Change

I added one more sandwich bag of change to my secret drawer today. There are now 6 bags of coins and the drawer is getting heavy. I am trying to figure out if I should stash them somewhere else or actually take them to the bank?? In some ways I would like to just keep stock piling my coins and maybe someday take a fabulous vacation. I think I will sleep on it, and in the meantime keep saving my change. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!!

The Lost Art of Home Canning

I love to home can my own Jams and Jelly's, as well as Salsa. Occasionally I will make recipes in the pressure canner too. Canning is really not hard, it is a little time consuming, but the rewards are unbeatable. This info was taken off of the Ball Canning Website, I hope you find it useful. Oh and by the way.... I found an old Kerr Canning book (from 1947) just a small paper one at a yard sale last month for 25 cents. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Why Should I Can?

Fresh Preserving provides a number of great benefits which are relevant to today’s lifestyles. While home canning has been around for generations, the reasons why people can today are different than the reasons why people canned products years ago.

Gardening and home canning can lower your grocery bill. Burpee Seed Company (www.burpee.com) estimates that for every $50 spent on seeds and fertilizer, a gardener can yield $1250 worth of produce. As it’s not feasible for a family to enjoy all of that fresh produce all at one time, home canning allows you to preserve that fresh, home grown flavor from your garden for use all year long, and saving on your grocery bill.

Home canning supports sustainable lifestyles. Canning locally-grown produce reduces the carbon footprint created by transporting vegetables around the world in off-seasons. A study by Carnegie Mellon found that 11% of the average American’s household food-related greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation of foods. You can reduce that by growing your own produce or purchasing it locally, and then fresh preserving the harvest and re-using Ball® Jars year after year.

Fresh preserving allows you to manage your family’s nutrition. Many canning enthusiasts enjoy the versatility and control they have with fresh preserving recipes. When you fresh preserve foods, you can avoid additives and preservatives found in many commercial products, and you may even opt to use organic ingredients.

According to research from The National Gardening Association, 48% of consumers’ garden to ensure their food is safe. Canning is a perfect way to manage the ingredients in your recipes to ensure that your family not only gets the garden fresh flavor of fresh produce, but that they also avoid any undesired ingredients.

Express yourself through unique and creative recipes. For generations canners have used fresh preserving to showcase their own unique style with creative canning recipes. Impress your friends and family by creating unique jams, jellies and other culinary creations.

For tutorials, videos and other information on how to can visit our Intro to Canning section here.

Search our database of fresh preserving recipes and start your culinary adventure now!

Garden

I must say again how much I LOVE summer. Summer is my favorite season of the year. I soooo look forward to summer all winter long. My garden is really coming on right now, I had to plant late because June was so cold and iffy. I must have 100 tomatoes on my 12 plants right now, but none of them are red. I have been enjoying lettuce and spinach for quite some time now, as a matter of fact one of my rows of spinach (what was left) has gone to seed. My zucchini and squash are doing really well too, they are about the size of my thumb....and I have small hands. Here is my worry...Our weather has turned chilly the last couple of days, I am praying for a warm up, so we will see. I have grandiose dreams of having zucchini, tomato stir fry with rice, canning lots of salsa, and making lots of zucchini bread. I love saving money on groceries and would much rather eat out of my garden. Keep your fingers crossed. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Eggs

With all the recalls happening with eggs here in the US, it is my Fabulous & Frugal duty to let you all know...... Many cities are adopting ordinances during these hard economic times, that a person can have up to 4 chickens, or laying hens, no roosters within city limits. I think it is worth checking into. Especially since chickens are known for eating bugs, and laying eggs is such a bonus. I believe it is better to eat free range eggs anyway. If your city has adopted this policy, you could buy a few chickens and never have to worry about buying eggs at the store again. Plus... chickens are just so cool to watch. Have a Fabulous & Frugal Day!!!

Weekend

Ahhh, the weekend is finally here. My plans for my glorious days off are going to be hit and miss. I will take in some yard sales with a girlfriend a little later today. I really want to relax in the backyard, enjoying the warmth of the sun and catch up on some reading. I have 2 movies to watch. I desperately need to clean house, and I need to catch up on my sleep. I plan to cook today, I am thinking soup in bread bowls and a large pasta salad, so that I may cook once and eat all weekend. I really want to just stay home this weekend and relax. We will see how that works out for me. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Back to Work

Well, my lovely valucation/staycation came to a tragic end, I had to go back to work. I cannot begin to tell you how hard it is to go back to the graveyard schedule. My husband and I had a wonderful time fishing. He actually caught 2 salmon that he got to keep. It was great seeing my parents...they live in Washington. My parents spoiled my children, bought them things and took them out to dinner. I had a bridal shower last week, and a wedding. Then there was my son's going away bar-be-que...he will be leaving for Iraq soon. I had an action packed vacation and actually needed to go back to work so that I may catch up on my rest. I must admit that I totally love summer and it was a great week, and great weather. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Valucation or Staycation

Looking for ideas for a Valucation, also welcome ideas for the famous Staycation. I am going fishing next week, I will be packing the food, and the essentials, I am bringing books to read if the fishing is slow, and intend to relax, catch some fish, recouperate from work, and have a great time.
Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Roast in the Crockpot

Yesterday morning when I got home I threw 2 Angus beef roasts --(that I bought in the reduced meat bin at the store, if you don't use the meat from the reduced bins right away, then throw them in the freezer)-- into the crockpot, seasoned them well, and turned the crockpot on low, and then I went to bed. I slept for 6 hours, and when I got up my house smelled delicious. I sliced up the roasts in sandwich thin slices, then sliced up pickles, tomatoes and cheese. We had home made roast beef sandwiches for dinner tonight and boy were they delicious. It is so nice to cook in the crockpot during the summer, no sense in heating up your kitchen. It is also so nice to cook a gourmet meal while you are sleeping. I love summer!!!
Have a Fabulous & Frugal Day!!!

Frugal Smoothie

Awesome low-fat Frugal Smoothie

1/2 cup almond milk (soy milk or skim milk)
1/3 cup lowfat yogurt (any flavor)(you can substitute 2 teaspoons of peanut butter)
1 banana or any fruit
2 tsp of fiber powder (can't taste it kind)
4 icecubes if you wish (totally optional)

Blend all ingredients in blender on Med/High until smooth.

Low Fat and very tasty...can use as meal replacements
Have a Fabulous & Frugal Day!!!

Plumbing

I have got quite a leak in my main bathroom in the bathtub faucet area. I researched the problem on-line and promptly headed out to Lowes to buy the correct parts. I spent 64.00 for the faucet replacement kit. I cleaned out my linen closet in order to get to the back of the pipes that connect to the bathtub. Low and behold, this is going to be a project, that is going to require a plumber. The pipes in the back are copper and they have all been welded together, so there is no easy way of changing the faucet unit. My husband is working on it and in the mean time we have contacted a plumber as well to check it all out. What I thought would be a relatively easy do-it-yourself project....might just be a nightmare. I will keep you posted!! Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!

Carpet Shampooer

I bought the carpet shampooer I have been eyeballing for 2 months. It was hard to spend the 80.00 (got it on sale) It is the small Bissel with rotating brushes. I got it all put together and shampooed the hallway, boy does the carpet look nice. I will not say it looks brand new because the carpet is 20+ years old, but it sure does look a lot better. It will be so nice not to have to borrow a shampooer from my friends, and this way I clean or spot clean the carpet any time I want. On another note, it sure beats paying someone else to come in and clean my carpets. Have a Fabulous & Frugal day!!!