Taco Soup

Tacos, Mexican Food

Taco Soup

A simple slow cook meal that the whole family enjoys.

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and simmer on low till done.

1 pound browned ground beef

1 can black beans

I can corn

1 can refired beans

1 can roasted tomatoes

1 jar salsa

1 small can roasted green chilies

1 cup shredded cheese

1 cup crushed corn tortilla chips

Serve hot with corn chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Yum!

Frugal Friday 8-21-08

On being frugal

1. Stay away from emotional spending. Just remember your brothers and sisters in Africa who are struggling to survive. They have no trouble with emotional spending as they don't have the extra cash to spend or the telelvision to tell them that they need to.
2. Be content with such things as you have. It's not the end of the world if you don't get that new dress or car. If it is the end of the world there is something much more important to be concerned with and that is where we will be spending eternity.
3. Use discount bakeries. If you do buy bread then take advantage of the discount bakeries in your area and freeze what you can for use in the future.
4. Prudent men choose frugal wives. The Germans can be credited with many a proverb such as this. If you are not a frugal wife than stop considering becoming one and do it.
5. Second hand clothing. Ok so that blouse on the rack may not fit you, or be your favorite color, but you could use the buttons to add to the dress that is half done in your sewing bin. I just spent $5.00 for a whole bag of clothing and picture frames on a 50% off day at the local second hand shop. Even the bargain stores have bargain days. Don't worry, it all washes.
6. Christmas: Start making things now to keep the Christmas budget down, better yet, you will be enjoying the fruits of your after Christmas Day sale from last year, or plan ahead for that after Christmas sale this year.
7. Plan your errands together: As long as you are out make a map to hit all the errands on your list to save on gas. It also helps to keep you at home for the rest of the week. If you don't have it on hand ask yourself, do I really need it?
8. Don't be frugal with your time with the Lord: If there is one area we should not be frugal that is in communion with our Father and His word. He can fill our hearts with all that we need and fill us with contentment that overflows to all areas of our lives. Make that your chaallenge for one week and see what the Lord will do!

Bread Making Tips

My sister called the other day and said..."quick can you tell me how to make homemade bread?" Here you go sis! Have fun and let me know how your bread turns out.

Love, your older and wiser and younger looking sister. :)

I used to be so afraid of working with yeast. You know you hear all the stories about yeast being a finicky lady and how you have to baby her. Well, I have found there are just a few basics and you can have fun with the rest.

STEP #1
This really is important if you don't want to waste ingredients.
Before the baking season, put yeast spores back in your home…just put some yeast sarter out on the counter…warm water some yeast and a spoon full of sugar..I’ve heard it helps the medicine go down a little easier:)…after the yeast has done it’s thing a few days and you can’t stand the smell anymore get rid of it and start fresh

STEP #2

Start with a warm place in the kitchen to ferment the yeast. I use the top of the oven that has been pre-heated.

Put 1 cup very warm water in a large coffe mug or bowl and stir in a spoon full of honey, then add a tablespoon of yeast and stir gently and let rise.

STEP #3

Scald one cup of milk in pot on stove, turn off heat and

Add 2 tablespoons butter and let melt.

Add 2 beaten eggs

Add 2 Tablespoons Molasses

Step #4

In a large mixing bowl add four cups of flour.

I use two cups white and two of a mix of oats, whole grain flour, rye, cornmeal, and I even add a few tablespoons of protien powder to the four cups total.

I also add a mixture of seeds for flavor (about a 1/4 cup toal)…can be, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, millet, flax seeds or such.

Mix

STEP #5

Add yeast mixture to milk mixture

Add liquids to flour mixture and stir.

Add up to a half cup more of flour if needed until mixture forms a ball.

Coat ball with oil and let rise in bowl in a warm place.

STEP #6

When the dough has about doubled in size, Heat oven to 400

Oil two bread pans and split dough into halfs and place in bread pans.

As soon as the oven is heated to 400 place the bread pans into the oven and TURN DOWN the temperature to 350.

Bake for 40-45 minutes depending on how you like your crust.

Let cool a few minutes and remove from pans.

Enjoy!

Planning for the winter

Knitting

She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21
The family has plenty to keep them warm in the winter, there is no need to fear the cold when one prepares in advance. Frugal planning can keep your family warm for many winters to come....and it will be here before we know it.

We live in a part of the country where winter can get mighty cold. Even if you do have the latest fashion available to wear, it will be buried under many layers of outer wear. There are many clothes closet oraginzation in our town where you can bring in used coats that don't fit anymore and they will have them dry cleaned, and you can pick a new sized coat for your little one.

If an organization like this is not available in your area, why not do a little leg work and help yourself as well as your church body or school and collect gently used coats and ask a local dry cleaner to or two to donate some cleaning for a little word of mouth advertising and tax deductions or just plain good old fashioned kindness. Perhaps your church has an empty room or two to store the coats to help those in need, or just families with in the body of believers that are willing to swap coats for the little ones to ensure they are all warm in the winter months.
Or perhaps you can do things right out of your own garage to help families in the neighborhood.

If the winters are cold in your area you might even try a boot swap, or getting together with some ladies to crochet some hats and scarves for your own kids as well and perhaps donate some to the local prisons for the children of prisoners, or to a local orphanage. Learn to knit and or crochet or sew and teach your children and have them help as well. Make it a family project.

There are many books in the ocal Library that can be check out for FREE (Nice bargain these days) to teach yourself many of these skills. While your at it check out their DVD and video collections, you might find a how to video or two there as well.

Canning a lost art?

Vegetables

Hello again all. Hope your summer is going well. It is a bit latter in the day than I usually post these Frugal Friday tips as Yesterday was our 26th wedding anniversary! We went for a drive in the "Big Ole Truck". We stopped by the local fruit farms in Washington state to check on the availability of Nectarines but were a few weeks early. It was a nice drive up the moutain loop anyway. This got me to thinking that I might share some frugal tips on canning, something I have been enjoying canning for most of our married life. With the freshness of the summer produce and at times an abundance, it is always best to "put up" any of the excess for the winter months. I dont' know about you, but I got sticker shock shopping for fruits and vegetables last week! So here goes, and if you have any to share please leave a comment or send me a link.

1. Look in your fridge....right now! See anything that might go bad in the next few days? If so make time to freeze it or can it or serve up left overs tonight. Waste not, want not.



2. Check out your local fruit stands, or orchards, for fresh picked deals.



3. Decide whether you will freeze them, or can your deals, but make sure you have time to work with it all before it goes bad.



4. If you can't afford a whole box of fruit or a large amount of veggies go in halves with a neighbor or a friend and help each other with the canning and or freezing.



5. If you don't know how to can, learn! There are many wonderful sites online with helpful hints.



6. Scoure the second hand stores for Canning jars. Remember you will need to check for jars that have no chips or cracks. The large mouth jars are easier to work with.



7. Keep an eye out for a large canning pot, large ladle, wire canning pot insert that holds the jars, and a funnel to help with filling the small mouth jars.

The only stipulation in our home was that we saved all the home canned produce until the first snow fall. It is such a joy to see all the "fruit" of your hard work displayed above the kitchen cupboards for at least.... a little while.

One great help for lowering the amount of sugar in your canning is

Pomona's Universal Pectin.

I have also found a wonderful site that goes into much more detail than I can today at
Pick Your Own.org

Recipes at...Fresh Preserving

Enjoy the bounty and the beauty of your hard work.......can it!

FRUGAL FRIDAY 8-1-08

Well it's been an exremely busy week here. I have been contemplating what to share on this Frugal Friday. I would have to say that I have not been very frugal this week with my time and care for the family. It is one of those weeks that because you have been frugal with shopping and time and in other areas, you have it to share with those in need. A time to live the words I shared with you all when I began this blog...

Frugality in light of Proverbs 31, this is not something we Christian woman do just because times are hard, but it is a way of life. We are frugal, not cheap. We economize with a heart motive to help our husbands and families, and extend our hands to the needy.

It is time to "cash" in on those frugal times in the past by...

• pulling the frozen crock pot Lasagna out of the freezer for dinner

• using some of the homemade gift cards to send to family and friends

• caring for MIL with Alzheimers while caring for FIL who is sick
  
• using cleaners you bought on sale to help clean another house
  
• using the aprons you've made to protect your clothing from needed bleach use
  
• drawing on the Holy Spirit for the strength to make a special peaceful dinner on the back porch for family after some extremely busy days.
  
• quickly whipping up a cake from the pantry supplies you have so carefully stocked
  
• praying for others you were not able to help, but know that God can reach down and touch the hearts and lives of those you cannot be with
  
• relishing in the few moments of pampering by your husband, your best friend who understands and prays for you
  
  
  Lady Sewing
  
  

One thing I am also trying to keep on top of is "Christmas in July". I use this to keep my mind preparing for the celebration of Jesus birth. If I begin now to make and sell things I can either have a gift that is homemade for my friends and family, or have the budget to buy one that is homemade. If you haven't made the commitment to buy homemade yet, consider it now. It will help you if you as well as other homemakers across the country who are living frugally minded.

You can find me at "Domestic Lady" at my Etsy shop. There is a front porch sale scheduled soon and the rest will be posted in my shop when the weather turns cold up here in North Idaho.

Blessings to you and yours,

Lady