FrugalLady's Blog

Do you wonder what to do with stale breads or the ends that my grandkids don't think that they are supposed to eat.

You can make some bread pudding or have you noticed the different flavored croutons for salads, well it's just as easy to make your own.

Homemade croutons are cheap, they're easy to make, and they add a great texture and flavor to a simple green salad. To make your own croutons, preheat the oven to 325F. Meanwhile, cut up your bread into ½" or so sized cubes. Drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil, and season with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss it all up until it's well combined, then spread out the bread cubes in a big baking pan. Slide the pan into the oven, and bake until the bread is crisp and golden. This will take anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending upon the kind of bread, how much you have crammed onto the sheet, and a whole slew of other factors; keep an eye on the croutons to make sure they don't burn, and give the pan a shake a couple of times during the baking process. If you don't feel like turning on your oven and are working with a small batch, you can also "toast" your bread cubes in a big skillet over medium heat on the stove. Basically, all you're trying to do is drive out the moisture from the bread so it gets good and crisp.

You can fancy up your croutons if you like too. Make garlic-flavored croutons by sautéing a couple fat cloves of garlic in ¼ cup of olive oil, and using some of that oil to drizzle over the bread cubes before baking (the ¼ cup will be enough for about 4 cups of bread). You can also add a sprinkling of herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano are all good), or substitute butter for the olive oil. Or go Italian with your croutons and make crostini. Leave the bread in slices rather than cubed up, and for each side, brush with olive oil, and rub a cut clove of garlic over the surface. Bake at 325F as for the croutons, turning the slices about 8 minutes through the cooking time, and bake until they're beginning to brown.

Whatever method or flavorings you've chosen, let the croutons cool once they're oven time is up, and add them to your salad. Toss croutons along with your mixed greens. You can also freeze extra croutons in a plastic bag; whenever you need them, just pour the croutons onto a baking sheet, and heat in a 325F oven until they're re-crisped.

With the cost of food rising so fast, its best to buy in bulk if you can afford it

This list will give you an idea of how long food will last without spoiling:

• Chicken and turkey - Nine months
• Steaks, beef - Six to 12 months
• Chops, pork - Four to six months
• Chops, lamb - Six to nine months
• Roasts, beef - Six to 12 months
• Roasts, lamb - Six to nine months
• Roasts, pork and veal - Four to six months
• Stew Meats - Three to four months
• Ground meats - Three to four months
• Organ meats - Three to four months

Dairy Products

• Butter/margarine - Six to nine months
• Cheese, soft and spreads, dips - One month
• Cheese, hard or semi-hard - Six months
• Eggs in shell- Do not freeze
• Ice cream - One month
• Milk / Cream - Three weeks

Dried Food Items - Shelf Life

• Baking powder/soda - 18 months
• Bread Crumbs - Six months
• Cereals - Six months
• Coffee creamer, dry - Six months
• Flour/cake mixes - One year
• Gelatin/pudding mixes - One year
• Herbs/spices - Six to 12 months
• Milk, nonfat dry - Six months
• Pancake/pie crust mixes - Six months
• Pasta/noodles - Two years
• Potatoes, instant - 18 months
• Rice, white - Two years
• Sugar, granulated - Two years
• Sugar, brown, confectioners'- Four months

Fruits & Vegetables

Commercially frozen fruits will last up to a year in your freezer.

Dried beans kept free from moisture can last for several years. This is an excellent way to stretch your money, plus beans are full of protein for healthy eating.

Most juices that you buy, such as apple juice, can last 3-5 years un-opened. If you are unsure of how long your juice will last, contact the manufacturer consumer phone number.

Optional Items

• Chocolate - unsweetened 18 months
• Coffee, vacuum pack - One year
• Milk, canned - One year
• Molasses - Two years
• Nuts - Eight months
• Oils/salad dressings - Three months
• Peanut butter (unopened) - Six months
• Sauces, condiments, relishes (unopened) - One year
• Shortening - Eight months
• Syrups - One year
• Tea - 18 months

1. When eating out, take leftovers home.
2. Use coupons for groceries and drugstore items
3. Shop at thrift shops and garage sales.
4. Pay only for the cable TV you really watch.
5. Walk or bike instead of driving.
6. Bring your lunch to work or eat at home instead of eating out.
7. Make a list for grocery shopping and stick to it.
8. Don’t buy extended warranties.
9. Use calling cards instead of long distance on your home phone.
10. Paint your own fingernails rather than paying for a manicure.
11. Use credit cards that have a cashback bonus. Take advantage of the cashback bonus,
but be sure to pay the card off at the end of each month to avoid interest charges.
12. Have family nights at home (games, videos, etc.)
13. Eat dinner at home. Make meals ahead of time or use your slow cooker so dinner is
ready when you get home. You won’t be tempted to eat out, which costs you more and is
less nutritious.
14. Check out books, videos, and audio tapes at your local library.
15. Check prices and then buy on-line when savings are greater on-line than in the stores.

The price of milk is soaring through the roof lots of folks are reconsidering powdered milk for it's economy. Dry milk is the best dairy bargain available.

  Powdered milk doesn't taste as good as fresh milk but it is more convenient  and easier to store.  Additionally, it is a readily available source of protein and vitamin D.  It's also high in calcium which is good to know if you are pregnant, nursing or have osteoporosis in your family history.  Since powdered milk has no fat, it's low in calories (about 80 per cup of liquid milk) and completely cholesterol free.  

Powdered Milk is available in two common forms:  Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder and  Regular Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder.  Regular dry milk is sometimes referred to as "Non-Instant".  It doesn't dissolve as readily as instant milk powder and is a bit more troublesome to locate.  Dry whole milk powder is available too.  It doesn't last as long as non-fat dry milk because the fat in it can go rancid over time.  When it is fresh however, it has a very pleasing flavor.  Dry whole milk can be difficult to find.  I buy it in small tins in the ethnic section of a large grocery store.  It costs a little more than instant non-fat dry milk, but it's good to have on hand, for young children especially.  All of the recipes and ideas that follow are made using Instant Nonfat Dry Milk.  It is the cheapest and generally the easiest to find.   Read the box label to be sure this is the kind you are buying.

Once reconstituted, powdered milk tastes a lot better than it used to.  If you haven't tried it in the past few years, it's worth another taste.  When mixed correctly and chilled overnight, it has a pleasant, sweet flavor that tastes especially good with homemade cookies.  Reconstituted milk doesn't taste the same as fresh whole milk.  If you are already used to skim milk though, you won't notice much difference in the flavor of reconstituted milk.  In cooking, powdered milk performs flawlessly.  It can be substituted for fresh milk in almost any recipe with excellent results.  Many budget conscious women cook with powdered milk exclusively.  This is smart use of resources because the results are so good.

Drinking powdered milk is another kettle of fish.  Some folks find the flavor objectionable even after chilling it because they are accustomed to fresh whole milk.  You cannot fool anyone into thinking that reconstituted dry milk is the same as fresh milk when used as a beverage.  There are things you can do to make powdered milk taste better.  Mixing it with fresh whole milk for body and flavor is a good alternative. 

Fresh milk is good but if you need to cut corners keep some powdered milk on hand.

Go to the hillbilly housewife site for tips on how to prepare it and great recipes.

The don't ask don't tell policy

Many people associate powdered milk with being poor or being deprived. No one wants to feel as though they can't afford a basic staple such as milk. One way to get around this is to sneak powdered milk in with the regular milk. Split a gallon of milk in two and fill in those two gallons with the reconstituted powdered milk. Or try replacing only a third of the fresh milk. Don't announce what you have done and hide the evidence. Then see if anyone notices.