What I'm reading Wednesday...

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

by Kirsten Miller

This is a new book at the library that made me jump on the reserve list.  It's described as "a wildly entertaining satire about a small southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything."

I'm a big fan of Little Free Libraries, and a big opponent of banning books (grrrr), so I am loving it so far.  I'm only about 25 pages in, but I've already had to take a break specifically to call a friend to recommend it.

2024 Frugal Friday File, July 26...

1.  Stayed home clearing, cleaning, and organizing my stamping desk.

2.  Took Rudy on our regular recycling outing.  His joy knows no bounds.

3.  I made cold brew coffee concentrate and have been enjoying a treat every morning since.

4.  Called Kasey to beg her assistance in getting the new printer installed.  I've always been able to do it on my own in the past.  Not my favorite job.  This time I absolutely could not get it done.  (I had seen a review of this printer claiming it wasn't easy to install, but I bought it anyway because it's seemed to be up to tasks I needed.)  I'm trying to wait patiently for Kasey to have time to come by...I'm competing with her full-time work, her endless to-do list for hosting a wedding at their home soon, and another to-do list for getting both girls moved to college the same weekend as the wedding.  If she can't squeeze me in or has no luck, I will have to seek professional help...I won't say what kind.

5.  I actually finished a book...it seems like forever since that has happened.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Summery Chicken Pasta Salad

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  leftover pasta salad

Tuesday:  Spanish Rice

Wednesday:  Beef Fajitas

Thursday:  takeout BBQ Baked Potatoes w/ brisket

Friday:  out for Tex-Mex

**designates meatless meal 

2024 Frugal Friday File, June 19...

1.  I didn't buy a smart TV or an air purifier (or anything else) during Amazon Prime Day.  Even though I really would like both of those things.  I just couldn't justify either of them at the moment, or maybe ever.

2.  Used up black bananas to make baked oatmeal.  Was out of chocolate chips...I could have left them out...but I used a few white chocolate chips that were in the pantry.

3.  I've started Christmas shopping.  I bought a used book for Carey that I think he will enjoy.

4.  My crafting desk is in DIRE NEED of attention.  Its surface has become so cluttered with finished, half-finished, and in-planning-stage projects that my work area has shrunk down to about eighteen square inches.  If that.  

    A friend phoned while i was looking at the mess, and we talked for about an hour.  Since I didn't want to move around too much during the conversation, I took a half-finished card and finished it while we were talking.  After we hung up I wrote her a note in the card that said, if you are opening this, you will know that my desk is clean, and my new printer is set up.  I put the card in my purse right then, so it wouldn't get mislaid.  I won't mail it til the desk really is clean and the printer really is set up.  ;)

    After that I came across a half finished necklace, finished it, discarded the few leftover beads, put away tools, and put the necklace on my closet wall jewelry hooks.

    I reset the printer to factory default settings, so it can go to recycle.

5.  Today we are dropping off the printer at the electronics recycling, then picking up the grocery order I put in last night after making the week's menu.  Sandwiches, salads, and quick and easy meals are the fare for the next seven summer days.

On the menu this week past:

Saturday:  Haluski (sausage, cabbage, noodle dish)

Sunday:  family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  leftovers

Tuesday:  takeout sandwiches from Schlotzky's

Wednesday:  C leftovers, me **homemade hummus w/ Triscuits

**Thursday:  Lentil Curry (Easy Indian Dal)

         https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-curry-mega-flavour-lentil-recipe/

Friday:  Grilled Caprese Sandwiches

**designates meatless meal 

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Haunted Ground by Erin Hart

I am having so much trouble reading lately.  One reason is the reading material I've chosen.  The last two books I started were 1) about climate change and 2) about the lead up to the Civil War.  While normally I would enjoy both of these, at the current time and in the current political season, they just made me anxious.  I need to read to distract me from things that worry me, and these did not offer escape.  But I will get back to them eventually.

This current book is a mystery set in Ireland, and the lead characters are an archaeologist and a medical examiner.  Sort of reminds me of the Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway Series which I loved.

Making it Monday...

I make brownies pretty regularly to take to Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's.  I always buy Duncan Hines Brownie Mix with Walnuts (2 boxes) to make a double batch to bake in a 9" x 13" pan.  They run about $2.60 a box these days.

This week I saw a recipe for a homemade mix and added all the ingredients to the gallon jar above and shook it up to mix together.  I haven't done the math to see if it comes out cheaper or not, but it is handy to have a big batch ready in the pantry when the need arises.  Especially one without possibly harmful food additives.

 

This photo does NOT do them justice.  They are the perfect combination of moist chewy center and flaky top crust.  

I found the recipe at the Healthy Homesteader linked here:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8iV70XSStw/?igsh=dGx3cXZ1cXJrcmRj

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

6 cups sugar

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking powder

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a dark cool location.  (I measured all ingredients into a gallon jar, put the lid on, and shook until all ingredients were evenly mixed.)

To make small batch of brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan.

In a large bowl, mix 2 1/4 cup brownie mix with 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Mix until batter is smooth. Pour in greased pan, and bake for 20 - 24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

To make large batch of brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9" x 13" pan.

In a large bowl mix 4 1/2 cup brownie mix with 1 cup melted butter, 4 eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.  Mix until batter is smooth.  Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Store baked brownies covered at room temperature.

This Week in Pictures...

Birthday card for Bobby...my first precious grandchild is 25!

Orange Sesame Chicken Salad recipe found on Instagram.  Really good!  Recipe here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7To4KxoYD7/?igsh=eTY3bzdIN256bmhk

Braised Beef Shank Ragu turned out delicious!  Recipe linked here:  https://katethebaker.com/braised-beef-shank-ragu/

Rudy has never been given a bone from the kitchen.  Usually none are large/safe enough, but one of the shank bones last night was.  Even after I rinsed it to avoid staining furniture/rugs, Rudy is so enamored by it...still.  After gnawing it for a good long while, he started carrying it around the house peering behind furniture and in dark corners.  After doing that for awhile, he came back to me with a forlorn look on his face.

2024 Frugal Friday File, July 12...

 

1.  No meals out this week.  I did try a couple of new recipes.  One of them is in the slow cooker now, as I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon.

2.  Happy to say that Rudy's paw is much better without needing a vet visit, so I called and cancelled his appointment, and rescheduled it for next month for his vaccinations.  I was lucky that I had some Chlorhexidine wash in the cabinet to cleanse between his paw pads and then rinse and dry thoroughly.  I also brewed black tea with a crushed/dissolved aspirin in it and soaked his paw in that occasionally, and soaked it in warm water and Epsom salts occasionally to cover all the bases.  Also kept him pretty closely supervised, so he wasn't able to lick it incessantly, or at all with his sock on. 

3.  My grocery order was missing a container of unsweetened cocoa powder.  I had ordered two but only received one, so I emailed customer service and received a refund.

4.  I don't know why, but I thought I had to add beef shanks to grocery order this week.  Curiosity, I guess, as I don't think I've ever cooked with them before, and it wasn't even on special.  I had to look for a recipe that sounded fairly easy to do.  I adapted it to slow cooker (since I can braise in my slow cooker, it makes it a one-pot meal).  I had all of the vegetables to go in it.  Not so frugal were the two bottles of wine the recipe called for.  We don't particularly like wine, so not sure how this will go over.  It could be a complete bust, but I'm hoping it is edible, as I think I am making enough for tonight as well as a meal for two for the freezer.  If it is not edible, my penance for going out on this limb will be beans and rice on repeat.

5.  I didn't buy any books or fabric this week.  Except for the groceries, it has been a pretty economical week.  Stayed home, very little gasoline expended, made cards designed to use up papers from my scrap bin.  So far I have resisted the temptation to lower the thermostat; I use ceiling fans, then turn them off when I leave the room.  I'm experimenting with the store brand of soda...it's not bad, is much cheaper than Coke, and 5% of its cost is rewarded back on my credit card.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  C had leftovers, I had a peanut butter & pickle sandwich  :)

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Meat Loaf, Baked Potatoes, Corn

Tuesday:  Orange Sesame Chicken Salad

Wednesday:  Tuna Salad Sandwiches w/ chips

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  Braised Beef Shank Ragu w/ Pappardelle

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

I haven't finished last week's book (The Ministry for the Future) yet, only about twenty-five percent through it actually.  But my reserve of this one at the library came up, so I will start it today to try to get it read before it comes due.  Then I will go back to the other one.  

Both of these books are over five hundred pages!  I'm not having much reading time lately.  It's less than a month before both of the girls will be off to/back to college, so I'm trying to spend time with them while I can.  They are both working this summer for college money, so I'm catching time with them when I can.  Then at home I'm working on cards to mail them when they are back at school. 

 

2024 Frugal Friday File, July 5...

 

1.  I worked four days this week.  Wednesday I did NOT feel good, and at lunch said I wasn't sure I could return for the afternoon.  But before I could leave for lunch, the phone started ringing off the hook and each call was something that needed researching, or follow up, etc.  I ended up taking a brief lunch (Carey needed my car for the afternoon) and did go back to the desk after.  Got stuff done, then left a half hour or so early.  Thank goodness Thursday was a holiday; even though not a paid one for me, I needed a day off.  LOL  Oh, well, money in.

2.  We have now had our grocery credit card for six months.  I have not cashed in any rewards yet, as I wanted to see and report how much it has given us back.  When we opened the card, it offered $50 if we charged a certain amount within the first 30 days.  That was very easy money; the threshold was pretty low, and even though we only charge groceries and meals out on this card, we met the dollar amount required to get the $50 in rewards offered.  In the first six months of card use, being reimbursed 5% cash back for store-branded items and 1.5% cash back for all other purchases, our 'reward' total over and above that initial $50 is a tidy $111.87 (so a total of $161.87). Not too shabby getting that much back for food costs we would have incurred anyway.  And I haven't changed my shopping habits.  The store has very good store-branded products, but I don't always buy them if I have a favorite brand I like to stick with (which is often), but I do occasionally try a store brand which I hadn't thought of trying before.  It's like earning CD interest rates without having to tie up money.  No fees for the card, and I'm not paying any interest on my charges, as I pay balance off in full each month.

Now I'm torn about whether to claim the rewards earned, or let them continue to accumulate for the rest of the year.  It would be kind of cool to wait and be able to pay for our Thanksgiving or Christmas grocery order and have it completely covered by the rewards.  I'll let you know later.

3.  Except for one takeout meal and our Sunday supper at Kasey's, every meal this week has been prepared meals from the freezer.

     I haven't been out to the freezer, but Carey says there's a combination of single- and two-serving meals to feed the two of us six more times.  I guess I'm glad, but I kind of wish it were empty, and I could start filling it again.  I feel like we probably have already eaten our favorites.

4.  Last night we noticed what I believe is a hot spot on Rudy's front paw.  We put a sock/bandage on him overnight so he wouldn't be able to lick.  I researched a bit while at work.  A soon as I got home, I checked vet's availability.  They're not open on weekends, so I used website to make appointment for first available appointment...next Friday.  I've researched home remedies, so will try those through the weekend, but if it's not better by Monday I'll call and see if they can see him sooner than Friday.  Fingers are crossed that we caught it in time to help it without a vet visit.  But even if we have to take him, it's almost time for his annual wellness visit, so maybe we can roll both into the same visit.

5.  I'm working on the menu for next week and the grocery order.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  leftovers

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  frozen Chicken Parmesan

Tuesday:  homecooked freezer meal Dublin Coddle

Wednesday:  homemade freezer meal, pork roast, mac-n-cheese, baked beas  

Thursday:  takeout fried chicken    

Friday:  homemade freezer meal Chicken & Rice w/ green beans

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

I've had this one on my Kindle for a couple of years, I think.  The other day, I actually heard a neighbor say the words, "Maybe there's something to this global warming thing after all."  You don't hear that kind of statement in our part of Texas much.  I heard it; maybe there's hope.

The head-snapping dichotomy of the cover endorsement by fellow author, Jonathan Lethem, is one of the best ones I've ever seen, and may very well be the reason I bought this book.  He said, "The best science-fiction nonfiction novel I've ever read."  Now that's a statement that intrigues me.  It's 578 pages, so it may take me awhile, especially as I'm working all week this week (except for the 4th).

*******

You may recall that I said in Friday's post that I was not able to continue reading last week's book.  I did go back to it, and even finished it.  It got somewhat interesting for awhile, but then went back to what I dislike most about chick lit.  I canNOT recommend it.  I've already deleted it and another by the author that I had on my list.