An Ode to Grandma

Today would have been my Grandmother’s 89^th birthday.  It seems surreal to me that she has been gone almost 4 years.  And while it is sad for me to think of how she is not here, it also brings me joy to notice the ways that she is still here.  Looking at old photos, watching our favorite old movies or making a batch of her world famous cookies and I feel as though she is right here with me.  That is one of the big reasons why I am trying to change my life and move ahead – I love feeling connected to the past by embracing some of the things/thoughts/values of years gone by.  We need to appreciate our parents and grandparents while they are here.  It’s like the old saying goes “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”  There are so many things that I wish I could have asked her, or even to show her some of the things I am working on now…  When we were younger, it wasn’t cool to want to hang out with your grandparents.  As children, there was nothing better than getting spoiled rotten by them, but as we got older… teenagers are usually too busy trying to act cool and grown up than to spend time with family more than twice their age.  Now that we are older, most of us long for days gone by – when things were simpler and not quite so fast-paced.  I am blessed that I still have grandparents on my Dad's side that are still here with me.  One bite of my Grandma's spaghetti sauce, or hearing my Grandpa hum the same tune that has been stuck in his head for the last 30 years, and I feel like a kid again.  There is nothing better than that.

So in honor of all the grandparents that are not here and in honor of passing on traditions, I made a batch of my Grandma’s chocolate oatmeal cookies.  They are so simple and so delicious and each time I make them I am reminded of her.  Miss H already loves to help me bake, and I can’t wait until she is old enough to pass on this recipe to her kids.  Wait a minute.  What am I saying? Of course I can wait.  Wasn’t I just talking about how I wanted to slow things down?  So for right now, let’s just say that I am more than happy just to share this batch of cookies with her. She can keep dreaming of princesses and unicorns and how she wants to be a ballerina when she grows up for as long as she'd like.  Right now that’s more than enough for me.

Grandma's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

You will need:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cocoa

1 stick butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups oatmeal (quick oats)

You will need to take the first 4 ingredients and melt them in your saucepan. 

Bring them to a boil for 1 1/2 minutes.

Then you will need to add the last 3 ingredients all at once and quickly mix together.

You will then immediately drop them by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let them cool.  You could literally have these done in about 15 minutes.  Make sure that you measure the ingredients EXACTLY - if even one item is a little off your cookies will not set.  They still taste great - just a little messier to eat!  Our family loves these, and they are a staple at holiday cookie time.  I know your family will enjoy them just as much!



Wordless Wednesdays

This is why I LOVE fall...

An apple a day...

There is nothing better than living in upstate New York during the fall.  The changing leaves are a sight to be seen; like something out of the movies.  The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows will stop you in your tracks.  You have to wonder how anything can be so beautiful… 

But as gorgeous as the views are, the smells are even better.  You can’t walk out your door in our town without the smell of apples wafting over you.  The reds, greens and yellows that I see everyday in the orchard across the street from my house call my name and I feel like Snow White being drawn to the apples…  And no, I don’t have an evil step mother trying to kill me because I am the fairest in the land (even though I am – hehe.)  It’s just that apples are a fantastic and very versatile fruit, and so I can see how she would have a hard time turning one down.  I mean really. You can juice them, bake them, eat them plain, cook with them, dry them, decorate with them, and they are so chock full of fiber that your tummy and your colon will thank you!!  I love to bake pies, but all the sugar and butter (and yes, you HAVE to use real butter or else don’t even bother!) make it so bad for you, that even though your taste buds will be in ecstasy, your thighs will not be so forgiving…  So now my favorite thing to make with my apples is applesauce.  Not quite the same as a homemade apple pie, but you can totally over-indulge on this without breaking your scale. You can even leave out the sugar, and it is still just as good. Also, my recipe uses the crock pot, and so your house will smell phenomenal for hours! It’s a win-win in my book!

I am so blessed that I can get free apples from my in-laws (after all, this blog is supposed to be about how I am saving pennies,) but even if you can’t get free apples, they are in season now, and really aren’t that expensive in the supermarket.  If you are even thinking that you could just buy applesauce at the store, then you have obviously never had homemade applesauce.  Most people do have a recipe for it, but they usually use the stovetop and so you have to be there constantly to make sure it doesn’t burn.  That’s why this recipe is the best – 4 ingredients and you are on your way to heaven!!

Okay now, brace yourself – apples, water, sugar and cinnamon.  That’s it! I usually double my batches, then can the leftovers, but for a single recipe you will need:

8 apples

1 ½ cups water

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup granulated sugar (optional)

You will need to peel and slice your apples - it doesn't matter what size you leave them, they will all mush up together anyways!

Once that is done, add your water, sugar and cinnamon to the crock pot, then pile the apples on top.  Voila!! Could that be any easier??  Depending on how you like your applesauce (chunky or pureed) you can cook on high for 4 or 6 hours, or low for 8 to 10.  The apples will literally turn to applesauce on their own, you don't have to do anything but stir it a few times at the end.  Then longer you cook it, the mushier it will get.

I can mine so they will last longer, but it always gets eaten right up anyways!  It's a healthy snack for the kids, but sweet enough to count as dessert!!

The Housewife's Prayer

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  We were very busy, and I am happy to have the day off today.  Monday begins the work week, and also usually begins the chore routines for most of us.  It seems as though the dishes, the laundry, the dusting, etc. will never end, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel a little under appreciated for all the little things that I do around the house.  I realize that the kiddos are a bit young yet for chores, but the other night after play time with Daddy, The Hubby said to Ms. H “You forgot to put your game away.”  And to my surprise, Ms. H replied, “That’s okay, Mommy will put it away later.”  I was furious!  You could actually see the steam shooting out from my flared nostrils. It made me realize that I had been teaching my kids that they don’t need to pick up after themselves because Mommy would always be there to do it for them.  I thought they knew that I was being nice and helpful, but when I heard her say that, I felt as though she thought it was my responsibility to pick up after her.  That is one thing that I do NOT want to be teaching my kids – that the mommy will do everything and the kids can do whatever they want.  So now we are working on putting things away before getting something else out, and bringing their dishes to the sink after they finish eating.  It’s not a lot, but it’s a start, and it helps me with my daily pick-up routine. 

So yesterday I was cleaning off my dresser, and I found some prayer cards that I had taken from my Grandmother’s house after she had passed away.  This one in particular put a smile on my face, and so I had to share it.  It is for all the women out there, for all the little things that you do.  For the times you go un-thanked or unnoticed, or if you ever feel unappreciated.  Let me tell you that you are all amazing and beautiful and this world could not function without you!   For all the tasks big or small that you have to do today, know that someone is thinking of you and thanking you for all that you do!!

The Housewife’s Prayer

Lady, who with tender ward

Didst keep the house of Christ the Lord,

Who didst set forth the bread and wine

Before the Living Wheat and Vine,

Didst reverently make the bed

Whereon was laid the Holy Head

That such a cruel pillow prest

For our Behalf, on Calvary’s crest;

Be beside me while I go

About my labors to and fro.

Speed the wheel and speed the loom,

Guide the needle and the broom,

Make my bread rise sweet and light;

Make my cheese come foamy white;

Yellow may my butter be

As cowslips blowing on the lea.

Homely though my tasks and small,

Be beside me at them all.

Then when I shall stand to face

Jesus in the judgment place,

To me thy gracious help afford,

Who art the Handmaid of the Lord.

Weekend Plans

Being on a budget means setting goals for yourself and knowing your own limitations.  Not only do I need to budget my spending, but I also need to budget my time as well.  I am an expert at setting goals, but not the best when it comes to following through and so I have half-finished projects all over the house. The Hubby took down our shutters a month ago, and I have yet to finish painting them.  I clip coupons, but forget to bring them to the store and then they expire.  I am a procrastinator and I am late for EVERYTHING.  I am not really sure how or why this happened, but since I started writing to you, that all seems to be going away… I am planning meals ahead of time instead of waiting until 5, then complaining because I don’t have time to make a “nice meal.”  We have had fabulous meals this week (the smoke detector hasn’t gone off once!!) And the kids have actually eaten what I have made!  I also got Ms. H to school on time and I punched in to work at 3:03 – which is SO good for me, and still well within the 7 minute grace period…  There are still lots of other things that need some tweaking around here, but we are getting there.

I feel much calmer now that I am not rushing around to do everything and I am getting more accomplished as well.  I have turned off the TV in the house during the day and I am savoring the quiet – as anyone with a 2 and 4 year old would.  The kids are playing with toys that they haven’t played with in forever, and I can’t believe the imaginations that they have.  They are growing up so fast, and pretty soon I know I will be wishing for the days when they were this small. 

When money is tight and the house is a mess, the kids are crying and everything feels so out of control, it’s hard to find yourself.  But now that I have unwound a little, the kids and The Hubby have started to unwind as well.  You don’t realize how much everyone around you reacts to you and your attitude.  We are all in such a hurry nowadays, and everything is go, Go, GO!  This weekend we should all take a few minutes to turn off our phones, TVs, ipods or any other electronics that connect us to the rest of the world.  Sip some tea.  Look out the window.  Read a book.  It doesn’t matter what it is, just do something for YOU and enjoy it. And remember to SLOW DOWN…  Our lives are flying by and we don’t even realize it!

A scene from simpler times...  This is the first photo of
Ms. H holding her new brother. 
It seems so long ago!!

Wordless Wednesdays

Free Family Fun! Apple picking, pie making, pumpkin painting and a wagon ride!!

 

Rub-a-dub-dub, where are the suds?

Alright ladies and gentlemen… I have had an overwhelming request from friends and family for the homemade laundry soap recipe.  Since it is Friday night, and my social life is oh so exciting, I am here to pass on my knowledge to all of you.  When I first found this recipe here, I was super excited, but skeptical at the same time.  How on earth could this clean as well as the expensive stuff in the store?  But as I am learning on this journey of mine, it not always the price of something that is the most important when it comes to determining its value.  For 5 gallons of detergent (that’s right, I said 5), it will cost $.01 per load!  It’s okay, I will pause here so you can get back in your chair…  One penny to do a load of wash! That is insane to me.  But it is true.  And this detergent is fan-freaking-tastic.  My whites have never been whiter, and the clothes smell wonderful!  You put those babies up on the clothesline to dry and watch your energy bill melt away – well not literally, but you get the picture.  I have not heard a single negative thing about this soap from anyone that I know who has tried it.  My husband works construction, so his clothes are totally disgusting with caked-on mud and dirt when he gets home.  Sometimes I will sprinkle some extra Borax into the wash just to make sure it gets clean.  I haven’t tried yet, my sister-in-law added some Oxy-Clean to her detergent and said it gave it a great boost!  Either way, you have to try this. You only have pennies to lose, but you won’t be sorry about trying this great money saving idea. 

You will need:

1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap

1 cup Borax

1/2 cup washing soda

5 gallon bucket

water

First you will need to grate the bar of soap into a saucepan. Make sure you keep it away from the kids - it smells like soap, but it looks like shredded cheddar cheese!

Add 4 cups of hot water to your grated soap, and heat on med/hi heat until all the soap pieces have dissolved (about 15 - 20 minutes).  Keep an eye on it so it doesn't bubble over (haha).

Once the soap is melted, pour that mixture into your 5 gallon bucket.  Then add your Borax and Washing Soda.  If you have one, find yourself a cute little helper to stir as you fill the bucket up to the top with hot water.

Finished product!!

Your concoction will have to sit overnight.  It will start to gel and so you will have to stir it every few hours to mix it up.  If you have a lid for your bucket, you can store it in there.  I keep mine in some old detergent bottles that I saved from the recycling bin.  You will need 1/2 cup of laundry soap per load.  I usually just fill the cap up on the bottle.
 
This does not have all the fillers in it that regualr laundry soap has, so it will not suds up very much when you add it to you machine.  Don't worry though, you still have enough in there and don't need to add more!  You can feel good that you are saving money by making your own detergent, but you are also doing your part to save the planet because you no longer have to buy those plastic bottles for your detergent!!  I also have a recipe for dishwasher detergent, but I haven't tried it yet.  I will pass it along once I do and let you know how it works!

You want me to do what?

This may not seem like a big deal to you, but this new thing I am trying is one of the scariest, dangerous and most difficult things I have to do in a while.  I am trying to… (Pause here for effect)… eat LEFTOVERS.  I know, I know. You’re asking yourselves, “How can she do this?”  But it’s true.  For those of you who know me, you know that I cannot STAND to have my food touching.  I know it all goes to the same place in the end, but I just can’t get over it!  My biggest fear happens every year at Thanksgiving. Someone always puts their mashed potatoes on the same plate as their Jell-O, things start to run, and you can just imagine the horror that ensues… Really?  Cherry-tinged potatoes?  Ugh.  I am gagging just thinking about it.

So as picky as I am about my food on the first day, I am especially picky about it on the second or third day.  Nothing ever tastes the same after it has sat in the fridge all night.  And it usually doesn’t get eaten the next day anyways, because who wants to eat the same thing two days in a row?  I am now trying to repurpose leftovers into other things, so our menu stays exciting and we're using things up instead of tossing them out.  Some homemade salsa from last week (made from our own veggies!) was added to chili, giving it the extra little kick it needed.  Left over boiled potatoes were added to breakfast the next day, along with eggs, cheese, onions and peppers.  My mama is an expert at taking any sort of left over and turning it into a fabulous soup, so that is next on my list.

Banana bread might not sound like an adventure to most of you, but there was a time when I could not imagine using a brown banana for anything other than the trash.  But that was the old me.  The new and improved me has discovered that there is a place in this world for rotten bananas – and that place is in my stomach!  In a time where brown bananas used to mean the garbage can, now they mean only one thing – banana bread. The sight and oh, the smell of banana bread can brighten anyone’s day.  So here you go.  This is a basic, but very tried and true banana bread recipe.  You could also add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips if you want.

Banana Bread

4 small bananas

1 cup sugar

1 lg egg

1 ½ cup + 2 tblsp flour

1/3 cup butter

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Mix wet ingredients, and then slowly add dry ingredients.  Pour into lightly greased bread pan, and bake 55-60 minutes. 



A work in progress...



My oven is older, and I used my stoneware, so I usually have to bake mine for an hour and 10 minutes.  But just keep an eye on it, and check it often – it is SO worth the wait!



Is your mouth watering yet?



And if you don’t have any extra bananas sitting around, I will share some of my bread with you…  ENJOY!!

Mmmm... the breakfast of champions

Our Bountiful Life



This year was our first attempt at having our own garden. I was so excited to be able to walk out back and pick fresh veggies for dinner whenever I needed them.  I LOVE salads and figured this summer would be a perfect time to lose some weight, so in the spring we planted 30 heads of lettuce, carrots, spinach and cucumbers.  Yummy – perfect salad fixings!!  We also had pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelon, onions, zucchini, green and yellow beans, broccoli and corn. Phew!  The garden was a bit of an overkill for our family of four.  There was no way we were going to be able to eat all of these veggies!  But the kids had a blast helping us plant everything, and it became routine for us to all go out and check for any new sprouts.  The hubby and I would spend hours picking weeds from between the rows. Sometimes we would talk and sometimes we wouldn’t, but it didn’t matter because we were there together and working towards a common goal.  It was quality family time for all of us, and something that we all desperately needed, whether we knew it or not.

                                                                                               Here they come...

All of our veggies came up perfectly.  Although I guess I wasn’t really thinking that they were all going to come up at the same time.  Really?  30 heads of lettuce?  We couldn’t have eaten all of it before it went bad even if we were a family of rabbits.  So in the end, we ended up giving a lot of our loot away.  Whenever ANYONE came over, they had to leave with a bag of nutritional goodies.  People asked us why we didn’t have a vegetable stand, but out here in the country there is a vegetable stand practically every five feet going down the road.  And besides, it felt good to be able to give something back to the people that mattered so much to our family.  Even if you don’t have a lot, there is always something that you can do or say or give to someone else.  What a great lesson for the kids.  You don’t have to spend a ton of money to show others that you care – it’s the small things (unless you are talking about my zucchini) that matter most!

                                                            The hubby trying to carry our loot

                                                           A zucchini the size of a 2 year old!

 

 

Yummy!!



H with her pumkins



                                                                      



 



Adventures in Crocheting

One of my most recent attempts to save some cash was to teach myself to crochet.  I would love to make some hats for the kiddos, and I am DYING to make H a pair of leg warmers. You can teach yourself to do anything with a little time and youtube.  I figured the easiest thing I could do was to make myself some new dishcloths, especially since my old ones were from the pre-husband and kids era (and completely full of gaping holes.) And really, could it be that hard to make a square?

So obviously, when I got to the yarn section of the over-sized super center, I went to straight to the yarn that… matched my kitchen of course!  I paid no attention to what it was made of, the size, anything.  But the browns, creams and maroons in the Cherry Chip yarn I picked out were going to look fabulous as I washed my dishes with my new dishcloths.  I needed a hook too, and I picked one out that I thought looked like it would work nicely.  Hmmm… letters and numbers on top of the package… I wonder what those mean?  Oh well.  The one I picked was an awesome shade of metallic purple, and you can never go wrong with metallic purple. 

I raced home and sat in front of the computer with my yarn and needle and put my youtube teacher on pause and repeat until about 2am when I had finished my first masterpiece.  Ummmm, yeah…

                                                                         so sad...

Not only did it look like a trapezoid, but apparently my fabulous Cherry Chip was made out of acrylic – which does not hold water too well - and I left pools of water all over the kitchen table while trying to clean up the next day.  So that evening I brought my sad dishcloth and my defeated attitude to work with me to see if I could get some help.  One of the perks of working at a nursing home is that my residents are a wealth of information on all this old school fun I am getting myself into.  They told me my crochets were WAY too tight, I was missing the last stitch on every row (which is why it was shrinking), and I needed to get 100%cotton yarn for my projects.  I don’t remember Ms. Youtube telling me any of those things.

The next day I went to the local craft store in town and got myself a beautiful new cotton yarn called Early Americana, which will also look fantastic in my kitchen and a new hook (that actually fit the yarn I was using!)   I am now on my third dishcloth, although I think I will have to throw Ms. Cherry Chip out.  Everything is still a work in progress.  Like I said, I am learning as I go.  But I know I have it in me to figure this all out, and I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough and I can pass on this knowledge to her.  It is such a fun and relaxing past time, and at the end you have something truly beautiful to show for it.