Frugal Recipes

Composting

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Even city folks can compost!

Small garden composters are the way to go!

All the while when I was growing up we kept a cut off milk jug sitting by the kitchen sink. All the vegetable scraps went into that jug. After supper every night, Dad would take the jug out to the garden and dig a hole. He’d bury that scrap every day in a new spot.

Didn’t take long before the soil responded! Dad has the best garden in town these days and he still takes that little jug out every night.

I’ve seen people use the scatter method, just scattering their peels and leavings on top of the garden bed. Some people bury it like Dad does. But if you want to go all out, get a composter unit built for the average backyard. These babies can create dark loamy compost in about a month.

You’ll have rich, dark soil that the earthworms just can’t resist.

earthworms

earthworms

Did you know that some people have a Worm Farm in their house? YES! Start out with a medium sized plastic container filled with a little dirt, and lots of moist, shredded newspaper and a cover (with air holes please). Then add in your worms. Your worms will start eating the newspaper. After the worms have started to multiply, then you can start adding your kitchen waste matter to the bin. The worms will ‘compost’ your potato peelings, your carrot tops, and your other kitchen waste. (Don’t feed your worms meat!)

A property cared for worm bin won’t smell or attract flies. The surface should be damp, not wet. You should allow for air circulation and don’t feed more than the worms can process. Burying the food in the litter will keep down the fly population.

As your worm population grows, you may remove worms to a second bin to ‘eat’ more garbage or you can remove some to your garden.

As long as we’re talking composting, have you ever considered a composting toilet? Don’t laugh! Composting toilets have come a long way. They aren’t just a bucket with a lid or a privy out back. Today’s composting toilets are far advanced. They’re composting systems. They distribute air into the compost, have heating units to help compost at the proper temperature and compost mixing units, all out of sight. Systems can range from a self contained unit to a larger system, perfect for homes with basements. (The main unit – where the composting actually takes place – is placed in a separate room or basement.) A composting toilet is perfect for anyplace that has low perk soil or a homestead that’s too rocky to dig a septic tank, or for replacing a failing septic system. When you consider the cost to build or replace an entire septic system versus the outlay for a composting toilet, you’ll find many a smart homeowner choosing the
composting variety. Composting toilets save water too.

Composting is a smart choice – no matter the method.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

“the” Drawer

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

Remember ‘the’ drawer?

I decided to use it, on it’s side, in the kitchen AND as soon as I get the image out of the camera, I’ll share it with you.

““““““““““““““““““““““““““`

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Drawers into Bookcases?

Monday, March 1st, 2010

I’ve a friend cleaning out a family barn.

I got excited!

I told her to watch for a set of old wooden drawers for me.

She looked bewildered.

I want to mount a couple of deep old worn dresser drawers on the wall in my kitchen and house cookbooks on them!

I just need to find them…

She said she’d keep an eye out for me. I wonder if she’s serious or she thinks I’m insane…

:)

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Glass Tile Backsplash

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Anyone who has been following me for any length of time knows that I had my kitchen cabinets refaced this past year.

What happens when you remodel one thing in a kitchen?

YES!

It makes you want to do more!

In my last house the tile behind the counter in the kitchen was picked by my then husband and his father. I ‘think’ they picked it based on price alone. WHY would they choose a kitchen tile for a lady? I lived with that tile for so long that when I got this place, I revolted and said NO to a tile backsplash.

Because of that I’ve lived with a plain old wall behind my stove, and the sink and.. … …

Lately I’ve been eyeing what different people have done in their kitchens and I’ve decided that on my ‘honey do ‘ list it’s time to add a backsplash to that L O N G list!

I’ve looked around and while there are plenty of choices I’ve found that I’m extremely impressed with the glass tile at Glass Tile Trend. And you know me, they even have a clearance section! GOT to look there.

Overall the prices are great. Vast selection that you can’t find at your local box store. They’ve fast service, and get this, FREE SHIPPING! for orders over $199)

I love free shipping! Especially for heavy items!

Now, if I can just make up my mind, which one to choose?

Wonder if the delivery guy will carry it into the house?

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Chocolate Covered Pringles

Friday, January 15th, 2010

I recently saw the cutest Christmas gift but would work for any time of the year. These would make cute Valentines!

You need a can of Pringles

Some melting chocolate

Some decorative paper

Take out the Pringles and dip them in your melting chocolate. Do one side then the other so that they are completely covered in chocolate. Dry on wax paper or a chocolate dripping tray.

Meanwhile, use the decorative paper to cover the Pringles can. When the chocolate covered chips are dry, repack them in the now decorated can and voila, a great little gift. Homemade and tasty!

The one I saw came from a high-end candy place. You can duplicate this at home easily. I’d like to see some done with chocolate too — yum!

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Empty Soda Bottles

Friday, October 9th, 2009

What do you do with those empty two liter soda bottles?

You can fill them, almost to the top, with water and stick them in the far regions of your freezer. This fills up space. A full freezer works more efficiently!

I used to have the entire base of my chest type freezer filled with water filled soda bottles. This kept the errant bag of peas from escaping into the darkness, kept the freezer working at it’s best AND kept the food up where most anyone in the house could reach it without falling in… J

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Do you save containers?

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

You know butter containers, yogurt cups with lids, cottage cheese containers?

Well you should!

These make great FREE containers for leftovers. For lunches! Then you don’t have to worry about them making it back home. For storage, tons of uses really!

Sometimes there’s just a little bit of something left over, just about the right size for a yogurt cup. Then it can go off the next day in someone’s lunch.

Open a can of broth but didn’t need it all? Save the rest in a free lidded ‘to go’ cup and use it later. You can even freeze it in the container too.

An easy way to remember what’s in it is to either mark the container or have a spot in the fridge just for leftovers.

Just yesterday, I opened a bag of shredded cheese and the bag tore. I grabbed a potato salad container and the cheese fit in there perfectly.

The day before, I made banana pudding complete with vanilla wafers. I bought the vanilla wafers that were by the bananas instead of walking all the way over to the cookie aisle. These wafers came in a plastic bag which promptly tore when I opened them. They too went into a used food container.

I know some people keep lids in one drawer and the bases in another spot. Personally, I like to store the container with the lid attached. Saves some aggravation.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Garlic on the Counter

Friday, August 21st, 2009

I keep my garlic out on the counter too.

Same reason. If I see it, I’m much more likely to incorporate it into a meal creation, than not.

And fresh is so much better.

Do you remember when Justin Wilson’s sponsorship changed? His on air recipes changed from fresh onions and garlic to powdered and minced out of a jar? I do. It was sad. For his viewers and I’m certainly sure it was for him.

I keep my garlic in a blue splatter ceramic bowl right on the countertop. Yes, right there in front of my handy dandy Himalayan crystal salt. (I get mine at himalayancrystalsalt.com)

garlic in blue bowl

garlic in blue bowl

I read somewhere that the new color for kitchenware this fall was going to be a shade of blue. I’m already there!

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

and More Onions

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Yesterday I showed you how I keep my red onions. Today I’m going to show you how I keep other onions.

Why segregate? No reason, I just like the colors one of kind all piled up.

I keep my yellow onions in an old dough trough.

onions in bread bowl

onions in bread bowl

Same reasoning. When you keep a item squirreled away in a pantry, you tend to forget you have them. Fresh onion adds so much flavor to many meals that it’s a shame to hide them.

Mine are right out on the cabinet.

I hear you! You say space is at a premium?

I used to have that problem.

Consider one of these:

three-tiered-hanging-baskets

three-tiered-hanging-baskets

These three tiered hanging baskets are great space savers and they keep your produce ‘in sight, in mind’!

I found this one at UsefulThings.com. NO affiliation with them, no experience with them, but they do have useful things! lol - You may be able to find this at your local hardware store…

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Grandmother’s Earthenware Bowl

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

I’ve my grandmother’s old brownware bowl. It’s ancient. It’s heavy and I believe it has a hairline crack.

I don’t use it for mixing foods as I’m a little bit afraid that it’s so old that it might not take the beating. So, what do you do with things like that?

Find a way to use it in your everyday life. You’ll bring back cherished memories whenever you see it and your grandmother will be looking down on you smiling that you’re using her bowl.

I’ve been storing red onions in mine, right out on the countertop.

red onions in old bowl

red onions in old bowl

When you store things out in the open, you’re more likely to use them. In sight – in mind!

  • Share/Save/Bookmark