Gardens, Fishies and Other Random Thoughts

 Well, my gardens have been planted, now all we have to do is wait...the hardest part for the Monkeys!  I got one of the gardens wrapped with chicken wire, but didn't have enough to go around the other one.  That will be this weekend's project as well as another million things I have to get accomplished.  This morning Big Monkey told me that she wishes there were only Wednesdays and the weekends.  (Apparently the only day she likes to go to school is Wednesday because she has cooking class and gets to go to the gym.)  I couldn't agree with her more!  As a full-time-working mom, it is so hard to get the house cleaned and in order.  I feel guilty after being away from the girls all day and the last thing I want to be doing is cleaning.  I want to make the most of my nights and weekends with them.  Touch-up cleaning gets done here and there, but my house is far from spotless....and that is ok, because my time with them is more valuable.  We are, however, very lucky to both have the summers off; one of the perks of us both being teachers.

In the big garden I planted cucumbers, two different kinds of lettuce, spinach, and zucchini.  In the smaller one I have watermelon, cantaloup and strawberries.  I also planted a blackberry and blueberry bush.  

Last weekend I decided to try to make my own goldfish-type crackers.  In an earlier post I mentioned I had made my own fish cookie cutter using a pop can.  The recipe was very simple to make, but with using high-quality ingredients, it wasn't really cost-effective, but boy were they good!  The original recipe called for four tablespoons of butter, but they were a bit greasy, so I decreased the amount to 3.  

Goldfish Crackers

8 ounce block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (works best if you shred your own)

3 Tbsp. butter cut into cubes

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)

2 Tbsp. cold water

Pulse everything except water in a food processor until the mixture resembles course sand.  Pulse in water 1 Tbsp at a time.  Remove dough from the processor, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll out the dough (about 1/16 of an inch) and cut into shapes.  

Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes in a 350º oven. (May need more time to get them to right crispness.)  Remove from sheet onto a cooking rack and cool completely.  I ended up letting mine sit out most of the day to dry out a bit because they were a bit chewy (but still delicious).

 

So, I haven't posted about my budget this much...with good reason.  It is long busted.  My garden and other expenses have washed it away, but I can tell you that I haven't spent anything on clothes or other useless items.  At least I'm trying :)

Budgets and Better Bread

Well, this month is going to be a huge fail in the budget department!  We are only 7 days in and I only have $172.00 left.  Between my trip to Whole Foods, stock-up trip to Target, two quick grocery trips and garden materials my budget is about busted.  I still have to pay my cell phone bill, at least one tank of gas for the rest of the month and three more weeks of produce/dairy grocery stops....sigh.  My trips to Target and Whole Foods need to be slimmed down big time!  Guess I'll be analyzing my receipts tonight.  

This past weekend I tried another bread recipe and this one was a winner!  It needed to bake a bit longer, but that's what happens when you leave the job of removing something out of the oven to the husband.  I had forgotten about baking the bread until 10 minutes before I had to leave for a birthday party.  I set the timer and of course most males don't know how to tell whether something is finished baking or not (at least not the male that happens to be in my house).  The top flattened just a bit, but it was soft and so yummy.  My only complaint with homemade bread is the crumbs; it's not the best for sandwiches for this reason, but I am making it work.  Bonus:  The girls love it and it is so easy to make! 

Whole Wheat Bread (makes one loaf, but can be doubled for two loaves)

4 T honey

2 T cane sugar

2 T unsalted butter

1 c. + 1 T water

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt (I use fine Himalayan pink sea salt)

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/2 - 2 cups white flour

Combine the honey, butter and water in a small saucepan.  Heat over low until the butter melts and the water is about 120º.  In a mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, yeast and salt.  Add the warm water mixture and stir for one minute.  Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time (I use my mixer with the dough hook in place) blending well after each addition.  Keep mixing, adding more flour as needed.  Once the flour has been added and dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl, knead another two minutes. (You can let your mixer or your hands do this.)

Remove the dough from the bowl, grease the bottom and sides of the bowl and place the bread back in, turning once to coat the top with oil.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 40 to 60 minutes, until double.  (I usually turn the oven on for about one minute, turn it off then place the bread inside to rise.)  Punch the dough down, knead on a floured board, shape into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan, cover and let rise another hour.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350º. (I needed a bit longer.)  Remove from the oven, rub the tops with a stick of butter and cool for 10 minutes.  Remove bread from the pan and cool completely.

Bread!

Ahhh...there is nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking in your own oven!  If only you could smell the aroma filling my house right now.  Based on smell alone, I would say my first attempt at making bread was a success.  It is cooling right now, and before I finish writing this post, I am sure I will have an update on the taste.  I'm not sure I can wait until tomorrow.  I did the math and my organic bread cost around $2.30.  I pay $2.98 for Whole Foods Organic Bread and the brand names are close to $4.00!  If this bread tastes as good as it smells, I'd say I am sold.  A bonus?  It was super easy!  I mixed up the dough in about 3 minutes and let my Kitchen Aid dough hook knead it for a bit, then finished it off by hand in about 10.  Of course I had to let it rise, knead it again and let it rise again, but that was effortless.  Enjoy!


Honey Wheat Bread (taken from www.tammysrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 º F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast (active dry yeast will work also, just make sure your water is around 130º F)

Instructions: 

1. *Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Teaching the fine art of kneading...

...or pounding

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

            

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm!  Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Update on flavor:  I pulled a smidge off the end and it is yummy, but could use a bit more sweetness.  Next time I am going to try another tablespoon of honey and maybe a bit more sugar.  :) 

Happy Pinning!

Last night I figured out how to add a Pin-It  button to my blog, so feel free to pin a recipe or idea that you wish to hang on to.  If you click on the blog post that you want to pin, it will link directly to that one post.  Otherwise the button will link you to the entire blog and will eventually get lost in all the posts.  

While getting out ingredients for tonight's dinner, I realized that amount of processed foods in our pantry was really dwindling.  I stopped buying fruit snacks (we have one box of Annie's organic gummy bunnies left), the girls ate the last of the Bunny cracker mix for snack tonight, and there are a few other snack items left, so I've decided to stop buying it all together.  Lately the Monkeys have been asking for fruit, cheese or (the latest) pickles to snack on.  We do have one last bag of Goldfish left, but after hearing they use ingredients from Monsanto, Pepperidge Farm has been crossed off my list.  My alternative has been Whole Foods organic cheddar ducks, but they are still processed and contain unnecessary ingredients.  My latest idea?  Make my own!  I found several recipes for homemade cheese crackers and I can't wait to try them.  I searched for a tiny fish cookie cutter but at $8 + shipping, I decided I could probably make my own. The other night I drank a Cherry Vanilla Cream Soda (from Whole Foods and sooo yummy!) so I grabbed the can out of the recycling and cut it into strips.  I then began forming it into a fish shape and taped the edges together.  I was worried about the sharp edges on top, so I covered those in tape as well.  It isn't as sturdy as a copper cookie cutter, but it will work.  It would be fun to create different shapes for parties or special holidays.  I'll let you know how they turn out once I try them.

As for dinner tonight...another fantastic meal.  The original recipe called for bass, but I always use cod because it is mild, less expensive and the girls love it!  This would also be great with chicken.  I listed the ingredients as I used them, but obviously they do not need to be organic.  (Beware..this is NOT a low-fat recipe!)

Cod with Mushroom Sauce

3 Tbs. unsalted organic butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 Tbs. dried Thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)

Fresh ground pepper

8 oz mushrooms quartered or sliced

1 # wild cod fillets

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. organic vegetable oil

3/4 cup organic chicken broth (or use dry white wine if you prefer)

3/4 cup organic heavy cream

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, thyme and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute until browned, about 8 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking, heat the oils in another skillet over medium heat.  Add the fish and cook for a few minutes on each side, just until browned; transfer to a plate.  Add the broth to the skillet and scrape up any bits.  Boil over high heat until reduced, about 3 minutes.  Add the cream and simmer another 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms to the cream sauce then add the fish back to the skillet.  Simmer until the fish is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.  

I served this with mashed potatoes (organic instant...I was lazy) and a salad.  

Budget Update:  $12.50 remaining, 6 days left

Meatloaf Muffins

Tonight's dinner was a big hit with the entire family, so I wanted to post the recipe.  I have been hungry for meatloaf but every time I try to make it, it never really turns out quite like "mom's."  So I opted for a slight alternative.  I found a recipe that sounded good and altered it a bit for my taste and baked it in a muffin tin.  The girls each ate a whole one (calling them muffins certainly helped), and Doug was begging for more. (Sorry, dude. The leftovers are going to lunch with the Monkeys.)  They were delicious, and I have to admit that I was slightly wishing for more to magically appear as well.  I served them with homemade sweet potato fries.  If you already have most of these ingredients on hand, it is a very inexpensive meal!  (And next, time I plan to double the recipe so there are leftovers and some to freeze)

Maybe they don't look so good on the screen
but they are delicious! 

Meatloaf Muffins

1/3 c. breadcrumbs (I used Italian style)
1/3 c. milk
1 egg
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 Tbs. dried onion (use fresh if you prefer)
2 Tbs. dried parsley
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
fresh ground pepper and sea salt to taste
grated parmesan cheese (I used about 1/3 cup)
1# ground beef (preferably grass fed and no hormones)

Preheat oven to 425.  Mix all ingredients except the beef in a mixing bowl. Add beef and and mix until combined. Divide mixture evenly among the cups of a muffin tin.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.  (An alternative would be to shove a ball of fresh mozarella in the middle of each "muffin" before baking.)

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes cut into fries
Olive oil and vegetable oil (non-GMO)
Paprika
Salt
Pepper

Toss the fries in enough of the oils to coat.  Sprinkle the seasonings to taste and toss.  Lay on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 425, turning halfway through.

Has to be a First!

Happy Earth Day!!

I am rather proud of myself as I start this week off.  I had fifty dollars in Gymbucks (reward money at Gymboree if you aren't familiar) that expired yesterday and I actually let it expire without using it!  We went to the mall on Saturday and I stopped in with every intention of using them...I had my hands full of stuff the girls didn't really need. As I looked down at the armload of clothes, my mind wandered to the piles of clothes they already had at home; I reluctantly put down the colorful summer pieces and walked out.  It might sound crazy, but it was hard to do.  I love shopping for new clothes for my kids.  When I got into the car I very proudly showed Doug my empty hands; he gave me an impressed, "Congratulations."  I had done it...for the first time I walked out of Gymboree with Gymbucks still in hand, knowing they would be worthless the following day.  Not because I couldn't find anything cute, but because I for once had self-control.

Last month we were at our friends' house in Pittsburgh celebrating their daughter's birthday.  As food was being set out I noticed that Jen had put ranch dressing into a wonderful class jar.  It was the perfect size and shape to put dips, candy, olives, etc. into for parties. When I asked her where she got it, I was shocked by her response: it was the container from a Bath & Body Works candle.

After the candle burns all the way down, simply peel off the label, put it into the freezer overnight and the remaining wax will pop right out.  Rinse with warm water to clear out any residue and toss it in the dishwasher.  Who knew??  I usually throw stuff like this in the recycling, but repurposing is even better!  You've already bought the container, so why throw it away?  I could also see them being used for mini parfait or truffle dishes.  Here it is all cleaned up:

Thank you for the tip Jen!  (Now everyone needs to pass me their empty candle jars!)

Last night I posted about my attempt at pita pockets, so here is a photo of tonight's dinner. I used left-over chicken from last night, mixed it with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and homemade poppy seed dressing (recipe below) and stuffed it into a pita.  They were delicious!  I highly recommend them over store bought pitas any day.  I plan on freezing the rest to use another night.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Heaping 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. milk (use less if you want it more creamy)
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
2 Tbs. sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)

Mix together.  It is hard to mess this up.  Adjust ingredients to your taste.

Enjoy!

What's Gotten Into Me?

I'm beginning to wonder what has gotten into me.  I mean, I have, for the past 15 years, been on the organic side of living, but I think I have reached a crazy high...chickens in my backyard? Really??  Hopefully that is the craziest idea that slips through my mind!  Today I roasted a chicken in the slow cooker, and the plan is to use the leftover chicken for chicken salad pitas tomorrow.  After looking at the ingredient list on packaged pitas, I decided to try making my own. (I can't believe the stuff they put in bread!) I hate the idea of making bread though because of the time involved, but I have to say these were super easy and super delicious!  (Recipe is below.)  I then began to think that maybe homemade bread wasn't really all that tedious.  I found a recipe that I hope to try next weekend.

As I was making the dough for the pitas, my mind began to wander as I pictured myself in an old farmhouse kitchen making bread, looking out the window at my free-range chickens roaming around the yard and the Monkeys sitting at the table doing their school work.  Doug then came into the kitchen and woke me up out of my daydream and asked what I was doing.  I told him I was making pitas and then asked him once again if we could move out in the country to a farm, where I don't have to work, can make homemade bread every week and can homeschool our girls.  I got the look again.  His reply: "I'm not a farmer."  Yea, no kidding.  Anyone who knows my husband knows how true this is....he refuses to eat outside because of the bugs, if that tells you anything.  **Sigh**  I guess I'll have to make the most of my suburban palace.

Budget Update:  After a quick trip to Giant Eagle today, I only have $22.50 left in my monthly budget. The challenge is on!

Pita Pocket Bread

Makes 8 whole pitas

Ingredients:

1 c. warm water (110º-115º)

1 Tbsp. oil

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar (or honey)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients.  Add 1/2 cup of each of the flours, along with the yeast and stir to mix.  Add remaining flour gradually and knead until it comes together in a soft dough.  Put the dough back into the bowl and lightly oil the top and cover.  Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour.

Punch the dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form each into a ball.  Roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Set each round aside on a floured surface and cover with a towel.  Allow it to rise for about 30 minutes.  The rounds will still be flat but should be slightly puffy.  

Preheat oven to 500º.  Place two rounds on a baking stone and bake for 4-5 minutes until puffed up and slightly golden.  (Do not brown too much or they won't flex for filling.)  Remove them from the oven and immediately wrap and layer pitas in a damp towel.  Continue baking all of the rounds, layering them in the towel as soon as they are done baking.  Allow them to cool in the towel.

          

        

Cut pitas in half and fill as desired.

Let me know if you try these out!  Enjoy!

Another Recipe

A favorite meal in my house, especially with my husband, is "Bubble Pizza."  I used to make it a lot when I was living at my parents house using refrigerated Pillsbury biscuit dough, but eventually I began to discover all the horrible ingredients slipped into our food supply.  I eventually stopped making it  because I couldn't bring myself to use the doughy stuff crammed into a can, and let's face it, who has time to make homemade biscuit dough?  However, my recipe was reborn when I came across a very simple drop biscuit recipe.  The time it takes me to throw this recipe together is about the same amount of time I spent trying to open those darn cans!  I usually use half this recipe when making the bubble pizza.  The great thing about this recipe is that it is easy to get kids involved in its creation and mine love to choose the toppings that go in.  (These are great with a bit of shredded cheese thrown in and eaten by themselves as well!)

* I use organic flours, sugar, butter and whole milk.

Drop Biscuits

1/2 c. wheat flour, 1/2 c. white flour, 1 T baking powder, 2 tsp. sugar, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 c. melted butter, 1 c. milk

Heat oven to 450º.  Combine dry ingredients.  Stir in butter and milk just until moistened.  Drop on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-12 minutes.

or use in the following recipe:

Bubble Pizza

1/2 lb. ground beef, sausage or turkey

1 jar of pizza sauce

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (optional, sometimes I don't add)

1/2 recipe drop biscuit dough, not baked

Your favorite toppings for pizza (we use pepperoni and mushrooms)

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450º.  Brown the ground beef.  Add any additional pizza toppings you are using and saute a bit with the ground beef.  Stir in the pizza sauce and tomatoes if using.  Pour into a greased 8 x 8 baking dish.  Drop the biscuit dough by the tablespoon on top of the pizza mixture and gently press into the sauce.  Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through and golden.  Top with cheese and bake long enough to melt.  Serve with a salad or cut veggies and dip.  Enjoy!

Fail

Well, I can record another "fail" in my book of frugality.   We were out of town this weekend and like usual I left a much needed item at home and had to make a trip to the store.  I should have been smart and gone to Walgreens but instead Target sounded like a much better stop.  I couldn't resist the children's clothing section and of course found some adorable dresses for my monkeys.  On my way out of the store the guilt started settling in.  Hadn't I just promised myself no more clothes for the girls?  Between what I bought last year on clearance and stuff I bought over the last month or so, the girls are set for the entire summer!  (Not to mention both of them can still wear a lot of their stuff from last year.)  So, when we got home today, I dug through their Easter basket goodies and pulled out multiple knicky-knack junk items to return...the dresses will take their place.  See, I can find clever ways to justify my spending :)  Isn't that being frugal?

On another note, I wanted to share a recipe for an easy pancake mix.  We have pancake night in our house several times a month, and I have not bought a boxed mix in over three years.   It is super simple and they taste delicious.  I always double the recipe so we get lots of extras that I can freeze and have on hand for quick breakfasts during the week.  

Wheat Pancake Mix

3/4 c. whole-wheat flour

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

1T. baking powder (or less if you like them flatter)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 1/2 c. of milk (I often need a bit more)

2 T oil (I use organic canola)

Combine dry ingredients.  Measure out the milk and whisk in egg and oil.  Pour into dry ingredients and mix together.  Add more milk if necessary.  Cook on a griddle or skillet as you would any other pancake mix.  

I will often mix several batches of the dry ingredients and store in ziplock baggies in the fridge.  

Enjoy!