Splurge or Save?

I'm calling all the "foodies" out there, when do you splurge and when do you save on ingredients? I'm always trying to save money, especially at the grocery store. I'm getting better at purchasing items when they are on sale AND using a coupon for them. (This could be another post all together)! However, I want to know, "What is a must splurge item for you?"

I have some food snob friends! They would be proud to admit it! Parmesan cheese in the container is a big "no no"! They've persuaded me to shred my own Parmesan. I have found it to be cheaper that way! Other friends use a vanilla bean instead of extract. I'm still using my big bottle from Costco.

What about chocolate or olive oil? What do you purchase that is generic or from a discount grocery store? Have you noticed a difference?

Recently, I purchase a "grown up" olive oil and balsamic vinegar! Our community has a new store called, Fustinis! One is able to sample all these wonderful oils and vinegars and create her own combination! This is the first time I've enjoyed my own dressing on a salad!

What have you found in the food world?

Blueberry Time

I love picking blueberries!! I was so excited when I heard our favorite blueberry picking location was open! As a family we typically pick between 20 and 25 pounds over the summer. Then, we freeze them and enjoy them all year long.

My girls have mixed feelings about picking, but they definitely enjoy the taste testing part! Olivia must have said at least ten times, "this is my last blueberry!" We are learning that if we have sand on our fingers, then all the blueberries will also have sand on them. This is a reminder for the first picking of the year. We've also learned to wear old clothes, especially shoes. Some have been permanently stained blue on the bottom. Which reminds me to mention, bring an old towel along to "clean up" before you get into your vehicle!



Two recent recipes have caught my eye include Edie's blueberry cake and Sour cream blueberry bread from Raising Homemakers! Of course, once I have zucchini growing in our garden I will make zucchini blueberry bread.

One recipe that I will share is for Blueberry Pie:
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons corn starch
1 Tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups blueberries

Dissolve corn starch in water, then add sugar and berries. Heat and boil until thick (for a few minutes), stirring constantly! Remove from heat, add 1 Tablespoon butter. Cool then add 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and 3 cups of blueberries. Place in pie crust. (Note I like to use a shortbread crust with this pie). Chill and enjoy!

Copy Cat

I'm not good at coming up with new ideas. However, I have learned to "copy" (and give credit), ideas that I can incorporate into my own home, and in this case my own kitchen!

Recently, I found Natalie's blog, The Busy Budgeting Mama. She had a post about individual apple pies in a jar, that she found here! Well, I had a number of small jelly jars from my canning, and I thought this would make a good use for them!



To make this tasty treat even easier, I used some of my canned apple filling from last fall! All I added was a simple crumb topping of brown sugar, oats, butter and cinnamon! My apple pie filling comes from Sandy at the Relutant Entertainer. By the way, Sandy has a new book, "The Reluctant Entertainer"! I'm loving it! It can be purchased at Amazon!

Repeat

My last post dealt with being back. I could repeat, and say the same thing about this one! We were gone for ten days the end of June and early July. My husband and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a trip to Mexico!! Our girls went to Pennsylvania to visit the grandparents.

Here we are snorkeling on our anniversary!



I have done a couple of home projects! This is our newly painted front door. After seven years of white I decided to add a splash of color.



Finally, planted some flowers in our window box. It is the small things that add beauty to our home. I am working on some new projects that I hope to be posting about real soon!!