Brown Ground beef and diced onion with 2 Tbsp sugar, dash of pepper, sprinkling of salt, 1 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/2 tsp. celery seed. When browned drain meat and add 2 tbsp taco seasoning mix and 3/4 c. water (or follow pkg. directions.)
When seasonings have thickened with meat, put in bottom of casserole pan.
Put mashed potatoes or sliced cooked potatoes on top (if using raw potato slices, plan on putting in crock pot for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low).
Pour can of kidney beans or black beans over potato layer.
Pour can of tomato soup on top of black bean layer. (Or add 2 tbsp. flour to a 15 oz. diced tomatoes and use in place of tomato soup.
Add grated cheese if desired on top of tomato layer.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 f.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Today
It's been a while since I have written anything. Today I was thinking about my poor neglected blog. Today, my ideas have ranged from reading Homer's Odyssey, making pancakes, bacon and fruit sauce for supper, finding Libby's (R) Pumkin Pie recipe, making Taco Seasoning Mix, the chess game I played last night (Kasparov vs. Karpov #16), eating yesterday's Spicy Potato soup and Peach Cobbler, and reading the New Dress a Day blog. I am also interested in seeing if the movie Julie and Julia is any good or not.
Yesterday's Peach Cobbler was a recipe that had melted butter poured into the baking pan, a batter the consistency of Pancake batter poured into the melted butter and the heated peaches and juice poured on top. I also added cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. I overspiced the nutmeg a little, but I know better for next time.
The Spicy Potato soup was Dan's idea. He peeled and cut up the potatoes and gypsy pepper and browned the ground beef the night before. I just put it all in the crock pot with 8 cups of water, two cans of crushed tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 tablespoon pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and let it cook all day. It was better today than it was yesterday.
New Dress a Day blog -- Brilliant idea. I wish I could try doing something like this. It seems easy enough - besides manipulating difficult corners and fabrics - but I don't know if I could do it every day for a year. The blogger has a secular worldview based on some of the side objects displayed in pictures and logos, but other than that, I have to say I really like what she has to say.
Pancakes for supper - I took it easy today. Being an expectant mother sometimes calls for that. I had a difficult night and didn't sleep much, so I rested, had some coffee, and took a walk so I can sleep tonight. (Exercise equals better sleep, not to mention a healthier and fit pregnancy, and added health benefits before and after labor and delivery.) I chatted with a friend on the phone in the afternoon and we were talking about making pancakes and feeling like eating them for supper. Not my original idea today, but a good one.
Yesterday's Peach Cobbler was a recipe that had melted butter poured into the baking pan, a batter the consistency of Pancake batter poured into the melted butter and the heated peaches and juice poured on top. I also added cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. I overspiced the nutmeg a little, but I know better for next time.
The Spicy Potato soup was Dan's idea. He peeled and cut up the potatoes and gypsy pepper and browned the ground beef the night before. I just put it all in the crock pot with 8 cups of water, two cans of crushed tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 tablespoon pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and let it cook all day. It was better today than it was yesterday.
New Dress a Day blog -- Brilliant idea. I wish I could try doing something like this. It seems easy enough - besides manipulating difficult corners and fabrics - but I don't know if I could do it every day for a year. The blogger has a secular worldview based on some of the side objects displayed in pictures and logos, but other than that, I have to say I really like what she has to say.
Pancakes for supper - I took it easy today. Being an expectant mother sometimes calls for that. I had a difficult night and didn't sleep much, so I rested, had some coffee, and took a walk so I can sleep tonight. (Exercise equals better sleep, not to mention a healthier and fit pregnancy, and added health benefits before and after labor and delivery.) I chatted with a friend on the phone in the afternoon and we were talking about making pancakes and feeling like eating them for supper. Not my original idea today, but a good one.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Maternity Pants that Fit -- and Feel Good!
I bought a pair of over-the-belly maternity pants when I was expecting my little boy. I heard a friend telling another friend how they were the only pants that worked for her. Naturally, I assumed that meant that they worked best for everybody and the pants with the wide elastic were completely uncomfortable. I had purchased this pair before I was really big enough to tell if they would fit the best. As time went on, I realized that they didn't work that well for me, so I invested in two pairs of jeans that had the wide elastic. They were much more comfortable and didn't feel like they were falling down all the time. I wore them frequently throughout my pregnancy. I also experienced that I preferred pants that didn't have elastic in the waist and sat below the waist line. I believe they are called under-the-belly pants. They seem harder to find, but I may not have looked at the right stores. After I had my little boy, I turned down the elastic on my pants and sewed it in place so that they had a lower waist, and wore them like that until I could finally fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans, about five months later.
With my next pregnancy, I have worn my jeans with the elastic that is turned down and sewn in place. I wear jeans a lot, so it is hard to get by with just two pairs of jeans. I have tried wearing my over-the-belly jeans a few times, but always with much discomfort.
Today, I did the cooles thing. I purchased a piece of 3" elastic (I could have used 2" wide elastic just fine though) and sized them it up agains the length of elastic in the maternity capris that are size medium. I wear a size small for most things and can fit into a medium for the last two or three months of a pregnancy. The capris are the most comfortable pair of pants that I have. I sewed the length of the elastic in place to be the same diameter around as the capris. Then I sewed the elastice into the over-the-belly panel. This was a little bit hard to do since the stretchy material is a little bit difficult to manipulate, but after several small blunders and the use of a seam ripper, I finally suceeded.
I then proceeded to turn down the elastic waist and sew it in place on either side of the label, down the fly line and next to the seam on both of the sides.
When I tried on the pants the fit perfectly and now are more comfortable than either of my other two pairs of jeans. The only downside is that the pockets are a slight challenge to get to. The best part about it? The size small jeans have a size medium waist, so they fit in the pants and the waist exactly as I need them to, and comfort is achieved along with practicality! I was so excited that I called up one of my friends just to tell her of my success!
With my next pregnancy, I have worn my jeans with the elastic that is turned down and sewn in place. I wear jeans a lot, so it is hard to get by with just two pairs of jeans. I have tried wearing my over-the-belly jeans a few times, but always with much discomfort.
Today, I did the cooles thing. I purchased a piece of 3" elastic (I could have used 2" wide elastic just fine though) and sized them it up agains the length of elastic in the maternity capris that are size medium. I wear a size small for most things and can fit into a medium for the last two or three months of a pregnancy. The capris are the most comfortable pair of pants that I have. I sewed the length of the elastic in place to be the same diameter around as the capris. Then I sewed the elastice into the over-the-belly panel. This was a little bit hard to do since the stretchy material is a little bit difficult to manipulate, but after several small blunders and the use of a seam ripper, I finally suceeded.
I then proceeded to turn down the elastic waist and sew it in place on either side of the label, down the fly line and next to the seam on both of the sides.
When I tried on the pants the fit perfectly and now are more comfortable than either of my other two pairs of jeans. The only downside is that the pockets are a slight challenge to get to. The best part about it? The size small jeans have a size medium waist, so they fit in the pants and the waist exactly as I need them to, and comfort is achieved along with practicality! I was so excited that I called up one of my friends just to tell her of my success!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Soap
I got to do something really awesome today. I made laundry soap. I used 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap, 1 cup Borax and 1 cup washing soda. We (a friend was doing it with me) grated the bar of soap in a food porcessor, and then changed blades, added the other ingredients and ground it up together. Voila! That is the soap. It only takes 1 tablespoon of the soap per load, and 2 tablespoons for heavily soiled loads. It equals about 52 loads of laundry. I made enough for 104 loads. The really awesome thing about it is that the price per load works out to just under half a cent per load. Compare that to 22 cents per load! To get a bulk bottle of Purex at Sam's club it costs about $22, and that is still more cost effective than Tide Free and Clear. With this, I can save about $60 or more a year in laundry costs!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Cost of Raising a Child
Every year, experts come out with updated calculations on how much it costs to raise a child. The numbers are always pretty high, somewhere in the thousands, if I remember correctly. The sad thing is that these numbers may not be completely accurate, and I have to wonder how many individuals and couples look at the numbers and say, "Well, that's how much it costs...I don't think we can do this." Some may look at the numbers and say, "Well, it may cost this much but it's worth it...somehow we'll make it work." Okay, I'm guessing as to what the exact response is, but these are the ones that are pretty obvious.
In my experience, however, I think it is pretty safe to say that while raising children is an expensive task, especially once you add up everything parents spend from prenatal costs to college, and perhaps after that if you count weddings (not to mention out-patient care of adult children, but that is another story...) I believe that raising children ends up being quite a bit less than what the experts estimate that it is. Granted, there is no free meal (even the hand-me-downs cost somebody something), but there are many ways of cutting down on costs. I have to admit, I don't know all the secrets to cutting costs yet, but I am learning, and in the time that I have been a mother, I have cut down on many costs already. Not only that, but there are costs that I paid full-price for originally, but when such expenses occur after that initial encounter, I have found ways to pay less the next time.
Here are a few examples of ways to cut down on costs of raising a child:
~ Use cloth diapers and wipes as opposed to disposable diapers and wipes. By doing this, you can cut out $600-$1100 per year.
~ Nurse instead of using formula. This cuts out about another $1000 per year.
~ Buy clothes second hand, such as at rummage sales, thrift stores and classified ads, both for the child and for maternity clothes. Often times, there are many clothes that have been hardly worn, still have plenty of wear left and are even quite fashionable.
~ Alter articles of clothing to give it a new look without having to pay full-price of a new item.
~ Shop the clearance racks and sales, and combine both when you can. Add coupons to this mix when possible.
~ Shop for food items when they are on sale and use coupons on the same purchase whenever possible.
~ Ask friends or family member if you may borrow clothing items that they are not currently using, and return when outgrown. This is helpful when the lender is planning to use the items again but doew not need them at the time. (This can be helpful with both infant clothes and maternity clothes. Just be sure to treat the clothes well while you are using and return when not needed any more. If this will strain the relationship you have with the person, avoid this tip.)
~ Ask friends or family member if they have clothes that they are planning to get rid of that would fit your child, and be willing to give them a little something for them if they are. Many times, people are willing to part with outgrown items at no cost since they would rather not have these items taking up space, but be willing to offer some resonable compensation.
~ Sometimes friends or family members are getting rid of toys or books their child has outgrown. This is another opportunity to save by accepting or paying a small cost for these items.
~ Buy toys at thrift stores and rummage sales. You can always disinfect them before letting your child use them where that is a concern (watch for toys that cannot be washed and avoid these if this is a concern to you). There are some nice toys to be had this way, and if it breaks it is not as big of a deal because you didn't break the bank to get it.
~ Sometimes the network of people you know may give you new items such as for baby showers, birthdays and Christmas. In some cases, you may even be able to supply a wish list if there are specific items needed or desired.
~ Sell items that you are no longer using to buy items that would be more useful for your children. You can have a rummage sale or use classified ads or let the people with whom you network know that you have items you are selling. (Just be sure not to pressure anybody into buying--treat others the way you would want to be treated if you were the one making the purchase.) This is a great way to fund your Christmas and birthday gifts for your children.
~ Sometimes you may purchase a larger, nicer item for a birthday, and in some cases family members are willing to chip in. I am not as much of a fan of this idea, but it is an idea that some people prefer to use.
~ Find entertainment ideas that cost little to nothing, such as packing a picnic lunch and going to a park to eat it, going hiking or letterboxing (see letterboxing.org), disc golfing (there are initial costs to buy the discs, usually about $7-8 for the less expensive discs.), swimming, visiting the library, going on field trips (field trips don't have to be limited to the school year!), etc.
~ When entertainment does have costs involved, look for discounted options. For instance, an Annual Zoo Pass will cost less than paying for each individual visit to the zoo if you be sure to visit the zoo often enough in the year that it pays for the membership. For instance, if getting into the zoo is $20 per visit for the family, and the annual zoo pass is $90, be sure to visit the zoo at least 5 times during the validity of that zoo pass. If you do buy a membership, be sure it is one that your family will enjoy and use often. If it is a membership to a place that is farther than you will travel or that you won't enjoy visiting multiple times, it may not be worth the membership.
~ Find new modes of entertainment that are out of the ordinary, such as visiting an elderly neighbor and getting to know him or her.
~ Don't forget to find ways to give in the process. Giving keeps us from becoming stagnant and horders. For instance, give away toys, books and clothes that are no longer used. Bake cookies or bread for a neighbor and let this be part of a visit. These are great things for children to participate in and helps them learn the joy of giving.
Other aspects to the costs of rasining children that are often forgotten about are things like this:
As a child gets older, he or she will be able to work and produce an income, even if it is small to begin with, and as they do, they can pitch in on their own costs of clothing, school supplies and little luxuries.
Children who aren't sure what kind of education to pursue may forego college and just start working out of high school, and may even be able to make as much or more than their college educated counterparts by entering the workforce sooner, and even by learning to invest their income early and wisely. Those who do go to college can also work their way through college paying off college as they go and may even be able to graduate debt-free. There are grants and scholarships also available if the student is willing to take the time to look for them and do the tasks involved to earn them (such as writing an essay).
Students can also conduct fundraisers or do odd jobs to help pay for school-related expenses. These kinds of activities help children understand that there are costs involved for activities they participate in, it teaches them to have a good work ethic, and it show them that there are rewards for being productive.
I am sure I could think of more ideas, but this is a good start. In fact, I am surprised that I came up with this many! Hopefully, these ideas are helpful to anyone who reads this, including me as my children get older.
In my experience, however, I think it is pretty safe to say that while raising children is an expensive task, especially once you add up everything parents spend from prenatal costs to college, and perhaps after that if you count weddings (not to mention out-patient care of adult children, but that is another story...) I believe that raising children ends up being quite a bit less than what the experts estimate that it is. Granted, there is no free meal (even the hand-me-downs cost somebody something), but there are many ways of cutting down on costs. I have to admit, I don't know all the secrets to cutting costs yet, but I am learning, and in the time that I have been a mother, I have cut down on many costs already. Not only that, but there are costs that I paid full-price for originally, but when such expenses occur after that initial encounter, I have found ways to pay less the next time.
Here are a few examples of ways to cut down on costs of raising a child:
~ Use cloth diapers and wipes as opposed to disposable diapers and wipes. By doing this, you can cut out $600-$1100 per year.
~ Nurse instead of using formula. This cuts out about another $1000 per year.
~ Buy clothes second hand, such as at rummage sales, thrift stores and classified ads, both for the child and for maternity clothes. Often times, there are many clothes that have been hardly worn, still have plenty of wear left and are even quite fashionable.
~ Alter articles of clothing to give it a new look without having to pay full-price of a new item.
~ Shop the clearance racks and sales, and combine both when you can. Add coupons to this mix when possible.
~ Shop for food items when they are on sale and use coupons on the same purchase whenever possible.
~ Ask friends or family member if you may borrow clothing items that they are not currently using, and return when outgrown. This is helpful when the lender is planning to use the items again but doew not need them at the time. (This can be helpful with both infant clothes and maternity clothes. Just be sure to treat the clothes well while you are using and return when not needed any more. If this will strain the relationship you have with the person, avoid this tip.)
~ Ask friends or family member if they have clothes that they are planning to get rid of that would fit your child, and be willing to give them a little something for them if they are. Many times, people are willing to part with outgrown items at no cost since they would rather not have these items taking up space, but be willing to offer some resonable compensation.
~ Sometimes friends or family members are getting rid of toys or books their child has outgrown. This is another opportunity to save by accepting or paying a small cost for these items.
~ Buy toys at thrift stores and rummage sales. You can always disinfect them before letting your child use them where that is a concern (watch for toys that cannot be washed and avoid these if this is a concern to you). There are some nice toys to be had this way, and if it breaks it is not as big of a deal because you didn't break the bank to get it.
~ Sometimes the network of people you know may give you new items such as for baby showers, birthdays and Christmas. In some cases, you may even be able to supply a wish list if there are specific items needed or desired.
~ Sell items that you are no longer using to buy items that would be more useful for your children. You can have a rummage sale or use classified ads or let the people with whom you network know that you have items you are selling. (Just be sure not to pressure anybody into buying--treat others the way you would want to be treated if you were the one making the purchase.) This is a great way to fund your Christmas and birthday gifts for your children.
~ Sometimes you may purchase a larger, nicer item for a birthday, and in some cases family members are willing to chip in. I am not as much of a fan of this idea, but it is an idea that some people prefer to use.
~ Find entertainment ideas that cost little to nothing, such as packing a picnic lunch and going to a park to eat it, going hiking or letterboxing (see letterboxing.org), disc golfing (there are initial costs to buy the discs, usually about $7-8 for the less expensive discs.), swimming, visiting the library, going on field trips (field trips don't have to be limited to the school year!), etc.
~ When entertainment does have costs involved, look for discounted options. For instance, an Annual Zoo Pass will cost less than paying for each individual visit to the zoo if you be sure to visit the zoo often enough in the year that it pays for the membership. For instance, if getting into the zoo is $20 per visit for the family, and the annual zoo pass is $90, be sure to visit the zoo at least 5 times during the validity of that zoo pass. If you do buy a membership, be sure it is one that your family will enjoy and use often. If it is a membership to a place that is farther than you will travel or that you won't enjoy visiting multiple times, it may not be worth the membership.
~ Find new modes of entertainment that are out of the ordinary, such as visiting an elderly neighbor and getting to know him or her.
~ Don't forget to find ways to give in the process. Giving keeps us from becoming stagnant and horders. For instance, give away toys, books and clothes that are no longer used. Bake cookies or bread for a neighbor and let this be part of a visit. These are great things for children to participate in and helps them learn the joy of giving.
Other aspects to the costs of rasining children that are often forgotten about are things like this:
As a child gets older, he or she will be able to work and produce an income, even if it is small to begin with, and as they do, they can pitch in on their own costs of clothing, school supplies and little luxuries.
Children who aren't sure what kind of education to pursue may forego college and just start working out of high school, and may even be able to make as much or more than their college educated counterparts by entering the workforce sooner, and even by learning to invest their income early and wisely. Those who do go to college can also work their way through college paying off college as they go and may even be able to graduate debt-free. There are grants and scholarships also available if the student is willing to take the time to look for them and do the tasks involved to earn them (such as writing an essay).
Students can also conduct fundraisers or do odd jobs to help pay for school-related expenses. These kinds of activities help children understand that there are costs involved for activities they participate in, it teaches them to have a good work ethic, and it show them that there are rewards for being productive.
I am sure I could think of more ideas, but this is a good start. In fact, I am surprised that I came up with this many! Hopefully, these ideas are helpful to anyone who reads this, including me as my children get older.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Streak Free!
I did it! I actually did it! I have wondered my whole life--since I started washing windows--how to get them clean without all the streaks. So last night I did a search for cleaning mirrors and windows without putting streaks on the glass. The source said to use newspaper and vinegar diluted in water.
After watching the video that detailed the process, I decided to try it. Instead of using vinegar, I used window cleaner, since that is what I had on hand, but I used the newspaper and it worked. I discovered as I cleaned the mirror that the key to cleaning glass without streaking it is to use newspaper and to rotate it as you go so that you are always using a dry part of the newspaper. That is why I have not had any luck with the papertowels--I'm always using the part that is already wet. Not only that, but the newspaper is lint-free, unlike many paper towels.
Awesome! Now, off to clean some more glass!
After watching the video that detailed the process, I decided to try it. Instead of using vinegar, I used window cleaner, since that is what I had on hand, but I used the newspaper and it worked. I discovered as I cleaned the mirror that the key to cleaning glass without streaking it is to use newspaper and to rotate it as you go so that you are always using a dry part of the newspaper. That is why I have not had any luck with the papertowels--I'm always using the part that is already wet. Not only that, but the newspaper is lint-free, unlike many paper towels.
Awesome! Now, off to clean some more glass!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Something to Aspire To
I have always noticed that the women who have always stood out to me are those who stay at home with their children, take care of their children's and husband's needs, keep their homes clean and organized and still manage to have a business of their own on the side, or have their fingers in a lot of pies. They have their priorities in order--keeping their family as primary receivers of their attention--while still managing their other dealings. These women would know how to work with others on a professional level even though they are in the home much of the time. This is something that, whether consiously or sub-consiously, I have wanted to aspire to much of my life.
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