Recipe Book Review

I also have been perusing the book The $5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook by Erin Chase (another blogger turned author $5 Dollar Dinners.com). I started out just looking for some new recipes that wouldn’t call for outrageous ingredients that 99% of the time, seem to be out of season and that are also affordable. Affordability is a must for my cooking because trust you me my family can eat!

Yes the recipes are fab and super affordable. The author even itemizes the prices of each ingredient in the recipes to show how it adds up. Most of the recipes also have extra frugal tips located at the bottoms of the pages.

What really rattled my noggin the most while reading was the idea of stockpiling. I have been over the course of the last 2 months been stockpiling my bathroom necessities and paper goods but I had not gotten very far in the food department. I just didn’t realize that so many foods could be frozen, it’s amazing!

This book has given me new inspiration and with it the undying lust for a freezer to hide in my basement! With tax refunds approaching my dreams of another appliance in my home looks to be coming true shortly! YAY! If you have any freezer recommendations let me know.

Now I feel compelled to visit the library again to find books on freezer cooking!

Frugal Book Review

This week during my visit to the library for storytime I picked up the book Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier & Healthier for Less by Leah Ingram. The title really caught my eye. I am always looking for ideas on how to make my life more frugal! So bring on the suggestions Leah!

Well as it turns out the book is the result of another bloggers quest to share her ideas with the world. Suddenlyfrugal.com is still an active site, if you would like to go straight to the source but I liked the layout of the book. Each chapter shows different ways you can save money in your life. Many of the suggestions I have already been introduced to in my search for penny pinching ideas, like making my own cleaning agents and the benefits of composting for your garden. Even so, there were so many ideas in this book it makes it worth reading. And to tip the scales even further in favor, each chapter ends with the dollar amount the ideas would save if implemented. If seeing a four or five digit number in savings doesn’t get your heart racing I don’t know what will.

Check it out and see how much you could save your family!

FYSF!!!

It's Feed Your Stash Friday again! Yay!!

Check out the Cloth Diaper Blog to enter to win.

Free Marcal @ Giant Eagle

This Sundays paper had coupons for $2.00 off Marcal Small Steps toilet paper and $1.00 off another Marcal Small Steps product.

Giant Eagle has the 4pk toilet paper, 2 roll paper towels and the napkins on sale for 2/$4. When I stopped in they also had the tissues boxes on sale for $1. So with those two coupons you could score a free pack of TP and a free box of tissues. YAY for saving money and the environment!

Free Things To Do

Cleveland Museum of Art
Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun 10:00–5:00
Wed, Fri 10:00–9:00
Closed Mondays

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center
Mon – Sun 10am until 5pm.
Closed major holidays
Your donations to our Owl Collection Box are encouraged and greatly appreciated.

Westlake Porter Public Library’s annual book sale Wednesday, Feb. 3, through Sunday, Feb. 7. Call 440-871-2600 or go to www.westlakelibrary.org.

Rocky River Nature Center
Rocky River Reservation
Birds of Prey Weekend
Saturday & Sunday, February 6 & 7
http://www.clemetparks.com/events/birdsofprey.asp

Rockefeller Park Greenhouse
open daily, including weekends and holidays, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Rink at Wade Oval
RINK HOURS OF OPERATION
Through March 21
Fridays & Saturdays, Noon-7:00 p.m.
Sundays, Noon-5:00 p.m.

Feed Your Stash Friday!

Check out this weeks Feed Your Stash Friday Giveaway!

Slow Week

My son was sick all week so I opted to keep him in the house instead of taking him out in this brr chilly weather. I didn't do any shopping this week to share. I'll make up for it on Sunday don't you worry.

Since we were in the house all week I had some extra time to make some baby food for Pierce. Some things I do on the spot (bananas and avocados especially), because its not hard to just peel one and give it to him.



This week I made him a batch of sweet potatoes, and let me tell you he loves his sweet potatoes! I had bought some a while ago for .88 a pound and just stored them in the pantry. Just bake (or microwave your choice) and smush. He likes his food pretty chunky now so smushing is all thats needed, but the last time I made a batch I used the little chopper/processor I have to make it smooth.

Then stick your mush into an ice cube tray and poof!! You have frozen babyfood cubes. Just move the cubes to ziplc freezer bag when they are done so you can keep track of them and don't accidentally add them to a drink later on! (Unless you are making berry cubes for smoothies! I love when ideas come to me in the middle of another thought)

It's awesome how easy it is and cheap! The best part of me though is knowing that there are no added sugars. He sure doesn't need it yet.

I have kept a few of those little plastic containers the Gerber food comes in to reuse for when we go out. Just pop in a cube or two and we are all set to go.

For more ideas on possible baby food recipes check out www.wholesomebabyfood.com. They have some great recipes and guidelines on what foods you should give at what ages.