June 04, 2004

Daily Thrifty Tips June 4, 2004


Daily Thrifty Tips
Volume Three, Number 55, June 4, 2004
http://www.ThriftyFun.com

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Today's newsletter contains:

Today's Tips:

  • Lettuce in Enchiladas
  • Soaking Pans with Cold Water
  • Thrifty Kitty Litter
  • Carpet for the Cat Box
  • Dry Soap Last Longer
  • Save Those Trainer Cups!
  • Homemade Saline Drops
  • Featured Feedback: Freezing Fruit for Pie
  • Featured Feedback: Saving Money on Meat
  • Today's Recipe: Chicken Salad Tostadas

New Requests:

  • Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas
  • Rolly-Pollies in the House
  • Can you 'perk-up' frozen leftovers?
  • Refrigeration of Cucumbers
  • Freezing Tortillas

More Reading:

  • Simple Home and Garden Tips You'll Love!
  • 5 Simple Steps to Organize Each Day

Thanks for reading,

Susan


Today's Tips


Lettuce in Enchiladas

Layer fresh lettuce leaves on bottom of pan when making Enchilada's and put the rest of the ingredients on top of the lettuce leaves. Very tasty and the lettuce tastes wonderful.

By Janie

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Soaking Pans with Cold Water

If your in the habit of "soaking" cooked on food in your pots or bowls, in "hot water"! Stop immediately! Never, never use "hot" water! The food thinks it is still cooking and will just about stay "stuck on". Use "Cold Water Only". You will be so surprised, stuff you thought would never come out, scrubs out with "ease". I Promise!

By liz2004

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Thrifty Kitty Litter

I stretch kitty litter by putting in 1/4 of cheap off-brand clay litter with 3/4 scoopable litter. The odor control and quality of my scoopable litter is the same and my cat doesn't notice the difference. Over a few months you easily save the cost of a box of litter ($5-$8).

By Linda and the zoo.

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Carpet for the Cat Box

I keep a indoor/outdoor piece of carpet under my kitty litter box to catch any litter that comes off the cats feet when they step out. Then I just have to shake the rug outside and no vacuuming!

By Liz acraftycat

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Dry Soap Last Longer

To make soap last longer, unwrap the bars and place in an attractive dish. Keeping the soap dry helps it last much longer.

By Lynn

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Save Those Trainer Cups!

When my children graduated from small sippie trainer cups to 'big kid' cups, I remained faithful to my pack rat tendencies. I now keep the trainer cups in the bathroom cabinet to rinse after my family and I brush our teeth instead of paper cups. After each use (one cup per person per brushing), I simply run the cups through the diswasher on 'sanitize'. Plus, since they're small, they fit in the cabinet perfectly! This way, I'm saving money, saving a tree, and reducing waste all at the same time.

By Melissa

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Homemade Saline Drops

Don't go out and buy the OTC drops for plugged noses! Use things you have a home. This recipe works for all ages, my infant benefited a lot from it!

Recipe: 1 level tsp. salt to 1 cup boiling water.

Boil for 10 minutes, then cool off. My infant had a hard time breathing while nursing, so I put 2 drops in each nostril before nursing and at night.

By Tracy

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Featured Feedback: Freezing Fruit for Pie

The Farm Journal PIe Cookbook has this idea: Line a pie pan with freezer wrap and place the prepared fruit pie filling, made with tapioca, in the pan. After the filling is frozen, lift it out of the pan and wrap securaly. When ready to us, unwrap, place in pie shell, dot with butter and put on top crust. Bake as usual but just for 5-10 minutes longer. Very quick pie with very little work.

By Carole

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Featured Feedback: Saving Money on Meat

Eat less meat, eat more beans. I always bought canned beans because I thought dried beans took too long to cook. Now, I buy a bag of dried beans, any kind, soak in clear water overnight. Drain and refill with water (do NOT add salt-it will toughen the beans). Bring to a boil and boil for 20 min. or so. Drain. Cool slightly and divide up into portion sizes in baggies, freeze flat. To use these, thaw quickly under running warm water or on counter, cook to taste. The freezing changes the cell structure and the beans cook up really fast after being par-cooked and frozen.

Also, when I make tacos, enchiladas, or other Mexican food, I always add beans to the filling, using less meat.

By Linda

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Chicken Salad Tostadas

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole chicken breasts, cooked
  • 1 large white onion, sliced finely
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
  • 1 jalapeno or green chili pepper
  • salt and paprika to taste
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1/2 head of Iceberg lettuce
  • 6 flour tortillas
  • vegetable oil

Directions:

In food processor or blender, mince cilantro, lemon and lime juice, olive oil, jalapeno or green chili pepper (seeded), salt and paprika. Pour mixture over onion slices in large bowl. Cut cooked chicken into bite-size pieces and mix with the onion/cilantro marinade. Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.

To serve, warm the tortillas in a hot skillet with some vegetable oil until rather crisp. Shred lettuce finely and arrange in center of tortilla. Pour the marinated chicken over the lettuce and surround with diced tomatoes.

Serves 6 as a main course.

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New Requests:


Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas

Request: I need to find out a economical way to get rid of fleas. Something that would not be toxic to us or all of our pets. Our beloved family dog, Happy is infested with fleas. We have sprayed him with vet recommended flea spray but it does not work. We live in an old house and I suspect that the fleas are in the carpet and also I am beginning to suspect that they may be in our yard also. I have to be very careful about what I spray in the house as I have 2 birds and they are very, very sensitive to things like that. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. Kelley in Texas

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Rolly-Pollies in the House

First off, let me start by saying a huge thank you for all of the tips regarding mosquito bites. We are eternally grateful. My next question is does anyone have any frugal tips for getting rid of rolly-pollies in the house. We have quite a few, the worst in the downstairs bathtub (none in the tub upstairs, though). I don't like any insects in the house, and even if these rolly-pollies aren't doing any harm (and I don't know if they are), I would rather they stay outside. Any tips would be appreciate. Donna in Kansas

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Can you 'perk-up' frozen leftovers?

I froze some mac & cheese. When it thawed out it was very 'blah'. Anybody got any suggestions for perking up something that shouldn't have been frozen; or was frozen incorrectly? BTW, I just put it in a freezer bag, how should I have done it? Chyann from KY

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Refrigeration of Cucumbers

I am trying to find out the best way to keep cucumbers from rotting in the refrigerator. How can they be preserved for at least a week?

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Freezing Tortillas

Can tortillas be frozen? If so, how? Does it matter if they are corn or flour? Nancy from Florida

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More Reading


Simple Home and Garden Tips You'll Love!
By Monica Resinger

If you are in the middle of a painting project and need to stop for the day, simply cover the tray, roller and brushes with a plastic bag and put into the freezer rather than cleaning everything. Bring the covered tray out about a half hour before you begin painting the next day to allow it to 'defrost'.

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5 Simple Steps to Organize Each Day
By Maria Gracia

Start off each day in an organized way, and you'll get more done than you can imagine. Here are 5 simple steps.

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Thanks

Susan
http://www.thriftyfun.com

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