$avvy $avings on Rental Cars

stock images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

We are planning a big trip in August to go several states away, hundreds of miles.  We will need to take extra cargo for our trip.  We have 5 adult sized people in our family and our van is just too small.

SO, we decided to bite the bullet and rent a van, full size with room for 12.  That should about do it with all our stuff in there! :)

I started to search on the internet for rental places and prices.

Let me give you the skinny....if a vacation with a rental vehicle is in your future, make the reservation online AFTER you have searched for online discounts and coupons.  I went with Avis only because they had the size of van that I needed.

 I saved $200 by making the reservation online with a discount.

I know because I made the reservation first by talking to a real person, at the local Avis place, who would not even consider entering any coupons...and no email receipt......and took tons of information about me all except for my shoe size....and then I had to cancel that reservation after I made the better one online.

Also if you need an unusual size like we did, make your reservation early, even months ahead because they book up and you may be out if you wait to reserve. You can cancel up to 48 hours before the trip (check with the company that you choose) if you need to make a change.

Save yourself some time and money.....do it online.    :)

Hope you have a great summer!

You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Refried Beans and Hotsie-Totsie Sauce!

We all love a little Mexican flavor now and then, right?! Well get ready for some totally awesome better-than-Taco-Bell-flavor that's headed right for your taste buds! :)

Not only are these two dishes delightful, they're also a frugal meal because you can serve meatless bean burritos with the hotsie-totsie sauce with a sprinkle of cheese, and for much less money than it costs to eat out at a Mexican restaurant. Satisfying, healthy, and SO GOOD! :D This is one dinner that definitely needs to dive into your menu. :)

And just look how simple it is...

Refried Beans

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups (or 2 pounds) dry pinto or black beans
• about 3-3 1/2 quarts of water, as needed
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 3 teaspoons salt, to taste

Directions:

• Rinse the beans.  Cook the beans with the water in the crockpot for 8 hours on high.
• Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.  
• Mash the beans and add the bean liquid as needed to make a smooth mixture. 
• Add the spices and stir them in well.

Serve them with tortilla shells, freshly grated cheddar cheese and Hotsie~Totsie Sauce.  Oh, go ahead and have some sour cream if you really have to! ;)

Hotsie~Totsie Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 ( 15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place in sauce pan and stir well, simmer at a very low temperature for 15- 20 minutes.

Remove and cool. Store in an air-tight container like a mason jar!

May be kept in refrigerator for several days.

You are getting your spices at a really good price, aren't you?  If you haven't heard, please check out our post on Best Prices for Herbs and Spices.

Enjoy this deliciouso dinner, perfect for your summer evenings when you want a little zesty flavor without breaking the bank. :D

  You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Best Prices for Herbs and Spices!

This is a HUGE frugal tip here, folks.  If you love to cook from scratch like we do, you use a lot of spices and herbs.  One awesome way to save money is to buy your herbs and spices in bulk.

Herbalcom.com is just the place. I have ordered from there several times and each time have been completely happy with my purchase.  They have so many items like loose leaf teas, herbs, spices, cocoa powder, essential oils, as well as empty capsules and things like beeswax!

Nothing fancy here, just straightforward great prices.  Their website will not tickle your visual senses! But hey, if I save lots of money, it doesn't have to be pretty!

For example,

Over time, that could add up to a lot of money!  Herbalcom.com sells the spices and herbs in 1 pound packages.  That can be a lot of spice so you may want to go in with a friend or just store them in mason jars like I do.  :)

I make up my own capsules of herbs to take orally by using herbs from Herbalcom.com.  That tutorial is for another post but if you like to use herbs for remedies, this is the source for you.

I also have met people who like to make their own special herb mixes and sell them.  At these prices, that option is very affordable.

But don't just take my word for it, hop on over to Herbalcom.com and comparison shop for your favorite items.

Happy cooking!

  You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Outwitting The Hotel-room Coffeemaker

{Gloria here!} Coffee! Can't live without it!  But what to do when you are away from home and staying in a hotel for a weekend?

It's really nice that the hotel offers free coffee samples... but there are only two!  I don't know about you but that is not going to last a weekend for me!

Let me share with you my DIY On-The-Go Coffee method. This will work in most hotel coffee makers (but not the kind that use the K-cup). This works for hot tea also!!

Before you leave home, pack a supply of 8-10 cup coffee filters, grab a handful, for as many cups of coffee that you will want.  Stash some coffee (already ground) in a ziploc bag, take plenty!  And bring a spoon if you want to measure out your coffee.  You might want to bring your favorite to-go cup, too!!

Put the coffee in the middle of the filter, enough for a cup of coffee.  Carefully draw up the edges of the filter and give it a twist.  Fold it over so it fits into the machine.  Place it in the basket and slide it in place.  Add the proper amount of water and press start!

In three minutes, a fresh cup of coffee made with your favorite brand of coffee!

Because I wanted to fill my to-go cup, I added a little more coffee to the filter and used it twice.

I hope this helps you on your next trip to be able to enjoy fresh brewed coffee in your usual quantities!!

You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

DIY Resizing a Shirt

I have a little sewing trick that comes in handy so many times.  Re-sizing a shirt!

My son is 6 foot 3 inches tall and has a 32 inch waist.  Yes, he only weighs 150 pounds.  But he has such broad shoulders that he wears a men's large shirt.  The shirts are usually cut for a much heavier man so, you guessed it, they hang like a sack on him.  Voila! The shirt re-size to the rescue!

Have the person (my son) put on the shirt.  Pin up the sides and even under the arm if needed where the new seam will go.  Have them take the shirt off.  It is important that they can comfortably get the shirt on and off (especially if it is a pull-over) and you know this before you start sewing.

Carefully measure how far in the new seam will be at each pin.  I try to average the measurement and make both sides the same at that point.  Then with the shirt inside out pin the new seam. (I go pin by pin.)

For this shirt, I made it more narrow it at the waist and gradually flared it out under the arms.  I measure from the bottom to the narrowest place at the waist and make sure the sides are even. Stitch the seam. Have them try on the shirt to make sure it fits and the seam look smooth. I usually sew a zig-zag stitch inside the seam allowance so the fabric won't fray.  Trim the seam close to the zig-zag stitching.

I also did this for several of my blouses as I have lost 30 pounds over the last year. I just can't go out and buy a whole new wardrobe and some of these shirts were my favorites!  I had a helper pin up the shirt while I had it on. I sewed them up and they look great, plus I feel great that I'm not wearing big baggy shirts!

Save some dough, be resourceful and give it a stab.  (Just don't stab your finger with the pin!) You'll be glad you did! :)

  You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Monthly Meal Planning

{Gloria here!} I am a planner.  Lists are my friends... and order makes me comfortable. :D  When I first heard about monthly meal planning, I was a little overwhelmed, thinking "Wow... where do you start with that?" It sounded too hard.  I wasn't sure I could pull it off.

Once I started to use it, I fell in love!  Having the meal ingredients on hand and my pantry stocked was a super good feeling!  I didn't stress about what we were going to have for dinner. It was right there, all planned out.

Want to give it a try? :)

You need 4 things:

1. A list of favorite meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) that you and your family like to eat.
2. A Master Grocery List
3. A Master Inventory List
4. A one-month calendar

This post at Paisley Petal Events contains links to 18 different cute, FREE, printable calendars! Some of these would work splendidly for planning your monthly menus. (Julia likes the one from Miss Tina best!)

Print one of those cuties off and let's get started. 

First... you have to make your meal, grocery, and inventory lists.  This is a one-time effort and once this is done, you are off and running! :)

Okay, so first, make a list of your favorite meals. This will help you remember all your meal options while you are making up the menu. Write out breakfast menus, lunch ideas and dinner options: main dishes, side dishes, vegetables and desserts if your family eats them regularly.  (We don't eat dessert often, only on special occasions, so that isn't on my list.) 

Now for the grocery and inventory lists!

Here are my original lists. They are not very pretty... but they work really well for me!

Write up your own inventory list of all the foods and grocery store items that you regularly keep on hand.
As you can see from my example, this is everything that you use in your house and purchase from the store: food, personal products, ziploc bags, cleaners, spices, etc. This might take a little while to complete, but don't stress about it, you can always go back and add things later.

Why write it all up? Because you only have to do it ONCE, instead of every month. Then you can simply print out a copy and (for the grocery list) highlight the things you need with a highlighter, or (for your inventory list) mark tally marks next to each item that you have in stock !

Your grocery list will look something like the inventory but a little more streamlined.  On the inventory, I also listed things in my freezer like baked goods, cooked beans, produce from my garden, and other items that were stored for meals.  Those don't go on the grocery list, only things that you need to buy.

Here are the grocery and inventory lists.

You're doing great! Let's keep going!

Now, take an inventory. Go through your pantry, fridge, freezer, and everywhere you keep supplies, (like the bathroom!) and write down what you have, or what you need to keep in stock but don't have! :)

Then, with your cute printed calendar and your inventory, start planning your meals. I try to use up what I have on hand first.  Write down what you will have on each day.
We eat simple breakfasts so I don't put that on the calendar.  You may only have cereal or toast with scrambled eggs. Just make sure you purchase enough of those to last you for a month.
Having a lunch menu will help to chase away stress over what to eat.  But, maybe your children eat school lunches... in that case, no need to mark anything down.
For the evening meal, I write down the main dish, side dish and veggie.

You can plan your menu several ways.  If you only have seven different meals, you can eat the same meal on each day. For example- Sunday is chicken, spaghetti and meatballs every Monday, etc.  You could go through your list and write down the dinner ideas and repeat the list until you fill up your days.  Or, you could have a type of meal per day... Italian one day, beef dishes another, pork meals another, you get the idea.  Just go with what works for you!

Also, keep in mind your schedule.  If you know you will be gone all day one day, plan an easy dinner or maybe a crockpot meal. If you have activities  like sports and/or church activities, mark those down and plan accordingly.

If you want to start out doing just a week, that is great!  After you have successfully done that for a couple weeks, try going two weeks, and slowly work your way up to a month.

Some of you may be ready to jump into a month, so go for it!

**************

After getting your meals planned out, you're ready to make your grocery list, checking your inventory list and meal calendar as you write it up.

I usually print a grocery list for each store at which I shop and write the name of the store at the top. (For us, it's Wal-Mart and Ingles.)  It saves confusion as I try to get the best deals from multiple stores.  Go systematically through each day on your calendar. For example, Sunday is crockpot chicken, potatoes and green beans.  I will count up how many times I need chicken for the month, see how many chicken meals I have in the freezer and then highlight chicken on my list and note the number I need to purchase next to it. Then I count up how many times I need potatoes and check my inventory and highlight it on my grocery list if I need potatoes.  You will have to estimate how many potatoes your family needs for a meal and about how many bags of potatoes you will need. I work my way through the calendar this way.

 After I have finished with the menus, I go through my inventory list to see if I need staples, like dish soap, shampoo, trash bags, etc. and highlight what I need, planning enough of everything to make it through a month.

Plan your actual GRAND EXCURSION (the shopping day) when the stores are not as busy. Also, plan to have some time when you get home to put away your groceries and make up some meals ahead of time. It will save you time and stress.  If you need a lot of items like me, take some helpers (my children are the best at this) with you.  Before you go through the checkout line, grab an empty cart, put it in the line first and have a helper put the bagged groceries in the cart while one helper loads the conveyor belt.  Meanwhile, You keep an eye on the screen to make sure the prices are correct and all items are rung up correctly.

When you get home from shopping with all your goodies, have your helpers help you put away your groceries neatly in the pantry and other storage areas.  :)  I take the meat out of the original package and put it in baggies so it is easier to thaw later.  I make our meatballs the next day and freeze them so they are all ready for cooking.  You may want to cook beef for meals like tacos ahead of time before freezing.  You get the idea.

Don't forget the SALES! I shop sales! When something I need goes on sale at my local grocery store, I am all over it!  I will buy extra to last a few months, especially if the item only goes on sale occasionally.  If you are savvy, you will notice that things like pasta and olive oil go on sale about every 3-4 months.  So try to stock up when the price is low!

I love shopping once a month.  It usually takes about 2-3 hours to get all our groceries.  I figure that I save that time x 3 for the weeks that I don't go to the store (6-9 hours per month!!)  Just think of all the fun things you can do with that extra time!!  Once you get the hang of it, you will never want to go back!

Plus, the stress of "what's for dinner" is totally gone!  It's all planned out.  Yes, sometimes life happens, and the menu needs to be changed, but you know you have the necessary ingredients for other meals right at your fingertips!  A well-stocked pantry is a joy!

We hope you enjoyed this menu planning post.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, we are always happy to help!

 You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Featured Resourceful Gal- Rachel Heffington

Hey readers! Julia here. We are delighted to share with you another of our featured resourceful gals, and this week the spotlight's on... Rachel Heffington! Everybody give Rachel a big hand of applause! ;) *roars of applause* Okay, okay, that's plenty. :D

J: Welcome, Rachel! Tell us a little about yourself so our readers can get acquainted with you.  

RH: I like to call myself the cock-eyed optimist. I'm practical, but there's just a terribly buoyant side to me that refuses to be entirely squelched, even in the hardest of times. I'm a novelist (as yet, unpublished) and a stay-at-home daughter. I work in our family business, help with the house and kids, and generally live a patch-work life that Jesus is faithfully knitting into something worthwhile in His eyes. My biggest desire is to be used by Him in some grand, adventurous way, small or large. For now, that way seems to be stretching pennies till you can see daylight through them. ;)

J:  I think your sense of humor is the thing I enjoy most about you, Rachel, and after having the privilege of reading some of your novels, I have no doubt that you WILL be a published author one day! :D So, what is your BIGGEST, #1 tip for resourceful living that you've discovered? Choose the best one, you can share some others in the next question. ;)

RH: Where there's a will there's a way. We like to complain that there's absolutely nothing to eat in the entire HOUSE or that we have absolutely NOTHING to wear, but I'm telling you that it can work if you take the dare to be creative.

J: I love it! :D Methinks I need to make that motto into a big sign and hang it where it smacks me in the eyes every day. :D Now... we want to hear some of your best tricks for feeding a large family on a budget. :D

RH: "Nothing goes better with cabbage than cabbage". ;) 

J: Trust Rachel to throw in a movie quote! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I believe! ;)

RH: No, really, this has been a skill I've gotten a lot of practice on this past year. Our family has never had much money, but the past two years have hit the business really hard. Plus, we've gained a vision to eat healthily, trying to avoid flours and most other starches and refined sugars. That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? How on earth can you feed a family of 12 healthily with a skimpy budget? We aren't Irish--we can't survive off of potatoes thrice daily. ;)

• First of all you grow a garden, which (if you can get past the price of seeds) greatly expands your repertoire of fresh groceries. 
• Second of all, you polish your sense of humor and take everything in stride. 
• Third of all, you become awesome at learning how to manipulate the herb cabinet. I am dead serious here. You can make a bland pot of rice or a pan of wilted potatoes snap to life with a skillful hand at seasoning. Conversely, there's nothing that will ruin even the best cut of beef more than a clumsy sprinkle of random herbs. Learn combinations and substitutions. The pot of chili I made this winter contained cocoa, coffee, and other atrocities, but tasted AMAZING.
• Also, meat can be used as a garnish. We've gotten used to it. Totally. Who ever even heard of each member of the family having a whole chicken breast? HAH! Instead of grilled chicken, try grilled chicken salads, and you can spread it three times as far!

J:  Those are all fabulous tips! We also grow as many things as we can in our garden, and it helps out the grocery budget tre-men-dously, that's for sure. Tell us about how your family works together to get things done. Do you assign tasks to everybody, or do you all pitch in where needed?

RH: Originally my parents had made a chore chart with designated responsibilities for every kid. The bones of that have stuck (and changed) over the years, but since graduation I've been more of a catch-all, just helping where help is wanted. You know. :) 

J: That I do. ;) Okay, we all love DIY and home decor over here, and who doesn't love a party? Share with us some of the ways you turned your home into a coffee-house for one night to raise money for your missions trip to Romania! :D

RH: Pretty much once we had chosen the idea of a coffee-house, we took inventory of what we had and what we wanted to do, and ran to Pinterest. 

(Julia interrupts: *Squeal!* :D I love Pinterest!!) 

RH: Haha! My goal (because we didn't have any funds to use) was to do it without spending a red cent. We went with four categories for decor: European, Hipster, Vintage, and Coffee-Shop Classic. Literally, we spent nothing except a dollar to buy a package of putty for sticking our things up on the walls. We ransacked out attic, discovered cardboard looks amazing from far away, used newspaper for pinwheels, and lots of paint and glue for everything else. Other members of the team lent us some silver coffee-pots and things, and we did it up gorgeously, as the pictures will show.

J: GAH! Too cute. :) What adorable signs! And as I know, the Lord blessed that coffee-shop night and you raised more than you'd dreamed you would to finance your trip to Romania. God is so good! What are some of the dearest lessons that He has shown you through this adventure of living resourcefully? 

RH: Hands down, that He provides. Not on our time-scale, but on His. 

J: Wowwwww, I love that!

RH: And it's always just enough, somehow. We seriously could not live without Him because logically, we'd be in the gutter. But He's faithful and His provision is enough. :)

      He has also taught me how important it is to have a sense of humor. To see the empty cabinets as a chance to make a familiar recipe by substituting the ingredients you do have for everything it requests that you don't have. :D

J: I'm inspired! Thank you so, so much for being interviewed on Resourceful Gals, Rachel! It's been so much fun having you here! (Isn't she great, everyone?!?) :D 

RH: You are very welcome, Julia! I hope I said something worth saying, and that you all will enjoy this peep into my "resourceful" life. :D If you want to stop by, I have a blog where I write about my life, lessons, and adventures at www.lassofalltrades.blogspot.com.

       Thank you for having me, Jewels! And may the rest of you live wonderfully resourceful lives!

The only picture I have of Rachel and I... :D So blessed to know this gal!

  You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

Zenni Optical: A Review

(Gloria here!) Prescription glasses and I have a long history together.  I have worn glasses since the second grade, about 7 years old.  I am also very nearsighted so glasses are a big deal to me.

I shudder to think how much money I have spent on glasses over the years and lately the cost of new glasses has gone sky high. The optical places seem to have us over a barrel because you can only get glasses at certain places!

Enter Zenni Optical (down stage right, spotlight glowing)!!! Freedom from high prices and control firmly in the hands of the customer!

I recently purchased my first pair of glasses from Zenni.  Bottom line: I am THRILLED!!  Here's why:

• The website is extremely user friendly and clearly explains all you need to know to find your fit for glasses.
• The LOW COST! I need a strong prescription so I had to get the more expensive lenses and still my glasses only cost me $89.00 which included the $5.00 shipping. 
• You can upload a picture of yourself so you can "try on" the glasses and see what looks good.  That is always the hard part..finding what looks good and the style that you like. 
• It only took a couple of weeks to get the glasses so plan ahead when ordering. Don't expect to get them right away, like the big box stores.  But for me the savings of hundreds of dollars was well worth the wait. :)
• The quality of the glasses is awesome.  They are not flimsy like some I have had. You have many options to choose from and can get alloy metal all the way up to titanium, not to mention the trendy plastic frames! :)

Just go to the optometrist (eye doctor) of your choice.  Get your new prescription and make sure they measure your PD and tell you the number. You will need this number. From Zenni, "The PD or Pupillary Distance is the distance between the pupils of the eyes, center to center, in millimeters. Most people have a PD between 54mm and 74mm.  If you received two values, such as 31/31.5, then the values are the distance from the center of your nose to each pupil center.  A  PD should be provided as part of your prescription."

Seriously, if you need prescription glasses, you should check out Zenni. I plan to buy more, just for a different look because I loved them so much.  

Also, they recently had a buy one, get one half off sale, so keep an eye out for their deals. (LOL.)

Here's to a clearer view on things!

You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

DIY Vanilla Extract

We do a lot of baking and cooking from scratch around here.  It is important to have a well-stocked spice cabinet.  One of the ingredients that I seemed to always be running out of was vanilla extract.  It comes in such little bottles! And is so expensive!!

Then when I started to watch my diet, I noticed that regular vanilla extract contained corn syrup! WHAT?? Corn syrup?!?  Yep, so unless you are buying organic you are probably getting ingredients you don't really want.

For example, from the Amazon site:

Watkins Original Vanilla Double Strength Extract
Water, glucose, propylene glycol, vanilla extract (alcohol, water, extractive of vanilla beans), alcohol (8.25%), artificial flavors, caramel color. Contains Sulfites.
$17.25 for 11 oz.

Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract Certified Organic, 4-Ounce Glass Bottles (Pack of 2)

$27.23 Water,organic Alcohol,organic Vanilla Bean Extractives


Flavorganics, Organic Vanilla Extract, 8 fl oz. for $21.41

Water, organic alcohol (35%), organic vanilla bean extractives.

McCormick doesn't even list the ingredients on their website or on Amazon.  The Food Renegade lists the ingredients as:

• Vanilla bean extractives in water,
• alcohol (35%),
• and corn syrup.

Did you notice that water is the first ingredient on some of the lists?  You don't need water in vanilla extract! 

But never fear, The Resourceful Gals are here!!  Make your own natural vanilla extract and know exactly what's in it!  :)

All you need are real whole vanilla beans and vodka.  Place the vanilla beans in a container (that you can seal) and cover with the vodka.  We use the vodka because it has no other taste.  Let steep for a few days to a week before the first use.  Then use as you like and refill the container with the vodka as needed.  You will have wonderful vanilla extract and as much as you want right at your fingertips!  

Not to mention CHEAPER!!  This large bottle of vodka cost about $8 for 59 oz. which comes out to 13.5  cents per ounce and will last a good long time.  

You can get your vanilla beans at Herbalcom.com for only $18 for 26-28 beans.  I use 5 beans, cut in half and they will last for several years. That is only 69 cents per vanilla bean and using 5 costs $3.46. Use the rest of the beans for a back-up (they will keep) or make gifts to share with those you love!

So your 10 ounce bottle of vanilla extract initially costs $4.81 and will only cost you to add the vodka at 13.5 cents per ounce after that for about 2 years.  *Does happy dance*

So go ahead and get started on your own vanilla extract.  You'll be glad you did!!

You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.

The Health Benefits of Cooking with an Iron Skillet

Julia here! Do you cook with an iron skillet? Iron skillets are one of the most wonderful tools you can use in your kitchen! And here are a few reasons why...

Health Benefit #1- Use Less Cooking Oil!

That lovely sheen on cast-iron cookware is the sign of a well-seasoned pan, which renders it virtually nonstick. The good news about this is that you won’t need to use oodles of high-calorie oil to cook your tasty foods like potatoes, veggies, chicken, and more. :D We usually use a dab of butter on our antique frying pan, instead of cooking oil. I've heard it's not best to mix butter and cooking oil when seasoning one skillet, and we use butter because we usually cook scrambled eggs in our antique pan. :)

BTW, To clean cast iron, never use soap. This will strip the pan of its natural seasoning.Simply scrub or scrape your skillet with a washcloth or a brush and hot water and dry it completely. (We actually scrape ours off with a small square of plastic that came with our pizza stone.) :D

One way to season your cast-iron skillet is to cover the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of kosher salt and a half inch of cooking oil, then heat until the oil starts to smoke. Carefully pour the salt and oil into a bowl, then use a ball of paper towels to rub the inside of the pan until it is smooth. If you're using butter, heat a small amount of butter in the pan until it's good and sizzled, then wipe clean with paper towels. (why paper towels? So you can discard them after use.) If you have purchased a new iron skillet, it may take a few times before it's seasoned enough to use. 

Health Benefit #2- Avoid Harmful Chemicals.

Hang onto your hats, this is the scary part! The repellent coating that keeps food from sticking to nonstick pots and pans contains PFCs (perfluorocarbons), a chemical that’s linked to liver damage, cancer, developmental problems and, according to one 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, early menopause. (YUCK. And we're using this regularly?) PFCs get released—and inhaled—from nonstick pans in the form of fumes when pans are heated on high heat. Likewise, we can ingest them when the surface of the pan gets scratched. Both regular and ceramic-coated cast-iron pans are great alternatives to nonstick pans for this reason.
We actually have a few nonstick frying pans still, but we're looking into replacing them for this very reason, and keeping an eye out at estate sales and yard sales for any unwanted iron skillets. :D

Health Benefit #3- Solve Iron Deficiency!

Did you know nearly 10% of American women are iron-deficient? (Neither did I, until I looked it up) Gloria (my dear mom and co-blogger) has struggled with iron deficiency, and I think cooking with our skillet has helped a lot. Her last blood-work report showed normal iron levels, even without her taking any iron supplements!

You see, while cast iron doesn’t leach chemicals, it can leach some iron into your food...and that’s a good thing. :) Cooking food, especially something acidic like tomato sauce in a cast-iron skillet can increase iron content by as much as 20 times!

Now, this isn't a health tip, it's a frugal one - using an iron skillet means you can decrease your pan replacement costs by 100%! THEY LAST FOREVER. :D 

So, what are you waiting for?! Dig out that iron skillet (or beg, borrow or snatch one from your Aunt Bea) and cook something great and guilt-free for yourself today. :D 



You will find us linked up at some of these fine sites.
More info about skillets here. :)

Grape Jelly Tutorial

Wanna learn how to make the greatest grape jelly? We thought so! :)

Welcome to a helpful step-by-step tutorial. When we're finished we'll have gone from a few jugs of grape juice to delicious homemade grape jelly that tastes so good you'll never want to eat store-bought again. :D

So, to get started...

Ingredients That You Will Need: 

• Grape Juice (we use Welch's 100% grape juice)
• Pectin (We use sure-jell low-sugar pectin... it's the pink box.) :) 
• Sugar (Yeah, this recipe uses sugar, but this is a low-sugar recipe, using half the normal amount of sugar!)
• Lemon Juice (about 1 Tablespoon)
• Butter (about a Tablespoon)

The tools you'll need are: 

• Canning Jars
• Water-Bath Canner and rack (A big black cauldron-like thing like granny used to use)
• Jar Lids~ only use new lids for canning
• Jar Rings
• Jar Lifter/grippers
• Long-handled stirring spoon
• Tablespoon measuring spoon
• Ladle
• (optional) Magnetic Wand (magnetic stick thing for pulling jar lids out of the water)
• Washcloth
• Towels
• Kitchen Timer
• Funnel

One batch of grape jelly takes...

• 5 1/2 cups of juice.
• 3 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 Tablespoon (small pat) of butter.

This makes 7 cups of jelly, which fits into 7 jelly (half-pint) jars.

We usually make a triple batch (or more) since we go through grape jelly on whole wheat toast so fast in our house. :D

STEP ONE: PREP.

• WASH your jars in hot, soapy water (or you can use your dishwasher) so that they are all clean, checking for chips around the rims. Uneven jar rims will interfere with a perfect seal.
• Set up a sugar station! A bowl, sugar, a "1 cup" and a "1/2 cup" measuring cup, and a knife. This makes doing more than one batch much simpler. :)
• Measure ingredients exactly. Spoon sugar into dry measuring cups (plastic or metal). Scrape excess sugar from top of cup with a straight-edged knife. Use liquid (glass or plastic) measuring cups with a pour spout to measure juice. 
• To the left of the stove, I place a wooden cutting board to set the pot with the cooked jelly on when it is done. Next to it, I put a towel to set the hot jars on. I lay out the ladle and funnel here with a set of hot mitts, and also the seven jar rings. 
• Get out a large pot for the grape mixture to be cooked in (6-8 quarts).
• Get out a small pot to boil the jar lids. Put the lids in the pot and cover with water. Heat them on a small burner, this ensures that the rubber is soft for sealing and that the lids are sterilized. Once it boils, turn it down to simmer.
• The jars need to be sterilized - put them in the canner and fill it half full with water, making sure the jars are completely covered. Place the canner on the large (back) burner on your stove and turn on high. We'll be bringing the water up to a rolling boil. (It will take a while to get all that water up to temp.) 
• Set out a "Landing Station" for the finished jars of jam to sit on by laying out a clean towel on your countertop. The jelly will have to sit for 24 hours without being disturbed after it is canned. (but oh, it is worth the wait) ;) 

Now for the fun!

1. The water in the canner should be heating with the jars inside being sterilized. Lids should be warming in the small pan.
2. Measure exact amount of sugar (3 1/2 cups) into a separate bowl and set aside.
3. Measure exact amount of prepared juice (5 1/2 cups) into 6 or 8 quart pot.  
4. Stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon butter to grape juice in the pot.
5. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar set aside into the grape juice (take it from the bowl, don't add any extra)
6. Put one package of pectin into the grape juice. 
7. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

8. Stir in sugar quickly. Return to full rolling and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off any foam.
9. Remove jars from the canner, making sure all the water is out of them. Place them on the towel. 

10. Using the funnel, ladle grape jelly quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of the tops.
11. Wipe jar rims and threads with a warm washcloth. Use the magnetic wand to get the hot lids and place lids on filled jars.

12. Screw on the rings tightly. Place jars in the canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed. 
13. Cover; bring to gentle boil. Process jelly 5 minutes. (Adjust processing time according to altitude chart.  See insert that comes with the pectin.)
14. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, later that day, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

We love the "*POP*" sound the jars make when they seal! :)

(We did a double batch of grape jelly, so we used pint jars... normally you would use half-pint (or 'jelly') jars.)

You did it! You made awesome homemade grape jelly.  If you have kids and they are anything like mine, you'll never go back to store bought jelly because they will love your homemade jelly so much!!

If you're interested in more information about canning, be sure to check out the Ball Website. :) 

If you are going to make more than one batch in that day, you can wash the large pot, ladle and funnel and set up the next batch while the jars are processing.  It is amazing how fast it will go if you do this. 

Let us know how your grape jelly turned out! :)








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Freeze Eggs? Yes, You Can!

We have a small farmette and keep chickens for eggs. Right now they are laying very well.  So well, in fact, that we often have more eggs than we can scramble, boil, bake or consume at the moment.  What to do?

FREEZE them!

Yes, you can safely freeze eggs. :)

According to the Georgia Egg Commission, here's how to freeze eggs:

"WHOLE EGGS ~ Beat just until blended, pour into freezer containers. seal tightly, label with the number of eggs and the date, and freeze."

"WHITES ~ Break and separate the eggs, one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets in the whites. Pour them into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites and the date, and freeze. For faster thawing and easier measuring, first freeze each white in an ice cube tray and then transfer to a freezer container."

"YOLKS ~ Egg yolks require special treatment. The gelation property of yolk causes it to thicken or gel when frozen. If frozen as is, egg yolk will eventually become so gelatinous it will be almost impossible to use in a recipe. To help retard this gelation, beat in either 1/8 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or corn syrup per 1/4 cup egg yolks (4 yolks). Label the container with the number of yolks, the date, and whether you've added salt (for main dishes) or sweetener (for baking or desserts)."


Use fresh eggs and try to not get a lot of excess air in the eggs when you mix them.

How to use the eggs once they are frozen is explained by the  Georgia Egg Commission:

"To use frozen eggs... Thaw frozen eggs overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed. Once thawed, whites will beat to better volume if allowed to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Substitute 2 tablespoons thawed egg white for 1 Large fresh white.

Substitute 1 tablespoon thawed egg yolk for 1 Large fresh yolk.

Substitute 3 tablespoons thawed whole egg for 1 Large fresh egg.

Use thawed frozen eggs only in dishes that are thoroughly cooked.

We have used our frozen eggs and they are just great! We scrambled them for breakfast and you couldn't tell the difference from fresh eggs. 

I wouldn't recommend using store bought eggs. Fresh eggs from your chickens (or from your friend's chickens) are a better option. 

I freeze my eggs in Ziploc bags but you can use any container that is safe for the freezer. I freeze them in portions that I might readily use but the above chart will help you figure out what you need. 

Give it a try! 

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