Welcome to a typical busy week at Frugal Upstate! Most weeks (I’ve been bad the last few) I try to make a meal plan for my family on Monday. I find that it really helps to reduce food waste (because I actually have a plan to use up things in the fridge and freezer) and… Keep Reading
How to Make Basil Butter
Here’s a quick one for you today–How to make Basil Butter! Yes, I know that for most of us the gardening season is over–and making this butter in any quantity is really most cost effective if you have home grown basil. Personally I made this about 3 weeks back when I realized that I had… Keep Reading
Around the Web: How to take out your jean waistband.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve done an “Around the Web” item! Here’s a neat tutorial I found the other day–it shows you how to let out your jeans at the waistband to get more use out of them! Now that could be handy! How to take out your waistband at Cotton and Curls
Meal Plan 10/8
Did you notice there was no meal plan last week? yeah. I never got around to it. Sigh. And the whole week felt like I was playing catch up. I am SO much more in charge of my week when I start out with a meal plan! These are the considerations for this week: 1. … Keep Reading
Red Cross Online Babysitting Course
Here’s something I though you all might find cool–online babysitting courses from the Red Cross! Princess is 12 right now, and this spring when she turns 13 we will consider letting her begin babysitting. Of course, I’d feel more confident if she took a class. Plus I think that parents will feel more confident with… Keep Reading
Basil Salt
Have you ever heard of Basil Salt? Recently in a forum I frequent someone mentioned putting basil salt on a garden fresh tomato sandwich–I was intrigued. It turns out that basil salt is not only incredibly easy to make, but tastewise it is a revelation. Who could have ever guessed something so simple would taste… Keep Reading
Crab apples
This year there is a bumper crop of apples here in New York, both crabapples and your standard apples. Why? Well, it’s probably a combination of reasons–but I think one of the biggest is that LAST year in the spring we were hit with a hard frost that killed most of the apple blossoms before… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 9/16
Welcome to another week at the Frugal Village Homestead! The temperatures have dropped, the leaves are starting to fall, and it feels more like late October then mid November around here. Cooler weather always means the return of hearty soups, comforting casseroles and roasted vegetables. Mmmm! So this is what I’m working with this week… Keep Reading
First Heartbreak
So this morning Princess comes downstairs crying–her pet guinea pig (who’s name really is Princess) was acting very, terribly sick. She’s 12, and she’s smart. . . she knew that this wasn’t good. My daughter got Princess the guinea pig when she was 7. She has always been quite attached–unlike many children who sort of… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 9/9
Welcome to this week’s meal plan! Are you all trying as desperately as I am to get into a regular back to school schedule? It’s only the second week of school for us (and the first full week) so our sleep schedules are still off, our daily routine is still pretty rough and we just… Keep Reading
