We Are THAT Family is running a themed Works for Me Wednesday today - the Frugal Edition!

I thought I'd just do a link round up of past tips and tricks.

8 Ways to Save on Produce

Powdered Milk? Yuck!

Girl's Birthday Party for Under $40

How Much Do You Save By Baking Bread? In my case, almost $10 a week!

Holiday Travel with the Dollar Store

Save Money By Eliminating Invisible Clutter

Don't forget to check out my Food Stamp Challenge on my right sidebar! Feeding all 10 of us for less than $140 a week - $2 per person, per day!

Which article is YOUR favorite?

For more frugal posts, check out Works for Me Wednesday this week!

Labels: cooking, Frugal, Works For Me Wednesday

My goal? Spend $2 per person, per day on food ($140 a week.) Check out my sidebar for previous weeks.

I didn't get around to shopping until Tuesday night. And since this is also my backwards Works for Me Wednesday Post - I'd love to know what everyone spends on groceries! Or if you have a great tilapia recipe! (Check out We Are That Family for more WFMW dilemmas!)

I spent $82.73 on food; my weekly average is $111.29, which absolutely astounds me!



I got:
5# ground beef, 7# boneless chicken breast, 4# tilapia filets

24 oz. ranch dressing, tub of shortening (trans fat and BHT free), 18 oz. generic Cheerios, 14 oz. granola w/ berries, raspberry zinger tea bags, grape jelly, 24 oz. picante sauce, 8 oz. No Yolks noodles, 16 oz. mini farfalle

12# apples, 15# oranges, 5# sweet potatoes, 2 3/4# grapes

2 gallons milk, 2# butter, 1 frozen Kashi meal (lemongrass coconut chicken - see the link for a free coupon on my right sidebar?)

Can of smoked oysters, 8 ct. sushi rolls (didn't shop alone tonight... $8.50 for grocery store sushi???)

The Menu:
Sunday -eggs, fruit
macaroni and cheese w/ peas and carrots
went to Denny's (entertainment budget, not food. Yeah, we're blowing the tax money as fast as we can, LOL!)
Mon. Mar 30 - oatmeal
tostadas
Pasta primavera w/peppers, onions, and tomatoes; asparagus
Tues. Mar 31 - oatmeal, oranges
girls at leftovers, boys at ranch style beans w/ hominy
Frozen pizza, broccoli
Wed. Apr 1 - Cheerios w/ milk
Egg salad sandwiches, celery and carrots, cantaloupe
black beans and sweet potato concoction... probably with curry, and spanish rice
(I bought the sweet potatoes planning to have them with pork chops, but the store was out of the sale pork so I ended up with no meat. So I'll make something up and the family will either love it or hate it. It won't kill them. I'm vaguely thinking of a ropa vieja type dish but with carribbean flavor and no meat.)

Thurs. Apr 2 - granola (homemade, this recipe. It tastes good, but I like granola clusters and chunks and this more like flavored oats.)
split pea soup w/ barley and carrots
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes,

Fri. Apr 3 - oatmeal
burrito bowls (If Chipotle can do it, so can I!)
Tilapia something - I'm really bad at cooking fish. We rarely have it and I don't like fish all that much - anyone have any really great recipes? Leave it in the comments!

Sat. Apr 4 - oatmeal (when I don't make oatmeal, the littles beg for it. Mr X's morning is not complete unless he's had a bowl)
leftovers or lentil soup
Chicken/broccoli w/ white sauce, served over rice (you know, that Campbell's chicken and rice casserole, but deconstructed because I have to limit my rice.)

A word about snacks. Snacks at our house are almost always fruit. My boys like to split a can of Ranch Style beans when I let them. This is why I buy pounds and pounds of apples, bananas, oranges, and grapes. You'll notice most "snacky" food doesn't appear on my grocery receipts - if I don't buy cookies, potato chips, and Hot Pockets, the kids have no choice but to eat healthy food!

It also really helps keep my budget in check. For example, I bought 15# of oranges for $6 - the cost of two bags of Oreos or two 6-packs of Danimals yogurt. 15# of oranges = over 30 fruits, or 5 times as many snacks as the yogurt.

Labels: cooking, Food Stamp Challenge, Frugal, menu, Works For Me Wednesday

I promise, my WFMW are NOT usually political! But I don't have a good tip for you this week, and this really DOES work for me (and NOT work for me).

Maybe I'll post something about hair next week, but for now, the 13th Amendment really works for me!

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

What's not working?

HR 1388 - The "GIVE" bill (Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act)


Now, I think it is good to volunteer. I want my children to volunteer.

But do you know what mandatory (not voluntary) service to the government is called?

Slavery.

Although, it's not really volunteer work, since the "volunteers" get a payoff ($6 billion of taxpayer money to fund it, too.)

I don't like a lot of the restrictions, either. It can't be volunteering for a political party, or volunteering at church. All volunteering must be secular and non-political. One good restriction - one can't volunteer for organizations that provide or refer for abortion services, either. (Wonder why? If there is *nothing* wrong or bad about abortion, why have this provision? One could volunteer at a blood drive, after all.)

And so there will be no missions, no grass roots efforts battling cancerous chemicals in the water supply, or organizing a public awareness campaign against child labor and our import policy...

‘SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.

‘(a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities:

‘(1) Attempting to influence legislation.

‘(2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.

‘(3) Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing.

‘(4) Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements.

‘(5) Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office.

‘(6) Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials.

‘(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

‘(8) Providing a direct benefit to--

‘(A) a business organized for profit;

‘(B) a labor organization;

‘(C) a partisan political organization;

‘(D) a nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and

‘(E) an organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph (7), unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities.

‘(9) Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive.

‘(10) Such other activities as the Corporation may prohibit.

It passed the House, and is in the Senate under the Serve America Act.

It's being widely reported that the service will be less than voluntary, but I haven't seen the language that would seem to make it mandatory. I haven't made it through the whole bill, yet, either.

Do we really need to spend billions on making Americans volunteer when we've already spent trillions on everything else?

So doesn't Work for Me.

For more tips, head over to We are THAT family!

H/T Mommylife!

Labels: politics, Works For Me Wednesday

Ya know what's working for me this Wednesday? The Army. And the Navy, and the Air Force and the Marines and the Coast Guard (and I hope I didn't leave anyone out!)

America is an amazing place. Not only are our armed forces an entirely voluntary corp, enlisting is a fantastic opportunity for so many people who otherwise would have no career prospects, no self discipline, and no hope of going to college.

Yo! Soldier, sailors, and pilots! Thanks for everything you do for my family.

(A side note - totally NOT working for me this Wednesday: Obama plans to take away VA benefits from our soldiers!)

That's right, Obama has a grand scheme to raise half a billion dollars by billing soldier's private health insurance companies for care for service related injuries and disabilities. Benefits that the VA should provide.

Why is this a problem? The American Legion explains:

The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered. Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing. The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits.

Imagine that someone is in a wheelchair or has a prosthesis. Can they afford the copays, the deductibles, and the ongoing care? What if one has PTSD from battle? Most insurance companies are skimpy on the mental health benefits.

We owe our soldiers our lives and our liberty. They deserve better.

Labels: In The News, Rants and Raves, Works For Me Wednesday

What doesn't Work For Me:

Fun crafts with dryer lint? Doesn't work for me.

Glitter for any reason? Definitely doesn't work for me!

And my dirty little secret - I hate my Jacuzzi tub. Sooo doesn't Work for Me!

I always thought I'd love having a home with a jacuzzi tub, but I was sadly mistaken. It's annoying, uncomfortable, uses too much water, and the jets are too confined - it irritates me after about 5 seconds of bubbling nanometers from my skin.

The kids do love it, though! Maybe it'll grow on me when I'm 9 months pregnant.

What are you supposed to love, but don't? Share your dirty little secret with me! Or, for something actaully helpful, check out more Works for Me Wednesday at the new site, We are THAT family!

Labels: Works For Me Wednesday

We are THAT Family, the new hostess of Works for Me Wednesday, has a themed edition today: greatest hits.

According to Blogger, I have published 85 WFMW posts! How do I pick just one? Which are my best?

Hmmm, maybe it's the homemaking tips:
Stomp on the TP

Organize the Kitchen so the slaves children can clean it

When You Have to Chisel the Oatmeal Off the Floor


Or the cooking ones?
This post is the one that gets the most hits! Make Your Own Hamburger Helper. Despite the fact that I think "use some water" is a valid recipe direction.

Maybe money management:
Invisible Clutter

Hmm, surely I have a good laundry tip!
The Family Closet

Ah, I'm an expert at parenting. Occasionally.
Cure Sibling Rivalry

Aw, heck, check 'em all out!

But, I think my #1 most useful post is If You Have a Toddler.

Because Ikea is a dangerous place. And so is a house with a two year old.

What's your favorite tip I've offered on Works for Me Wednesday?

Check out the other WFMW Greatest Hits!

Labels: Linky love, Mama Says, Works For Me Wednesday

Slowly we're clearing out the clutter.

Invisible clutter. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it takes up no effort in your life or costs nothing.

First, we returned our Sam's Club membership. They have a full refund policy at any time if you cancel your membership. The Texas Sam's Clubs don't carry a lot of the products I used to buy in South Carolina, including bulk cornstarch, whole wheat pasta, or certain spices. Their milk was more expensive than the grocery stores, as was their produce. I used to buy whole wheat bread there for cheap, but I make my own now. They don't carry bread flour. Over, and over again I would head to Sam's Club with a long list, and leave with butter and chickens. Then, a local grocery store started carrying butter for the same price.

$35 back in our pockets!

We paid off our van in December, and switched the coverage from Full to Liability Only. Our van is maybe worth $1800.

$35 a month, back in our pockets!

Husband changed his cell plan. He did have a supernifty one with unlimited nationwide roaming. When he realized that his company wasn't sending him to any outlying oil platforms any time soon, he changed plans.

$15 a month, back in our pockets! We can always change to the upgraded plan at any time, if we need to go out of town.

I changed our cable service yesterday. This was tricky, because we have a package deal (phone, internet, and cable.) I work from home watching TV, and I had to have certain channels for my job. The best package I could get cost $160 after taxes (including taxes, fees, and DVR.)

In January, our cable company sent us a notice that prices would be going up by $5. But, they also added several new packages and bundles. We went to a different phone plan, eliminating long distance (husband gets it for free on his cell, anyway), went to a slower internet, and lost a bunch of channels.

Truthfully, even though we "lost" about 100 channels, the only ones we'll miss are The Science Channel, Noggin, HBO, and EWTN.

Savings? $50 a month!

(But oh, how I wish they would let you pick 25-30 channels that you want for a low price. I get 100 channels still, but most we skip over. I can totally do without the Golf channel, QVC, MTV, Spike, and 4 channels broadcast in Spanish.)

Invisible clutter elimination - works for me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out Rocks In My Dryer!

Labels: Frugal, Journey to Simplicity, Working from Home, Works For Me Wednesday

It's the first week of the month, and I just got another check for selling my bloggy skills.

Remember last week when I gave out my tips for getting paid to write for the web?

Still working for me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, check out Rocks in My Dryer!

Labels: Blog, freelance life, Working from Home, Works For Me Wednesday, writing

My oldest son doesn't care if he's grounded or given extra chores (which is often extra work for ME), or even stuck in his room with no toys.

But, he hates handwriting with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns. (He still adamantly insists he will have no use for cursive skills, ever.)

Guess what works for me?


(...and can you see why I make him practice handwriting everyday?)

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

Labels: R, Works For Me Wednesday

We eat butter at our house.

Sometimes I make it spreadable, and store it in a tub in the fridge, but often we have a stick of butter out on the counter.

With lots of littles, that can be messy. They smear. They knock it off the little rectangle plate.

My solution? Flip it upside down. Now the butter top holds it all in, and the bottom plate can be used as a lid.

Works for me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday fun, go to Rocks in My Dryer!
For more Kitchen Tips, check out Tammy!

Labels: cooking, therapeutic diet, Works For Me Wednesday

My boys are hard on pants. I usually buy them at Sears, but they needed new jeans and our local Sears didn't have any in their size.

So I went to Target, and bought 3 pairs "to hold them over".


Big mistake.

Did I mention my boys were hard on pants?

These pants are three weeks old. Unfortunately, I can't find my Target receipt to take them back. I totally would - one pair busted through the knees after two days of indoor play.

Did you catch that? THREE WEEKS!


Sears has a program called KidVantage. It's free, and guarantees that if the clothes wear out before they're grown out, Sears will replace them, free. (Although Sears jeans seem to last a lot longer and I've never had to have jeans replaced.)

The KidVantage® Club offers the Wear Out Warranty. When your baby grows up and your kids clothing or kids shoes wear out before they are out grown, Sears will replace them for free.

You can only exchange for the same size, and if you buy Levi's you need to keep your receipt.

Whole-Knee Guarantee? Works for Me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out Shannon!

Actually, now that I see the picture, I don't think those pants are the Target pants. The Target pants also wore huge holes on the cuffs in addition to the giant, gaping knee holes.

Labels: Frugal, R, Works For Me Wednesday

A friend passed this website on to me, and I was amazed I hadn't seen it before.

MedHelp mood tracker

It's a free online mood tracker for depression, emotional issues, and mania.

The same site has a ton of other applications available, too, including a pain tracker for chronic pain/fibromyalgia, an ovulation tracker, a thyroid tracker, and more. (Click on the tab "Track Your Health" to see them all.)

Free online help? Did I mention it's IN THE COMPUTER so I won't lose it on my desk? Works for Me!

Check out Shannon for more WFMW fun!

Labels: bipolar, Freebies, health, Special Needs, Works For Me Wednesday

Many insurance plans have differing coverages for prescription drugs. My health insurance has three copays: $15 for generic, $30 for name-brand, and $45 for a name-brand 30 day supply of drugs.

The formularies also might not make sense.

I usually have gestational diabetes. My doctor wants me to monitor my blood sugar, even though I have not been diagnosed. No problem, I got a nifty free meter from CVS'ing, so all I needed was a prescription for the strips!

Except. My insurance didn't cover that brand of strips (and it's a $45 copay.) Oh, they'll cover insulin shots and A1C tests and expensive diabetes drugs, but the strips necessary for good blood sugar control, so those other things aren't necessary? Nope.

There was a brand that was covered, but I'd have to buy a different meter. Fortunately, it's a brand that often has many coupons and rebates, making it cheap. Again, though, my copay for 100 strips is $45! Currently, I only need to test twice per day, so I really only need 60 strips per month, anyway.

I noticed Wal-Mart had an off brand machine, Reli-On. The machine was $9, and 50 strips were $22 (100 strips are $43). For $31 - 33% less than my copay - I bought a new machine and a month's supply (almost) of strips.

I found the same thing when I had a prescription for Motrin (800 mg.) A bottle of generic ibuprofen was a fraction of the cost of a copay!

Paying out of pocket - sometimes - Works for Me!

Also, this recipe for Olive Garden Alfredo is totally working for me, too!

Labels: Frugal, health, Works For Me Wednesday

Every Christmas, I give the kids new pajamas.

They usually need a new pair.

It makes identifying the year Christmas pictures were taken easy.

It gives them something to open Christmas Eve, without them being disappointed that it's clothes.

New pajamas for Christmas morning... Works for Me!

For more Works for Me Wednesday fun, head over to Shannon's!


Art: Peeping into the Parlor by Jessie Wilcox-Smith, courtesy Allposters.com

Labels: children, holidays, Works For Me Wednesday

Sooo does not Work For Me Wednesday.

I first heard rumors about lead in Rival brand crockpots a week ago on a homeschooling message board.

Yesterday I read about it on blogs.

I am just mad! Don't manufacturers GET IT? We don't want to eat lead. Lead builds up over time and causes neurological problems. Lead is not easily removed from the body.

We don't want to eat lead!

Gah. I have a slow cooker and TWO crocks (I saved my crock from the Day the Crockpot Died and use it as my bread rising bowl). My old crock was a Rival with a white liner, my current working slow cooker is a Euro-Pro with a black liner. Both Made in China (what choice do we have, anyway?)

Rival says their crockpots do not contain lead, and the glaze is a mix of feldspar, silica flour, clay, and some other non-toxic materials. But lab tests done by investigative reporters did find lead.

Clemson Extension has a safety sheet that specifically mentions lead in slow cookers. The FDA knows that slow cookers have lead, but in their tests found it to contain an acceptable level.

Lead, however, is used in some glazes for slow-cooking pots
(crock-pots). But, in tests done in 1987, FDA found that the amount of lead
that leached into food from these pots did not exceed FDA standards. (See An
Unwanted Souvenir: Lead in Ceramic Ware, in the December 1989-January 1990
issue of FDA Consumer.) 

Of course, 1987 was way before lead started showing up in China made toys, food, and dishes on every shelf of the store.

Maybe I'll start buying those plastic slow cooker liners in the interim. Anyone know if they're BPA free?

This blog post has a lot of great comments - many people tested and found lead and arsenic, and others tested and found none.

For some happy tips, check back with Rocks in My Dryer!

Labels: cooking, health, Need to Know, Works For Me Wednesday

There are a few toys in our home that are constantly played with. IMO, they are definitely toys worth buying! I've mislaid my camera, so no nifty pics today.

A few years ago, my children received a set of foam blocks from their aunt and uncle. They are still played with daily by children aged 1-7 (and sometimes the 9 yo, though he'd never admit it!) They are quiet, lightweight, and don't slide off each other easily.
Lincoln Logs, the old classic, is even more fun if you buy a set of plastic farm animals.


My mother worked for a school supply store, and they sold these large rubber animals. The kids still love them. My BP son would sometimes station his hyena at the bedroom door for protection.

Tea Party/Fake Food - again, played with daily.

This jungle gym was purchased last year for $99. Fantastic investment. I have a similar linked on my Amazon sidebar.

Toys that did not work out so well:

• Domino knockover set.
• Connect Four (I know! WHY won't the kids play it?)
• Art sets that require special papers or supplies. (Paint, clay, etc. are always popular, though.)
• Musical Instrument that son wanted, but that I do not play. It's used... but not properly.
• JumpStart software (my kids just don't like it.)

For more toy ideas and Works for Me Wednesday fun, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

Labels: holidays, Works For Me Wednesday

Yesterday I posted on why my family doesn't celebrate Halloween. That doesn't mean we're opposed to the costumes!

My children love to dress up. The day after Halloween, head down to your local Stuffmart. The costumes will be 50-75% off! Last year I paid $3 for a princess gown and $2 for a suit of armor.

They make great Christmas presents and you won't have to worry about lead paint, either.

Works for Me! See other tips over at Rocks in My Dryer!

Labels: children, Frugal, holidays, Works For Me Wednesday

The best thing I ever did for our laundry situation was the family closet. (Click on the pics to see them better.) I don't have to trek all over the house gathering clothes to wash, and I don't have to traipse into every bedroom to deliver clean laundry.

When we moved to Houston, husband dear rented us a house. I didn't see it until we moved in. He drew a floorplan for me, and I just could not fathom where our family closet was going to be.

He forgot to mention the Master Closet was larger than the kids' bedroom in our old house!

Here's a brief tour.

The kids clothes are still in wire cubbies, with their outfits hanging above. Socks and undies are in bins.



Here's Miss C's section, underneath the shelves that the grownups folded clothes are on. We are not a dresses only family, but we are a "dresses often" family and she likes to get her own clothes.


The grownup's clothes, folded.


And hanging. I have a ton of skirts - yet somehow, I wear the same pair of jeans everyday. It's all about the shoes - I can't wear cute shoes for any length of time and the skirts look stupid with Avia Walkers. I'm a victim of fashion.

Lots of storage above!

The dirty clothes hamper is in the closet. We fill it every day!


Here's where the adult's unmentionables are stored. Also, swimsuits for everyone are in the same drawer instead of in their individual cubby.

Yeah, it's ugly. We got it at an estate sale for $20, and it's solid wood. Someday we'll refinish it, or at least sand the glue off the front. It works for now, though!

The dresser is in the Master Bathroom. The top is so handy for dumping junk. Why, yes, that a welding sleeve! And no, my husband is not a welder!


I hang their church outfits up altogether. My boys can never seem to find anything, so the pants, undershirt, tie, etc. are all on the hanger together. When I was the black socks, I'll stick them in the pocket.


And here is the laundry staging area. It's quite convenient to have such a large, flat surface to fold and sort all of the clothes before putting them away! King size beds can fit 5 children in it, and clothes for 9 people on it.


Miss C and Miss V are my super laundry helpers. Miss C knows exactly which clothes belong to every member of the family.

All of the clothes, clean and dirty, are contained in one room. No more piles of socks under beds. No more dumping the contents of a drawer into a puddle. I love it!

Head over to Shannon's for more Works for Me Wednesday hints and helps!

Labels: homemaking, Works For Me Wednesday

My hair is fine, and right now it's pretty long. I usually wear it in a braid, because it will not stay in a barrette or a clip.

I grow it long because I'm lazy - too lazy to get it cut regularly, too lazy to style it into cuteness everyday, and too lazy to put up with husband dear pining for my long hair.


I'm not really this short, but Miss E took the picture so I'm kneeling down. Miss E is taking the picture because I disgustapated husband dear by making him take 10 shots, finding fault with all of them, announcing I was going to wash and style my hair for a good picture, and then asking him to wait while I did that. After he left, I decided to let y'all see the real me. I didn't even brush it before convincing Miss E to snap the shot. That's how dedicated I am to being real.

Big barrettes pull and yank until they fall out, usually less than an hour after I put it in.

Until now! Goody has a new barrette in their Ouchless line that is just awesome. It keeps my hair clipped up, doesn't pull, and I actually have fallen asleep in it!

Mine cost $3, and the Goody website has a $2 off coupon - I'm going to get another one in black.

Hair technology works for me!

Check out Shannon for more Works for Me Wednesday fun!

Labels: Works For Me Wednesday

Today is the kitchen organization edition of Works for Me Wednesday.

Mama Says:
Ignore the advice! Do what works for you! Warning: you are about to witness a slew of kitchen organization faux pas. But they work for me!

For example, my pantry is in a corner of my eat in kitchen. There is a largish cabinet above the dishwasher for dishes, but it's really not large enough to store all of the dishes for 9 people. I also try to make my house as child friendly as possible.

And so, my pantry looks like this:


Easy for the slaves kids to unload the dishwasher, get their own dishes for snacks, and set the table for dinner. The lowest shelf holds our breakfast cereal - again, the kids can get it themselves.

The kids usually eat on salad plates. When we don't have a dishwasher, washing plastic is a pain.

Don't worry, I manage to cram a lot of food in there too. "Negative space" does not exist in here!

I ignore the advice to clear off your counters, too. Last spring husband dear bought me this mixer. I use it often, it's heavy, and I don't have a good place in the cupboards to store it. So it lives on this little counter, which is now my "baking center". I'm much more likely to make something with it already out!


I have a Rubbermaid cupboard shelf right out in the open, on my counter. I suppose I could wind pretty ribbon through it or a seasonal garland...but, nah. I'm not Martha Stewarty enough for that. It was decorated with a wasp nest in a pickle jar, but I moved that off the counter before I took a pic so you wouldn't think we were unhygienic. The large jars are plastic! Swoon! $5 at WalMart. They hold sugar, AP flour, and my bread mix (which is empty now). The bread mix is 2 parts AP flour or bread flour, 2 parts whole wheat flour, and 1 part wheat or oat bran.

The little blue jars are for sugar. I have a white sugar and a brown sugar bowl. You're not *supposed* to have a brown sugar bowl for the table, but we eat a lot of oatmeal and oatmeal just ain't right without brown sugar! The third container holds various things. Sometimes baking soda (I clean with it and buy it by the 3 lb. bag at Sam's). Sometimes leftover chocolate chips.

Yeah, okay. It usually holds cake mix. I figured out how to hack "Warm Delights" and my waistline has never been the same. I even - horrors - buy the cake mix at the store, and that's MY jar since Mr R can't have most storebought mixes.


I have baskets in the cabinet - one holds sugars in various forms (brown, powdered, dried honey granules). One holds "mix ins" - raisins, coconut, nuts, chocolate chips. See all those bags? It's various types of flour, masa, cornmeal... and they are not stored in airtight containers! Gasp! 4,000 gallon ziplock bags around every food product in the cabinet does not work for me. I just put bay leaves in all the corners, keep it vacuumed out with that nifty crevice tool, and hope for the best. Yes, I keep the vacuum cleaner near the kitchen.



I have a cleaning caddy in my cupboard. It holds all my little baking stuff - the things you need every time you make something. Vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, other extracts. When I'm making something, I just pull it down in one fell swoop.

For more of Mama's tips and tricks in the kitchen, click here.

For more Works for Me Wednesday Kitchen Goodness, head over to Shannon's at Rocks in My Dryer!

Labels: cooking, homemaking, Works For Me Wednesday