Cookies!

Yesterday I decided that I could whine to myself about not having started my holiday baking, or I could do something about it.  So at nap time I tried to get the gingerbread cookie dough mixed up, only to find that I didn’t have enough molasses.  Determined not to let that get me down, I [...]

Menu Plan Monday: October 26

I bought a new cook book today.  It is a crock pot cook book and I’m anxious to try some new recipes.  I’ve been on a Christmas planning kick ever since ordering Christmas cards a couple weeks ago. One area I struggle with is serving food to company for several days.  I plan ahead but [...]

Ultimate Recipe Swap: Monster Bars

My family LOVES these.  They are moist and freeze well too.  In high school our cafeteria sold big monster cookies that were so soft and yummy!  Dan & I had never had any as good (we’re high school sweethearts) until a friend served these bars a couple of years ago…we were hooked!
Monster Bars

1/2 cup butter, [...]

Cooking Lessons

I remember being in the kitchen a lot as a child.  Sometimes my grandma’s kitchen,  most the time at home.  My mom and dad both cooked.  My mom is a great cook…one of those people who doesn’t really have recipes, just knows how to add some of this, a little of that…that type of thing.  [...]

Menu Plan Monday: October 19

Another Monday…another menu.  I am still loosely using the 6 week menu I put together a couple of weeks ago and it has helped a lot.  Now I’m stocking up on sales and only really needing to buy produce and dairy products.
Monday:

Cereal, milk & OJ
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, bread & butter
Pork roast (crock pot), [...]

Green Salsa

In looking for a use for my abundance of green tomatoes, I came across this recipe here.
The first batch I made I used a combination of about half lemon juice, half lime.  I also left out the oregano and cumin. I also couldn’t get any long green chiles in SmallTown so I used a [...]

Food on Fridays: Green Tomatoes

I have been meaning to do a garden wrap-up post but just don’t have the time right now.  Maybe next week.  I do however have a minute to tell you that I am adventurous today!  I have never tasted anything with green tomatoes or done anything with them but throw them in the compost.  I [...]

WFMW: Baking Soda

For this themed edition of WFMW I’m sharing my easiest and probably cheapest cleaning tip.  It is of course the frugal favorite.
A whole lot of coloring happens around here.  Much of it at my kitchen counter.  Have you ever noticed the black marks/residue that coloring book pages leave behind?  Before long my counter is a [...]

Tator Tot Hotdish

Monday you may have noticed the tator tot hotdish on my menu.  We had the yummy comfort food for supper that night.  Today Grace had me heat some up and pack it in her lunch.  My daycare children also enjoyed it for lunch yesterday.  We think it is that good.
About ten years ago I stopped [...]

Frugal Friday: Empty Paper Towel Holder

A long time ago we switched to cloth napkins.  It was an easy transition with a basket of napkins on the kitchen counter.  Paper towels have been another story.  With the daycare in our home, I have to use “single use” towels for the kids to be wiped up with at meals and for hand [...]