Biscuits and Eggs

Last night we had limited options for dinner. We had plenty of eggs, though, so I decided we needed to make the most of them. I cooked up some frozen broccoli, chicken strips and spinach, and mixed in some Laughing Cow wedges for a little bit of a tangy kick. Then I poured five beaten eggs (with a little milk and S&P) over it all to make a fritatta. That same pan went in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes. About halfway through its cooking, I added some refrigerated biscuits to the oven. There's nothing like warm biscuits, even if they're not from scratch.

The fritatta came out great, and it's a meal that can use up whatever veggies and meats you have in the fridge. And this morning, I used some of the leftover biscuits for breakfast. I lightly toasted and buttered them. To make it at least somewhat healthy, I added fresh blueberries (which I keep in the freezer. They last forever!) and a drizzle of honey. Quite yummy!

And the last two slices of fritatta could make a mighty good breakfast tomorrow ...

Year-round Herbs

Herbs can make a good dish great--especially when they're fresh. Whether you grow your own or purchase them at the store, fresh herbs have a limited life. My basil is starting to wilt, so before it disappears in cooler weather, I wanted to figure out how to save some for later use. I added some to olive oil to create an infused oil. I'm also trying freezing it in storage bags. We'll see how that turns out!

No More Chicken Broth Waste

Whether you're using boxed, canned or homemade broth, if you have some left over, freeze it in ice cube trays or a freezer-safe container (smaller containers prevent waste and thaw quicker). Pull out whatever amount you need when you need it. You can quickly defrost it in the microwave, or even melt it directly into your dish.

Postcard Art

Since childhood, I've collected postcards. I try to buy a few from whatever new place I visit. I have cards from Europe, Hawaii, the Middle East and across the U.S. As I've seen the cards accumulate in a storage box, I decided I should get more use out of them. (Not much point in having them if they're stuck in a box!)


Now I use any of my favorites as artwork (those without words scrawled across them look the best). If you have several in the same style (such as these below, which are vintage posters), group them together in a frame, like this:

For one of your favorites, highlight it by scanning it at the highest resolution possible, enlarging it, and printing it on photo paper. Then add a complementary mat and frame, like this:

Pasta Saver

If you cooked more pasta than the sauce could possibly cover, put the non-sauced leftovers in a storage container and refrigerate. This pasta is great for cold pasta salad the next day--especially at lunch when you're short on time. Just toss with olive oil, S&P, some basil (or pesto, if you have it), chopped tomatoes or any other veggies you have on hand. And if you still want hot pasta, all it takes is a toss in warm sauce.

No More Tomato Sauce Waste
If you don't use all of the canned tomato sauce you opened, don't throw it out or stick it in the fridge to be forgotten. Pour the remainder into zippered storage bags and freeze (avoid putting too much into one bag or it will take longer to defrost). The next time you need sauce, just place a bag in hot water to defrost.

Getting to know this blog...

In an effort to help myself, and whoever else happens along this blog, I wanted to keep record of any ways I come up with to conserve both money and resources--and hopefully time, as well. This might be how to reuse parts of last night's dinner, how to make the most of zipper bags, or how to maximize $5 at the grocery store...plus whatever else I come up with as we go.

I hope this will someday become a resource to help us all make better use of what we have available to us., which means less waste and bigger returns. Of course, that will involve actually writing some REAL posts. Guess I better get started...