FANTASTIC FLEA MARKET FINDS

Good day to you all! How are you doing this fine Sunday morning? I am surprisingly well. I have some seriously sore legs but some very exciting things to share with you today. Are you ready for a Flea Market adventure?

First off, let me just say that I am proud of the family (Including my self LOL) for not complaining about the heat even one time! I got sick a couple of times but nobody rained on the parade, sorta speak. We walked the whole entire market, which took about almost 4 hours. We saw a lot of great bargains, but we practiced restraint, as we were there on a mission. The mission was to find a nice dress for Madison’s Sweet 16 pictures (and hopefully something she could use in the future for other events). We set out with only $50 to use for the whole day… kinda bold and crazy huh? Think we could do it? Let’s find out…



After 3 hours of walking, and finding many dress shops, DH spotted a little hole in the wall boutique store and DD saw a dress hanging on the wall that she fell in love with. See DD is not a “fru-fru” type of girl… she doesn’t like frills, bows, or poof… and she wanted “Gator Blue” LOL! Well this one was Gator Blue, no poof, and super sleek and sexy! She tried it on… the sales woman thought it would be too big but because of the fact that she is “built” like her momma, it was almost a perfect fit! We are gonna take some very awesome dreesed up pictures of her in it this morning so I can go print them out and send them with the invitations. I will post the picture when I get them done so everyone can see how beautiful she is growing up to be! Grand total for the dress? $20 even… wonderful huh? You gotta love flea markets! And yes, the dress is brand new!

So then we were walking some more and we grabbed a huge snow cone and shared it all… not bad for $2 LOL! Walking some more and we found a little food vendor who was offering the roasted corn with all the fixings (mayo, cheese, chili powder, etc) for $3… GOTTA HAVE IT! YUM on a stick right there ladies and germs! LOL We shared that too… isn’t being frugal GREAT! Ok, so we keep walking… and my heart sank!



We came across a little Hispanic lady who had some animals caged up in the heat. They were panting and suffering and I got so angry! I had to help! (Thank my mother for her comment yesterday about saving a life and how she raised me to be a severe animal lover!) Well DH wanted to bring home the Peacock but we have absolutely no place for it LOL. They had tons of chickens (both chicks and hens) and I thought of my mom but she is not yet ready to accept them in her yard LOL. And back in this lonely little cage was this baby white ball of fluff! All alone and panting from the heat! I started tearing up. This woman had no water and no fans or anything on these poor animals! I asked how much for the rabbit and she said $30. I got mad… I said “Look, the way you have these animals I could report you and press charges for animal cruelty. Now I am going to rescue this rabbit for $15 INCLUDING the cage and walk away and you will stay out of jail. What do you say?” As you can see… I WON! I named her Rescue and I know I know… another animal in the house LOL. DH was just shaking his head at me but after holding her and realizing that a Netherland Dwarf bunny will not get any bigger than about 2 pounds, don’t make very much noise, and just had to be treated better than she was… well he didn’t say much more LOL! I think he has fallen in love with her… right after she nibbled on his chin LOL!



On the way out back to the car at the Flea Market, we found a little stand where a lady had some gorgeous watermelons for sale. The kids and DH picked out a HUGE one so I gave the lady the $5 and we were gone… I figured I would half the watermelon with my mom since she likes it too… (Look how this huge thing dwarfs my LARGE crock pot!). I got $5 left in my pocket and had a car with kids, bunnies, formal gowns, and monster fruit LOL! Quite a productive day, wouldn’t you agree? LOL. We were there for about 4 hours and everyone said they had a blast! DD fell asleep about 6pm, woke up briefly to eat and such, and was out like a light by 8:30pm LMAO! DS was out about 9pm. I wore everyone out… it was great! But we had a lot of fun… another successful summer outing! Once we got the bunny home, I went back out to Petsmart and picked up a few things with coupons for the cats and a few things for the bunny too.

Now… lets talk some crafts. I got a bit of the craft bug after seeing some of that stuff yesterday, but not much. I got some great party ideas though, as some of the stores focus was on Latin Quinceañeras and decorations, supplies, etc. I plan on replicating some of what I saw there. I also saw tons of baby things… and in the little vendors who had clothes and things were lots of baby bibs. Well, as the bag lady (as my mother tends to call me LOL) I thought I would bring you another cute way to make a purse out of those tons of bibs I saw! Check this out!



Craft Idea of the Day: Vinyl Bib Purse

Materials:

2 vinyl Baby Bibs
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
A few yards of ball chain (you can cut it to your desired length)
4 medium grommets and grommet attachment tool
Sewing machine
Thread
Optional: Small square of Velcro for the closure
Glue gun/glue stick to attach the Velcro

Directions:

The first thing you're going to do is to cut off the portion of the bib with the neck closure. Use your ruler and pencil to draw a straight horizontal line and repeat the process on the second bib.

Make sure that your line is in the same spot on both bibs. When you're confident that they line up perfectly, cut along the line and remove the neck closure portion and discard it.

You'll then have the front and back pieces of your purse. The top lip of the bag where you cut with the scissors will need to be folded over and sewn so that the top of your bag doesn't have a raw edge. So carefully fold the "good" side of the bag down about a half an inch and sew. Do not use pins as it will leave holes in the vinyl. Just do your best to hold it flat as you sew. Repeat the process with the other piece of the purse.

Then place the two pieces of the purse "good" sides together and sew along the outline of the purse. When you're done, carefully turn the bag inside out.

Almost done!

It's time to use your grommet installation tool to install two grommets on each side of the bag as shown in the photograph above.

Afterwards loop ball chain through the holes and close the ball chain with a ball chain connector.

If you would like to make a closure for the bag use a glue gun to attach a Velcro circle or square to each side of the inside of the bag.

Tips & hints: Ball chain is available really inexpensively at the hardware store. It's usually sold by the yard and the connectors are usually sold in prepackaged pouches nearby.

As far as finding bibs, I found these at a discount shop. If you can't find vinyl baby bibs you can also use vinyl children's art smocks in a small size for this project.

This project was contributed by Faith Sugarman from dollheads.com

To end your week of Russian delight, I’m serving you a complete totally Russian dinner… drinks included! What a way to celebrate the end of another fine food theme week. Did you enjoy it? Tell me what you would like to have as a theme next week… I am thinking some recipes around a specific ingredient or maybe some Latin recipes? I have tons of ideas to share, but I want to know what interests you. So to wrap up this week, let’s partake of a truly Russian buffet! Eat & Enjoy!



DRINK: Black Russian Classique

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Coffee flavored brandy

Method:

Pour over ice cubes in old-fashioned cocktail glass.



APPETIZERS: Gutap - Kazakh Deep-Fried Herb Fritters

Ingredients:

---FILLING---
3 tb Dill freshly chopped fine
3 tb Parsley freshly chopped fine
1 tb Garlic minced
9 tb Scallions chopped fine
1 tb Black pepper frshly ground
8 tb Butter
1 1/2 ts Salt

---DOUGH---
1 1/2 c All purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
4 tb Butter, softened
2/3 c Luke warm water

---SAUCE---
1 ts Cider vinegar
1/4 c Sour cream
2 tb Butter
1/2 ts Flour
6 tb Finely minced onion
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Black pepper frsshly ground
1 tb Lemon or lime juice frshly
- squeezed & strained

Method:

DOUGH: Place the flour into a deep mixing bowl. Make a hollow in the center. Add the water into the hollow, salt, & 2 T of the butter. Stir slowly untilk all of the ingredients are well mixed and the water is totally absorbed. Beat vigorously with a large spoon until a firm, stiff dough is formed. Gather the dough into a ball. on floured surface roll the dough ball out into a rectangle approx. 16" x 18". Brush the dough with the remaining butter, fold into quarters, then roll it out as thinly as possible. Cut into a 16" x 18" rectangle the cut that into 48 each 2" squares.

FILLING: Combine the salt, pepper, scallions, garlic, parsley, & dill. Cut the butter into tiny bits and chill until the dough is ready. Place a teaspoon of the filling mix into the center of each square, add a piece of the butter to each. Draw up the corners and pinch them together firmly thus closing the filling into the dough. Heat enough oil in a deep pot. Heat to 375 degrees F. and drop in 4-6 of the filled squares. Cook for 4 minutes, remove from the oil, drain, and serve warm.

SAUCE: Melt the butter, add the chopped onions, the salt, the pepper, & the vinegar. Cook for 4 minutes then add the remaining ingredients. Stir constantly until it thickens. Remove from the heat. Ad the lemon juice and serve over the fritters.



ENTRÉE: Beef stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a dish consisting of strips of lean beef sauteed and served in a sour-cream sauce with onions and mushrooms. The recipe, which is of Russian origin, has been known since the eighteenth century, but its name appears to come from County Paul Stroganoff, a nineteeth-century Russian diplomat. Legend has it that when he was stationed in deepest Siberia, his chef discovered that the beef was frozen so solid that it could only be coped with by cutting it into very thin strips.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb beef (boneless)
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp ketchup
5 oz sour cream
2 c broth
1 tbsp flour pounded with butter
1 ea onion
salt to taste
pepper

Method:

Chop the meat long wise fibers (fibres) and beat the pieces a little. After that cut the pieces into stripes 2 cm long and 1/2 cm wide. Season and roll them in flour. Fry chopped onion in the pan and when it is gold brown, put the stripes there. Fry on hot heat until the meat is light brown. Make a sauce: fry 1 tb flour pounded with butter for few minutes, add sour cream, ketchup, salt. Pour the sauce over meat and stew on a low heat during 15-20 minutes. Don't let sauce to boil, overwise the meat will be hard. Beef Stroganoff is served with fried potatoes.



DESSERT: Plum Sambouk

Sambouk is a kind of mousse but it is thicker and made from berries with egg whites.

Ingredients:

1 lb plums boneless
5 tbsp sugar
2 ea egg white
2 tbsp gelatin

Method:

Bake plums a little and grate them. Make plum-water from the rest of plums and bones, strain it and dissolve in gelatin. Add sugar and egg whites in plum puree. Put the bowl with plum puree in the pan with cold water or ice and whip with mixer until there is foam. Volume must increase 2-3 times. Pour in gelatin carefully while whipping. Pour mass into moulds quickly.

Well that’s it kids. I hope your trip to the Russian Republic this week has been a fun and exciting one! This meal was divine! I’m stuffed! LOL… so now its time to go relax with a nice heaping helping of American Couch-potato-ism! LOL… Actually I am about to start shooting the DD’s pictures so I can go make copies for the invites LOL. Then its off to visit with Mom while DH has daddy-housework duties LOL! Have a great day and I’ll see you back here tomorrow! HUGS!

FRANTIC FLEA MARKET FUN

Morning everyone… hope you are getting a great start to your weekend. Wish I could say the same. Got up this morning and checked the phone first and read the comments. Thanks so much… I feel so loved LOL. But let me address your comments individually…

To Kathy, enjoying those moments… I hear ya. We do the same with all the family outings and activities I plan for each summer. I tend to spend time (normally anyway) on the computer in the early morning hours or late at night as that’s where I based my business. I also get much information on cooking, recipes, crafts, etc. and most of it I share with you. Isn’t it great? I can multi-task! LMAO! But I am actually glad to hear that you are making the most out of your summer! Keep it up girl! I hope everyone is doing the same! Just make sure to stop in every so often and let me know you are ok, ok? LMAO…

To my Dad- ahhh the beloved hatred of an Iconic American Monopoly… ain’t it great? LMAO and Dad says I am about as “subtle as a train wreck” LMAO… wonder where I get it now? LOL love you Daddy! You know I'm just playing with ya!

And to my mom- Thank you for all the compliments about people missing me, etc. I really needed that actually cause I have been feeling kinda icky the last couple of days. I only hope that this blog does in fact serves that purpose of helping people learn about frugality, crafting, and experiencing new food they might never have heard of, much less tried! And you’re welcome on the mussels recipe… I figured you could appreciate that LOL.

Now, just because the blog looks a little more “normal” this morning, don’t get your hopes up LOL. I am still dealing with all the same computer crud, but our plans of going to the Pearland Flea Market are still a go/in effect. Despite the fact that this has NOT been a good last few days, I am praying that today will be better! Time to forget all my worries for the day and have some fun with the family. So what exactly is in store for us today? Well, gonna try to go to Baubles and Beads, then head off to the flea market. If we get done early there, which I doubt, maybe we can catch some of the other resale and thrift stores. Yes kids, its gonna be a day of Bargain Hunting Madness! Maybe we can even find a dress or some cool things to use at the birthday party for DD.

Now for the craft for today? Well I know many of my readers are either new moms or are expecting very soon. So I thought I would show you another baby craft. I have seen many women wearing those baby “slings” for a unique way of carrying the baby but having some use of your arms. For those of you who like this idea, I have brought it to you as the…



Craft Idea of the Day: Baby Sling

Materials:

Stretch Poplin
Sewing Machine

Directions:

This project shows you how to make a baby sling wrap using a very simple sewing pattern.

Follow the intructions and pattern below to create your baby sling wrap.
http://www.craftbits.com/project_images/0001/2370/babyslingpattern.jpg?1269312166

Follow the general shape of the pattern to create a piece 58" inch (148cm) long and 21" inch (53 1/2cm) wide.

Fold along the dotted line then fold in half.

2: Sew along the curved edge, use a double stitch for strength as this section will take the main weight of the baby.

3: So that the sling remains folded sew a 6" or (15cm) line. This section usually sits on your shoulder.

4: Make a hem around one bottom.

Want a longer sling or a larger person? simply measure from your shoulder to your hip and double it to get the original length measurement. This one is 58"

Now, today’s recipes are what the Russians call Kashas. Kasha is a native Russian dish made from all the possible groats with meat, fish, liver, mushrooms, onion. For base, milk, cream, meat and fish broths were used. It was impossible to imagine Russian cuisine without kasha, there is a proverb: “You can’t feed Russian without a kasha”. I have heard of the cereal Kasha, but not dishes of this nature until I started doing research! So simple, yet so tasty! Check it out!



Gouryevskaya Kasha

Ingredients:

1 c semolina
2 1/2 c milk
2 tb butter
2 tb sugar
2 c dense cream
2/3 c nuts
2 c canned fruits
1/2 c sugar
1/2 ea lemon
vanilla
salt

Method:

Take a not very deep pan. Put cream (must be dense) into the hot oven. As soon as there is a pink skin on the cream, take it carefully away on the plate. Be careful not to tear. Do it until you have 6-7 skins. Boil a viscous kasha (mush) on milk. Add butter, sugar (2 tb), vanilla, salt and mix very well. Put kasha into the oven to warm up for 30 minutes. Add the rest of baked cream to kasha. Nuts caramelizing: nuts must be caramelized otherwise kasha will be grey and not have a very good taste. Nuts must be tempered (fired) at first. Then put in a very hot water for 10 minutes. After that take the skins off and dry and chop them. Put sugar (1/2 c) in the pan on the heat, add lemon juice, wait until red colour and add nuts. As soon as nuts are caramelized, take them out and let cool down. Prepare a baking form. Grease it with butter. Put a little kasha as first layer, then a skin and nuts, chopped canned fruits. Repeat it until all the skins are used. The last layer is made of kasha. Decorate with sugar, fruits and nuts and put the form into the hot oven for 10-20 minutes. Gouryevskaya Kasha is served with apricot puree or any fruit juice.

Well what do you think? I think it’s a tasty treat that’s good to eat LOL! Alright I am gonna try pulling myself up by the boot straps enough to get out of this funk and go do some fun and exciting things with the kids today. I hope you have a safe and happy Saturday and I will meet you back here tomorrow for more fun and excitement (and hopefully a working computer! LOL) on The Frugal Mom! Until Tomorrow… HUGS!

CRANKY OL’ COMPUTER

Well good evening everyone. I hope this end of the work week finds you well. I am not doing so great. As you have probably already guessed, I am having some major PC issues. It is now stuck in reboot mode and I cannot get Windows Desktop to even load. Therefore, I am having to type my entry out on my daughter’s PC as we speak… and I am not sure how this is gonna make it to the web… but I will find a way I suppose. LOL! And my mother did ask where are all the familiar posters and I am wondering the same thing!? I can check comments from my phone you know… LOL! Get on here and at least let me know you are not all abandoning me! LMAO.

Ok for those of you dying for your Frugal Fix, I did manage to find this article a while back on yahoo and save it to my flash for future reference… guess now would be the time? LOL… as a frequent shopper of the big “W” store, I know there are things that I would and would NOT recommend buying. Well someone actually grew a pair large enough to talk public about THEIR opinions about products from “W”… way to go! Here is an article for you to check out…

What to Buy and Not Buy at Walmart
by Catherine Holahan
Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that Walmart (NYSE: WMT - News) is the nation's largest retailer, there are plenty of people who wouldn't be caught dead in one. To these folks, Walmart conjures images of a rapacious juggernaut of stadium-sized stores offering low-quality merchandise, spotty service, and mistreating employees and the environment — while driving small local retailers out of business.

But many of those misgivings are starting to fade, partly as a result of some well-timed improvements to the company's product line-up and its environmental record. What's more, there's nothing like the worst recession in 80 years to nudge "low prices" a little higher on the collective priority list. And while Walmart may not be making its employees rich, the chain handed out very few pink slips in the downturn and remains the country's largest private employer.

To be sure, there are plenty of reasons to remain wary of the retail behemoth. Whether you are concerned about the threat to a downtown business district, object to the retail culture, or just have a mental picture of the Walmart shopper that you can't square with your own self image, it may not be for you. But it's worth keeping in mind that, when it leverages its enormous scale for good, Walmart can make a difference in a hurry. It's one thing when a boutique sells fair-trade coffee, but when Walmart gets into the game, a lot of sustainable farmers benefit. Here are five product categories where you can comparison shop in good conscience at the nation's "low-price leader."

1. Moderately Priced Consumer Electronics
Dying to get the latest hi-definition TV from Vizio or Viore? We thought not. Those low-priced brands are what Walmart has focused on in the past, but recently the retailer has expanded its offerings to include high-def TVs from top makers such as Samsung (Other OTC: SSNLF.PK - News), Sony (NYSE: SNE - News), Philips (NYSE: PHG - News), and Sharp (Other OTC: SHCAY.PK - News). It also now offers digital cameras made by the likes of Nikon and Canon.

Walmart still isn't the best place to shop for a top-of-the-line television or digital SLR camera. But its focus on bringing in more big brands has made it an attractive option for shoppers seeking consumer electronics in the sub-$1,000 price range. This year, for example, some WalMart stores offered a 50-inch Samsung plasma television for less than $700 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

What Walmart doesn't have is an army of educated sales people ready to explain all the settings on the back of that SLR or the subtle differences between a high-def TV with a resolution of 1080i versus one with 1080p. But such service has become less important now that 90 percent of consumers turn to the Internet for detailed product reviews, says James Russo, Nielsen's vice president of global consumer insights.
"Consumers will do their research outside the store," says Russo. "So if Walmart has the right selection and price point, consumers will go there.

2. Smart Phones
In the past year, Walmart has beefed up its offerings of higher-end cell phones, especially Blackberries. This is good news if you've reached the end of your phone contract and are looking to compare new phones and carriers all in one place, since Walmart sells phones and service plans from each of the four largest U.S. carriers: Verizon (NYSE: VZ - News), AT&T (NYSE: T - News), Sprint (NYSE: S - News), and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT - News). So if you want to see how T-Mobile's G1 phone, which uses Google's Android operating system, matches up against Apple's iPhone, Walmart is the place for you. You can't do that at an AT&T store, or even at one of Apple's fancy boutiques.

3. Coffee
While Walmart has been criticized in the past for being more concerned with price than environmental or labor issues when sourcing its goods, one area where it's improving its record is with coffee. This year, the company partnered with TransFair USA, an independent certifying agency, to offer fair trade-certified coffee in its Walmart and Sam's Club stores. The coffee is sustainably grown by farmers who receive a living wage and is thus more expensive than competing coffees — roughly $5.88 for a 10 to 12 ounce bag, compared with less than $5 for supermarket brand Eight O'Clock Coffee. But it tastes better (or at least it should), and by selling fair-trade coffee, Walmart vastly expands the market for such goods.
Carmen K. Iezzi, executive director of the Fair Trade Federation, a North American association for such products, says Walmart's expansion of fair trade certified items like coffee was promising, although she cautioned that it's too early to tell how much impact Walmart's efforts will have. Still, coffee is a good start. "When any major corporation begins to move in the direction of more sustainable practices, that is a positive sign," says Iezzi.

4. Video Game Bundles
Of course, Walmart's primary appeal has always been its low prices, but it makes sense for shoppers to do a cost/benefit analysis: Is it worth it to save $10 on a book, when you could be supporting an independent bookseller instead? On the other hand, you can save a lot more money if you're in the market for video game systems, which Walmart often bundles with starter games. For example, Walmart was recently selling the Xbox 360 Elite gaming system, along with two games, including this season's blockbuster title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, for just $259. The game console alone sells for upward of $249 at stores such as Sears, while Call of Duty typically retails for $60. And buying video game consoles and products at Walmart is arguably a guilt-free purchase. After all, Sears (NasdaqGS: SHLD - News) isn't known for standing up against suburban sprawl.

5. Laundry Detergent
When it comes to the environment, Walmart's suppliers have often fallen far short of best practices. Now the chain is trying to clean up its act by offering more eco-friendly products. One area where it's done the most is laundry detergent. The company recently switched to selling only concentrated laundry detergent in its U.S. stores — these products use up to 50 percent less packaging and require less fuel to transport than the earlier versions. Once again, scale matters: Walmart has a serious carbon footprint, so cutting laundry detergent containers by half can have a big impact.

Walmart has taken steps to combat phosphates, which pollute the water and lead to an explosion of the algae population that destroys fish habitats and plants. The company already says there are no phosphates in detergent it sells in the U.S., and earlier this year, it announced plans to choose more eco-friendly suppliers for the laundry and dish detergent it sells in its Americas region, cutting phosphates by 70 percent by 2011. The Americas region includes Canada, Mexico, and countries in Central and South America.

And Walmart has unveiled broader initiatives to improve its eco-image. In July, the company began developing a sustainability index that will eventually rank all of its suppliers and products based on their environmental impact. "Walmart is taking some important steps, although they've still got a long way to go," says Honor Schauland, a campaign assistant at the Organic Consumers Association, a Minnesota-based consumer advocacy group.

Walmart didn't become the world's largest retailer by accident. Executives in Bentonville, Ark., are well aware that stocking sustainable products was a good way to attract a more affluent consumer. And those consumers like low prices on recognizable brands as much as anyone, especially in the current economy, says Doug Conn, a managing director at Hexagon Securities who focuses on the retail sector.

"They have picked up on trends like organics and natural products, and that has helped get new customers," says Conn. "But the key theme is that customers are more value-oriented than they have ever been this holiday season, and Walmart is the default place to go for low prices."

In other words, new customers are coming for the deals. But if they shop the categories mentioned above, they can feel good about being thrifty without worrying that they've abandoned their ideals just to save a buck.

What Not to Buy at Walmart
While Walmart has recently burnished its reputation among upscale shoppers, there are still some product categories where you'd be better off going elsewhere — either because you're straying beyond Walmart's core competency, or to avoid supporting the giant retailer's bad behavior. Here are three of them.

1. High-End Electronics
Though Walmart has expanded its selection of name-brand electronics, it's still focused on value-oriented products in the sub-$1,000 price range. And its sales staff tend not to be experts in the finer points of multimedia interface. So if you want to splurge on a top-of-the-line television or digital SLR camera — and get the accompanying level of service and accessories — you'll want to visit a specialty electronics store. Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News), for example, has a customer support team (the Geek Squad) capable of explaining why, for instance, you may need a television with several HDMI ports.

2. Books
This year, Walmart slashed prices aggressively to establish itself as the low-price leader for best-selling books. The store cut the cost of popular novels such as Stephen King's Under the Dome by 70 percent to $13.99, sparking a price war with Amazon (NasdaqGS: AMZN - News).

The Walmart/Amazon rivalry translates into incredibly low prices for consumers on some of the most popular book titles. But Walmart's prices come at a cost, say local business advocates. In the long-run, such deep discounts can drive independent booksellers out of business. And without these stores, consumers will have difficulty finding all but the most well-known authors, says Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a non-profit that advocates for local businesses.

3. Wood Furniture
Despite Walmart's increased focus on sustainability, the retailer has a long way to go in the furniture category. In December 2007, an environmental group published a report tracing furniture from Walmart suppliers to wood illegally logged in protected Russian habitats for Siberian tigers and other wildlife. Several months later, Walmart promised to investigate its suppliers and joined the Global Forest & Trade Network, an organization dedicated to eliminating illegal logging. Environmental activists have applauded Walmart's promise to purge environmentally rotten wood, but Walmart could take until a self-imposed deadline of 2013 to phase out the products. Until then, consumers can't be certain that Walmart's wood furniture comes from well-managed forests.

So do you agree? Do you own anything in these categories? Talk to me… share peoples… and have you been crafting? Not me, I have kinda been in this funk ever since the issue with the PC started. And with limited to no access to the web to find new and exciting ideas, I am sad to report that I am gonna have to skip the crafts for a few days until I can get back up and working at normal capacity again. I apologize for this, as it is very depressing to me too. I’ve laid in bed wondering what else I can do, if anything, to get my PC up and running without losing so much info… and playing games on my phone to try to keep the old blood pressure from making me stroke out! LMAO.

Now the recipe I bring you today utilizes one of my mother’s favorite proteins… mussels. She loves mussels. So I am always looking for new recipes to give to her. I was shocked to see one in the Russian cuisine honestly, but hey whatever works right? Fish is a big ingredient in the Russian culture… easily accessible to the rich or to the poor. It serves as a healthy main dish for any meal. And my mother’s comment was right on the money… it is amazing how many people will shy away foods with different names, despite how much they are similar to something they may be so familiar with… its crazy! So without further ado, here is the Russian Recipe of the day! Eat & Enjoy!



Crimean Mussel Pilaf

Ingredients:

2 qrts mussels
1 cup white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 oz butter
onion, thinly sliced
10 oz rice
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method:

It is necessary to wash mussels carefully to rid them of sand and mud. Left for an hour in 1 or 2 gallons of cold water with a handful of salt, they disgorge and release some of the sand. Clean the mussels by rubbing them against each other in the water. Change the water two or three times. A mussel may be full of mud and so vacuum-tight that even washing won't open it. To check for mud, push with your fingers in opposite directions to make both shells slide open. If the mussel is full of mud, discard it. Put the mussels in a large pan, add the white wine and garlic; cover and cook over high heat, stirring once, for 5-7 minutes or until opened. Remove from their shells, discard the beards and reserve the mussels. Strain the cooking liquid through muslin and add enough water to make it up to 700ml. Set the oven at moderate, 180°C (35O°F). Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan and cook the onion slowly until soft but not brown. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are transparent and the butter is absorbed. Add the mussel liquid with pepper. Cover the pan, bring to the boil and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir in the mussels, cover and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes. Allow the rice to stand for 5-10 minutes.

Well folks, I am sorry there have been so many problems with my postings the last couple of days. I don’t know what else to do aside from totally reformat my hard drive and lose everything… pictures, files, 12 years worth of work… all of it didn’t fit onto the few flash drives I had. Sucks I know. I will keep finding ways to get to each of you each day. I can check your comments from my phone, but the posting is what is going to be fun! So I am hoping to get on here again in the morning and see you off to a great start to a crazy weekend. Only time will tell… until then… HUGS!

EVIL LITTLE LIGHTNING

Good afternoon everyone! How are you this humid nasty day of days? Sorry I am so tardy today! I am going crazy. It’s been a rough 24 hours between the storm knocking out my computer and it not working and me getting no sleep and being in pain and such! But as my Dad tells me… this too shall pass. Oh, I want to let everyone know that mom had her procedure finally done yesterday as you probably got from her comment late last night! YAY! She is pretty sore and achy, but that’s to be expected. Give it a few days and she should know if it helped or not. Crossing our fingers it did and thanking God it didn’t turn out like last time!

Time for another kitten update! Miracle is putting on weight… kinda fast, but still… they are eating canned food and dry food and pottying without accident! They are playing so much now its great! And they are flea free! I have been checking them and haven’t found anything yet WOOHOO! I brought them out in to the living room (in the carrier of course) for about an hour this morning to try to begin introducing them to the older cats. Still a bunch of hissing and snorting… oh well I will keep trying. This is only the first time. LOL Rebel did plop his big old butt on top of the carrier as if to tell them… My house you little heathens LOL! After an hour I took them back in the back and they ate some more, pottied, and took a nap LOL… just like little kids!

Oh and just wanted to let you all know that this weekend we might be going on another “exciting adventure” that will bring you lots of funny stories and pictures. We “might” be going to the Flea Market in Pearland for a day out. One of the things on their lists was Trader’s Village, but Pearland is much closer LOL! Gotta balance the bills and books and see if we should/could/would… so stay tuned for that LMAO!

I am going to try to get some super unique crafting done during what’s left of today, but right now I want to bring you this craft as its just too super cute! It’s a recycling project of course, but something 8 out of 10 of us probably have in our car or recently used… LMAO I thought of my brother who is like a McDonald’s Frequent Flyer LMAO! Check this out!



Craft Idea of the Day: Recycled Note holder

This is a recycled craft that the kids can make for dad on his special day (with a little help from mom). It is made from a french fry container from McDonald's.
Supplies:

McDonald's french fry container
light card stock
glue (white glue, hot glue, or rubber cement)
paper punch
paper cut to size for notes
pen or pencil
Sharpie (any color)

Instructions:

Cut a piece of light card stock to cover the printing on the french fry container. Use photo as a guide. I cut mine a wee bit smaller than the container, so it is bordered in red. Decorate the card stock by printing "Notes" across the top. You can decorate it with stickers, or draw pictures such as flowers or rainbows, if you like.

Punch a hole at the center top as you see in the photo to hang the note holder. Glue the card to the front with any glue you like. Just a few dots of hot glue at the corners would work well, and adhere quickly. Add a pen or pencil and cut some paper to fit in the pocket for writing notes.
By Harlean from Hot Springs, AR

And now its time to eat! For Russian cuisine there are three principal types of meat dishes: boiled meat piece, poultry dishes and dishes made from animal organs with groats. At the moment the last group is not very popular on the table. Dishes with liver, kidneys and heart are loved by many people though. Meat dishes are usually served with groats, mushrooms, vegetables and pickles. (This one kind of reminds me of an Empanada wouldn’t you agree?)



Cheboureki

Ingredients:

2 c flour
1 c milk (water)
1/2 ts salt
2 tb vegetable oil
2 ea eggs
1 c beef
1 c pork
1 ea little onion
3 tb mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil to fry

Method:

Grind beef and pork twice in a mincer. Then add finely chopped onion, salt, pepper. To make mincemeat more tender and juicy, add mayonnaise. Stir very well and knead with hands. Reserve. Mix flour with eggs and milk, salt and oil until a soft dough forms. Knead on floured surface until dough is elastic. Take some dough and make a "sausage" (1 inch in diameter). Divide into pieces (1 inch thick). Roll each piece so that they are 1/16 inch thick. Take a little plate ( 4 inches in diameter) and make rounds with it's help on the dough. Fill each round with the mincemeat evenly, fold into half-moons. Pinch edges together and connect the opposite sides. Pour oil into the pan and heat up. Put two Cheboureki on the pan at a time and fry until golden brown on the average heat on two sides. Cheboureki are good with beer.

Alrighty my little legion of lurkers LOL… that’s all the time we have for today. I’m sorry for the super late post… blame mother nature and my dino-PC! LOL Think I am gonna go find something to eat and then craft while I download/backup the files on my PC! Ya’ll have fun and be safe in everything you do today! Until tomorrow… HUGS!

3RD TIMES A CHARM?

Good morning kids! How are you today? I am rather nervous as the doctor and hospitals are supposed to be doing my mother’s procedure this morning. I am gonna gather myself here today and go over there and make sure the house is prepped for her return!

OK remember last week when I brought you the things to do with common household things like vinegar, lemons, and baking soda? Well I have some more spots for you to find some great uses for things like Vodka, Oatmeal, Olive Oil, Ketchup, and Aluminum foil! And make sure to hop on over to The Daily Green for tons of great information about Going Green, Recycling, and LOTS more! (Reposting the other links too…)

12 Things you’ve never thought to do with Oatmeal by By Brian Clark Howard

Top 10 Weird Uses for Vodka by Brain Clark Howard

8 Surprising Uses for Olive Oil by Brian Clark Howard

9 Uses for Ketchup that may surprise you by Brian Clark Howard

12 Surprising Ways to reuse Aluminum Foil by Jeff Yeager

40 Fantastic uses for baking Soda by Melissa Breyer

Lovely Lemons: 14 Uses in the Home by Annie Bond

23 Ingenious Uses for White Vinegar by Mel

Well now for those of you who are looking for a craft for today… look no further! Today when you are eating your potato chips with lunch or you walk by the vending machine at work, I want you to think of all the wrapper crafts just waiting in there LOL. As you crunch your chips be thinking of what to do with the bag… and I have an idea for you right here!



Craft Idea of the Day: Recycled Potato Chip Bag

Materials:

Potato chip bags, cleaned, dried and cut so that they lay flat (approximately 20 large bags should be enough to make a purse)
Rotary fabric cutter
Mat to protect the table when the rotary fabric cutter is being used.
Strong carpet thread or nylon thread
Craft needle
Piece of ribbon
Large button

Directions:

Paper chip purses are colorful, fun to make, and a great way of recycling snack bags that would otherwise simply be thrown away. If you have ever made a gum wrapper chain when you were small, the same technique can be used to create a stylish and durable new purse. There are more complicated methods that can be used to construct the purse, but to make a simple purse you only need to make a single shape, plus a long chain to use for the shoulder strap or carrying handle.
Step 1: Cut the potato chip bags into pieces that are 2 inches by 4-1/2 inches, using a rotary cutter.

Step 2: If you've ever made a gum wrapper chain, the technique for making the individual pieces is exactly the same. Lay one cut piece of chip bag on the table wrong side up. Fold it in half lengthwise, creasing the fold. Then, unfold and fold each long edge in towards the center crease. After both sides have been folded to the center, fold the entire piece in half lengthwise, which will enclose the cut edges on the inside. Then, fold the piece in half the other direction, making a crease. Fold the both short edges so that they meet at the center fold and crease. Then, fold the entire piece in half so that the cut short edges are enclosed on the inside of the piece. You will make many of these pieces.

Step 3: To join the pieces, slide the edges of one piece into the slots of another, continuing the process until you have a long chain. If you've never made a gum wrapper chain before, you can check out www.gumwrapper.com/build.htm for pictures.

Step 4: Once you have a long chain made, you can start the purse by creating a circle shape that, when flattened, is as wide as you want your purse to be. Using strong carpet thread or nylon thread and a craft needle, sew the rows together by spiraling one layer above the other, fitting the notches of the chain together as you go. Sew the rows together by running the thread through the gaps of the individual links. Continue this process until the cylinder is as tall as you want your purse to be.

Step 5: Using the thread, sew the bottom edge of the purse closed. You will now have a purse shape with a closed bottom and an open top.

Step 6: Create a chain from potato chip bag pieces that is long enough to serve as the handle or shoulder strap. Attach one side of this chain to either both sides of the open end of the purse.

Step 7: Sew a large button onto the front of the purse. Then, using ribbon or a decorative piece of cord, sew a loop onto the opposite side of the open end of the purse, so that you can close the purse by looping the cord loop over the button.

Alright folks, its time to eat! Long time ago Russian desserts were called "zaedkami", that means "after-eaters", for they were served after the principal meal. Native Russian sweet dishes are kissel, compote, levashen (fruit pastila), sweet pirohi, baked apples and pears, fruit and berry preserves. So for those with a serious sweet tooth, try this recipe on for size! Eat & Enjoy!



Baba Romovaya cake

Ingredients:

3 ea eggs
5 oz flour
5 oz sugar

--Icing:
5 oz cherry juice
2 tbsp rum

--Sauce:
4 tbsp rum
2 ea yolks
8 oz cream
1 tbsp starch

Method:

Beat up eggs with sugar with the mixer until there is foam. Stir in flour very gradually and make dough very quickly. Fill in the form half (the dough wil rise twice) with dough very very carefully. Grease the form abundantly with butter and sprinkle with flour. Close all windows and doors to avoid draughts otherwise "baba" will catch a cold". Put in a warm place, don't move it. As soon as the dough rise up to the top, bake in the oven (180C) until it is golden. It is very important to keep the form of "baba" after baking. Put upside "baba" in the form down on the paper until it is cold. Don't take it out of the form until it is cold. Mix rum with cherry juice in a large bowl and sink "baba" in this syrup. Beat up yolks with cream and starch, pour in rum. Put the mass on a "steam bath" (put a smaller pan with cream mass in a large pan with water) and bring to thickening. Pour the sauce over "Baba" before serving.

Well gang, that’s all the time we have today for Frugal fun and adventure. I am gonna go sit on the end of my chair and anxiously await word on my mom’s procedure, which was SUPPOSED to be today… perhaps 3rd times a charm? Ok gang take care, I love you all, and I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

WEBSTORE IS NOW OPEN

Good morning boys and girls and welcome to another edition of the Frugal Mom! So glad you stopped in today… so tell me… how are ya? I am doing pretty good. I was up late last night and I have a busy day planned for today, but I’m good



Alright everyone… after searching and planning, I have found a site to host a small web store for free until I can pay the selling fees to open it up with lots more listings. I started working on it late last night until I went bug-eyed. I used to have an extensive yahoo site, but they shut it down (everyone not just me LOL). So this is going to take some time to get it up and running, so be patient with me LOL! But I am proud to say that Goodies Galore is back up and running! Go check it out on webs and even bookmark it LOL!

Well today for frugal, I’m bringing you an article about one of my favorite things… FOOD! Yes there are tons of ways to be frugal with food costs, and this article shows one guys perspective. See if you agree!

50 healthy foods for under $1 a pound
by Jeff Yeager, The Daily Green

If you are what you eat, then I should weigh-in at under $1 a pound. That's because, as a general rule of thumb, I try to only buy foodstuffs that costs under a buck per pound. Under $1 a pound, year-round -- that's my grocery shopping mantra.

It's not just because I'm a world-class penny-pincher and smart shopper; believe it or not, it's also about eating healthier. When you look at the USDA's "food pyramid," many of the things we should be eating the most of -- grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables -- happen to cost the least.

It's often the stuff that's bad for us (at least in large quantities) like red meat, fatty dairy products, and processed foods high in trans saturated fats, that cost the most, on a per pound basis.

To prove my point, I've put together this list of 50 healthy foods that I've purchased at least once in the last six months for under $1 a pound.

So rev-up your shopping cart, but be careful: There's a Green Cheapskate loose on aisle five!

- Apples - One a day keeps the cheapskate away.
- Asparagus - HUGE store special at 99 cents a pound during Easter week. I bought 10 pounds, blanched it, and then froze it.
- Bananas - Potassium for pennies.
- Barley - A tasty alternative to rice and potatoes.
- Beans - Canned or dried. Kidney, pinto, navy, black, red, and many more.
- Bok choy - Steam and serve with a little soy sauce.
- Broccoli - Yes, a store special. Usually closer to $2 per pound.
- Bulgar wheat - Try it in pilaf or a tabouleh salad.
- Cabbage - Green and red. I like mine fried.
- Cantaloupe - No, sorry, I can't; I'm already married.
- Carrots - Raw or steamed. Rich in carotenes, a healthy antioxidant.
- Celery - Stir-fry it for a change.
- Chicken - Whole or various parts, on sale.
- Chickpeas - AKA garbanzo beans -- mash 'em up as a healthy sandwich spread.
- Cornmeal - "Polenta" is all the rage these days, but I loved it 40 years ago when Mom called it "cornmeal mush."
- Cucumbers - Try peeling, seeding, and steaming with a little butter and salt.
- Daikon radish - My new favorite raw veggie.
- Eggs - Don't overdo them, but eggs provide high quality protein and still cost about $1 per pound. (Plus, there are many eggscellent things you can do with the shells.)
- Green beans - Frozen, but fresh are sometimes on sale for under $1 a pound in-season.
- Greens - Kale, mustard, turnip, and collard greens are rich in vitamins and a good source of fiber.
- Grapes - Store special at 99 cents a pound.
- Grapefruit - Bake with a little brown sugar on top for a healthy dessert.
- Lentils - Perhaps the perfect food -- healthy, cheap, and versatile. Think soups, salads, sandwich spreads -- and those are only some of the "s" possibilities.
- Liver - Chicken livers usually cost under $1 a pound, and sometimes beef and pork liver can be found in the DMZ ("Dollar Maximum Zone").
- Mangoes - High in fiber and vitamins A, B6, and C.
- Milk - Yep, on a per-pound basis, milk still costs well under $1 a pound.
- Napa cabbage - Delicious steamed or raw in a salad.
- Oatmeal - The good old-fashioned "slow cooking" kind ... that takes all of five minutes.
- Onions - Try baking them whole in a cream sauce.
- Oranges - Frequent sale price when in-season.
- Pasta - Store special at 89 cents a pound -- I nearly bought them out!
- Peanut butter - Special sale price, but stock up because it usually has a long shelf life.
- Pork - Inexpensive cuts of pork frequently go on sale for 99 cents per pound or less; sometimes even ham during the holidays.
- Potatoes - White and red, Baked, mashed, boiled, broiled, steamed.
- Pumpkin - Yes, you can eat the same ones you buy as holiday decorations, and they usually cost under 50 cents a pound.
- Rice - White for under $1 a pound; brown, a little more expensive but better for you.
- Rutabagas - Hated them as a kid; can't get enough of them now.
- Sour cream - 99 cents on sale, but long shelf life, so stock up. My cucumber awaits.
- Spinach - Frozen (but Popeye doesn't care).
- Split peas - Add a hambone and make the ultimate comfort soup. Try it in the crock-pot!
- Squash - Try baking acorn squash with a little brown sugar.
- Sweet corn - Canned or fresh on the cob, in-season.
- Tomatoes - Canned are often better than fresh to use in cooking, and occasionally you can find fresh on sale for under a buck, in-season.
- Turkey - A popular bargain-priced, loss-leader around the holidays -- buy an extra bird and freeze it for later.
- Turnips - Make me think of my grandparents, who always grew them.
- Watermelon - Whole, in-season melons can sometime cost less than 20 cents a pound if they're on sale and you find a big one.
- Wine - Well, at least the stuff I drink -- a 5-liter box (approximately 11 pounds) for about 10 bucks, on sale. (BTW, the beer I drink is even less expensive per pound.)
- Yams/sweet potatoes - One of the healthiest foods you can eat, and usually available year-round for under $1 a pound.
- Yogurt - 8-ounce containers on sale, two for $1.
- Zucchini - OK, they're a type of squash (above). But I love them so much they deserve their own place on the list. Plus they look great in pantyhose.

Here are a few disclaimers about my list-o-50:

No, I don't live on another planet or in a part of the country where the cost of living is deflated. In fact, I live and shop in the Washington, D.C., metro area, which has one of the highest costs of living (and groceries) in the country.

No, I'm not saying that all of these items are available in every store, at all times. But if you shop carefully, you can always find at least some variety of these foods around which to plan your meals.

Many of the items on the list (e.g., most root vegetables, bananas, beans, etc.) can usually be purchased for under $1 pound even when not on sale or in-season. Other items on the list were "store specials" and typically would cost more than $1 a pound, and/or they were in-season so cost less.

No, none of the items on my under $1-a-pound list are organically grown. The pros/cons of that debate aside, for most people with a limited budget, the choice isn't whether or not to buy expensive organic, it's whether or not to eat highly processed crap like fast food or eat inexpensive healthy foods like those on my list.

No, I'm not saying that by eating only these foods you'll have a complete, healthy diet. But they certainly can be the backbone around which to plan healthy, inexpensive menus for your family.

No, I don't burn up a lot of time and gas by running around to a lot of different grocery stores, and I rarely use coupons. I shop only once every week or two, and I usually shop at only one or two stores.

I plan my meals around the-best-of-the-best weekly store specials (aka the "loss-leaders"), the sale items that are usually on the front page of the weekly circular most stores publish. If you're not a creative cook like me, try a website like Delish or Epicurious, where you can enter the ingredients you have to work with and get all kinds of recipes.

Now look at all the money you've saved!

Jeff Yeager is the author of The Cheapskate Next Door and The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches.

I spent quite a bit of time checking out the website “The Daily Green” yester-night and let me tell you… LOADS of great information there! You should check it out! Now… lets get crafty! Remember that I brought you the reusable swiffer mop cloth back in April… well today I have found the matching duster. No more wasting your money… recycle and be green! Go on over to the blog Sew Much Ado for a great step-by-step tutorial with some great photos!



Craft Idea of the Day: Reusable Swiffer Duster

Materials:

4 7"x7" pieces flannel
4 4"x7" pieces flannel (can be co-ordinating color)
Swiffer duster handle
Thread

Note: I found that flannel works best at dusting. I also tried using microfiber (you can get microfiber cloths at the dollar store for a couple of bucks), but personally didn't like it as much as flannel. It didn't seem to hold as much dust, and made a HUGE mess as I was cutting it up. Polar fleece may also be a good alternative, but I would still prefer flannel, in my very humble opinion :).

Directions:

1. Place two pieces of 4"x7" flannel on two pieces of 7"x7" flannel, centering smaller pieces on top. Repeat with remaining flannel squares.
2. Join small and large pieces together by stitching down center of all four layers of fabric as pictured. Stack the two sets of flannel on top of each other, with the small pieces on the top and bottom.
3. Next, make the casing for the Swiffer duster handle. Fold the small pieces of fabric to one side, align the base of the prongs at the edge of the fabric, and center the prongs over the middle seam where the small and large pieces were joined together.
4. Trace close to side edge of prong all the way to the edge of fabric, leaving spaces where the curved areas of the prongs are. It is better to leave a little extra space where the curved areas are than to leave too little space. Fold small piece of fabric to opposite side and trace prongs again the same way.
5. Fold top and bottom small pieces to one side and stitch along traced lines, through all four layers of flannel.
6. Fold top and bottom small pieces to opposite side and stitch along traced lines, through all four layers of flannel.
7. Open up top and bottom small pieces at middle seams and lay flat. Slide Swiffer duster handle into the casing you have sewn, in between the 4 large pieces of flannel. Curved areas on prongs should slide into the spaces you left when you stitched the casing in step 6 and hold the handle in place.
8. Beginning with top layer of large flannel piece, trim approximately 1" of fabric from edge on both sides.
9. Continue trimming each layer approximately 1" shorter than the layer beneath it.
10. Turn duster cloth over and repeat steps 8-9 with opposite side.
11. Beginning with narrowest layer, clip edges of flannel at 1/2" intervals along length of duster.
12. Repeat with the next flannel layer beneath.
13. Continue clipping edges of all layers on each side of duster cloth.
14. Ruffle up all clipped edges.
15. Throw your new reusable Swiffer duster cloth in the washer and dryer to let the edges fray. You may need to clip some loose or dangling strands of thread.
16. Let your kids, husband, and even you (ya, you) fight over who gets to do the dusting!

Today’s Russian food focus is appetizers and breads. From olden times bread in the Russia was the evidence of hard work, prosperity and fortune. Guests were welcomed with Russian bread, holiday tables were decorated with delicious ruddy pies; pancakes are the attribute of winter seeing-off. Bread is everything’s head, says Russian proverb. Appetizers, as in any cuisine culture, and Russia is not an exception, serve as small snacks before main course. Russian appetizers (in Russian, they are called “zakuski”) were meant mainly not to provoke keen appetite but to have them with strong drinks. So, most favorite Russian appetizers were all kinds of pickles and cold meats which go best with ice cold vodka. But not only vegetable pickles were used in Russian cuisine, the abundance of sea and river food provided cooks with a wide range of various fish appetizers. So here are today’s picks to please your palate. Eat & Enjoy!



Dolmasy ( Stuffed Grapes Leaves )

Ingredients:

3 tb butter
1 c onion finely chopped
1 tb coriander finely chopped
2 tb fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh peas
black pepper
28 pickled grapes leaves
1 c chicken stock
1/2 c long-grain, white rice
300 g lean lamb ground
2 l plain yogurt
1 tb cinnamon

Method:

Melt the butter in a skillet set over moderate heat. Add the onions, lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until they are lightly colored. Transfer them to a large bowl. Bring 2 c water to a boil in a saucepan set over high heat. Stir in the rice, lower the heat and cook uncovered for 8 minutes, then drain through a sieve. Stir the rice, lamb, coriander, dill, peas, salt and pepper into the onions and stir all the ingredients together lightly but thoroughly. Taste for seasoning. Bring 4 c water to a boil in a saucepan and drop in the grape leaves. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes, uncovered, then drain. Flatten them out. Put each leaf the inner side up. Place 1 tb stuffing in the center of each leaf. Roll leaves, covering stuffing from sides like an envelope. Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in a pan just large enough to hold them in one layer. Pack them in side by side so that they retain their shape while cooking. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole tightly, lower the heat, and stew for about 45 minutes. Serve the grapes rolls with a bowl of yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon.



Galushki

Ingredients:

3 cups wheat flour
2 eggs
4 oz butter
1/3 cup water
salt to taste

Method:

Knead the dough, let it stand for 20-30 min (so it would become more sticky), roll the dough finger thick, slice into small squares (2-3 fingers wide). Drop into a boiling salty water and boil until they float on top, or a bit longer if the middle is raw. Place on a rack, let the water run off well. Fry quickly in butter on a pan, shaking the pan occasionally. You can add cubed bacon to the galushki on the pan at this point. Serve with sour cream.

OK kids, that’s about all for me today! Gonna take mom to therapy today and then once I get home spend the day getting my shopping lists and bills and such in order first so that I can relax the rest of the day with some fun crafting and kitten play. I hope you have a wonderful day and be safe in your journeys! I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

ROSEY RED RUSSIA

Здравствуйте ("zdra-stvooy-tye" Hello) and good morning to all my друзья (friends) out there in blog land! How are you doing this first day of hot summer work week? I’m good… a little stiff and a few ant and mosquito bites, but other than that… ok!

I grilled yesterday for the DH for Father’s Day and I did some additional batch grilling to use in dishes the next couple of days. I grilled some Chicken legs in 3 different flavors (Buffalo, Oriental, and Cajun) but DH ate all the buffalo ones LOL… he loves my homemade sauce! But man did he pay last night for it LOL! Ok, then I grilled a pack of brats and a pack of hot dogs. Grilled some different flavored marinated steaks and then a T-Bone for DH. Grilled some fresh jalapenos too and some homemade veggie burgers! MOM… you are trying these… you cannot tell the difference from beef! Even DH was really liking them! I made them using… well I am not telling you LOL! Gonna make some for DD’s party as we have at least 1 child I know of that is a vegetarian! I really liked it- and I’m the kinda girl that you don’t play with my burgers! LOL! SOOOO…. Gonna make a bunch more and freeze the patties so I have plenty! Even DD thought they were pretty tasty! DS wanted nothing to do with anything but the hot dogs LOL!

Ok, I have got a kitten update for you all… they are doing much better. I got them both to eat some dry cat food YAY! And they drank some pedialyte. They have also pottied in the litter pan DOUBLE YAY! 1 little oops on the floor but it was near the pan so I think he just couldn’t make it in time. ALSO (and this is a doozy LOL) I think Miracle might actually be a boy… still kinda young, so rather hard to tell… I gave them another bath last night and tried some home remedies for flea treatment (cause lets face it “au natural” is better than chemicals anyway PLUS who has that kind of money to spend on that stuff that may or may not work? NOT ME!). I am happy to report that I have gotten rid of almost all of the fleas!!! YAY!!! I used a homemade rosemary spray on Gizmo and a Lemon spray on Miracle. I also used a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in their bathing and I used Johnson’s baby shampoo to wash them and drown those pesky fleas! I’m going to give them a break in the baths today (as it takes a lot of energy out of them LMAO) and maybe 1 more treatment tomorrow and they should be completely flea free! YAY! (Insert the happy dance here! LOL) I will keep you all updated.



Ok, so I got a question… do you think it’s worth it to “go green”? How green are we, really? Well what if someone told you they saved over $10,000 going green? Would you consider it then? I sure would… so I brought you this article I thought some of you might find interesting!

New York Woman Shifts to Green, Saves More Than $10,000
by Diane MacEachern

Our latest One in a Million member is Nancy, an Episcopal priest and practicing psychologist who lives in central New York state. The One in a Million campaign encourages people to shift $1,000 of their household budget to greener products and services. I was amazed to learn that Nancy shifted so much she actually saved more than $10,000 without feeling deprived. Here's her story.

What inspired you to make so many "green" changes in your life? My doctoral studies were in MindBody medicine and holistic healing...which led directly to my first change: become a vegetarian(1991)—which reversed bone loss. In the intervening years I continued to study, teach courses, and give lectures and workshops on holistic healing and spirituality. My studies and workshop presentations expanded in 2005 after I learned about the known health risks associated with land fills at a meeting of the local chapter for the League of Women Voters. The local land fill had expanded despite opposition and was (and is again) asking to expand.

Troubled by the evidence, I began reading about recycling, which led me to studies about plastics, cleaning agents, bath and body care, cosmetics, and, surprisingly, food safety and how they affected human health and the environment. The readily available evidence was, and remains, shocking and deeply distressing. I believe that all of us need to be more conscious of the factors which affect our health and over which we can chose to have control, with our voices, pocket book, and votes. As a person living with a life-long disability I felt that, based on this new learning, I had a responsibility to act on it by making conscious choices about my life and health as I move toward retirement and continued aging!

That led to my second change: I became a vegan, eating only organic foods at home, and have reaped more health benefits than I imagined possible. No more antibiotics and hormones I didn’t chose, need or want; no more insecticides and pesticides bred into Genetically Engineered foods—as far as I can determine and choose; reading labels to avoid corn derivatives and high fructose.

All of this learning, alongside continued growth and new learning in my spirituality and prayer life, led me to my third change: a decision to become conscious and present to the world and nature around me, as well as to family, friends, and neighbors. All of life breathes the same air, is exposed to the same water, and shares the consequences of toxins in the land fill. The very least I could do was to avoid adding toxic, disposable, meaningless stuff or organic garbage, leading to my fourth change: changing my patterns of consumption, understanding the what and why of every purchase. Suddenly you see the stuff that clutters home, office, car and life. Stuff that wastes financial resources and generally obscures the meaning or purpose of one’s life. De-cluttering is a lesson in letting go and led to my fifth change, saving money as my shopping habits changed.

Are your choices for you alone or for a household? I live alone but children and grandchildren visit often. They know the routine -- I have posted a list of what items go in the paper basket, the compost pail, the small garbage basket, the shredder and the recycling can (in kitchen). The cleaning woman, handy man, and lawn person know what goes where in garage containers each week.

What was harder than you thought? Eating out with NO dairy products. My experience has been that the majority of restaurants, chefs, and cooks in small cities are not well-informed or prepared to serve vegetarians and vegans.

What was easier? The absolute easiest thing was simply adding each new change as I came to it and then living into it. I have a savings account for my ‘annual savings,’ which I use for life-giving organic foods, addressing needs (recreation, retreat, play) instead of wants, and enjoying a healthier and more purposeful life!

What's next? These changes are part of a spiritual journey that I hope will continue to evolve and deepen. I hope my example or words will save at least one person and one child from the toxic effects known to exist in our environment, water, food, and products we consume or purchase in blind faith. My greatest hope is that in the near future, Americans will take to the streets and demand accountability of corporations and government agencies for safe food and water, and non-toxic, renewable and sustainable products. If we dream GREEN, we will become GREEN!

Nancy's Green practices explained with savings:

Switch to natural cleaning agents - saving $800-900/yr. By natural, I mean: vinegar, baking soda, lemons, castile or natural soaps, peroxide, salt. NO BLEACH.

Create zero waste - saving $180/yr. The zero-waste effort led to canceling my trash service. In addition to a monthly fee, they charged per bag beyond 2 bags, which can happen if your put leaves and grass clippings out. All organics, wet garbage, yard waste, and shredded paper, compostable picnic table ware (rare) go into compost. I have two piles so one is in use while second matures and gets used up. I use the simple layer method which Cornell advocates. I take my recycling to the municipal solid waste transfer station every 3 months. I also take one (1) $3.50 large plastic bag with non recyclable, non compostable garbage once a year.

Water faucet- Drink and carry tap water - saving $500+ annually. I don’t want plastic toxins leaching every minute into my water. Plus, I want to eliminate CO2 emissions and costs of plastic bottles and transporting water world wide, often at the expense of poor people with little or no access to their own water supplies.In addition to saving money, I am expressing my personal values and beliefs in the face of big corporations that bottle and sell for profit water at the expense of poor people whose right to it has been stolen.

Buy $.99 reusable grocery bags, eliminating real costs of using and disposing of plastic bags - savings $100/yr. These bags are also often used for giving small gifts rather than purchasing gift bags or wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, bows.

Limit gift giving - saving $500. My gift giving is generally limited to a small gift to open and a donation for relief of poverty in some way (e.g. mosquito nets; poultry to raise, feed, sustain income for a family; building a school in Sudan; and now, for Haiti.) There's no over-spending for “just one more gift.” No environmental costs.

Drive fuel-efficient car less - saving an average of $100-$150/month, or $1200 - $1800/yr. As often as possible, I plan errands, appointments, and work travel so I can drive in a circle and save extra trips to buy food. There are always the unexpected trips but planning cuts down on fuel costs. If I need something at the home improvement store/mall I wait, if possible, until I have a list of everything I need from stores in that area (12 miles away). This has cut shopping trips to the mall area to 4 or less per year. I generally work from a home office, which also cuts fuel consumption.

Buy no fragrances: no perfume, scented candles, or air-freshners - saving $500+ annually. I open windows or doors; use all natural cosmetics, limited to foundation & rouge (see Cosmetics Database). Bath and body products are w/o fragrance and generally cost less. The health benefits are related to avoiding carcinogens, nano particles, phthalates, and asthma-causing ingredients.

Avoid plastic wrap -- saving $150 annually. I use brown wax paper in microwave (limited use) and re-useable plastic bowl covers or lids for food storage in glass kitchen ware. I never purchase plastic food containers.

Minimize paper -- saving $300. I use compostable picnic ware for those few times I am unable to use washable ware. I read newspapers online. When purchasing subscriptions to journals or placing catalog orders I request my contact info not be rented or sold. I am registered on the Mail Preferencing services and have a note on my credit records. This effort dramatically reduces junk mail and the amount of recycling I need to do. All loose paper goes through my shredder and is added to compost pile. Magazines and journals are generally saved or shared.

Use compact light bulbs & other efficient appliances - saving $200/yr. CFLs, which last 708 years and use less electricity, power all light fixtures. I replaced my old refrigerator 4 years ago and purchased an energy-saving dishwasher recently. I turn off my computer when away from my desk for more than two (2) hours and overnight. I turn off and unplug all electronics not in use, including the flat screen TV. I only turn on lights in rooms being occupied by a person and have attractive night lights in rooms which we may need to visit briefly after dark. My TV use is limited to evening news and occasionally a PBS special.

Buy used, refurbished goods - saving $2,000/yr, plus gas, energy and time to shop. My purchases, beyond health and house maintenance, are generally confined to gently used, repurposed, or refurbished items.

Grow own food -- saving $450-$500 on food, garden chemicals. I have two “square foot garden” boxes in which I grow organic produce every year, and share with a daughter and family. I figure I save $700.00, of which I use $350.00 for a CSA share for fruits, potatoes, and other or, unusual, vegetables I don’t grow.

Conserve water -- saving $100/yr. I installed two free rain barrels, offered by our county storm water management for attending a course on storm water. The rain barrels collect roof water run off, which I use to water front and back, including vegetable, gardens. I have a small home but collected enough water to keep both barrels full all but a few days last summer, watering daily.

Installed gravel driveway -- saving $4,000. My paved driveway was torn up to install a dry ditch four years ago (for run off from a side hill). Hard surfaces cause storm water flooding and permit toxins to reach water supplies. Without hard surfaces, ground water is filtered by soil before it reaches water supplies. Consequently I choose not to repave the drive and instead have crushed stone. (I live in a traditional, residential neighborhood.)

Feeling inspired? Take the One in a Million challenge yourself.

So tell me… as far as crafts go, is there anything you would like to see more of? And is anyone going to take the 150 day Christmas Countdown challenge with me?? I would love to hear from you guys and girls out there! As for a craft for today, well… with summer here, and my love of fruits… I saw this cute idea and had to bring it to you! You can do them in all kinds of colors, etc. Check them out!



Craft Idea of the Day: Fruit Slice Placemats

A fun and quick craft you can vary just by changing the fabrics.

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

1/4 yd of each fabric
fleece for backing
sewing machine
scissors
pins

Instructions:



Either enlarge my pattern or draw a wedge shape. By changing the fabrics, you can have a watermelon, an orange, lemon, apple, or whatever fruit you like.

For the watermelon, cut enough strips of various widths of several red fabrics, narrower at one end than the other to cover the pattern. Sew them together putting one narrow end together with a wide end until you have enough to cover the pattern. Cut out the base of your placemat.

Measure from one point around the bottom and up to the opposite point, add 2 inches. Cut this measurement from a white and a green for your outer rind and inner rind on the bias of a piece of fabric.

Sew your inner rind fabric on, being sure not to stretch the bias, iron flat. Repeat with outer rind, press flat.

Lay right side to right side with your fleece, pin and cut out. Sew a quarter inch seam leaving a 5 inch opening to turn your fruit. Turn and sew the opening shut by hand.

For the watermelon, sew "seeds" with embroidery floss. For the orange slice, divide the bottom edge into segments and draw a line from the center of the top to those segment marks. Sew with a zigzag just to the white fabric. Leave the rinds unsewn so they puff up a bit.

By Ann from Loup City, NE

OK are you ready cause today starts your new FOOD week! After thinking about what interested me, I thought about heritage… parts of my father’s family comes from the area of Lithuania/Ukraine, etc. so I decided that I would bring you some flavors from the largest country in the world… Russia! A great choice of soups in Russian cuisine is explained by the folk habit to have a soup meal at least once a day. Schi, borsch, rassolnik, botvinia, ukha, okroshka, solianka and many others has been a peculiarity of Russia since ancient times. Soups can be made on meat, fish, mushroom, vegetables or milk stocks. Russian appetizers (in Russian, they are called “zakuski”) were meant mainly not to provoke keen appetite but to have them with strong drinks. So, most favorite Russian appetizers were all kinds of pickles and cold meats which go best with ice cold vodka. But not only vegetable pickles were used in Russian cuisine, the abundance of sea and river food provided cooks with a wide range of various fish appetizers. So, we shall start the week with a soup and an appetizer to begin to tempt your taste buds… Eat & Enjoy!



Ukrainian Borscht

Borsch is the best known Russian dish beloved all over the world. To cook borsch is not an easy thing, you should know specific details to get this unforgettable sour-sweet taste and rich red color. Borsch can be made on meat, mushroom or vegetable broth. Another very important thing is to prepare beet rightly - it can be stewed, boiled, balked or steamed. Just find your way!

Ingredients:

1 qt Water
2 qt Beef stock
3 tb Sunflower oil
2 c Beer (not Lite)

-or-

2 c Beet kvass
2 ea Beets, lg. peeled & juliened
4 lb Beef, chuck w/ bone
3 tb Red wine vinegar
1/2 lb Smoked pork butt
2 tb Butter (NOT margerine)
1 ea Carrot, lg. scraped, diced
1 ea Onion, med. coarse chopped
1 ea Cabbagehead small shredded
3 tb Tomato paste
1 1/2 tb Salt
Black pepper to taste
4 tb Parsley, minced
1 c Potato, peeled & diced 1/2in
1/2 c Sour cream

Method:

In a large stockpot bring the beef to a boil in 2 1/2 qts. water with 1 tb of salt. After 10 minutes of boiling reduce heat & simmer for 30 minutes more, then remove meat, cool and remove meat from bone & cube 1/2". In a large skillet on heat the oil on medium heat. Saute the onion, beets, & carrot until they are soft. Add the potato & butter then cook for 2 minutes more. In the mean time bring the beef stock, water & beer (or kvass) to a boil in the stockpot. Add salt & pepper, vinegar, & meat. Drain the beet-carrot-onion & potato mixture & add to stockpot. Reduce heat & cook for 20 mins. then add cabbage, tomato paste & pork butt. Cook another 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat & allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight, re-heat and serve. A large dollop or 2 of sour cream in the soup is mandatory when served. Allow each person to stir it in themselves.

*NOTE: You may add 1 1/2 cups of cooked white beans to this soup if you wish but if you do so soak them in the vinegar then add them to the soup.



Russian Meat Balls In Vodka

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds hamburger,
2 eggs, slightly beaten,
2 cups cracker crumbs,
1/2 pounds ground lean pork,
1 cup milk,
1/2 teaspoon lemon rind,
1/4 teaspoon nutmet,
1 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon pepper,

Method:

Mix well and let stand for 1 hour, then form into small balls. Brown in a skillet in drippings along with 3 cups thinly sliced onions for about 15 minutes. Remove from pan. To the drippings, add 1 cup sour cream and thicken with 2 tablespoons flour and 1 can condensed beef bouillon; cook until blended, then add onions and meat balls. Blend in 1/2 cup dry vermouth and 2 ounces vodka.

Well there you have it folks… the start to another rather interesting week. I think I am gonna go sew me some more totes and other crafts and see what other kind of trouble I can get into! Thanks for stopping in and I hope to see you again tomorrow! HUGS!