Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

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alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

I made a crazy cake today. The recipe supposedly goes back to the depression when it was difficult to buy eggs and milk. It is a moist chocolate cake. I made a gluten free version from a gf cook book. It still has the undertone taste of gf flour but it is using up the gf flour I am trying to phase out. Also made hockey pucks today.. They were meant to be hamburger/sandwich buns. Although they are very dense they work out well if I slice then in to fourths long ways and toast them.. I think the problem was the flour was white whole wheat and they would have been lighter if I had used All-purpose flour.. Oh well at least I have bread and using up what I have in the house.

I am trying to make do with what I have in the house.. Tonight I opened a can of ravioli I had in my emergency pantry. It is ok but it is not that great but with some Parmesan cheese it was better. I had leftover Indian food for lunch and there is enough left for dinner or lunch tomorrow. Also one slice of spinach quiche left. I will have that with a salad but need to make salad dressing tonight.. I have a recipe for homemade ranch using my own pantry supplies not a packet of seasoning from the grocery store.

I did 4 loads of laundry between last night and today and all were hung on clotheslines or drying racks.. I love the hotter weather so that I can use the clotheslines more for bigger items like sheets.

My fruit trees arrived today so I will have to get them planted in the next several days. My neighbors will be cutting my grass tomorrow so I am going to wait until after they are done so that I can take my time getting things in the ground.

Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

While clearing the area for my strawberry plants found some wild grape vines.. I cut them loose and then thought.." I wonder if they can be used raw in salads or cooked like spinach?" I know you can make dolmas with them when the leaves are much bigger and I plan on preserving grape leaves later when they are bigger for making dolmas. I went on line to check and you can use them now for salads since they are small and tender now but too small to save and use to make dolmas..Also you can cook them and use like spinach. I will be trying both soon. When they get older and bigger they are not good to use in a salad or cooked like spinach due to being too tough. I have some wild grape vines growing along the edge of my property but only one time did they produce a tiny little bunch of grapes and they were only about the size of a pea. However the leave are edible so will be gathering them in various stages of growth. Also found wild onions growing so will use some of them in my salad today as well and some in my omelet tomorrow morning. None of these are going to make a dent in my food budget or food needs but nice to have on hand and to use them...Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

I tried the young grape leaves in my salad ...yuck.. they tasted like grass before I put them in my salad but thought I would try them in a salad to see if they blend in and can be used as a small filler if low on other salad ingredients.. Not a good idea..Will not bother with cooking them like spinach.. The knowledge is there if things get really bad but for now will not waste my time eating them. Although they are full of nutrients if desperate times occur. Thank goodness I had a nice homemade ranch salad dressing to disguise the occasional bite of the grape leaves. Had a nice salad otherwise using up odds and ends from the fridge. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

I ran out of energy to do everything I planned so I planted most of the strawberry plants in terracotta pots on my deck.. Will finish the rest tomorrow in earth boxes.I am hoping to get the holes dug for the apple trees tomorrow before the heat of the day takes over. It was not too bad on my deck early in the day due to the patio umbrella and partial shade from the trees in the woods.

I am trying to work with the food I have in the house since a lot of my grocery money went towards the purchase of apple trees, strawberry plants, and some veggie plants so I did a quick check of my freezer and pantry..I am low on meat protein so I will be opening a can of dehydrated pork chops this week. Went through several cook books and went on line looking for recipes.. I should be ok except maybe fresh lettuce or cabbage towards the end of the month and maybe a bottle of milk. I still have money from a survey($ 3.00) plus slush fund money to buy a rotisserie chicken ($6.00) but I am holding off until the last week of May if possible. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Momof2Still
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 10:05 pm

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by Momof2Still »

Good evening. I had difficulty logging in and had to change my screen name from momof2 to momof2still. I had this long post I typed up yesterday and I could not log on or re-register.

Janet, it sounds like you have been busy getting some great deals on groceries as well as getting fruit and veggie plants/trees. I hope you get many yields from your garden, but take it easy and do not over-do it.

RM and I went grocery shopping Saturday even though we did not need much. A large amount of what I spent actually went toward hurricane supplies and getting items that I know would be on my list within the next month. I think other than carrots and lettuce, I can skip shopping next week.

Saturday afternoon we went to a movie and then grabbed Chinese Food to bring home (celebrated Mother’s day early). I also bought an ice cream cake- boy is it good! I was feeling a little sad since both of my kiddos live far away although they both called to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day.

Sunday I used up half a pkg. of small red beans, the broth from the pork roast I cooked last weekend, and a partial onion along with the last onion in the older bag. I also used up an avocado to make guacamole to go with sandwiches for lunch. At dinner I used up the bag of fresh green beans.

Tonight we had hamburgers, so we used up the rest of the hamburger buns along with a tomato that was getting soft. I used up a couple of potatoes to make oven fries. I also cut the watermelon- my favorite fruit.

Anyway, sounds like everyone is doing their best with the challenge. Have a great night.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2Still wrote: Mon May 14, 2018 10:44 pm Good evening. I had difficulty logging in and had to change my screen name from momof2 to momof2still. I had this long post I typed up yesterday and I could not log on or re-register.

Janet, it sounds like you have been busy getting some great deals on groceries as well as getting fruit and veggie plants/trees. I hope you get many yields from your garden, but take it easy and do not over-do it.

RM and I went grocery shopping Saturday even though we did not need much. A large amount of what I spent actually went toward hurricane supplies and getting items that I know would be on my list within the next month. I think other than carrots and lettuce, I can skip shopping next week.

Saturday afternoon we went to a movie and then grabbed Chinese Food to bring home (celebrated Mother’s day early). I also bought an ice cream cake- boy is it good! I was feeling a little sad since both of my kiddos live far away although they both called to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day.

Sunday I used up half a pkg. of small red beans, the broth from the pork roast I cooked last weekend, and a partial onion along with the last onion in the older bag. I also used up an avocado to make guacamole to go with sandwiches for lunch. At dinner I used up the bag of fresh green beans.

Tonight we had hamburgers, so we used up the rest of the hamburger buns along with a tomato that was getting soft. I used up a couple of potatoes to make oven fries. I also cut the watermelon- my favorite fruit.

Anyway, sounds like everyone is doing their best with the challenge. Have a great night.
Momof2still I can sympathize with you about having to sign in with a new name.. I am Alliesmama4 due to the same reason.

Bummer on hurricane season fast approaching but glad that you are being wise and starting to get your needed supplies.. I see so many times people are swooping down and cleaning out the store shelves at the last minute all in a rushed and panic mode. I try to keep things on hand and rotate them to keep them from going bad.

Nice that you have your RM and were able to go to the movies and Chinese food to celebrate Mother's Day..

Sounds like you are using up food well and making good use of them of odds and ends of things. Keep up the good work with being frugal. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
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