PASS THE PUPU PLATTER PLEASE

Aloha kakahiaka (Good morning) everyone! How are you doing this sultry June morning? I hope you are well in your visit here. Me… well a bit tired and very sore. I was helping my DBgf get some packing done yesterday as they have a big move ahead of them soon. Boy do I know how hard it is to move! Everyone deserves help. So needless to say, there is no big pots of delicious yumminess to share or no spiffy cool crafts to show you… but there will be soon… have patience! LOL!



So what do you have planned for today? I’ll was gonna be chillin with my mommy LOL… but she is not feeling real great, so she’s gonna chillax in bed today. No need for my nurse services. Tomorrow, however, is Alex’s big summer adventure! Toy Story 3 out in theaters! I think he’s planning on taking his TS3 toys with him LOL… yes he has all the “dolls”/toys. Woody, Buzz, Rex, Jessie, etc. all about 12-18 inches tall and they ALL TALK! UGH! LOL… oh well he likes it!

Alright, time to address some comments from yesterday. To Tabitha- I am sorry you don’t like HK… I watch it to see the contestants really… Ramsey is not my favorite person, but I like the cooking and to see the people. Some people’s attitudes really amaze me. As for buying poi, you could check your local supermarket’s in the ethnic sections, but I don’t think it would be there. I don’t really know. I know if you were in Hawaii you could obviously find some LOL. I’m not sure where you are from, so I am not sure of what kind of stores you may have in your area. However, I’m pretty sure you could order some online. Just check it out.

To Melissa- OMG baby crafts… that’s super! My mom is right, it’s addictive. And when the bug bites you/mojo kicks in- beware!! LOL… I have clocked in 20 hours before just crafting because I had such a good flow going! LOL I think I will be starting a club… Crafters Anonymous… where we can confess and get support for our addiction LOL! I would LOVE to see all the things you made the baby! And way to go with the crock pot! Very smart to be freezing stuff! Does the hubby still refer to ME by name LOL!? I’ll be waiting to see pics of your crafting extravaganzas (and the baby too LOL!)…

And to my mommy- OMG stop knockin’ my HK! LOL! The fact that I KNOW you cook better than him is irrelevant! LOL Its entertainment! You have your Smallville, Survivor, and all those other weird things… leave my cooking ALONE! LMAO… you know I am just playing and I know WHY you don’t care for it and I respect that. You never told me you wanted Blueberry plants! I saw some really pretty ones… those and grapes too… just the other day at… it was either Lowe’s or Home Depot! That would have been a much better thing for me to buy with that GC rather than more things and plants that I have no place for! OMG you got to tell me these things!! LOL!

Ok, are you ready to get frugal? Now Stop for a minute and think about what your definition of frugality, frugalness, etc. really is! Then as you dissect your definition compare it to the REAL definition of the word “FRUGAL”. Frugal as defined is 1. Practicing economy; living without waste; thrifty 2. not costly; meagre 3. Practicing or marked by economy, as in the expenditure of money or the use of material resources. It does NOT mean, by any means, that you are a “cheapskate or tends to/will sacrifice quality. So, tell me… are you already or do you want to become truly frugal? I would like to think so… even if just by visiting here, you have a hidden desire to be even just a little bit more frugal LOL! Go on… admit it! No shame in it! LMAO! I am totally frugal and I love it! I recycle, I garden, I craft and sew, I cook from scratch, etc. etc. etc. AND I save money doing it! Quite frankly, I like to amaze people with how I can be eating like a king (Ribeye steaks, etc) or having fun adventures for next to nothing! Watching their face is insane LOL! Can you believe I used to live off of $188 a month?? And that INCLUDED money for bills, etc? Some of it is survivor skills and common sense, but a lot of it is being very frugal. SO, I found some helpful, and common, tips on reducing your outflow of cash… we all need friendly reminders now and then! I know I do!

22 Easy Tips to Save Money
by Frugal 101

We often associate the phrase “saving money” with something unpleasant, such as not going shopping for awhile or skipping our regular Saturday night out. These would certainly help, but there are a number of other easier ways to save money, which many people are neglecting. The reason for neglecting them is probably the fact that you don’t save a lot of money at once. Every time you do or don’t do something you save cents, but if you make them a habit, you will be surprised how quickly these cents will add up and help your budget.

Here are the things which every frugal person should remember:

1. Turn off the lights. If you are in the bathroom, turn the light of everywhere else (unless of course there are family members in the other rooms). If everyone is in the dining room eating dinner, you don’t need the lights turned on in the entire house.

2. Turn the TV off. It is amazing how many people have their television turned on as background noise. If you don’t watch it, turn it off.

3. Drink water. Water has incredible health benefits. Drinking it instead of soda not only improves your health, but saves you money.

4. Write a list before going shopping. If you see something that is not on your list, don’t buy it. Unless you are food shopping and see a great deal on something that you can freeze.

5. Freeze your meals. Cook meals in bigger quantities and freeze them. It will save not only energy but time.

6. Buy low energy light bulbs. They save energy and last longer.

7. Always remember to shut your windows and doors. You don’t need to heat or cool outdoor air. Plus, considering rising crime rates, it is much safer.

8. Use towels and cloth napkins. It will save you money and protect the environment. I would like to recommend cloth diapers as well, but I wouldn’t, because it would make me a hypocrite. I just can’t deal with those.

9. Air-dry your clothes. If you have a backyard, dry your clothes outside (make sure it doesn’t rain though). It will make your clothes last longer and will save you a lot of energy. You will be surprised to see how much energy your dryer eats.

10. Buy generic brands. They are just as good as brand named ones. If you don’t believe me, check he ingredients.

11. Shop end-of-season sales. The best time to shop for clothing and seasonal merchandise is at the end of a season. Stock up on Christmas stuff in January. If you have kids, it is not a bad idea to buy stuff for the next year. True, you don’t really know how much they will grow, but if in doubt, always buy larger size.

12. Do not EVER neglect coupons. Before going shopping, do you homework. Search for coupons online or in your newspaper. Don’t neglect smaller savings, because they will add up.

13. Leave your credit card at home. If you have a shopping addiction, leave your card at home and bring cash with you. In Russia and Eastern Europe people usually pay by cash which is a good reminder of how much money you are actually spending. Remember: credit card is not a magic card. You will have to pay it off and usually, you will have to pay more because of the interest rates.

14. Take lunch to work. It is not difficult to make a sandwich at home and it is certainly cheaper than going out for lunch; and much better for you than eating fast food.

15. Make coffee at home. Stopping at Starbuck or Dunkin Donuts every morning is an evil habit for a frugal person. If you do it every day, you may be spending $30-60 a month just for that.

16. If shopping online, use cashback sites. Always.

17. Cook at home. Learn how to cook from scratch. It is not as difficult as it seems. It is much healthier, it will save you money, you’ll score a point or two with your significant other and make you friends’ significant others jealous.

18. Use home made cleaning products.

19. Shop at local farms. Locally grown food (even if it is not organic) has lower chemicals and pesticide levels and is usually cheaper.

20. Buy in bulk. Join wholesale clubs and buy stuff in bulk. It is always a good idea to freeze meats and refrigerate fruits and vegetables. It will save you money and extra trips to the store.

21. Invest into a programmable thermostat. It will cost you some money, but it is a good investment. You will save a great deal if you automatically turn down the heat or AC when you are at work or are sleeping.

22. Buy produce in season. It is healthier, cheaper and it tastes better. (See the printable season chart I use.)

OK now something you should know about me… I can be a bit of a smartalic LOL! And I am starting to think about my gift giving season which is fixing to go into full swing and there are a couple of people who are VERY hard to give gifts to… either because they buy everything themselves, they have everything, or they just don’t care/desire anything. When I hear them say “NOTHING” when I ask for gift ideas, sometimes I just want to pull my hair out by the roots LOL! SOOO I found this and said OMG that’s it!!!! SOOOO the people on my list better be careful this year! They MIGHT just get EXACTLY what they ask for… like this! LMAO!



Craft Idea of the Day: The Jar of Nothing

Materials:

Empty jar
Sticky label paper
or Paper and Clear Glue

Directions:

For this project all you need is an empty jar.

You can print this saying out onto some adhesive label paper suitable for your printer or print it onto normal plain paper. Use some clear craft glue to adhere it to the jar.

If you want to go all out you can add some ribbon to the jar and even box it up for a great gag gift.

--The Saying---

Did you say nothing?
When you were asked what you wanted for
Birthday, Anniversary, Graduation or Christmas.
Don't you remember saying NOTHING
Well this time someone heard you, searched
high and low and found this perfect gift for you.

Note: These are great for Christmas fund raising stalls

Are you hungry? Well I am gonna start your day off with some tantalizing appetizers! There are lots of items used as Hawaiian appetizers, known as "pupus" in the islands. Today I am going to bring you a few of them to try! (They are pronounced POO-POO btw… yes I know- don’t even go there people! LOL) Eat & Enjoy!



Local Style Ahi Poke
Recipe courtesy Tidepools, Koloa, HI

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces tuna sashimi block, small dice
1/8 teaspoon Hawaiian salt
1/8 teaspoon kukui nut
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Pinch chili flakes
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Furukake spice
1 tablespoon sesame oil

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and gently mix. Make this on the day of use.

Sam Choy's Ahi Poke

Recipe presented on "Good Morning America" with Chef Emeril Lagasse

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/4 pound fresh ahi, cubed into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
3 tbsp. limu kohu, chopped (a soft, reddish-brown variety of seaweed, prized for its succulent flavor.)
1 tbsp. Inamona (the ground innards from roasted kukui nuts)
2 tsp. sesame oil

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients. Mix well and chill.



Coconut Shrimp

This is the recipe for coconut shrimp as served at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel in Waikiki, Hawaii.

Ingredients:

24 large raw shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs slightly beaten
3 cups shredded coconut
24 - 6 inch wooden skewers

Preparation:

Insert one skewer in each shrimp leaving 2-3 inches of the skewer protruding..

Dredge shrimp in flour, then in eggs. Roll the shrimp through shredded coconut, covering them thoroughly.

Deep fry shrimp at about 375 F, until they are brown.

Serve with cocktail sauce to which crushed pineapple is added according to taste.



Hawaiian Sparerib Appetizers

Marinated spareribs are a favorite pupu or appetizer at many restaurants and family gatherings in Hawaii.
Cook Time: 15 hours
Total Time: 15 hours

Ingredients:

5 lbs spareribs
4 cloves garlic
1 large piece of ginger root, crushed
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup catsup
1/3 cup oyster sauce or fish sauce

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, combine the pieces of ribs, garlic, ginger and salt (optional). Add enough water to cover the ribs. Bring the contents to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until all of the ribs are tender. This should take about 1 1/2 hours.

When the ribs are tender, drain the ribs and set aside. Prepare a marinade with the sugar, soy sauce, catsup and oyster sauce. Fish sauce can be substituted. Marinate the ribs overnight in the refrigerator.

Place ribs on the rack of a broiler pan or on the grill. Broil or grill for about 8-10 minutes, basting frequently. Turn and broil or grill the ribs for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Serves about 20 for pupus (appetizers).

OK everybody… that’s it for today. I hope you have enjoyed our early morning chat and will join me again tomorrow for more fun and great ideas about money issues, crafts, and just being alive! I wish you well and safety on your days journey. Until tomorrow… HUGS!