Brown Gravy Mix

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I use these Brown Gravy Mixes quite a bit when I am cooking

.... I know, I know ... yuck right?  They do come in handy though. I find them useful for meals like shepherd's pie, hot beef sandwiches (when there is roast beef left over from the previous day's meal), for throwing in a package when a pot of stew is almost ready or even when I am in a rush and need something for mashed potatoes.

The worst part about them however is they are quite expensive.  Sometimes I can get them on sale at 3 packs for .99 cents but usually they run about .50 cents a pack.  I think that is outrageous especially when I know it is probably just cornstarch and some beef bullion.  So I was on the hunt to find a recipe to make my own ....

and I found it!  It was on the Our Country Haven Forum site ... now I have never seen this site before but it needs to be explored further.  It looks fantastic.  So I thought I would share it with you.  Now I didn't figure out the cost of how much it cost to make this batch but I would assume it was pretty cheap ... it makes the equivalent to 24 of those little packages!!!!  So that would run me at least $12.00 and I know it didn't cost that much.

Brown Gravy Mix

1 2/3 cup of cornstarch

6 tablespoons of low sodium beef bullion or granules

4 teaspoons of instant coffee crystals or powder

2 teaspoons of onion powder

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Combine and store in an airtight container.

To Use:

Use 3 tablespoons of mix to 1 1/2 cups of water in a pan.  

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir for one minute.

I love, love, love it!  No more of those expensive pre-packaged mixes.

Now the same site had a chicken gravy mix recipe so I am happy to share that as well BUT I have not tried this one yet so I am unsure of the taste.  If it is anything like the brown gravy, it will be a winner. It doesn't however make as much ..... or at least you have to use quite a bit more to make the gravy so it looks like this recipe is only the equivalent of about 6 pre-packaged mixes.

Chicken Gravy Mix

1 1/3 cups of instant non-fat dry milk powder

3/4 cup of flour

3 tablespoons of instant chicken bullion or granules

1/4 teaspoon of ground sage

1/8 teaspoon of ground thyme

1/8 teaspoon of ground pepper

Combine and stir with a wire whisk to blend.  

Spoon into a 3 cup air-tight container and store in pantry.

To Use:

Combine 1/2 cup of mix, 1 cup of water, and 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan.

Whisk constantly over medium heat until smooth and thick (2-3 minutes).

Another great staple to add to the pantry at the fraction of the cost!  I hope this helps some of you as well.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Time to Mod Podge

Pin It I found these at a yard sale last week and snatched them up for 10 cents a piece not knowing what I was going to do with them.  They were such a great price that I just couldn't resist.

Then Saturday, I found these at another yard sale.  Since the set was only $1.50, they would be perfect for our main washroom.  A candle will be lovely sitting on the little tray attached tray.  Planning on making some changes to our decor once I am back home, I knew that I could change the little wooden trays up a bit to match.

I am not sure how Bob is going to feel about having such a girly girl washroom...especially the main washroom but he usually doesn't complain too much as long as he doesn't have to do any of the work.

Stripping off the plastic and paper liner that was on the tray proved to be very difficult as you can see in the top right hand corner.  I had to use a scraper and some warm water to get the sticky goo under the paper off the tray but they finally came clean.

I then cut my pink rose fabric the correct size to fit nicely into the trays.  Giving the bottom of the tray a coat of mod podge, then laying the piece of fabric down and applying more mod podge to the top of the fabric, I assumed I was done and just had to wait for it to dry.  Well that it wasn't going to be that easy.

Unfortunately once the mod podge dried, you could see through the flowery fabric and the dark green paint with white paint splattered underneath....NOT what I wanted but I wanted to use this fabric!

So I once again cut three pieces of the same fabric and applied those on top of the already applied fabric in the trays.  Once dried, the fabric underneath was faintly visible through the top fabric but I didn't mind the look.

These trays will be perfect to hold my nail polish, makeup and brushes once the washroom is finished.

Well now I am hoping to find a few more items for the washroom at yard sales before I head back home.  Hee, hee.

Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Libraries are the Best Bookstore!

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My Mom's local library was having their annual summer time used book sale.  Did I ever mention I LOVE library book sales?!!!


We arrived bright and early to get a good look through the tables and tables of books that were for sale.

Although I could have picked up quite a few more, I resisted...thinking about the bulging bookcases back home that are crying to be thinned out.


I did find these three though that I just could pass up.

I have been wanting to read 'The Secret' by Rhonda Byrne for quite a while and it just hadn't found its way into my library book bag until now....and with it being a hardcover in brand new condition with the $17.95 price tag still attached on the back, I had to have it for $1.00.

Next Reader's Digest....well we all know that Reader's Digest have some of the best non-fiction self-help books on the market and I did not have this one in my collection.  'Curing Everyday Ailments - the Natural Way' was something that caught my eye right away.  Trying to live a more simple life while being as self-sufficient as possible, this book was a must have.  It too only cost $1.00

The last of my finds was 'The Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy' by Julia Lawless.  This was another one that caught my eye right away.  I thought it would be a wonderful addition to the Reader's Digest book and being a steal at 25 cents....well, need I say more?

So if you are looking for good used books that might be a little different, watch for your local library to have their annual or bi-annual book sale.  I never leave empty handed!


Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Thrifty Thursday

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Time for Thrifty Thursday!!

Buttons!  I found buttons!  I love buttons ..... I love playing with them and letting them slip through my fingers.  I imagine the people who wore the clothing they came off of and the clothing itself ... was it a fancy skirt, a trusty, worn out cowboy shirt or a blouse that was regrettably out-grown.  

I also love the tin that they came with and the wooden box that holds the bigger buttons.  Unfortunately the wooden box is missing a side piece or I could have decorated it a bit with some paint, fabric and some ModPodge.  Oh well, I can't always be lucky!

Tin with buttons - $ 2.99    Wooden box with larger buttons - $ 2.49

Now to find something to do with them!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Frugal Gift Idea

Pin It I love our Goodwill Store. Many times you can find new items that still have the tags attached for a very reasonable price. The other day I was able to pick up a set of 3 Valentine's place-mats for 99 cents. They still had the tags attached and were so cute that I had to try my new idea with them.

These place-mats are the kind that are double layered.







First you need to carefully take apart the seam on one end. Just an opening large enough to be able to stick your hand into it.




Next, take some cotton batting stuffing and begin to stuff, making sure that all corners are well stuffed.

The last step is to hand sew the hole back up and voila!

You have perfectly stuffed pillows! I was thinking seasonal pillows would be so reasonable to have throughout the home. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, July 4th, Halloween....... oooh, the possibilities!

Have a great day everyone, I am off to finish a new table runner that I have been working on.

Remember to give your loved ones a hug! =)