April 29, 2009

Boston Cream CandyThis is a very old recipe, first made in a candy store in the 1900s. This recipe might be modified from then, because I don't think you could buy sweetened condensed milk then.

 

Bubba's Cola DogsI couldn't make them fast enough for my kids and their friends! Poke holes into the franks using a regular table fork, 2 to 3 times is fine. Pour ROOM TEMPERATURE Classic Coca-Cola into boiler.

 

Apricot, Pecan and Pear PuddingMake topping. Lightly mix all ingredients, then spoon into buttered 2 pt pudding basin. Make pudding. Measure flour into bowl; add butter and rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs.

 

Cherry Pie SupremePreheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pie shell. Spread half of cherry pie filling in bottom; set rest of filling aside. Bake shell 15 minutes, or just until crust is golden. Remove from oven.

 

Hamburger Steak With GravyThis is economical to make. Evenly divide the meat and shape into 4 oblong (oval) patties. Flatten with hands and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Cornflakes CookiesVery simple and inexpensive. Beat butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla together until creamy. Mix flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into sugar mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut and cornflakes.

 

Caramel BarsLove this one!Melt caramels with 3/4 cup whipping cream in double boiler. Mix flour, brown sugar, soda and oats in bowl. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream; mix well.

 

Craft: Green TotesSince we are celebrating "going green" I thought I'd share yet another tote idea. I made these totes (5 in all) for our church fair last fall. Someone generously donated the denim fabric.

 

Save With a Vacuum SealerFive years, I brought a vacuum sealer on sale for $20. We save hundreds between resealing snack packages and breaking down family packs of meat into smaller portions.

 

Plant Shade Trees to Conserve EnergyI have a large shade tree on the south side of my property that keeps the summer sun off of my mobile home. This shade tree makes such a big difference that I rarely need air conditioning. It's a large cedar, but any fast growing tree will work.

 

Caution: Don't Burn Treated Wood From Building SitesSome building site wood is treated with chemicals that can cause long term damage to your health, if you are exposed to the smoke. Use caution.

 

Put a House Key on Your Dog LeashKeep an extra key to your house and/or car on the end of your dog leash. When you take your pet for a walk in the neighborhood, or in the park, you will not have to worry about locking yourself out accidentally.

 

Magic Eraser for Clean SneakersI can't stand having dirty sneakers. I used to use white shoe polish but it smells, takes a while to dry and can stain. I've found that using a Mr. Clean magic erase block (or similar store brand erase block) works wonderful at whitening even the oldest dingy sneakers.

 

My Frugal Life: Share Your BlessingsI live in west Michigan, which is experiencing unemployment rates far higher than the national average. I live on Social Security Disability with a small allowance for food stamps.

 

Stretch Muscles in Hot Tub Before SwimmingI've been swimming at the gym to help my back pain and I like to go into the hot tub before and after swimming. I've found that when I'm alone in the hot tub it's a great place to do my warm-up stretches.

 

Shell MirrorI made this beautiful bathroom mirror with shells I collected from a beach in Florida and a mirror that I picked up in a dollar store. I used a glue gun to attach the shells. It was so easy and came out so pretty.

 

Plant Chard Between Tomatoes for ShadeI have a very small garden and double use all space. Last year I planted Swiss chard starts between my tomatoes for shade. The chard never bolted. Great summer crop. Will do it again this summer.

 

Save Potato Water for Watering IvyWhen boiling potatoes, save the cooking water. Let it cool off completely. Then you can water your ivy plants with the potato water. You will be surprised with how pretty, green, and shiny the leaves will get.

 

No Shredder? Burn Your Personal PaperworkClearing out that pile of old bank statements, getting rid of old paystubs or old income tax forms?If you have a paper shredder, you're good to go! I don't have a shredder, but I do have a chiminey!

 

Spring Flower Mini WreathThis cute wreath is covered with foam flowers and pink pom-poms for a quick and easy spring craft. It can be made as simple or as elaborate as the child's patience allows.

 

Store Craft Supplies in Tackle BoxesI use fishing tackle boxes from Walmart or Kmart to store craft supplies or sewing notions like threads, buttons, needles, beads, etc. I also use one box for kids art supplies like crayons, pencils, markers, erasers, etc.

 

Best Pan CoatingSo you have decided to do a lot of baking. The best pan coating is as follows:

 

Craft Project: April Showers Bring... Pretty...Children get to munch on a yummy snack while creating this beautiful rainbow. We used supplies we had on hand for this easy craft.

 

Product Reivew: Viva Paper TowelsI buy the thicker, stronger VIVA brand paper towels for cleaning dirty jobs with. Most of the time they can be rinsed and reused. I use them for windows and mirror cleaning.