September 24, 2008

Sissy's Taco SaladThis is my oldest sister's recipe. She has been making taco salad this way for as long as I can remember. I have been making it for my family ever since.

 

Pea and Onion PieThis pie is cheap to make, delicious, and utterly satisfying. Soak peas overnight. Drain and pressure cook (about 20 minutes) or bring to a boil and simmer till they are soft. Simmer the onions in about 2 Tbsp. of oil together with the cup of water with the dissolved cube, until water is nearly evaporated and onions are well softened.

 

Vanilla Rice PuddingGradually stir milk and egg into pudding mix in saucepan. Add rice and raisins. Stir over medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil. Cool 5 minutes, stirring twice.

 

Cook Cheaper Cuts of Meat in Soda PopMy tip is to cook cheaper cuts of meat in a mixture of 1 can of any kind diet cola, 1 small can of mushroom soup and 1 packet of onion soup mix.

 

Easy Cheesy Cherry PieSoften cream cheese to room temperature. With a mixer beat cream cheese, powered sugar, vanilla together till smooth. Stir in the 8 oz. of whipped topping. Spread into graham cracker crust. Let chill about an hour. Spread on the cherry pie filling. Let chill about 1/2 hour before cutting.

 

Sugar Free JellyHeat on medium in pan without water. Add one package of Slim Set* (or any sugar-free pectin). Dissolve and pour into clean glass jars. You can let them cool slightly and cap, or use the old fashioned way and wax cover them.

 

Sausage DressingBrown sausage and drain. Saute' celery, apple and onion in skillet with butter. Cook rice according to directions on box. Add the seasoning in the box. Toss all ingredients together. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes.

 

Minced Ham BunsCombine the above and spread between buns. Heat in 350 degrees F oven for 20 minutes. Wrap each bun in foil before baking.

 

Italian Chicken PacketsThis is a recipe I created. Take four pieces of foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix equal amounts of hot water and instant white rice. Lay that in the bottom of foil, add spoonfuls of peas and carrots, next lay boneless chicken on top.

 

Find instructions at www.momsminivan.com!Do you like to go camping but hate sitting on the cold wet ground? How about making a gift for the teachers at an elementary school? Take some old news papers, an old shower curtain, and yarn/ribbon and make a sit-upon.

 

Make Cloth Bags Out of Old PillowcasesWhat do you do with pillow cases that are no longer needed for a bed? Turn them into cloth bags! First turn the bag inside out, fold down the sides of the opening, run a cord or other material cut to the length of the handle you want, hand stitch/sew.

 

Nesting Containers for More Storage SpaceIf you are like me and have limited space and keep plastic containers, I found a great solution. Keeping in mind the Nesting Dolls, I found that with a little planning, I can keep smaller ones inside bigger ones, inside even bigger ones!

 

Recycled Heart PillowsI made this heart shaped pillow out of old pillow shams. They were already in the quilted pattern, so I just cut 2 hearts from a pattern and sewed matching buttons on the back. The words were iron on stencils that I used a pen to make permanent.

 

Use Online Services To Avoid Using Phone MinutesTo save cell phone minutes, do as much online as you can. You can pay bills, contact companies, and email.

 

Using Clorox Clean-Up SprayI am always in a rush to get out the door for work and worry about not cleaning my bathrooms regularly. Never fear. I've found an answer. I use Clorox Clean-Up. I spray the sinks, shower and commode before I leave out and when I get home home they are sparkling white. I love this stuff!

 

Why Chew a Whole Piece of Gum?When I was a girl, my mother drove me nuts because when I asked for gum, she always tore it in half. NOW, guess who's following her mom's frugal ways?

 

Chloe (Tortie Cat)Chloe is a year old and a Tortie cat. I rescued Chloe after a friend found her dumped out. I got her back in May, 2008. Chloe loves the outdoors, but also loves to get mommy loving. Probably her favorite thing though is to eat.

 

Preschooler Activity TubDo you have a toddler or pre-schooler who likes to participate in small activities during the day? Organize them!

 

Thrift Shops, Yard Sales, etc. for Christmas GiftsWith everyday life getting more expensive my family had decided to have a little more fun with Christmas other than just drawing names, spending a set amount on a gift and getting that person what they had asked for.

 

Tackle Box or Divided Plastic Craft Box for EarringsI was always having trouble finding matching earrings when I had them in a jewelry box. Now I organize my earrings by color in the divided plastic craft/tackle box storage boxes.

 

Save Paper Packaging for Covering Your WorkbenchI save the large (25 and 50 pound) heavy craft paper bags that wild bird seed comes in. I cut along the top and bottom of the stitching and slit one side then fold and store them on my work bench.

 

Use Drawer Liner For Gripping Eye Pencil SharpenerThis tip will come in handy for those who still use eye liner pencils. I used to have trouble with the pencil sliding in my fingers when I went to use the hand-held sharpener that came with the eye liner. I solved this problem with a small square of non-skid drawer liner.

 

Coldwater JokeA man went to visit his 90 year old grandfather and while eating the breakfast of eggs and bacon prepared for him, he noticed a film-like substance on his plate. So he says, "Grandfather, are these plates clean?"

 

Handprint Gift WrapAdd that extra "touch" and make a gift more personal with this handprint gift wrap craft.

 

Attach Your Bobbin to a MagnetThis is for all you sewing machine sewers. If you are like me, one of the most frustrating things to do is when you are trying to remove thread from a bobbin that you want to put another color on, it seems like no matter how tightly you hang on to it, the bobbin falls from your fingers onto the floor.

 

My Frugal Life: Living Simply In The Ozarks13 years ago, my husband Jerry and I lived in Los Angeles. We owned a business and we were making a lot of money. We decided to give it all up and move to the Ozarks, where life is more simple. Now that we are living in the Ozarks, we are living on his SDI and my Social Security. It is so beautiful back here. The leaves change in the fall, and usually it snows in the winter.

 

Donate School Clothes to the SchoolsWith school starting I wondered if there were children in need of clothing, especially middle and high school age. A lot of kids this age would be too proud to ask for help, and embarrassed not to have new clothes. Guidance counselors at schools usually would know of those in need.

 

Swiffer Cloths in a PinchI love Swiffer type cloths. I found when I ran out one time that you can use cut up rags (esp. flannel) the same size as one of the duster sheets and attach to the mop the same way. Voila!

 

Kentucky Derby PiePut 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 3/4 cup pecans in unbaked pie shell. Mix 1/2 cup melted margarine, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla together and pour over chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes.

 

Leveling A Travel Trailer?How do you level a travel trailer?

 

Uses For Green Grapes With Seeds?I have tons of green grapes with seeds. I don't make wine, jam or jelly. Any suggestions to use them up? Thank you.

 

Looking For A Meat Grinder?Looking for a meat grinder to process deer meat. As cheap as possible.

 

Diabetic Lemon Cordial Recipe?Does anyone have a recipe for diabetic lemon cordials?

 

Making A Skirt From Neck Ties?I have a lot of men's ties and want to make a skirt, but when I sew them up, they twist and are not equal. Am I doing something wrong? How do I make a skirt from ties? Thanks.

 

"Miracle on Main Street" Themed Float?Do you have an idea for Christmas float with the theme "Miracle on Main Street"?

 

Bugs With Split In The End?I have these little inch long bugs with a split on one end that we keep seeing in the kitchen and bathroom. I've tried recaulking the bathroom and every kind of cleaner I can think but still I see them now and then. Is this just something doomed to be in Florida or is there something that will keep them out?

 

Killing Grass in Rock Ground Cover?My back yard is landscaped with rocks. Grass has grown through huge patches. How can I kill the weeds/grass? I need a home made remedy. Some kind of solution that I can make at my house. I am not well off.

 

Homemade Lemishine Recipe?The water here in Phoenix is REALLY hard. My glasses come out of the dishwasher all cloudy, and my plates have white residue on them. I have tried Jet Dry, but that isn't working. I tried a product called Lemishine that I got from Wal Mart. It works wonders. I know I will get someone telling me to use vinegar, but I am really looking for a homemade recipe for Lemishine. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Recipes For Low Sodium Diet?My husband has been put on a low sodium diet. Does anyone have any recipes that would meet this description? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

Storing Comforters?I have king-size and a full-size beds. I have read tips about what to do with the sheets and pillowcases, but my comforters are huge! I don't have all that much storage space. Does anyone have any ideas on how to store these using the least amount of space? They are falling all over the place, out of the linen closet and getting dirty and I have to rewash again, and the cycle continues...ugh! Please help! Thanks!

 

Scrapbooking Ideas For Old Photos?Any good scrapbooking ideas? I have a ton of OLD pictures to go through and don't know where to start. Help.

 

Making Homemade Baby Food?What is the best baby food? How can I make it myself?

 

Can Excess Exercise Cause Puppy To Have Diarrhea?I have a 12 1/2 weeks old chihuahua mix puppy. She just finished getting her shots last week and just a few minutes ago she went to her training pad to poop and had diarrhea.

 

Playing "Bible Verse Prison" Game?How do you play Bible Verse Prison? I saw this in a suggestion for a church fall festival. Not sure how to get the people in jail and can they get a "get of jail free" card? Thank you.

 

Small Wooden Bases For Crafts?Looking for wooden bases for a project. They need to be less than an inch in height and about 8 inches around.

 

Homemade Detangler For Dogs?I am thinking of adopting a Bichon Frise that has some mats in its coat. I need to know what is the best kind of shampoo and conditioner/detangler to use on her. The current owner has had the dog only 3 or 4 weeks, and used Dawn dish soap for her bath and no conditioner that I know of.

 

Freezing Orange Juice In Carton?Can orange juice be frozen? I recently read that cartons of milk can be frozen, so I got to wondering what else can be frozen?

 

Hydro-Sil Electric Heater?Does a Hydro-Sil electric heater use less electricity as compared to a standard electric heater?

 

Stamp Ink on Clothing?I have a pair a blue jeans and a white sock that have stamp ink in them. I was wondering what I can use to get them out of my daughter's good clothes. I have tried hairspray and that has not worked.

 

Repairing an iPod Screen?Does anyone know how to fix an IPod when the screen image is totally dysfunctional? A white screen shows with several spots on it, but the player still works fine, and you can hear the music. Any suggestions?

 

Red Tomatoes Are Green Inside?Our beautiful red tomatoes are green and hard inside, especially around the "wall" of the tomato. What causes this? This has happened for the past two years. The tomatoes are practically inedible even though we let them ripen on the vine (or appear to ripen.)

 

Making Suit Pants Smaller?I need to alter my husbands new suit pants 4 inches smaller in the waist. Any suggestions for a professional looking job?

 

When Will My Hydrangeas Bloom?When will my hydrangeas bloom?

 

Sofa Color For Green Living Room?What color sofas should I put in my living room which has light green walls and the curtains have dark green pelmets?

 

Gift Ideas For Bridal Party?I am looking for some unique bridesmaid's gifts. Does anyone have any ideas? The ages of everyone in the bridal party is 17-26. There are four girls. Do people normally give the maid of honor a slightly better gift? How does this work? Thanks!