Don't be afraid to subsitute ingredients

This morning I made biscuits, I had some Canadian bacon and a few eggs in the fridge and was in the mood for a breakfast sandwich. I didn't have any buttermilk and I didn't want to use up any of our milk so I substituted plain yogurt in my recipe. I was very hesitant but I took the plunge and made my biscuits and they turned out fabulous. I only made a half batch in case my experiment failed.

That's my Kitchen Tip - Don't be afraid to experiment and substitute ingredients.

Go to Tammy's site for more Kitchen Tips.

Menu Plan Monday May 5-12

Monday 5/5 Double-decker Tacos (Cinco de Mayo)

Tuesday 5/6 Hamburgers and Baked Beans

Wednesday 5/7 BBQ shredded Chicken Sandwiches, Fruit, Corn

Thursday 5/8 Leftovers Night

Friday 5/9 Pizza Night

Saturday 5/10 Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs with Buttermilk-Mustard Sauce

Sunday 5/11 Fish Tacos These are the best! I usually just make the sauce from the linked recipe and use frozen battered fish pieces that bake in the oven. I serve these with homemade pico de gallo, lots of cabbage. So Yummy!

for more menus head to I'm an Organizing Junkie

Me crazy?

Yesterday Greg tells me that a fellow shipmate came up to him and says "Hey, I hear your wife is crazy" Of course my interest was piqued and I had know more about this conversation. Apparently word has gotten around about my big box of coupons, my menu planning, and my obsession with baking and cooking from scratch. According to Greg here's how the conversation continued:

Husband: (with a chuckle) Umm she's not crazy, she likes to save money and plans what she does. She just really likes to cook and bake and stuff like that.

Shipmate: hmm, so is your house all clean and stuff?

Husband: Yeah....maybe, I wish she WAS crazy than the house might be cleaner.

I was happy hearing that he defended my saneness but I would have been very pleased if Greg had left out the last remark. Our house is always picked up and very presentable, it's true it could be cleaner. I put off sweeping the floors and cleaning the bathroom until it is very noticeable that it needs to be done, or I can't stand the grit on my bare feet anymore or when Greg makes some comment to me about how gross the floors look. I gave Greg a hard time about telling someone our house was not the cleanest. He responded by telling me not to worry about it. No one thinks less of me becuase I don't like to sweep and clean bathrooms. He said I'm a rare breed and most of the guys are in shock that as a wife I try to save money, have a job, and like to cook. I'm a little flattered to be talked about but it's a good thing Greg keeps my ego in check and reveals my flaws now and then.

Sisters!

I've been going through old photos and came across s few pictures of my sister and I as little girls. There is something so special about sisters. It is so good to know that my sister will always be there for me as my friend no matter how many miles apart we are. No friend loves and misses me like my sister does.

Meaningful Decorating

Our house is very spartan, there is minimal furniture and most of the walls are bare. I don't like a bare house but spending money on decorating our house is a very low priority. When I go to yard sales or head to the thrift store I'm on the look out for items that can be used to help decorate our home, I usually pick up picture frames for under a dollar.
On a side note that could be it's own frugal Friday tip: I never throw away greeting cards, I save them in a box and reuse them to make new cards or gift tags. Sometimes a card is just too special to be torn up and reused and I would like to keep it for sentimental value.

If the card has a pretty picture I like to frame it, I use coordinating paper cut to the frame's size as a background for the card. Framing cards adds a bit of decor to our home and I get a nice feeling every time I see the cards and remember the person that sent them and the good memories associated with them.

You'll have to forgive my pictures they are not the best, I took them early this morning and the lighting was awful and I used the flash which reflected back in the frames glass. Also never mind the wirey mess behind the counter, I placed the frame and a few planters there to hide our coffee maker that my husband has all torn apart, it looks messy and cluttered but it's temporary.


For more Frugal Friday Tips go here

Bake Sale Containers

I'm contributing to a bake sale fund raiser for the Navy Wife Family Support Group. Some of my baked items are rather gooey and don't really package well in plastic wrap. To maintain the presentation of my peanut butter drizzled chocolate cookies I reused come plastic clam shell food containers which I bummed off from a few coworkers who buy their lunch from the cafeteria.

They look so professional and pretty, plus I reused items that would have sooner been in the trash, works for me.

For more Works for Me Wednesday Tips go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Cookie Coating

I thought of this tip as I was trying to quickly make snicker doodle cookies the other day for a gift. Normally I take balls of cookie dough and roll them around on a plate of cinnamon sugar, I found it much much quicker to dump all the balls of dough in a large zip top bag add in cinnamon and sugar and toss. The cookies were evenly coated in a matter of seconds. My cookie dough was frozen, if you tried this with freshly made cookie dough the balls would stick to each other.

I was so pleased with how this worked, plus the left over cinnamon sugar can be stored in the bag for another use.

Go to Tammy's Recipes for more Kitchen Tip Tuesdays

Menu Plan Monday April 28 - May 4

Monday 4/28 Chicken Pot Pie

Tuesday 4/29 Leftover chicken pot pie

Wednesday 4/30 Baked Pasta, Salad

Thursday 5/01 Leftovers

Friday 5/02 Pizza Night

Saturday 5/03 Hot dogs, baked beans (I'm going for an all American meal)

Sunday 5/04 Roast Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy (A classic comfort food perfect for Sunday)

For more Menu Plan Monday go to I'm an Organizing Junkie

Impromtu Gifts and Frugal Packaging.

I save a lot of things that some people would say belong in the trash. Pretty much any food container that could possibly be reused is washed, dyed and put into a big box loaded with "trash" and saved for any future craft project or gift container.
I get excited when my container collecting pays off. Sunday night we were invited to a birthday gathering, celebrating two belated birthday's with some board games and good company. It was very impromptu and we were invited two hours before it started. I couldn't bear to show up empty handed with no gifts. I had cookie dough in the freezer (a huge time saver) in 20 minutes I had freshly baked cookies in the most adorable packaging made with a quickly stamped tag and a little ribbon to dress up my blue trays I found in the "trash" box ( mushroom containers from the grocery store). I just love reusing items, it's such a great way to save money, Plus my gift packaging is original and receives plenty of oohs and awes (boosting my ego just a wee bit)

Reusing packaging works for me.

for more Works for me Wednesday tips go to Rocks in My Dryer.

for more frugal tips go to Biblical Womanhood for Frugal Fridays

So Kind

Yesterday I received two wonderful things in the mail, both really made my day. I feel more connected when I receive something from a far away loved one.
My mom sent me a big envelope stuffed with coupons, always appreciated. My mother-in-law sent me some dried kefir grains, I mentioned my interest in wanting to try keifer and she sent me some of hers and a homemade card to accompany them, so sweet.

It feels so good to know that you are loved and thought of and yesterday I got a double portion.

2 Timothy 16-17

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.


I forgot to most my weekly memory verse. It's already Monday evening, where does the time go?

Menu Plan Monday April 21- April 27

Monday 4/21 Quiche the best quiche recipe I've made so far. I love the subtle flavor and spiciness the green chilies add.

Tuesday 4/22 Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs - I make this frequently it's a favorite chicken recipe

Wednesday 4/23 US Senate Bean Soup- I'm making this, but here is some info about the soup.

Thursday 4/24 Leftovers Night

Friday 4/25 Pizza Night

Saturday 4/26 Tuna Casserole

Sunday 4/27 Pasta Carbonara - I've made this once before several months ago, it's good not as as my mother-in-law's, but it's tasty enough to have made it in my recipe binder. I use bacon instead of pancetta for frugality's sake and it turns out just fine.

For more Menu Plan Monday go to I'm an Organizing Junkie

Homemade Pasta

Sunday afternoon was a bit lazy and easy going, I ventured into the kitchen to try something new and daring. I dug out my pasta roller and made some raviolis from scratch. Really tasty but super time consuming (probably becuase it was my first time making raviolis). I was inspired to start making fresh pasta after reading a Martha Stewart Living article about a year ago, I have the paper version torn from the magazine stored with my pasta roller. I use the Kitchen Aid Mixer Stand attachment, and it works really well. Making the pasta dough is really easy, you can roll it out by hand but having a pasta roller or pasta machine really helps out.

On a clean counter mound 2 cups flour, make a well in the center and add 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix together and knead dough until smooth and satiny, I had to add more flour but I live in a very humid climate. Let the dough rest about an hour before rolling out into sheets.

To make raviolis I took similar sized sheets of pasta dough (some I cut to size using a pizza cutter) I placed teaspoon sized mounds of cheese filling on one sheet of pasta and topped the filling with another sheet of pasta dough. It helps to use a little water to "glue" the dough together. (just dip your finger in water and apply around the filling) Make sure there is no air in the ravioli or it will burst open when cooking. I used my pizza cutter again to cut apart the squares of filled pasta. Place the finished raviolis on a floured baking pan or cooling rack to dry for about an hour, I covered them with a tea towel.

Fresh pasta cooks up much quicker than dried (a couple of minutes) when you boil fresh pasta start testing for doneness early, The raviolis seemed to be done once they started floating.

I love making pasta and being in the kitchen. I like knowing that I can make something and it will turn out good, that being said I'm glad that I made raviolis but I probably won't be adding them to my weekly menus being that they take to long to make. Maybe if I find some ravioli molds at a yard sale or thrift store at a cheap price I'll try again and see if it goes any faster.

Making homemade sandwich rolls

Making bread is cheaper and healthier than store bought bread and it's easier than you think.
Yesterday, made some good looking and super tasty sandwich rolls. Most of them will go in the freezer for future meals and a few will be saved for lunches this weekend, I was thinking tuna sandwiches but the rolls look just right for some French dips, so who knows.

These rolls were made from a hamburger bun recipe, I shaped them into rectangles resembling a sandwich roll (think hoagie or sub sandwich) I sprinkled the tops with sesames seeds and ran a paring knife down the middle of each roll before baking to give the tops the split look that bakery rolls have.

I spent a whopping 15 minutes of "work" on these rolls (quite possibly less). I used my bread machine (bought from a thrift store for $5, given to me by my mom) I dumped in all the ingredients and let the machine do the rest, just before the machine was ready to "bake" I stopped it, removed the dough, shaped the rolls and baked them in my oven.
It's true that the total time to make bread can be hours, which requires a little bit of planning ahead, but actual working time is not much at all and it's reduced even less with the help of a bread machine.

My Frugal Friday Tip is to bake your own bread. Homemade bread is a fraction the cost of store bought and with twice the taste it's worth every bit of effort.

For more Frugal Friday Tips visit Biblical Womanhood.

Folding Towels

I was thinking a little too hard to come up with a Works for me Wednesday tip, and than it hit me as I was folding laundry how much I like folding towels, I'm a little compulsive about my towels, I like them to be uniform and neatly put away in the closet. I've got my towel folding down to a science and I thought my method would be perfect for sharing on Wednesday, after all it works for me.

I don't have a matching towel set, we own a whopping 9 bath towels in three different styles, thankfully they are all white or beige colored, so they look somewhat cohesive.

Here's how I fold my towels:

1. Fold in half (hamburger style)
2. Fold in thirds (hot dog style) like folding a letter
3. Fold in half (hamburger style)

This method is so easy I love how it gives the towels a uniform look when put away.

Go to Rocks in my Dryer for more Works for me Wednesday Tips