Homemade Glass Cleaner

What happens when you combine a 5-year-old with some toothpaste and a steamy bathroom mirror?

Around here, we call it an object lesson. See that squirt bottle? Mama is not going to be cleaning this mess.

It's easy and inexpensive to make your own window cleaner. I've tried a few different recipes and this one works the best. One batch costs less than 30 cents to make--that beats store brand Windex at $2.39!

Ingredients:

1 cup rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup ammonia
1/2 tsp castile soap or dish soap
Pour into a clean squirt bottle and fill with water.

Hand the bottle to your minion and send him to the nearest dirty mirror.

If you're lucky, he might get motivated enough to wash more stuff.

Watch as your bathroom becomes sparkly clean! Or less of a biohazard, at least.

Now if I could just get him to mop the kitchen, I'd be in business...

Why Didn't I Think of That? Wednesdsay

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

Usually when you're cooking veggies or meat with onions, you start by sauteeing the onions in a bit of oil to soften them and release their flavors. When you're frying potatoes though, wait and add the onions once the potatoes are more than half done. If you add the onions (or garlic) at the beginning, they'll brown and turn bitter long before your potatoes are crispy and browned.

Starting the Front Yard Garden

If you've been here for a while, you know I was working on a front yard garden last year. Then our remodel changed the landscape a bit, and between The Edible Front Yard and Edible Landscaping, I was inspired to go for the gusto and devote the front yard to veggies. It will be a long project, but we're well on our way.

See that little patch of grass over on the right? That's all the lawn there is. We only ended up with that much so we could have a picnic spot.

There are six artichokes in the main garden area, surrounded by rock to keep the kitties from playing in the dirt. Yes, there will be lots of weeding in my future.

This weekend, we got a yard of compost/soil mix to put in the space to the left of the walkway. It gets full sun all day and will be Jackjack's strawberry patch. (He only raked for about 30 seconds and then started jumping off the back of the truck into the dirt.)

There will be some poppies in the main area for year 'round greenery/color, and some rainbow chard once the seeds get going. Purple ruffled basil, sweet peppers, and a green bean tower are in the plans for later this spring. I might even be brave and try some potatoes...goodness knows there's enough room!

Are you growing anything in your front yard this year? Tell us about it in the comments!

Winner! The Edible Front Yard

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner!

The lucky recipient of The Edible Front Yard, selected by random.org, is...

jess s!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered. I wish I had a copy for each of you!

How to Combat Rising Food Prices

Last week, the USDA announced that food prices are expected to rise 4% in 2011.

Most of us will just shrug our shoulders and prepare to pay a little more at the grocery store each month. But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are lots of things you can do to keep your grocery budget under control.

Here are some ideas:

Plant something. You don’t need a yard to have a fabulous garden. Grow some herbs in your windowsill or a cherry tomato in a 5-gallon bucket. Learn how to garden in your apartment at Life on the Balcony.

If you have garden space, even better! Zucchini are easy to grow and one plant will feed your whole family (and most of the neighbors). Try a salsa garden, with tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro, or tuck some herbs around your flowers. All New Square Foot Gardening will help you get started.

If you’re ready to go all the way, rip out your front lawn! We did with our recent remodel and haven’t looked back. There are six artichoke plants out front, and I’m starting some rainbow chard under my homemade seed starting light.  Soon there will be strawberries, green beans, snow peas, and medicinal plants beautifying our neighborhood! Learn more with the new and fabulous book, The Edible Front Yard.


Make your own. There are tons of cookbooks that teach frugal cooking and how to stretch your food dollar. Here are some that I recommend:

• Family Feasts for $75 a Week
• The Everything Beans book (brand new and edited by yours truly!)
• More-With-Less Cookbook

Do it yourself. This might sound extreme, but it can be a real money-saver. At my grocery store this week, ground beef is $3.99 a pound--but boneless chuck roast is $1.72 per pound. If you have a stand mixer with the grinding attachment, grab some chuck roasts and grind your own hamburger. Or ask if the butcher will do it for you (mine does). If you’re eating lean, grind chicken or turkey breasts--these are great for tacos. I picked up this tip and many more from Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America's Cheapest Family.

Make your own granola bars, bagels, or strawberry jam. Voila! You’re ready for snack time.

Share the wealth. Once you’ve reduced your grocery bill with any (or all!) of these tips, donate a few dollars to your local food bank. Most of us can shrug off a 4% grocery increase, but many people are barely making it. My friends at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services distributed groceries to more than 18,000 people last month. Find your local food bank at http://feedingamerica.org.


How do you save on groceries? Share your tips with 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!" 

Spring cleaning is right around the corner! If you're like me, you'll clean the whole room and then look up in horror at your dusty ceiling fan. If you wipe the dust off, it'll land all over your clean bookshelves and floor--but you can't leave it dirty either. What to do?

Grab a pillowcase and slip it over the blade. Wipe gently and the dust will come off inside the pillowcase. You might have to "borrow" pillowcases from a few beds if you have a lot of ceiling fans!