Dinner at 50's O'Clock: 1950's Pantry Staple Recipes

More recipes from my mother's copy of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook, publish date1953

Tonight's 1950's dinner relies on several pantry items. Since I wasn't going shopping specifically for this menu, I needed to find recipes that used foods I had on hand. As it turned out, I used a lot of basic pantry foods, such as canned vegetables, crackers, and canned tuna. The main dish recipe called for a can of condensed chicken with rice soup. I made my own version of a condensed chicken with rice soup. Walmart sells a Great Value brand of this sort of soup for 92 cents, so not real a budget buster to buy a can. But like I said, I was using items I have on hand.

Better Homes & Gardens budget meal recommendations usually have a main dish (one that contains both protein and starch), a hot vegetable side dish, a cold vegetable salad, and a dessert (often fruit). I wanted to try new recipes, and my fresh vegetable selection is limited right now, so I went with two hot vegetable dishes instead of a vegetable dish plus a salad.

Again, I'm feeding a family of four adults.

Here's the menu:

Tuna Bake -- Cheese Swirls

Green Beans in Crumbs

Deviled Beets

I didn't choose a dessert recipe for tonight because our house is currently deluged with desserts that need eating up. We'll have a choice between leftover Valentine's cake, scratch brownies, or blackberry crisp for dessert.

Tuna Bake --Cheese Swirls

Cheese Swirl recipe

This is a no-noodle tuna casserole that is topped with cheese pinwheel biscuits, which are like cinnamon rolls only with cheese as the the filling instead of cinnamon and sugar.

I put the dry ingredients for the biscuit dough together, first. 

Next I assembled the casserole filling. To make the chicken with rice condensed soup, I used a quart of homemade chicken stock to which I added a pinch of thyme, a pinch of sage, the excess onions (about 2 tablespoons) from the casserole base, and some leftover cooked rice (about 1/2 cup). Since my chicken stock was not condensed, I simmered it on the stove to reduce it to equal roughly 10.5 ounces once rice was added. The stock simmered while I was working on other dinner recipes. This was one of two deviations from the original recipe. Canned chicken with rice soup would also have some vegetables in it, like diced carrots and celery.

I used bottled lemon juice, which I always have on hand. The recipe suggests fresh, frozen or canned. Maybe bottled lemon juice was not a thing then?

the casserole filling in the dish,
waiting to be topped a baked just before dinner

The other deviation was I used two cans of tuna instead of one. We all know cans of tuna have become smaller and smaller over the years. My two cans yielded 8 ounces of drained tuna.

I tasted the filling and thought it was quite good and a bit different from standard tuna-noodle casserole fillings.

the biscuit dry mixed with fats

With the biscuit recipe, I used half Crisco shortening and half butter. Although I usually make biscuits with oil, I wanted to stick with a solid shortening in following this recipe. And my cheese is cheddar instead of American. I prepared the dry ingredients of the biscuit recipe with fats cut in early in the day. This would be my one last big thing to do for dinner before baking the casserole -- stirring in the milk, then rolling out and filling with cheese. I wanted to make the recipe as close to the book as possible. In my real life, I could see making a drop cheese biscuit with this casserole filling.

Green Beans in Crumbs

Here's an odd thing -- apparently stores used to sell a size of canned foods that equated to 2 1/2 cups. Most 14.5 ounce cans of vegetables contain roughly 1 1/2 cups. The 24-ounce can, that is also found in grocery stores today, contains 3 cups of drained vegetables. Since I didn't have a No. 2 can of green beans, I used 1 1/2  14.5-oz cans of green beans. (The leftover 1/2 can of green beans will get mixed in with Thursday's vegetables to make a vegetable medley.)

This is a super easy recipe. I was able to put everything except the crack crumbs into a saucepan early in the day and allow it to sit on the counter until just before serving. At that point, I heated the green beans and seasonings/butter through, then stirred in the cracker crumbs just before serving (so they wouldn't become mushy).

all of the green bean dish ingredients
 except the cracker crumbs

Deviled Beets

Today, a deviled food generally means a recipe contains prepared (bottled) mustard and other spices -- think deviled eggs or deviled ham salad. Many years ago, deviling meant a lot of fiery spices were added to a dish. I know my family enjoys mustard with foods, so I thought this might be a good one. 

This recipe also calls for honey, and honey-mustard carrots are always a hit in my house. I used one 14.5-oz can of sliced beets for this recipe, cutting the recipe in half. I didn't have Worcestershire sauce, so I used a substitution recommended by All Recipes online, soy sauce and a pinch of brown sugar. Here's the link to 8 different Worcestershire sauce substitutes.

As with the green bean dish, I assembled the beet one in advance. I made the sauce in a saucepan and dumped the drained, canned beets on top. Just before dinner, I heated the dish and gently stirred it all together.

the beet dish, ready to heat and serve
the orange color of the sauce
 is the combo of mustard and paprika

I don't know if my recipe selection for a single dinner menu would be representative of a typical 1950s meal. As I was cooking, it did seem like I was using a lot of butter. Where I could I used less butter and substituted a little oil or shortening. In the green bean dish I used 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. In the biscuit dough I used part butter, part Crisco. I didn't want to burn through our week's butter in one meal.

I suspect we will have enough leftovers for lunches tomorrow. I could have cut both the tuna dish and the green bean dish down and still had enough for my family of four.

I'll update with photos of my plate and feedback from my family later.

It's that time of the year again . . .

You know what this means, right? It's indoor seed-starting time in my area. I've got my empty cells, seeds, potting soil, and master list of what I plant, how much, and when.

Once the seeds are planted, I need a way to tell which are which. Some seedlings look an awful lot like others. And sometimes, they require different spacing when going out into the garden. So I took an empty plastic milk jug and cut it into strips, using ordinary kitchen scissors. Sharpies work great on this plastic surface. I made a mistake on one and could not rub off the name. So, I'm pretty certain these plant labels will fare well with watering. Free plant labels. Woo hoo!

My flat of early season veggies is seeded, labeled and under lights. Now it's a matter of waiting for sprouts to grow.

I'll start a second flat of different veggies, flowers and herbs in another 10 days. I have indoor capacity under lights for 4 flats altogether. And every year I use every last spot for seeds.

How about you? Will you be starting some seeds indoors any time soon?

Menu Plan for Presidents' Week and My Recipe for Peanut Butter Granola

Most of last week went according to the menu plan. I had some leftovers from Valentine's Day that needed using for Thursday's dinner (fresh strawberries instead of the planned creamed spinach) and some rapidly ripening avocados and Roma tomatoes that I ended up using for Friday's dinner instead of the steamed broccoli. And of course, we had lots of waffles and scones left from Wednesday brunch to add to breakfasts, lunches and snacks for the remaining day of the week. We're back on track now with all of the leftovers gobbled up.

This week, I have another 1950s dinner menu planned. The main course is something I made for my family many years ago. It was well-received then and I expect it will be enjoyed again this week. I'm still pinning down the side dish and dessert. I'll let you know all about it later in the week.

One daughter is dog-sitting for a few days, so again, no twinner-cooking this week. 

Here's what I've got planned for our meals.

Monday (one daughter)

Curried lentils with carrots, celery, onions,  frozen garden greens, homemade chutney and brown rice

Apple wedges

Tuesday

Stir-fried beef  with cabbage, broccoli, carrots, green onions, Swiss chard, and homegrown mushrooms over rice

Blackberry crisp

Wednesday

Another rockin' 50s dinner from my mother's 1953 cookbook

Thursday (other daughter)

Meatloaf

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Roasted broccoli

Friday

Pepperoni pizza

Creamed garden greens

Spiced fig-applesauce

Weekend dinners -- one night of miscellaneous leftovers from both fridge and freezer. The other night baked beans with ham, Cole slaw, honey-mustard carrots

Breakfasts -- peanut butter granola, Cream of Wheat, toast, eggs, peanut butter, apples, bananas, milk

Lunches -- egg salad sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, toasted open-face cheese sandwiches, homemade tomato-basil soup, carrot sticks, apples, raisins, cabbage, cookies, various leftovers

Peanut butter granola is something I've made for my family for many years. The recipe is my own. I came up with it as a way to boost the protein content of quick breakfasts and as a way to use up lingering jars of peanut butter in the pantry. Since I've mentioned this as a breakfast food in our house in previous weeks' menu plans, I thought I'd share the recipe today. If you're a fan of peanut butter cookies, this granola may just be your new favorite breakfast cereal. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Granola

large jelly roll pan (baking sheet with 4 raised edges)

microwaveable mixing bowl and large spoon

Butter the baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

1/2 to 2/3 cup peanut butter

6 tablespoons of brown sugar (or granulated sugar plus molasses)

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, butter, or coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring/extract

2 tablespoons water

3 cups rolled oats

Dump all ingredients except oats into large microwaveable bowl. Stir together. (Don't worry about lumps of butter or coconut oil, if using either as your fat.) Microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. 

Finish combining these ingredients. 

Stir in the oats. (Taste a small amount for sweetness at this point.  Add additional brown sugar if desired.) 

unbaked

Spread in the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Check. Stir the edges into the center and spread out again. Return to oven for 9 to 10 additional minutes, until the granola looks golden. 

fully baked

Turn off oven, open the oven door a crack, stir the granola again and allow to cool in the warm oven. When completely cooled, the granola should "feel" dry when stirred. 

I bake granola on an insulated sheet (double-layered). If baked on a single-layered baking sheet, the bottom may brown faster than mine. You may want to adjust the time slightly, for example, reduce the first baking period from 20 minutes to about 18 minutes, and the second baking period from 9-10 minutes to about 8 or 9 minutes. Also, stirring the granola more frequently should prevent over-browning of the granola.

Update on the Mushroom Growing Project

If you recall, I received an indoor mushroom kit as a Christmas gift. I began the kit on the 26th of December. By early to mid-January, we had bowls of mushrooms.

I sautéed mushrooms daily for about a week to ten days. 

I did have some difficulty getting the right amount of humidity and light for the kit, moving it from one window area to another, and trying out different coverings. In the end, a spot in the family room away from the window but still bright with indoor temps in the low to mid-60s, and covered with a large clear plastic bag seemed to be what it needed.

New mushroom development slowed down by the last week of January. I wasn't sure I'd done a very good job with the kit and wondered if I'd be able to get another flush out of it.

I followed the instructions and uncovered the block and allowed it to dry out for about 10 days. At that point I soaked it in clean water for a day, keeping it submersed with a heavy bowl on top. I pulled it out of the water and set it on the make-shift rack over a plastic bin lid and covered it with the clear plastic bag. Like I said, I wasn't sure anything extra would sprout.

That's a developing mushroom!

Well low and behold, after spritzing it with water daily for a week, the block began sprouting new mushrooms! I'm excited to see how well it will do for a second flush. Supposedly, I may be able to get a third flush from the block. So after it slows down this time, I'll repeat the resting period followed by soaking and see if any more mushrooms will sprout at that point, too.

When I think the whole block is about finished, I'll break it up into an outdoor pot and see if any will grow over soil outdoors. Worth a shot, right?

Happy Valentine's Day, Friends!

Here's how our Valentine's brunch turned out. 

Here's my plate.

You may notice the waffles have a non-waffle shape. I found this waffle iron, still in box, with instructions, and still two sides zip-tied together (never used) at Goodwill a couple of weeks ago. Since my 30-year old waffle iron died last year, I thought I'd pick this one up at a bargain basement price. It worked great today!

Valentine's hugs sent out to all of you!

Pro Tip: Best Time Ever to Go to Home Depot

 

If you want the parking lot practically all to yourself, lots of employees to answer questions, no wait to check out, then I have the absolute best day/time to go to Home Depot.

I'm not really into football, and the commercials and half-time entertainment are often not my thing. So, skipping the Super Bowl seemed like a good opportunity for me to go to Home Depot to pick up some flowers for a large pot by the kitchen door. I've been needing a bit of cheer to get me through some down days this month. When I thought about what would bring a smile to my face, spring flowers was the answer.

Sunday afternoon, just after 3 PM PST, one daughter and I headed out to get some flowering plants. When we pulled into the parking lot at HD, it was almost comical how few cars there were. And I'm assuming several of those cars were employees'. Even the employees inside the store were joking around about how empty the store was. Everyone was in good humor and very helpful. My daughter and I walked out with plenty of spring flowering plants and no hassle getting in or out of the parking lot.

I'll keep this in mind for next February. Now, I have to go outside and plant these into the pot's soil. 

Menu Plan for Valentine's Week 2024

blackberry crisp, bubbling hot out of the oven

As I said about last week's menu plan, "if all goes according to plans." We all know that weeks where things do go to plan are rare. Mine are no exception. So, here's the plan from last week in brief, and where things changed:

Monday- bean burgers, rice or instant mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, sliced tomato, mixed fruit crisp

Tuesday- beef stew, banana muffins, cabbage slaw

Wednesday-leftovers from Monday

Thursday- plan: Shepherd's Pie. This is where I discovered we were accumulating too many leftovers. So the plan shifted at this point. Reality: I reworked the leftovers so we had bean burgers, skillet baked beans, instant grits, cabbage/sprout slaw, tomato and avocado slices.

Friday- plan: pepperoni pizza, spiced fig applesauce, Reality: Shepherd's Pie, using leftover grits mixed with leftover mashed potatoes as topping, with cheese on top of that, plus chocolate-covered raisin clusters.

This coming week, here's our menu (again if all goes according to plan):

Monday (one daughter's night)

Green vegetable frittata, using frozen garden greens and onions in the egg dish

Brown rice

Apple wedges

Blackberry crisp

Tuesday

Roasted whole chicken

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Steamed carrots, make double

Leftover blackberry crisp

Wednesday (other daughter's night, but the two of them have been working together on parts of this dinner)

Homemade stuffed-crust pepperoni pizza (you use string cheese to stuff the crust)

Sautéed green beans

Tossed salad

Valentine’s cake (already baked and in the freezer)

Thursday

Leftover chicken/gravy over slices of bread 

Leftover carrots

Creamed spinach

Friday

Chicken, noodles and gravy

Steamed broccoli

Weekend dinners: one night chicken noodle soup and slaw. Another of cooked pinto beans done Mexi-style, with rice, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and apple wedges.

Wednesday brunch (Valentine's Day)

waffles, raspberry silken tofu, ham, sausage, strawberries, scones, apple slices, and chocolate in some form

The rest of the week's breakfasts will include homemade bread, either steel cut oats or cream of wheat, homemade muffins, eggs, peanut butter, milk, and fruit.

Lunches will include homemade tomato soup, smoothies, cheese sandwiches, deviled eggs, peanut butter, apples, Cole slaw, bananas, and various leftovers.

We don't go out to eat on Valentine's Day simply because we don't feel we receive very good service when restaurants are so crowded as they are on some holidays (Mother's Day is another such holiday). Instead we cook at home, or occasionally pick up something from the deli at the grocery store. In addition, we like our own cooking. If what I wanted was to avoid washing dishes after the meal, I'd have us use paper plates and grill our dinner. As it is, while we're not thrilled to be hand-washing all of our dishes these days (broken dishwasher), it's not something we complain about (at least not much). And this year, I'm in luck. One of my daughters is really into cooking these days and wanted to prepare dinner on Valentine's Day. So I'll get my night off from cooking without eating out.

So what's on your menu for the week? Do you like to go out to eat on holidays like Valentine's Day, or do you prefer to eat at home?

Working on Our Valentine's Brunch Menu

This year, we'll all be home in the morning on Wednesday. So I thought a quick and early brunch for Valentine's Day would be a special way to celebrate. While I'm still working out the details, here's my rough list of foods for the menu.

Foods I have everything on hand already:

• homemade waffles (I have everything I need to make waffles)
• ham slices (in the freezer leftover from New Year's Day ham)
• sausage patties (I found a pound of breakfast sausage in the freezer this week)
• heart-shaped scones baked in my heart-shaped cast-iron pan, then dusted with confectioner's sugar
• assorted jams and spreads for the scones
• fuji apples, sliced thin (I have a bag of fuji's in the fridge)

Foods I will need to buy before Wednesday:

• fresh strawberries (will need to buy those on Tuesday)
• tofu-raspberry jam dip/spread (I'll buy silken tofu at WinCo tomorrow, then combine with homemade raspberry jam)

It seems wrong to me to not have something chocolatey for Valentine's Day. But I can't think of anything I'd like to make for a brunch food that features chocolate. Any suggestions?

Taxes and Can Ordinary Bath Soap Be Used For Dishes?

I'm working on our taxes this week. I need to get them done before I get bogged down with more dental and medical appointments. On top of those, we have 4 spring birthdays, a spring wedding anniversary, a week where my hubby will be out of town, Easter, and a possible surgery for me. So, while my mind is clear I want to get the 2 sets of taxes in.

Now to the question about mild bath soap used on dishes. You know I like to experiment. This morning, I was melting a bar of Jergens soup, the very mild kind. I blend melted bar soap with a little laundry detergent and enough water to fill 2 large jugs of pourable semi-homemade laundry soap. My husband prefers this for his clothes and the towels and bedding as it leaves fabric very soft. 

Anyway, as I was washing up the breakfast dishes I wondered to myself if this melting bar soap would work on the dishes. So I poured a little of the melted soap into the washpan of dishes. Here's my conclusion. Melted Jergens soap works on dishes, glasses, silverware and cooking utensils, but not on anything really greasy. The skillet from frying my eggs and turkey bacon needed additional dish detergent. Apparently, bar bath soap is much gentler than dish soap.

The reason I went down this path is my first of two bars of actual dish soap given to me at Christmas has about 1 week to 10 days left on the bar. I still have the second bar for washing, though. So there's no hurry to find a substitute that I like or buy more of these bars myself. This one bar will have lasted about 2 months for us. Buying new bars myself will be more expensive than buying Dollar Tree dish detergent. So I wanted to see if there's something else I could use that would be in bar form. I really dislike the plastic bottle waste and want to find alternatives where I can. So I had to try out ordinary bath and face soap to see if it would work.

One of my original thoughts was I wouldn't like the fragrance of bath soap on my dishes. Then I remembered my grandmother's favorite liquid dish soap -- Ivory. Ivory definitely had a non-kitchen fragrance to it, a lot like their bath soap, as I recall. So, if Jergens soap has a non-kitchen fragrance, at least there's something of a history to dish soap with this sort of scent. It's funny that we like a floral scent on our bodies, but not on our dishes. And we like a citrusy or fruity fragrance on our dishes but not necessarily on the soap we use on our bodies.

Back to my experiment. This is good to know that in a pinch, we could wash the non-greasy dishes and cookware with ordinary bath soap if we began to run very low on the dish soap and couldn't get out to buy more, such as in a storm or when convalescing from an illness or surgery. I'll file this tidbit of information away in a back corner of my mind.

One note of caution -- I made sure to rinse those dishes really well this morning. Bath soap may contain additives that are not food-safe. And I wouldn't want to get any of that stuff on a plate where I plan to put my food. Just so you know, none of the dishes or cookware from my experiment had a soapy fragrance after rinsing. And they passed the finger test for squeakiness, indicating no soap residue left after rinsing.

It seems as if I'm not the only one who has ever had these curious thoughts. Apartment Therapy offers some info in this article about washing dishes without actual dish soap. If you'll recall a post I wrote a while ago about using baking soda to wash dishes, this article suggests baking soda as one of the best dish soap alternatives. Hmmm, now I think I need a second experiment. . . .

What are your best local prices on . . .

I brought in the last 2 dozen eggs from the garage fridge the other day. I knew we were running low and would need more eggs soon. So, I've been checking egg prices when out shopping. Last Friday I went to Walmart to pick up some produce. I cruised by the egg section and was shocked to see that the 5-dozen case of eggs had skyrocketed to almost $20. Then this morning I checked again, this time online, and they were up to $26 for 5 dozen! I have never seen eggs this expensive, ever. That works out to $5.20 a dozen! And these are the cheap eggs, not brown or organic or pasture-raised. Just plain white eggs.

So I checked online at every other store in my area that provides prices on their websites.

The wholesaler's price on the 15-dozen case (cheapest price per dozen there) is up to $79.99. I used to buy those cases for around $17 for 15-dozen. Fred Meyer (Kroger) is more sane, with 18-count cartons priced at $4.39 ($2.93/dozen). 

I decided to check Target's price online. They had a dozen eggs for $2.59. I thought that might be my best bet. I needed to go to Target anyway this morning, so I swung by the egg section. First of all, the $2.59/dozen eggs were $2.89 in the store. However, the 18-count cartons were less in store than online, priced at $3.69 instead of the online price of $4.29. I picked up 4 of the 18-count cartons, for a total of 6 dozen eggs and brought them to the checkout with my other items. They rang up at the higher price. Luckily I noticed this and pointed it out to the clerk. She honored the price on the shelf for me for all the cartons. 

So, I bought 6 dozen eggs for $2.46 per dozen. That beat all of the other prices I found in town. (I also checked Safeway, Albertsons, QFC, and Walgreens).

I'm also checking prices on other items on my shopping list for the week. I especially track the price on butter, eggs, milk, and gas for the car, as I notice and remember those specific items.

What's your best local price on:

one pound butter  $3.75/pound in a 2-lb bundle at Fred Meyer (Kroger) 

dozen eggs  $2.46/dozen in 18-count cartons at Target

one gallon milk  $2.99/gallon at WinCo, limit 1

gallon regular unleaded gas   $3.89 at ARCO on the main highway

Are my prices in line with what you're paying? Have eggs skyrocketed in price in your area, too? 

Menu Plan for This Week in February

I haven't done a meals' post in a while. I spent some time this morning menu planning for this coming week. In February, I find we are in use-it-up mode with regards to everything in the freezer. So here's our coming week in meals, should all go according to plan.

Dinners

Monday
Bean burgers w/ cheese slices, mustard sauce using some honey mustard lingering in the fridge 
Roma tomato slices
Steamed carrots
Choice of instant mashed potatoes or leftover cooked rice
Mixed frozen fruit crisp

My two daughters cook dinner for us on Monday and Wednesday. This is part of how they contribute to the household. In recent weeks, they've been teaming up on Mondays and making double what is needed for one meal and serve mostly leftovers on Wednesday. They call this effort "twinner."

I help in the menu planning for their meals, guiding them in what's available to use or in need of using. This week, we have leftover cooked pinto beans and leftover cooked rice. I also helped with the dessert today. I made a mixed fruit crisp, using 3 different fruits from the freezer, apples, blackberries, and rhubarb.

Tuesday
Beef stew w/carrots, peas, onions, frozen garden greens, barley, and beef 
Cole slaw
Banana muffins

There are two almost black bananas sitting on the kitchen counter. Those will go into muffins for this night's dinner. I'll also be using random garden greens that I find in the freezer in the stew, along with the other ingredients. Cole slaw because cabbage is one of our cheap veggies.

Wednesday (the second half of twinner)
Bean burgers w/ cheese, any remaining mustard sauce 
Apple wedges
Steamed carrots

Leftover rice or potatoes

Thursday
Chicken shepherd's pie, using carrots, onions, frozen celery, frozen garden greens, frozen peas topped with mashed potatoes

Friday
Pepperoni pizza
Broccoli
Tomato and cucumber slices
Spiced fig applesauce

The weekend dinners will consist of one vegetarian Mexican night, with refried beans, cheese, rice, salsa, avocado, tomatoes, and corn tortilla chips and one leftovers night, using what ever is left in the fridge.

Lunches

Curried pumpkin-peanut butter soup pot, using some frozen pumpkin puree

Cream of frozen garden greens soup pot

Cabbage patch soup pot, using canned tomatoes, cabbage, frozen garden greens, onions, garlic, and TVP

Assorted breads and other leftovers

Breakfasts

Breakfasts are a get-your-own sort of thing in our house. My husband likes to cook himself some meat and have toast with it. I alternate between toast, egg, turkey bacon and a bowl of bran flakes and stewed dried fruit. There's also peanut butter granola in a jar on the counter, and there will be lots of leftovers, including leftover fruit crisp and leftover banana muffins.

What's your plan for this next week's meals? Do you plan ahead a week or plan one day at a time?

Valentine Gifties From Dollar Tree, Grocery Outlet, and WinCo

I wanted to share some inexpensive gifts that I found in my favorite budget stores. These are for my two daughters for Valentine's Day. I'll have a filled tin for each of them.

From Dollar Tree:

• a pair of cozy socks, $1.25, who doesn't love a pair of cozy socks? 
• a small container of hand and body cream, $1.25, these are for normal to dry skin. I also bought one for extra dry skin for myself and I love it for my hands!
• a bath bomb made to look like a conversation heart, $1.25, cute and Valentine-themed gift for gals

From Grocery Outlet (grocery salvage store):

• Russell Stover dark chocolate covered marshmallow heart, 33 cents. These are $1 at Fred Meyer. And who wouldn't want something coated in dark chocolate?

From WinCo:

• assorted foil-wrapped chocolate hearts, 94 cents from the bulk bins

If you're doing the math, each filled tin cost just over $5 plus tax on the Dollar Tree items. (The tins are reused every year.) 

Another type of sewing that is very frugal and actually saves money in the long run

My daughter came to me with a pair of favorite jeans whose zipper had come off one track. She bought these jeans a couple of summers ago at a garage sale for $1. They're still in good shape aside from the zipper. My daughter asked if there was a way to fix this zipper. I said I'd take a look and see what I could do. Fixing the zipper on my daughters jeans was added to my weekly to-do list.

I didn't think to take photos of this repair until I was done.
So, this isn't the same pair of jeans, but how the pair I fixed looked before.

So this morning was that moment to tackle the zipper. I unpicked the bar tack that is about 1 inch or so above the base of the zipper fly so I could take a closer look. This bar-tacking is what prevents the zipper from going too far down the zipper, which would put pressure on the zipper end. 

I had an idea of how I would go about it, but needed further information. I searched online and found a couple of tutorials. One tutorial suggested working from the top of the zipper. I suspected this would be the wrong way to go about repairing a jean zipper. Next I found this helpful video, with step-by-step instructions. I did a couple of things differently, but the end result was a repaired zipper. 

the clamped-in-place zipper stop

What I used for this repair:

needle nose pliers

locking pliers

needle and thread

Of the things I did my own way, I found working on the zipper with the jeans inside out easier than right side out. YMMV. I also carefully removed the brass zipper stop with needle nose pliers, keeping it in good enough shape to reuse. I used the pliers to gently bend the metal stop back into it's staple shape so I could reuse it. 

zipper fully functional once again

After restarting the zipper, I secured the saved zipper stop with locking pliers, clamping the zipper stop through folds of fabric beneath both tracks of the zipper. I smashed the stop on pretty solidly, and it's likely it can't be reused a second time. I restitched the tacking by hand instead of using my sewing machine. Hand-sewing just seemed easier than threading my machine and struggling to sew through several layers of heavy fabric. 

Not all repairs are worth the time and expense. Since this pair of jeans only cost my daughter $1, if I had needed to buy a new metal zipper, the repair might have cost $5 or more. She might be able to find a new-to-her pair of jeans at another garage sale for that price or less this summer, without the work of repairs. Of course, I could have scavenged a zipper from some worn out jeans, and that would be the frugal approach to replacing a zipper on second-hand jeans. 

I frequently repair hems, seams, missing buttons, tighten loose buttonholes, and sew up tiny holes in fabric. Those are small repairs that extend the life of a garment considerably. Other repairs aren't worth it. For example, if a garment was poorly made to begin (poor craftsmanship or cheap fabric/thread) and is already looking very worn. Those items I would scrap and repurpose the fabric and save the buttons. 

In the long run, knowing how to repair clothing is a huge money and time saver, as I don't need to go out and find a replacement for something I wear often. Mending is definitely a good use of my skills and resources.

Sewing as a Productive and Frugal Hobby: My New Set of Pajamas

 

I finished sewing my new pajama pants over the weekend. They are warm and cozy, and I love the colors and print! Maybe you recall, I asked my daughters for 2 yards of flannel fabric for Christmas. I found this print on sale at JoAnn's Fabrics for $2.99/yard. My out-of-pocket cost for the fabric was $0, but my daughters spent about $6.

Also, here's the top I chose to complete the pj set. It's a light pink, oversized t-shirt from Michaels craft store. I received a $5 reward coupon in my email a couple of weeks ago with an expiration date of Jan. 27. I also had a coupon for 20% off any purchase.  

On Friday, I dashed over there to look at the tees. I knew I would find something I liked. Michaels often has their t-shirts for painting/silk screening on sale. They did have one brand for $2.99 each. But I didn't find a color I liked in that selection. So I went with this one. It was $12.99, less 20%, less my $5 rewards, for a grand total of $5.39 plus tax.

I was trying to sew these at minimal out-of-pocket cost to myself -- no additional costs was my goal. I decided not to buy any light pink thread and used some light yellow thread that I already had from a project many years ago. As it all turned out, the light yellow is not only okay, but it's barely noticeable. I also didn't need to buy any elastic for the waistband. I have enough elastic from other projects to probably get me through another 3 pairs of pajamas. And I was using a pattern that I've had and used for over 20 years.

You might have noticed the flower appliqué on the front of the elastic waistband. Manufactured clothing usually has a tag in the back. That's sometimes how I determine which way a top or elastic waist pants go. With handmade pjs that don't have a fly, it's difficult to know which is front and which is back. But there is a difference. The back side is usually roomier. Have you ever put on a pair of leggings backwards and wondered why the front is so baggy? I've done that. When I sew pajama pants, I like to put something center front that will differentiate front from back. So, I rummaged through my sewing trims and came across the perfect little flower appliqué. It really looks like it was meant for this print.

The pattern that I use indicates that I should buy 2 5/8 yards of this width fabric for my size. I'm not all that tall, so I have shortened my pattern by about three inches. I asked my daughters for 2 yards of this fabric. When choosing a print, I looked for one that I could turn sideways for cutting. By turning sideways, I mean that I unfold the fabric and refold it in the opposite direction. I've found with this pattern, I can fit both pattern pieces side by side across the fabric sideways. Whereas when laying out the fabric and pattern with the manufactured fold as it was purchased, the pieces have to be offset to accommodate the fabric's width. This works totally fine when purchasing the recommended amount of fabric. But I do try to be sparing with the fabric, if possible, and purchase just a little bit less.

I learned this little trick years ago when sewing a solid color pair of pj pants for myself. I measured the length of the pattern pieces once shortened, then determined if they would fit side by side if laid out on the width of fabric I chose (typically 44/45" width for flannel). Anyway, by shortening the pants to my height and by turning the fabric sideways, I was able to do these with 5/8 yard less than the pattern suggested. 

I sometimes buy the pattern, take it home, do a mockup of how I will lay out pattern pieces on a grid cutting board, then go back to the store to buy the needed fabric based on how much I think I will need. Doing this is one way that I've made sewing projects more affordable.

I enjoy sewing. For one thing, it allows me an opportunity to express some creativity while still being frugal. It's one of those productive hobbies, like vegetable or herb gardening or refinishing furniture. I try not to frustrate myself with the sewing projects that I select. So I tend to choose those which are on the easy side and can be completed quickly. These pj pants fit that description.

Payment in Trade from the 1930s

Baked Cottage Cheese

I mentioned my grandmother's baked cottage cheese in the comments the other day. The recipe itself is part of a larger story from my grandmother's early marriage years in the 1930s and how she obtained some of her foods then. Here's the recipe, first.

Baked cottage cheese was a cheese custard dessert my grandmother made from the 1930s. It was a little like a lean and crustless cheesecake. I don't know precise measurements and am guessing at her process. Her "recipe" card simply reads "cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon peel, milk, enough flour" she either mashed the cottage cheese with a potato masher or pressed/rubbed the cottage cheese with the back of large spoon through a mesh sieve, then beat in eggs, sugar, lemon zest, milk, and a tiny bit of flour (maybe a tablespoon or two). Once blended together, she poured it into a buttered baking dish and baked as you would an egg/milk custard, likely an oven around 325 degrees F, perhaps in a large pan of water to prevent the custard from overcooking. Remove from oven when the center no longer jiggles. 

Payment in Trade

My grandmother and her family really struggled financially during the 30s. My grandfather had been a stockbroker in the 1920s. Well, you can guess how well that turned out for them. 

My grandmother's father was a medical doctor in town at that time, and many of his patients could no longer pay him in cash. One of the ways they paid my great-grandfather was "in trade." Whatever they could offer, he would accept. There was a dairy farmer with a very large family of children who were all patients at one time or another of my great-grandfather. The dairy farmer wasn't taking in as much income in the 30s, either. And yet, he had all of this very perishable inventory that needed to be moved/sold weekly. The dairy farmer and my great-grandfather came to an agreement over payment for medical services. The farmer would pay in trade. For however much the medical services would be billed, my great-grandfather could receive that dollar amount in dairy foods. 

Free Milk, Eggs, Butter, Cottage Cheese, and Bread

My great-grandfather, my great-grandmother, and their remaining children at home didn't need this amount of dairy foods weekly. So my great-grandfather turned the dairy account over to his adult children to divide amongst themselves as they had need. My grandmother's family was able to obtain milk, eggs, butter, and cottage cheese, for no cost, and this went on for a few years. At one point, the farmer's wife began baking and selling bread for additional income. So, bread was added to the list of foods my grandmother's family could receive as part of the trade agreement. These foods became the backbone of many of their meals during the 30s, as my grandmother thought of new and different ways to use what was no-cost to them. The baked cottage cheese was one such recipe.

My Mother's Baked Cottage Cheese Dish

Many, many years later, my mother would make something very similar. In the 1970s, my mother tried the Atkins diet. One of the popular Atkins' recipes at that time was for a cottage cheese faux cheesecake. It called for cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and artificial sweetener. My mother pureed the ingredients in the pitcher blender, then poured it all into a baking dish and baked till set. It was at this time that she told me about the baked cottage cheese that her own mother would make when she was a girl. 

A decade later, shortly after my mother passed away, my grandmother and step-grandfather offered me a place to live while I went back to school. One evening, my grandmother was setting dishes of cottage cheese with fruit on the table for dessert. The sight of the cottage cheese prompted me to ask my grandmother about the baked cottage cheese. We stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, talking and laughing about all of the ways she and my grandfather had contrived during the 30s just to keep their heads above water. She also got out her recipe card tin. She gave me the card for Baked Cottage Cheese, as well as a couple of others. And she made baked cottage cheese for dessert later that week. It was actually very good. If one were expecting the richness of cheesecake, they might be disappointed. But for a light dessert, it was really pretty good.

What I found fascinating at the time is many of my grandmother's handwritten recipes were more like a list of ingredients, sometimes with no other instructions, sometimes with very vague instructions. Amounts might be listed as "enough" or "to form a dough," or worse, "to make thick as syrup." She knew what she meant as she wrote these recipes down. I believe she thought only she would ever access these cards and papers and wouldn't need as many specific details, but more of prompts to her memory as she put together meals.

Depression-Era Wedding Luncheon Entree

Another story from this period in my grandmother's life revolved around a wedding luncheon for the daughter of a friend. Wedding receptions were rather modest in comparison to the big do's we hear about today. A popular option was a light luncheon that followed the ceremony. My grandmother's gift to this friend's daughter was providing the main dish for the luncheon. My grandmother bought 2 cans of salmon and ordered bread, eggs, and milk from the dairy (the no-cost items for her). She made a large salmon loaf that she later laughed about, saying, "that loaf was more bread and eggs than anything else." I believe she said the luncheon was for about 50 guests. Two cans of salmon for 50 people -- that's pretty frugal.

Bartering in the 30s

Out of necessity, bartering was a common form of payment between individuals and/or small businesses in the 1930s. Food, medical attention, housing, clothing, furniture, or tools might be offered in exchange for what someone might need. Sometimes, the exchanges were simple transactions, one item or service traded for one needed item or service. Other times, bartering resembled what my great-grandfather worked out with the local dairy farmer. An account was set up that allowed my great-grandfather, or anyone he determined, to "purchase" foods up to the amount of the account balance. This meant that my great-grandfather would not need to take possession of the full dollar amount of perishable foods in one swoop, but instead could spread out these purchases as they could be consumed. 

So, that's the story surrounding my Grandmother's Baked Cottage Cheese. 

How I Make Chia Pudding

Chia seeds have both soluble and insoluble fiber and are good for the gut, helping to promote the growth of good bacteria. They also have protein, something I'm always looking for. 

When I first bought the seeds, I had the same questions as everyone else. "How do I use this stuff?" "Will I like it?" "What if I don't like it?"

Fortunately I found 2 ways that I do like it. One, as a smoothie thickener. To use in smoothies, I add some water to the bottom of a smoothie cup, then I add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. I allow this to stand for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time. And finally I add the rest of the smoothie ingredients then blend.

The other way I use chia seeds is in pudding cups. This is my preferred use for chia. I mix up about 3 or 4 pudding cups at a time then keep them in the fridge. I prefer vanilla chia pudding. The chocolate chia pudding, made with cocoa powder, seemed to suffer from not cooking on the stove. Something about the raw-like cocoa powder that I didn't think was the greatest.

To make a single vanilla chia pudding cup I use:

• individual pyrex custard cup
• a spoon
• 1 tablespoon measuring spoon
• 1 teaspoon measuring spoon
• chia seeds
• sugar or honey or maple syrup
• salt
• vanilla flavoring
• milk (I use soy milk for mine and cow's milk for my family's)

Using standard pyrex custard cups: 

I stir together 1 heaping tablespoon of chia seeds, 2 to 2 1.2 teaspoons sugar, and a pinch salt in each cup. If using honey or maple syrup, add those with the liquid ingredients. The amount of sweetening is all to taste. I've found that if I make a batch that isn't sweet enough for me, I can quickly stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or honey

I add a dash of vanilla flavoring and milk to the top line in each custard cup and stir until I can't feel any granularity of the sugar at the bottom of the cups.

I allow the puddings to sit on the counter, leaving one spoon in one of the cups, reminding me to stir from time to time. When I see a darker drop in the pudding, I break it up with the back of the spoon against the cup. These are clusters of chia seeds. The overall texture is better, IMO, if the seeds are well-distributed in the pudding and nor clumped.

After about 2 hours of very brief stirring whenever I pass through the kitchen, I refrigerate the puddings overnight. 

After about 8-10 hours, this is what a pudding cup looks like from the side. The seeds have swollen and begun to thicken the liquid, and they're holding themselves distributed in the pudding. But the pudding is still not quite thick enough and won't be ready until after an overnight chill.

The whole process sounds much more involved typing it out than it really is in real life. It takes about 4 minutes hands-on time to make a batch of 3 or 4 pudding cups. And the clean-up is so much easier than cooked pudding.

For a healthy bonus, top chia pudding with sliced fresh fruit. 

I eat these puddings for snacks, breakfasts (with fresh or frozen fruit), and as sweet treats that are actually good for me.