A New way to Add Character

So, it has been a loooong time since I have written anything.
I recently completed paining and decorating my hallway. I know.... YAWN!!!
However, this hall was a dump. The walls were in terrible condition and the track lighting only had on canister that worked. It was really bad.
I have a close, intimate relationship with the clearance section and the "oops! paint" section at Home Depot. I found the lighting fixture that I used in the clearance section for a whole $13.95. The paint that I used cost $17.00. Of course, I needed wall patches and primer, but luckily, I already had them on hand.
My favorite thing that I have done is a new technique that I applied in the hallway. It is called texture stenciling. OH... this adds such a unique touch to any paint job and it only adds about $10.00 to your painting job. The color can be mixed into the joint compound before you apply it to the stencil form, or you can paint the finished stencil after it has dried (I painted after the compound dried). All you need is a stencil that you really like, putty knife and joint compound.

Here's how you do it:
1) Prime the area that you are going to apply the technique and allow to thoroughly dry.
2) Mark out where you want to apply each stencil with a pencil.
3) Tape the stencil to the area.
4) Spread the compound over the stencil using the putty knife. Be sure to fill in all cut-outs. Remember, that this does not have to be perfect... a few flaws adds a lot of character.
5)Let the compound set for a few minutes so it will harden a bit.
6) GENTLY remove the stencil and tape from wall.
Viola! You have a beautiful texture stencil. The beauty of this is that if you mess up... you can just wipe it off and start over.
Well have fun and be creative with it!

Homemade Baby Food

A big hit in our home is homemade baby food. My husband loves the fact that I make our son's baby food because it is very cost efficient. Our son loves it because it has more flavor than any store bought baby food out there. Our daughter loves it because she loves helping me make it. I love it because it is jam packed with with many nutritional benefits. Making baby food has turned into a household event.

The cost benefit is substantial. Here are a few examples:

Sweet Potatoes:
Homemade- $2.03 (3 large sweet potatoes, made 13 Gerber containers)
Store bought- $1.07 (2 Gerber containers)
Savings- $4.92

Apples:
Homemade- $2.58 (4 large Fuji Apples, made 12 Gerber containers)
Store bought- $1.07 (2 Gerber containers)
Savings- $3.84

Butternut Squash:
Homemade- $1.27 (1 large Butternut Squash, made 15 Gerber containers)
Store bought- $1.07 (2 Gerber containers)
Savings- $6.75

Pears:
Homemade- $1.62 (4 large Pears, made 8 Gerber containers)
Store bought- $1.07 (2 Gerber containers)
Savings- $2.66

There are so many great website out there for recipes. But, I have found that the below website is very comprehensive and very informative.
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/VegetableRecipes.htm#nogo

Enjoy!

April Fools!

Every year I look forward to April Fools Day. I start plotting my jokes about a week in advance. This year I used some traditional pranks that have been used a billion times. I thought I would share a few cost effective and entertaining pranks with you....
- Wake your kids up early and tell them that they are running late for school and that they need to hurry up and get ready for the day. When they are done getting ready see how long they wait around with out saying anything. It took my daughter 10 minutes of sitting around before saying anything this morning.
- The night before April Fools freeze 3/4 of a cup of milk. When your child sits down for breakfast, top off the glass with fresh milk. When they drink the milk and get to the frozen milk, the expression on their face is priceless.
- Put a rubber band around the push button of the spray nozzle (the kind with a hose) so the button stays down. Point it forward. When the faucet is turned on they get sprayed. I did this to my husband this morning... my daughter got a kick out of watching this one!
- My daughter is planning for one last BANG for my husband tonight. When she gets home from school, she is going to set his alarm for 11:45 tonight, so he will get a rude awakening just before the end of April Fools.

With all of these pranks... I wonder how they are going to get their revenge. I am in for it!

Enjoy your April Fools and make sure you get a good laugh!

Grocery Shopping

Who out there loves grocery shopping? I have to admit that I DO (I do realize I am a minority)... except when I have a budget. I love walking into the grocery store and browsing the isles, produce, butcher and the deli. Coming up with new culinary ideas with the latest and greatest food that I find is an exciting adventure to me. However, the latest and greatest food is usually the most expensive product in the store.
Since I have started staying home we have been working with a fairly tight food budget. When I started working with this budget, I thought coupons were my answer. I started to realize that they help, but in most cases the coupons were for products that are over processed and lack the basic nutritional value that I require for my family. Seriously, when do you ever find a coupon for anything in the produce section or for fresh meat? I almost never do and celebrate when I do.
I have found that the below basic tips have helped me in cutting my grocery bill from $550.00 per month to $250.00- $300.00 per month for a family of 4.
- SHOPPING LIST- I have a list of all of the basic staples that I use in my kitchen and then it is broken down by sections within my grocery store. I have it broken down by sections for two reasons, it saves me time and it prevents me from running back to a section to grab something to only get distracted by another item. I keep several copies of this list on my refrigerator and check off items as I need them... it sure beats having to write everything out. I posted a basic version of the list that I use below. Copy and paste it into a word doc, adjust to your household needs and print up a few for you to try out.
MENU PLANNING- Every time I go grocery shopping I sit down and write out what I am going to cook every night for dinner for the next two weeks (I usually write it on the back of my list). Now keep in mind that I NEVER stick to what is planned each night. But, I can look at my menu and see what I have ingredients for and cook what I am craving for dinner. I have found that I tend to use all of the food that I have in the pantry and do not waste money and food with the help of menu planning. It only takes about 5 minutes once you get the hang of it.
- NEVER GO SHOPPING HUNGRY- When I go shopping hungry, I buy the whole store. So I always eat something before I go to the store. If I forget to eat something before I go, I will stop at the deli and purchase a snack (chicken strip, fries, etc...). I find that I spend a lot less on the snack than I do on the extras that I would purchase.
Yes, coupons help, but I don’t want marketers deciding that I should eat over processed crap. So, use coupons… but use them SMART. Take it one step further, be a SMART ORGANIZED shopper and you will save money.

Here is the sample list that I use:

GROCERY LIST

BABY
____Diapers
____Wipes
____Baby Food
____Cereal______________
____ ___________________

DAIRY/ EGGS
____Eggs
____Milk
____Shredded Cheese
____American Cheese
____Butter
____Sour Cream
____Yogurt______________
____ ___________________

FROZEN
____Peas
____Corn
____Broccoli
____Brussel Sprouts
____Ice Cream__________
____Waffles
____Pizza
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

DRINKS/JUICES
____Orange Juice
____Tea __________
____Juice Boxes
____Coke/ Sprite/ Root Beer
____ ___________________

CRACKERS/SNACKS
____Crackers ___________
____Chips______________
____Chips______________
____Snacks _____________
____ ___________________

COOKING ITEMS
____Flour
____Sugar
____Powder Sugar
____Baking Soda
____Baking Powder
____Cooking Spray
____Bread Crumbs
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

DRESSING/OILS
____Canola Oil
____Olive Oil
____Ranch
____Vinaigrette
____Cesar
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

CANNED/BOX/BAG
____Green Beans
____Corn/ Creamed Corn
____Pasta Sauce
____Spaghetti
____Rice
____Cream of____________
____Chicken Broth
____Peanut Butter
____Jelly
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

CEREAL/BREAKFAST
____Honey Bunches of Oats
____Cheerios Plain/ Chocolate
____Oatmeal
____ ___________________

BREADS
____Bread Wheat/ White
____Bagels
____Buns _____________
____Tortillas Corn/ Flour
____ ___________________

MEAT/POULTRY/FISH
____Chicken Breast
____Ground Beef
____Pork
____Turkey Breast
____Roast ___________
____Hot Dogs/ Brats
____Fish ____________
____Bacon
____Sausage
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

DELI
____Sandwich Meat
____Salad_______________
____ ___________________

PRODUCE
____Bananas
____Orange
____Pear
____Apples red/green
____Grapes red/green
____Lemon/ Lime
____Onion ______________
____Potatoes brown/red/ Sweet
____Lettuce head/bagged
____Tomatoes reg/cherry
____Pepper red/yellow/grn
____Carrots
____Mushroom
____Squash
____Zucchini
____Cucumber
____Corn
____Garlic
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

PAPER GOODS
____Napkins
____Paper plates/bowls
____Plastic Cups
____Plastic Knife/Fork/Spn
____Paper Towels
____Toilet Paper
____ ___________________

CLEANING SUPPLIES
____Dish washing liquid
____Laundry Detergent
____Bleach
____Stain Remover
____Comet
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

PERSONAL SUPPLIES
____Soap
____Toothpaste
____Kids Toothpaste
____Shampoo
____Conditioner
____Kids Shampoo
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

MISC
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________
____ ___________________

FREE Photo Books

Since the wonderful creation of digital cameras I have become quite lazy with my photos. I take a ton of them, I upload them onto my computer and they sit there and do NOTHING at all. I don't create photo albums and I have scrap booked... but, I am never proud of my final product. Recently I discovered my favorite photo invention since the digital camera... the Photo Book! They are amazing; you upload your photos, design the book how you want it, add a few captions and, viola, a few days later the neatest photo book you have ever seen comes straight to your door. Up until a few days ago I have been using Kodak.com for my photo books. I have been trying out a few new web sites and have come across Picaboo.com. I love the flexibility in the layouts, the various page designs, all of the fonts as well as the various album covers. What makes this website even better is the fact that they are offering a FREE 20 page book to first time customers. All you have to do it use the following Coupon Code: 1FBLGB-7W. I just ordered mine and it worked like a charm. All I had to do was pay $8.99 shipping fee. It is a great deal!

Mouth Watering Croutons

In my circle of friends I am known for a few of my recipes, but there is one recipe that sticks out... my croutons. My husband refers to our family as the crouton snobs. He says that no other crouton compares to mine. Therefore, we keep a plentiful stock of croutons on hand. I usually pay about $0.50 to $1.00 for about 3 months worth of croutons. In order to ensure that you get the desired flavor there are a few points I would like to bring up...
First, be creative with it and adjust the recipe to your desire, it is very flexible.
Second, the bread. I mix it up on a regular basis. I ALWAYS go to the bakery and choose one of the Day Old Breads that are discounted. You can use almost any type of bread; french bread, sourdough, rye, pumpernickel or bagels are a few ideas for you. When I get home from the grocery store I cut my bread and put it in the freezer to be used at a later time.
Third, the seasonings. I always play with the seasonings that I use. But I always use garlic, the garlic adds that strong garlic flavor that (I think) every crouton needs.
Fourth, the butter. 1/4 c of butter is a lot of butter. If you are heart healthy you can do half butter and half olive oil. I use Smart Balance which cuts the cholesterol dramatically with out compromising the flavor.
On with the recipe....

Mouth Watering Croutons

1 loaf of bread french bread
Cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup of butter
1 lg clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Heat butter in large skillet. Once melted add garlic and Italian seasoning, saute until garlic becomes lightly browned. Remove from heat and add Parmesan cheese. Add bread cubes, stir until all cubes are coated in butter mixture. Spread cubes on a shallow baking pan. Bake in oven on 300 degrees for 10 minutes, remove from oven and stir the croutons. Place the croutons back into the oven for about 5 more minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
You can store these croutons in a plastic container (with a tight fitting lid) in the refrigerator.
Bon Appetite!

BBH Should Plant a Garden

So, I was told by a close friend of mine that her mother kindly suggested that I start a garden as a Bored Broke Housewife (BBH). I couldn't agree more. But, there are a few issues... 1) I don't care for veggie gardens. They take up so much time, energy and (in my case) I am lucky if I get anything to eat out of them. However, I do have to admit that I have an awesome Uncle that has the best green thumb. This amazing Uncle is kind enough to share his "crops" with me, so I do enjoy fresh veggies every fall. 2) I live in a poor climate for growing anything but junipers and pines (zone 4). 3) My husband and I just moved into our house 10 months ago and the previous owner was a lazy bum who did not do anything with the house or property. So, I have a ton of overgrown CRAP in the way of me growing any proper garden. I have attached a photo of the over grown crap, just for the added drama. My goal is to have it cleared out by the end of this year... or at least reasonably cleared.
So, now that I have gotten the problem on the table... I am going to make you a promise. I will never come to the table with a problem and no solution. If I ever do commit this sin, I ask that you call me on it.
Now, on to the solution... I am attending a high altitude gardening/ landscaping class tonight. This class is held through my local school district. I attended one class about a month ago that was very informative. I found out what I can and can't grow where I live and I will find out about soil conditions and watering needs tonight. This class is a great way to get out of the house, gain some sanity and learn something new to put to work within your home. Not to mention, the class that I am taking only cost $15.00.
Many school districts offer adult education classes that are open to the public at a low cost so they can earn some extra revenue and provide a great service to the local community. Some classes that are offered in my local area are: Scrapbooking, French, Spanish, German, Social Networking, Ballroom Dancing, Gardening and Landscaping and the list goes on and on.
So, get out there and learn something new. I guarantee that if you learn to do it yourself... it will cost a lot less.
Now, I am off to learn how to eventually get me a FLOWER garden ;)