Frugal Friday: Meaningful Gift Giving

I first want to share a post that I wrote a few years ago on our family blog:

"Giving is always important, but the Christmas season tends to bring out the desire in us to give even more. When we act on that desire to give and share with others, we feel good inside. That feeling is often described as the spirit of Christmas. While giving is better than not, meaningful giving is even better. Some ideas of meaningful gifts include:

• Gifts that satisfy a need
• Acts of service, giving of yourself
• Gifts that show your love or support

Here's an experience that happened to me when I was in college that taught me a lot about meaningful giving. It was the Christmas season which of course means that it's also finals time and students are very busy. I woke up one day very sick. I was supposed to study with a study group later on that day, but I was too sick to even get out of bed. All of my roommates had left earlier that morning so I was alone. I went back to sleep and woke up a few hours later to the phone ringing. It was my study group calling to find out where I was. I told them I wouldn't be able to make it because I was sick. A little while later, I heard a knock at the door and there was my study group. They brought me some food and did all the dishes in the sink. After making sure I didn't need anything else, they left to study. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant a lot to me. My friends took care of my needs - they brought me food, they served me by doing the dishes, and most important, they showed their love and support to me. Their gift of love to me was akin to the love shown by Jesus Christ to those around him. Jesus was always about doing good and serving his fellowmen. He performed acts of meaningful service and love everywhere he went.

Sometimes it's hard to think of meaningful gifts. It takes time and effort to find out needs and try to meet them. There are plenty of reasons and justifications that we can come up with for not giving. But giving is what we should do. No matter how much we have or don't have, we can always give. Sometimes the best gifts are as simple as a kind word or a smile. Let's cultivate and attitude of giving this Christmas season and look for meaningful gifts that will bless those around us."

I've been thinking a lot about meaningful gift giving. My youngest son and I were talking a few weeks ago about the reason for Christmas. He told me that the reason for Christmas was the gift that Jesus gave to us. And then he said, "But I don't remember opening that gift." We talked about how this gift that Jesus gave didn't come wrapped up under the Christmas tree like other gifts we receive at Christmas time. And yet that gift is more important than any other gift we could receive. Our Savior's gift was just what we needed, showed pure love and was truly a gift of Himself.

I invite you to remember the true reason for Christmas this year and to open your hearts and give meaningful gifts. Gifts of time and of love. Gifts of peace and brotherhood. Gifts of teaching and listening. Gifts of smiles and gifts of patience. These are the true gifts that our families, our neighborhoods and our communities need more than any token gift that could be bought, wrapped, and placed under the Christmas tree. In our rush to fill the void under the tree, lets not create a void in our hearts. By simplifying the tokens under the tree, we have more time and energy and patience to spend with the ones we love the most.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and that joy and that love will fill your hearts and homes and families!



Linked to: Frugal Friday

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Whole Grain Apple Trifle

With the holidays here, there are treats and more treats to be had! And I love Christmas treats! Probably a little too much. Today I'm excited to share with you this recipe that I made last week for a Christmas party. I got a lot of great compliments on it. Yes, it's a treat. And not a really, really healthy one. But...my philosophy is, if you're going to have a treat, put SOME healthiness into it. And this recipe fits the bill: Yes, a treat, but lots of wholesome goodness added to it. And no, you can't tell...it still tastes like a treat! YUM!

Whole Grain Apple Trifle
Printable Recipe

*What I loved about this recipe was that the whole-grain cake didn't get soggy like some trifles do. In fact, it was still delicious leftover two days later! 

INGREDIENTS:
Cake Ingredients (see below)
Caramel Sauce ingredients (see below) or 1 bottle caramel ice cream topping
3 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
6 Cups milk
1 tsp. apple or pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 Cups chopped pecans, optional
2 21-oz. cans of apple pie filling (I used 2 quarts of homemade...yum...)
2 16-oz. containers of Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: First bake your cakes.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup White Flour
2 Cups Wonder Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup White Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 Cups milk

CAKE DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two 9" round pans. In a medium bowl combine sugar, flours, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate larger bowl cream together sugar and softened butter until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture and beat well. Then add flour mixture and milk alternately and mix until smooth and creamy. Pour cake mix into the 9" greased pans and bake 350 F for 22-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Let cakes cool completely.

Step 2: While cakes are cooking and cooling, cook and cool caramel sauce or skip this step if you are using the bottled ice cream topping.

CARAMEL SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream (you can use evaporated milk if you don't have whipping cream)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. of vanilla

CARAMEL SAUCE DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in cream (or evaporated milk), salt and vanilla. Stir often and heat until it gently boils. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken when cooled.

Step 3: Assemble trifle as follows.
Use a large glass bowl, a trifle dish or punch bowl to serve. Break up a one of the cooled cakes into the bottom of the bowl, poke holes in it and drizzle 1/3 of the caramel topping over the cake. Add 1/2 Cup of pecans (if desired) and 1/2 of the pudding mixture. On top of the pudding layer one can of the apple pie filling and one carton of Cool Whip. Repeat these steps with the cake, caramel, pecans (if desired), pudding, apple pie filling and Cool Whip. Top off the trifle with the remaining 1/3 of caramel sauce and the remaining pecans, if desired. Refrigerate until serving (best if refrigerated at least an hour).

Recipe Sources: Recipe adapted from Blue Skies Ahead and Smashed Peas and Carrots

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Frugal Friday: Gratitude

Today I want to talk about Gratitude. You may be wondering what gratitude has to do with being frugal, but hopefully I can explain with this picture:

It does, doesn't it? Being grateful means counting the blessings that already surround us instead of counting the multitudes of things we don't have. I love this quote by Sarah Ban Breathnach:

"All we have is all we need. All we need is the awareness of how blessed we really are."

So lets focus ourselves and our family's on counting those blessings that we have. When we start to realize how much we truly have, it will help temper the desire to accumulate more and more.

And this is a perfect month for it - the month of Thanksgiving. Here are a few ideas that I love for helping your family share what they are grateful for this month:

1. Start listing out things you are grateful for and put them on the walls of your home. Maybe it's a thanksgiving tree like this one,
2. Or a fat turkey with feathers like this one,
3. Or a thankful chain like this one.
4. Start a thankful journal or a blessing book.
5. For thanksgiving set a plain tablecloth and have family members sign their names and what they are thankful for. You could make it a tradition and use the same cloth every year that you add to like this one.

What better way to kick off the holiday season than by focusing ourselves and our families on what we already have. And truly feeling grateful. Then when the glitter and sparkle of ads, commercials and toy catalogs induces us to spend, spend, spend and buy, buy, buy and get, get get this holiday season, maybe we'll remember what's really important. Maybe instead, we'll thank the Great Giver of all for what we already have: food on our tables, love in our hearts, and more than enough bounty than we really need.

What are you grateful for today? I'd love to hear your thoughts on gratitude or anything else you want to share. I hope you have a Happy Frugal Friday and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Hearts 4 Home, Thrifty Thursday, Finer Things Friday, Frugal Tuesday, Mommy Club

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Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash

Tuesday night our family dinner theme is fish/meatless. This is one of my favorite dishes to make on Tuesday nights when squash abounds during the fall. I actually adapted the recipe from this Betty Crocker Recipe for Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin that we love. I converted it from a side dish to being a full meal. This is a great no-hassle recipe that is both healthy and delicious!


Parmesan Baked Tilapia and Butternut Squash
Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 lb. Butternut Squash
1/4 Cup butter
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 Cup bread crumbs *See Note
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets
1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

*Note: We like panko bread crumbs because they are extra crispy. If you are trying to make this gluten free, I've also done this recipe with chopped up pistachios and it is delicious.

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400 F. Spray a stone or glass baking or casserole dish with cooking spray. Peel squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut squash into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices in the bottom of baking dish, slightly overlapping.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add the chopped garlic. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until garlic softens and you smell a strong garlic aroma, being careful not to let the butter brown.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of the butter-garlic mixture. Brush the squash slices with about half of the remaining butter-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with about half of the bread crumb mixture. Bake uncovered in the preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes.

Remove dish and increase oven temperature to 425 F. Rearrange squash slices to the sides to leave room in the center of the casserole pan. Lay the tilapia in the center of the baking dish, being careful not to overlap. Brush remaining garlic-butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake in the preheated 425 F oven for 20 minutes or until squash is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Before serving, sprinkle parsley over the top if desired.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin by Betty Crocker

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Frugal Friday: Living on the Edge Financially

I know a lot of folks that have been hit by hard times financially. And who knows how soon that will start to change. It makes me sad to see people that struggle to make it month by month by month with an almost insurmountable task to make every penny stretch as far as it can go. That's tough. Really tough. Maybe they've lost a job. Maybe they've had some major medical expense. Maybe for some other reason. These are folks who live on the edge of their incomes, not by choice, but really because they have no other choice. If you're in that boat and are making it work, I applaud you! Good for you! That's amazing. I hope along with you that this is only temporary for you.

But I know a lot of folks who may think they're in that same boat, but they're not. Maybe they blame it on a financial crisis, but really there's always a financial crisis with these kinds of people. No matter what they make, every month's income is spent. Completely. If the income rises, so do the expenses. These people think they are being financially responsible because they try not to accrue much debt. But they also leave no cushion. They are much like a toddler trying to walk a balance beam that's narrow and rickety. Can they do it? Yes they are capable as long as the balance remains. But what happens if one toe steps off? Or in the case of finances, one extra expense comes up that was unexpected? It's so easy to fall off when you are living on the edge.

Living on the edge financially means spending all or more of your income every month. 

So how do you stop living on the edge? You start to build up a safety cushion. You SAVE. Not just later. Not just when you're life will get easier in the bright, far off future. You save now. You set aside money each month before expenses. Not after. After expenses there will be nothing. So count on that. You will always have expenses. So you save first.

How much do you save? Sit down with a budget and plan out your necessary expenses. Notice I said necessary. You have to be careful with this and you might want to read my post on luxuries vs. necessities before you do it. Then determine how much you can possibly save each month. Be honest with yourself, realizing that this is your key to financial freedom and stability. Save as much as you possibly can.

Once you've figured out how much to save, then you need to apply it. As soon as you are paid you transfer the amount you decided on to savings. You can do a transfer yourself or even have it done automatically - there's lots of jobs that will let you transfer $ to savings automatically through direct deposit. However you choose to do it, do it religiously. Especially if you've fallen into the habit of always spending what you have.

Each month, as you save a little more and a little more, your safety cushion will grow. If you do happen to fall off the edge a little, you'll have a cushion built up so that you won't fall so far and it's easy to step right back on.

Now I'd like to hear from you...Have you ever struggled with living on the edge of your income? In what ways have you found to cut expenses so that you could save even more?

Happy Frugal Friday everyone. I hope you have a lovely day.

Linked to: Frugal Friday,

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Applesauce Bread

Mmmh I love apple season. Crisp, juicy, crunchy, perfectly ripe apples. There's really nothing to compare with a fresh, home-grown, picked-at-it's-peak apple. And if you've never experienced it because you don't have apple trees, go read my post on food foraging. You don't have to have fruit trees to find good fruit. 

This year I inherited my Grandmother's champion juicer, which I love. It's been so much fun to make fresh apple juice and we've enjoyed it immensely. But there's always this question of what to do with the skins and pulp that comes out... One day I was considering this and I wondered if it would work to use the skins and pulp in a recipe that calls for chunky applesauce... So I pulled out this family favorite recipe for applesauce bread and used the skins and pulp from the juicer and guess what? It worked great! I'm so excited. I've already made 6 loaves of this bread this year and have enough pulp to make at least 10 more....so you know what we'll be eating for the next several weeks...

I hope you enjoy this delicious whole-grain applesauce bread. It is perfect for a healthy dessert or after-school snack. Enjoy!

Applesauce Bread
Printable Recipe

*Makes 2 loaves

*This recipe freezes great!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup wonder flour *See Note below
2 Cups whole wheat flour *See Note below
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. allspice
1 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup brown sugar, packed
½ Cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 Cups chunky applesauce
1 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two bread pans with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine butter and both sugars together. Add the egg to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well, and then stir in applesauce. Next add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until the batter is fully incorporated, but do not over mix. Fold in walnuts or pecans if desired. Pour into bread pans and bake at 350 F for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when pierced through the center.

*Note: Try any combination of whole-grain flour

*Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's that spooky time of the year that's so much fun for kids! We'll have a ninja and a dinosaur running around here this year on Halloween...unless the dinosaur changes his mind and becomes a dog. It remains to be seen until the moment with him, but that's all part of the fun.

One of our favorite family activities for fall is carving pumpkins. The kids love to design their own on paper, even though they're not old enough to use the carving knives yet. This time of the year more than any other, it's important to find healthy snacks to give kids (and ourselves) to make sure we're still getting some nutrition in the midst of all the treats. Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of our favorites!

Pumpkin seeds are very healthy. They are high in fiber, high in zinc and contain lots of those essential fatty acids. Be sure to roast your seeds at or below 300 degrees to protect the inherent good fats. Here's what I do:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Printable Recipe

Rinse seeds in a colander. Make sure that all the pumpkin pulp has been removed. Place seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add butter, canola or olive oil (2 Tbsp. for every 1 cup of seeds). Lightly sprinkle with salt or try one or more of the seasoning ideas below. Bake 250 F for 1 hour, turning the seeds every 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week (or set them on the counter and watch them disappear!).

Seasoning Ideas:

• Garlic Salt 
• Onion Salt 
• Soy Sauce 
• Worcestershire Sauce 
• Cinnamon-sugar 
• Seasoned salt 
• Cayanne pepper 
• Cajun seasoning 
• Taco seasoning 
• Chili Powder 
• Smoked Paprika 
• Lemon Pepper 
• Italian Seasoning 

Have you tried any of these flavors? What's your favorite?

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Frugal Friday: Wealth vs. Income

Here's something to think about this Frugal Friday:

"most people have it all wrong about wealth. … Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.”
Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, The Millionaire Next Door (1996)

I think this is an important financial idea that each of us should understand as we try to live within our means. Sometimes we see someone who dresses really nice or owns a fancy car and think to ourselves, "wow, they've got bucks!" But is that really the case? If you apply the idea above, perhaps what we should really be thinking is, "Wow, they've spent a lot of money." That's a whole different concept, now isn't it? They don't "have it" because they've "spent it".

I'd love to have a discussion. Why do you think this is important? How can you use it to modify your family's spending habits? How can it change the way you view yourselves in terms of those around you? Other thoughts on what is wealth vs. income, anyone?

Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend!

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Hearts 4 Home, Thrifty Thursday

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Navy Bean Soup

What tastes better on a cool day then a warm, savory soup? Here's a family favorite recipe that you can make in the pressure cooker or crock pot and is sure to be a hit with old and young alike. How about serving it for dinner tonight along with a loaf of fresh homemade bread?

Navy Bean Soup {Pressure Cooker Method}
Printable Recipe (Pressure Cooker Method)

*This is my preferred method to make this soup. It's faster and everything seems to come out more tender and savory!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks
2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
7-1/2 Cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker, being careful not to fill water over the fill line. If necessary, use less water. I use a 6-quart cuisnart electric pressure cooker and it fills the pressure cooker just barely at the fill line. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Pressure release using quick or natural release method. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Add 6-8 cups of hot water or until soup reaches a good consistency. Stir and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Love the pressure cooker? Check out more pressure cooker recipes here or follow my pressure cooker board on pinterest!

Navy Bean Soup {Crock pot Method}

Printable Recipe (Crock Pot Method)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups dried navy beans

12 Cups water

1 meaty ham bone, 2 lbs. ham shanks or 2 lbs. smoked pork hocks

2 large potatoes, washed and diced (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 Cup)

2 medium stalks celery, chopped (1 Cup), optional

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Cups cooked and pureed pumpkin or other winter squash

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high heat 4-6 hours until beans are tender. Just before serving, remove ham bone, chop meat and return to the soup. Serve warm.

*Note: This soup also makes great leftovers and it freezes well.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

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Frugal Friday: There, there, little luxury...

There is a saying that goes like this:

There, there, little luxury, don’t you cry. You’ll be a necessity by and by.

Have you had the experience of watching someone (or maybe yourself) start out by getting a little luxury and soon not being able to live without it?

I have! In fact I've done it. Many times.

Now I really don't think that it's necessarily necessary to eliminate all of these hidden luxuries, but I do think it's important to realize what they are. Being able to distinguish between a luxury and a need is especially important for times of financial stress. I know many people who struggle to meet their basic needs, while still trying to maintain their luxuries. When and if our budget strings are pulled, if we understand what is a luxury, we could start to tighten down by eliminating those items first in order to be able to still meet our basic needs.

What are the luxuries that you enjoy that have become necessities?

Two cars? Yes. What about one car? Isn't that a luxury in many cases where public transportation systems are sufficient? I think perhaps it is. What about the kind of cars? New? Expensive? Yes, I think those qualify as a luxury. In times of financial stress, if a car really is a need, wouldn't it still meet the need by being a low cost, used car that still runs? Something to think about...

What about entertainment? Gaming systems? DVDs and Video games? TVs? Ipods? Luxuries? I think yes.

Food is a basic necessity, but can't it also be a luxury? Dessert? yes. Eating out? yes. What other food costs could be termed a luxury?

I think this same thought process could apply to all expenses. And when you sit down and think about it, not only does it help you become more aware of what you could trim during times of financial stress, it also makes you truly grateful for what you have. If you are reading this blog post right now, that means you have access to the internet. If you have access to the internet (and even the time to read a post about luxuries), that means you have more than much of the world's population. And that necessarily means that you must have some luxuries (probably quite a few) that could be trimmed back down to the basics in order to help you be financially stable. I know I do.

Anyway, it's something to think about and consider as you work to create your own healthy family. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you know people who struggle with this? Have you had any success in trimming out those little luxuries in your budgets?

Happy Frugal Friday everyone! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Hearts 4 Home, Thrifty Thursday, Finer Things Friday, Frugal Tuesday, Mommy Club

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Toasty Oat Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls are one of those foods growing up that were long sought after and tasted like they were full of love. My favorite memories include coming home from school to yummy hot-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls waiting as a snack. I can still taste them in my mouth and feel their warmth in my heart. I want to share those same wonderful experiences that I had as a child, with my own children. I want them to feel welcomed and to know that home is where they will always be loved.

Here's a recipe that I love for cinnamon rolls made out of my favorite oat bread recipe. The seasons are changing and the air is getting cooler. What better time to serve these as a special after school snack?

Toasty Cinnamon Rolls

Printable Recipe

*I love to make a batch of cinnamon rolls when I’m making bread. The leftovers freeze great and are perfect to warm up for later.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 recipe of Oat Bread Dough or 2 lb. of your favorite whole grain bread dough

¼ Cup butter, softened

½ - ¾ Cup brown sugar

¼ Cup white sugar

Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Immediately after mixing bread dough, roll out approximately 2 lbs. into a 12”x15” rectangle. Spread softened butter around dough to coat evenly. Add brown sugar and spread until it covers the dough evenly (I like to use my hands for this part). Sprinkle on the white sugar. Then sprinkle the top with a fair amount of cinnamon, but not too much (I usually use about 1-2 tsp.).

Starting on one end, roll the dough. Dip your fingers in water and rub down the dough to seal the layers as you roll. Seal the end. Use a piece of floss or string to cut the cinnamon rolls out. Place the string under dough roll about 1” from the end of the long roll. Cross the ends of the string over the dough and pull the string so that the string cuts the dough into a 1” thick roll.

Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet leaving a small space between so that the rolls can rise. Cover rolls with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes or until dough has doubled. Bake rolls in preheated oven 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*If you’re feeling a little extravagant, these cinnamon rolls are especially good with a cream cheese frosting! I don’t always use it, but for special occasions it sure is yummy.

Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. milk

½ tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until creamy and spreadable.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Don't forget those little dimpled hands...they love to help mix in love! :)

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Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Our kids LOVE pasta! They could eat it every day I bet and still love it. Although we don't have pasta EVERY day, we do have it quite often. And the dish that I'm sharing today is one that we have been making for quite a few years that our whole family loves. It has a wonderful flavor with the sage and sausage. The sauce is beautiful, toasty orange and yellow. The pumpkin blends in perfectly, a smooth creamy flavor. It's perfect for fall, but we make it ALL year round.

We hope you enjoy it too!

Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta

Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

*Note: For this recipe you can use canned pumpkin or any kind of winter squash, cooked and pureed in the blender.

1 lb. penne pasta

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided

1 lb. bulk sausage

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 med. Onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 Cups Chicken broth, divided

2 tsp. ground sage

1 Cup cooked, pureed pumpkin

½ Cup heavy cream*

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

In a large pan, cook pasta according to package directions until still firm, but not hard (al dente). While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to hot pan & brown sausage. When sausage is cooked, transfer it to paper towel-lined plate and drain off fat. Add remaining oil to the skillet and sauté garlic and onion until transparent. Next add bay leaf, sage, and 1 Cup chicken broth. Heat mixture until liquid is reduced to half. Then add remaining stock and pumpkin. Stir and heat to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt & pepper. Simmer sauce 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf from sauce. Combine sauce and pasta & top with cheese. Serve immediately with a salad and loaf of freshly made bread.

*Note: Instead of cream you can use milk, half & half or evaporated milk

This dish makes great leftovers!

Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from a recipe given to me by a good friend Linda

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Frugal Friday: More than 100 Frugal Fall Family Activities

Fall is a busy time of year! School starting, sports, harvest time, etc. It's easy to lose track of important family time or get too distracted to make it happen. Here's some ideas to help your family spend meaningful time together without spending a lot of money. Hopefully these will get your brain wheels turning so that you can make some fun memories this fall with your family.

1. Go apple picking - find someone who has apple trees that they don't pick and go pick them together
2. Rake leaves into a pile and jump in
3. Try Leaf Rubbings - Go collect leaves and layer them between two pieces of paper. Rub crayons on the top and see the leaf pattern emerge!
4. Drive to see autumn colors or go for hike
5. Have a harvest party - eat foods that you've harvested from your own garden
6. Make homemade fresh Salsa and have a fiesta
7. Carve pumpkins
8. Play Pop Goes the pumpkin!
9. Make veggie characters - carve them or decorate veggies from your garden.
10. Play with Giant Bubbles
11. Make Mr. or Mrs. Potato head characters
12. Doorbell ditch some zucchini or other vegetable on a friend's doorstep.
13. Make Corn husk dolls
14. Make tamales!
15. Go bobbing for apples
16. Make Caramel apples
17. Do some artwork together - here's a cute idea: Potato Pumpkin Printing
18. Go forage for fruit
19. Paint Pumpkins
20. Go on a hayride
21. Make a scarecrow - use Daddy's old pants, an old shirt and stuff them with straw. Add a pumpkin for a head and there you go!
22. Play Pin the face on the Jack-O-lantern
23. Make your very own spider web out of string
24. Make Monster Pumpkins
25. Get someone to take your family pictures in the fall colors
26. Churn your own butter!
27. Go on a spider hunt in your house and remove all the spider webs (after Halloween of course!)
28. Read a story about an ancestor in your family
29. Plant some bulbs for the spring
30. Go to a farmer's market
31. Go on a family leaf walk - put on your boots and go stomp on leaves - swish your feet, enjoy the feeling of just being together
32. Have a "Spooknik" (i.e. a Halloween party) - Eat homemade Donuts, Dress up in your costumes for a family picture, play Halloween games, listen to spooky music and just have fun. This was our Halloween tradition growing up and we always loved it
33. Roast Pumpkin Seeds!
34. Play with play dough
35. Go for a Moon Walk - Check your calendars for the date of a harvest moon!
36. Clean out your closets and give your unused clothes to a local charity
37. Make Thankful Rolls
38. Have a family sleepover in your family room!
39. Invite someone to spend Thanksgiving with your family this year
40. Have a mummy contest and wrap up someone in toilet paper
41. Play "Don't eat Jack"
42. Go on a fall scavenger hunt
43. Make an acorn collage
44. Write letters to a far-away family member or friend
45. Have a leaf dance - turn on the music and dance and twirl in the freshly fallen leaves
46. Cuddle up with some hot chocolate or hot cider and watch a family movie
47. Play "hide and go seek" at dusk
48. Instead of "Trick or Treat" try "Treat or Trick" this year. Make a treat to deliver to someone on Halloween
49. Make Applesauce
50. Have a silly dance contest
51. Eat dinner with crazy utensils! Instead of regular utensils, set the table with egg beaters, spatulas, giant spoons, etc. Enjoy the laughs as everyone tries to eat.
52. Learn about the pilgrims and Indians and have a pilgrim dinner
53. Host a Halloween carnival with games and prizes
54. Make nature creatures - I love these!
55. Surprise a neighbor and rake their leaves
56. Take a family bike ride and enjoy the fall colors
57. Have a candlelight dinner
58. Finish a house project together
59. Make some Christmas gifts
60. Have a family talent show
61. Have a family game night and play board games
62. Get some sidewalk chalk, draw a +, and play four square
63. Have each family member find something around the house that makes music (pots, shakers, toys, etc) and have a band
64. Play Catch
65. Have a backyard barbecue and invite friends and neighbors
66. Enjoy the last few days of nice weather with a family picnic
67. Have a Halloween Costume Party
68. Go bird watching
69. Have a bug catching contest - set the timer and see who can catch the most. 
70. Have a leaf raking contest - see how many leaves each person can rake in 10 minutes. The winner gets a prize!
71. Make Hobo soup - everyone pick out a can of something from the pantry to add to the pot. Dress up like hobos. Eat on the ground. Eat out of the cans. Make a pretend fire. Tell campfire stories.
72. Wash the cars - and have one more water fight before it gets too cold
73. Go to a thrift store and see who can come up with the best Halloween costume
74. Make a big pot of witches brew out of water, pinecones, weeds, or anything else you can find in the backyard and pretend you're a witch family. Ride on brooms to get all your materials. 
75. Have a cultural dinner - try foods from another land. 
76. Make a nature garland with things you've collected to display in your home. 
77. Have a Turkey Trot - race around a field or track. 
78. Volunteer as a family - help those in need. 
79. Spend a night remembering the "Good old days" - look through old photo albums, tell stories, listen to music, laugh and enjoy. 
80. Read some poetry or sing some silly songs together 
81. Have a pajama party and start a pillow fight 
82. Create a silly video or skit together
83. Have a wrestling match
84. Have a neighborhood Trunk or Treat - Decorate cars in a parking lot, all the kids go around dressed in costumes to "Trunk or Treat". Here's a cute way to decorate your car.
85. Go on a Thanksgiving Day Scavenger Hunt to walk off all that turkey!
86. Read a chapter book together
87. Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
88. Play Broom Hockey with old brooms (bristles wrapped in duck tape) for sticks and a soft ball for a puck. Mark some goals in your yard and you're ready to go!
89. Go on a compass exploration (the old fashioned way). Before leaving, pick a destination on a map. Have the family use a compass and the map to direct the driver to the location by pointing to the correct direction and telling the driver to head north, east, south, or west. Besides being fun, this activity will help the whole family learn how to use a map and a compass and become familiar with directions.
90. Go for a drive in the countryside and see how many types of farm animals you can find.
91. Have a finger food meal - no silverware, only fingers allowed!
92. Make some fun fall decorations for your home
93. Thread candy corn on a string to make a necklace
94. Organize a chili cook-off with your neighbors!
95. Play Frisbee
96. Harvest your garden
97. Skip rocks at a nearby pond
98. Bake some bread
99. Put together a puzzle
100. Create a piece of artwork together - Have one person draw a few lines or curves on a piece of paper and pass it to the next. Continue to each family member until the picture evolves into its final masterpiece!

Just in case you're still looking for MORE ideas:

> 100 Frugal Family Activities for Summer

>100 Frugal Family Activities for Spring

> 100 Frugal Family Activities for Winter

A Great Pinterest Board for Fall Ideas

Family Fun 50 Ways to make Fall Fabulous

100 Ideas for your fall bucket list

Linked to: Frugal Friday, Thrifty Thursday, Hearts 4 Home, Finer Things Friday, Weekly Kid's Co-op, Frugal Tuesday, Mommy Club, Frugal Friday

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Dehydrating Pears

If you've been following my facebook page, you know that I've been preserving food like crazy! A few weeks ago we had more bushels of pears sitting in our basement than I care to admit or remember right now. A kind neighbor has shared his pears with us for the last few years, which comes in handy because our pear trees are still not mature. For us that means pear jam, canned pears, eating pears, and my personal favorite: dried pears!

Have you ever tried dried pears?

Dried pears are so good they almost make you feel guilty eating them. They are one of my favorite sweet tooth cravings because they taste like candy. I love to snack on a few during that gap between lunch and dinner when you're ready to go grab a snickers to curb your sweet tooth. They are a great after school snack or a great addition to a healthy lunch from home for the kids.

The nice thing is they are super easy to make! Here's what you do:

How to Dehydrate Pears
Printable Tutorial

Step 1: Wash pears and peel, if desired. Really the only point of peeling pears is for aesthetics. Pear peels do not compromise the taste of dried pears because they are so thin. And I personally think leaving the peels on gives dried pears a little personality. Not to mention, it's a WHOLE LOT EASIER!

Step 2: Cut pears in half and core.

Step 3: Slice pears thinly lengthwise. For this step the easiest thing that I've found to do the job is one of these handy, dandy manual slicers. They slice the pears evenly, which makes it really easy to tell when to take the pears out because they are all dried at once. The thinner you slice the pears, the quicker they will dry. This particular slicer slices the pears so thin that they come out like pear leather. You may want a thicker slice so they come out more chewy. Experiment with both to see which type your family likes best.

Step 4: Arrange pear slices on the dehydrator trays, making sure there are no overlapping pieces or your pears will not dry evenly. While you can dehydrate with the sun or the oven, I highly recommend buying a dehydrator. It will save you a lot of extra time and it's one of those purchases that is well worth the cost! I bought this low cost dehydrator and it has been great. For more serious dehydrating, there are bigger models like the Excalibur Food Dehydrator that are like the Cadillac of food dehydrating (and on my dream wish list for someday...)

Step 5: Spray or brush sliced pears with lemon juice, optional. Doing this will dehydrate your pears to a lighter color so they are more aesthetically pleasing. The easiest way that I've found is to fill a Misto Sprayer with lemon juice (I usually just use the bottled lemon juice because it's easy). First spray the tops of the pears with the lemon juice. Then hold the tray up and spray through the grating to get the bottoms of the pears. This goes really fast with the misto sprayer so I highly recommend one.

Step 6: Dehydrate for 8-24 hours. The exact time will depend on how thick your slices are, the humidity, your dehydrator and a lot of other factors. Dehydrate until pears are still bendable but not sticky.

Step 7: Store dried pears in sealed containers in a cool dark place. If you've dehydrated them enough and stored them correctly dried pears will keep for a year or more. But in our house, I can’t seem to keep them that long. They get eaten up too fast!

Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

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Pear Jam

My husband's favorite fruit is a pear. He loves them more than just about anything in the world! Unfortunately our pear trees are still maturing...so we don't get very many yet, but...luckily we have a kind neighbor who lets us come and pick from his five trees to our heart's content.

Last year I discovered pear jam. Have you discovered it yet? Oh my goodness, if you haven't you have been missing out! It is divine! Think: melt in your mouth, nectar from heaven, pure sweetness that can't be replicated any-other-way or how... amazing.

And this year I'm making more. In fact, I don't think I'll get away with not making this jam EVER. It's become our most favorite jam - the one we pull out for extra special guests or extra special occasions. Yes. It's that good.

Pear Jam

Printable Recipe

*Makes about 5 cups

*Note: This jam also freezes well if you don’t want to can. Just put the hot jam in jars (leaving ½” headspace) and stick them in the freezer when they’ve cooled.

INGREDIENTS:

About 4 lbs. pears

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 Cups Sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash jars, lids, bands and rinse well. Heat jars and lids in boiling water. Heat up water in your boiling water bath canner.

2. Prepare fruit by peeling, removing the seeds, and finely chopping. Measure exactly 4-1/2 Cups of chopped pears into a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and water.

3. Measure 3 Cups of sugar into separate bowl. In another small bowl, mix 1/4 Cup sugar from measured amount and 1 box Less or No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin (Make sure it specifically says "for less or no sugar needed"). Stir pectin-sugar mixture into fruit in sauce pot. Add 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired (I don't usually do this).

4. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

5. Take empty jars out of simmering water, one at a time and ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/8" headspace. Wipe the rims and threads of each jar with a clean, damp cloth. Center the heated lid on jar and screw band down until fingertip tight. Then place jar in canner and repeat with other jars.

6. Once canner is full, add water if necessary to cover jars by 1 or 2 inches. Place lid on canner and bring water to a boil and lower heat until water stays at a gentle boil. Process according to times below (based on your current elevation).

Processing Times:
10 min (0-1,000 ft) 15 min (1,001-3,000 ft) 20 min (3,001-6,000 ft) 25 min (6,001-8,000) 30 min (8,001-10,000)

7. After processing, turn off heat and remove the lid for 5 minutes before removing jars from the canner. Set the jars upright on a towel to cool for 12 to 24 hours. Once jars are cool, test jars for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down. If it does, immediately refrigerate or reprocess with a new lid for the full length of time. Clean jars and remove bands. Label and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.

One of my favorite ways to eat this jam is with butter on a roll or slice of fresh bread!

Linked to: Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

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Making your own Tomato Sauce (from dried Tomato Powder)

Last year I posted about my new discovery about making dried tomato powder from blending up tomatoes and dehydrating. This is one of my best gardening secrets that I wish I would have known about seven years ago, when we started gardening. It makes preserving your harvest so much easier!

Today I'm going to share the recipe for using this tomato powder in place of an 8-oz. can of tomato sauce. It's really easy and I'm thrilled that I no longer have to buy cans of tomato sauce - I can just use this sauce that I make from my own tomatoes. There is a slight change in taste from the canned variety, but I think it's an improvement! It's healthier because I know exactly what's in it and cheaper because I'm using what I grow instead of buying from the store. I hope you enjoy it too!

Tomato Sauce

Printable Recipe

*makes 8-oz.

*Note: This recipe for 8-oz. of tomato sauce works great if you already have a recipe that you use tomato sauce in that you love!

INGREDIENTS:

¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp. Tomato Powder

1/8 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¾ Cup + 2 Tbsp. water

DIRECTIONS:

Heat water until almost boiling. In a small bowl combine the tomato powder, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour hot water over powder mixture and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Use in place of an 8-oz. can of tomato sauce in any recipe.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

My experimental test area to get this recipe just right!

To make it even easier, here's a bulk tomato sauce powder recipe that you can just add boiling water to re-hydrate:

Tomato Sauce Powder

Printable Recipe

*Makes 12 8-oz. servings when re-hydrated

INGREDIENTS:

4-1/2 Cups Tomato Powder

1-1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. onion powder

3 tsp. garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

In a large container that seals, combine the tomato powder, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix well. Store in a cool and dry place for up to one year.

To Re-hydrate:
Tomato Sauce {from Tomato Sauce Powder}

*Makes 8-oz.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Tomato Sauce Powder
¾ Cup + 2 Tbsp. water

Heat water to boiling. In a medium bowl, pour hot water over tomato sauce powder and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Use in place of an 8-oz. can of tomato sauce in any recipe.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Linked to: Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

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Sweet Peach Jam

It's harvest time here and we're LOVING IT!! We harvest about a bushel of peaches off of our Red Haven Peach tree. Here's one of our favorite recipes to enjoy peaches all year round!

Sweet Peach Jam

Printable Recipe

*Makes about 5 cups

*Note: This jam also freezes well if you don’t want to can. Just put the hot jam in jars (leaving ½” headspace) and stick them in the freezer when they’ve cooled.

INGREDIENTS:

About 4 lbs. peaches

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 Cups Sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash jars, lids, bands and rinse well. Heat jars and lids in boiling water. Heat up water in your boiling water bath canner.

2. Prepare fruit by peeling, removing the seeds, and finely chopping. Measure exactly 4-1/2 Cups of chopped peaches into a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Stir in lemon juice and water.

3. Measure 3 Cups of sugar into separate bowl. In another small bowl, mix 1/4 Cup sugar from measured amount and 1 box Less or No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin (Make sure it specifically says "for less or no sugar needed"). Stir pectin-sugar mixture into fruit in sauce pot. Add 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired (I don't usually do this).

4. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

5. Take empty jars out of simmering water, one at a time and ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/8" headspace. Wipe the rims and threads of each jar with a clean, damp cloth. Center the heated lid on jar and screw band down until fingertip tight. Then place jar in canner and repeat with other jars.

6. Once canner is full, add water if necessary to cover jars by 1 or 2 inches. Place lid on canner and bring water to a boil and lower heat until water stays at a gentle boil. Process according to times below (based on your current elevation).

Processing Times:
10 min (0-1,000 ft) 15 min (1,001-3,000 ft) 20 min (3,001-6,000 ft) 25 min (6,001-8,000) 30 min (8,001-10,000)

7. After processing, turn off heat and remove the lid for 5 minutes before removing jars from the canner. Set the jars upright on a towel to cool for 12 to 24 hours. Once jars are cool, test jars for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down. If it does, immediately refrigerate or reprocess with a new lid for the full length of time. Clean jars and remove bands. Label and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to one year.

Don't forget to save plenty of fresh peaches for eating!!!

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Garden Update!

It's time for a brief garden update! Pictures taken today - Enjoy!

*First a little flashback....*
Do you remember this garden tour I gave back in June (Click picture to see the post)? Wow, what a change, eh?

*And back to the present...*

We've got roses blooming and a volunteer squash plant (that just decided to grow) taking over this area...

The grapes are turning purple...

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye...

A jungle of squash and melons growing here...

 and here....

And yes...the peaches are ready and delicious!!

Here's an example of a day's harvest...mmmh! :)

Mary, Mary 

Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?

:)

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