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I successfully picked up my Mom today from Canada....although the drive was slow due to 4 inches of snow overnight!!!
I wish to spend quality time with her, do some Christmas shopping, some processing of 100 pounds of apples and some crafting so I will be back on Tuesday after I take her back. I promise I will take lots of pictures to show you!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and spend some fun time with your loved ones. :)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
My Top Ten Frugal Tips
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1. Make as much food from scratch as you can. Bread, soup, stuffings, cookies, cakes...anything that you can make from scratch will save you a ton of money! Plus it is healthier. You don't know what is in those prepared, convenient foods! Make your own!
2. Make a budget! If you have a budget written down, it will save you a lot of un-necessary spending.
3. Turn off the lights! If you or a family member are not in the room...turn off the lights! Start keeping track of your energy consumption and learn where your money is going. If you watch your power meter, you will learn how much you can save by turning off a switch.
4. Drink water! Children and adults do not need pop, juice, or energy drinks. Get your children and yourself in the habit of drinking water. Not only is it good for your body but it is free! If you start getting into the habit of always having a re-usable water bottle with you, your body will start craving water when it is thirsty.
5. Start a change jar! Perfect for when you empty out your hubby's pants before throwing them in the wash. Oh, and any change in the washer in this house is mine! If they can't empty out their pockets before throwing them in the basket...it goes to the change jar! Change adds up quicker than you can imagine (especially in Canada with the Toonies and Loonies!) Use your jar money for vacation, a special treat for the family or paying off debt.
6. Make your own household cleaners! Educate yourself on how to use vinegar and baking soda to clean everything in your home. Cheap and non-toxic. I haven't used store bought shampoo and conditioner for months.... I use a mixture of 1 tsp of baking soda to 1 cup of hot water and it is better than any shampoo or conditioner I have ever bought, no expensive de-tangler necessary here.
7. Watch flyers and use coupons! I use coupons regularly and watch all flyers for sales when buying groceries or large priced items. I rarely buy anything that isn't on sale. If you stock up on sale items, it saves a lot of money which leads to number eight on the list.
8. Stockpile! Stockpiling canned goods, meat, and groceries will save you a ton of money in the long run. My stockpile is large and it is like I have my own grocery store in my pantry. If I want to try a new recipe, I rarely have to worry if I have the ingredients on hand. We also stockpile meat from hunting in our backyard.
9. Do not eat out! Keep a journal of how many days your family eats out in a year and cut it in half. Eating out is not only causing Americans to become obese but if you have ever watched any of those television shows that prove what workers do in fast food restaurants to the food before it is served to the customers....you will never eat out again!
10. Stay out of the stores! You can't spend any money if you aren't there to be tempted.
This is a small sampling of my ways to save money....I have many, many more. I would rather have the dollar in my pocket than giving it to a large corporation.
Make sure you give your loved ones a hug tonight. :)
1. Make as much food from scratch as you can. Bread, soup, stuffings, cookies, cakes...anything that you can make from scratch will save you a ton of money! Plus it is healthier. You don't know what is in those prepared, convenient foods! Make your own!
2. Make a budget! If you have a budget written down, it will save you a lot of un-necessary spending.
3. Turn off the lights! If you or a family member are not in the room...turn off the lights! Start keeping track of your energy consumption and learn where your money is going. If you watch your power meter, you will learn how much you can save by turning off a switch.
4. Drink water! Children and adults do not need pop, juice, or energy drinks. Get your children and yourself in the habit of drinking water. Not only is it good for your body but it is free! If you start getting into the habit of always having a re-usable water bottle with you, your body will start craving water when it is thirsty.
5. Start a change jar! Perfect for when you empty out your hubby's pants before throwing them in the wash. Oh, and any change in the washer in this house is mine! If they can't empty out their pockets before throwing them in the basket...it goes to the change jar! Change adds up quicker than you can imagine (especially in Canada with the Toonies and Loonies!) Use your jar money for vacation, a special treat for the family or paying off debt.
6. Make your own household cleaners! Educate yourself on how to use vinegar and baking soda to clean everything in your home. Cheap and non-toxic. I haven't used store bought shampoo and conditioner for months.... I use a mixture of 1 tsp of baking soda to 1 cup of hot water and it is better than any shampoo or conditioner I have ever bought, no expensive de-tangler necessary here.
7. Watch flyers and use coupons! I use coupons regularly and watch all flyers for sales when buying groceries or large priced items. I rarely buy anything that isn't on sale. If you stock up on sale items, it saves a lot of money which leads to number eight on the list.
8. Stockpile! Stockpiling canned goods, meat, and groceries will save you a ton of money in the long run. My stockpile is large and it is like I have my own grocery store in my pantry. If I want to try a new recipe, I rarely have to worry if I have the ingredients on hand. We also stockpile meat from hunting in our backyard.
9. Do not eat out! Keep a journal of how many days your family eats out in a year and cut it in half. Eating out is not only causing Americans to become obese but if you have ever watched any of those television shows that prove what workers do in fast food restaurants to the food before it is served to the customers....you will never eat out again!
10. Stay out of the stores! You can't spend any money if you aren't there to be tempted.
This is a small sampling of my ways to save money....I have many, many more. I would rather have the dollar in my pocket than giving it to a large corporation.
Make sure you give your loved ones a hug tonight. :)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Answers and Artisan Bread
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As promised, I did make another loaf of the Artisan bread today. I hope that the following tutorial will be easy enough to understand. If I am unclear on any of the instructions, please ask me to clarify. It is a very easy procedure and well worth the effort.
This bread is like a sourdough bread and best eaten fresh. I have eaten up to two days later with fine results, but like anyone knows, bread is best when hot out of the oven.
Artisan Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Steps:
1. In a large bowl, add yeast and salt to water and stir well
2. Mix in flour and stir in with large spoon....do NOT knead the dough
3. Cover and let rise for 2 hours
10. Place dough in oven and bake for 30 minutes
Viola! Fresh baked Artisan bread!
As promised, I did make another loaf of the Artisan bread today. I hope that the following tutorial will be easy enough to understand. If I am unclear on any of the instructions, please ask me to clarify. It is a very easy procedure and well worth the effort.
This bread is like a sourdough bread and best eaten fresh. I have eaten up to two days later with fine results, but like anyone knows, bread is best when hot out of the oven.
Artisan Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Steps:
1. In a large bowl, add yeast and salt to water and stir well
2. Mix in flour and stir in with large spoon....do NOT knead the dough
3. Cover and let rise for 2 hours
4. Cut off a grapefruit size of the dough. Stretch the dough and fold underneath.
5. Place the ball on a greased pizza pan. A stone pan is best but my pizza pan works well (mine has holes throughout the pan to allow air to rise from underneath).
6. Lightly flour the ball of dough.
7. Using a serated knife, slice partway through the dough...I usually slice it three times.
It should look like this.
8. Cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 40 minutes.
9. Fill an oven safe bowl halfway with water (I use an old bread pan). Place in the lowest rack in the oven and turn oven on to 450 degrees. The water adds moisture to the heat which is essential to properly bake this bread. The oven needs to be at a full 450 degrees before the dough is placed in the oven.
10. Place dough in oven and bake for 30 minutes
Viola! Fresh baked Artisan bread!
It sounds a little complicated but once you do it once, I am sure your family will ask for it all the time.
This recipe makes approximately 3 or 4 loaves of bread. You can bake one at a time and keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator (covered) for up to a week. Just follow steps 4 through 10 to make bread fresh daily!
I had two readers ask me questions in my last post so I will be happy to help.
Courtney - Yes, I have dehydrated foods before I received my dehydrator. You can use an oven or the sun. I do not recommend the sun as there is an increased chance of food spoilage that way. Here is a link to a great site that explains using an oven.
I hope that you find what you need there. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
Katie - Here is an easy recipe for Whole Wheat Bread....although this recipe includes regular flour as well, it is worth trying. If I run across any others that are only whole wheat flour, I will let you know!
Ingredients:
3/4 cups warm water
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp rapid rise yeast
Bread machine - place all ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select whole wheat cycle and regular bake time, press start.
After 5 minutes, check how the dough is kneading, it may need either 1 tbsp of flour or 1 tbsp of water, depending on the consistency. Once the bread is done, allow it time to cool on a wire rack before cutting.
In the oven - prepare as usual. Allow it to rise twice. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Cover loaf with aluminum foil, and continue to bake for 30 minutes. Remove bread to wire rack to cool. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Have a great evening everyone and give your loved ones a hug! :)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Apologies and Anticipation
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I have to apologize to my readers who might have been waiting for the tutorial and recipe of the Artisan bread. I still had enough from yesterday so I didn't need to make anymore today. Tomorrow I will definitely be making the rest of the batch so I will take pictures and give you the recipe.
Today happened to be sunny so we spent the day outside buckling a few things down, changed the oil in the four-wheelers and just enjoying the day.
I have to apologize to my readers who might have been waiting for the tutorial and recipe of the Artisan bread. I still had enough from yesterday so I didn't need to make anymore today. Tomorrow I will definitely be making the rest of the batch so I will take pictures and give you the recipe.
Today happened to be sunny so we spent the day outside buckling a few things down, changed the oil in the four-wheelers and just enjoying the day.
I did make a quick trip to Goodwill...it is my most favorite store ever! Bob needed some work jeans and I was able to pick up a couple for him. I also found a few craft supplies that I have been needing so it was a great shopping day. It is great when I can find things at thrift stores...not only does it save me money but it saves on the landfill sites.
The St. Louis River that runs through town.
Tomorrow will be a day of baking as my Mom is coming for a visit on Saturday. As long as I can keep the guys away from the goodies, I should have some for when she is here. I will run to pick her up and I will be taking my camera with me. I have to get into the habit of taking it with me everywhere as I am finding that when I forget it, the most beautiful opportunites come up that you might enjoy.
My Mom lives in Canada so it is a three hour drive each way for me. Hopefully the weather holds out as they are calling for snow on Saturday and Sunday. I am excited for her visit so we can have a fun time together and we will be hitting all the thrift stores in town and we are planning a day trip to Duluth where they have awesome thrift stores. I really want to check out a few other stores as well (for Christmas gifts) but I can't mention which ones in case Bob or Luke read the post.
Off to make myself a cuppa. Thanks for the prayers for Amy and Baby Monkey. She appreciates all your positive thoughts.
Give all your loved ones a hug! :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Craft Day
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The weather was horrible again today. I am hoping for a couple of nice days yet so I can get the last of the house and buildings buckled down for the winter. I also want to shampoo all my carpets before I start decorating for Christmas so I like to have the windows open and the breeze blowing through the house when I start that big chore. Here's keeping my fingers crossed for a few more nice days.
Since the weather wasn't agreeing with my plans...I chose to finish up some crafting that I have been working on and do a little baking.
I am still not use to taking pictures for my blog so I have to apologize for not having any pictures of the baking I did today. I will get better at remembering, I promise.
I baked apple cookies, brown sugar cookies and Artisan bread. I will post the recipe and pictures of the Artisan bread tomorrow as it is a recipe that you keep in the refrigerator until you want to bake fresh bread. The dough will keep up to a week in the fridge. So I will definitely take pictures tomorrow and post the recipe for you. It is delicious.
I tried my hand at making a few bookmarks. Many of you older and wiser individuals might remember this squiggly worm bookmarks. I recall them from my childhood.
They will be sold at the Christmas craft fair.
I also completed Pasie's shawl for Christmas. It is a beautiful soft yarn that I really enjoyed using. I had purchased the yarn at Walmart on sale for $1 per skein. The pattern called for only two and a half skeins. At the same time I also purchased the same yarn in a soft green color which I will make an afghan for our living room after the Christmas season. Green is my absolute favorite color.
The weather was horrible again today. I am hoping for a couple of nice days yet so I can get the last of the house and buildings buckled down for the winter. I also want to shampoo all my carpets before I start decorating for Christmas so I like to have the windows open and the breeze blowing through the house when I start that big chore. Here's keeping my fingers crossed for a few more nice days.
Since the weather wasn't agreeing with my plans...I chose to finish up some crafting that I have been working on and do a little baking.
I am still not use to taking pictures for my blog so I have to apologize for not having any pictures of the baking I did today. I will get better at remembering, I promise.
I baked apple cookies, brown sugar cookies and Artisan bread. I will post the recipe and pictures of the Artisan bread tomorrow as it is a recipe that you keep in the refrigerator until you want to bake fresh bread. The dough will keep up to a week in the fridge. So I will definitely take pictures tomorrow and post the recipe for you. It is delicious.
I tried my hand at making a few bookmarks. Many of you older and wiser individuals might remember this squiggly worm bookmarks. I recall them from my childhood.
They will be sold at the Christmas craft fair.
I also completed Pasie's shawl for Christmas. It is a beautiful soft yarn that I really enjoyed using. I had purchased the yarn at Walmart on sale for $1 per skein. The pattern called for only two and a half skeins. At the same time I also purchased the same yarn in a soft green color which I will make an afghan for our living room after the Christmas season. Green is my absolute favorite color.
I also spent a better part of the day searching the web trying to locate all my favorite sites that I had bookmarked but lost due to the virus in my computer. Starting from a clean slate is a little un-nerving. I must feel more comfortable with a computer full of stuff. Thanks for the offer of help Syrlinus! I appreciate it.
Before I sign off for the evening, I ask all of my dear readers to say a quick prayer for the son of a friend of mine, Amy. Amy is a fellow blogger over at http://amysreallife.wordpress.com/ Her youngest son which she so aptly names Baby Monkey is currently in the hospital. He has all of a sudden been experiencing unexplained seizures. He is having a slew of tests with his Mom at his side. The power of a prayer is a wonderful thing. I know she will appreciate all the good thoughts.
Give your loved ones a hug this evening! :)
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