Mom's Frugal (via Mowser)

Friday, February 17, 2012

Cloth Napkins- for the sake of frugality or beauty!

We had beautiful, store-bought fabric napkins years ago, but with gooey toddlers running around- they didn't stay bright and beautiful for long. Then, I used my dish towels for most messes but time had gotten the best of them too. And well, paper towels aren't quite so frugal, are they? So- whattaya do? Make your own napkins!

I know, I know...I didn't think I could either. It was Brandy, who once again, inspired me.

They really are not hard. If you can sew a sorta straight line and cut a sorta straight line- you can do this!

You don't have to have a bunch of special, expensive fabric either. Use what you have! Old sheets, old shirts, old scraps, anything really. And to be honest, mine aren't perfectly square, but they're always folded so no one knows that but me..and you ;-)

And- while I hope to have/make some one day to have again for special occasions, right now, for every day life, they don't have to match. Mine are mint green, light and dark purple, and pastel stripes. I think the ideal size is 17x17 but not all of mine are that big, since I was using scraps, I did the best I could with what I had and you know what? It works ;-)

And they really look pretty good and even he-who-loves-paper has come to LOVE these and feels like he's always 'out to eat' when he has his mint green napkin!

My biggest problem was- where to keep them! I drug out this old what-not, that's really supposed to house paper towels, and I stack them on there along with the salt and pepper.

I think these would make really nice gifts too. My oldest is now out on his own and I'm considering making him some for his kitchen.

What? You don't think a grown-up boy would like cloth napkins for a gift? ;-)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Baked Lemon Pudding Cake

This is a unique dessert and you often find it in old-fashioned cookbooks that would also have recipes for meringue pies, which my family loves.

They've been wanting something 'different', so I tried this out on them tonight and the first one to voice his approval was my youngest, who doesn't typically like pudding textures.

And that is the unique part about this dessert- it's like a sponge cake on the top and a pudding on the bottom. It is similar to a Hot Fudge Pudding Cake- but lemon and a custard-like taste :-)

1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
zest and juice of 2 fresh lemons (scant 1/2 cup juice)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup plain flour

Cream butter and sugar together until butter is thoroughly blended with the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks until smooth and pasty. Add lemon juice and zest. Beat in flour and milk. Fold in egg whites that have been beaten until stiff peaks formed. Spoon gently into a baking dish and set the baking dish inside of another pan of hot water that comes halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until top is lightly golden. Serve cooled or chilled. *Often served with a drizzle of heavy cream.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Free Gingham Paper Dolls

These are beautiful! And they're so--- Little House-ish!

Our Valentine's-

Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal with Red Sugar Hearts

Mocha Brownie Cups with Dark Chocolate Frosting and Heart and Red Sugar Sprinkles

Their latest favorite cartoon fruit snacks.

Sweetheart lollies.

The youngest 2 made these for every place setting at the table. No, that isn't food on the table, it's Super Glue and no one seems to know how it got there, but I have my suspicions!

Prov 10:12 ... but love covereth all sins.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Menu: Feb 11, 2012

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!

My frugal tip of the week: Buy flavorings when they're on sale and use them to kick up frugal foods like oatmeal, muffins, glazes, and candies.

SATURDAY:

-kids' choice
-leftover Homemade Pizza, Banana Pudding (from Tammy's Vanilla Pudding)
-Shrimp Alfredo, Chocolate Cream
snacks:Orange Apricot Muffins

SUNDAY:

-kids' choice
-leftover Alfredo, spinach salad, Chocolate-Cherry Rye-n-Wheat Muffins
-Fried chicken legs, mashed potatoes, gravy, Buttermilk Biscuits, homemade Strawberry Jam
snacks:muffins, nuts

MONDAY:

-Soaked Oatmeal
-Butternut Squash Soup, Rosemary Bubble Loaf, homemade Basil Jelly
-Easy BBQ Chicken Quarters, mustard potatoes, sliced cukes
snacks: Kefir Vanilla Muffins, celery sticks with dip

TUESDAY:

-Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
-Fried Chicken Liver, oven fries, Light and Fluffy Orange Smoothie Treat
-Marinated Pork Loin, sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, Dusted Cocoa Cookies
snacks:Sweetheart Brownie Cups, chocolates

WEDNESDAY:

-Cinnamon Bun Oatmeal
-Pinto Beans, fried cornbread, chopped onions
-Beans, fried potatoes, creamed corn, cornbread
snacks: Cinnamon Applesauce Salad, carrots and celery sticks with dip

THURSDAY:

-Coconut Rice
-Turkey Bacon Cups, romaine salad, peas and carrots
-Soft Tacos, rices-beans-and-cheese, Crispy Cinnamon Chips
snacks:Strawberry Banana Muffins, popcorn

FRIDAY:

-Fried eggs and toasted Breakfast Bread
-Family Sandwich, oven fries, Blue-Cherry Kefir Smoothies
-Homemade Pizza, frozen smoothie pops
snacks:Amazing Peanut Butter Bars, celery and carrot sticks

Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Chocolate-Cherry Rye-n-Wheat Muffins

These won the favor of my entire house- and they had NO idea that my little treats also had rye flour in them ;-) Sneaky mission accomplished!

(Not that they don't like rye, just that they THINK they HAVE to know what they're eating, and I just proved -they don't! ;-)

I also make these similarly with other combinations of flour and things, so anything works! (1, 2, 3, 4)

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rye flour

1 cup cane sugar (or white)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted butter (or other fat)

2 eggs

1 T baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped dried cherries(or other fruit)

opt. 24 maraschino cherries

extra brown sugar

Mix sugars, flours, soda, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and blend in buttermilk and eggs. Drizzle melted butter in. Fold in chocolate chips and chopped cherries. Spoon into sprayed muffin tins.

Optional: push in one maraschino cherry in the center of each muffin and lightly sprinkle brown sugar on the top of each muffin batter. (This makes a light crunchy topping once they cool.) Bake at 375 for approx. 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving as the center cherries and melted chips are hot!

Makes 24 muffins.

Chocolate Cream

This is akin to ice cream, minus the ice! You do chill it but since it's not frozen, it makes a nice treat, even on these super cold days in winter!

It's also easy. And if you don't look at your nutritional information on your ingredients, you'll forget all the fat grams just as soon as you take a bite of it-- then you don't have to count them ;-)

In a small saucepan heat;

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir until melted and well-blended and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, whip until stiff peaks form;

2 cups heavy cream

Sprinkle in and whisk;

2 T sifted, powdered sugar

Then gradually drizzle in the cooled chocolate mixture but be careful not to over whisk.

Chill and top with a bit of grated dark chocolate.

Oh SO yummy!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Making Plans for Valentine's Day..

One of my teens will be having oral surgery over the weekend so I'm a little iffy about how our Valentine's Day will go. I offered to "celebrate" early but he didn't want to- but far be it from him to miss out on any sweets, I'm sure!

We always read about the traditional Valentine's stories, and some from other countries.

Sonshine has a great list of Unit Studies that I often browse through to see what I can glean.

I haven't narrowed down my treat for this year, but I'm thinking it will have something to do with brownies and shh!, some hidden other things.

One year I made Jelly-Filled Thumb Print Cookies, another year I made some that were like Brandy's Shortbread Sandwich Cookies, the year they still can't go over was my Big Sweetheart Cake for them, and we always set a special table, even if it's just with frugal, construction paper place mats!

I printed out these hearts from The Graphics Fairy to make a garland and now I'm digging for coloring pages to put on our "art line". (Just a piece of yarn strung through the dining area with clothespins on it to hang the pictures from.:)

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Orange Apricot Muffins

This is an odd combination but very tasty! Orange and apricot blend well and you can barely taste the hint of honey. Great for breakfast or snacks. Can there be too many snacks? ;-)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup melted better (or other fat)
2 eggs
1 1/2 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
2/3 cup cane sugar*
1/3 cup honey*
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup chopped, dried apricots
juice and zest from 1 orange

Mix flour with sugar, salt, and baking powder. Blend in we ingredients.
Fold in zest and chopped apricots. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes.
*Can use all plain sugar.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

New Version on our Old Muffins

We made Chocolate Covered Cherry Muffins the other day, but instead of adding frozen cherries, I dabbed some Cherry Jam in the middle. I put a teaspoon in between two layers of muffin batter, and it still sank mostly to the bottom, but boy are they yummy!

Pages

Friday, February 17, 2012

Cloth Napkins- for the sake of frugality or beauty!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Baked Lemon Pudding Cake

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Free Gingham Paper Dolls

Our Valentine's-

Monday, February 13, 2012

Menu: Feb 11, 2012

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Chocolate-Cherry Rye-n-Wheat Muffins

Chocolate Cream

Friday, February 10, 2012

Making Plans for Valentine's Day..

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Orange Apricot Muffins

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

New Version on our Old Muffins

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