Slow Food USA recently had a $5 challenge. From their website: “The goal is to take back the ‘value meal’ – because slow food shouldn’t have to cost more than fast food. We’re asking people to share what they do in their kitchens and with their families to cook fresh, healthy food on a budget.… Continue reading Corn and Black Bean Salad
Betsy’s Best Brownies
We had to get rid of one our chickens this week. This was not an easy decision as we have come to love our backyard chickens. They’re our pets and we’ve named them all, even though many experts say not to. You don’t want to get too attached to your hens. Betsy Ross was part… Continue reading Betsy’s Best Brownies
Free Tools For Your Blog or Website
I love saving money or finding a treasure at one of my usual “haunts” but getting something for free is the best. Below is a list of “free” tools that I use for this site. Add these to your “blogging” toolbox and you won’t be sorry. They’re all free and very useful. And, as I… Continue reading Free Tools For Your Blog or Website
Homemade Lunch Bags
Back to school means school lunches. If you or your student needs a lunch bag and you're not interested in the designs offered at the store, you can easily make these homemade lunch bags. These lunch bags are easy to clean, too. They can be wiped down or filled with warm, soapy water for a… Continue reading Homemade Lunch Bags
Time as a Luxury
People do all sorts of things to save money, but don’t always apply this same attitude toward time. If we all viewed time as a luxury or other precious commodity, would we be so willing to waste it? Because time is so precious, we should treat time as a luxury. Several years ago in a… Continue reading Time as a Luxury
BlogHer in The Backyard
Sometimes indulging takes the form of making time to make new friends. At the BlogHer 2011 Conference in San Diego, CA, I had the opportunity to meet Elisa Camahort-Page, who along with three other women, started BlogHer, a community and media company created in partnership with women in social media. When Elisa mentioned she’d be… Continue reading BlogHer in The Backyard
How to Hard Boil Eggs
This “Ask Sara” question comes from my sister, Mary. She asks, “What are the tricks to hard boiled eggs? I boil them for about 20 minutes, dunk them in cold water and peel, and always some egg gets left on the shell. Any suggestions?” Why, Mary, yes I have some very simple steps for you… Continue reading How to Hard Boil Eggs
Dinner Group Appetizers: Mock Oysters
The recipe we tried for dinner group gathering was delicious and one that I would definitely make again. My tip? Don’t put this together in advance. Prepare the shrimp mixture and cook the shrimp chips but don’t assemble the “mock oysters” until right before serving. This will prevent them from getting soggy. We have an… Continue reading Dinner Group Appetizers: Mock Oysters
Dinner Group Gathering
Our dinner group met for a lovely summer evening recently. The menu theme was Thai inspired food and was delicious. Along with the fun of regular socializing with a group of good friends, the pleasure of trying new recipes can’t be beat. Our dinner group gatherings have forced me to try new recipes and dishes that… Continue reading Dinner Group Gathering
Shower Curtains
Ask Sara question: This question comes from a very stylishly, frugal friend. Bridget asks, “What do you suggest for a shower curtain that lasts? Do you use a cloth one so it can be washed? I despise the plastic ones that you have to throw away after a while!” For shower curtains, I use both… Continue reading Shower Curtains
Go Gingham 