If you have been around here very long, you will know I am a fan of Bisquick. I find it a useful tool to make a wide variety of recipes without having to keep a lot of ingredients on hand. AllRecipes posted their 30 Best Bisquick Recipes list and I was excited to see what was on the list. Click HERE to check it out.
Some are old favorites while others are new to me. I love the variety of cobblers but am blown away by the main dish ideas. Which ones are you going to try?
Consumption, conspicuous or not, can be either a good partner or a wicked master depending upon how each of us manages it.
The old phrase, ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, can, and often is, detrimental not only to the household budget but the household mental state.
I think there is something to be said for shopping seasonally, taking advantage of lower seasonal prices, being very intentional regarding trends – as in do I really need to be doing this or … ? None of us lives in spaces that can hold every thing we could possibly imagine and I would go so far as to say that the majority of us don’t have the financial resources to afford every thing available. Many, however, tend to operate on the idea (?) that those realities don’t apply to them.
Have you noticed that there seems to be this cottage industry around uncluttering? I see that going hand in hand with another cottage industry that tells us we Must Buy This [ fill in blank ]. And while I applaud the idea where when one item comes in another goes out, the reality is often not quite so…accurate.
Stuff, like rabbits, tend to multiply.
Buying seasonal foods is often cheaper and – added bonus – the flavor is better. Couple that with the anticipation of those first of season berries or fruits or veg and the meal could exceed more expectations than you thought it might.
Staycations might sound dull but how many of us look up one day and realize that we have never checked out the local national park or gone to the lake, beach, whatever? Even in smaller towns there are locations easily accessed that could provide a welcome get away – many that out of town/state tourists know all about but somehow were overlooked by us.
As we tackle higher fuel and food prices it behooves us to take stock of what we are spending and look at our options. What have we not been doing? Where have we not been going? What have we been dreaming about but keep putting off? That quiet picnic with all the good food might be more accessible than we thought. Gatherings with friends and family could be even better as huge pot lucks.
While the idea of doing without can be depressing, maybe we need to just adjust our attitude a bit. Find a way to make it more exciting, if not interesting.
The balancing act could be the way we look at what we are doing and why we are doing it and make a change here and there. Just to see what we think. Who knows? It could becomes the best thing we do all Summer!
Summer heat is approaching faster and faster after a few (?) too many rainy days. I’ve been thinking about my next grocery order / meal plan and the heat.
Honestly, I’ve been craving a cool, luscious, creamy, dreamy Orange Bavarian for a while. It is easy to make, and relatively easy on the budget. I can change up the flavors, too, depending upon the gelatin flavor I get. And, surprisingly, there are a lot of interesting ideas out there – not just the traditional Jello brand… Anna over at Cooking The Books on YouTube has posted her Lemon Ice Box Cake. It sounds amazing!
I’m thinking maybe sub sandwiches, chicken or tuna salad, maybe some ham and cheese. I can take advantage of wraps in addition to a variety of buns.
I could grill some chicken, too.
When the days are hot and muggy, sometimes all I want is something cold and filling – and, of course, flavorful. There are loads of recipes out there to try. I can take advantage of what is available from the Farmer’s Market, too.
I love a good salad but, really, lettuce goes only so far with me. That being said, a good refreshing Taco Salad won’t require a lot of time over the stove. I could grab a bag of chicken tenders or nuggets or bites, bake them up and use them for a Fried Chicken Salad. Add in some ripe tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers, beans, it could be quite a nice change of pace.
I often have to remind myself not to overlook those 3 bean salads, cheese balls (with good crackers), Hummus, fresh veg plates.
So, here’s what I’ve been thinking for July menus….What have you been thinking about yours?
As with most crafts, card making can be as simple or complicated as we choose to make it. Sometimes I think that newbies to the craft can be easily overwhelmed by what the see. When Justine Hovey posted the following video, however, I found myself getting a bit excited. Check it out:
Jackie Bolhuis over at Klompen Stampers loves SIP cards; Stamps, Ink, Paper. She loves to use designer series paper to make beautiful cards without breaking the bank on ‘stuff’. While her cards aren’t always a single layer, they are beautiful.
I enjoy watching crafters work their magic. There is a lot of magic in that process! There are stamps, inks, card stock, stencils, embellishments, etc., etc. Each one adds something interesting to a card, but the truth is you don’t need to have all of them, you don’t need the fancy machines, all you need is an idea and the courage to sit down and get your hands inky. 😀 Justine is right, keep those fingers clean or you will get prints on your cards.
At the end of the day most recipients won’t be judging your hand made cards, they will be enjoying them because you took the time to make and send them.
And isn’t that the point of the craft?
There is something special – magical – about a house that is truly a home and not a place keeper for the next occupant. I don’t know about you but I am past tired of the mentality of decorating a home just to entice the next owner. When you realize that almost every new owner rips out everything the prior owner did to put their own mark on the place you really have to wonder… At least I hope you do.
Shelby’s Cottage is one of those rare YouTube channels devoted to making her (their) house a home. Their home. Colors, decor, window treatments, and all the other odds and ends that make a house a home.
They recently completed the addition of a breakfast nook and I have to tell you I love it! Check it out:
Comfortable seating. Pleasant lighting. Useful and attractive window treatments. This one has everything including accommodating the cats.
I also appreciate that it is a well thought out space. Every inch has been considered. It is a fully functioning space.
Wish I had room in my home for one!
If you have been around here for any length of time you will know that Sunday mornings are my anticipated adventures in arm chair traveling with Mr. Carrington. Iwan takes us on all sorts of excursions and introduces us to lots of things. One of those ‘things’ is the artist Beryl Cook. Check out his recent Escape to Plymouth:
I have to admit I find Cook’s work entertaining on many levels. I love her use of color and the unique way she creates her people. That touch of humor and whimsy mixed with truth is refreshing. I get the feeling that buried in each work is a mischievous elf sharing some magic.
You might find THIS article from the BBC of interest, too. There is something radical about painting people who are living their true lives and not being afraid to add a touch of sauciness, too. For more background check out THIS article from 2014.
Enjoy!
There is joy in creating. Even if you aren’t very good at it. One of the reasons I love watching shows like The Great British Sewing Bee is that I learn things. Mostly stuff I know I will never use but… <shrug>
I just finished watching series 10 (2024) of the Great British Sewing Bee and I have to say I have rarely been as thrilled with the winner as I am with this one. And, no, I won’t be sharing the name here. Look it up.
I can appreciate the skills that are showcased in that show while also recognizing that they aren’t for me. I can also acknowledge that some folks will watch and decide that those skills are exactly right for them. Win/Win!
My mom was an amazing sewist, making a wide variety of clothes over the years. Her skills were amazing. Having watched her work a project taught me a lot about the process. Translate that to watching a variety of sewists learn, explore, create, grow in their craft can be a lot of fun.
Roku has the series from series one through ten free on the Roku Channel. It is worth checking out. You never know what you might discover as you watch these incredible sewists work their way through pattern challenges, made to measures and more.
The search for new authors / books is a constant effort but one that can be rewarding. I recently came across the Homefront Sleuths series on audio and am hooked!
Set in 1940s England, the books center around a group of friends / neighbors in a small Kentish village. They are a diverse and interesting collection of folks and their stories are anything but boring. So far, at least. LOL!
Check out the website by clicking HERE.
See Mindy Mom recently posted that she has had to rethink her food plans not only because of budget but the ages of her kids – all now in their teen years. That got me to thinking. Have you found yourself dealing with shrinking budget and a list of meals that just aren’t hitting the mark anymore?
For those with kids, it can be deceptively easy to forget that what was once sufficient because they didn’t eat as much or their tastes were a bit limited but now that they have grown a bit things have changed. Growing kids need a lot more good healthy foods to help them keep growing and keep them healthy. Adults, too, need good healthy foods but their tastes have changed a bit, too.
Recently I was meandering through the weekly ad from one of my local markets and found myself seeing things I hadn’t bought in a Very Long Time. Why? Because I was tired of eating them. We have also had shortage issues with a few things and by the time the shortages were resolved, I’d forgotten all about what used to be a regular item in my pantry.
As we head into the Summer season when school is out and kids are home more, many will be challenged to find items that the kids can snack on and meal items that won’t break the bank. Farmer’s Markets will, I hope, become a fast favorite to find those locally grown foods that will check many of your meal plan boxes.
If possible, plan to put some of that produce aside in the freezer for later. My mom used to take peaches, peel and slice them and then put them into freezer containers and tuck them away. The sweet summer flavor would be a welcome surprise when they made their way out of the freezer in Autumn.
Now might also be a good time to sit down and make a list of what you, and your family, actually wants to eat. Once you’ve found uses for the left overs in the fridge, freezer and pantry (the stuff that kept being pushed aside…) it is a good time to refresh with items that you will actually look forward to using.
I don’t know about you but in my house the meal plans change with the season. Winter’s stews, roasts and such give way to lighter fare once the weather warms up a bit. And, really, who wants to have the oven on when it is hot outside?
That being said, habit tends to get in the way when putting a shopping list together. Sometimes I have to literally sit myself down and remind myself that it might not be the right time for that particular dish…
So, the Summer Menu Reset is on! Let’s see what we can find to make us look forward to meals rather than just eat.
Enjoy!
Have you been watching NCIS Partners and Probies on YouTube? I have to admit it has become a favorite podcast.
This week the legendary Joe Spano visited. The conversation got me to thinking about all the years, not to mention all the shows, I’ve seen various folks in and the impact they have had.
We don’t always realize that we are watching legendary performers as they are developing their craft and evolving into their current iteration.
Head on over, settle in with your favorite cuppa and enjoy the conversation.
