Saturday, January 14, 2017

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #91

  Hello! So glad you dropped in for a visit. Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways I save money, and my blessings from Jesus. 


I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

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Hello! May God give you peace and tranquility in your heart whether your candidate won or lost. Please pray for our new president and our leaders on all levels. May God bless America, and may we turn to Him with our whole hearts.
  
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Here's my thrifty week:

~ I made homemade vanilla. A friend gave me a pretty glass bottle with a cork and vanilla beans for Christmas. Thanks Georgia! My son bought some Vodka for me a couple years ago to make vanilla with, but I never did it. It was so easy. I slit open the beans, cut them into short pieces so that they would be covered, and poured in the Vodka. I gave them a swirl and put them in my cupboard. I'll swirl the bottle every day or two for the next few months. I found recipes that suggested anywhere from 6 weeks to 9 months. I am not sure how long I'll let it go yet. No out-of-pocket expense to me.

~ We watched a Redbox movie using a code my husband received by signing up for their text messages. It was Pete's Dragon. Not bad. The code made it $.27.

~ A friend gave me twelve whole chickens. I prepared them for the freezer with the vacuum sealer my husband bought when we had the restaurant. Thanks Joyce!

~ Because we had a big van repair bill a couple weeks ago, our grocery money was very minimal this past couple weeks. We ate primarily out of the freezer and cupboards.

~ I purchased only things we really needed this week.

Our Penny
~ Dog food was on sale. Score.

~ My daughter touched up my hair color.  Gasp! Did I just type that? Just keeping it real folks.

~ I made a couple of delicious dishes with a package of two chicken breasts that I got marked down at Aldi a few weeks ago.

  • I sauteed chopped onion and garlic then removed it from the skillet.
  • I cut up chicken breasts into cubes, sauteed them, and added the onion and garlic.
    I served this two ways since I was using things up:
  • Trim Healthy Mama E friendly make-do dish by mixing leftover quinoa, a small can of tomato sauce, some basil and oregano with the sauteed chicken breast cubes, onions, and garlic. 
  • I served the chicken over buttered rotini noodles. This was not THM friendly, but my kids liked it.
~ I made too many sweet potatoes for my sweet potato casserole on Christmas. I froze the leftovers and served them with a turkey that was given to us for Thanksgiving. The sweet potatoes froze well if you've ever wondered.


~ Lots of popcorn snacks.

One nice thing about cooking out of the cupboards and freezer is that you get things cleaned out!
Well, that's my thrifty week. 
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What have you done in your home this week?
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A peek into my life...
Lots of do with whatcha got cooking this week.
Here's some of my husband's creativity in the kitchen.
He loves to photograph what he makes.
Click on the photos for recipes.

Baked Caramel Apple Oatmeal

Caramelized Apple Pancake

Savory Rice and Vegetables



ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!



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You might enjoy reading...

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Building Snowmen—Sort of.
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34 comments:

  1. Laura you always have some great ideas! Your hubs takes some great photos, that apple oatmeal looked yummy. I love your blog, you are so real, I learn something each time you post.

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  2. Morning dear friend. You were certainly very thrifty. Your beloved seems a fine cook too. Cuddles for Penny!

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    1. Yes Michelle, he is a fine cook. Wish he'd cook more often! I got the day off cooking Saturday and it was divine! Can't remember the last time.
      Huggles to you and Sophia.
      Laura

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  3. We are also trying to declutter and purge at our house, so I really loved your last post. Thanks! Also, we are trying to use up what we have in the freezer, pantry etc. It really does help the budget when we "use it up" instead of "throwing it out." Great post! Have a good week!

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    1. Yes, Deb, you're right about using it up. I need to focus on that for at least another month before I make a big shopping trip to the grocery. We still have a lot of meat in the freezer, and I want to make sure it rotates. ~smile~

      Be blessed, and thanks for talking back!

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  4. Sounds like a great week. I watched the Pete's Dragon movie DVD from the library. It was alright, but I honestly didn't really enjoy it until almost the end.
    The chicken sounds good.
    I have read about the vanilla before, but have not tried it.
    I also would like a sealer, but haven't gotten one yet. I'd like to get one that seals mason jars.
    I have most of the week doing New Year paper work, and clearing out unneeded things. The latest being the crisper drawers in the fridge.
    I did stay home on purpose two days, so no gas, or spending on those days.
    Not a lot to share this week, but it has been a good one for me. :)

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    1. This is one that my husband bought for the cafe. I don't know if it seals jars or not. I've just used it to seal bags. You did great this week. Staying home helps in a lot of ways!

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  5. We use a lot of the pantry and deep freezer as well...today is meatball soup, btw...and Laura, have I ever mentioned how much of a lovely smile you have? ((big smiles from me))

    I eagerly await your Thrifty posts...and...sigh...my hair will be cut and color touched up before returning to school on the 23rd.

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    1. Ah Linda, you always make me smile. I've never had meatball soup. What is it like?

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  6. I always love this feature of yours. I am so inspired I am going to write a post and start joining you on Frday.
    I helps to write things like this down I think. Keeps me motivated.
    I hope you'll come over and link you posts this week.
    BTW I decided to go ahead and add the Valentines to the party for next week. Since it is less than a month away now! Here's the current link. It will change tomorrow.
    http://ourholidayjourney.blogspot.com/2017/01/january-link-party-week-2.html
    Enjoy your Sunday!

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  7. I love reading your blog and seeing some of your ideas. Thank you. Hugs,

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  8. Sorry you have the van trouble.. But happy you had the freezer /pantry to help through it.. I am trying to use up stuff in our freezer and get ready for garden season....won't be long now.. smile. Hubby's food looks yummy.
    Have a blessed week.

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    1. I thank God that he made us creative! My husband's paycheck came, so we should be able to buy some groceries this week. Yay! We're out of quite a few things. I think I'm going to try to make it another day or two before I go just to clear out a bit more.

      Garden season is coming, but I'm still waiting for winter snow. Please God please!

      Laura

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  9. I love coming up with creative ways to use up what we have and created delicious meals for my little family, in the process. Your husband's culinary creations look so yummy! That is a blessing that he likes to cook, too. :) Little Penny is so cute! And the pictures of you are lovely, my friend. God bless you all!

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    1. Thank you Cheryl. Little Penny has finally warmed up to me. I enjoy her much more than I did when she was a "teenager"! She's almost 3 now. It's hard to believe. Lowell's been writing on his blog again. http://lowelllane.com Monday he will have a post about bacon. Yum.

      Blessings to you my friend,
      Laura

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  10. Happy New Year! I love to be resourceful -it makes me feel very content. I'm in the process of sorting things out to take to the secondhand store. Plus organising all my crafts so I can be better organised lol! As it is mid-summer here in New Zealand my garden is very productive and I'm enjoying making salads with freshly picked produce. Have a great week xo

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    1. Ah, fresh garden produce. That sounds lovely. I have to make do from the grocery just now. I'm so very happy to talk with you Julia. Salads are wonderful since there are just so many different ways to make them. I like to try lots of variety.

      I'm sorting, too. It's never ending. ~smile~ Did you see this post that I wrote this week?

      http://harvestlanecottage.blogspot.com/2017/01/one-secret-reason-its-so-hard-to.html

      Do you have a blog?

      Have a wonderful week.
      Laura

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    2. It's leaving it all behind for others to go through that concerns me most, Julia, though I expect that's some time off.
      I'ts good to meet you!

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  11. Good work, my friend!
    Always inspiring!

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  12. Great post! I am a very thrify sort of gal and scored on candy at CVS this past week. The last two days have been working mostly on a stained glass window that will be auction on at Lackland AFB and writing a blog post. I also feel blessed that God loves me and that when I feel a bit down or alone he tugs at my heart and fills me with warmth! "I love you, LORD, my strength.
    2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18 1-2

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    1. God is so very good Ginger Dawn. I've been studying a book called Bible Faith by Kenneth Hagin. It's making me realize even more how God loves us.

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  13. Always love this "peek" into your frugal world, Laura, you are a gem, always making do with whatever you have. So thankful the Lord blessed you with the chickens! Your chicken dish sounds wonderful, as do the dishes your husband created. May the Lord continue to bless and keep you this week :)

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    1. Thanks Marilyn. I was thrilled to have some grocery money this week. I bought 3 packages of green peppers for $.99 each, 4 pints of fresh blueberries for $.99 each, and a bunch of stuff we've been out of. Praise God for His blessings! I'll come for a visit in just a bit.
      Praying for you and your family....
      God bless you!
      Laura

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  14. Hi Laura,
    Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I'm happy to visit your online home! Making your own vanilla is a fantastic idea! I've bought the vanilla beans occasionally and just their wonderful aroma proves there is a huge difference between grocery store vanilla and the real thing! Glad to meet you, too!

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    1. ​What did you do with the vanilla beans Valerie?​

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  15. Oh wow! That oatmeal looks amazing! And your little Penny is adorable! I'm going to have to look into the RedBox texts. That is a great deal on a movie!

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  16. Tell your hubby I'll be right over! Anything with caramel and I'm in. :) You did a great job at being frugal Laura. I'll be anxious to hear how the vanilla works out. Thank goodness for wonderful friends! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. Hi Jann,
      Caramel is one of God's gifts to women. ~grin~
      I have been shaking to vanilla. It just looks like dirty liquid to me right now. We shall see.
      hugs,
      Laura

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Thank you so much for "talking back" to me!

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God bless you! This life only works with Jesus. The next life is a continuation of this one—make sure you spend it with Jesus. Jesus is the only way to God the Father!

Your blog friend,
Laura Lane
5 Year Cancer Survivor