Weird ways to save water

As homeowners and some renters know, water bills can be expensive. Ours went up $20 last quarter and I am not sure why. So, here are a few off the wall ways that I try to save water.

• I empty the dehumidifier water into a bucket and water my plants with it. On these humid summer days, I dump it a lot. It's free water and it saves me from running the faucet to get fresh water for the plants.
• I shower at the gym whenever I can. Come on! It makes sense. We pay $70 for a gym membership, I can at least use their water as often as possible!

Ok, those are only two weird ways I save water! Any other more practical ideas?

Quilting progress

So, a few years ago I started accumulating dozens of T-shirts from races and events I participated in. A girl can only wear so many shirts, so I decided to make a quilt with them. I picked up a free pattern at JoAnn Fabrics back when I lived in York and started cutting the T-shirts each time that I cleaned out my drawer.
Well, all 26 T-shirt pieces are finally cut and this is what it will sort of look like, the basic layout. I think that was the easy part. Next, I have to cut all the binding, border and sashing to separate all the T-shirts and make it look more uniform. That, may also be fairly easy compared to sewing it all together. My aunt is coming for lunch one day next week. Maybe she can assist me. I just get so scared sewing on a 1/4 inch seam in a straight line that it won't all line up. I guess the more practice I get the better it will be.
Nate asked me if I starched the T-shirts to get them all so stiff, but it's fusible interfacing that you iron on to make it more stiff and easier to work with and sew. If I had to do it again, I would cut out all the right sizes for the interfacing, then match them up with T-shirts. I ended up with 3 pieces that I would have liked to use that didn't really fit into the pattern. I could have deviated from the pattern, but that is even more scary.
So, the next few weeks that I have left of summer will be spent cutting the other pieces...so hopefully I can post that next.

Proud of my dinners

I apologize ahead of time for my lack of photos. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really mean to take photos. But, in the heat of the moment, dinner is done and we're hungry, and we eat. I've been trying to make new and different meals since I am home and have a little time to do my homework and dig through recipe books. One day this week, I made Parmesan-crusted chicken. I mixed bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and a mix of spices such as oregano, parsley and the like. I dipped the chicken in egg beaters and rolled it around in the mixture. I baked it for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Meanwhile, I cut up three potatoes into wedges. I sprinkled them with a mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder and baked them for about 30 minutes at the same temperature. What a quick and easy dinner.

The next night, I made Cuban sandwiches. YUM! I had made some pork in the slow cooker earlier in the week, so I sliced the leftovers as thin as I could. I laid a hamburger bun open on the counter and spread one side with mayo and the other with mustard. I layered provolone (the recipe called for Swiss, but we don't really like that), cooked ham slices and the pork on the bun and a layer of dill pickle slices. I smashed it all together (recipe said 1-inch thick) and buttered both sides of the bun. I grilled each side about 3 minutes and voila, dinner was done. Nate asked for seconds and I thoroughly enjoyed my first.

And on another note, I found the problem with my flat cookies. I've been puzzled as to why my chocolate chip cookies have been thin, flat and crispy. Through advice from many sources (namely my mom, stepdad and mother-in-law) I added a little more flower and used shortening instead of butter. And, wouldn't you know it? It worked. I must have eaten 2 dozen cookies in the last two days. They remind me of my mom's!

And the zucchini is still cranking. I peeled and shredded up the ones I have and will freeze them in 2-3 cup bags so I have them to make zucchini bread and cake and muffins and all that this winter! Man I love not wasting and saving money!

For the love of the library!

I volunteer at the library on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. I started as a way to stay busy in the summer and get me out of the house. Monday was my first day. I LOVED it. I checked books in and out, I shelved books, called patrons to let them know their books were in and a few other tasks the librarian needed me to do.
I forgot that the library has magazines you can take out. I have always loved Real Simple, but never took the time to subscribe. I already subscribe to at least four, maybe five magazines. So what a savings. I can check out the magazines they have read them in a few days and return them for someone else to read! It saves money. Volunteering also saves me the fine money I would have to pay! I am notorious for not being able to finish books on time.
I also get to see what all the kids are reading, the new books, etc. It also forces me be to up on my literature knowledge because as an English teacher, people think I know it all. I am really glad that I took this volunteering on. It's a relaxing way to spend Monday mornings!

Zucchini out the wazoo!

So the one zucchini plant I put in the garden is seriously on steroids. Being one that hates to waste, I have been trying to use it. I have basically been baking as much zucchini bread as I can. I will be trying to distribute it soon.

Here is the recipe:

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together. Mix eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, crushed pineapple, walnuts and zucchini together. Mix in dry ingredients. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Check with toothpick to see if done.


Here is another recipe I use. It's for Poorman's Crab Cakes. It doesn't taste like a crab cake, but it's really yummy. And fairly healthy. Nate actually liked it, which is rare!


Poorman's Crab Cakes

2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste.


Combine ingredients and shape into cakes. Fry in a skillet until golden brown.

Yay beans!

We have green beans! The garden is in full bloom. Well, sort of. Zucchini is definitely producing many fruits a day. Nate picked at least a quart of green beans last night for dinner. We also picked two cucumbers, which I used for cucumber salad. I really wish some tomatoes or peppers would show face. We had a really yummy dinner last night. I stopped at Giant for fresh a pound of fresh Catfish for about $5. I sprinkled some Cajun seasoning on it and cooked it in foil on the grill for about 20 minutes.
We sauted the green beans in olive oil, garlic and onion and covered them to help soften. And then because my potatoes were seriously rotten (I mean oozing white creamy goop), we had to opt for instant mashed potatoes.

Here is my recipe for Cucumber Salad if you need a use for ALL those veggies!

Cucumber Salad

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium onion sliced into rings
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Chill for 24 hours before serving. YUM!

When stocking up doesn't save

For the second time in two years, I have had a printer bite the dust on me with no warning. The problem for me in both instances is that I stocked up on print cartridges (which aren't cheap) and now I am left with them. Printers are made so cheaply, it doesn't even pay to have them fixed. That is what the guy at Geek Squad has already told me not once, but twice! You think I would have learned the first time. But alas, I did not. Geek Squad guy told me to sell them on eBay, but I spent nearly $60 on three, and three are selling for $20 or less on eBay. Not even really worth the hassle. I wonder if churches are nonprofits would accept a donation like this. I mean, if they even have that kind of printer. I am learning to live by Nate's motto, "it is what it is," but it burns me up that I wasted the cost of half a printer on cartridges I can't even use.
I got a letter in the mail from Penn-Mar about them accepting used cartridges as donations. If none of my family or friends can use the ink, I might just see if they can accept it as a donation. We'll see how that goes!

Puppy parenthood

Has it really been nearly two weeks since I posted? I can't believe it. Since we picked up Moose, an 8-week-old German Shepherd Puppy, I've been following him around the house hoping to catch him in the act of peeing or pooping so that he becomes housebroken. That means I've skipped out on exercise, barely cleaned the house and didn't really do anything productive. It's rather disturbing, since I am used to being so active. I am sure before I know it, he will be housebroken and a joy to have.

I am a really impatient person, too, which makes it hard to stick to being consistent and not seeing immediate results. Hopefully, I can stick it out so Moose is a well behaved and socialized dog.