Every Penny Counts part 3

Homemade is Better.

One of the things that helps me out is making my own spice, cream of soup and coating mixes. I don't have to purchase the name brand products and I control the ingredients.

I have a tendency to forget what goes in stuff, so I keep
the 'recipe' taped to the inside of my spice cupboard.

Cream-Of Soup Mix

2 cups dry milk powder (non-instant is preferred) Dairy Free? Use rice milk powder.
¾ cup organic cornstarch
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mix all ingredients together with a whisk. Store in an airtight container.

To make into soup:
Combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 ¼ cups water in a small saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
On medium heat, bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until thick. Cool.

This amount = 1 can condensed cream-of soup.

For Cream-of Chicken Soup: use 1 ¼ cups chicken broth instead of water.

For Cream-of Mushroom Soup: use water; add ¼ cup diced, cooked mushrooms to soup after it thickens

For Cream-of Celery Soup: use water, add ¼ cup diced, cooked celery to the soup after it thickens or add a dash of celery seed to the mixture while it’s cooking.

Coating Mix (Shake & Bake)

1 c. very fine bread crumbs

1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder

Mix ingredients together and store in airtight jar. 

Eleven Secret Herbs (close enough to KFC)

6 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons onion salt
3 teaspoons celery salt
3 teaspoons rubbed sage
3 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons ground allspice
3 teaspoons ground oregano
3 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons black pepper
3 teaspoons basil leaves, crushed
3 teaspoons marjoram leaves, crushed finely

Mix together and store in an airtight container. Mix together 4 teaspoons mixture, 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar and 1 teaspoons salt (optional). Place in a doubled plastic food bag and add chicken to coat. Fry, drain on paper towels, serve!

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon salt (optional)

Mix together and store in an airtight container. Use to taste.

Taco Seasoning Mix

1/4 cup Chili Powder
1/4 cup Cumin Powder
1 tablespoon Garlic powder
1 tablespoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Oregano leaf (or oregano leaf powder)
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 cup Himalayan salt or Sea salt (optional)
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Mix together and store in an airtight container. 3 tablespoons equals one packet of commercial product.

Sausage Seasoning - Hot

8 tablespoons Sea Salt

1 cup + 2 tablespoons ground Black Pepper

8 tablespoons Nutmeg

4 tablespoons  Sage

Mix ingredients and keep in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon per 1 lb of browned ground meat.

(I've mixed this in raw meat and placed it in the freezer for use another day.) It is very hot.

Every Penny Counts

Yes, I know it's been a while, but life happens and well there you have it. So, just because I haven't posted in a while doesn't mean I haven't been busy doing those things that help save every penny I can. So without further ado, let me share what I've been up to.

Kidney, Black, Pinto, White Beans in tomato sauce

Canning Beans

Remember I posted a while back a dry bean to canned bean conversion chart? Well I did... Dried to canned beans conversion
One of those things that I hate is trying to remember to soak beans for tomorrow's meal, subsequently I end up buying canned beans because I forgot. I did a bit of looking around on the internet to locate simple canning instructions for beans. Most tell you to soak your beans overnight, LOL. So, I made my big plans for canning beans to use in meals and finally got it done. The results were mostly good, but I learned a few things.
1. Black beans do not need to be soaked. Measure 1/2 cup of dried beans into pint jar. Add 1/2 tsp salt (optional) per pint jar. Fill with boiling water, leaving 1" head space. Process in pressure canner* for 75 minutes.
2. Pinto, kidney, white beans should all be soaked. They did not work as well starting from dry.
Instructions for canning all other beans (you can do black beans this way too.)

• Remove any foreign objects from beans
• Place in large bowl and cover with water (remember, the beans will swell so leave plenty of room)
• Soak overnight
• Drain and rinse beans
• Place in large pot
• Cover with 2 inches of fresh water
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and watching to prevent boiling over
• Ladle beans into hot jars (no need to sterilize as long as they're clean and hot), leaving 1" headspace
• Fill with cooking liquid, again, leaving 1" headspace
• Put lids and rings on jars
• Place jars in pressure canner and process at 10 pounds pressure (You will need to adjust your pressure depending on your altitude.):
• Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Remove from canner and let cool, checking all lids for proper seals before storing

Notes:
* Beans MUST be processed in a PRESSURE CANNER, a water bath does not reach the correct temperature to kill all the bacteria.

3. Home canned beans tend to soak up water and the beans at the top of the jar are not usually covered by water and may change color (there is nothing wrong with them). What I really discovered is that store bought beans are covered by liquid, so I'm buying more liquid than beans.
4. Ingredients of home canned beans: Beans, water, salt. Ingredients of commercially canned beans: Water, beans, calcium chloride, calcium disodium edta (added to promote color retention). Note that water is the first on the ingredients list, yep, that's what you are buying. Additionally, I looked up the other ingredients; Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a salt of calcium and chlorine, Calcium disodium EDTA is mainly synthesised from ethylenediamine, formaldehyde, and sodium cyanide. The FDA has approved these items for human consumption and they are used in the medical field for such things as radiation poisoning and treating lead poisoning, however I don't think it should be in my food.

Okay, so that is my rant for the day. Not only am I saving money by canning my own beans, I have beans ready for a meal and I don't have to remember to soak them overnight, also I am keeping some stuff out of my diet that I didn't ask for.

Growing Salad Greens in Window Boxes

Don't let a lack of garden space keep you from growing and enjoying fresh veggies! With this plan, you can start harvesting fresh, flavorful, nutritious salad ingredients in about a month.

Tools and Materials
Two planters at least 8 inches deep (such as window boxes), with drainage holes
Seeds: radishes, mesclun mix, baby carrots, beets (shredded raw beet is a tasty and colorful salad topping)
Soilless potting mix enriched with compost
Fertilizer

1. Moisten your potting mix. If you wish to use a slow-release fertilizer, add it as recommended by the product label. Fill window boxes, and firm soil gently in place.

2. Following the directions on the seed packets, sow seeds of radishes and greens in one box, beets and carrots in the other. Radishes are ready to harvest about 28 days after germination; baby greens (lettuce, spinach, mesclun), in 30 days; beets, in 55 days; baby carrots, in 70 days.

3. Water gently so that you don't wash seeds out of the soil. Keep soil evenly moist, and watch for seeds to germinate.

4. Seedlings will come up thickly; thin them the first time to stand 1 inch apart. You can either pluck them out individually or use scissors to snip seedlings at the soil surface. (Eat the thinnings of greens and beet tops -- your first unofficial harvest!) Thin the carrots and beets again when they've doubled in size; ultimately they should stand 2 to 3 inches apart.

5. Fertilize every two weeks, unless you used a slow-release fertilizer at planting time. Use a water-soluble formula, such as fish emulsion.

6. Sow some more. As your harvest of greens and radishes makes room in that container, prepare to grow another round. Work an inch of compost into the empty spots and sow more seed.
Tips

If you have enough space, add containers for other salad favorites, such as tomatoes and cucumbers. (They need larger pots.)

Watch out for pesky squirrels -- they like to dig in freshly disturbed soil. If they're a problem, cover your planters with wire mesh or fabric row covers.

For color and spicy flavor, sow a few nasturtium seeds in your containers. The flowers are beautiful, fragrant, and tasty in a salad!


http://local.garden.org/How_To_Project_Growing_Salad_Greens_in_Window_Boxes_Spokane_WA-r1216559-Spokane_WA.html

Growing Vegetables in Containers

If you don't have room for a garden, or only want to grow a few vegetables, planting in containers is the best way to go. Almost any vegetable can grow in a container and with a little care can produce abundantly. Here's how to get started.

Tools and Materials
Containers of various sizes
Sterilized potting soil
Shovel
Trowel
Drip or hose irrigation
Fertilizer

It's all in the pot. When selecting a container, remember that bigger is better as far as ease of maintenance and size of harvest. Half whiskey or wine barrels or similar-sized pseudo terra-cotta containers are large enough to accommodate vegetables such as large tomatoes, eggplant, and squash, with room to spare for companion plantings of smaller choices such as carrots and lettuce. Five-gallon containers can hold dwarf tomatoes, peppers, beans, and many small leafy greens. A window box is even large enough to grow radishes and arugula.

And in the soil. For proper drainage, containers need to have holes in the bottom. Also, use only sterilized potting soil. Garden soil may contain diseases and may not be well drained. Because you're planting in such a small space, you'll have to be very conscious of watering and fertilizing regularly. Water with drip irrigation or by hand whenever the soil is dry 4 to 6 inches deep.

Fertilize every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer for vegetables, or add controlled-release fertilizer at planting time, supplemented with a water-soluble fertilizer when needed. For large containers, mulching with straw or bark conservs moisture.

Best plant combinations. Containers allow you to plant combinations that are both edible and attractive. For example, try creating a salad container with different colors of leaf lettuce, a bush cucumber, a dwarf patio-type tomato, and even herbs such as parsley. How about a tomato sauce barrel with a tomato plant in the center, herbs such as oregano and basil on the sides, and onions interplanted between the herbs? Or a root crop roundup container with beets, carrots, radishes, onions, and parsnips in a foot-deep container?

Tips

Choose bush varieties of large vegetables such as squash.

Production may be less than with full-sized kinds, but plants will be much easier to care for.

To save space, consider growing some plants up. Choose pole beans over bush beans, and trellis them along the back of a container. This leaves space in front to plant other vegetables.

Photography from the National Gardening Association.

http://local.garden.org/Growing_Vegetables_in_Containers_Spokane_WA-r1216583-Spokane_WA.html

Vegetable Garden

You can plant many crops directly in the garden, especially root vegetables, crops with large seeds, and seeds of plants that can mature within your growing season. The correct time to plant each crop varies widely according to the climate where you live and the specific needs of each crop.

Tools and Materials

Soil thermometer
String and stakes
Measuring tape
Steel rake
Hoe
Vegetable seeds
Water source
hose
watering can
Floating row cover, optional



When to plant. In general, plant cool-season crops (peas, lettuce, greens, cole crops, and root crops) so they can mature before the onset of mid-summer heat or freezing autumn weather. Some, such as peas and spinach, will germinate in soils as cool as 40° F. Most cool-season crops will germinate and grow if planted about two weeks before the last spring frost.


Plant heat-loving, warm-season crops (such as squash, beans, corn, melons, and cucumbers) only after the soil has warmed, about two weeks after the last frost in spring. These crops require soil temperatures between 60° and 70° F.


Choose planting pattern. Plant most seeds in 1- to 3-foot-wide beds instead of single-file rows. Wide row planting reduces weeding and watering needs and increases the yield per square foot by decreasing the space needed for paths between rows. Single-row planting works best for corn and climbing peas and beans. Plant vine crops (squash, cucumbers, gourds, and pumpkins) in 1-foot-square beds, spaced 3 to 6 feet apart. Plant 4 to 6 seeds in each bed.


Prepare soil. When the soil is dry enough to crumble after squeezing and warm enough to plant, add compost and other amendments, as necessary (see "Preparing a New Garden Plot"). Mark the rows with string and stakes, if desired, leaving 2- to 3-foot aisles between rows. Smooth the soil in the rows with a steel rake. Break up large clods and remove stones and debris.


Sow seeds. Plant seeds at a depth equal to two to three times their diameters and as far apart as recommended on the seed packet. In wide row plantings, you can space large seeds, such as beans, on the soil surface and then push them into the soil with your finger. Scatter small seeds, such as carrots, over the prepared row and sprinkle soil over them. Tap the soil gently with the back of a hoe or the palm of your hand. In single-row plantings, make a furrow at the proper planting depth with the corner of a hoe blade. Space the seeds in the furrow and cover with soil.


Water and care. Water the planted rows with a gentle spray from a hose or watering can without disturbing the soil. Keep the soil evenly moist, especially while the seedlings sprout and become established. Protect from frost and grazing animals with a floating row cover, if necessary.
Tips


The number of days listed on the seed packet refers to the time needed to mature a crop after sowing seed or transplanting into the garden. Choose varieties that can ripen within your growing season.


If your space is limited, try compact vegetable varieties; crops that provide a high yield per square foot, such as root vegetables; and trellises for vining plants.


Photograph by National Gardening Association.


http://local.garden.org/Planting_a_Vegetable_Garden_Spokane_WA-r1216574-Spokane_WA.html#

Reclaiming Yarn from Old Sweaters

Fair Warning: I have not yet tried this, but do plan to in the future. This tutorial is from laughing purple goldfish designs. It seemed like such a great idea, I thought I would share.

laughing purple goldfish designs blog:

Much of yarn recycling is trial and error... and everyone develops their own little techniques along the way. I have put together a series of photos which step you through my recycling process, to give you an idea of what is involved.

You will certainly have a million questions for me, especially once you actually start experimenting with the process. Ask away... I'll share everything I know with you!

There seriously are loads of photos here, but the basic steps I follow are:

air the garment
remove trimmings and tags, and undo seams
unravel each piece
wind into a skein
wash
dry
ball

If you are a beginner, I would recommend starting with a single coloured garment, preferably in a simple stockinette. I would avoid cables, fair isle, and anything complicated... until you have had a little practice first. Stick with a standard jumper if possible, and avoid cardigans, coats, or anything with a zipper. A hand knit would be ideal, if you have access to one. Avoid any yarn which looks fluffy or furry or hairy or boucley... because they will be difficult to unravel.

Before I start, I always check the seams. There are 'good seams' and 'bad seams' when it comes to recycling. Overlocked or serged seams are BAD. You will find that the yarn has been cut at the end of every row... so you will end up with lots of short yarn pieces... ugh! So always check the side seams and inner arm seams.

Don't worry if the shoulder or neck seams are overlocked. Because they run across the top of the garment and not down the sides, they are not of concern.

so... some examples of bad seams:








and these are good seams:







So... if the side seams are bound together by overlocking - BAD!

As for hand knits... all of their seams are GOOD... you don't even need to check them!


Time to get started now...


I don't bother washing the garment before I start. Two reasons... Firstly, I don't want to risk any felting or matting of the yarn fibres which would make it more difficult to unravel. Secondly, the yarn is cleaned much more effectively if you wash it AFTER it is skeined.



So I just leave it out on the line for a while, just to 'freshen' it before I start working with it.





I use an unpicker and a pointy pair of scissors to remove tags, labels, buttons, zips, and any other trimmings.



Then I unpick the seams. Most store bought jumpers are seamed using chain stitch, which is wonderfully easy to undo. See the way the chain stitches form little arrows, pointing down in the photo? Well that tells you the direction to unravel in. So cut the top one, free the tail... and pull... it should unravel in seconds.



So now you have all the seams undone (this one had a seam down the centre of the back piece for some strange reason - probably a design feature)



Now it's time to start unraveling each piece, generally working from the top down. The cast off edge forms the same V stitches as chain stitch, and again they point in the direction you need to unravel. So start at the top end and snip, free a tail... and away you go.

Sometimes you might have a hard time getting started. If it's a nightmare for you, just chop the top few rows off, and then start unraveling. You will only loose a few yards of yarn, and it will save your sanity!



I like to roll the garment piece, so I can grip it nicely while I unravel.



I have heard this kind of display referred to as 'yarn barf' and I think it's a wonderful description.

Anyway, if I am working indoors and am going to be able to skein the yarn immediately, then I just pile it on the floor as I unravel. If I am working outdoors I would wind into a ball as I go, and then skein from that... because you really don't want to get this in a tangle!



You can wind your yarn into a skein using two chairs like this...



Or using a skein winder if you have one. This one was a fabulous gift from Mr Goldfish last Christmas... and I love, love, love it!



Once it is all wound on, you need to tie the skein in a figure eight. Use some scrap yarn. I like to use a contrast from the yarn you have wound, so that the ties are easy to locate and removed after drying. I recommend using a light colour, because you would cry if the colour ran from your ties onto you nice new recycled yarn.

First divide the yarn in half as pictured above.



Then pop a scrap piece of yarn through like this...



And back through again, forming a figure "8" with the tie.



Finish with a double knot.



I like to do this in six places around the skein to prevent tangling.



Wash by soaking in warm water and wool detergent. I'm a big fan of Martha Gardener's Eucalyptus Wool Mix, but I'm not sure if it is available outside of Australia.



Gently submerge the skeins. I prefer to soak all the yarn together, so that if it happens to lose any colour, all skeins will be affected evenly.



If possible, I leave it to soak overnight.



Then in the morning, I rinse it in a bucket of cold water.



Of course, with our current water restrictions here... that rinse water gets recycled directly onto my garden...



I gently squeeze the excess water from the yarn, and lay the skeins on an old towel.



Then I lay another old towel on top.



Roll it up, and walk up and down the length of it for a minute or two. This helps absorb a significant amount of water from the skeins.



Then I hang each skein on a plastic coat hanger to dry. I also use a second hanger to 'weight' the yarn slightly, and help stretch some of those kinks out.

If the weather is wet, then I put the coat hangers along a curtain rail in a sunny window and dry the yarn indoors.



When dry, cut the ties off and place the skein back on to the winder or chairs. Find the end and wind into a ball. Click here for my ball winding tutorial.



Interestingly the yarn I have claimed from this jumper is not that nice. I'm actually a bit disappointed with it. It looked nice in the garment, but is now a bit ugh! See the sheen in the balls. That is the rayon component. I liked that sheen until I started unraveling...



You can actually see the cotton and rayon strands here.

The rayon is harsh and grabby and kind of brittle. It actually reminds me of over bleached hair. I'm thinking it may well become hair on a creature or doll at some point. If I want to knit or crochet with it I think I will have to ply it first. I might even ply it with a different yarn to make my own special blend.

I guess the thing is, not to give up... occasionally you get a bit of a dud (like this one) but that just pushes you to think of alternate project ideas.

Most of what I have learned on this topic is through experience, but if you would like to check out the tutorial I first read on the topic, then click here.

http://laughingpurplegoldfish.blogspot.com/

Meals in a Box

I ran across this blog and thought what a wonderful idea. This makes a lot of sense for anyone who works outside the home, volunteers, raises children, takes care of parents, or can't think of what to make for dinner yet again. I am spending this weekend making my menu, purchasing what I must and creating at least two weeks worth of meals to try this out. I'll let you know how this works for our family of 3. 

Before you ask, I don't know where to get these types of boxes, but there are alternatives mentioned and I will personally be using something different.

Optimize your Pantry space by using same sized boxes (instead of bags) that will stack evenly on your shelf. Inside the lid of the box, tape the recipe. (use clear shipping tape to completely cover the recipe to keep it clean and neat as you cook.) This insures that the recipe will never get separated from the ingredients. On the outside of the box, tape a list of ingredients - divided into 2 columns. The left column lists the ingredients that are in the box while the right column lists the ingredients that are stored elsewhere in the kitchen such as the freezer or fridge or water!  When you make out your grocery list it's easy to look at the ingredients listed on the box ends and see what you need to add to your list.

Of course labels can be taken one step further and color code them. You can see that the BLUE labels are Beef dishes and the YELLOW are Chicken. The GREEN are Fish and the PINK are "Other" (which would include Ham, Beans, Pasta, etc.)

Another step is to list your seasonings as a group on the label and pre-fill packets to be stored in the box. Little zip top bags can be purchased at the craft store to hold the seasonings. They are VERY inexpensive and if you label them according to the recipe they belong to they can be used over and over again. (They are approx. 2"X3")

When filling your seasoning packets, place a glass dish on the table beneath where you are working. After you've finished filling the packets you have quite a little combination of seasonings that had spilled over so pour them into a zip lock baggy and label it as Seasoning Surprise. Whenever you make a soup just pour some of the Surprise into the pot. Now you don't have to feel guilty about wasting anything!

Although the boxes that are pictured are still the #1 preference, a shoe box can work just as well (but doesn't hold up as long) and an even better choice is the plastic shoe box sized containers that can be bought at the dollar stores or Walmart, etc. Because the boxes are see through,  tape the labels to the inside of the box facing out. This seemed to work best.

NOW HERE'S THE SECRET:
If you have $20 - 
BUY FOOD, 
not shelves or containers!
BUY FOOD!

Stacking stuff on the floor might not be pretty but if you're ever in a situation where your family is truly hungry...who cares how nice things look. The pretty stuff will come along in time. Just keep your eyes open and add as you go.

http://www.cookingfrommypantry.blogspot.com/

Fast Food In A Bag

The idea of "Fast Food in a Bag" is very simple:
Choose a family favorite recipe, gather all the ingredients that do not require refrigeration and place them in a bag.

Attach the recipe to the bag. The idea is so simple and yet it takes the work out of deciding what to fix for dinner every night.

A poly-gift-bag (like the one shown in the picture) is the sturdiest bag for holding the heavy weight of the cans and other ingredients. The handle is a convenient place to attach the recipe and makes it easy to transport. The bag can be used over and over again. You can buy these types of bags online or at a paper store. 

http://www.cookingfrommypantry.blogspot.com/

Do It Yourself Detergents & Cleaners

Here's a couple of good ways to save yourself a lot of money and keep your home green.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1 bucket warm water
1/2 cup washing soda
 Wash surface, wearing gloves; then rinse.

For really tough jobs, make a thick washing soda paste by mixing it with water, and then spread the paste on the soot. Keep the paste damp by spraying every hour or so with a spray bottle. Leave the paste on overnight, and then rinse. Make certain to only use this formula on inert surfaces such as glass and stone, as this amount of washing soda can peel off paint, wax, etc.

Liquid Laundry Detergent
1 quart water (boiling)
2 cups bar soap (grated)
2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted. Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the borax and washing soda. Stir well until all is dissolved. Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Once it's cool, add 5 - 7 drops of your favorite essential oil per gallon. Stir the soap each time you use it (it will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent
2 cups finely grated soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.

Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

• For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps. 
• Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles. 
• Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the ingredients if the clothes look dingy. 

Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup Washing soda

1 cup Borax

½ cup Kosher salt

½ cup citric acid 

Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar. Use one tablespoon per load. Add vinegar to the rinse dispenser for the best results.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-wonders-of-washing-soda.html
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/make-your-own-laundry-soap.htm
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/diy-eco-dishwasher-detergent.htm

Recycling Centers that pay you

RECYCLING CENTERS

The following Buy-Back Centers will pay for your Recyclables. There are 10 full line buy back centers in the Spokane area. Some or all of the following items can be recycled:   Nonferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass, lead)   Ferrous material (iron, steel, nickel)   Glass bottles and jars   PETE Code 1& HDPE Code 2 plastic bottles or jugs   Newspaper, cardboard,  paper, magazines & phone books   Auto batteries (Household batteries for disposal) Earthworks Recycling  1904 East Broadway Spokane, WA 99202-2877 Phone: (509 )534-1638 Pacific Recycling   1114 N. Ralph Spokane, WA  99202 Phone: (509) 535-1673                                               Action Recycling, Inc. E. 911 Marietta Spokane, WA 99207 Phone: (509) 483-4094 Spokane Recycling  3407 E Main Ave Spokane, WA 99202 Phone: (509) 535-0284 Clark's Recycling  1730 W. Sinto Spokane, WA 99201 Phone: (509) 328-4086 Du-Mor Recycling 6404 N. Perry Spokane, WA 99217 Phone: (509) 489-6482 Clark's Recycling - Valley  11913 East 1st Avenue Spokane Valley, WA 99206 Phone: (509) 922-2264 American Recycling 6203 E Mission Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99212 (509) 535-4271 Dickson Recycling 907 N. Dyer Rd Spokane Valley, WA 99212 Phone: (509) 535-6146 Cheney, Medical Lake, Fairchild Air Force Base and the Regional Disposal Sites will take Recyclables for free. Cheney Recycling Facility 100 W. Anderson Road, Cheney, WA 99004  (509) 235-1456   Cheney residents only. Medical Lake Recycling 851 S. Lefevre, Medical Lake, WA  (509) 299-7715   Medical Lake residents only. Pollution Prevention & Recycling Center Fairchild Air Force Base, Building 2420  (509) 247-2885   FAFB only.

Save Money Buying Fruits and Veggies

If you've never heard of Bountiful Baskets Foods Co-Op, then check this out. For a fraction of the cost of going to the grocery store you can get all this. Items vary each week and it depends on what you order, but this is a good sample. 

 

Conventional Basket
50% Fruit, 50% Vegetables and 100% healthy, delicious & fun

In the conventional basket we focus our buying as follows: High Quality, Low Cost and As Local as Possible… So, how hard do we try? Pretty hard! Most bananas are from Central America or the Caribbean and are grown by a couple gargantuan conglomerate growers. We get all of our bananas from small farmers in central Mexico. This saves the co-op between $4 and $7 a box, keeps money with small farmers, and helps keep the carbon footprint small.

LIMITED QUANTITY - 100% Certified Organic Basket – Together We are Changing the World One Dinner Table at a Time

Ataulfo Mangoes - Approximately 8 pounds from Mexico. My family's favorite dessert! Perfect when the skin starts to wrinkle.

Veggie Lovers Pack - Asian Theme - Add extra veggies to your basket! An Asian-themed variety to fill out your dinner table. This will have ingredients that lend themselves to Italian food recipes. We never know exactly what until closer to keep the items fresh, but often fresh basil, yellow onion, celery, garlic, ginger, bok choy, Napa cabbage, snow peas, green onion, water chestnut, etc.

Fruit Lovers Pack - Citrus Pack - Add extra fruit to your basket! A variety of citrus to delight your tastebuds. Hoping for Minneola, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Oranges, Clementines, and Pummelo.

Bountiful Baskets Granola - A great breakfast, mobile snack, or dessert topping. Love it on fruit crisp!
Ingredients: Oats, Honey, canola oil, roasted & salted cashews, dates, diced pineapple, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sliced almonds, and almond & vanilla flavor.

Artisan Sourdough Bread – five round loaves. Freezes beautifully and great reheated in the oven! Defrost on the counter, bag closed. Once defrosted, mist lightly with water and place immediately in a 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients: Ingredients: Unbleached Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Rye Flour, Water, Starter, Salt. Contains: Wheat.

Making Your Own Condiments

Recipe: Ketchup

Difficulty level: Tricky

What you’ll need:
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup onion, minced
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Food storage container

How to make it:
1. Chop the tomatoes and put them in a saucepan with half the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, mashing the mixture with a spoon or fork.
2. Strain the liquids into a saucepan. Strain the solids into another saucepan by pressing solids through the strainer – leaving the seeds and skins. Add sugar to the solids.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the liquids, and simmer over low heat – stirring occasionally – for at least 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.
4. Strain into the solid mixture, and simmer for 5 minutes more. If the mixture is still too chunky for your liking, give it a few pulses in a food processor or blender.
5. Taste your ketchup and add additional seasonings as needed. Some people like more vinegar, more sugar or more spices. The best thing about homemade ketchup is that you can customize this yourself! Store your mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Recipe: Italian dressing or marinade

Difficulty level: Easy

What you’ll need:
2 cups olive oil
¾ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fresh or dried herbs
Food storage container

How to make it:
1. Mince the garlic and add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add oil, vinegar, cheese, peppercorns and the herbs of your choice (try oregano, basil, rosemary or thyme).
3. Whisk all the ingredients together and pour into the container of your choice. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Recipe: Mustard
Difficulty level: Easy

What you’ll need:
5 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
½ cup mustard powder
½ cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons horseradish
Food storage container

How to make it:
1. Grind the mustard seeds in a coffee or spice grinder for a few seconds. Do not fully grind your seeds.
2. Pour the seeds into a bowl and add the mustard powder, salt and horseradish and stir.
3. Add the vinegar and water and mix well. Pour mixture into the container of your choice and store in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before serving. Keep your mustard in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Recipe: Mayonnaise
Difficulty level: Moderate

What you’ll need:
2 pasteurized organic eggs (since eggs will be raw, it’s best to go for pasteurized and organic or farm-fresh)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ½ cups olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
A pinch of mustard powder
Food storage container

How to make it:
1. Separate the yolks from the whites, and put the yolks in a food processor (save the whites for a tasty omelet). Add mustard powder and salt and blend.
2. While the processor is running, slowly add the oil. Try to add the oil as slowly as possible so the mixture will not separate.
3. Add the lemon juice and continue processing until you reach the proper consistency, about 2 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe: Peanut Butter
Difficulty level: Easy

What you’ll need:
1 pound shelled and skinned peanuts, roasted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon oil
Food storage container

How to make it:
1. Put the peanuts, honey and salt into a food processor and process for 2 minutes.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue processing while slowly adding the oil of your choice (peanut oil or vegetable oil works best).
3. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste your peanut butter and add a little more salt or honey if desired. Scoop out the homemade goodness and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.