Now that January is almost here I will be counting down the days until Spring and will soon begin prepartions for our upcoming  garden. My husband and I will most likely start the seeds ourselves come Feb. There is just something about doing it all from scratch that really gives the feeling of accomplishment. This year we hope to expand our garden and enjoy it not just for the food we grow but the beauty of it. One way to add both beauty and functionality to our garden is with a garden weathervane. Read more »

Except for exchanging gifts with my parents who are coming in a few days, Christmas is now over and while part of me is depressed another part is a bit relieved. It is nice to take a breather from the shopping, gift wrapping, baking and cleaning. And since we had Christmas Eve dinner with my sister and her family and Christmas day dinner with my in laws I hadn’t planned on preparing a big meal. However, since I didn’t have my traditional Christmas ham dinner I decided to make my own holiday menu at the last minute the day after Christmas which turned into dinner for 12. Read more »

This month I have definately been following a theme as far as gifts ideas are concerned, with the theme being “gifts for the hard to buy for”. Here is another idea that you might not have considered that would be a perfect gift for just about anyone  including the hard to buy for people on your list:  A nice picnic basket. Read more »

I like to feature recipes on Eating on a Budget that include ingredients that most people have on hand. However, this recipe for sticky chicken is worth mentioning because it really is delicious. Balsamic vinegar shows up in a lot of delicious recipes and is worth keeping in your kitchen pantry. Ginger root is also good to keep on hand even if you don’t think you will use it much. You can easily grate off the amount needed and store the rest in the freezer. Read more »

This year for Christmas we have let everyone we know that we are downsizing and don’t need anything. In fact, having a fairly small house with very little closet space means constantly trying to get  rid of excess clutter only to find more making it’s way in. I never thought it would happen to us but I think we now qualify to be on the “hard to buy for” list. Read more »

Here is a nice change to a traditional tomato based vegetable soup. This winter vegetable soup is delicious and creamy. And because the vegetables are pureed you might even have luck getting your pickiest eaters to try it.  This winter vegetable soup does take a little more work that traditional vegetable soup because of the added step of pureeing but the final results are well worth it. To complete the meal, serve with hot rolls or a nice crusty bread. Read more »

While it is still technically fall until Dec 21, these frigid temperatures have me thinking that winter has come early this year.  Still, it wont stop me from cooking on my barbecue grill.  In fact, around here we usually grill year round.  Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking my favorite comfort foods in the oven and use my crock pot a lot during the fall and winter season but nothing beats barbecue chicken or the occasional steak cooked outside on the grill. Read more »

Oatmeal is a cheap breakfast staple that is perfect to eat on a cold morning. Oatmeal is high in healthy soluble fiber which helps fill you up until your next snack or meal. Soluble fiber can also help lower cholesterol.  Oven baked oatmeal is a nice treat to eat in the morning before venturing out on a cold day.  With maple syrup and almonds, it’s easy enough to make anytime but also great for those mornings that you would like to serve something special, like a nice breakfast on Christmas morning. Read more »

Around here pork chops tend to be a little pricey so I always buy in bulk when on sale. One local grocery store has a meat sale every month so I make sure that I buy enough big packs of pork chops for at least 4 meals. After I purchase them I simply bring them home, separate into family size portions, double wrap and freeze. This easy baked pork chops and veggies recipe is delicious and surprisingly frugal if you can get your pork chops on sale.
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During the winter it is often a challenge to find activities that don’t involve being cooped up indoors.  If you live in a cold climate there is ice skating and sled riding, which wont cost a lot of money providing you already have a supply of skates, sleds and warm clothing.. Then you can end the day by relaxing next to a warm fire inside or even filling up a big thermos full of hot cocoa and heading out to the backyard and relax around an outdoor fire pit. Read more »