GCC Recipe Swap

As a young mom, the only peace I got was when my little kids climbed in the bath tub and played with their toys. I'd get a book, sit on the bathroom floor and read while they played. I had the cleanest toddlers in town and I made them take a bath everyday just so I could have a break. One of the biggest tricks up my tub-time sleeve was this recipe for homemade bathtub paints. If you still have little ones and need your own time-out, this should do the trick.

Homemade Bath Tub Paints

• 1/3 cup mild clear Joy dish washing soap or clear baby shampoo
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• food coloring

Mix cornstarch and liquid soap in bowl. Pour into an ice cube tray, (sometimes I use plastic cups) filling about 1/2 full. Put 4-8 drops of different food coloring colors into each section and mix till blended.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share this week? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Homemade Dog Food

When we run out of a grocery item, I've trained the family to go to a list I keep hanging on the fridge and add the item. It only took me approximately five years to get everyone to agree to do it and it works really well for us. But it seems that one item slipped through the cracks this week and that was dog food. When I got up this morning to feed and water our two dogs, I opened the food bucket and found only crumbs. I needed a quick fix because even though I love my dogs, I'm not willing to be a pajama-wearing-statistic at Wal-mart and rush down this morning for food. So I got online and found a homemade dog food recipe and I'm happy to report that I have full happy dogs right now. They love me!

It actually smelled really good and if I hadn't already classified it as "dog food" in my head, I may have tried a bite. So if you want to try a healthier dog food alternative, both Lady and Tucker recommend this one.

(I subbed all the meat for 4 eggs and some leftover lentils and turkey that was stashed in my freezer)

Homemade Dog Food

GCC Shopping Round Up

Not much to show today. I figured I could get by this week with some milk and eggs so I didn't bother to take a picture. It was the fastest trip I've ever made to Win-co.

1 gallon milk $2.28
18 eggs $2.20

Grand Total $4.48

Would you like to share your shopping trip? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Monday

The Easter bellyache has passed this morning. We all stuffed ourselves at dinner the night before. My mother in law sent me home with the ham bones after dinner yesterday so we'll be whipping up some soup in the crockpot today. Soup might seem crazy during this season....unless you live in Washington State where it is cold and rainy today. So, cozy food is still on the menu for us. I don't have a recipe for the soup so I'm just winging it with the veggies, beans and pasta I have in the cupboard. Here's what's cooking this week at our house...

Breakfasts:

Fruit and yogurt smoothies and/or freezer muffins

Dinners:

Ham Bone Soup with homemade bread
Funky Chicken Sesame Noodles (carried over from last week)
French Toast Night!
Amish Baked Noodles with Ham
Grilled Turkey, tomato and swiss with veggies and dip
Spaghetti
Leftover Night!

Homemade Easter Egg Dye

I love coloring easter eggs and that no longer means you have to buy the packages of dye at the store. You can use regular stuff from your cupboards and get the job done. So here's a link to a great recipe for home dyed eggs. Have fun!

Easter Egg Dye Recipe

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please link directly to your post not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Folgers Contest! Vote and Win!

Head on over to my review page where you can Vote for a new Folgers Jingle.

Vote every day on the top 10 and you could win one of five $100 grocery store gift card daily prizes and the Grand Prize of $10,000 just for voting.

The Best Frugal Resource? Your Library!

This is the library in my town.

My love of the library began at a young age. I remember shuffling into the school library with my kindergarten class. I was wearing pig tails and bell bottoms and I was looking forward to the upcoming recess where I just knew I was going to win at kick-ball. They sat us down on the carpet and began to explain the Dewey decimal system and the fact that I could take any book I wanted, home with me. My eyes got huge as I realized the treasure of all these books at my disposal. I forgot all about recess and loaded up my bag with as many books as it would hold. From that moment on I was hooked.

I devoured every Mrs. Piggle Wiggle book I could find. I moved on to mysteries and adventures, dramas and history and secret Judy Blume books that I had to hide from my Mother. In my teen years I went through a romance novel phase. My 20’s were filled with books on parenting, marriage and cooking. When I needed a break from the monotony of changing diapers and wiping chins I’d leave the kids with my husband and head to the quiet library to soak up the peace and solitude with my favorite magazine. My 30’s were filled with books about personal growth, gardening, cooking and more parenting. I spent hours researching new projects. And as I enter my next decade I’m sure the books I read will reflect whatever is going on in my life.

As a frugalist, the library is my number one money saving resource. Not only can you check out books but most libraries offer a host of other resources, all with my favorite price tag… Free. When I hear about a new book on the New York Times List I go directly to my library and reserve it. No more spending money on books unless it’s something I want in my home library. Need a movie? I go get one for free at the library. Libraries across the country offer free kids programs and entertainment all year round. There is free internet access, free computer usage, free tax help, free seminars, free art shows. You can find newspapers from across the country, magazines that save you from spending their $4 to $5 price in the grocery store line, and free genealogy resources. When I decide I want to try my hand at making homemade soap, instead of purchasing the book I borrow it from the library. If I want to garden without pesticides or go Vegan, I research it for free at the library. When we took a vacation that had lots of driving we checked out free audiobooks to listen to on the way. They even have kids buckets full of toys and projects that you can check out. When my kids were curious about the Beatles and I didn’t own even one CD, we got them at the library and listened to them for weeks…for free. The freebies are endless.

If you don’t already have a library card at your local library, now is the time to get one. Even if you have to pay a small price for the use of your library you’ll more than recover it each year in the money you’ll be saving. And it’s always fun going home with a bag full of entertainment for you and the kids, all without making a dent in your checking account.

GCC Shopping Round Up

So, I normally buy 5 dozen eggs at a time but this week, due to Easter deals, it was cheaper to buy four 1-dozen cartons than my regular 5 pack. Also strawberries were on a super deal this week.

Here's what I got...

Win-co

2 graham cracker crusts $2.24
marshmallows $.98
whipping cream $2.86
hot chocolate mix $2.11
4 cartons of strawberries $4.72
bananas $1.15
chicken breasts $5.98
pears $2.13
green onions $.48
Broccoli $1.66
teriyaki sauce $1.22
soy sauce $1.98
strawberry jello $.38
brown sugar $1.29
eye of round steak $11.46
drumsticks $3.84
4 dozen eggs $4.32
cream cheese $1.25
2 packs of butter $4.96
angel hair pasta $2.12

Grand Total $57.13

Would you like to tell us about your shopping trip? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Monday

We have a birthday in the house this week. Hubby hits 41 on Friday so we'll be eating a total "man meal". Steak and potatoes, Baby! It's also Easter week, which I am NOT cooking for and pretty happy about it. I'll be taking some yummy pies to my Mother in Laws. Here's what's cooking this week.

Breakfasts:

Freezer muffins, freezer french toast or smoothies

Dinners:

Polish Appetizer over rice
Egg Salad Sandwiches with veggies and dip
Teriyaki Drumsticks, rice and steamed veggies
Funky Chicken with Sesame Noodles
Steak, Mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, strawberry pie
Leftover buffet
Easter Pies: Lemon with no-weep Meringue, Chocolate French Silk

GCC Recipe Swap

The wet Washington spring always makes me long for summer. It's so close but so far away. So I tend to break out the summer recipes just so I can get a little taste of what's to come. This week I did a fruit salad that made me think of picnics and a few days ago I made a grilled cheese sandwich that made me think "Ripe Garden". Mmmm. I hope you like it. It's one of my favorite summer flavor combinations.

Summer Grilled Cheese

2 slices bread
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pinch dried Italian seasoning
sliced mozzarella pepper
2 slices fresh tomatoes
2 -4 fresh basil leaves

Mix oil and dried herbs and spread on 1 side of both slices of bread. Preheat non stick pan to medium heat. Seasoned side down add slice of cheese, tomato, fresh ground pepper, basil and other slice of cheese topping with second slice of bread seasoned side up. Place in pan with a weight on it and cook for 1 minute till browned flip and cook for an other minute till cheese is melted.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

GCC Shopping Round Up

My hand mixer quit on me a few weeks ago, no thanks to my over eager kitchen helpers who burnt out the motor. It was about time though since it was a wedding present over 16 years ago. So we've all been building muscles (in only one arm) as we stir things up the old fashioned way. I draw the line at whipping cream with a whisk though. The new method has put quite a halt to the constant baking that goes on in this house. No longer will I proclaim that I'm on a diet, only to be greeted by fresh cookies and cake baked by my skinny daughter who doesn't understand the consequences of their temptation....yet. In the meantime I've been dreaming of this baby.
It's a kitchenaid.....it's my favorite color...and it's nearly $300. I want it in a bad, bad way. In a way that only my sore right arm can understand. But I'm committed to this cash only lifestyle. I refuse to be enslaved by credit card debt ever again. So I'm socking away a few bucks each paycheck hoping that soon (maybe in a year due to kids spontaneous needs and my own splurge-on-myself guilt) that work of kitchen art will be gracing the baby blue 70's counter tops in my kitchen. In the meantime you might not want to shake my right hand. I haven't quite adjusted to my new muscles yet and I could easily toss you over my shoulder and only stop to wonder what the breeze was.

Oh yeah....the shopping trip.

Win-co
2 gallons milk $4.56
dish soap $.88
tater tots $1.97
frozen peas $1.88
2 smoked sausage $2.76
taco shells $1.13
ground beef $11.07
2 cans pineapple $1.76
tomato sauce $.48
apricot preserves $1.64
deodorant $2.68
bulk macaroni $2.24
butter $2.78
whipping cream $2.86
10 lbs carrots $4.48
BBQ sauce $.98
Cheddar $4.48
grapes $3.08
kale $2.76
celery $1.74
6 lbs apples $4.96
bulk pecan pieces $5.73
onion buns $2.10

Grand Total $69.00

Would you like to share your shopping trip? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Monday

Ahhh Monday. It's back to school for us after a two week spring break. I keep forgetting why I don't take much of a summer and spring break from homeschooling. Nothing like four bored kids to remind you. They were so bored and ornery that by the end of the week I found them around the kitchen table working on school of their own accord. It was a nice break for me in the sense that I could ignore school prep for a few weeks but the kids missed it. Go figure!

I've also been hearing lot's of "suggestions" about menu changes from the kids. Seems they weren't impressed with my fancy french dishes last week and they are wanting more kid friendly meals. You asked for it! This week it's nothing BUT kid food. I plan on gaining 10 pounds.

Breakfasts: (choice of)

Freezer muffins or french toast, yogurt and fruit smoothies, eggs

Dinners:

Taco's
Baked Mac and Cheese, Fruit salad, Peas
Polish Appetizer over rice with salad
Sloppy Joe's, tater tots
Omelets
Grilled cheese and veggies with dip
Leftover Buffet

GCC Recipe Swap

It's Friday, Yay! Having teenagers in the house means lots of fast food cravings. French fries are the big ones. And since I won't take them to McDonalds every time they have a craving, my son has learned to improvise. He's come up with a great french fry recipe that I'm going to share with you.

Homemade French Fries

2 scrubbed potatoes per person
oil
garlic salt or other flavorings

Cut your cleaned potatoes into strips. We prefer to keep the skin on. Fry at 350 in a little oil until slightly browned seasoning with garlic salt or plain salt. Then transfer to a cookie sheet and cook in the oven at 400 for 10 minutes or until tender. These are crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Add ketchup or homemade fry sauce and you'll have satisfied teens.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge. Have a great weekend!

Look on the Bright Side

One of my kids was born a pessimist. He’s an amazing kid, really. He is the first to apologize when he’s done something wrong, he’s compassionate, and he has a smile that lights up a room. But he constantly views the world through dark and murky glasses. On a regular basis he feels slighted…gypped…like the world is out to get him. So my job as his mother is to help him see the bright side. When his wallet was lost for a day with all his earthly wealth inside he was instantly consumed with fear and panic. His every moment was focused on the loss of his wallet and the fact that some horrible person must have stolen it from him when he wasn’t looking. So when we found it clean and crisp in the dryer with all the money intact was he happy and relieved to have it returned? Of course not. He complained that his dollars were now too crispy to be used. And so it goes, his serving is smaller, his homework is harder, his life is too complicated (must have been that ONE chore he had to do today) and so on. I find myself spending lots of time pointing out the good in all of his bad so he can see that there is balance to life. That there is always something good, no matter how small, that can be found in our circumstances.

Most of the frugal people I meet don’t just all of the sudden choose to lead a frugal lifestyle. Many have found themselves in circumstances where it’s adjust or bust. Whether it’s a job loss, illness, stock market gamble gone bad, or a lifestyle change that resulted in a lower income, all of us have had circumstances that lead us to a choice. Do we grumble, complain, and spend all our time mourning what we used to have or do we do we look for the bright side and press on? I’m a firm believer in the silver lining theory. Even though I have moments where my day to day life can get the best of me, I always know that there is something good buried in the tough stuff. You just have to be able to look for it and pull it up out of the rubble.

I’ve learned some things from this frugal journey that had nothing to do with money. I’ve learned that the American Dream isn’t about the car and the house with the picket fence; it’s more about the people that live in the house. I’ve learned not to assume that the guy standing on the street corner holding up his cardboard sign is any less of a person than I am. I’ve learned that less is truly more. I’ve learned that my life is rich with friends and family and there is no amount of money that can top that. I’ve learned that I appreciate things so much more when they are dreamed about, saved for and completely paid for when I bring them home. And I’ve learned that challenges make me stronger and bring out a creativity I never knew I had.

So if you find yourself facing frugality with a feeling of lack, take a moment to change the way you’re thinking about it. View it as the silver lining rather than the dark and gloomy cloud and I bet you’ll find that what you thought was lack is really just a new opportunity to learn.

GCC Shopping Round Up

I stood in the egg aisle, mouth gaping, when I saw the price of eggs this week. And then I remembered. Easter is coming. They always jack those eggs prices up so they can take advantage of us. So if your prices haven't gone up yet, run to the store and buy those eggs!

Here's what I got this week.


Win-co

Basil $.98
Spinach $2.16
Kale $1.58
Celery $1.13
Portabella mushrooms $3.58
lemons $1.76
tomatoes $5.17
Broccoli $2.45
2 packs Strawberries $4.56
Romaine $1.58
2 avocados $1.56
pears $2.42
sweet potatoes $1.06
2 bags apples $4.96
2 chicken broth $3.32
Spaghetti $1.84
mozzarella $4.48
pork shoulder $6.76
5 dozen eggs $7.39
plastic wrap $1.47
chicken thighs $5.05
spaghetti sauce $.98
sour cream $2.00
shallots $1.38
pepperoni $1.61
3 cans biscuits $1.23
Parmesan $1.86
bulk whole wheat penne $1.36

Grand Total $75.67

Would you like to tell us about your shopping trip? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back here to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Monday

I just finished making a batch of scones for breakfast today with my youngest. It seems his interest in cooking has finally kicked in so he's been spending his days earmarking kids cookbooks with all the recipes he'd like to try. You know what that means? One more cook in the family means I have to cook less. Yippee! So here's what's on the menu this week.

Breakfast: choice of....

Buttermilk Apple Bran Muffins, yogurt and fruit smoothies, freezer french toast, or eggs

Dinners:

Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Garlic, roasted veggies, brown rice
Crock pot Normandy Pork with Apples, Shallots, and Cider, mashed potatoes
Bubble Up Pizza
Broccoli and Garlic Pasta
Egg Salad Sandwiches and veggies with dip
Spaghetti with (leftover from last week) meatballs
Leftover Buffet