Valentine 'Date' With the Grands

Last night the two oldest grandchildren spent two hours with grandma while dad took mom out for a Valentine dinner.  We had lots to do and almost ran out of time.  First on the agenda was dinner.  I made grilled cheese sandwiches, mandarin orange slices, celery sticks, pretzels, and milk.  The eight year old was full, but the twelve year old was still famished.  He's been growing like a weed so I told him just go into the pantry and refrigerator and eat anything he wanted.  He chose two cookies from the pantry and a huge apple from the refrigerator.  I forgot to mention he had 2 sandwiches for dinner.

After clean up - they helped - we made cards for their mother.  I got out the doilies and glue stick for them to create cards.  After a few minutes their creativity was shining through.  The eight year old put a streamer of ribbon on the heart doily then attached a marshmallow heart to it.  I love it and I know their mom will, too.  (I was so concerned about not taking pictures of them that it didn't occur to me to take pictures of their creations.)  I'm thinking he got the idea from his older brother because he put a pack of raisinettes on the bottom of his streamer.

After we cleaned up the mess and wiped down the glass kitchen table, I made frosting for the cupcakes  that came out of the oven before they arrived.  The boys each had four cupcakes,  a bowl of cherry frosting to use, and shared the 'decorates'.  The younger boy put a series of conversation hearts on the two cupcakes that went to his mom.  Then added sprinkles.  LOL  It was a typical decorating job for an eight year old.  I'm sure mom will be removing some of the sugar before she consumes her hand made treat.

This is the result of the 'adult' made cupcakes.  Cherry juice colored and flavored the frosting. 
As an added treat cherries got chopped up and mixed in the frosting.

Since my daughter knew I purchased tulips for myself this year, she brought me a bouquet of mixed flowers.   They were, of course, beautiful and colorful.  They have gone from this:

To this.

There are times the flowers get cut low and used as a center piece on the kitchen table.
I got this from the Barefoot Contessa's show on foodtv.

The wrapper had pictures of hearts on it so one of the hearts will get cut out to be used as a template for next year.

I think I've awaken the creative side of my brain.  Even though my
'creativity' is in it's infant stage, I'm quite pleased that I
saw an opportunity to use these hearts as a template.

Happy Valentine Day

In the later years of my marriage Valentine Day was the one time my husband presented me with a bouquet of tulips.  They're my favorite flower.  When they settle in, they take on a free form rather than a formal look.  Even after he has passed, someone in my family makes sure I get tulips for Valentine Day.  This year it was me.  I found a bouquet for $4.99 when I was at Trader Joe's.  The bouquet had 4 more stems in it than the ones in the grocery stores for $5.00 less.

I love how the stems take on a life of their own when tulips get comfortable in their surroundings.

Valentine Day is for lovers.  I don't buy anything for the grandchildren because their parents take care of them.  Once in a while I will purchase something for family members who live close to me.  My prime store?  The Dollar Tree.

I bought the bags 2/1.00
Note pads, 1.00 each
Towel, 2.00 each with Kohl's cash
Small perfume spray, free with a coupon at VS
Large room spray, I can't remember where I got it, but I paid 2.00 for each
Candy, .75 each bag.  This came from TJ's, but I couldn't put it in my blog post because it was to be part of these gift bags.
Magnet, 1.00 each
TOTAL, 7.25 each bag

I had the ribbon from an earlier DT haul this month.  The cupcake holders were on sale for .25 and the bags have been in my cupboard for three years.  Funny how I can remember what I pay for something, but not where I got it.

 

Instead of having the decorations scattered, I put them all in the kitchen area.  The 'welcome' sign came from - you guessed it - the Dollar Tree.  I moved the swag off of the fireplace and swaged it on the pantry door.  Small heart stickers in the center of each doily heart are from the DT, as well.

I wish my readers true love on Valentine Day as well as throughout the year.

Stay safe.

 

A New Home For the Trees (Trader Joe's and Dollar Tree, too)

I've recently read that there are a half billion bloggers on the internet. (Rhonda on Down to Earth)  Holy tamoly!  That's a large population of people who open their lives to others in an effort to help people be successful.  I'm sure some of them blog for other reasons, but the number of bloggers is shear amazing.

Armed with those numbers, I see that this blog is miraculously followed by a number of readers.  I'm so happy when the numbers reach 260 in a day, but I'm equally happy with the normal 100-120 readers.  It means there are people looking for positive re enforcement - the operative word being positive.  With so much going on in the world that can't be defined as positive, a respite is much needed.  At least, I know I need it.

I mentioned in my last post that I was going to transplant the olive tree and the lemon tree to bigger pots.  Since the weather was in the 60s that morning, I took them both outside on the patio and began the transformation.  The olive tree went into the new bigger pot.  The pot it was in was scrubbed out and the lemon went into it.  Both were watered and left to enjoy the warm breeze for a while.

About an hour later I went out to see if the water drained out of the pots and was surprised the temperature had dropped.  In the house they went and the heat went back on.  I'm thankful I checked on them because the temperature got so cold that afternoon that I had to bundle up in a blanket, even with the heat on. 

The one thing I don't like about my home is there is a vaulted ceiling in the living room.  If I want to sit in there a blanket comes out and the fire place goes on.  I put blankets on the loft railing in hopes to deflect some of the heat back into the living room, but I don't think they are much help.

Later that day a friend told me if I transplant the trees, I should cut off about six inches from the top so they will form thicker trunks and be healthier.  It hurt to do that because I was so proud of how big both of them got.  But, one must suffer for beauty.  I put the cut off parts into water and will use root hormone as soon as I can remember what I did with the tiny packet.

I have a statue of Mary in my bedroom that my uncle Dom gave me when I was about 8.  He began his career as a trash man for the city he lived in.  Someone had thrown it out and he recovered it for me.  I don't know why he gave it to me rather than his daughter, but I'm so thankful he did.  I have carried that statue with me for 55 years.  I put the clippings in front of the statue.

Putting flowers in front of a statue of Mary is an old time Catholic thing.  It is a show of rememberance to the woman who is the mother of Christ.  When I was little I grew pansies next to our garage so I could present them in the month of May to Our Lady.  I know the statue is just that, but it's more of a tangible way to remember someone who is in the spiritual world.  I loved to do this - and I guess - I still do.

Going in an entirely different direction I went to Trader Joe's yesterday with my daughter.  I get so excited when I go there.  I put things in my basket, then have to take some of them out before I hit the checkout. 

Organic grape tomatoes, 1 pound, 3.79
Organic mushrooms, 8 ounces,  1.99
Organic Greek yogurt, .99 (single serve)
2 Cliff bars @ .99 each (not shown)
2 organic bananas, .19 cents each
And my favorite:  A 24 ounce jar of cherries in their own juice. 2.49  They are heavenly.  The regular grocery stores sell 16 ounce cans for (drum roll) $4.49.  That's prohibitive to most of us.  No wonder they only display 3 cans on the top shelf.  No one can afford to buy them.

Today we went to the big Dollar Tree just a couple miles outside of our area.  This store had everything anyone could need or want.  I picked up a few items, but there was one thing missing - glue.  Ordinary glue.  There was the kind that holds broken things together, but none for use in paper crafts.

I won't ever use the 'tough' glue again.  The first time I used it I was pregnant for our second child.  All I remember is two of my fingers were stuck together.  When I say it took me over an hour to remove that glue using alcohol, I'm not over speaking.  What a lesson in patience that was.  Not to mention the smell of the alcohol on my pregnant stomach.



I found:
Potting soil for seeds
Twine
Spray bottle
Fertilizer sticks for indoor plants

Also:
2 skeins Wool yarn
1 Roll of two colored curling ribbon, black and white to go with the white wrapping paper in the closet
Craft paper labels
Cinnamon gum (a favorite flavor)
Jelly Belly beans for the grands

All in all, the week has been productive. 

What have you been up to this week.  Frugal or not, we want to hear about your adventures.

What a Lovely Weekend!

Weekends are normally low key this part of the South.  Most everyone else is out on the roads, so my part is to stay close to home.  There's no sense in me combating traffic if I have the opportunity to accomplish what I need to during the week.

This weekend was a bit different.  I went bridal gown shopping with my daughter and her friend.  Both of these ladies did some online research and were set on a particular gown.  Three gowns later, and the bride to be looked lovely in a different gown.  One that she didn't think would work for her.

Since this took less than an hour to accomplish we needed to decide if we would go to breakfast or wait for lunch time. Either way, our plan was to eat out.  We decided to go to TJ Maxx until lunch time.

I splurged on a new sheet set and blanket for a total of $65.00 for the queen bed.  The blanket was a king size at a reduced $25.00 in a soft grey.  I scooped it up and am glad I did.  At home the sheets and blanket went into the washer and on to the bed.  It felt so good to sleep on fresh sheets and snuggle into the warm blanket.  I forgot to mention I have been using one sheet set for close to three years.  It got washed and dried and put back on the bed.  I didn't realize how uncomfortable and ratty it had gotten.  These past two nights I have slept like the proverbial baby on the new sheets.

After a successful shopping trip the time had come for lunch.  We ate at a local pub that was near TJ Maxx.  The excitement mounted when I saw they were offering a hot dog with chili, cheese, onions, and all of the fixings of a New York dog.  My daughter only had to fork out five dollars for my lunch.  (I informed her she was treating today!  LOL)

Sunday the temperature hit 66 degrees (F) and the whole city was moved into action.  Windows flew open, cars were washed and cleaned, and laundry was hung outside.  There was activity in my quiet neighborhood as moms walked babies, neighbors sat out in lawn chairs, and pups went for brisk walks - mine included.

The garage was swept and all of the recyclables went to the big bin near the mail boxes.  All of the windows were opened wide and the floors got swiffered.  What a glorious day it was.  We are expecting the same weather today so it will be taken advantage of and the olive tree will get re potted in the larger container that's been waiting for just such a day.

This morning I saw some Valentine ideas on Pinterist and adapted one for the kitchen table.  I already had the supplies on hand so I arranged them in a pleasing setting on the table.  Not rocket science, but cute.

Friday I went to the dollar store to find they are starting to put out gardening supplies.  Seeds are four for a dollar and they had clay pots - not huge, not small, just the size I wanted for my seedlings.  Parsley, lettuce, basil, and cucumber seeds found their way into the basket.  The final item was a new pair of bright pink gardening gloves.

The next couple of days I have to finish up the foods I've started to eat.  This morning I had crackers with pistachio butter and bananas with a glass of milk.  A good balance of carbs and proteins with a fresh fruit thrown in for good measure.  The plan is to cut up some carrots and celery for snacks as well as cheese.  I have to work on the apples I got a couple of weeks ago for .50 cents a pound, too.  Keeps me out of trouble and productive.

What have you been up to?  I love reading the comments and hearing about your 'adventures' in the simple life.

Stay safe.

Just a Bunch of Topics Today

I was talking to my son when he asked if I'd ever had pistachio butter.  No, not ever.  Never thought about it.  He encouraged me to look up how to make it and give it a try.  Since his education is in food, I took him very seriously.

He was right.  In a flash, in the processor, I made pistachio butter.  It took under five minutes to get out the supplies and food processor and transform the nuts from a solid mass of pistachios to a creamy spread.  The longer you whirl it, the smoother it becomes.

Although I have purchased the garbage free peanut butter, this home made spread will go so much better with the home made bread I baked up this week.  The only thing I would change is the next time I won't use salted pistachios, I'll add my own small amount of salt.

I used small amounts because this was an experiment for the first time.  When I make it again, since I know it can be successful, the amount of nuts will be greater.

Pistachio butter ready to be stored in the fridge.

PISTACHIO ( or any peanut) BUTTER

1/2 cup pistachios (I would suggest unsalted)
Small drizzle of honey
Small drizzle of oil
Pinch of salt if you use unsalted nuts

Whirl in the processor or bullet until a smooth paste consistency.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.  Any nut can be used in this recipe.   


Two days ago I went to the new Wal Mart grocery store across the road to price match two items - a head of iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise.  The lettuce section was void of most lettuce types.  I ended up grabbing a head of red lettuce because I've never had it before and it was not processed in a bag.  I remember reading an article that talked about the bagged pre cut lettuce is sprayed with something so it stays fresher longer.  Even though the name of the chemical eludes me now, my search for healthy foods steered me away from the pre cut salad mix.

Some of the red lettuce washed and drying.  I may try making salads in a jar for the week.
 I have a friend who does this and she loves the fact that it stays fresh and her prep time is
less.

Of course when I saw the Twisted Sisters cupcake van yesterday, I couldn't stay clear of that!    My excuse?  They use all natural ingredients.  Works for me.  I bought a dozen small bite sized cupcakes and I shared a decedent brownie with my daughter and her two children.  I can't do that too much, but I was already on a roll this past weekend eating all carbs, so what's one more?  The brownie was  so sweet I got a stomach ache.  Would I do it again?  You bet!  Especially since I found out they are in that lot every Wednesday.  Today and tomorrow I will concentrate on eating fruits and veggies with proteins thrown in.  Then next Wednesday I know I'll head back to the cupcake van.

I have a reason for telling my readers this.  I'd like you to see that no one is perfect when it comes to diet.  There's quite a few bloggers out there who have become rather militant about foods.  Gluten free this and sugar free that and oh they're oh so good about their diets.  No, they aren't.  They only tell you to be militant, they cheat, too.  Everyone cheats.  It's one of life's little pleasures.  If you have health issues that force you to eat gluten free, that's one thing, but a person can do serious damage to their body if they take it upon themselves to hop on the gluten free bandwagon. 

Looking for the best foods we can afford is always a good step in being or staying healthy.  As a budget loosens a bit, then adding one more healthy item is a good thing.  You may find scratch cooking is more cost effective.  No time to cook from scratch?  Bring out the grilled cheese sandwich and fresh fruit.  There's always a way to incorporate good foods in our diet.  And sneaking in a cupcake, too.

The first item to be tested in the counter top oven was toast.  It's a go.  Today 4 slices of bacon went in as part of a BLT sandwich.  I put the oven on broil finding  it took 30 minutes to cook until it was crispy.   The next thing will be something like an apple crisp to check on it's power to provide heat for baked goods.

TODAY"S MENU

Breakfast
4 crackers with pistachio butter
4 oz. milk
Half of banana
1 slice of bacon

Lunch
BLT on thinly sliced home made bread (toasted)
Clementine
Black coffee

Dinner
Chicken salad on lettuce
celery sticks
carrot sticks
Milk

That's it for today.  Stay safe, dear readers.

Make Me Some Yogurt. You Can Do That?

Yesterday was a busy kitchen day.  I worked on three projects, making a loaf of bread (bread maker), cookies, and making fresh yogurt.  Yes, I made yogurt at home.  I was fortunate that I didn't eat all the yogurt that was in the refrigerator because I needed a bit of that to start my own.  It's very important to stress the yogurt used to start your own needs to be free of any additives.  Just milk and enzymes as ingredients.  Most grocery stores offer this, but you may have to search for it in the yogurt section.  One brand that calls itself organic is Stonyfield.  I've never used this brand, but if you read the label you may find there are no additives.  After reading the label I used the yogurt I get from the milk man who delivers to my home every week.  The recipe is simple and the labor takes about 5 minutes.

Yogurt (This can be made in a larger batch using one gallon of milk and 2 tablespoons of yogurt.)

You will need
A crockpot, any size
A thermometer, Any type of kitchen thermometer works
A large towel
An oven with a light in it
2 C milk, any fat content (I used 1%)
1 t plain yogurt
A measuring cup
Measuring spoons

Place the crockpot on the 'high' setting.  Add the milk and bring up to 190 degrees (F.)  This took about 30 minutes in my crockpot.  Keep an eye on it as this may be different in yours.  Place the lid on.  It will be longer if you make a larger batch.

Turn off the crockpot when the milk heats to 190 degrees (F.)  Keep the lid on and allow the milk to cool to 110 degrees (F.)  This took about 40 minutes for my milk to cool.

Remove about 3/4 C of the milk in a small bowl and mix the yogurt in it until it dissolves.  Add this to the milk in the crockpot and gently stir it in.

Wrap the crockpot insert (lid on) in a large towel and place in the oven with the light on.  Leave over night  In the morning you will have delicious and pure yogurt.  A very small amount (1/3 C) of separation may occur, you can drain it off and use it in a baking project if you like.

Place in the refrigerator for an hour to firm it up.  Enjoy with fruit, nuts, honey, or what ever suits you.   Yummo!

From 2 cups of milk...

to delicious breakfast.  The yogurt and a slice of home made bread with peanut butter makes
a power packed breakfast.

The home made bread, sliced and ready to eat.  This loaf came out lighter and larger than those
in the past because I used the thermometer I had out for the yogurt
to bring the liquid up to 110 degrees (F).  In the past I used the touch of my finger. 
A lesson well learned.  I store this in the freezer because it has no preservatives in it.

I added walnuts and dried cranberries to the cookie mix to provide a bit of healthy
 ingredients.  I know these will be gone in a flash.  I only cooked 16 cookies
then froze the rest (3 dozen total from the batch) in preformed balls for easy
access and baking.  Pre forming them never occurred to me until a friend asked why I didn't do this.
Geez, I don't know.  It never occurred to me?  Thankfully, I have smart friends!

 

 



 

How a Convection Oven Created a Cleaning Spree

This morning I woke up and hit the floor running.  I thought the kitchen counters and sink needed a really detailed cleaning.  Then the stove top got scrubbed.

All of this because the convection oven I bought came in and I had to find a spot for it.

Everything came off the counters and washed down.  Then the counters were happy to be cleansed with the home made vinegar cleaner and rinsed.  The final touch was a bit of Jubilee to protect the surfaces.  For those who have never heard of this product it's an old time product that was used until the early sixties to shine and protect Formica counter tops.  Just a dab on a cloth and applied in an 's' motion and the counters are protected from stains and light scratches.  If you may be interested in researching this product, here's the link to amazon's offering.  I am not affiliated with amazon or the company that produces Jubilee.  I just happen to like the product quite a bit. (It smells good, too)

http://www.amazon.com/Jubilee-Kitchen-Wax-Bottle-15/dp/B00CBSRIWM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422632668&sr=8-2&keywords=jubilee

With the counters cleaned and protected I figured out where to position the oven.  I moved things around a little to make room for it.  The jar I had powdered sugar in was put in the pantry and the utensil crock was moved where the sugar had been.  Not too much of an uproar to find a spot for the oven.

An up close shot of the oven.  It's not sleek and gorgeous, but it will save me quite a bit of
money on my electric bill.

I thought I would keep all of the appliances I used often in the same area.  I'm
loosing some work space because of the size of the oven, but I can
work on an area I seldom use that's on the right side of the sink.

The sink and drains got cleaned, as well.  I got out the baking soda and dish soap to clean and sterilize the sinks.  Spreading the baking soda around then adding a bit of dish soap to a damp cloth and scrubbing in circular motions works best for me.  I like a shiny and clean sink.  I got down into the drain area and the stoppers were scrubbed, too. 

Next the drains were cleaned out a bit.  Half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of warm vinegar will do the trick.  Pour in the baking soda and let sit for five to ten minutes.  Add the vinegar after the wait time is up and watch the foaming action clean the drains.  Some of the soda may clump so you may need to remove the clumps with a plastic utensil.  Once this is done, the drains will flow freely.  I know some people do this monthly.  I would be concerned the pipes wouldn't be able to take the pressure if the drains are cleaned this way too often.  I do it 3 times a year for that reason.  I have no proof, just a thought to be on the safe side.

The kitchen came with a flat cook top.  To say it would have been my last choice is to say I really have a difficult time accepting this appliance.  Just a bit of water over spill and a stain occurs.  They are extremely troublesome when it comes to cleaning them.  So far the easiest way I found to clean the top is by putting a large drop of dish soap in the palm of my hand then adding a couple of pinches of baking soda and mixing it with my finger.  Then I rub it - in a circular motion- on the burner area.  A quick wipe with a cloth and some boiling water finishes the job.  A microfiber cloth is a great tool to buff the top to a shine.  This sounds like a lot of fuss, but 1) it's frugal as the store bought cleaner can run as high as 12.00 and 2) keeping up with cleaning the top does not allow the stains to settle in to the point that they will be cooked on.  If you want to sell your house some day, a new stove would be a must have purchase to present the kitchen well.

A clean and shiny stove top.

The mixture was applied with my finger in a circular motion, then wiped off with a wrung out cloth.

THINGS I"M THANKFUL FOR (God, family, and friends are a given.)

The ability to keep my environment clean and organized.  I pray the day never comes that I will not be able to do this.

Small, local businesses that have a concern for their customers by producing healthy products.

My computer that keeps me connected with others.

Stay safe.

Just A Few Things

The copies of Witness Protection arrived.  Give me a few days to meet up with the author and the books will fly out the door.


Since the grocery store hasn't seen me in a couple of weeks, I thought a visit was in order today.  I spent a bit over 37.00 and save around thirty dollars.  One of my finds was buy 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, get 3 free.  I use this kind of tomatoes when I make sauce so I'm always on the look out for them.  I paid 3.98 for five cans.  If my math is correct, that's .80 cents a can.  Not too shabby in the world of higher grocery prices.

Then being a very naughty girl I wolfed down a huge donut.  This is what's left of the donut.  In my defense, I had a very healthy breakfast.  That should count for something?

As you can see, the doughnut was delicious!  It's been almost a year since I have been this naughty.  It felt so good! Tee hee

This past weekend I made a batch of pizza dough in the food processor.  The recipe makes enough for a super large pizza, so I cut it in quarters.  After rolling out 2 of the sections, the other two went into the freezer to use later.  I put the dough in the door so it didn't get lost.

What left overs were in the refrigerator were cut small and put on the two pizzas I cooked.  There were green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, and Italian cheeses.  The pizzas looked mighty fine.  Until I took them out of the oven.  I think the heat was too high at 450 degrees F.  They were only cooked for 15 minutes, but next time the heat will be lowered to 400 degrees F.  The flavor was very good under the browned cheese. 

These pizzas sure looked promising.

A little disappointing, but eaten anyway.

That's it for tonight.  Time to pay attention to the pup and play a game or two on FB.  LOL

Valentine's Day Swag for $1.00!

Can you believe there was an ad for the NRA on this site?  I don't know where the ads come from, but I was very upset with this particular ad that has no place on this blog.  I deleted it - I just figured out how to and told google it was inappropriate.

I have two new readers who have signed up on Angie's House.  A big welcome to Thursday's Child and GIF Images.

I have often thought (and said) that my creativity level is below zero.  And, for the most part it is.  I'm more inclined to experiment with a recipe and call it fun than sit down to do any sort of craft.

This morning, out of the blue I got an image of what I could do with the dollar store paper hearts I bought the other day

I've always had a penchant for paper heart doilies.  As a child I loved them and wished that I could have just one.  I would have taken good care of it, bringing it out every year.  My mom said we couldn't afford them, so they went on my wish list for when I was a 'big' girl.

Then when we had our family, I couldn't afford to spend the $5.00 Hallmark was asking for them.   One day, what I considered  a miracle, I found a package on deep discount.  Every February first those hearts were lovingly separated and hung in the big picture window of our living room.  Year after year, until they couldn't take one more taping.  It would have been nice if the dollar stores were invented back then.

Now there are dollar stores.  I not only got a package of medium sized white ones this year, I bought a package of large pink ones last year to display in my front windows. (at the dollar store)

Now for the creative idea.  I was thinking about how much I like the holiday swags the stores put out.  I didn't see any at the dollar stores I visited last week, so I forgot about them.  Until this morning.  I had twine and the paper heart doilies.  I could make one.

Out came the ruler, hearts, and twine.  I measured twelve inches between the center of each heart and got to taping the hearts to the twine.  Twelve inches, twelve inches, twelve inches - 6 times . (There are seven hearts on the swag.)

When the swag was close to being complete, I remembered I also bought some pink grosgrain ribbon.  It went behind the twine for what I told myself was a means to introduce depth.  The idea was right on.  Imagine me, and how surprised I was, when the completed project ( 20 minutes later) was presented.  I did it!

Now to hang it.  This was a problem so I tried a number of different tactics.  I settled for securing the swag at the corners of the fireplace.  I couldn't get the hang of securing it in three places.

I purchased the hearts and ribbon because I liked them, thinking I would find something to do with them.  The thought that I would create anything with my hands didn't even enter my thought process.

I used seven of the 15 hearts at a cost of approximately .50 cents and half of the ribbon at a cost of .50 cents.  The twine was in the kitchen drawer as was the tape.  So for a dollar, I made a happy project.  I would say that was a frugal hack, wouldn't you?

Pictured here are the materials I used to create the swag. Scissors, tape, ruler, twine, heart doilies,
and ribbon.  The entire project cost $1.00 plus the twine and tape.  If pink or red hearts were used, only the twine would've
been needed.

The finished product.  I can't say how thrilled I am with the results.
Crafters would shrug this off, but to me it's a personal milestone.

The Evolution of Grated Cheese

If I owned a cheese company I would make yummo cheese - healthy (within reason) and wholesome.  I would have big vats of cheese, all different kinds.  When I package the cheese in 8 ounce blocks I know there would be left over sizes that didn't weigh the standard 8 ounces.  I don't like waste, so what to do with the left overs?  In days gone by these uneven bits and pieces would go in the employee store and sold for a few pennies on the dollar.

One day, after a good night's sleep, a light bulb goes off.  I could finely shred those small bits and pieces and sell them at a higher price than the block cheeses because it's a convenience food for the consumer.  I could even mix cheeses and call them gourmet.  I'm going to set up an area of my plant to experiment with this thought.

I would rent the equipment for a while until the stats on sales came in - most likely 6 months to a year.  I decide, a year is a good indicator for future sales.

To my surprise, a year is too long.  Sales go through the roof, even after the item is off a buy one get one sale.  Time to manipulate the package size.  But, wait.  There's been lots of talk about companies reducing the amount of food in the same size box.  How do I rise to meet this concern? 

Bingo!  I add other ingredients in the shredded cheese package to be able to reduce the amount of real cheese.  Now what can hide in shredded cheese?  After a few days of thought and a brain storming session with my top management team, the answer comes.  I don't know why I didn't think of it a year ago.  We could add 1) baking powder or flour, and/or 2) cellulose.  We could even market the food as all natural, because after all, cellulose is natural.  The truth - wood shavings- wouldn't sound too appetizing, so cellulose it is.  If cellulose is the cheapest item to use, I think the flour or baking powder doesn't need to be entertained.

And then the price will increase because it's 'all natural'.

In reality if I owned a cheese company there would be strict rules and the cheese would come from organic milk Even if a package says 'natural' we need to look at the ingredients.  Is cellulose an added ingredient?  You may want to think about grating your own cheese.

Dollar Store Hauls (Small)

Wednesday was a day that was used to finish small projects after a little shopping at the Dollar Tree and Dollar General.

Since another candle was used up I cleaned out the jar and thought it would be a nice organizational tool for collecting cough drops for easy access.  It takes a few minutes to melt out the residual wax and clean out the jar.  A paper towel removed the residual melted wax then soap and hot water removed what was left over.

The Dollar General had a few Christmas items left on a clearance cart at the front of the store.  Any item on the cart was priced at .25 cents.  I found a few items, paying 1.75 total.  I bought 2 cards of magnets that were designed as Christmas stockings, a moose to place on the tree where the little one can reach, a pack of 8 Styrofoam trees - all glittery.  I wasn't going to get these until my daughter said I could use them to tie on packages.  A few ornaments for the tree  finished off the purchase.

I'm dating myself, but this moose reminds me of Mr. Moose from Captain Kangaroo show.

On to the Dollar Tree to find Ann Geddes writing pads, gross grain ribbon, candles, and cards.  This is my favorite kind of ribbon because of a couple of reasons.  It's versatile, it can be used to make bows and sew onto clothing.  It's also sturdy and has a nice feel to it.

The pads will be small Valentine gifts for women in my life.  Our family mainly sees this holiday as a couples day where the (fe) male gives sweets or a gift to their female counterpart. 

 The cream and pink ribbon could be used in a number of different ways.

safe.

Look what I found in the garden!  It's difficult to believe the parsley has survived the number of frosts we've had so far.


What did you do this week?  I love to read comments and reply.  It's like having a conversation with an old friend.

Stay safe.
 

 

 

 

Witness Protection Winners

And the winners of the Witness Protection give away are:

Robert T,  NY State

Shawn A.  Arkansas

Elisabeth CG  Mo.

Sarah S  Virginia

Brandi S  NY state

Congrats to all of you.  The book will be in the mail as soon as I receive them and have them signed by the author.

There will be more give aways in the near future since the author has had 2 more books accepted by the publisher.

To read an exert from the novel you can visit the author's Facebook page.



https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynLaRoche

The cutest 9 year old drew the names of the winners around 3:30 PM on Thursday.

Envelope Budgeting

There are a few yoo toobers I watch that are young families trying to make the best out of what can be described as a less than ideal national economic picture.  They want to get out from under debt and live a life free from the emotional bond debt brings with it.  I give a lot of credit to these young families for their fortitude.  I cheer them on in the comment section and pray for them when they're faced with adversity. 

One of the channels I have recently subscribed to is 'A Family of Four'.  This morning's video is about the 'envelope' system they use to budget their income.  The title caught my eye because that's the system I used when the family was young.  The difference being this yoo toober has a system that is more detailed than mine was.  Mine worked for us, but I see where I could have been more detailed. 

As an example:  She has an envelope for diapering the baby.  She uses cloth diapers, but needs wipes and the such.  The diapers category was in my 'food' envelope.

Take a look if you've been struggling with how to budget for 2015.  You may find a spark that will prompt you into a system of your own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XblPAnvQEHU

Today is the last day of the give away of the new suspense romance, Witness Protection, by author Carolyn LaRoche.  Thursday the 5 winners will be chosen.  The give away is open to USA readers at this time.  The book is available internationally in print and e-book on www.amazon.com or www.breathlesspress.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynLaRoche

You can check out the author on her Facebook page.

Witness Protection, A novel Give Away

The time has come to begin the give away I promised at the beginning of December.  Five copies of 'Witness Protection' by author Carolyn LaRoche will be given to five lucky winners.  The give away begins now, Sunday, January 18, 2015 and will close Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.  The names of the winners will be drawn on Thursday, January 22, 2015.  This book is a G rated suspense romance novel.  Good luck to everyone. 


You can enter by leaving a comment on this blog or on Angie's FB page.  That's it!

Unfortunately, at this time, the give away is opened only to  continental USA residents.



Below is the link to the first two chapters profiled on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Witness.../dp/B00P5N8MRU/ref=sr_1_1...

Busy Homemaker's Day

I'd like to welcome a new reader, Tadia from Australia.  Thanks for joining the blog.  You make number 26. 

Since it has been cold and rainy here, I have been staying home.  I accepted a challenge to organize the pantry, which I finished this morning.  It was much easier than when I started a few months back.  I'm almost satisfied with the way it's organized this time.  The time it took was less than an hour as compared to the few days I focused on it in the fall.  What do you think?

Before.  Not too bad.  Certainly better than when I began the project in the fall.

After.  There was no waste this time, just organizing.

The kitchen counters were cleared and cleaned with home made cleaner of vinegar and citrus peels.  This is easy to make by brining citrus peels covered in vinegar for 2 weeks.  Before using, fill half of a spray bottle with the strained vinegar solution then add water to fill the bottle.  It takes close to no time to make with a little patience to wait for the vinegar to absorb the goodness of the peels.  Since vinegar and citrus has antiseptic properties, my counters were clean with few germs left to multiply.

Bread was in the cold oven drying waiting to turn into bread crumbs.  This morning was the moment chosen to complete that task.  I got 2 full cups of bread crumbs from stale home made bread.  They will get used for fried chicken.

I got a full two cups of bread crumbs from this batch.  All from home made bread.

Two loads of laundry done, but not yet put away.  One of the loads was drying while I made butter from the left over heavy cream that was hanging out in the refrigerator.  I started with 10 ounces of cream, but took two ounces away to make whipped cream for the jello I made.  I'll put the instructions below for anyone who is interested in making whipped cream. 

The rest of the cream went into the stand mixer - after I decided it was better to dirty that than to stand holding the hand mixer for what seemed like forever.  All that butter is, is cream whipped until it separates from the liquid whey.  This can take a while.  I like my butter salted so I put a pinch of salt in the cream before I began to whip it.  The 8 ounces of cream made I/4 pound of butter and 3/4 cup of whey.

The whey enhances things like pancakes and bread.  In place of using water the whey adds vitamins to the meal, not to mention a yummy taste treat.

Let's get back to the laundry.  I'm putting a picture below of a folded load (Some things were hung up.)  Please notice how neatly the clothes are folded.  Do you know why?  Because I live alone and have the time to take to fold things neatly.  When I had four kids and a husband to take care of it was a totally different story.  These days I do two loads a week.  Back then I did a minimum of three loads a day.  My husband told me to just hang his work clothes in the basement so he could get dressed in the morning without waking anyone.  The rest of us - on many occasions - dressed in front of the dryer, after we fluffed the clothes that sat in it over night.  That's the reality.  Domestic goddesses don't have to worry about large families and blue collar husbands.  They get on TV and tell us what to do, but forget they have people to do their domestic work for them.

This is what folded laundry looks like when the only responsibility a person has is to themselves.  A far cry from when I was caring for a family.

The most important part of family life is interacting and feeding the family in as healthy a manner as your budget allows.  Everything else comes in second, even a spotless toilet.  I'm not advocating a filthy environment.  I'm only saying other things can be done on a schedule.  After all, Martha Stewart will not be visiting your home any time soon.  If she did, you can bet it would be a day when you didn't clean the toilet or fold the laundry.


ORANGE (CITRUS) CLEANER  Found somewhere on the internet.

Fill a quart jar with citrus peel.  You can freeze the peels until you have enough to fill the jar.  Fully cover the peels with white vinegar.  Let stand in a dark spot (cupboard works well) for 2 weeks.  Before use dilute with water in a 50:50 ratio.

I use this on counters, sinks, and bath fixtures.

HOME MADE BUTTER

The amount of cream you use doesn't matter.  I make butter before the expiration date arrives.
Pour the cream in a bowl and add a small pinch of salt.  You can leave the salt out if you like.  Beat on medium until the whey (liquid) separates from the cream (solid).  Pour the whey in a container for use in baking later on.  This can be frozen.  Gather the solid butter left in the bowl and shape into whatever shape you like.  Cover and refrigerate.   The beating takes a few minutes before the butter is formed, so don't get discouraged.

A Visit From Heaven

I'm going out on a limb today to tell you a true story.  I'm not asking anyone to believe it because the story concerns Mary, the mother of Jesus.  It has been said that faith in her is misplaced.  Jesus, himself, asks us to love her as He does.  I do and always will.  I know Jesus is a one third part of the God Head.  I pray to Him.  When I need extra assistance I turn to Our Lady to 'nag' Him into a quick response.  Many people in my life have had prayers answered because of the intersession  of Our Holy Mother's quick action.

The story goes like this:

When our son was in a bone marrow transplant room, so tiny, and so sick I stayed with him nearly every hour of every day.  I couldn't touch him unless I was 'gowned up'.  This meant washing up then putting on a gown, gloves, mask, and booties before going into his room.  I didn't mind doing whatever it took to protect him.  I did mind that I could not feel his frail body with my hands.

Every day I would go into the bathroom and wash his clothes in the tub with a sterile wash, hanging them on hangers and the shower rod.  The gloves stayed in place as did all of the other clothing that supported good health for him.

After watching the same movie every night before bed I would sleep in a chair next to his bed holding his hand through the night.  His movements were minimal, but I would change position when he did just so I could feel his hand.  To say sleep for me was sporadic, is an understatement.  None of this mattered, because our son was going to live and I could rest when he was an adult.

There was one night that I thought I heard the Lord's voice.  I asked, 'Is that you, Lord?'  The response I received was not expected.  'No, it's your mother, Mary.'  Tears were being held back.  For Our Lady to visit such an unknown, often mocked person such as myself didn't make sense to me.  I was not society's choice for the woman of the year award.  I couldn't afford to look 'presentable' and so my small community deemed me a misfit to be talked about and mistreated.  I learned to live with it, praying for God's strength and lifting up my pain for those in need -whoever they may be.

I welcomed Our Lady then quietly sat in wait for what she had to say.  "Do you see what my Son suffered?" she asked.  Not waiting for a reply she continued, " My son suffered for the sins of this world.  The balance between good and evil must be kept, so there are many who suffer in this world to keep a balance.  If evil is great, suffering of the good becomes great.  He was innocent, as is your son."  She told me she loved me and left me to my thoughts. 

What she said was in contrast to what I thought we were taught - that only Jesus suffered for this world.  I began to see that there was much more about heaven that we don't know.  We ask why so many good people suffer on this earth, but never expect an answer.  This is the answer.  Suffering keeps the balance of good and evil.

Even when society cast me aside, I was favored by heaven.  A ton of confidence was gained by this visitation.  I could face all of the dismay without thought after this visit.  I began to learn other, deeper, things about heaven and Jesus.  I am what I am today because of the love of a mother who never turns her back on her children.  I know it was God who allowed the time we had together.  After all it's He who controls heaven.  But it is He who refuses to control His creations - wanting us to turn to Him in love through free will.  Mary is not the path to salvation, Mary is His emissary.  One of many.

Stay safe.

A Busy Weekend

The weekend was filled with family doings on Sunday.  Number four daughter and her family joined me for a breakfast buffet at 'Triangle Num Num's'.  Translated to big people speak the name would be Golden Corral.  I love their breakfast buffet because there is every breakfast food under the sun.  They'll make a waffle or an omelet to your specifications while you travel down the line pulling up choices to fill the second plate in your hand.  Not only were there eggs, cereal, milk, juice, and other breakfast foods, the salad bar was full of colorful and fresh foods.  Soup was a choice and desserts were there to grab your interest next to the fresh fruit.

As I was leaving an employee was washing the windows on the door.  I would not have seen the sign on the door if she weren't cleaning the windows.  Golden Corral collected over 1.4 million dollars this past year for veteran causes.  They are big into the needs of veterans, something close to my heart.

Before going home I stopped at the new Wal Mart grocery across the street from my community.  I received a gift card for WM at Christmas, so I was pretty elated when I price matched with a total of 9.96 spent.  Popped into the basket was 2 toothpaste, each costing .50 with the price match and a coupon.  Special K was 1.99 each, so buying two ended up costing 3.98.  Organic carrots were .99 cents and a shell of organic greens was 2.48.  There is tax on food where I live at 2.5 %.  It does seem like there was another item, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it is.

I also went to Farm Fresh for clementines.  I made a special trip there because the fruit was from Spain.  There was no problem with rain in Spain this season, plus they grow their food as pure as possible so the fruit promises to be yummo.  I was not let down.  It was like eating candy in it's own wrapper.  I save in other areas so I can grab something like the clementines when I want a treat.  I call it a treat because they were 6.99 for a case of them. 

When all the items were put away the floors were cleaned and the powder room got the once over.  Dishes were put away to make room for the dinner to be made for daughter number one and her family.  We had sauce and macaroni, a nice salad made from the items bought from WM, and a loaf of bread straight from the oven.  The grandchildren each had a clementine for dessert.

This morning was greeted with rain that lasted all day.  No sunshine in the sky in any direction.  Most of the day was spent in front of the fireplace watching Love It or List It.  I talked with a friend for a while on the phone and my baby brother for just a flash. 

I guess I did try to accomplish something because I went through my master bath cupboards and drawers to declutter and reorganize.  There are things that I haven't used for the nearly three years since I've lived here, so out they went.  Mostly make up because I seldom wear it anymore.  If I go out I use blush and mascara.  That's the end of it these days.  When I worked every morning - five days a week - a full face makeup was done before I could even think about leaving the house.  Those days are gone and no longer do I need to spend time doing makeup.

Since we are again expecting rain tomorrow, the day will be spent in the comfort of home.  I so love to be home these days.  Home has always been where I liked to be, but life tended to get in the way until recently.

  Good night to my readers.  I wish you pleasant dreams and a safe day tomorrow.

The New Year - Organizing, Cooking, and Shopping

I've been up to lots of different projects.  Like most everyone else, I'm trying to get things organized for the coming year.  The process has been slow, mostly because I have been sleeping quite a bit so far this month.  Yesterday the wind chill was minus one (F) so I put on three tops, long johns, and sweat pants.  Then I wrapped up in a shawl and burrowed in under a blanket - in front of the fireplace.  In minutes I was asleep.  I woke up at 11:00 AM, sleeping close to three hours.  This was followed by a bed time of around 10:00 PM.  Six AM this morning was wake up time.   My energy level is back to normal this morning.

The day before I went shopping to find a few after Christmas bargains, as well as a couple items I needed.  I went to the Coast Guard Exchange only to be a bit disenchanted.  The candy was only 50% off, but holiday items were 70% off.  The only item I found was two packs of stickers.

Since TJ Maxx is in the same shopping center I hopped over there to see what was left.  Another minor disappointment since most of the sale items were not such a good bargain.  I did find small Burt's Bees stockings that were very well made for .50 cents each.  I bought all four for the grandchildren next year.  Also calling my name were a few candles.  Since my weakness for candles is well known, I chose only one to bring home.  Normally I like the spice scents, but this one was sandalwood.  The container was black and matches well with the picture frame on my husband's picture on the fireplace.  I also found a silk plant that I was looking for to soften up the display on the fireplace.

I like this arrangement around my husband's picture.  As I said before, he is 17 or 18 in this picture learning how to play the guitar while on ship in the Navy.  The silk plant and candle were the items I bought at TJ Maxx and the three tier candle holder is from Yankee Candle.  I got that last year after Christmas for $3.49.  The glass globes were on sale, too, but I can't remember what I paid for them.

Next stop was Ross.  I needed shampoo and black tights.  I know Maxx has these items, but Rose would have the same items at a lower cost.  Score!

The tights and shampoo from Ross ended up costing 8.87.  The stickers said the total would have been 30.00 if purchased retail.  The candle came from TJ Maxx at 8.00.

The stocking from TJ Maxx were .50 each and the stickers (from the CGX) were .40 cents each.

This morning's energy has been spent aerating the lemon tree and olive tree.  I ground egg shells for the garden in the spring, but grabbed a couple teaspoons to share with the house plants.  A nice watering, ground up egg shells, and a soil aeration and the plants are good to go.  Later this month the two trees will be transplanted to larger pots with new soil to encourage new growth.  I know they slow down in the winter months, but they need to go in larger pots.  The lemon will occupy the pot the olive tree is currently residing in and the olive will get a new pot.

I had to read a heading from a local grocery ad to a friend on the phone last night.  This was also shared with my daughter.  The heading read, ' A New year, of new savings!'  I laughed out loud because I was pretty sure I could read between the lines.  Sure enough the cost of a pound of hamburg was $4.99.  Up from $3.99 the 'year' before.  There were not many good sale prices in any of the flyers, but I will go to the new Wal Mart grocery across the street and price match a few items.  Special K is $1.99, Colgate is $1.00, - I have a $1.00 off two coupon for this item - Belvita bars are 2/ $4.00, again I have a $1.00 coupon off two, and green peppers are .69 cents each.

Last night's dinner was covered in home made sauce and meatballs.  Lots of parm on top and heaven was formed.    Since I finished the quiche I made earlier in the week it was time to make another entrée.  Enough noodles were cooked to provide lunch today.

One of my favorite meals.

The other thing that needs to get finished is organizing the paper work for 2014 and packing it away.  This is such a sore spot with me as I'm not so good about keeping things organized throughout the year.  I vowed to get a handle on this for 2015.  Let's see how long it takes before I get lazy telling myself I'll do it later.

What have you been up to since the new year rang in?

Welcome new members and Happy New Year to My Readers.

A hearty welcome to Doo, and Winkles as new members of Angie's House. To Doo, It's sad that I found your blog on the very day of your last post.  I do understand, though.  The day will come for all of us when we no longer feel we are a help to others.  Good luck and Happy New Year to you as well as all of my readers.

Stay safe.

Angie