Canning 101!

Another very heathy, cheap way to make food is canning. This was my very first attempt at canning so I went over to my mother in law's who has been canning for years. It was a lot of fun actually and the food turned out edible so I was very happy. Here is how my first attempt went:
First we headed out to a local farm to pick some tomatoes. This is a great way for your kids to get involved as well.

Then we headed on over to MeMaw's house to cook up some yummy food!
Another great spot for the kids to help out is with cleaning the veggies (I think its the only thing I can get them to clean).

After cleaning the tomatoes, we cooked them in some hot water.

After cooking the tomatoes, peeling them, and slicing them we then added in all the other ingredients to make some yummy salsa (which my husband eats like crazy).

After getting it to a boil it was time to add in the spices.

We then cooked the salsa for awhile until it got to the right consistency we wanted.

The last thing to do was add the salsa to the canning jars and put them into boiling water to make the seal.

When we finished this is what we had!

I spent just a little over $20 and ended up with 11 1/2 jars of salsa and 6 pints of tomato juice! Just that amount of salsa alone is worth well over $20! I was very happy with my first canning experience and even enjoyed it. I'm very excited on canning many more fruits and veggies over the next few weeks! And the best part of canning is that once you have all the supplies and can grow a decent garden, you can store a lot of food for a very small amount (which has become our goal for next year). Hope you are able to give it a try and can enjoy as much as I have!

Saving money on fresh fruit and veggies!

Right now is the best time to be stocking up on all your fresh fruits and veggies while the price is right, but what do you do with them after you buy them since you obviously won't eat it all in one week. Well I spent about about $22 yesterday and came home with several grocery bags of fresh produce. After I got home I spent a couple of hours getting a lot of my veggies and fruit ready to freeze. Here is a website that will help you freeze most of your veggies: http://www.gardenguides.com/416-freezing-vegetables.html. It is so easy to do and it even tells you how long it will keep! I'm also going to start learning canning from my wonderful mother in law who has been doing it for years. With our garden in its prime, we are starting to take in more food than we can eat so I'm giving it to lots of family and friends but I really need to be getting it ready for the winter months. Why do I freeze and do canning? Right now food is cheap so why not stock up plus in the winter they buy the fresh fruit and veggies from across the world before it is ripe then use chemicals and gasses to ripen them......yuck! I want to keep everything as natural as I can for my family and this is the best way for us along with being very cost efficient! So I can't wait to adventure into canning and make lots more yummy food we can enjoy all winter long! Stay tuned for more!

Saving money!

I just got done reading a great book called Saving Money Anyway You Can......Becoming a Frugal Family. This book was such a great read and although most of the things in there I already do, it did bring some new insight into a few things. For instance, to help save the environment along with saving lots of money is to always buy used. Go to garage sales, consignment shops, and best of all use freecycle. Most of this I already put into play and almost all of my kids clothes I buy used outside of the nice things that their grandparents will buy them. But this can go further than clothing, which is what I have never done. For instance we are really wanting to get new furniture someday......new leather furniture.......big ouch on our budget. I never really considered buying it used which is probably where it will eventually have to come from. Now all my kids furniture is used outside of our baby set which my parents bought us. Adriana's bedroom set came from my cousin's daughter. Andrew's bed is a Thomas the Train toddler bed which my mom bought him for his birthday off of Craigslist and his dresser is my sister's old baby dresser from her kids room. I think the hardest part of buying used would have to be a mattress. I'm not sure I can use someone else's used mattress.
It also had a lot of other good ideas on saving money but these had to do with being green and recycling all your old items and using recycled items. It is an older book so some things are really outdated but otherwise a good, easy read.

O'Fallon farmers market!

Yesterday my mom and I went to check out the O'Fallon farmers market and I fell in love! This is 100 times better than the St. Charles farmers market. I was able to pick up all kids of fresh veggies that had been used with no pesticides or fertilizers (but not called organic because it costs a lot of money to be called that by the gov.). Its great because you can talk to the farmers themselves and they will tell you anything you want to know about their farms. I was also able to pick up some bacon and hotdogs from another farmer. They have pictures of all their farm animals sitting out and welcome anyone to come out and have a tour of their farms. This made me feel at ease because its hard to be cruel to animals when you have an open door. Also, the hotdogs were the best I have ever had and they were made of all beef, not the ears, nose, tongue or whatever else they use. We haven't tried the bacon yet. I also picked up some homemade cinnamon rolls from an amish group. Yummy.....is all I can say. The kids gobbled them up so fast! Would definitely recommend and if you go, you will probably see me there since I think I will become a regular!

Cleaning your fruits and veggies!

Since sometimes we can't financially afford organic or its not available so I did some researching on how to clean your fruits and veggies the best and cheapest way. Most of the sites I visited all said a vinegar/water mixture. Mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. If you choose to soak it in this solution, do so very quickly because soaking the fruits and veggies too long will drown out all the nutrients.

An editer from Cooking Illustrated tried cleaning some fruit and veggies four different ways so this is what he found.......
-he washed the first batch with anti-bacterial soap (this idea was not highly recommended because no one likes the taste of soap, nor is it healthy to be eating it.
-The second batch he washed in the vinegar/water solution.
-the third batch he scrubbed with a brush.
-the fourth and final batch he just cleaned with running water.

He discovered the scrub brush got rid of 85% of the bacteria (a little more than water alone).
The water/vinegar solution actually got rid of 98% of the bacteria.....that is amazing!
He said he uses a spray bottle already ready with the solution and he just sprays down what he needs then rinses it off with running water.
He said the technique works best for smooth skinned fruits and vegetables. When you get to broccoli, lettuce leaves, or spinach, produce is harder to clean — as we've learned from recent nationwide recalls. He found that soaking lettuce in the vinegar solution works well, but it's a little more labor intensive than spraying apples.

Some more on organic food!

Ten organic foods that are worth the extra cost.
With growing concern about pesticides, growth agents, and fertilizers in the grocery store many consumers are starting to buy organic alternatives. Which ones are worth the extra expense or even in some cases individual trips to specialty market?

Apples:
Apples are surprisingly treated with a lot of pesticides. The Food and Drug Administration says that apples are treated with more pesticide than any other type of fruit or vegetable. Sometimes as many as 36 different types, one test revealed seven different chemicals on a single apple. If you can’t get organic then make sure and peel your apples, washing isn’t efficient, or buy apples imported from New Zealand, they are usually treated with far less pesticides.

Baby Food:
Baby food is a special concern because an infant’s immune, nervous, and
respiratory systems are less developed and more susceptible to the effects of chemical treatment. Ingredients like peaches, green beans, bananas, and apples are usually treated before they go into baby food. If you can’t find organic baby food then try making you own by pureeing organic fruits and vegetables in the blender.

Butter and Milk:
Milk can contain bovine growth hormones and antibiotics. Even the grains that dairy cows eat are treated quite heavily and as a result show up with a still notable presence in milk and dairy products.

Cantaloupe:
Cantaloupes often times contain the longest lasting chemicals. One chemical, dieldrin, is an extremely toxic and carcinogenic insecticide, and even though it was banned in 1974, the residue has pervaded the soil and transferred up the roots and absorbed into the edible portion. If you can’t get organic then wash the outside of the melon thoroughly so that when you cut the melon you do not contaminate flesh with exterior pollutants.

Cucumbers:
After a survey of 42 common vegetables, cucumbers were ranked second in
cancer risk and the 12th most contaminated food by the Environmental Working Group. If you can’t get organic make sure you peel the cucumber since the skin tends to hold chemicals.

Grapes:
Given that grapes ripen quickly, tend to mold, and attract pest, the growers tend to dowse them with a multitude of chemical agents. The Chilean grapes are the worst often treated with up to 17 different chemicals. Which is quite disturbing when you consider that 90% of the grapes eaten in the United States between January and April are Chilean in origin? If you can’t get organic then buy domestic grapes because they are treated with less chemicals.

Green Beans:
The Environmental Protection Agency allows more than 60 pesticides to be used on green beans. If possible choose fresh beans over canned or frozen and wash them well.

Spinach:
We all grew up watching a certain sailor man eat spinach and grow muscle but the reality could be quite the opposite. The chemicals that they treat spinach with can may cause cancer and interfere with hormone production. When you can’t get organic make sure and wash each leaf separately and meticulously under running water.

Strawberries:
And the winner is… Strawberries are the most contaminated produce in the United States. Strawberries have very high moisture content and mold easily so growers treat them profusely. If possible chose locally grown strawberries. The package should say where they are from. Avoid any over a day’s travel from the market.

Winter Squash:
As with cucumbers and cantaloupes, winter squash is often draws dieldrin from the contaminated soil. Try and purchase Mexican grown squash because the soil is largely dieldrin free.

Wash that Produce:
-Even organic produce must be thoroughly washed to remove dirt and bacteria.
-Properly cleaning can help eliminate some chemical residues.
-Wash all produce under RUNNING water, either cold or warm but never hot.
S-crub tough skinned produce like carrots, apples, and squash with a
vegetable brush.
-Peel the waxy skins on apples and cucumbers to get rid of chemical residues.
-Trim the tops of lettuce, cabbage, and other leafy vegetables. Try and throw away the outer leaves.
-Never use soap to wash produce, even anti-bacterial, it can add its own
residue.

To buy organic or not......

This might make it a little easier shopping (and saving money). The dirty dozen is what is recommended to buy organic. The clean 15 are the safest to not buy organic. I know I always wonder what I should spend the extra money on for organic and this is a HUGE help. Hope this helps all of you as well!

DIRTY DOZEN (Buy these organic if possible)
www.foodnews.org
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10.Cherries
11.Potatoes
12.Grapes (Imported)

The clean 15
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10.Eggplant
11.Cantaloupe
12.Watermelon
13.Grapefruit
14.Sweet Potato
15.Honeydew
16.Melon

Homemade pesticides!

Since are garden is now starting to grow I figured now would be a good time to start learning about homemade pesticides. Obviously with trying to keep my kids safe from all the chemicals in the world, I would much rather find a safe way with normal household products. So this is what I have found so far. This is a mixture from all kinds of websites. I will let you know what has worked best from our garden.

Mix homemade garden sprays using water and plants (or dried powders) from the garden such as hot peppers, onions and garlic. Add a drop of dish detergent to help the solution stick and store in a spray bottle to apply to infested vegetables or flowers.

Place a yellow pan with soapy water out in the garden to attract aphids and beetles. They are attracted to their favorite color and the soapy water suffocates them.

Make a trap for slugs by placing an almost empty can of beer on its side in the garden. Slugs and snails will go into the can to drink the fermented liquid and not come out.

To say good-bye to garden insects and slugs try mixing aluminum foil strips with your garden mulch. Aluminum foil not only deters garden pests but due to its reflective property it also gives your plants a solar boost.

Onion concoction is an effective home remedy to get rid off garden pests especially from your vegetables and flowers. With the help of a blender make a smooth paste of 4onions, 2 tbsp of cayenne pepper, 2 garlic cloves and 1 quart of water. Before using this homemade pesticide dilute this puree with 2 tbsp of soap flakes and 2 gallons of water. Now spray this diluted homemade pesticide on your pest infected plants.

To protect your plants, vegetables and flowers from pests simply mix flour and black pepper powder. Now sprinkle this mixture around the plants.

You can prepare an insecticidal soap at home by dissolving 1 tsp of any liquid dish soap in 1 liter of water. This solution is effective in getting rid off whiteflies, thrips, spider mites and aphids.

General pest repellent
This is quite a recipe...but its worked for me as a general spray that has helped prevent a lot of infestations before they became a problem.
- 1/4 cup of hot red peppers (red pepper sauce works well as a substitute)
- 1/4 cup of fresh spearmint (look in your produce for fresh herbs or grow your own !)
- 1/4 cup horseradish, both root and leaves (prepared horseradish doesnt work as well)
- 1/4 cup green onion tops
- 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent

So here is a good list of things to try. I have not had a chance to try any of these yet, but can't wait to. I will let you know what has worked for us and if you get a chance to try any of these, please let me know what has worked for you. If you have any other recipes I would love to hear them. Happy gardening!

Homemade hairspray!

I found this on thekindlife.com and thought it sounded really interesting. A chemical free hairspray that is really cheap to make. I haven't tried it yet but would love to. Let me know if any of you try it and what you think!

Try this amazing recipe for make-it-yourself hairspray. It's incredibly cheap, no chemicals, better for your hair, better for the environment, and most definitely Not Tested On Animals.

You will need:
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 tsp sugar (organic if possible)
* Spray bottle with a very fine mist (very important that it's a fine mist or you'll soak your hair)

Boil the water, let cool slightly, then add the sugar until it's dissolved. Let cool completely, then pour into the spray bottle.

That's it! Easy :-)

You can add some essential oils for scent if you like, I added a few drops of Rosemary essential oil for a yummy refreshing scent.

You may find that you need to add slightly more or less sugar depending on how much hold you need for your hair, but this recipe is so quick and cheap that it's easy to ditch and start again with a new batch.

If you do need extra hold, I suggest misting your hair once, waiting 30 seconds or so for it to dry, then misting again.

Freezing vegetables!

For those of you who have asked me how to freeze vegetables, I just use this simple website of how to freeze most veggies. It list most of the vegetables I use and is really simple.

http://www.gardenguides.com/416-freezing-vegetables.html

Hope it helps you all out!

How to eat healthy on a budget!

I've had many people ask me how we can eat healthy and still maintain a $75 a week budget. So this is what we do.
-We buy a quarter of a cow a year which gives us enough meat to last throughout the year. (I should mention that we don't count this into our weekly budget so that makes a difference I know).
-We make a weekly menu and stick withit. We only buy the items we need for the weekly menu and I stick hard with my grocery list.
-We eat up all of our leftovers. Some meals will last us three-four days.
-We have started our own garden and plan to eat most of our veggies from this.
-We buy a lot of our fruits and veggies when it is cheap and freeze the extra's that we are not going to eat. I also have a wonderful mother-in-law who cans a lot of food and shares with us.
-I try to make up a bigger portion of our dinners so we can freeze half. Most of the time it doesn't cost us but maybe a dollar or two more.

Hopefully this helps out with how we manage to do it. We often only eat two or three more expensive meals and the rest are cheaper meals. We also very, very rarily ever eat out. Maybe once every 2-3 weeks I will take the kids out to subway but as far as eating out for dinner that only happens maybe once every 3-4 months.
I also don't buy the kids a lot of snack food and no juice. Our juice is either homemade lemonade or water. And they each only get two glasses of milk a day. I know this may seem like a mean mom, but most of the time they only ask for water anyway. Chris and I also did away with drinking soda and drink water instead. It is actually pretty easy to eat on $75 a week and we sometimes have some money left over at the end of the week.
If anyone has any additional ideas to keeping a small budget I would love to hear them. I would love to get my budget back down to $50 a week.