Rediscovering the crockpot

oh, boy, I think I've hit the motherlode! How could I ever have neglected my crockpot...especially when it comes to saving time and money? These days I've been making a soup of the week...and ladling it hot into jars that often "can" themselves. Kept in the fridge (since I don't go to the trouble of sterilizing the clean jars), I take a jar to work every day of the week. Quick and easy lunches. Empty Bonne Maman jelly jars provide just the right size for my appetite, but since I'm trying not to buy imported products any more, I'll have to try to collect some similar-sized jars that once housed local products. Anyway, I'm in love with a crockpot again--especially after buying one with a lift-out crock that can go into the dishwasher. woohoo!

Reducing Waste

Maybe you already knew this, but I just found out that you can get a reusable coffee filter for 10-12 cup coffemakers. Imagine not having to use those little paper filters in every coffeepot across the nation. And the ones Mr. Coffee makes are top shelf dishwasher safe. Trouble is...I just bought Hubby a 4-cup pot, since he only drinks about 3cups/day, and there is no reusable filter for the 4-cup pot yet. 

Budget crunch

If you knew that you were going to lose your job in the next month...even six months, what could you do without in order to save some $$ between now and then? I'm guessing that if most took a good hard look at every expenditure, there would be plenty of room for extra savings. I'm going to look into a cheaper cell phone plan. Use an antenna with converter box already, so no savings to be found be ditching cable. Cook most meals from scratch, but I could be better about not accidentally letting food go to waste. Hmnnn...surely there are other areas where we could save. Will think on that for sure.

Constant Struggle

It's a constant struggle to stay focused on simple living, on consuming less while enjoying life's simpler pleasures more. I vow to renew my commitment to simple living beginning today. Therefore, instead of stopping on the way home to buy more groceries, I resolve to make do with what is on hand--just for today. I hope to make the same pledge for tomorrow. We need bread, so I'll have to go home and bake something...maybe the 90-minute dinner roll recipe, or a simple beer bread (3 cups self-rising flour, very scant 1/4 cup sugar, 1 can room temp beer mixed then placed in bread pan, with 3 tbs. melted butter on top and adding 4 tbs. melted butter partway through baking in 350 degree oven.) yes, that's the ticket!

Quick & easy supper ideas

1. From Sunday's appetizer to another night's meal, I filled leftover baked potato skins with bacon/cream cheese/horseradish dip for a great new dish that we both loved. 
2. Also discovered recently that we are very keen on summer squash pizza: sliced yellow squash sauteed in a little olive oil and then put atop a pizza crust (either homemade from a quick mix or a french bread loaf) with ranch dip as the sauce & a little mozzerella or assorted italian cheeses on top. Made the last squash pizza on Panera foccacia bread (which we slice in half), and used ranch dip with salsa (1 pkg. ranch dressing mix, 16oz sour cream, 1/2 cup salsa -- won't need whole recipe for a pizza).

Shower Challenge

I accepted the challenge of http://www.dothegreenthing.com/ to take shorter showers, which has become sort of a test of my mettle. Can I wet my hair with the frigid waters that pour down while waiting for the hot water? yes, it seems I can. In fact, doing so reminds me of camping. Turn off the water once the body's wet to do all the lathering up. Turn on water to rinse off soap & shampoo...turn off water while putting on conditioner & using body scrubber...turn on for final rinse & DONE! Then using the squeegee to wipe water from walls reduces chance for mildew, reduces cleanup. Saving water, less cleaners. :)