Today the kids return to school after an 11 day school vacation. They could barely drag their behinds out of bed this morning. I had cut my work schedule way back during their vacation so these last few days gave them all a brief taste of summer living. Judging by the long faces today, I'd say they're all ready for summer to begin.
One of the challenges of maintaining a summer home is finding the right contractor for any job that needs to be done. JIm does most of the maintenance but some things require a more skilled hand. We've already put a roof on it and because we weren't at the job site, it took months, rather than days for the job to be completed.
Our bathroom remodel was made necessary by my daughter's foot. It went through the tiled wall while she was shaving her legs due to water damage behind the tiles. This job took an eternity as well and we weren't thrilled with the final results. In fact, Jim wound up redoing much of the work himself with some help on the plumbing from his father.
On the other hand, our heating system and hot water heater replacements went very smoothly. We've found a fabulous company that did both of these for us. In both cases the work was done in a timely manner, for a resonable price.
So what's the difference between the contractors? In our experience, and I'm sure this differs town to town, we had better luck going with a local, but slightly larger, company. It is presumed by some that the problem lies in the fact that we are "summer people" rather than year round residents.
Whatever the reason, we have found ourselves with another repair that needs professional attention, a leaking masonry chimney. Despite numerous phone calls to local masons, we've had no success getting our phone calls returned. I don't care how highly recommended someone comes, if they don't return phone calls, I don't want to deal with them. After almost a year of frustration I came up with what I consider a rather ingenious solution to get someone interested in our leak.
On Wednesday, we called a well known and respected local fireplace and stove company. Jim told the gentleman that we were looking to put an insert in our fireplace to increase efficiency. (This is true but it is not a priority right now.) He went on to describe our fireplace. The gentleman felt it would be no problem and told Jim they could send someone out to get the measurements to see what would fit or if we would need to do something custom made. Then Jim threw in the zinger, "I have just one problem. I have this leak in my chimney that I can't seem to get resolved and I wouldn't want to do anything with an insert until it was fixed..."
Within six hours, we had gotten our phone call to their mason returned and an appointment was set up for him to come and look at the problem. He arrived promptly on Saturday morning and gave an incredibly thorough inspection to the chimney. (I do mean thorough. He was on the roof, in the attic, in the main floor of the house and in the crawl space inspecting that chimney.) His impressions of the problem and solutions to it jive with what we already knew. He gave us a ball park estimate but will be mailing a detailed estimate at the end of this week. It is such a relief to finally make some progress on resolving this leak!
For those of you sitting back scratching your heads wondering if that was an ethical way to get a qualified contractor, rest assured we will be heading down to the fireplace and stove company to check out inserts once the chimney repair is complete. We had always planned to get this information anyhow.
Sometimes you need to be creative, really creative, to solve an unyielding problem!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
The Guinea Pigs are Helping Me Get Organized
I'll bet you didn't know guinea pigs were that talented, but ours sure are! We've opted to use shredded paper as their bedding and its working out wonderfully but it requires a hefty amount of shreddings and we just don't get enough bills to provide enough for the weekly cage cleanings.
Last week I found myself uncontrolably drawn to several binders and file folders full of papers that I haven't looked at since I left my last job in 2000. A quick look through revealed what I've always suspected but have been too unmotivated to verify, it was all useless, outdated info. I shredded enough for this week and next week. I have to admit its rather addictive. Fortunately, there are plenty more folders of useless info just waiting for me to shred them.
Jim, who is not usually a lover of small animals, is thrilled by this added bonus brought on by the guinea pigs. Motivation truly comes in all forms!
In food news, I created an unexpected combination last night that stretched leftovers and was really tasty. I had equal amounts of Cold Thai Sesame Noodles and Oriental Cilantro Slaw leftover from the weekend. Both recipes have very similar ingredients, mainly peanut butter and cilantro, so I decided to try combining them.
First, I heated the slaw on the stove to wilt the cabbage. It had been a little tough and I thought this might improve things. Once the cabbage had wilted, I turned off the heat and added in the leftover Thai Noodles. I gave everything a good stir to combine and then served it warm. The results were different and very delicious. As I hoped, wilting the cabbage improved the toughness but still provided a little crunch.
My knitting project is coming along too. Its finally starting to look like a blanket. I'm really hoping that I have time to finish it before the baby arrives. At the rate I'm going, I need at least another 10 days. I may have to put in some extra time to get the job done. The really exciting thing for me is that the knitting is becoming more automatic.
Last week I found myself uncontrolably drawn to several binders and file folders full of papers that I haven't looked at since I left my last job in 2000. A quick look through revealed what I've always suspected but have been too unmotivated to verify, it was all useless, outdated info. I shredded enough for this week and next week. I have to admit its rather addictive. Fortunately, there are plenty more folders of useless info just waiting for me to shred them.
Jim, who is not usually a lover of small animals, is thrilled by this added bonus brought on by the guinea pigs. Motivation truly comes in all forms!
In food news, I created an unexpected combination last night that stretched leftovers and was really tasty. I had equal amounts of Cold Thai Sesame Noodles and Oriental Cilantro Slaw leftover from the weekend. Both recipes have very similar ingredients, mainly peanut butter and cilantro, so I decided to try combining them.
First, I heated the slaw on the stove to wilt the cabbage. It had been a little tough and I thought this might improve things. Once the cabbage had wilted, I turned off the heat and added in the leftover Thai Noodles. I gave everything a good stir to combine and then served it warm. The results were different and very delicious. As I hoped, wilting the cabbage improved the toughness but still provided a little crunch.
My knitting project is coming along too. Its finally starting to look like a blanket. I'm really hoping that I have time to finish it before the baby arrives. At the rate I'm going, I need at least another 10 days. I may have to put in some extra time to get the job done. The really exciting thing for me is that the knitting is becoming more automatic.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Friday Freebies
I've said before that I need to organize my craft supplies. Here are some sites that give ideas. I don't necessarily advocate buying boxes, I'm sure I could find something free to use, but the ideas are good.
Sewing Room Salvage
Organizing Sewing Supplies
Organizing Your Craft & Sewing Supplies
Sewing Room Salvage
Organizing Sewing Supplies
Organizing Your Craft & Sewing Supplies
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Organic Fruits & Veggies Just $.49 Per Pound!
I've been making a weekly trip to our local natural food store for soy milk and fresh fruits and veggies (just one more reason I can't wait for the CSA to begin!) With our soymilk consumption at its current level, we have hard time making 8-64oz containers last a full week and I can't fit more than that in the fridge. For right now, this makes a weekly shopping trip for these items a must.
The store I go to, marks organic over-ripe and bruised fruits & veggies down to $.49. This week, I was able to get quite a bounty of apples, potatoes and sweet potatoes. For just $10.45, I was able to get enough potatoes and sweet potatoes for 2 meals, as well as, a tremendous amount of apples. For the most part, the bruises on the apples were so minor that my kids have been enjoying eating them as is! The more bruised apples became a delightful apple crisp. As for the potatoes, I really couldn't find any problem with them.
The challenge now is to find uses for the rest of the apples before they get yucky. I'm going to try the apples in our smoothies this weekend and there's definitely some apple bread in our future.
The store I go to, marks organic over-ripe and bruised fruits & veggies down to $.49. This week, I was able to get quite a bounty of apples, potatoes and sweet potatoes. For just $10.45, I was able to get enough potatoes and sweet potatoes for 2 meals, as well as, a tremendous amount of apples. For the most part, the bruises on the apples were so minor that my kids have been enjoying eating them as is! The more bruised apples became a delightful apple crisp. As for the potatoes, I really couldn't find any problem with them.
The challenge now is to find uses for the rest of the apples before they get yucky. I'm going to try the apples in our smoothies this weekend and there's definitely some apple bread in our future.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Yoga for the Special Child
I just got my confirmation letter and itinerary for the week long Yoga for the Special Child Basic Certification Program I will be attending this summer. My youngest son has very mild cerebral palsy and I've been doing yoga with him for years. Sonia's book, Yoga for the Special Child, has been an inspiration. Knowing that I will be attending a training that she will be teaching is so exciting, I can hardly wait.
What does this have to do with frugality, you may wonder. Actually, quite a bit.
In terms of my sons health care costs over a lifetime, the savings can be substantial. The greater his mobility, the less his need for adaptive equipment and services as he moves into adulthood. In terms of his quality of life, this little investment will help me work with him more effectively. As it is, most people don't realize that he hass CP since he does all the things other kids do. Kyle will also have the opportunity to work directly with Sonia Sumar, the creator of Yoga for the Special Child as part of my training. Sonia uses the children of particpants in her teaching.
If you want to look at things in a more concrete dollars and cents spent way, consider this. This training is being offered in Queensbury, NY which is about 25 minutes from our cabin in the Adirondacks. Although the training costs $895, I will not spend any additional money on hotels,travel (ie. airfare), or meals. Finally, I am learning a skill and earning a certification that is not only useful in my personal life but can also be incorporated into my work as a fitness instructor.
I should also mention that I paid for the tuition by check, not by charge. I planned and budgeted for several months before comfortably being able to spend that much cash on anything. Now that its spent, I have no regrets and no credit card bill to worry about.
In other yoga news, I'm still working on that headstand. As I tell my yoga classes, Yoga is a practice and there's something to be learned each time we practice. Now if I could just stop falling over!
What does this have to do with frugality, you may wonder. Actually, quite a bit.
In terms of my sons health care costs over a lifetime, the savings can be substantial. The greater his mobility, the less his need for adaptive equipment and services as he moves into adulthood. In terms of his quality of life, this little investment will help me work with him more effectively. As it is, most people don't realize that he hass CP since he does all the things other kids do. Kyle will also have the opportunity to work directly with Sonia Sumar, the creator of Yoga for the Special Child as part of my training. Sonia uses the children of particpants in her teaching.
If you want to look at things in a more concrete dollars and cents spent way, consider this. This training is being offered in Queensbury, NY which is about 25 minutes from our cabin in the Adirondacks. Although the training costs $895, I will not spend any additional money on hotels,travel (ie. airfare), or meals. Finally, I am learning a skill and earning a certification that is not only useful in my personal life but can also be incorporated into my work as a fitness instructor.
I should also mention that I paid for the tuition by check, not by charge. I planned and budgeted for several months before comfortably being able to spend that much cash on anything. Now that its spent, I have no regrets and no credit card bill to worry about.
In other yoga news, I'm still working on that headstand. As I tell my yoga classes, Yoga is a practice and there's something to be learned each time we practice. Now if I could just stop falling over!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Wishing for the CSA to Start
Last night, while chopping up some carrots, I turned to Jim and loudly exclaimed, "I am so sick of carrots, collards, onions and winter squash. All I really want is the CSA to start!"
I have this outburst inwardly almost every year. I think of it as my taste buds crying out for the bounty of early summer harvests. I know you can get variety all winter long but we really do try to eat in season as much as possible. Being aware of the costs, both ecological and monetary, of eating strawberries in January makes it hard for me to enjoy them.
I'm fascinated by comunities that have winter farmers markets. I realize they would largely carry the very vegetables that I'm whining about but I love the fact that they give people another opportunity to eat locally during the time of year when it is most challenging.
We did have a one time winter farmers market locally way back in February and it was a thrill. Several farms in the Hudson Valley got together and froze their excess harvest. The market worked much like a CSA where everyone bought a share. The share included frozen portions of squash puree, strawberry coulis, red and green peppers. It was heavenly and all locally grown. I hope we will see more of this in the future.
We're planning another weekend visit to Ithaca later this spring. I'm curious to see what their farmers market looks like this time of year. Click here and here for a peek at our last trip. This time we'll be leaving the pets at home with my sister which should open up some more options for us. I'm curious to see how Ithaca holds up under a second look. We were certainly tickled with our first encounter!
Check out the Brunch Menu at the ABC Cafe. Leenie discovered this gem and its on our must visit list. Tofu scramble with a side of grilled seitan anyone?
I have this outburst inwardly almost every year. I think of it as my taste buds crying out for the bounty of early summer harvests. I know you can get variety all winter long but we really do try to eat in season as much as possible. Being aware of the costs, both ecological and monetary, of eating strawberries in January makes it hard for me to enjoy them.
I'm fascinated by comunities that have winter farmers markets. I realize they would largely carry the very vegetables that I'm whining about but I love the fact that they give people another opportunity to eat locally during the time of year when it is most challenging.
We did have a one time winter farmers market locally way back in February and it was a thrill. Several farms in the Hudson Valley got together and froze their excess harvest. The market worked much like a CSA where everyone bought a share. The share included frozen portions of squash puree, strawberry coulis, red and green peppers. It was heavenly and all locally grown. I hope we will see more of this in the future.
We're planning another weekend visit to Ithaca later this spring. I'm curious to see what their farmers market looks like this time of year. Click here and here for a peek at our last trip. This time we'll be leaving the pets at home with my sister which should open up some more options for us. I'm curious to see how Ithaca holds up under a second look. We were certainly tickled with our first encounter!
Check out the Brunch Menu at the ABC Cafe. Leenie discovered this gem and its on our must visit list. Tofu scramble with a side of grilled seitan anyone?
Monday, April 02, 2007
Gifts for Unexpected Giving
Can it really be Monday already?? The weekend flew by in a bit of a cleaning frenzy. For weeks, we've been making piles of things that are no longer useful to us but still have some life left in them. Saturday afternoon we loaded up the car with items to be donated and headed over to the local thrift store.
Naturally, a visit to the thrift store, even just to donate, requires a peek inside. The boys found a pogo stick that was practically brand new for a mere $4.99! Rob spent most of Sunday mastering it. He can hop 200 times without falling! Not bad for a kid who just started. Poor Kyle isn't even heavy enough to make the spring compress!
I found several brand new skeins of yarn for just 99 cents each. I have visions of knitting dancing through my head! I've done a few rows each night on the baby blanket that I'm knitting. Its so exciting to see it begin to have a design, even though it makes my mistakes more evident. I can't wait to get my collection of Granny Squares started.
Yesterday was my aunt's birthday. We made her a batch of granola. Once it cooled, we added:
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
1 cup currants
We put this into a container for her to keep. Rob made a label for the container that read Mangan's Grand Granola. We also attached two of the potholders I had just made from outgrown sweatshirts.
I really like the way they came out. I was able to incorporate the front pocket of the sweatshirt into a place to put your hand into. I used an old blanket on the inside for insulation and I added decorative knots (like you would in quilting) to give it a more decorative look. These were such a handy and useful gift that I've decided to make a few more to keep on hand for unexpected giving.
I find this kind of productivity very therapeutic and relaxing. I just need to find a better way to store all my "raw" materials. I'm certainly guilty of having too many projects going at one time. I've begun to look at every bit of material that I come across, and that includes outgrown kids clothing, as potential project material.
Naturally, a visit to the thrift store, even just to donate, requires a peek inside. The boys found a pogo stick that was practically brand new for a mere $4.99! Rob spent most of Sunday mastering it. He can hop 200 times without falling! Not bad for a kid who just started. Poor Kyle isn't even heavy enough to make the spring compress!
I found several brand new skeins of yarn for just 99 cents each. I have visions of knitting dancing through my head! I've done a few rows each night on the baby blanket that I'm knitting. Its so exciting to see it begin to have a design, even though it makes my mistakes more evident. I can't wait to get my collection of Granny Squares started.
Yesterday was my aunt's birthday. We made her a batch of granola. Once it cooled, we added:
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
1 cup currants
We put this into a container for her to keep. Rob made a label for the container that read Mangan's Grand Granola. We also attached two of the potholders I had just made from outgrown sweatshirts.
I really like the way they came out. I was able to incorporate the front pocket of the sweatshirt into a place to put your hand into. I used an old blanket on the inside for insulation and I added decorative knots (like you would in quilting) to give it a more decorative look. These were such a handy and useful gift that I've decided to make a few more to keep on hand for unexpected giving.
I find this kind of productivity very therapeutic and relaxing. I just need to find a better way to store all my "raw" materials. I'm certainly guilty of having too many projects going at one time. I've begun to look at every bit of material that I come across, and that includes outgrown kids clothing, as potential project material.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Friday Freebies
Its an unusual Friday at our house. I've been up since 5:45am and although its only 7:15 now, I've already gotten two loads of laundry done. I'm freaking myself out a bit with all this productivity. I'm not a morning person at all. I'd rather stay up all night than get up this early but with Jim getting up at 5:00am most mornings so he can head to the Y for a pre-work workout, its seems the only fair thing to do.
There's also the fact that my two sons have a knack for getting into trouble if I try to shower once they're awake. Yeserday's extravaganza included making a "volcano" using tonic water, tap water, quite a bit of dishwashing liquid and a bottle brush. It seems Robs teacher demonstrated the kinetic energy of a volcano using Mentos and cola. Rob was trying to duplicate the experiment at home. Having sons teaches you to look at the world in an entirely different light!
So here I sit, already showered, although still in my bathrobe. Getting totally dressed for work seems like a huge commitment right now. In keeping with my current knitting jag, todays links will feature knitted granny squares. Traditionally, however, granny squares are chrocheted. I just can't seem to master the crocheted version.
The idea behind the granny square, whether knitted or chrocheted is twofold. First, it provides you a project that makes use of small amounts of leftover yarn, making it a truly frugal technique. Second, once you begin to create and accumulate these granny squares, they can be assembled rather quickly to create a last minute, one of a kind gift.
7 Inch Seed Stitch/Basketweave Square
A More Elaborate Knit Granny Square
There's also the fact that my two sons have a knack for getting into trouble if I try to shower once they're awake. Yeserday's extravaganza included making a "volcano" using tonic water, tap water, quite a bit of dishwashing liquid and a bottle brush. It seems Robs teacher demonstrated the kinetic energy of a volcano using Mentos and cola. Rob was trying to duplicate the experiment at home. Having sons teaches you to look at the world in an entirely different light!
So here I sit, already showered, although still in my bathrobe. Getting totally dressed for work seems like a huge commitment right now. In keeping with my current knitting jag, todays links will feature knitted granny squares. Traditionally, however, granny squares are chrocheted. I just can't seem to master the crocheted version.
The idea behind the granny square, whether knitted or chrocheted is twofold. First, it provides you a project that makes use of small amounts of leftover yarn, making it a truly frugal technique. Second, once you begin to create and accumulate these granny squares, they can be assembled rather quickly to create a last minute, one of a kind gift.
7 Inch Seed Stitch/Basketweave Square
A More Elaborate Knit Granny Square
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Knitting the Time Away
I spent about an hour and a half getting my car serviced yesterday. On the one hand, I got a lot of knitting done and my knitting project sparked some fun conversations, which made the time pass. On the other hand, they had Fox news on the whole time I was there. I'm continually amazed at the opinions that Fox passes off as factual news. If the devil exists, I'm pretty sure he works for Fox.
In comparing my knitting and crocheting efforts, it seems in knitting it is easier to keep stitches uniform but that could just be because I have to pay so much attention to the process of knitting. Either way, its exciting to see a project begin to take shape.
I did have one setback. I tried to save a little time by only rolling half of the skein of yarn into a ball (since the project requires knitting with two strands but only uses one giant skein of yarn, rolling it into a ball was necessary.) Unfortunately, the portion that I didn't roll into a ball became a tangled mess and I had to spend almost 45 minutes untangling and rolling it. I won't make that mistake twice!
Today is my long day at work. The sunshine, warm air and promise of summer is making it harder and harder to go to work! This weekend we'll plant part of our container garden. We're already behind on parts of it!
In comparing my knitting and crocheting efforts, it seems in knitting it is easier to keep stitches uniform but that could just be because I have to pay so much attention to the process of knitting. Either way, its exciting to see a project begin to take shape.
I did have one setback. I tried to save a little time by only rolling half of the skein of yarn into a ball (since the project requires knitting with two strands but only uses one giant skein of yarn, rolling it into a ball was necessary.) Unfortunately, the portion that I didn't roll into a ball became a tangled mess and I had to spend almost 45 minutes untangling and rolling it. I won't make that mistake twice!
Today is my long day at work. The sunshine, warm air and promise of summer is making it harder and harder to go to work! This weekend we'll plant part of our container garden. We're already behind on parts of it!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Soups and Blankets
The verdict is in on the Fennel Bulb Navy Bean Soup that I made this weekend. It was a hit! The recipe appeared on The Vegetarian Group. I used the fennel bulb and stalks as the recipe says and it was delicious. Jim even volunteered to take it for lunch today. Here's the link to the recipe. If you haven't checked out this yahoo group yet, do it!! Its a great resource, especially with CSA and farmers market season just around the corner.
I finally started the baby blanket I mentioned the other day. My car is going in for an oil change and inspection this afternoon. Since I'll be a prisoner of the service station, I'm bringing this project and hoping to make some real progress. I think the hardest part is reading the pattern with confidence (ie, trusting that you know what the abbreviations mean.) This should certainly be simple enough since there is an abbreviation key on every pattern but still I get antsy.
The pattern calls for knitting with two strands of yard, which I've never done before. It seems to make it easier to drop 1/2 a stitch, if such a thing is even possible!
I finally started the baby blanket I mentioned the other day. My car is going in for an oil change and inspection this afternoon. Since I'll be a prisoner of the service station, I'm bringing this project and hoping to make some real progress. I think the hardest part is reading the pattern with confidence (ie, trusting that you know what the abbreviations mean.) This should certainly be simple enough since there is an abbreviation key on every pattern but still I get antsy.
The pattern calls for knitting with two strands of yard, which I've never done before. It seems to make it easier to drop 1/2 a stitch, if such a thing is even possible!
Monday, March 26, 2007
But Wait, There's More!
I decided to get a little bulk cooking done yesterday. The goal was to use up some of the veggies and apple butter in the freezer portion of my refrigerator (I forgot to look there when telling of my success in cleaning out the chest freezer in the basement!) I discovered a few containers of fennel in the freezer yesterday and set about finding a recipe to use them up. I'll post a ther recipe and a review when I get some feedback from my family.
The boys had a good time peeling and crushing garlic. Its quite funny what kids begin to enjoy when they get the opportunity! No one enjoyed cutting the onions and once again everyone threatened to put on goggles while the onions were cooking. It doesn't help that they saw a picture of one of the kids from the HomeEconomiser family wearing them while peeling onions in an interview in the now defunct Budget Living.
On tonights menu is a Red Lentil Stew that uses some of the multitude of red lentils that I seem to have accumulated.
In other news I finished my first knitted dishcloth!
No more time today!
The boys had a good time peeling and crushing garlic. Its quite funny what kids begin to enjoy when they get the opportunity! No one enjoyed cutting the onions and once again everyone threatened to put on goggles while the onions were cooking. It doesn't help that they saw a picture of one of the kids from the HomeEconomiser family wearing them while peeling onions in an interview in the now defunct Budget Living.
On tonights menu is a Red Lentil Stew that uses some of the multitude of red lentils that I seem to have accumulated.
In other news I finished my first knitted dishcloth!
No more time today!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Friday Freebies
In light of the recent pet food recalls and the comments of a recent Cornell vetrinary School graduate on my local public radio station, I thought I'd dedicate todays Friday Freebies to homemade pet food. I must confess that I do not make any of my pets food but I do think its an interesting idea.
How to make homemade cat food
How to make homemade dog food
How to make your own pet food recipes
I'm not sure how I feel about vegan/vegetarian dog/cat food so I'm planning to look at links for this a little more closely before adding them to this list.
How to make homemade cat food
How to make homemade dog food
How to make your own pet food recipes
I'm not sure how I feel about vegan/vegetarian dog/cat food so I'm planning to look at links for this a little more closely before adding them to this list.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Canning vs Freezing Plus a Knitting Revelation
Things have been very busy lately and my cooking has not been blogworthy. We're relying on old favorites and things that can be thrown together quickly. My quest to empty the freezer has almost been realized. There are only two containers of frozen pumkin/squash and just 4 frozen apple butter left. I've broken down and gone to the grocery store to get some much needed variety back.
Having canned the applesauce two years ago and frozen the apple butter this past year, I've decided I prefer canning. First, because you don't have to worry about defrosting it before you use it. Second, because I think its easier to organize. Canning jars are obviously see through, which helps you do an inventory at a glance each time you enter the pantry or cabinet. The freezer holds more mystery and therefore more aggravation. Third, I have a small chest freezer and really could use the room for other foods that don't can well.
I've promised myself that I will once again find time to can the apples we pick this fall. I also plan to can my tomatoes as well, another thing I didn't get to this past year. I refuse to continue to compromise the things that are important to me all in the name of my job.
I have just one more knitting class left. I've been gathering simple patterns and I bombarded the teacher with questions about reading the patterns last night. I've been making a dishcloth with the cotton yarn that I got at the thrift store. I was a little embarassed to say what it was but when I confessed, I discovered my teacher was a cotton dish cloth making junkie herself! Other class members, who are far more talented/experienced knitters than myself, were shocked that you would use something like this to wash dishes but our teacher assured us they work beautifully and wash beautifully too.
I have a simple, so they say, pattern for a baby blanket that I'd like to make for my brothers baby that's due in late April. I bought the yarn when my sister-in-law was pregnant with my niece, who turned two in December. I think I've worked up enough nerve to give it a try. At least if I start it this weekend I can ask the teacher questions at our last class next week.
Today's supposed to be my day off but I'm teaching two senior citizen fitness programs in an hour. Its not a big deal but this is the kind of thing that's making me very weary of my job. There's always another commitment/favor/volunteer opportunity that's not a big deal but steals more time than I have to give. The odd thing is, I say no very often. I can't imagine how I would be feeling if I said yes to more of these events.
Having canned the applesauce two years ago and frozen the apple butter this past year, I've decided I prefer canning. First, because you don't have to worry about defrosting it before you use it. Second, because I think its easier to organize. Canning jars are obviously see through, which helps you do an inventory at a glance each time you enter the pantry or cabinet. The freezer holds more mystery and therefore more aggravation. Third, I have a small chest freezer and really could use the room for other foods that don't can well.
I've promised myself that I will once again find time to can the apples we pick this fall. I also plan to can my tomatoes as well, another thing I didn't get to this past year. I refuse to continue to compromise the things that are important to me all in the name of my job.
I have just one more knitting class left. I've been gathering simple patterns and I bombarded the teacher with questions about reading the patterns last night. I've been making a dishcloth with the cotton yarn that I got at the thrift store. I was a little embarassed to say what it was but when I confessed, I discovered my teacher was a cotton dish cloth making junkie herself! Other class members, who are far more talented/experienced knitters than myself, were shocked that you would use something like this to wash dishes but our teacher assured us they work beautifully and wash beautifully too.
I have a simple, so they say, pattern for a baby blanket that I'd like to make for my brothers baby that's due in late April. I bought the yarn when my sister-in-law was pregnant with my niece, who turned two in December. I think I've worked up enough nerve to give it a try. At least if I start it this weekend I can ask the teacher questions at our last class next week.
Today's supposed to be my day off but I'm teaching two senior citizen fitness programs in an hour. Its not a big deal but this is the kind of thing that's making me very weary of my job. There's always another commitment/favor/volunteer opportunity that's not a big deal but steals more time than I have to give. The odd thing is, I say no very often. I can't imagine how I would be feeling if I said yes to more of these events.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The Frugal Fridge Find
It snowed again last night, just enough to remind us that it wasn't spring yet. As winter continues to linger on, my thoughts keep turning to summer. One of the charming things about the cabin is the smaller scale of things. The house is smaller, the kitchen is smaller, the stove is smaller and the fridge is smaller, a lot smaller.
As you might imagine, with four kids, an apartment size fridge can be a bit of a complication to our simple summer existence. A small fridge means more frequent trips to the store. It also means that CSA pickup is a pain in the rear, rather than a bountiful joy, because it is such a challenge to fit things in the fridge.
Unfortunately, there's no room in the kitchen for a larger fridge so we were on the lookout for a fridge to put in the garage for the summer. We had a couple of requirements. It couldn't be more than a few years old because we didn't want it to be too inefficient. At the same time, we didn't want to pay for a new one because this fridge would be used only for the summer and the temperature extremes of being kept in an unheated garage over the winter takes a toll on the lifespan of appliances. We figured we'd keep our eyes open and see what we could find.
This weekend we got lucky and discovered a working fridge on our local ecycle list that was about 6 years old and in need of a new home. Jackpot! It fit in the back of our minivan. Double jackpot! It just needs the gasketing around the door replaced which is very minor in the grand scheme of things. The woman who gave it away even cleaned it first!
Some of you must be thinking, how do they always find all the stuff they're looking for? The answer is, we don't. I think we improve our odds of finding what we're looking for mainly by knowing what we want/need. If we hadn't thought about the problem of the small fridge and tried to figure out a solution, I'd never have given a second look to the email that told me about the larger fridge. Planning is everything when it comes to frugal living!
As you might imagine, with four kids, an apartment size fridge can be a bit of a complication to our simple summer existence. A small fridge means more frequent trips to the store. It also means that CSA pickup is a pain in the rear, rather than a bountiful joy, because it is such a challenge to fit things in the fridge.
Unfortunately, there's no room in the kitchen for a larger fridge so we were on the lookout for a fridge to put in the garage for the summer. We had a couple of requirements. It couldn't be more than a few years old because we didn't want it to be too inefficient. At the same time, we didn't want to pay for a new one because this fridge would be used only for the summer and the temperature extremes of being kept in an unheated garage over the winter takes a toll on the lifespan of appliances. We figured we'd keep our eyes open and see what we could find.
This weekend we got lucky and discovered a working fridge on our local ecycle list that was about 6 years old and in need of a new home. Jackpot! It fit in the back of our minivan. Double jackpot! It just needs the gasketing around the door replaced which is very minor in the grand scheme of things. The woman who gave it away even cleaned it first!
Some of you must be thinking, how do they always find all the stuff they're looking for? The answer is, we don't. I think we improve our odds of finding what we're looking for mainly by knowing what we want/need. If we hadn't thought about the problem of the small fridge and tried to figure out a solution, I'd never have given a second look to the email that told me about the larger fridge. Planning is everything when it comes to frugal living!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Welcoming Frank & Elvis
Saturday we welcomed Frank & Elvis to the family. Rob & Kyle were so impressed with Ratsothat they wanted a guinea pig too. Generally I'm not one for just giving in to the whims of my kids but this seemed like a good idea. Rob's been hitting some rough spots in school and his teacher suggested a pet of his own might help him deal with things.
We had gotten Biscuit for exactly this reason, and he has been wonderful for Rob, so I was a little hesitant at first. Did we really need another pet? Then it occured to me that different pets, just like different people, can answer different emotional needs in our lives.
Biscuit is 82 pounds of energy and giddiness. He's the perfect companion for running around in the yard or house. He's great for a game of catch. He's even great for snuggling against when you're reading a book. He's not very good at teaching people to be gentle with other human beings, especially when he takes his giant paw and slaps it in your lap to get your attention.
We gave Rob a test run taking care of Ratso at the gym. He helped Patty, my coworker, clean Ratso's cage and feed him. He did a great job. I have to say, Patty has the best system for setting up and cleaning the cage that I've ever seen. She lines the bottom with newspaper and tops it with shredded paper. Ratso loves it, we don't get cedar shavings all over the floor and we save a bit of money. When its time to clean the cage, Patty just rolls the newspaper and shredded paper up and she's done.
Seeing Rob interact with Ratso at the gym made me realize that a guinea pig might be the perfect creature to teach Rob how to be a bit more gentle. Like Ratso, Frank and Elvis (formerly known as Chunky and Chewy but Rob renamed them) needed a new home and we happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Here's Rob with Frank
Here's Kyle with Elvis
We had gotten Biscuit for exactly this reason, and he has been wonderful for Rob, so I was a little hesitant at first. Did we really need another pet? Then it occured to me that different pets, just like different people, can answer different emotional needs in our lives.
Biscuit is 82 pounds of energy and giddiness. He's the perfect companion for running around in the yard or house. He's great for a game of catch. He's even great for snuggling against when you're reading a book. He's not very good at teaching people to be gentle with other human beings, especially when he takes his giant paw and slaps it in your lap to get your attention.
We gave Rob a test run taking care of Ratso at the gym. He helped Patty, my coworker, clean Ratso's cage and feed him. He did a great job. I have to say, Patty has the best system for setting up and cleaning the cage that I've ever seen. She lines the bottom with newspaper and tops it with shredded paper. Ratso loves it, we don't get cedar shavings all over the floor and we save a bit of money. When its time to clean the cage, Patty just rolls the newspaper and shredded paper up and she's done.
Seeing Rob interact with Ratso at the gym made me realize that a guinea pig might be the perfect creature to teach Rob how to be a bit more gentle. Like Ratso, Frank and Elvis (formerly known as Chunky and Chewy but Rob renamed them) needed a new home and we happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Here's Rob with Frank
Here's Kyle with Elvis
Friday, March 16, 2007
Friday Freebies
Today I've decided to focus on Potager Gardens (kitchen gardens where fruits,veggies and herbs are used as functional ornamentals). Thinking and planning about gardening seems to be the only logical way to combat the blizzard we're in the middle of.
Information from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
How to Desing a Potager Garden There is a free newsletter you can sign up for as well.
Of course if you want to go one step beyond potager garden, check out Path to Freedom's garden
Information from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
How to Desing a Potager Garden There is a free newsletter you can sign up for as well.
Of course if you want to go one step beyond potager garden, check out Path to Freedom's garden
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Frugal Kids & Frugal Finds
The squash biscuits made with only molasses had a good taste but a slightly gooey texture. Next time I make them I'll have to decrease the amount of other liquids to account for the molasses. Overall I was pretty pleased, a little time in the toaster solved the gooey texture problem and make the biscuits a tasty treat. I have found that toasting, like ketchup, often times makes the worst of culinary creations edible.
I think the best part of raising kids in a frugal family is the way they learn to appreciate the value of both goods and services. This week my oldest son put on a a Hawaiian style shirt that he's been dying to wear since he discovered it in a bag of handme downs from a coworker last fall. Two buttons were missing, so he asked if I could put new buttons on for him. "You probably have buttons just like that in your box of buttons," he told me. He was right and this morning he was tickled to put his "new" shirt on. "Thanks for sewing on my buttons," he told me.
After living with her loft bed for almost two years, Leen has decided she doesn't like it all that much. (Personally, it would give me claustrophobia to be up that close to the ceiling.) A while back she asked me to keep an eye out on our local ecycling group for a daybed to replace her loft bed. This was her lucky week. I picked up the unwanted daybed on Tuesday. She's thrilled. Since she used her own money to buy the loft bed, she's trying to decide what to do with it now.
Tasha has been using the same rickety student desk for years. This week we were able to replace it with a beautiful, sturdy wooden desk, also from our local ecycle group. Although she wasn't unhappy with her old desk, she is very pleased with her new one.
This week we also acquired a 13 inch tv/vcr combo that was dumpster bound. My sister rescued it while helping clean out the store she works in and gave it to us. It works beautifully and even has the remote! Jim and I are pleased that my sister thought of us before tossing the tv.
I know I've said this before but its worth saying again for anyone new to frugal living. A lot of times you just need to make it known that you don't mind taking used items. Sure you'll have to wade through some junk a long the way but you'll get some treasures as well.
I really like the fact that my kids have no problem with previously owned items. They only let very close friends in on the origin of these items but thats ok with me. If I can just make sure its engrained in them before they leave my house and enter the world of consumer debt, they will be so far ahead of their peers.
I think the best part of raising kids in a frugal family is the way they learn to appreciate the value of both goods and services. This week my oldest son put on a a Hawaiian style shirt that he's been dying to wear since he discovered it in a bag of handme downs from a coworker last fall. Two buttons were missing, so he asked if I could put new buttons on for him. "You probably have buttons just like that in your box of buttons," he told me. He was right and this morning he was tickled to put his "new" shirt on. "Thanks for sewing on my buttons," he told me.
After living with her loft bed for almost two years, Leen has decided she doesn't like it all that much. (Personally, it would give me claustrophobia to be up that close to the ceiling.) A while back she asked me to keep an eye out on our local ecycling group for a daybed to replace her loft bed. This was her lucky week. I picked up the unwanted daybed on Tuesday. She's thrilled. Since she used her own money to buy the loft bed, she's trying to decide what to do with it now.
Tasha has been using the same rickety student desk for years. This week we were able to replace it with a beautiful, sturdy wooden desk, also from our local ecycle group. Although she wasn't unhappy with her old desk, she is very pleased with her new one.
This week we also acquired a 13 inch tv/vcr combo that was dumpster bound. My sister rescued it while helping clean out the store she works in and gave it to us. It works beautifully and even has the remote! Jim and I are pleased that my sister thought of us before tossing the tv.
I know I've said this before but its worth saying again for anyone new to frugal living. A lot of times you just need to make it known that you don't mind taking used items. Sure you'll have to wade through some junk a long the way but you'll get some treasures as well.
I really like the fact that my kids have no problem with previously owned items. They only let very close friends in on the origin of these items but thats ok with me. If I can just make sure its engrained in them before they leave my house and enter the world of consumer debt, they will be so far ahead of their peers.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Cleaning Out the Freezer
I'm on a quest. I want to use every last bit of frozen vegetables and fruit that I have left in my freezer before buying anything else. As you might imagine, this time of year the pickings are getting mighty slim. Every year we try to use some of the less loved veggies first, yet every year that's what we are left with. A quick glance in the freezer last night revealed a fair amount of winter squash, both cubed and pureed, apple butter, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries and some frozen greens. I'll be doing a more exact inventory tonight but I've gotten the general idea.
I'll be combining the greens with chick peas, bulgur, and a mixture of tamari, nutritional yeast, maple syrup and garlic powder to make a delicious concoction that I call Chick Peas and Bulgur. Not an original monicker but it does the trick.
Last night I made some squash biscuits and tried substituting molasses for the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar the recipe called for. So far no one seems to have noticed but I'll poll everyone later to know for sure.
I've got the itch for spring planting and I'll begin putting some seeds in my container garden later this week. Rob has volunteered to help with the job. He was very impressed with the bean plants that his second grade class grew. I'm going to peek at the worms later today as well, the suspense is killing me!
I'll be combining the greens with chick peas, bulgur, and a mixture of tamari, nutritional yeast, maple syrup and garlic powder to make a delicious concoction that I call Chick Peas and Bulgur. Not an original monicker but it does the trick.
Last night I made some squash biscuits and tried substituting molasses for the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar the recipe called for. So far no one seems to have noticed but I'll poll everyone later to know for sure.
I've got the itch for spring planting and I'll begin putting some seeds in my container garden later this week. Rob has volunteered to help with the job. He was very impressed with the bean plants that his second grade class grew. I'm going to peek at the worms later today as well, the suspense is killing me!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Another Baked TVP Variation
A while back, Imixed up a batch of the taco seasoning recipe from The Complete Tightwad Gazette. It seemed like a good idea but it just sat on my spice shelf. In retrospect I wasn't even sure what to do with it since my days of browning ground beef and ripping open a package of taco seasoning are so far behind me. This weekend, I finally came up with a use for it while making a Mexican inpsired dinner for our non-veg house guest this weekend.
I made white bean chili, roasted vegetables (carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes) and this variation on Russell's tvp recipe:
Taco TVP
3 cups tvp
3 cups water
1 Tbs taco seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
2-4 Tbs tamari
As always, I grease the cookie sheet and then combine all the ingredients on it. Less dirty dishes are always a good thing! I baked it at 425 degrees until browned. I took it out when it wasn't completely browned and gave it a taste with the intention of adding more taco seasoning if it needed it but it was perfect for our taste. If it had needed more kick I would have just sprinkled the taco seasoning over the top and stirred it around before returning it to the oven to finish browning.
We served this with tortilla chips, salsa and seasoned bulgur (using the seasoned rice recipe from The Complete Tightwad Gazette.) I would have made rice but I discovered I was out of it and bulgur worked just fine.
I made white bean chili, roasted vegetables (carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes) and this variation on Russell's tvp recipe:
Taco TVP
3 cups tvp
3 cups water
1 Tbs taco seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
2-4 Tbs tamari
As always, I grease the cookie sheet and then combine all the ingredients on it. Less dirty dishes are always a good thing! I baked it at 425 degrees until browned. I took it out when it wasn't completely browned and gave it a taste with the intention of adding more taco seasoning if it needed it but it was perfect for our taste. If it had needed more kick I would have just sprinkled the taco seasoning over the top and stirred it around before returning it to the oven to finish browning.
We served this with tortilla chips, salsa and seasoned bulgur (using the seasoned rice recipe from The Complete Tightwad Gazette.) I would have made rice but I discovered I was out of it and bulgur worked just fine.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Thank God Its Friday??
Friday was the longest day I've had in a quite a while. It started with a 5:30 am trip to drop Jim off at the train station because his car was still in the shop. (Before I continue, I'm sure some of you are wondering, how can she advocate frugality and green living when her hubby commutes in a car while the option of public transport exists? The thing is, Jim has to take a train and a bus to get to his job and the trip takes two hours each way. So on the one hand, its a great option when he needs to use it but, for now, his time is a more precious commodity to us and worth the extra money spent on commuting via car.)
Once home, the usual morning activities began with children getting ready for school and me getting ready for work. Everyone made it to their respective school busses and I got ready to head to work. I had planned to leave a little early and hit the bank on the way but it was not to be. As I closed the front door behind me I noticed the front tire of my minivan looked flat, not a little low but totally and utterly flat and it was really cold out. I'm 36 years old, fairly intelligent and extremely independent but changing my first tire in the freezing cold on a big minivan seemed too daunting. (I was hoping my first flat tire would be on something smaller, like Geo Metro, somehow that seems less daunting.) I called my dad. Before he could head over, my neighbor came out to give me a hand. He was a pro and had it changed in a matter of minutes which was good because as I mentioned before, it was really cold!!
The rest of the day was spent at an equally frenetic pace. Jim needed to be picked up at the train station and dropped off at the mechanic to get his car. Then he took my van to get the tire repaired, the stem was faulty. While he was at the tire shop, the tech topped off the other tires and a second valve stem blew out. They fixed that one at no charge, which was very nice. It pays to develop a relationship with the tire shop, or any local merchant you use.
When I started to drive home in his car, it made a noise every time I braked that sounded remarkably like the opening notes to Heart of Glass by Blondie. Back to the mechanic we went to get that resolved. Again it helps to have a relationship with your mechanic, I always fear being treated like a "hysterical girl" in a situation like this. The new brakes just needed an adjustment and we were on our way much faster than I thought we'd be with no extra charges.
Kyle and I were even able to make it to our Friday night yoga classes, kids yoga for him, power yoga for me.
The whole day we were on the edge of disaster but in the end everything went smoothly. We were able to head up to the Adirondacks with one of the girls' friends as originally planned. Although, honestly, a weekend wasn't long enough to recover from Friday!
I tried some new and some not so new recipes with our weekend, non-veg house guest. I'll share my results and a recipe tomorrow.
Once home, the usual morning activities began with children getting ready for school and me getting ready for work. Everyone made it to their respective school busses and I got ready to head to work. I had planned to leave a little early and hit the bank on the way but it was not to be. As I closed the front door behind me I noticed the front tire of my minivan looked flat, not a little low but totally and utterly flat and it was really cold out. I'm 36 years old, fairly intelligent and extremely independent but changing my first tire in the freezing cold on a big minivan seemed too daunting. (I was hoping my first flat tire would be on something smaller, like Geo Metro, somehow that seems less daunting.) I called my dad. Before he could head over, my neighbor came out to give me a hand. He was a pro and had it changed in a matter of minutes which was good because as I mentioned before, it was really cold!!
The rest of the day was spent at an equally frenetic pace. Jim needed to be picked up at the train station and dropped off at the mechanic to get his car. Then he took my van to get the tire repaired, the stem was faulty. While he was at the tire shop, the tech topped off the other tires and a second valve stem blew out. They fixed that one at no charge, which was very nice. It pays to develop a relationship with the tire shop, or any local merchant you use.
When I started to drive home in his car, it made a noise every time I braked that sounded remarkably like the opening notes to Heart of Glass by Blondie. Back to the mechanic we went to get that resolved. Again it helps to have a relationship with your mechanic, I always fear being treated like a "hysterical girl" in a situation like this. The new brakes just needed an adjustment and we were on our way much faster than I thought we'd be with no extra charges.
Kyle and I were even able to make it to our Friday night yoga classes, kids yoga for him, power yoga for me.
The whole day we were on the edge of disaster but in the end everything went smoothly. We were able to head up to the Adirondacks with one of the girls' friends as originally planned. Although, honestly, a weekend wasn't long enough to recover from Friday!
I tried some new and some not so new recipes with our weekend, non-veg house guest. I'll share my results and a recipe tomorrow.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friday Freebies
As I mentioned yesterday, the focus of Friday Freebies is shifting from things to knowledge. This feels more relevant to my lifestyle and beliefs. Let me know how you feel about the change.
The Twin Cities Green Guide DIY a resource for a variety of earth friendly projects. I just made a plastic bag holder last week.
Fabric Scrap Rug Instructions
Yoga Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) Instructions - Join me on my quest to master this posture.
The Twin Cities Green Guide DIY a resource for a variety of earth friendly projects. I just made a plastic bag holder last week.
Fabric Scrap Rug Instructions
Yoga Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) Instructions - Join me on my quest to master this posture.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Wandering Thoughts
I'm stuck at home today, all day. Jim's car is in for service so Jim took my minivan to work. Honestly, I'm thrilled. I haven't spent a day at home since last summer. I've been giggly about it since last night. My plans for the day are pretty humble, a little laundry, a little cooking, maybe a little knitting and a little reading. I haven't even turned music on yet, I'm just enjoying the quiet that's only interupted by the jingling of the dogs' tags.
We watched a documentary last night called Walmart the High Cost of Low Prices. It reinforced what I already had realized about places like Walmart, if things are too cheap to be true, somebody is suffering somewhere. I personally turned my back on the Walmart experience about 2 years ago. No low price is worth the lack of customer service that I experienced there.
On a related note, Friday Freebies will officially begin to focus more on free resources rather than free things. I think knowledge is more valuable than stuff anyday. Now that I'm 5 weeks into my knitting class, I'm on a quest for simple knitting patterns to try. I hit the jackpot last weekend and found some brand new cotton yarn at a thrift store that was having a bag sale. I plan on trying to make the knitted dish cloths that I saw here and here.
Leen's been on a quest to take pictures of Mel and Biscuit like The Dog. I think she did a pretty good job. Here's Biscuit
We watched a documentary last night called Walmart the High Cost of Low Prices. It reinforced what I already had realized about places like Walmart, if things are too cheap to be true, somebody is suffering somewhere. I personally turned my back on the Walmart experience about 2 years ago. No low price is worth the lack of customer service that I experienced there.
On a related note, Friday Freebies will officially begin to focus more on free resources rather than free things. I think knowledge is more valuable than stuff anyday. Now that I'm 5 weeks into my knitting class, I'm on a quest for simple knitting patterns to try. I hit the jackpot last weekend and found some brand new cotton yarn at a thrift store that was having a bag sale. I plan on trying to make the knitted dish cloths that I saw here and here.
Leen's been on a quest to take pictures of Mel and Biscuit like The Dog. I think she did a pretty good job. Here's Biscuit
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
It Can't Be Helped
Last week at yoga, I said, "Hi Barbara, how are you?" to the owner of the yoga studio. She responded that, "Not well, actually." When I said, "I'm sorry to hear that." She responded, "It can't be helped." Later in the evening I overheard her say, "Next week will be better."
Her calm response, impressed me so much. So often at work and at home, things don't go the way I want or need them to but I've yet to master that calm. Honestly, I don't even come close. I want to achieve that level of calm (and that headstand too!)
I've made myself a promise to work on my headstand and shoulder stand each night while focusing on the calm that Barbara exhibited. I've never been good at creating a home yoga practice so this is a real challenge for me but so far I'm doing it.
If Barbara, a breast cancer survivor and business owner, can manage that level of calm, surely I can begin to as well.
Her calm response, impressed me so much. So often at work and at home, things don't go the way I want or need them to but I've yet to master that calm. Honestly, I don't even come close. I want to achieve that level of calm (and that headstand too!)
I've made myself a promise to work on my headstand and shoulder stand each night while focusing on the calm that Barbara exhibited. I've never been good at creating a home yoga practice so this is a real challenge for me but so far I'm doing it.
If Barbara, a breast cancer survivor and business owner, can manage that level of calm, surely I can begin to as well.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Ratso
Its cold in New York! I've got the woodstove cranking and Kyle is sacked out on the couch next to it. I'm grateful for warmth, although on days like today you wonder if you'll ever be warm again. We've been enjoying soup with our dinner the last few days. I haven't been using any special recipe, I've just been sauteing some onions and whatever other veggies I have on hand and then adding either vegetable broth or miso or tomato puree. I've been very whimsical in my approach to the soup.
We tried the Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding from Vegan with a Vengeance last night. Rob helped me make it. We subbed carob powder for the cocoa powder and omitted the chocolate chips, because I didn't have any. It was really good in spite of these changes. The cinnamon really lent something to the flavor. A few nights earlier, Kyle had helped make a carob pudding that came out very good as well. Both boys enjoy creating surprise desserts (meaning they pick them out) for the family.
In other news I must share the story of Ratso the guinea pig. Ratso was the guinea pig of a coworker's daughter. When the daughter left for college, Ratso was left behind and taken to a day care center where my coworker worked. The kids loved Ratso but the daycare owner did not and when my coworker quit her job at the day care Ratso was in big trouble. My coworker refused to take the guinea pig home and the daycare owner refused to feed Ratso or clean his cage. My coworker would sneak over once or twice a month to feed and change Ratso, all the while the daycare owner threatened to "get rid of Ratso" whatever that meant. Needless to say, hearing about this drove me crazy.
I finally convinced my coworker to bring Ratso to live in our daycare room at the gym where I new the kids and the staff would love him. Ratso moved in last Wednesday and is doing well. As expected, he is loved by the kids and he seems to be enjoying all the attention he's getting, as well as the regular feedings and cage cleanings.
The transition hasn't been without trauma. Ratso came to us with nails that curled in circles that the guy in the Guiness Book of World Records. With the help of my sister, I trimmed them on Friday. (Let me tell you the challenges of winding a pet nail clipper around nails that curl around like that!) They're still too long but they are so much better. We're putting some sandpaper on the bottom of his cage to hopefully wear them down a bit more.
I'm suprised by how affected I was by this little guinea pig's plight but I feel very good about the way its all turned out.
We tried the Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding from Vegan with a Vengeance last night. Rob helped me make it. We subbed carob powder for the cocoa powder and omitted the chocolate chips, because I didn't have any. It was really good in spite of these changes. The cinnamon really lent something to the flavor. A few nights earlier, Kyle had helped make a carob pudding that came out very good as well. Both boys enjoy creating surprise desserts (meaning they pick them out) for the family.
In other news I must share the story of Ratso the guinea pig. Ratso was the guinea pig of a coworker's daughter. When the daughter left for college, Ratso was left behind and taken to a day care center where my coworker worked. The kids loved Ratso but the daycare owner did not and when my coworker quit her job at the day care Ratso was in big trouble. My coworker refused to take the guinea pig home and the daycare owner refused to feed Ratso or clean his cage. My coworker would sneak over once or twice a month to feed and change Ratso, all the while the daycare owner threatened to "get rid of Ratso" whatever that meant. Needless to say, hearing about this drove me crazy.
I finally convinced my coworker to bring Ratso to live in our daycare room at the gym where I new the kids and the staff would love him. Ratso moved in last Wednesday and is doing well. As expected, he is loved by the kids and he seems to be enjoying all the attention he's getting, as well as the regular feedings and cage cleanings.
The transition hasn't been without trauma. Ratso came to us with nails that curled in circles that the guy in the Guiness Book of World Records. With the help of my sister, I trimmed them on Friday. (Let me tell you the challenges of winding a pet nail clipper around nails that curl around like that!) They're still too long but they are so much better. We're putting some sandpaper on the bottom of his cage to hopefully wear them down a bit more.
I'm suprised by how affected I was by this little guinea pig's plight but I feel very good about the way its all turned out.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Where Achieving Goals & Being Frugal Intersect
I have a lot of goals. Some are humble, short term goals, like getting through the day. Others are more long term and intricate like mastering certain yoga moves (headstand is my current quest) or completing frugal projects (making potholders out of outgrown clothes is my current project awaiting completion) or learning a new skill (knitting) or paying off a car loan (which we just did!). Some of my goals are all encompassing like simplifying my lifestyle and lessening my environmental footprint.
One goal I've had recently is to decrease the amount of plastic that comes in contact with hot foods, especially after reading Environmental Risks and Breast Cancer. We've stopped microwaving plastic bowls and putting hot leftovers into plastic containers but recently I've had my eye on the plastic pieces of the coffee pot. Jim and I decided we wanted to get an all metal percolator and have been watching the prices. I've checked ebay and Overstock.com and put wanted adds on our local freecycle site.
One of our local grocery stores had a 10 cup Melitta percolator for $39.99, while the same grocery store near my job, which had been newly remodeled, had it for $59.99. Since $39.99 seemed to be the cheapest price we could find, we decided to buy it on our next trip to the store.
At the register it rang up at $59.99. The price was marked $39.99 on a tag on the product and on the shelf tag as well and I told the cashier so. He went to check and I didn't think much of it until he came back and said it was going to be a few minutes because he needed the manager to bring the key but we were going to get it for free. He walked away again and I turned to Jim and said, "Did he say for free??" The woman behind me on line gleefully reminded me of the store policy of giving items that scan at the wrong price to the customer for free. I knew this but it didn't occur to me that it applied to non food items. Actually, it didn't occur to me at all.
Sure enough we got our brand new percolator for free. That's one more ogal we've achieved and you can't beat that price!
One goal I've had recently is to decrease the amount of plastic that comes in contact with hot foods, especially after reading Environmental Risks and Breast Cancer. We've stopped microwaving plastic bowls and putting hot leftovers into plastic containers but recently I've had my eye on the plastic pieces of the coffee pot. Jim and I decided we wanted to get an all metal percolator and have been watching the prices. I've checked ebay and Overstock.com and put wanted adds on our local freecycle site.
One of our local grocery stores had a 10 cup Melitta percolator for $39.99, while the same grocery store near my job, which had been newly remodeled, had it for $59.99. Since $39.99 seemed to be the cheapest price we could find, we decided to buy it on our next trip to the store.
At the register it rang up at $59.99. The price was marked $39.99 on a tag on the product and on the shelf tag as well and I told the cashier so. He went to check and I didn't think much of it until he came back and said it was going to be a few minutes because he needed the manager to bring the key but we were going to get it for free. He walked away again and I turned to Jim and said, "Did he say for free??" The woman behind me on line gleefully reminded me of the store policy of giving items that scan at the wrong price to the customer for free. I knew this but it didn't occur to me that it applied to non food items. Actually, it didn't occur to me at all.
Sure enough we got our brand new percolator for free. That's one more ogal we've achieved and you can't beat that price!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Buggy Worms
My family is usually patient with my frugal endeavors but they were all growing weary of the indoor worm bin. The worms won't survive the cold of an Adirondack winter, so when it starts getting cold I move them from their outdoor worm bin indoors into an old cooler. Naturally, an old cooler doesn't have great drainage and as a result they developed little flying bugs that we just couldn't seem to get under control.
I knew that this was caused largely by excess moisture, which was creating an awesome breeding ground, but I was at a loss how to solve the problem in a frugal way. There was really no way to rehabilitate the cooler and a premade worm bin that is meant for indoors runs anywhere from $99 to almost $200. Jim wasn't keen on the idea of building another smaller worm bin for indoors because we'd need some kind of a drip tray underneath and the dogs would probably get into it. While I tried to come up with a solution, the worms were banished to the garage.
Thanks to Diane at The Vegetarian Group, my problem was solved! Here's the post she wrote that showed me the light.
You can make a worm bin out of 2 10-gallon rubbermaid containers.
Drill or poke holes in the bottom of one and just under the lip around
the top and set it inside the other one. It needs to sit up a bit; I
used 4 rocks, one for each corner. This way you catch all the good
worm "tea" which is beautiful fertilizer. Start with a nice layer of
shredded newspaper or coconut coir or peat moss (if you can get the
latter two, sometimes a little $$), dampen it down well, pour in your
worms, add a large-ish double handful of veggie trimmings and ignore
them for a couple weeks - presto worm bin :). Some finely-ground
eggshell every once in a while seems to help them reproduce.
So thanks to Diane, my indoor worm bin problem was solved for under $10. The bin has been sitting very unobtrusively in one corner of the kitchen for about 2 weeks with no bugs at all. Sometimes the best solutions are found in the most unexpected places.
I knew that this was caused largely by excess moisture, which was creating an awesome breeding ground, but I was at a loss how to solve the problem in a frugal way. There was really no way to rehabilitate the cooler and a premade worm bin that is meant for indoors runs anywhere from $99 to almost $200. Jim wasn't keen on the idea of building another smaller worm bin for indoors because we'd need some kind of a drip tray underneath and the dogs would probably get into it. While I tried to come up with a solution, the worms were banished to the garage.
Thanks to Diane at The Vegetarian Group, my problem was solved! Here's the post she wrote that showed me the light.
You can make a worm bin out of 2 10-gallon rubbermaid containers.
Drill or poke holes in the bottom of one and just under the lip around
the top and set it inside the other one. It needs to sit up a bit; I
used 4 rocks, one for each corner. This way you catch all the good
worm "tea" which is beautiful fertilizer. Start with a nice layer of
shredded newspaper or coconut coir or peat moss (if you can get the
latter two, sometimes a little $$), dampen it down well, pour in your
worms, add a large-ish double handful of veggie trimmings and ignore
them for a couple weeks - presto worm bin :). Some finely-ground
eggshell every once in a while seems to help them reproduce.
So thanks to Diane, my indoor worm bin problem was solved for under $10. The bin has been sitting very unobtrusively in one corner of the kitchen for about 2 weeks with no bugs at all. Sometimes the best solutions are found in the most unexpected places.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Change is a funny thing. Some changes are gradual like my journey into veganism, which started so many years ago because of a picture of muscle fiber bundles in an anatomy and physiology textbook. Other changes are more abrupt and startling to those who aren't living inside your skin, esperiencing the world through your eyes. I feel like I'm on the edge of several of the second type of change. Here's a peek at why.
Try as I might, my job keeps infringing on my personal life. If I can't get this under control soon, I'm going to have to seriously consider making a change in September.
I'm feeling more and more disconnected from the affluence and the desire for affluence that is pervading the area I live in. I do not want or need a house twice the size of the modest one I already live in, which is just shy of 1800 square feet. I grew up with 4 siblings and both my parents living in a house that was about 1100 square feet. I was not emotionally crippled from sharing my space and belongings with my siblings. Although, I did envy my brother, the only boy, who eventually ended up with his own room:)
Similarly, I don't want to drive a big SUV. I acutally look forward to the day that I can trade my minivan in for a much smaller car, preferably one with a stick shift so I can pretend I'm driving a sporty car while I have my midlife crisis and getting good gas mileage. Better yet, I'm itching to abandon using the car as much as possible and rely more on public transportation, walking or biking.
Everytime I see a new shopping center or giant house pop up I cringe inwardly. Did we need another Walgreens or Bed Bath & Beyond? How many Starbucks are necessary in a 10 mile radius? Why do we need all these dollar stores filled largely with low quality products destined to wind up in our landfills after only a few uses? Why is our local grocery store giving away reusable bags but instead of filling them, they're putting them inside plastic grocery bags?
Whatever change I make will be deliberate and thought out, no matter how abrupt and startling it may seem to those around me.
Try as I might, my job keeps infringing on my personal life. If I can't get this under control soon, I'm going to have to seriously consider making a change in September.
I'm feeling more and more disconnected from the affluence and the desire for affluence that is pervading the area I live in. I do not want or need a house twice the size of the modest one I already live in, which is just shy of 1800 square feet. I grew up with 4 siblings and both my parents living in a house that was about 1100 square feet. I was not emotionally crippled from sharing my space and belongings with my siblings. Although, I did envy my brother, the only boy, who eventually ended up with his own room:)
Similarly, I don't want to drive a big SUV. I acutally look forward to the day that I can trade my minivan in for a much smaller car, preferably one with a stick shift so I can pretend I'm driving a sporty car while I have my midlife crisis and getting good gas mileage. Better yet, I'm itching to abandon using the car as much as possible and rely more on public transportation, walking or biking.
Everytime I see a new shopping center or giant house pop up I cringe inwardly. Did we need another Walgreens or Bed Bath & Beyond? How many Starbucks are necessary in a 10 mile radius? Why do we need all these dollar stores filled largely with low quality products destined to wind up in our landfills after only a few uses? Why is our local grocery store giving away reusable bags but instead of filling them, they're putting them inside plastic grocery bags?
Whatever change I make will be deliberate and thought out, no matter how abrupt and startling it may seem to those around me.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Decisions, Decisions
I'm starting to yearn for summer. Its not about the weather, although NY has been seeing a great deal of snow in the last two weeks. I'm aching more for the simplicity of my summertime lifestyle. Its a lifestyle that doesn't revolve around deadlines and have-tos. There are no phone calls that will drag me into work when I already have plans. There are no snow days that cause me to struggle with what to do with the kids when I have to go to work. The list goes on and on but it essentially boils down to simplicity.
About this time every year I start planning for the summer. Its essential to have a plan, because my income drops dramatically in June and I don't work at all during the summer. We've developed many strategies over the years to avoid feeling pinched. Joining a CSA has been a big part of that. This year, we've joined a CSA that's closer to the Adirondacks so the kids and I will be doing the food pick up each Wednesday. Since we pay in advance for our CSA shares, its just one more expense that we don't have to worry about in the leaner summer months.
We've also been adding edible landscaping to our summer get away. My goal is to add one new plant each year. We started with the ill fated currants, which are now thriving at our year round home. Last year we added the blueberries, a strawberry patch and an herb garden. This year I'm looking to add lignonberries which also thrive in acidic soil and partial shade. I have to make the deicision very soon. I've also got to decide if I'm going to grow potatoes in barrels again very soon.
The girls have begun their own version of planning for the summer. Tasha begins lifeguard training next week in the hopes of working as a lifeguard this summer. Leenie has put together a very grown up sounding letter of interest which she's sent in hopes of working as a camp counselor this summer.
About this time every year I start planning for the summer. Its essential to have a plan, because my income drops dramatically in June and I don't work at all during the summer. We've developed many strategies over the years to avoid feeling pinched. Joining a CSA has been a big part of that. This year, we've joined a CSA that's closer to the Adirondacks so the kids and I will be doing the food pick up each Wednesday. Since we pay in advance for our CSA shares, its just one more expense that we don't have to worry about in the leaner summer months.
We've also been adding edible landscaping to our summer get away. My goal is to add one new plant each year. We started with the ill fated currants, which are now thriving at our year round home. Last year we added the blueberries, a strawberry patch and an herb garden. This year I'm looking to add lignonberries which also thrive in acidic soil and partial shade. I have to make the deicision very soon. I've also got to decide if I'm going to grow potatoes in barrels again very soon.
The girls have begun their own version of planning for the summer. Tasha begins lifeguard training next week in the hopes of working as a lifeguard this summer. Leenie has put together a very grown up sounding letter of interest which she's sent in hopes of working as a camp counselor this summer.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Mom, These Are Nasty!
These are words every mother loves to hear. This past week I bought a small container of coconut almond fig rolls. It seemed like a safe bet since everyone liked the individual ingredients. One nibble from each member of the family revealed how wrong that assumption could be. Something about the texture was offensive and the taste was just a little odd. Clearly, this was something that had potential to dwell in my fridge until it had more hair than my lab mix. Yet I couldn't bear to throw it out.
I know sometimes you just have to throw things out but I'm always reluctant to do it. Sure, some things are just fowl and will taint whatever you tried to mix them into. These didn't have that quality though. The key seemed to be to make the pieces smaller and combine them with more flavorful ingredients. Not trusting my instincts completely, I bounced this idea off Tasha and she agreed this might work.
We ended up cutting them up into little pieces and substituting them along with some dried currants and crushed pecans into the scone recipe. The result was very nice and by that I mean, no one could tell that the nasty little coconut almond fig rolls were hiding in the scones.
I know sometimes you just have to throw things out but I'm always reluctant to do it. Sure, some things are just fowl and will taint whatever you tried to mix them into. These didn't have that quality though. The key seemed to be to make the pieces smaller and combine them with more flavorful ingredients. Not trusting my instincts completely, I bounced this idea off Tasha and she agreed this might work.
We ended up cutting them up into little pieces and substituting them along with some dried currants and crushed pecans into the scone recipe. The result was very nice and by that I mean, no one could tell that the nasty little coconut almond fig rolls were hiding in the scones.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Friday Freebies
Instructables a how-to website where you can share your ideas This looks really neat. It has two sections that sound especially intriguing; Cheap and DIY.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Race Is On!
The first rule my life seems to be, when time is short, something will happen to make it even shorter. Yesterday was no exception, I got stuck at work until 4:00pm. Once home, I put my cooking plan into action. In truth, I was pooped and it wasn't much of a plan but it got the job done.
Dinner was the first order of business. I decided I needed to make enough to cover lunches the next day, so that's why the proportions seem huge.
I put some tvp in the oven to bake. I've taken Russell's tvp recipe and whittled it down to this:
6 cups tvp
6 cups water
1 Tbs oregano
1 Tbs basil
4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup tamari
This fits nicely on my largest cookie sheet. In fact, I grease the cookie sheet and then combine all the ingredients on it. Less dirty dishes are always a good thing! I bake it at 425 degrees until browned. I like to get it in the oven first to maximize browning time.
Next, I put up a pot of water to boil for the pasta. I chopped some onions and some carrots and tossed them into a pot with a little olive oil. Once they began to soften, I added some garlic. I sliced some collards into thin ribbons and tossed them in as well. I let the collards wilt and finally, I added a large can of tomato sauce plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. I let this simmer while the pasta finished cooking.
Dinner made it to the table with a little time to spare, although I had to eat standing up. I dashed out the door to knitting and made it there on time. Score one for me.
I did drive past Stewarts on the way home, but I couldn't bear the thought of buying bread knowing I already had lunches covered. Breakfast was the final challenge and I was too tired to do anything about it last night. Time for plan B.
This morning I set the griddle to heat while I mixed up a batch of pancake batter, with currants and sunflower seeds for better holding power and nutrition. At this point, I can make pancake batter with very little thought or effort. In about fifteen minutes I had the first round of breakfast done. I made a double batch so we'll have tomorrow morning covered as well.
I've put the last two kids on the bus and now I'm just taking a moment to catch my breath. If I make enough of tonight's dinner to cover lunches tomorrow, I'm in the clear. Whew!
I'm definitely getting some bulk cooking done this weekend!
Dinner was the first order of business. I decided I needed to make enough to cover lunches the next day, so that's why the proportions seem huge.
I put some tvp in the oven to bake. I've taken Russell's tvp recipe and whittled it down to this:
6 cups tvp
6 cups water
1 Tbs oregano
1 Tbs basil
4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup tamari
This fits nicely on my largest cookie sheet. In fact, I grease the cookie sheet and then combine all the ingredients on it. Less dirty dishes are always a good thing! I bake it at 425 degrees until browned. I like to get it in the oven first to maximize browning time.
Next, I put up a pot of water to boil for the pasta. I chopped some onions and some carrots and tossed them into a pot with a little olive oil. Once they began to soften, I added some garlic. I sliced some collards into thin ribbons and tossed them in as well. I let the collards wilt and finally, I added a large can of tomato sauce plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. I let this simmer while the pasta finished cooking.
Dinner made it to the table with a little time to spare, although I had to eat standing up. I dashed out the door to knitting and made it there on time. Score one for me.
I did drive past Stewarts on the way home, but I couldn't bear the thought of buying bread knowing I already had lunches covered. Breakfast was the final challenge and I was too tired to do anything about it last night. Time for plan B.
This morning I set the griddle to heat while I mixed up a batch of pancake batter, with currants and sunflower seeds for better holding power and nutrition. At this point, I can make pancake batter with very little thought or effort. In about fifteen minutes I had the first round of breakfast done. I made a double batch so we'll have tomorrow morning covered as well.
I've put the last two kids on the bus and now I'm just taking a moment to catch my breath. If I make enough of tonight's dinner to cover lunches tomorrow, I'm in the clear. Whew!
I'm definitely getting some bulk cooking done this weekend!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
There's Nothing Left!
It had to happen sooner or later and it finally did. I've run out of food from my bulk cooking sessions. The last of the red lentil loaf, this time served topped with tomato sauce, is heading out of the house in today's lunches. The last of the homemade granola was packed into Jim's cooler as a midmorning snack. I even used the last slices of Barbara's bread to make toast for the first round of people heading out of the house at 7:00am this morning (Jim, Tasha and Leenie).
I need to get some cooking done to get me through to Saturday. At the very least I need something for quick breakfasts and bread for sandwiches. I don't need to shop, my pantry is well stocked and I have plenty of frozen bananas, so banana bread is an easy choice for breakfasts. My real problem is that I'm working from 8:30 until 3:30 and I have my knitting class from 7:00 to 9:00 tonight. That leaves me a very small window of time to get a lot done, including making dinner and helping with homework!
Deep breaths, visualize success and, if all else fails, stop at Stewarts on the way home from knitting to get a loaf of bread:)
I need to get some cooking done to get me through to Saturday. At the very least I need something for quick breakfasts and bread for sandwiches. I don't need to shop, my pantry is well stocked and I have plenty of frozen bananas, so banana bread is an easy choice for breakfasts. My real problem is that I'm working from 8:30 until 3:30 and I have my knitting class from 7:00 to 9:00 tonight. That leaves me a very small window of time to get a lot done, including making dinner and helping with homework!
Deep breaths, visualize success and, if all else fails, stop at Stewarts on the way home from knitting to get a loaf of bread:)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Feeding the Family Frugally on the Road
We took the long way home from the Adirondacks yesterday. We detoured through Lake George to see the ice sculptures, one of which was a slide for the kids. They sat on little pads while sliding but they all had cold tushies afterwards!
We then meandered down to our favorite thrift store in Glens Falls. We had a nice visit with the staff there, who all know the kids by name. My thrift store coups were a 1 liter thermos with carrying case for 99 cents (Now I can answer my afternoon coffee craving at work without spending a penny!) and a cast iron frying pan for $2.99!
When we were finally ready to hit the road, we were all starving. We stopped at the Hannaford down the road from the thrift store and got:
2 containers of hummus $8.98
2 packages large whole wheat tortillas $7.98 (I won't buy tortillas if they have hydrogenated oil or aren't whole wheat and this definitely jacks the price up. ALso its hard to comparison shop with hungry kids clamoring around you.)
1 six pack of bottled water $1.67
large container of salad from the salad bar $7.98
Riding in the passenger's seat, I assembled the feast. Take one tortilla, plop 1/6 of a container of hummus onto it. Fold the tortilla in half to spread the hummus. Open tortilla and place a handful of salad into the center. Fold the bottom of the tortilla in and then fold the sides in. Voila, 2 wraps each for 6 people for $25.52. Delicious and fun to eat.
We then meandered down to our favorite thrift store in Glens Falls. We had a nice visit with the staff there, who all know the kids by name. My thrift store coups were a 1 liter thermos with carrying case for 99 cents (Now I can answer my afternoon coffee craving at work without spending a penny!) and a cast iron frying pan for $2.99!
When we were finally ready to hit the road, we were all starving. We stopped at the Hannaford down the road from the thrift store and got:
2 containers of hummus $8.98
2 packages large whole wheat tortillas $7.98 (I won't buy tortillas if they have hydrogenated oil or aren't whole wheat and this definitely jacks the price up. ALso its hard to comparison shop with hungry kids clamoring around you.)
1 six pack of bottled water $1.67
large container of salad from the salad bar $7.98
Riding in the passenger's seat, I assembled the feast. Take one tortilla, plop 1/6 of a container of hummus onto it. Fold the tortilla in half to spread the hummus. Open tortilla and place a handful of salad into the center. Fold the bottom of the tortilla in and then fold the sides in. Voila, 2 wraps each for 6 people for $25.52. Delicious and fun to eat.
Monday, February 19, 2007
The Best Things in Life are Free
We've spent this past weekend in the very snowy Adirondacks. There's at least 3 feet of snow on the ground! I know that's nothing compared to other places but it sure seems like a lot to me.
Last year we found ourselves snow tubing for free at the local recreation center. This year we snow tubed in an unlikely place that was a 2 minute walk from our house, the local beach. Someone mentioned doing this over the summer and we were all intrigued. There's a sloped, curving path down to the beach that made a great snow tubing run. The kids had a blast. We were even able to bring our lab mix, Biscuit, who very much enjoyed tunneling around in the deep snow and chasing the kids on snow tubes.
Since we were tubing so close to the house, we were able to do it several times over the weekend. We were even able to include people who weren't able to make it up in time for our original planned day of tubing. Perhaps the best part was the kids were just as happy, possibly more so, as if we had gone someplace more extravagant.
Last year we found ourselves snow tubing for free at the local recreation center. This year we snow tubed in an unlikely place that was a 2 minute walk from our house, the local beach. Someone mentioned doing this over the summer and we were all intrigued. There's a sloped, curving path down to the beach that made a great snow tubing run. The kids had a blast. We were even able to bring our lab mix, Biscuit, who very much enjoyed tunneling around in the deep snow and chasing the kids on snow tubes.
Since we were tubing so close to the house, we were able to do it several times over the weekend. We were even able to include people who weren't able to make it up in time for our original planned day of tubing. Perhaps the best part was the kids were just as happy, possibly more so, as if we had gone someplace more extravagant.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Friday Freebies
Free Create a Calendar
Free Beading Wire - my daughter is getting into beading
Coupon for free bag of dog or cat food
Free Beading Wire - my daughter is getting into beading
Coupon for free bag of dog or cat food
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Not Gummi Bears, Gummy Squares!
In the grand vernacular of children, Gummi Bears are king. I think they're disgusting and loaded with artificial colors, flavors and often times, hydrogentated oils. I'm not planning on buying them for my kids anytime soon. How do you please the kids without compromising your principles and their health?
We came up with a creative solution to this parental dilemma quite by accident. This past month I bought unsweetened papaya spears from our food cooperative and they were a little chewier than the last time. This resulted in several children refusing to eat them. I tried making them more palatable by cutting them into smaller pieces. It worked like a charm and the gummy square was born!
The boys thought this was the coolest thing and they loved saying, "They're not Gummi Bears, they're Gummy Squares!" Robert especially loved that he could eat these during snack time which is limited to fruits or vegetables in his classroom.
Happy Valentine's Day to all. Its snowing, sleeting, freezing raining in the Hudson Valley and the whole family is home.
We came up with a creative solution to this parental dilemma quite by accident. This past month I bought unsweetened papaya spears from our food cooperative and they were a little chewier than the last time. This resulted in several children refusing to eat them. I tried making them more palatable by cutting them into smaller pieces. It worked like a charm and the gummy square was born!
The boys thought this was the coolest thing and they loved saying, "They're not Gummi Bears, they're Gummy Squares!" Robert especially loved that he could eat these during snack time which is limited to fruits or vegetables in his classroom.
Happy Valentine's Day to all. Its snowing, sleeting, freezing raining in the Hudson Valley and the whole family is home.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Odds & Ends
It looks like the Hudson Valley is going to get its first real snow storm tonight. I'm actually rather psyched about it. The only catch is it has to be enough to shut everything down otherwise it will just be a big pain in my behind.
I did another bulk cooking on Sunday, although this one wasn't as much fun as the others since I mostly worked alone. I'm really enjoying the way bulk cooking has taken pressure off of weeknight cooking. This time I made:
several batches of apple muffins
a quadruple batch of Isa's seitan
2 Red Lentil Loaves plus one batch cooked in muffin tins to try in the lunchbox
a large batch of kidney beans
6 loaves of Barbara's bread
The rest of the family was spread throughout the house working on other projects like laundry and vacuuming.
Jim was installing towel bars in the bathroom to replace the hooks that had seemed like such a good idea but never let the towels dry. In the process of taking down the hooks, Jim discovered that he hadn't painted behind them. When he went to get the can of pain to touch things up he made another discovery. I had used that paint when I mixed up leftover paints to paint the boys room. Fortunately, we had more of the darker green paint that we'd used on the cabinets and we were able to use that on the walls. Since the ceiling is white, it really doesn't make the room look small. Ultimately, I may sponge over it with some white to brighten it up.
I did another bulk cooking on Sunday, although this one wasn't as much fun as the others since I mostly worked alone. I'm really enjoying the way bulk cooking has taken pressure off of weeknight cooking. This time I made:
several batches of apple muffins
a quadruple batch of Isa's seitan
2 Red Lentil Loaves plus one batch cooked in muffin tins to try in the lunchbox
a large batch of kidney beans
6 loaves of Barbara's bread
The rest of the family was spread throughout the house working on other projects like laundry and vacuuming.
Jim was installing towel bars in the bathroom to replace the hooks that had seemed like such a good idea but never let the towels dry. In the process of taking down the hooks, Jim discovered that he hadn't painted behind them. When he went to get the can of pain to touch things up he made another discovery. I had used that paint when I mixed up leftover paints to paint the boys room. Fortunately, we had more of the darker green paint that we'd used on the cabinets and we were able to use that on the walls. Since the ceiling is white, it really doesn't make the room look small. Ultimately, I may sponge over it with some white to brighten it up.
Monday, February 12, 2007
A Few Pictures & Why The Skinny Quilt is Not Worth Adding To
I'll link these up to the posts they belong with later on.
Ruthie wondered if it would be possible to add fabric to the skinny quilt to make it wider. Its a great suggestion but I don't think its worth the effort in this case. The quilts are a bit uneven and lumpy/bumpy because I didn't realize that the edges of storebought quilts usually have the batting rolled. Amy Dacyzyn describes this in detail in the Complete Tightwad Gazette.
This rolling creates a thicker edge or, in the case of a quilt that's been cut down the middle, three thick edges and one skinny one. I suspect adding on to it would make the skinny edge look even skinnier while making the fatter edge look even fatter. I guess what I'm really saying is, it would look shabby and while I'm into frugal, I'm not into looking low quality. This project was clearly a freshman effort at frugality.
Part of what I love about living a frugal life is being able to wow people with my creative solutions. When I made the kitchen towel rack out of an old barbeque grill grate, I was tickled because the finish product looks nothing like the raw materials.
I like Jacq's idea of using them as curtain panels. The skinnier edges could match up in the center making them look more deliberate. Plus I still have the matching pillow cases which could become tie backs. Part of being frugal is looking at old things in new ways.
Here's a peek at the dreaded skinny quilt
Here's a peek at one of the the blankets I crocheted for the boys last year.
Here's a peek at the denim quilt, no peeking at the mess on the floor around the quilt!
Ruthie wondered if it would be possible to add fabric to the skinny quilt to make it wider. Its a great suggestion but I don't think its worth the effort in this case. The quilts are a bit uneven and lumpy/bumpy because I didn't realize that the edges of storebought quilts usually have the batting rolled. Amy Dacyzyn describes this in detail in the Complete Tightwad Gazette.
This rolling creates a thicker edge or, in the case of a quilt that's been cut down the middle, three thick edges and one skinny one. I suspect adding on to it would make the skinny edge look even skinnier while making the fatter edge look even fatter. I guess what I'm really saying is, it would look shabby and while I'm into frugal, I'm not into looking low quality. This project was clearly a freshman effort at frugality.
Part of what I love about living a frugal life is being able to wow people with my creative solutions. When I made the kitchen towel rack out of an old barbeque grill grate, I was tickled because the finish product looks nothing like the raw materials.
I like Jacq's idea of using them as curtain panels. The skinnier edges could match up in the center making them look more deliberate. Plus I still have the matching pillow cases which could become tie backs. Part of being frugal is looking at old things in new ways.
Here's a peek at the dreaded skinny quilt
Here's a peek at one of the the blankets I crocheted for the boys last year.
Here's a peek at the denim quilt, no peeking at the mess on the floor around the quilt!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Beware the Skinny Quilt!
You never know where you're going to meet a fellow thrift store shopper. Last night at knitting class, the teacher confessed in conversation that she found the sweater she was wearing at the local Salvation Army thrift store. It was hand knit and had really lovely detail. I wouldn't have pegged her as the thrift store type. It just shows you can never tell.
The skinny quilts were one of my early frugal projects. I took an older queen size quilt, cut it in half and then covered the two halves in matching sheets that I no longer used. The result was matching quilts for my sons that were the perfect size for their bunkbeds. That was about 4 years ago and they've worked wonderfully up until now. As the boys have gotten bigger the narrowness of these quilts which was such an asset in the beginning has become a source of aggravation since everytime they roll over, they uncover part of their body.
Although the boys deny that there's any problem and insist they love their current quilts, it looks like I'll be making two heavy quilts in the very near future. To avoid this pitfall, make sure you have at least a 12 inch overhang on both sides when making a quilt. Thankfully I did this with the denim quilts
The skinny quilts were one of my early frugal projects. I took an older queen size quilt, cut it in half and then covered the two halves in matching sheets that I no longer used. The result was matching quilts for my sons that were the perfect size for their bunkbeds. That was about 4 years ago and they've worked wonderfully up until now. As the boys have gotten bigger the narrowness of these quilts which was such an asset in the beginning has become a source of aggravation since everytime they roll over, they uncover part of their body.
Although the boys deny that there's any problem and insist they love their current quilts, it looks like I'll be making two heavy quilts in the very near future. To avoid this pitfall, make sure you have at least a 12 inch overhang on both sides when making a quilt. Thankfully I did this with the denim quilts
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Lovely Lentils!
I tried a new lentil soup recipe yesterday and it was unbelievably good. I found it at The Vegetarian Group. The recipe is called Lentil Soup with Spinach, although I used collards since I didn't have any spinach on hand. We served it last night with Ruthie's cornbread recipe which is the simpliest cornbread recipe with the most consistently delicious results that I've ever encountered.
We've done more sprouting with excellent results. The whole family is getting a bit addicted to watching the sprouts sprout. Although my family assures me that they will eat them in Cold Thai Noodles forevermore, I need to find some more main dish recipes to use them in.
Tonight I'm heading out to a knitting class offered through the continuing ed department of a local school district. I really enjoyed last week, we learned the knit stitch (I'm not sure if I'm saying that right). Tonight we learn to cast on and then the fun really begins!
We've done more sprouting with excellent results. The whole family is getting a bit addicted to watching the sprouts sprout. Although my family assures me that they will eat them in Cold Thai Noodles forevermore, I need to find some more main dish recipes to use them in.
Tonight I'm heading out to a knitting class offered through the continuing ed department of a local school district. I really enjoyed last week, we learned the knit stitch (I'm not sure if I'm saying that right). Tonight we learn to cast on and then the fun really begins!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
A Taxing Time of Year?
Today we take a brief detour from all this talk of food...
Its already February, no doubt your W-2's have already made their way to you. So dive in and get things going. Jim and I are huge fans of Turbo Tax. We've used it for years without problems. It helps that our finances are fairly straight forward and uncomplicated. However, the program seems to have the capability to take on far more complex tax returns with its easy interview style and copious help screens.
If you've begun to twitch at the notion of doing your taxes period, consider this very simple way to make future tax times infinitely easier. Start by setting up a file folder to put tax info that you recieve during the year. If you make a charitable donation, put the reciept into the folder. If you do an energy improving home repair, it might net a tax deduction, put the receipts into the folder. Medical bills that might be necessary at tax time go in the folder as well.
Having everything in one place at tax time helps ensure you get all the deductions you are entitled to. It also makes sitting down to do the taxes a much less daunting task. Besides, even if you chicken out and decide to take your taxes to an accountant, he'll be grateful for your organization.
As for actually submitting your tax return, we think filing online is the way to go. Its quick, its convenient, its reliable and, even though there is a charge for it, it gets you your refund significantly faster.
One final note, in our opinion it ain't frugal to fudge! Take the deductions you're entitled to this year, make changes to your payroll deductions if you wound up owing but don't take deductions you aren't entitled to! For me, the stress/guilt of knowing I fudged would far outweigh any extra money recieved. Besides, those penalties really add up quickly.
Its already February, no doubt your W-2's have already made their way to you. So dive in and get things going. Jim and I are huge fans of Turbo Tax. We've used it for years without problems. It helps that our finances are fairly straight forward and uncomplicated. However, the program seems to have the capability to take on far more complex tax returns with its easy interview style and copious help screens.
If you've begun to twitch at the notion of doing your taxes period, consider this very simple way to make future tax times infinitely easier. Start by setting up a file folder to put tax info that you recieve during the year. If you make a charitable donation, put the reciept into the folder. If you do an energy improving home repair, it might net a tax deduction, put the receipts into the folder. Medical bills that might be necessary at tax time go in the folder as well.
Having everything in one place at tax time helps ensure you get all the deductions you are entitled to. It also makes sitting down to do the taxes a much less daunting task. Besides, even if you chicken out and decide to take your taxes to an accountant, he'll be grateful for your organization.
As for actually submitting your tax return, we think filing online is the way to go. Its quick, its convenient, its reliable and, even though there is a charge for it, it gets you your refund significantly faster.
One final note, in our opinion it ain't frugal to fudge! Take the deductions you're entitled to this year, make changes to your payroll deductions if you wound up owing but don't take deductions you aren't entitled to! For me, the stress/guilt of knowing I fudged would far outweigh any extra money recieved. Besides, those penalties really add up quickly.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Split Pea Soup
By request, here's my spli pea soup recipe. In the early days of our vegetarianism, I would add things like seasoned tofu or bac'un bits to take the place of the ham. Now I really find we don't need to. The recipe I use is based on the one in Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook circa 1990. You can easily halve this recipe if you're not cooking for a crowd but if I were you, I'd make it and freeze half.
Split Pea Soup
4 cups dried split peas, rinsed
16 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme (I use whichever I have)
2 bay leaves
4-6 carrots, diced
4-6 stalks of celery, chopped (I frequently substitute collard or kale stems. I've even used celeriac in place of the celery.)
2 large onions, chopped
Place everything in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the peas are tender. Remove the bay leaves. I usually take a potato masher and mash everything before serving but if you don't mind a chunky soup you can skip this step.
My whole family loves this soup. We've tried other variations that use basil or oregano but we always come back to this one.
I haven't forgotten about the white beans that are going to become a sandwich spread. Its just that the original batch got used in a soup.
Split Pea Soup
4 cups dried split peas, rinsed
16 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme (I use whichever I have)
2 bay leaves
4-6 carrots, diced
4-6 stalks of celery, chopped (I frequently substitute collard or kale stems. I've even used celeriac in place of the celery.)
2 large onions, chopped
Place everything in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the peas are tender. Remove the bay leaves. I usually take a potato masher and mash everything before serving but if you don't mind a chunky soup you can skip this step.
My whole family loves this soup. We've tried other variations that use basil or oregano but we always come back to this one.
I haven't forgotten about the white beans that are going to become a sandwich spread. Its just that the original batch got used in a soup.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Friday Freebies
These are to help those of you with kids get ready for Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day coloring pages
Valentines for the kids to make
Valentine's Day coloring pages
Valentines for the kids to make
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Bagels for Beginners
Bagels are really not much harder to make than a loaf of bread. However, they can be a bit time consuming since cooking them involves a two step process. First, they are boiled to give them a chewy texture and then they are baked to finish the cooking process. I like to surrender to the bagel making process and make a monsterous batch. After a few times, the process becomes very rhythmic and relaxing. Robert, who's 7, thought this was great fun.
The recipe I used was inspired by the cinnamon yeast bread recipe in Rhonda Barfield's Feed Your Family for $12 a Day. I mix my bread dough in an old fashioned bread bucket but I'm certain a Kitchen Aid type mixer would work well too.
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Combine:
4 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
2 tsp salt
3 Tbs blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
Let this sit and begin to bubble for about 15 minutes. Then add:
8-9 cups of whole wheat bread flour
Once its all combined, I stir it (this takes the place of kneading) for about 12 minutes in my bread bucket. Cover and let sit 15 minutes. Divide dough into four large balls. Flatten the balls out slightly and sprinkle the following over the top of each dough ball:
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
a handful of raisins
Work these into the the dough and divide each ball into 6-12 little balls, depending on how large you want your bagels to be. You'll find that cinnamon and sugar shoot out of the dough as you do this, once you've made the ball roll it in what has ended up on the table.
Flatten these out and stick your finger in the center to make the hole. Place them on a greased cookie sheet and cover. Let rise for 30 minutes. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add 1 tsp of sugar to help with browing and reduce to a simmer. Add four bagels to the water. Simmer for 3 minutes, then turn and simmer 4 minutes on the other side. Take out of the water with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Place back on the greased cookie sheet. This is the step that takes the most time. Repeat with remaining bagels. Once you have a full cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
When you are done simmering the bagels, you're left with water that has a fair amount of cinnamon and raisins in it. We used it to make oatmeal.
The recipe I used was inspired by the cinnamon yeast bread recipe in Rhonda Barfield's Feed Your Family for $12 a Day. I mix my bread dough in an old fashioned bread bucket but I'm certain a Kitchen Aid type mixer would work well too.
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Combine:
4 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
2 tsp salt
3 Tbs blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
Let this sit and begin to bubble for about 15 minutes. Then add:
8-9 cups of whole wheat bread flour
Once its all combined, I stir it (this takes the place of kneading) for about 12 minutes in my bread bucket. Cover and let sit 15 minutes. Divide dough into four large balls. Flatten the balls out slightly and sprinkle the following over the top of each dough ball:
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
a handful of raisins
Work these into the the dough and divide each ball into 6-12 little balls, depending on how large you want your bagels to be. You'll find that cinnamon and sugar shoot out of the dough as you do this, once you've made the ball roll it in what has ended up on the table.
Flatten these out and stick your finger in the center to make the hole. Place them on a greased cookie sheet and cover. Let rise for 30 minutes. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add 1 tsp of sugar to help with browing and reduce to a simmer. Add four bagels to the water. Simmer for 3 minutes, then turn and simmer 4 minutes on the other side. Take out of the water with a slotted spoon and pat dry. Place back on the greased cookie sheet. This is the step that takes the most time. Repeat with remaining bagels. Once you have a full cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
When you are done simmering the bagels, you're left with water that has a fair amount of cinnamon and raisins in it. We used it to make oatmeal.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Bulk Cooking With the Boys
Here's what we made on Sunday. Remember the list is based on my sons' requests with a little guidance from mom.
A large pot of split pea soup
A large pot of chickpeas that became Cheezy Chickpeas and Hummus using recipes from the Vegan Lunchbox
A double batch of a Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe that I adapted from Feed Your Family For $12 per Day which was made into 96 bagels
Vegan Cheez Crackers, there's no time in my world to shape them into goldfish! I used whole wheat pastry flour in mine.
a large pot of white beans that will become a sandwich spread
5 loaves of banana bread
a double batch of oatmeal crispy cookies (which were not at all crispy)
Yesterday, for lunch and snack they took cheez crackers and hummus (the goal was to dip the cheeze cracker into the hummus. It seemed to work because there was none of either left). The cheezy chickpeas were eaten at snack time along with and carrot coins. Two oatmeal crispy cookies finished out lunch. They both demolished the lunches.
The hummus recipe that Jennifer has in The Vegan Lunchbox is delightfully generic in that no taste is too strong. Personally, I love the slightly overpowering garlicky taste of more traditional hummus but, alas, I am alone in this. However, even I really enjoyed this hummus recipe.
Naturally, the crackers are long gone but there is still some hummus left. I attempted to make a zweiback toast to go along with the remaining hummus. We'll see how that is recieved today. Split pea soup was also requested to go along with lunch. So far my sons are thrilled with the input they've had into their lunches even though it meant they had to help in the cooking process.
Bagel making was actually a lot of fun, I'll detail the process tomorrow.
A large pot of split pea soup
A large pot of chickpeas that became Cheezy Chickpeas and Hummus using recipes from the Vegan Lunchbox
A double batch of a Cinnamon Raisin Bread recipe that I adapted from Feed Your Family For $12 per Day which was made into 96 bagels
Vegan Cheez Crackers, there's no time in my world to shape them into goldfish! I used whole wheat pastry flour in mine.
a large pot of white beans that will become a sandwich spread
5 loaves of banana bread
a double batch of oatmeal crispy cookies (which were not at all crispy)
Yesterday, for lunch and snack they took cheez crackers and hummus (the goal was to dip the cheeze cracker into the hummus. It seemed to work because there was none of either left). The cheezy chickpeas were eaten at snack time along with and carrot coins. Two oatmeal crispy cookies finished out lunch. They both demolished the lunches.
The hummus recipe that Jennifer has in The Vegan Lunchbox is delightfully generic in that no taste is too strong. Personally, I love the slightly overpowering garlicky taste of more traditional hummus but, alas, I am alone in this. However, even I really enjoyed this hummus recipe.
Naturally, the crackers are long gone but there is still some hummus left. I attempted to make a zweiback toast to go along with the remaining hummus. We'll see how that is recieved today. Split pea soup was also requested to go along with lunch. So far my sons are thrilled with the input they've had into their lunches even though it meant they had to help in the cooking process.
Bagel making was actually a lot of fun, I'll detail the process tomorrow.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Sprouts and Bulk Cooking a Lunch Menu
My sprouting attempt went very well. As planned we added the sprouts to the Cold Thai Sesame Noodles and the results were delicious. The sprouter lids really did make the whole process incredibly easy. I'll be starting up a new batch this afternoon. I'd like to get in the habit of starting sprouts a day or two apart to give us a constant supply.
Its kind of addictive watching the sprouts grow. For gardeners, its got to be the closest thing to instant gratification that there is. The boys really got a kick out of watching them as well.
Speaking of my sons, bulk cooking on Sunday revolved largley around their lunches this time around. They were developing "look at all the crap in my friends lunch box" envy and had begun to beg for a taste here and there. It seemed like the right time to give them a greater say in their noontime meal.
I started by having Rob list his favorite lunches. Then, to get ready for our own version of the vegan lunch box, we went right to the source. I had Rob peruse my copy of The Vegan Lunch Box as well as several other cookbooks.
I'll be reviewing the total cooking experience as well as his reactions to our creations tomorrow. This much I already know, the cinnamon raisin bagels we made are a HUGE hit with everyone in the house
Its kind of addictive watching the sprouts grow. For gardeners, its got to be the closest thing to instant gratification that there is. The boys really got a kick out of watching them as well.
Speaking of my sons, bulk cooking on Sunday revolved largley around their lunches this time around. They were developing "look at all the crap in my friends lunch box" envy and had begun to beg for a taste here and there. It seemed like the right time to give them a greater say in their noontime meal.
I started by having Rob list his favorite lunches. Then, to get ready for our own version of the vegan lunch box, we went right to the source. I had Rob peruse my copy of The Vegan Lunch Box as well as several other cookbooks.
I'll be reviewing the total cooking experience as well as his reactions to our creations tomorrow. This much I already know, the cinnamon raisin bagels we made are a HUGE hit with everyone in the house
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Isa Chandra Moskowitz NY Times Article
I just found out about this article from one of the vegetarian lists I belong to. Its definitely worth a read.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Featuring My Special Guest Cooks
Its Regents week for my daughters. That means they have testing on some days but no school on several days. Yesterday Leenie decided to use her day off to make dinner. She was able to get her youngest brother, Kyle, in on the act as well.
She made pizza using the frozen pizza dough that we made this weekend. To get the dough to defrost quickly, she placed it, in its container, on my unheated cast iron griddle and let it sit for a few hours. A few years back they were marketing some magical metal doodad that you placed things on to speed up defrosting time but a cast iron griddle sitting on your countertop works just as well.
They even made the buffalo mosterella cheeze from Joanne Stepaniak's Uncheese Cookbook. The pizza was delicious!
I'm a drop cookie kind of a mom but Leenie and Kyle took the time to make a batch of heart shaped molasses cookies for dessert! They even cleaned up the kitchen. They must have had telepathy because I got home from work late yesterday.
She made pizza using the frozen pizza dough that we made this weekend. To get the dough to defrost quickly, she placed it, in its container, on my unheated cast iron griddle and let it sit for a few hours. A few years back they were marketing some magical metal doodad that you placed things on to speed up defrosting time but a cast iron griddle sitting on your countertop works just as well.
They even made the buffalo mosterella cheeze from Joanne Stepaniak's Uncheese Cookbook. The pizza was delicious!
I'm a drop cookie kind of a mom but Leenie and Kyle took the time to make a batch of heart shaped molasses cookies for dessert! They even cleaned up the kitchen. They must have had telepathy because I got home from work late yesterday.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
What's Sprouting at My House
I'm giving sprouting a try again. I broke down and purchased Sprout-Ease 3 Screen sprouter lids. These fit on top of wide mouth mason jars, which I happen to have plenty of. In the past I've tried this using cheese cloth stretched across the top of mason jars anchored with canning rings. I found it to be a huge pain in the behind.
These lids, on the other hand, are incredibly easy to work with. We're on day 3 of alfalfa sprouts and mung bean sprouts. Both should be ready to harvest tonight or tomorrow at the latest. We're going to try them in Cold Thai Sesame Noodles. I suppose its about time we did since that's what the original recipe calls for!
I like the idea of sprouting because its another way to cut our food costs while eating plenty of fresh veggies. I don't think anyone should skimp on their fruit and veggie intake, not even in the name of frugality. Its also a way to keep the gardening, which I miss so much, going in the winter. I'm curious to see how this turns out.
BTW, I did not purchase the sprouter lids directly from this website so I don't know what their customer service is like. I bought mine from my food cooperative for about half the price listed on that website.
These lids, on the other hand, are incredibly easy to work with. We're on day 3 of alfalfa sprouts and mung bean sprouts. Both should be ready to harvest tonight or tomorrow at the latest. We're going to try them in Cold Thai Sesame Noodles. I suppose its about time we did since that's what the original recipe calls for!
I like the idea of sprouting because its another way to cut our food costs while eating plenty of fresh veggies. I don't think anyone should skimp on their fruit and veggie intake, not even in the name of frugality. Its also a way to keep the gardening, which I miss so much, going in the winter. I'm curious to see how this turns out.
BTW, I did not purchase the sprouter lids directly from this website so I don't know what their customer service is like. I bought mine from my food cooperative for about half the price listed on that website.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Sunday in the Kitchen
We had a more organized and formal attempt at bulk cooking yesterday. Everyone in the family was involved and as a result we made:
2 batches of minestrone soup
2 batches of pasta e fagioli soup
2 batched of chili
6 loaves of bread
dough for 16 pizza crusts
4 dozen pumpkin muffins with currants and walnuts
guacamole
Having a game plan certainly saved a lot of time and effort. It allowed us to concentrate our efforts by chopping all the onions, garlic, etc at one time. We also made a deal to stop by 3pm to allow everyone to take a break and reflect on the whole process.
In order to involve my 6 & 7 yr old, we found jobs that could be done without much help or supervision from us. Kyle spent a good deal of time tearing the collards off their stems while Rob peeled garlic. Leen spent a good deal of time on clean up while Tasha did a lot of cutting and gathering of ingredients. Jim & I filled in the gaps.
There were a few gaffs along the way. I forgot to let the baked squash drain before pureeing it for the pumpkin muffins. To save the muffins from becoming a crumbly mess, I added a cup of flaxseed meal to the batter (this works out to 1/4 cup per 12 muffins). Thankfully, this did the trick. The muffins were delicious.
I know I've said this before but I'd like to build on this. By combining my last bulk cooking effort with this one, we could really cover a lot of ground. Now I just have to present my findings to the committee!
2 batches of minestrone soup
2 batches of pasta e fagioli soup
2 batched of chili
6 loaves of bread
dough for 16 pizza crusts
4 dozen pumpkin muffins with currants and walnuts
guacamole
Having a game plan certainly saved a lot of time and effort. It allowed us to concentrate our efforts by chopping all the onions, garlic, etc at one time. We also made a deal to stop by 3pm to allow everyone to take a break and reflect on the whole process.
In order to involve my 6 & 7 yr old, we found jobs that could be done without much help or supervision from us. Kyle spent a good deal of time tearing the collards off their stems while Rob peeled garlic. Leen spent a good deal of time on clean up while Tasha did a lot of cutting and gathering of ingredients. Jim & I filled in the gaps.
There were a few gaffs along the way. I forgot to let the baked squash drain before pureeing it for the pumpkin muffins. To save the muffins from becoming a crumbly mess, I added a cup of flaxseed meal to the batter (this works out to 1/4 cup per 12 muffins). Thankfully, this did the trick. The muffins were delicious.
I know I've said this before but I'd like to build on this. By combining my last bulk cooking effort with this one, we could really cover a lot of ground. Now I just have to present my findings to the committee!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Friday Freebies
Make your own gift certificates for next holiday season
Make Your Own Personalized books - this looks really cool for anyone with kids.
Here's a slightly unusual freebie but it has potential to be very eye opening. Annette and Steve Economides will be on 20/20 tonight. The episode is entitled Begging & Borrowing in America. It will look at consumer debt in America.
Have a great weekend!
Make Your Own Personalized books - this looks really cool for anyone with kids.
Here's a slightly unusual freebie but it has potential to be very eye opening. Annette and Steve Economides will be on 20/20 tonight. The episode is entitled Begging & Borrowing in America. It will look at consumer debt in America.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Links To The Newly Added Pictures
I added some pictures to older posts but I'm going to group them all together under the topic "photos" to make them easier to find. Thanks to Crystal for pointing out the need for this.
One of my earliest quilting projects was refurbishing my sons quilts. These had been bought at the end of the back to school season, ridiculously marked down but the fabric shell didn't wash well. You may be thinking who needs to wash quilts frequently? Any mother with small sons will tell you, you'd be amazed at how often their bedding becomes fouled beyond belief.
Using two of the extra heavy cotton bedsheets I inherited from my grandmother, I let each of the boys decorate what would become their new top of the quilt. Since these quilts were the ones used in the Adirondacks, I used fleece blankets for the back cover. The fleece blankets had been used on their toddler beds. The shorter and wider dimensions of the fleece blankets required that I cut one side and piece together the bottom but honestly this sounds much harder than it was. Fleece is extremely forgiving fabric to work with as the pile hides most of your stitches.
I used embroidery thread to knot the quilt to keep the original quilt from shifting around in its new cover. Here's what the final products look like.
BTW if you're looking for pictures of the denim quilt they haven't been posted yet. I still have to pull the quilts out of the closet to take the picture of them.
One of my earliest quilting projects was refurbishing my sons quilts. These had been bought at the end of the back to school season, ridiculously marked down but the fabric shell didn't wash well. You may be thinking who needs to wash quilts frequently? Any mother with small sons will tell you, you'd be amazed at how often their bedding becomes fouled beyond belief.
Using two of the extra heavy cotton bedsheets I inherited from my grandmother, I let each of the boys decorate what would become their new top of the quilt. Since these quilts were the ones used in the Adirondacks, I used fleece blankets for the back cover. The fleece blankets had been used on their toddler beds. The shorter and wider dimensions of the fleece blankets required that I cut one side and piece together the bottom but honestly this sounds much harder than it was. Fleece is extremely forgiving fabric to work with as the pile hides most of your stitches.
I used embroidery thread to knot the quilt to keep the original quilt from shifting around in its new cover. Here's what the final products look like.
BTW if you're looking for pictures of the denim quilt they haven't been posted yet. I still have to pull the quilts out of the closet to take the picture of them.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Baby Its Cold Outside
Its cold in NY! I have a day off during the week for the first time in months tomorrow! Aside from the zillions of things I need to do around the house, there's a thrift store I've been meaning to check out. So many decisions to make.
All kidding aside, I've set my sights on organizing my sewing projects tomorrow. There's the last panel of the curtain for the cabin. Longtime readers know that this has been an unfinished project for at least a year. There are jeans to be cut into square for future quilts. There are also miscellaneous clothes and scraps of fabric that need to find a home. I hope to fit the final pile into a laundry basket sized basket. Right now its growing and spreading like the blob.
I'm also hoping to begin adding photos to my blog with a little help from my daughter, Leenie. You'll finally get a peek at the quilt the kids made, the denim quilts I made, the bedspread curtain and more.
All kidding aside, I've set my sights on organizing my sewing projects tomorrow. There's the last panel of the curtain for the cabin. Longtime readers know that this has been an unfinished project for at least a year. There are jeans to be cut into square for future quilts. There are also miscellaneous clothes and scraps of fabric that need to find a home. I hope to fit the final pile into a laundry basket sized basket. Right now its growing and spreading like the blob.
I'm also hoping to begin adding photos to my blog with a little help from my daughter, Leenie. You'll finally get a peek at the quilt the kids made, the denim quilts I made, the bedspread curtain and more.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Breads & Books
I shared Barbara's bread recipe with a coworker who was very impressed after tasting a bite of it. She couldn't believe the taste, texture and, above all else, the softness of it.
When I made my batch this week, I shaped one recipe's worth into rolls and rolled them in sesame seeds. I did this after the first rising. Then, I let them rise along with the regular loaves of bread. I baked them for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. The results were quite good, although I think 20 minutes might have been a bit too long. I'll experiment more and share what I discover.
The main thing is, I finally had whole wheat rolls to put my veggie burgers on without mortgaging the house! Speaking of veggie burgers, my most common veggie burger recipe is leftovers plus a binder to hold them together but if you are ever looking for a truly great veggie burger recipe, check out the one in Vegan with a Vengeance.
Here's what I'm reading after a trip to the library this weekend:
Frozen Assets Lite & Easy by Deborah Taylor-Hough
Healthy at 100 by John Robbins
Enough is Enough, Exploding the Myth of Having It All by Carol Orsborn
When I made my batch this week, I shaped one recipe's worth into rolls and rolled them in sesame seeds. I did this after the first rising. Then, I let them rise along with the regular loaves of bread. I baked them for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. The results were quite good, although I think 20 minutes might have been a bit too long. I'll experiment more and share what I discover.
The main thing is, I finally had whole wheat rolls to put my veggie burgers on without mortgaging the house! Speaking of veggie burgers, my most common veggie burger recipe is leftovers plus a binder to hold them together but if you are ever looking for a truly great veggie burger recipe, check out the one in Vegan with a Vengeance.
Here's what I'm reading after a trip to the library this weekend:
Frozen Assets Lite & Easy by Deborah Taylor-Hough
Healthy at 100 by John Robbins
Enough is Enough, Exploding the Myth of Having It All by Carol Orsborn
Friday, January 12, 2007
Friday Freebies
Beano Sample This could be especially useful for anyone making their first foray into bean dishes!
Free Vegetarian Starter Kit You can order a hard copy or download one instead.
Free Shampoo recipes These look intriguing although I think I'd skip the MSM - sounds too creepy to me.
Free Vegetarian Starter Kit You can order a hard copy or download one instead.
Free Shampoo recipes These look intriguing although I think I'd skip the MSM - sounds too creepy to me.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Pineapple Ice Cream
Last night I had a change of heart and made Fettucini Alfreda from VwaV. We threw in broccoli and sliced carrots. It was a big hit.
Last month our food cooperative had number 10 cans of organic pineapple on sale. After you eat all the pineapple, you're left with a considerable amount of pineapple juice. The boys are always willing to just drink the juice but I wanted to do something different with it. Here's what I came up with:
Pineapple Ice Cream (or if slushie if you prefer)
Combine the following in a high power blender:
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
approximately 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 Tbs vanilla sugar (optional)
1 tray of ice cubes
I mixed this in my Vita-Mix on high power for about 30 seconds. If the mixture is more like a slushie and you want it firmer, you can add extra ice cubes or throw it in the freezer for a bit. My Vita-Mix has a tamper that you can use to press the mixture into the blades while the blender is running. This makes it easier to mix something more solid, like this recipe. If you are using a different blender you might need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
This was a huge hit with the kids.
Last month our food cooperative had number 10 cans of organic pineapple on sale. After you eat all the pineapple, you're left with a considerable amount of pineapple juice. The boys are always willing to just drink the juice but I wanted to do something different with it. Here's what I came up with:
Pineapple Ice Cream (or if slushie if you prefer)
Combine the following in a high power blender:
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
approximately 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 Tbs vanilla sugar (optional)
1 tray of ice cubes
I mixed this in my Vita-Mix on high power for about 30 seconds. If the mixture is more like a slushie and you want it firmer, you can add extra ice cubes or throw it in the freezer for a bit. My Vita-Mix has a tamper that you can use to press the mixture into the blades while the blender is running. This makes it easier to mix something more solid, like this recipe. If you are using a different blender you might need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
This was a huge hit with the kids.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
A Bread Storage Tip
Its week two of my "back to homemade bread" resolution. Last night I made another six loaves. I've found a unique way of cutting the cooling time while avoiding soggy bread due to condensation inside the container.
After taking it out of the oven, I let the bread cool for about five minutes before popping the loaves out of their pans. I let the loaves cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then, I take my large stockpot or roasting pan and line the bottom with a clean dish towel. Next I place the loaves into it, not touching the sides of the pot/pan. I place another clean dish towel over the top of the loaves before placing the cover on the pot/pan. In the morning the towels are wet, the sides of the pot/pan are drippy but the bread isn't soggy. Since I seem to be baking my bread in the evening, this system allows me to get into bed without having to wait for the bread to cool first.
In freezer news, there seems to be a great deal of chopped fennel in my freezer. I used some last night in a lentil casserole last night and it was quite good. I might try sneaking some into the chickpeas I plan to make tonight. Also on tonight's agenda, making some breakfast muffins using some of the multitude of apple butter that is in the freezer.
After taking it out of the oven, I let the bread cool for about five minutes before popping the loaves out of their pans. I let the loaves cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then, I take my large stockpot or roasting pan and line the bottom with a clean dish towel. Next I place the loaves into it, not touching the sides of the pot/pan. I place another clean dish towel over the top of the loaves before placing the cover on the pot/pan. In the morning the towels are wet, the sides of the pot/pan are drippy but the bread isn't soggy. Since I seem to be baking my bread in the evening, this system allows me to get into bed without having to wait for the bread to cool first.
In freezer news, there seems to be a great deal of chopped fennel in my freezer. I used some last night in a lentil casserole last night and it was quite good. I might try sneaking some into the chickpeas I plan to make tonight. Also on tonight's agenda, making some breakfast muffins using some of the multitude of apple butter that is in the freezer.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Cuban Black Beans & Black Bean Soup
I love when the leftovers of one meal naturally lend themselves to become part of the next nights meal. This Cuban Black Bean recipe into Black Bean Soup is a great example of this.
Cuban Black Beans
Combine the following:
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cook 2 minutes over medium heat and then add in:
2 tsp chili powder
Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add in:
4 cups cooked black beans
a pinch of sugar
1 bay leaf
3-4 cups water, enough to cover beans
Simmer over low heat uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and add:
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
Use a slotted spoon to serve this over rice with salsa.
This recipe inevitably leaves you with a lot of leftover broth, as well as some beans, a bit of rice and a bit of salsa.
Black Bean Soup
In a medium sized pot I combined all the leftovers from the above meal (broth, beans, rice, salsa and any veggies I have served with it)
Add:
chopped carrots
cilantro
container of tomato paste
1-2 tsp of powdered vegetable broth
I heated this until the carrots were tender and viola, super simple black bean soup.
Cuban Black Beans
Combine the following:
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cook 2 minutes over medium heat and then add in:
2 tsp chili powder
Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add in:
4 cups cooked black beans
a pinch of sugar
1 bay leaf
3-4 cups water, enough to cover beans
Simmer over low heat uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and add:
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
Use a slotted spoon to serve this over rice with salsa.
This recipe inevitably leaves you with a lot of leftover broth, as well as some beans, a bit of rice and a bit of salsa.
Black Bean Soup
In a medium sized pot I combined all the leftovers from the above meal (broth, beans, rice, salsa and any veggies I have served with it)
Add:
chopped carrots
cilantro
container of tomato paste
1-2 tsp of powdered vegetable broth
I heated this until the carrots were tender and viola, super simple black bean soup.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Quickie Cooking
Since it felt like spring in NY, we spent the weekend doing spring cleaning. The Christmas ornaments are put away, the garage has been reorganized and we've even repaired and moved around some furniture that we'd been meaning to get to for the last several months. As a result there are several boxes waiting to go to our local Salvation Army thrift store.
We kept our cooking simple this weekend to allow for maximum time cleaning. (Personally, I hate cleaning so when the mood strikes I have to run with it.) Lunch on both days was simple sandwiches or leftovers from the night before. Dinners were Cold Thai Noodles and vegan sloppy joes with black bean soup.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Saute in a little water or olive oil:
1 onion, diced
1 cup or more of any of the following; chopped celery, chopped carrots, chopped peppers, chopped kale or collard stems - Use whatever you have on hand.
Stir in:
3 cups of tvp
3 cups of water
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve over buns or rice. I think it tastes great cold for lunch the next day too.
We kept our cooking simple this weekend to allow for maximum time cleaning. (Personally, I hate cleaning so when the mood strikes I have to run with it.) Lunch on both days was simple sandwiches or leftovers from the night before. Dinners were Cold Thai Noodles and vegan sloppy joes with black bean soup.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Saute in a little water or olive oil:
1 onion, diced
1 cup or more of any of the following; chopped celery, chopped carrots, chopped peppers, chopped kale or collard stems - Use whatever you have on hand.
Stir in:
3 cups of tvp
3 cups of water
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve over buns or rice. I think it tastes great cold for lunch the next day too.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Getting Started on Those Resolutions
A new year brings with it the inevitable resolutions. One of mine is to get back to baking my own bread. I really fell out of the habit this fall. I mostly blame my job but really, like exercising, its one of those habits that is easy to fall out of. Once you skip it, each time after that its a bit easier to skip. Frankly, with the delicious, soft bread that Barbara's recipe makes, there is no reason to buy bread ever again. Last night, I dusted off my bread bucket and made 6 loaves and I'm feeling quite good about it.
I've also resolved to live out of the freezer for as long as we can. There's a ton of stuff in there both fruits (mainly my homemade apple butter) and vegetables. There could be some very creative meals in my future as I work to balance nutrition and my freezer inventory.
Last night for dessert I made a variation on my Applesauce Pie in Oatmeal Crust. Instead of shaping the crust into a pie plate, I divided it into 6 balls and flattened these down on a greased cookie sheet. I baked them as I would the crust. Once they were cooked, I served them topped them with the applesauce mixture prepared as in the recipe. I liked this a lot better because it allowed me to use more applesauce and less sweet crust. Everyone else just thought they were yummy.
I've also resolved to live out of the freezer for as long as we can. There's a ton of stuff in there both fruits (mainly my homemade apple butter) and vegetables. There could be some very creative meals in my future as I work to balance nutrition and my freezer inventory.
Last night for dessert I made a variation on my Applesauce Pie in Oatmeal Crust. Instead of shaping the crust into a pie plate, I divided it into 6 balls and flattened these down on a greased cookie sheet. I baked them as I would the crust. Once they were cooked, I served them topped them with the applesauce mixture prepared as in the recipe. I liked this a lot better because it allowed me to use more applesauce and less sweet crust. Everyone else just thought they were yummy.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Winter Squash Seeds?
We're eating a lot of winter squash this time of year but what can you do with winter squash seeds? Actually, just like you can use winter squash in place of pumpkin in almost any recipe, you can bake the seeds of almost any winter squash just like you would pumpkin seeds. I actually think acorn squash seeds taste better than pumpkin seeds.
I bake the seeds in a 300 degree oven until they start to pop, about 45 minutes. I usually dry roast them but recently, I tried adding a tablespoon of tamari to them after they had begun to pop. I stirred it around and returned them to the oven for 5 minutes. Once cooled they were really delicious, although if you burn them with the tamari, they are almost inedible.
I've also ground the plain, cooked seeds into a flour and substituted it for half of the flour in my scone or pancake recipes. It gives a uniquely nutty flavor to the recipe. If you do this, be sure to really grind the seeds down to flour or you'll find little shards of seed getting stuck in your throat and the recipe won't hold together as well.
I bake the seeds in a 300 degree oven until they start to pop, about 45 minutes. I usually dry roast them but recently, I tried adding a tablespoon of tamari to them after they had begun to pop. I stirred it around and returned them to the oven for 5 minutes. Once cooled they were really delicious, although if you burn them with the tamari, they are almost inedible.
I've also ground the plain, cooked seeds into a flour and substituted it for half of the flour in my scone or pancake recipes. It gives a uniquely nutty flavor to the recipe. If you do this, be sure to really grind the seeds down to flour or you'll find little shards of seed getting stuck in your throat and the recipe won't hold together as well.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all! I always feel a bit introspective this time of year. Whenever I'm alone, with four kids this usually means when I'm in the shower, I find myself taking a mental inventory of the last year. No matter what my feelings are on the events of the prior year, reviewing them helps me plan for the upcoming year.
I'm especially pleased with the way holiday gift giving went this year. For the most part, everyone kept it low key. Since there are so many of us, my siblings and I drew names out of a hat for gift giving. Our spending limit for these gifts was $20-$25 and this made for some really thoughtful and creative gift giving. It helps that most of us have the "keep it cheap, ow it hurts to spend that much" gene.
I got my sister, Mary, a 1 year subscription to The HomeEconomiser Newsletter $12 and I pre-ordered her a copy of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money $10.36. Certainly, its not the right gift for everyone but Mary and I tend to really be on the same page about finances.
In food news, I got a request for my chickpea scramble recipe. I thought I'd already posted it but apparently I hadn't. The chickpea scramble is basically my Potato Scramble recipe with about 4 cups of cooked chickpeas instead of potatoes. Here it is:
Chickpea Scramble
4 cups cooked chickpeas
2 onions, chopped
any or none of the following: chopped carrot, chopped broccoli, chopped kale or any other chooped vegetable
1/2 cup tamari
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. maple syrup
In a heavy pot, I'm partial to cast iron, brown the onions in a little olive or canola oil. Add the chickpeas and the optional items. Whisk together last three ingredients and pour over chickpea and onion mixture. Add water to just cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered about 25 minutes. To make it thicker mash 1/2 of the chickpeas before serving. Serve as is or as a crepe filling.
I'm especially pleased with the way holiday gift giving went this year. For the most part, everyone kept it low key. Since there are so many of us, my siblings and I drew names out of a hat for gift giving. Our spending limit for these gifts was $20-$25 and this made for some really thoughtful and creative gift giving. It helps that most of us have the "keep it cheap, ow it hurts to spend that much" gene.
I got my sister, Mary, a 1 year subscription to The HomeEconomiser Newsletter $12 and I pre-ordered her a copy of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money $10.36. Certainly, its not the right gift for everyone but Mary and I tend to really be on the same page about finances.
In food news, I got a request for my chickpea scramble recipe. I thought I'd already posted it but apparently I hadn't. The chickpea scramble is basically my Potato Scramble recipe with about 4 cups of cooked chickpeas instead of potatoes. Here it is:
Chickpea Scramble
4 cups cooked chickpeas
2 onions, chopped
any or none of the following: chopped carrot, chopped broccoli, chopped kale or any other chooped vegetable
1/2 cup tamari
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. maple syrup
In a heavy pot, I'm partial to cast iron, brown the onions in a little olive or canola oil. Add the chickpeas and the optional items. Whisk together last three ingredients and pour over chickpea and onion mixture. Add water to just cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered about 25 minutes. To make it thicker mash 1/2 of the chickpeas before serving. Serve as is or as a crepe filling.
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