Because we don’t have central air conditioning, we try to keep our house naturally cool during the summer. That means we cook indoors as little as possible. Through the years, we’ve used a modern grill on our deck and then we added a solar oven. Ultimately we built a cob oven. The main thing I love about having a cob oven is that it gets us one step closer to self-reliance. … [Read more...]
Make cream soup from scratch
Baby, it's cold outside, and one of the best things for warming up on a cold day is a bowl of hot soup. For many people this means grabbing a can from the pantry, but there are plenty of good reasons to make your own soup from scratch. I promise it's not hard! All of my children knew how to make cream soups from scratch by their early teens. And it's not time consuming. … [Read more...]
Olive oil fraud, adulteration, and deception
Every time I write a book, I have the excuse to dive deeply into researching topics that most of us never think about. For example, I never wondered what was in a bottle of olive oil. I assumed it was olive oil. Right? I mean, seriously, what else could be in there? Why would there be anything in there other than olive oil? Aren't there laws that protect us from fraudulent … [Read more...]
Secrets to cooking with cast iron
Everyone knows that cooking with "modern" non-stick cookware is a bad idea, right? In addition to the fact that the non-stick surface gradually flakes off and winds up in your food, it also emits toxic gases that can kill birds if it gets too hot. So, what do you do instead? Cook in cast iron, of course! Cast iron cookware has been around since the 1800s, and it's … [Read more...]
The five most interesting Christmas dinners around the world
We all have our traditional Christmas dinner – usually it involves turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, and lots of sweets. Even though the menu for Christmas is less set in stone than Thanksgiving, people have similar meals. However, that is not so across the world. There are some very interesting – and less than appetizing – Christmas meal traditions upheld in other countries. … [Read more...]
Antiquity Oaks hashbrown casserole
This casserole is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, and unlike so many recipes out there, this ecothrifty recipe is made without canned soup! 2 pounds of frozen hash browns or shredded potatoes 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup whole milk (goat or cow) 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon dried minced onion 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon garlic … [Read more...]
The scoop on flour
Whenever I teach a class and mention flour, a hand immediately goes up, and someone asks, "What kind of flour?" Good question! Sometimes it matters, but sometimes it doesn't. However, the reason the question is asked is because most people don't know what makes one flour different from another. Once you have the scoop on flour, you won't be tied to using what the recipe … [Read more...]
Secrets of cooking with beans
Beans are a misunderstood and maligned food. They are perfectly wonderful once you know how to cook with them. Although they take a long time to cook, they require very little attention, which means they actually take very little of your time. The variety of dried beans is astonishing with dozens from which to choose. Some are strongly associated with various ethnic cuisines, … [Read more...]
It’s NOT all or nothing
A couple of weeks ago I was being interviewed on a radio talk show, and after I said that people could save a lot of money by making their own coffee at home instead of buying it at a coffee shop, the interviewer seemed to suddenly panic and was quick to interrupt and say, "But we're not telling people to stop going to coffee shops! Sometimes you have to go out and have a cup … [Read more...]
The miracles of baking soda
In EcoThrifty, baking soda is mentioned in several chapters as an inexpensive substitute for many commercial products. Here is a sample -- Facial scrub -- Put a little baking soda in your wet hand, rub your palms together and then gently apply the baking soda paste to your face. Rinse off and pat skin dry. It's a great exfoliator, and your skin will feel so soft! Scouring … [Read more...]
