Assorted Items…….

I have a mish-mash of items to talk about today.

1) I went out and purchased my ham radio. I bought a duel ban UHF/VHF radio. I also got a quarter wave 19’ antenna with a magnet on it that I can just attach to the roof of the car when I want to use my radio while driving. All I have to do now is wait for my call sign and I am all set to transmit.

2) I babysat with my grandkids last night. Jen and Justin wanted to have a night out and asked if I would baby sit. We had a good time, but when it came time to put Jocelyne to bed, I couldn’t figure out what to do with her. I had bought a portable bed, at a garage sale, for her but Jen borrowed it and forgot to bring it back. I finally got her to fall asleep in my arms but she would wake up every time I tried to lay her down. Needless to say, Jocelyne and I were up till 1:10am. this morning when her mommy and daddy finally came to get her. I bet she will be taking a long nap today.

3) Today is TF’s birthday. We plan to go out for a nice dinner tonight and just relax. Tomorrow Jen, Justin and the kids will come over for dinner, cake and ice cream. JJ is already excited about the cake part, he loves cake. Bonnie and William are both out of town and will not make it home for the festivities. I hope they remember to call and wish their dad a happy birthday.

4) I enjoy reading the Food section of the Houston Chronicle and occasionally I will cut out what they call “Fridge Clip” advice. The one I liked recently is called: A dry veggie is a happy veggie. He’s want they have to say. Most refrigerated vegetables do best in a perforated resealable plastic bag (make 6 to 8 holes in a 1-gallon bag). If vegetables were sprayed with water at the market, lining the plastic bag with paper towels will help absorb excess moisture. Wait until just before using to wash vegetables.

The other frig clip that I liked was called: Vegetable oil keeps waffles from sticking. Here it is: How can you keep waffles from sticking to the waffle iron? Scrub the grids well to remove all traces of the solid fat. When they’re dry, brush them with vegetable oil, and heat for five minutes before adding the batter. The girds – even those of nonstick waffle makers – should be brushed with oil before each use. If your waffles still stick, try a different recipe. Waffle batter that doesn’t contain enough fat will stick to the grids.

5) There was a small article in the food section about a new cookbook called: Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook by James Hill. They published one of his recipes and I think it is a winner. Here it is:

Bacon and Tomato Frittata

1 (16 ounce) carton fat-free egg product or 8 eggs.
¼ teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon canola or soybean oil
4 medium green onions, sliced ( ¼ cup )
2 large plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese ( 2-ounces)
2 Tablespoons real bacon pieces (from 2.8 ounce package)
2 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

In a medium bowl, mix egg product or eggs, seasoning and salt; set aside.
In 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onions; cook and stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in egg mixture.
Cook 6 to 9 minutes, gently lifting edges of cooked portions with a spatula so that uncooked egg mixture can flow to the bottom of the skillet, until set.
Top frittata with tomatoes, cheese and bacon.
Broil with top 4 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top each serving with sour cream.

Makes 4 servings, each (with fat-free egg product): 180 calories, 10 grams total fat(4.5 grams saturated) and 20 milligrams cholesterol.

Since I am supposed to be the “Frugal Living” blog I decided I had better add some good advice from experts on that subject:

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep04g.cfm The Benefits of Dehydrating Produce.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05sep05g.cfm Homemade Nutrition drinks.

http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/college/20060908a1.asp 17 Ways to avoid ID theft on campus.

http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/debt/20060908a1.asp Don’t use future money for past debt. ….. I know several people who are always tapping there 401K’s for money. One friend of mine has three loans on her IRA. How can she be making money when she is always borrowing from it?

Have a great weekend! I’m still here Mountain Mama!