I’ve been wanting to try making homemade flour tortillas for a long time! This week is the start of Lent, so I’m posting a fish taco recipe in homage to the Lenten tradition of meatless Fridays–that gave me the perfect excuse to just bite the bullet and try tortillas! And you know what? They were… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 2/11
Welcome to Valentines week! Do you have any special plans? We’ve got a few little fun things to do 🙂 Here’s what I’ve got to plan around this week: 1. We’ve got the regular stuff–dance 2x, Boy Scouts, Odyssey of the Mind practices, Pool League. . . but we are adding in to it an… Keep Reading
Saving items for reuse–how much is too much?
As I finished off the instant oats the other morning I looked at the container and thought: There MUST be something I can use this for! I mean it’s a nice sturdy cardboard container. It’s got a metal bottom. And a lid. My mind immediately sped through the options-I could make a bank. I could… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 2/4
Welcome to February everyone! I hope folks aren’t too worn out from the Superbowl last night. We had my brother over, made a few snacks and watched the game. Well, the guys watched the game, the kiddos played Minecraft and Pocket God on our phones and I watched commercials and eventually fell asleep on the… Keep Reading
Quick Tip: Perfect Pasta the Easy Way!
We all know the drill to make pasta. Bring the water to a boil. Drop the pasta in. Boil 8-10 minutes. . . and hope it doesn’t boil over. What if I told you there was an easier way? One that uses less electricity? That never boils over? And that puts less heat into your… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 1/29
Did you wonder what happened to my meal plan last week? Well so did I! I tell ya-it’s always much more chaotic around here when I don’t sit down and make one. I’ve got several things to consider this week: 1. There is family in town until Wednesday. Although no one is staying at our… Keep Reading
Meal Plan 1/14/13
This week I’m helping Buddy work on the “Fitness” badge for his Webelos (that’s cub scouts folks!). Part of the requirement is to learn about nutrition both via reading and through activities. Believe it or not, part of that is to help plan a weekly menu and then at the end of the week discuss… Keep Reading
Reader’s Question: Are Ball & Kerr the Only Source of Safe Canning Recipes?
Dear Frugal Upstate, I am trying to learn about canning. I called our local home economist and she told me not to try any recipes except for what is in the current Ball or Kerr canning books. Does that mean I can’t use recipes from any other source? Do you have any sources where I… Keep Reading
Midwinter Pickle Crock
We are right in the middle of our cold, damp winter here at the Frugal Upstate Village Homestead: Snowman is courtesy of Yankee Bill and kiddos In the middle of this weather it gave me a great amount of joy to head down to the basement and pull the crock of refrigerator Kosher Dill Pickles… Keep Reading
Skills for 2013
Have you ever really thought about skills? What skills you have, what skills you should develop–what skills will last a lifetime. . .Things come and go, but skills are yours to keep. I know it sounds all corny-but it’s true. I have tons of appliances in my kitchen–but those aren’t what make me a good… Keep Reading
