Dirt Chic

Peanut Butter Day

We have finished learning about apples so now we are on to peanut butter. It just happened to be the next lesson in our busy bees book we checked out from the library.

 

It's a fun book but there are tons just like it at the library.  This is just the first one I picked up!

So we read a book about Peanuts!

 

It was for older kids but still good.

Then we sang the "Peanut Butter and Jelly" song from camp.  I would write it out but I can't tell you the tune to sing it to. Well, I will write it out anyway.

Peanut, Peanut Butter, and Jelly (x2)

The Peanuts you pick 'em, you pick 'em, pick'em, pick'em.

And you smash 'em, you smash 'em, you smash 'em smash 'em smash 'em.

And you spread 'em, you spread 'em, you spread 'em spread 'em spread 'em.

Peanut, Peanut Butter, And Jelly (x2)

The Berries, you pick 'em, you pick 'em you pick 'em pick 'em pick 'em.

You smash 'em, you smash 'em, you smash 'em, smash 'em smash 'em.

You spread em, you spread em you spread em spread em spread em.

Peanut, peanut Butter Jelly (x2)

O.k. I can't finish typing the rest but you get the idea.

Then we made peanut butter playdough. It was so fun and yummy.

 

Junie is saying Cheese!

 

It's really easy to make.  You just need dry Milk, honey, peanut butter and wheat germ.

 

 

The kids loved it.

--Mary

 

Date Cake with Brown Sugar Fudge Frosting (Penuche)

My mom has had this cookbook for as long as I can remember:

It's the source of the best coffee cake I've ever had, and the fail=proof and delicious Caramel Corn that Dad would make on special occasions (I make it all the time now, it's dangerous).  I finally bought my own copy last month, for 1 cent (plus shipping) on Amazon (you can look for it Bookfinder, too).  Steal of a deal, as it's out of print and AWESOME.

I was looking through it and something caught my eye in a big way: Penuche Date Cake.  This is a recipe that 5 years ago, would never have appealed to me.  Why?  A) dates B) no knowledge of what the heck penuche is.  But, long story short, I now know what penuche is and WORSHIP IT.  (Long explanation short, it's brown sugar fudge, and an old-fashioned favorite.)  And this summer, my grandma-in-law made date cake, and it was awesome.  (I'm not the type of person to like fruit in certain desserts, such as raisins in oatmeal cookies.)

So, when Mary had a hair-cutting party the other night, I used it as an excuse to make the date cake.

It was really easy.  The trickiest part was finding fresh dates - but I got a package of them at a speciality food store (you can buy them chopped, but the recipe recommends you get them as fresh as possible and chop them yourself) for $3.89, and it ended being the exact amount I needed.

I made the penuche frosting.  I think you could easily get away with doubling the frosting.  It seems like a small amount, but it IS very rich, so I was happy with the layer the recipe provided.

Good grief, it was delicious.

And popular!

It's all gone now.

If you'd like the recipe, e-mail me at arwen@dirtchic.com. :)

More on Apples

My kids were a little sick this weekend so we had alot of good chances for circle times.  And Justin was able to join us too.

We went to the park today.  It happens to have a commuinty orchard so we picked some apples, pears and grapes.  We'll see if any of it is fit to eat.

 

This is a little blurry but it shows our loot.

Yesterday we made Applesauce.  It was alot of fun for James but he didn't eat it because he is so crazy picky.  Here is what we did:

James helped me wash the apples.  Then he watched while I used the apple cutter to cut them into wedges.  Then I peeled one at a time and he cut that wedge into smaller pieces with a butter knife.  He loved it! I wish I would havr remembered to take a pic but things were a little crazy.   Then I put the apples in a pot with 1/4 cup of water and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  I simmered until the apples were really soft.  Then James got to mash it all up with a potato masher.  It was so fun but even after all that he still wouldn't try a bite!

I also put a whole bunch of apples on the edges of the table and gave each kid a bowl.  I put my step stool up against the table and we pretended to climb an apple tree and pick an apples.  Lucy especially loved this.  I promise I will take more pictures next time.

 

Here is Arwen as Shelby from Steel Magnolias!

--Mary

Blue's Skillet. At Home.

At home, the greasy spoon my family goes to is not really a greasy spoon.  It's clean and cheap.  And knows the names of my nieces.  They rule.

They also converted me to breakfast food (along with Eggs Benedict, anywhere).  This is due to the eponymous Blue's Skillet.

We were trying to do away with remaining groceries here at the new apt, so I went to town, trying to re-create something close to the esteemed skillet of skillets.

My method:

-Shred 3 skin-on potatoes in my food processor.  Plop some butter into a skillet and put in potatoes.  Turn heat onto medium.

-Meanwhile, chop up one green pepper and one onion.  

-Also, set up the stovetop egg poacher.  If you don't have one (well then, go get your dad to get you one at Aldi's, Arwen-style ;) use another skillet and don't mess with poached eggs.  Crack the eggs into the cup.

-Check the potatoes.  They should be turning an odd color, and starting to get brown and crisp on the bottom.  Flip them, and try not to make a mess. :)

-After a good bit of the potatoes have been browned (I ended up adding some oil, as they seemed to need it, about 3-4 tablespoons of oil and 2 of butter, in all), add the other veggies.  Occasionally mix and turn, until they are crisp-tender.

-Start poaching the eggs.  Don't let them get too done (I failed in this).

-Meanwhile, chop up some cooked ham or if you're wrong like me, chop up some turkey lunchmeat.  Unwrap 4 "American slices".

-When everything is cooked, removed the skillet from the heat, add the cheese and the eggs.  

Maaaaaaaaan it was delicious.  Not quite Blue's, but a choice substitute!  (And like the Blue's one, probably shouldn't eat it that often... ;)

Best Things in Life are Free

(After you pay for the cell phone with camera)

Cheap Diet Drink.

I haven't been buying pop for myself, because

a) it's expensive

b) if I'm going to buy it, it will be for my medical school husband who really deserves it

c) Diet Coke, while beloved by me, makes me groggy during the day

d) it's not good for me, or my teeth

But.

I need liquid refreshment sometimes, without calories, and no, water is not always the right answer to my refreshment needs.

So the other day I busted out the "Light n' Fit" Fruit Punch from Aldi.  At $1.49 for three little tubs of mixture, and I didn't want to make a full pitcher of it (as I only had my small pitcher available).  So, I made about 2/3 of a tub of the stuff.

I figured it as thus: one 16-ounce glass of this is 11 cents.  If I buy Diet Coke at the cheapest price in a 24-pack case (I think $5.99 is the cheapest I've seen it lately), a can is 25 cents.

So that is that.  My calculations aren't perfect with the Aldi drink, but I know that this is in my favor - it's probably cheaper. :)

I'm a Cheap Date!

What gives, that people can't enjoy the small things?  Brandon pointed out to me the other day that the reason why little kids don't like certain things is that as they get older they learn to appreciate more diverse tastes.

I love it when he tells me these things, because I would never think that through on my own.

Then again, if you're like me, you manage to remain childlike (or childish, depending on the day, lol) as well as aesthetically adventerous.  Such as today, like the day above, where Brandon and I went to Jazzy Pops in Carbondale.  After a nice longish chat with the wonderful proprietor, we talked away with a mango smoothie, a cherry brick pop for me, a smallish bag of caramel corn, and for Brandon, a large bag of popcorn mix: BBQ flavor mixed with very spicy "Cam Corn".

Total: $13.50.  Kind of a lot for treets, but for a date, a lot cheaper than dinner and movie!

Bye-Bye, Pam

I ran out of the Aldi version of PAM the other day.  So, I pencilled it onto the notepad on the fridge, so I wouldn't forget it when I went to the store.

Though, I'm not a huge fan of PAM.  It doesn't taste very good.  Brandon (hubby) used it up by oiling the screen door tracks.  A good use.

It was serendipitous that I opened a drawer, looking for my mixer, because I found this.

I forgot I had it!  My mother-in-law bought it for me awhile ago.  It is my Pampered Chef Kitchen Spritzer.  It is a non-aerosol pump spray for any kind of oil you want to put in it.  I used Canola.  I then made eggs; they were the most heavenly eggs I've ever had, no joke.  If I had used PAM, they would've been just OK.  No joke.

For $12.50, you can 

a) stop buying disposable aerosol cans 

b) stop adding weird spray-oil flavor

c) never really run out of a needed kitchen item (assuming you keep oils around).

I was happy; I'm still happy.  (Maybe it's time for more eggs....)

Feed Me, Says Froggie

Come to think of it, I've never had my own cookie jar.

Mom was cleaning out her frog collection from when she worked at a church as a children's ministry director, and people, knowing she loves frogs, would just give them to her left and right.  She has over 400 of them.

She saved me this cookie jar.

He belongs in my kitchen.

Now, baking time. 

Food Strategy.

Man, I'm starting to think that "planning food" is harder than any planning ever.  Nevermind writing plays, getting my Master's, moving, etc.  Planning meals and similar activities is a vast morass of difficulty.

Well, let me qualify my dramatic assertion there by mentioning that I've been trying to get the "food situation" "under control" in my life since I moved out of my parent's house.  Being married has intensified the "struggle" a little bit more.  Mainly, I've been trying to figure out the following things:

a) how to keep track of recipes and use them

b) how to shop for the right things and not end up w/a bunch of random stuff

c) how to be cheap 

d) how to be fairly nutritious

e) how to keep things interesting.

Like everyone else, I am like no one else.  So, what works for me and my household probably will not work for, say, you.  I know this.  I know it as I read organizing books or books on frugality or cookbooks.  But, unlike other areas of my life, I get offended at myself for not having one system down.

Perhaps the time has come to stop trying to be in uber-control of my foodlife and accept the various things that do work for me.  I'll try to put them down, here, for everyone's benefit and edification.  :)

What Works For Me

1. I don't take huge stock-up trips very often.  I was doing this for awhile.  I would blow our monthly food budget in one trip, even w/careful buying.  So I thought I would just break the budget up into the weeks in the month, and only spend that amount.  That didn't quite work, either.  Now, I survey what I have in the house, and if I am short one ingredient for a dish or recipe, or need something we go through fairly quickly (like tortilla chips) or that is a fresher item (like lettuce or milk), I just go to the store and get it.  The trick: I go to the store where it's cheapest.  And I get what's on my list.  And nothing more.

2. I stock up on the things that really need stocking-up.  Mainly, stuff that will not go bad, and that we will definitely use.  Like tortilla chips.  Frozen meat.  Veggies that I can cut up and freeze.  The stuff that we use often.  This is where my weekly plan fell flat - I don't want enough tortilla chips for the week.  I want enough to eat them when I want them.  Which is OFTEN.

3. I try to try a new recipe, but it better be finger-lickin' good, or else it will becomes leftovers I don't want to touch.  I try not to try out too many new things in a week.  I'm pretty good at eyeballing what will be tasty, but trying new recipes can often mean buying a lot of "new" ingredients, so I've been limiting that.

4. I accept the sprawl of my cookbooks.  I can't get rid of any of them for various reasons, but I don't use them all that often.  They are mighty good reads sometimes, though.  And it's nice to have them as a resource.  Someday, I will make better use of them, this I know for sure.  In the meantime, I've decided to not collect any more recipes unless they are stunning.  Like clothing at a thrift store, it must be "fantastic", or I don't need one more thing on my shelf.  A good rule of thumb is if I've tried it already.  Or know I'm going to make it soon.  

5. I don't buy what I don't like.  Thankfully, what I like is pretty broad.  Similarly, I try not to keep stuff around that will add to my misery at a later date, even if it's nice in the short term.  For example, potato chips.  Chocolate.  Oreos.  (Tortilla chips, believe it or not, don't count.  I've lost weight on them.  They rule.)  Yes, I will call forth "a moment on the lips, an eternity on the hips."  Heh heh.  Though I don't totally believe in that one, either.

6. I try to be a mix-master.  Not w/actual mixes, necessarily, but I've been working on the ability to throw stuff together for a long time.  So many things taste good together, and it's easy to make a lot of things if I have certain staples on hand, such as frozen veggies, meats, cheeses, and sauces or sauce fixings.  And bread, rice, tortillas, pasta.  Granted, it's just me n' hubby, and we have similar tastes.  So that's easy enough to do right now. :)

Maybe someday I will make a meal plan and stick to it.  But in the meantime, I'm not sweating my supposed "lack of disorganization."  (Okay, I'm done with the quotation marks!)  I'm going to enjoy the fruits of some of my labors instead - and spend less time and money thinking about food.

--Arwen