new year's eve again....

My new years eve was very exciting, I spent 2 long hours at the movie theatre with 7 elderly couples, that appeared to have planned this event for the whole year, they sat chatting eagerly while waiting for the show to begin. If the lights were not so bright in the run down should have been condemned a decade ago Concord's own ghetto theater, I would have thought it was intermission on Broadway.
Well I was accompanied by My wonderful husband our last date of 2008 :) two miserable, stuck with their parents 15 year old males, fun right! a 12 year old mini man, and 2 adorable little imps Ellie 10 and Harry 7 to watch the tear jerker Marley and Me...jealous yet?
The movie left allot to be desired, Why is it in the movies you write a damn column and end up in Boca Raton with a pool or A beautiful million dollar home just outside Philly? I don't get it, That does not happen in real life come on.. we have to give up our darn drive through in 2009 and we have a column, What is up with that, however the tears did flow quite freely by all that attended, dead dogs always seem to do that and it gave me hope that I am not the evil dog hater I thought I was..

my dream new year's eve--in bed with tim

I'm spending New Year's Eve in bed with Tim Gunn -- we were supposed to go to a dinner party at the Callamahagans but I can't move my head, nor can I drink and the drugs have made me so spacey I'm only truly awake for about 15 minutes out of every hour. I'm really pretty pissed because Tenley was making her blue cheese popovers, simply the best appetizer ever invented and the perfect accompaniment to a glass of chardonnay or five.

Luckily there is a season 5 marathon on, and even though I watched every single second of the series when it was on, the aforementioned drugs have wiped my memory clean.

I sure hope that fricking Kenley gets auf'ed before Bryant Park....her clothes are cute but jeebus she is pure poison.

market basket gift card giveaway!

To celebrate the launching of this new site to hold all our recipes, we are offering a $20 gift card to our favorite grocery store, Market Basket. Or, as we fondly call it:Dirty DeMoulas. We joke because we care.

This photo, which came from a complaint site in Somerville, Massachusetts, slays me. The only thing missing are a couple of random geezers standing in the middle of the aisle contemplating the purchase of Lemon Junket while their long suffering wives do the actual shopping.

One winner will be chosen at random from all who comment on either this site or our regular blog, frugal feasts. The winner will be announced on January 20th, because I am hopeful that by that date Robin and I will have all the old recipes up and cataloged.

Good Luck!

does auld lang syne mean good bye and good riddance?

We were feeling like it's all good over here on School Street -- today's column looks great, the website finally launched last night, the muscle relaxers have totally smoothed out my last frazzled nerve and it is snowing, hard--what more could we ask for?

Just when I start to think that things are looking pretty rosy, along comes reality and it smacks right in the back of Peter's cute little GreenPoma mobile.....

Here's to a healthy, happy, and dare I say prosperous 2009 for me and for Robin and for our devoted readers (both of them!). Is it too early to crack open the champagne?

the recipes....it's a start anyway

Yesterday I finally went to the doctor to see about my broken neck, and my basic opinion that going to the doctor does more harm than good was confirmed.

Modified bed rest and brain clogging muscle relaxers have combined to make me loopy. OK, loopier.

So maybe when the fog clears I won't think this is such a genius idea, but for now it seems brilliant.

I have posted the recipes from today's column on a separate blog, and over the coming weeks Robin and I will load all the back recipes onto it-- OK Robin?

You can link to the recipes by clicking on frugal feasts -- all the recipes in our favorite links section down to the right. At least I hope you can. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer on my best days, and as I've said before, I am at least 10 years too old to really fully grasp this interweb thing.

And about the photo above -- a couple months back my mother sent along a box of recipes from my grandmother, Ruth Benas. Most were in her handwriting, and one of these days when I get a second to myself I will go through them and try a few out.

I am such a sucker for anything with a bit of family history clinging to it. I cherish the Christmas village with about 20 lead figurines that have been passed down from my mother's childhood. If I had a better camera I'd take a picture. Oh well, something for next year, God willing.

My grandmother and my mother both have beautiful, distinctive handwriting -- something that is lost and gone in this digital world. There is a great scene in the new Merryl Streep-Philip S. Hoffman film, Doubt, where the Mother Superior (played by Streep) laments the worldwide end of penmenship -- she says that ballpoint pens make the children press straight down like little monkeys. I think my kids would give Sister Aloyuis a stroke.

YouTube - The Mom Song

I just thought this says it all, over and over again!!!!!!!

december 30, 2008: frugal feasts the meatloaf recipes

photo by Ken Williams of the Concord Monitor

Suzanne's Meatloaf:

Beef! Bacon! Worcestershire! What's not to like?

2 pounds ground pork
2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
Fresh breadcrumbs from 4 slices bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup light cream or milk
4 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste -- approximately 8 grindings
2/3 cup ketchup
4-6 slices bacon

Put the ground meats into a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, milk, worcestershire sauce, onion, parsley, sat and pepper. Blend well and add to the meats. Using your bare hands, gently mix everything together making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Mixtures should be loose and lumpy.

Dump onto a foil lined cookie sheet and shape into a wide, low loaf shape. Frost with the ketchup and drape with the bacon. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8 with some leftovers for sandwiches.

Robin's Meatloaf:

A delicious concoction of onion soup, barbeque sauce and parmesan!

This serves 10 with no leftovers at $1.30 per serving
Preheat oven 375
1lb lean ground pork
1lb sweet Italian sausage
2.5 lbs 80% ground beef
1 8oz. container grated parmesan cheese
10 slices bread, torn into dime sized pieces
1.5 cups evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
4 cloves garlic crushed
1packge dried onion soup mix
¼-cup barbecue sauce
¼-cup Worcestershire sauce
2tbls parsley fresh 1tbls dry
Barbecue sauce for top

Place bread in large bowl and cover with the evaporated milk. Add parmesan cheese, garlic, Worcestershire, dried parsley, 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, onion soup mix and blend well. Add the meats and mix until combined. Drop into a 13x9 inch baking pan and mold into a loaf. Cover with additional barbeque sauce. Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees until cooked through. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

december 30: frugal feasts ultimate meatloaf sandwich

For each sandwich:

left over meat loaf
butter
mayonnaise
kosher salt
pepper
2 slices soft sandwich bread
ketchup


Slice the meatloaf as thinly as possible. Butter one side of each of two slices soft sandwich bread. Pepperidge Farm White is the best here, but whole wheat is delish too.

Layer the meatloaf onto one slice of bread and add some mayo, a pinch of kosher salt and a couple of grinds of fresh pepper. Close the sandwich and cut in half.

Squirt some ketchup onto the plate for dipping.

Please note that in order to have any meatloaf left to make this sandwich, I had to slap some hands on Monday night. I should have specified in the column that my meatloaf serves seven with some left over for sandwiches ONLY if you are ready to go to battle to keep the teenagers away from the platter. Good luck.

december 30, 2008: frugal feasts party potatoes

There is no way to overstate how delicious these are.

They are also nuclear and stay hot for a really long time--it must be the cream cheese, but whatever it is, with this recipe you never have to serve cold mashed pots again.

Don't believe how good they are? For Christmas I had each of my five darlings write a letter and draw a picture for my Mother in Law. Three of the five mentioned her potatoes in their love letters. Seriously.

This is her recipe and it would not be a holiday at the Ellinwoods without them.

Party Potatoes

To serve at least 10:

1 five pound bag of yukon gold potatoes (my favorite but really any potatoes will do)
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
fresh ground pepper
approximately 1/2 cup light cream or whole milk

Peel the potatoes and cut them into even sized pieces of about an inch. Cover with cold water, add a half teaspoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Boil in salted water until fork tender.

Drain well.

While the potatoes are cooking, nuke the butter and the cream cheese for about 90 seconds to heat and partially melt. Set aside.

Beat the drained potatoes using a stand or hand mixer until completely lump free and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to make sure everything is totally mixed.

Add the butter/cream cheese mixture and continue to beat. Add salt and pepper and mix again. Taste the potaotes. Add more salt if needed. (Doubtful). Add cream if needed to have the texture be smooth and light.

These potatoes can be served now, or stored in an oven safe cassarole dish and reheated for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cover with foil to reheat. I've made these as much as 5 days ahead and they reheat perfectly.

I am so in girlfriend !!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure what the exact amount is, and I will never know because I have hidden all scales until further notice, but I do know that I have enjoyed myself during the holidays and the three months leading up to them. Just a taste here and there, and then there is always I won't eat tomorrow strategy that got me through quite a few meals.. With that being said there will be no shopping for clothing or anything else except the essentials from now and for at least 90 days, The holidays are like a drug we just keep piling the crap on so it looks like the photo below so very very nice !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then come the dog days after the holiday, smiling Santa is toppled over, the lovely greens have blown over with twinkling lights strewn about and the trash is taking over

and no one seems to care, all the work putting the Norman Rockwell holiday together, credit limit increases, lists lists and more lists, for what !!!! well it is reality folks the desk is bulging with bills to pay and we hide in the house when the trash man comes because they know the truth......

So I am in , for how ever long it takes to be able to to fit back in the clothes I already own and retire once again the elastic waist of post holiday pants, 90 days 120 days or the entire year 365 days of not shopping for anything other than needed items (not the I need it, it was clearance 75% off items )

The new year is upon us, and we are given yet again new opportunity's to be better consumers, recyclers, parents, friends ,citizens, and spouses, (we are always great shoppers) and we should take the challenge to face the year with Hope and determination to face what lies ahead and keep the charge cards at home. At least for awhile :)

i (state your name) do solemly swear i will not shop for 90 days...

I was avoiding laundry and lego pickup today by "doing research" on Blogher and came across a challenge by Susan Wagner that is a nearly perfect resolution for the new year: Pledge to not buy a stitch of new clothing for 90 days. And to make it worse, uh I mean better, pledge to wear everything in the closet that is seasonally appropriate, and what you cannot bring yourself to wear, donate to charity.

I'm gonna do it. It will be slightly easier since I got an incredible Vince sweater at Marshall's last week that I will have no problem rotting in between now and spring. I'm wearing it in our new profile photo (with a pair of black leggings, which is borderline age inappropriate but cu-uh -uh uh-ummmmfy).

Also, since I've gained about 15 pounds since the summer, I think I'd rather try to squeeze my fat arse into the clothes I already have than to buy things in A Size Which Shall Not be Named.

Who's in?

seafood lasagna

If the two lasagna recipes we've already printed in Frugal Feasts left you craving more, here is the recipe for the seafood version I made for dinner yesterday. It was not exactly frugal but it was delicious. Filled with mussels and shrimp and scallops, and sauced with a tarragon cream sauce, it was a budget and diet busting splurge that I could totally justify on Christmas.

Besides, the check I kited to the grocery store won't bounce until at least Monday...

Here's how I make it:

Assemble the Ingredients:

For the seafood:

1 pound bag of mussels
1.5 pounds sea scallops, cut in half
2 pounds small shrimp, shelled
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 or 4 sprigs of parsley chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup minced onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms

for the cream sauce

1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups heavy cream, heated
2 cups milk, heated
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried tarragon,divided, or small bunch of fresh


to assemble:

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (I use Barilla)
3 cups shredded mozzarella

Start with the mussels:

Melt a half stick butter in a heavy pan.
Add the chopped garlic and minced onion and saute over medium heat until limp and fragrant but not brown.

Add the cup of wine and bring to a simmer.
Add the mussels and cover the pot.

I've been using this cast iron dutch oven since 1989.
The glass lid shattered in about 1990.

Hence the foil.
Simmer for 5 minutes and check for doneness.
The mussels should be open and opaque.
Give it a good stir and recover for another minute or two.
Turn off the heat and let them cool.
Pick out the mussels and put in a bowl.
Pour all of the mussel cooking liquid into a measuring cup and set aside.

Add another half stick of butter to a large heavy skillet and melt over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and saute until cooked and lightly browned.
Add to the mussels using a slotted spoon.
Add the scallops and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the shrimp and saute for no more than 1 minute.
Don't over cook the seafood.
You've spent way too much money to wind up with a rubbery mess.
And don't forget that you're going to put this in the oven for 40 minutes.

Add the scallops and shrimp to the bowl of seafood and mushrooms.
Add some chopped tarragon (about 2 teaspoons if fresh 1 teaspoon if dried)
Also add a handful of minced parsley, and a few grindings of fresh pepper.

Make a standard cream sauce.
Nuke the half and half for 4 minutes to warm.
Melt a stick of butter in a heavy skillet. Add 1/2 cup flour and whisk to combine.
Cook the butter/flour mixture for 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.

Add the warm half and half and the reserved mussel cooking liquid
all at once and whisk to combine.
Keep stirring and bring to a simmer.
Sauce should thicken right up.
Add some more tarragon to taste (2 teaspoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried)
And kosher salt (about a teaspoon or a little more).

Remove from the heat and get ready to assemble:

Smear a few tablespoons sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish.
Add a layer of the no-boil noodles, breaking to fit.

Top with half of the seafood, including some of the juices collected in the bottom of the bowl,
spreading out into an even layer.

Top with about a third of the white sauce and a cup of the mozzerella.

Repeat another round of:
No boil noodles
The rest of the seafood
Another third of the sauce
and
Another cup of the cheese.

Top with a third layer of noodles, the rest of the sauce and the rest of the cheese:

Cover with foil, sealing well.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove the foil and run under the broiler for two to three minutes to brown the top.

Let sit for 20 minutes to firm up.

This is very rich and a little bit goes a long way.

Cut into small squares and serve to 10 very lucky people.

Santa delivers the big one!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was not removing the albatross dishwasher from my kitchen, Yes it is true my dishwasher died a few days before the holiday....just as Suzanne's washing machine, and stove did just before the holiday party




It wasn't the beautiful new dishwasher, energy efficient (2 hours cycle, the old one took 20min.... go figure) stainless steel (fingerprint magnet).
We like Suzanne, used got no money, economy sucks, please god hope the future is brighter plan plan, Suzanne used on her new appliances,you know the one... no money down or payments for the 1st year, in hope's some one will need their entire house painted, or a large contractor would love to build a few houses in the area that need Broadbent Painting's expertise, maybe the national papers pick up the Frugal Feasts and run with it, Light bulbs will be the best selling item in 2009, Better yet TG Sacks will sell 1 million bags in January. Who knows but we have it and this state of the art dishwasher is installed in my 1970's kitchen. However it was not the Blessing Santa brought......
Yes, Ladies and gentle men!!!!!!!!! It was a stupid little dog that goes by the name of George Bailey ..........life is not hard enough.... dog poop, frozen or soft take your pick, more hair everywhere and another some one that needs something all the time,
A very happy little girl that promises to take care of it all.......
really, Mom I will walk George every day, feed him and clean up all the poop always I promise..........
Well we are on day 2 and guess what I picked up off the rug last night...........
Well at least one little girl knows there really is a Santa Claus, and dreams really do come true...Because she does know her mother would never ever have allowed this to happen ;) Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from all on the The B side, Thanks for reading ,eating and laughing with us, we do not know what the new year will bring, however we do know it will be shared with all of you in a much detail as you can stand. Suzanne and I are committed to you our faithful readers, The food will be good and cheap the stories will be true and nutty so stick with us and we promise to bear our souls and help make your life seem a little more sane.

Making a Difference :)

Suzanne and I have been well received in our community for offering the Frugal Feasts we have been blessed with an editor that took a chance on some dopey housewives,
The Concord Community is a great place to try something new, people are kind and generous and very positive and they have let us know over and over again how much they enjoy our column and we Thank you all.
We are having a great time, sharing our lives with so many people and helping to make the drudgery of meals a little less difficult, is a joy, Suzanne and I have both worked many years on these family friendly concoctions and we definitely know how to cut corners on time and money. Pleasing the masses in our homes and yours being our first priority. We are thrilled when you tell us stories of how you and yours enjoyed the meals, we also love it when our friends let us know how they are working on their own Frugal tricks.... Below is a frugal first, from a dear friend that said she new I would understand :) The card is Signed Your Frugal friend :)

for the long married...

I'm not sure why I found this so funny. God knows my marriage is perfect and every day is a honeymoon here at home. This came from Peg, who really does still like her husband.

mumbai fairy tale

Robin and I are constantly singing the praises of our adopted hometown. Concord is a special place and Ithank my lucky stars every day for a community where the kids can walk to school, the Salvation Army has half off dishes and tchotkes on Thursday and an independent movie theater with a liquor license is thriving on Main Street.

The crowd at Red River Theaters tends to be older and more sophisticated than the patrons at the two big theaters in town, and for that reason alone I was surprised when several people erupted into spontaneous applause last night at the end of Slumdog Millionaire.

I"m sure I'm not the only one to find Rupert Murdoch and Fox bamboozling. How can the same organization have a movie division (Fox Searchlight Pictures) that puts out unique little films like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine, and at the same time have a news division that is a mouthpiece for the most reprehensible aspects of the Republican party?

All I can say is they have another winner, and possible best picture nominee on their hands with this modern fairy tale.

Slumdog Millionaire has to be the most uplifting tragic story ever filmed. With a combination of gorgeous colors, startling images and a powerful soundtrack, the movie fluidly flips and twists between the present and the past to tell its story. I was on the edge of my seat as I watched how an orphan from the ghettos of Mumbai winds up one question away from winning 20,000,000 rupees (about $425,000) on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. I won't spoil the ending or the fresh beauty of the story. I'll just say that if you've got a couple loose hours this week, walk downtown, get a glass of the Rosemount cab and settle in.

The picture above of Jamil at about age 7, is from a scene early in the movie that is evocative of the whole -- unexpected, thought provoking, horrifying, and in the end, triumphant.

Nine is Fine :)

How long do you think it took to get this nutty photo, Go ahead use your imagination.......

Have your self a merry little Christmas..... A wonderful peaceful Holiday.......and know that mine will not be peaceful, With the possibility of 9 kids a yelling, 9 stocking's flying, 9 is this all I got ?,
9 time's the paper, 9 times the trash, 9 times the I'm going back to bed.... It will be a joyous day.
It always is...

Who would have thought!

I am so pleased with the photos of our nice cheap party I know it is the Frugal Fete, but really !!!! Ken Williams does a beautiful job he makes it all look so wonderful.
Again thanks to Kristin who made such a nice display of all our cast offs :) The food was great and oh so easy. I do think it would be fun to do it again and hope we could invite more of friends and neighbours to attend, we were little nervous about how it would all turn out, but once again the person driving my life car right now Suzanne !!!! you were right.

Really who would have thought that the nightmare's on School and Pine Street could actually
benefit others, we are really creative and frugal and it is our greatest pleasure to share all this with all of you... Keep reading.... the new year is sure to be full of great cheap, easy fare.....

frugal fete

Ken Williams really did a beautiful job with today's photos. For some reason (most likely my advanced age/technological ineptness) I cannot get a direct link to our actual article, but you can find it here at the Concord Monitor

The party was actually pretty fun, and would not have been a success if not for all the help we got at the last minute. Kristin got her shout-out in the paper today, but we need to also acknowledge Kellie Denoncourt and Tenley Callaghan, both of whom got there early, stayed late and were hugely helpful.

We will put up their recipes in a day or so when I can track them down, as well as a recipe for Megan DeVorsey's killer sausage balls -- much more delicious than the name suggests. It's one of those southern recipes that's all bisquik and cheese and sausage, and prolly about 1 billion calories each, but worth every new thigh jiggle.

december 17, 2008: the frugal fete

Photo by Ken Williams of The Concord Monitor

Curried Eggs:
These are so retro, so easy and so delicious, so make a bunch. A frugal classic, and the whole batch costs just $2.25.

1 dozen jumbo eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons hot madras curry powder or (other curry powder, to taste)
1 scallion trimmed and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Additional minced scallion or ground paprika, as garnish (optional)

Place the eggs in a single layer in a large stock pot. Cover by 2 inches with cool water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. When water starts to boil, set the timer for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 15 minutes. Drain the pan and cool the eggs. When the eggs are cool, peel them and slice in half lengthwise. Pop out the yolks into a small bowl and set the whites aside on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap if not using immediately. Mash the egg yolks with a fork until no large hunks remain. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to mash out the lumps until you have a fairly smooth paste the consistency of frosting. If the mixture is too thick, add additional mayo by the tablespoon until it reaches the desired consistency. Spoon the mixture into a zip lock bag. Seal the bag. When ready to serve, snip the corner of the bag and squeeze the filling into the egg whites. Garnish with the scallion and or paprika if using. If you don’t have a special plate for filled eggs, use a bed of parsley to keep the eggs from rolling around.

Spicy Sausage Bites
Our version of a Southern Living Magazine staple with a total cost of $10.84 for about 16 servings.
1 28 ounce jar barbeque sauce (we like the hot ones)
1 18 ounce jar cherry or other preserves (the chunky kind, store brand is fine)
3 canned chipotle peppers, minced fine
1 Tablespoon sauce from the same can, or more or less to taste
½ cup water stirred together with 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 pounds cocktail sized smoked sausages
2 scallions, sliced thinly as garnish (optional)

Whisk together the first five ingredients in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the sausages and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Put in a chafing dish over a small candle and serve with toothpicks.

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

A secret recipe that tastes like way more work than it is.
8 ½ cup servings @ $4.00 for the batch
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread available in all Concord grocery stores, usually next to the peanut butter)
Chocolate sprinkles or chocolate shavings or chopped hazelnuts as garnish (optional)

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add the Nutella with a spatula and slowly combine the two, stirring softly until completely combined. This will take several minutes but is well worth the effort. Spoon into decorative glasses or teacups, garnish if you like and chill until serving.

Sangria
Dry, delicious and refreshing. The fruit juice both extends and dilutes the wine, making it perfect for an afternoon event. We made three batches and there was not a drop left!
For one batch @ $5.00
1 bottle dry red wine (we like the Five Oaks brand Cabernet)
1 cup of orange juice (we like the extra pulpy kind)
Juice from one fresh lemon
2 limes thinly sliced
2 navel oranges thinly sliced
1 cup club soda
The night before the party, combine the first five ingredients in a large pitcher and stir to combine. Refrigerate until serving time. Pour into a pretty pitcher and add the club soda. Serve in wine glasses, making sure each portion gets some of the marinated fruit.

Slushy Punch
One batch makes about 20 servings, at about $5.00 (without alcohol)
From allrecipes.com. Quirky and delicious, with rum or without!

2 ½ cups sugar
6 cups water
2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry Jell-O
1 46 ounce can pineapple juice
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice from 3 lemons
1 quart orange juice
2 2-liter bottles lemon-lime soda
4 cups white rum (optional)
On the night before you plan to serve the punch, combine the sugar, water and Jell-O in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the next three ingredients and stir to combine. Pour into two lidded plastic containers and freeze for at least 12 hours. When ready to serve, put one container of frozen punch in a bowl. Pour one bottle of soda over and 2 cups rum if using. Stir together until punch is slushy. Serve in small glasses. When the bowl is empty, repeat.
If you forget ordon’t have time to freeze the punch, it is still delicious served over ice

i love seahorses too....

According to my totally demented teen-aged sons, the audio in this clip was recorded by two guys when their friend was on acid. Even as a mother of sons who could drop acid at any moment, I think this is is fricking hilarious....

if mark bittman can cook in a simple kitchen, who am I to complain?

I recently had a small dinner party. Three couples. Several bottles of wine. A giant cast iron pot full of beef burgundy, redolent of rosemary and good beef. As we sat at the table one of the guests said, "I don't know how you can possibly cook so well in that...uh....tenement kitchen.

It ain't the kitchen sister, it's the cook.

Mark Bittman wrote a terrific opinion piece today in the New York Times that says about the same thing. Neither Robin nor I have Wolf cook tops or Sub-zero fridges or granite counter tops, and yet we are still able to get dinner on the table with really very few poisonings....

here is a link to the piece:So Your Kitchen is Tiny, So What?

e.d. doesn't have to mean erectile dysfunction...

Don't tell him but we could read right through the envelope;

"Dear Gordon,
Congratulations on being accepted into one of the most accomplished classes in Clarkson University history..."

He wasn't even supposed to hear until January 1st, so the arrival of The Letter yesterday was a complete surprise. We knew we couldn't call him--he is a fragile mess on race days and whether it was good news or bad, knowing would wreck him for his second run.

Peter and I carried the damn thing around with us all day, and at one point it got lost in the piles of crap on the floor of the car. Peter was freaking that we couldn't find it and it was making me giggle to think that the Most Important Letter of Gordon's Life was lost by his idiot family in the Sears parking lot.

When he finally got home from Waterville Valley at 5 yesterday I danced out the door twirling the letter. In typical Gordon fashion (often wrong, never in doubt) he started yelling from the driveway,

"Mom, it's not The Letter". I won't hear for two more weeks. GO. AWAY".

Since he lives to torture us, he took forever to put his skis away and unpack his race equipment. Peter and I hopped around the mudroom, unable to contain ourselves. Do I even need to mention that this is a kid who puts nothing away, ever?

I think this picture says it all....

Four Trees Come On

We can not find a tree we are way to busy keeping the kids pants on. How about this one Mom and Dad

For God's Sake Suzanne.... this damn crew can not even find the trees.....we bring them to the tree farm and they spend there time staring at the ground.... Things seem to be going a whole lot better at your house..... Can I come over Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let's do it :)

Oh My God Suzanne. we would have the happiest boys in town, let's be honest it is all that life is about for them, the old ones the young ones alike this is great ..... I really do not think we would here oh no not chicken again. It would be more of Bring it on Mom :) I say we serve it tomorrow night !!!!!!!!!!

how to serve chicken wings to men...

thanks to Harlie, aka MY MOTHER for this little delight.

Robin, can you imagine the reaction at either of our houses if this is how we served tonight's dinner? It does look frugal, assuming of course that the boobs and head are made out of potato and not crab....

christmas is coming

Just wanted to post this picture of an antique feather tree that Judith couldn't use this year -- I think it is perfect in my living room, if I do say so myself. Between the pink and green ornaments and the black and white gingham bows, it kind of looks like Lilly Pulitzer got drunk with Victoria and Richard MacKenzie Childs and they went broke and had to decorate with some ornaments they got at Sears.

This makes tree number 4 in my house. I may need an intervention....

water water everywhere and it's too early to drink

Winter in New Hampshire is not for wimps.

Today the temperature hovered around 18 degrees and by noontime my kitchen sink pipes were frozen solid. Since I didn't feel like going upstairs and getting the hair dryer and then standing in the cobwebby silence of our Goonies basement defrosting the pipes for 20 minutes, I had to schlep water from the mudroom sink.

And about that sink? It is currently filled to the brim with sopping wet clothes that I had to remove from the BROKEN washing machine. Given the fact that I do about 3 loads of wash a day, and the machine was old when we moved in here three years ago, it was inevitable that the damn thing would shit the bed.

The only one happy about the situation was the guy at Sears who made the sale.

Nothing like buying major household appliances on credit because no one here has a paying job.....hopefully by the time our 12 months of free credit are up, GreenPoma.com will be generating a little income for the Ellinwoods.

december 3, 2008: frugal feasts tortellini soup and hot rolls

Tortellini Soup
Serves 6
1 26 ounce jar of tomato sauce with mushrooms or garden vegetables
1 48 ounce can low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried oregano
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into circles
½ pound fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small fennel bulb, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 16 ounce bag frozen tortellini,
1 tablespoon minced fennel fronds
Fresh grated parmesan, optional

In a large Crock-pot combine the tomato sauce, chicken broth, carrots and green beans. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. ½ hour before serving, add the tortellini and chickpeas. Stir well and re-cover the crock-pot. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, until tortellini are floating and cooked. Garnish with the fennel and the parmesan if using.

Hot Rolls
Serves 6-8
(2) 1 pound loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil mixed with 2 cloves minced garlic
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pinch each loaf into 10 pieces. Roll into balls and place in a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan. Brush tops with the oil and garlic mixture. Sprinkle with the parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

more soup ideas

Robin's post below sums it all up, and the truth is, it would be hard to screw up this recipe. Frankly, if there is hot soup and rolls for dinner, who is going to complain? (And given that there have been a few "make your own damn sandwich" nights at the Ellinwoods lately, they wouldn't dare).

Already this morning I've had two e-mails asking for clarification, so here are some tips:

1. Smaller Crock pot: add about 2/3rds of the chicken broth from the large 48 ounce can and then slowly add tomato sauce until the pot is about 3/4 full. Then add the veggies and seasonings. Hold onto the rest of the liquid--you will prolly need it later.

2. The incredible growing tortellini: The longer the soup sits the bigger the tortellini get, and the less juicy the soup. When reheating, I just add more chicken broth and some additional oregano and heat to boiling. I never have any tomato sauce left over but feel free to add this as well. I always make sure to reheat to boiling--we are not great at getting leftovers into the fridge in anything approaching a timely fashion, and the point of this whole thing is to feed people, not poison them.

3. Tortellini in general: I always buy the 14 ounce bag of Market Basket brand frozen cheese tortellini for this soup. I have also used the dried mushroom-filled ones made by Barilla and they are incredibly delicious but my horribly bland children hate them. They are also huge and really soak up the soup, so if using the dried ones, buy two large cans of chicken broth

4. Meat eaters? Substitute the meat tortellini and use beef broth instead of chicken, or a combination of beef broth and a cup or so of red wine. I would change the seasoning to rosemary with this, but whatever.

5. No crockpot? No worries! Combine the broth and sauce in a large stockpot. Add any fresh veggies and simmer for about a half hour before adding the tortellini, chickpeas and any frozen vegetables. Simmer another 15 minutes or so before serving.

I think it's time for a shout out to all of you, dear readers, for supporting the column and our blog. Collaborating with Robin is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and every day I am learning new things. Sadly, figuring out how not to be an idiot is not one of them.

OK, enough of this douchy stuff for today.......

Soups On !!!!!

This soup is wonderful and filling with fresh or frozen veggies, though the people may groan (they are convinced everyday should be steak day) !!!!.....if you serve enough carbs, all is well....
The rolls work well any time, with most meal's and the variations are endless.
The frozen dinner rolls are also easy and they look pretty for a more formal look.

Mine are always odd shaped.

Try the Pillsbury's crescent rolls with a small bit of shredded of Cheddar cheese inserted before the roll, or Try dipping in Cinnamon and sugar before you pop them in the oven for a sweet bread,
I have just recently started to use these premade bread products, with coupons a plenty that are always a good deal. There is nothing like the smell of warm bread to assure everyone you are a great old fashioned Mom. Right !!!!!!

Always Think Before you seat !!!!

You would think after hosting thanksgiving for over 20 years, we would have thought about how to seat 23 people for the meal....but we managed to all cram in elbow to elbow knee to knee. However I was not able to get out of seat once I was seated due to the close quarters so there is no meal picture... But I bet you can use your imagination :)

45 minute roast turkey?

Mark Bittman, who writes The Minimalist column for the NYT each week, has posted a recipe on his blog for a turkey that roasts in 45 minutes. You have to start with a small one, 8-12 pounds, and you need a sharp pair of kitchen shears (since you have to cut out the backbone) (shiver). He claims that the breast meat stays really juicy since the bird isn't in the oven for a day and a half.

Here is the link to the recipe...


http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/543/2002/11/20/45-Minute-Roast-Turkey/recipe.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink