as that! I like to freeze sweet potatoes without salt or seasoning, so they can be used for sweet potato casseroles, muffins and pies, though freezing a casserole flavored with ingredients such as butter, brown sugar, cinnamon or cranberries also works very well. It’s wonderful to go to the freezer and take out a dish already prepared, except for heating!
Mashed Potato Casserole
Five or ten pound bags of white potatoes are often “Buy One, Get One Free,” so in order to take advantage of these special prices, without them spoiling, you can cook, mash and freeze them into multiple casseroles for later. This is a delicious and convenient recipe from the “More-With-Less Cookbook” by Doris Janzen Longacre. If your family does not like spinach, try substituting grated carrots or other vegetables, although it is very good plain, with vegetables served on the side. If potatoes are the only vegetable your children will eat, try mashing a few cooked carrots or some sweet potato in with the white potatoes. When I’ve done this, my family thought I had added cheese. For extra nutrition and a yellow tint, an egg can also be added as the potatoes are whipped. A sprinkle of dried dill weed over the cheese before baking adds extra flavor and color.
Cook and mash: 3 to 4 large potatoes.
Add:
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar (given in recipe, but not necessary)
1/4 cup butter
Add just enough milk to bring to proper consistency and beat until fluffy.
Add:
1/8 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. chives, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach, well drained, chopped
Place in greased casserole and top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. May be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, or make a double recipe and freeze half to add to a future oven meal.
Frozen Cranberry Salad
1 2-pound can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup sour cream
Mix together and put in ice cube trays or in a 9x9 glass dish. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Freeze overnight. Can be used for salad or dessert.
Frozen Individual Cranberry Molds
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sugar (or less)
8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. sour cream
Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.
* Either cranberry recipe is a great make-ahead salad or dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Of course, either recipe can be frozen in a large mold, glass dish, muffin cups, custard cups or individual molds.
Dressing or Stuffing
I like to make a large dishpan full of stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I can freeze the extra and completely skip the process for Christmas as it’s already done! I don’t really use a recipe for this, but make it as my mother always did. Cube bread (whole wheat and white mixture) and let it dry out on a large tray for a day or so. Sometimes I dry it in a dishpan, stirring occasionally over a 2 to 3 day period. Melt butter, add chicken broth, beaten eggs, lots of cooked celery and onions (sometimes a small amount of grated carrots for color), salt, onion salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, other dried herbs (parsley, Greek oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, etc.). Stir well. Add enough bread crumbs for a slightly moist mixture. I bake it in a greased dish, (rather than in the bird) at 350 F. until golden brown on top. Don’t overbake. The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later.
Pumpkin Cake
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
2 cups pumpkin (1 lb. Can)
Cream sugar, eggs, and oil until all traces of oil are gone. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Add pumpkin and mix. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake at 350 F. for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
Confetti Corn
If you want to save last minute meal preparation, cut a couple pats of butter into a microwavable casserole dish. Add finely chopped fresh or frozen green pepper, a jar of chopped pimientos, dill weed, frozen corn, cover and put dish in the freezer. On the day you are ready to serve the corn, take from freezer and microwave as you normally microwave corn. Add salt to taste just before serving. To cook on top of the stove, add a small amount of water first. This is a quick, tasty and colorful dish — yellow with red and green!
Lois Breneman is the Editor of the Heart to Heart Newsletter, bringing encouragement to women. She shares many creative ideas for the Christian family, - regarding homemaking, marriage, children and so much more. You may sign up for her bi-monthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, country and the name of the person who referred you to Heart to Heart to jhbreneman @juno.com.
Discuss “Early Holiday Ideas” with other Dollar Stretchers in The Dollar Stretcher Community
Was polled by Rasmussen last night. After the usual background questions,all other questions were concerning Acorn-did I believe Obama was closely affliated with them, did I think they were engaged in illegal activies, did these revelations affect my opinion of the administration and many other questions. I usually do not participate in polls, but was pleased to express my disgust.
At the end of the poll, I was told the results of this poll would be on Rasmussen web site but I don’t see anything this A.M.
LOL, Ham Shack is just to the right of my computer desk, and about 6’ from the jars of canned ham I have put up...
Since we only used our dining room about once a year on Thanksgiving, I converted it into dry and canned storage/computer/classroom/and now ham shack.
Gave the solid cherry dining set that had been my parents, to daughter next door. (now 5 generations have sat around that table.)
Wife says all I need is a cot and solar panels and I could live in here happily. (at least in the winter, otherwise gotta get outside)
>>>Was polled by Rasmussen last night.<<<
Can’t think of a better person to give them straight answers!
Will keep checking their site for results too.
Yes, granny. Here’s some info copied and pasted from www.ki4u.com when a nuke strike is imminent, which I believe will possibly come to the heartland of the USA in the not too distant future,
QUOTED MATERIAL
Civil Defense films made during the Cold War. Old fashioned, but physics and tactics of radiation protection are timeless. [The hotlinks for the following list is available at the bottom of page]
Survival Under Atomic Attack
Duck & Cover Training for Children
All About Fallout
Study of a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
If still available and enough time to be overnight shipped your own radiation detection and monitoring instruments, potassium iodide anti-radiation tablets, Nuclear Survival handbooks, etc., check at...
http://www.ki4u.com/products1.htm
BOTTOM LINE:
When the TV or radio program switches abruptly to an terse announcement saying: “We Interrupt This Program For This Special Bulletin!”, and your kids look up to you with questioning wide-eyes and eager for assurances, know then that you are confidently ready for them with your own Action Plan ready to go! That’s what this is all about... our children!
- - - - - -
This guide was purposely designed with the sober realization that the overwhelming majority of our fellow Americans would not be compelled to read such a guide until a nuclear crisis was imminent and, unfortunately, their preparation options and time to prepare then would be very limited. www.ki4u.com and other survival equipment suppliers will again be quickly sold-out, as all were after 9/11. This guide then will be the best/only help that we can offer. If you are fortunate enough to be exploring your family preparation needs and options before such a future national crisis, there is much more that you can and should do now to insure that they are even better prepared.
END OF QUOTED MATERIAL, SEE
>>>Black Bean Soup (visit to Cuba not required!)
Stir these ingredients into that slow-cooker:
2 cans beef broth
2 cans black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes with Mexican seasoning
1 lb bag of frozen mixed vegatables
Cook all day. Serve with any peasant bread and some cheese. Couldn’t be simpler! For impressive buffet supper, serve big baked potatoes, too. Bake together in your other slow-cooker, if possible!<<<
The authentic Cuban version I remember from living there back in the late 40’s to early 50’s was:
Slow cook beans with either salt pork or ham till done, serve in bowls with mound of rice in the center, raw diced onions sprinkled all over, along with slices of hard boiled egg. This was topped with a dollop of sour cream and drizzled with cider vinegar.
One of my absolute favorites.
Thanks for that starting list CB - Now to send them every news item they need to be covering - daily!
http://www.nancyskitchen.com/2009September/dump-chicken-recipes.html
Dump Chicken Recipes
Sweet and Spicy Dump Chicken
1 package taco seasoning mix
8 ounces apricot jam
12 ounces salsa
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
Put chicken in the bottom of the pot, pour over the remaining ingredients (mixed) and cook 8 hrs on low.
Lemon & Garlic “DUMP” Chicken
2 Cloves Garlic — chopped
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces
Chili Maple Glazed Chicken
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1.5 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
Honey Glazed “DUMP” Chicken
1/4 cup Butter — Melted
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Honey
4 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
BBQ Jelly Chicken
3/4 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup Blackberry Jam (Strawberry, peach, and apricot also work well)
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1 Teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Chili Maple Glazed Chicken
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1.5 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
Citrus Ginger Chicken
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
1 Tablespoon Honey-Mustard
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/8 Teaspoon Red Pepper (Optional)
Cranberry Chicken
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Creole Chicken
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup Chopped Onion
1/4 cup Bell Pepper
1 Clove Minced Garlic
14 oz can Whole Tomatoes
(Chopped and undrained)
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire
2 Teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper Sauce (Optional)
Garlic Dijon Chicken
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
Herb-wine Chicken
1 cup Red Wine
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1/2 Lemon (sliced thinly)
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
1 Teaspoon Thyme
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
Honey Ginger Chicken
4 Tablespoons Chopped Onion
1.5 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
2 Tablespoon Sherry
1/4 cup Chives
Honey Glazed Chicken
1/4 cup Butter, Melted
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Honey
Honey Sesame Chicken
1/2 cup Beer
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
Lemon & Garlic Chicken
2 Cloves Chopped Garlic
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoons Pepper
Lemon Marinade Chicken
2/3 cup Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Minced Onion
Pepper-lime Chicken
1/2 Teaspoon Lime Peel
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Raspberry Currant Chicken
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1/8 cup Water
1/8 cup Raspberry Vinegar
(Also can substitute
Raspberry Vinaigrette
Salad Dressing)
1/2 cup Currant Jelly
Russian Chicken
2/3 cup Apricot Preserves
16oz Russian Dressing
2 Packages Dry Onion Soup Mix
Spiced Citrus Chicken
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Cayenne
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Spicy Sweet Glaze
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
2/3 cup Apricot Preserves
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Tabasco
Sweet & Sour Chicken
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Honey
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1/8 cup Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Minced Ginger
4 Cloves Crushed Garlic
Sweet & Spicy Chicken
1 Package Taco Seasoning
8 oz Apricot Jam
12 oz Salsa
Sticky Chicky
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Ketchup
Teriyaki Chicken
1 Clove Garlic, Crushed
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine (Or Sherry)
1.5 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1.5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1.5 Tablespoons Minced Ginger
Take the ingredients for the recipe, place in a one-gallon freezer bag, then add your chicken and freeze. Then thaw before you cook. You can use 4-8 pieces of chicken, pieces, or breasts and we always chose to use boneless and skinless. When cooking using boneless and skinless, only cook for 25-35 minutes or until no longer pink. When using full chicken pieces your cooking time will be around one hour. We always take the sauce and reduce it in a pan after the chicken is done, making some of the most DELICIOUS sauces!!! Enjoy!!!
Garlic Herb Dump Chicken
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 fryer, cut up or 3 pounds pieces
Dump the chicken into the freezer baggie, pour in the seasoning then the oil. Seal, squish around, and freeze. Wonderful aroma when baked, and good favor without overwhelming. Use more or less seasoning if you like!
Heather
Yes, granny. Here’s some info copied and pasted from www.ki4u.com when a nuke strike is imminent, which I believe will possibly come to the heartland of the USA in the not too distant future,
http://www.ki4u.com/guide.htm
<<<<<<<<<<
Thank you for a very timely posting.
I have been in a rage, since I read that the great o had canceled the Europe missile system, to please Russia, yes, it is likely we will see a nuclear bomb fall on America.
Russia has been retaking all the countries they had to set free and fully intends to take back every single one, Georgia will fall before the year is over, for it is already encircled with Russian tanks on its border, ready for the attack.
The big question in my mind is “did russia put obama in office?”
They said once that they would take America, without firing a shot.
My opinion of course, and I fear that i may be close to the truth.
The authentic Cuban version I remember from living there back in the late 40’s to early 50’s was:<<<
LOL, I would like both versions.
I do like Cuban foods, when all the Cuban refugees were coming to America, I needed a baby sitter and someone suggested that I give a home to a woman and her daughter.
I did for a few months, and she did a lot of the cooking.
Violet and Flora, the woman who brought them to San Diego,
had been their boss in Cuba, they were servants, or rather the mother was, for Flora was only 13 or so.
I found it interesting that the people went to such lengths to bring out the servants and to find them a place to begin in America, and did not just flee in the age old “I am safe, take care of yourself style”.
DelaWhere, I really enjoyed your post re the results of your gardening efforts this year. We should all post our successes and failures for other Freepers perusal. I had a poor year, but still had enough for the family and some canning, freezing, pickling and drying, so can't complain. Was pleased with my strawberries. The plants have set out runners, filling in the rows to app. 2 foot wide rows and the ever-bearers, which I have never tried before are yielding about a quart every other day. Next year, I should have plenty right up to a freeze.
I had the same experience with some tomatoes that you had with your squash. Most of my tomato plants succumbed to tomato blight, but about six plants thrived, set on many, many blossoms but never set any tomatoes although there were bees in the area. Re the polling-many Freepers say they have never been polled. I manage to get polled about once a year. I wonder if it just MIGHT BE because I am still registered as a DEMOCRAT. My dearly beloved mother (a staunch Dem as are the rest of my family) was a ballot clerk some 50 odd years ago and registered me as a Dem way back then.
http://www.nancyskitchen.com/articles/want-to-feel-better-go-stroke-your-cat.htm
Want to Feel Better? Go Stroke Your Cat!
by Larry Chamberlain
Stroking your cat can be good for your health! It has long been known that pet ownership is good for you, we all need someone or something to love. It is also believed that stroking a pet, such as a cat, reduces stress levels and helps you to have a more positive perspective on life.
Stroking a cat, and listening to the sound of its contented purring, reduces tension and lowers your blood pressure it is believed.
A study was made of a group of people before and after they acquired a pet, the majority reported that their health had improved in as little as three to nine months. The people who owned dogs reported the greatest health benefits, because of the exercise involved in walking the dog, but cat owners too said that they felt a lot better even though they were not so active.
Many senior citizens homes have “residential” cats, and staff report these pets as being of great benefit to the residents, helping them feel more comfortable and to remind them of normal home life. The physical contact with the pet can be therapeutic, and the activity needed to care for the cat gives the residences a sense of purpose. The need for medications falls quite substantially in nursing homes where there is a cat available for stroking, and the act of stroking can help recovery after an illness.
Of course, it is not only seniors that benefit from the company of a cat. Whatever your age sharing your home with a cat means that you will need the services of your doctor less often and be less likely to feel isolated or lonely. Children also benefit from having pets in the home. Studies have shown that many children believe that their cat helps them with their relationships with other family members and friends.
The American Journal of Cardiology published an article in 1995 attesting that those of us that own pets are more likely to make a recovery from a heart attack than non pet owners. One of the explanations for this was that stroking a pet releases endorphins into the brain calming the nervous system, and therefore lowering your heart rate.
So, if you want to feel better, forget about your favorite tipple, forget about chocolate, simply go stroke your cat.
Larry Chamberlain may be contacted at http://www.best-cat-art.com Larry@best-cat-art.com
Larry Chamberlain is the webmaster of www.best-cat-art.com and a lifelong cat lover. He lives in London England.
http://www.nancyskitchen.com/articles/how-to-comminicate-with-your-cat.htm
How to Communicate with your Cat
by GrandMatrix Team
Did you know that everyday your cat talks to you? Not with spoken words, but through body language, motions and gestures. Just like humans, cats feel happiness, unhappiness, boredom, affection and nervousness. Each of these is expressed by a special kind of body language. Your pet’s entire body tells you how she’s feeling and how you should react. It is like a game of charades, where your cat is acting out the clues while you decipher the meanings. By understanding these basic signals you can reach a greater understanding of your cat and form a close bond that will last a lifetime.
You can tell much about how your cat is feeling just from observing the facial expressions. With ears alert and high your cat is open to affection and play. As those ears go lower your cat is feeling less secure and when they are close to the head it is time to back off.
The eyes are very interesting and also reveal those inner thoughts. Blinking eyes are a sign of a happy and relaxed cat. When the eyes are very large something is frightening her. However, do not confuse this with eyes wide open and looking directly at you, which means she is giving you her full attention – typically at feeding time. When the cat appears to stare directly at you she is in a confrontational mode, but when the eyes do not stare and the cat crouches down she is in a receptive mode.
This information actually explains a cat’s behaviour when walking into a crowded room. A cat will look around and observe the facial expressions of those in the room. People who like cats will typically be wide-eyed and staring at the cat - confrontational. Those not interested will be glancing at the cat and looking away – receptive. Which lap do you think the cat will head for?
The other obvious signals come from the cats tail. A cat is actually a self-conscious animal and the tail demonstrates this. A twitching tail indicates the cat not comfortable. It may feel you are saying something about her or because people are looking at her. After twitching the tail starts swinging wildly, which indicates anger and you should leave her alone. The next step is the bushy tail, often accompanied by hisses and those flat ears. Your cat is now in attack mode, and it is definitely time to back down. Of course the other end of the emotion scale sees the cat with the tail raised high. This is the stance many cat owners see when they return home, as the cat is happy to see you and in a good mood.
Here is a summary of these basic signals and how a cat expresses some common emotions:
Happy and Relaxed
Ears - Pointing forward and slightly outward.
Eyes - Open or half closed (sleepy), with pupils normal size - showing contentment with long, slow blinks.
Tail - Curved down, then up at the tip.
Excited
Ears - Standing straight up and pointing forward.
Eyes - Wide open and sparkling.
Tail - Standing straight up or raised slightly and curved.
Anxious or Agitated
Ears - Twitching
Eyes - Wide open, with enlarged pupils.
Tail - Held low, possibly between hind legs, or with tip shaking.
On the Offensive (Beware!)
Ears - Held flat back against the head.
Eyes - Pupils fully dilated, making eyes look totally black.
Back - Arched, with fur like a porcupine.
Tail - Swishing from side to side, arched, or standing straight up with fur puffed out.
Probably the best thing that could happen to a person who wants a bright and interesting companion would be the adoption of a pet cat. By understanding a few simple body signals from your cat they in turn fulfil a deep need for friendship and this arrangement works flawlessly for millions of people and cats.
GrandMatrix Team may be contacted at http://www.grandmatrix.com articles@grandmatrix.com
The team at GrandMatrix provide regular tips to make life easier and solve those everyday problems. Join 100’s of existing members at this friendly community playing brainteasers, having fun and enjoying free game downloads.
Purr Baby is sound trained, she heard the sound of me opening a package of cookies, watched me eat a couple, muttered a couple of cuss words and attacked my legs, several times.
She let me know, that I had not shared and she expected to find cheese in every package, many times a day.
It drives her wild, that she cannot figure out how to get on the desk, where she thinks cheese grows, with her missing front leg, she cannot climb.
granny
http://www.nancyskitchen.com/articles/penny-pinching-cooking-tips.htm
Penny Pinching Cooking Tips
by Cal Bolton
Stop going out to dinner! Period! - O.K. if you’re family is screaming at you then take them out maybe once a month. Make it an occasion. Most of us get caught up in fast paced living and eat out more frequent then we really should. It’s just an insane waste of money. Remember that the cost of dinner for four at a nice restaurant can feed the family for a week or more.
So what is the first Penny Pinching Cooking Tip? That’s it, COOK!
Cooking can be a problem when you don’t have all of the right ingredients but there are penny pinching substitutes. You can still cook like a pro and use what’s available.
What I am trying to do is show you how to save money and give different cooking tips. Looking on the web, everybody and their brother has recipes. I have put in a few recipes, but mostly cooking tips to pinch those pennies and stretch those dollars.
Some substitutions and varying ways to save money, still serving your family tasty and healthy food. How to use what is on hand in your kitchen if you don’t have the exact item.
Roast Beef Cooking Tip
Easy, use your crock pot. Place your potatoes carrots and onions in the bottom and put your roast on top. Pour a pkg of onion soup mix over and add a cup of water. Turn on low and by the time you get home from work you will have a deliciously cooked meal to serve.
* Don’t have onion soup mix, substitute!! Crush a couple beef bouillon cubes and add some dried onion flakes, you will never know the difference.
Want a little different flavor? Instead of water, pour in a cup of bourbon or a cup of wine (any kind). The alcohol cooks out, so don’t let that be a worry.
Stroganoff
Now that you have leftover roast beef, you can make stroganoff. Cut your beef into small cubes, heat through with a can of mushroom soup, stir in a cup of sour cream and if you want add a little bit of red wine; serve over hot buttered noodles.
* Don’t have any sour cream? Substitute!! Do you have a cup of cottage cheese? Place I cup of cottage cheese, 5 Tbs of milk and 1 Tbs of lemon juice in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Chicken And Gravy
Use your crock pot. Place your chicken pieces (any pieces will do, drumsticks, thighs or whole cut up) in the crock pot. Add a can of cream of mushroom
, cream of chicken, cream of celery, or creamy tomato. You could even use bar-b-que sauce. Cook on low and when you are ready to eat, serve over rice or noodles. Your family will love you.
* Don’t have creamy tomato, but have a can of regular tomato soup? Make your own, simply add a half can of milk and blend together. You could even make it spicy by adding some salsa or Tabasco.
Potato Pancakes
Don’t know what to do with that little bit of mashed potatoes? Make potato pancakes. Stir the potatoes with some milk and baking powder. The consistency of regular pancakes. Fry in a little bit of butter or margarine, making them about the size of dollar pancakes.
If you wish add some onion or grated cheese or both. Serve with sour cream or spread cheese. Delicious!!
Great Green Beans
Want a change from ordinary plain green beans? Take a can of green beans and drain. Cook until heated through in a pan or in the microwave, add a little butter to coat and add garlic salt or garlic powder and sour cream or mayonnaise. Tasty!! Even my children who didn’t like vegetables loved them this way.
Chopped Onion
Use chopped onions all the time, but tired of chopping every time you need them?
Prepare ahead. Buy that bag of onions and chop all of them to the size you like. Spread out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. After they are frozen, put into a zip lock bag and put back in the freezer. Ready to use anytime you need them.
I believe in the saying that a penny saved is a penny earned and if you want to learn more penny pinching tips check out Grandma’s web site at: http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com
About the Author
Cal Bolton is the webmaster for Grandma who is the actual content provider of: http://www.pennypinching-grandma.comNone
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.