Some Good Quotes

"The Secret to getting ahead is to get started."

~Mark Twain

"Someone is happy with less than what you have."

~Unknown

 Have a good day all!

"Yay!"

Just like Daddy

Am I disturbing your reading Big Boy? What a face! This is one of my favorite pictures!

Fired up the ol' cook stove the other day. Made homemade granola and baked taters. 

Don't worry, that is glare in the picture, not smoke lol. 

 My first batch of homemade baked beans. Mmmm.

 Kicking back, jug in hand.

Greeting Autumn

Staring off with a fresh batch of squash doughnuts (Grampie's recipe) and pumpkin spice coffee.

 Hey toothy! What'cha doin??

 Bear season in Maine means wearing hunter orange.

 Foghorn Leghorn

 The chickens gobbling up their daily apples. They Love them!

 Homemade peanut butter dog treats. I remember making these a long time ago for my Aunt and Uncle's dogs for Christmas.

 Jackson is trying to figure out how Lefty Frizzle got in the radio.

 "Excuse me, we have a problem." Lol.

 A few decorations

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Chicken Enchiladas

8 flour tortillas
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 16oz container sour cream
1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10oz can cream of chicken soup
1 small can green chilies (chopped)
1 small onion (diced)
1 8oz pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 8oz pkg. shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375*. Boil chicken breasts and allow to cool, at least to room temp. In a large bowl mix sour cream and soups. Take 1/4 of mixture and set aside. Add to large bowl onion, chilies, and cheddar. Shred or cube chicken and add to large bowl. Place about 1/2 C. of mixture on middle of tortillas and roll up. Place in a glass pan. Cover with the mixture that was set aside, coating all the edges. Sprinkle the top with the Colby-Monterey Jack. Bake for about 30 minutes, until cheese is golden.


* The picture was taken the day after I made these. They look better fresh, I just forgot to get a picture. Also, I made three pans of them (for company) but only had two glass ones. If you bake these in a metal pan, the bottoms of the tortillas will be tough and chewy, at least mine were. :)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

I've adapted this cheesy recipe from one given to me on my 14th birthday. It is creamy and cheesy, sure to be a hit with the family.

 1/2 lb. macaroni, cooked. (we currently like small shells)
4 T flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2-3/4 lb shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp worcestershire
4 T butter
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

*Cook pasta. Melt butter in a pot, stir in flour, salt and pepper. Slowly add milk, stirring until it thickens. Add cheese, stir until melted and blended well. Add worcestershire sauce. Pour over pasta, mix together and serve. A few strips of bacon makes a nice addition. Fry and drain before adding to macaroni. Makes enough for 2 (and a half, lol) people with enough leftovers for another meal.

Homemade Furniture Polish: Frugal Living Series

After using the last spray of Pledge, I set out to find a good recipe for homemade furniture polish online. Of the ones I looked at, I liked the sound of this one the best, so I tried it. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I found it, so all I can say is that I did not come up with the recipe. I love it! It works great, smells great, and I had everything I needed to make it in my cupboards. And so here it is:

HOMEMADE FURNITURE POLISH
2 T. Olive Oil
1/4 C. Vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/4 t. Lemon Juice

*Mix up and pour into a spray bottle. Because the oil won't mix with the vinegar, I just shake it a little right before I spray it  You might want to test it on an inconspicuous spot first, but I haven't had any problems.

 Happy polishing!

9/11/01

NEVER FORGET

Please take just 5 minutes out of your schedule today to remember...

-photos courtesy of Google Images 

~Frugal Living Series~ Homemade Cleaners

Cleaning is something that we just have to do. It removes dirt and germs and in doing so, creates a healthy home environment, not to mention a nice looking one. I started making my own cleaning products for two reasons:
*it costs less
*less harmful chemicals

*All purpose cleaner*
1 part water
1 part vinegar
-mix together in a clean spray bottle. Cheap and effective. I like the smell of vinegar too!

*Glass cleaner*
-the same as all purpose. It works great on glass!

*Disinfectant*
1 part 70% rubbing alcohol
1 part water
-mix in a spray bottle. -use on points of contact (door knobs, light switches, etc.) and after preparing raw meat use on the counter. Also you can use it on baby's highchair tray, walker tray, swing, etc.

*Bathroom cleaner*
-I use the all purpose, and the disinfectant. For the shower, I spray it down with the vinegar and then use an off brand ''Miracle Eraser". So far I have not had any trouble getting soap scum and hard water off the shower this way. I cut the erasers in half, and it is still big enough to do the whole shower and tub. For the toilet bowl, I'm still using Lysol cleaner that I bought a while ago. After it is gone, I plan to go with the vinegar and see how that does.

*Dish soap*
-I've almost finished the last of my dish liquid (store brand). And then I want to try this recipe:  www.diynatural.com/homemade-dish-soap/
You don't have to use the essential oils, they are just for smell. However, Tee Tree and peppermint oils are known for their natural antimicrobial properties.

Laundry soap will be in my frugal laundry post.

Happy cleaning!

~Frugal Living Series~

Here is the series I mentioned that I wanted to do. I was brought up in a large family where I was taught the value of saving hard earned money and stretching a dollar as far as it will go. And while I always knew there was wisdom in that, I didn't wholeheartedly do my best to save money and spend wisely when we first got married. I mean, I tried, but if I wanted the good smelling laundry detergent, I spent $11.00/bottle for it. (I don't care what the companies claim, I've never been able to get 60 loads out of one bottle). And in the early days, I tired to get as much ''organic'' food as I could, sometimes spending upwards of $100.00/week for two people! I know, I see my folly now lol. The ''organic'' thing didn't last long, because it was so much money, and foods like fresh veggies and milk products you can only get a week or less out of them before they get slimy or sour. We were pitching bad food and of course I felt guilty. I soon revised my shopping habits. **quick note about ''organic''** While organic is good, it means FEWER pesticides, not necessarily NO pesticides on crops. Organic veggies are better than organic meat, egg and milk products for this reason: you can still keep diseased animals in filthy, crowed facilities, throw organic grain at them and sell the products at the high organic prices. Personally, I think it is much better to patronize a small, local farm that is dedicated to raising healthy animals in a more natural environment than pay big bucks for ''organic'' food that was trucked 1,000 miles or more from its original location. Even if they feed their animals non organic grain. I'm not just saying that because we farm, but honestly, it makes more sense.   

Anyway, sorry about the hippie rant. Where were we? Oh, saving money, right. So, I really became aware at just how much we were wasting money as a family when while I was in labor for our first child, my husband got a call notifying him about a layoff at the mill. Great. Perfect timing. He did get laid off, one of 200 something workers. We thank God that we had recently bought a skidder to cut wood off our land to sell. He has been cutting wood for nine months now.
  And so my journey to frugal living started, full speed ahead. I'm learning a lot as I go, and some months I do better than others, but I'm striving for ever increasing improvement. I invite you along with me on this journey. Even if you're not in the same situation as we are, maybe you could join me to spend less in general.
  As our great grandmothers always used to say "USE IT UP, WEAR IT OUT, MAKE DO, OR DO WITHOUT."