Layout:
Home > Category: Substitutions

Viewing the 'Substitutions' Category

Creamers for your French Toast

December 1st, 2006 at 04:43 pm

I had a whimsical idea to use our soon-2-b spoiled vanilla half and half (creamer) for french toast to use up our older bread stash.

Voila! Flavored, no fuss breakfast! I bet any flavor would make tasty french toast.

Trash, Compost or Garden Treasure?

August 31st, 2006 at 05:25 pm

Everyday Compost Materials:

Nonsynthetic Lint
Human & Pet Hair
Coffee & Tea (bags/filters too)
Egg Shells
Fish bones/Skin
Rusted/Broken/Bent Nails

"Trellises"

Baby Gates
Iron Gates/Fencing
Wooden Fencing
Iron Crib on it's side?
Wire CD Racks

Poles

Broken Billiard Sticks
Stair Railings
Shower / Curtain Rods

Containers

BookCases Horizontally
Shelves/File Cabinets Horizontally
Crates
Old Bathtubs / Sink
Pull Wagon
toyboxes
Drawers
Cabinetry
Wine Boxes / Storage
Guitar/Instrument boxes/cases
Trundle/Pullout beds
Barrels
Wheelbarrels

Ingenius Coldframe?

August 31st, 2006 at 04:45 pm

I read a post on the "ThriftyFun Tips" newsletter I subscribe to about using those rooftop cargo carriers for cars for coldframes for winterproof gardening.

Well- my idea is to use an old, even rusted, barbecue gril. The "paint" should be nontoxic since we used it to cook what we eat. It already has heat trapping ability and a hinge top. Most barbecues have smoke vents on top which we could use to control the trapped heat/temperature inside. And for warmer nonfreezing weather, you could open the coldframe grill and just cover your plants with a modified/small plastic "rowcover". Plus- it's on wheels so it's easily moveable to where the sun is or isn't and it would be elevated off the freezing ground with snowcover.

The more I think of this idea (it's my original idea as far as I know)- the more I like it! We already have a spare grill that we hardly use even during the summer (only to incubate my homemade yogurt); I think winter use would be appropriate. All I have to do is check the depth allowed. I wonder if there are any more "junk" BBQs that I can pick up. LOL

Fabric Softener Sheets

August 19th, 2006 at 09:01 pm

Unused:

(1) Deodorizers for shoes, drawers, suitcases

(2) Anti Static


Used:

(1) Refill Swiffer Dusters, or dust alone

(2) Stuffing for pillows, etc

*Money Saving Tip* You don't have to used the whole sheet for a load...split it up in half, thirds, fourths. Or reuse a whole sheet. Or, make your own with paper towels/washcloths with liquid softener.

More ideas in your comments section...

The difference between Milk & Buttermilk

August 18th, 2006 at 07:08 pm

Acid content! So add lemon or vinegar to your milk so you don't have to rush to the store to get "buttermilk"! I saved you gas too. ^^

Vinegar & Lemon

August 18th, 2006 at 07:06 pm

In cooking and cleaning, these are interchangeable in providing their acidic taste.


Tip: Vinegar or lemon added to milk would give you buttermilk in a pinch

Sour Cream, Milk & Yogurt

August 18th, 2006 at 07:04 pm

Can be a pinch hitter when you're out of milk. I think it provides a creamier taste and texture in sauces.

********************************

Yogurt can pinch hit for sour cream and milk in the right situations/recipes. Generally you're safe.

Bonus: Yogurt is easy to make and you can chain batches so that you're not "reinvesting" in making more yogurt.
Did you know that you can make a ricotta textured cheese from drained yogurt? Maybe ricotta & yogurt could pinch hit for each other too!

Condensed & Evaporated Milk

August 18th, 2006 at 07:01 pm

These are very similar except that condensed milk is the sweetened version of evaporated milk. So if substituting either way, take sweetness into consideration and tweak the other sweetening agents in your recipes.

Banish Diaper Rash with Corn Starch & Petroleum Jelly

August 18th, 2006 at 12:48 am


Don't spend money on those expensive Diaper Rash creams! Prevent them cheaply!

Jasmin hasn't had a diaper rash since she was 2.5 months old and she's nearly nine months old now.

Everytime I change her diaper I sprinkle cornstarch based baby powder (cornstarch by itself would do fine) and rub petroleum jelly over her bum.

Cornstarch is cheap and lasts a long time, so is petroleum jelly. Unless you have stocks for A&D ointment, don't give the company your money!

When Substitutions make Cents!

August 17th, 2006 at 05:18 pm

We have to observe the link between time, money and our reserves (resources).

The underlying advantage to using substitutions is to utilize your resources instead of spending time and money shopping for something you still basically have.

How many times do you go to the store just for bread, or milk, or eggs, cheese, or flour, or sugar? The usual suspects bring home with them other unnecessary purchased items.

A suitable occasion to use a substitution would be if you ran out of milk and you have dry milk in reserves. Go mix that milk until you have a good number of stuff on your "list" to make a sensible trip to the store.

Also, let's say that you are out of laundry detergent, but have a lot of bars of soap (hotel size or ones you ended up hating) lying around. If this is the case and you're going on a "sensible" trip to the store, instead of buying "laundry soap", buy borax and washing soda to use with the barsoap and make your own. It will be cheaper, last longer and use up some of your reserves that have been lying around as clutter.

In the back of your mind, always have your goals in focus. It makes it easier to make the better choices.

Power to substitutions! =p