Cracker Candy

Layer Cookie sheet with saltine crackers
(Salt side down)

Heat oven to 400

In a sauce pan, melt on medium heat

1 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar

As soon as it starts to bubble,
Boil for 3 minutes
Stirring constantly.
Pour over Saltines and bake
approximately 5 minutes.
Watch carefully, till lightly browned.
Remove from oven and immediately pour

1 Bag Chocolate Chips evenly over
the hot bubbling mixture.

Let chips melt and then spread chocolate
evenly over the crackers.
(Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired)
Cool in Freezer 2 Hours
Remove from Freezer let stand 5 mins
And cut into squares.
Store in zip lock bags or tin
Can be stored in refrigerator or at
Room temperature.

Life is a bowl of Cherries!

Finally back to Frugal Friday's!
Found this great deal on cherries and a cherry pitter and went for it!


The Pitter made quick work of things which helped as my time was limited. It also helped with a higher yield of good fruit as it would have taken me a long time to wash, cut all those cherries in half and dig out the pit which would have meant losing some to spoilage. Plus I will have the pitter for years to come! I've heard you can use a bobby pin, (although it does squirt the juice a bit) but I like to cut the cherries in half and freeze them in zip lock bags so I can pull a few out at a time in the winter and put in my oatmeal or yogurt or protein smoothie.
Tips

• Choose fresh fruit without blemishes, wash in a good quality produce wash according to directions, but don't soak for more than 2 minutes, de-stem, and you are ready to place the cherries in what my husband calls....."the guillotine" (The cherry pitter)
  
• After pitting the cherries, place the halves on a cookie sheet and partially freeze. This will help them not stick together in one large clump that is difficult to break apart later.
  
• The cherries can then be placed in an airtight bag and placed in the freezer. No sugar or sugar substitute is required.
  
• You can then pull the cherries out in the winter and thaw them to eat, or make jam, or cherry sauce when the weather is cooler.
  

Choosing fresh local fruit in season...

• Helps on the grocery budget as these cherries will triple in price come winter
  
• Allows you to choose the way and time you want to preserve them
• Lets you know exactly what ingredients go into your final product,
  allowing for specific needs of the family.
  

Frugal Friday tip plus a bonus!

Hello all, it may be late, but it's still Friday and I have a Frugal find to share with you.

Hisbeloved has a wonderful frual tip to share that young moms may find of worthy note as they may have exactly what she is sharing.

And while you are there you might enjoy the bonus recipe Hisbeloved is sharing in her post...

No sugar, yet chocolate!

When life gives you lemons...

When life gives you lemons....make some lemonade!

That was the plan, however the heat got to the lemons before I did. I bought a large bag of lemons from Costco that looked very lucious and lemony, and wonderful. I brought them home and put them all in a bowl on the kitchen table as I usually do. This makes them available and in sight to remind me to use them. Alas, the heat made them mold and I lost almost half the bowl full.
I separated them and threw out the bads ones and began juicing the rest on the old fashioned glass hand held juicer I found at an antique sale last summer. I saved the juice in the fridge to keep it for future use. Then I remembered that my mom who lives in the desert, who also has a lemon tree, would do juice her lemons and then put the juice in ice cube trays to freeze the juice and then store them for future use in plastic baggies.
It adds just the right zing to iced tea as well as some much needed cooling these days. Possible three digit temps around here in the next week and very few have airconditioning. We need to find cool wherever we can find it.

Enjoy!

Frugal Friday Tip

Marsha at Suficient Grace for Suffering Saints has a wonderful Frugal Friday tip.

If you find yourself with a small bit of time of your hands try her idea for a Stay-Cation.

It's my kind of vacation and if I had time I would try to invite myself! :)

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups QUICK OATS

2 beaten eggs

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamom

1 teasoppn salt

1 cup milk

Place all ingedients in a mixing bowl

and mix well

Pour into 9 inch square pan

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

Cut into squares

and serve hot

topped with milk

and assorted toppings...

rasins, nuts, fruit...

It's jucing time again!

Whole food vitamins are expensive unless you can find a good sale, and organic fruit is good for you, but sometimes goes ripe too fast to consume. The family doesn't like to eat all their 5 servings fo fruits and vegetables. So....I have wanted a Jack La Lane Juicer for many years, and I have been scouring second hand stores for one but to no avail. However, just yesterday it showed up on my front door step!

My mom used to work in a Commisary doing those food demonstrations and was able to buy the tools she needed at a discounted price, so she began collecting different kitchen items. She left that job a number of years ago and wondered if I would like a juicier as it is just sitting on her counter. Of course a resounding YES was the answer!

So it arrived on my doorstep yesterday and I made my first batch of Veggie juice last night. What a blessing! This juicer is soooo quiet compared to my old unit, and the pulp comes out much more dry and in turn much more juice is produced as well.

A juicer is a wonderful way to get your kids, or your family to "drink" their fruits and veggies.
I can't tell you how many times I have bought fruits and veggies just to have them go bad in the veggie bin! What a waste! Now I can turn those fruits and veggies into juice, and also pulp that can be used in healthy breads and muffin recipes. The juice made at home is also much better and fresher than store bought juice stored in plastic bottles, as the longer the juice sits the less nutrients it contains.

Now I am on the look out for great fruit and veggie sales.

Thanks sooo much mom!

PS: Dear Husbands reply was...Lord have mercy! :)

Dishwasher Salmon

I ran across the funniest post at Lynns, Queen of the Castle Recipes. She posted this recipe from Eskimo women who have diswashers..."Dishwasher Salmon"

Like she said, how diswashers receive power in an igloo is a problem I will leave to them. I'm just passing on the recipe post. Lynn has also written a Book entitled Queen of the Castle...52 Weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker.

The recipe is only frugal if you disinfect your silverware at the same time. Enjoy!

Frugal Friday, May 22, 2009

Good Frugal Friday to you all! I have missed you much, as I have been having difficulty accessing my main blog. Internet Exlporer cannot open the site, and it aborts the operation. I have tried rebooting my computer many times to see if it is a problem on my end, but alas, to no avail. I was able to access Frugality 101 through the dashboard of all my blogs, but not the main one "Domestically Inclined" If any one out there has any ideas would you please leave a comment on this post or email me at hizladybug@gmail.com.

Frugality in our homes allows us to help others at times when they are in need. This Memorial Day Weekend please remember to pray for our military and their families and help where we can.

Ideas for helping our Military Families...

• Pray!


• Babysit so mom can have the afternoon to refresh or run errands


• Send a card with a gift card to a coffee shop


• Drop off a bag of groceries to help stretch till next payday


• Send an email to our service men and women to thank them for keeping us safe and free.


• Contact the electrice company and pay a bill privately


• Drop off a box of diapers and wipes


• Bake a batch of cookies and visit and encourage them with God's Word
• Bring some groceries to your churches food bank


• Pray!

Or come up with your own ideas to bless those who are blessing us with their lives.

Frugal Friday

Good Friday morning to you all. Well this week I managed to get through some of my closet and pulled out some items that didn't look "new" anymore. Instead of tossing them, I pulled out the RIT dye I've been buying a little at a time. At the beginning and end of the winter season the darks seems a bit faded so I give them a "dye bath" in the washer with Rit dye. (liquid or powder)

I used to be afraid of using the washer with this, but it seems to work quite nicely. The darker colors requier a double batch of dye. Just follow the direction on the package or bottle, making sure you have salt and bleach on hand. Salt helps soften the water and the fabric to take the dye better and the bleach is for cleaning out the washer immediately after you color your fabric.

I did the browns this week and tossed in an olive skirt that was faded and it turned out a nice chocolate color. Cotton works best to take the color and some synthetics don't work at all.

If you've got some cotton muslin fabric you can color it before making a skirt out of it. See what a little creativity can bring to your life.

Frugal Tips

Young Woman Attending to Her Housework with a Dust Mop
It's Frugal Friday.

I've been dealing with an allergy attack this past weekend the kind that swells the throat shut and makes it difficlut to breathe...yes, that kind. So after not feeling well this week and letting mom help the best she can...with alzheimers it makes it difficult for her...but we both managed. However the kitchen floor needed cleaning after she tried doing dishes a few times and cleaning out the fridge of some items. The last thing I wanted to do was pull out chemicals to clean the laminate wood flooring, it was pretty bad...but I pulled out my usual cleaner of vinegar and hot water and it still worked great on the messy floor! I just use a spray bottle of 1/2 hot water and 1/2 vinegar and spray the floor section by section and clean with a swiffer sweeper. For really tough jobs I wrap the swiffer sweeper with an old towel and secure with a rubber band, and it does the tougher jobs much better. Best of all no chemicals to inhale.


I'd like to share a wonderful post regarding being frugal over at Homemaking Dreams regarding 2008 Financial Lessons, and don't forget to check out her Etsy shop as she has some lovley practical items. The site also has many before and after pictures of areas in the home that needed organizing.

Another featured site for thrifty wives and moms is at Civillas Cyber Cafe. There are great tips for all areas of the home, shopping, office, and garage. Some of the tips on this post are from housewives of the 1950's and some that have gone through the Great Depression.

Thanks cyber ladies for your help with Frugal Friday!

"Upcycling"...a fancy word for Fruality

Not only does mending an item quickly save time in the process,

it also saves the article of clothing.

And these days that definitely helps the pocket book.

It is now time to dip into the fabric reserves that have been carefully sought

for during those well planned days of sales to create new garments made meticulously to have fine garments, as a Proverbs 31 woman, that will last.

Of course that requires a bot of talent.

If you need help in this area, you can take advantage of the recent trend of "upcycling" clothing to create a new garment for a family member or yourself.

"Upcycling"... just a fancy word for frugality

Become creative.

What is it you or your family needs?

Kids pants too short?

Don't be a slave to fashion, create your own in this time of a down turned economy.

Most Americans have a tremendous supply already at their finger tips...

just look into your closet!

Decide what fits and what you like and set aside the rest to work with.

Go through everyones closet in the household to gather your supplies.

You now have a large supply of buttons, and fabric, and shoes, and hats, and belts, and jewlery.

With a bit of creativity you can make something "new"

Project #1

Take a pair of jean shorts that fit at the waist but perhaps are not flattering or in good conditon lower down. Cut the jeans shorts an inch below the zipper and add a swatch of gathered fabric to make a swirl skirt for your little lady.

Project #2

You know that wool shirt that you accidentally shrunk in the dryer? Well do it again, yes shrink it again to make felted wool. You can now cut the fabric to make a purse or wallet or hat, or any item you might need.

Project #3

Have some old sheets?

Tear then into one inch wide strips and sew the ends together and gather the string together like a ball of yarn. Now crochet a long line and stitch into a circle or oval rug. If you place it on a wood floor be sure to use non skid sheet underneath, or you can use a few lines of hot glue. Just apply the hot glue to the bottom of finished rug and let dry before placing on the floor.

Project #4

Just love those buttons but the blouse has to go? Take the buttons off and make them into earrings, or re use the buttons on an upcycled purse or swirl skirt.

Project #5

Maybe you can think of another "up-cycling project" and share it with me!

Monday is Wash Day

Ivory Soap Girl Washing

I like to start the week out right by getting my Laundry started from a busy weekend.
You can start the New Year out right with a frugal batch of Homemade Laundry Detergent

I've posted it many times in the past but found it written out at a friends blog. Take a peek and come to enjoy the many uses of this wonderful recipe at Maybe I'll blog

Snow Cream

The Spectator

A frugal Friday to you all!

We just received 32 inches of snow in one storm, with more to come today

 followed by an arctic blast.

Needless to say it's beginning to look like a white Christmas for sure around here,

with lots and lots of beautiful white fresh powder!

So what better way to save on the grocery bill

than by treating the family with Snow Cream.

Paula Dean's Snow Cream

Ingredients

8 cups snow, or shaved ice

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Place snow or shaved ice into a large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine. Serve immediately in bowls.

Merry Christmas!

Frugal Friday Soup

Frugal is as frugal does...sorry it was a Forest Gump moment.
It's cold enough for some homemade chicken noodle soup!
I've learned to stay away from canned soups for many reasons
1. MSG
2. Way too much sodium
3. Preservatives
4. and in my case Gluten

We grew up making our own soups at home when I was young, so I don't think twice about de-boning a chicken for the meat or the chicken broth. For some out there who have asked for details let me say let's make it easy, however just so you know up front, you will have to touch a chicken. Not to worry though, God did give us meat on this earth to eat, and it's ok to remind others of that.

Crock Pot Chicken
1. Buy one large fresh (organic) chicken. (Perhaps someone can go hunting for a fresh one :)
2. Unwrap the chicken and take out the innerds and rinse the chicken well under cold running water and place in a crock pot.
3. Rub the chicken with a small amount of oil
4. Wash your hands...no samonella here!
5. Season the chicken...I sprinkle it with dry ranch dressing mix, real salt and pepper.
6. Add one cup water to the crock pot
7. Set crock pot to low overnight (I then turn off the crok pot in the morning and by the time beakfast is done it is cool enough to handle)
8. Wash your hands, and reach right in there for the meat, it should just fall right off the bone.
9. Seperate the meat from the bones and pour off the broth.
10. Refridgerating the broth before using solidfies the fat that floats to the top and it can be scraped off before using in soups or recipes. (if you want to use the broth right away, carefully float a paper towel on top of the broth to soak up much of the fat.
11. Refridgerate the meat for use in recipes.

Why go through all this work?
a. the meat is preservative free
b. no msg
c. much more frugal and economical than luncheon meats or canned soups
d. tastes better
e. meat cooked on the bone is much more nutrient rich than most processed foods in our markets.

Chicken Noodle Soup

One cup freshly cooked chicken
Two cups broth
One cup water
2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 cups fresh pealed chopped carrots
1 tablespoon dried Rosemary

2 cloves freshly chooped garlic
handful of chopped celery leaves
1 cup homestyle pasta noodles
or gluten free homemade noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
Cover and simmer until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes and serve warm with homemade bread or crackers.Enjoy knowing that your family is being served a nutrient rich meal free of all sorts of preservatives and other harmful additives.

Giving on a Frugal budget

If you are the only one in the country that hasn't seen the news this week, surprise!...the economy doesn't seem to healthy...to put it mildly. However not to worry...God is still in control!

Well this week was one of those times that frugality paid off. First off let me share that I've been saving a bit at a time to buy some gift cards over the past few months. I find they are a small way of being able to say thank you to so many in such a simple way. I also find that they are a good investment just before the holidays to have some on hand for that gift you really wanted to give someone, but couldn't get out in the snow to pick up! Well, you may not have that problem, but sometimes I do. I'm not real keen on traveling all over just to pick up gift cards with gas being more expensive than milk in some areas! But I started noticing displays in the grocery store of all sorts of gift cards. Money as a gift seems so impersonal but a gift card to somewhere that the recipient really likes seems more thoughtful. So the next time you are in the store, pick a few up, you can even add more to a previous one and build it up a bit to give an even larger amount. Or keep those smaller ones on hand to share at just the right time. Not only does it save on gas by buying a card while at the grocery store, it also saves on postage.

Frugal Friday Sept. 4, 08

Little Girl in Bonnet

Good Morning Frugal Friday Ladies,

I was cleaning up the painting mess that dearest Husband so kindly made, when I noticed the towels. (it really is kind of him as I am allergic to the paint fumes and it really needed painting)
Back to the towels...Some seemed awfully frayed and I made a mental note to share with you what I have done with them in the past.

1. If the seams are beginning to fray I mend them.
2. After the first mend begins to fray I cut the worn edges and mend again.
3. If there is a whole in the towel and it won't mend well, I will cut the towel up and make wash cloths out of it.
4. If there are large nice salvageable sections of a towel left I will cut out a piece to make a vintage "Budoir Bonnet" to keep my long hair from dripping all over the wood floor. I plan on posting some of these on my ETSY shop one of these days.
5. If all else fails, these towel or washcloth remnants become rags to clean up dear husbands paint messes.

Here are a few more recycling tips
The Sheperds House


Enjoy this glorious day, and may you shine with the love of Jesus to all you meet!

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!