Replacing plastic with glass

Does your "tupper" cupboard look like this? Don't despair. Mine did too until just last weekend. I was tired of fighting the boxes, getting everything to fit, and trying to match the right lid to the right container.

I don't like to microwave food in plastic containers--and they are pretty gross with soap residue after going through the dishwasher. Ick.

In a bold move, I dumped all the tuppers in the recycle and replaced them with glass containers. Now there are a bunch of spaghetti sauce jars and Pyrex dishes from Amazon (purchased with a gift card earned from Swagbucks, of course).

Why the spaghetti sauce jars? We had been recycling them, and then I realized--leftovers don't care what kind of a container they're in [slaps forehead in disbelief]. Cooked pasta, slices of BBQ chicken, extra roasted veggies now go in jars instead of ziplocs or plastics.

Yes, there are fewer containers. That will force us to eat up the leftovers more quickly, which keeps the fridge cleaner too. No more leftovers-turned-science projects for us! And check out how nice the cupboard looks.

What do you keep your leftovers in? (Those of you with teenage boys in the house don't have to answer, since you don't have any leftovers.) Tell us in the comments.

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

"Just Say No" to the laundry mountain with this tip. Get one square laundry basket for each member of the family, and line them up outside the dryer. As you pull stuff out of the dryer, toss it into the appropriate basket. Give jeans and t-shirts a quick fold and hang up work clothes right away. Then just take the baskets to each person’s room for them to fold (or live out of) and you’re done!

Frugal Flop: Microwave Repair

Our microwave died a while back. It was more than 10 years old and had really been put through its paces. Its time had come.


I figured since it was broken anyway, the least I could do was try and fix it. If it didn't work--well, it wouldn't be any more broken than it was when I started!

After a bit of research and reading, I took the back cover off and got into the guts. See that silver box on the middle left? It's full of all kinds of caution statements and warnings. Kids, don't try this at home.

The fuse had burned out, so we got a new one and I snapped it in place.

I put it all back together and plugged it in. It worked! Well, the clock worked. When I tried to actually run the microwave, the fuse blew again and I knew that there were more problems than I could fix.

The only reason I'm calling it a Frugal Flop is because I couldn't get the microwave to work. But it's better to try and fix it with a $4 fuse than to just give up and buy a new microwave without trying.

Plant a Row For the Hungry

It’s so easy to get carried away when planting your garden, especially if you’re starting veggies from seed. Before you know it, you have 43 tomato plants, 18 peppers, 5 zucchini (which will produce enough for a small nation) and herbs up the wazoo.

Imagine the tons of veggies those seedlings will produce! Don’t panic or start thinning them out. Believe it or not, I’m here to encourage you to grow more—to plant a row for the hungry.

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) was created by the Garden Writers Association in 1995 to encourage gardeners to plant an extra row of produce for local food banks. Home gardeners have donated more than 14 million pounds of produce since then!

And what will you do with all those veggies? Bring them to my friends at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). This amazing organization has been “giving a hand up, not a handout” since 1976.

• SFBFS provides a five-day supply of emergency groceries to families in need six days per week.
• Over 18,000 individuals receive an abundance of fresh groceries every month.
• Food is distributed to clients in a respectful and dignified manner. Set up like an open-air farmers’ market, individuals and families are invited to see the produce, enjoy a cooking demonstration, gather health and nutrition resources, and ask questions about the products they are receiving.

Photo courtesy of SFBFS

Come by after work or on your lunch break! (Need directions? They’re right off Hwy 50 at 3333 Third Ave, Sacramento CA 95817.) Their volunteers are always happy to see you, even if you only have four zucchini and a baggie of jalapenos. (Yes, I have donated just that.)

Donations are accepted:
• Monday-Tuesday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Not in Sacramento? No problem. Find the food bank that serves your area at FeedingAmerica.org and keep them in mind when you harvest your 50,000th zucchini. You don't need an official group to help out—just a giving heart.

For more information on SFBFS visit, www.sacramentofoodbank.org.

Front Yard Garden Progress

Otherwise known as "Why I Got Soil for My Birthday"

You know you're a garden geek when your birthday card promises TWO truckloads of soil for the front yard garden. Yes, I had to wait a while since the big day was in January--but it was worth it.

Our friend C unloads the first batch. Sometimes I really miss my truck.

Jackjack gives it the Boy Test, which it passes with flying colors.

What do cowboys do after unloading two loads of soil (and refusing any help)? Take a nap under a tree, of course.

And here's how it turned out. There's netting across the main section so Neighbor Kitty doesn't get any bright ideas. Pretty soon, the veggies will go in!

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesday

Each Wednesday I'll share a tip to make your week go more smoothly or just make you say "aha!"

This happens to me all the time. Running late in the morning, I'm about to zip out the door when I look down and see deodorant marks on my shirt. Argh! With no time to change, you need a quick fix. Find some pantyhose or nylons, crumple them up, and gently scrub the deodorant off. You're on your way!

Easy Homemade Bagels

These are so delicious and can be accented with a variety of toppings. Pick some herbs or spinach from your garden and make your own flavors!

Dough ingredients:

4 teaspoons yeast
scant 1/4 cup honey (oops! not in picture)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups flour
2 cups warm water

Poaching liquid ingredients:
2-3 quarts water
1 1/2 tablespoon barley malt syrup
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all dough ingredients. Be sure to sift your flour! Knead (I used the mixer) until smooth and elastic. Plop into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise for about an hour.

When the dough is ready, turn your oven on to 500 and bring a big pot of water to boil. Now it's time to start making bagels. Dump the dough on a lightly floured counter and divide into 12 pieces (for regular size bagels) or 16 pieces (if you don't want to be stuffed after eating).

Poke your thumb through each chunk of dough and work it around into a bagel shape. This is much easier if you use both hands and don't try taking a picture with one while bageling with the other.

Set 'em all on a cookie sheet to rest while you get the water ready.

Your water's boiling, right? Now you can add the baking soda, salt, and malt syrup. Just like with the pretzels, the baking soda will make the water foam up. Keep an eye on it and don't let it boil over!

The malt syrup will turn the water a caramel color. Slip three bagels in, one at a time.

Boil them for a minute, then flip over and boil for another minute.

Once they're all poached, brush them with egg wash. Now's the time to add toppings like grated cheese, sunflower seeds, garlic, onion, etc.

Slip them in the oven and turn it down to 450. Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans and check the underside.

If they're getting too dark, slip another baking sheet under this one (that will insulate the pan and keep the bagels from burning). Bake for another 8-12 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

Seed GROW Project: Location, Location, Location

My Seed GROW Project nasturtiums are doing great. They're keeping company with some marigolds (on left) and bell peppers (lower right).

Now that they're taking off, it's time to decide where to plant them. Since they're a climbing plant, I wanted to give them something to climb on. The new front yard garden is the perfect place.

I had the wire mesh from last year's green beans, but nothing to stake it to. Taking a cue from Farmer Fred, I decided to use limbs from a recently-removed tree. Frugal or "too lazy to go to the garden center"? You make the call.  (Thumb-infused picture courtesy of Jackjack.)

After cutting off all the small branches, I hacked the ends into something resembling a point.

Then they were poked, prodded, and cajoled into the ground and the mesh attached with wire ties. Now it's all ready for nasturtiums and cucumbers!

Tune in every first Sunday for updates on my seeds and visit GROW to see reports from across the US and Canada.

I'm growing Nasturtium "Spitfire" for the GROW project. Thanks to Renee's Garden for the seeds.