Good Reads: Scents and Sensibility

Scents and Sensibility by Spencer Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scents and Sensibility is the eighth book in the Chet and Bernie mystery series. It is a very well written and professionally edited full length novel.

Chet and Bernie are concerned about their elderly next door neighbors and set out to find the couples' son. A son that has just spent fifteen years in jail for kidnapping. What seems like a straight forward case soon turns into a murder and police corruption investigation.

I love Chet's, the dog, narration of the plot with his free form way of thinking. Bernie is struggling in this story and I deeply identified with his need to help the weak and helpless people in this world.

Scents and Sensibility is a fun and poignant read. I highly recommend this entire series.

Canning Dried Beans

Why in the world would I can dried beans?  Because there are days when my menu planning has fallen apart and I need to grab a can of something that will cook quickly.  Dried beans are great, but sometimes I don't remember to soak them the night before.  Plus, dried beans become more difficult to cook soft the longer they are stored.

Once again I will say that I am not providing detailed canning instructions.  Any reliable book on canning should have good solid instructions for people new to canning.  But, even though I have been canning for years, I always have a book nearby to double check the canning times and pressure.

Dried beans must be canned in a pressure canner, so this is not a beginner canning project.  Get all of your equipment together in your impeccably clean kitchen.  Prepare your jars, canning liquid, lids, and canner in advance.  You should be getting a canning facial now because of the steam.

Ready To Can

I followed the directions in my "Putting Food By" book:  soaked the beans overnight, put 3/4 cup of beans in each jar, covered with water or broth to 1/2 inch headspace, processed at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes.  These instructions are for quart jars.  If I had added meat broth or ham/bacon it would need to be processed for 90 minutes. 

Rockin' and Rollin'

I can't show you a jar of the beans I canned today because I always leave the canner untouched until the next day to allow all pressure to be relieved and allow for complete cooling.  This prevents seal failures and steam burns.

You'll notice I am canning using a flat, glass topped stove top.  Many people recommend against this, but I have never had a problem.  BUT, I will never buy this type of stove top again.  I don't like the way it has aged and it's not very versatile.  Plus it costs a fortune to replace the glass top should it crack.

I own two pressure canners, an All American and a Presto.  The All American does not require rubber gaskets, so will be perfect for preserving foods in an environment where replacement parts are not available.  The Presto does use rubber gaskets, but it is much lighter and perfect for people that can't lift heavy weights.  Both will last forever with care.

Beans Canned Last Year

Why buy convenience foods when you can make your own and know exactly what you are feeding your family?  It's all about frugal living and love.

God bless,

Pam

Stone Soup

When my daughter attended the local Waldorf school I would substitute as a kindergarten assistant. One of my duties was to prepare a snack for the children each day. In the wintertime the snack was always a hot porridge, soup, or fresh baked bread.

Every Friday I would prepare the children's favorite: stone soup. Each child would bring a vegetable from home; whatever they had in their pantry. This was wonderful as we would have vegetables from many different cultures that were unfamiliar to us. The children would be trying new foods in a fun way.

The recipe:

One well washed, smooth stone
Many different vegetables,
Water
4 Tbs. Butter
Salt to taste
Herbs if desired

I would make this soup in a rice cooker, but you can do it on the stove in a heavy pot. Place stone in pot. Add vegetables that are diced in bite sized pieces, water to make the amount of soup you need, butter, and a small amount of dried herbs. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for two hours, add a small amount of salt to taste.

Serve soup carefully, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon to make sure somebody gets the stone. It's nice if who gets the stone is a surprise even for you.

We would have read the story "Stone Soup" to the children at the beginning of stone soup season. The child that found the stone in their soup would be all smiles.

At home Anna will ask for us to make stone soup. We make it with whatever we have at hand in the pantry or garden. It is different every time. It would be fun to host a stone soup party: Each guest brings a vegetable and helps in the preparation. Read the story before serving the meal.

God bless,
Pam

The Pantry: Dried Foods

One of the oldest ways to preserve foods is drying.  Drying is available to anyone and can be done with little expense for the frugal homemaker.  Dried food takes up little space and is light weight, making it easily portable for campers and hikers.

Some dried foods can be eaten out of hand while others need to be rehydrated and cooked.  A clean source of water and a heat source is all you need to make a meal for your family.

The equipment for drying can be made inexpensively or you can splurge and buy an electric dehydrator.  To make your own nail together a wood frame (no treated woods please), then staple screening to the bottom.  My wood frames were made small to fit my small oven and I wish I had them made with a finer mesh screen.  My electric dehydrator is an Excalibur.

Wooden Frames 

Choose the highest quality produce for preserving.  Any produce should be blanched for a minute in boiling water to destroy the enzymes that can cause discoloration during drying.  Slice or dice your produce to the desired sizes (smaller dries faster and takes up less storage space), then lay out on the dryer screens.  The wooden frames can be placed in a gas oven with just the pilot light burning or in an electric oven on "warm".  The oven door should be propped open; air circulation is a must.   Follow the manufacturers instructions for time and heat level when using the electric dehydrator.

Tomatoes in Electric Dehydrator

Some people like to lay their wooden frames outside in the summer when it is dry.  Be sure to protect the food from insects by covering it with netting or screening.  Once again, dry air circulation is key to preventing the food from molding before it is completely dry.  Drying outdoors may take several days, so be sure to take in your food at night.

Your drying is complete when the produce is dry to the point of being leathery, dry to the touch or crispy.  Any moisture left in the dried produce will cause it to spoil while it is in storage.  Experience will  teach you what to look for in your end product.  Try drying in small batches until you get comfortable with the drying process.

Try making fruit leather by pureeing fruit, then spreading it on a plastic (food grade) or silicon sheet.  Place on top of the frame screen and dry as you would produce.  A taffy like product can be made by using flavored yogurt in place of the pureed fruit.

I think that drying has a place in every home that wants to preserve their own food and keep a well stocked pantry.

God bless,

Pam

P.S.  For my asian friends and family, "Happy Lunar New Year"!

Don't Over Shop

Once you become experienced at saving money it can be hard to ignore a good sale opportunity. Getting a deal can be addicting, but it is no longer frugal when you buy such a large number of one type of item that there is no hope of your using it before it goes bad, or you don't have room to store it.

As an example I have purchased enough deodorant to last my family for a year. Now I pass up great sales on deodorant, no matter how tempting they are, unless I get them for almost free and I plan to donate them. When our supply gets low I will again buy deodorant.

Another example is when someone I knew discovered thrift stores. She enjoyed saving so much that she ended up spending more money on used clothes than she would have allowed herself to spend on new. She had become addicted to the process of getting a good deal.

Learning to use and stack coupons and shop sales is wonderful, but know when it is appropriate to say, "I have enough".

God bless,
Pam

The Frugal Home: Sell Your Old Books

When organizing and purging your clutter don't ignore your bookshelves and those piles of books on the bedside table. Ask yourself if you will read this book on a regular basis? Is it available at the library if you do decide to re-read it?

I decided that I will only keep a library of reference books for cooking and crafts that I often do.   And I have a few favorites that I read one or two times a year.

Books are expensive and have a great deal of value; don't just give them away, first try to sell them. Amazon buys used textbooks, but I prefer to sell my books to Powells bookstore.  Powells gives a store credit on books they choose to buy, which I find works well for gift giving.

Any books that I am unable to sell I donate to the library.  They have a Friends of the Library bookstore that resells donated books for the benefit of the library.  It's win, win all around.

God bless,
Pam

Good Reads: Radical Homemakers

I am writing a short post today because I have spent my afternoon curled up with a wonderful book, "Radical Homemakers" by Shannon Hayes.

Here is one review:


"The world is moving towards a tougher period, when the relative ease and luxury we've known will be tested. But that test can deepen our family and community lives, as Shannon Hayes shows, providing more of us-of both genders-become homemakers."-Bill McKibben, author of Earth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet and Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

Is it possible for men and women to influence their countries and the corporate culture by altering their lifestyle to one that is more sustainable and self sustaining?  Can we end our enslavement to corporate workplaces to live a life that consciously revolves around our family and home?

I certainly believe so and, obviously, so does the author, Shannon Hayes.  Dr. Hayes and her husband did everything the "right" way;  ivy league colleges and high powered careers, but they found that their lives were unfulfilling.  Now they live on a family farm, raise their children, work hard to provide the majority of their family's needs and find themselves to be happy and challenged.

A great read.  

God bless,

Pam

Using Coupons Effectively: Organization That Works

After struggling with my little accordion binder for several months, I decided to look for a better way to organize my coupons.  I found one system online that I liked, but the $60 dollar price tag put me off.  So, off I went to Office Depot to see if I could recreate the expensive system for less money.

Here are my results:

For $28 I purchased a binder with magnetic clasp, 3 x 5 photo plastic pages, trading card plastic pages, business card plastic pages, package of 8 organizer label pages and a paper pad.  I chose three different types of plastic pages because coupons come in so many sizes.  With time I may decide that one size works better, but most people use the trading card pages.

I used the organizer label pages (with plastic tabs) to divide the organizer into 8 sections:  grains, vegies, fruit, dairy, snacks, drinks, healthcare and sundries.  Some people divide their coupons alphabetically and since I used pencil on my labels I can always change them if I need to.

A pad in the back pocket will be great for lists or to keep track of what is in my cart.  An automatic pencil finishes off the back section (I had a pack at home).

In the front is a business card sized pocket which I will use for my name and phone number.  I don't want to lose my organizer and not give the finder a way to return it to me.

Now I get to put my coupons in my new organizer and give it a test run.

God bless,
Pam

Happy New Year: Frugal Resolution

First of all, I want to share a traditional celebration of Epiphany that takes place in my county every year.  Tarpon Springs is a Greek community and every year they celebrate Epiphany by having the Greek Orthodox, sixteen year old boys dive for a cross that has been thrown into Spring Bayou.  It's a great honor for the young man that retrieves the cross.  I'll put some photos at the bottom of this post.

Here is my resolution for this year:  to give up spending $5.00 at day on some small item.  It could be a caramel latte or lunch at a restaurant, but giving up spending this amount every day can save over $1800 a year.  Pretty tremendous!

Is there a small expenditure in your life that you can live without?  I am sure that we can all stop spending $5 a day.  It seems like such a small amount, but adds up to a considerable savings.

Happy New Year and God bless,
Pam

Using Coupons Effectively: Websites

I was going to write all of this information myself, but then I found a wonderful website that explains using  coupons and provides shopping strategies for each store.  The site is Southern Savers and its creator has set up a site that really does it all.

Southern Savers does provide links to coupon services, but the three big ones are Coupon.com, Redplum and Smart Source.  Just Google them, click on the coupons you want, then hit the print coupons button.  All of the coupons you selected will print at once, three coupons per page.

Each of these coupon services will ask to place a cookie on your computer.  You have to say yes for the coupons to print.  If you are not comfortable with this, then stick to the coupon inserts in the paper.

It helps to buy a small paper cutter for coupon cutting.  You can stack the pages of coupons you print from a site and cut them all at once; they line up beautifully.  Have your children help when you are clipping from paper inserts.

We'll talk about organizing coupons another time.

God bless,
Pam

Hoarding vs. Stockpiling

After watching the Extreme Couponing show last night I was struck by the differences in the people on the show.  I think that I have just realized what sets stockpilers (preparedness) apart from hoarders.

The first coupon shopper they interviewed had filled two rooms of her house with groceries and dry goods.  These two rooms were organized and attractive.  But she loved the "rush" of shopping so much that she couldn't stop; she was beginning to fill her husband's den with bags of groceries and was just piling them anywhere.  This room was completely disorganized.

She went on to describe how she will miss family gatherings and time with her husband in order to go shopping.  You could see clearly that she had stepped over the line from stockpiling to benefit her family, to becoming a hoarder.

To me a stockpiler is a person that shops wisely and uses coupons to build a store of groceries and dry goods for their family's benefit.  If the economy causes loss of income or a natural disaster hits, this family would be prepared.  The family can easily find the items they are looking for because the stockpiled groceries are so well organized.  In this case the family is put first, before shopping.

A hoarder is someone that shops in a haphazard manner; often on impulse.  When they get their items home there is no designated place for storage.  Often the shopping bags are just piled on top of other shopping bags that have never been unloaded.  This family is not able to use their home effectively and comfortably.  They are not able to find an item they need because the stockpile is so disorganized.

Just look at these two photos; it is easy to see the difference between the stockpiler and the hoarder.

God bless,
Pam

New Show On Coupon Shopping

Tonight on the Learning Channel at 8:00 pm EST there is going to be a show called Extreme Couponing.  I have no idea if this is going to be an informative program on effectively shopping with coupons or some sort of sensationalized junk.  It's probably worth turning on, if only to see if there is something to be learned.

God bless,
Pam

The Frugal Adventure

On Christmas Eve evening a large water main in our county burst.  We were faced with a trickle of water that needed to be boiled before drinking, but we did have water and now our pressure is better.  We will need to boil our drinking water until Tuesday.

You should hear the moaning, groaning and chest beating going on in the local news.  People are talking about what a horrible hardship this all is.  Really?  This is a hardship?  No it's not.  Living in an arid area of Africa where you are lucky to get 1/2 gallon of water a day; now that's hardship.

It is all mind set.  A positive mindset makes most things bearable and, even, enjoyable (I'm not talking about severe shortages here).

The same positive mindset can be applied to going without and living frugally.  People that were children during the Great Depression will talk about how much fun they had during those bad times.  Yes, life was hard, but they found joy in life's simple pleasures.

Don't look at getting by on less as being a burden.  Instead let's turn being frugal into an adventure.  Let's take joy in feeding our family on less, finding bargains at the thrifts store and learning to repair our homes by ourselves.

Let's go on a frugal adventure.

God bless,
Pam

Christmas Countdown: Cleaning and Last Minute Shopping

I've been doing one cleaning task each day, so tomorrow I will concentrate on the kitchen and bathroom.  Dear daughter will be put in charge of making her bedroom guest ready (I can hear the groans already).  Add quick dusting and vacuuming touchups and we will be done.

Our baking is just about done; the last bit of shortbread is coming out of the oven.  I have already given about a third of our cookies to a neighbor that has not been able to bake this year.  Like the loaves and fish there always seems to be plenty to go around.  The more I give away the less weight I gain.  It's a blessing!

Dear husband will be preparing the food for our Christmas eve gathering with family.  But if you have not done your shopping now is the time.  The crowds will be huge on Christmas eve, even at the grocery store.  Make your list and check it twice; you don't want to have to hunt for an open store Christmas morning.

Does your family attend services on Christmas eve or Christmas day?  Make sure everyone that will be in your home for the holidays understands your expectations for attending devotions and church services.  Younger children can become resentful if they see older relatives/friends staying home to watch TV while they are expected to attend church with the family.

Take a deep breath.  Only three days to go.

God bless,
Pam

Christmas Countdown: Cookies and Candy

The trick to enjoying Christmas cookie and candy making is to plan and make detailed lists.  Yesterday Dear Daughter and I chose four cookie recipes to bake, two classic and two trendy.  We will be baking mouse shaped cookies with licorice tails and almond ears, classic shortbread, multi-colored pepper shortbread and ginger bread men.

All of these recipes have one big thing in common; the dough can be made in advance and refrigerated.  That means that we can do the mixing tonight, then bake/decorate later in the week.

Look through your pantry to see which ingredients you have on hand and which you need to purchase.  If your almond extract is three years old or your other spices are over one year old, please toss them and purchase new.  Making cookies that taste odd is not frugal, money or time wise.  Make detailed lists of ingredients you need to buy and go shopping.  This is not a task to put off until the last moment.

While you are at the store check out the great prices on baking goods.  We purchase flour on sale at a very good price.  This is a good time to stock up for your pantry.

Most of all, please enjoy yourself and let your children have fun.  The cookies don't need to be worthy of appearing in a Martha Stewart episode.  They can be odd and quirky as long as they nurture your family.

God bless,
Pam

P.S.  Here is a hint:  Roll your dough out on the parchment paper you will be baking it on.  Cut out your cookie shapes and remove excess dough.  Transfer the parchment paper and cookie shapes to your baking pan.  This keeps you from having your cookie dough shapes fall apart when transferring them to the cookie sheet.

A Warm Inviting Kitchen Day

We have been having rare weather for Florida; days and days of freezing cold and drizzling rain.  Today I spent most of the day either cuddled in bed reading or cooking in my warm, cozy kitchen.  In fact, the only room in the house that was at all warm today is the kitchen.  This older Florida home is not designed for cold temperatures.

It started with a hankering for my grandmother's pot roast.  So, late in the morning, I began cooking and the more I cooked the warmer the room became.  I was transported to my grandma's kitchen with it's big kitchen table, large stove and a refrigerator that looked strangely just like my grandpa's green, highly chromed Buick.  The kitchen was the center of the household; everything of real importance took place there.  Everyone wanted to be there.

Today I wished that I had a big table and chairs or even one comfortable chair in my kitchen.  I would have cooked and rested; maybe taking a little nap while good smells filled the air. 

I understand why the kitchen hearth is always intimately discussed in the books I read about Colonial America (read anything by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich) and is portrayed in quilts as a red or yellow central square surrounded by scraps of fabric depicting the logs of the cabin.  It was a place to nurture life.

Now for a more practical matter; grandma's pot roast recipe:  Salt, pepper and lightly flour a chuck roast.  Brown it in oil, then transfer it to a cast iron pot/dutch oven.  Brown a sliced onion, carrots and potatoes; place them around the roast.  Pour three cups of beef broth and one cup of red wine over the roast.  Bring to a boil on the stove top, cover with heavy lid, then place in a 250 degree F oven for four hours or longer.  When done take out of the oven, place meat and vegetables on a plate, cover to keep warm.  Bring juices in pot to a boil, then thicken with a rue (mixture of fat and flour).  Let the gravy boil until it is the right thickness and salt to taste.  Serve meat and vegetable in a deep bowl, covered with gravy.  Remember they didn't have or use garlic.  The only spices they used were for baking.  If you tasted spices on meat it meant that it must have been gamey before they cooked it.

Revel in your memories.  Perfect for cold days.

God Bless,
Pam

Christmas Countdown: Menu Plan

Every year we go full out for Thanksgiving, cooking like maniacs. As a contrast I like to plan a simple Christmas Eve meal for family. To me Christmas is a day of celebration and relaxation in which families stay at home together. As adults, we tend to forget what it must be like for a child to be whisked away for visiting, when all they want is to stay at home to enjoy their new books and toys.

Why not have extended family and friends over for a buffet, most of which can be prepared in advance? Serve a large baked potato per person with an assortment of toppings, such as grated cheese, butter, sour cream, bacon, chives and fried onions. Or a salad and soup bar with two soups made earlier in the week.

Make one of your family's favorite casseroles in advance to heat for Christmas lunch/dinner/supper. Breakfast can be bagels and cream cheese, or something equally easy to prepare. With Christmas cookies and candy there should be plenty to eat.

Christmas is the celebration of our Lords birth and family, not a time to stress ourselves by trying to impress our relatives and friends. You should be able to enjoy the holiday too.

God bless,
Pam

Christmas Countdown: Devotions

As busy as we become this time of year with our shopping and holiday preparations, it becomes even more essential for us to concentrate on family devotions.  Take extra time in the evenings to read the story of  the birth of Jesus from the Bible and share a night time prayer with your children.

Now that our children are out of school we need to capture their imaginations with something other than the Disney channel.  Gather them together for crafts, baking cookies, wrapping gifts and, weather allowing, some outdoor time.  Our local botanical gardens have a Christmas light display every evening with miles of walkways to wander down.  Check with your local newspapers and park system to see if there is something similar in your area.

How about an evening Christmas story after devotions.  We like to sit as a family and take turns reading from a book that we all enjoy.  This type of evening ritual allows children to calm down before bedtime and makes it easier for them to fall asleep.

God bless,
Pam

Fabric Gift Bags

Holiday themed fabric is on sale now and I like to buy a few yard to make reusable gift bags.  They are easy to make and you can adjust the difficulty to fit your sewing skills.  It is a good projects for children just learning to sew.

Cut your fabric to double the length that you want your finished bag to be, adding two inches to each end if you want to make a hemmed top.  Your width should be cut the same width you want for your bag plus an inch to account for 1/2 inch seam allowances.

Fold your fabric in half lengthwise (the fold is the bottom of the bag) with right sides facing each other.  Sew your side seams with a straight stitch, then zig zag stitch or pink (with pinking shears) your raw seam edges.  Turn right side out.  If you are not going to hem the top, finish it with a zig zag stitch or pink to prevent raveling.

To hem the top, iron 1/4 inch of the top edge under towards the wrong side.  Now iron another 1 3/4 inch under also towards the inside/ wrong side of the bag.  If you wish to add a button hole for the drawstring do it at this time on the right side of the fabric within the area of the hem.  With a straight stitch sew the hem in place.

You can gather the top of your bag and tie it off with decorative ribbon or, if you made the button hole, string the ribbon through the hem (you can see it in the picture).

I use these bags year after year.  The save on wrapping paper and make wrapping easy.  Just insert gift and tie.  I would not use these for inquisitive children that are too young to not peek.

God bless,
Pam

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Pam

After all of my big talk about being ready to scale down our Christmas preparations if faced with an emergency, don't you know it happened to me.  I was heading out to run errands and was driving my mother's van.  A very nice young man back ended me while I was stopped at a red light.  I sent a prayer of thanks to the Lord and we made a police report.

So, I had to slow down for the rest of the day and put some lower priority tasks on a back burner.  These things happen, perhaps to slow us down and make us thoughtful; we can only face these situations with prayer and preparation.

How do you prepare for a car accident?  How do you make it any easier?  Buy a small plastic folder that will fit easily into your glove compartment.  In the very front of the folder put your insurance card, registration and a copy of your drivers license (in case you forget your purse like I did today).  In the back of the folder put emergency contact information for anyone you would want to have called to care for your children should you be injured.  Also, include medical histories, including medications, of people that routinely ride in the car.  The paramedics and emergency room will need this information.

Keep your car well maintained (are those brakes squeaking?), your information handy and a positive, kindly attitude; you will make in through just fine.

God bless,
Pam