5 Minute Chocolate Cake

A recipe from my dear 'old' Dad~

Many of you who know my father will also know that he is not a particularly fabulous cook. He gets by and does a decent job considering he is all alone and has not always had to cook for himself. He has learned alot over the years since his and my mother's divorce. Much like a fine wine, he has gotten better with the passing of time. My father and I are alot alike. We both love the internet for all it's resources and we both love to learn. My father recently sent me a recipe that he got from the internet and I loved it so much that I had to share it. It's called 5 Minute Chocolate Cake - and yes - it really does only take 5 minutes from beginning to end. I love this recipe because I am often alone with the girls while my dear husband is on the road with his job. Making a big chocolate cake for dessert will only lead to me becoming fat because I have no self control around chocolate. This recipe is wonderful because it only serves 2 people and is super fast. I have made it several times since receiving my father's email last month and my college-aged duaghter has made it for late night snacks as well when she had a friend over to watch a movie. It is the perfect way to be a good hostess without all the time and mess of a traditional cake. Here's the recipe and directions:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (microwave safe), a tablespoon measure & a fork to mix it all.


Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

(This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

Frugality Cubed

~Creative ways with ice cube trays~
In a recent article from MSN, the writer said that a friend of hers pours leftover coffee into ice-cube trays. The caffeinated cubes make first-rate iced coffee because they chill the beverage without diluting it. That got me thinking about other creative ways to use ice cube trays. I have used trays for multiple purposes in the past, but had not thought of using them to freeze those ‘little bit of leftovers.’ Here are a few suggestions to help you save some money with the oft overlooked and lowly ice cube tray.

1. You can save a lot of money by making your own baby food. Steam and puree vegetables (which you can mix with meat and/or rice or other grains if you like), or puree soft fresh fruits. Frankly – I just used to put the leftovers from the dinner table into a bullet blender and make Ashley’s baby food. As your baby gets older you can chop things a little more coarsely with just a fork. If necessary, thin these foods with a little of the cooking water from vegetables. That way there are even move vitamins being utilized instead of being tossed down the drain. Freeze this mashed goodness in ice cube trays and store in Ziploc style freezer bags. To save more money – you can re-use your zip-loc style bags. Unless the bags are greasy with meat residue, they're easy to wash and reuse.
2. Speaking of that veggie cooking water: Even people without babies should save those nutrients. Freeze the liquid for use in homemade soups. If you have younger kids, freeze some of the cubes extra-small and add one or two to a toddler's soup to cool the soup without diluting it.
3. Freeze herbal teas, lemonade or fruit juices for use in summertime drinks. Then, when you need an ice cube for a drink – it doesn’t get that watered down taste.
4. When a recipe calls for just a partial can of tomato paste, or sauce or juice don't leave the rest of the can in the fridge to grow fuzz. Freeze it for future meals.
5. If you can’t finish the milk or yogurt before it goes bad, freeze it. Then thaw a couple of cubes at a time for cooling morning oatmeal or coffee. It also makes great smoothies. My own version of a Strawberry Colada smoothie is made by tossing the following into a blender: 6 oz. milk, 1 ½ TBS. strawberry flavored Tang and a splash of Coco-Real. I then fill the magic bullet blender mug the rest of the way with crushed ice and give it a whirl. It’s VERY GOOD STUFF!!!
6. Bananas, strawberries or other fresh fruit getting too ripe? Puree and freeze them. Then add the cubes to your smoothies (or thaw them for baby's dessert).
7. Freeze homemade pesto: It's easy to pull out just a couple of cubes for appetizers or to brighten up a jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce.
8. Freeze white vinegar in ice cubes and put them in a large zip lock bag in freezer. Once a week, grab 2-3 vinegar cubes and put down garbage disposal to clean and freshen it.
9. Freeze leftover chicken stock. Each cube is about a tablespoon. When sautéing meats or veggies, throw a couple of cubes in the pan. You can then use less oil and it adds a little flavor.
10. Soda that has gone flat can be frozen into cubes and then used either as a mini-popsicle or to cool down other soda drinks. Ginger ale frozen into cubes is good added to iced tea.
11. The ice cube trick also works for fresh herbs. Cut them up into water and freeze in the ice cube trays. Use for soups etc.
12. Another great idea to use those little bits of leftover dinner (like the last of the gravy, a few bits of roast, a few peas or a little corn) is to put one of those large empty ice cream containers in your freezer. When your meal is over, put the leftovers into the container. When it's full, get out the crock pot, add a can of tomatoes and get yourself the best soup you've had in a long time.
13. It's more efficient to keep one's freezer full than it is to keep it half-empty anyway, so those bags of frozen cubes may help save on the electric bill, as long as you allow space for proper circulation. The more your freezer is filled with frozen goods (such as ice), the less energy it takes to keep cool.
14. Don't rule out non-food uses. Crafters have always known that ice cube trays are good for organizing beads and small hardware. You can use them to hold small amounts of paint for crafts and even mix some of the colors in an empty compartment. Use in the bedroom to sort small pieces of jewelry: pins, rings, earrings.

Store what you Use & Use what you store. Never throw away useable food or other non-food products! If you have something usable but don’t think you personally are going to use it – give it away or donate it to a local charity. Someone will be thankful to have what you don’t want. One man’s trash really is another man’s treasure.

Emergency Preparedness Tips

10 Tips on Preparing for Emergency Situations
These are just my own suggestions. I am sure there are plenty of other good suggestions out there, but these are a good place to start.

1. Go through your 72 hour kits every 6 months on a specific weekend. Since I write to a mostly LDS audience and I myself am LDS, I choosse to do this task each General Conference weekend (in April and October). I put my kits in the floor as I am watching the Saturday sessions and go through them. Anything that is out of date is replaced. If I do not have stock on hand to do this – I go to the store that very evening after conference and get whatever is needed.

2. These weekends are also a great time to go through all the flashlights and check the batteries. Make sure you have extra batteries on hand for them just in case they die before the next conference. ALWAYS – replace the batteries (at conference time or every 6 months on your own schedule) in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If the battery is still good – replace it anyway with a new one and use the old one for a less important purpose.

3. Candles – Use decorative candle sconces in your home. That way – in the event of a power outage – you can have hands-free light in every room that you need. NEVER – leave a candle burning in an unattended room. Store matches in a place where every adult has access and knows where to find them. I choose to put them on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet in each bathroom as well as on top of the fridge.

4. Put a small flashlight in the nightstand of each bedroom. The self-generating kind are great – then you don’t have to worry about battery life.

5. Generators – having a small portable one on hand can save your freezer and refrigerator in a summertime prolonged power outage. A good small generator can be purchased for as little as $300 – $400. (I know I have a lot more food than that in my freezer!) Make sure that you have at least 5 gallons of fuel stored and designated especially for the generator. Check with city officials about ordinances regarding fuel storage in residential neighborhoods if you want to store more than that. A 2000 watt portable generator will provide enough juice to power you fridge, freezer and the blower for your furnace. (You must have your furnace blower wired with an accessory plug in order to connect to a generator in the event of a power outage.)

6. If you have an alternative heat source (wood burning stove – fireplace – propane or kerosene heaters) make sure that all the adults in your house know how to properly and safely use it. Make sure that you have plenty of ‘fuel’ or wood stored for these sources.

7. Alternative cooking sources should be stored for an emergency as well. A solar oven is great, but expensive. A good, portable and cheap alternative for those just getting started is a butane stove (about $25 – canisters of fuel are about $2). A folding stove with fuel cell cans for a 72 hour kit is good as well and will only run you about $15 with 2 cans of fuel. Propane stoves that fit the small propane canisters are also relatively cheap and easy to use for a beginner. Again – whatever you chose – practice cooking with it and learn how to use it ahead of time!

8. Keep a pair of comfortable shoes in the same location as your 72 hour kit, in case you have to evacuate in a hurry and do not have time to go hunting for your good hikers or tennis shoes.

9. Place a laminated photo of each family member on a lanyard and attach it to their 72-hour kit. Write all pertinent information on the back of the photo including the name of the person, cell numbers for the parents or spouse, allergies to drugs, ect. In the event of an emergency – each family member should remove the lanyard from the pack and wear it around their neck. That way- if you are separated from your children – they can be identified and you can be more easily located. You and your medical issues can also be identified with this information if you are found unconscious.

10. Put a small set of scriptures in your 72 hour kits. This will be a great source of comfort in any emergency. (For a small child – have a favorite story book and/or a stuffed toy or card game like old maid, Uno, ect)

Just get prepared! You never know when an emergency will strike.

Word-of-Mouth Cures That Really Work!

I found this article on MSN today and thought it was worth reprinting in it's entirity here. This is some good information on home remedies. Enjoy.....

Word-of-Mouth Cures That Really Work!
Seven homespun remedies that have solid research behind them.
By Quick & Simple Staff

It's amazing how many traditional cures actually have evidence to support them, says Francesca J. Fusco, M.D., of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Here are seven that have solid research—not just someone's grandma!—behind them.

Zap nail fungus with bleach
Why: "We're not sure why, but there is something in bleach that slows down the growth of nail fungi," says Dr. Fusco.
How: Combine one teaspoon of bleach with one cup of water.
(Note: Always dilute the mixture—applying pure bleach will burn skin.) Then, use a dropper to place this mixture under the affected nail. Repeat twice a day until the infection disappears; this could take up to three weeks.

Prevent blisters on your feet with deodorant
Why: Blisters are caused by skin rubbing against your shoes, and are made worse by sweating. "Deodorant works on your feet just like it does under your arms: It stops sweat glands from producing sweat," says Ranella J. Hirsch, M.D., president of the American Society for Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
How: Before heading out, roll deodorant—any kind will do—on your soles.

Soothe burns with tomato
Why: "The tomato contains lycopene, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, so it calms inflamed skin. And the wetness of the tomato juice helps draw some of the liquid out of the burn, reducing swelling," says Dr. Fusco.
How: Slice a large tomato and apply pieces to damaged skin. Leave on for five minutes, then remove, letting the remaining juices fully dry on skin. Once dry, rinse skin with cool water. Repeat twice daily until discomfort ends.

Calm insect bites with aspirin
Why: "Aspirin is made of salicylic acid, a potent anti-inflammatory that can reduce pain and itching," says Dr. Hirsch.
How: Crush three aspirin and add a few drops of water—enough to make a paste, Dr. Hirsch says. Apply mixture to the bite. Leave on for two minutes, then rinse with cool water. Repeat twice daily until pain and itching stop.

Stop small cuts from bleeding with used tea bags
Why: "The tannic acid in tea has an astringent effect, prompting blood vessels to constrict more quickly, which slows the flow of blood," explains Dr. Fusco.
How: Using light pressure, hold a cool (not warm) tea bag against the cut for one minute. Rinse, then cover with a bandage.

Remove warts with duct tape
Why: Experts at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., found this remedy could clear warts in two months. There are a few theories about how it works. One is that duct tape irritates warts, causing an immune system reaction that attacks them. "Another is that the tape removes the virus-laden skin cells," says Anthony Mancini, M.D., professor of dermatology at Northwestern University.
How: Apply a piece of tape that's the same size as the wart and leave on for six days. (If tape falls off, replace ASAP.) Remove tape after the six days and clean area with soap and water; leave tape off overnight. In the morning, reapply tape, keep on for five days and repeat until wart disappears. It may take up to two months, says Dr. Mancini, but it's less painful and less expensive than repeated doctor visits.

Nix dandruff with apple cider vinegar
Why: "The vinegar's acidity reduces the natural pH of the scalp," explains Dr. Fusco. "And this creates an unfriendly environment for yeast that tend to overpopulate the head and cause dandruff."
How: Mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar with one quart of water and use as a final rinse after shampooing, twice weekly.

More Home Made Household Cleaning Products

Although I'd like to take credit for all the following - I can't. The first part of this post came from The Dollar Stretcher website at http://www.stretcher.com. It is an article written by Amy Allen Clark. She is a stay-at-home mother of two wonderful children. She is founder and creator of http://www.momadvice.com. Her website is geared towards mothers who are seeking advice on staying organized, living on a budget, and those seeking work-at-home employments. Please visit her money-saving blog where she offers even more tips for ways you can save your family money. The other part of this article is cut and pasted cleaning recipes from the Dollar Stretcher website. Just read - enjoy and then try the cleaner recipes. I have tried several of them before and they work. I did not know about the furniture polish though. I'm going to try that tomorrow or maybe the next day - or whenever I have time to dust...... LOL. I'm just too busy planting spring flowers and blogging for my wonderful readers to care about a dusty house right now. Here's Amy's article and the recipes:

I am not going to launch into a preachy prose about how bad commercial cleaning products are today when it comes to cleaning your home. It is common knowledge that a healthy home is not doused in heavy-duty bleach and preserving our environment should be tops on our priority list. The truth is, if you peeked inside of my caddy of cleaners, you would see some of these harmful products in there. The fact is that I am trying to rely less on these cleaners and rely more on homemade cleaners. I am in the process of making the transition over to using only healthy homemade cleaners and feel a lot of pride when I take the time to do this.

Making cleaners does not mean that you need to purchase a ton of items; in fact, most cleaners can be made from things you already have in your house. The main components that I like to work with are white vinegar, baking soda, liquid dish washing soap, and lemon juice. To get started, however, you may need to purchase a few spray bottles. I pick these spray bottles up from our local dollar store. These clear spray bottles will make it easy to measure and label your new cleaners in your house.

If you do decide to use these types of cleaners regularly, I would suggest making a trip to your wholesale club to buy the ingredients. A small box of baking soda can cost around fifty cents at your local grocery store. The same baking soda, in a twelve-pound bag, from Sam's Club costs about $5.42. What a savings! All of these products can be purchased in bulk, and once you begin using them regularly, you will go through them quickly.

While you are at the warehouse store, be sure to swing by the automotive section and pick up a bag of microfiber cloths. The cloths sold at the warehouse store are larger and thicker than the ones you can get in other stores, and these are great for all of the jobs around your house. You can use these wet or dry. You can also use these just using water and not even bothering with a cleaner because they are that amazing.

Be sure when you launder your microfiber cloths that you do not use any type of fabric softener and use a very little amount of soap or cleaner on them. If you overload them with cleaning products, they will become less and less effective, particularly when you are trying to attract dust towards them. Because these cleaners are homemade and use less harsh ingredients, they will require a little more elbow grease than your commercial products. Here are some of my tried-and-true recipes that we use in our house:
All-Purpose Cleaner - Mix together two tablespoons of mild dish washing soap and two cups of water in a spray bottle and give it a shake. Use this anywhere that you would use a commercial all-purpose spray. This cleaner is particularly great for counter tops, bathroom surfaces, and high chairs.

Glass Cleaner - Mix together one part white vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray this solution on your mirrors and windows and dry your windows with newspaper. The newspaper is great for lint-free drying.
Homemade Oven Cleaner/Deep Kitchen Cleaner - Mix a paste of three parts warm water to one part baking soda to clean away kitchen stains or to clean your oven.
Bathroom Cleaner - Mix dish washing liquid with baking soda until you have a thick paste and use this throughout your bathroom.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner - No measuring is required with this recipe. Sprinkle a little baking soda into your toilet bowl and then pour a little vinegar in and watch it fizz it up. Give it a swish with your toilet brush and then flush.
Floor Cleaner - Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water. The scent of the vinegar will fade in approximately an hour, but you can also add a couple of drops of essential oil to help with the scent.
Furniture Polish - Mix 1/4 cup olive oil with four tablespoons of vinegar and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Pour into a spray bottle and shake well before using. If you do not use all of it in one cleaning session, store the remainder in the fridge, as the lemon juice can go sour.
Silver Cleaner - Although I don't polish silver very frequently, this is a great to have in your bag of tricks. In a large bowl (or you can use your kitchen sink), place strips of aluminum foil and place the silver pieces on top. Cover the silver with boiling water and then add three tablespoons of baking soda and soak for ten minutes.

By making your own cleaners, you will save hundreds of dollars over the course of the year. What a difference that will make to your grocery budget and helping the environment is a wonderful benefit of your fabulous frugalness.

More frugal cleaning product ideas:

From a reader named Layne -

I, too, thought the price on the clean-up wipes was way too expensive at $3.99 for a package of 28 in my area, so I modified my homemade baby wipes to make my own clean-ups.

Cleaning Wipes: Cut a roll of Bounty paper towels in half, and remove cardboard tube. In an airtight container add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup of cleaner (bleach or pine Sol or whatever kind you want). I use an old 5-quart ice cream bucket and Mr. Clean Anti-Bacterial. Place roll of paper towels in and seal with lid. Turn upside down until all liquid is absorbed in paper towels. To use, pull each piece of paper towel out of the center. I figured I spent about 75¢ for 100 wipes. Quite a savings! They work great for wiping down the bathroom and kitchen.

From a reader named Bridgett -

Baby Wipes: I use Bounty Select-A-Size paper towels and fold them into thirds. Put them in an old Huggie wipee box. Mix 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons baby lotion, and 2 tablespoons baby bath. Pour over the paper towels. You can adjust the recipe if you like your wipees' wetter or drier.

For each of the following, I use Bounty or Viva paper towels, because neither one of these turns to mush. I take a roll of paper towels, cut it in half, and take out the cardboard inside. You won't need it for anything. You'll pull out the sheets from the center. I keep each of the following in a Rubbermaid container big enough to hold half a roll of paper towels:
Kitchen Face Wipe: 2 tablespoons Johnson & Johnson Baby Bath and 2 cups water

Bathroom disinfectant wipes: 2 cups Pine Cleaner (your choice) and 2 cups water.

Bug Wipe: 1 cup Avon Skin so Soft and 1 cup water

Window Wipe: 1 1/2 cups Glass Cleaner (your choice) and 1/2 cup water

All of the above save me some time and money, and they get used a lot here! I've marked the tops of each with exactly what is inside, and the same container gets used over and over again for even more savings.

Room Deodorizers from several readers:

The Fake Febreeze Recipe
2 C. Fabric Softener
2 C. Baking Soda
4 C. warm water
Mix and place in a spritzing bottle. Use just like you would the expensive Febreeze from the store. If you want, you can use the unscented fabric softener and then add a few drops of essential oil to make it a scent that you prefer. I just use Snuggle. Tina

Easy Deodorizer
The best deodorizer that I make is plain tap water with several drops of essential oil in it. I normally use lavender. About 15 drops for a 32-ounce spray bottle. When needed, I simply mist the air. I use lavender because it's so relaxing! Katrina
Good Use for Vodka
I own a business which styles and sells wigs, falls, and other synthetic hairpieces, and the best trick I've learned for getting smells out of those fibers works just as well on other fibers and fabrics. Just mix water and vodka in a 1:1 ratio and spritz it right on. Works as well as commercial products like Febreeze. It evaporates quickly, leaving no alcohol-scent behind. Penny
Less Expensive Substitute
Sam's club has a product called OdoBan. It comes in a gallon jug as a concentrate. You may make the scent as light or strong as you wish by adding water to a very small amount in a spray bottle. The scent isn't as flowery as Febreeze but pleasant, very effective, and very affordable. I have had my gallon for over a year and it's still almost a gallon. My daughter uses this product at her pet grooming shops. The scent of wet dog isn't so noticeable. I have also read you may add fabric softener diluted with water as a spray, but would worry about furniture because product stains clothes if not used right. Dian