From: Kathleen W.
This is a recipe that was given to me by my great
friend Kim. She is gluten intolerant and she has
had to learn a new way to cook by not using
processed foods. This is a healthier and frugal
idea.
,Cream Soup Base Recipe

This is equivalent to 8 to 9 cans of cream soup.

1 c dry milk or nondairy substitute
1 c white rice flour
2 T dried minced onions
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t salt
3 T poultry seasoning or bouillon cubes

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Store in
airtight container on your pantry shelf or store
in ziploc in freezer.

,CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP - Blend 3 to 4 tablespoons
of Creamed Soup Base with 1/4 c cold water.  Add
1 c of hot or cold water or chicken stock and
cook, stirring, until the soup thickens.  Use 3
tablespoons for thin soup, 4 for thick soup.

,CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP - Follow instructions for
Cream of Chicken Soup, using the liquid from one
4-ounce can of mushroom bits and pieces as part
of the water (reserving the mushrooms).  After
the soup thickens, add the mushrooms.

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP - Follow instructions for
the Cream of Chicken Soup, using one 5.5 ounce
can of V-8 juice as part of the liquid.

CHEESE SOUP OR SAUCE - Follow the instructions
for Cream of Chicken Soup, using 1/4 cup Creamed
Soup Base.  Adding 1/4 cup extra water.  Stire in
1/2 to 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese before
removing from the stove.

TASTY CREAM SAUCE - Melt 1 tablespoon butter or
margarine in the small saucepan and add 1
teaspoon chopped chives or 2 thinly sliced green
onions before putting in the soup base.  Add 1
1/4 cups hot water and cook as directed for Cream
of Chicken Soup.

TO USE IN A CASSEROLE - If your casserole
(scalloped potatoes, etc.) calls for canned soup
and is to be baked over 1 hour, just tumble the
Creamed Soup Mix with
the ingredients and pour on 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups
hot water.

I had a reader email and ask “What do you do when you have 4 kids and other family members only have 2 or 3 so they think it unfair they should have to spend more money on your family when it’s not “equal”. This is a paraphrase but I wanted to address this because it can be a problem in families.

The truth is most people in this world are just plain selfish. They would rather spend money going out to eat than to give that up to buy an extra Christmas present.

The other problem is a lot of families just spend way too much on presents for kids. They think that have to spend $30,$40 or $50 on nieces and nephews just to give them “something nice”.

Now how do you deal with this? Well first, pray for that family member. I know that sounds strange but if you don’t then you will get get bitter and angry and not forgive them. It stinks when you work really had to save on your one income to buy gifts for everyone and then they don’t want to return the favor even when they make double your income. You are going to have to give the situation over to God so you don’t let it ruin your Christmas.

Some solutions for the gift exchanges are:

Draw names. This is a long time tradition and works great.

Buy a “family” gift like a board game or zoo pass so something like that that the entire family can use.

Set a price limit. I would set a retail price of $10 (or whatever amount your choose). Then if you are a savvy shopper and find a new item or something they would really love at a thrift store, garage sale or on clearance for a dollar or two then save the rest.

People are funny, they think that if they don’t spend the entire amount then they are some how cheating the person out of a gift. If you find a new board game at a thrift store for $1 or at the store for $10 it’s still the same board game! You might as well use the other $9 to pay off some debt or put into savings!

Another option the $1 gift. Each item has to be under $1 and you can only spend $10 total. You can buy at dollar stores, yard sales etc. This can be a really fun gift exchange. You can even make the boxes decorated for a contest. One of our readers send in that one but I lost the name. Thanks to whoever you are !

You could also do just gag gifts. Of course this could go a number of different ways if you use your imagination! (in a good way!)

What do we do? We spend $10-$20 on our nieces and nephews depending on their age. We only have 3 to buy for so that isn’t much. This year we are getting gift cards to Walmart for them all. Now, I know this sounds impersonal and unfrugal but my niece said “I wish I could get one of those” when BJ got one for his birthday. They love to go and just pick out something they want at the store and I think it will be a big hit!

I am going to wrap it special. I’m going to put it in a small box wrapped and then put that in a bigger box, wrapped and do that several times so she has to unwrap 4 or 5 boxes to get it to it!

You could also do a treasure hunt for it too!

I hope that gives some ideas. I know it can be hard but you will have to just “let it go” and try to enjoy it anyway. Yes, I know that’s way easier said than done.

Tawra

Tawra covered the practical side of gift giving if you can hang in there until next week’s newsletter I wrote a story that will cover the emotional side of what you are dealing with. I published  it last year when I found out that one of my children’s in laws who make about 125% more money then I do and had less people to buy for announced that they couldn’t afford gifts this year because of these hard economic times. I could not understand it one bit because even though I make as much in a year as what they do in one month I still managed to buy presents for everyone.

You feel so hurt because your children (in my case my grandchildren) will be disappointed and what they are doing is really very wrong and like Tawra said selfish. Be sure to read Tuesday’s newsletter because it will put a whole new light on your situation and gift giving in general. I am sorry I would write it all out for you now but it would take to long for me to do that in this one setting and it is set to run on Tuesday so please read it then if you can.

Jill

From: Jayna
Is it more cost-effective to make your own chicken
stock vs. buying it in canned form at the store?
Thanks!

It’s way cheaper to make it at home. Usually the ingredients are free or almost free. I just throw  a chicken or turkey in a large dutch oven and cover with water. If I have onions or celery I add it for flavor. Then I just let it cook on low overnight. In the morning I have wonderful stock!

This is the way I do it since the MSG in canned stock makes me sick I can’t eat it.

I just let it cool and then bag into freezer bags into 2 cup portions and freeze.

Tawra

Hi there,
I love your site and have used a lot of your
recipes just adapted for my Scottish palette or
measurements.

I would love to try the cinnamon
shapes for Christmas with my granddaughter but
can you explain ‘applesauce’, do you have it in a
tin or a packet, is it just made with apples?
know in Scotland we eat pork with applesauce but
not sure if it’s the same thing.
Thanks for this.
Tricia

We just use it out of a jar. It’s apples cooked with sugar, salt and sometimes cinnamon.
Tawra

You can them with homemade applesauce too which is just the apples peeled, corded and cooked with everything Tawra mentioned mentioned above until it is mush. If you are using the applesauce for just ornaments you probably wouldn’t have to add the sugar or salt because those are mostly for taste and you can’t eat the ornaments.

I know it is hard with us using different terms and measurements over here so please don’t hesitate to ask us a question any time and we will be glad to help.

Jill

I wondered if you could freeze pasta.  It seems
like you should be able to, but I didn’t know.
Also, if it is possible, how long can it be
frozen before you would have to rotate it out?
Thanks,
Jacqui in TN

I have never been able to freeze it, it turns to mush. I haven’t heard of any new ways to do it either. If anyone else has please feel free to share your tips! Tawra

If you eat out check and see if your favorite restraunt has gift card specials right now.

I just drove by Applebee’s and if you buy $50 Gift Card you get a $10 gift card also.

At Spangles ( a local hamburger joint) if you buy a $10 gift card you get a free Christmas CD. My brother and his family were going there to eat. They saw the deal so they bought the gift cards first, then ordered dinner and paid for it with the gift card. They got a free Christmas CD to take home just for eating out that night which they were going to do anyway.

So, if you’re eating out see if they have any gift card specials before ordering and get a gift card first, then order, then pay for your meal with the gift card!

Tawra

Well, I have pretty much been on the couch for the last week or so. I am just so tired I can hardly move so dinners have been hit and miss.

I did manage to put one together that was very yummy and satisfied an Arby’s craving. They keep having French Dips on their commercials and it looks sooo yummy!

The other day even though I was on the couch I did manage to throw together a great less than $5 French Dip Dinner.

We had:

French Dip

Tossed Salad

Carrots for the kids

Peaches

I put a frozen roast on the stove on low at noon and threw in an onion and a couple of cups of water. I let it cook all day. I did have to add water a couple more times. Before serving I put in a couple of bouillon cubes, salt, onion and garlic powder.

I then served it on large rolls with the onions. I served the juice on the side for dipping.

I was able to put together a quick salad to go with it in a moment of feeling like I was going to hurl.

The roast I got on clearance for $5.79 and used about 1/3 so it cost less than $2. The leftovers have been used for our lunches and make shift dinners the last 3 days.

The rolls were 6 for .79 on clearance.

Then the peaches, salad and carrots cost less than $2.

I had someone ask last week how I could spend so little. Well, I shop sales and clearance items. You can find all that info. in our new Grocery Shopping On A Budget e-course which comes out next week.

Here’s a run down for the last $5 dinner.

Grilled chicken (on the George Forman) - Boneless, Skinless $2.25 lb from Aldis

French Bread broiled with butter and garlic powder - .69 on clearance

Broccoli with cheese on top- The broccoli was $1 for the bag, cheese was .25, just used it for flavoring on the top.

Grapes- on sale for $1.19 /lb.

From: janice j.
How do you use styrofoam to protect an outside
faucet? It is getting colder and I am worried.
Thanks!

I would duct tape a big chunk around the faucet. Maybe break it apart so it fits around there snug and then just duct tape away until it’s on there tight.

Tawra
Depending on your faucet, I have taken 2 large styrofoam cups and put one inside of the other then taped.

Jill

Hi Tawra,

Just a tip for cheap Christmas decorations. I use the leftover nuts from Hallow E’en along with interesting pasta shapes. Spread all out on a sheet of newspaper and spray with gold spray paint. These decorations look great scattered around or in a glass jar and keep for years. I occasionally gold spray a grapefruit to place beside a golden Santa Claus and it looks terrific too.

Siobhán M.

Hi…this is from Allrecipes.com it is so yummy, and easy (use a larger sauce pan…foams up some)….good to use up buttermilk…dd

I tried this waffles and oh boy, was it ever good! Tawra

Buttermilk Syrup
“This is a great homemade syrup that we found at a little B&B in South Dakota. This syrup is wonderful on hot, fresh blueberry pancakes.”

COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 15 Min
Original recipe yield 2 cups
SERVINGS (Help)
Servings

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.