HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Good morning boys and girls! How are you doing this clear Red, White, & Blue skied day? Its crazy over here… the kids are out today, then go back to school for 3 days? Do what? Stupid if you ask me… but who am I to tell the stuff shirts that they don’t make any sense? LOL! So you get me here with you today bringing tons of fun and excitement this morning. I want to take a moment out to remember a couple of persons who have past away this past weekend… first Mr. Gary Coleman passed away of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 42 on Friday. And then Mr. Dennis Hopper passed away from prostate cancer at the age of 74 on Saturday. May they both R.I.P.

Now kids, its time for your history lesson. What IS Memorial Day really? Well here is an article I found that sums it up very nicely.

Remembering Memorial Day
by Mike Krumboltz

For many, Memorial Day brings to mind images of parades and picnics, of barbecues and baseball games. What's sometimes forgotten are the reasons for the holiday: The sacrifices made by American soldiers in times of conflict.

As the United States' death toll passes 1,000 in Afghanistan, Memorial Day takes on an especially poignant meaning this year. Here's a brief look at how the holiday got its start, and how people are searching for ways to honor the brave men and women who have lost their lives.

The first holiday

Originally, the holiday was known as "Decoration Day." It was started by a Civil War general named Gen. John Logan, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. General Logan sought a way to help the country come back together after the horrors and divide of the Civil War.

The holiday was first observed on May 30, 1868, and Gen. Logan chose that date for two very important reasons: First, the day did not mark the anniversary of a Civil War battle, and second "flowers would likely be in bloom all over the United States." Indeed, many took flowers to Arlington National Cemetery, an activity that still occurs every year.

More on Gen. John Logan

General John A. Logan has a tremendous legacy that goes well beyond his efforts to honor fallen soldiers. According to a museum dedicated to his memory, Gen. Logan led an inspired life and enjoyed a tremendous career. At different points, he was a United States congressman, a senator, and a candidate for the vice presidency. He and his running mate, James G. Blane, lost their bid, but "Logan’s popularity with veterans contributed to the narrowness of the defeat."

An official holiday

This may come as a bit of a surprise, but Memorial Day, despite having been around for over 100 years in one form or another, didn't become an official federal holiday until 1971, when Congress passed the National Holiday Act. This created a three-day weekend at the end of May. Prior to this, different states observed the holiday on different days.

The effect on Web search

Web lookups on "memorial day" and "celebrate memorial day" are both up over 500% during the past seven days. Additionally, queries on "memorial day quotes" and "memorial day history" are soaring, as are searches for "memorial day parades" and "memorial day flowers."

Also worth noting — the "national moment of remembrance." This moment takes place at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day and lasts one minute. According to Remember.gov, "the Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans."

Ok folks, now let’s review what the Frugal Mom did yesterday! LOL… Well first I started the morning, after my blog, with a HUGE stuffed omelet for breakfast. DELISH! After that I cleaned out the fridge and made my weekly shopping list of what I need, etc. I am ready for some serious food shopping! LOL! After the list and cleaning, I chopped up a few remaining veggies that were in the fridge… a few veggies I bought and a few I grew LOL. Then I had to take a break, so I made out (well I started to LOL) a summer stay-cation game plan… things I think my family will enjoy doing and when I could do them! I cooked a lot yesterday too… well let’s just get to the photo journey, shall we?



The first thing I had to do was post “clean out” prepatory work LOL! Once I cleaned out the fridge, I found lots of veggies and fruit that had been pushed to the backs of shelves… to be forgotten. I lost a little, but the majority I had I was able to save. What you see here is all the stuff out of the fridge I had to “salvage”. One of those use it or lose it days you know I am so fond of LOL!



This is everything after it had been prepped and diced, sliced, etc. Red onion, stir-fry mix, Brussels Sprouts, tomatoes, strawberries, celery, carrots, bell peppers, jalapenos, and potatoes all saved and diced for use in the next 24 hours! I forgot to put the bag of garlic bread crumbs I made in the picture too. I’ll find something interesting to do with them LOL.



Here is DH thinking he is funny snapping a picture of me eating one of the strawberries LOL! I was trying to grab the camera away as he snapped… hence the funny angle! Oh come’on you gonna try to tell me that ONE LOUSY STRAWBERRY is gonna hurt the recipes if I eat it?? I mean SERIOUSLY? I don’t even know what to do with them yet! I hardly think it matters! LMAO he said it was proof that there is no berry thief… just me. LOL! I don’t know what he is talking about LMAO! “Get away from me with that camera! In fact give me MY camera and get out of my kitchen” I kept playfully yelling, but to no avail… he kept teasing me and bothering me LOL! I swear he is nothing more than another one of the kids sometimes!



So I thinly sliced (with my super-cool-daddy-loves-me-veggie-peeler LMAO) some carrots and some potatoes. Homemade chips! Who needs Frito Lay when you can make your own and you know they are (at least a little bit more) healthier than the store bought bags of grease LOL. And I bet if I had baked them instead of fried them, they would be even healthier! LOL! The carrots didn’t get as crispy as I wanted them but let me tell ya! OMG! SWEET! I mean the frying brought out all the natural sugars and they were almost like CANDY! I even got my DS14 to eat them, which is a miracle in itself (he’s not fond of carrots)! They were gone before the potato chips! What does THAT tell ya LOL! Veggies (potatoes and carrots), veggie oil, and a smidgen of salt… that’s it! Needless to say the bowl is empty… nothing left but the excess salt LMAO! Guess that was a successful idea!



Then there was these little muffins of health which became muffins from heaven!! I made up some batter using some flour, milk, eggs, flax seed, etc. and thought about the strawberries. What the hay… throw them in the batter! About 20 minutes later… OMG! YUMMYYYYYY! Anything with strawberries is absolutely delish, and these were testament! So much, that DD tried, more than once, to run off with the whole pan! Oh no you don’t little missy! LOL! I might try these warmed up in the morning (if I can keep the gang out of them) with a little butter and maybe even a drizzle of syrup on them. Oh my…I am drooling! LITERALLY! LOL!



Ahh… dinner time! Beef fried rice with beef stir-fry using the veggies prepped in the morning… broccoli, carrots, peas, and julienned bell pepper. I also threw in some roasted sunflower seed kernals to the dish and it was some nutty goodness I say! Boy were we all stuffed! I collapsed on the couch for a spell… suffering from Asian Beef Coma LOL! I was pretty much useless the rest of the night LOL!



Remember the other day we talked about being frugal and saving fast food condiments? Well I forgot to show you this picture. Mom and I went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and we found these little bottles she wanted to use for condiments LOL but I insisted they were too small. She got them anyway (hey can you really over rule your mom? NOPE! LOL) and when we came home it was a full out condiment party!



Here are her lovely little baby condiment bottles LOL! We were careful not to mix brands/restaurants cause mom was afraid they would taste funny LOL. So you have Jack-in-the-Box taco hot sauce, buttermilk house, sweet & sour, etc. All neatly labeled and filled, and tucked away in the fridge for easy dispensing LOL! Aren’t they so cute!?

Now, here is where we start talking about making things by hand. Crafting is a fun and relaxing hobby. Its also very rewarding. Yesterday I featured some great patriotic crafts inspired by Memorial day/patriotic holidays. And I’m gonna give you some more today! So enjoy…

Craft Idea of the Day: Patriotic Crafts (part 2)



Patriotic Pinwheels

Nothing says summer like the sight of a colorful pinwheel going 'round and 'round on a sunny summer's day. Now, with our easy how-to instructions, you can make your own customized pinwheel.

1. Cut out a 6" paper square.

2. Draw an X from corner to corner; cut along the lines, stopping 1" from the center.

3. Gather every other corner to the center, stick a pushpin through them and into a straw in the back. Attach a pencil eraser to hold in place. Glue entire assembly for further securing.

Note: You can also use brads to secure the centers in place. Nowadays brads come in all kinds of designs, so you can “dress it up” even more!



Sequin Flag Magnet

Materials

Approximately 25 Blue Sequins
Approximately 50 Red Sequins
Approximately 30 White Sequins
Magnetic Sheets
Tacky Glue
Scissors

Instructions:

Cut a piece of magnetic sheet to 1-7/8" x 3". Begin at the top left of the flag and run a bead of glue along the top edge. Place 6 blue sequins overlapped on the left side. Fill the rest of the row with red. Put another row next to it using white instead of red. Continue using the photo above as a guide. Let dry.



Patriotic Bunting

Decorate your house with one or many of our Patriotic Buntings. Have the whole family involved as the kids can have fun helping too!

A few lengths of fabric and packages of appliqués and you can make buntings to hang on the doorway, the porch rail, the picnic table, under your windows or for the flower box (as we've done).

Show you're proud of the red white and blue and decorate your home in the most popular summer theme in home décor.

MATERIALS:
3 pkgs. Wrights® 1 3/4" White Star Appliqués (#193-9320-001)
2/3 yd. Red Fabric 44-45" wide
2/3 yd. White Fabric 44-45" wide
2/3 yd. Blue Fabric 44-45" wide

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Starting with the red fabric, cut two pieces 12" wide.
2. Cut 20" from one of these.
3. Sew this 20" piece to the 44" piece (right sides together). This will give you a 12" x 64" length.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 with the white and blue fabric.
5. Sew lengths of the fabric together, with blue between red and white (use a 1/2" seam).
6. Hem the sides, top and bottom with a 1/2" hem, rolled twice.
7. Iron the star appliqués onto the blue fabric, spacing evenly.
8. Fold fabric back and forth (the long way) like a fan, with a 1 1/2" fold. Press.
9. Secure by sewing across the top of the white gathers.
10. Spread out and hang by tacking in a few places.
11. Enjoy!



All American Tin
Designed by Treasure It

Skill Level: Beginner
Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Make this festive tin to hold tiny treasures in a country home, in your purse, at camp, or on a trip.

Materials:

tin
patriotic scrapbook paper
red, white or blue fabric
Kreinik #12 Braid metallic thread 003, 100, 051HL
Diamond Beadlets®
4" x 6" Treasure Tape
1/2" Treasure Tape roll
shallow pan or tray
sand (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut scrapbook paper (any scrap paper with a cool image is fine) to fit top of tin. Cut 1/8" smaller than lid.
2. Use glue stick or Treasure Tape scraps to secure image to tin.
3. Cut 4" x 6" Treasure Tape sheet to fit lid, then place it over the image.
4. Peel back red liner to expose sticky part, then decorate the image with metallic thread.
5. Place lid in shallow pan or tray, and cover with Diamond Beadlets®.
6. Use 1/2" Tape to wrap around side of tin.
7. Cut fabric pieces (or paper) to use to decorate. This creates a mosaic look.
8. Use metallic threads to add color and design.
9. Dip in Diamond Beadlets (or sand!)

Tips: When applying "stringy embellishments" like ribbon, embroidery threads and fibers to double-sided Treasure Tape, you can easily pull up the design and start again if you make a mistake or want to try a different design. When using red liner Treasure Tape it is best to cut with Teflon® coated scissors -- or use adhesive remover to wipe the residue off your
scissors.



Patriotic Flag Tray

Paint this patriotic tray to use at your next patriotic celebration or to add a touch of country Americana to your kitchen!

Designed by Jean Kievlan for Don Mechanic

Materials:

Don Mechanic Enterprises® Wood Tray with Sleigh Handles
DecoArt® Americana® Acrylic Paint, Wedgwood Blue
DecoArt® Americana® Acrylic Paint, Raw Sienna
DecoArt® Americana® Acrylic Paint, True Red
DecoArt® Americana® Acrylic Paint, Light Buttermilk
DecoArt® Dura-Clear™, Satin Varnish
Loew-Cornell® Comfort Handle™ Paintbrush, Series 3550, ¾-inch Wash
Loew-Cornell® Comfort Handle™ Paintbrush, Series 3300, No. 10 Shader
Loew-Cornell® Comfort Handle™ Paintbrush, Series 3000, No. 3 Round
Loew-Cornell® Brush Tub II™
Loew-Cornell® 6-Well Tray
Wide Masking Tape or Transparent Tape, ¾ - inch

Directions:

Paint interior flat area of tray Light Buttermilk.

Paint interior sides and handle sides True Red.

Paint long exterior sides Wedgwood Blue.

Paint a Wedgwood Blue rectangle on the upper left of the Light Buttermilk area. Let dry.

Apply masking tape or transparent tape to mask off stripes. Space tape evenly across tray. Rub tape to assure good adhesion to tray surface.

Paint exposed area between tape True Red. Let dry, then remove tape.

Paint nine Light Buttermilk stars on the Wedgwood Blue rectangle.

Shade the stripes and stars with Raw Sienna.

Shade rounded edges of Red areas with Raw Sienna.

Highlight edges of Wedgwood Blue rectangle with Light Buttermilk.

That should give you plenty of crafts to do, but in case you are fiending for some more… LOL… visit Allcrafts.net for TONS of great links to more great crafts!

Ok, its time to eat! Oh goodie! Now I wasn’t real kosher on doing just a PIE week… I like to bring you whole meals that I think you will enjoy. I mean you can’t eat… well you could but its not healthy to eat… just PIE for dinner, right? And I can’t really bring you slow cooker ideas since I do that all the time. SOO while I was looking through the grocery ads, I decided what I am going to do. The current sales and my mother’s desire to have chickens in her yard are my inspiration! (LONGG story! LOL) So, this week I am bringing you at least 1 chicken recipe and 1 pie recipe. That way, at least my conscience knows that I gave you an actual MEAL idea and not just sugar coma inducing desserts LOL! Today we are going to focus on chicken breasts… my personal favorite. We’re gonna stuff them! YUMMY! And the pie… well let’s just say I am known for bringing you interesting recipes and this is definitely no exception! Enjoy!



Mexican Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients

2 cups crushed corn flakes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (1.27 ounce) packet dry fajita seasoning
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 medium red onion, diced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup salsa
toothpicks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.

In a shallow bowl, mix the corn flakes, chili powder, and fajita seasoning. In a separate bowl, mix the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, orange bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion.

Dredge the chicken in the corn flakes mixture to evenly coat. Sprinkle one side of each breast with 2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese, and layer with 1/4 the vegetable mixture. Top with equal amounts salsa.

Carefully roll the breast halves over the filling. Seal seams with toothpicks, then dredge again in the corn flakes mixture.

Arrange the rolled chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Top with remaining cheese, and continue baking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear and cheese is melted.



Chicken and Asparagus Bundles

Ingredients

4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
4 1/2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth

Directions

Flatten chicken breasts slightly. Wrap each around five asparagus spears; secure with toothpicks. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the oil, lemon juice and seasonings; pour over bundles. Cover asparagus tips with foil.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the onions. Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until the chicken juices run clear and asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove bundles to a serving platter and keep warm.

In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth; stir in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove toothpicks from bundles; top with sauce.



Tofu Dream Pudding and Pie Filling

By: Skymollie
"A simple sweet walnut/maple flavored pudding or pie filling that's fast and easy to make when you just want something that's good (remembering moderation in all things, including sugar). You could use any nut and change the flavor. Can be used with a graham crust pie shell; adorn with walnuts and serve with whipped cream. Triple recipe for pie filling."

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

Place tofu, brown sugar, walnuts, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a food processor. Process until smooth. Cover and chill to thicken for pie filling, or serve immediately as pudding.

I told ya it was interesting! LOL! OK folks, that’s it for me today. I hope you will tune in tomorrow for more yard buzzard clucking fun and excitement LOL! Have fun and stay safe this blistering Memorial day! Until tomorrow… HUGS!