Saving Money Feels Fantastic: The Pantry (Finally!!!!)

30 Oct

hello friends!  I know it has been WAY too long since I told you I would be going through my pantry and organizing it as the last ‘step’ on the list to help save money on food! I finally felt well enough to be comfortable going through the food in our modest ‘pantry’ and organizing it. It’s just not one of those things one does when one is coughing uncontrollably , or blowing their nose repeatedly. (your welcome for that mental picture). 

I like how squawkfox does a step by step on each of these to-do’s! This is something i love doing, personally, but haven’t done since we moved in since it is a super tiny kitchen (i love it though!) and it’s easier somehow to just throw another item on top of the pile and then it’s like a treasure hunt to make dinner – ‘i have noodles? no way!’ ‘oooh, there’s rice in here!’ ‘honey! we have spaghetti sauce!’ – you get the idea. It can be fun, but not when it turns out that you bought more of something you didn’t need. SO. I tackled it.

I pulled everything out, sighing sadly at the spaghetti sauce – i recently had to cut out most nightshades from my diet, which includes tomatoes.  beans. pasta. balsamic vinegar. little bag of  unpopped popcorn. small bag of dried lentils. It all piled on the counter while i wiped the cupboard out. It wasn’t bad but any crumbs kind of gross me out. I rearranged a little bit but mostly everything went back where it had been.

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sorry it’s slightly blurry, i don’t know why! =( 

 

Then i stood up and started on the second cupboard – the baking cupboard. Flours – amaranth, tapioca, rice and oat. baking powder and soda. rose water. almond meal. dry goat’s milk. bag of gf pizza crust mix. egg replacer.   

is this a gluten free house or what?? I almost don’t remember what 1 flour looks like anymore. 

I admit to being slightly lazy and NOT taking out the entire shelf of spices (when you combine two houses plus awesome spices we got for a wedding gift, it adds up to a lot!!) and only worrying about the top two shelves. I have been saving nice jars as they got emptied- honey, peanut butter, etc… so I was able to switch some items that we had in bulk bags into jars, label them and not only does it look better, i now have a better idea of what i have in there! YAY! 

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here is the link to the original article :http://www.squawkfox.com/2012/07/02/pantry/

I hope this encourages you to go through your pantry! I’d love to hear about it! 

Now there’s a last entry from squawkfox about those as seen on tv green bags. i’ll let you go ahead and read it if you’re interested.  http://www.squawkfox.com/2012/07/16/green-bags/

Well, that finally wraps up that adventure! And now, on to the next!  I will tell you about it tomorrow! 

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Make your Home Warm, Cozy and Inviting

28 Oct

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This is the Final week of the Make your Home a Haven Challenge! i hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. 

This week is about decorating your house for the upcoming holidays – Thanksgiving and then Chanukah (Christmas for most of you!) I love this idea. I am looking forward to doing this as these are our first hoildays as a married couple. EEK! I am thinking I might go down to one of the parks here and borrow some leaves for a craft or two! free materials? I’m all for it. Plus I’ve already been working on a project for Chanukah decos. 

Here is the link to her article : http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/10/making-your-home-a-haven-week-4-a-pottery-barn-giveaway/utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WomenLivingWell+%28Women+Living+Well+%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

Oooh I can’t forget to sign up for the giveaways!!!  

As for last week’s challenge, I made Applesauce Muffins from the Sweet and Sugar Free cookbook. (My new best friend I think!) 

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Now, I only had my new cute owlet pan so I HAD to use it! Sorry it’s a little blurry. But there’s no chance of re-taking it.. We ate these the same evening I made them!  They are super good and nothing bad in them. Here’s the recipe:

1 large egg                                                                          

2 TB vegetable oil (i used olive oil)                                              

1 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce                                                   

2 c unbleached white flour (I used Namaste’ gf flour mix)             

3/4 tsp baking soda                                                                                         

2 tsp baking powder

  1/2 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon

3/4 c raisins

Topping :  (optional)

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

milk

Beat together egg, oil and applesauce. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Beat well. stir in raisins. spoon batter into oiled and floured muffin wells. Bake at 375 deg for 20 to 25 minutes or until firm to the touch and browned. cool on wire racks.

to make topping, cream together cream cheese and just enough milk to make a thick, spreadable mixture. spread over cooled muffins and serve. serves 12

**** Now, as i stated I substituted the white flour with my mix and 1 egg for a duck egg. I also made my own applesauce. My OH had come home with a bag of red delicious apples a few days before. So I cut up 4 or 5 ,threw a touch of water, cinnamon and nutmeg with them in the crock pot and left it alone until it was all soft and mushy. It was just enough for the recipe. yum. I didn’t make the topping, since we can’t have dairy but they didn’t need them! they were so delicious. Definitely a recipe i’m going to make again! 

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Book Reviews

25 Oct

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I have been doing quite a bit more reading lately – not feeling well for a month can have that affect on one’s life! So I thought I’d share what I’ve been enjoying.

Wildwood Dancing by Julliet Mariller. This is one of my favorite novels. It is a retelling of the fairytale of the 12 dancing princesses. I love how she writes. Any book i read after this one, just doesn’t compare. I’ve learned it’s best to actually hold off on starting another one so that the wonderfulness of this one can fade a bit. =) Now, if you don’t like any magic in your stories, I encourage you to give it a try anyway. The story is simply wonderful. ( And I am waiting for the day to own this one! So far, I have to get it from the library.) Living in Transylvania, in an old castle, is Jena and her sisters. With faithful Petru and Florica they try to get through the bitterly cold winter.  Jena and her sisters monthly go to another world – the ‘other kingdom’ – dancing with fairies and trolls and the list goes on. But tragedy strikes that none could have prepared for. (eek! now i want to read it again!)

The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell. A funny romance novel set in Colorado. An office worker suddenly has her cubicle divided and now has to share her space with a cocky pilot turned academy teacher…..and I’ll let you read the rest! A delightful ‘fluffy’ story of love and learning to take risks when it comes to love. Very sweet.

(The Chronicles of Narnia) The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I am about 3/4 of the way through this one and am enjoying it immensely! I cannot believe I didn’t grow up reading this series.  It is the story of, well, basically, how Narnia and the White Witch came about. There was a part that I got a bit lost in what was happening, but I just kept reading. I enjoy how Lewis weaves the story along. His descriptions are so good.

Aside from novels, I have finished a devotional that I personally met the other! Wife After God by Jennifer Smith. It’s a 30 day devo that has scriptures to read and questions to answer afterward. I have found that to be a rare thing these days when it comes to devotionals. Scriptures and daily questions. I absolutely recommend this to any wife!

For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn. We got given this and the accompanying book For Men Only as a wedding gift and I learned so much from it! I recommend this book too. Great information about how men are wired. How God has designed them to process and work through things differently than us women!

Upcoming books for me:

City of Tranquil Lights by Bo Caldwell

Next book in the Narnia Series

I am on the lookout for another daily devo with scriptures and questions, if anyone has suggestions, that’d be great!

Well, I hope you  enjoyed these reviews!

The next reviews will be Jewish- focused. My OH has a great library that I’ve slowly been picking through.

So, grab a cup of tea, snuggle down in a comfy chair and read!! Happy Reading!

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Music and Dumb Laws

23 Oct

Just a quick note to share how i feel about hearing others’ music while i’m driving…

I don’t like it. 

Scenario: I’m driving home from hanging out at my mom’s house (fun times!) and I start hearing this deep, rumbling boom-boom-boomboom- boom-boom-boomboom, you get the idea. I glance in the rearview mirror and a teenager pulls up behind me. I sigh. Shake my head a little. Get up to the next stop light and we’re on to a new song, but this one is LOUDER. BOOM-BOOMBOOMBOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOMBOOMBOOM, reverberating in my ears. Get to a stop sign and I’m not kidding, 2 car lengths behind me and I can hear this kids’ music.

Now, I realize this might make me seem like I am about 30 years older than I actually am. But with sensitive ears and prefering to listen to the music I have playing in my own car… I’ve decided that car radios should have a max limit. They could only turn up so high. To protect everyone’s ears. And sanity. With all the silly laws out there, this one should be written out and passed. This one at least will have a valid reason behind it.

Take for instance, in South Carolina it is illegal to keep a horse in the bathtub (was that a common practice at one point?). Or these in Alabama – it is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church. Or you may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket. Here in Oregon it is required that you let your dishes drip dry (hey, I’ve been following the law all these years without even knowing it!) ; one may not bathe without wearing suitable clothing and ice cream may not be eaten on Sundays (what is it with ice cream?)

Okay, my idea has more sustenance – to me anyway! – than these! So please, when you get in your car – turn your radio knob down about 4 notches. And think of me. Cause you just made my day. 

 

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Bake something Special : Week 3 of the challenge

21 Oct

“People who love to eat are always the best people”  – Julia Child

A new week has started already! Can you believe it? The sunshine we have had here is so great – I actually got to get out and enjoy it on saturday with some of my family going to the pumpkin patch! so much fun – 5 adults to 7 kids, not too bad of ratio! ha. 

But on to the challenge, I have to say, that since I WAS sick all last week ( and am actually fighting a cough still) I am counting my challenge of having a family fun night as accomplished as it could have been. We had some friends ( who are like another set of parents to us) over for dinner, cribbage and watching the Ducks play against Washington State. (Go Ducks!). It was a lot of fun and I wasn’t sick til the next day! ha. so, how did you guys do with your challenge of a family fun night? Please share!!!!!

As for this week, well, I like this one. Make something special for your family this week – for no reason at all! If you have kids, get them involved! If not, grab your hubby or a friend and make it more fun in the kitchen! I am wondering what I’ll make since my OH and I are off all processed sugar now. . . Hmmm, this will take some thinking. But I did buy a cute owlet pan that I want to use , whatever I end up making! =) 

Here is the link to the actual challenge : http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/10/making-your-home-a-haven-week-3-plus-a-kitchen-aid-mixer-giveaway/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WomenLivingWell+%28Women+Living+Well+%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail  and don’t forget to sign up to win a kitchenaid mixer! how cool is THAT prize?? (If I could find a place on my counters for mine, I’d commandeer mine back from my mom’s house!) 

Happy cooking/baking and don’t forget to keep that candle burning! 

God bless! 

~Laura

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Blogs I Love

18 Oct

Happy Friday everybody! 

This has been a gorgeous week here in the High Desert. Sadly, I’ve only been able to enjoy it through windows. I had so much planned for this week! spending time with friends, cleaning out the pantry (!), trying out  a new challah recipe, grooming the dog, etc etc! I was going to be productive this week!

And then I got sick. I’ve been on this couch since Tuesday morning. I used to love it. Now I’m not so sure. Thank goodness for the wonderful mom that i have that came and brought me soup from Chans (yum!) and cleaned the house up. As my OH said last night, ‘you can always tell when Laura is sick because she  isn’t able to do anything about her OCD’.  Hehe. It’s true. Dishes stacked on the counter just bothers me. . . . It might have something to do with the fact that our house is teeny tiny and if you’re sitting on the couch, you are only steps away from the kitchen, aaand the dirty dishes. There’s no escaping them. 

I have gotten distracted though, I thought I would give you a lineup of my favorite blogs. Some I’ve been following for quite a while, some I have only recently found. I hope you enjoy going through these and finding some gold nuggets. =) 

  • http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/ – she has information on being gluten free, and dairy free! Plus great recipes and she does a ‘gluten free wednesday’ series that is fantastic. 
  • http://www.creativejewishmom.com/ – now I admit that i haven’t done any of the crafts that she has shared, yet. But I have saved them on Pinterest and have plans to. I love the information on Jewish holidays that she shares. 
  • http://empoweredsustenance.com/ – this is a relatively new blog for me but I love it. I could spend hours going through her past posts. She has so much information! I especially liked her article about Healthy Air Travel. Very good stuff in there. 
  • http://womenlivingwell.org/ – now some of you have already been to this blog, because we are doing her ‘make your home a haven’ challenge! (reminder : plan a family fun night!). not only does she have homemaking advice, there’s also parenting, marriage, ministry etc on there! A great blog for the Christian wife. =)
  • http://unveiledwife.com/ – another great Christian blog. Now, I admit that I don’t make it to her actual blog very often but she sends out daily prayers to your email, or if you’re on facebook and ‘like’ her page, you get them on your timeline. I am going through her devotional that was recently published and it is good. A 30 day devo that covers, well… check  it out on her page! I actually met Jennifer when she was in town and held a ‘book discussion’ or whatever we all called it! I t was a great time of meeting with other Christian women and discussing the joys and difficulties of marriage and life. 
  • http://laughingtreephotography.com/ – this last one is a friend of mine’s blog. She is a great photographer but I also love her style of writing. 

 

Well, I could add about a dozen more to the list but I’ll stop there! I hope you enjoy checking some of these out. And hopefully I’ll be up and about again soon so I can get on to what all I actually want to post about!  If you want to check out my pinterest page for recipes, health ideas, fashion, etc  here is a link ! – http://www.pinterest.com/lauramichael/boards/

And please, if there’s something you have been wondering how to make – gf, df, ef, or whatever, please let me know, I’m willing to experiment for/with you! 

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A Fun and Gentle Home – week 2 of the challenge

14 Oct

It’s week 2 for the Home Challenge. =) I hope you all remembered to light your candles – and pray each day this past week. I found that I spent more time praying for my OH and I  and extended family than I normally would. SO good! This weeks’ challenge will be harder for me, but  I’m sitting on some ideas on making it work. I love Courtney’s whole article today, so I’m going to just go ahead and send you over to her site to read it. I love the steps to pursuing gentleness in your home. So good! And don’t forget to sign up to win the pack of games! =) 

 

http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/10/making-your-home-a-haven-week-2-plus-a-10-pack-of-games-giveaway/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WomenLivingWell+%28Women+Living+Well+%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail

 

I wanted to share that OH and I had our 6 month anniversary yesterday! I know, it’s not an official anniversary, but I decided it was exciting enough to celebrate with a special meal. I marinated some lamb, made stuffed mushrooms (yum!), couscous and fresh green beans. He then made us white pumpkin cheesecake brownies. I now am looking forward to our year celebration! Who knows what we will do =) 

I hope you enjoy the last day of this three day weekend and remember to let Christ shine through you each day to your spouse, children, friends and strangers. God bless!

( I just might get to cleaning out my pantry since OH is in the other room studying…)Image

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Fall means Soup

12 Oct

Fall means Soup

Now, i realize that i’m not exactly sticking to the challenge (the next step is the pantry!) but i wanted to share this delicious recipe that i tried this past week with you. I had some lentils in my fridge from a previous stew. So I went on to Pinterest (!) and searched for soups that I had most of the ingredients to already. I found some yummy soups but I decided this one looked delicious and worth trying. It’s Spicy Root & Lentil Soup from Wallflower Girl (a new blog that I can’t wait to spend some time reading through!)
It’s a delightful soup of parsnip, carrot, sweet potato and lentils. YUM. need i say more?
here is the link to her recipe of the soup : http://wallflowergirl.co.uk/spicy-root-lentil-soup/

But i will say that i only used 3 carrots. 1 parsnip. and didn’t have any vegetable stock so I used water. I also didn’t have any coriander – somehow, when I wrote down the ingredients I needed to buy, I didn’t even see those two! oy vay. and of course, I didn’t top it off with yogurt. But I can see that it would absolutely make it that much more delicous. My soup ended up much thicker than her photos of it – I think that’s because I let it simmer a mite too long which boiled the water right down. shrug. It was still super good. I’m not sure my OH was too fond of it – doesn’t bother me though! I’ll eat the whole batch. I’m fine with that.
Sorry I’m not putting the recipe directly on here, but I don’t want to take from the original blogger. Trying to be respectful, and since I didn’t really change the recipe all that much…. You get my drift.

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A little bit of Venting and Upholstery

10 Oct

 Do you know what I really don’t like? What keeps me squirming and moving and mentally sighing?

 

Metal Chairs.

 

You know the ones I’m talking about. Those horrid folding metal torture devices that they insist you sit on for an indefinite period of time. There is no back support. For anyone over 5 foot 3 inches (sorry mom) there is no leg support. and they are seriously cold. freezing torture devices. 

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(just in case you weren’t sure…. see above photo) 

 

A crime against humanity. 

Now, if you think i’m overreacting to something so slight. I could normally  agree with you. After all, aren’t I glad that we at least have chairs? Most of the time, I would readily say ‘yes!’. But considering these chairs are the equivalent to sitting on the floor –  but somehow worse –  I can’t. 

Take this evening for instance. I sat in one for 1 1/2 hours – and had to force my back to straighten. I am now having shoots of pain straight down my legs. Not only does my…uhmm, derriere hurt, my hips ache.  And, honey, when my hips ache, I’m not a happy person.

 I’m not even 30 yet, how are these women in their 50s and up handling this? 

I want to know who invented such a thing. 

REally, how hard IS it to staple some cushion and fabric on a wood chair? Not that hard, I’ve done it before. Hmmm, maybe that’s what I should do – go ‘upcycle’ their chairs. . . . . 

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Link

Make your home a Warm Hug

7 Oct

Make your home a Warm Hug

 http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/09/making-your-home-a-haven-fall-challenge-is-back-with-an-ipad-mini-giveaway/

I love reading the posts on http://womenlivingwell.org/  – but i was so excited when i read that she is doing a monthly challenge on ‘making your home a haven’. i love this idea. So, although this will be hard with my OH only being home on weekends or random weekday nights, i aim to do this. Each weekly challenge seems to be easy and worth doing! i invite you all to follow the link and do this challenge with countless other women!

( and if anyone can tell me how to do an image as a link to a site, that’d be fantastic!)

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