Frugal Living is Fun!

Blackberry season is in full swing in the Northwest. Our property has blocks and blocks of thorny bushes. We have picked enough to last us well into the winter.

It took us a while to get used to eating food directly off a bush in nature after living in Chicago for so long. Now I scout out fruit trees at friend's houses and in the wild. I saw one man standing in bed of a truck stopped on the side of the road with gloves and pliers snagging the top branches of blackberry bushes...that's dedication.

My great aunt would always have homemade blackberry sauce with angel food cake and ice cream when I visited. To carry on this tradition for visitors to my home, I sauced up several batches of blackberries and stored them in the freezer using ice cube trays. Ice cube trays are one of the greatest tools in the kitchen. I have learned the value of freezing left over sauces and even herbs for later use.

My new monthly ritual is making chicken stock. Homemade stock is typically more flavorful, healthier, and cheaper than store bought stock or broth. I buy whole chickens when they are on sale for .69/lb and freeze them for later use. To make stock, I put the whole chicken in the stock pot with a few carrots, celery, onion, peppercorns covered with water. This should be brought to a boil and then simmer for 3-4 hours.

The top of the pot should be skimmed every so often to remove any impurities. Pour the stock through a sieve and refrigerate. The fat should be removed from the top after chilling. Freeze the stock in ice cube trays for use over the next month. The individual cubes are great for portioning for sauces, soups and really any dish to add extra flavor. The left over stewed chicken should be used for other dishes like curries or chicken salad.

The Frugal Living blog has many other tips on living on the cheap. I enjoy their top 10 ways to to start living frugal: 1. Befriend the Library 2. Clip Coupon 3.Eat out less often 4.Switch to online bill pay 5.Group errands 6.Make your own cleaners 7.Seek Freebies 8.Wash in Cold 9.Flip a switch 10.Change your own oil. Check the site out for many more advanced frugal living techniques.

Thought for the day: Washing and hanging the Ziploc bags on the clothesline to dry might be taking this frugality thing a bit too far. ~Me