Atlanta's Frugal Mom

(Remember that cartoon from the 90s, Animaniacs ?) And now it’s time for Good Idea/Bad Idea. Good Idea: Wearing a hard hat Bad idea: Wearing a hard hat on your bike. Ouch! Keep on saving!  :o) –Barbara   **This post may contain affiliate links.**

We have had this pesky can of apple pie filling sitting on the shelf for months.  I don’t even know where it came from.  And Eva constantly asks if she can eat it.  Lunchtime rolled around and this simple recipe came to mind.  It is delicious and inexpensive, just how I like ’em! 🙂 Sausage and Apples with Pineapple Teriyaki Rice Ingredients: For the rice 3 c. rice 4 1/2 c. water 1 1/2 c. pineapple juice 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic 1 Tbs Teriyaki sauce For the sausage 1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/2″ slices (precooked, I used beef) 1 can apple pie filling 1 large onion, diced 1/2 c. pineapple juice 1 Tbs. Teriyaki sauce salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbs canola oil   Directions: 1.  Mix all rice ingredients in a large pot on high heat.  When it starts to boil, cover loosely and turn down to low.  Leave it alone for around 15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.  Set aside. 2.  Heat oil on med-high in a skillet.  Add in sausage and onions.  Cook until onions are s...

For Father’s Day this year, I wanted to continue to impress upon my daughter the importance of ownership of the gifts she gives. Gifts, thank you notes, and various cards hold more meaning to the giver and receiver when made more personable, so I helped my daughter create some cards for her daddy, and both grandfathers this year.  Thus, a DIY Father’s Day craft seemed in order…. Lesson learned: Glue the construction paper to the cardstock FIRST, to prevent the glue from interfering with the paint! We sat down, working bit by bit over the span of a few days, creating these cards. I brushed washable paint over her hand to create the “flower”. (The paint acquired, by luck, at a garage sale — a pack of 10 small tubs for a quarter.) Then, while she colored on a few sheets of construction paper (to be used later), I asked her “why do you love daddy?”, recording her responses and offering prompts (basically rephrasing the question) to redirect h...

For Father's Day this year, I wanted to continue to impress upon my daughter the importance of ownership of the gifts she gives. Gifts, thank you notes, and various cards hold more meaning to the giver and receiver when made more personable, so I helped my daughter create some cards for her daddy, and both grandfathers this year. Lesson learned: Glue the construction paper to the cardstock FIRST, to prevent the glue from interfering with the paint! We sat down, working bit by bit over the span of a few days, creating these cards. I brushed washable paint over her hand to create the "flower". (The paint acquired, by luck, at a garage sale -- a pack of 10 small tubs for a quarter.) Then, while she colored on a few sheets of construction paper (to be used later), I asked her "why do you love daddy?", recording her responses and offering prompts (basically rephrasing the question) to redirect her when needed. She helped put down the glue for each step (rec...

With Independence Day but a few days away, why not start planning which adult beverages you'd like to have/serve?   Here are a few recipes for some patriotic adult drinks! Also, what's your favorite kid-friendly drink and/or dish for the Fourth of July?      Keep on saving!  :o) --Barbara