Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And muffins are amongst the most popular items. But have you seen the cost of buying a muffin these days? $2+ at a Starbucks or Panera. $1+ at the market. Save your money and make your own fresh baked muffins using the recipe listed below. Cost per muffin: $.35.
Ingredients:
6 cups of your favorite cereal
3 cups sugar
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup olive oil
4 eggs lightly beaten
Prep Steps
Combine dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients
Mix well
Store refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 6 weeks
Cooking Instructions:
Bake muffins at will
Add 1/2 cup of batter in greased muffin tin
Bake at 425 for 15 - 18 minutes.
Ordinary Girl's Observations:
- Divide batter into 3 equal portions. Add 2 cups of your favorite cereal. Makes 3 varieties to enjoy.
- Favorite combos include: Raisin Bran & Granola; dried blueberries (1 cup) & banana crunch; dried cranberries (1 cup) and honey bunches of oats.
- Makes a nice take along gift. Just wrap in a ribbon!
Try this recipe. Send me your feedback and let me know what your favorite combination is.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Getting Serious with Baking Substitutes
Ordinary Girl's Top 10 list of ingredient substitutions that are handy in a pinch. Simple, practical, and economical substitutions when you're short on time and can't dash out to the supermarket.
Baking Powder: Sift together 1/4 cup cream of tartar & 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Sift three times. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 wks.
Buttermilk: For 1 cup, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon.
Brown Sugar: For 1 cup packed, mix 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses.
Chocolate (semi-sweet): For 1 oz, 1 (1 oz) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Corn Syrup (light): For 1 cup, 1 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of honey
Corn Syrup (dark): For 1 cup, 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses
Bread crumbs: For 1 cup, 1 cup of crushed cracker crumbs OR 1 cup of ground oats.
Marscapone Cheese: For 1 cup, 3/4 cup cream cheese beaten with 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
Tapioca (instant): For 1 teaspoon needed, 1 1/2 teaspoon of flour.
Vanilla Bean: For 1 bean, use 3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
Note: Ingredient substitutions can cause a slight change in taste or texture. The degree of change depends on whether the substitution is a major or minor ingredient in the recipe.
Baking Powder: Sift together 1/4 cup cream of tartar & 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Sift three times. Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 wks.
Buttermilk: For 1 cup, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon.
Brown Sugar: For 1 cup packed, mix 1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses.
Chocolate (semi-sweet): For 1 oz, 1 (1 oz) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Corn Syrup (light): For 1 cup, 1 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of honey
Corn Syrup (dark): For 1 cup, 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses
Bread crumbs: For 1 cup, 1 cup of crushed cracker crumbs OR 1 cup of ground oats.
Marscapone Cheese: For 1 cup, 3/4 cup cream cheese beaten with 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.
Tapioca (instant): For 1 teaspoon needed, 1 1/2 teaspoon of flour.
Vanilla Bean: For 1 bean, use 3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
Note: Ingredient substitutions can cause a slight change in taste or texture. The degree of change depends on whether the substitution is a major or minor ingredient in the recipe.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
4 Good Sales Hard to Beat
TJ Maxx is offering 15% off all purchases (excluding gift cards and layaways) today. This storewide promotion is being offered at all TJ Maxx related stores (i.e., Marshalls, HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and A.J. Wright). Its part of the settlement agreement for the credit card fraud. God bless these consumer lawsuits - they're saving me a bundle of cash!
Barnes & Noble is currently running a 75% of selected items sale. Items are Christmas related item, overstocks, and remnants, but its a rich and deep selection to pick from. If you're anything like me, you're hitting the bargains for next Christmas. Great Christmas stocking offerings as items like crossword puzzle books, movi-doku (letter based sudoku with a movie theme twist), and speciality craft books never get outdated. The sales clerk even marvelled at my selections and net savings (spent $44; saved $123!)
Zimmerman's Home Decor/Fabric superstore is offering 20% off all in stock merchandise this Sunday only from 12 - 5pm. Fab deals. Treat your home to a new look or its own fashion boost! 978-567-9797.
Millstores is running a 20%off one time promotion through Feb 1st. Great deals on good quality unfinished furniture. Check the website for a printable coupon or clip one out of your local paper. All you need is a little elbow grease to do a light sanding and some painting. And if you're painting, take a look at the Benjamin Moore's Aura paint line. The primer is included in the paint, saving you time to complete painting. Really, its worth the effort. A decent night stand runs $250-$300 at Pottery Barn, but you can DIY it for about $80.
See you in the stores. Happy Shopping!
Barnes & Noble is currently running a 75% of selected items sale. Items are Christmas related item, overstocks, and remnants, but its a rich and deep selection to pick from. If you're anything like me, you're hitting the bargains for next Christmas. Great Christmas stocking offerings as items like crossword puzzle books, movi-doku (letter based sudoku with a movie theme twist), and speciality craft books never get outdated. The sales clerk even marvelled at my selections and net savings (spent $44; saved $123!)
Zimmerman's Home Decor/Fabric superstore is offering 20% off all in stock merchandise this Sunday only from 12 - 5pm. Fab deals. Treat your home to a new look or its own fashion boost! 978-567-9797.
Millstores is running a 20%off one time promotion through Feb 1st. Great deals on good quality unfinished furniture. Check the website for a printable coupon or clip one out of your local paper. All you need is a little elbow grease to do a light sanding and some painting. And if you're painting, take a look at the Benjamin Moore's Aura paint line. The primer is included in the paint, saving you time to complete painting. Really, its worth the effort. A decent night stand runs $250-$300 at Pottery Barn, but you can DIY it for about $80.
See you in the stores. Happy Shopping!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Free Make Up
Listening to the evening news and learning about a major Cosmetics settlement involving several big retailers. Several big retailers are giving free makeup away, starting Tuesday, as long as supplies last or until Jan. 26 to settle claims that the stores violated antitrust laws (price fixing). Shoppers who bought the cosmetics between May 29, 1994 - July 16,2003, will each be eligible for one free product.
A Few notes about the settlement...
Local stores involved include: (Check out Cosmetic Settlement for the complete list of stores)
Product List: Products that will be distributed as part of the settlement include:
A Few notes about the settlement...
- It's a $175 million dollar giveaway - that's alot of makeup! Supplies available on a first come; first serve basis. Don't wait too long to claim your free product.
- Some stores may request the receipt (who has receipts from 1994?), but its more likely that they'll just give you free product upon request or have you sign a form stating that you made the purchase.
- While shoppers are only entitled to one free product, I doubt there are operational controls in place to prevent you from going to more than one store counter trying to collect.
- Not all products are available in all stores. Stores will be distributing products from the participating brands that the particular store ordinarily sells
Local stores involved include: (Check out Cosmetic Settlement for the complete list of stores)
- Macy's
- Neiman Marcus
- Nordstrom
- and Saks Fifth Avenue
Product List: Products that will be distributed as part of the settlement include:
- Femme Eau de Toilette (1 ounce/30 ml) (Boucheron)
- Coco Mademoiselle body lotion (3.4 fluid oz) (Chanel)
- J’Adore Eau de Parfum (15 ml) (Christian Dior)
- Clarins Energizing Morning Cream (30 ml)
- Clarins Beauty Flash Bomb (30 ml)
- Calvin Klein Euphoria Bath and Shower Crème (6.7 oz)
- Vera Wang Princess Body Polish (5 oz)
- Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker Shower Gel (6.7 oz)
- Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (15 ml/0.5 oz)
- Clinique Moisture Surge (30 ml/1 oz)
- My Insolence Eau de Toilette (15 ml) (Guerlain)
- Lancôme UV Expert 20
- Lancôme Cils Design Pro Mascara
- Lancôme Fatale Mascara
- Lancôme Courbe Virtuose Mascara
- Lancôme Primordial Skin Defense
- Ralph Lauren Romance Shower Gel (6.7 oz.)
- Giorgio Armani ACM Shower Gel (6.7 oz)
- Lancôme Hypnôse Shower Gel,
- Very Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Toilette (15 ml)
Happy Shopping!
Why the library is good for you
Just before Christmas, Parade magazine ran an article that caught my eye that highlighted the cost savings of using the library. The article also detailed that how budget shortfalls are resulting in library closures at a time when library usage is on the upswing. Sad. Think of the value your library provides you; then think of a way to provide value back to the library (e.g., donate to the Friends of the Library; host/sponsor an event; donate passes and coupons).
Here's a few reasons why the library is good for you:
- Saves you money. According to a recent Parade magazine article, a family of 4, borrowing 10 items a month rather than buying them, saves $2500. From my own 2008 usage, I saved an estimated $1700. Books, DVDs, CDs, & museum passes.
- Open Source. Think of it this way - a subsidized institution (the library) buys the books and DVDs, magazine subscriptions and proprietary databases, pays the librarians to help you find stuff, and shares it with you, at essentially no cost to you. A win-win no matter how you look at it.
- Free wi-fi. You can camp out for hours, and no one will bump you off the server. (Starbucks makes you pay for access; Panera restricts your time).
- 24 x 7 access. Online cataloguing systems make it easy to reserve/order materials online and swing by the library for a quick pick in the days that follow. Why scour the shelves for a specific read, when you can have it waiting for you at the front desk?
- De-clutters your home. I typically read 75+ books a year. Books crowd every shelf and floor corner. Checking books in/out of the library has considerably reduced the clutter around my house. (Free floor space - what a concept.)
- It's organized. Locating what you want on the Web can be a trial-and-error process, while a well-organized library can make it easy to find information quickly. Nice.
- Gives you a social life. Local libraries play host to book clubs, foreign language conversation circles, seminars, and movie nights. If you're on a budget, join a community at your local library for free. Or if you've got some time and knowledge, create a community and share it with others at the library.
Here's a few reasons why the library is good for you:
- Saves you money. According to a recent Parade magazine article, a family of 4, borrowing 10 items a month rather than buying them, saves $2500. From my own 2008 usage, I saved an estimated $1700. Books, DVDs, CDs, & museum passes.
- Open Source. Think of it this way - a subsidized institution (the library) buys the books and DVDs, magazine subscriptions and proprietary databases, pays the librarians to help you find stuff, and shares it with you, at essentially no cost to you. A win-win no matter how you look at it.
- Free wi-fi. You can camp out for hours, and no one will bump you off the server. (Starbucks makes you pay for access; Panera restricts your time).
- 24 x 7 access. Online cataloguing systems make it easy to reserve/order materials online and swing by the library for a quick pick in the days that follow. Why scour the shelves for a specific read, when you can have it waiting for you at the front desk?
- De-clutters your home. I typically read 75+ books a year. Books crowd every shelf and floor corner. Checking books in/out of the library has considerably reduced the clutter around my house. (Free floor space - what a concept.)
- It's organized. Locating what you want on the Web can be a trial-and-error process, while a well-organized library can make it easy to find information quickly. Nice.
- Gives you a social life. Local libraries play host to book clubs, foreign language conversation circles, seminars, and movie nights. If you're on a budget, join a community at your local library for free. Or if you've got some time and knowledge, create a community and share it with others at the library.
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