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For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (sorry for the delay on the promised button battle…more later on that) to paste at the top of your post. It ties us together visually.Then fill in the boxes of this linky tool to join the fun!

Food on Fridays with Ann

When the kids were little, I’d been a sale-seeking, coupon-clipping mama, rooting out the cheapest peanut butter and oatmeal in town. I turned to the Frugal Zealot, Amy Dacyczyn, author of The Tightwad Gazette, for ideas and instruction on how to live frugally.After a few years our budget wasn’t quite so tight, so we loosened up a little. But the squeeze everyone is feeling these days is squeezing us, as well, and so we’re cutting back in several areas, including groceries.I don’t know if I’ll renew that intensely zealous approach right away, but we happily ate a meat-free meal yesterday (it’s healthy and saves money), and I found pork chops and chicken on sale at Kroger.I haven’t made pork chops in ages, but there they were, offered at a ridiculously low price. So I bought them.An Internet search for “pork chop recipe” turned up several interesting prospects, which I cut-and-pasted into Evernote until I decided which one to try.After consulting with the kids, I settled on a slow cooker recipe, but I’ll tell you what—my pictures don’t look as dreamy as the Taste of Home glamor shot. Mine show you the results of an average cook trying something for the first time.The recipe says you have to coat each pork chop in a flour mixture, then brown each side before placing in the crock pot.The first were fine, but as I progressed, I went from “browning” the chops to almost “blackening” the chops, at least in spots.But they worked out fine. I layered them and then poured a flour-broth mixture over them that would create a sauce or gravy as they cooked the rest of the way through in the crock pot.They cooked a long time, longer than expected, but turned out really lovely, forming a sauce that we ladled over brown rice.A lettuce salad served with the meal included a hearty helping of homegrown tomatoes from the garden topped with a homemade dressing.A simple, tasty, affordable meal.Here’s the recipe, which I doubled:Slow Cooker Pork Chops(source: Taste of Home)Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper blend
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 4 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

Directions

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup flour, mustard, pepper blend and seasoned salt. Add chops, one at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil on each side.
• Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place remaining flour in a small bowl; whisk in broth until smooth. Pour over chops. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
• Remove pork to a serving plate and keep warm. Whisk pan juices until smooth; serve with pork. Yield: 4 servings.

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Photos by Ann Kroeker.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to take a photo of black raspberries (I hear they’re in season around these parts), that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I’ll do my best to update this post by hand. In the meantime, please click on the Mister Linky logo to view the complete list.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with AnnWe need to “defrost” the deep freeze (read: melt away the massive hunks of snowy-looking ice attached to the interior walls).In order to defrost the deep freeze, we need to clear it out.In order to clear it out, we need to eat the food that’s in it.So we’re digging around trying to get creative with the things I’ve stashed in there over time.This morning I found a roll of sugar cookie dough (so much for cooking from scratch) and decided to make something that I’d seen before. I don’t know the official name of this treat, so I’m calling them “Sugar Cookie Cups.”This is how they turned out:This is how I made them:

1. Plop a blob of sugar cookie dough (or cut a thick “slice” into fourths or halves?) into mini muffin tins.
2. Bake for about 10 minutes. Maybe 12. I can’t remember.
3. When they are kind of brown around the edges, pull them out. Try not to squish the edges of the cookies with the oven mitt like I did.
4. Stuff something chocolate-y into the center when they’re still hot (could be mini Reese’s cups or kisses leftover from Easter). I shoved into the dough pieces of Hershey’s bar broken in half.
5. Watch the chocolate pieces get gooey.
6. Dig the Sugar Cookie Cups out of the muffin tins.
7. Pour a glass of milk to wash them down, because these babies are rich.

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• Use my stainless steel water bottle. Stainless steel water bottles are often ridiculously expensive, but about a year ago I found some reasonably priced and bought five all at once. So I already own the bottles; we just need to start using them. Except for the plastic bottles that fit in a special holder attached to the frame of our bicycles, I’m going to donate or recycle all of our reusable plastic bottles.
• Look for Fair Trade chocolate. Tracey provides a lot of eye-opening information about the chocolate industry. She convinced me to find a store that carries it—it could be that Target might sell it; I just haven’t looked.
• Goodbye, paper towels. We use sponges, dish towels or rags for most cleanup, but we do usually have a roll of paper towels on hand for occasional spills. Years ago my uncle said that instead of using paper towels, he bought a stack of  “bar mops” for kitchen cleanup. “It’s how they taught us to do it in the Navy,” he explained. So just today I bought two packs of “bar mops.” They look like basic white towels. Then I went to Goodwill and bought a rectangular basket in which to store them. They’re on the counter, ready to swipe up splatters and blobs.
• Environmentally gentle dish-washing detergent. I’m going to pay a little more for Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers or Ecos brand detergents that Tracey recommends.
• Compost. We used to faithfully compost kitchen scraps, then I don’t know what happened. I guess I got lazy. I resolved to begin again and pulled out a plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid we can use while collecting peelings and egg shells during meal prep. The kids can run it out to the garden.
• Cloth shopping bags. I hate when I forget these, and it’s always when I’m standing at the checkout with my items rolling along the conveyor belt that I remember them. I will figure out a way to make this a habit.

Things we already do:

• Wash (most of) our clothes in cold water. I started doing this mainly because I was shrinking almost everything! Sometimes I do a load of extra-dirty whites in hot, but cold water has been working fine. And blouses are staying their normal size!
• Hang clothes to dry. This, too, I started because I was shrinking clothes and thought I should avoid the dryer. Plus, I like going outside in the quiet morning to hang them up and love the way they smell when they’re dry.
• Recycle. Apparently we recycle effectively, because our neighbors couldn’t believe our family of six could fit all of our trash into one container. We didn’t tell them that many times, the container isn’t even full.
• Cook from scratch. Because I usually cook from scratch, we use less packaging than if I used mixes and prepared foods. I like to think it’s healthier, without all those additives and preservatives.
• Buy organic and local. Whenever possible, I try to buy organic and locally grown foods. Shopping at the farmer’s market in the summer makes it easy. An organic farmer has a stand, and so far his produce hasn’t been much more expensive than the others.
• Bike whenever possible. For nearby errands, we are trying to use our bikes instead of driving the van. We can easily bike to the library, piano lessons, grocery stores, Goodwill, Barnes & Noble, Officemax, several restaurants and many other shopping destinations.
• Shop secondhand. Speaking of shopping (and Goodwill), I think of my Goodwill shopping as recycling. I buy 90 percent of my clothes from Goodwill (the remaining 10 percent represents swimwear, undergarments, socks, and a few nicer speaking outfits). I also buy books secondhand. And furniture. And cars.
• Glass storage. I’m trying to transition from plastic storage containers to glass. We aren’t totally there, but we’re moving in that direction.
• Travel mug. For tea or coffee, we are trying to use travel mugs. We usually make our beverage at home, but we’re also trying to grab the mugs if we’re off to church and will fill them there instead of using Styrofoam cups.
• Minimal A/C. I prefer relying on open windows and fans in the summer, but my husband does like to bring down the humidity with air conditioning sometimes. This morning, however, I came downstairs and he had opened all the windows to enjoy the morning breeze.
• Garden. We have a vegetable garden again this year. I’ve never been an amazing gardener, but I keep trying, year after year. We usually get a fair amount of tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers, and it is so rewarding to pick stuff for dinner from my own garden plot.
• Consolidate errands. Whether I’m in my minivan or on my bicycle, I try my best to minimize errands, doing as much as possible in a given outing.
• Natural cleansers. For cleaning, we use really basic, natural products.

We do a lot of “green” things that are so normal to me, it doesn’t occur to me to identify it—I’m sure I could add lots of things on the list that we’ve been doing for years. It’s kind of fun to think about what’s become normal for us, or habit, and what we could do to change even more.Be sure to drop by the book giveaway post and read Tracey’s thoughts on “Slowing Green.”

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to list what’s in your crisper drawer at the moment, that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I’ll do my best to update this post by hand. In the meantime, please click on the Mister Linky logo to view the complete list.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

My in-laws just left after staying with us for several days. My mother-in-law is a clever cook, making the most of every little tidbit, nourishing people creatively.One night I made Mexican food, per Christy’s suggestion. My mother-in-law advised me to leave behind a bit of the sauce from browning and preparing the spiced ground beef. I transferred the beef into a bowl, leaving a dribble of the tasty red sauce in the skillet. She pulled out some leftover brown rice and dumped it right into the sauce, added a few crumbles of the beef, chopped up a tomato to toss in along with a bit of red and green pepper, onion, and some corn. She heated it all up, cooking the vegetables a little (it didn’t take long, they were chopped so small), and in seconds it was ready to serve. “When I’m making Spanish rice at home,” she explained, “I just use a little of this and that. Whatever I have in the fridge. I don’t want anything to go to waste.”I love that. I used to host “Make-Do Mondays” in an effort to encourage a make-do mindset. As a missionary, my mother-in-law often has to make-do, and it seems I learn some new solution or idea every time we’re together. In this case, we made the most of the odds and ends in the vegetable drawer to create a delicious side dish—such an great way to make the most of our resources! She taught me a simple, new way to add interest to our Mexican meals, and I’m delighted to share her easy, frugal, make-do Spanish rice “recipe” with you today.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to post photos of your picnic basket, that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you can access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

I like flexible, forgiving recipes that are difficult to mess up yet allow for creativity.Quiches fit that description.I threw one together the other day. We’ll call it:Tomato-Bacon Florentine Quiche.I had a ready-made Pillsbury crust, so that part was easy. Cooked about half a bag of frozen spinach, drained it, and spread it on the bottom. Diced half a tomato and two leftover pieces of cooked bacon. Tossed those on the spinach.Pulled out a bag of Kroger Italian-style cheeses, a blend of Mozzarella, provolone, Romano, Parmesan, Fontina and Asiago. Spread about a cup, maybe a cup-and-a-half on top of that.Then, to make sure I had the liquids fairly balanced, I did a quick search and turned up this “Basic Quiche Recipe” and noted the remaining necessary ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 – 1/2 cups crème fraîche, heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk (I had fat-free half & half)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• dash of nutmeg

The recipe suggested cooking the crust at 400º for 12 minutes and then cooling before adding the filling. But I didn’t do that. The crust, which turned soft and moist instead of firm and crisp, tasted fine to me…but I’ll bet precooking improves the texture.Anyway, I followed the rest of the instructions:

• Using a whisk, beat together the eggs, creme fraiche (or heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk), and seasonings. Whisk just until mixed.
• Pour the egg mixture on top of the quiche crust and place in 375°F oven for 40 minutes, or just until the eggs are set (the quiche will continue to cook some after you remove it from the oven, so be sure not to over cook it). The quiche will puff up and turn a nice golden brown on top.
• Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Here’s how mine looked after I poured the egg-milk mixture on top and stuck it in the oven.Here’s how it turned out:And here’s the entire Basic Quiche Recipe that I referenced:

• 1 pie crust
• 2 cups filling
• 4 eggs
• 1 – 1/2 cups crème fraîche, heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• dash of nutmeg

Fit the crust to a tart or pie pan, then prick the bottom all over with a fork. Place the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes or longer, then bake in a 400°F oven for 12 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients.Prepare the filling ingredients. Vegetables should be blanched to tenderize them and meat or seafood should be cooked. Cheese should be shredded or diced.Layer the ingredients in the cooled quiche crust, starting with the meat or vegetables, then adding the cheese.Using a whisk, beat together the eggs, creme fraiche (or heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk), and seasonings. Whisk just until mixed.Pour the egg mixture on top of the quiche crust and place in 375°F oven for 40 minutes, or just until the eggs are set (the quiche will continue to cook some after you remove it from the oven, so be sure not to over cook it). The quiche will puff up and turn a nice golden brown on top.Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to post photos of your knife sharpener, that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you can access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays with Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

The other day, we ran out of store-bought bread. Instead of running out for a plastic-wrapped loaf from Kroger, I decided to make some whole wheat bread at home. I tried one of the first recipes that came up with the search terms “whole wheat bread recipe moist soft”: Whole Wheat Honey Bread We tried it and loved it. It really is moist and soft, just like I hoped for when I typed in those search terms. We ate the whole loaf in record time.Next day, I made another loaf that turned out as fabulous as the first. Set a new consumption speed record with that loaf.The day after that, I made a third loaf that was just as good as the first two, quickly snapping a photo before it, too, was gobbled up.I’ve never had great luck with bread. Until now.This is officially our bread.I altered the recipe ever-so-slightly, so click on the hyperlink to see the original. My tweaks are indicated below.Everyday Whole Wheat Honey Bread

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to post photos of your lettuce seed packets, that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

A few weeks ago I wrote about Lenten Lentils for Food on Fridays. My friend Linda and I were talking about the honey-baked lentils recipe I posted that day from the More-with-Less cookbook. I made a batch recently and devoured them. But she couldn’t say enough about the More-with-Less Lentil-Barley Stew recipe. Her enthusiastic recommendation convinced me to try it.As I was cooking the lentils with the sauteed celery and onion, it wasn’t looking super appetizing.But I still had things to add, like the barley, tomatoes and spices (picture doesn’t include everything).It started looking better as the barley began to cook.I let it simmer for quite some time. As you can see from the recipe, it cooks for 45-60 minutes. I actually ran some errands. When I came back home to check on the lentils…I dipped into a pot of thick, nourishing stew.When it was in the soup-stage, I was not overly impressed.In the stew-stage, however, I’m lovin’ it. Unfortunately, my kids aren’t lovin’ it. They don’t share our love of lentils at all.One of my daughters still gags on mashed potatoes and refuses to choke down more than one single pea. On the rare occasions we insist she ingest one single pea or one spoonful of mashed potatoes, she washes it down (after a weepy 20-minute delay) with an eight-ounce glass of milk. I won’t tell you how old she is; suffice it to say she’s definitely old enough to eat one pea or tablespoonful of mashed potatoes without a fuss. Anyway, after many years of these struggles, I didn’t even bother asking her to swallow a lentil. While the Belgian Wonder and I each enjoyed a generous serving of Lentil-Barley Stew (and packed some for tomorrow’s lunches), the kids defaulted to Leila’s Mac-n-Cheese. Yes, I caved. But at least it was effortless to throw together their alternative, thanks to Leila’s mac-n-cheese virtual mentoring.Enjoy the lentils.And if you don’t enjoy the lentils, enjoy the mac-n-cheese.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—it doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you just want to post photos of your food processor blades, that’ll do just fine.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with AnnFor years I’ve made macaroni and cheese from scratch by whipping up a white sauce (flour-based roux & milk), adding cheese, and mixing it into the cooked macaroni. Now that I’ve made it four hundred twenty-seven times, it’s easy to throw together. But it dirties a lot of pans.So when I read through Leila’s fast, easy, creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese instructions, I couldn’t wait to try it.People, I will never go back.I’ve been transformed; or, my macaroni and cheese has been transformed, and that’s almost the same thing.So get out your cornstarch, pick up a bag of sharp cheddar cheese next time you’re at the store, and have fun with Leila’s charming, freeing, beautifully documented step-by-step tutorial.I’m here to tell you…Dinner will never be the same.

Photo of Leila’s Fast, Easy, Creamy, Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese from “Our Mothers, Our Daughters.”

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome; that is, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. Think of it as a virtual pitch-in where you can sample what everyone brings and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

For dinner the other day I made a gigantic omelet that I couldn’t finish. So I saved half of it in hopes that it would reheat nicely the next morning.It did.Also reheated with great results: a side dish of cubed potatoes, cubed sweet potatoes, and diced yellow and green peppers seasoned with rosemary.It was good with this:While we’re on the topic of food, consider donating to organizations supplying food and water to Haiti.We suggest:Samaritan’s Purse (donate directly to Haiti relief HERE)Please mention in the comments organizations you trust to use funds wisely and provide relief that makes an impact.

Mega Memory Month January 2010 is under way!

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—to illustrate, you can cite your favorite tea (or coffee, if you must) or link to a YouTube video of your son singing “I Like Apples and Bananas.”My point is that the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. Think of it as a virtual pitch-in where you can sample what everyone brings and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

For Christmas, my son bought me a Vincent Van Gogh crock from Goodwill. I decided to store my all-time favorite tea in it—PG Tips.

I drink several cups of PG Tips each morning, so the crock sits next to the electric tea kettle alongside a vintage blue-green teapot (a Christmas gift from my mom) and the coincidentally matching sugar & creamer set (a Christmas gift from one of my daughters).

My tea station is an effective set-up for this bleary-eyed mom who stumbles around in the kitchen each morning, attempting, slowly, to wake up.

All photos © 2009 Ann Kroeker. All rights reserved.

Mega Memory Month January 2010 is under way!

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“Nestled Apple” photo by Ann Kroeker (2009).

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The Scarlet Letter was my first book to try to organize existing materials. While there are many outstanding resources, and a trained teacher with years of experience would have much more insight than I, here is what I pulled together:

• Study Guide: For accountability and to check comprehension, I try to find a study guide for each book that the students must fill out as they read. We only meet once a week, so if they can’t figure out what’s important to note in the assigned chapters, they could be lost for days before we clear it up in class discussion. I used this Glencoe study guide that I found online, picking and choosing the activities (they had to complete the questions, but I skipped or modified some of the activities).
• Skit: Based on some feedback I got via e-mail, I got the feeling the students didn’t understand what was happening in “The Custom House” and the first few chapters of the book, so I brought in a construction paper “A,” a fake flower, and a big piece of cardboard. I had the students act out the basics of “The Custom House,” having the Nathaniel Hawthorne/Narrator discover the “A” among the papers. Then we switched to the story itself and someone held the cardboard to be the prison door. Someone else held the flower to be the rose bush. And we talked about the symbolism after they acted it out. I ran around sort of giving instructions and offering a sketchy narration, walking them through the first few events. The book has quite a dramatic opening, but I think its impact and drama can get lost in the difficult vocabulary. For a few minutes, I wanted them to experience the story without sifting through the words.
• Pillory: I found a great photo of a pillory online so they could envision where Hester was standing for her public humiliation. A quick search should turn up examples.
• Journal: The students are required to keep a reading journal, one entry per school day (a minimum of five sentences per entry; yes, I’ve had to count). I check these to be sure they are tracking. They are asked to be responding to their reading in some way—I wanted them to have a safe place to talk freely about the books. I could probably do better at creating some vision for the journals. Some of them don’t seem to grasp the potential of recording their responses and struggle to fill an entry.
• Vocabulary: The study guide provided some vocabulary lists. I used those.
• Quizzes: Most of the quizzes were vocabulary quizzes, since there are so many challenging words in The Scarlet Letter. I had my dictionary next to me the entire time I was reading the book. I should probably try to design them SAT-style, but I haven’t yet; the quizzes have been straightforward, matching the definition to the word.
• Study Resources: I referenced SparkNotes to see what those guides had to say.
• Story Chart: I used a story chart for them to identify key events and people in the book.
• Test: I created the test by modifying the quizzes found at this page. I deleted some questions, changed some of the answers, and added more multiple choice along with some short answer. Some of the questions included the definition of “plot,” “theme,” and “conflict,” which we talked about in class. They also had to answer two short essay questions: (1) “How do guilt, sin and/or shame change Hester, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth?” and (2) “Which character in The Scarlet Letter felt the most alienation? Why do you feel this way?” They were expected to cite at least one passage from the book to support their point(s) as well as talk about plot points or turning points in their own words. They had access to their books for the short essay questions, but not for the multiple-choice/short answer portion.
• Essay Writing: To help the students learn the basics of character analysis, I referenced this and for comparison/contrast essays and sent them to this simple sample essay was annotated to show what worked well. And I really liked this mind map as a tool to help them organize their thoughts and ideas before writing their essay. I took some time one week to walk them through it, though I don’t know if they still reference it.
• Essay Format: To help them learn MLA format, I’ve sent them to the OWL at Purdue.
• Essay Grading: I’ve been using the 6+1 Traits rubric for grading the writing. I like this summary, because it gives me a quick reference while grading that I can also share with the kids, so they can see what I’m looking for.
• Final Project: For their final project, I pulled ideas from Cliff’s Notes. They could choose from the following:

Final Projects

1. Rewrite the forest scene using modern language. (No one chose this.)

2. Write a short story about how the story would be different if Chillingworth’s ship had actually wrecked and he’d never come ashore. (One student wrote a new ending, sort of combining choices 2 and 3, and the result was a charming and much, much happier conclusion for the main characters.)

3. Write a description of Pearl’s future after the novel ends. Does she marry? Have a family? What is her life like? Be sure your choices are consistent with what you know about Pearl and the events at the end of the novel. (One student chose to do this, creatively working in facts from the original story to present a fascinating and detailed summary of Pearl’s future.)

4. Draw a picture or create a collage that shows the relationships among the characters in the story and explain your thinking to the class verbally the week they are turned in and/or on paper. (Most chose this, and the results were outstanding; I couldn’t believe the quality of artwork and fascinating symbolism.)

Read the Book!

You should be able to pick up a copy of The Scarlet Letter at Goodwill and used bookstores, as it is so often assigned in both high school and college—and the students get rid of it when their course is completed. Multiple copies would also be available at the library, along with an abundance of study guides.But you can also read The Scarlet Letter online at many websites. Click around and pick your favorite background, font or navigation from the following sites:

• Page by Page Books
• The Literature Network (posts flashing, annoying ads at the top)
• The Literature Page
• Bartleby (searchable text)
• Project Gutenberg

Enjoy!

If you can use any of these ideas for personal study or with your own family to enrich your reading of this classic of American literature, let me know what you found useful.

Share!

If you find additional resources, I’d love to update and expand this post to include more ideas that deepened a reader’s comprehension and appreciation of The Scarlet Letter.

Stack of books photo by Ann Kroeker. Page from The Scarlet Letter by Ted Cabanes accessed from stock.xchng.

The post Explore the Classics: The Scarlet Letter appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Recipes are enjoyed, but you can simply tell us your favorite post-flu nourishment. You could share with readers the comfort food you crave when you’ve been under-the-weather or out-and-out ill.In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

I’ve had the flu. At first, I didn’t want much to eat at all. Then I had a piece of toast. Then I wanted grapefruit. Then I wanted soup. Chicken noodle soup. So I made some when I was able to get out of bed.

Today I’ve been getting better, but still want something warm to eat. I decided some kind of potato soup or chowder would be the ticket.

So with no solid plan or recipe, I started pulling out stuff that sounded like it would taste good together. All I knew for sure was that potatoes would be involved.

I’m calling this:

Crazy-Flu-Lady Potato Soup

I peeled and cubed some potatoes, then decided to add some sweet potatoes, too, for extra flavor and color.

Tossed in a chicken bouillon cube.

Fried some bacon in a skillet. I took a photo, but it’s out of focus and bacon is really kind of gross to look at up close, so I leave that to your imagination.

Realized that some onion would probably be good, but I can’t eat very much onion or my stomach gets upset. So I minced a teeny, tiny bit of onion, fried it in the hot bacon grease, fished it out and tossed it into the soup pan.

When the potatoes were soft, I pulled some out and mashed them in another bowl with a potato masher gadget.

Then I put the mashed potatoes back in to thicken the soup. No need for cornstarch or flour to thicken when I do it this way.

Added some fat-free half-and-half I had in the fridge, randomly pouring some in until it looked good.

Tossed in some frozen corn I found in the freezer.

Added the crumbled bacon.

Salt. Pepper. More salt. More pepper.

That’ll do.

When I’ve been sick—especially if my throat has been sore—I crave warm soup. And I’ll get some idea to toss a bunch of stuff together without a real plan and eat two bowls of whatever comes out at the end of 20 minutes or so.

That’s what crazy-flu-lady is doing, now that she’s out of bed.

But this isn’t just crazy-flu food. You could easily serve this and a couple more soups along with some good bread and a salad for a dinner with friends.

Invite some people over for the evening, as I recommend over at NotSoFastBook.com, and enjoy some conversation along with your soup.

And maybe even some community.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Recipes are enjoyed, but you can just take a picture of your hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate at last week’s football game. That’ll do just fine.In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with Ann

When the temperature goes down, I start to monkey around with soup concoctions.

Tonight’s combination turned out particularly well—the Belgian Wonder, who grew up with soup as a dietary staple, praised the blend and balance of flavors. “Very smooth, very tasty, very healthy,” he said. He took two servings and set aside some for lunch.

Here’s what it looked like in the pot. It uses all orange veggies.

I’ll do my best to explain it below.

Creamy Harvest Soup

Ingredients:

• 2-3 T olive oil (I just poured a little in–I guess that’s about what it was)
• 1/4 C diced onions (at most–I have to go easy on the onions)
• 1 or 2 carrots, diced (I was using baby carrots, so I’m estimating)
• 2 cans chicken or vegetable broth (vegetable broth makes this vegan)
• 1-2 C water (maybe more–enough to cover the veggies when cooking)
• 1 butternut squash, cut into pieces (you can cut it up raw or pre-cook slightly to soften it in the oven or microwave)
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed or diced (cooks faster if diced)1/3 to 1/2 C canned pumpkin (I had some left from baking muffins; you could make this recipe without it)
• Additional broth to thin out as desired
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a large pot, cook carrots and onion in oil until onion is soft (carrots don’t have to be cooked through yet).
• Add broth and then add squash and sweet potato.
• Add water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer until veggies are soft.
• Add pumpkin (if you have some–not too much, though, or it will taste too pumpkin-y).
• When soup is slightly cooled, puree in batches using the blender; or it’s easier to use a hand blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
• Add water or additional broth, stirring until soup is desired consistency (I like my soup pretty thick, but some people like it thinner–you can experiment and decide what you prefer; after blending, this soup was very thick, and even I added a lot of water).
• Salt to taste.

If you have some, put a dollop of cream or half-n-half in the soup when you serve it. But it’s delicious without, so don’t sweat it if you don’t have any on hand.

Serve with a salad and thickly sliced multi-grain bread.

Food on Fridays p.s.

I scored big with a Kroger manager’s special: crème fraîche was on sale. Wow, was it good in this soup!

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The post Food on Fridays: Creamy Harvest Soup appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

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The post Only One Car? appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

My solution?

I turned to my friend Judy’s recipe for Quick Marinara Sauce.

Minimal ingredients, maximum taste. This simple recipe is a quick, flavorful sauce for pasta or pizza.

Quick Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 T tomato paste (I put in too much paste, so the sauce in the photo is thicker than normal; I could have added water to dilute it, but didn’t.)
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, including liquid
• 3 T minced fresh basil (I didn’t have fresh, so I shook in dried until it started to taste right)
• salt
• pepper
• sugar (this cuts the acidity without the need to cook it down for hours)

Instructions:

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring for one minute. Add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, one minute. Add crushed tomatoes. Simmer 10 minutes. Add spices. (I added the spices before the 10 minute simmer so that the dried basil would soften up).

People are partial to various spice combinations and sauce consistencies—preferring, say, oregano to basil; or maybe they like a thicker sauce. I’m partial to this one.

And the kids liked it, too. I recommend it, therefore, not only for its quick preparation and minimal ingredient requirements, but also for its flavor. Simple, but rich. And very satisfying.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Recipes are enjoyed, but you can write about your love of Twizzlers or type out a nursery rhyme that has food in it (I’m thinking of “Jack Sprat Shall Eat no Fat,” “Sing a Song of Sixpence” and “Hot Cross Buns,” for starters).In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.Please note: I return when possible during the day and update this post by hand to include a list of the links provided via Mr. Linky. If I can’t get to the computer to do so, you may access them all by clicking on the Mister Linky logo.

Food on Fridays Participants

Food on Fridays with AnnThe other day we forgot to buy veggie dip for a party, so I quickly assessed the basic ingredients available in the fridge, then headed to the computer. What dip recipe could I quickly whip together?I combined recipes and ended up with this curry dip.Do you like curry? If so, I urge you to try some version of this dip. It’s creamy-delicious and pretty, too.I had to act quickly to get to the party, so I’m not 100 percent sure what went into it. But here’s what I think I used, more or less:Hurried Curry Dip(no need for slow-down jokes, thankyouverymuch)1 cup mayo (I didn’t have sour cream or yogurt, but either could have been a nice addition/substitution)1 teaspoon curry1/4 teaspoon turmeric (I happened to have some, but it wouldn’t be necessary)1/4 t cayenne pepper (I had some kind of Spicy Pepper stuff that I shook in)2 tablespoons ketchup2 teaspoons lemon juice1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I must have left this out, because I don’t think I have any)2 dashes salt1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I doubt I put that much in)Mix together, chill, and use as a vegetable dip; though I also thought it would be nice as a dip for fries or chicken fingers.

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

Birthdays are almost always make-do events for us.

As you may recall from Food on Fridays, my son wanted to offer several different desserts for his birthday party in lieu of cake.

So I made a humble pumpkin pie, which became the pie of honor.

The crust wasn’t very artistic, but it tasted fine.

I made a coffee cake, which we renamed “crumble cake.” This was for marketing purposes, because some family members wouldn’t touch a dessert if a speck of coffee could be found in it. But I started preparing it a little too late in the morning. I mixed and assembled it, but didn’t have time to bake it before we had to leave.

The cake was transported to my parent’s house in batter form inside a cooler. I baked it upon arrival, but the crumble topping had already sunk into the cake. The surface looked something like an anthill.

I’ve never made a berry pie before. I watched my sister-in-law make a berry tart one time, so instead of making a pie, I used this tart recipe and made one for the first time ever.

Again, it wasn’t spectacular, but it was okay.

I did my best to create per the requests of my little boy, and he was pleased.

In fact, he ate two pieces of pie.

As we were in the car driving to my parents’ house, I started to worry I’d forgotten something that he’d requested.

I reviewed our plans. “We have the pies and crumble cake, we have the gifts, we have swimsuits for swimming,” I said. “Are we forgetting anything for your birthday? Anything you had in mind?”

He paused for a moment, then replied, “We’re forgetting how great it is that Grandma and Grandpa are hosting this today! We’re forgetting the love!“

For all those who make-do on birthdays or any day, please … don’t forget the love.

How do you make do?

If the main button is too big, try this one:

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Recipes are enjoyed, but you can just describe your system for composting, tell us about the first time you ate Ramen noodles, or reveal  how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop (the world may never know).In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.

Food on Fridays Participants

• Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker (Homemade Mayonnaise)
• Kitchen Stewardship (Trying whole grains in birthday cakes)
• Passionate Homemaking … Becoming P31 (Rainy Day Cookies)
• Halala Mama (Sukuma Wiki–African Greens)
• Feels Like Home (Teaching about honey)
• Hoosier Homemade (Dr. Pepper cupcakes)
• Cook with Sara (Creamy Brownie Frosting)
• Newlyweds! (Easy Cherry Pie)
• Glimpse of Sonshine (Many Dishes of Chicken)
• Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free (Banana Walnut Cake with Date-Sweetened Chocolate Frosting)
• Clash and Contradiction (Grilled Pork and Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes)
• Outward Expression (Becky’s Baked Beans)
• Feels Like Home (Zucchini Eggs)
• Meanwhile, back at the ranch (Black Bean Brownies)
• It’s Frugal Being Green (Grasshopper Pie)
• Sentiments by Denise (Asian Slaw)
• Prudent and Practical (Fresh Blueberry Pie)
• At Home ‘n About (Cool ‘n’ Quick Chicken Salad)

Food on Fridays with Ann

From the garden: zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, and some spinach.

It’s not much, but it’s a start.

More Friday Carnivals

Is Food on Fridays not fun enough for you?  Not in the mood for food? Check out these other great carnivals!

• Hooked on Houses hosts Hooked on Fridays
• Anne Glamore at My Tiny Kingdom is hosting Flashback Fridays
• The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life
• Amber at the run-a-muck is hosting Friday Funnies
• Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom
• The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
• 7 Quick Takes Friday, hosted by Conversion Diary
• Aloha Friday, hosted by An Island Life
• Favorite Ingredients Friday, hosted by Overwhelmed With Joy
• Fifi’s Fashionable Friday, hosted by Fifi Flowers Design Decor
• Finding Freedom, hosted by Cents to Get Debt Free
• Finer Things Friday, hosted by The Finer Things in Life
• Four Foods On Friday, hosted by Fun, Crafts and Recipes
• Friday Felicities, hosted by beckyperry.us
• Friday Fill-Ins
• Friday Show and Tell, hosted by Canada Girl
• Photo Story Friday, hosted by What Works For Us
• Say It Forward Friday, hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom

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Join Mega Memory Month for the month of July!

The post Food on Fridays: First Harvest appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

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Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome. Recipes are enjoyed, but you can just share a picture of your fridge snapped on the day you cleaned it out, explain where mushrooms come from, or write a rollicking raspberry rhyme.In other words, the Food on Fridays parameters are not at all narrow. I think of it as a virtual pitch-in where everyone brings something to share; even if the content of one item is unrelated to the rest, we sample it all anyway and have a great time.When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (the big one above or the new smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post and join us through Mr. Linky.Here’s a Mr. Linky tutorial:

Write up a post, publish, then return here and click on Mr. Linky below. A screen will pop up where you can type in your blog name and paste in the url to your own Food on Fridays post (give us the exact link to your Food on Fridays page, not just the link to your blog).You can also visit other people’s posts by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking participants’ names–you should be taken straight to their posts.

Food on Fridays Participants

1. Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker (Chicken Curry and Naan)
2. My Practically Perfect Life (Fondue Pot-Power Outage)
3. Hoosier Homemade (Fruit for the Fourth)
4. Halala Mama (Spinach Rice)
5. Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free (Homemade Strawberry Jam)
6. Kitchen Stewardship (Freezer Food Tips)
7. Meanwhile, back at the ranch… (Easy Home Cookin’)
8. My Country Haven (Pina Colada Cake)
9. Newlyweds! (Outback Steakhouse Bushman Bread)
10. Glimpse of Sonshine (Cherry-Apple Bran Muffins)
11. Momtrends (Friday Feasts: Grilled Corn)

Food on Fridays with AnnA big thanks to Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for her homemade Warm Delights recipe!If you have cake mix on hand, these are a super-easy, super-tasty, super-fast and super-fun way for friends and family to create personalized desserts.I had one just last night with chocolate chips and caramel sauce stirred into chocolate cake mix and recreated it especially for this post (see photos below).Be sure to drop by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker to thank her for this life-altering dessert experience.Here are the instructions:Warm DelightsIngredients:

• 1/4 cup cake mix (any flavor)
• 1/8 cup water
• 1-2 tsp filling/mix-in of your choice(ex: caramel, hot fudge, strawberry or raspberry jam, coconut, marshmallow, nuts, peanut butter, chocolate chips, etc.)

Instructions:

1. In microwave-safe cereal-sized bowl, stir water into cake mix.
2. Add filling(s).
3. Microwave on high for 1 minute (microwave times and temperatures vary; start with less time on your first attempt).
4. Warm Delight will be very hot. Let sit at least 3 minutes before digging in.

In this photo, the 1/8 C water is combined with 1/4 C cake mix.Here, the chocolate chips are about to be stirred in. I snapped another photo showing what it looked like when the caramel sauce was added, but it was out of focus. Imagine the swirls of sauce drizzled artfully over the mixture.Here it is, straight from the microwave, piping hot.Forget ice cream sundae parties—now Warm Delight mix-in parties will be all the rage!

More Friday Carnivals

Is Food on Fridays not fun enough for you?  Not in the mood for food? Check out these other great carnivals!

• Hooked on Houses hosts Hooked on Fridays
• Anne Glamore at My Tiny Kingdom is hosting Flashback Fridays
• The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life
• Amber at the run-a-muck is hosting Friday Funnies
• Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom
• The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
• 7 Quick Takes Friday, hosted by Conversion Diary
• Aloha Friday, hosted by An Island Life
• Favorite Ingredients Friday, hosted by Overwhelmed With Joy
• Fifi’s Fashionable Friday, hosted by Fifi Flowers Design Decor
• Finding Freedom, hosted by Cents to Get Debt Free
• Finer Things Friday, hosted by The Finer Things in Life
• Four Foods On Friday, hosted by Fun, Crafts and Recipes
• Friday Felicities, hosted by beckyperry.us
• Friday Fill-Ins
• Friday Show and Tell, hosted by Canada Girl
• Photo Story Friday, hosted by What Works For Us
• Say It Forward Friday, hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom

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Don’t miss a word:It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.

Join Mega Memory Month for the month of July!

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

 Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Feels Like Home (homemade ice cream)
2. Sunnydaytodaymama (caterpillar cake)
3. Coupons, Deals and More (Cool Whip)
4. My Practically Perfect Life (Camping Food)
5. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Decorating Hack)
6. Mama Long (Ceiling Fan)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnCamping turns a vacation into one big make-do extravaganza. You already read about the Belgian Wonder’s portable coffee gadget, so he can drink make-do coffee. But there’s always something we have to rig up to meet a need using whatever we have on hand. An obvious make-do activity is stringing clothesline all around like a drunken spider building a wobbly web. You can check out our initial clothes-web in the first photo below:Later in the week, after a thunderstorm blew through and dampened many items, we greatly expanded the web, weaving and wrapping the extra length of rope around tree trunks and limbs. We also used many plastic grocery bags for trash (shame on us for having so many—but we were trying to recycle).And when my sister-in-law saw the printer box, she suggested I snap a photo for Make-Do Mondays.Contrary to how things may appear, we did not bring along our printer.The Belgian Wonder grabbed it to store some pots, pans, and our electric skillet (I know what you’re thinking! Is it really camping if I have an electric skillet? You decide…). Storing them in the box, each stuck inside of a paper grocery bag, kept them from banging and clanging against each other and other items stuffed in the camper on the bumpy ride.We saved the big Cheerios box in case we needed it for storage, too, but ended up burning it in the fire pit (make-do kindling).Our dishwashing system was all about making-do. Two tubs, dish soap, a sponge, and a scrubbing gadget. The dishwasher squatted down by the faucet and worked while voracious mosquitoes buzzed around ears, arms and legs.Camping is a great way to practice making-do for Americans used to the comforts of hot water on demand, comfy mattresses, well-lit bathrooms with reliable showers, ovens and air conditioning. We don’t rough it like wilderness campers hiking in with everything on their backs and pitching camp in the mountains, but every time we camp we come back appreciating simple pleasures, like kitchen cabinets, hot water on demand, washing machines and sturdy shelter.How do you make do?

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided. 

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Sewing Chick (Menu Plan, gray paint, and tolerating the ugly fan)
2. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Shelf–to paint, or not to paint)
3. Rancho Ruperto (Free Cosmos)
4. Mama Long (T-Shirt Refashion)
5. Sunnydaytodaymama (rosewater)
6. Sunnydaytodaymama (mud)
7. ’50s Housewife (Iced Coffee)
8. Feels Like Home (Creamy Spinach Doodles)
9. Life Together (Make-Do Composter)
10. CherieZ Recipes (Ozark Pudding)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnI’m back among the Internets after a week of camping (see me waving and shouting “Hi! Good to see you again, friends!”? See me dumping sand out of my shoes and duffel bag? See me tackling at least four mountains of laundry?).If there were a continuum of campers, where you would find on one end snowbirds in their giant RVs decked out with oak cabinets and parquet flooring, and on the other end would be Boy Scouts building a lean-to shelter out of branches, I suppose we’re in the middle.We own a pop-up, which gets us up off the ground, and we use a few electric appliances to make life easier. Our goal is not to make all our food in a dutch oven over an open fire; we camp to save enough money so that we can visit places of interest. Because our camping motive is primarily to secure inexpensive lodging, we don’t feel bad about bringing along things to make life at the campsite easier, like the electric griddle for pancakes and a hotpot to heat water.Yet, even with our luxury items, I think of campsite coffee preparations as making-do.The Belgian Wonder brought along some Starbucks coffee, so he certainly wasn’t making-do with a cheap instant brand, no sir.Instead, to make a small thermos of morning coffee, he used a plastic drip gadget that sits atop a coffee mug or other appropriate container.I apologize in advance for the breakfast clutter we’ve captured on film. All the cereal boxes and used bowls are unattractively on display. Clearly we weren’t the tidiest campers who ever drove a stake into the sand.But I thought you might enjoy seeing the gadget at work. It’s very simple. He measures out what he thinks will be the right amount of grounds into the small filter (getting the right strength is the trickiest part, he says), which sits in the plastic piece, then pours very hot water over the top and lets it drip.Several people have recommended that he take along a French press instead, but he prefers this.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-_owGu1lps]How do you make do?

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On the off chance that your child would utter the words “I’m bored” at some point this summer, here are some websites with creative ideas:

• 100 More Things To Do When You’re Bored: Summer Edition (some of her ideas are geared for an older child, but could be done with mom & younger child)
• How to Have Fun with Your Kids
• 101 Summer Ideas (the flashing sunshine clipart is really annoying, but the ideas are good)

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This Week’s Make-Do Mondays Quote

There are two ways to get enough:one is to accumulate more and more.The other is to desire less.–G.K. ChestertonAt Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Gravity of Motion (We’ll Play Come Hail or High Water)
2. Sunnydaytodaymama (Recycled Notebooks)
3. My Practically Perfect Life (Onion Ring Sauce Helper)
4. Small Town, Simple Home (Bibs)
5. Coupons, Deals, and More (Stockpile Recipe)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnBack in high school, I was on the track team. My coach suggested I jog with light hand weights to gain arm strength simultaneous to the lower body work of running. Being a lifelong “make-doer,” I didn’t run out and buy the ready-made “heavy hands” that were available in stores. Instead, I rummaged through the odds and ends clunking around in the garage and found several railroad spikes we’d collected from the nearby abandoned tracks.I wrapped them with black electricians’ tape for a smooth grip.Decades Just a few short years later, I still use them.I wrapped two individual spikes for the lightest option.They fit nicely in my hands and can be used as weapons, if necessary.I also created a heavier option by wrapping two together.My running spikes complement my pathetic but functional humble make-do home gym.How do you make do?

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival you can visit to celebrate creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. If you want to participate, you can share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand. 

  Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Sunnydaytodaymama (Dandelions)
2. Trish Southard (Traveling Pants)
3. The Goat (Sesame Oil)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnA friend of mine was helping me with some style concerns. I needed to look conservative for a business event, and she thought a cream suit with a simple white shell would be a good look for me.Trouble was, I didn’t own a cream suit. Or a white shell.At her recommendation, I looked through TJMaxx, Stein Mart and similar discount stores.No cream suit.No shell.The event was looming. A little concerned, I contacted my friend and asked, “What should I do?”She said she still thought that the cream suit would look best, especially this time of year. She said that a lot of the female newscasters were wearing cream suits and looked classic. But, since I didn’t have one, she was going to send me off with my black suit and a simple, light-colored tailored blouse or cream shell, to soften the look a little bit.”But,” she suggested, “maybe you could swing by Goodwill and check if they have a cream suit, just in case.”So I did swing by Goodwill, just in case.I looked through the blazers and found a lovely, almost stone-colored, cream Ann Taylor blazer. My size.But it was just the blazer. No pants.Wouldn’t it be cool if the pants had simply gotten separated? I took the blazer over and held it up to the slacks, walking slowly along the racks.What’s this?Gasp!I found the matching pants!And…Gasp!I found a white shell!So I attended the event in a simple cream suit after all, making-do in style. 

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival you can visit to celebrate creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. If you want to participate, you can share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.

  Make-Do Mondays Participants

• The Goat (Free Printables)
• mominapocket (Pillow Project)
• Sunnydaymama (Baby’s First Year Photos)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnWe just got back from our weekend visit with the Belgian Wonder’s niece.Leftover Spaghetti Carbonara came back in a cooler for tomorrow’s lunch.And the Krispy Kremes are gone, though their calories live on in my midriff.We’ve unpacked and settled in for the night, so I don’t have much energy left for a totally new post. Instead, I’ll be pulling from an old photo to show you how we’re making do in the bathroom. These photos originally appeared in a Works For Me Wednesday post. They’re pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll tell you a few details.The bathroom storage under the sink offers a good amount of space, and we could probably do more to make the most of it. But a fun make-do addition to our bathroom storage came from Goodwill.We found a pretty, brand-new, Shabby-Chic brand, over-door shoe storage unit made of a cloth. The pockets are deep and durable, so there’s a lot of space for all our bathroom gadgets—curling iron, blow dryer, hair brushes, cleaning cloths, scarves, deodorant, and even some medications in the high pockets.We open the closet door while we’re getting ready, and everything is readily accessible. Close the door, and it’s hidden from view.How are you making do?

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The post Make-Do Mondays appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

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At Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival you can visit to celebrate creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. If you want to participate, you can share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky.Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.

Make-Do Mondays Participants(updated as possible throughout the day)

1. Sharinskishe (Scrap Paper Cup)
2. Trish Southard (whittle wardrobe down to 100 items)
3. Sunnydaytodaymama (Fabric High Chair Alternative)
4. The Goat (Repurposing Recycling)
5. It’s All About Love (Making Do)
6. Simple Journeys (Paper Craft)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnI don’t have any fancy jewelry, so I don’t feel the need to have a fancy jewelry box. I’m making do with a repurposed box that held some decorative letters. The letters were on clearance at Target for practically nothing. (Shhh…don’t tell the Belgian Wonder, because I gave them to him as a gift.) The “l-o-v-e” letters came in a simple box made of very thin wood. I ended up using the box for my jewelry.When I bought it, one letter was in each of those sections. Underneath was nothing.I divvied up my rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets into those sections, and placed a watch, pins and other stuff in the generous space below.The box fits in the dresser drawer.I might paint it someday to add a little fun, but it’s fine for now just to have my few items contained and organized.How are you making do?

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Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. sunnydaytodaymama (storage in a small space)
2. My Practically Perfect Life (Hanging Kitchen Tools on Wall)
3. Mother Letter Project (A Villagers Story–How Cooperatives Make Do)
4. Ship Full O’ Pirates (Make-Do Planters)
5. Runningamuck (Quilts!)
6. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Granola Bar Hack)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnI was in a planning meeting on Friday, and I’d forgotten my notebook. So I used an envelope to make notes.Someone offered me some notebook paper, but I said, “No thanks. I have the other side!”Melissa (Hi, Melissa!) leaned over and whispered, “I think you should snap a picture of this for Make-Do Mondays.”So I did.

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Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. SunnyDayTodayMama (art easel in a small place)
2. My Practically Perfect Life (where to put kitchen towel)
3. Like Mother, Like Daughter (make-do with cardboard boxes in your freezer)
4. The Goat (zippered bags)
5. mominapocket (seasonal table)
6. Trish Southard (thoughts on poo)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnThose closets in Real Simple magazine with the wooden hangers and color-coded clothing?I like those closets.Sometimes I think if only I could put all my clothes on wooden hangers, life would be so much better. Nicole Balch at Making It Lovely has a closet like that with cute dresses hanging straight down from rows of wooden hangers (to be clear: this is, sigh, not my closet):Dreamy Closet (not mine)

Credit: Nicole Balch, Making It Lovely

Isn’t that beautiful?And in this Real Simple closet makeover, they may have opted for less expensive plastic hangers in place of wooden, but everything is uniform and pleasing to my eye (unfortunately, this isn’t my closet, either).Another Dreamy Closet (also not mine)

Somehow I could never quite bring myself to invest in all those wooden hangers to replace my mish-mash collection. Over time, I’ve accumulated mostly white plastic hangers, but even those aren’t exactly the same. Some have notches in them for strappy dresses and tops, while others are smooth. Some have an extra strip of plastic in one spot that others leave off, and some hang a little higher or lower than others.And then there are several wrapped wire hangers my grandmother used to make.This lady wrote instructions for how to braid material around a metal coat hanger, creating a slide-resistent surface for a slick blouse or jacket.I have some hangers like those. If I had my dream closet, I probably would have banished Grandma’s braided treasures to a box in the basement.But I’m making do. After years of hanger hankering, I still use those braided hangers.Here—see for yourself (this, sigh, is my closet):Make-Do Closet (mine)I could have straightened everything up for a more attractive photo shoot, but that wouldn’t be honest. This is my closet, where there’s no uniformity at all. See the braided ones here and there among the white?And in my closet, when I reframe the way I think about hangers, I find that I appreciate the way nostalgia offers practicality: Mingled with white plastic is an occasional memory of my grandma, and thanks to her handiwork, several jackets and blouses stay on their hangers instead of sliding to the closet floor.Make-Do Closet (mine)But you know, I’m glad. When I let go of that craving for clean lines, I see something more beautiful. Some summers I would spend a week with Grandma, and we’d sit in her living room watching The Lawrence Welk Show while she taught me to knit, crochet, do needlepoint, sew, and press flowers to make cards. And though I don’t remember a precise day or moment when she pulled out the long strips of stretchy fabric and some old wire hangers from the dry cleaners, I’m sure I braided at least one of these when I visited.We’re making do, and it’s good.How about you?

The post Make-Do Mondays: Imperfect Closet appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided. If I have time, I come back and update the post by hand.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Winter-Sown Seeds)
2. The Goat (bread crumbs, golf tees, airplanes)
3. My Practically Perfect Life (Whisk-sifting)
4. Queen of the Castle Recipes (10 Tips for Buying Seafood)
5. 50’s Housewife (Make-Do Photographer)
6. mominapocket (using what we have)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnFor many reasons that I won’t get into here, we resisted investing in a gaming system that hooks into the TV. The kids had resigned themselves to using their handheld Nintendo DS gadgets that they bought with their own money. They enjoy playing Wii at friends’ houses and assumed they’d never own anything like it.As we neared Christmas last year, one of the kids and I slipped into Goodwill. She found a used Nintendo Gamecube (a game system that’s no longer being produced new). It was a little high for a used price, but that week it was half price.We bought it.So while it seemed that everybody in the entire country was buying a Wii for Christmas, we wrapped up a used Nintendo Gamecube for the kids to open together:They had no idea what it was.And when they opened it, they still didn’t know what it was.Then the sister who was in the know said, “It’s a Gamecube.”The response:  Can you see the mouth dropped open in shock?They kept saying, “We have a Gamecube? The Kroekers? Us? I can’t believe it! Us! A Gamecube!” The gift came with restrictions–they have to ask permission before playing, for example, and both chores and school work must be completed or the answer will be no. It’s been fun to plug in on some of these dreary winter days.And because we make-do in so many ways, they were thrilled to have a used Gamecube for Christmas.How are you making-do?Updated: Visit Ship Full O’ Pirates and watch the SNL skit she’s posted. It fits with the Make-Do Mondays theme.Tune in tomorrow to see the final logophile lists–there’s still time to submit a word via the comments!

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1. Homemade and Wholesome (Anadama Bread)
2. Ship Full O’ Pirates (Candy Coffee)
3. Stretch Mark Mama (Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie)
4. Newlyweds (Goulash)
5. Beauty in the Mundane (Clara Videos–Depression Era Cooking: Poor Man’s Meal)
6. A Day in the Life (Beans and Rice + Soup Recipe)
7. Tuesday Afternoons (Cloves on Loaves)
8. Queen of the Castle Recipes (Fruity Slush)
9. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Pickled Lemons and a Manifesto)
10. This Pilgrimage (pinol)

Food on Fridays with AnnHey, it’s not chocolate this week!I’ve grown weary of writing about chocolate for Food on Fridays, especially because contrary to the impression I may have given you, we really do eat a variety of healthy foods.To prove it to you, I’m posting a healthy, hearty soup recipe that the Belgian Wonder and I have been slurping up for lunch and dinner. It’s called “Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup,” but I added carrots, as well, because I’m just crazy like that.It’s a flexible soup. You can increase the sweet potato or pumpkin to emphasize one flavor over another, and you can add more or less broth to achieve a thickness you like. You could leave out the carrots or substitute butternut squash for the sweet potatoes. And you can serve it with or without cream. Sorry I don’t have photos.

Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup1 huge or 2 regular-sized sweet potatoes or yams (peeled and diced)2 carrots, peeled and sliced (if they’re organic, I just scrub and dice–is that naive of me?)1 medium onion (or less–I have to keep onions to a minimum)1 or 2 cloves garlic (minced)2 tablespoons olive oil4 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stockCanned pumpkinNutmeg and ginger, to tasteSaltCream or half & half or evaporated milk (optional)Cook potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic (and spices can go in now or later) in olive oil until slightly golden. Add stock to cover vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes and carrots are soft.Add pumpkin (along with nutmeg and ginger, if you didn’t do it earlier) and salt. Puree this mixture in batches in a blender or food processor–or use your handheld immersion blender, which is in my opinion the easiest gadget for blending soups. If it seems too thick, add more broth.Add some cream (optional) and return mixture to the saucepan. Heat through and serve (if you don’t add cream, you can set a creamer on the table and people can make their own decision whether or not to add it just before eating). 

More Friday Carnivals

• Hooked on Houses hosts Hooked on Fridays
• Anne Glamore at My Tiny Kingdom is hosting Flashback Fridays
• The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life
• Amber at the run-a-muck is hosting Friday Funnies
• Frugal Fridays at Biblical Womanhood
• The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

The post Food on Fridays: Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Ship Full O’ Pirates (spinach smoothie w/spinach substitute)
2. My Practically Perfect Life (pin cushions on individual spools)
3. Like Mother, Like Daughter (make-do bedside carafes and bedroom tour)
4. The Goat (take it from the stash)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnI’d like to offer a pictorial review of my birthday here on Make-Do Mondays using my faithful old digital camera.My kids’ cameras, which are newer and less expensive, yield better close-ups than mine. I’m quite tempted to save up for some really nice equipment, but I’m not running out to replace anything. No, sirree. I am making do.And now, my make-do camera and I will walk you through my birthday.I awoke to birthday decor in the eating area of the kitchen:I was treated to a breakfast of eggs, toast and tea made by two of my kids. I forgot to photograph the meal, but let me assure you it was delicious.Then we headed over to church:I apologize for the next photo, because it reveals that I didn’t have to put up with a make-do birthday dinner–The family took me out to eat at a very nice restaurant:My daughter snapped a photo of the complimentary birthday dessert they brought me (note the leftovers bagged up in the background for a make-do lunch).A trained opera singer serenaded me with “Happy Birthday” in Italian. Then the waiter presented me with a single gladiola:After dinner, the kids asked, “What do you want to do for your birthday, Mom?””How about we go shopping?” I proposed. My favorite make-do store was just around the corner:There, I found some placemats, coasters, and napkins for the kitchen table, and some shoes. I’ve been looking for something in leather with a nice shape and low heel. This pair fit the bill (they look brown in the make-do lighting, but they are actually black):I bought them because they fit and looked good, but I thought maybe that was a swanky brand. Maybe. When I got home, I looked up the brand, “Amalfi,” on the computer and realized it was a quality shoe. Mine look a little like this one, though not in patent leather. On sale, Zappos is selling the similar shoe for $149. I got mine at Goodwill for about $3.99.Back at home, the kids made some cards for me:And then, some gifts (not from Goodwill). Earrings from one daughter:Gloves from another who tries to look for ways I can stay warm in winter:And from everyone, an appliance I’m told will shock and amaze me with its usefulness. We’re having leftover pasta for lunch on Monday, but guess what we’re having for dinner?Just for fun, I thought I’d show you what I found at my parents’ house on Saturday. I was a huge fan of someone in the ’80s:I showed it to one of my daughters. She laughed and said, “That’s back when he had hair!”Yes. Well. I suppose even Sting with all his fame and fortune has no choice but to make-do with less hair.Personally, I think he’s making-do quite nicely.

The post Make-Do Mondays: Pictorial Review of my Birthday with a Make-Do Camera appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

To participate in Make-Do Mondays, simply join in the discussion via the comments or Mr. Linky.

The Mr. Linky for WordPress.com isn’t as robust as the version that Typepad and Blogger can use, but I’m making do in all kinds of ways. Even with blog technology.

Here’s how Mr. Linky works:Click on the Mr. Linky icon, and a separate page will pop up where you type in your name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided.Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. citystreams (easy child-proof solution–for a while)
2. Ship Full O’ Pirates (T-shirt sewing-machine cover & curtains)
3. My Daily Round (homemade mayonnaise)
4. Judith Coughlin (getting motivated to exercise)
5. The Goat (buy once–use twice)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnToday’s make-do post is simple:Cards.The kids have started playing several card games (and taking photos of their favorite decks).They like a game called Spoons, another they call Nerts (making-do using normal cards, of course, not the commercial version), and even simple games like Go Fish and War.Most of these games expand to accommodate multiple players. A deck can be tossed into a purse or backpack without weighing anybody down. No cords or batteries are needed. Some games teach strategy and math skills. And quite often some interaction is possible during play.Pretty nice benefits from a low-tech, low-cost, make-do activity.We all played a card game together at my parents’ house the other day. Three generations gathered around a table laughing, strategizing and talking–it provided make-do fun for everyone.I think we were building a memory.And all we needed was a deck of cards.

The post Make-Do Mondays: A Deck of Cards appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

1. Stretch Mark Mama (Family-Pleasing Sloppy Joes)
2. Newlyweds! (Sweet & Spicy Pickles)
3. thebyrdhouse (Leftover Flank Steak or Chicken Ultimate Nachos)
4. Like Mother, Like Daughter (Rutabaga Fries)
5. Ship Full O’ Pirates (Pirate Bread)
6. This Pilgrimage (Cannelloni & Cheesecake)

Food on Fridays with AnnWe’ve been making this chocolate cake recipe for years. It’s called “Absurdly Easy Chocolate Cake.”It’s well named. It really is absurdly easy, fast, economical, and simple. It’s so foolproof, my kids learned to stir it up when they could barely pronounce “absurdly,” and the final product always turned out perfectly. Another feature is that it uses just a few ingredients that we almost always have on hand (recipe also found at this site). You know what that means?You can have chocolate cake anytime.

Absurdly Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients3 cups flour (680 grams)2 cups sugar (450 grams) (read this first)6 tablespoons cocoa (100 grams)2 teaspoons baking soda (10 cc’s = 10 ml)1 teaspoon salt (5 cc’s = 5 ml)3/4 cup vegetable oil (200 cc’s)2 tablespoon vinegar (30 cc’s)2 teaspoon vanilla (10 cc’s)2 cup cold water (480 cc’s)

DirectionsMix dry ingredients.Add wet ingredients.Stir until smooth.Grease & flour pan(s).Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.When cool, frost.(Makes two-layer cake or one sheet cake.)

More Friday Carnivals

• Hooked on Houses hosts Hooked on Fridays
• Anne Glamore at My Tiny Kingdom is hosting Flashback Fridays
• The Inspired Room is hosting A Beautiful Life
• Amber at the run-a-muck is hosting Friday Funnies
• Frugal Fridays at Biblical Womanhood
• The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

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To participate in Make-Do Mondays, simply explain some way that you’re making do. Join in the discussion via the comments or Mr. Linky.

The Mr. Linky for WordPress.com isn’t as slick as what Typepad and Blogger can use, but I figure I should make-do with that, as well.

Here’s how Mr. Linky works:Click on the Mr. Linky icon, and a separate page will pop up where you type in your name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.To visit people’s posts, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page that they provided.

Make-Do Mondays Participants

1. Like Mother, Like Daughter (hiding ugly tile)
2. Leslie at Rag-Rugging Reverie (how rag rugs satisfy her frugal nature)

Make-Do Mondays with AnnThe Belgian Wonder and I both come from a long line of make-doers.  The Belgian Wonder grew up as a missionary kid. He and his siblings learned to make-do in creative ways. For example, the Belgian Wonder wanted a radio in his bedroom, but had no money to buy one from the store. Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for himself, he asked for permission to salvage the radio, speakers, and battery from a junked car that the family kept for spare parts. He rigged it all up in a hand-me-down desk in his bedroom–voila!  Make-do music!I, too, grew up in a family that practiced frugality and thrift. Both of my parents grew up in lean times–my dad was a Depression-era baby, and my mom was a young girl during WWII. They remember simplicity modeled by their parents and passed along that value to me. We shopped at auctions and garage sales for clothes, furniture, antiques and miscellaneous stuff.So I guess you could say its our heritage. We’re comfortable washing out plastic storage bags to reuse in our sack lunches and shopping at used book sales while wearing socks with holes in the toes.But for one day, we’re breaking out of our make-do mindset.Today is our anniversary, and we are pulling out the good socks to wear when we eat out. At a restaurant.It’s a rare exception to our make-do mentality.What about you?

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This post, explaining step-by-step how to cook steel cut oats overnight by using a crock pot as a double-boiler (the “bain-marie” method, if you will), has far and away more hits that any other post in all my years of blogging. Its rise to helpful-fame started with some linky-love from a heavily trafficked blogger and has spread from there.

So while I never could have predicted it, I’ve kind of become the Steel Cut Oatmeal Girl.

Who knows? I might ride in a parade this summer wearing a sash and modest crown woven from the stalks of summer grains. I’m practicing the pageant wave, just in case. I live in the Midwest, where it’s actually possible to win the title of Steel Cut Oatmeal Princess…maybe even a Steel Cut Oatmeal Queen.

I feel it’s my duty as Steel Cut Oatmeal Girl to point you to additional steel cut oatmeal information that may add to your enjoyment and ease of preparation.

So while I continue to prepare mine exactly as I chronicled in the photos and text (served with brown sugar and blueberries), I’d like to provide you with options.

A wide range of creative toppings and add-ins are listed below.

I will say this, however (I also feel obligated to offer an editorial comment): I tried some of the other methods of preparation (except rice cooker—don’t own one) outlined below and found that the resulting consistency and taste of the steel cut oats was chewier and nuttier that that of the bain-marie method. Some people prefer their steel cut oats to be chewy and nutty. I like a creamier texture, but that’s just me. Experimentation is encouraged.

So, in the name of helpfulness, I give you highlights pulled directly from the comments at the original post.

I’m telling you, these people know their oats. I may have to concede any right to the Steel Cut Oatmeal crown to one of these good folks.

Enjoy!

       Cheryl

 I hope this adds many healthy variations to your breakfast repertoire. Be sure to visit the hub of all-things-helpful:  Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer.

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Last week, I launched Make-Do Mondays, a carnival dedicated to sharing ways we’re making-do.Right away, Jenni pointed out that this carnival can do more than entertain or inform–learning to make-do can also empower:

I love this idea! I don’t think that people realize how empowering it is to come up with creative ways to use things lying around, or just to summon up the willpower to use it. In effect, they’re throwing away a bit of self-confidence/reliance when they toss out something that doesn’t work perfectly.

Join the Make-Do Mondays carnival and build up your self-confidence! Learn new ways of self-reliance!Here’s this week’s Make-Do Mondays contribution from the Kroeker house:When The Belgian Wonder and I first married, we bought a used wooden dining room table from a friend. The clever engineering of this Scandinavian-style teak table allows two extensions to slide underneath for storage, but they can be pulled out quickly and easily, doubling the table surface area in seconds.Here’s a quick snapshot of the table fully extended:We use a tablecloth most of the time, because the table doesn’t really fit, style wise. But we make-do a lot when it comes to “style.” But that isn’t even the main make-do thing I was planning to show you. Here it is:One day, the wood split along the edge. I thought we’d have to throw it away, because the legs were very wobbly, and that leaf-extension engineering was compromised.Then, as you can see, we duct-taped it tightly together, and it held. We could still use it, so we positioned the table so that the duct-taped side wouldn’t be immediately noticed if the table were without a cloth. We talked about getting a new table from time to time. Sometimes I’d flip through a Sunday insert or catalog. I might slip into an antique mall and look around. But we never did buy a new table. Five years after the fix and nineteen years after we bought it used, we’re still eating at the duct-taped teak table. Making-do.How about you?Share how you’re resisting the disposable, quick-fix, easy-solution, just-go-buy-a-replacement mindset.Document in some way how you’re making-do: write, photograph, or make and upload a YouTube video, and then link to your post via Mr. Linky (below). If you don’t have a blog, tell us about it in the comments!

 Be sure to check out Mega Memory Month in January–the first Monday Progress report is also posted today at this link.

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Then I got to thinking how delicious crepes would be for a holiday breakfast or brunch and decided to recommend them to you.

Because so many of my friends were too intimidated to try making crepes at home — and were forking out ridiculous sums of money for a single restaurant crepe — I published a long post back in 2007 with the recipe(s) detailing, step-by-step (with other people’s YouTube videos), how to make them at home.

In case you’ve never seen this heavily trafficked post, here it is:

Crepes? Mais, Oui!

Crepes.At home.

It’s so affordable, so easy, so fun, so delicious, and so French!You can do it. Certainment!I hope you try.

Check out the story of a successful first-time crepe-making experience posted as a comment at my original instructional post:

Birthday (and Christmas!) breakfasts will never be the same.

Below: Because the batter-pouring and twirling of the skillet seem to be the most confusing steps in crepe-making, I am posting this riveting home video showing how to pour batter and twirl skillet to form a thin crepe.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUu6Isue-6o]

Below: Apparently, even placing the filling into the crepe and rolling it up can be a new and intimidating experience for the crepe- novice. Therefore, I’m presenting even more riveting home video wherein the birthday girl demonstrates how to roll up a crepe.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kESFvW7-xDs]

The comments at the original Crepes, Mais Oui! post offer many suggestions on fillings.

In summary, you can make sweet, dessert-style crepes for breakfast, brunch, or dessert; or, you can make “savory” crepes (leave out the sugar and vanilla) for a simple, elegant dinner option.

The post Christmas Crepes appeared first on Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

• One Year Bible online. You can choose the One Year Bible or the One Year Chronological Bible (left column). There’s a spot to select your preferred translation. Also on the left column, you can scroll down and click on the month. Then pick the date. It pulls up the readings for the day.
• Divine Hours online. At the link provided, you’re asked to select your time zone. Once you click on yours, the reading of that day and hour pops up. By the way, I can’t vouch for anything else on this site, and every once in a while there will be a poem or reading that makes me scratch my head. But the passages are powerful, simple words from Scripture. Those, along with hymns and biblically based prayers serve as “checkpoints” throughout the day–morning, noon, evening, and night.
• My Utmost for His Highest online. Each day’s reading pops up automatically, and archives are available on the left by clicking on whatever day you wish.
• Many more devotionals are available at One Place.com.
• Elisabeth Elliot’s are here.
• Other classics available at that same site include selections from Warren Wiersbe, Streams in the Desert, and Charles Spurgeon.
• UPDATED (from suggestions in comments): A.W. Tozer 1 and A.W. Tozer 2, and Daily Light on the Daily Path (providing a brief selection for both morning and evening)

I’m enjoying the practicality and convenience of both online and book versions of devotionals. Would that work for you? Are you an online devotional reader, or are you strictly a printed page person?For more WFMW ideas, hop over to Rocks In My Dryer.

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• DIYWe’ve reverted back to doing home improvement projects ourselves. This summer we actually hired some friends to help us get some pretty big issues resolved in our house, but now we’re back to The Belgian Wonder trying to figure out stuff by himself on evenings and weekends, checking a few things off the list at a time. It’s slow-going, that’s for sure, but it’s thrifty.
• Reduce Gas ConsumptionThe gas crisis, which preceded the financial mess, already inspired us to reduce auto-outings. To get to work, The Belgian Wonder started taking a bus from our suburban area to the city center as often as possible. The kids and I started to ride our bikes to piano lessons, weather permitting. We’re continuing to look for ideas to combine errands or pick things up by bike.
• Freeze on Discretionary SpendingI knew I should have bought those decorative, coordinating pillows for my bedroom when I first saw them a few months ago. They would have provided a nice finishing touch, but now they fall into the “totally not necessary” category of the budget. This is a technical term we toss around to sound like professional budget analysts. “Honey, do you think I could go ahead and get those pillows?” “Sorry, babe, but wouldn’t you agree that those are ‘totally not necessary’?” And it’s true. There’s so little we actually need.
• Continue Shopping SecondhandWe’re continuing to shop first at secondhand resources before heading to retail stores in search of clothes. The children seem to appreciate this decision more than ever. We never officially signed up to “compact” (buying almost nothing new), but we tend to lean that way naturally. However, even at Goodwill, we must be careful not to load up on things that are “totally not necessary.”
• Frugal Friendship-OutingsSeveral of my friends like to meet for coffee, but I proposed to one of these ladies that we go for a walk instead, both to get a little exercise and also to keep costs down. We had just as nice a conversation as we would have while drinking a $3 Starbucks latte. The only down side was that we couldn’t look each other in the eye.
• Frugal Date NightsSimilar to the creative alternatives I’m trying out with friends, The Belgian Wonder and I are trying to preserve chunks of time together on dates without spending big wads of money. In nicer weather, we, too, went for walks together by a lake. The other day we ate a meal in the dining room, enjoying an uninterrupted conversation while the kids had their meal in the kitchen with two of their friends who stayed for dinner.
• Electricity-MisersWe’re hanging our clothes to dry, washing with cold water, keeping the thermostat low (we have a heat pump), turning off lights, etc., in an effort to conserve electricity. The savings is probably negligent, but maybe this falls into the category of “every little bit helps” and “small efforts add up over time.” 

Things we want to implement:

• Dig for DealsWe’d like to do more to dig up deals. We could use coupons more effectively and pay more attention to flyers and sales for the things we’ve already decided to purchase. We’re ready to be more diligent with this.
• Food SavingsWe don’t eat out very much, so we automatically save a bundle by eating at home. But we could save more on our in-house meals by utilizing coupons, shopping at Aldi’s, stocking up on oft-used ingredients (like ground beef or macaroni) on sale, and planning out each week’s menu. I need to inventory our freezer and organize what’s there to make the most of what we’ve got. I’m not sure if we’ll save dramatically, but it’s worth a try. Thankfully, we all like simple foods.
• Scaled Back ChristmasChristmas is going to be more about experiences and togetherness than stuff. Even among extended family, there’s talk of keeping things simple. I asked the kids the other day what were some of the things they enjoyed at Christmastime, and they listed lots of things they would enjoy that had nothing to do with gifts. They listed making cookies with friends, decorating the tree, eating on Christmas plates, listening to holiday music, Advent activities, the occasional party. Sure sounds good to me.
• More VegetarianThe day after I made a pot of lentils and rice, we stopped at the grocery to pick up some ground beef to add to our spaghetti sauce for dinner. What a difference in price! I made an enormous pot of healthy and delicious brown rice and lentils seasoned with vegetable bouillon for a fraction of the cost of a small pack of ground beef. I’d like to eat more plant-based meals for health and savings. Ramona and others talked in the comments about this and other ways to save on food.
• Look for InspirationIf you’re just tuning in, click back to the comments and Mr. Linky on the previous post to see what others are doing to adapt to the economic roller-coaster ride. I’m going to go back and study their suggestions for inspiration. I also intend to cruise the Internet and incorporate some of the super-frugal ideas floating around out there.

It’s nice to know we’re not alone.Regardless of our frugal choices, we’re trying to learn contentment. Whether in plenty or in want, we want to keep our focus on Christ Jesus.This gives perspective so that we don’t obsess or fret about frugality and savings, nor do we get cavalier with spending as if the money is ours to do with as we please.Because in the end, it all belongs to Him.

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These days I prefer using the happier term, thriftiness. For years, I’ve thought of myself as “cheap.” I love that I can now refer to myself as “thrifty.” It’s trendy, these days, to be thrifty. Plus, who can resist using a word that rhymes with “nifty”?

Well, speaking of nifty, my kids are trying hard to make-do when they see nifty stuff in stores that they want to buy. I encourage them to see if they can come up with a creative alternative first.

One of my daughters wanted a purple iPod case.

Next thing I know, she showed me this:

The color isn’t very true, but it’s purple all right. Made from an old soccer sock. She learned how to make pom-poms earlier this year and whipped one together to add a fun, coordinating touch.

I showed her some Etsy products that were priced in the teens that didn’t look much more nifty than her invention, and she was pleased.

So while I certainly don’t want to make light of our nation’s financial nightmare, I will say that our family is responding with more creativity and contentment than I thought possible.

We’re all feeling kind of nifty being thrifty.

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