WASTE NOTes

Get it? WASTE NOT, but these are my waste NOTES. Ok, whatever, so it's not that creative word-wise... keep your snide comments to yourself. :)

During the past few weeks, I have renewed my efforts to be more thrifty and less wasteful, most notably in the food arena. Although I am also guilty of saving extra napkins handed out at drive-thrus, along with ketchup, bbq, and sugar packets...

I have rescued several food items from ending up in the trash pail this week.

1. A cup of over-ripe strawberries was converted to strawberry jam. A quick and easy recipe with no sure-jell or preservatives, to be used up within the week.

2. Thumbprint Jam Cookies, and I used the strawberry jam (above) for the centers. I haven't made these cookies since my 20s, and I LOVE these, so now guess who's eating them all? Thank goodness the recipe only made 2 dozen.


3. Chicken paprikash leftovers (slow cooker recipe) that I felt lacked flavor converted to chicken soup. I was without noodles in the pantry, so for the first time in my life, I made my own homemade noodles. (I added 2 tbls. milk to the noodle recipe.) This chicken soup recipe was by far, hands down, the best chicken soup I've made in my life. (I didn't put celery in mine.) The noodles were very, very yummy, and the soup was so deelish and flavorful. Since it had the flavorings from the paprikash, I am sure the next time I make this soup it will taste slightly different, but hopefully just as good!


4. Corn tortillas past the expiration date recycled into tortilla chips. A lil melted butter with chili powder brushed on them, a lil salt, cut into triangles and cook at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Next time, I'm going to add a bit of cayenne pepper for more spice.


5. A few slices of leftover meatloaf used for sandwiches, and also as a side with some spaghetti today. Take several slices and pour spaghetti sauce over, add some shredded cheese and parmesan cheese, and cook at 350 for approx. 30 minutes.

Non-food item waste not
Instead of using a dryer sheet which is loaded with synthetic chemicals, I put a few drops of lavender essential oil on a cloth and threw it in the dryer with my bed sheets and blankets yesterday. I bought some lavender essential oil last year and never used it, so I think this qualifies as "waste not". Ummmmm, did my sheets ever smell good!

So this is my new mission and creed for 2009, wherever possible, WASTE NOT! I will admit that my dedication to this philosophy has been fueled by my lack of a job, but I want to continue my newfound passion even when I have a job. Just think of the money I can save! :)

Smart Mouth Broad hosts "Money in the Bank", a collection of
money saving ideas from bloggers far and near. I'm going to link
my WASTE NOTes to her MIB posts. Check out HER blog
for even more links to money saving ideas to help you
save $$ in our crappy economy!

27 comments:

  1. I can relate to the no job feeling. When I took time off from work to have my children, I tried to do everything to conserve. I even used cloth diapers hung the laundry on the clothesline. Of course, I had the time to do it, also. I sounds like you are doing a great job not wasting any food.

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  2. Just make sure that when you ramp down to the store-brand alcohol, that it still contains alcohol! Good post. Keep up the great work. And good luck with your job search.

    ExpatFromHell

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  3. good for you! we should all try to do better...you are an inspiration

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  4. Those cookies and soup look awesome!! Great ideas.

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  5. Hope the job hunt goes well.

    Good looking tortilla chips!

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  6. I know just what you mean about not being wasteful. I get so p'd when something is wasted and am always looking for ways to "recycle" leftovers. I do my tortillas like that also, and you can make some mean bean dip with left over black or pinto beans. Those cookies look delicious!!

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  7. I love all of these ideas! Wonderful post and yummy looking photos! :)

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  8. Great idea. This would be perfect for my Money in the Bank posts. Let me know if you'd like me to link it.

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  9. Great ideas! I miss my grandma's chicken noodles ~ yours look so delicious! Dryer sheets ~ I never use them, but I like your idea of lavender oil, that would smell wonderful. A recipe I have for tortilla chips ~ brush melted butter, brown sugar and cayenne pepper over them and bake in oven. Best wishes with your job search.

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  10. I love these ideas! I also use eucalyptus essential oil when the kids have a cold - a few drops on the collar of their shirt before bed, and a few in their bath clears a stuffy head.

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  11. yeah i am guilty too of the condiments from drive thru's, used some to day (marinara dip) sauce w/pierogies.

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  12. Great ideas, Susan. Those cookies look yummy and so do the tortilla chips. I'm going to try those, I've been guilty of throwing away tortillas...

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  13. Wow, I'm so impressed! And all the pictures really make the recipe summations all the more appetizing! If you ever need to Not Waste some of the Barnes family recipe cutout cookies, be sure to keep me in mind! I vow to NEVER let one of those cookies go to waste, even if they will most definitely go to my waist.

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  14. No one back in Ohio ever ate like that.

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  15. What good ideas! I like the idea of using lavender oil to make sheets smell good. You can also put a drop or two into a bath - smells heavenly.

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  16. These are such GREAT ideas! I have been trying to use up all the food we have before buying more and my cupboards are getting pretty bare.

    LOVE that jam recipe. And I haven't made homemade noodles in such a long time - I don't know why; they are clearly superior to the packaged stuff. You've inspired me to dig out my rolling pin. :)

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  17. I made homemade noodles just the other day. You're right, they're easy and delicious. Will give the link a try. Thanks!

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  18. Oh, I wandered over here this morning and first thing I see delicious pictures of food! Now, I'm starving. Seriously, those cookies look amazing and if you want to send them to me, that would be great.
    I try so hard to not waste things. We repair items most people would toss out but we are trying not to fill landfills with items that can be reclaimed and saving money is important to.
    Loved the dryer idea with the lavender.

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  19. Good tips--I should take the creative lessons from you.

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  20. Brilliant suggestions - and now I have a couple of cravings I need to satisfy!

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  21. Hey I love your thoughts! I am right there with you! Now that I have chickens, I NEVER throw anything out now, we have a little plastic bucket next to my sink, the girls are soooo happy to get their morning goodies. I try my best to see how long I can go without having to throw my trash at the dumpster, now that didin't sound right, did it? I mean, try not to throw all sorts of needless trash away, be more mindful that everything I put in the garbage will end up at a land fill, and that particular one is really not too far from my house. Keep it up girl!

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  22. Those are all great ideas. I love homemade chicken noodle soup and always buy the frozen egg noodles but might try making my own next time. Notice I said..."might". :)

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  23. Good for you! I'm kind of a freak about being frugal and not wasting anything. Here's another good one - save any little small amounts of leftover veggies, rice, pasta or small amounts of meat in baggies in the freezer. When you have enough, throw them all together in some broth for a nice leftovers soup. Serve with a loaf of fresh french bread :-)

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  24. Great Ideas! I happen to have some over-ripe strawberries in my fridge right now. I'll have to try the jam. I'm going to raid my MIL's house for her thousand newspapers that she used to collect and used them under some old straw for mulch in my garden. I think we can all do our share if we will just think about what we are throwing away.

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  25. Your ideas are wonderful inspirational for my taste. You're great.

    AHhh... looking at your photos makes me & my daughter drolls, yummy! I heard someone whispered *lol

    Now, am in trouble, huh? Guess, gotta go & prepare something b4 someone ask to make like what she see in here *wink


    TY for sharing!

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  26. I'm a tad thrifty as well ( I hate the term "frugal" it sounds soooooo cheap, lol).
    Could you share the thumbprint jam cookie recipe so that I can shamelessly steal it from you???? I will you know but will totally give you credit everytime I make them. I'll tell folks my gal from OZ gave me the recipe :)

    Steady On
    Reggie Girl

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  27. Oh man, I am stuck at work and only had a teeny tiny salad for lunch. I saw all that food and now my stomach is grumbling. Chicken soup with no celery sounds right up my alley.
    My waste not is recycling paper at work. I have scrap paper everywhere.
    I guess one has to start somewhere.

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