It's my own fault. I started the whole thing and it's up to me to carry it through.

I started saving for a sleek and shiny stainless steel stove. And, I was doing pretty well for awhile.

Let me remind you, I don't need a new stove. It's a want, not a need. But, I'd like a new one to match the fridge that we had to buy over a year ago because it was dying.

I like things to match.

As a teacher, I get paid by having my last paycheck come two weeks after school is out. It is my choosing -- I could have it spread throughout the summer, but there is something thrilling about having one big check.

However, with that one big check comes the realization that I need to make that money last so I'm stingy when it comes to spending it on non necessities. And, I put a bunch of it in our money market so I won't spend it unless I needed it. So instead of putting money in my stove fund, I just kept it the money market.

Well, my stove fund hasn't grown much since July. I had added to it by selling stuff at an auction, but I've run out of stuff to sell. Either I don't want to give it up or it isn't worth selling.

The quest for a new stove has been delayed, but is, if you pardon the pun, on a front burner again because a friend just bought two new stainless steel appliances.

So, instead of denying my stove savings, I need to turn up the heat so to speak. And I just can't resist the puns! Yeah, I know, if you can stand the heat...

I read Mary Hunt's column yesterday about the fashion fast -- she went through her closet and picked out 6 items and wore them for a week. I guess it was to prove a point that we have too many clothes.

She cited some gal (I haven't taken the time to look up the blog) who wore the same dress for a year, just changing the accessories.

Interesting concept, eh?

I'm thinking that if I wore the same thing over and over I'd spend more in laundry than I'd save not buying a few more things.

Guess it's all a matter of priorities, eh?

Since we have a decent crop of tomatoes, I'm delighted when I find a recipe that is quick and easy and looks good.

I was reading Guideposts and found this recipe that is tagged as being healthy. I think you can make and little or as much as you like.

Burnt Tomatoe Halves

4 firm, ripe tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
black peppercorns
2 T fresh oregano leaves

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half. Brush cut side of tomato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Place tomatoes cut side down on hot surface. Don't move them for 8 - 10 minutes or they'll burst. The bottoms will show a black line of char all around when they're done. Using a spatula, life tomatoes off hot surface and invert onto a plate, burnt side up. Cut crosshatches into the surface of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with peppercorns and oregano, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Note: if whole peppercorns are a problem, they can be ground or coarsely cracked. Serves 4.

Looks easy enough, doesn't it? And it sounds like a cheap side while tomatoes are in season.

Last week I blogged that I had the "problem" of too many tomatoes. One kind person suggested I make a marinara sauce.

I hate to admit it, but I had never made a marinara sauce. I'ved used tomato sauce out of the can and added stuff, but never made anything like this from scratch.

I'm happy to report that I have since been searching for a recipe that I could employ.

I was kind of worried because I don't have hours to let it simmer. Unfortunately my employer wouldn't think it was right if I came home during the day to make a sauce.

So, I wanted to find one I thought I could use. And I did. I had to adjust the measurements because I didn't have quite that many tomatoes available, but I did try it. I ran it through the food processor after it was cooked and added the fresh basil.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:
• Ten pounds of VERY ripe tomatoes
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Sugar
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Basil
• Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
Whole Tomato Version:

The ingredients listed above.
• Chop the washed tomatoes into small cubes (to reduce the area and cooking time).
• Sautee ten or fifteen large garlic cloves in olive oil until they are dark golden.
• Add chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning or sticking.
• Pour in an additional quarter cup of oil (or more according to taste).
• Add salt, a heavy dusting of black pepper and about three tablespoons of sugar (depending on the acidity of the tomato you can use less or no sugar).
• Lower heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring regularly, until all fluid is thickened. THIS SHOULD NOT TAKE FOUR HOURS BUT MORE LIKE A HALF HOUR. Why people insist on torturing tomato sauce on a stove for half a day is beyond me --- we call it the "Nonna syndrome."
• Remove from heat and immediately add a large quantity of fresh chopped basil.
• Cook pasta extra al dente and drain.
• Add pasta back to pan and add five or six ladles of tomato sauce to the pasta and stir over a medium heat until sauce and pasta are thickened.
Serve each plate with an additional ladle full of sauce on top and a drizzling of fresh cold olive oil and a heaping of Pecorino Romano.

Although the measurements are exact, I kept trying it until I got it the way I wanted. I tasted it and then finally had hubby try it. He's the resident critic. He gave it a thumbs up!

Now that I've accomplished this, I have one further query: can I freeze it?

OK, it doesn't have the ring to the title as the children's book, "Chicken Soup with Rice", but I have to work with what I have!

It's the weekend and I was looking for recipes that I could fix ahead and then come home after work and heat up later in the week.

Last year when I did an Internet search, I found a variety of chicken recipes. I was looking through them today and found one that included many of the ingredients I had on hand...my hubby just picked a red bell pepper and green bell pepper. I had fixed a chicken in the Crockpot overnight to use for different dishes and had the broth from it so I felt like I was pretty well set.

Chicken Hash Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken breast shredded or chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup roux ( make by stirring 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in 2 tablespoons of corn oil in frying pan until golden brown)

Preparation:

Sauté celery, peppers, and onions until tender.
Place chicken stock in medium saucepan and heat to boiling. Make the roux then mix chicken, chicken stock, vegetables, and seasoning with roux.

Serve over hot rice.

I am delighted I can heat this up on the stove instead of the oven (it's still very hot here) and I can store the ingredients in a bowl in the fridge until I need it. With the hot rice made right before I need it, it should be a tasty meal.

We watch "Til Debt Due Us Part" on CNBC on Saturday nights and one of the things the host keeps telling people is they need to cook at home to save money and buy things on a budget. We do eat out some, but I feel those nights when I'm tired and really don't want to start something from scratch, having something like this sitting in the fridge waiting sure makes it easier to put a hot, nutritious meal on the table without resorting to going out and spending extra money.

I had a small spending day today.

I worked all day and didn't spend anything except for what it will cost to replace the gas I used to drive to work. I went directly to work and came directly home.

I fixed coffee in a thermal cup and took with me. I packed my lunch and ate it at my desk. I had fixed a chicken in the Crockpot earlier this weekend and used it for some casseroles. I had some chicken left over so I made chicken salad for my sandwich. My husband's grape tomato crop is still pretty healthy, so I took some of them for my lunch as well and for a snack, I packed some peanut butter crackers I had in the pantry.

I'm not good every day, but today was a small spend day!

Ah, what a trouble...too many tomatoes!

My hubby planted 5 plants -- 4 big tomatoes and 1 grape tomato plant. The big tomato plants have been producing steadily, but not huge amounts. But that 1 measly little grape tomato plant has been unbelievable. I picked I bet over two pounds of little tomatoes yesterday.

I decided I needed to fix them some way besides eating them raw. I had seen a recipe for a gratin using regular tomatoes. I changed it a bit and I'm happy to report it was delicious!

Tomato Gratin

1 medium onion, chopped
olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped up small
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon of fresh herb of your choice, chopped or a half tablepoon if dried (I used basil)
tomatoes -- enough to cover the bottom of a baking dish
bread crumbs -- enough to cover the top of the tomatoes
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used Romano because I had it on hand)
baking spray

Preheat oven to 400.
Saute the chopped onion in the olive oil. Take off heat once it is translucent and add honey and herb and mix together.
Slice the tomatoes in same size pieces. Since I used grape tomatoes, I sliced them in half and had them all face up to make one layer.
Toss in the chopped garlic and add the onion/honey sauce on top.
Spread the cheese over the tomatoes. Then add the bread crumbs until thoroughly covered.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bread crumbs are brown.

If you wanted to make the casserole thicker, you could layer the tomatoes and onions if you had more and then bake a little longer. I would probably add a little more honey and lemon juice.

I used the tomatoes from our garden, an onion from our garden, basil from our garden, and the bread crumbs I made in our food processor from left over bread.

It was delicious and a reasonably cheap side dish.

We hit the library again and it’s no mystery, we like to solve murder cases…fiction, of course!

We’ve run through all the Poirot episodes that our library has. We have moved on to Campion. It’s set in England in the 30s. I guess it originally broadcast on “Mystery” in the late 80s or early 90s. Campion is a detective who has a surly manservant named Lug who together solve mysteries. I think these characters make the stories more interesting. Poirot has Captain Hastings, Chief Inspector, and Miss Lemon. Campion has Lug, and boy, is Lug a character. We talk about these people like they are real instead of fictional.

We’ve also been watching Miss Marple, Agatha Christie’s nosy old lady who never misses a details. She's an interesting character herself.

These wonderful stories have provided great entertainment, but it does have a downside. I have a craving for a cup of tea while watching one of these. I wonder if it is because they all have tea in lovely tea cups? Do I want to copy their fancy ways? Have I fallen in love with 30s fashion? Or am I just weird? I need to brew a cup of tea and serve it in a china cup to feel satisfied. This is a mystery to me. I guess as far as cravings go, it's pretty cheap. Hot water, tea bag and a cup I already posses. The DVDs are borrowed from the library so other than the trip to the library the cost is minimal.

Well, we still have a few more episodes to enjoy the next few evenings. That’s something to look forward to. I just better make sure I have enough tea bags to brew. Maybe I’m just a character myself.

Where's that darn maid? Or the dish fairy?

These folks never seem to show up at my house. Of course dust bunnies seem to multiply without hesitation.

I'm trying to keep control of the dust, dirt, and whatever around here. The vacuum doesn't run itself. The windows aren't self cleaning and that oven...ha!

I guess I sort of know how Cinderella felt, except I don't have evil stepsisters and a stepmother hovering over me. Just my own steel will to fight the battle of dirt, grime, and the neverending dust bunny!

I guess I could say I'm saving money by not hiring anyone to clean for me. That's my story anyway.

Now, where's my cape?

I look forward to Jeffrey's posts and how he uses coupons to eat on a $1 a day. We don't have some of the grocery stores he has, but we do have a CVS. However, after looking at his blogs, I don't think I could cut the deals he has.

I discovered that different papers have different coupons. Some are better than others. Our local paper has a coupon insert or two on Sundays and they have some basic stuff, but my hubby also buys the Chicago Trib and often times the coupons are worth more or they might even have coupons that aren't in our local paper. They are put out by the same companies. I wonder if it is also a regional thing too.

That being said, I won't be eating on a $1 a day, but I am trying to make better use of the coupons we get.

Thanks, Jeffrey!

Last night the national news had a story on a new trend: Friday night weddings.

Seems the couples and their families have found that many places and businesses are willing to cut a deal if you get married on a Friday night. They said the photographer gave them a huge percent discount, the caterer did as well and the reception hall was cheaper too. The broadcaster talked about how folks are making weddings more affordable.

The news cast said it was "thinking outside of the box."

I had to chuckle. Twenty years ago my husband and I married on a Friday night. Our wedding itself was very small -- just a few family members. We had a reception at a small place and had cake, punch, and a few munchies. Little did we know we were thinking outside of the box!

We had our small get together because my parents didn't have a lot of money and we were going to pay for most of it. I did without the big fancy dress and my husband did without the tux. My parents bought a sheet cake and paid the $15 to rent the area. I bought the rest of the stuff -- napkins, plates, punch, and even made some of my own munchies. My soon to be husband and I decided instead of paying for a big wedding, we would use the money for a downpayment on the house. We also paid, in cash, for a honeymoon in Vegas. We came back home to a house with more than a 20% downpayment and a little cash to buy paint to start decorating.

We were thinking outside of the box? I don't think so. I think we were actually just trying to be financially responsible.

As for the wedding...our vows must have stuck...we celebrated our 20th anniversary in June!

I just read the article about advertising: http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2010/07/19/106329_becoming-ad-averse.html

I have to agree with Jennifer on many of the points. Advertising does bring up prices and make people think they need things they probably don’t really need.

I’d like to add to her story. I’ve been quite the skeptic for so long. My husband and I have “bets” (not with money) on how much the latest gadget will cost that is being offered by mail order…ever notice it always ends with a 9.95? Most are $19.95 and then there’s that “surprise” of “But wait…” OK, double the order … hmmm, wouldn’t that be a sign that the stuff is junk and if they can double it for the same price (plus extra shipping and handling) that is it a rip off?

My other thing is to look at the background of the ads for stuff. Most fast food/junk food stuff they are peddling is positioned in a high end gourmet kitchen. Granite countertops, high end appliances, everything is neat and tidy…and use that microwave to zap that convenience food! I realize that many gourmets probably do succumb to junk food once in awhile, but why would someone who has the wherewithal to have such a fancy kitchen zap fat and grease? No one has a typical middle class kitchen in these ads.

The car insurance commercial with the perky gal talking to two other insurance agents is interesting as well. Both of their suit coats, ties, and shirts are identical and bland. In other words, this insurance is more fun and exciting than theirs besides being cheaper.

Another insurance company features a stocky guy with a wonderful voice. Besides his reassurance of this company being one who cares, his demeanor and voice tell someone he’s a protector. Good choice of characters, wouldn’t you say?

One huge merchandiser has their ad campaign honed so well that at the end of it “Save money. Live better.” has been ingrained in everyone’s mind. I did a lesson on author’s purpose in the classroom last year and we talked about advertising as a persuasive piece. When I said the first phrase, “Save money.” The whole class in unison said the rest and added the name of the story. Cripes…what brainwashing! I’d say that company spent good money on that piece because everyone recognizes it.

Jennifer looked at ads a different way than I do. I enjoy picking them apart to see what kind of hidden message they are trying to tell us. Sometimes I even count how many are in between the program. I hate it when there is more advertising than program it seems. It’s become a game in our house to see what we can point out in the ad that is not being said, but implied.

And I’m going to save money because I’m not going to live better in that huge store!

Do you have a freezer? A few years ago I saved up and bought a small one. I try to find things on sale to keep it stocked. I also put flour in it when I get it on sale so it doesn’t get buggy. I often freeze extra stuff I make in it as well.

Last night I was reading “Frugal Living for Dummies” – we had made a trip to the library yesterday, one of my favorite places. Most of the entries were items that have been written about on blogs and forums and articles here at Saving Advice.

I noticed the author had the biggest section about cooking and food. Seems she has authored quite a bit on making things ahead and freezing them before including them in this book.

She wrote about making the same dish but three times the amount and eating one and freezing the other two. Or cooking ahead for the week or month and freezing it until you need it. Over and over it was repeated how she saves money by having food available for dinner time so the temptation to go out isn’t really there.

It’s not anything new to most of us. I do the weekly thing on Sundays. I often make casseroles or put stuff together for the Crockpot so when meal time comes about after work, I can either pop it in the oven or put it in the cooker that morning for a warm meal.

I went out to the freezer the other day to get a pound of hamburger. My husband looked at me and when I came in from the garage and I joked, “I went shopping.”

He laughed with me, but I did go shopping. I went to the convenience of my freezer and got what I needed. I had bought the meat on the sale and it patiently waited in the cold box until I secured it. I didn’t have to make an extra trip to the store nor did I have to eat out.

So, I would say it truly is a frugal freezer.

I hate to shop. I prefer to get in and get out. However, when it comes to big ticket items, I try to read Consumer Reports and also list what I want and don’t want in an appliance.

We went to the library today and I decided to pick up the Consumer Reports Buying Guide. I was reading about stoves. I want a stainless steel smooth cook top electric stove. I’m amazed that two by the same company have almost equal ratings but one is $2000 more. Maybe I don’t know what to do with one that has all these buttons on it, but for $2000 more, I think I can live without it. I want a stove that heats accurately and looks nice. I don’t need or want 20 other odd buttons. Maybe there's something wrong with me.

It’s just downright depressing when you look at all those models and it’s difficult to find what you want. Plus, very few places actually have a big inventory so it’s either looking on-line or through a catalog.

So, after figuring out what I think I want, I started looking on-line. I figure it gives me a true goal to save for. I have looked at the various on-line sites and I think I have found what I want and a store near us.

Now, the hard part…the actually saving. But, it’s also the fun part because every time I add a little to my total, I feel like I’m making progress.
According to the local price, I’m almost half way there so that’s a good thing!

What’s old is new again.

OK, that’s a little trite, I realize, but the book I was reading, “Cheap Eating” has a copyright of 1993. I checked it out because it looked a little different. But what is funny is most of the stuff in the book is being published again in 2010. I do like the author’s style – kind of down to earth.
And, the author is realistic. Not everyone is going to do everything in the book. But these are suggestions made to help save money.

A lot of the items mentioned in the book have been on the Saving Advice forums or blogs. The nice thing is they are in one tome.

At the end of the book are recipes to help save money. Although the prices are outdated, she compares what a commercially made boxed dinner you mix with a pound of hamburger costs and what it costs to make from scratch. Plus, she talks about the fact eating homemade is far healthier since you aren’t eating lots of preservatives and fillers.

I enjoyed her writing as well. In the text, she talks about making a white sauce and says you put the dry ingredients with the water and “shake like the dickens.” Bet you don’t hear that on a gourmet cooking show! Later on in the recipes, she discusses using this white sauce or white gravy in place of some of the condensed soups we use for casseroles. I think it is worth a try, so I’m reprinting her recipe:

White Sauce (or milk gravy)
½ cup dry milk
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
1 ¾ cup cold water
2 T margarine
Melt butter in a 1 quart sauce pan. In a covered jar or shaker combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add water. Shake until all ingredients are dissolved. Stir in flour-milk mixture and cook over low heat until mixture thickens and bubbles. Keep stirring.
To make the recipe to equal 1 can of cream soup she offers these measurements:
1/3 cup dry milk
2 T flour
Dash salt
1 cup cold water
1 T margarine

Some variations include:
Chicken sauce – substitute cold chicken stock for water
Cheese sauce – add ½ cup of shredded cheese to the 1 can recipe. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted.

Hey, I’m all for progress, but I also feel “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

Measuring. Such a simple thing.

Last week on my trip to the library, I checked out an older book called "Eating Cheap". Last night after watching the fireworks on T.V., I was perusing some of it and one of the things the author brought up was to be sure and measure when you cook.

The author said we probably measure stuff most of the time, but how many of us have made stuff so often we just sort of dump things in. However, it was pointed out if a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and we just put some in and actually use a teaspoon, although it probably won't affect the taste, it eventually effects the pocketbook because if you do this consistently, you'll have to buy vanilla twice as often.

This goes for other things around the house such as laundry detergent or fabric softener. A few pennies add up to dollars very quickly!

How true!

I just don’t know how I do it. That’s what I told my husband the other day. He just laughed because he knows I’m being my usual sarcastic self.

After watching some of the food shows and reading some magazines, I don’t know how I cook in my non gourmet kitchen! I don’t have the 8 burner professional stove, the huge side by side refrigerator, the walk in pantry, or the gourmet cookware. I do have a few fairly decent pots and pans and two of my favorites I inherited from my grandmother and they aren’t gourmet. Just well made and well taken care of – they are over 50 years old. And we won’t mention my cast iron skillet that was purchased used, OK?

I certainly don’t shop at the fancy stores or markets. And I don’t have a wine cellar. Egad! What’s wrong with me? How can I cook without all these things?!

I am thinking of doing a little remodeling in the kitchen area in the next few days. We bought a gallon of paint and a new paint color always seems to refresh. Granted, it won’t be on HGTV’s Bang for your Buck with the multi thousand redo, but it will probably work just fine. At least on my budget.
I guess my new excuse for not cooking is to tell hubby that I can’t cook in my currently outdated, non gourmet kitchen and that we either need to truly remodel or go out.

I don’t think he’ll believe it! He knows me too well.

All right, where’s that paintbrush?

Only my husband knows my secret and until two weeks ago, he was blissfully unaware.

I want a new stove. Read…want, not need. My stove is a few years old and it works fine. I try to keep it very clean not only for appearance but also for sanitary reasons. I will admit I hate cleaning the oven though!

But, I want a new ceramic cook top stainless steel stove. I like sleek shiny items for the kitchen like many men like sleek shiny sports cars. I don’t have the room or the budget for a professional stove and with my asthma, I’m not sure I could have a gas stove anyway. Last summer we purchased a new fridge because ours was dying and it was old. We decided to get a stainless steel one since almond was a hard color to buy around here. That’s what we had before. We were limited to what we could get because in the 1970s when our house was built, they didn’t allow for huge refrigerators and we certainly aren’t redoing the kitchen for a fridge.

So, I have been saving a few dollars here and there to save up for this luxury item.

Yesterday we stopped by the auction and picked up $28 for the stuff we took there. We normally donate our items to a charity, but these were items I didn’t think they’d want or take so I have $28 to put in my stove fund. We plan on taking a few more items next week. We aren’t making a huge amount, but we are cleaning out the shed and the garage and getting rid of stuff and hopefully getting a little closer to my goal. I still have a ways to go.

My husband gave me his extra change and I have been squirreling change for the past couple of months and we took it to the bank to put in the stove account. He wondered why I was putting money into this little savings account a few dollars at a time. We keep a small amount of money in it as an emergency fund. So, I finally told him. And he’s gladly gotten on board because he says he knows he’ll enjoy my use of it when I get it.

I am up to $284.74. I have a ways to go, but that’s OK. I think saving for it will make me appreciate it that much more.

So now you know my secret! Maybe I should also save some extra to hire someone to clean the oven!

Be true to your foooood! OK, think of the Beach Boys’ hit, “Be true to your school!”

Yesterday I went to one of my favorite places…the library. I checked out an assortment of DVDs, magazines, and books. One of the books was a nonfiction tome entitled, “True Food”. It was published by National Geographic and came out this year.

I woke up early this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep so I decided to read instead of toss and turn. The purpose of "True Food" is to give 8 simple steps to a healthier you.
In a nutshell:
1 Eat local food
2 Eat a variety of foods
3 Aim for organic
4 Eat lower on the food chain
5 Eat fresh food
6 Eat whole foods
7 Stock your pantry
8 Green your kitchen

Most of these are pretty easy to figure out. Chapter one was try to buy food grown locally or grow your own. Chapters 2, 4, 5, 6 were very similar – eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat and processed foods. There was quite a bit of information on herbs which was good as well as vegetables and their nutritional value.

Stock your pantry was instructions on buying less processed foods like all purpose flour and more foods that are natural.

Green your kitchen had some ideas such as use kitchen towels instead of paper towels, reuse glass bottles instead of plastic, and make your own cleaning supplies instead of purchasing harmful chemicals.

It was an adequate book, but I didn’t really learn anything new. I guess I had hoped to find some new truths. Fortunately I did not purchase, but borrowed the book from our local library. I'm sure for a newbie, they would find some merit in reading it.
I guess it pays to be a cheapskate!

I did, however, see a recipe I want to try tonight: shoestring zucchini with rosemary:

1 very large zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour or unbleached all purpose
1. Cute the squash lengthwise into halves, then cut into ¼ inch slices, then cut those into 1/8 inch slices
2. Sprinkle and toss with salt in a colander and set in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. After draining, squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands
3. Heat oil in a skillet – you want the oil very hot, but not smoking
4. Toss zucchini with flour in a bowl, and then add it to the oil in batches. Cook for about 5 minutes until zucchini is just golden, then toss in a few leaves of rosemary. Cook for another minute until zucchini is golden.
5. Drain zucchini on paper towel and served immediately.

If nothing else, I am true to zucchini!

We are back to everyday life after our big anniversary adventure to celebrate our 20 years together. And that’s OK.

I pulled chops out of the freezer last night to thaw in the fridge. We go to this little store in a crummy neighborhood every few weeks on Thursdays to buy meat. They cut and package it the way you want and give seniors (62+) a 10% discount. We buy what we need and put it in the freezer. We are going to have pork chops, roasted potatoes with green peppers and onions, roasted zucchini, herb biscuits, and fruit. The onions will come out of hubby’s garden. I figure if I’m going to have the oven on, I might as well make use of it.

Roasting the potatoes is fairly simple. I peel the potatoes and slice thinly. I chop the onion and the green pepper – all about the same size and add whatever spices I have handy. Today I think I’m going to add rosemary. I drizzle with olive oil and with clean hands make sure everything is covered. I roast uncovered in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes. Yum! You can do this with about any root vegetable so when I do the zucchini and onion, it will be the same way.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. My husband would agree.

So, I better continue cooking so he’ll keep me another 20 years!

Supper is in the Crockpot.

That’s always a good thing. I know most would say it is too hot for beef stew, but, that’s what we are having. I have a bunch of appointments today and we had stew meat and vegetables, so that’s what I fixed. I baked biscuits last night and made a fruit salad.

I always marvel at the person who came up with the idea of a Crockpot. What a wonderful invention. I know there’s a recipe booklet entitled, “Fix and forget it.” No kidding. I use my Crockpots a lot and feel they help us save money – we can buy cheaper cuts of meat and cooking all day makes them tender. Dinner is ready when you get home with not too much fuss and muss. And the newer slow cookers have the liners you can take out and put in the dishwasher – I remember having to try and clean the ones that you couldn’t do that with. I loved the cooker, but not the cleaning.

It’s nice to know supper is in the Crockpot.

Okay, it’s not really my garden. I’m the cheerleader; my husband does the gardening.

Years ago, during the depression and then during World War II, people planted gardens and called them Victory Gardens. The purpose was to grow their food and have victory over the fear of want. People are now calling them recession gardens. Whatever they are called, it’s sure nice to have one.

Gardens have often been thought of as old fashioned by many and I guess in some fancy subdivisions, rules regulate whether you can have a garden above and beyond a patio tomato pot. Fortunately we don’t live in one of those fancy subdivisions.

My husband has a green thumb, but for years he wouldn’t try growing vegetables because he claimed he couldn’t do it. Yet, three years ago I convinced him to plant some tomato plants. He was highly successful. Last year he planted tomatoes, green onions, herbs, and green beans and again, a success. He branched out a little bit this year and planted everything he did last year and then added some herbs and radishes. We’ve enjoyed the green onions and radishes and I continue to use herbs in my cooking. We look forward to the tomatoes and green beans. It’s nice to eat what is grown and we know where it came from.

The area he has is very small – it’s in the front yard and probably doesn’t do much for the curb appeal, but the backyard is very shady. He tried growing a tomato plant there once…the plant grew very tall, but no tomatoes! Fresh produce has such flavor and it’s handy…go out the front door and get some!

Now, if I could only convince him to plow up the front yard and really go at it!

One thing my husband likes about summer is I have more time to cook. And yesterday I baked a loaf of herb bread and he was a happy camper. My dear hubby has a green thumb and he graciously grows herbs for me to use.

It’s actually a recipe I use from the bread machine recipe booklet, but since the bread machine was put to rest, I just mix the ingredients in my mixer, let it rise, and then put in a loaf pan, let it rise and then bake it. The thing I like is the fact I can change it around depending on the herbs I want to use. I also changed the recipe because I don’t use sugar like it says, I use honey. Yesterday I used chopped garlic, oregano and some dill in the recipe. You can use whatever herbs you wish, but here’s the recipe:

Herb Bread
1 ½ cups water
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar (or honey)
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried herb (or 2 tsp fresh herb)
2 teaspoons of bread machine fast rising yeast

Mix together and let it rest and rise for about 2 hours (I cover with a towel) until it doubles in size. Take out of bowl and form into a loaf and put in greased bread pan and let it rise until double in size. Bake at 350 degree oven 30-40 minutes or until top is brown and if you thump the top, the bread sounds hollow.

I use more herbs than it suggests since I usually add 2 or 3, but I think you can decide what you want. I have also changed things up on the flour – sometimes I use ¼ cup of whole wheat flour or ¼ cup of oatmeal to give it a different flavor and texture.

I feel baking this bread saves money because we normally have a bread of some sort at supper and if you price a loaf like this it can cost anywhere from $3-5 around here. It certainly didn't cost that much to bake. Plus, I can put in it what we have on hand!

Happy Baking!

Cheap. Fast. Good!

No, I’m not talking about my lifestyle for those of you who have your mind in the gutter. That is the title of a book I checked out of the library. It’s basically a cook book and it has some interesting recipes.

The author writes that making things at home can be cheap and fast if you plan a little in advance and I think the good is a given.

I’m always amazed at folks who eat out most nights. I’m not totally opposed to eating out, but I like think it is something to look forward to, not something you do because you “have to”. A friend of mine would go home and take a nap after work and then tell the spouse how tired they were and they could eat out cheaply. I imagine they did at the local fast food restaurant. I guess folks over 62 could eat off of the senior menu, but I keep thinking of the fact how limiting that has to be – fried red meat and fried potatoes…although yummy, it would get tiresome after awhile. Not to mention how bad it is for one's health.

Anyhow, this book gives 275 recipes and many shopping ideas on how to fix meals that are easy and quick and nutritious. It is a primer on basic cooking. For so many folks, I can see where that would be a good thing. Cooking isn’t a big thing with a lot of folks. One gal I know talks about what a great cook she is, but says she isn’t going to peel potatoes and will use instant. I guess it is a time saver, but maybe I’m a prude – I think instant potatoes do not have the same flavor. Besides, I like to think I’m getting a vegetable while eating my mashed or roasted potatoes.

I would recommend the book just for the ease of reading. The authors are Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross.

Having checked it out of the public library I would add “economical” to the title as well.

We all say we want to do it. But how badly should be the question. How badly do we want to save money?

We have some friends who mew about not having a lot of money, but they continue to eat out. I don’t mean a couple of times a week. I mean at least once a day. Sometimes they eat out twice. Some of our friends brag about saving money by doing fast food…yet they then complain about the cholesterol medicine they have to purchase. Guess they don't see the correlation.

Every so often I get on a kick and try to figure out how much a meal costs us at home. For example, last night we grilled out steaks, had loaded potatoes, fresh green beans, grilled tomatoes, herb biscuits, cottage cheese, deviled eggs, and fresh fruit salad. The steaks cost us about $8. I imagine with the rest of the ingredients, we spent less than $16 total. These were decent steaks too, not shoe leather variety. Then I think back a few months ago when we went out with some friends who had to go to a steak house and I bet we spent way over $50 for a meal. Plus, our driving to that place which wasn’t in our town so that was an added expense. What a big difference in the cost of the meals!

We don’t eat steaks very often so when we do, it’s usually for an occasion. Normally we eat lots of chicken. I cook at home quite a bit because it saves us money as well as I control what we eat. We do go out and I feel we can afford to because of the other ways I save money. But, we just don't go out to go out. It's something we savor and enjoy.

Eating a healthy diet saves money as well – I took two sick days this past year. One I was sick and the other was because I had to – they were removing the braces off my teeth and you go in the morning and then back in the afternoon. I have a lot of health issues so for me to only use two sick days is nothing short of remarkable. I do think eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, little red meat, and hardly any fried food made a difference. Dear husband walks 5 days a week and since the weather has gotten better, I’ve been walking too.

During the school year I plan our menus ahead and make lots of casseroles or use the Crockpot. Yes, I’m sure I could be doing lots of fun things over the weekend besides that, but I feel committed to making meals ahead. And to be honest, I don't mind. It's kind of a challenge to figure out what I can fix without doing the same thing over and over again. For about an hour or two, I can make 3-4 meals ahead so when I get home, can pop something in the oven and we can have supper at a decent hour.

I have tried to convince some of our friends we should take turns hosting each other for meals to save money. Or we could have a potluck. We have some friends who do that with their Bible study group and besides the good company, they all save money and get to try new things. Unfortunately our other friends don’t want to do cook at home – they would rather go out and then complain about lack of funds in their daily life.

I claim to be frugal and I am to a point. I guess the definition depends on how you look at it. I will not sacrifice good nutrition for the sake of saving money. We buy lots of fruits and vegetables. Sometimes we buy fruits out of season because we need the nutrients. I figure I save money by cooking at home to more than make up for the cost. Our suppers aren’t soup and a sandwich – my husband is old school and he wants a regular sit down dinner so we have it – a meat, a starch, a vegetable or two and some fruit and of course some bread. My herb rolls are a steal and easy to make – 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder,(or 1 cup of self rising flour if you have it), 2/3 cup milk, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, and then whatever herbs you have on hand. I change out the recipe depending on what I have. Last night’s was dill, garlic, and oregano. I’ve also put shredded cheese and garlic together and they are very similar to the ones you can get at a popular fish restaurant. Grease a muffin tin, bake at 400 until they start to brown, and you’ve got cheap, easy rolls.

So how badly do I want to save money – in the long run I do save money by cooking at home and feeling healthier. So, I guess I’ve answered my own question. How about you?

Ah, it’s Memorial Day - the unofficial kickoff to summer. People hope to fire up their grills and cook out and eat those foods they associate with summer.

If you have been watching the television ads, many show a staple of cook outs and that is baked beans. I know the grocery store ads had a well known brand on sale. And one brand even has a special grilling brand of them.

A few years ago I ran across a recipe for wonderful baked beans. It really isn’t that much cheaper to make them if you get the others on sale, but they have a better flavor and are worth the trouble. However, if the items in this list are already in your pantry, it might be more economical. I let mine bake uncovered until the sides start to caramelize and boy, are they delicious! They really aren’t a lot of work, just take a little planning, and you have homemade baked beans.

Baked Beans

½ lb of dried navy beans – picked over and soaked overnight in water to cover and then drained
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 slice of bacon, chopped
1 cup of ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large stalk of celery, chopped
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of yellow mustard
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Drain the beans and then put in a pan with plenty of water and cook until beans are tender, for about an hour. Drain the beans, but reserve the cooking liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat the olive oil in a pan or large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven. When oil is hot, add the bacon, onions, and celery and pepper. When onions and celery are translucent, add the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar and stir together. Turn off heat and add beans, stirring carefully. Add the cooking liquid until the mixture is a little bit soupy – otherwise it will dry out when you bake it. You will have to basically eye ball how much liquid you will need.

Bake in the oven proof pot or Dutch oven uncovered for almost two hours or until it starts to caramelize at the sides. If it has dried out during the baking, stir in more cooking liquid to keep it moist.

If you haven’t made your own before you might think this is hard, but other than the initial chopping and cooking the onion and celery and keeping an eye on it when it is baking, it really isn’t difficult and it is flavorful. I’m sure you could experiment with different types of mustards or even onions and if you like some heat, could add cayenne pepper instead of black pepper. Anyway you try it, you can make it your own.

Besides, wouldn't it be nice to impress your friends and family and say you made it yourself?

Men have their gadgets. I’ll grant you, that’s a generalization, but many men really like gadgets. Well, I think women do too, but we call them different things and often rationalize our desire to own and collect them. I guess we feel we have to.

I am happiest if we are out and about, looking at kitchen stuff. This week we perused Kohl’s on Wednesday because my husband could have gotten the senior’s discount. So, I happily made my way to house wares to fiddle with the pots, pans, appliances and gasp…gadgets! Just for the record, we didn’t buy a thing. But, I had a frenzy of looking and comparing!

My own kitchen probably has too many gadgets. I have 4 Crockpots®. Yes, they are Rival so they are truly Crockpots®.. And they are all different sizes. I use them for different things. My largest is usually used for a pot roast with lots of vegetables and potatoes so I can make 2-3 meals. My next largest holds a whole chicken with a few vegetables, again enough for a couple of meals. The second to the smallest is great for beef stew, chicken broth, or ribs. The smallest is fabulous for meatloaf, small pieces of chicken, or vegetable broth when I have a few vegetables on hand and can’t use them for anything else. I don’t use one of the tiny ones for dips – I guess if I entertained a lot it would come in handy, but at this point, I don’t need it. Up until yesterday, I had 5 Crockpots®.. I took one away – it was a weird story, but I bought one at a garage sale and wound up being gifted with another one. I used to have one at school so my total did ring up to six at one time. I gave that one away. I figured, why not share the joy!

Up until a few months ago I owned a bread machine until it wore out. I have a coffee maker, a microwave, a tabletop grill, a food processor, a mixer, and a countertop oven. I also have a blender and bright shiny toaster. My husband gave me that toaster for Christmas a few years ago because he watched me covet it at the store. Some women like shiny jewels; I like shiny gadgets.

Now comes the rationalization…I feel I use most of these items frequently. The blender is probably the least used. The coffee maker is definitely employed the most. The counter top oven is large enough for a casserole dish so I utilize it when the days are hot and steamy so I don’t heat up the house. I operate my mixer for my bread making as well as cakes and other things that need to be mixed or kneaded. The food processor handles lots of shredding and chopping that makes my life a little easier. Why buy frozen hash browns when I can use the fresh potatoes that are in my pantry? I can then chop some onions and put them in the hash browns…yum! Plus, I like zucchini cakes…run a zucchini or two in the food processor, mix with egg and bread crumbs and sauté … well, you get the picture.

As for my herd of Crockpots®. …well, I use them. A lot. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but I think a slow cooker is mine. Last night I made chicken broth. Quite a bit of it, in fact, so that I could cook some fresh green beans in it for supper tonight. The extra I will freeze for use down the line whether to use for soups, more green beans, and casseroles…the list goes on. I try to watch how much salt we use and my broth does not have added salt or preservatives. I put ribs in my slow cooker for tonight. It’s nice to use when the temps are hot so it doesn’t heat up the kitchen.

So, I have gadgets galore. Hopefully I won’t have to attend a meeting for my gadget addiction. If I do, maybe I’ll whip up some snacks beforehand!

It was very tempting tonight. So very tempting. After a tiring day, dear husband suggested we go out and eat because I have been tired and stressed.

I’m proud of myself. I held out and said we should eat what we already have. Earlier this week I had fixed a turkey breast in the Crockpot and we still had some turkey left. So, I broke the turkey off into pieces, and sautéed some green onions and garlic, and mixed with a little barbecue sauce, ketchup, honey, and Dijon mustard. I don't know if the turkey was really a Tom, but I'm calling it "Sloppy Toms". We had leftover green beans so I heated them up and baked some potatoes. I served all this with sliced tomatoes, homegrown radishes, and fruit salad I had made earlier this week. I figure I saved us some serious money by not going out and eating what we had.

Plus, I had some control over what we ate. The buns were whole wheat. We had lots of fruits and vegetables and turkey. So, with hindsight I’m glad I didn’t succumb to temptation. But I bet some local restaurants aren’t sharing the same feeling!

My husband is an addict. It’s often not pretty and the ramifications are serious.

Dear husband went to the doctor for his physical. The whole ball of wax. Including blood tests and the “glove.” I’m sure all men are cringing at the last part. Believe me, woman have their own trials. Anyway, I digress.

A few years ago when hubby went, his sugar was high and his cholesterol was really too high. The doctor gave him a glucose test and fortunately he wasn’t diabetic. You see my husband has an addiction and it’s a bad one. It’s ice cream. Creamy, smooth, sweet ice cream that melts on your tongue and slides down your throat making your tummy happy. And serving suggestions on sizes mean nothing to him. He usually uses a big soup bowl and piles it up and sits there enjoying himself. And, did I mention he’s thin? Besides the fact it isn’t fair he can be an eating machine and not gain weight, he thought he was safe from cholesterol and such. Well, that year he wasn’t.
As with all things, ice cream has to be eaten in moderation. So, we’ve looked for alternatives that he can enjoy in place of two gallons of the creamy goodness. Plus, he continues to walk five days a week. He always walked when he was working during his lunch time. Now that he’s retired he can walk longer and he averages around 5 miles a day. And, our dinners have been filled with lots of fruit and vegetables. I haven’t truly achieved the Mediterranean diet which is considered to be very healthy, but we are getting close. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber grains and breads, and olive oils. Meat, cheese, and sweets are very limited. These recommended foods are rich with monounsaturated fats, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Although the price of fruits and vegetables are more expensive than many of the cheaper filler foods, I feel we are saving money by not having to spend money on medicines and more health care. Apparently the doctor’s tests agree – his cholesterol was 167 and his good cholesterol was at a good number as was his bad cholesterol. And his sugar was in the normal range. So, I feel our eating well has paid off.
As for his addiction, although it’s not illegal or immoral, he has used moderation as a guide. And I’m proud of him!

I’m always interested in saving a little moolah here and there and assume if you are at this site, you are as well.

I get ready to start my grocery list for next week and my menu for the meals. We have 7 more school days which means I still need to plan a few more casseroles. I am, however, looking forward to making some other items since I will have time to cook things that are not casseroles. Don’t get me wrong, I like casseroles, but sometimes it’s nice to have other things.

My husband has been quite a gardener when it comes to vegetables. He always has had a green thumb, but claimed he couldn’t grow vegetables. But, three years ago he tried tomatoes and was a success. Last year it was green onions, tomatoes, a few green beans, and herbs. This year he branched out to radishes and green peppers and a few more herbs. Many of these are in pots. The rest are in a very small space in our front yard because our backyard is way too shady. We laugh about the convenience of going to the front yard and pulling a few onions and radishes and getting some herbs to cook with. I guess people are growing their own food to save money. That is part of it with us – fresh vegetables and herbs are expensive. But there’s nothing like the taste of something homegrown. He’s all excited because his green beans are popping up. He has even resorted to talking to his tomato plants. I’m not real sure if they are listening because I think he’s sort of threatening them. But, if they produce like their “forefathers” did last year, we’ll be happy campers with a healthy diet. Not to mention saving some money!