Friday, March 4, 2016

Frugal Friday File, week 9...


Successes:
1.  Paying bills on time means no late fees.

2.  Cooking when you don't feel like it means not letting good food go bad.

3.  Working locally this week means being close enough to run home for a frugal PB&J for lunch.

4.  Reviewing wardrobe means realizing I can make it through spring and summer with no purchases.

5.  Political overload means hiding at home with tv, radio, and internet off, and escaping into books.

Keep Tryings:
1.  fabric (aaaaagggghhhhh!)

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  leftovers
Sunday:  cereal and milk
Monday:  Pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, cabbage
Tuesday:  leftovers
Wednesday:  (not frugal, burgers out)
Thursday:  Shrimp Gumbo
Friday:  homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup using up leftover broccoli
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Thursday, March 3, 2016

I concede...

 I've been late to the party of welcoming Spring.  Winter was so mild here this year, that I kept hoping that we would get just one more really cold snap.  It never really got cold enough to kill off pests, so it will probably be a banner insect year...as if we don't normally have more than enough.

But today I gave in.  I opened the windows.  I enjoyed the breezes that freshened the house and set the curtains dancing.

I fully expect to see a bluebonnet any day now.
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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

What I'm reading Wednesday...

My Secret Sister
by Helen Edwards and Jenny Lee Smith

This one came recommended by Linda at Stitch Lines.  I couldn't find it at the library, so I ordered a used copy from Amazon for 1¢ plus $3.99 shipping.  It's a true story about twins separated shortly after birth; one suffered abuse and neglect, and one adopted into a loving and supportive family.  When she decided to search for her birth family, she found a twin sister she never knew she had.

I finished my previous book (short critique here) this morning, so I will be starting My Secret Sister tonight.
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Monday, February 29, 2016

Spice it up...

Quick post, because I am tired and my back aches.  I had to take a muscle relaxer to make it through the work day today.  I wasn't sure I could stand at the stove and cook tonight, but I had groceries that needed to be cooked, so I did.  And it reminded me that I've been meaning to post about this.

This is Picaringa...

...and this is Tajίn.  They are both blends of lime and chile, and are usually sold in the produce section of supermarkets.  They are marketed as a fruit seasoning, and they are quite tasty on fruit.

But I am here to tell you that if you can get your hands on either of them, try it on a baked sweet potato!!!   Love it!  Love!  It!

That is my public service announcement recommendation for today.  You can thank me later.
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Friday, February 26, 2016

Frugal Friday File, Week 8...


Successes:
1.  Booked three more days of work over the next month or so.  (Very happy they called me, as this was the office where I had to cancel at the very, very last minute when my car wouldn't run!)

2.  Food prepped / vacuum packed / freezer full...happy sigh

3.  Found three tee-shirts at Goodwill for a craft project, and one for dear son (because its funny printed design just begged to be his).

4.  Found a solution for a much needed family mail center.  It did involve purchasing a sectioned wire basket, but it was 40% off.

5.  Every meal cooked at home also put meals from leftovers in freezer for husband to take to work.

Keep Tryings:
1.  I made an ebay purchase last weekend.  It was something I've been wanting/looking for for a long time, and it was a good price, but still...

2.  Then I bought something on Amazon to go with it.  Again, something that I had researched and been thinking about.  I think it will prove frugal in the end, but still hard to think of the $ spent now.  

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  (not frugal take-out)
Sunday:  Sunday family dinner at Kasey's
Monday:  Swiss Steak in slow cooker
Tuesday:  No-Peek Chicken and Rice
Wednesday:  Secret Ingredient Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Broccoli 
Thursday:  Roast & Dumplings, Green Beans
Friday:  ?
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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Prior proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance...

I learned the 7 P's from a dear friend...actually I learned to practice them from my parents, but I learned the alliterative adage from my friend...who learned it in his career as a U.S. Army officer.  I always think of him when I find myself putting special effort into planning and preparation, because those 7 P's always pop into my head.

Today the planning and prep called for putting a couple of my favorite tools into action.

A roast went into the Ninja slow cooker.  I LOVE my Ninja.  I know I've said that before, but it bears repeating.  The insert is metal, and the Ninja has stove-top (and oven) settings in addition to low and high slow-cook settings, so when a recipe calls for browning meat before putting in the slow cooker, I can do it all in just the one.  Tonight I wanted dumplings, so after the roast was cooked, I removed it, turned the settings back to stove top, and cooked the dumplings.  One pan.  One.  

And, no, I have not been compensated in any way by Ninja, I just love it.  :)

Once I got the roast started, I put together and vacuum sealed:
2 Secret-Ingredient Meatloaves
2 pounds browned and seasoned ground beef, and
1 roast (a second one, not the one from the slow cooker)

Now they are all resting in my freezer, awaiting easy starts to future meals.  My future me will be SO grateful that I did this.  :)

And when the roast for tonight was done, this is the beautiful dinner we had:
Roast (with horseradish), Dumplings, Green Beans

I'll be putting the recipe up over at What's Cookin' 4 Miles North of Nowhere.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Sweet Salt Air: A Novel by Barbara Delinsky
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