Frugal Luxuries for the Freezer

Hello my sweet friends! I pray you all enjoyed a lovely holiday!

I've been busy this week catching up on things I put off before the holidays.

Today I thought it was past time to process those cute little pumpkins we gathered (free!) from our local pumpkin patch...in November. I'm embarrassed to tell you they have been looking so autumnal in their woven basket...in my garage...for well over a month! Luckily, the weather has been cool and they stored beautifully.

Thus, today found me in the kitchen making my long~overdue pumpkin pack (to stock the freezer).

Here's how.

I baked the pumpkins in a 350 degree oven for about an hour (until very soft...you can see my fingerprint on the bottom right pumpkin where I touched it to see if it was done...not recommended by the way ;). They were allowed to cool. Next I scooped them out of their peels into a large bowl (the peels just fall right off).

Set~up the cellophane bags...



inside a set of drinking glasses for easy filling and...

Scooped the pumpkin pack into the bags (about 1~1/3 cups per bag)



Once they were all full I...

Cut twine to close the bags for the freezer then...

Tied them closed and set them inside the freezer for future use in pumpkin breads, puddings and pies...finally...

I washed and air dried the pumpkin seeds for the squirrels to enjoy!

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I'm off now, to feed my kitties and get ready to call it an evening.

Sending good thoughts and love to all, as always!

Love,

Tracey and Family x0x

P.S. Please call Patricia and me if you get the chance! xxx

Kindling a Simple Christmas

"That is best which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness."
~George Mason





I'm feeling very simple this Christmas...in a very "use what we have" mood.


A stack of green shopping bags become wrapping paper...garnished with vintage ornaments and simple white ribbon.


Looking around the house, I find a rumpled wad of tulle (leftover from one of Katie's long~ago projects) and cut it into strips. I then tie them...one at a time...onto a simple strand of white lights...while watching Cary Grant and Loretta Young in "The Bishop's Wife".


I finished before the movie so...I folded the remaining tulle piece fan~style and tied it in the center. After cutting the folded outer edges, it sprang to life in it's new incarnation...an ethereal...pom~pom style tree~topper.


I draped the tulle/light garland around a mirror...and tied the tree~topper onto the highest bough...

After setting up an imperfect little tree (its only ornaments, tiny white lights and muted silver dragon~flies suspended from raffia) I relax...knowing that these simple tasks are enough to evoke the spirit of the season...we are happy.



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Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and holiday season that's been kindled by kindly, loving hands...and good thoughts.


Happiness, harmony and grace to all during this hallowed and gracious time of year...and always.


With love from,


Tracey and Family x0x

Sharing Frugal Luxuries with "Life and Beauty" Magazine: Holiday Decorating~On Any Budget

"Happiness is a sort of atmosphere you can live in," notes the writer Adele Rogers St. Johns, and I can think of no festival that encourages us to devote ourselves to creating an attractive, happy atmosphere as much as the winter holidays.


The decorating of houses as part of winter festivals harkens back to antiquity. The creative slight of hand that transforms your ordinary home into a visual celebration of the season can be surprising simple and economical!

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"Life and Beauty" magazine kindly asked for my contributions to an article on easy, budget~friendly holiday decorating and, as always, I'm brimming with an over~abundance of ideas and opinions on this (one of my favorite) subject! If you'd care to take a look simply click the highlighted link below!

Click HERE to read the article and to discover fresh as well as time~honored ideas on how to...


Re~Purpose Household Items for Budget Holiday Decor;


Display Edible Decor;


How to Shop Smart;


Let Nature Inspire You...and more!



Sending out happy thoughts that each of your kind~kindred souls are savoring all the blessings of the season thus far!

As always sending love and good thoughts to all.



Warmly,


Tracey and Family x0x


P.S. Sending a shout~out and special "thank you" to Catherine Ryan, the writer of the article!

Guest Post: The Lovely Luxury of a Foot Massage!

"Marie Antoinette", Sony Pictures 2006

Amy Wilkins, a writer for FrugalDad.com is guest~posting today and sharing easy steps for creating our own foot scrubs...while enjoying a homespun version of that soothing frugal luxury...the humble foot massage!


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6 Steps for a Great Foot Rub

Are your feet tired? Do they hurt? Foot scrubs are a wonderful way to relax and pamper yourself as well as get rid of rough spots on the feet. It will help your feet feel wonderful. In fact, they’ll thank you for making this product. Your wallet will also thank you, because you will also have saved by doing it yourself! Take these steps for some fresh feet.

1. Collect and/or Buy the Ingredients: {Look about the house and pantry first, before buying anything.} You will need about a cup of sugar, 3 lemons, 3 limes, sweet almond oil, 15 mint leaves and a dash of baking soda. Hints: {You may substitute olive or coconut oil for the almond oil, and essential mint or lavender oils for mint leaves if needs be.} Refuse to pay the whole price by using coupons found in newspapers, magazines and online. Make sure and comparison shop. Make stores live up to their price match policies if they have one. :)


2. Make the Foot Scrub: Put 3 tablespoons of sugar into a blender. Add ¼ cup baking soda to the sugar. Then, add one tablespoon almond oil. Next add the 15 mint leaves. Finally add the lemons and limes. Put the whole lemons and limes in the blender. Blend until crushed. It should look somewhat like oatmeal.

3. Massage massage the scrub into the feet. {Home Reflexology} Take each toe and press firmly, but gently, on the tip of each toe. Hold the pressure on each toe for three seconds. Next find the small round area just behind your little toe on each foot. Press here for 20 seconds. Then move to the ball of your foot. Put pressure here firmly but gently. Lastly, put pressure on the bottom of the foot just below your ankle.

Free Printable Reflexology Foot Chart

4.Bathe the Foot: Using a clean wash cloth and warm water, wash off the foot scrub. Your feet are beginning to feel better, aren’t they? Applying pressure to these points will help your whole body feel better. Scientist do not quite understand why, but they know that it works. Believe me, you will not care at this point!


5. Use a Golf Ball: Take a golf ball and run it under the ball of your foot for twenty seconds. This will help your feet feel even better. Again, think about the pressure points and try to hold the golf ball there. Have you put yourself into heaven yet? Your feet sure do feel better! {This is also a lovely way to give yourself a homemade foot massage while watching your favorite movie or television episode...if you haven't the time or energy for the entire ritual.}


6. Apply Lotion : The last step is to rub some wonderful smelling lotion into your feet. This is the finishing touch. Knowing that you saved even more money by making the foot scrub at home will make you feel even better. The whole process will take only a few minutes. Go and try it now, as you deserve it. Women in particular do not spend enough time taking care of themselves. This is an easy recipe to follow and you will save lots of money over the expensive foot scrubs that you find in stores. Relax for a few minutes.


Amy Wilkins likes to write about home remedies, massage & Buy.com Coupon Codes.

Day Four: Thanksgiving Progressive Dinner~Blog Style~Remains of a Thanksgiving Feast

Classic Turkey~Noodle Soup!

When I was a child the meals served at our table on the days following Thangsgiving were often turkey based. While I still find it amazing that something so ordinary as turkey can be magically transformed into significantly different dishes such as Turkey Tacos and Arroz con Turkey...




Classic Turkey~Noodle Soup remains my all~time favorite way to use the remains of a Thanksgiving feast! 

Of course...it's always a pleasure to share a bowl with family, friends, co~workers and neighbors!

Here's my favorite way to make...

Classic Turkey~Noodle Soup

Make your broth by simmering the turkey bones (i.e., carcass) in water for several hours,you must keep an eye on this so that it doesn't boil down and burn. (Add more water if/when needed.) An easy way to do this is to put it all in a slow~cooker overnight...no pot~watching necessary! HINT: For extra flavor and nutrition I like to add trimmings from carrots, celery, and onions...I also put in about a teaspoon of cider vinegar to extract calcium from the bones. I also add a few pinches of sea salt as well as a clove or two of garlic, unpeeled is okay!

Turkey bones and vegetable scraps inside my slow cooker transform into a delicious, nutritious, economical broth.

Broth is done after several hours on the stove top or overnight in the slow cooker. Allow bones and broth to cool thoroughly before handling. Once it's safe to handle, set a colander inside a larger bowl~~one that's large enough to hold the liquid from your broth. Strain the bones from the broth by pouring it all into the colander. Be careful. Lift the colander from inside the bowl and pull off the good bits of turkey meat to use in your soup. Dice this turkey meat and set aside. Note: Discard the bones and scraps as per your habit~we always make kitty food from the less appealing turkey scraps...the cats love it!

Saute' diced carrots, celery and onion in your soup kettle before adding liquid.

Dice up several carrots, celery and a large onion. Next, dump them all into your soup kettle with a small amount of oil (I use olive oil or coconut oil). Saute' just until the onions are translucent. Sometimes I like to add a clove or two of minced garlic as well.

Carefully pour your cooled, strained broth into the soup kettle atop your sauteed vegetables. If you need more liquid go ahead and add it a cup at a time until all the vegetables are covered.

Add a teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper and a bay leaf. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Hint: Long ago, my friend Gina shared her secret for an even more delicious and nutritious broth...add about a cup of frozen spinach! It sounds strange, but it tastes delicious and immediately boils down to look like parsley and no one ever knows it's there but me (and now you!)...don't let the kids see you do this! ;)

Season your broth to taste...careful not to burn your tongue!

Carefully taste your broth to see if you need more seasonings. It's been my experience that sometimes it tastes not quite right until you add more salt (I find this especially true when you're serving it to those who are used~to eating canned soup flavors). Just add a small amount at a time so as not to over~salt it! If you like, you may omit the extra salt and add a few teaspoons of chicken bouillon (this adds a lot of salt and gives the flavor a bit more punch...sometimes I do this and sometimes it doesn't need it...each broth seems to have its own personality ;).

Add cooked,drained egg noodles.

While soup is simmering over a low heat, I usually cook my egg noodles (according to package directions). Hint: I used about one and a half cups(uncooked) noodles for this batch of soup(pictured below). Strain cooked noodles and set aside.

Hint: I carefully (don't burn your tongue!) taste the soup throughout the simmering process and add flavors as needed.

Once I have the soup to my liking, I turn it off and add the diced turkey meat I set aside earlier along with the cooked egg noodles. Serve at once or put in the refrigerator to serve later!

Classic Turkey~Noodle~Soup from the remains of your Thanksgiving Feast!

Sending good thoughts and love to all!


Warmly,


Tracey and Family x0x



All Images

Day One: Thanksgiving Progressive Dinner~Blog Style

Image: Home Sweet Home Made

Welcome to Day One of our Thanksgiving Progressive Dinner! Day one has some unique ideas for place cards as well as wild rice and intriguing Teriyaki sweet potatoes!


Click HERE to see Diane's lovely post!