February 4, 2010

I am the love child of ‘Benny Hill’….

Last night my greatest fear was realized… I am indeed the love child of “Benny Hill”.

For those that do not know who Benny Hill is- lets just say he was a politically incorrect, comic genius of lewdness in the UK, most famous for the Benny Hill Show, who died a wealthy man but lived like a pauper, eating lots of baked beans..

Ok I’m not really the love child of Benny Hill but last night in need of some humour suffering with a throat that may have well received one thousand cat scratches while I wasn’t looking, decided to play with an application on Facebook.

As it was FREE and as it looked like FUN I uploaded a head and shoulders photo to http://www.myheritage.com to see if there were any Celebrities out there I could use on my Facebook profile for Dopleganger Week.

While other women on Facebook seemed to have the most gorgeous lookey-likeys, mine generated a selection that confirmed I was indeed the love child of Benny Hill, that my brother was Stan Laurel and my cousin twice removed was Jackie O (Ok that one is pretty cool), my sister is PD James and my strange neice is Asia Argento..

TRY IT- it’s fun. Who do you look like?

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February 1, 2010

THE BIG PINK STRAWBERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE

5:17 pm | 2 Comments »

It was my eldest hobbits 21st birthday the other day. Despite looking in the mirror daily, at my snow white hair around my temples and increasingly drooping eye hoods, somehow, I never actually realized my eldest child was THAT OLD.

Surely it was only a year or two ago that I was making decisions like …..

“tomorrow I stop breast-feeding” (after my eldest hobbit, at 1 year old decided she would use my nipple as a teething ring) ….and surely it was just a year or two ago I proudly paraded my daughter around in those fabulous sets of dungarees (with cute animals on) and could get away with it.

Jess is my dark child. Jess loves things that are different and there has been no room for pink in her life for many, many years…

So to my total surprise, to my question… “what would you like for your birthday”, her response was – “A BIG PINK STRAWBERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE”. Not just a bought cake but a cake she would make herself..

The cake ended up being totally fun and fab and BIG and PINK and it couldn’t have been easier to make ( she used my standby boxes of cake mix) and was totally frugal except for the strawberries when we served it ..

Here is the recipe…

THE BIG PINK STRAWBERRY BIRTHDAY CAKE by Jess (for about $5 not including strawberries)

2 boxes of golden/plain cake mix (total $2.50)
6 eggs ($1.50)
3-4 oz of spreadable margarine
6- 7 oz of icing sugar (for butter icing and for top of cake)
strawberry jelly crystals
Red/dark pink sugar crystals
red food colouring

Have on hand 10 inch round cake tins and a cookie cutter (Jess used a heart)

Easy Peasy..

Get the packet mixes and empty into a very large mixing bowl
Use a fork to break up the lumps
As per instructions on packet mix in water and eggs (don’t bother with the vegetable oil)
Add in 36 drops of red food colouring (more or less depending on what shade you would like the cake)
Use electric mixer on medium to mix up thoroughly
Pour equally into cake tins that have been greased with parchment paper on the bottom (I use removable bottoms!)
Cook as per instructions- I find about 40 mins at 180 works well for each tin.
Once cooked remove from oven, stand for 5 mins or so. Gently use blunt knife to work around the edge making sure its not stuck to the tin.
Remove to wire rack until cold.
As you are going to make a large sandwich sponge you may need to trim the top of one of the cakes. Turn that one upside down once trimmed so it goes on the bottom.
Mix soft margarine with icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add food colouring until you get a lovely baby pink colour. Spread on the bottom cake.
Place other cake on top (so both flat bottoms are together in the middle)
Put 1/4 pack of strawberry jelly crystals in a jog. Boil water. Add a little bit of water, just enough to dissolve the crystals.
Add this to the icing sugar and mix well to form a nice thick but spreadable mix.
Spread over the top of the cake working it with a spoon dipped in hot water until smooth.
Get cookie cutter.
Place on top of cake
Sprinkle red sugar granules into cookie cutter shape and gently press into the icing. Leave for a few minutes and remove carefully to leave a nice heart shape behind (or whatever shape you have used)
Decorate with LOTS of candles!

This is a BIG cake and serves 16 big slices or 32 average slices

MUST SERVE WITH A TON OF JUICY STRAWBERRIES AND WHIPPED CREAM (or cool whip)

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January 16, 2010

Fabby & Frugal Breakfast Muffins

1:32 pm | No Comments »

One of my significant money saving schemes at home starts right at the beginning of the day and that is boycotting boxes of cereals.. I do buy the occasional box of cereal when it is on a huge saving for a change for the kids but generally probably only 3 or 4 times a year. Instead we tend to eat large quantities of plain oatmeal (the stuff that comes in big bags), wholemeal bread/toast, pancakes and fruit…

As this can get a bit samey, I’ve just started introducing breakfast muffins to our diet and this can make breakfast time a little more exciting as there is a myriad of exciting flavours based on a basic muffin recipe which I am going to share with you. This morning I made 24 wholewheat cinnamon & raisin muffins and they tasted really nice..

Basic Recipe for Breakfast Muffins (12)

* 2 or 2.5 cups of flour ( I use half white and half wholewheat/wholemeal usually)
* 1 cup of milk (may need more if using no moist added ingredients)
* 1/4 cup of fat (I use half this amount)
* 1 egg
* Up to 1/2 cup of sugar (use just a few teaspoons if making a savoury muffin)
* 2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Up to 1.5 cups of extra ingredients (dry or moist- could be raisins, nuts, fruit, grated carrot, applesauce, grated cheese etc)
* Herbs or spices

Put all dry ingredients in bowl and mix
Add all wet ingredients and mix together- doesn’t matter if the batter is lumpy. Underworked is better infact.
Pre-heat oven
Bake for about 15 minutes or so at 200 C.

Always make double batches if you can, they freeze well and are great in kids lunch boxes too.

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January 12, 2010

A Christmas for $217.25

5:35 pm | 3 Comments »

Happy New Year!

Although I thought a whole 7 days off at Christmas would provide me with an abundance of time to achieve everything, especially my chest of drawers conversion to shabby chic lavender drawers, I was, it seems totally deluded. I am afraid that a brief encounter with a sanding sheet is about the extent of this craft project at the moment but as soon as I make more progress the photos WILL be blogged…

Instead the 7 days allowed me to enjoy time with the kids FLOLLOPING into oblivion, usually in front of good movies with a glass of wine in hand. Time is a precious thing and being a busy working Mum any time that I can spend intertwined on the sofa with my 3 hobbits, without being distracted or needing to rush away and ‘just do something’ is infrequent.

Our Christmas did come in around budget, we enjoyed a Christmas within our means and due to some careful choices and some damn luck, our Christmas for 4 including presents, drinks and food came in at $217.25…..and we really did have a LOVELY holiday.

My eldest hobbit so wanted this Zen Healing Garden- I obliged at $9.99 from Bridgewater Pharmasave. I want one!

How did I have such a frugal Christmas without the kids hating me forever?

First of all my kids are older, they understand, they empathize and they supported my decision- I can’t tell you how proud I am of them but here is how I did it and a breakdown of my costs..

a) Planning ahead. Small less-perishable food items for cooking such as raisins, sultanas, sugar, flour and snacks like peanuts can be purchased months in advance. Buy small amounts out of your normal grocery allowance every week. Your very own Christmas hamper soon builds up and you have spent no extra money. $000

b) Budget for gift purchases. Sit down, see what you can comfortably afford and establish a budget for Christmas gifts way in advance of the date. With my kids, who are older (12, 16 and 20), they were told that they could select some items up to the value of $50 each and I would do my best to get them. In the end they picked one or two items and requested the remainder in cash and fun cheapy gifts. $150

c) Recycle wrapping paper and cards. I used old cards for gift tags & tree decorations, used up some wrapping paper left over from last year and used some nice wrappings/tissue I had been saving. I did splash out, in a moment of weakness, on some bows from the dollar store just because I wanted to have some fun on the kids presents. $ 1.25

d) Christmas drinks. I had already purchased soft drinks from my normal grocery budget but that would not run to Christmas drinks so I had to use ingenuity. In the end I swopped a Sirius Satellite Radio (which I had won at a Christmas party in 2008 and hadn’t unwrapped) for two bottles of Yellow Tail Chardonnay. In addition I purchased a whole bottle of Glenfiddich Single Malt for $3.95 (before you rush to NSLC it was a miniature one!) and a bottle of sparkling wine. $17.00

e) Indulgent food. So I had purchased the majority of Christmas goodies within my weekly grocery allowance over a period of time however there were a few items I hadn’t bought as it is impossible to keep chocolate safe in my house especially if they come in a box with cellophane on. $16.00

f) Other gifts family. This year I only purchased one item for family abroad and I ordered my modest gift online in the UK and had it delivered with special wrapping and a card. It was cheaper than posting it from Canada. $16

g) Other gifts friends. This is where I saved LOTS of money! I made all my work colleagues and friends gifts this year. About 25 gifts in all. I purchased cinnamon, a jar of applesauce, two rolls of cellophane and used some ribbon and confetti I already had in the house. $7

h) Christmas decorations. Just made do, made some paper snowflakes, used some of the leftover Cinnamon and Applesauce decorations and didn’t worry when the lights stopped working on the Christmas tree $0.00

i) Extras. I purchased a small pack of Christmas cards and a few extras I needed at the last moment! $10.00

j) Damn luck! And I was so lucky too. My giant ham was a free gift from my employer Lighthouse Media Group, my Christmas tree was a free gift from my eldest hobbits boyfriend and then just a few weeks before Christmas I had an e-mail from a farming friend who wanted to share some of their overstocked freezer and due to this kindness we served a lovely free range 10 lb chicken for our Christmas dinner- the best I had ever tasted.

Total cost of our Christmas $217.25

Happiness = Priceless….

3 Comments »

December 19, 2009

Chocolat…

7:46 pm | No Comments »

Today was absolutely ALL ABOUT FOOD…

First I attended a delightful Christmas Brunch at my friend Margaret’s house and totally indulged by nibbling my way through various items laid out in a glorious buffet. The champagne and orange juice at 11 am was divine…

Next, a little while later at home, I made a huge batch of Christmas decorations out of cinnamon and applesauce (see previous blog) which smelt like you could eat them except that I had emptied a vial of glitter into the dough AND the copious quantities of cinnamon used probably would burn your mouth off….

Finally, my eldest hobbit had been reading my Company’s Coming Squares Cook Book and had bookmarked the Chocolate Brownies page..

“Mom- we should so make chocolate brownies- we have all the ingredients even the walnuts…”

And that’s when the cocoa powder came out of the cupboard, and the butter out of the fridge and soon there were saucepans with gloopy chocolate sauce in, mixing bowls with chocolate cake mix in and eventually a big bowl of chocolate butter icing with coffee…

“It’s like that movie Chocolat……” eldest hobbit announced

I could see what she meant as every kitchen surface had chocolate on it and there was a lot of furtive dipping of fingers into bowls of chocolate sauce, but that’s where the similarity ended as in my kitchen there was

* no grumpy diabetic lady lingering near the counter
* no spinny plate thingy
* no imaginary Kangaroo in the cupboard
* no husband to test out aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate on
* no Johnny Depp willing to mend my front door
* and as much as I wish there is no way in hell I bear the slightest resemblance to Juliette Binoche!

The choccy brownies did come out well and I did eat ONE (I actually am not a fan of chocolate brownies and I am trying so hard to lose 100 lb in one year!)

So here’s the recipe just for you- thank you Jean Pare

Easiest & Fastest Brownie Recipe
* Butter or margarine 1/2 cup
* Cocoa 1/4 cup
* 2 large eggs
* Granulated sugar 1 cup
* All purpose flour 3/4 cup
* Chopped walnuts 1/2 cup

ICING
* Icing sugar 1 1/3 cups
* Cocoa 1/3 cup
* Butter or margarine softened 3 tbsp
* Hot prepared coffee or water 1 1/2 tbsp

Method
In a small saucepan melt butter and cocoa, stirring as it melts. remove it from heat.
Beat eggs in bowl until frothy. Add sugar, flour, walnuts and salt. Don’t stir yet.
Scrape batter into greased 8 x 8 inch pan.
Bake in 175 C oven for 30 mins until edges show signs of pulling away from the sides and a wooden pick comes out clean after inserting into the centre.
For the icing bet all 4 ingredients together adding more liquid if too dry or more icing sugar if too wet.
Spread over warm brownies.
Allow to set before cutting into 25 squares

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December 18, 2009

On the 5th blog of Christmas frugality gave to me- 5 OLD things

4:58 pm | No Comments »

On the 5th blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me- 5 OLD THINGS!

Actually the one way I have saved spending money (or money exchanging hands) this year is by swapping things I no longer need or use for things at Christmas I really do need like WINE!

This year I have found FIVE OLD THINGS to swap……

1 Sirius Satellite Radio (which I won at a Christmas party last year and have never used)
2 Star Choice Satellite boxes for extra rooms in the house (we cancelled our subscription over 2 years ago and never used them)
1 Popcorn Maker (which I am trying to give away for free)
1 Ceiling Fan

So far I have been successful in swapping the Satellite Radio which has netted me a couple of bottles of rather delicious Yellow Tail- this now means I can uphold the Christmas tradition of being red cheeked and giggly by the time I start eating Christmas pudding.

I know this sound weird, I know I should just stick my hands in my pocket and pay with money, after all it’s easier and quicker BUT there is something eating away at me that harps back to a bartering system, to making good use of what I already have or don’t need instead of just spending more and accumulating more…

So if you really want to save money at Christmas and start to de-clutter your life, dig out something OLD you no longer need and swap it for something like WINE. You are guaranteed to have a very MERRY Christmas!

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December 17, 2009

Frugal is big news at Christmas (and sorry CBC)

4:01 pm | No Comments »

I wish I was braver, I wish I didn’t get tongue tied as soon as I know that there are LOTS of people listening ; take the time machine back 6 years to a very embarrassing live incident on radio involving pigs – my pigs had plenty to say especially to the radio reporters’ tasty ankles (she screamed) but I sounded like a complete dumb ass!

It seems being frugal at Christmas is big news when during the month of December many of us spend, spend, spend and indeed overspend.

I have to publicly apologize to CBC and to Colleen Jones for hiding virtually when she sent me an e-mail after reading my blog and wondering if they could come and film my Christmas Tree, and film me making a toilet roll angel and even browsing for bargains (ermmm). Not only am I not ready to subject the media to my higgeldy piggeldy hobbit house, incontinent poodle and a beagle with toe nails like Freddy Kreuger BUT essentially I’m just a big scaredy cat….. MIAOW

And while I am apologizing for sounding like a complete flake I’d also like to say SOWWWY to Amy Dempsey who is looking for guests for a panel discussion CBC’s Mainstreet in the New Year. I do so want to call you but every time I try my legs go wobbly and I suddenly remember that urgent meeting I need to attend. I assure you I am trying to do it…… deep breaths.

ALL YOUR LITTLE KIDS WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A BAG OF OLD CLOTHES……(and a cardboard box)

Finally on the subject of spending less at Christmas please take a moment to read this very interesting article on the Times of London website
CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

It seems that all we need to give our young children at Christmas to keep them VERY happy is a big bag of old clothes….

Frenchy’s suddenly may become THE place to shop at Christmas!

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December 13, 2009

On the fourth blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me- 4 modern angels

6:23 pm | 3 Comments »

At last our FREE christmas tree got decorated…..so OK the string of lights didn’t light up fully (I’ll have to fiddle) and our Christmas tree decorations go back 20 years (some of them) but we had a fun couple of hours playing cool music like ‘Fairy Take of New York’ as we all flung tinsel about and did some very embarrassing dancing around the room.

Christmas is always a very traditional time but I always feel its good to mix tradition with modern so on our Christmas Tree you will find some more classical tree decorations but also lots of homemade modern ones too. Infact one of our traditions is to make a new Christmas Angel for the top of the tree every year…

We’ve seen angels made from toilet rolls (and toilet paper), angels that look like peanuts, angels with no legs, angels that look like they are scared of heights and this year we have a very modern angel. My eldest hobbit did the honours and we have a beautifully modern angel with sparkly wings and possibly devilish deeds on her mind.

But angels among us do come in all different shapes, sizes, genders (just walk down the street and you’ll see) and our thoroughly modern Christmas tree angel reminds us that ya don’t have to be all bright and white and conform to a stereotype to be well…….nice

So our fourth blog of Christmas is about our angel tradition and that today I was lucky to spend my day with not only a lovely modern paper angel but 3 very weird ones of my own…..

Roll on Christmas!!

3 Comments »

December 10, 2009

On the third blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me- Applesauce and Cinnamon Christmas Tree Decorations

4:58 pm | 1 Comment »

Note: These have yet to be decorated. I’ll share that with you at Christmas!

Here at Lighthouse Media Group they have a little tradition, if you wish to participate, which I think is lovely… we kind of leave small token gifts on work colleagues tables the day before we go home for the holiday.

Over the last two years I’ve received super little gifts like Christmas tree decorations made out of old lightbulbs, homemade marmalade, chocolate candles, handmade chocolate truffles, hot pepper jelly, Tim’s coffee cards and the list goes on- they are delightful! So thoughtful!

Well just a few days ago I was still wondering what on earth I could make or even purchase (yikes!) for my immediate work colleagues. As my budget for Christmas is $200 all in (by choice- don’t feel sorry for me!!!) this would be a challenge. And then a little angel (called Garnette) e-mailed me with a frugal recipe and some photos with a suggestion that I could make these for my FREE Christmas tree. “They smell so good…..”

So the other night I did a trial run and photographed the recipe as I went along….

Applesauce and Cinnamon Christmas Tree Decorations

* 1 part applesauce to 2 parts cinnamon powder (purchase from dollar store)
* cookie cutters
* rolling pin
* wax paper
* drinking straw
* glitter, paint, ribbon etc (optional)

Method
As a rough guide (depending on the consistency of the applesauce) you will need to mix 1 cup of applesauce to 2 cups of cinnamon powder.
Place the applesauce in a bowl and pour in the cinnamon powder (always have extra incase you need to add it) and mix with a spoon until mixed to the right consistency for rolling
Place the dough in a bag (or use gloves) and knead it a little
Put the dough in between waxed paper and roll to about 1/4 inch with rolling pin
Use cookie cutters for shaping
Use drinking straw for making hole near the top for ribbon etc
With flat knife remove the christmas decoration onto clean waxed paper on a flat tray
Once all done place the decorations somewhere dry. They will take a few days to air dry
Once dry you can add the ribbon or add decorations or glitter etc (or add the glitter at the kneading stage)
These smell wonderful (BUT DON’T EAT THEM)
If they lose their smell just put a little cinnamon or apple oil onto the back
Hang on your tree or give to friends as gifts!

Total Cost $5.00 and makes about 20

The 12 blogs of Christmas…

* On the first blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me – A chest of drawers in designer shabby chic
* On the second blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me – A 7 foot FREE Christmas tree & a chest of drawers in designer shabby chic..
* On the third blog of Christmas, frugality gave to me- Applesauce and Cinnamon Christmas Tree Decorations

PS And here was the fun conversation going on the other night on Facebook while they were being made..

Naomi : is it like fruit leather ?

Carolyn : I think they will dry hard like salt dough.. apparently they take a few days to air dry. If they turn out well I am going to make a huge batch of them and give them out to my work colleagues as a little gift… keeping my fingers crossed!

Naomi : Take pics.. sounds great!! you could add food colouring too

Naomi : or glitter!!

Jessica: Cinnamon! i can smell it in my room, strong decoration smell coming from the kitchen! :O

Carolyn Ekins: Glitter, glitter, glitter- what a great idea!!!.

Carolyn Ekins: Jess- the smell is gorgeous isn’t it!

1 Comment »

December 8, 2009

On the second blog of Christmas frugality gave to me……a 7 foot FREE Christmas tree

5:10 pm | 1 Comment »

Nothing beats a real Christmas tree. To me that IS one of the highlights of Christmas….

When I got home on Saturday past I had a big surprise waiting for me. Right there in my living room a beautiful Christmas tree. My eldest hobbit’s boyfriend had selected a tree, cut it and brought it to us as a Christmas gift. We will decorate the tree tonight..

But there are lots of ways to get a free tree

a) Grow a few of your own or dig one up from your back yard and replant it again after Christmas. It may just start as a small table top tree.. at least it’s FREE!
b) Drop a note through the door of a friendly tree grower- offer to swop some homemade preserves/produce for one- bet they would say yes (it helps if you don’t mind being a little cheeky- worst they can say is no)
c) Pass the word around at work that you are looking to swop something for a tree!

Buying a tree isn’t a great expense. Most can be purchased from a small tree farm for about $10- $20 BUT if you are on a budget and trying to make your pennies stretch further then try a couple of my tips above- I am sure they would work out just fine.

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