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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Another cute little gift idea: Cookie mix in a jar

Need a thoughtful, easy-to-make, and will-be-appreciated teacher or other thank-you gift?

I babysit two groups of kids a week at our church. One of the moms brought this to me this morning as a thank you for watching her son each week.  It's a cookie mix. I thought that it was such a sweet thing for her to do. And it's pretty, and very appreciated. Cookie mixes in a jar are easy to assemble, and relatively inexpensive, making them ideal for a teacher or other thank-you gift.

This mom took a jar (could be any clean jar with lid), layered brown sugar, white sugar, whole wheat flour (blended with salt and baking soda), then topped with chocolate chips and cake confetti (these are hidden by the fabric cap). She tied a circle of pretty fabric to the top of the jar with a colorful ribbon. The instructions for baking she included, on a separate piece of paper, and tucked in the Thank-you card.  I've also seen the instructions tied onto the jar, or adhered to the jar on a sticky label.

Scrabble and pie

We live near a small town (Snohomish, WA), well-known for its antiques and vintage shops.  Visiting makes for a fun day for the girls (my daughters and me). Last week we ventured north for a few hours. 
a big bowl of scrabble tiles, priced at 35 cents each
at Remember When Antique Mall
They also had the wooden racks for $1.50.


Our main goal was to pick up the Scrabble piece we've been missing for years, the letter "I".  We had seen a basket full, the last time we were there, but weren't sure which letter we were lacking. That shop was our first stop. 

Rumaging through the basket, we found an aged letter "I", aged being key.  I inherited my mother's vintage Scrabble set. She received it as a birthday gift in 1953. All these years that I've had it, we've been lacking this one letter (on the board itself they list how many of each tile come with the game).  And to think of all the games that I lost, simply because I didn't have enough letter "I"s. For shame!



We hopped from shop to shop, then headed over to the restaurant that specializes in pie. It's something of a ritual for us. I'd hoped the 3 of us would share just one slice, but hunger got the best of us and we shared 2 slices (1 pecan, 1 marionberry). 





The pie was indeed very good. However, I prefer my own crust. (If you're needing a good pie crust recipe that can be made in bulk and kept frozen until needed, I've included that recipe below.)

There is something about pie that is irresistible to me.  We we didn't have pie much when I was growing up, Thanksgiving and maybe a lemon meringue once or twice a year. So when I was finally on my own, pie was about the first thing I learned to make.

Now who's up for a game of Scrabble?


Fool-Proof Pie Crust (from A Collection of the Very Finest Recipes ever assembled into one Cookbook  -- really, that's the book's name)

(this recipe is from the 70s, when I think pie tins were smaller than they are now.  So the crust comes out a bit thin, but we actually like that.  If you want a thicker pie crust, divide the dough into 4 portions instead of 5)

4 cups flour (if you want to use some whole grain, you can use 1 cup whole wheat + 3 cups white flour)
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1  3/4 cups shortening
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. vinegar

In a large bowl, stir flour, salt and sugar.  Cut in shortening.  In a small bowl (I use a measuring cup for this, it saves washing a bowl), beat egg and liquids together.  Add to flour mixture until well moistened. Chill dough for 30 minutes. Divide into 5 portions and shape each into a flat, round patty.  Wrap each in plastic wrap.

This dough can handle extra flour, if needed, for rolling. Extra flour and handling will not toughen the baked product. It will keep refrigerated for 3-5 days, or freeze for use later.  If using frozen, thaw, then roll out. (I do this on the counter for an hour, but you could also thaw very carefully in the microwave, or overnight in the fridge.)

This is the recipe I always use.  It's not super flakey, but it is tender and reliable, and I love that I can freeze it to make baking quick and easy.  I've experimented with using part butter for some of the shortening.  This gives it an even more delicious flavor.  

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Making the grocery money last

Whew! Tomorrow's the end of the month. The grocery budget has been tight, with a capital T. We'd been going over our grocery budget each month for the last 6 months.  I'd carried forward this excess spending into each new month. Finally this month I decided to stop the overspending.

Last week I reached that day, when we either go over, or I just don't spend any more on food, and we live off what we have in stock.  Since we had milk, and some eggs, plus a very full pantry, and burgeoning spring garden, I thought I could do it. For dinners, we've had lentil and pasta soup, lentil and rice salad, refried beans and rice, homemade pizza, hot dogs with homemade buns, turkey and tofu teriyaki, and baked beans. So, you see, we had plenty to eat.  It's been mostly the fruits and veggies that have been of limited variety (but plentiful in quantity).  We've had cabbage, carrots, swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, tomato sauce and onions for our main veggies. We often think of onions as more of a seasoning ingredient. Well this week, I made a glazed onion casserole, that was tasty, simple and frugal.

Fruit was the most difficult part for me.  I love fruit and to be so limited in variety is difficult.  We finished off the last of our strawberries from the freezer, and have been eating bananas, some apple juice, a few last oranges, and rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb (rhubarb sauce, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb lemonade, rhubarb oatmeal, rhubarb muffins). So, we've had plenty to eat.

We did pretty well I think. But I did break down yesterday and stop in at Trader Joe's. I bought bananas, soy milk (that's for me, I wanted to be able to enjoy granola this morning, too) and one impulse buy -- tofu. Now, most impulse buys are things like chips, soda or the candy that they have sitting there right at the register. For me, the impulse was, "oooh, I love tofu, I should get some. Trader Joe's has the best price on tofu around. I should get some. I know it's over the budget. But I should get some. I could use it in lasagna or something (I use tofu, mashed in place of ricotta cheese -- the dairy issue I have). Oh, I'll just get one,"  That's my version of an impulse buy. Tofu may not be your weakness, but yesterday it was mine!

So, the end result.  I went over budget by about $10 this month.  I'll still have to work to get us back within budget for next month. But I think I can do it! How did your spending go for the month?

Moving on to June's grocery budget, how will we make our grocery money last this month? I think we need a plan.

The frugal breakfast solution: granola

we buy oats in 25 lb sacks
I make granola once a week. It's what we use for cold cereal.  The cost is about 45-50 cents a batch and makes about 5 cups, or about 8-10 servings. It takes me 5 minutes of hands-on time, and about 30 minutes of baking time (I just have to be around the house).

Granola is somewhat dense as a breakfast food, so we "cut it" with banana slices, apple chunks, or berries. Or, we pour applesauce or rhubarb sauce over it. And it makes a great base for homemade granola bars (recipe here).

Here's a not too sweet recipe:

1/4 cup butter, margarine or oil
1/4 cup brown sugar (or scant 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 Tablespoon molasses)
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 heaping cups oats
(optional: 1 cup of raw sunflower seeds or raw, chopped nuts)
(optional: 1 cup chopped dried fruit or raisins)



In a large microwaveable bowl, put butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and water. Microwave on HI until the butter is completely melted. Stir all together. Add oats and combine well. (If adding nuts, stir in now).


store granola in an airtight container
Spread in a large, metal (not pyrex), buttered baking pan (something shallow with sides).


Bake at 325 degrees F, for 25-30 minutes total. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and stir, especially moving granola from the edges to the center.


When done, it should be golden.  (If adding dried fruit, mix in now). Stir again, and allow to cool in baking pan.

Thrift shopping for deals on clothing

Our loot!
Have you found any real steals at thrift shops lately? Four of the five of us went to Value Village on Monday, the 50% off day in the U.S. We were there for almost 2 hours. It was somewhat crowded. Kinda says something about how people are feeling about the economy.

We arrived around 10:30 AM.  When we first got there, the racks looked fairly full.  But 2 hours later, the racks were looking sparse. It pays to get to these 50% off days early. We tried to get out earlier, but it's hard with a group, isn't it?

On the whole, our family is pretty choosy when it comes to clothing. And not just about style, about quality.  If something just isn't well-made, it's not worth it.  If something is too worn, we pass it up. If something's not a good fit, it's not coming home with us. And if it's not just the right color (and I can't think of a way to change it to the right color), then it's not meant to be.  And even with our pickiness, we still all found some things we wanted.

One of my daughters was looking for a new pair of jeans. She tried on almost every pair of jeans in her size. (She knows that I can alter the leg of the jeans if they're too wide, but fortunately this time I won't have to do that.) I don't know if you know this quick trying-on trick  --   knowing she wanted jeans, my daughter wore a pair of leggings under her skirt. She was able to just slip the jeans on while standing there next to the rack.  We saw another young woman who had also worn leggings, so that she could try things on this way, too.  Dressing this way saves having to wait in the long, long lines at the dressing rooms (6 dressing rooms for the whole store). Sounds weird, eh?

My other daughter was looking for a blouse that she could wear over a t-shirt. So she dressed in a way that allowed her to try on blouses without having to wait for a dressing room.

My husband, just goes by the sizes.  Men's clothing is a bit more reliable that way. But when I've been shopping for him, I've brought a fabric measuring tape in my purse, to be my guide. This time, he was on his own, as I was shopping for myself.

I was looking for a lilac-colored t-shirt, to wear under a cotton blouse this summer. (I had a specific shade of lilac in mind. I actually got lucky and found 2 t-shirts that I liked a lot. One was a better shade, and I went with it.) So, I dressed in a close fitting t-shirt, over which I could try on other shirts. As an after thought, I think I'd have done better wearing a leotard as a shirt. Don't like even a peek at my midriff in a public place.

We did fairly well, not phenomenally so, but much better than at the mall. We bought:  1 pair slacks for my husband, 1 belt for my husband, 1 t-shirt and a lightweight sweater for me, a pair of jeans, a sundress and a short prom dress for daughter no.1, and 2 blouses for daughter no.2.  I love my new t-shirt.  I easily could've seen myself spending $25 to get just the right shade of lilac. And a new pair of jeans for daughter no.1 would've cost another $25 at a place like Target. Those two items alone easily could've cost $50. But we spent $35, and bought those items, plus 2 blouses, 2 dresses, 1 pair slacks, a belt and a sweater. Not bad, but it seems to me that thrift shop prices have gone up in recent years. Have you found this to be true, too?


My tips for shopping at second hand shops like Value Village:

  • know what you're looking for, 
  • go early, 
  • look at everything, 
  • dress in a way that you can slip things over your own clothing, 
  • bring a measuring tape, 
  • and don't be afraid to just say no, if it isn't really what you're looking for.  There will more opportunities in the future.


Thrift shopping is an adventure, a treasure hunt, of sorts. If you missed the 50% off day at Value Village this week, there'll be another one on the 4th of July. The 4th of July sale is particularly good sale for buying children's school clothing, as they've recently received a lot of school-appropriate donations, with school having just let out, paired with the fact that not many families have been shopping for school clothes (the racks pile up with this stuff).  So, check for winter jackets, jeans, t-shirts, etc at that time.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tightwad humor

After dinner the other night, my husband was going through some mail at the table. The five of us were still sitting there talking.  He pulled a staple out of some papers. And I said, with as straight a face as I could manage, "put the staple in the pile on my desk, please, so I can straighten it out with the rest of them." Like I said, I tried to maintain a straight face for as long as possible.  The looks on their faces were priceless. They really thought Mom had gone off the deep end. Then they saw me cracking up.  But it was very funny while it lasted. We continued on with a discussion on a contraption you could make and sell to really frugal people, a staple reshaper.

Getting the best deal on your car insurance

Perhaps you can't see it very well, but our car currently has
 a large dent in the driver's door. It was hit while parked, in
a parking lot. Now we have to do the legwork to get it fixed.
There are many ways, I could write about, to save you a few dollars here and there. But this could be the biggest saver I'll write about this season.

Are you getting the best deal on your car insurance? You are now probably thinking I'm going to suggest that you shop around for a less expensive insurance company. But if you are otherwise satisfied with your current company, wouldn't it be better to negotiate a better rate with them? And no. I'm not talking about haggling with your agent. I'm talking about asking a few simple questions.

When was the last time you discussed your policy with your insurance agent? We should be calling in and asking about possible discounts once a year. But we don't. Why? In part because we're busy people. But also, because it feels awkward to tell the agent that we are interested in saving money. As if we're admitting some deficiency in ourselves, for wanting to save some money.  Big corporations don't feel awkward when they want to shave a bit off their expenses. And we shouldn't either.

Now I know you have some questions for me. Like. . .

How will I benefit from calling my agent?

For one, it will clue the agent into the knowledge that you are looking for ways to trim costs. If they know that, they will make suggestions to you which can put money into your pocket.

What do I say or ask?

You simply say that you're calling to see if there are any additional discounts you might qualify for.

A good opener, if your car has an anti-theft device installed is "Is there a discount for anti-theft devices?" These devices generally earn you a discount. Your agent may not know if you have one.

Do you have more than one car with this insurer? If you do, ask your agent, "Do I qualify for the multi-car discount?"

Next ask about going paperless. Say, "I'm interested in going paperless and automating my premium payments. Will this earn me any savings?" This one seems unbelievable to me. . . they provide you with the service of taking care of your payment (you won't lose the bill in the stack on the desk, or forget to mail it, or not have a stamp handy), and they give you a discount on top of the service.  What's more, some companies will allow you to have your automated payments charged to your Visa card, which may earn you reward points or rebates.

There are driving courses that will earn discounts. If you are a senior, AARP offers defensive driving courses for a small fee.  Ask your insurer, "I'm looking into taking a defensive driving course through AARP (or the community center, or parks and rec, where ever you find a course). Do you provide discounts for seniors who take these courses?"

If you have a teen learning how to drive, have them take a driver's training course.  You'll save quite a bit in premiums by doing so.  Make sure to ask your agent, "my teen is taking a driver's training course. When she/he gets her/his license, how much will this save on my premium?"

Also for parents of teens, if they're good students, ask "Do you give a good student discount?" In most cases, you'll need to fax a copy of their transcript. But this will earn a continuing discount for years to come.

Do you own a home? And is your home owner's insurance with this agent? If so, ask "Am I getting the auto/home discount?" Insurers like to keep you as clients for all your insurance policies, hence the auto/home discount.

Your credit score can impact your premium, as well. Ask, "Has your company done a credit check on me recently? Can you tell me if my score has affected my premium?" If your credit score has caused your premium to go up, you are entitled to one free credit report (and I think this is one free with each reporting firm, someone check me if I'm wrong here).  Go over that report, and call the credit reporting bureau for questions as to what all the info means (I thought it was confusing to read myself, but this was 10 years ago).  Take the appropriate action to remedy your report and boost your score. If you've found an error, you can bring this information to your insurance company and get your premium back to where it should be.  This whole deal with using your credit report to determine who's the greatest risk for a claim, does not seem fair, but it's a practice common these days.

Do you have a car sitting in storage right now? Many retirees go south for the winter and north for the summer.  And some keep cars at both ends. If their car is in long-term storage for half the year, they can drop a portion (but not all) of their coverage. Ask, "how many months must be car be in storage for me to temporarily drop a portion of my coverage?" Another scenario, you may have is an elderly relative, who still owns a car, but no longer drives.  Many elderly don't want to get rid of their cars, even when they're not driving any longer.  I think the thought of selling their cars make them feel even more dependent and helpless.  Not something any of us want to feel. But, if their car is not being driven at all, you can ask their insurance, on their behalf, for reductions in coverage due to the car not being used.

Next, this is not about discounts per say, but could save you a bundle over the long-term. Ask about increasing your deductible. Of course you need to feel confident that you will be able to come up with the out-of-pocket money to cover that deductible, should you need to file a claim. But if you feel confident about your ability to do that, you could save quite a bit in just a few years. So, ask, "how much will I save on my premium each year if I raise my deductible up to the next level?"

When we were first starting out, with our first cars, many of us were more at risk for accidents, simply because of our age and inexperience, and we didn't have the additional cash on hand to handle a high deductible.  This made a low deductible the best choice for us at the time. As we've gotten older (and hopefully better drivers, too), we have a bit more spare dough, so a higher deductible is feasible.

And now you likely have one last question.
But I just paid my premium, shouldn't I wait until the next one is due?

Absolutely not. Make the call today and say "I know I just paid my premium, but I'm working at reducing some of my spending. Are there some discounts that I might qualify for that I'm not already receiving? And how much will I save if I raise my deductible?" (Same questions as before, just in this scenario, you preface your questions with acknowledging that you've just recently paid your bill. )

This is a call today! sort of thing.  Put it on your to-do-immediately list. You may save a hundred or more over the course of a year on your car insurance. Go out to your car. Get that slip of paper that says proof of insurance (you're supposed to keep that in the glove box, it is in there, right?). On that paper should be your agent's phone number. Give him/her a call. And begin reading off the questions above. What could you lose?

Another way to use rhubarb: rhubarb oatmeal

If your rhubarb isn't out of control just yet, it will be soon.  I'm using rhubarb everyday.
Yesterday morning I added some to oatmeal.  This was a batch for the entire family of 5. Here's how I made it:



In a large saucepan,


I poured 4 cups of water,
added 1/2 teaspoon salt,
1 stalk of rhubarb, chopped fine,
about 3-4 Tablespoons sugar, and
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

I brought this to a boil, then added about 1  2/3 cup regular oats. Brought it back to boil, then reduced heat and simmered on the lowest setting for about 10 minutes.


We topped each bowl with a spoonful of crisp topping mix that I keep in the fridge for making fruit crisp.  It would've also been delicious topped with a spoonful of jam for each bowl.


Monday, May 28, 2012

S'Mores indoors

yes, the chocolate pieces are little bunnies
I bought a few bags of Easter chocolate on clearance
 just for s'mores and chocolate chunk cookies
If storms move the party indoors this Memorial Day, don't let the fun end. When we don't have a fire in the firebowl outside (for whatever reason), and we still want s'mores, we make s'mores indoors.

We have 3 ways to move the s'mores party inside.

Microwave s'mores
Place 1 marshmallow on 1 graham cracker square and microwave on HI, in 10 second increments, until puffy. Proceed with chocolate and remaining graham cracker square

Stovetop s'mores
You can toast your marshmallow on a metal skewer, on either an electric or gas stove. On electric, turn burner to HI and hold marshmallow on skewer over burner. On gas, turn flame to MED and hold marshmallow over flame. Once toasted, proceed with s'mores.

Broiler s'mores
Place bottom graham cracker squares on a baking sheet. Place 1 marshmallow on each graham square. Put baking sheet in oven under broiler set on HI BROIL. Watch closely as they will burn quickly. Remove from oven when marshmallow is toasted and puffy. Proceed with s'mores.

Of all 3 methods, obviously the microwave version is the safest for kids to do themselves. Use caution when toasting over the stove and oven broiling.

For more on s'mores, see here

Preventing the proliferation of pantry pests in flour and grain



Many of us bake a good deal. Which means, we are also buying a lot of flour and grains.  With warmer weather here, now is the time to take action against pantry moths and weevils. For those of you buying flour and grains (this is true for things like rice, barley, quinoa, too -- see note below) in bulk, here's a link with basic instructions for preventing the proliferation of pantry pests in your home.




*note* I had a moth problem with brown rice a year ago.  I wound up fishing out all the live moths I could see, freezing the all the rice in plastic containers, then fishing out all the dead moths. The moths come to the surface of the freezing grain in attempts to escape, so it was very easy to find them. Fortunately I caught this before they became a big problem. My advice, freeze grains when you first get them home from the store.  You'll avoid this whole mess by doing so.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Why picking the meat off a chicken carcass is worthwhile


There are frugal things we do, even when we would rather not.  For me, that's picking apart a chicken carcass, after simmering for broth.  It's not a pleasant thing, having my hands get all goopy.  But I do it anyway.

Yesterday afternoon, I had no idea what to make for dinner, I mean no idea. My daughters and I brainstormed for a bit. It seemed as if I didn't have much in stock to make dinner.  I could tell the wheels in their minds were turning, thinking "maybe Mom will get a pizza". My wheels were also turning. I was  thinking, "gotta stay within the budget, we're close to the end of the month." Then I remembered that I had two chicken carcasses in the freezer.  These were the remains from whole chickens, roasted and almost completely eaten, a couple of months ago. You see, I don't cook the carcasses up right away, but wrap them in plastic and freeze until I have 2 to do.  That way, I'm only having to get all goopy once for 2 chickens.

When we came home I dropped the 2 carcasses into a pot of water. They simmered for an hour. When they were cool I was able to do the messy work. The reason that I'm telling you all this, is that after that work, I had a pile of good chicken meat with which to make dinner.  I was curious just how much meat I had salvaged from the chickens.  It was 2 full cups!  Now, that was 2 chickens, so average that out to 1 cup per chicken, of good, delicious meat.  In addition, the simmering made almost 3 quarts of broth.

Had I not ever bothered with those carcasses, we would've missed out on a great meal. I used this tasty chicken to make a large pot of chicken and dumplings for our supper last night. And everyone left the table full and satisfied.

Some of the frugal things we do are not all that pleasant, but the value of the end result surpasses whatever measure of unpleasantness we endure.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

The frugal breakfast solution

People ask me all the time, when they hear how little we spend on groceries, just what do we eat. So I thought I'd share, starting with breakfast. I think it was Jane Brody (author of the Good Food Book) who said breakfast should have a couple of components, some carbs (preferably complex) to get you started in the morning and some protein to fuel your day.  I keep that in mind when planning a frugal breakfast for my family.

This is what we eat on non-holiday mornings:

sunseed butter on toast
Most days we have whole grain toast with sunflower seed butter (see recipe: http://creativesavv.blogspot.com/2012/05/homemade-sunflower-seed-butter-cost.html  ) 

great oatmeal
On weekend mornings, one day I make oatmeal, the other I make waffles or pancakes.  Both days I do double batches ( for ideas on what to add to oatmeal, see http://creativesavv.blogspot.com/2012/04/oatmeal-on-go-or-why-be-frugal.html ). The leftovers get packed up, ready to heat-and-eat (minus the milk on the oatmeal and the syrup on the pancakes or waffles), and put in the freezer.  

better pancakes and waffles
When I make my weekend pancakes/waffles, I add pureed pumpkin, applesauce, mashed bananas, blueberries, banana slices, and/or chopped nuts, and use whole wheat flour.  They are chock full of nutrition and flavor.  To pack these to-go, I use shallow round containers (like what hummus or bleu cheese crumbles come in), and stack a few pancakes.  I add butter, but let everyone top with syrup as they please.  For the waffles, I have square Ziploc type plastic containers.  These are deep enough to stack 2 waffles each.  Again, I add butter to each, but not the syrup. These keep in the freezer for a weekday.

homemade muffins
One morning or afternoon a week, while I'm waiting for something else in the kitchen, like making a pot of soup, I make a batch or two of muffins, about 12 each batch.  I use a very simple recipe that has infinite variations, only limited by the imagination.  For those interested, I've written it out and it's here
http://creativesavv.blogspot.com/2012/05/weekend-breakfast-frugal-muffin.html 

homemade granola
In weeks when I don't bake muffins, I make a large batch of granola.  I use a variation of a recipe from Jane Brody's Good Food Book.You"ll find the granola recipe here.

On special days, like birthdays and holidays, I often make quick and easy donuts or homemade cinnamon buns .

It's a lot of variety for our family. What you don't see is packaged cereal.  I don't have anything against packaged cereal.  I just don't have an inexpensive option for buying it.  (I have, on occasion, found cereal on the clearance shelves of my local grocery store and will buy it then, so it's not like we never have cereal.) Many people have stores with double coupons (or triple even), discount stores with a selection of cereal, generic brands that are priced low, or a supply of cereal coupons, all which make buying cereal more affordable.  It just so happens that I don't have those options here, for one reason or another.  So, this is my frugal breakfast solution.

Weekend breakfast: the frugal muffin

(text only version here http://creativesavv.blogspot.com/2012/05/frugal-muffin-text-only.html )

Carrot and spice muffins (left),
rhubarb, orange zest muffins with crumb topping (right)
Women's magazines fill their pages with new cake, cookie, and muffin recipes every month. But the truth is, at least for muffins, you really only need one recipe.


I have a basic recipe that I use for all muffins. I change it up by the extras and toppings I add.

This recipe is not complicated, just a few basic "rules "to follow.


A muffin needs 3 components, IMO. The basic batter, additions (these are what make it more than just a hunk of bread), and the toppings.


Component 1: The basic muffin batter

2 cups flour, whole grain, white or mixed (I like half and half white/wheat)
1/4-1/2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 vegetable oil
1 cup or so of milk (this will vary with the type of flour I use, or if I add pureed fruit or veggies)

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. 
In a large (2 cup or more) measuring cup, beat egg with a fork, mix in oil (if you've beaten the egg in the measuring cup - an egg being 1/4 cup - then you can just add oil to the 1/2 cup mark).  Add milk. 



dry ingredients, with well in center for liquids 


In the well of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquids. Quickly toss all ingredients together.  You want the liquids and dry ingredients to be mixed, but not smooth.  A little unmixed flour in the batter is a good thing, lumps are a good thing. It will finish blending itself as you scoop it into the tins.

batter is mostly mixed, but you can see a little flour here and there

Scoop into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Add toppings, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes. (I use the toothpick test for doneness.) Glaze or butter, if desired. Makes 12-15 muffins.


Component 2: Additions

The "rules" to remember about additions--

--If it's basically a wet item (purees, juices, extracts) add to the liquids.
--If it's a mostly (or all) dry ingredient (chopped, grated, whole fruits, nuts, spices, cheese, meat) add to the dry ingredients
--If adding a pureed fruit or vegetable, as part of the liquid, add extra milk -- increase the milk by about 1/4 cup
--If adding a grated or chopped fruit or vegetable, increase the flour by 1 Tablespoon.
--The greater amount of sugar, the faster the surface of muffin will brown.  And conversely, if using less sugar, muffins may look more pale.


What kind to make today?  The rhubarb sure looks good! Rhubarb it is! 

Additions/alterations to make your muffins interesting

pureed wet additions to replace part of the milk, add to liquids, plus add an extra 1/4 cup milk ( puree + milk = 1 cup + 1/4 cup extra milk):
  • 3/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, or carrot puree (don't forget to increase milk by 1/4 cup)
juice substitution replacing part of milk (juice + milk = 1 cup), add to liquids
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
semi-wet additions (grated, diced fruit or vegetables), plus don't forget to add 1 Tablespoon flour to dry ingredients, fold in with the dry:
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup small dices apples or rhubarb
  • 3/4 cups grated zucchini or carrots
  • 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped in food processor
dry additions (no changes to liquid or flour), add to flour/sugar mixture
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts/seeds
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins, chopped dates, chopped dried fruit of any variety
substitutions with the flour
  • substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white
  • substitute 1/2 cup bran for 1/2 cup flour
dry flavorings, add to dry ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
wet flavorings, add to liquids:
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla, or maple extract extract
to make savory muffins
  • reduce sugar to 2 Tablespoons
  • add 1/2 cup bacon bits or ham
  • add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • add 1/4 cup frozen, chopped spinach or other greens, thawed and liquid drained out
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Flavor combinations that I like
  • zucchini, nutmeg, citrus zest, orange or lemon juice, with lemon glaze
  • lemon zest, poppy seeds, lemon juice, plus maybe a little extra sugar (2 T.)
  • apples, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla extract, nuts, with crumb topping
  • rhubarb, orange zest, with crumb topping
  • carrots, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, cinnamon/sugar topping
  • pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nuts, with maple glaze
  • cranberry, orange zest, nutmeg, vanilla, sprinkled with sugar
  • bran, vanilla, raisins, with homey glaze
  • mashed bananas, nuts,vanilla extract and nut topping

Component 3 of the basic muffin transformation: the topping



crumb topping sprinkled on tops just before baking

toppings before baking
  • sugar
  • cinnamon and sugar
  • crumb topping: 1/3 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, pinch salt, 2 Tablespoon soft butter, blend all together, and add just enough water (I think about 1 teaspoon) to form crumbs. I do this in the same mixing bowl that I mixed the batter in, mashing the butter into the sugar/flour with the back of the spoon.
  • chopped nuts
toppings for after baking
  • powdered sugar glaze: to 1/3 cup powdered sugar, add enough milk, lemon juice, orange juice to form a glaze, can also add maple extract or vanilla extract
  • honey glaze, just honey, good on bran muffins
  • butter spread on each muffin top as it comes out of the oven, for a soft crust and buttery flavor

When the muffins are cool I pack them up in a large ziploc bag and freeze. They make a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or nice addition to soup or salad for lunch or dinner.

Friday, May 25, 2012

The frugal muffin, text only

(this is the text only version of Weekend breakfast: the frugal muffin)
Women's magazines fill their pages with new cake, cookie, and muffin recipes every month. But the truth is, at least for muffins, you really only need one recipe.  

I have a basic recipe that I use for all muffins. I change it up by the extras and toppings I add.

This recipe is not complicated, just a few basic "rules "to follow.

A muffin needs 3 components, IMO. The basic batter, additions (these are what make it more than just a hunk of bread), and the toppings.


Component 1: The basic muffin batter

2 cups flour, whole grain, white or mixed (I like half and half white/wheat)
1/4-1/2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 vegetable oil
1 cup or so of milk (this will vary with the type of flour I use, or if I add pureed fruit or veggies)

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. 
In a large (2 cup or more) measuring cup, beat egg with a fork, mix in oil (if you've beaten the egg in the measuring cup - an egg being 1/4 cup - then you can just add oil to the 1/2 cup mark).  Add milk. 



In the well of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquids. Quickly toss all ingredients together.  You want the liquids and dry ingredients to be mixed, but not smooth.  A little unmixed flour in the batter is a good thing, lumps are a good thing. It will finish blending itself as you scoop it into the tins.


Scoop into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Add toppings, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes. (I use the toothpick test for doneness.) Glaze or butter, if desired. Makes 12-15 muffins.


Component 2: Additions

The "rules" to remember about additions--

--If it's basically a wet item (purees, juices, extracts) add to the liquids.
--If it's a mostly (or all) dry ingredient (chopped, grated, whole fruits, nuts, spices, cheese, meat) add to the dry ingredients
--If adding a pureed fruit or vegetable, as part of the liquid, add extra milk -- increase the milk by about 1/4 cup
--If adding a grated or chopped fruit or vegetableincrease the flour by 1 Tablespoon.
--The greater amount of sugar, the faster the surface of muffin will brown.  And conversely, if using less sugar, muffins may look more pale.


Additions/alterations to make your muffins interesting

pureed wet additions to replace part of the milk, add to liquids, plus add an extra 1/4 cup milk ( puree + milk = 1 cup + 1/4 cup extra milk):
  • 3/4 cup applesauce, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas, or carrot puree (don't forget to increase milk by 1/4 cup)
juice substitution replacing part of milk (juice + milk = 1 cup), add to liquids
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
semi-wet additions (grated, diced fruit or vegetables), plus don't forget to add 1 Tablespoon flour to dry ingredients, fold in with the dry:
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup small dices apples or rhubarb
  • 3/4 cups grated zucchini or carrots
  • 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped in food processor
dry additions (no changes to liquid or flour), add to flour/sugar mixture
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts/seeds
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins, chopped dates, chopped dried fruit of any variety
substitutions with the flour
  • substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the white
  • substitute 1/2 cup bran for 1/2 cup flour
dry flavorings, add to dry ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
wet flavorings, add to liquids:
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla, or maple extract extract
to make savory muffins
  • reduce sugar to 2 Tablespoons
  • add 1/2 cup bacon bits or ham
  • add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • add 1/4 cup frozen, chopped spinach or other greens, thawed and liquid drained out
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Flavor combinations that I like
  • zucchini, nutmeg, citrus zest, orange or lemon juice, with lemon glaze
  • lemon zest, poppy seeds, lemon juice, plus maybe a little extra sugar (2 T.)
  • apples, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla extract, nuts, with crumb topping
  • rhubarb, orange zest, with crumb topping
  • carrots, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, cinnamon/sugar topping
  • pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nuts, with maple glaze
  • cranberry, orange zest, nutmeg, vanilla, sprinkled with sugar
  • bran, vanilla, raisins, with homey glaze
  • mashed bananas, nuts,vanilla extract and nut topping

Component 3 of the basic muffin transformation: the topping



toppings before baking
  • sugar
  • cinnamon and sugar
  • crumb topping: 1/3 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, pinch salt, 2 Tablespoon soft butter, blend all together, and add just enough water (I think about 1 teaspoon) to form crumbs. I do this in the same mixing bowl that I mixed the batter in, mashing the butter into the sugar/flour with the back of the spoon.
  • chopped nuts
toppings for after baking
  • powdered sugar glaze: to 1/3 cup powdered sugar, add enough milk, lemon juice, orange juice to form a glaze, can also add maple extract or vanilla extract
  • honey glaze, just honey, good on bran muffins
  • butter spread on each muffin top as it comes out of the oven, for a soft crust and buttery flavor

When the muffins are cool I pack them up in a large ziploc bag and freeze. They make a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or nice addition to soup or salad for lunch or dinner.

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