Positively Tuesday-Looking at a Blizzard Through Rose Colored Glasses

Banana oat bread with chia seeds.

How do you find anything good about an April 14th blizzard with road closures on 1/3 of the state. DD1 had a cancelled ACT test and now we wait for the make up date and hopefully it won't conflict with something else. She also had her Night of Jazz cancelled, after so much hard work. It will not be rescheduled as originally planned but they hope to at least find an alternative  performance option of some kind. The husband/dad of family friends got stuck at work overnight, along with dozens of coworkers.  DH who works less than 2 miles from home took 15 minutes to get home, but a coworker who left at 12:30 didn't pull into his driveway until after 5:30. Still, I could continue to moan, as I am sure you are tired of me doing, but I also can look where there were some unpredictable benefits.

• DD1 made it to Minnesota well ahead of the storm. She was still getting walloped in her  home area on Sunday, so stayed until nearly 6:00 which meant almost a full day more to enjoy her time with us. We cooked together, chatted, drank coffee, and just got to be a family, rare with adult children or even teens for that matter. 
• She also helped DD1, who's major school project for AP history became a feat of cat  wrangling with her group, edit a video. DD1 has the right programs on her Mac book and advisory skills. Her group finally completed filming Friday, but there were still clips being sent over the Internet well past midnight on Saturday. Had her plans not changed on Saturday, no doubt there would be more stress and aggravation. 
• I took a nap on Saturday afternoon. I haven't been sleeping well, and I hadn't realized just how tired and run down I was feeling until I woke for said nap and felt actual energy. 
• I was able to get meals prepped for several days for home and work. I froze ready portions of soup and chili, prepped ingredients for a hot dish that we had last night for supper and for a chickenstew/pot pie for tonight, and tomorrow we are positioned for plenty of leftovers.
• I spent time writing. I took a few photographs trying to figure out the flat lay art. I'm not very good at it, but fun to learn new things. 

No one was in a rush for anything-couldn't rush if we wanted to. As much as I long for spring and warmth and green, we live in a part of the country that spring snow storms are a possibility. We tried to make the most of the snowed in weekend. 

1 1/2 cups of chicken for the pot pie. 

Mish Mash Kitchen Confidence-ial Update

For my fill in shopping list, I did better than I had anticipated, getting more for my money than I budgeted in my head. I still anticipate buying another 1/2 gallon, or a couple quarts of milk, but I have $4.39 left to spare, so every penny can go to milk and I will be spot on $300 for July. I spent $19.69 at Aldi's. My best buys were getting 5 pounds of potatoes for $1.89 instead of just buying a few loose ones, 2 pound bag of carrots for $1.29, and 3 pounds of onions for $1.69 -all twice as much as I thought I would buy. I even splurged on a bag of ranch flavored tortilla chips, not in my plan, but to go with hot dogs and salad if we go to the lake today. I'm not sure where I  added wrong in my head, but happy for once I miscounted in the right direction. I made the cucumber and onion salad, and am trying not to make a pig out of myself with it, but I love it so much! Onions are such an underrated vegetable.  They pack a punch cooked or raw. Are you an onion fan?

Saturday was stormy-hot and stormy, but I decided to bake anyway.  About 12 years ago when we decided not to move, we upgraded all our kitchen appliances and I am still impressed with the insulation factor of my oven. I lose virtually no heat, so not worried that I'm going to tax the air conditioning. My results are four mini loaves of banana bread and instead of granola bars, I made three dozen oatmeal cookies. I popped 2 dozen, leaving us one dozen, in the freezer to pull out during the week so they stay nice and fresh as with only three of us, a full batch is too much to eat before they start losing their freshness. If we decide to go the lake today, I'll grab a bag from the freezer as swimming burns the calories on kids.I love a good oatmeal cookie; I use the Quaker Oats recipe, omitting raisins. I'm not tempted to eat the dough, and one cookie feels so much more substantial than a chocolate chip so I am satisfied with one. I did the tedious calculations and my cookies came to $2.31 for the batch, and bread came to $2.58, using my pantry food prices. I used the full cost of what bananas would be, though these were frozen past their prime bananas that might otherwise have been food waste. 

To take us into the week, we are good with snacks and will over cook and set aside portions for lunches. We have sandwich meat and bread, and plenty of fruit as well. I have beef and chicken ready for mentioned meals,and will save time by doubling up prep sides such as rice and noodles when called for. The odd thing is, I used to always work my kitchen this way-it was a necessity for a family of five, with a baby/toddler and two active teenagers. I like the sense of order I feel, and the success over the budget is a great bonus. What does your week in meals look like?

I'm a Restaurant and Book Junkie

There are spending triggers get many of us that are trying to retrain our spending habits in order to reap better or more important rewards down the line. I know some women it is clothes, shoes, or bags of any kind. Others it might be perfumes or cosmetics. These have not been my money sucks.  Mine continue to be books and impromptu meals/bar nights out. I have scheduled activities out with people, DH for example, and budget for what I think is a reasonable amount. It would be all fine and good but then the extra's start being layered. 

I had put what I thought was a healthy $200 in my budget for eating out in April. The two biggies were going to be taking my daughter and her friend to our favorite Mexican restaurant, and then meeting up with another couple for dinner this past week. We thought that might have left another $40 or so for an inexpensive burger or pizza meal out or the odd meal DD#2 might need. Before this April tightening of financial reins, I realize now I didn't have a clue with a) how often I or a family member eats restaurant food or drinks and appetizers in bars, and b)  how much we were very quick to just pull out the credit card to pay the tab without thinking of how much we actually spend out in a month. I've been in denial becasue we comfortably pay the Visa at the end of the month, but then wonder why our liquid savings rate is not higher. The plans got postponed with our friends, but even so, I estimate we are well past that $200 with another week of month left. 

Book buying is another vice. Say all you want about libraries, and thrift stores being free and cheap and I'll agree with you. Sometimes, too often, the allure of having my own copy, feels like getting a fix. I like the intellectual high it brings me. "I'm literate. I have an extensive library. My family read's a lot-can't you see by the amount of books of varying subject matter and topics?" Of course many of those books have not been read, and are just becoming clutter fodder. I have raised offspring of book junkies as well. There are book people in the world and I am one of them.

I combined both my vices on Thursday attending a talk and book signing by writer Mary Sharratt, who writes fascinating books about women in history. A cousin of mine is her local tour publicist and the event was in my town at a bar with a cozy side room. I had a couple short beers, and a large order of stuffed breaded mushrooms to share with my cousin and her aunt, also my cousin. Then of course, I wanted a copy of each of the books Mary had for signing, one for DD#1, one for DD#2, and one for myself. At least I didn't buy three copies of each-I have some restraint. My impromptu night came in at $82. Yesterday I added another meal out to my tab when my friend, the other S (we have the same name and are known as the S's, but in full), stopped for lunch before the wedding at a quaint place she knew about on route.

Not the hole plugging in April I was going for. While this is discouraging, it is a good wake up call to think through the question of what do I want now or what do I want more, and be honest with myself. Sometimes it is very gray, like Thursday night. I did not know anything about Mary Sharratt's work, and now, learning about her research, and the lives these women led, I am eager to read more. I haven't see my cousins in ages, probably a couple years. The place cleared out pretty quick after the talk so I was able get a good catchup for  nearly an hour. One of my sisters had joined by this point as well. Granted, I didn't have to buy any books, let alone three.

My humble, but tasty, scone coffee cake.

To support my impromptu meals and book buying habit,  I'm going to need to continue to economize elsewhere. This mornings breakfast was a baking riddle using up the last of a tub of yogurt, the last of a round box of  quick oats, and miscellaneous pantry items baked in a square pan. The result is a large coffee cake scone-tastes pretty good slathered in jam or honey, and made for pennies. I'll wash bedding, using my clothesline to dry, and won't run the dishwasher until every nook of it is full. I'll update the meal plan based on changes and the few groceries purchased in the last week. I think I can officially transition to spring clothes, but will need to do a bit of repair to unravelled skirt hems and perhaps button replacing, so will do that this weekend, and not buy new. 

I can't be complete hermit though the rest of the month.There's a community hootenanny all through the town at various bars and the performing arts center starting late afternoon. There's no cover charge other than the price of food and drink. Getting out for a nice night of music and a beer or two with friends, enjoying the simple things in life, is worth the money. So is keeping family ties connected, meeting and talking with writers, and having lunch with a lifelong friend. I want these experiences more both now and later.

Surplus Baking... What a Problem

If you have been reading, you'll know I have been under weather, and have gotten off track with my Christmas preparations, mainly the baking and treat making.  Now that I am perking up and with working from home, I find I am able to work an hour or so, take a brief rest, whip up a quick batch of something, get back to work, and repeat the cycle.  My baking is slowly getting on pace with previous years.  However, with being semi homebound, it has meant I have forgone many of the usual festivities and treat sharing  opportunities.  I fear I am I danger of a post holiday bounty!  I just took a dozen cupcakes out of the oven, along with a cute little Christmas tree shaped cake.  I split the batter from a standard cake mix between the two projects.  Last night I got peanut blossoms and snicker doodles baked.  I did cheat and used mixes-at 2 for $3.00, I could hardly do better from scratch.  DD#2 and I will at least get the traditional Oreo truffles made, plus I'll do the Mars bars as they were such a hit, and so easy.  I also have rosettes I made at the beginning of the month and tucked away in the freezer. Items will go to both family Christmas's, but so will everyone else's bakery's, and let's face it, a person really can eat only so much.

 Here is my plan to use the surplus.  As these items are home made they can't be donated for charitable use. The less holiday specific stuff I'll freeze to use later in the winter. I'll encourage my nieces and nephews that are less inclined to make treats to bring home a goodie box-I picked up some treat packaging at the dollar store for this. I'll bring a treat container along to DD's basketball scrimmage on the 29th. I have three neighbors with households full of boys, home now for the break from high school, middle school, and college. A post Christmas cookie plate will make it's way to each of them.

I'll bring a tray in the day after Christmas for those that didn't take a vacation day and are holding down the office.  Many of these staff do not celebrate Christmas so would rather save their time for other times in the year.  I've found though the sharing of food and treats is multi-cultural and appreciated. One of my favorite work anecdotes occurred about 10 years ago when HR decided we needed to move away from a December all staff potluck as it aligned too close with the expectation of celebrating the Christmas holiday, and she worried we were at risk of not being inclusive.  I have the most diverse staff in the organization due to the nature of our community work.  One of my staff, a woman of Islamic faith, upon hearing the change in staff activity lamented, "Does that mean we won't get to have Christmas cookies?" 

I've not had this problem before, and one might just say "stop baking!"  This is one of the activities that gives me joy in the making, the arranging on a pretty tray of plate, and giving to and sharing with people in my life I care about. I think my plan will take care of this problem, but what a problem to have. Have fun with your week however you choose to spend it.

Bought the cute mold for 75% of after Christmas last year. 

Going All Domestic-Baking With a Real Pumpkin

In my quest a less complicated life, I am going to try some things that are actually more complex, but hopefully will yield a different satisfaction. I am tackling food waste, and getting more creative in my cooking.  The week of Halloween, there were lots of blogs and food shows, newspaper  features, and recipes for using that post ghoulish pumpkin into tasty treats and meals.  This year, neither of the girls had enough interest or time to carve a jack-o-lantern, but I had inherited my mom's ceramic pumpkin which holds a candle and is pretty cool to great trick or treaters.  I still wanted some real pumpkins for their pretty color on my porch, so I bought a couple pie pumpkins at 2 for $3.00 to put on my porch rail.  Very cute with the smiling ceramic guy on the floor, and my plastic window cling pumpkins and ghosts on my door.

Since these were pie pumpkins, I knew I should not waste them, and arming myself with tips from dozens of writers, last Sunday I set out to turn them into useable pumpkin for cooking and baking.  I used the microwave to soften them.  It took a lot longer than I would have though-about twice as long as the equivalent amount of squash.  I learned pumpkins must have much denser flesh.  After they cooled enough to handle, I scooped out and mushed up in a bowl, trying to break down the sinewy fibers.  I think I ended up with about 5+ cups of pumpkin goo.  I froze two portions of 2 cups each, for future use, and saved 1+ to try out this week.  as I type, I have a dozen large pumpkin muffins in the oven.  I added generous amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves allspice, and ginger with the pumpkin.  The smell is good, but I'm picking up more of the spices than the pumpkin, so I might have over done it.  I rarely measure exactly when I bake-I know, not right, but it works for me.

As far as thrift, canned pumpkin on sale is a much cheaper than my $3.00 pumpkins, without the labor,but considering these would have gone to waste, that is value. The timer went off, so let's see how they look.  I had the remnants of two different sized liners left. I could have just used the pan without the liner, but if they are a success, I'll pack a few for the day as we are at a basketball tournament for the day.

DD#2 and I each tried one.  The taste was fair-I would increase both the sugar and the spices, as the flavor was too weak for us.  I also have to do a better job with the pumpkin-still a little stringiness in the final product.  This is why I tried just a small muffin test, so I can learn.  Who has hints for me?  What do you do that helps you baking an cooking with pumpkin flawless?  Would you even bother when you can buy canned for $ .88? Oh, look at the time.  I have to get going-10:00 game on center court to cheer on.

The Joy of Church Cookbooks

I am a fan of the links and postings shared on the internet via blogs, Facebook, and Pinterest.  Nothing though warms my heart and makes my tummy rumble more though than seeing an old church cookbook.  I found my motivation today, and it was looking at me from the corner of my kitchen counter where my cookbooks are stored.  This particular one was a wedding shower gift I received in 1987, and reading the recipes is remembering the women, some long past away, and others that were probably about my age, just becoming empty nesters, and now are the elders in the church.  These were the women that were called upon to bring salads and bars for funeral lunches, or after women's circle's service projects, or bible study lunches.  They were the women that generously donated their baked goods for youth group fund raisers so all kids could go on retreats and ski weekends, and share and deepen their faith.  I received one from a friend from her church the same year.  It is lovely, but it doesn't quite hold the same appeal-no familiar names.  Two years ago, our church published a new version.  It is good, and has the names are my friends and parents of my children's friends, and yes, the women who are now the elders. The recipes call for a lot less butter, and ingredients that were not in the 1987 version like quinoa, chick peas, greek yogurt, and avacado's.

On my  motivational list was baking.  I was less than prepared, as I was down to my last two eggs.  DD#2 learned a recipe in FACS class (family and consumer science) called Egg in a Frame where you cut a hole in the middle of bread, grill it like a grilled cheese, and fry a scrambled egg in the middle.  She has mastered it, so has been making them all week for us for breakfast. I knew I had pumpkin in the pantry and was pretty sure I could get a single batch of a bread recipe with just two eggs.  Here is the recipe I used. Notice how messy it is-I've used this dog eared and tattered page a lot, as evidenced by spills.

I use these little loaf pans, a gift from my sister in law for my birthday about 10 yeas ago.  They are perfect for quick breads as the four hold one recipe, they bake faster, freeze easy, and make a cute little mini slice perfect for packing in lunches, or putting out on a plate when hosting people for brunch or just an afternoon. I was a little messy with my spooning, and pup came running when he heard the batter hit the floor, he just gave it a curious look, which surprised me he didn't just lick it up.  I'll add pumpkin batter to coffee as the two things he won't eat indiscriminately.


I hope to be  able to get one of these wrapped up for my father-in-law who had a birthday earlier in the week. Normally I would have doubled the recipe, and baked two smaller, but regular size loafs for our own eating, along with the mini loaves. I keep looking for these mini pans at a fair price but they are quite expensive, so am making due with just the four. My last picture is the finished loaves.  I made the girls not cut into either until I could get a picture, but I am sure when I hit "publish" one loaf will be gone. 

Do you have a go to cookbook that you use as much for sentimental reasons as for the recipes? Are there recipes that you know could be healthier or made cheaper, but you never mess with?  I'm off to the next thing on my list. Later I'm meeting DH, and a few sisters and their husband for happy hour at the local bar and grill.  Nice cheap beers, and tasty $5.00 appetizers, so not worrying about dinner tonight as there are leftovers for the girls. I'll be home early, in my jammies to watch Doctor Who, quite possibly nibbling on a piece of bread. Enjoy your Saturday.