Accidental Sour Dough Bread

The most wonderful bread popped out of my oven this morning.  While admitting to having a hormonally challenged day on Monday, I made a batch of bread and forgot to add the yeast.  I discovered this when, after two hours, the dough hadn't expanded in the teeniest bit.  Not wanting to throw it in the trash, I decided to kneed in the missing yeast.  I gave the dough a good buttering and covered the bowl with a (recycled) plastic bag AND a dish towel.  It sat all yesterday ever so slowly expanding.  I think I punched it down once or twice.  By bedtime (Tuesday) .. it was a nice height .. but I forgot/ran out of time to bake the bread.  Early this morning (deranged and lacking sleep) I divided the dough in two rounds and set it for a final rise.   Heaven .. it gave off the most nutty rich sourdough scent to my entire house.  The bread has that sheen that a good commercial loaf is famous for.  This may be my new easy method of making sourdough bread .. without having to mess with a starter (only next time I won't be getting up in the middle of the night to bake it).

Keeping A Food Supply

I'm having a hard time using the veggies I've stored away in the freezer and pantry while it's still summer.  Not wanting to 'run out' of supplies this winter before it even turns cold, this week I'm going to use up ALL of the zucchini from the garden, finish up our lettuce and start picking some more green cabbage.  Sorry corn and green beans .. you'll just have to wait a few more months!

This weekend I made a big batch of beef stock by roasting bare bones cut in two inch pieces in a moderately hot oven (400F) for two hours.  Then simmering with carrots, onions and celery for an hour .. then sticking the whole pot in the oven at 225F overnight.  It makes the richest brown broth for French onion soup and for added flavor to gravies.  I have stored it in the freezer in 3 cup units. 

We are already running low on pickles .. when my kids come home for a visit .. that's the first thing they ask for .. after a hug from mom.

Beef Stock Recipe
Benefits of Broth

Fast Forward Two Years In The Garden

Spring 2009

Spring 2010

Fall 2010

Spring 2011

May 2011

May 2011

July 2011

 A quick trip in pictures watching the garden develop from primitive to ordered.  It has filled out even more beautifully with lots of flowers.  Will post more pics when my computer is fixed.

Back To School Shopping ...

... on a budget.

Our youngest son Nathan (the possessor of an extra chromosome) heads back to school on Tuesday.  We put off buying his new shoes and clothes due to time restraints until today.  He's is and is not picky about clothes; insisting on wearing what he calls 'soft pants' (LOL).  Basically anything with a stretchy waist .. no snaps or zippers.  I suppose having as many abdominal surgeries as he's had (about 10) .. entitles him to wear only 'soft pants'.  Now my little four year old grandson insists on only wearing 'soft pants' ... it's rather a crack up how he imitates his big uncle .. and probably a little worrisome to his mother ;)    Uncle and nephew play together several days a week .. they shall be good life long companions.

We set aside $75 a month for clothes for our family of three.  This seems to be a good amount as we are not one to shop for labels.  Nathan's shoes were on sale .. and his pants were $5/ea.  He picked out three new character t-shirts and two packages of socks.  He often gets gift cards for Walmart .. so this helped.  My total for the outing was about $60 .. plus he had a little to spend on a gift card.  Thankfully he has a closet full of other shirts to add variety to his wardrobe.  We'll send him to school with the same backpack as last year.

Nathan ... a few years ago

I don't know how I shopped when all four kids lived at home .. but I do remember setting aside a limit and if they insisted on certain 'brands' that were out of our budget, they had to earn the extra money. 

$75 a month ads up quickly when you shop only a few times a year for clothing and shoes.  Sometimes we even pick up new and almost new items at garage sales and thrift stores.  What's your best money saving tip for clothes shopping?

I've Cooled Down .. a bit

Mrs. Mac Cooling Off .. in a little bit of powder ;)

The weather turned a nice temp .. we got some rain .. I took a few days off from my break-neck pace .. and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (sorta .. tomatoes are ripening up;).  My computer is REALLY acting up now and not allowing me to transfer any pictures from the camera .. says I'm not the administrator .. which is a lie ;(  but I can't talk any sense into the hard drive/memory.  About ready to get a new one .. (again).

Today was budget day.  That means I work out a budget for the whole month and spend on paper all the money at one time .. ending with zero money.  I have so many categories and cash envelopes .. it's hard to mess up or omit something.  Doing this helps to have the money already set aside in the bank when the bills arrive .. say for example life or car insurance.  By setting aside 1/6th of a semi-annual payment each month..  I can pay for it in full and save a little by not having to make installments.   I LOVE/LIKE budgeting because it really makes a person think twice before buying something if it's not allocated ... makes saying NO much easier :)

We just bought our quarter of beef for the year .. this was budgeted and made it less painful to fork over a large chunk of money since we had been saving for a long time.  In this economy, living without a budget would be scary.  If I could go back in time .. I'd do a better job of teaching my kids how to budget; not all of them got the benefit of seeing and living through a written spending plan.

Well .. if I need to buy a new laptop .. or at minimum get this one fixed, I'd better start setting aside some funds.