Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 202, December 4, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
There was a mistake in our Gingerbread Cookie recipe yesterday. The instruction made it look like the measurements were tablespoons rather than teaspoons. Be sure to check the online version before making it. Thanks to Jean for pointing it out. Please make sure you let us know if you have any questions about the postings. Although we read them over, there is a lot of information to go through each day and we don't have time to test every tip or recipe. If something looks wrong to you, don't hesitate to write.
You can find the corrected recipe here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/Christmas/tf683586_chr.html
Have a wonderful weekend,
Susan
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Holiday Travel Tips Ebook
Today's newsletter contains:
Today's Tips:
- Smoothie Recipes
- Country Christmas Garland
- Country Christmas Candles
- Keeping Ants Away With Lemon Juice or Lemon Cleaner
- Oatmeal Bars
- Old Holiday Greeting Cards As Gift Tags
- Ham Sandwich Riddle & Joke
- Stretch Your Food Budget By Making Hearty Stews and Soups
- Make Biscuits From Scratch
- Money Saving Milk Ideas
- Enriching Meatloaf - Adding Calcium
- Reusing Old Muffin Tins
- Cheese Chicken Quesadillas
- Turkey and Wild Rice Bake
- Turkey Tortilla Pie
- Green Turkey Chili
- Turkey Parmesan
- Caring For Your Septic Tank
- Gourmet Gift - Fancy Cooking Oil
- Cheese Balls
- Spinach Balls
- Get More Juice From Lemons (And Other Citrus Fruit)
- Chocolate Spoons Gift
- Blanket for a Tree Skirt
- Teaching Frugality To Children
New Requests:
- Holiday Diabetic Recipes
- Painting Color Advice For a Room With a Black Satin Bed Spread
- Getting Rid of Moths in Closet
- Is it safe to burn cinnamon sticks?
- Easy Bisquick Recipe
- Stain From Cake Crumbs on Soft Leather Sofa
- Dishwasher Detergent Stains
- Dry Marker Stain from Carpet
More Reading:
- 7 Myths About Refinancing Your Mortgage
- How to Be a Cheap Reader
- Saving Money on Your Grocery Bill
- Easy Does It Christmas Food
- USPS Holiday Mailing Deadline
- Create a Calerie Burning Routine For The Winter
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Today's Tips
Smoothie Recipes
What are your favorite smoothie recipes? Post ideas below.
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Country Christmas Garland
To make a cute country Christmas garland I took a round ball of that jute twine and then tide on 1" X 5" flannel fabric I cut along with some solid colors ( I used 2 flannels and then 3 plain colors) I just tied each piece around the twine and pushed them close together as I went leaving the ends hanging. It kind of looks rag tagtag-ish. It's so cute though and everyone likes it. Looks good on bannisters or on the Christmas tree with strung popcorn.
By Melanie
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Country Christmas Candles
For a country Christmas idea take old fruit jars and fill half way full with salt then place a little votive candle inside. Tie a gingham ribbon around the top rim. When the wax melts the salt will catch it. A bunch of these clustered together in different sizes is very adorable.
By Melanie
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Keeping Ants Away With Lemon Juice or Lemon Cleaner
Use lemon juice to keep ants away. If you wipe down your countertops with lemon juice or lemon based cleaner you will not have a problem with ants. It keeps them away. If you put lemon juice or lemon based cleaner around your outside doors the ants will not try to come inside. We Had an ant problem and when we started doing this the ants disappeared.
By Anna
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Oatmeal Bars
This is my husband's favorite recipe for a snack for his lunch! Very portable!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup soft margarine
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
- 1 can pie filling (apple is best!)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pecans, margarine and egg. Beat on low until well mixed. Stir in oats. Press 1/2 of the mix in greased 8x8 pan. Spread pie filling over top. Crumble the other half of mix over that. Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes.
I hope you and yours enjoy this recipe!
Cindy from Medicine Hat, AB Canada
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Old Holiday Greeting Cards As Gift Tags
Don't throw out your greetings cards once the holiday season is past. When you have sorted out the special ones you want to keep, go through the rest and save any with pictures that can be cut out (i.e. no writing on the back) - which is usually most of them. The cut-out smaller cards you get can be used for gift tags next year. I had this tip from a friend years ago and have done it ever since. I rarely need to buy gift tags at Christmas and it's a good way of recycling those lovely cards we just otherwise throw away or recycle with the other waste paper.
By Gill
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Ham Sandwich Riddle & Joke
Q: Which is better, perfect contentment or a ham sandwich?
A: A ham sandwich. Because nothing is better than perfect contentment but... a ham sandwich is better than nothing!
By Anna
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Stretch Your Food Budget By Making Hearty Stews and Soups
In the winter one of the things I do to try to stretch our budget is to make hearty stews and soups. It doesn't cost much to make a crockpot full of beef, chicken, or veggie stew or soup. It is filling, even by itself, but I also like to make a batch or homemade biscuits or some cornbread. Makes a great meal and cheap!
By Robin
Editor's Note: Find some soup recipes here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/Recipes/Soups_reccat.html
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Make Biscuits From Scratch
Don't buy the expensive biscuits in the tube from the cooler at the grocery store. Make your own from scratch! Saves money and tastes much better too
By Robin.
Editor's Note: Here's a Homemade Bisquick... http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf747410.tip.html
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Money Saving Milk Ideas
Ideas for saving money on milk. Post your ideas!
Stretching Milk
To make milk go further, buy 1 gallon of whole milk and split the milk up into 2 jugs, add 1/4 of a gallon of water to each jug and you have 1-1/2 gallons of 2% milk.
By Kim
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Enriching Meatloaf - Adding Calcium
For a little healthier dinner, try mixing 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk into meatloaf before cooking it to sneak some extra calcium into your kids' food. They will never know the difference.
By Robin
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Reusing Old Muffin Tins
Recycle old muffin tins that have outlived their use for baking by using them to store small screws, nails, nuts and bolts in a utility drawer or on a garage or workroom shelf.
By Robin
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Cheese Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 can Southwest style Pepper Jack Soup
- 1/4 c. water
- 8 flour tortillas, warmed (8 inch)
- Chunky Salsa
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook chicken in nonstick skillet until done, stirring often. Add soup and water and heat through. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2 inch edge. Moisten edge with water. Fold over and seal. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes or until hot. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa. Makes 8.
By Robin
View Article: Click Here
Turkey and Wild Rice Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 Package (6 ounces) wild and white rice mix
- 2-1/3 Cups water
- 1 Can (4 ounces) mushrooms drained
- 1 Can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts quartered
- 1 Jar (2 ounces) pimientos chopped and drained
- 2 Cups cooked turkey, cubed
- 1 Cup Swiss cheese shredded
Directions:
In a 2-quart casserole combine rice with seasoning packet and water.
Stir in mushrooms, artichoke hearts, pimientos and turkey. (Casserole may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Cover with foil and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F., uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown. Makes 6 servings.
By Kathy
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Turkey Tortilla Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Ricotta cheese
- 2 Cups Monterey Jack cheese divided
- Salt and pepper
- 6 6-inch flour tortillas
- 3 Cups mild salsa
- 6 Ounces COOKED TURKEY BREAST thinly sliced
- 3/4 Cup corn niblets drained
- 6 Tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, salt and pepper.
Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the salsa over tortillas, layer the following in the order as listed: 2 ounces of turkey slices, top with 1/4 cup corn, 2/3 cup of the cheese mixture and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 layers.
Top with the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 12 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
by Kathy
View Article: Click Here
Green Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups, cooked, shredded turkey
- 3 tablespoons cumin
- 3 tsp oregano
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 cans chopped green chiles, drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups corn
- 2 cans white beans, mashed & drained
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese & sour cream for garnish
Directions
Sauté onion and garlic until clear and tender. Add in turkey, spices, and chiles and sauté until well mixed (2-3 minutes). Add chicken broth, corn, and beans to pan. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Mix with cilantro when serving. Top with Cheese & sour cream if desired. You can also serve with a side order of corn bread.
By Kathy
View Article: Click Here
Turkey Parmesan
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c EACH onion, celery, and mushrooms, all finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 c margarine or butter
- 4 c milk (if using skim, use slightly less)
- 4 c cooked, diced turkey
- 1 c shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 T fresh parsley, minced
- 2 T dry white wine
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 5 drops hot sauce
- Pinch red pepper
- 1/2 c flour
Sauté onion, celery, mushroom, and garlic in margarine until tender. Blend in flour and cook for one minute stirring constantly. Gradually add milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Add rest of ingredients and cook until thoroughly heated. (about 30 minutes)
Serve over rice.
By Kathy
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Caring For Your Septic Tank
After paying $289.95 to have my septic tank drained today, I thought I'd share these tips for keeping your septic system healthy.
Septic Tanks Need Tender Loving Care, Too:
"Since the septic tank is such an essential part of a sewage system, here are some points to remember about the "care and feeding" of that part of the onsite sewage treatment system."
Read More:
http://www.keidel.com/resource/sewage/septic-care.htm
By Kathy
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Gourmet Gift - Fancy Cooking Oil
Here is a very easy and inexpensive gift idea that looks and tastes equally as impressive. Buy some dark colored oil bottles (you may even be able to find some at your dollar store - the dark glass helps the oil stay fresh longer). Make sure to wash them out carefully before using them. Choose the flavor you would like to infuse your oil with Like garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.
Slice up 5-7 cloves of garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, depending on how 'flavorful' you want it. Put your garlic and tomatoes in the oil bottle and add olive oil to the bottle. You can also use fresh herbs like tarragon or rosemary (you can buy larger bulk-sized bottles at your grocery store). Seal and refrigerate until you are ready to wrap and a a gourmet gift!
By Anna
View Article: Click Here
Cheese Balls
This recipe serves 32.
Ingredients:
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 (1 ounce) package Ranch-style dressing mix
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 4 pecan halves
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, Cheddar cheese,
and dressing mix. Form into one large ball or two smaller balls.
Roll in chopped pecans to coat surface. Decorate the top with
pecan halves. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
By Anna
View Article: Click Here
Spinach Balls
Makes 30-40
Ingredients:
- 2 cups seasoned stuffing mix
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into 2 inch
balls with your hands and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400
degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
By Anna
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Get More Juice From Lemons (And Other Citrus Fruit)
To get more juice out of a lemon, microwave it for 10 or 12 seconds and then roll it on the countertop.
By Anna
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Chocolate Spoons Gift
For coffee or cocoa: Buy a package of sturdy plastic spoons, preferably in festive colors. Dip them in chocolate (melted chocolate chips work well) and shake off the excess. Place them on wax paper and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. After they dry, wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. Put a few spoons in a coffee mug along with some individual hot cocoa or coffee packets
By Anna
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Blanket for a Tree Skirt
Instead of using an expensive Christmas tree skirt, we have a pretty blanket we use at the base of our tree. A nice blanket is cheaper than most Christmas tree skirts.
By Robin
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Teaching Frugality To Children
One thing we have done in trying to teach our children to be frugal as well as teaching them the value of a dollar is to have them each deposit 1/2 of their paycheck from their part-time jobs into a savings account. It's an encouragement to them to see it grow as well as teaching them some frugality when they only have 1/2 of their paycheck to spend for the time between pay periods. You would be surprised how far my daughters can make $50 go!
By Robin
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Other Active Topics
Be sure to check out our active topics page to follow the discussion.
http://www.thriftyfun.com/board.html
Tip Contest
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New Contest! $30.00 Gift Card
In our newest contest we are giving away a $30.00 Gift Card at one of the following stores: Home Depot, Jo-Ann's Crafts or Amazon.com. If you are the winner, you get to choose which gift card! We figured it would be more valuable if you pick out your own prize, that's why we have decided to go the gift card route. This contest will end on December 15th.
Enter the contest!
Syndication Spotlight:
Here are some publishers that have chosen to publish our tips this week!
Dear Webby's Humor Letter
Webby publishes our tips daily! A very funny newsletter.
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New Requests:
Holiday Diabetic Recipes
Does anyone have holiday diabetic recipes? Jean
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Painting Color Advice For a Room With a Black Satin Bed Spread
I have a black satin bed spread and almost magenta sheets to go with it. I need a color to paint my walls and then a color to paint the trim around my windows! Please Help!
Justine
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Getting Rid of Moths in Closet
I was wondering how to get rid of moths in my closet, they are eating holes in my t-shirts. Do I have to wash all the clothing first and then treat them? Please help me I need to know. I'm tired of holes in my shirts and it's cotton shirts at that.
Debbie
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Is it safe to burn cinnamon sticks?
Is it safe to burn cinnamon sticks that you buy at the grocery store in a wood burning fireplace? I wanted to see if it would make the house smell good but didn't know if it might be toxic when burned or harmful to the chimney (i.e. residue). Thanks.
Ann from Mint Hill.
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Easy Bisquick Recipe
Does anyone have an easy recipe for Bisquick?
Thank you.
Christine from Australia
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Stain From Cake Crumbs on Soft Leather Sofa
My very soft leather sofa (cinnamon color) was stained by cake crumbs. I put talcum powder to absorb the stain, but nothing happened. (Cake has no oil in it, just eggs, flour, sugar and orange juice, topped by cool whip). Could I get some tips as to how to treat the leather without discoloring it or damaging?
I appreciate any feedback.
Lydia
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Dishwasher Detergent Stains
Liquid dishwasher detergent was placed in the dispensors and the door to the Dishwasher was closed without locking or starting the cycle. Consequently, detergent has drained through the bottom door edge onto the front panel below. This has left a yellow stain that cannot be removed with even liguid bleach spray from the front panel. Any ideas on how to get this stain off the front of the dishwasher?
Carolyn from Florida
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Dry Marker Stain from Carpet
Anyone know a way to remove dry erase marker stain from carpet? Thanks. Fennyuan from NC
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More Reading:
7 Myths About Refinancing Your Mortgage
By Brian Torrance
Many times, what we know about securing a mortgage comes from what our trusted family and friends know. But this information can be outdated - or even completely wrong! There are seven common misconceptions consumers have regarding refinancing mortgages:
View Article: Click Here
How to Be a Cheap Reader
By Cyndi Roberts
Are you an avid reader? Are you trying to instill a love of reading in your children?
My whole family loves to read! Right before bedtime every night, every one of us can be found with our nose in a book!
View Article: Click Here
Saving Money on Your Grocery Bill
By Melissa Ringstaff
The average family spends several hundred dollars on groceries each month. It is possible to spend $200.00 or less on your groceries each month! Even if you have three or more children.
View Article: Click Here
Easy Does It Christmas Food
By Monica Resinger
Since both my husband and I have family to see at Christmas time, we spend
time with his family at our house on Christmas Eve and my family at their house
on Christmas day. Since my mom always makes a big beautiful dinner and we have
so much going on at the time, I usually make a snack buffet table for the
Christmas Eve celebration at our house.
View Article: Click Here
USPS Holiday Mailing Deadline
This site has the deadlines that you need to follow to get mail to people by Christmas.
Post Feedback: Click Here
Create a Calerie Burning Routine For The Winter
HealthStatus.com has a Calories Burned Estimator. Burning 500 extra calories a day will help keep you in shape during the winter months. You enter your weight into their site and choose an activity and put the amount of minutes into the box and it adds up the daily amount of caleries you burn. Make sure you feel good at all times, winter tends to make me feel more like sitting. With this chart, I can make sure I am actually doing fun things to brighten my attitude, and it helps me stay with that good feeling of activity.
View Article: Click Here
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