What I am about to say may seem absolutely radical.
Buttermilk isn't milk that's one churn away from being butter. It's actually the leftover liquid that remains after butter has been made (kinda gross). It's sour and it does contain a few specks of butter from the processing.
I don't normally hear of people kicking back with a nice, cold glass of buttermilk. Most of the time it's used in baking recipes, and that's when I find myself running to the store for that "special" ingredient that I don't normally have on hand in your fridge. Plus, I have never used the entire quart of buttermilk and usually end up throwing the rest away. Totally wasteful. Not anymore!
To make Fake Buttermilk, simply mix:
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar or Lemon Juice
1 Cup Whole Milk
Let it sit for 5 minutes....and voila! You have "Buttermilk" ready to use in recipes like Fake Pillsbury Biscuits!
Now let's do the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:Fake Buttermilk
1 Cup Milk $0.17 (1 Gallon Aldi Milk $2.80),
Total Fake-It Yourself Cost $0.17
Compare to Grocery Store Brand Buttermilk $1.69 Quart
Use 1 Cup and probably waste the rest.
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $0.99
Not the biggest savings, true, but I saved a trip to the grocery store (gasoline & temptations) and I wasn't wasteful.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Secret of Foaming Hand Soap
With a 4 year old, we are constantly washing his hands, and the foaming soap just seems to clean him up better than the traditional. This tip has been floating around the frugal blogs, but I just tried it myself and thought I'd share with you the Secret of Foaming Hand Soap!
If you already have a foaming hand soap dispenser, DON'T THROW IT OUT. The secret is NOT the soap, but the special pump that's used to foam it up. When your purchased foaming soap is empty, simply refill it with (you're not going to believe this)....
1 Teaspoon of your Favorite Liquid Soap or Dish Washing Liquid
...and fill the rest with Water!
Shake it up to dilute the soap and you now have a completely refilled foaming soap.
Can you believe that? Can you believe that we've all been paying EXTRA for the special, luxurious, foaming soap when it's actually mostly water? Stop wondering how much money we've wasted on these soaps and take a look:
Now let's do the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Refilled Foaming Soap
Lemon Dish Washing Liquid 28oz. $1.00 = 168 Refills
Total Fake-It Yourself Cost $1.00
Compare to Method Lemon Foaming Soap $2.99 Each
168 Method Lemon Foaming Soaps $502.32 (Oh My!)
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $501.32
If you already have a foaming hand soap dispenser, DON'T THROW IT OUT. The secret is NOT the soap, but the special pump that's used to foam it up. When your purchased foaming soap is empty, simply refill it with (you're not going to believe this)....
1 Teaspoon of your Favorite Liquid Soap or Dish Washing Liquid
...and fill the rest with Water!
Shake it up to dilute the soap and you now have a completely refilled foaming soap.
Can you believe that? Can you believe that we've all been paying EXTRA for the special, luxurious, foaming soap when it's actually mostly water? Stop wondering how much money we've wasted on these soaps and take a look:
Now let's do the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Refilled Foaming Soap
Lemon Dish Washing Liquid 28oz. $1.00 = 168 Refills
Total Fake-It Yourself Cost $1.00
Compare to Method Lemon Foaming Soap $2.99 Each
168 Method Lemon Foaming Soaps $502.32 (Oh My!)
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $501.32
Thursday, April 14, 2011
LL Bean Monogrammed Canvas Bags (A Little "Faked")
I love those pretty canvas bags from LL Bean. They're so classic. Instantly recognizable. They're personalized with your monogram. They're so darn expensive!
Bringing your own grocery bags to the store is all the rage today. If you're and Aldi shopper like me, it's not just fashionable, it's necessary. Well, just because you're a bargain shopper doesn't mean you have to look like one and these bags will keep them guessing why you're in Aldi and not at Fresh Market!
I nearly fell to my knees when I saw these bags at the Dollar Tree:
They only had 4 left in the store so I ran home to http://www.dollartree.com/ to order a case of 36.
So, this craft is pretty straightforward. We're going to paint a monogram on the front pocket of the bags to look like LL Bean's classic tote bag.
With some craft/fabric paint in the color of your choice, trace the sketched letters.
Can you tell the difference? Now I just have 35 more to go! These will make terrific Christmas (already??) gifts for my friends and family if I bundle 4 together for each of them to take on their shopping runs!
*Update* If you're interested in another way to make these monograms, check out my Follow-Up Post!
The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
36 Personally Monogrammed Canvas Bags
Total Fake-It Cost $36.00
36 Personally Monogrammed Canvas Bags from LLBean - Plain Bag, Similar Size $20.00, with monogram $6 per bag, $936.00 for 36 Bags (Holy Crap!)
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $900.00
Bringing your own grocery bags to the store is all the rage today. If you're and Aldi shopper like me, it's not just fashionable, it's necessary. Well, just because you're a bargain shopper doesn't mean you have to look like one and these bags will keep them guessing why you're in Aldi and not at Fresh Market!
I nearly fell to my knees when I saw these bags at the Dollar Tree:
They only had 4 left in the store so I ran home to http://www.dollartree.com/ to order a case of 36.
So, this craft is pretty straightforward. We're going to paint a monogram on the front pocket of the bags to look like LL Bean's classic tote bag.
Trace a stencil, or freehand your monogram using a fine tip marker. Usually, a monogram has the initial of the person's last name in the middle, with the initial of ther first name to the left and the initial of their middle name to the right. The middle letter is larger than the side letters.
With some craft/fabric paint in the color of your choice, trace the sketched letters.
Can you tell the difference? Now I just have 35 more to go! These will make terrific Christmas (already??) gifts for my friends and family if I bundle 4 together for each of them to take on their shopping runs!
*Update* If you're interested in another way to make these monograms, check out my Follow-Up Post!
The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
36 Personally Monogrammed Canvas Bags
Total Fake-It Cost $36.00
36 Personally Monogrammed Canvas Bags from LLBean - Plain Bag, Similar Size $20.00, with monogram $6 per bag, $936.00 for 36 Bags (Holy Crap!)
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $900.00
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
"Fake" TGI Friday's Potato Skins
When I think back about how much money I have spent over the years on frozen appetizers....well....it's been way too much!
One especially requested appetizer from my husband is Tater Skins. He loves the ones from TGI Fridays with the cheese and bacon. Well, those little taters are draining my wallet, so I offer up these (pretty close, maybe better) alternatives:
Ingredients:
1 Bag Red Skin Potatoes (there were 14 in my bag)
1/2 Block Cream Cheese
1/2 Bag Shredded Cheddar (2 Cups)
1/4 Stick Butter
1/4 C Milk
1 Box of Pre-Cooked Bacon (or if you have leftover bacon from breakfast)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
First things first. Poke your cleaned potatoes with a fork several times. Next, rub them with a little olive oil and kosher salt and put them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until they are tender.
Meanwhile, add the 1/4 stick of Butter to a saucepan and melt. Next, add the Cream Cheese and combine with butter until melted. Then, add the Shredded Cheddar and the 1/4 C Milk. Continue to stir over Medium/Low heat until everything is well combined into a nice glob of cheese heaven!
Pour cheese mixture into a greased bowl and set aside to cool.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut them in half and scrape out some of the insides. Make sure to leave enough potato to hold a good structure, but take out enough to leave room for the cheese & bacon. Cut them in half again to make them bite sized.
Using a Teaspoon, scoop out the cheese mixture and put in the center of the potatoes.
Cut the pre-cooked bacon using kitchen sheers into strips and press it onto the cheese topping so that it won't fall off later. Put the Tater Skins into the refrigerator for about an hour to let them set up.
Finally, divide them up into serving sized that will suit your family, place them in marked freezer bags and freeze. Tater Skins will last up to 1 year in the freezer.
When you're ready to serve them, place them frozen on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes (depending on your oven). Enjoy!
The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
56 Fake-It Yourself Tater Skins (Bag Potatoes $2.00, Cream Cheese $0.89, Shredded Cheddar $2.19, Pre-Cooked Bacon $2.29)
Total Fake-It Cost: $7.37
Compare to Frozen TGI Friday's Potato Skins (6 Count Box $3.79, $34.11 for 54 (9 Boxes!!!))
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $26.74
PS - It's mashed potatoes with dinner tonight!
One especially requested appetizer from my husband is Tater Skins. He loves the ones from TGI Fridays with the cheese and bacon. Well, those little taters are draining my wallet, so I offer up these (pretty close, maybe better) alternatives:
Ingredients:
1 Bag Red Skin Potatoes (there were 14 in my bag)
1/2 Block Cream Cheese
1/2 Bag Shredded Cheddar (2 Cups)
1/4 Stick Butter
1/4 C Milk
1 Box of Pre-Cooked Bacon (or if you have leftover bacon from breakfast)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
First things first. Poke your cleaned potatoes with a fork several times. Next, rub them with a little olive oil and kosher salt and put them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until they are tender.
Meanwhile, add the 1/4 stick of Butter to a saucepan and melt. Next, add the Cream Cheese and combine with butter until melted. Then, add the Shredded Cheddar and the 1/4 C Milk. Continue to stir over Medium/Low heat until everything is well combined into a nice glob of cheese heaven!
Pour cheese mixture into a greased bowl and set aside to cool.
When the potatoes have cooled, cut them in half and scrape out some of the insides. Make sure to leave enough potato to hold a good structure, but take out enough to leave room for the cheese & bacon. Cut them in half again to make them bite sized.
Using a Teaspoon, scoop out the cheese mixture and put in the center of the potatoes.
Cut the pre-cooked bacon using kitchen sheers into strips and press it onto the cheese topping so that it won't fall off later. Put the Tater Skins into the refrigerator for about an hour to let them set up.
Finally, divide them up into serving sized that will suit your family, place them in marked freezer bags and freeze. Tater Skins will last up to 1 year in the freezer.
When you're ready to serve them, place them frozen on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes (depending on your oven). Enjoy!
The Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
56 Fake-It Yourself Tater Skins (Bag Potatoes $2.00, Cream Cheese $0.89, Shredded Cheddar $2.19, Pre-Cooked Bacon $2.29)
Total Fake-It Cost: $7.37
Compare to Frozen TGI Friday's Potato Skins (6 Count Box $3.79, $34.11 for 54 (9 Boxes!!!))
Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $26.74
PS - It's mashed potatoes with dinner tonight!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Very, Very Well Stocked Pantry
I have "tendencies" towards hoarding.
I've always loved to play Grocery Store. Every since I was a little girl when my mom would give me empty cereal boxes and rinsed-out cans of vegetables, I've been stocking and re-stocking my shelves.
Today, as a Home Economist in Training, I am taking that love of playing Grocery Store to the next level....in my basement.
My rules in keeping a Well Stocked Pantry are:
(1) Only purchase and store what you know your family will be consuming in the next 6 months, making sure to rotate older items to the front as you buy new to replace them.
(2) When you find a good bargain, and if you can afford to do so, buy 2 or 3 of the same item.
(3) Try to keep everything visible so that you know what you have.
(4) Visit your pantry regularly, especially when you're putting together your shopping list and when you're planning your weekly meals.
My goal in keeping a Well Stocked Pantry is three fold:
(1) If the need arises for an emergency cake or snack for entertaining, you're all set - no need to waste gas running to the grocery store for an unplanned run;
(2) If you have a well stocked pantry and freezer, you'll be able to make many more meals (if not all) at home instead of eating out, thus saving lots of money; and
(3) If your pantry and freezer are really well stocked to suit your family's needs, there will be some weeks that the only thing you need to buy at the grocery store is fresh bread, eggs and milk. That translates to BIG savings if you can imagine cutting out one week's worth of a grocery bill out of your monthly budget.
I've always loved to play Grocery Store. Every since I was a little girl when my mom would give me empty cereal boxes and rinsed-out cans of vegetables, I've been stocking and re-stocking my shelves.
Today, as a Home Economist in Training, I am taking that love of playing Grocery Store to the next level....in my basement.
My rules in keeping a Well Stocked Pantry are:
(1) Only purchase and store what you know your family will be consuming in the next 6 months, making sure to rotate older items to the front as you buy new to replace them.
(2) When you find a good bargain, and if you can afford to do so, buy 2 or 3 of the same item.
(3) Try to keep everything visible so that you know what you have.
(4) Visit your pantry regularly, especially when you're putting together your shopping list and when you're planning your weekly meals.
My goal in keeping a Well Stocked Pantry is three fold:
(1) If the need arises for an emergency cake or snack for entertaining, you're all set - no need to waste gas running to the grocery store for an unplanned run;
(2) If you have a well stocked pantry and freezer, you'll be able to make many more meals (if not all) at home instead of eating out, thus saving lots of money; and
(3) If your pantry and freezer are really well stocked to suit your family's needs, there will be some weeks that the only thing you need to buy at the grocery store is fresh bread, eggs and milk. That translates to BIG savings if you can imagine cutting out one week's worth of a grocery bill out of your monthly budget.
Monday, April 11, 2011
"Just Like Italy, But Without The Price Tag" Meatballs
I'm lazy!
I love to cook first thing in the morning, but by the time dinner rolls around, I'm too tired. In order to avoid the "let's just order in" downfall, I make sure to cook when I have the energy and freeze it for quick use later.
Meatballs are the perfect freezer food. They're versatile for Meatball Sandwiches, chopped up on Homemade Pizzas, or that old dinner standby Spaghetti & Meatballs.
This recipe for meatballs is an amalgamation of a few recipes that I used while living in New Zealand where the pre-made Italian Meatballs were just not the same as home. I think you'll find these much tastier than the pre-made ones you can get in the US, too, but most importantly, they're cheap!
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey
2 lbs Ground Beef (I use 80/20 mix)
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1 C Dry Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Pieces Stale Bread (I like Rye, but you can use any kind), crumbled well
1/2 C Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
1-2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Garlic (according to your taste)
1 Grated Onion
1/2 Cup Graded Asiago Cheese/Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt (You can also use Italian Seasoning)
Olive Oil
Gather all ingredients together.
Put in all ingredients into the bowl with the exception of the meat and mix it together well.
Oh! That basil smells so good!
Add the meat and mix extremely thoroughly using your hands until the mixture appears uniform in texture.
Let the mixture sit for about a half hour on the counter. This lets the bread crumbs absorb some of the moisture and lets the ingredients blend. Next, form the meat into golf ball size meatballs and place on a greased cookie sheet. Place them somewhat close together as they shrink a bit when they cook. Drizzle with a very tiny amount of Olive Oil, and Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Wow! That's a whole lot of meatballs!
When they've cooled a bit, put them in date-marked freezer bags. I like to make lunch for my husband out of the previous night's dinner, so I packed 16 meatballs per bag to ensure leftovers. Meatballs will last up to one year in the freezer.
Now the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Aldi Ground Turkey $2.50, Aldi Ground Beef $5.73, Fresh Basil $2.00, Asiago Cheese $1.00
Total Fake-It Cost: $11.23 for 64 Meatballs
Compare to Shadybrook Farms Pre-Made Meatballs @ $3.49 for 12 Meatballs, $18.61 for 64 Meatballs
Total Fake-It Savings: $7.38
Compare to Aidell's Pre-Made Meatballs @ $5.99 for 16 Meatballs, $23.96 for 64 Meatballs
Total Fake-It Savings: $12.73
I love to cook first thing in the morning, but by the time dinner rolls around, I'm too tired. In order to avoid the "let's just order in" downfall, I make sure to cook when I have the energy and freeze it for quick use later.
Meatballs are the perfect freezer food. They're versatile for Meatball Sandwiches, chopped up on Homemade Pizzas, or that old dinner standby Spaghetti & Meatballs.
This recipe for meatballs is an amalgamation of a few recipes that I used while living in New Zealand where the pre-made Italian Meatballs were just not the same as home. I think you'll find these much tastier than the pre-made ones you can get in the US, too, but most importantly, they're cheap!
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey
2 lbs Ground Beef (I use 80/20 mix)
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1 C Dry Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Pieces Stale Bread (I like Rye, but you can use any kind), crumbled well
1/2 C Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
1-2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Garlic (according to your taste)
1 Grated Onion
1/2 Cup Graded Asiago Cheese/Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt (You can also use Italian Seasoning)
Olive Oil
Gather all ingredients together.
Put in all ingredients into the bowl with the exception of the meat and mix it together well.
Oh! That basil smells so good!
Add the meat and mix extremely thoroughly using your hands until the mixture appears uniform in texture.
Let the mixture sit for about a half hour on the counter. This lets the bread crumbs absorb some of the moisture and lets the ingredients blend. Next, form the meat into golf ball size meatballs and place on a greased cookie sheet. Place them somewhat close together as they shrink a bit when they cook. Drizzle with a very tiny amount of Olive Oil, and Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Wow! That's a whole lot of meatballs!
When they've cooled a bit, put them in date-marked freezer bags. I like to make lunch for my husband out of the previous night's dinner, so I packed 16 meatballs per bag to ensure leftovers. Meatballs will last up to one year in the freezer.
Now the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Aldi Ground Turkey $2.50, Aldi Ground Beef $5.73, Fresh Basil $2.00, Asiago Cheese $1.00
Total Fake-It Cost: $11.23 for 64 Meatballs
Compare to Shadybrook Farms Pre-Made Meatballs @ $3.49 for 12 Meatballs, $18.61 for 64 Meatballs
Total Fake-It Savings: $7.38
Compare to Aidell's Pre-Made Meatballs @ $5.99 for 16 Meatballs, $23.96 for 64 Meatballs
Total Fake-It Savings: $12.73
Sunday, April 10, 2011
My Daily (Frugally Reformed) Mantra
For Groceries: "If they don't have it at Aldi... You don't need it!"
For Everything Else: "If they don't have it at The Dollar Tree, a Yard Sale, Goodwill, or Big Lots....You don't need it!!!"
I certainly haven't always thought this way, but while being frugal has become necessity for our family, it's also become somewhat of a game for me. It's a great way to channel my creativity and also slow down and spend thoughtfully. Sure, I still need retail therapy, but it's that much sweeter when I walk out of the Dollar Tree with too many bags to carry while only spending $30! Guilt free is the way to be!
For Everything Else: "If they don't have it at The Dollar Tree, a Yard Sale, Goodwill, or Big Lots....You don't need it!!!"
I certainly haven't always thought this way, but while being frugal has become necessity for our family, it's also become somewhat of a game for me. It's a great way to channel my creativity and also slow down and spend thoughtfully. Sure, I still need retail therapy, but it's that much sweeter when I walk out of the Dollar Tree with too many bags to carry while only spending $30! Guilt free is the way to be!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
"Fake" Pillsbury Freezer Biscuits
I Love Biscuits!
I love them with butter.
I love them with country gravy.
I love them with homemade jam.
They're perfect accompaniment to breakfast or dinner and they're even useful for desserts!
You know what I used to hate about biscuits? The price of biscuit convenience.
Let me show you how super easy (and super cheap) it is to make your own freezer biscuits and you may never pick up those grocery store Grands again!
First things first. Assemble everything you'll need on the counter. It saves time and keeps you organized.
Next, dump the ENTIRE BOX of biscuit mix into your bowl. I'm using Cook's Corner biscuit mix from Aldi. Add about 2 and 3/4 Cups of Milk and mix until blended. You may need to add a little more milk depending on the consistency of your dough.
Turn dough onto a well floured counter top and knead it once or twice. Kneading it too much makes the dough too tough and no one wants a tough biscuit!
Roll out the dough and cut circles using a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or the top of a drinking glass.
Reassemble the dough and roll out once more. Cut out as many more biscuits as you can.
Put two biscuits into a fold top sandwich bag. Fold bag in half, and in half again to separate biscuits. This will keep the biscuits separate when they freeze and make it easy to use them later.
Take all of your individually wrapped biscuits and put them all into a large freezer bag. Make sure to mark the date on your bag. Biscuits are good for up to 1 year in the freezer, but you know you're going to eat them all before that!
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes -- just like you would for Pillsbury Grands!
Uh oh....there's some leftover dough. It would be a terrible shame to throw it away, and we can't use it again to make more biscuits or they'll end up tough.
How about pressing it into a muffin tin and sprinkling generously with cinnamon sugar? Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes and....
They look like flowers!
Serve warm with strawberries and whipped cream and you've created a BONUS DESSERT!
Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Box of Aldi Biscuit Mix - Yields 36 Biscuits (plus 4 Bonus Dessert Biscuits) -
Total Fake-It Cost: $1.79
Compare to 36 Pillsbury Grands Frozen Biscuits (3 bags of 12 biscuits @ $3.79 each)
Total Fake-It Savings: $9.58
Why haven't I been doing this all along???
I love them with butter.
I love them with country gravy.
I love them with homemade jam.
They're perfect accompaniment to breakfast or dinner and they're even useful for desserts!
You know what I used to hate about biscuits? The price of biscuit convenience.
Let me show you how super easy (and super cheap) it is to make your own freezer biscuits and you may never pick up those grocery store Grands again!
First things first. Assemble everything you'll need on the counter. It saves time and keeps you organized.
Next, dump the ENTIRE BOX of biscuit mix into your bowl. I'm using Cook's Corner biscuit mix from Aldi. Add about 2 and 3/4 Cups of Milk and mix until blended. You may need to add a little more milk depending on the consistency of your dough.
Turn dough onto a well floured counter top and knead it once or twice. Kneading it too much makes the dough too tough and no one wants a tough biscuit!
Roll out the dough and cut circles using a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or the top of a drinking glass.
Reassemble the dough and roll out once more. Cut out as many more biscuits as you can.
Put two biscuits into a fold top sandwich bag. Fold bag in half, and in half again to separate biscuits. This will keep the biscuits separate when they freeze and make it easy to use them later.
Take all of your individually wrapped biscuits and put them all into a large freezer bag. Make sure to mark the date on your bag. Biscuits are good for up to 1 year in the freezer, but you know you're going to eat them all before that!
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes -- just like you would for Pillsbury Grands!
Uh oh....there's some leftover dough. It would be a terrible shame to throw it away, and we can't use it again to make more biscuits or they'll end up tough.
How about pressing it into a muffin tin and sprinkling generously with cinnamon sugar? Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes and....
They look like flowers!
Serve warm with strawberries and whipped cream and you've created a BONUS DESSERT!
Fake-It Yourself Breakdown:
Box of Aldi Biscuit Mix - Yields 36 Biscuits (plus 4 Bonus Dessert Biscuits) -
Total Fake-It Cost: $1.79
Compare to 36 Pillsbury Grands Frozen Biscuits (3 bags of 12 biscuits @ $3.79 each)
Total Fake-It Savings: $9.58
Why haven't I been doing this all along???
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