Dreaming

I have spent the past few hours pouring over images of various sewing rooms, craft rooms, scrapbooking rooms for ideas of how I want to set mine up. I am both overwhelmed and elated at the prospect of finally having a sewing room again. I haven't had one since we lived in Texas, before my youngest daughter was born. There I had a whole room and bathroom that originally was a two car garage and had been converted by the previous owners. Of course it ended up turning in to a storage/junk room. Then we turned it in to our oldest daughter's bedroom so youngest daughter could go in to a room. You see, since we had a 15 year gap between the two girls, and since we had room, we didn't want a high schooler sleeping with a newborn. LOL

At any rate, I am so ready to start the work on the two bedrooms and not really sure where to start. One room is now empty due to son moving out. However, he left behind a ton of stuff that needs to be dealt with. I have talked to him about the clothes and things left, he has said he has gotten all he wants, so deal with it all I will. I may even make a little money off of all of this mess.

It will be slower going than anticipated since I recently was told that anything done would be done by me. But, I am not helpless, do have some experience with minor carpenter work, and of course I do know how to google the information I need as well. So the experience will begin.

Tomorrow I will get started on going through more clothes, purging as much to the trash as I can, and then get the room ready to paint. We have family arriving tomorrow, beach trip on Sunday, then a week of family reunion so will be camping for that. I hope to have the empty room painted, new carpet in, and youngest daughter moved in before the new grand baby arrives. We will be taking a trip to meet him of course. Then, after the first room is done, it will be time to start on the second room. New paint and wood floor in there as I think it will be much easier to clean up from sewing and scrapbooking. I will then get all my supplies and machines moved in there and set up. I am really hoping to be able to have it all ready so I can make a few clothes for my daughter and I for fall, new quilt and some clothes for new grand baby then have the rest of the year to work on Christmas gifts. I have determined quite to my sadness that it will be necessary to find part time work unless I can figure out something else. It is also quite clear that I am unable to handle full time employment due to health issues. So, like so many other people, I will just have to suck it up and make the best of it.

So there you have it. The plans are in the works, and I am now motivated to get the new "studio" up and going as soon as I get youngest daughter all squared away in her new digs. This is going to happen. I will have a room by football season (hopefully) that I can retreat to that will house my sewing machines and supplies, crochet supplies, comfy chair, a TV, the computer and printers (have to have them in order to print photos for scrapbooking and load design card for embroidery machine), scrapbooking equipment and supplies along with also having access to my beads and embellishments for crazy quilting embroidery. My menu planning for all the meals will be done in there as well. Oh, I am giddy with anticipation.

Thanks for dropping in and please leave a comment.

Thursday blahs

I am sitting at the computer, playing the farm games, waiting for the doctor's office to call so I can take hubby in. It is so frustrating to sit and wait. We could have already gone to the urgent care and been seen and some type of treatment started. I called them six hours ago.

Have been doing very well at cooking from the pantry.

Sunday - steak, baked potato, salad

Monday - taco ring, corn, beans

Tuesday - slow cooked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans

Wednesday - leftovers

Thursday (tonight - depends on when we go to doctor) - beef fajitas with rice

Friday - slow cooked Pork Carnitas, carrots, noodles

Well that has been the week and the plan at any rate. I rarely plan for weekends because I never know what is going to come up. Tomorrow morning I plan on cooking up several chicken breast. Although, if I can get a hold of the grill early enough, may just grill them. They are for cutting up and packaging so I have cooked chicken meat on hand.

Okay, so far, have spent right at $150 on groceries this paycheck. Of that, about $70 was actually food. I am planning on using the massive stockpile I have on hand and except for milk and bread and an occasional stray item, should be all I need for the month. We have one week we will be gone camping in there. Tonight, I plan to actually write out two weeks worth of menu plans and get back on track with that. Will join the internet group and post my menus on each Monday. Will also be posting how the recipes add up cost wise.

Back to the subject of the $5 Dinner Mom's Cookbook. I posted a comment about the inconsistencies in cost of items on the author's site. She wrote me an explanation explaining that when she made the various recipes some were with ingredients from sales and some were not. I do understand, but still think that it was just a bit misleading as to the cost. In my opinion she should have gone with the normal price and then if a person happens to hit a sale it is just extra savings. She also gave me a link to a comment from a fellow Californian who commented that prices were not so bad out here. I say bullcorn, they are ridiculous compared to the northern or eastern states and from what I have read on postings from fellow members of some of my internet groups it gets worse the farther west you go. However, I will say this about the $5 Dinner Mom's Cookbook. The recipes sound good and look forward to start trying them out. They look to be budget friendly and for the most part seem to fit my family's taste as well. What I would call normal foods, normal ingredients, not a lot of processed or pre-packaged stuff. One other thing that is a bit misleading is the title itself. One recipe that is under $5 does not make a $5 dinner. If you spend almost five bucks on the main dish, you still have to make a couple of side dishes and desert to go with it. Granted, a lot of the recipes are casseroles or include a pasta or rice, but really does not make a full meal. I like the book, just don't like the little details that are really wrong. I think the cost is very misleading.

Along that same subject, an interview on a talk show with a mom of 4 has been circulating the group postings lately. This woman apparently feeds her family of six for next to nothing because she uses coupons to cut the cost. She walked through a buying trip with the reporter and showed how she does it. I understand the concept of coupons, but there are some major reasons that it just doesn't work for me, and in all honesty never has. Here is why.


1. I can never get the amount of coupons she seems to. I have always looked through newspaper, mailbox, magazine ads, begged family and friends, joined groups that traded coupons, even paid a fee to subscribe to a coupon service, am big enough to admit that I have even stooped so low as to tear out a coupon or two from the magazines at the doctor's office. I know that you can download them and print them on the computer as well. The coupon queen pulled out coupons for meat, produce and milk. I have never come across those.


2. Not one store in our area doubles or triples the coupon value. Nor do they allow me to use a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon for extra savings. Not one store in my area (and by area I mean town) will accept a computer printed coupon.

3. Most of the items I buy on a regular basis are readily available in generic or store brands and the price is a lot cheaper than the brand name even after the coupon is deducted.

So, that is my thoughts on the subject.

I started this on Thursday but was sidetracked when I had to take hubby to doctor. He has some type of stomach bug that is causing severe diarrhea. They gave him IV fluids and a lot of lab work. He is still down and has no appetite, has lost almost ten pounds the last three days. Normally this wouldn't be a worry so much, except for the fact that when I almost lost him due to colon cancer a few years ago the symptoms were very similar. He told me not to go there, but it just happens. At any rate, I am forcing myself to wait until all the information is in before deciding anything. The doctor feels it is some type of infection, but needs lab work to tell if it is bacterial (antibiotics will be prescribed), viral (has to run its course), or if it is due to some type of parasite. At any rate, I felt bad when I woke this morning, but seem to be doing okay this evening. On the side of caution, I have decided to not visit mom for a couple of days. I would not want to get her sick or any of the dear oldies that live there.

Needless to say, my menu plan has changed since I started the post. Last night I fixed fish and mac & cheese for daughter and me, hubby didn't eat. I need to grill the fajita meat, but have no idea how to cook it on the grill outside so have to decided to just freeze it in the marinade until everyone is feeling better. For tonight, I have homemade chicken soup going in the slow cooker. Very easy for everyone to eat, easy to cook, and easy on the budget as I used left over chicken from Tuesday's meal. Still have no idea what I am going to make over the week end, guess it will pretty much depend on how everyone is feeling, but still working on planning next weeks meal.

Thanks for stopping in.

Getting Started

I spent all day yesterday cleaning out kitchen pantries and feel really good about what I got accomplished. Only made it through one and a half cabinets, but the one cabinet is a converted small closet and the half of cabinet I completed is the top half of the main pantry and while isn't huge is nice size. I am upset that I had to throw so much away but found lots of expired food and those blasted brown moth's and their maggot looking babies were quite a few things as well. So, here is how the kitchen work has played out so far.

The small closet was converted by previous owner's of the home. It is actually located by the front door right across from the kitchen and am sure it was a little coat closet. I figure it is about two and half feet wide and about eighteen inches deep. There are four shelves and then the floor area. I mainly use it for extra storage of kitchen ware, not much food. One entire shelf is hubby's liquor collection. Of course, my friend Capt. Morgan, and his sidekicks amaretto, peach schnopps, raspberry liquor, and mixers are visiting there as well. For a couple that doesn't really drink much we are well stocked. Hubby likes a good margarita but I found that I have three bottles of tequila. Hmm, maybe some tequila chicken or margarita marinade is about to show up on the menu. LOL I keep my potatoes and onions in a big bowl in the bottom and yesterday when cleaning out I did however get rid of the healthy start in that bowl to homemade vodka. Man do potatoes and onion smell offensive when they melt in to mush. Some overlooked home canned goods were found underneath the fifty boxes of swifter refills. Okay, not fifty, but did count five open boxes. Two were the refills for the duster and three were boxes of the floor swiffer. I had no idea that ants were so attracted to those floor rags. I saw somewhere a pattern to make a crocheted swiffer type duster that goes on the handles and then you just toss it in the washer. I kept a copy of that somewhere and it is going to be one of my first projects when I get my little craft room up and going. Other than that, the cabinet mainly has baking supplies. You know, foil pans in all sizes, a box of chocolate chips, paper goods and lots of empty storage containers. The bottom is where I keep my gizmos that I have to have to help me cook...but never use. Like the meat slicer we bought when the boys were smaller and ate us out of house and home so we bought bulk cheese and and cooked hams and breast to slice up our self. It was a huge savings, we could buy a five pound block of cheese for about what one pound sliced from the deli cost. I would slice off part of it, grate a big bag full, then cut the left overs in to cubes for snacking. Now it is just the three of us, and most times just one or two for a meal. And, of course there is the big griddle, canning supplies, and the rice cooker. Although, I quit using the rice cooker because it just didn't seem to make enough, so it might get brought out again. Found a recipe yesterday that uses the rice cooker to make oatmeal and am going to try that one out for sure. I also have a two foot high, literally, stack of assorted Jell-o molds. There is a flag for patriotic holidays (never used), mold to make jiggler jelly beans (used a little), eggs (used a lot) and then the cars, footballs, Christmas shapes (never used) and for a lark when I was involved in a frog themed dinner there are some little frog molds as well and two molds to make what looks like a bundt cake or ring of Christmas trees. At least now I can see it all. Hubby was impressed so we just won't mention the three shelves in the garage that have baking sheets, enamel water canner (huge), roasters, canning pans, shaved ice maker, ice cream maker, pressure cookers (one large for canning and two small for cooking) pasta maker, coffee makers not used any more and the food sealer (which needs to be moved to the house because we use it a lot). Oh, and I just put an electric orange juicer out there too. That is left over from when we would go to the coast for the day and come home with a twenty pound box of juice oranges for $4. I would juice them and freeze the juice.

I am a gadget junky. Along with all I already mentioned, there is also a deep fryer, electric skillet, milk shake maker (won it at some picnic) blender, food processor, hand mixer, the thing you stick in a cup or bowl that blends, about five different crockpots (various sizes and shapes) and of course my bread machine that also makes butter. I found something yesterday that resembled what only a ninja warrior would carry, one twist and a zigzag of sharp blades would come out and cut what ever you had sticking in it. I tossed it. LOL

As for the actual pantry of food stuffs? I got the top half done and now know that I have seven cans of cream of celery soup (for example) to use in a recipe. This where I was very wasteful and threw so much out. Found jars of miracle whip that expired in 2008. It may have still been perfectly fine, but just wasn't willing to risk being sick or making my family sick. Same with all the cans and jars that had expiration dates. I am for sure going to keep a better eye on what I have and make sure to use it. I also put the items back in the cabinet and stacked the older ones in front so would use them first, putting like items together. Now all my green beans are with green beans in the same spot, corn together, peaches, and such. It is only half the cabinet, or all the canned goods, but I am seeing that pretty much all I need is some meat. Even found four cans of chilies in adobo sauce that I had on my list to buy because they were used in a recipe I saw on TV.

Now for the bottom half, which should go a little quicker. Mainly baking mixes, flour, sugar, cereal and such. What I call the boxed goods as opposed to the can. I know that when I get done with all of that I will be well stocked in that area as well. My goal is to get through the bottom section and then finally go through my spice cabinet. A little small cabinet by the stove, but loaded with spices and flavorings. I have been writing everything down as it goes back in to the pantry so I know what I have on hand and will probably spend tomorrow entering it in to my MasterCook program. From there I can enter recipes, create menu plans from the recipes, then create a shopping list which will check my pantry list to see if I already have it. Great help for the goal of organizing the meals. Only draw back... if you have five recipes that call for milk, it will list five milks on you grocery list. LOL I am thinking that when I plan my menus, I need to start trying some pressure cooker recipes along with at least twice a month try some new ingredient, like the chilies in adobo sauce, or a new vegetable or fruit.

Oh well, enough talking, I need to go to Facebook and check over my farms then back at it in the kitchen. I still have a cabinet full of pans that needs to be cleaned out as well and am hoping that Monday I will able to start on clearing out the vacant room so we can start painting. Here is the plan for that. Oldest son has moved out. That bedroom is going to be cleared, cleaned, painted, new carpet, and youngest daughter moved in to it. Then, her room will be vacant. That room will be cleared, cleaned, painted and new floor. Hope to get wood flooring down in there as it will become the craft den. I will move my computer in there, need it to load designs on card for machine embroidery. I will set up all my sewing machines and move in all my supplies for quilting, sewing, crocheting, machine embroidery and scrapbooking. My daughter and I will hang out in there. I even saved my dad's recliner to put in there and will sit in it, think of him, and do the hand work. I see my crazy quilting coming back to life. Oh yeah, of course there will be a TV in there as well. LOL I AM SO EXCITED just thinking about it. I can sew til all hours with worrying about the light or sound interrupting any one's (mainly hubby who seems to have to go to bed by nine) sleep. Although he snores like a chain saw, I am told I keep him from getting a restful sleep. I am thinking I may have to find a dressmaker's mannequin now that I will finally be able to make some clothes. Of course quilting will be first, and am very motivated to get it all set up so I can make new grand baby a quilt. Now that I am not working, I think it will probably be a homemade Christmas all around. LOL Hmm, wonder if daughter would accept some handmade infant wear?

Well off to other things. Will post my progress when I have any. Thanks for visiting.

The $5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook

Rarely do I care to critique or review anything, much less take the time to write about it. Not a movie, a product or even a book because I feel that what may appeal or work for one person may not (and usually does not) work the same or appeal the same for another. HOWEVER, I am making an exception.

First, I should explain to you a bit about what it is that brought me to this endeavour. Really kind of the silly side, to begin with, but now it has grown in to a cause or mission so to speak.

It really was a humble little start. We went on a camping trip up the mountain to ride the trails with our dirt bikes and my quad, several minor things went wrong to cause a change in plans for the whole weekend. Our first choice for camping sight was still closed off to the public due to snow. Yes, this late in May and there is still a lot of snow up there. Guess it is all that rumored global warning. Don't worry, I am not getting started on my feeling about that propagandist lie. We, or rather my husband, had to back our thirty foot trailer down the single lane dirt road to get to a large enough spot to turn around. Now I ask you...would have really taken too much manpower or money to have someone post a sign at the BEGINNING of the road that the campgrounds were closed? You know back where there was room to turn around?

So on to plan B and off to our usual spot to camp. Normally this spot about the lake is really warm this time of year...but, a little front had moved through bringing cooler temperatures and rain. I always have a good stash of emergency ... shall we say supplies for alternate activities. Such as games, DVDs, crochet bag, magazines and such. About a month's worth actually. Growing up with Gilligan's Island am always prepared for the two hour tour to end up taking longer. We get set up and find that while the generator will turn on, it is not kicking over to create electricity. Hubby looked all over all the connections and announced we would be with electricity for the night and he would check it out the next morning when he had more light. Okay, we have battery lighting, propane cooking, fridge and heat. No problem. While I am heating up the chili for hot dogs, hubby and his margarita jump up from beside the fire, grab a flashlight and go check one more thing. He informs me it is now working, he found the problem. He plugged it in. PLUGGED IT IN?

So it was that on the last day of camp, my daughter-in-law and I decided we would let the rest of the bunch ride in the rain and cold while we would watch a movie. We watched Julia & Julie. Most definitely a chick flick, but now romance. I won't spoil it completely if you haven't seen it, but Julie, a modern day city dweller, obsessed with cooking, decides to create a blog in which she post about making all the recipes from her hero, Julia Child's cookbook. One year to make over 500 recipes. You understand that the cookbook is about French cooking for the American housewife? My family would throw it back in my face if I prepared a meal of tomato aspic. Why aren't there books about normal cooking? I don't get it. I understand about having a cause, I have one as well. I want to blog about, and read about, real meals with normal ingredients. Plan out the menu so I don't have to think about it, maybe even do some cooking ahead. I want to put a meal on the table and still have time for all my hobbies. You know, Farming on Facebook, quilting, machine embroidery, crocheting, scrapbooking and such.

So, after watching the movie, and being a little lost myself, well not really lost since I know where I am, which is back to being a stay home mom, but better to say overwhelmed with the changes, I started thinking. Thinking I needed something to motivate me, to feel so strongly about. No, not a blog about Julia Child, it has been done, and never mind the fact that there are probably less than ten recipes out the over 500 that my family would actually eat or that I could afford to make. I did however renew my desire to plan out some affordable meals that would be eaten. So, now you are up to speed with how it came to be that I pulled out a cookbook from my bag and started looking for recipes.

I recently bought a cookbook written by Erin Chase and titled The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook. When I first picked it up, the recipes sounded like my family would like them. That was a good start. Then, the ingredients were much of what I use normally. Another good start, no running off to specialty stores or the cost of those stores. She had frugal tips and strategic shopping guides, all of which sounded reasonable. And the recipes are set up for a family of four, and we are now three. The introduction to the book states, and I am paraphrasing, that the author set out to feed a family of four on $5 a meal using the best and most wholesome ingredients. All good at first glance.

Now I say this because some time ago I had gotten caught in to the web of frugality a little too much. I was a member of an internet group whose goal was to feed a family of four on four dollars a day. Four bucks for all three meals. That was about the same time I had gotten my Tightwad Gazette and both of those groups suggested going to the feed store to buy oats and making lots of oatmeal. They also lived in an area that had orchards and farms you could pick your own fruit and they raised their own eggs. Then, the four dollar group started posting their menus. Yikes, lunch was a half a sandwich? It may work for them, but not for my family, which at the time included two boys that ate double servings.

So, you can see how really good this book looked. I bought it. Then, I started looking at it a little closer, in a little more detail. First few glances were looking good. Each recipe listed the ingredients needed, and the cost of each ingredient, bottom line was that all the recipes were costing $5 or less for each meal. Even some recipes for homemade things like seasoning mix, baking mix, the everyday things. This was really sounding great. Now all I needed was to make a list of recipes to cook. Then, last night, my brain found it. The errors. Nothing really major, just what my dad would call "over thinking a bit" but enough to rial me up. Kind of like watching a movie about early Rome and seeing a watch on a Roman soldier or jet plane fly over as a multitude of arrows were released upon the enemy. I am the first to admit that I am one of those persons that notice these things, like typing errors or listing wrong descriptions. Like in a novel when the couple meet in a Chinese restaurant and after visiting with each other to set the stage for what is coming they order pizza. Or go to see a movie and leave from a play. Like I said, nothing major in the grand scheme, but bugs me.

You get my meaning. That is how it started. I would notice that a recipe for 4 people called for 2 cups of corn. That is like two can, which is a lot of corn, especially when added to a casseroled or soup. Then, the really irritating thing was when I noticed the price of ingredients. I pay close attention to grocery prices and the book is way off, at least for my area. So here it is, my take.

The book is:
1. Very inconsistent with pricing of ingredients. One recipe list 3/4 pound of ground meat for .76 while another recipe listed a 1/2 pound ground beef for .75 so am wondering where you buy meat that you get a quarter of a pound for a penny. Can I have three of those quarter pounds that cost a penny to make 3/4 of a pound for three cents? Of course not. And, in the book the same 3/4 of pound is also listed with the cost of $1.12 a pound. Now I am no math whiz, but the cheapest I find ground beef is $2.28 a pound which doing the math would make that come out to around $1.68 for 3/4 pound. Other ingredients are just as inconsistent. Roast listed on one recipe as one and half pounds for $2.73. Sorry, on sale roast is running over three bucks a pound. Another example is a recipe that list an egg for ten cents. WOW would I love to be able to get a dozen eggs for a dollar twenty. Or sour cream, half a cup for fifteen cents. Why do I feel like I am getting a huge bargain when it is on sale for $1.59? I want a carton of sour cream for thirty cents! I could go on with much more, but you get the idea.

It was enough to spur me on. To prompt me in to action. I will blog about the recipes in the book and evaluate my cost and families reactions to them.

I must say, the book has good home style recipes and her strategic guide to shopping makes sense. I just felt that the author and publishing company should have checked the final copy for the little details better. The author is soon releasing a lunch cookbook and in all honesty will probably buy it as well.

If you read this, please comment. It is always nice to know someone read it.