Tasty, Easy, Inexpensive Granola

I got this recipe online at Recipezaar. It's really easy to make and will keep in an airtight container for about a week. (We usually eat it up way before that since it is so yummy!) I was looking for a granola recipe with easy, simple ingredients. We like to eat this as cereal or on top of our yogurt. I usually double the recipe.

Quick 'n' Crunchy Granola - Serves 4 to 6
3 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (uncooked)
1/3 cup Butter or Margarine
1/3 cup Honey
1/4 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla (I often put a little more!)
1-2 teaspoons Cinnamon (We added this one-optional.)

1. Melt butter in microwave.
2. Heat honey in microwave for 45 seconds (if too thick.)
3. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. (I sometimes mix the other ingredients first, then add to the oats.)
4. Pour into cookie sheet with a lip or baking pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Very important to stir once while baking.
6. Stir again and cool completely.
7. Store in air-tight container.

Inexpensive Furniture

The key to finding a good deal on furniture is patience. Wait for it! Here is an example of some of the different ways to get decent furniture without paying a fortune. (Excuse the lack of decoration in the picture!)

The rug was bought at Lowes 75% off. It was normally $400, on sale for $100.

An end table you can't really see (Christmas Tree on it) was $40 at Cost Plus because it was missing a knob ... something easily fixed.

The armoire and two side consoles were between $500 & $600 at an outlet store in the scratch and dent section. Do small scratch and dents really matter? Call it patina!

The leather and wood ottoman was $120 at a model home furniture sale. There are companies who handle these events. You can check their web sites for upcoming sales. All the ones I've been to have long lines when they open and are cash and carry. These sales can be a really great place to get furniture. You have to be careful though, sometimes the furniture in model homes isn't that sturdy.

The couches are hand-me-downs. They were "messed-up" and needed the attention of an upholstery shop to the tune of about $400, but still MUCH cheaper than buying them at a furniture store and great for the environment.

Another wonderful furniture option (also good for the environment) and a cost effective way to buy unique furniture is to shop antique stores. You can really get some great deals if you shop around!

Ideas for Inexpensive Christmas Gifts

I've been busy, busy lately so haven't posted for a while. Thought I'd get back on the saddle with a post on various sites with ideas for inexpensive Christmas gifts.

This year the best thing we did to save money was buy at the after Christmas sales last year. We are still using gifts we bought last year! Also, I'm making homemade bread for teachers and people at church and am giving gifts of photography in frames I got on sale. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I'm using leftover Halloween candy for the Christmas stockings. I'm also using the Christmas sales to pre-buy gifts for upcoming kids birthdays.

Who says gifts have to be new? We can also nab them at Thrift Stores and feel good that we're doing good things for the environment.

One of my favorite gifts to get is salsa ... simple, healthy and inexpensive. May the force be with you while you strive for frugality this season!

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/money/personalfinance/pkgholiday/20081103_orig_savemoney (Have to go through the slide show)

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/money/personalfinance/pkgholiday/200812_omag_cheap_gifts (Have to go through the slide show)

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/money/63giftsunder10dollars.htm

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/gifts/Cheap_Christmas_Gift_Ideas.htm (This one is really good ... has lots of links ... homemade gifts, food gifts, free gifts.)

http://rubyglen.com/articles/handmadechristmas.htm

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/2009/12/cheap_easy_lastminute_homemade.html

Savoring the Little Moments

Stress. Lately it seems I can't hide from it. The economy ... so many people suffering ... our children ... surgery ... church and school ... homework ... looking for a house ...

I'm trying to figure out how to keep from exploding in the coming year. The thought that keeps occurring to me is that I need to enjoy daily the small, pleasurable moments of my life.

I'm reminded of a book I read a few years ago by Anna Quindlen, "A Short Guide to a Happy Life." She talks about witnessing family members die and how it has given her a greater appreciation for life. I watched my own mother die fairly young and realize life is short, but it is still so difficult for me to simply slow down and enjoy. Here are a few quotes from her book:

"The lights came on ... I was never again going to be able to see life as anything except a great gift. It's ironic that we forget so often how wonderful life really is."

"It is so easy to waste our lives: our days, our hours, our minutes ... It is so easy to exist instead of live. Unless you know there is a clock ticking. So many of us changed our lives when we heard a biological clock and decided to have kids. But that sound is a murmur compared to the tolling of mortality."

"Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over the dunes, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over a pond and a stand of pines. Get a life in which you pay attention to the baby as she scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Turn off your cell phone. Turn off your regular phone, for that matter. Keep still. Be present."

" ... think of life as a terminal illness, because, if you do, you will live it with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived."

May we all live "The Good Life" in our small moments.

Basic Pancakes

Pancakes are really cheap to make from scratch and quite tasty also! Mark Bittman, author of "How to Cook Everything" says of pancakes, "Americans must have been sadly alienated from the kitchen for pancake mixes to ever have gained a foothold in the market, for these are ridiculously easy to make." He has shamed me into never buying pancake mix again ... except maybe for camping! :) Click here for his recipe with lots of detail. Below is my edited version of his recipe:

Basic Pancakes
Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk (I use skim milk)
2 tablespoons melted, cooled butter (optional) (I use olive or canola oil)
plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use neutral oil

I mix the dry ingredients, add the other ingredients into the same bowl and use a wisk to stir for about 30 seconds. Then cook 'em up!

We freeze these and waffles all the time for a really quick breakfast for the kids. Just throw them in the toaster frozen or nuke them and you're off!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Found this recipe at tiphero.com a day too late! (By-the-way, Tip Hero is a great website to find money saving ideas.) I was making pumpkin pies with my left over pumpkin puree and all I needed was Sweetened Condensed Milk. I hate running to the store for one item. If I had this recipe it could have saved me the trip and also some money! Haven't tried it yet, but looks like it should work fine. If anyone tries it before I do, let me know how it worked for you! Happy Holiday baking!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup dry powdered milk
1/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup sugar
3 TBS melted butter

Mix together in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate. Makes 1 1/4 cups or one can of homemade Eagle milk.

Fun Holiday Idea

A few years ago I got a fun idea for Halloween decorations from a friend of mine. She takes a picture of her daughter in her costume every Halloween and buys a cheap frame at Ross or at an after Halloween sale and frames it for the next year. I started doing this and have quite a few framed pictures now. I haven't paid more than a few dollars for each frame. It makes me smile every year. I think I'll really enjoy them when I'm an empty-nester and have all these fun memories to look at each year. I think this would also be really fun to do for Christmas.