I got something to say
TACKY or frugal smarts?
Tackiness vs. simplicity
poor etiquette vs. saving $$ and a tree or two
We send out quite a few Christmas cards each year. Last year I was able to save some pennies by making Christmas postcards to send out- saved by making them myself and saved on postage.
This year the budget is even tighter.
So------ I’m thinking of sending Christmas greetings via e-cards through Dayspring.
I must ask- Is this a big no-no on the etiquette scale?
Will I be vilified?
Of course, I can’t do all my cards this way as there are still some people on my list that don’t have email but I could cut my list way down.
By my calculations, I could save myself $20 easily.
I don’t know about you but $20 is a lot of cash here—in fact, that’s half the weekly grocery budget!
photo- last year's postcard Christmas cards.
Stuffing recipe
From my SIL... her ooooohhhh so yummy stuffing recipe. I have liked this stuffing for years, but this year, we kind of forgot about it, leaving it in the oven a bit too long. It did not burn, but the top got brown and slightly crispy. It was sooooo much better than other years. Now, we usually triple this for our family of 18 (and growing). It think I will double it for my family's Thanksgiving coming up next week.Stuffing
3/4 cup onion, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups celery stalks and leaves, chopped finely
1 cup butter
9 cups french bread cubes
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. crushed sage leaves (I use 1 tsp. rubbed sage)
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup chicken stock
about 1/3 can of evaporated milk
In pan melt butter and add onions and celery. Cook until tender. Add seasonings, mix well, then stir in 1/3 of the bread cubes. Stir mixture well then add the rest of the bread cubes. Add in the stock and milk to taste. Bake at 350 until crispy on top! MMMMM.....
Giving 3 days straight
We sure do know how to stretch out a good thing here. We’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving for 3 days! Can you imagine the leftovers?The good thing is that I will be contributing to the various meals not making everything for 3 days.
Whew!
Thanksgiving Day will be spent at my parents’ home. I’ll be bringing spoonbread and my famous Triple Fudge Brownies. Mr. Steady will be fixing up his scrumptious Dirty Mashed Potatoes. I think the girls and I may make a loaf of bread too.
The Day After Dinner, as it is now known, is spent with Mr. Steady’s parents. We cherish this quirky tradition as it means we get to spend some great quality time with his parents (it’s a gi-normous family). A few years ago we sucked Mr. Steady’s sister and kids into the tradition- since her hubby is always working that day. Foodwise: we try to keep to serving leftovers- another tradition. Mr. Steady does fry a turkey breast because we just love it. We have leftover mashed potatoes and spoonbread, his mama brings cranberries, a pie and a Jell-O salad. His sister brings her amazing potato rolls and at least one veggie side dish. I laughingly make a boxed stuffing mix to round it all out.
This year my sister and her hubby have invited the family to their home for the Day After After Dinner. [This is the “off year” that my siblings each spend with their in-laws on TG day.] Since this is a first I don’t know what the plan is. I am currently waiting for my sister to inform me of what I am bringing to the event besides myself and 4 other hungry souls.
I have to admit I’m getting a bit antsy as I’m working on my grocery list. I’m a bit of a nervous-ervous. I don’t normally grocery shop during Thanksgiving week. But Mr. Steady and I are hoping for some better sales in the local flyers and so we have put off some of the holiday shopping. Yikes!
We made this week a pantry week so that we could save this week’s grocery money, combine it with next week’s and hopefully stock up on some things.
Still, it makes me feel like I’m waiting until the last minute to get all my ducks in a row . . . .
The MIX
I’ve been getting lots of requests for me to share my Christmas trail mix recipe. I’ve been wanting to do it as a picture post for the fun of it but haven’t assembled all my ingredients and containers yet.And it’s not on the agenda until after next week- So I’ll share without pictures for now and then add the pictures later . . . . .
With that said- I must warn you that I change this recipe every single time I make it. I figure it just adds to the surprise.
First I’ll share the basic mix and then boggle your minds with my switcheroos.
Basic Christmas Snack Mix
1 large package Christmas M&Ms
1 pound chocolate covered raisins
1 pound white fudge covered pretzels
8 cups cinnamon graham cereal
Mix it altogether and package in air-tight containers.
Please note that I have never ever made it this way. Yes it is quite simple and I’m sure it would be truly delish. But I just can’t help myself. I must tweak recipes.
So what do I do?
Well, there was the year I couldn’t find white fudge covered pretzels- so I used yogurt pretzels instead. Yummo. Combine that with dried cranberries. Also- I’ve taken to purchasing the fancier bags of Chex mix that come out around Christmas time. Of course I purchase them when they are on sale- buy one get one free.
Last year I used Chex Chocolate Turtle mix- 2 bags. Added in 2-3 cups of cranberries, the M&Ms, 1 pound yogurt raisins and a 28 oz. package of white fudge pretzels. Excellent.
In the past I also found an apple-cinnamon Chex mix and added more dried apple slices, M&Ms and dried cherries.
I love the look of the red dried cherries and yogurt raisins/pretzels.
I often double the recipe due the high demand for this yummy mix. I keep costs as low as possible by looking for sales on the pricier items- like the Chex mix and M&Ms and buying the raisins and cranberries in bulk at an Amish store.
I will post again when I’ve got all of this year’s ingredients assembled to give you the 2008 version.
working hard today - pumpkin
remember that list I posted this morning? Well, I started on the pumpkin. Now this pumpkin is huge. And heavy. And it has been sitting on my porch since beginning of October. So today I took my knife and wacked it up. Mindful of someone else's failed attempt at peeling the skin from a raw pumpkin, I threw mine (in 4 stages, each stage FILLING the oven space) into the oven for an hour at 300. this cooked the pumpkin just enough to allow the skin to come right off with a knife. I still have to skin half the thing. agh! anyway, then I cubed it into 1-inch cubes. Considering the meat is up top 4 inches thick in some spots, this is a chore!But I have my first 7 bottles in the canner at 13 pounds pressure for 90 minutes.
This pumpkin cost me $30 at the farmers market. I know, it was expensive. If I had waited until after Halloween, I could have gotten it for half that. Next year. If I buy such a pumpkin again, which is HIGHLY doubtful. I do not know how much pumpkin I will get out of this. Even if I go by quarts, it is still unknown until I start using the pumpkin. At that point, I will drain it, blend it into puree, and then weigh it. That is when I will learn if this is worth it.
Dh says the work I havew already put into it is NOT worth it. He has a point - cans of pumpkin are so cheap in the stores in December and January as they clean out their holiday stashes. But I like to know what is in our food. Yeah, the cans list as ingredients: pumpkin. but there are things they do not have to list if it is small enough (I do not know if that is the case with pumpkin, but with other foods it is.) And if we ever manage to grow our own pumpkins, the cost will go down significantly.
And hey, bonus - the water in the jars of pumpkin can count towards water storage. not for drinking, true, but for baking or cooking....
oh, and I made the kids help. They were in charge of separating the seeds (these are monstrous too!) from the "goop." They wore some of daddy's t-shirts and complained bitterly about the feel of the innards. Cannot blame them for that! But they did do the work, and now they are outside enjoying the 50 degree weather we will be having all week. Lucky them. I am stuck inside a hot house over a hot stove. Not a pregnant lady's favorite spot.....
MPM- more of a guideline
Menu with Daily Costs
Notes: My menu is really more of a set of guidelines- what I’m prepared to prepare. Sometimes life gets in the way and meals get switched or we find ourselves helping out at my parents’ place and eating supper with them. Often I will carry over a meal to the next week if we didn’t get to it- since I have the ingredients on hand. With the holidays coming we have declared this week to be a pantry week- meaning we will be eating from the pantry and freezer and only purchasing staples like milk and eggs this week.
Monday
B: Oatmeal with your choice of topping
L: ravioli, bread and butter, cubed cheese
D: Tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, dill pickles
Dessert: iced monkey bread
Daily Cost: $7.92
Tuesday
B: Mama’s cheesy scrambled eggs, toast
L: Homeschool group lunch: Bring: cranberry Jell-o jigglers
D: Maiden cook: skillet lasagna, garlic bread
Dessert: none
Daily Cost: $7.56
Wednesday
B: Choice: cereal or yogurt
L: chicken noodle soup & mini sandwich triangles
D: Peppy Macaroni
Dessert: Twinkie Cake
Daily Cost: $11.12
Thursday
B: Toad in the Hole
L: Nachos
D: One Dish Chicken bake, steamed veggies
Dessert: leftover Twinkie cake
Daily Cost: $7.64
Friday – Family Movie Nite
B: Oatmeal with your choice of topping, toast
L: Diner Dinner
D: Cheeseburger Casserole
Dessert: is there any Twinkie cake left?
Daily Cost: $5.14
Saturday
B: Daddy cook (eggs, bacon, toast etc.)
L: Leftover Smorgasbord
D: Leftover Smorgasbord
Daily Cost: $3.00
Sunday
B: Cocoa Wheats, toast
L: Harvest dinner @ church: bring greens salad
D: @ my parents
Daily Cost: $5.25
Weekly Total: $47.63
~~ Don’t forget to check out the yummy menu ideas every Monday over at The Organizing Junkie’s blog. You just might find your next favorite family recipe!
my surprise Chirstmas present - can you help my husband?
I know nothing about this.... I am channeling my husband because I of course know absolutely nothing about this Christmas present....I posted this query about a month ago, and now have a link to ask further questions.
Will this machine listed here at Costco: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11307832&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=〈=en-US&s=1
do what it is that I want in a sewing machine?
I need to sew patches on little boy pants. I need to fix dance costumes. Not a lot of sewing, but enough that I would rather NOT truck my family and all my sewing needs down to Salt Lake every time I have a small need.
so my question: what are your recommendations for a small-ish job sewing machine? Maybe even - GASP - move into actually sewing new clothing (like modesty shorts for under dresses). Something that I could easily pack up and put away when not in use, because I do not think I will use it often. not like my mom's that has a permanent table and corner in her house and was used ALL the time when I was a kid, and even now every November and December.
But something strong enough to punch through a layer or two of denim.
help please
to do this week
I have decided that this week I will post a large list of things to do. Sure, some things have day-specific times to be done, but most of it is big stuff to be spread over the week. We are having guests this weekend, some good friends. One of those few couple friends with whom we get along well and have core values in common. Not just religious, but spiritual. And lifestyle-wise. Their children are still too young to have made a decision about homeschooling (6 mo and 2 years) - they are still wondering about it. She has a teaching degree and taught secondary school math before they got married. I would be surprised if they choose ps, but they are still researching. Anyway, here is my to-dos:Week of November 17-21
* cook and bottle pumpkin
* organize freezer
* prep house for G family
- clean 3 bathrooms
- clean basement bathroom and turn on toilet :)
- wash walls on main floor, stairs and upstairs bathroom
- guest room: air out, change sheets, and vacuum
- prep soap and lotion supplies
- clean basement entry
- plan weekend
* prep garden boxes for spring plantings
* do school this week
* talk to mom about my Thanksgiving
* return books to town Library
* piano on Thursday
* Fab4's on Wednesday @ R's
* laundry on Tuesday
* freeze turkey carcass for later use - Monday
* do bananas – muffins and bread - Monday
* freeze tortillas - Monday
*
Thanksgiving yesterday
My in-laws do Thanksgiving dinner the Saturday before Thanksgiving Thursday. We started this years ago, I think my first year in the family, to deal with the problem of in-law Thanksgivings... there is no conflict of whose family with whom to celebrate this year. What, yesterday was NOT the Saturday before Thanksgiving? Well, yes, but one BIL forgot this long-standing deal and planned a surprise vacation for his wife's birthday (surprise in where, not that they are going). So, we celebrated yesterday. We always have T-giving at SIL M's house. Her husband - a few years back, made a wonderful suggestion for future years, and I want to share that with you.We had 18 people - 7 children (10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) and 11 adults.
After everyone was done eating, we took stock of what was left. How many potatoes did we use? Were there too many potatoes? For dinner, yes, but once everyone filled their ziploc containers for leftovers, nope.
We had a 20# turkey. Too much? the consensus was nope.
I made 36 rolls. too many? we only had 5 left when it was time to pack leftovers. Maybe more next year...
Stuffing - we make a triple batch of the yummy recipe. We accidentally overcooked it this year. It was brown and slightly crispy on top. Oops. But overwhelmingly, it was a hit. everyone liked it better slightly crispy and not all soft and gooshy. I really like that stuffing every year, but this year.... mmmmmmm. M, when you read this, can you post a comment with the recipe? Maybe I will volunteer that for my family. I think my dad uses a box. ugh.
We also have a cheese/cracker tray and a veggie tray out on the table for snacking before hand. That has been a lifesaver! When dinner is a bit late because the turkey is not quite done when it supposed to be, or SIL had to make a last minute grocery run for something forgotten or burned (that was me and the rolls last year!!), or the yummy smells permeating the house have our mouths salivating, we have yummy healthy snacks for munching. And they are great for kids who are running around with cousins and need a quick snack and all the adults are busy.
anyway, by writing all this down, we can see what we liked and didn't like for future years. It is very nice because although you THINK you will remember these details, you often do not. We have done some experiments in other years, trying other sides that someone wanted to bring or make, but we seem to like the basics for this meal. except dh, who had his "Thanksgiving poultry and potatoes" in the form of a deli-chicken sandwich on a roll with some potato chips. but, we expected this, and we all just rolled our eyes and loved him!
my menu plans
Genevieve this morning was posting her simplified menus. It got me to thinking - I have done that too. so here we are, my "simplified" menu. This is general, so it is easy to take into account the month coming up. I try to not make anything more than once a month, so we do not get tired of it. I like a monthly menu instead of a weekly menu.I need a breakfast menu too, but have not got there yet. sigh. I love breakfasts. big yummy breakfasts with a bread (pancakes, waffles, crepes, muffins, etc), hashbrowns (wish I could make these like Denny's!), crispy bacon, fruit, eggs, juice or smoothie..... a lot of work and mess. but I do love big breakfasts!
Dinner
My rules are at least (per week):
beans - 2 times
rice - 1 time
pasta - 1 time
potatoes - 1 time
Sunday
chili (bean night #1) with cornbread waffles.
white lightening
steak black bean
FFF chili
pumpkin chili
chicken taco
Monday
stuffed chicken (remember that crazy chicken week? this is the result.... gourmet chicken for my family once a week!)
Cordon-Bleu with Uncle Ben's wild rice and a steamed veggie
Kiev with mashed pots and a steamed veggie
Florentine with pasta and salad
Greek with rice and a greek salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta)
Tuesday
We don't have a set theme for Tuesdays.
Wednesday
veggie soup night. I need more of these recipes.
broccoli
pumpkin
potato
lemon bean
Thursday
We don't have a set theme for Thursdays.
Friday
other chicken dish
Orange with rice and broccoli
Korma with rice, aloo matar, chapati, and lassi
Honey-Lime with home fries and salad
Pot pie with cornbread
stroganoff with egg noodles and veggie
BBQ with mashed pots
Roast with mashed pot and salad
Saturday
homemade pizza - usually mini pizzas where everyone gets to "decorate" their own.
beef night. sometimes. we are not big beef fans, and dh is very anti-ground beef! I need more recipes that we like. sigh. sometimes I just get tired of chicken (maybe that is why I make so many crazy recipes!)
stroganoff with egg noodles
stew
roast
au jus sandwiches
other bean dish. I need more bean dishes that we like. We like beans. but a lot of the recipes I have found are either a sweet bean (like molasses lentils) or cold bean dishes (and dh says that beans should be hot!)
lemon bean soup
bean & rice tacos
bean quesadillas
Lunches
These are easy now that we have eaten all the chicken nuggets and fish sticks (and I am not buying again!) Everyone is learning the choices, the same everyday.
- leftovers from dinner the night before (daddy gets first dibbs on this... he works at home, so he joins us)
- sandwich: pbj, cheese or tuna
- cheese quesadilla
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