Tostadas are an easy dinner

Do you need an easy dinner that even the kids can throw together? Keep tostadas as an easy dinner recipe. It is very inexpensive and so easy to make. What a time saver! You can put this on the table in five minutes!

* 1 large tomato diced
* 1 bag chopped lettuce (prewashed)
* 1 pkg. Guerrorro Tostadas (precooked corn tortillas)
* 1 small package shredded cheese
* 1 large can refried beans
* 1 jar of your favorite salsa (or home-made)

Open the can of refried beans and put into a microwave safe bowl, warm in microwave for about three minutes (depending on your microwave). While it is warming, put the grated cheese in a bowl, put the lettuce in another bowl and the diced tomato in another bowl. Set them all on the table with your salsa (don't forget to put spoons in all of the bowls). Set the table and as soon as the beans are warm, dinner is ready. Spread the refried beans onto the corn tortillas, sprinkle with grated cheese and top with lettuce and tomato. Garnish generously with salsa and your dinner is served! That's it! Easy huh?
For more info: www.examiner.com/x-2940-Denver-Frugal-Living-Examiner~topic81796-Recipes

How to build a square foot table garden

With the coming of Spring, I have decided to have a garden, whether we sell our house or not. So I am building myself some table gardens for square foot gardening. You can do this yourself. This is especially helpful if you do not want to be bending over, or, if you have an extreme bunny rabbit population like I do. First measure the area you wish to put your table garden and see what size will fit there. Then all you need are:

* (2) 2x6" boards, whatever length (for small root plants like radishes and lettuce and spinach)
* (2) 1x6" boards for the end caps (whatever length)
* plywood
* Some type of wood to use for legs
* Scrap wood for braces
* Deck screws
* A good cordless drill
* Some good potting soil and seed

I found some 2x6's 8' long in the garage, so I used those. I also found some scrap 1x6's in the garage about 20" long, already cut into pieces, so I used those.

Then I went to Home Depot and found some 2x2's in the trash in the lumber section. I asked a young man if I could have them and he said yes and he even cut them for me the length I requested for free, but I think Lowes would probably do the same thing, go to whichever one is closest to you. I had him cut them into 29" pieces since that is about the length of my kitchen table legs. However, in retrospect, I should have cut them shorter since I didn't allow for the 6" depth of the boxes, they are actually a tad taller than I really wanted, but that is just fine. I'll take that into account on the next box.

So all I did was screw the ends onto the boards and cut plywood the measurement of the box, then I screwed the plywood onto the box and drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. I also added some scrap wood for braces on each end. As you can see, mine are very rudimentary, but it will serve it's intended purpose, and I can take them with me should we sell the house!

Today I planted my early crop, spinach, lettuce, radishes, small flowers, and some herbs. But in my next box I will plant some of the other veggies that were too early to plant now. I am going to plant a salsa garden, I will keep you updated and even upload photos as my garden grows. If you would like to send me photos of your garden, please do so! I will post them as I receive them, please send smaller files though, as the large ones don't work for such a small configuration. I do realize there are examiners that are specific to gardening, however, frugal living does include gardening, so send those photos anyway. You can send them to marilyn@frugalliving-denver.com thanks. By the way, be sure to check out the Square Foot Garden video.

Medicine in a bowl-Good health to you

I wrote an article including a recipe for granola, and as I have been experimenting with the recipe myself, I began to add ingredients that are really good for you (and me). I realized that all of the ingredients I put in are in effect, medicine. Just think about it for a minute...

The basic ingredients are:

* Oatmeal, good for you and shown to lower cholesterol.
* Sunflower seeds, good for you, high in protein.
* Coconut, good for you, considered by many to be a natural anti-biotic.
* Ground flax seed, good for you, high in omega-3 fatty acids.
* Organic extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, again, good for you.
* Pumpkin seeds, considered by many to be a natural parasitic and high in protein.
* Nuts, good for you, high in protein and containing "good fats".
* Raw honey, also good for you, helps also with allergies. You can use agave nectar instead of honey if you prefer for sugar reasons:
* Agave nectar, good for you, especially since it is very low on the glycemic index, and many diabetics can tolerate it very well.
* Pure maple syrup can be used instead of honey or agave to give a different flavor and, also good for you, high in nutritional value.
* Dried fruit, especially the berries, such as blueberries, are high in proanthocyanidins, basically the purple color is good for the blood and helps keep platelets from sticking together. If you use dried currants instead of raisins, they are very tolerable for ones with diabetes and or hypoglycemia.

Did you know that you can cook your granola like oatmeal? So if you wear dentures and think that the nuts and seeds are a problem, don't sweat it, cook your granola just like oatmeal. It is just as yummy cooked! And you can also use the left over cooked granola in the blender with your protein shake ingredients.

So you see, granola is like medicine in a bowl. I forgot the last perk, it wil keep you regular.
For more info: Save money by making your own granola

The ten minute pony & auctions

Have you ever been to an auction? I have, I bought a pony. I called him my ten minute pony because immediately after being declared the buyer, I had buyers remorse and sold him to my rival for less than the purchase price. What on earth was I going to do with a pony? He was so cute!

It was for a great cause, so I didn't feel bad. A dear friend of mine has brain cancer and we had this awesome fund raiser which included an auction. The auction was going great, there were so many things to see, and explore the possibility of being the winner of that particular item.

I was thoroughly amazed at all of the terrific items donated for the auction, everything was there. Things like art work, jewelry, orchids, tools, farm supplies, veterinary supplies and services, even a plumber donated his time. Then came the pony.

The auction started off at $50.00 for the pony. He was so cute! I couldn't imagine that anyone wouldn't want to pay more than $50. for such a cute little guy. He was blond with a darker mane and stood about four feet tall at the top of his head.

My friend April and I were thinking the exact same thing. I looked at her and she looked at me and at that moment I said to her, "do you want to go halfers?' Sure! she replied. "I could keep him on my property if you help me buy the food." "Okay, put your number up, put your number up!" So I put my number up, and in about three seconds I heard, "SOLD, to number thirty three!"

All of a sudden, I panicked and said to April, "I can't take home a horse, my husband will kill me!" "What were we thinking?"

We weren't thinking, that was the problem. We were having a bi-polar moment, a moment of polar opposite to logic and reason. I knew we had to find someone to take this beautiful baby home, and so he was sold to the gal who was bidding against me. She got a great deal, half the price that we paid for him. But I didn't have to go home with a pony and then try to explain to my husband how I ended up with a horse.

It was all pretty hilarious now that I think about it. But take my advice, do not buy something at an auction because you get caught up in the thrill of it all, think before you put your number up!

With that said, there are auctions going on all over the country, use the link below to find one near you!
For more info: www.auctionzip.com/

The origin of Easter

Where Did Easter Come From?

Does the following sound familiar?—Spring is in the air! Flowers and bunnies decorate the home. Father helps the children paint beautiful designs on eggs dyed in various colors. These eggs, which will later be hidden and searched for, are placed into lovely, seasonal baskets. The wonderful aroma of the hot cross buns mother is baking in the oven waft through the house. Forty days of abstaining from special foods will finally end the next day. The whole family picks out their Sunday best to wear to the next morning’s sunrise worship service to celebrate the savior’s resurrection and the renewal of life. Everyone looks forward to a succulent ham with all the trimmings. It will be a thrilling day. After all, it is one of the most important religious holidays of the year.

Easter, right? No! This is a description of an ancient Babylonian family—2,000 years before Christ—honoring the resurrection of their god, Tammuz, who was brought back from the underworld by his mother/wife, Ishtar (after whom the festival was named). As Ishtar was actually pronounced “Easter” in most Semitic dialects, it could be said that the event portrayed here is, in a sense, Easter. Of course, the occasion could easily have been a Phrygian family honoring Attis and Cybele, or perhaps a Phoenician family worshipping Adonis and Astarte. Also fitting the description well would be a heretic Israelite family honoring the Canaanite Baal and Ashtoreth. Or this depiction could just as easily represent any number of other immoral, pagan fertility celebrations of death and resurrection—including the modern Easter celebration as it has come to us through the Anglo-Saxon fertility rites of the goddess Eostre or Ostara. These are all the same festivals, separated only by time and culture.

If Easter is not found in the Bible, then where did it come from? The vast majority of ecclesiastical and secular historians agree that the name of Easter and the traditions surrounding it are deeply rooted in pagan religion.

Now notice the following powerful quotes that demonstrate more about the true origin of how the modern Easter celebration got its name:

“Since Bede the Venerable (De ratione temporum 1:5) the origin of the term for the feast of Christ’s Resurrection has been popularly considered to be from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre, a goddess of spring…the Old High German plural for dawn, eostarun; whence has come the German Ostern, and our English Easter” (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. 5, p. 6).

“The fact that vernal festivals were general among pagan peoples no doubt had much to do with the form assumed by the Eastern festival in the Christian churches. The English term Easter is of pagan origin” (Albert Henry Newman, D.D., LL.D., A Manual of Church History, p. 299).

“On this greatest of Christian festivals, several survivals occur of ancient heathen ceremonies. To begin with, the name itself is not Christian but pagan. Ostara was the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring” (Ethel L. Urlin, Festival, Holy Days, and Saints Days, p. 73).

“Easter—the name Easter comes to us from Ostera or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, for whom a spring festival was held annually, as it is from this pagan festival that some of our Easter customs have come” (Hazeltine, p. 53).

“In Babylonia…the goddess of spring was called Ishtar. She was identified with the planet Venus, which, because…[it] rises before the Sun…or sets after it…appears to love the light [this means Venus loves the sun-god]…In Phoenecia, she became Astarte; in Greece, Eostre [related to the Greek word Eos: “dawn”], and in Germany, Ostara [this comes from the German word Ost: “east,” which is the direction of dawn]” (Englehart, p. 4).

As we have seen, many names are interchangeable for the more well-known Easter. Pagans typically used many different names for the same god or goddess. Nimrod, the Bible figure who built the city of Babylon (Gen. 10:8), is an example. He was worshipped as Saturn, Vulcan, Kronos, Baal, Tammuz, Molech and others, but he was always the same god—the fire or sun god universally worshipped in nearly every ancient culture.

The goddess Easter was no different. She was one goddess with many names—the goddess of fertility, worshipped in spring when all life was being renewed.

The widely-known historian, Will Durant, in his famous and respected work, Story of Civilization, pp. 235, 244-245, writes, “Ishtar [Astarte to the Greeks, Ashtoreth to the Jews], interests us not only as analogue of the Egyptian Isis and prototype of the Grecian Aphrodite and the Roman Venus, but as the formal beneficiary of one of the strangest of Babylonian customs…known to us chiefly from a famous page in Herodotus: Every native woman is obliged, once in her life, to sit in the temple of Venus [Easter], and have intercourse with some stranger.” Is it any wonder that the Bible speaks of the religious system that has descended from that ancient city as, “Mystery, babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth” (Rev. 17:5)?

(The above taken from "The True Origin of Easter)

(The following taken from "Reasoning from the Scriptures")


The Encyclopædia Britannica comments: “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the apostolic Fathers. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”—(1910), Vol. VIII, p. 828.


The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us: “A great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem of the germinating life of early spring. . . . The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility.”—(1913), Vol. V, p. 227.


In the book The Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop, we read: “What means the term Easter itself? It is not a Christian name. It bears its Chaldean origin on its very forehead. Easter is nothing else than Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven, whose name, . . . as found by Layard on the Assyrian monuments, is Ishtar. . . . Such is the history of Easter. The popular observances that still attend the period of its celebration amply confirm the testimony of history as to its Babylonian character. The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pasch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean rites just as they do now.”—(New York, 1943), pp. 103, 107, 108; compare Jeremiah 7:18.

Make your own Irish Cream Liqueur

Has the economy got you down because you can't afford your Irish Cream? Bailey's runs about $12.99 for a relatively small bottle which won't last long if you are entertaining. This recipe can be doubled for less than that. I was give this recipe by Diane, a good friend of mine, and it is yummy!

* 1 3/4 C. your favorite liquor (Irish Whiskey, Brandy, rum, Bourbon, Scotch, or Rye Whiskey) I used Captain Morgan's Original Spiced Rum.
* 1 (14 oz.) Can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk or any other brand (NOT evaporated milk.)
* 1 C. (1/2 pint) whipping cream
* 4 Eggs
* 2 Tbsp. Chocolate syrup
* 2 tsp. instant coffee
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp. almond extract
* 1/2 C. brown sugar

Whip cream till stiff first. Slowly add condensed milk in bowl. Put liquor in blender with extracts and chocolate and coffee. Beat the eggs vigorously and add the brown sugar to the eggs and beat again, then add to the cream and milk mixture. Add to liquor mixture in blender and blend till smooth. Serve over ice. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week. (Mine lasted a month in the refrigerator)

Don't eat yellow snow-Zip lock ice cream recipe

I found myself reminiscing about the "good old days", when my eldest brother Rafael, made us kids ice-cream out of snow. What a treat! We looked forward to the snow fall and would run outside to scoop up a fresh bucket full every winter.

Just now the saying "don't eat yellow snow" popped into my head because you can't make ice-cream out of snow anymore, forget about it being yellow, it is full of who knows what? They used to say acid rain, but know it is more likely full of perchlorate, a rocket fuel chemical, and tons of other stuff.

So, with that in mind, make your own ice-cream with the following recipe. I don't know who to give the credit to because one of my children brought the recipe home from school years ago.

It is called: "Zip-Lock Vanilla Ice Cream.

* 1qt. half & half
* 1qt. milk
* 1 C whipping cream
* 3/4 C sugar
* 1 Tbsp. vanilla
* 1/8 tsp. salt

Mix all of the ingredients. Put some of the cream mixture into a zip-lock baggie. Make sure you leave some room for it to expand. Seal the baggie tightly. Put the baggie into a larger 1 gallon size zip-lock. Put ice and rock salt into the large baggie. Seal the large baggie tightly. Play catch with the baggie with your kids for 5-10 minutes, making sure that it does not come open. When the ice cream has become solid, it is ready to eat! Easy huh?

I wish someone would try this recipe for me using only commodity canned evaporated milk and reconstituted powder milk instead of the half & half and cream and let me know how it turns out. It would be a treat for low income families. Thank you!

Do it yourself massage therapy

Do you have a knot in your back that you just can't reach? Or maybe you just cannot afford to go get a massage? Or your husband rubs your back like he is finger painting? Or perhaps you are a single person and in need of a good massage? I have some ideas for you that just might help you out. With just these two tools you can get that pain out of your back and make your feet feel great too!

In this photo are the two most important items for do it yourself massage. The one is a wooden foot roller, found at most health food stores or bath shops, the other is a plain old racket ball. You can pick them up anywhere, I'm sure Walmart or K-mart, or even a sporting goods store. Now mind you do not try to use a tennis ball. They just won't work because of the nap on the ball, they slide around too much.

Here is what you do, you stand parallel to the wall with your back up against it. Make sure you have a wall that is free of paintings or light switches. Lean forward just a bit and drop the ball in the vicinity of the knot in your back and lean up against it. Now gently begin to bend your knees and roll the ball around your back, being careful of the vertebrae. You can put as little or as much pressure as your back can handle. There now, doesn't that feel great?

As for the wooden foot roller, it is awesome. Make sure you get one like the one in the picture, notice the rubber bands around the ends? That gives you grip. Put it on the floor, preferably one that has a solid surface. Place a clean foot on the roller and begin to roll your foot across it. The ribbed edges allow you to put pressure on the sore spots in your foot. Go easy at it at first since this is similar to foot reflexology and can stimulate the nerve endings in your foot that lead to other parts of your body. The alternative to the roller is to get some marbles or round stones and place them into a foot bath of nice warm water. Roll your feet around the stones for a similar treat. You will love it.

Of course these suggestions will never take the place of a good massage or foot therapy, however they can bring you almost instant relief.
For more info: www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/static/cs/uk/11/features/reflexology/footchart.html

Sharing breast milk controversy

Women having been nursing babies other than their own since time began. There seems to be a stigma in this modern era against nursing, nursing in public, and now nursing other babies.

We all saw the news about Salma Hayek in Sierra Leone nursing an African baby, to her credit, but it is just not something new. She did not invent the idea. In fact the story of baby Moses shows that it is expected that a woman would share her milk, since when Pharaoh's daughter found baby Moses in a basket in the river, Miriam who had been following the baby asked her if she would like her to fetch a woman who could nurse the child. So Miriam went and brought back Moses own mother to nurse him (unknown to Pharoah's daughter). This all happened to protect the baby from the infanticide that was occurring to the Israelite babies. So nursing a baby that is not your own has been done for centuries.

In this modern era some women seem to feel very strange about sharing their breasts with a baby, even their own baby, as though it is unnatural. The thing however that is unnatural is the contrary, not breastfeeding your baby. Something created so special and wonderful that almost any woman can do, is rejected and made to be something dirty or weird.

Despite the bad rap, many women to their credit, continue to nurse their babies, and to share breast milk with other babies in need. There are many things to consider though if you are sharing your milk or are on the receiving end. That is to make sure the milk is healthy and is being handled and stored properly. There are several helpful sites out there but below are a couple that I found most helpful, but do your own research.

Breastfeeding has gained the spotlight not just by Salma Hayek, but by the chemicals that are being found in breast milk. A certain Mary Brune started an organization call MOMS-Making Our Milk Safe, which has brought about a change in the California law. Starting in 2011 breast-milk samples from all over the state will be analyzed to see which communities are being exposed to which chemicals like perchlorate, a rocket fuel chemical, and others, as pesticides and toxic chemicals stay in your fat cells and eventually make their way to your breast milk.

Despite all of that, breast milk continues to be the healthiest milk for baby, providing nutrients and antibodies while adjusting to the needs of the baby and it is FREE!

For more information click on the safermilk link below.

For more info: milkshare.birthingforlife.com/

For more info: www.safemilk.org/article.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6htxMJ4cfQs&feature=player_embedded

Honeybees-our sweet friends

Honey is a great source of nutrition and purchased locally you can find honey that is said to help your allergies because you will be introducing into your system tiny amounts of whatever it is you are allergic to, for example, wildflowers, pollen, weeds, etc.

There is a great place just east of Lyons, called Madhava Honey. You can purchase your honey in bulk there and agave nectar, as well as other items, such as candle and soap making stuff. I am sure you will enjoy a visit to Madhava Honey and you will not come away without making a purchase. If you are a Denverite, be sure to stop in at Celestial Seasonings for a tour on your way home. Please enjoy this youtube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8syK8FwwYPk&feature=player_embedded

www.madhavahoney.com/

Morgellons worse than economy

Morgellons disease is something that most doctors won't recognize, however, the Center For Disease Control is taking it seriously enough to do some research on it. Too many people around the country and the world are reporting symptoms so it just can't be brushed off anymore as something that is "all in your head".

It is a debilitating illness that has symptoms including rash, sores or lesion that won't heal, filament like threads that come out of your skin, crawly, biting, itching sensations, and black like flecks that come off your skin, brain fog, and inability to concentrate. It is unknown if is can be called parasites or if it has something to do with chem-trail spraying or possibly GM crops.

The video below is of a family who were video taped two months ago, former Oakland pitcher, Billy Koch and his wife, describe what they have been through with this dreaded disease. This couple can afford health care, but what of those around the country who are suffering and cannot afford health care? Even if a person is on assistance, at best, they still have to pay the copay and a percentage of the tests. For them Morgellons is worse than the economy.

This disease has caused many of them to quit their jobs or lose their jobs due to the inability to concentrate on their work. One young man even committed suicide after not being able to find relief. If you know anyone who has this disease please show some compassion, especially if you are in the health care profession.

I believe these people, I believe they are suffering, and I believe in hope. If you have good health and are suffering from the economy, just be grateful you have good health.

For further information: www.morgellons.org/index.html

www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2008/t080116.htm

Emergency Kit

So why would someone write about a blizzard when they are to write about frugal living? That's the point. Frugal living encompasses all aspects of living, including the weather and what impact it has on our little frugal life. Well let me tell you, this little frugal life has learned a few things in the past half century, one of them is to be prepared for the worst. In fact it behooves us to make an emergency kit.

Everyone in Colorado remembers the last big one, when was it exactly, 2003? We had five feet of snow at our place and had to dig out by hand. Did you get stuck for days without groceries? What about diapers and medication? Water, heat, electricity?

It makes sense to do as they did in the old days, and have a pantry full of food. At least food and water. So where do you start preparing for a disaster? Someone sent me an email about the ice storms that hit Kentucky, and I have to say, the news did no justice to the impact that storm had on the folks out there. I had no idea until I received pictures from friends showing how bad it actually was. After reviewing that information, I realized, I need to gather specific things together for an emergency kit.

These were taken just now, 11:15 a.m. Thursday, March 26th, 2009. If it is only 11:15 in the morning, what will we have by tonight? I have three foot snow drifts out there already. So I am grateful that I have food in my pantry, because I am not going to the store today nor tomorrow.

For a list of items to have in an emergency kit please see the list below:

This can be used in any emergency situation, in Colorado winter weather you would include winter clothing, as opposed to just clothing, and as we all know, you should dress in layers.

Following a disaster, one must often wait two or three days for help. So it is recommended that families living in earthquake zones always keep on hand a three-day supply of water and food. (Canned or dried food is recommended.) If it is necessary for you to evacuate your home, authorities recommend taking along a ‘survival kit’ consisting of the following:

1. A three-day supply of water.
2. A first-aid kit.
3. A flashlight.
4. A transistor radio, in order to receive accurate information and instructions.
5. Clothing, strong shoes, blankets, underclothing, towel, and tissues.

In addition to the above, make sure you have your medication if you are taking any.
(This was taken from the December 22, 1987 Awake! magazine, "Earthquakes—How You Can Prepare for Survival!"

For a complete guide click on the link below to be taken to Ready Colorado for more emergency kit information.

For more info: www.readycolorado.com/packakit.php

Save money on clothing

There are several ways to save money on clothing. Number one is don't buy clothes that require dry cleaning, and if you have clothing that requires dry cleaning, go green by eliminating the toxic chemical perc. It is being connected with breast cancer. There is growing evidence of this as well as other health concerns. So look for a Green dry cleaners in your neighborhood, they actually do exist. To find out more click on the link below to Ideal Bite.

Another choice is to buy natural fibers and wash them all. When purchasing new items, check the label and try to avoid "Dry Clean Only" labels. But even if they say dry clean only, there are many fibers that can be washed. I have found it depends on the content of the clothing. One very difficult content is Acetate. I have ruined a couple of pieces thinking I could get away with washing acetate and found to my dismay that I ruined a prized piece of clothing. Rayon can be washed sometimes, I have washed many a rayon content pieces and they came out just fine, however, cold water wash is essential and even hand wash, depending on how delicate the item is.

Also you may consider getting undergarments that will protect your clothing. When I was a teen, I modeled for Montgomery Ward, (remember that store?) We always used dress shields under our clothing to protect the clothing from being stained. Especially from underarm sweat as your nerves wreak havoc on your body as you prepared to walk the ramp. So ladies, make sure you use undergarments under your pricey investments.

The other idea, is to save money on learning to sew, so, here is one for you:

Common Threads offers sewing and accessory classes.

The phone number is: (303) 449-5431 and it is located at: 2707 Spruce Street

This one-session class goes over the basics of machine sewing. Learn how to thread and operate a machine and get introduced to essential stitches with dozens of applications. Students make a cushy pillow. Sign up early, this one fills up!

One session (materials included) $50 Recession Special – Extended through March! $40

Saturday, March 7th, 10a-12pm

Saturday, March 14th, 1-3pm

Saturday, March 21st, 10a-12pm

Saturday, March 28th, 10a-12pm

They have many other classes so for more info click on the link below.

Also read my article on save money by learning to sew.

For more info: www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/archives/no-wire-hangers-ever

www.commonthreadsboulder.com/Knitting.htm

www.examiner.com/x-2940-Denver-Frugal-Living-Examiner~y2009m3d19-Save-money-by-learning-to-sew

www.greenearthcleaning.com/storeLocator.aspx

Do's and don'ts of shopping

If you are really into the frugality of shopping, I have made a list of do's and don'ts, that should be applied on every shopping trip.

• DO NOT:

• Do not take any children with you that are old enough to pick things up and put them into your shopping cart, unless it is an exercise in shopping as in teaching your child how to shop for discounts
• Do not take children with you that you have a problem saying "NO" to.
• Do not take you spouse with you, unless you have made the list together ( or you may be sabotaged)
• Do not go shopping hungry
• Do not leave the house without your grocery list
• Do not spend more than you can afford
• Do not buy your groceries on a credit card
• Do not buy impulse items
• Do not forget your coupons whether clipped or printed
• Do not hesitate to go to more than one store but if you are spending more on gas to get there what is the point?

• DO:

• Take inventory of your pantry before making the list
• Take a grocery list
• Eat before you go
• Check for sales
• If you shop at Sunflower Market, shop on Wednesday, because they will honor last weeks sales on that day too
• Make up some menu choices
• If you need to buy shoes for a young family member, or even your husband who would rather die than shop, draw their foot on a piece of cardboard and stick it in your purse. That way you have the right size especially in the case of growing children
• Shop regularly, so you know where everything is in the store and you won't waste your time, plus you will know what stores offer what discounts and when. If you shop at Safeway or King Soopers you will also get gas discounts so don't forget to use your store card
• Check for marked down meats, beef is aged anyway, so get that first, on the other hand pork and chicken do not age well at all, so if you buy marked down pork or chicken, cook it right away or freeze it as soon as you get home.
• Buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so, or if you can afford it buy in bulk anyway and donate what you won't use
• Buy frozen food last
• Put a cooler in your car
• Go green, take your own shopping bags
• Shop at more than one store, when it makes sense to do so, but if you spend more on gas to get there re-think it
• Try your local discount grocers:

Loveland has Eshes on W. Eisenhower:
4221 W Eisenhower Blvd
Loveland, CO
(970) 663-1883

M, T, W, & F: 9:00-6:00
Sat: 9:00-4:00
Sun and Thurs: CLOSED

DACONO DISCOUNT GROCERIES

913 Carbondale Drive
Dacono, CO
(303) 833-5005

Hours:
M, T, W, & F: 9:00-6:00
Sat: 9:00-4:00
Sun and Thurs: CLOSED

ESHES DISCOUNT SPORTING GOODS

4221 W Eisenhower Blvd
Loveland, CO 80537
(970) 612-0160

Hours:
M, T, & W: 10:00-6:00
Fri: 9:00-6:00
Sat: 9:00-4:00
Sun and Thurs: CLOSED

Then I have heard of:

Thornton Save-A-Lot
630 West 84th Ave.
Thornton, CO 80221

Denver Save-A-Lot
2630 West 38th Avenue
Denver, CO 80211
Phone:
303-433-4405

Lakewood Save-A-Lot
6601 W. Colfax Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80214-1836

Denver, Co - Florida Ave.
4255 West Florida Ave.
Denver, CO 80219
Phone:
(303) 935-0880
""

More tips on recycling your ink cartridges

If you need some office supplies soon, don't buy them with cash, use your Staples Rewards card. Staples offers $3.00 back, at 10 per month on ink cartridges, in store credit. You have to wait for the information to be uploaded to an in store credit card and mailed back to you. But, when you finally get the card you can use it to purchase almost anything. You also get:

• Earn 10% back in rewards on ink & toner, case & ream paper, and Copy & Print Center services.
• There's no limit to how much you can earn in rewards-spend your rewards at Staples.
• Free delivery on all orders over $50., excluding custom products.
• Get rewarded quarterly as long as you've earned at least $10. in rewards in the quarter. Rewards balances under $10 will roll over each quarter during the calendar year. At the end of each calendar year, any rewards balances under $10 will expire.
• Automatic upgrade to Premier status when you spend $1000 or more on anything in a calendar year (excludes taxes, delivery charges , coupons and gift cards)

I could use some office supplies, and had too many cartridges to get refilled. So after I went to Cartridge World I headed on over to Staples and got my rewards card information filled out and traded in my ink cartridges. Be sure to read my article on ink refills.

Click on the link below to find out all of the details:

For more info: www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/3dollar_inkrecycle/

Tacos a Mexican food favorite

I love learning about different recipes from people of all backgrounds. When I was very young, about ten years old, Farmers Insurance, (If I remember correctly), sponsored a program for inner-city kids to go to the farms of North Dakota. We lived with a family for a week.

I lived with a family called the Shumachers. Their daughter was my age and we had a great time on their farm. Fresh butter, milk, cheese, and all the Kuchen I could possibly eat.

I realized then that other cultures had so much to offer in the way of the palate and that opened my eyes to a whole new world of tastes. For a young person that was great because young people tend to shy away from trying new things. But not me. I was eager to learn to cook so I could make kuchen for my family.

I am grateful for that experience because I learned that although we are all different, we all have something to offer, not just in the area of food, but of cultures, and life experiences. Living on a farm taught me so much, I learned where milk and cream come from. I learned about cow's and milking machines, and I learned about electric fences. Oochiwawa! That one I learned the hard way. I also learned that other people say, "oochipowpow", if they are from North Dakota.

So if you have never eaten Mexican food but are struggling for delicious recipes, then why not try tacos? They are absolutely yummy! So here are a few ideas for tacos:

• Use ground turkey, it is inexpensive if you buy them frozen in a chub type, otherwise it is a little pricey. Fry it with or without oil. If you don't use oil add a bit of water, then you'll have low-fat (no fat).
• Add diced onion to the ground turkey.
• Season to taste with salt, add red chile powder, garlic powder, and cumin.
• Use corn tortillas, you can get them from Sam's Club in a package of fifty for next to nothing. Heat them on a tortilla griddle/pancake griddle (cast iron) or put them between two plates in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Plan on at least two per person (my husband can down six).
• Use Romaine lettuce diced ( Romaine is healthier than Iceberg), or shredded cabbage, use lettuce out of your garden.
• And make yourself a good salsa. (I have a recipe in my recipe section)
• Top with some grated some cheese (or not). They are still yummy!

You can get creative with tacos. You can make fish tacos, you can use chicken, ground beef, ground buffalo, you can use shredded meat, whatever you want to put into a corn tortilla you can make a taco out of, including potatoes, avocados and even tofu. You will be glad you tried tacos, a Mexican food favorite!

And we thought we had problems

I was just reading about Ken Karpman, a man who made a six figure income most of his life. He and his wife have over $100K in credit card debt and their house has been foreclosed.

He is now delivering pizza for $7.29 an hour. His family now qualifies for food stamps.

I would have to say that most of us, probably all of us, do not have the debt this man has. He literally went from riches to, well maybe not rags, but close. His lifestyle has definitely changed.

In my second article I wrote this:

"With all the lay offs and many people now on unemployment some are now having to apply for food stamps. This may take a measure of humility for a few. The food bank is also a resource you can tap into. Don't feel bad about it at all. Just think of all of the fund raisers you helped your children with. The food drives you donated to, including the one you stuck near the mail box for the mailman to pick up. It may now be your turn to utilize that service. I am grateful that there are food banks."

Wouldn't you agree that it took a measure of humility for Ken Karpman to go from $750,000. a year to $7.29 per hour? It is encouraging to see someone who at one time had it all, to delivering pizza, with a good attitude. I think he's grateful to have a job.

What a good example for everyone, to exhibit such humility, especially in front of the whole world.

Author: Marilyn Magee

Shop It To Me

How would you like to have a friend who would email you every time she saw your look, your shoes, your size, your favorite designer, on sale? Wouldn't that be great? Wow! What a concept.

Now you can have that friend. Shop It To Me is an online friend, that will notify you whenever your "look" is on sale. You simply sign up and check off all of your favorite brands, then you list your size preference and ooalah! you get an email whenever you choose to receive it. You are notified of the sale.

What a time saver, and time is money, so sign up today!

For more info: shopittome.com/

Online games for young children

Here you go moms and dads, I found a decent online game page for your young children. Many of the games are free. I found the link to it on the Plant Talk page from the county extension service, so I felt pretty good about checking it out. I hope you like it and by the way, it comes in French also.

www.uptoten.com/

Teach your kids about money

One unique bank is the Young American's Bank in Denver located off of E. First Avenue in Denver.

My children had accounts there for a few years when they were growing up. It is a great place to introduce your children to finances. They can bring their piggy banks there and open up an account. The bank also has Young Ameritowne Programs and Classes. Children from very young to young adult can open an account there and learn about money.

Concepts Taught at Young Americans Bank:

1.
Good savings habits
2.
Budgeting and goal setting
3.
Responsible use of credit
4.
Financial decision making
5.
Managing bank products
6.
Basic financial skills

I highly encourage all parents to teach their children about money and if you aren't quite sure where to start, then start at the Young Americans Bank.

Young Americans Center for Financial Education
3550 East First Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80206
ph 303-321-2265
fax 303-320-6507

For more info: www.yacenter.org/index.cfm

Save money by learning to sew

Is it really possible to save money by learning to sew? Yes. If you learn to sew, you open up a whole new world of possibilities for saving money.

I found that often times the fabric costs more than the item purchased at a store new. However you can find fabric on sale if you follow the ads, you can also find fabric on craigslist, and at the second hand. I just went on craigslist and found lots of fabric ranging from less than $2.00 per yard and up, some were even offering a certain amount if you buy the whole lot.

I made may own wedding dress out of white eyelet fabric in tiers with blue ribbon weaved into each tier. It was beautiful (I thought so). I have also made many articles of clothing for my children.

I am reminded of the "Sound of Music" when Maria made play clothes for the children out of the fabric from the old curtains. You too can make easy to make summer play clothes for your children from formerly used fabric as well. The small size of the kids will allow you to reuse larger pieces and cut them down to smaller sizes for the little ones.

If you learn to sew you can get crafty as well. We once had a costume party for the kids and I made all of their costumes from fabric I found at the second hand store. It was so much fun and the costumes came out great. I even made one for myself.

One of my favorite stores in Denver is Denver Fabrics, they have all of the supplies you will need to get started. If you do not have a sewing machine, then get one. You can find them used, at garage sales, or buy a new one for about $100. for a simple no frills machine. Really, for a beginner, you do not need all of the frills. You only need one that will do straight stitch and zig zag. Later as you become proficient you can upgrade.

I taught a friend o mine how to sew and she later went to Emily Griffith Opportunity School and took tailoring. She became a better seamstress than myself and even started her own business. Wow!

Speaking of school, most of the fabric stores offer some classes, of all different types. I once took a class on "Quilt in a day", and found it to be most beneficial. I made all of my children a log cabin quilt using this quilt in a day method. And I make almost all of the gifts for baby showers by making a "quilt in a day" quilt for baby. It is so easy you would be surprised, but it is also fun and satisfying to know that you made it yourself.

Learning to sew is something that will last you a lifetime, so what are you waiting for? Get sewing!

For more info: www.denverfabrics.com/

Great weekend for adventure

How fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful area and yet some people almost never get to the mountains and other local places that would make a perfect day trip. The Loveland Connection dated Wednesday February 25th of this year, listed in the Entertainment section section of the paper, seven places to go for adventure that are nearby. Consider:

• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Pawnee Grasslands
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre
• Denver Mint
• Leanin' Tree Museum & Sculpture Garden of Western Art

I would like to add to that list by including the:

• Celestial Seasonings Plant Tour. It is free of charge and when you are finished with the tour you end up in the gift shop. They have rather unique items peculiar to Celestial Seasonings fans. You also get the opportunity to buy from the dollar box.

All of these are great places to visit, for you and your friends or family, and they only cost "the gas to get there".

For more info: www.redrocksonline.com/index.asp

Great weekend to start your garden

Everyone wants to take off when there is good weather. But don't be tempted, instead use this beautiful weather to plan your garden. You know, Spring starts on Friday! Woohoo!

You will be able to get out there and plan the area, clean up the yard if necessary and possibly even start rototilling. (But don't plant it yet, it is too early) Go get your nutrients and maybe even some bedding plants to take home. If you are starting from seed then go get your seed and your soil. You don't need to spend a lot of money on your starter pots and what not, try to use stuff you have around the house. Yogurt containers, work well since the plastic holds the moisture in, unlike starter pots. Just punch a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage, and put them on some kind of tray.

If we weren't selling our house, I would be right out there with you guys, planning my garden. I have problems with rabbits and deer eating absolutely everything in site. So I haven't been very successful with my gardens lately. They eat everything! Even the flowers. I have discovered though, that they don't care much for iris', and daffodils, chives, yarrow, mint, lemon balm, echinacea, and day lillies. Otherwise, they eat everything else, needless to say, my flower beds will be full of the above, if nothing else. I don't know where we'll land, but wherever it is, I hope it has a backyard so I can have a garden.

Grass clippings work excellent for mulch and if you have water restrictions, you need to take that into consideration in caring for your garden. So every time you mow your lawn, put the clippings on top on your planted rows, it will keep the moisture in and help keep the weeds out. It is not fool proof, you still need to weed your garden, but you would be surprised how much grass clippings help the garden. I don't care for certain bark mulches like cedar because it does something to the soils ph. I'm not exactly sure what, I just know it doesn't seem to work well in a vegetable garden.

How to make roux

I first learned about roux (pronounced roo) by my mother, only I didn't know then that it was called roux. She made us cream gravy on toast for dinner sometimes, it fed a family of seven children when needed. I discovered that many people eat biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Later I learned about roux from a cook at the Pig-N-Whistle I worked at on W. Colfax many years ago as a dishwasher. She used it to thicken her delicious homemade soup dished up at the restaurant on a daily basis.

First of all what is roux? Roux is simply a mixture of butter, fat or oil with flour, as a base for any kind of white sauce, chile, or soup thickener. I use it for many recipes, including my red chile recipe when preparing enchilada sauce, chicken mole', soup, chicken fettuccine alfredo, mac and cheese, gravy, etc. etc.

Usually one would use the same amount of butter, fat, or oil, as flour. In other words if for example you want to make about four cups of gravy you would use about four tablespoons of butter and four tablespoons of flour. You melt the butter, fat, or oil in a saucepan at a medium high temperature and when it is nice and hot add your flour. Mix it in thoroughly until the flour has turned a nice golden brown. (Be careful not to burn it) Make sure your liquid is right by your side ready to be poured into the roux and then whisk it together until your gravy or sauce is achieved. (I use the flat side of a spatula). Then turn down the temperature.

To make a red chile sauce you do exactly the same as above except you use slightly less flour and add your red chile powder (try one or two tablespoons) to the oil at the same time, it gives it a delicious flavor if you make it this way, especially if your red chile has the cumin already in it. If not make sure to add a bit of cumin to the flour and chile into the hot oil. It brings out a flavor not achieved otherwise. If you are making a chicken mole (Colorado style), you use chicken broth for the liquid and add shredded chicken. By the way, red chile comes in mild, medium, and hot, and you can get it mixed with other spices or just pure chile. I use New Mexico red chile.

By making a roux for all of your sauces you get rid of that pasty flavor that you get when you just mix flour with water or cornstarch with water.

You can turn that turkey broth into a hot bubbly gravy that everyone will want to pour onto their mashed potatoes. Or you can thicken your homemade potato soup, make sauce for your enchiladas, make gravy for a homemade chicken pot pie, the recipes increase as you begin to realize what a good roux can do for your cooking.

My personal way to make roux is a mixture of 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil. I love the flavor you get from using both. So start experimenting and see what you can cook up in your kitchen.

City Secrets/Loveland

Have you ever heard of the Rialto Theatre? You might think a small town like Loveland doesn't have any goings on, but you would be mistaken. The Rialto Theatre located in downtown Loveland at 228 E. 4th St. is a wonderful, historical, place to go for entertainment both theatrical and musical. It is not only entertaining, but affordable.

Employment choices and Personality Type

Have you ever wondered what job suits you best? Have you tried over and over again different types of employment only to feel discontent and frustrated because you thought you would be good at it?

In todays market, we still may have some choices available to us that we haven't thought of yet.

Interestingly Paul Tieger in his book, "Do What You Are" suggests that based on our personality type we could land a job that suits us the best. You can take his test and see what personality type you are and if you want to spend $9.99 to order the report he then lists job choices that would make perfect sense for you. Or simply order the book for $12.90 and find out more.

For more info: www.personalitytype.com/dwya/index.html

Recycle your cartridge

Did you know?

• It takes about a gallon of oil to make a new laser cartridge.

• About eight cartridges are thrown away per second in the United States.

• In North America alone over 350 million cartridges per year are discarded in our landfills, and that number increases by 12 percent annually!

• A laser cartridge thrown into a landfill can take up to 450 years decompose. Some components made of industrial grade plastics will take over a thousand years to decompose.

• Every re-manufactured cartridge saves nearly 3 and 1/2 pounds of solid waste from being deposited in landfills.

• 70 percent of used printer cartridges throughout the world are currently being thrown out.

• In one year, if the world's discarded cartridges were stacked end-to-end, they would circle the earth over three times.

Reuse your printer cartridge and help protect the environment. Loveland now has a Cartridge World that offers refills.

Take advantage of it and save money too! Every cartridge refilled costs at least 1/3 less than a brand new one.

They guarantee every cartridge they sell and back it by a 100% satisfaction. Click on the link below to save on your printing needs.

For more info: www.cartridgeworldusa.com/store673

More on Gardening

Have you planned your garden yet? If you have, have you given thought to adding nutrients to the soil? You can buy topsoil, humus, fertilizer, whatever you want or need in bags from Home Depot, or almost any other big box store and or garden center. Also if you are planning a big garden what about ordering your fertilizer by the truck load? You can get it from almost any soil company in the book. They usually do charge a delivery fee however. We used to get ours that way. It ends up cheaper than buying by the bag if you plan on using alot.

.Ace Hardware carries some awesome stuff, so if you haven't thought of them, go check it out. I always find neat things there, including gardening tools and seed, and other odd stuff you usually won't find anywhere else. They also sell all of the equipment necessary for canning, if you plan on putting up your produce. Remember if you want to can your vegetables you need a pressure canner, if you don't have one then freeze or dehydrate your veggies.

Root vegetables can be saved in a basement or crawl space. Carrots for example, will last a long time in a fifty gallon drum or new trash can. You simply lay them in the sun (for about thirty minutes)after harvesting to wither the small roots that hang off the carrot, then you must put them into ice water to chill them. Then with a clean towel you dry them and put them in alternate layers with clean play sand inside the drum. Make sure your sand hasn't been left in the sun and is retaining heat because it will cause the carrots to rot. Cool sand, cool carrots. You will have enough to last all winter.

If you use organic topsoil or fertilizer, then go organic, get organic seed. It has become so popular that you can find organic seed just about everywhere. Look for the sales too because seed can get pricey. Don't buy too many in your excitement. For example you definitely will not need four or five packages of zucchini squash. One package will usually suffice. And remember, zucchini plants get big, so space your garden accordingly.

Also, cucumbers grow great up a chain link fence or wire, otherwise the vines take up a lot of room in your garden so if space is an issue consider allowing the viney stuff to grow upwards, including peas.

Have you started your tomatoes and peppers from seed? You should have by now. If you have, you must pay attention daily or in some cases hourly, or they will dry up and wither. As the weather warms and we have some nice sunny days you can take them outside to get acclimated to the sunshine, but be careful not to forget them out there. Hopefully you have great lighting in the house and have them near a window. If so you need to pay attention to the weather, if it gets too cold up next to the glass they may get too chilled and have to be moved just a bit away from the glass.

Gardening is so important, please use this opportunity to teach your children where food really comes from, teach them that inside each tiny little seed is a package, a veritable grocery store, if you will, of food just waiting for you to grow. And as your garden begins to come up get excited and share that with them. It gives a great sense of accomplishment to you and your entire family. You can say, "We grew this garden", and gain joy from all of your hard work.

For more info: see List of Gardening Examiners

www.coloradocountrylife.coop/gardening

Frugalize Your Kitchen

Oprah's show was perhaps an eye opener for the three families involved in the cooking makeovers, but what about you? Did you get to see the program yesterday? How many of you missed it? How many of you could benefit from someone coming into your kitchen and showing you how to do stuff like that? "Teaching you to fish", as it were. I would love to do that for you. For your family, in your kitchen, however, I am not in a position to do that voluntarily. My family has been affected by the economy just like yours.

It seems unfortunate for everyone who is having difficulty transitioning from having money to having no money, from going out to eat or ordering in to having to instantly learn how to cook. This world has taught us the value of materialism and then yanked the rug right out from under our feet.

Especially affected I believe are the younger generation who have been raised on fast food. Home economics and lifeskills are just not taught like they were when I was growing up. So they are completely dependant on their parents and any other person willing to teach these kids the things they need to know. There is a saying, "It takes a village to raise a child", we need to view them as part of our village and help them learn how to cope and grow in a healthy way.

For more info: email me at: maremagee@gmail.com

Make your own baby food

If you are concerned about the ingredients used in baby food or simply can't afford it. Then make your own! It is so easy you'll wonder why you haven't done it before. Usually when baby begins to eat food they start off with easy to digest food. What and when to feed baby food has changed over and over again, but a good rule of thumb is, begin with vegetables easy on the tummy, like carrots, squash, and sweet potato. If you teach your child to eat veggies first, then it will become a lifelong food that is acceptable to your child. If you feed them fruits and sugary stuff then why on earth would he or she eat their veggies? They will always want the sugary stuff.

So you can use a blender or food processor to blend up your veggies after you have steamed them till done. Plain, no salt, with just enough water or breast milk to puree them is best. Then simply pour them into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen pop them out and put into freezer bags squeezing as much air out of the bag as you can. Then when it is dinner time just take out one cube and gently warm in a small pan on the stove. I don't ever recommend microwaving baby's food, and especially NOT their formula. Always heat it up in a bowl of hot water or on the stove for short periods of time and always test it yourself to make sure it is not too hot for baby.

As baby grows you can add different veggies and then introduce fruit. Then when he or she is a toddler you can start pulsing your own dinner in the food processor and finally letting them eat table food when they can chew well.

I read an article once that said women used to chew the food for the baby then sort of regurgitate it into baby's mouth. I guess we've come a long way?

For more info: articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/21/Some-Baby-Foods-are-Worse-Than-Junk-Food.aspx

For more info: www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

Pamper your pet

Have you been accustomed to pampering your pet and now cannot afford the high cost of the food? Have you ever given thought to making your own food? Well, I would like to share this story with you, because I had a first hand experience with it and it really is amazing stuff.

A friend of mine lived in Ecuador once and met a woman there who bred Rottwielers. Being a third world country, I think dog food was either too expensive or unavailable. I'm not sure of the reason, but I do remember that she made her own dog food. Her dogs were very beautiful and in perfect health, so I was told by my friend who used to live there, and all they ever ate was the food you will now be given the recipe for.

So my first hand experience with this amazing recipe involved visiting a relative who happened to be house-sitting for a couple who had gone away on vacation. While I was there, I was deeply concerned over an old, fore lorn looking German Shepard who was dragging around the yard as though on deaths door. As she walked her paws literally would drag the ground as though she had no energy to lift them any higher. The dog would not eat and sniffed at her dog food like it was something detestable. My heart was so moved by this poor dog, but apparently the owners had done all they could with the dog and were just waiting for her to die.

I remembered the recipe my friend had told me about when she came back from Ecuador and so I shared it with my relative. She asked, "would you like to make it"? That was all I needed, to have permission to make this recipe in a foreign kitchen, and so the search for the ingredients began. The ingredients are as follows:

• Brown rice
• Beef or Chicken broth
• Red potatoes
• Celery
• Carrots
• Cottage cheese
• Egg

I made a huge potful due to the size of the dog. So please modify the recipe according to the quantity you need. First I dumped 2 Cups of brown rice in a large pot. Add the broth and fill the pot at least halfway with water. Bring to a boil and then turn to medium heat for about 45 minutes, add more water when the rice is cooked to fill the pot about 3/4 . Meanwhile you wash and dice 1 lb. carrots and add to rice and water. Then cut up 3 or 4 large red potatoes into medium chunks, and about 6 celery stalks diced. When you have the veggies all cut up add to the rice, and let it simmer for another 1/2 hour or until the vegetables are nice and soft but not mushy. Add 6 raw eggs and at least a pint of cottage cheese or more. Stir all together until the cheese and egg are mixed in well and serve when cool enough to eat. Refrigerate the remaining ingredients.

So the rest of the story goes like this, we fed the dog the recipe and she literally scarfed it up like she was starving to death. This poor dog was hungry. Later that day we fed her more and after breakfast the following day she was pouncing around the backyard with the other dog like she was a pup. We could not believe our eyes. My relative continued to feed this to the dog until the owner came back and they were surprised to see the dog in such good condition. Unfortunately they resumed feeding her the same old dog food when the "recipe" ran out and so the dog died. I felt so bad for her, knowing she could have lasted a little longer had she been given some T.L.C.

Then much later my cat suffered an attack by another cat and was traumatized and quit eating. She went down to four pounds, I thought she was going to die. I hand fed her spoonfuls of a similar recipe modifying the recipe with tuna water (juice from tuna canned in water), and yogurt. She is still alive after 2 1/2 years ago experiencing such trauma. You can run it through the food processor if you want to mush it up for a small animal or for one that can't eat well.

However if you have any concerns over the recipe, please, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

Is Money Your Master or Your Servant?

So read the title of the current March 2009 Awake! magazine. Wow! What an eye opener. Being the "Denver Frugal Living Examiner" one would think that I was in perfect control of my finances, but, after reading this article I realized what a slave I actually have been. Who wants to admit that to the world? Not me. Quoting "Money Sickness Syndrome", by Dr. Roger Henderson the article continues...

Money may be your master if...

• You avoid discussing finances because of the anxiety it causes
• Money is often the subject of family squabbles
• You spend compulsively
• You worry constantly about bills
• You are not sure how much you earn
• You are not sure how much you spend
• You are not sure how much you owe
• Your bills are often bigger than what you expect
• You often pay your bills late
• You are able to make only the minimum payment on credit card bills
• You pay your bills with money earmarked for other things
• You take on extra work just to pay bills
• You have taken out new loans to pay off old ones
• You use savings to pay routine bills
• You find it nearly impossible to get to the end of the month without running out of money
• You feel pressure to accumulate large sums of money
• You suffer physical and or psychological symptoms resulting from money-related stress

We need money to survive in this world but how we control it is the key. So to summarize the article quoted above, the advice was:

Know what your income is, and spend less than you earn

• Save. Make saving a priority
• Budget. This is the only practical way to monitor, control, or reduce you spending. Know what you income is and spend less than you earn.

Learn the difference between needs and wants

• Plan. Carefully consider your future needs.
• Learn. Invest in yourself by acquiring skills and taking care of your physical and emotional health. These are investments that will pay you back.
• Balance. Keep money in its place. Survey after survey shows that those who care more about people than they do about money are happier. Beyond food, clothing, and shelter, how much does a person really need? "Having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things." (1 Tim. 6:8) Cultivating contentment prevents us from developing the love of money and all the problems that come along with it.

Then the article goes on to say that when money is managed properly, it can provide you with the freedom to pursue the more important things in life, such as a close bond with family, friends, and God.

It then gave the following advice to parents on teaching children to manage money:

• Be a good example.
• Set spending limits.
• Allow them to manage money.
• Teach them to share.

"Once above the poverty line," noted a thoughtful observer, "increases in income have surprisingly little relation to personal happiness." Early in the last century, a reporter had that lesson impressed upon him when interviewing Andrew Carnegie, a pioneer of the steel industry, who was then one of the richest men in the world. "I am not to be envied," Carnegie told him. "How can my wealth help me? I am sixty years old, and I cannot digest my food. I would give all my millions if I could have youth and health."

Another multimillionaire, oil magnate J. Paul Getty, later said in agreement: "Money doesn't necessarily have any connection with happiness. Maybe with unhappiness."

Perhaps these words of wisdom will sink in and help us to simplify our life now, so we won't have the regrets that these men had. Family happiness and peace of mind just simply cannot be overemphasized. Maybe it's not too late.

Rafael's Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is my brother's recipe and it is yummy! He is not only a great cook but also a painter. Please enjoy the slide show of a few of his works. The following is his recipe for Tortilla soup. His posole' is delicious as well and I will add that in a later article.

• 1 whole chicken deboned and shredded(for a quick dinner,purchase an already cooked chicken from your local market)
• 1 large box of chicken stock (or 1 qt. water and 2 bouillion cubes or homemade broth)
• 1/2 lb. diced carrots
• 4 stalks celery diced
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 1 bunch cilantro diced
• 1 can black beans
• 1 Ro-Tel original tomatoes
• 2 small cans roasted green chile
• 1 small can of corn (optional)
• 3 Mission precooked tostada tortillas crunched up into pieces
• 2 white flour tortillas torn into pieces
• garlic powder, onion powder, salt to taste

First off, shred the chicken, then put aside. Saute all veggies in small amount of olive oil, when onions are translucent add all other ingredients except tortillas. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to medium low and let simmer for twenty minutes. Then add the tortillas and let simmer for another ten minutes. Serve with garnish of diced spring onions, avocado, and shredded cheese (optional).

For more info: maremagee@gmail.com

You will love this millet recipe

What is millet? It is a grain commonly known as bird seed. However, it is not just for birds, it is a people food, chock full of nutrition. You can find it at most healthfood stores. I know that you will love this recipe! I was given permission from a very kind man (Blair Taylor of Longmont, Co., former owner of the Crimson Dragon Health Food Store) to publish this for all of you. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will all love this healthy recipe. You will want to make it over and over again.

Ingredients:

• 1 C. millet (cooked in 3 C. water for 30 minutes or until water is absorbed, millet should be the consistency of mashed potatoes)
• Add 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp.black pepper
• 3 finely chopped scallions
• 1 Tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 1/4 C. grated carrot; mix well
• Make 1"- 2" wide patties
• Lightly fry in 1Tbsp. ghee, 2-3 minutes on each side (I use olive oil when I don't have any ghee).
• Serves 4-6

That's it. Easy huh? These taste very similar to hash brown patties but are so nutritious, you will feel good about eating them.

The wonderful thing about millet is it is so nutritious and very affordable. Most people think of bird seed when they think of millet. But I can assure you, it is not just for birds.

I get mine at the health food store and keep it in the refrigerator for storage.

For more info: Check back for more vegetarian recipes. Look for tofu enchiladas

Free or low cost fun stuff for kids

There is nothing more fun than blowing the charge, "doo doot doo doot doo doo, charge!" out of the cardboard center of a roll of paper towels (or extra wide aluminum foil center when it's all gone) for a little kid.

Or beating a tune on a canister from an old oatmeal box or coffee can with some wooden spoons or chopsticks can be delightful. Or making a fort in the front room with nothing more than some old sheets and clothespins hooked hither and thither across the back of the sofa.

Some clean clay used for sculpting can provide hours of fun for the children and won't get hard when they return to it days or weeks later. Likewise, if you know how to make tortillas, the masa or dough, provides fun for the kids while you finish yours on the griddle. Then they can roll theirs out and you can cook them when you are all done with yours and can put some butter and honey on them and they can enjoy their all of their hard work.

Or you can make your own play dough. See website below for recipes.

There is so much you can do to inspire them without spending a bunch of money on gadgets and stuff that does not stimulate their imagination. You just have to get creative. Even the very little ones can enjoy rolling out snakes with their clay. Be careful if you give them any kind of tools to work with the clay, though, nothing sharp or poky.

Drawings on paper plates, dental floss with buttons strung through them for necklaces. The list goes on and on and on.

I like the "free box" of kids toys at garage sales because I take them home and wash them up and dump them into the toy box for my grandchildren.

Get creative and spend quality and quantity time with them, because before you know it you blink and they are gone.

For more info: babyparenting.about.com/cs/activities/a/playdough.htm

Free colonoscopy screening

Do you have a family history of colon cancer? Are you over 50? Then the following link will be information you will want to read. There is a program that is totally free if you qualify. It is worth looking into for the costs can add up to well over $1,000.00 and higher if you don't have insurance. Check it out and don't put it off any longer.

If you are unemployed and qualify for other services likely you will qualify for this one too. Now is the time to do it. It just may save your life.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

This is the budget version of Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo but it tastes delicious and you will love it. I know many people prefer chicken breast over thighs, but the thighs are less expensive. So I use thighs and I think they taste better. So here is your list of ingredients:

• 1/4 C. butter
• 1/4 C.olive oil
• 1 small onion sliced thin(from your garden)
• 1 med.bell pepper sliced thin(from your garden)
• 1/3 C. flour
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs or figure 1 thigh per person(broiled and sliced thin)
• 2 cloves garlic (pressed or diced fine)
• 1 can evaporated milk (or half and half purchased at Sam's Club is barely $1. and some change)
• 3/4 C. powdered milk mix with 2 C. water( or homemade chicken broth mixed with powder milk)
• 1 8 oz. pkg. store brand cream cheese(cut into chunks)
• 1 tsp.sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. dried basil or fresh basil from your garden diced fine
• 1 lb.cooked fettuccine noodles
• 1/2 C.grated Parmesan cheese (optional:use 1/4 C.Parmigiana Reggiano grated fresh, Note: Parmigiana Reggiano is expensive, however, it goes a long way and you won't have any cellulose filler in it either)
• (optional: 4 mushrooms sliced thin)
• If you like yours cheesy you can also add 1/2 C. finely grated mozzarella

Heat oil and butter in large sauce pan, when butter is melted, saute onion and bell pepper, when onion is translucent push veggies to sides of pan. Add flour and garlic to center of pan and stir into oil until a soft golden color. Add evaporated milk and powdered milk, stir with flat side of spatula, while stirring together with onions and pepper. This should turn into a gravy. Add chunks of cream cheese and stir constantly until cream cheese is blended in. Add sea salt, garlic powder, basil, then stir in your cheese, finally add your cooked chicken thighs. Meanwhile you have cooked your fettuccine noodles following instructions on package. Drain noodles, put on plate and top with Chicken Alfredo sauce. Garnish with mushroom and a fresh basil leaf on top, serve with beautiful salad from your garden and some crusty bread, and if your are privileged to have a Trader Joe's in your neck of the woods (so far not in Colorado), you can serve with a nice glass of two buck Chuck. (White Zin)

For more info: Check back for more recipes! Enjoy!

Do it yourself shelving

Are you limited on your ability to organize because your closets do not have adequate shelving? If you can you read a tape measure and use a screw gun, then why not do it yourself! You don't know where to start? Then check this out.

• You will need a tape measure, drill and drill bit slightly smaller in diameter than the drywall screws or 1 1/2" deck screws you will be using, a small level, and a pencil, and of course the shelving and cleats
• Clear the area to be shelved
• Decide how far apart in height you want your shelves to be (essentially how many shelves you will put up)
• Measure and mark the wall where you want your shelves located.
• Measure the width and the depth of the area and write it down
• Take the measurements to Home Depot and have them cut your cleats and shelves for you (use prelaminated or finished shelving, it's easier) Or you can cut your materials yourself. (My husband is a carpenter so I had all the tools I needed)
• Drill two holes in each end of each cleat
• Screw the cleats onto the wall (make sure to use the level)
• Put the shelves on and you are done!

I measured the back of the wall, which was 25 1/2" wide, and the depth of the shelves had to be 11". I built four shelves, so I needed two cleats per shelf making a total of 88" linear board I would need for cleats. I cut the cleats myself, but Home Depot would be happy to do it for you. I bought 12" wide prelaminated shelving 10' long and cut it myself. I pre-drilled the holes in the cleats, two holes on each end. Then using a small level I drew a line on the wall where the cleats would be located. I screwed the cleats onto the wall and put the shelves in. As you can see, I used some silver screws I found in the garage. That's it. Easy huh? For a more permanent shelf use wood glue and glue the shelf onto the cleats then caulk around the edges of the shelf.

Ladies, if you don't have a tool box, get one. You need the basics in your tool box to begin with. A hammer, a cordless drill and bits (make sure it comes with a flat head screw driver bit and a Phillips bit), a tape measure, a small level, screws (drywall screws and 2" deck screws will fix just about any home project you can fix.) and a pair of pliers. You can add stuff later as you find it on sale, or at garage sales (but don't buy used power tools unless they show you they work). I love the cordless tool kits that include a small circular saw and drill with rechargeable batteries, they are woman sized, and easy to use. Ryobi and Dewalt are both good brands but almost any brand will do for your home tool kit.

So get your organizing in gear and go for it! You can do it yourself!

For more info: www.homedepot.com

When an old person dies a library burns down

A friend told me that. I'm not sure she had the saying just right but the meaning is correct. Our older ones need to be given the respect they deserve. Their being alive today is a tribute to their strength and wisdom. Many survived through The Great Depression because of their very wits.

We do well to imitate their strength, their virtue, and their wisdom. They have so much to share with us and their knowledge may be going by the wayside. Do you have an older loved one or senior citizen in your life? It may be a good time to pick there brain, so to speak, so as to gain some of that wisdom in your life.

One of my best friends is an 85 year old woman named Marge. Marge is so precious to me, I think everyone should have a Marge in their life too. She tells me about her life and so many stories and I know when she is gone a library of information will be gone as well.

The Depression was a great learning experience and it built qualities in people that never would have been there had they the easy way out. Perhaps this time of turmoil is a time to reflect on what kind of persons are we, and will we allow difficulties to build in us virtue or otherwise?

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Photography-an inexpensive hobby

Do you love to take pictures but could not afford to develop the film an ended up sticking it in a drawer somewhere only to find it later, much later, we're talking years later? Then when you finally take it to get developed it is poor quality because you waited too long?

Well times have changed. If you want to be a photographer now you can. Technology has changed everything! It's a great time to start because the cameras now available are incredible. The quality of the digital camera is so great there is no comparison to back in the day.

Then if you have a computer and can download Picasa by Google you are all set. I love the Picasa program because it is user friendly. You can upload, email, share, blog, edit, delete, lighten, darken, crop, etc. Then with a camera like the Sony Cyber Shot with a Zeiss lens and an extra memory card you can have lots of fun! Check out the slide show below. I took these from my back porch.

If you don't have the ability to download your photos onto your own computer you can take them to Sam's Club or Walmart and get a disk made for about $2.00. You will have them saved so you can delete the current ones off your camera and take some more. Also you can delete them right from your camera so you don't waste any space.

You can find good cameras at the pawn shop, but really, they are not too expensive to buy new. See website below on how to shop for a digital camera.

When times are hard it's nice to have a hobby to take your mind off of your troubles even if for a short time. It uses the creative side of the brain and gives the analytical side a day off so to speak. So if you have been wanting to get some good shots then now is definitely the time to do it!

http://cameras.about.com/od/buyingguide/a/shopping_check.htm

Preserving dignity

In this troubled economic time so many of us are finding ourselves in a position we never thought we would ever be in. Some have lost their homes, some are in the process of losing their homes, and others their jobs. Even after years of loyal service jobs have been cut. Hard workers are finding themselves with nothing to do. It can be very depressing.

How can we help and still preserve the dignity of those we love? Even those we don't know? There are many ways to do this and by doing so you can be a source of encouragement to those downtrodden.

I will give you just a couple examples and see if you can apply any of this information to help someone out.

A friend offered her friend who was unemployed her $100. per week house cleaning job. She didn't have the money to give her and that would be impossible to just hand out $400. per month to this person. But by giving her a way to earn that money she was shown such a great amount of respect and dignity and love.

A woman who worked at Lens crafters received in all those qualifying for free glasses. She made their appointments and treated them just like all of the paying customers. That was a perfect example of dignity. How kind she was to treat her fellowman as an equal.

Many volunteers work at food banks and other services helping all who are in need of assistance never looking down upon them as they show up week after week to pick up their food.

Can we do that? Can we find a way to help someone without crushing their spirit? Can we offer someone to clean our house or do errands or handyman work? Can we treat those we deal with, if we work in a social services capacity, with dignity? May our answer be yes.

(Please be careful if offering help to persons we do not know, this economy is also bringing out the scam artists.)

Chile in your garden

I have taken this information from the website listed below. I have added my own information to it based on experience.

Immature chile peppers are green chiles, and, when left on the plant, they ripen and become red chiles. This is good to know because if you want to dry your own red peppers you can and you can make your own red chile recipes with it.

The spicy, hot taste of a chile depends on how much capsaicin is produced. The variety of chile plant influences this, but so does air temperature and Gardening practices like fertilizing and watering. Capsaicin is concentrated in the yellow ridges along the inner walls of a chile pepper. The seeds really aren't hot until capsaicin pustules burst onto them. Hot, dry weather promotes production of capsaicin.

So based on this information a friend of my husband told him if he wanted hot chile not to water them so much. He tried it and our chile was so hot no one could eat it. Not even my mother who loved her chile hot.

Choose chiles on the basis of pungency. A very mild chile variety is NuMex. NuMex Big Jim or 6-4 are chile varieties with a medium bite. For hot chiles, consider Sandia or Espanola Improved. For the brave, some very hot varieties are Jalapeno and Cayenne. I like Anaheim or Big Jim because they are both good sized and meaty.

Plant chile transplants about the last day of May, or when night temperatures consistently remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It's best not to plant chile peppers where close plant relatives were grown in the last year. These include tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and tomatillos. The same diseases that affect these plants will affect chile plants and may carry over from year to year.

Space transplants about 24 inches apart and fertilize them with a weak water-soluble fertilizer. Fertilize the chiles again in four weeks. Water chiles regularly through the growing season. Excessive water can cause root disease, especially in heavy clay soils.

Harvest green chiles when the peppers are firm and a glossy green, usually in August. Green peppers left on the plants will turn entirely red and be ready for harvest by late September.

When your green chiles are ready to harvest you can roast them outdoors in the barbeque. If you roast them in the barbeque it is easier to turn them and you won't have to worry about cleaning the oven. You want the skins to look toasty brown and then simply put them into a bowl with a clean wet towel on top. Let them steam for awhile this way and when they are cool enough to handle you put olive oil on your hands and skin them then put into freezer bags or use for your recipe.

If you want them red you can string them up with dental floss and let them dry, as they do they will redden, or you can harvest them red then string them up to dry.

A good suggestion for chile is to go to the store and look at the chiles and their names and write it down. You might even buy one of each and take them home to try then, based on your personal preference, choose your chile seeds. You could even remove the seeds and let them dry and try planting them. I have a friend who plants her garden this way. She buys organic vegetables and harvests the seeds right out of the vegetable for her garden. She buys no seed in packets.

My personal favorites are poblanos often used for chile rellenos, Big Jim used for pork green chile, and jalpeños to add a little zip to chile or salsa.

While you are growing your chiles you might as well plant tomatoes and cilantro and have a salsa garden if you are a salsa lover. If you want to purchase the chiles you haven't grown there are vendors every year that sell them fresh roasted. In Longmont you can buy them on Main Street, in Denver on S. Federal Blvd, and everywhere else the farmers markets are now carrying them.

Remember, there is nothing in the whole world like a home made salsa or pico de gallo made with fresh vegies and herbs.

For more info: www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1803.html

Back to Basics on Food

We are back to basics on food. Seems like everyone I know or talk to is on a money diet. Which may cause this country to lose weight. When it gets down to the nitty gritty, people are asking themselves, "What do I really need?"

No more extras. When you have to cut out extras you know that is has come to serious choices. We have been used to spending and having whatever we want and now? Now it is different. We have to find areas and ways to make our money stretch. That is if we have any. So we are back to basics on food.

What are the basics of food? What kind of meals can be prepared that cost very little? Here are some examples of low cost meals:

• Spaghetti
• Chicken dinner
• Meatloaf (remember meatloaf?)
• Tuna casserole
• Beans and Rice
• Chili Beans
• Soup (all kinds)
• Pasta dishes (macaroni for example)
• Turkey dinner

Spaghetti can be very cost effective especially if you get the sauce in bulk at Sam's Club, Costco, or make your own. Also if you use ground turkey instead of ground beef it will save you money. In fact, just use ground turkey for all of your hamburger recipes you'll save money.

Chicken dinner will be cost effective especially if you buy whole chickens at Sam's Club or Costco or anywhere else for that matter. It is almost always cheaper to buy it whole and learn to cut it up yourself. Just cut the thighs and legs at the joints, then cut the back off about halfway and then cut the rest in half. When I was first married, I could not cut up a chicken. I thought it was gross, but now it doesn't bother me in the least bit. Mashed potatoes go well with this dinner and then serve a vegetable. Cooked carrots are also very inexpensive and go well with any dinner.

Meatloaf...again use ground turkey. It comes in 1 lb. chubs and if you use two of them and mix in some bread crumbs, egg, onion, and seasonings. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour. It will taste really very good. Then again mashed potatoes or rice goes very well with turkey meatloaf and a vegie.

Tuna casserole is easy to prepare. If you are making a large amount buy the big cans at Sam's Club or Costco. Use some extra wide egg noodles and just boil the noodles when done add a can of cream of celery soup or mushroom and some tuna and grated cheese. You can then bake in the oven for about 1/2 hour with bread crumbs on top and it's done or just heat on the stove top till nice and hot and it's ready that way too. Serve with a salad or whatever vegie you like.

Beans and Rice are easy and if you use brown rice the combination makes a complete protein if you are trying to go vegetarian. I love beans and rice. You can make your own beans by following the instructions on the package. Or you can put them in the crock pot at night and they are ready in the morning. But make sure to clean them well before cooking as beans often have pebbles or dirt on them. Then just cook your rice. Many people avoid rice because they don't know how to cook it or think they must have a rice cooker. But rice is actually very easy. It's 1 C. rice to 2 1/4 C. water. You just put the rice and water into a pot and bring it to a boil. When it reaches boiling point turn it down to medium low for twenty minutes. It is done.

Chili Beans are easy once you have the beans cooked. Just add some fried ground turkey, diced onion, diced bell pepper, diced or stewed tomatoes and the beans. Season with garlic, salt, and red chili powder to taste. That's it. Easy huh?

Soup-I would have to do an entire article on soup. There are so many different kinds to make that I can't possibly even write about all the soups you can cook. I LOVE soup. Some of our favorites are chicken noodle, split pea, lentil, and ministrone. Most of the time you can find a recipe on the back of the bag of split peas. I have used these recipes often and found them to be very tasty!

Pasta dishes are very affordable. For example I love macaroni. I just boil the macaroni pasta till done. While it is cooking I fry some ground turkey with diced onion. When the ground turkey is done I add stewed or diced tomatoes and when the macaroni is done I drain it and put it back in the pot and add the ground turkey mixture to the macaroni, and season to taste. Serve with a salad and that's it, easy huh?

Turkey dinner is one of my favorites. I always buy them when they go on sale in November. Store a couple in the freezer and cook them throughout the year. Turkey is so versatile, you can do so much with it. The first night turkey dinner, the second turkey soup, during the week turkey sandwiches, and if you get tired of it, put the meat in the freezer.