One Hundred Dollars a Month - Page 1435 of 2143 - I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

Mavis Butterfield | Backyard Garden Plot Pictures – Week 41 of 52

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By Mavis Butterfield on October 13, 2013 · 13 Comments

Backyard Garden Plot Pictures – Week 41 of 52

Even though the growing season is winding down, there are still plenty of vegetables to see in our backyard garden. The fava beans I planted a few weeks ago are doing well and are now about 4 inches tall. I planted these as a cover crop to give the soil in this bed a boost next spring.

The kale tree is still hanging in there, and the Swiss chard is alive and kicking too.

The potato patch and bean tepees are gone, but I have a cool idea on how to use this space for next year. Would you believe I’ve already starting mapping out next years garden? I’m a total nerd.

The nighttime temps have been in the mid 40’s lately so everything in our unheated greenhouse is still alive. We still have a couple of tomato plants that are producing as well as lettuce, peas and our lemon tree.

Every time I check on our purple cabbage plants there are a few more tiny holes in them. I’m not sure what kind of bug is munching on the outer leaves, but hopefully they’ll stay away from the main heads of cabbage long enough for us to harvest them.

A view of the backyard.

The pumpkin patch. We picked the pumpkins earlier this week so now all that’s left is cleaning up the growing area.

The chicken coop.

Yep, we’ve got plenty of Swiss chard.

And kale. The chickens love their kale.

And last but not least, the raspberry patch.

Winter is on its way that’s for sure. Let’s hope I can finish up the rest of my fall garden chores before the weather gets too nasty.

Peace Out Girl Scouts I’m off to go hang out with The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird.

Have a great Sunday,

Mavis

This years garden is being sponsored by the awesome folks at Botanical Interests Seed Company. You can check out their website HERE, order their new 2013 Garden Seed Catalog HERE, or visit my online boyfriend Ryan’s blog HERE.

Up for a tour? Read about our behind the scenes tour of Botanical Interests Seed Company.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal – Slow Cooker Recipe

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By Mavis Butterfield on October 13, 2013 · 7 Comments

If you have an extra pumpkin {or pumpkin puree for that matter} then you’ll want to whip up a batch of this pumpkin pie steal cut oatmeal for breakfast real soon. Yep, it’s time to sleep in and let your boyfriend {Mr. Crock Pot} cook breakfast for you. Ahh fall, don’t you love it?

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk {I used 2% milk}
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats {I love Bob’s Steel Cut Oats}
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree {how to make pumpkin puree}
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice {pumpkin pie spice recipe}
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Coat the inside of your slow cooker with butter {or cooking spray}.

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.

If you want to make steel cut oats but don’t have a slow cooker, simply place all your ingredients in a large sauce pan and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve with extra milk if desired.

Looking for more easy crock pot meals? Check out my Crock Pot Meals recipe index.

My favorite Crock Pot – Crock-Pot Cook’ N Carry 6-Quart Portable Slow Cooker
My Favorite Slow Cooker Cookbook – Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!

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Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

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By Mavis Butterfield on October 12, 2013 · 22 Comments

If there is one thing in this world that I love to make, it’s pies.

I have actually been known to hide blackberry pies in the kitchen cupboards before just so I don’t have to share them. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met a pie that I didn’t like.

For the last 10 years or so I’ve been using what I like to call the “perfect pie crust” recipe.

Yes it has shortening. Yes shorting is bad for you. But the way I see it, almost everything I eat is pretty healthy, so if I want to make a delicious pie using my all time favorite pie crust recipe, I’m totally going to do it.

After all, most pies have fruit right?

Here is my favorite pie crust recipe, I hope you like it. I sure do!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold water

Directions

Combine pie crust ingredients together, divide in half, roll into a ball, use the palm of your hand to flatten crust to about 1 inch. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Roll out 1 crust and line a pie plate with it.

If you are thinking about making a decorative crust, check out my Favorite Pie Recipes for some ideas.

Looking for more pie recipes? Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie* By Ken Haedrich rocks! The book has great reviews and it has 300 pie recipes in it to keep you busy all year long.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

10 Traditional Housewarming Gifts

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By Mavis Butterfield on October 12, 2013 · 2 Comments

I am always stumped when it comes to getting housewarming gifts. Then, it never fails, someone pulls up at the same time as me carrying a basket full of awesome ideas. So, from now on, I’ve decided to go with a more traditional gift—one that has some sort of symbolism {because, I’m super deep like that.} Plus, this way, I won’t have to reinvent the wheel. I mean, if it “ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, right? Plus if Donna Reed could do it in It’s a Wonderful Life, so can I. Right?

Here’s 10 go-to housewarming ideas that are simple, affordable, and meaningful:

Bread. Attach a note that says: “May those in this house never go hungry”
Candle. Attach a note that says: “May you always have light in your darkest hours.”
Honey. Attach a note that says: “May you enjoy all of the sweetness life has to offer.”
House Plant. Attach a note that says: “May your house be filled with life.”
Salt or Herbs. Attach a note that says: “May you always have flavor/spice in life.”
Wine. Attach a note that says: “May you always enjoy life, and never go thirsty.”
Olive Oil. Attach a note that says: “May you always have health and well-being.”
A Broom. {Okay, I am not sure how well this one would go over, but it is considered a traditional housewarming gift, so I thought I would include it.} Attach a note that says: “May your house always be clean and free of evil spirits.”
Wood. {I’m thinking a wood candle holder—knock two of those right off the list.} Attach a note that says: “May this home have stability, harmony, and peace.”
A Gift Card. Ha. Just seeing if you were paying attention. I admit, this one is not traditional, in any way, but seriously, who doesn’t love getting a gift card?

How about you, what do you give as a housewarming gift?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.