Ever wonder how things were done before we had modern conveniences such as non-stick spray? Well, I hate to say it but I’m old enough to remember saving butter or margarine wrappers for that very purpose. There is usually enough residue on each wrapper for 1-2 uses to grease cake pas, cookie sheets, or whatever else might need it. I still use this method even though I have several varieties of non-stick spray in my cabinet. Have a frugal day!
Frugal Friday…I had a few dishrags that soured and still smelled sour after they had been laundered twice. Those that know me well know how I love to experiment, so I tried putting them in the sun to dry. That didn’t work. Then I sprayed them with vinegar and put them in the sun to dry. That didn’t work either. I looked online and read that you should boil them in a solution of vinegar and water for 20 minutes. Running the stove for 20 minutes would not be frugal, so I opted for a simpler solution. While still wet from the washing machine, I placed them in the microwave for 30 seconds, which removed most of the smell. I rewet them and then put them in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Success! The smell was gone. Do not try this with dry washcloths due to fire hazard. Times may vary.
FRUGAL FRIDAY…For years I have been freezing broth from leftover vegetables to use in soup. This summer, I took it a step further. I have been saving vegetable scraps such as onion skins, tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, and peppers. I put them in a bag in the freezer, and when it gets full, I use them to make broth. I place them in a pan full of water, add salt and pepper to taste, bring it to a boil for a few minutes, and then allow it to simmer a few hours. It’s the best vegetable broth I’ve ever had and cost me next to nothing. I have been freezing it, but to save freezer space, I am going to can the next batch.
Hummingbirds are beautiful creatures and fun to watch but I don’t like having to boil the nectar. From what I have read it is important to cook it so that any bacteria that might be present in the water is killed. I know you can buy it already made but the frugal person in me won’t allow that. Fortunately, I came up with an easier way to make it. All you need is water, sugar, and a handy dandy coffee maker.
A common ratio of water to sugar is 4:1. For my feeders I pour 2 cups water into the coffee maker and place 1/2 cup sugar in the glass carafe. Turn on the coffee maker and it will do the rest. Once the water has dripped into the carafe simply stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool and pour it into a clean feeder. That’s it. Easy Peasy.
Now I know the coffee pot does not boil the water but it does heat it to steaming. I have had hummers at the feeders all summer so not boiling the water doesn’t seem to be an issue.
As a side note…Do not add red food coloring to the water. There is some evidence that it can cause birth defects in the babies.
Bermuda grass in my flower beds is relentless. I hate to admit it but the last few years it was so out of control I was embarrassed for anyone to see my flower beds. This year I was determined to get rid of it or at least get it under control. I prefer not to use the commonly used spray to eradicate Bermuda grass for reasons I won’t go into here but it was the only way I was going to stand a chance.
First, I used garden scissors to cut huge amounts of the offensive grass out of the beds so I could at least see the ground that it was covering. Second, I sprayed the base of the grass as close to the ground as I could get it. The final and very important step was to cover the ground with thick layers of mulch.
Here is were the frugal part comes in. I had a load of wood chips delivered for free from a tree trimming company that was looking for a dump site. I also acquired several bags of pine needles from a friend. (Best part about that was I didn’t even have to rake and bag them myself.) Additionally I picked up all the pine cones I could find and obtained a few pieces of used brick that was going to the dump from a construction site.
The pine needles and pine cones were used in one section of the flower bed. The wood chips were used in another. I partially buried sections of brick amongst the wood chips for a decorative effect and while the Bermuda grass might manage to come up through all that mulch, I dare it to come up through that brick.
I have to admit there is still some grass in my flower beds but for the first time in several years I can enjoy my flower beds instead of feeling disgust at how bad they looked. As an added benefit the mulch also helps hold in moisture which results in a less frequent need to water.
Thanks for reading. Have a frugal day.
I plant basil every summer. Not just for culinary uses but for its medicinal value. A little research on the internet about basil will reveal that it has properties that help draw venom out of bites and stings but that a blog is for another day.
Since I usually don’t get around to planting basil seeds in the spring I end up buying a plant at the local home and garden store. This year there happened to be three plants in the planter instead of one. So being the frugal person I am I gently divided the roots of the three plants and replanted them into separate planters. And presto I now have three basils plants for the price of one.
Once the plants reached full size I took several cuttings and put them in water for a week or two to root. Once each plant had a fair amount of roots I transferred them to planters to give away. At this point I have lost track of how many plants I got from the one that I bought. I have shared with friends and at the end of the summer plan to take one of the smaller ones I rooted and bring it indoors for the winter. If all goes according to plan I won’t have to buy one next spring.
Thanks for reading. Have a frugal day.
I love being able to go outside and “pick supper”. Selection varies from night to night and season to season but it sure beats going to the grocery store. You can’t get much fresher than “just picked”. Last night we had fresh picked asparagus sautéed in butter with mushrooms and carrots along with a salad filled with freshly picked lettuce. No pictures of that though we ate it all up before I thought about it.
Tonight we had crappie caught by my Dad out of our pond, wild onions which were great in the hushpuppies and an infusion of peppermint tea. All organic, chemical free and loaded with nutrients. Wild onions are full of minerals and peppermint has many known health benefits including improving digestion.
I spent the afternoon digging up garlic and onion chives as well as peppermint to plant in containers so that I can have fresh herbs indoors next winter. The chives are fabulous in salads and on baked potatoes. The peppermint tea is useful for helping fight off winter colds. My tomatoes, bell cayenne, jalopeno, and habanero peppers are ready to plant as soon as the weather cooperates. I couldn’t resist planting a few cucumber seeds but I brought them inside to germinate. A few days head start will allow me to have fresh cucumbers just a little bit earlier.
Hopefully I have inspired you to start growing your own food if you aren’t already doing so. Let me know how it goes.
I usually just use fruit in my milk kefir smoothies but on the weekend it is nice to do something out of the ordinary and have a special treat. A while back I adapted a chocolate smoothie recipe and made it with milk kefir. It was okay but nothing special. Today a friend was asking for smoothie recipes that her kids would be more willing to drink so I drug out the recipe and tweaked it. So here is the new and improved recipe and it is pretty tasty if I do say so myself. This recipe is for two servings.
Place all ingredients in a glass jar and blend with a stick blender and blend until smooth. Serve in your favorite glass and enjoy. It can also be blended in a food processer, Magic Bullet, Ninja, etc. For a Mexican twist add 1/4 t cinnamon. I like to add almond slivers and eat it with a spoon.
Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes
In a medium bowl mix egg, milk, and oil. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour dough onto hot, oiled griddle. Turn when batter is bubbly and set. Makes 4-5 8” pancakes.
Frugal Home and Garden 