Dear Frugal Upstate, I was looking at your How to Dehydrate Pumpkins post and was wondering–do you have to use pie pumpkins or can you use uncarved pumpkins from Halloween? Britty That’s a good question Britty! The short answer is yes, you can use an uncarved Halloween pumpkin, but the flavor might not be very… Keep Reading
Using Cold Frames in a Northern Winter — Update
This year Yankee Bill built me some lovely cold frames. They are made out of reclaimed lumber from a building that was being torn down by his NY Guard unit and two glass doors. One of those doors-an old sliding glass door-we’ve had since before we moved in to the Frugal Upstate Village Homestead– because… Keep Reading
Recipe: Pizza Money Bread
Who doesn’t love pizza? Or Monkey Bread? Put them together and you’ve got a sure fire, pull apart hit on your hands!This is more of a technique than an actual recipe. It takes a little bit of hands on time to do, but the kiddos can help and everyone will enjoy eating the final product…. Keep Reading
Stretching Dinner: Using Starches
As grocery prices continue to creep up I think all savvy household managers are looking for ways to stretch their grocery budget. Especially if they have, oh, a teenage male in the house! In most grocery budgets meat and dairy take up a big chunk of the available funds. Many frugal living articles and books give… Keep Reading
Readers Question: Information on Dehydrating
A couple of days ago I posted about how I’ve been busy putting up the harvest. There has been a lot of great conversation in the comments on that post. Kimberly in particular had a couple of questions regarding dehydrating. As I told her, I always assume if one person actually takes the time to… Keep Reading
Tutorial: Hot Water Bath Canning
Have you been wanting to try canning your own food using the hot water bath method, but been too intimidated to try? I know I was for a long, long time! Believe it or not, it takes me a while to wrap my mind around a new idea before trying it. I like to read,… Keep Reading
Free Food: Foraging Dandelion Greens
For years I have wanted to try picking & cooking dandelion greens. Despite the fact that I grew up in the country, and our yard was constantly full of cheerful yellow blooms, I had never eaten them. I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to get around to trying them–I guess the… Keep Reading
Walmart Meal Solutions: Spaghetti Dinner
It’s time to talk about Walmart’s Meal Solutions again! This is the segment where I tell you what meal Walmart is highlighting for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Look for the “Tonight’s Menu” signage at your local Walmart so you can just grab & go with the things you need to make this meal:… Keep Reading
Recipe: Apple Sausage Strata
Want something a bit different for dinner that evokes the flavors of fall? Try this recipe for a delicious and unusual strata that combines apples, onions, sausage & cheese! Pair this entree with a crisp salad or some steamed vegetables for a lovely fall dinner. Photo by Helen Taylor If you have a frugal recipe… Keep Reading
FLIA: Making Breadcrumbs
It’s the little frugalities in lfe that we sometimes forget to talk about-like tossing a bunch of breads odds & ends on some racks to dry out so I can make homemade breadcrumbs to store in the freezer. Using up those odds & ends instead of letting them get moldy then throwing them out…well that’s… Keep Reading
