Handmade Gift Bookmarkers, sweet and inexpensive.

I have a huge button bin that I've been collecting for years. When I found this post I had a serious "AHA!" moment. I made up a handful for some older ladies I know who love to read that I will tuck into their gift bags.

By the way, the blog I found it on is worth at least a half hour of exploring...budget your time accordingly! Visit them HERE.

Not the best picture on my Android but you get the idea. Very fast and very simple to make and look very luxurious. My 4 year old wants a trip to the button store to make his own after Christmas.

I will try to throw up some blogs with this year's Christmas bag contents. Not having much money never means you can't show your loved ones you care, it just means you have to be more creative! Sounds trite but true. Who doesn't like handmade thoughtful gifts?

I have had several Christmas seasons where I had to use food stamp money to buy cookie making ingredients to make gift bags. Do I let it get me down? Hell no. When they toss that department store gift basket back under the tree and sit noshing on my (best cookie ever!) peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I feel proud and content.


Happy Holidays!

Slow cooked Baked Beans

I find that one of the corner stones of my diet is beans. Seriously. I know you dont believe me because no one eats beans anymore in this fast paced eat out of a can or bag world right?

They are nutritionally a powerhouse. Beans are incredibly filling and inexpensive. While they are not a 5 minute meal they are also incredibly easy to make.  Dust off that crock-pot and come make some with me.

Slow Cooked Boston Baked Beans

1 pound ( about 2 cups) small dry white beans like navy beans
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup mustard
1 medium onion, chopped
a pinch of cloves
3 cups hot water


First you have to soak the beans. The night before I put them in a pan and cover with hot water from the faucet before I go to bed. There are other ways you can do it but really to me that's the easiest way to do it. Pick out any floaters and run a spoon through to look for little pebbles too.

The next morning drain the beans. Put half of them in the crock-pot. Place the chopped onion on top of beans. Cover with remaining beans.

In a separate bowl mix together the hot water, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and cloves. Pour over the beans in your crock-pot.

Cook for about 8 hours on low.  Check occasionally and make sure beans are covered with liquid. If not, add a bit to cover.  When they are tender enough to eat they are done. They may seem a bit soupy at first but will thicken a bit on standing.

The next day they are even better. This recipe will serve 6 as a main dish. I make these once a week and put in canning jars in my refrigerator so I can pull some out for a fast dinner. My teenager loves these on toast, I have them over rice frequently. They are a natural combo with Irish soda bread too.


Now a word about cooking times. There can be huge variances in cooking times depending on how old your beans are. If they have been in your cabinet for a year they may take a couple hours longer. I buy beans every week so they are relatively fresh. 

Pizza Night

Pizza night is a mainstay in our house. I make dough and I can customize everyone's pizza to their needs. No cheese on one, no sauce on another, all veggies on one is a snap this way. The kids make their own pizzas and we all eat together.


Gluten free came along and threw a wrench in the works though. How do you make a pizza crust without flour?  Thank God for the internet and Jeanne at 'The Art of Gluten Free Baking'.  She has a great recipe for pizza crust that actually tastes like pizza. I throw the ingredients in the food processor for 20ish seconds and use the parchment for that pizza.I have tried a few premade mixes but darn it they are so expensive. I make up Jeanne's baking mix and make pancakes regularly too from it.

You can find an easy crust recipe here that does have gluten but is dairy free. I will share a secret to make this go very fast. I have been making the dough in the food processor. Put all the ingredients in and process for about 20 to 30 seconds until it's a smooth dough. That's it. Let it rest and use as you would dough you spent 10 minutes kneading. The first time you may have to experiment with time and a drop or two of water to get a smooth dough but after that its easy peasy. If it still looks crumbly add water a teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together, pulsing a few seconds after each admission. I can crank out four crusts in no time this way.

My regular dough recipe makes some wonderful bread sticks as well.  Divide each recipe into 8 pieces and roll out thin with your fingers into pretzel rod shapes. Lay flat on cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. Let rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
 If you aren't dairy free you can smear butter on them and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for some very similar to the pizza stores. We have them with pizza sauce. Yum!

Dinner Time Insanity

So seriously I am considering a dinner time strike. For REAL this time.  Dinner time as become more of a challenge than I can deal with some days. Ever try to make one meal that encompasses gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian yet will still manage to please children and the occasional guest? Throw in 2 Autistic kids and whewwww.

My budget is screaming, not to mention the sheer amount of time it takes to make 3 or 4 separate meals every night. All the rules I grew up with about meal time have gone out the window. Feel my pain?

Now that I got that off my chest, I hope in the future to share with you how I manage to get everyone fed. Maybe someone will not feel so overwhelmed and under appreciated. OK that probably won't happen but at least we can commiserate together.

OK I am off to throw some salads and pizza at the heathens. See ya later.

Easy Grilled Flatbread

It is 95 degrees out and I have no intention of starting my stove today. Not even the toaster if I can avoid it. A big pile of salad greens and veggies will be the star on my dinner table tonight.  Need a side dish to make it a heartier meal? I will be grilling a couple chicken breasts as well as a flatbread for the carnivores.

Super easy and fast. Once you have made these they will be a summer favorite.

Grilled Flatbread

1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons butter or margarine


First I'll tell you how I make it, then give you an alternative.

Put warm water in bowl of food processor. Mix in sugar and yeast. Add flour and butter. Process until dough comes together into a nice springy ball, about 2 minutes.  Place dough in greased bowl to rise. Let it sit while the grill heats up. I cheat and use an electric grill.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. I use a rolling pin to roll each piece out into a rectangle. If you are feeling brave pull and stretch into shape.

Carefully place dough rectangle onto hot grill and cook for 5 minutes each side. Slather with butter and parmesan cheese for bread sticks or munch  plain.

Note:    Don't have a food  processor or even a grill? No problem. Mix the ingredients for the bread in the same order in a large bowl. Knead about 5 minutes until you have a smooth elastic dough. Sometimes I can talk my kids into doing this while I prepare the rest of supper. After a 20 minute rest, roll out the dough as described above. You can bake in the preheated oven or toaster oven at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes.

I make all 4 flatbreads and use the extra for pizza shells. Yum!

My Favorite Sweet Pickles

The bins full of pickling cucumbers are starting to show up at the farmer's market. I made my first  batch  of the season this morning of my favorite sweet pickles, also known as bread and butter pickles. You can't buy  the homemade taste of pickles and the recipe is simple. Enjoy!

Bread  and Butter Pickles

makes about 3 pints

8 cups of sliced pickling cucumbers
1/2 cup of salt

4 cups vinegar
2 cups brown sugar( I have used white sugar)
1 tablespoon pickling spice
2 inch stick cinnamon
6 whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seed
pinch turmeric

Note:  If you can't find pickling spice you can make your own. Recipe follows the pickles

Place cucumbers in a large bowl or plastic container. Sprinkle with the salt and cover with cold water. Let stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain cucumbers and rinse with cold water.

Combine everything else in a heavy pan. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add drained cucumbers. Bring back to boil and cook another 5 minutes.
Pack into clean jars carefully and let cool.
Store in the refrigerator.

Pickling Spice

makes about 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup mustard seeds
1/4 cup ground coriander
1/4 cup fennel seed
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup celery seeds
1/4 cup cinnamon sticks, crushed
1/4 cup black pepper corns
2 tbsp. dried ginger, coarsely chopped
6 dry bay leaves, crushed

Combine all. Store in a cool dry place for up to a year.
I make a fresh batch every year when I start pickling again.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

I am not strictly vegetarian or vegan, however, my  diet tends to those foods. I am not afraid of those labels because of that so I frequently try out vegan recipes. Every now and then I find a gem that makes it's way into my every day cooking. These cupcakes are one of those recipes.

My kids loved these. Instead of frosting them I just dust them with powdered sugar. You could be creative and serve with fresh raspberries and whip cream or a decadent fudge frosting.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

 

makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini's or 6 texas size

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or canola)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons molasses
2/3 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 12-cup cupcake pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk coffee, oil, vanilla, and molasses. Pour the coffee mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined. Do not over beat. Mix in chocolate chips. Place batter evenly into cupcake pans, about 2/3's full. I use an ice cream scoop.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the middle. Let cool completely in the pan.

Parmesan Peppercorn Salad Dressing

90 degree weather has me staying out of the kitchen and wanting the convenience of fast food but on my ramen noodle budget.

Salads are a no brainer. An abundance of cheap fresh produce with a couple homemade sides makes this  budget friendly, cool, and healthy.

Parmesan Peppercorn Salad Dressing.

Whisk together

1 cup mayonaisse
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Pour into clean glass jar, cover and refridgerate for up to 2 weeks.

Playroom Storage Stools

Ok I have time to post one more incredibly easy beginners project. The boys pulled the stuffing out of the padding on their 2 year old chairs from their table set. After my recent successes with beginner carpentry projects I starting cruising the web for some easy plans.

Shanty 2 Chic had some wonderful ideas. These stools were perfect minus the wheels. I had visions of toppling stools when they jump on them to sing! The boys picked out their own spray paint colours and had a blast painting them. Three stools took me about an hour minus sanding time.

I read all about how easy it is to stain and finish these but I have to admit I am becoming a spray paint junkie. They came out so good and dried so quickly I am considering giving a few other things a facelift. They match their new bookshelves and can be used as more book storage in a pinch as they outgrow them.

 I have to say I would never even have considered doing any of these projects if it weren't for these really great instructables and blogs. These authors have been an inspiration to me. Living well on a very small budget is looking easier and easier. I have been looking at goodwill furniture and even junk in the garage with a new eye!

Shelves for Children's Books

You would think I had tons of time right now with all these projects I have accomplished this spring.
Somehow I have managed to actually finish a few projects with the help of some great blogs and instructables.

By necessity we needed a place for the boys books after a new resident took up space on our bookcase. The books have been piled in a laundry basket for 2 weeks when I came across this blog.
Ana White has tons and tons of easy plans for simple furniture and I believe even has a new book out with great ideas as well.

These ledges were my inspiration. I changed the measurements to fit some unused hall wall space right outside the boys bedroom. I only spent $12 for the whole project.

Couldn't have been easier to make. One of these days the wonderful people at Home Depot will not be able to cut my wood and I will have to learn to use a saw. Until then I can put together these fabulous projects in a naptime!

Baking Your Own Bread, Part 2

While looking for those fabulous build your own bed plans I came across this post from the same author.

I read it through twice and was shaking my head in disbelief. No kneading? Little rising? what kind of blasphemy is this? I tried it, fully expecting a horrible loaf that at best would be passable for croutons.

Crispy brown crust and light flaky bread reminiscent of those delicious artisan French bread loaves after a couple of hours! That big bucket of dough made a ridiculously easy pizza dough, a ciabatta for some toasted sandwiches, and a few crusty loaves to serve with salads.

My son even expressed an interest in making it and was so proud of his first loaf. We left a bit of dough in the bucket for the next batch and got a beautiful sourdough flavor. I am thinking about getting that book the next time I have found money burning a hole in my pocket.

Aeray, seriously, why did you have to be already married.............

Easy Bed Frame to Build

SO my bed frame broke.....yeah, one too many jumps from one of the boys (yes you Nicholas). I went to look at bed frames at a few stores and came to the conclusion that I did not have over $200 to spend on a new one. I store a ton of stuff under my bed so mattress on the floor was not really an option.




I googled bed frames plans and Holy Cannoli there's a pile of them. The one that caught my eye was " Cheap Easy Low Waste". Much Thanks to the author for this fabulous plan!

For $72.50 I built a queen sized bed and repurposed my headboard. Woohoo! The really bored guys at Home Depot cut my wood so essentially I just had to predrill holes and screw the pieces together.

This baby is incredibly sturdy and comfortable besides. I still have my storage space as well.

An unintended side benefit was that this bed takes up much less space, at least visually if not in actuality, so my room seems much bigger.


I am working on my saw phobia and plan to do a few more projects. My scrap pile is growing and I have bookmarked a few pages.
The low cost is wonderful and I am so pleased with myself. Yay!

Starting the Garden and Dreaming of Spring

With the first warm weather I start dreaming of fresh salads and fruit desserts bursting with berries......

I have already been spending silly amounts of time at the seed racks picking out this years crops. Why do they sell all these seeds that don't have a prayer here unless you start them 2 months early and have a green house, cold frames, and a green thumb? I am going to be much more realistic this year.

I don't want to do all kinds of crazy seeds for plants that will never ripen in our short growing season here in Maine. I am going to concentrate on the basics this year. The stress of tiny pumpkins, green beefsteak tomatos and stunted melons is too much for me. I found a fabulous pick your own nearby for all kinds of berries so I am giving up on my rabbit ravaged strawberries too.

Spinach, lettuces, peppers, herbs I actually use, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes will be the largest crops I think. I want to do an entire small raised bed of carrots this year. Last years were sweet and crunchy and I got 2 crops even here.  I've never done potatoes but I think I want to try them this year, if for no other reason than a learning lesson or the kids. I've heard they are very easy and hard to kill.

Coriander, dill, and cilantro are out, while double plantings of basil. thyme, rosemary and oregano will be fragrant and grace many of my dishes. I dont know why I always think I will start suddenly canning vast amounts of dill pickles but plantings of dill were always part of my routine. Why? Probably because of those fabulous pictures in gourmet and gardening magazines of beautiful feathery plants.

I saved my plastic milk jugs all winter and this weekend will poke small drainage holes and cut an opening from the top of each one, leaving the handle intact. These improvised pots will then grace my back deck hung with twine. Three times the space, much cheaper than pots, recycled, and easy care, what's not to love!? The kids are already thinking up what they will decorate the pots with too, so fab art projects as well.

If you aren't already doing it, rethink composting. It's really easy. The rich organic material you get is a great way to save money on fertilizers and in my opinion your veggies will be that much stronger and delicious. At our house its just a pile out behind the garage that I dump all our kitchen refuse and turn once in a blue moon. I'm sure there are much better ways but it works for me.

Revisit the roasted veggies and soup recipes before it gets too hot for these favorites. Salad days are almost here!