Most of my cookie recipes make several dozen cookies. Which is a good thing since I live with several cookie monsters! The problem: I only own 2 cookie sheets. After removing freshly baked cookies from the oven, I wash the cookie sheets in cold water and thoroughly dry them before using them on the nextRead More
Brazilian Rice with Green Peas
Here’s an easy-one pot recipe for Brazilian Rice (a type of fried rice) with green peas. As you will see, our garden’s output of green peas prompted this recipe. I have been harvesting peas a handful at a time. I wanted to use them in our meals, but I needed a recipe that did notRead More
My Little Tagger
We forgot to explain that sidewalk chalk is to be used only on the sidewalk! I walked out on to the porch and was greeted with letters on the soap box where I keep my gardening tools. Side view of soap box. Can you find the word cat on the loveseat? Have you figured outRead More
Menu Plan – Week of July 22
I am going to take advantage of the abundance of vegetables growing in our garden this week. On Monday morning I am going to broil a couple of pounds of chicken, chop it up, and use it cold in salads. I am hoping that the variation in the salad seasonings will distract my family fromRead More
Coupons for Organic Items Do Exist!
After last month’s great coupons, I have been disappointed with the coupons floating around right now. So I was excited when I found a link to a coupon for .75 off/1 Santa Cruz Organics at Money Saving Mom. Whole Foods Market and Savemart both had Lemonade on sale for $1.50, when combined with coupons theyRead More
Cooking with Lavender
I love growing lavender, but I am not really a potpourri person. Loathing waste, I did some research to find alternative uses for lavender. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it can be used in cooking! English Lavender is best for culinary purposes, because it has the sweetest fragrance, but I just useRead More
Summer Gardening Tips to Beat the Hot, Hot Sun
I have found that a number of plants that did very well in full sun in other states shrivel up and die under the hot, hot desert sun of Northern Nevada. I read an article a couple of years ago about little things that people can do to change the environment of their yards toRead More
Using an Oil Dispenser to Save Dish Soap
Ten years ago, I walked into my friend’s kitchen and noticed that she was using an oil dispenser to hold her dish soap. I don’t remember where she got the idea, but I remember that she did it for aesthetic reasons. She wanted to be able to leave her dish soap out, but thought thatRead More
Cola Cake
If you haven’t ever tried cola cake, you’re in for a real treat! When I was growing up, we called this Rocky Road Cake, but I discovered that it was also called cola cake when I lived in the south. It is extremely decadent; after looking at the ingredients you will tell me that IRead More
Dinner Menu for the Week of 6/15
I replaced last week’s scrambled eggs night for frittatas. Monday – Teriyaki Chicken, Basmati Rice, Glazed Carrots Tuesday – Use leftover chicken and carrots in stir fry, use leftover rice to make fried rice Wednesday – Use leftover chicken to make a version of Asian Chicken Salad Thursday – Roast Beef, Bacon Ranch ChoppedRead More
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Nothing says Chocolate Cake Quite Like a Zucchini! Those of you with a garden know that one zucchini plant can produce so much that it challenges you to find ways to use them. There are many delicious and nutritious way to serve zucchini; I recommend cooking it in chocolate cake! It is easy to eatRead More
Hooked On DVD Binders
I am always looking for ways to organize and make the most of our limited storage space. We have accumulated quite a few DVD’s, though the pace has slowed down considerably since we joined netflix. The DVD’s were kept in a linen closet, along with games and art supplies, so there wasn’t much room forRead More
Reusing Tissue Boxes and Grocery Bags
Sometimes I forget to bring my reusable grocery bags to the store which leaves me with left over plastic bags. And although we use cloth handkerchiefs, I do keep tissue for our guests, which leaves me with leftover tissue boxes. So I combine two leftover items and create a new use for them: I realizeRead More
The Determined Gardener
When someone asks me what gardening method I follow I can’t give a simple answer. I use a mish mash of gardening techniques: square foot gardening, succession gardening, raised bed gardening, and companion gardening. Taking from each what will best help me in my circumstances. Last night I was thumbing through Weather-Wise Gardening and whileRead More
Finding Time to Clip Coupons…
Plan Shopping Trips and Prepare Menus I was chatting with a couple of friends, who I have known for over 5 years, and the subject rolled around for the very first time to dinner plans and grocery shopping. We have shared recipes and cooked for each other numerous times, but we had never discussed howRead More
Organizing Seed Packets
This is how my seed packets were organized: I realize that this is unacceptable, but had not been able to come up with a better solution. Then I remembered the bamboo box that my flowering teas were packaged in and realized that it would make the perfect seed organizer. I sorted the seeds in rowsRead More
Reusing Butter Wrappers to Grease Pans
Revisiting the Idea of Reusing Butter Wrappers: I know you are thinking, “can’t she just throw some things away”. Well, actually, no I can’t. At least not without thinking hard about any potential uses the item might have. When baking I set the butter (or margarine) wrappers aside and use them to greaseRead More
Skillet Meatballs and Vegetables
This skillet meatballs recipe is a complete one-dish dinner with potatoes, carrots, and peas. This Skillet Meatballs Recipe with Vegetables is a favorite from my childhood. When we were young, my sister and I called it “Kitchen Garden Skillet,” but that wasn’t the recipe’s name. I don’t remember why we called it that, or theRead More
Dinner Menu Plan Again
Monday – Teriyaki Chicken, Basmati rice, corn, and garden salad Tuesday – Use leftover chicken in tacos, use leftover rice to make Mexican Fried Rice, refried beans Wednesday – Use leftover chicken in Asian Chicken Salad Thursday – Kitchen Garden Skillet (This was a hit last week, so I am repeating it again thisRead More
Hooked On Making No/Low Sugar Jam
Are you looking for a great no-sugar-added or low sugar jam recipe? Here’s how I make homemade jam without added sugar, and our family just loves it! This is a repost with an update. I decided to try Ball’s Natural Gel No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin ($1.56 at Walmart. There is a .50 cent couponRead More
