Good Enough Homemaking ~ Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

As a younger single mama of three (shudder), I used to HAVE to cook just about every meal, snack, treat and sweet. I've gone so far as to make crackers. CRACKERS!!! (Why?!😨) Because I had to. It was frugal and economical. 

Well, today's a new day. And I find the older I get, the less time I want to spend in the kitchen. BUT, and here's the clincher, I STILL must find ways to be thrifty. 

So what's a girl to do? Here's one thing I have been incorporating lately that saves me time, still saves a little money AND feeds our sweet teeth (we each have more than one 😶):

[!WARNING! Baking purists look away!!!]

Boxed cake mix cookies! 

I stock up on boxed cake mixes when they are on sale, usually .79 - .99 cents each,to have in the pantry for a quick dessert  (or cookie!) when I just can't fathom spending one more minute in the kitchen. 

Last night I made these Betty Crocker "Cake Mix Snickerdoodles"  using a (shhh! don't tell Betty!) Duncan Hines cake mix, since it's what I had on hand.

Hubby called them "addictive".

And that's good enough for me. 

Do you use kitchen shortcuts? Please share! As a recovering everything-from-scratchaholic , I can use all the help I can get right now. 

As always, thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. There is no cost to you, dear reader, by clicking on my affiliate links. 

Some posts on my blog may contain links that will take you to my Avon e-boutique (website) where, should you choose to make a purchase, will earn me a commission as an Independent Avon Representative. 

We thank you for your show of support for the blog when you use the links provided to make purchases! 

Mama's Country Kitchen Chicken Broth~

A recipe that's not really a recipe...

• Cook the chicken  (in whatever way the occasion calls for. Bake,pan fry, etc.)

• Remove the chicken meat from the bones & add it to salads, recipes, or just stand at the counter nibbling on it, occasionally sharing a piece with your dog that is staring up at you and threatening to leave a puddle of drool on the floor for you to slip and fall in later if you don't. 

But I digress...

• Make broth from the bones. {Chicken bones, water & I add a titch of vinegar because I've read it's supposed to draw out the nutritional goodness from them. Most of the time (because it's fast and easy, and I'm a lazy housewife) I just add herbs and spices and salt & pepper to the broth since they're within arms reach of the stove. } No carrots, celery etc. Just a simple broth. I RARELY add onion so that I can add some of the broth to my pet's food occasionally (onion is supposed to be bad for dogs). If I want onion flavor in a recipe that the broth will be involved in, I can add that later. Then after simmering for 1/2 to one hour or so, cooling and skimming off the fat...

• I freeze the broth in various amounts. 1 cup, 2 cup, and LOTS of cubes made in the ice cube tray(s).

Now...if I'm feelin' wild & wooly, footloose and fancy free, I might take the time to make a "proper" broth. Ya know, #alltheveggies added to the aforementioned stuff, and then slowly, and lovingly😂😂😂, simmer that stuff in my slow cooker all day. Well, 6-8 hours at least. 

But...usually not. 

Do you have any chicken broth makin' tips you'd like to share? Please feel free!

Thanks for stopping by 

Veterans Day 2018~

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. ~John 15:13

To all our beloved veterans, "thank you" is such a very small sentiment to offer you for your service. You are very much appreciated on this day, and every day.

By the Dawns Early Light~

In the wee hours of the predawn, under the cover of darkness at 4-ish a.m, I was awakened by a crashing and clawing. I proceeded to get up and search out the source of the ruckus. All appeared calm. Two innocent looking cat bread loaf silhouettes in the darkness seemed to be coyly asking me, "Did you hear that too? Whatever could it have been?" 

Now too awake to possibly fall back asleep, I made my way to the coffee station  (what else could it be called when you have three coffee makers?) which seems to give the felines the go ahead message: "Lady and gentleman, start your engines!".

And so I sat, bleary eyed, me and my coffee, my coffee and me, while the sound of 1000 wild horses stampeded through the house. 

The sun is up now. 

And they doze. 

Good mornin' y'all!

Inward Reflections~

Sometimes I have to take a sabbatical from social media, blogging and the like.  Ya know...do a bit of soul searching, inner housekeeping and reflection. Sometimes I just wanna live my life, focusing on the here and now, without giving the world wide web a second thought.  

And that's exactly what I've done this past several weeks. Sometimes I've just gotta give myself permission to slow down & step away from the computer to regroup and refresh.  It's essential to my inmost being!

But then, I get to missing all the friendships and connections I've made through those very same channels.  I hope they, and you, understand my occasional silence.

Do you take time away from social media? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

Farewell Summer Break!

errands with the best daughter in the whole wide world!

This past couple of weeks has been all about joining my son and grandson on all their last minute back to school shopping and errands.  And spending the last few precious, sunshine filled moments of summer break with them before the hustle and bustle of the school year begins.

There were many great back to school deals to be had, in addition to it being tax-free weekend here when he did the majority of his shopping! We began the shopping at Walmart, for both some clothing items and school supplies, and stopped in at McDonald's for a quick, not so healthy, bite to eat.  Then we headed to the Dollar Tree for school supplies that he couldn't find at Walmart.  After that, it was off to Target for a few more shirts and things.  While at Target, we also ran into some of our old work mates from when my son and I did product demonstrations there.  It was good to see them and catch up!

On other days, I went with them while he went for his immunizations, health check up and shoe shopping.  It has been such a pleasure to tag along with them and enjoy the process without the stress!  Ahhh, the benefits of being the mamaw!

Even better, was the end of summer sleepover at mamaw and papaw's house!  💕😍 What is better than making memories with our loved ones?

Along with the end of summer vacation, I have begun to feel a shift in the weather. It's almost imperceptibly cooler and less humid on some days, making the warm breezes I feel, as I tinker around the garden at sunset, as welcome as grandma's cozy afghan.  It has inspired me to already begin cooking and baking not so summery fare. Or to curl up with a good book or a charming movie by the fire with a steaming hot cup of tea when the day is done.  

I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer!  

Have your babies or grand babies already headed back to school?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. There is no cost to you, dear reader, by clicking on my affiliate links. 

Some posts on my blog may contain links that will take you to my Avon e-boutique  (website) where, should you make a purchase, will earn me a commission as an Independent Avon Representative. 

We thank you for your show of support for the blog when you use the links to make purchases! 

Use it Up ~ Empties August 2018

It's been a while since I've done an "empties" post!  Of course, I've got more empties than the few I am going to show in this post, but I didn't want the info to be overwhelming.  So, I decided to do a bite sized post, lol!

Without further ado and in no particular order, here we go...

•  L'Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner Sulfate Free ~ I purchased this when I still had some blond in my hair while growing it out to reveal it's natural, ahem, "highlights".  I loved everything about it, especially that it was Sulfate free.  It seemed to work well on keeping my hair, both the blond and the grays while in transition, from turning brassy.    I may buy this again in the future, but in the meantime, I will be exploring other conditioners that are formulated for blond or gray hair, just to compare.

•  SUZANNE Organics Foaming Exfoliating Cleanser ~ this product was a gift that was included in another purchase I made well before I went on my money diet and renewed decluttering mission.  One of the benefits of this product are that it cleans away dirt and dead skin cells with a cleanser that won't strip your skin of it's natural moisture and protection.  Another thing I appreciated about this cleanser was the fact that I do prefer to use products that are non-toxic, organic and as close to natural as possible, and this fits the bill.  But products like that usually come with a higher price tag than I am going to pay right now.  Perhaps sometime in the future, when there is a bit more wiggle room in our budget, I would absolutely love to purchase this product again, for all of it's natural and skin loving goodness.

•  Avon On Duty Unscented Bonus-Size Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant ~  I have purchased this deodorant time and time again over the years.  For me, it has proven to live up to it's name keeping me fresh and odor free for the full day!  I prefer the unscented version so that it doesn't clash with any other fragrance I may choose to wear.  I feel it lives up to the benefits listed on Avon's website which follow:
▪ Unscented deodorant for people with sensitive skin
▪ Be odor free for 48 hours
▪ 24-hour antiperspirant
▪ Non-stinging
▪ Non-sticky
▪ Non-whitening
Because it is so affordable, and often on sale, I will continue to keep using this!

•  Avon Anew Skinvincible Day Lotion ~ another Avon product that I won't do without!  The main three reasons I continue to purchase bottle after bottle is the broad spectrum SPF 50, the fact that it's fragrance free and because it also feels great on my skin and doesn't leave a greasy, sticky, icky feeling (that is very important to me as I live in a hot and humid area and would go without sunscreen before I would wear one that makes me feel hotter and sweatier than the weather already does!). Here's a few more benefits listed on the Avon website & not a one of them bad, in my opinion!:
• Broad spectrum SPF 50 and high antioxidant formula protects skin from sun                 damage
• Smart Repair Technology heals skin from environmental damage
• Won't irritate sensitive skin, moisturizes for 24 hours
• Targets dehydrated skin and wrinkles
• Fragrance-free and oil-free
• Contains retinol
• Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic
• Allergy-tested and dermatologist-tested
I will continue to buy this product over and over again and I always keep my eyes peeled for the sales.

•  Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Crème ~ another love, love, LOVE product that I have bought more than once!  I honestly can't think of one thing I don't like about this product.  From the light, pleasant fragrance, to the beautiful shine and silky feel it imparts when I run it through my hair, this hair product does just what it claims to do.  Another bonus: a very little bit goes a long way.  It's good for all hair types, it's paraben, sulfate and aluminum free and is humidity resistant!
*I will be trying out a similar product that my daughter told me about that is much less expensive, to see how it compares.  If I can find a comparable styling creme at a fraction of the cost, I will switch, for our budget's sake.

Well, there you have it, just a few of the products I have used up.  I love them all and, in a perfect, money flowing like a river world, would buy each and every one of them over and over again.  The reality is, I have decided that the only two products on the above list that I won't compromise on so far, are the Avon products.  Still, if I heard of similar products that worked as well and cost less, I would be willing to give them a try!

I would love to know some of the products you have loved enough to squeeze the last drop out of.  Please share!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ


*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.  There is no cost to you, dear reader, by clicking on my affiliate links. 
Some posts on my blog may contain links that will take you to my Avon e-boutique (website) where, should you make a purchase, will earn me a commission as an Independent Avon Representative.
We thank you for your show of support for the blog when you use the links to make purchases!