Refrigerator Pickles

 We have cucumbers out the ears.  I don't know why I continue to plant too many cucumbers but it happened once again.  I thought I planted half what I did last year, but my crop must have doubled itself.  Last year we tried selling them in front of our house.  After they didn't go fast enough, we tried giving them away.  Still not enough takers.

Grandma gave me a great recipe for pickles and I don't have to can them.  I still have lots of jars from last  year so this was the perfect recipe for us.  A little bit sour.  A little bit sweet.  And very simple to make.

Refrigerator Pickles

Slice 8 qts. of cucumbers thinly (8 cups).  Thinly slice 1 onion.  Sprinkle with 4 Tb. canning salt and stir well.  (I didn't have canning salt and used sea salt instead).  Let sit 2 hours.  Boil 2 cups vinegar and dissolve 2 cups sugar in vinegar.  Let cool.  Pour over cucumbers and store in refrigerator.

 These keep in the fridge for a few months and are so good, refreshing and crispy.

July Menu Plan

Happy Independence Day to all of you.  I didn't coupon last week.  We had company in town.  I doubt I will be able to this week either since we are out of town.  Hope I'm not missing too many great deals.  They will have to wait.

I didn't post a menu plan for the month either.  The reason for that is because I don't really have one for this month.  Our garden is pouring in vegetables and my freezer has a few cuts of meat so we plan on living off the land for the most part.  We will probably have a few breakfast meals with our eggs.  Most meals will be a combination of green beans, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, melons, blackberries, peaches, squash and zucchini.  Have I made any of you hungry?  It's what summers look like for us.  Lots of work.  Lots of yummy, delicious, home-grown foods.  So far it's been a good year for us if the heat can lay off a bit and the rain can come more frequently.

If you have never gardened, I just want to encourage you to give it a try.  Tomatoes just taste better when you got to see them turn red yourself on the plant!  How's your garden growing this summer?

Wisdom from My Kitchen Window

Shopping

 Just got back from my drug store run.  And just when I posted about homemade laundry detergent....

CVS had Xtra detergent on sale this week for $1.49 and I had a 75 cent off 2 coupon.  I bought 12 and when I did the math, it came to 4 cents a load.  Not sure how that compares to the homemade detergent, but it sounded pretty good to me.  I've used Xtra before and are pleased with it.  It will bring me 360 loads which should last us a while!  It came to $1.12 each for a total of $13.38.

Mitchum was $1.99 and I had a $1 off coupon making them $1 each.

Good 'n Natural Bars were 99 cents and I had a BOGO coupon, making them 50 cents each.

Bayer Advanced was $3 this week and Sunday's paper had a $3 off coupon, making it FREE !

Colgate Sensitive was $4.99 with a $4 ECB and I had a 50 cent off coupon so it was 49 cents.

They had some really nice picture frames for 75% off and I bought several of them (not in the picture) to put in our lake house.  I bought 5 frames of various sizes for $1.99-$3.49.  The total WOULD HAVE BEEN $45.96 but I only paid $9.96.

Walgreens had Pro Clearz for $4.99 with a $4.99 MIR so it was FREE!

Bayer was $4.00 with $1 RR and I used another $3 off coupon from Sunday's paper so it was FREE!

Coppertone ws $9.97 each with $10 RR when you buy 2.  I used a $5 off 2 coupon from the paper and 2 $1 off coupons from the Walgreens cosmetics counter.  They came to $1.47 each!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

 I've never made my own laundry detergent but have read several blog posts about it and written down several recipes.  I have vowed to tried the Duggar's famous recipe one day but it seems too involved for me to tackle right now. 

Just recently I ran across a simple recipe that sounded do-able and so I tried it.  I can't remember whose blog I read it on or I would give them credit, but my disclaimer is I am only a copier of good ideas and this is one of them.  Sorry for not giving credit due.

BEWARE:  The grated Ivory soap in the food processor looks very similar to shredded mozzarella cheese, but doesn't taste near as good.  Just ask my oldest Fish Stick.  Poor guy.  I guess that's what you get for snitchin'. 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

4 bars Ivory soap, grated

1 Box Borax

1 Box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

a few drops of essential oils (optional)

Mix together and store in airtight container.  

Use 3 Tb. per load (I use 1/4 c.)

So far I've been pleased with the cleanliness of the laundry and haven't found anything undesirable about the detergent.  The blog also mentioned putting 1/4 c. vinegar in a Downy fabric softener ball to use as a fabric softener but I haven't tried that yet.  Anyone else ever tried homemade detergent?

Deals This Week

 Went to Kroger and got 6 packs of Angel Soft toilet paper.  They were $1 each and I had 3 coupons for 25 cents off (doubled to 50 cents) and 3 coupons for 45 cents off (doubled to 90 cents off).  My total for 6 packs was $3.90 (about 65 cents each).  Dial soap was $1 and I had 2 coupons for 35 cents off which brought my total to 30 cents each.  I also had 4 coupons for $1 off Brutt deodorant, making them free, but they were out of them.  Guess everyone else had that coupon too.  :)

 Walgreens had Colgate Total for $3 each with $2.50 back in RR.  I used a 75 cent coupon and made 25 cents on the purchase.  Reach Total Care floss was $2.99 with $2 back in RR.  There was a $1 off coupon at the shelf but my Walgreens didn't have the Total Care.  They told me they would adjust the price of the floss to be 99 cents using another kind of Reach floss.  I tried to use my coupon but it wouldn't work so it should have been free but I spent 99 cents.  Oh well.  The Mentholatum Rub was $5.99 with a $5.99 RR so it was free.  Suave was 99 cents a bottle and $2 RR when you buy 2 Suave products, making them both free.

CVS had Coglate for $2.49 with $1.50 ECB (limit 2).  I used my coupon for 75 cents off and got them each for 25 cents.  The Schick Hydro was $8.99 with $3 ECB and I used a coupon for $4 off.  This made the razor $1.99.  At the coupon scanner I got a Lady's Schick Hydro coupon for $5 off.  I bought one for $8.99, got $3 ECB and used my $5 off coupon, making it 99 cents. (not in photo)

Easy & Delicious Refried Beans

 A few years ago I found a recipe that I have tweaked several times to make it what I consider the best refried beans ever.  They are cheap.  They are easy.  They are delicious!!  Not to mention healthy!

 Crock Pot Refried Beans

Rinse and soak 2 lbs. (large bag) of dried pinto beans overnight.  In a.m. rinse again, drain and put in crock pot with 1 onion quartered, 1/2 jalapeno (fresh or jarred), 3-5 cloves garlic, 4 tsp. salt, 1 3/4 tsp. pepper, 1-2 tsp. cumin and enough water to cover beans.  Cook on low all day.

Around supper, spoon into food processor keeping a little liquid in the beans.  I usually split the beans 2 or 3 times to not overload the food processor.  Process until you get the consistency you like.  If too thick, add some liquid from the crock pot.  If too thin, add some more beans. 

Serve.  They freeze great and it makes a large amount so it's perfect for Mexican buffet when hosting a large group of company for supper or for taking a meal to friends.