Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's Resolution

I never make them. My thought is that you should be the best you can be all year long. But I want to be particularly conscious of a few things in the new year. So I made a list, and I thought I would share it here. I think you'll notice, my resolutions are not selfish, something I think more people should consider.

  • Don't obsess about money.
  • Treat others as I want to be treated.
  • Always be honest.
  • Surround myself with people that build me up, not tear me down.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Convenience store snacks

I am a Sheetz girl when it comes for grabbing a bite to eat. Turkey subs are $1.99. But Rutter's is giving them a run for their money. A few weeks ago, I popped in for a bite to eat and discovered that they have fried pickle spears.
I immediately sent Nate a text message. "God Bless Rutters, they have fried pickle spears."

I know it seems like something small, but fried pickle spears are like $5.95 for six at sport's bars. I can get three for $1.59 at a moment's notice. I am so excited! And I can tell you they just as good as the expensive sport's bar type. Another place to get them is at the seafood stand at Markets at Shrewsbury.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Do you need Christmas ornaments?

I know some people don't realize that Cracker Barrel has a gift shop. They do, and after Christmas, everything is 70 percent off. You can get adorable ornaments for less than 50 cents. They even have blankets, home decor and candy.
Yesterday, I met a friend there and snagged up about half a dozen ornaments and a Penn State Hoodie for less than $15. That was with my employee discount, but still, what a deal. I am going to stow away the ornaments for next year and use them as package decor.
Today, my mom and I are hiting up Kohl's and Michaels. I can't wait to see what bargains we find. I am really getting back into the jewelry making, (I'll post some photos as soon as I can upload them) so maybe I will fatten my stock of beads.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Coupon codes

Don't buy anything online without googling the store name and "coupon code." Retailmenot is a decent Web site to help you with this. It was in an article in Reader's Digest. I did some Christmas shopping at Kohls.com and googled a code and got 20 percent and free shipping on my order without leaving my house.
The savings is worth the extra second it takes.

Friday, December 26, 2008

After-Christmas sales

It's hard to beat the after Christmas sales.

I rose early this morning (after a long night riding along with Nate in the police cruiser) to head to Bed Bath & Beyond. My sister picked her wedding reception centerpiece from there and I was hoping to find them all 50 percent off. It was with the Christmas stuff before Christmas, so my fingers were crossed.

When I got there, nada. So, I picked up 4 rolls of 100-sq.ft wrapping paper for $1.50 each. I stocked up for the next few years. I asked about the centerpieces. They moved them back to the home decor and they weren't on sale! Thank goodness for 20 percent coupons. I picked up two and paid separately for them so I could use both 20-percent-off coupons. The gal at the register said you can use one coupon per item, no need to ring it up separately (even though the coupon said 1 per visit). Sweet.

I headed to Michaels and stocked up on $25 worth of stuff I probably didn't need, but will probably be thankful that I bought come next Christmas. I stopped at A.C. Moore to try to find the blank red and green cards I use for my recycled cards, but no dice.

I stopped at the Bread Outlet (Fridays are BOGO in December) but they were closed. I have one more Friday to stock up.

My after-Christmas shopping is complete. Oh, until I head to Cracker Barrel tomorrow for cheap ornaments.
But I swear, then I am done.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Homemade potpourri

I love making homemade things. Especially when you can use something you might otherwise throw out. It's like an addiction to me.

I made homemade potpourri for my aunts for Christmas. It was very simple, but I think it makes a special gift.

A few years ago, I had a lot of dried flowers that I had saved. I keep them in a bowl. Anytime I have flowers, I dry them and add to the bowl. The bowl is full now. I keep these around just in case I need them for decoration, but they make a great potpourri base.

Here is what you need to make potpourri:

Orris root
Essential oil/scents
Dried flowers, pine cones, acorns, etc.

Directions:

You can buy Orris root the Flower and Craft Warehouse in Blue Ball, PA. I think you can probably buy it at any flower or craft store in the flower aisle. Same for the oil. Drop a few drops of the oil on the orris root and shake it up in a bag. Add the dried flowers and decoration to the bag and tie it closed with a nice ribbon. Voila. It's homemade potpourri. You can give it as a gift with a little candle.
**The trick with the orris root is that it holds the scent better than the flowers, etc. So, but adding it directly to the orris root, the potpourri will stay scented longer.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Keep cookies longer

Let me start by saying I didn't bake ANY cookies this year. I made many pumpkin rolls, but no cookies. I will try to start again next year.

Anyway, I was reminded of the year I made about 12 varieties, one that was pumpkin. When I gave my dad his tin, the pumpkin cookies were growing mold. Eww. How do you know when to refrigerate cookies?

My advice is this: Put the cookies in a tin. Separate varieties by parchment or wax paper and add a piece of bread. The bread will suck some moisture out of the cookies and make them last a little longer.

Monday, December 22, 2008

I'm getting nervous

I don't know how many times I have told myself that life shouldn't revolve around money. But I think God placed a computer chip in my brain at birth that is constantly on high-alert for financial things. I think I should have been an accountant.

Anyway. As many of you know, I am leaving my journalism career in two weeks to return to school (which costs $1,762 per class..yikes). Between substituting, waitressing, freelancing and whatever else I can scrounge up, I am going to be working many more than 37.5 hours a week like I do now. Yet, I still won't be making as much as a I make right now. It's freakin' scary. I keep trying to override the computer chip that says, "it will never work." Nate and I have gotten used to a comfortable budget of spending whenever and however we want (within my frugal reasoning and his practicality, anyway.)

But I try to remind myself that it's not money that buys happiness. It's heart and following it and being passionate about what you do. I have a huge heart, and I want to use it. I love to write and I will always have a special place in my heart for my time doing it. But, I keep reminding myself that it wasn't meant to be my life's blood and a 40-year career.

So, even frugal Nicki (who my brother-in-law-to-be says can pinch a dime from two pennies) realizes that no matter how much money you make, save, spend, etc., you can put aside the paycheck and know and trust that everything will work out.


I say that, but every night before bed, the mental calculator punches away numbers. Then I pray and the calculator is silenced. Thank goodness for that.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Homemade jewelry

Ever since I started beading, I have had a hard time buying jewelry. I always say, "I think I could make that." It happens with a lot of other things, too, but lately it's been jewelry. After making a bracelet for Christmas gift, I decided I wanted one, too. Friday night I sat down for about 30 minutes and made this bracelet. It's really a beginner bracelet. I attached some thin wire to a clasp and threaded on various shades of green crystals and pearls and silver accents. I am really into the mismatch bracelets. I like to pick one or two colors and get beads in all shades to make a piece. I think beading is a lot of trial and error. I have made so many pieces that have fallen apart because the clasp wasn't sturdy. It's really discouraging to spend so much time on a gift for someone to have it fall apart. But, I am learning.

Friday, December 19, 2008

I decked the stairs

I had the pile of greens spread out on my kitchen floor. As you can see, my cats had a lot of fun playing in it. I think they even ate some.

I found the motivation on Wednesday night to finally decorate the banister on the staircase like I planned to.

I have to tell you that I am not a patient person when it comes to decorating. If I can take shortcuts, I do, as long as it looks OK. When I have a vision, I want it to appear immediately. I know, I am working on this.
I don't really have a process of how I did this. My thought was to join the branches together with flower wire and then weave it up the staircase. That didn't really work out so hot. I ended up sort of attaching a few, then I got bored. So, I took the little thin string over the banister and just laid it there. I attached it to the banister with flower wire. I then fattened it up by just sticking random branches into the bare spots. Most of them stayed. I just used a little flower wire of they didn't. Anyway, the ribbon is what really helped tie it all together, pun totally intended.

I cut a piece of gold gross-grain ribbon and tied it so there was just the flat front showing. I did this on every three spaces. Then, I tied the perfect bow (a future post will show this) using the gold and a little organza green for a holiday touch. I used a straight pin to attach it to each of the ribbons. I don't think it turned out too bad!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Saving on holiday gift cards

This year I am so not creative about giving gifts. I put effort forth on a few and then resorted to gift cards. You can't go wrong.

But, instead of running around to each individual store (because you have to at least put in enough thought to get them a card at a store they like or shop at), you can buy them at the grocery store. And thanks to Jen, who pointed out that you save gas rewards points at Giant by doing it. I bought a $25 gift card to Applebees at Wal-mart for $24.75. Not sure why the 25 cent discount. I will, however, be buying the rest of them at Giant, so I can rack up the gas rewards points.

If you visit their Website they even have a list of stores they carry.

Happy gift card shopping!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Baking powder in a pinch

If you happen to run out of baking powder during your holiday baking adventures I came across a solution.

Mix together 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/3 teaspoon baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon salt. After you add this in place of the baking powder, be sure to bake the batter immediately. Don't store it either.

This tip comes to you courtesy of my "joy Of Cooking" day-by-day calender.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Charlie Brown's wreath

I am always trying to save money. Sure, I could go out and buy a fancy wreath for my front door, but that could cost a lot of money. Maybe $20 or more. So, I do what I always do. I make my own. All it took was some greens, flower wire, holly and a ribbon.

Step one: Get the greens. When we picked out our Christmas tree, we asked for the branches he trimmed off the bottom to take home. He generously offered us more. Of course, we'll take them! They probably throw the excess away, so go ahead and ask for some.

Step two: Shape the wreath. This was the hard part. I took two sturdy branches that naturally bent in toward each other and just started fastening it together with flower wire, like a twisty. I just kept adding branches where they needed to go until it looked sort of filled out. Well, actually I got tired and that is why it looks so thin. Use pruners to trim the branches that won't cooperate.

Step three: Add accents. I chose holly leaves and berries, because, well, its free. I have a whole huge tree in my front yard. (You are more than welcome to it anytime. Nate would like it if it were gone, so maybe many years of wreaths will whittle it away and save us chopping it down.) I just stuck it in there and hoped it would stay, but you could use flower wire and hot glue to secure anything. You can use pine cones, ribbons, poinsettias or anything else you find in the Christmas aisle. Then you add a bow. I have to tell you there was some frustrations for me making a bow, but I read a craft book and now know how to make the perfect one. See me if you need some help!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Recycled Christmas Cards

I save every card I've ever been given. I save them in shoe boxes. A few years ago, I decided to try to do something with them. So, I make recycled Christmas cards (I plan to do it for birthdays, etc, but I have yet to remember to do it on a regular basis.)

Last year after Christmas I bought red and green cards, envelopes and card stock at the craft store for a greatly reduced price. I stored them in my craft closet. I dug out all my old Christmas cards. I reread them before I use them, so it bring back great memories.

Then, I get to work. I separate the front of the card from the part that was written in. Sometimes, I save the little message or small photos for gift tags. I usually cut out an accent color to add some color. I attach that to the card, then the photo to that and voila, you have a new, homemade card. I use mono adhesive. Why? Because that is what my mom (the art, craft, stamper queen) told me to use. You can buy it at the craft store.

All the cards look different. Each is colorful. And I can create my own message, since I am a writer and all.

You can also use the cards to decorate plain gift bags. Using card stock and cards, make a creative display on the bag. Dress it up with matching ribbon, bows and jingle bells.

My other tip to save money is to shop after the holidays for the next year's Christmas cards. You can get huge boxes of cards for a few dollars. They don't rot. In fact, they store quite nicely with your Christmas supplies.

Cheers, to creating great holiday cards!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Homemade hummus

If there is one thing you can save money on, it's homemade hummus. It's really easy so it's worth the effort. Nate asked for some recently and I refuse to spend $5 on a 1/4 pint when I can make a pint of homemade for a fraction of the cost.

Here is the recipe I use that came from Family Circle Magazine.

Roasted-Pepper Hummus
1 whole head garlic
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (I use olive)
2 16-ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained
Juice of 2 lemons, about 5 tablespoons
1/4 cup tahini
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch ground cumin
Chopped parsley to garnish

Cut the top off of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves. Place in a small microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with oil. Add 1 tablespoon water to the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on hight for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size of the garlic. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then uncover and squeeze soft garlic from papery skin.
In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, chickpeas, roasted peppers, lemon juice, tahini, hot pepper sauce, salt, cumin and 1/4 cup water. Process until very smooth and mixture has even texture. Add more water for a creamier dip. Refrigerate until serving, then garnish with chopped parsley.

NOTES:
You can find tahini with the Middle Eastern foods at most supermarkets. It's sesame seed paste. I know a lot of people leave it out. I buy a jar and leave it in the refrigerator. It's a tad expensive, maybe $4-$5 for a jar, but it will make many batches of hummus.

TIP:
Many of the recipes I pull from magazines, I slide into plastic protector sleeves and store in 3-ring binders. When I need a recipe, I just pull it out and put it on the counter. I don't have to worry about messy food ruining an entire cookbook. When I am done, I can wipe it with a wash cloth and put it back. I keep my most used recipes in the front of the book.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Ode to Idahoan

Last night, I came home from work and Nate was already hungry. Poor guy, that's what happens when he eats lunch at 10 a.m. and I don't get home from work until 6:30 p.m.

But, I was able to have a tasty meal on the table by 7 p.m. As soon as I walked into the door, I turned the oven on to 450 degrees and started a pot of water. I covered a Pyrex baking dish with aluminum foil and placed two frozen Tilapia fillets in the pan. I sprinkled each with a dry chili lime
season and placed it in the preheated oven. I set the timer for 15 minutes. I dumped some lima beans in the pot of water and then started another pot of water. While the timer ticked, I cleaned up the kitchen, set the table and put away my work stuff. With a few minutes left on the timer, I took the second pot of boiling water and combined it with the Idahoans (which only take 1 minute by the way and are the best instant potatoes you will ever, ever eat.) You add nothing! I just added some butter and pepper to the lima beans and dinner was served.

Nate was so happy with the meal and I almost felt guilty because it was barely any work at all. He made the comment that there isn't much you can cook from frozen to done in 15 minutes, but white fish is one of them. Yum. We had a very healthy, quick meal.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Look at your receipts

Sometimes we are all in a hurry and don't have time to look at bills, review bank and credit card statements and take inventory of receipts. But I tell you, computers make mistakes. So do businesses and people. And, if you don't draw their attention to it, you lose money.

Here is an example. Nate and I went out to dinner. The waitress overcharged us nearly $4. He didn't want me to say anything. But to me, $4 is $4. That was the tip. There are times I will not go through the hassle -- like the time the price on the Wal-Mart shelf didn't match up with what rang up. It wasn't worth arguing, I just wanted to get the heck out of there.

Anyway, I persisted. I explained to him that if someone nice like me didn't point it out to her, she would probably continue to make the mistake and someone less kind would make a scene, scarring her for life.


He got up from the table and walked away because he was embarrassed.

I am still trying to figure that one out. It's not like I was asking for free food because mine didn't taste right or something. I was asking for the fair price that I was supposed to be charged.

I didn't make a scene. I nicely pointed the mistake out to the waitress, she went to the back and came out with a new check. "You are absolutely right," she said. "It saved you a few bucks." She wasn't mad at all and she probably learned something. As for Nate, well, he can go on being embarrassed because I don't think their is anything wrong with paying the right price. It's only fair.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

F is for Fudge

I made peanut butter fudge for my bosses birthday yesterday. I intended to make peanut butter iced cupcakes, but don't we always run out of time?

I got so many compliments about how wonderful it was. Amazing. Outstanding. Etc. I blushed. Really, it was SO easy.

The recipe for Fantastic Fudge is so easy, you can do it in a few minutes with stuff you probably already have in the house if you bake with any kind of regularity. There is no heating, just mixing and melting. And it's good. The recipe was passed to me by Hannah, my sister-in-law.

Fantastic Fudge

3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 sticks margarine or butter
1 box 10x sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients except margarine. Melt margarine and stir into mixture. Spread in a 9-by-9-inch pan. Set at room temperature before cutting. Cool in refrigerator.

Simple, delicious and definitely not nutritious!



Tuesday, December 9, 2008

On cats

I sat down at the computer and not two seconds later I heard a familiar sound. The revving up of my cat Ivan. He never lets me sit down at the computer without jumping into my lap. It makes getting things done difficult, but it's so nice to know that he can't be away from me. He is the inspiration for this post. Pets are the best companions. I know they can be expensive, but I have some tips on how to save costs when getting one or keeping one.

  • Always adopt from the SPCA. Ivan cost $65 and came with all his shots and already neutered. To buy at kitten at a pet store you are looking at 4 times that much.
  • Buy food in bulk and store it in large tins. Mine is stored in Christmas tins that I got at the Thrift store, but no one knows because they are in the basement. We keep a smaller tin in the cupboard above their food dishes and fill it as needed from the basement stock.
  • Stock up on toys after the holiday and store them away. The cat does not care if he is playing with a snowman in the middle of summer.
  • Buy the scoopable litter and keep in cleaned daily. It will last longer and you don't have to change it as often.
  • Clip their nails yourself. Toby loves it, Ivan hates it. I hate to cut Ivan's because he howls, but it beats the groomers bill.
  • When leaving going on vacation, check with neighbors and friends about checking in on them. If you can't find a friendly volunteer, a pet sitter can come every other day with cats.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Grocery shopping: my coupon policy

I know there is a big debate about coupons and if they are really worth the time. I shopped at Giant on Sunday and saved $16 using coupons. I would go ahead and say, yes! Right now, that is a full tank of gas in my Honda Civic.

Every Sunday I save the coupons from the newspaper. I keep them filed in a little accordion thing. I only cut out the coupons that I think I will use. I hardly ever cut out the ones that say "save 50 cents when you buy 6" because that's just silly. I also cut the ones I think I might use. I also use the special coupon doublers in the circular. Sign up for the bonus card, they send you extra coupons in the mail, too.

Here is my coupon advice:
  • Don't buy it if you won't use it.
  • Beware, sometimes it's cheaper to buy the store brand without a coupon than the name brand with a coupon.
  • Watch the fine print, expiration date, etc. If you have a question, ask the service desk.
  • Use the coupons with the closest expiration date first.
  • Keep your coupons in your car or with your reusable grocery bags (and I hope you use those) so you don't forget them.
  • Look in the grocery store circular for sale items. The best time to use a coupon is when the items are on sale. Stock up if you can, when you can.
  • Don't cut out ALL the coupons. You'll never use them all. Pick what you use, what you might use or what you would like to try.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Who needs curtains when you have sheets?

If you come to my house you'll see that most of my curtains aren't perfect. It's because I generally make them or alter them myself. It's partially because I can never find curtains in the right color and size for the right price. It's also because I like to sew without patterns and curtains are one of the only things you can get away with doing this.

I don't have the patience to measure exactly. I just like to hit the pedal on the machine and watch it buzz away. Who cares if it's straight? ;-)

Back when I was still just a visitor at the house I owned, I bought a set of black King size sheets at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for like $20. They didn't fit the bed. Since Nate didn't have curtains, the flat sheet made the perfect item to drape over the bathroom window, which is really three windows in one. That's how it stayed.

We've since painted the bathroom a brilliant maroon color and kept the white beadboard and accented it with black stuff. See here if you missed the spray paint blog.

So the bathroom looks great, except for this crazy sheet neatly strewn over the window. (Sheets make great fabric for curtains. One end usually always has a nice finish, so you don't have to bother with extra sewing) So, a few weeks ago when I had the bug to rip up the dining room carpet and Nate said no, I took to a sewing project instead. I started on the curtain, finally. I had high hopes of making it look really cool with maroon stripes with leftover fabric I had. Didn't happen. But, I tried to get a little creative.

Most of the time, the curtain covers all three windows for privacy. It's a little crooked. But when we have company or I want to let some light in, I pull it together with a tie I made. You can't even tell. I just sewed a button onto some maroon ribbon and it holds back the curtain. I used stuff I already had around the house for a creative, modern looking curtain.


***If you want the curtain to last long and it's any color other than white, you'll want to sew a white liner to the back of the curtain so the sun doesn't fade the color. I usually sew it like a pillow case and then turn it inside out to hide the seams. It's a little complicated, but with a little practice, you are sure to come up with your own tricks and tips for sewing using sheets.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The winner: Chicken Pot Pie (the boiled kind)

Here is the fourth and final recipe from our weekend-o-baking. It's for Chicken Pot Pie. Not the baked kind, the boiled kind. I forgot about this dish. Not sure how, it's freakin' so good. It's like home in the form of dough squares.

We didn't use saffron, because it's real expensive. I used the handy-dandy "Food Substitutions Bible" to see that it was OK to use Paprika instead. Invest in this book. It's saved my rear time and time again.

Anyway, enough of that, here it is. It's from "Pennsylvania Trail of History Cookbook." It's my g0-to book when someone has an argument about what a real PA Dutch dish is.


Chicken Pot Pie
3- to 4-pound whole chicken
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch saffron
3 to 4 potatoes, diced
3 carrots, coarsely cubed

Cook chicken in salted water with saffron until tender. Remove chicken to cool. To the boiling broth, add potatoes, carrots and onion. Cook for 15 minutes. Debone cooled chicken and set aside.

Pot Pie Dough
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
3 tablespoons water

Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Beat eggs with water. With a fork, work into flour and salt to make a stiff dough. Add more water if mix is too dry. Roll dough onto floured board until thin, and cut into 2-inch squares. Drop dough squares into boiling broth a few at a time, and cook about 20 more minutes. Stir in chicken pieces and heat through. Makes 6 servings.



Friday, December 5, 2008

Casserole recipes galore

Today's post is just to show you that not all recipes turn out the way you want them to. Jen asked for the casserole recipes Kelly and I made over the weekend. I was hesitant to share them because neither one was out-of-this-world good. I only like to share to amazing recipes. But, I have to say both were extremely easy and fun to make. I think some if it had to do with how we made it. I include a few tips with each recipe. Both of the recipes came from a Taste of Home Casserole book Kelly thinks she got me for a wedding shower gift.

Chicken Ham Casserole
Makes 6 servings
1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with chicken and ham. In a bowl, combine soup, milk, Colby cheese (we used Cheddar) and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

**We split this casserole, so it was a little runny. The taste was great. I bet if you followed the directions and cooked it in a 2-quart container, it would set better. I would double the rice if I made it again. I ate the leftovers on top of a baked potato and it was Gooooood!

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium) baked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups (24 ounces) sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced

Directions:
Cut baked potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place half in a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle half of the salt, pepper and bacon. Top with half of the sour cream and cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with onions.

***This casserole is still in my freezer. I thought it called for a lot of sour cream. When Kelly and her kids ate it, they agreed. She thinks this would make a better side dish than a meal, despite it having bacon. She recommends not freezing this one.

Stay tuned for the winning recipe of last weekend. We LOVED the boiled chicken pot pie. We PA Dutch gals like to stick together.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Spray paint is the perfect solution

When we bought our home a year ago, we were in love with it. The cozy little cape cod is perfect for a new couple. For the first six months we owned it, it went a little unloved. My husband (then fiance) lived there alone on lawn chairs and without curtains. I was busy planning a wedding and packing my belongings, so I didn't quite have the time to give it a woman's touch. Now, a year later and 7 months post-wedding, we have been able to do a lot of little inexpensive things to make it our own. Our biggest asset has been spray paint. No kidding. Most items don't need to be sanded or stripped, just sprayed. Easy!

We have used it for at least four projects around the house. When we bought the house, it had white walls and neutral carpet. A blank canvas; decorator's dream. The bad part was that the lights and ceiling fans were all outdated. We replaced the fan/light in the living room with a $150 modern one from Home Depot. If we did that in every room, we would be broke. So, the fan in the bedroom got a spray paint makeover. We removed the blades (which were a dark wood with wicker centers) and spray painted them black. When we screwed the blades back on, we put them on upside down so you couldn't see the wicker. Voila! A more modern fan for 97 cents (the cost of a can of black spray paint).

The second project was an old cheap wood table that my husband brought to the marriage. I ironed on top of it. Oops. It left a huge white wilted stain on the table. So, we spray painted it black (again 97 cents for the can) and now it makes a great accent table in our bathroom. I used a dessert plate from our dining set to display the candle to save from having to buy a little plate to display the candle on. We rarely use all 16 place settings, so I figured the plate would be better used in the bathroom.


The third project we did was more recent. We are redecorating our dining room. That fiasco is for another post. But, the look is modern. We have black and bright yellow, so the gaudy, old-world frame on our beloved Last Supper picture had to go. Instead of spending a fortune on a new frame, we just spray painted it black to match the decor. The spray paint didn't stick as well as it should, but it created a really cool, antiqued look that matches the black dining room furniture perfect. I love it.

I don't have a picture of the flower urns on our porch, but that is another project courtesy of spray paint. Every summer we go to the Mud sales(auctions to benefit the local fire companies) in Lancaster County. We purchased two (abot 2-feet tall) porcelain flower urns that were white with orange stripes and polka dots. It was $1.50 for both. We brought them home and guess what? We painted them black with spray paint. I bought some inexpensive tall twigs at Christmas Tree Shoppes and they sit on our front steps. They look so elegant. They match our white house with black shutters much better than orange and white. I am sure there are many more spray projects to come, so stay tuned.

Cooking for a small crowd


Over the weekend, Kelly, my best friend, and I got together to whip together some casseroles. She has a small family and I just have a husband, so we decided it was a good idea to share the expenses, work and rewards. We made two casseroles and split them in half. The idea is to freeze them and when life is busy, pop them in the oven for a quick meal.

After preparing them, we covered them with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. We taped an index card to the top with the instructions for heating. It's a great way to share food expenses. We also made boiled chicken pot pie and pumpkin roll.

Here is my (well, Libby's recipe modified just a tad) recipe for Pumpkin Roll:

Cake
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup pure pumpkin
  • Filling
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a 15-by-10-inch jelly-roll pan (I use the Pampered Chef stone) line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes (14 minutes, plus 3 more works for me) or until top of cake springs back when touched. If it isn't done, your finger will come out with cake on it.

Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together. If you want a short and fat roll, start from the narrow end. If you want a longer skinnier roll that is good for parties with a lot of food, start at the wide end. Cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile, for the filling, beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. I freeze it for up to one month during busy holiday season.


In the Christmas spirit


I love Christmas. I really look forward to decorating. This year, I tried to take the crafty approach, the natural approach. My decorating style is very organic in the sense that I take a lot of inspiration from the outdoors. I also reuse EVERYTHING. I use a lot of pine cones that I've picked up over the years. They're free! I have a lot of potpourri and candles that I bring out for display each year, but always in a different container or arrangement. I certainly didn't want to spend too much money this year on decorating. However, you always have to add a few things.


This year, I added two new displays to the Christmas decorations. The first one came with a little inspiration from Family Circle Magazine. I bought plastic ornaments from Wal-Mart and The Dollar Store (green and gold to match my living room) and displayed them in a big glass container. All those ornaments were less than $10. The container was my Nan's and I used it on the candy buffet at my wedding, so it was free. You can find all kinds of cool containers at any thrift store.

The second one was even less expensive and the idea really just popped into my head. I have a million beads and buttons in my craft closet. I bought a button collection at an auction for really cheap, maybe $1, so I will never run out of buttons. I sorted out the red and green ones for the center container and mixed it with green glass stones for more volume (also something I already had.) The candle and plate were things I had in my house that I know I got for a gift or bargain, I am sure. The center glass container was $1 at Goodwill and each side container was 47 cents. I bought the small red candles at Wal-Mart for 88 cents each and again, had the beads around the house. I did light the candles, but am afraid to let them burn too long. The wax is going to run down into the beads and make it really hard to get them out!
And of course, I want to be able to reuse the beads if it's ever necessary!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Back to the blogs

It's so easy to forget you have a blog. I mean, really, isn't life busy enough? I don't feel alone though, because I have read a million and five blogs that started and didn't keep up.

At the suggestion of a co-worker who is going to miss my bargain tips, recipes and ideas at work on a daily basis (**more on that later**), I decided to try really hard to keep the blog updated.

**As of Jan. 2, I will be leaving the York Daily Record/Sunday News, a place I have spend 37.5 hours a week for the past 5.5 years. It's bittersweet. I love this job. I get paid to write about food, fun people and life. It's flexible, laid back and cool. However, I have a larger desire to have a more rewarding job. Summers off won't hurt, either. So, I start classes at Temple Harrisburg in January to get my master's in special education. I will be substitute teaching, mostly for the IU 12. I'll still freelance for the paper to keep my writing sharp and I'll waitress at Cracker Barrel because that's fun, too.

So here is my tip of the day....(sorry Jen, it's one you already know.) The bread outlet behind the West Manchester Mall has a buy-one-get-one-free special on Fridays through the end of the year. That means the already half-price items are now BOGO. I got a pack of two small pizza crusts, rye bread, wheat bread and rolls for $3.50.