Monday, November 9, 2009
Family sandwich!
Gratituesday...

I'm also grateful to know, that God is in control of all the details of our lives.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Menu Plan...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
You wanna go shopping?
We then left FL and went to my beloved Kroger.
One of my buggies was 2/3 full nearly of produce.
I bought; green onions, salad mix, 2 bunches of beets (one to cook and one for Kvass), broccoli crowns, org. red onions, yellow onions, pomegranates, cauliflower, pecans, pistachios, cabbage, mushrooms, lemons, yellow squash, zukes, acorn squash, butternut squash (winter squash is on sale for .68lb), garlic bulbs, and probably more. Then I went through the meat buying more buffalo, Laura's Lean Beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, free beef fat to render, fish, turkey bacon, turkey polish sausage, some sandwich meat to make Sammy's since I had some good coupons, and I asked for beef bones but he didn't have any.
A foraging we will go....
Friday, November 6, 2009
Shopping delay this go around... And restricting our diet a little...
DH has also asked me to put him on a more restricted diet for a while to see if I can help him lose some weight. (This wouldn't be a bad idea for ALL of us right now ;) The last time I did this, he lost about 12 to 14 pounds in a month and he said he had all the food that he could eat! Well- let's hope I can pull this off again!
This plan will however require a little more focus at the store as I will have a more set menu plan. I also will likely save a bigger portion for picking up fresh veggies later in the month. It is the fresh veggies on this plan that helps keep the plate full, pretty, and fiber packed!
DH typically prefers country style cooking- you know where you fry your meat in fat and the like? (Yeah, and make gravy with the fat.) We also use a LOT of butter- like a big bunch lot! I saute, season, pan fry, and bake with butter. (We have no shortage of good fat in our diet!) I will try to cut back on some of that with using more applesauce in my baking and more herbs for seasoning, and boiling rather than pan frying, and even water sauteing.
It will also be helpful adding more green veggies such as salads, and when making mashed potatoes, using some buttermilk and/or bone broth rather than a stick of butter.
My main focus usually has to be more yummy veggies and cutting back on the main course, or at least cutting back the high fat in the main. That will be done by using leaner meats and more veggies with less meat in the main course. I will also use more beans and perhaps grains in the main dish to make it more filling while less fattening.
I also re-routed last week's menu too. Partly due to the virus that was in our home and partly to weed out the stragglers in the freezer. I found several bags of fryer breasts and come up with enough for supper. I also dug out the last of the cabbage and made a slaw. While digging in the freezer, I also found a small bag of blackberries and some orange zest so I made a nice 'kicked up' crisp with those. We have about ten to 15 pounds left of potatoes that are getting soft so I made a pot of mashed potatoes. Now, my path is a little clearer!
I will be using Set For Life and Recipes to Lower Your Fat Thermostat for most of my recipes, ideas, and plans. They stick to real, healthy food yet cut back on the fat. I really like the book Set For Life! It has lots of recipes using mostly basic things and they are family friendly.
Learning the hard way/ Am I too cheap?
One thing I stopped doing was using 'paper pictures'. In fact, I still have rolls here that have yet to be developed and printed, gulp.
I was given a digital camera and I began to use it often. I built a small semi-private site where I housed many of our pictures, particularly our school pictures/pictures of the kids.
About a year ago, my hand-me-down computer crashed. Lost pictures- lots of lost pictures- yet, I was thankful for that web site because a good deal of the highlights of the children (birthdays and special events) were on that site.
(BTW-We also do not have a color printer by the way- the ink (and printer) are not in the budget. I think I've shared with you before that I have a cheap laser printer and buy cheap toner and refill it myself.)
Well, without warning (even though they said they emailed me- I checked through 4 months of email and the spammer on my provider and looked back through almost a thousand spam messages- no email from them), the site I was housing those pictures at decided that they were going to start a monthly fee and they DELETED ALL OF THE FREE ACCOUNTS. Uh-huh, mine included.
They claim that there is no 'back-up'- after first denying that I ever had an account, then telling me there was only one picture on the main page, then telling me that all that was left was the text on the main page, then telling me that perhaps I was contacting the wrong people, then emailing me all the text 'left' from the main page......Their final letter said it was "all deleted", "no back up", and "Sorry".
So- suffice it to say-guess this was one time that I was TOO frugal! :-(
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
GUEST POST: Christmas On A Zero-Budget
CHRISTMAS ON A ZERO-BUDGET:
What do you do when you have no money to spend on Christmas gifts? What if your budget is small, but you'd still like to give more? What can you do to still have gifts under the tree? Here are some ideas for an enjoyable Christmas without spending a dime.
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Rather than spending the money to mail Christmas cards, send an email Christmas card instead. You can send a Christmas letter or a regular card-style Christmas greeting.
If you want to include a family photo in your card, or just have a family picture to hang on your wall or give as a gift (to grandparents, etc), set up an at-home studio.
Create a backdrop by using a solid colored sheet or blanket (or even curtains!) hung from a curtain rod, a broomstick, or, at my house, leftover electrical conduit. You can use safety pins to hang the sheet from this. Hang your backdrop between a ladder and another high object (I used a ladder with a box of diapers on top, and a piano with a box of diapers on top.)
Arrange for seating for your family in front of the backdrop. We used a piano bench before, and we have also used a chair for individual photos.
Dress in your Sunday clothes for a more formal picture, or whatever outfits you want for your portrait.
Set up your camera on a tripod and take a few test photos ahead of time. Use your camera remote to take pictures, or ask a friend to come by and take them for you. Take lots of pictures!
If inside doesn't appeal to you, take the photos outside! You'll have great natural light.
Crop your finished photo in the computer.
DECORATIONS
If you have a faux Christmas tree, it can be a great blessing at Christmas because you don't have to buy one. In some areas of this country, a tree can be $10. Where I've lived, a cut tree is always about $65-$120. Having a fake tree saves us money every year. If you don't already have a tree, but you have some paper, consider a paper tree taped on the wall (either butcher paper, painted green, pieced construction paper-whatever you have) and have your children help you make the ornaments to glue on it.
If you haven't been able to buy ornaments, consider homemade. Use popcorn, sew or crochet some ornaments, have your children make paper chains and paper ornaments. My grandfather carved baskets from walnut shells that we hang on our tree each year.
Cut some paper snowflakes to hang on the windows or on your tree.
Don't have a nativity, but would like to display one? Use this printable nativity to make one.
Use greenery from your own yard, whether it's evergreens and pine cones, boxwood, magnolia branches, to "spruce" up your home.
GIFTS
If you don't have money to spend, use what you have.
This might mean making over old clothing to fit your children. It may mean using the fabric (including scraps and old clothing) that you have on hand to make dolls, doll clothes, needed clothing, mittens, dress-up clothing, puppets, slippers, or a Bible cover. Click here for free printable sewing patterns and tutorials for all of the above and more.
If you want to give candy or food gifts, in your family's stockings, you can make your own! Make caramel popcorn, cookies, and candies from items on your pantry shelves. Wrap them beautifully and put them in stockings or under the tree.
What about your spouse? Perhaps there is a service that you can perform for your sweetheart. Is your husband needing some pants hemmed, or some shirts mended? Maybe there is a project around the house that you've been meaning to take care of, but haven't taken the time to do it. If you have the supplies already, take care of it for your gift.
What about charities? Do you want to give to others who are in need more than you are? If you're looking for ways to serve others without spending money, read here.

STOCKING STUFFERS
We tend to forget that traditionally, all of one's Christmas presents fit in one's OWN stocking. They weren't the big decorative stockings that we hang today; they were simply your own socks.
Today we tend to put most of our presents under the tree. So when you're wondering what to put in your family's stockings, don't feel like it has to be a lot of presents. It can be simple things.
Or, you can do things the old-fashioned way, and put all of the presents in the stockings!
Here are some other ideas for stockings:
-Printable paper dolls and paper toys
-A coloring book made from printable pictures found online.
-Bookmarks
-Handkerchiefs: I make these for my children and they really like them! I have used an old top sheet (after the bottom sheet wore through), as well as flannel, muslin, and broadcloth. My children like these with their initials embroidered into a corner.
-Hair ribbons and barrettes: Take the ribbons you've been saving and turn them into hair ribbons. Change simple old barrettes into something different using a few tutorials.
-Jewelry: Have any bits of broken jewelry? Using a pair of needle-nosed pliers, put those together into something new.
-Candy and cookies
-Nuts or raisins from your pantry (bought in bulk and then repackaged into smaller packages, tied with ribbon)
-apples and oranges
-Click here for printable paper dolls, 3-D toys, bookmarks, gift tags and boxes, and more frugal gift ideas.
LET OTHERS KNOW
If your needs are tight this year, its okay to let others know. This might mean having grandparents buy needed clothing for your child. It might mean that someone you know shares their hand-me-downs with you and you wrap some as gifts for your children. Last year, a friend gave us 4 outgrown scooters from her children, and we put them under the tree.
Perhaps you can do the same for another family this year, who may need baby or toddler toys and books that your children are no longer using.
A Special Thanks to Brandy for taking the time to put this special post together. May the Lord use it to bless others.
This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday
Monday, November 2, 2009
Low-fat Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread...
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
•1-1/2 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour
•1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
•1 tsp. salt
•1 tsp. cinnamon
•1/2 tsp. nutmeg
•1/2 tsp. cloves
•1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I actually used fresh cooked pumpkin)
•1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
•1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat buttermilk
•1 large egg
•1 Tbsp. canola oil
•1/4 cup chocolate chips (I added more like 2/3 cup ;)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and oil together. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring just until moistened (over-mixing will cause the bread to become too tough). Add chocolate chips. (Bake for approx. 45 to 55 minutes.)
Be sure to visit: Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Gratituesday...
God is so good to bless and encourage us homemakers! Last week, this is a special blessing that I received in the mail as a result of winning a giveaway at Jeannie's blog.I am so grateful for these blessings! They were such an encouragement to me!
Washing Cast Iron...

A special thanks...
She kindly included my recipe for Steak Casserole on her program!
Thought some of you might want to click over and see what else is cookin' on Rachel's program!



