Amazon is helping you get a jump on your Black Friday shopping this week. They are offering fantastic deals all week long. These are lightning deals, on a time limit. To see what is currently being offered click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http://www.amazon.com/Black-Friday-After-Thanksgiving-Sale/b?ie=UTF8&node=384082011&ref_=pe%5F67050%5F13667070%5Fpe%5Fbtn&amp;tag=stoptheride-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957">Black Friday Week Lightning Deals</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=stoptheride-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />. I'm just leaving the window up on my computer through the day.<br /><br />Curious what items will be offered through week? Check the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2236672011&ref_=bf%5Fdealcal&amp;tag=stoptheride-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957">Black Friday Deals Calendar</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=stoptheride-20&amp;l=ur2&amp;o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /> to see if any items on your shopping list will be offered this week. The calendar does not list the prices these items will be listed at though.<br /><br />With all the great early deals this year I already have almost all my Christmas shopping done. I'm so excited!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-7521742944475491064?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwqCHyiHeBI/AAAAAAAADyU/XjSCP-gh4jU/s1600/tofu-1b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 88px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwqCHyiHeBI/AAAAAAAADyU/XjSCP-gh4jU/s200/tofu-1b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407277372947265554" border="0" /></a>I recently was asked to sample <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=104012&amp;url=http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=200632&u=372280&m=14362&urllink=&afftrack=" rel="nofollow">Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda </a>, and let you know what I thought. Tofurky and Gravy Soda?! Sounds bizarre doesn't it? But I am a brave soul who enjoys trying new thing. I said bring it on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwqFXudNs7I/AAAAAAAADyk/ReHURViKBho/s1600/100_0003_00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwqFXudNs7I/AAAAAAAADyk/ReHURViKBho/s200/100_0003_00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407280945265750962" border="0" /></a>These fine folks not only sent me a bottle of liquid Thanksgiving, they also sent this turkey hat just for kicks. The kids, of course, loved the hat, and the eleven year old claimed it as his own. He even wore it to church on Sunday. (I was not seen with him.) But would the kids be as excited about the soda? There was only one way to fine out.<br /><br />We set up the glasses, cracked open the bottle, and had ourselves a taste. I have to admit my expectations weren't too high. I imagined the soda to be a carbonated gravy. I have to agree with what my eleven year old expressed upon tasting it, "That is better than I expected." Though better than expected, none of us were overly impressed by the soda. To me it was too salty and didn't have a lot of flavor.<br /><br />Now, the "dessert" choices they are offering with this Tofurky and Gravy Soda sound much more appealing. Black Cherry, Pom, or Vanilla Bean in a carbonated form sound down right mouth watering. Tofurky and Gravy Soda, not so much.<br /><br /><p><em>This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=104012&amp;url=http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=200632&u=372280&m=14362&urllink=&afftrack=" rel="nofollow">Jones Soda</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</em></p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwqEKKT0qLI/AAAAAAAADyc/85K_ODi-IWQ/s1600/100_0003_00.jpg"><em></em></a><em><br /><a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=104012&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" rel="nofollow"><img alt="SocialSpark Disclosure Badge" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=104012&amp;url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_grey_new.png" style="border: 0pt none ;" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-2879411964731317917?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwcW6nwjIqI/AAAAAAAADyM/WM8Y6jQSiMk/s1600/101_0523.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwcW6nwjIqI/AAAAAAAADyM/WM8Y6jQSiMk/s200/101_0523.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406315074042405538" border="0" /></a>My 7 year old, Lydia, has a birthday party to attend this evening. The present we had, but a look to our bag and paper stash revealed that appropriate wrapping materials we did not. This was the motivation for a rare occurrence in this house; breaking out the sewing machine.<br /><br />Ever since Heather posted a tutorial on Make it from Scratch for <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/2008/09/homemade-fabric-gift-bags-with-ties.html">Homemade Fabric Bags with Ties</a> I've loved the idea of making my own gift bags instead of buying bags and paper. Today, it was time to put up, or shut up.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwcW6cKrrDI/AAAAAAAADyE/gRdrSdIbybI/s1600/100_0001_06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwcW6cKrrDI/AAAAAAAADyE/gRdrSdIbybI/s200/100_0001_06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406315070930791474" border="0" /></a>Luckily, my daughter had some fun fabric left in the stash she was given last year. Thanks, <a href="http://delilahmiller.blogspot.com/"> Aunt Delilah</a>! Lydia liked the jean fabric in there. You can't really tell from the photo, but it has a silver sparkle to it. Together we made two gift bags from that material for the presents she had.<br /><br />I was having so much fun that I decided to make a few more, including the super adorable bug and butterfly bag at the top. And since the sewing machine was already out, I decided to tackle a couple other sewing projects that I had been thinking about. You are sure to see those soon here or at <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/">Make it from Scratch</a>.<br /><br />These bags were incredibly easy, even for a sewing novice like myself. I will admit to not following the directions the first time (um and the second) and not quite getting the ties right. I did eventually read a little closer and get them right though. Now, I just need to happen across a cheap bunch of Christmas paper so I can make some fabric bags for Christmas.<br /><br />____________________________________________________________________<br /><br />On an entirely different subject......<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/11/hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway.html"><img alt="HP TouchSmart 600 Giveaway" src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e98/amitton/x-1.jpg" title="HP TouchSmart 600 Giveaway" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Have you seen the giveaway over at Scribbit? She is giving away an <a href="http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/11/hp-touchsmart-600-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed: Scribbit (Scribbit)&amp;utm_content=FaceBook">HP Touchsmart 600</a>. I'm just drooling. Pick me! Pick me oh random number generator!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-956920476292554793?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwRyvPTUPdI/AAAAAAAADx8/KNtT9uA67dg/s1600/ON.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 60px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwRyvPTUPdI/AAAAAAAADx8/KNtT9uA67dg/s200/ON.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405571608638406098" border="0" /></a>Old Navy has a couple of promotions going on right now that I thought were worth passing along.<br /><br />Free Shipping on orders over $50. No coupon required. (They have a flat rate for shipping of $7 on orders under $50)<br /><br />15% off orders or $75 or or 25% off orders of $100 or more with code ONSAVE15<br /><br />And earn a 10% rebate when you shop through<a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=1at67++YkPL9VI2Y+fjokw=="> Ebates</a>!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-8782689732250813889?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwPni960wMI/AAAAAAAADxc/2XSfw34UlpI/s1600/101_0450.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SwPni960wMI/AAAAAAAADxc/2XSfw34UlpI/s320/101_0450.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405418565697585346" border="0" /></a>Last spring we planted our first strawberry patch. We planted 50 plants all nice and neat in rows. We mulched them, and dutifully picked off the flowers and trained the runners through the spring and early summer. The plants thrived in this year's cool, wet summer. We glowed with pride while looking at our beautiful strawberry patch, anticipating the harvest of 2010.<br /><br />Then the rest of the garden began producing, and the harvesting and preserving began. The strawberry patch was left to its own devices. It continued to thrive, but not in the neat and orderly way it had under our careful tending.<br /><br />The picture here is what those strawberries look like now. Can you see the rows? Once upon a time there were four row among those plants.<br /><br />Now my question to you, fellow gardeners, is what shall we do with this patch of strawberries gone wild? Should we mow or till in our rows again, or should we allow the strawberries to continue on their merry way and somehow pick our way through next spring when it is time to harvest?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-3392853027837389716?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Svx2kkpY15I/AAAAAAAADw8/xcAJ9s_Mzd0/s1600-h/sanitzier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Svx2kkpY15I/AAAAAAAADw8/xcAJ9s_Mzd0/s200/sanitzier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403324023622391698" border="0" /></a>The signs are everywhere. There are boxes of Kleenex readily available around the house. More people are absent at group events. Hand sanitizer is conspicuously displayed in public areas. This year, many people are walking around with masks, and reports are all over the media. Yes, cold and flu season is officially here.<br /><br />Cold and flu season does not just take a toll on your health, it can also take a toll on your wallet. Getting sick is expensive. It can cost you in productivity, time off work, and medical expenses.<br /><br />The best way to minimize the hit to your wallet this season is to not get sick. Take care of yourself. Get rest. Drink lots of water. Eat lots of healthy foods and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C. Of course, wash your hands frequently. But sometimes even the greatest attempts at prevention fail, and you find yourself sick.<br /><br />If you find yourself with the flu or a cold, consider trying some natural, frugal home remedies. I am obviously not a doctor, and am still very much in the learning stages as far as home remedies are concerned, but below are a few things that have worked well for us, and that I am interested in.<br /><br />Again you need to take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Drink a lot of water. Be sure you are getting your vitamins.<br /><br />Garlic is full of anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. I use a lot of garlic in our cooking, but garlic's health benefits are most effective when the garlic is raw. The last time I had a head cold, I chomped down a few raw cloves of garlic. It was a lot to swallow, even for a garlic lover like me, but it was helpful to the healing process.<br /><br />Apple Cider Vinegar has also been effective in our family. Unpasteurized cider vinegar is the most effective, but we have also used it in the pasteurized form. A teaspoon or two of vinegar everyday can be taken everyday as a preventive. We have had success with apple cider vinegar by taking it at the first signs of a cold. It helps thin mucus, is an anti-bacterial, and contains trace minerals. All these benefits help you to get rid of your cold quickly.<br /><br />Homeopathic medicine is something else that I am interested in learning about. These medicines use small amounts of natural substances to help your body fight off what is making you sick. Traditional medicines most often only help you feel better by treating symptoms. They do not actually fight off the sickness. Homeopaths are available for a large variety of conditions, including the cold and flu. Boiron, a manufacturer of homeopathic medicines, has cold flu products just for children: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=33624471&amp;postID=596200138105222456">Boiron Children's Products</a>. Currently on their website there is also $1 off coupon: <a href="http://children.boironusa.com/images/BoironChildCoupon200909.pdf">Boiron Children's Medicines $1 off Coupon.</a> I like that homeopaths are natural and do not cause side effects. <br /><br />The cold and flu season may be here, but you can minimize the hit to your wallet by first and foremost doing what you can to avoid getting sick. If you do get sick, consider some natural and frugal home remedies to help you recover quickly. Your body and your wallet will thank you.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/baalands/"> baalands</a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-596200138105222456?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SvlisJLsXNI/AAAAAAAADwk/6td5FwTY3vc/s1600-h/penguin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 125px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SvlisJLsXNI/AAAAAAAADwk/6td5FwTY3vc/s320/penguin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402457738526350546" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/2SistersHairGarden">2 Sisters Hair Garden</a> is offering winter and holiday themed hair accessories at 3 for $12. This Etsy shop owner is a homeschooling momma to four and a personal friend of mine. Her bows are adorable. The holiday collection includes the adorable penguin you see here, Santa hats, Christmas trees, turkeys and more. Go check out her shop!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-7841933170055423228?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SvRpAlI4dcI/AAAAAAAADwU/DBleaTJcNRs/s1600-h/pBBW1-6082139t144.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 194px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SvRpAlI4dcI/AAAAAAAADwU/DBleaTJcNRs/s320/pBBW1-6082139t144.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401057311814350274" border="0" /></a>This week I have been doing quite a bit of online Christmas shopping. There are a lot of good deals out there right now!<br /><br />One of the sweetest deals was found today. Thanks to <a href="http://www.dealseekingmom.com/">Deal Seeking Mom</a> for posting this! Bath &amp; Body Works is currently offering a Buy Three Get Three Free promotion on their Signature Collection Body Care Products. Plus, use code TENTHIRTY to get $10 off your $30 purchase. And shipping for orders under $50 is $5.95 and only $3 for orders over $50. Shopping through <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=1at67++YkPL9VI2Y+fjokw==">Ebates</a> will also earn you a 3% rebate on your purchase.<br /><br />Now the really sweet part for me personally is that I had a $25 gift card that I recently got from redeeming some points. I had planned to use the card as a gift, but could certainly stretch it a lot further using this promotion. Today I ordered six items, including body washes and lotions, and paid only a little over $7! (That doesn't include the rebate that will be credited back to my <a href="http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=1at67++YkPL9VI2Y+fjokw==">Ebates</a> account!) Those six things will make nice gifts for two people on my list! Loving it!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-8941687663935794990?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

Welcome to the Homesteading Carnival! This week's edition includes lots of wonderful posts, but is particularly rich in goodies from the kitchen. Let's dig in!<br /><br />From the kitchen:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Su7OZSFY3GI/AAAAAAAADvE/sNKBMBg1Pt0/s1600-h/101_0421.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Su7OZSFY3GI/AAAAAAAADvE/sNKBMBg1Pt0/s200/101_0421.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399479937010293858" border="0" /></a>Make it from Scratch presents <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/2009/10/black-bean-chili.html">Black Bean Chili</a> posted at <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/">Make It From Scratch</a>.<br /><br />Wren Caulfield presents <a href="http://trueadventuresinmoneyhacking.blogspot.com/2009/10/homemade-pico-de-gallo-with-garden.html">Homemade Pico de Gallo with Garden Tomatoes</a> posted at <a href="http://trueadventuresinmoneyhacking.blogspot.com/">True Adventures in Money Hacking</a>.<br /><br />Lisa presents <a href="http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/2009/10/corn-and-molasses-bread.html">Corn and Molasses Bread</a> posted at <a href="http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/">Condo Blues</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Su7PrCbUx3I/AAAAAAAADvM/kocEbiZhwm0/s1600-h/Pumpkin-Soup-preferred-300x225.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Su7PrCbUx3I/AAAAAAAADvM/kocEbiZhwm0/s200/Pumpkin-Soup-preferred-300x225.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399481341556606834" border="0" /></a>Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://seasonal.dietfoodonline.info/?p=7">Jack Be Little Calorie Pumpkin Soup</a> posted at <a href="http://seasonal.dietfoodonline.info/">Seasonal Diet Food</a>.<br /><br />Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://chocolate-execution.blogspot.com/2009/10/chocolate-covered-oranges.html">Chocolate Covered Oranges</a> posted at <a href="http://chocolate-execution.blogspot.com/">Chocolate-Execution</a>.<br /><br />Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://the-bread-winner1.blogspot.com/2009/10/basil-bread.html">Basil Bread</a> posted at <a href="http://the-bread-winner1.blogspot.com/">The Bread Winner</a>.<br /><br />Lara DeHaven presents <a href="http://www.texashomesteader.com/2009/10/26/pumpkins/">Pumpkins</a> posted at <a href="http://www.texashomesteader.com/">Texas Homesteader</a>.<br /><br />Thailand Breeze presents <a href="http://thailandbreeze.com/amazing-coconut-palms-1.html">Amazing Coconut Palms (Part 1)</a> posted at <a href="http://thailandbreeze.com/">Thailand Breeze</a>.<br /><br /><br />Helping the family budget:<br />Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://cheapnaturalskincare.info/?p=18">Make Your Own Lipstick with ingredients you Probably Already Have</a> posted at <a href="http://cheapnaturalskincare.info/">Cheap Natural Skin Care</a>.<br /><br />Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://naturalacnerelief.info/?p=20">Cheap Substitute for expensive Biore Blackhead Strips</a> posted at <a href="http://naturalacnerelief.info/">Natural Acne Relief</a>.<br /><br />Rosey Dusk presents <a href="http://livingcheapnow.info/?p=24">Don?t throw those old Clothes out just Yet.</a> posted at <a href="http://livingcheapnow.info/">living cheap now</a>.<br /><br />MBB presents <a href="http://www.bankbluebook.com/get-paid-to-take-free-online-paid-surveys/">Get Paid To Take Free Online Surveys</a> posted at <a href="http://www.bankbluebook.com/blog">Money Blue Book Blog</a>.<br /><br />Thank you for joining us for this week's carnival. submit your post for the next carnival using the <a href="http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_3380.html">Blog Carnival Form</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-1666252624983605043?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

The Homesteading Carnival will be hosted here on Monday. .<br /><br /><blockquote>A carnival full of homesteading articles... from your kitchen with yummy recipes, your sewing room with homemaking ideas to planting your garden, raising farm animals, and raising a family on the homestead. Please join us on the homestead and submit something from yours!<br /></blockquote>Submit your posts via <a href="http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_3380.html">Blog Carnival</a>!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-1323753515561654276?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SubgmyRP8iI/AAAAAAAADsQ/nEdl29o2NAk/s1600-h/100_0001_04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SubgmyRP8iI/AAAAAAAADsQ/nEdl29o2NAk/s200/100_0001_04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397248160383889954" border="0" /></a>My poor neglected garden. I planted my fall crops, and then school and school activities filled in the time that was once spent in the garden. I would occasionally stroll through the small garden to pick caterpillars off the broccoli, but other than that the plants were left to fend for themselves. I hadn't even visited the large garden in weeks.<br /><br />Yesterday was a beautiful fall day, and I declared it a work outside morning. I surveyed the big garden, and found that I had waited too long for the tomatoes. They were almost all rotten. ~sigh~ Lots of peppers were harvested though. Okra pods were collected for seeds, and bean pods were collected for soup beans. That is the end of the summer garden. All that remains is to till it up and plant a cover crop.<br /><br />Next to check were the fall plants, turnips and radishes that had been planted and forgotten. Their lush greens took me by surprise. They were easily three times bigger than the last time I laid eyes on them. Turnip greens were harvested, though the turnips themselves are not quite ready. There were lots of red radishes poking out of the ground. those neglected beauties were about 4 inches long with a mild peppery flavor. We devoured them at lunch.<br /><br />Little remains to harvest or to do in the garden this time year. Soon the entire thing will be put to rest, and it will be time to evaluate this year's garden and plan for next year.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-5466716647758271708?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

Breast is best. I am convinced of that. Breast milk is best for babies no matter how you look at it. Nutritionally, nothing can be beat what we've been created to feed our own offspring. Economically, you can't beat the price of breast milk. Convenience? No bottles, no trips to the store, and no mixing is very convenient in my opinion. Yes, I am a big supporter of breast feeding.<br /><br />Recently WIC programs have revamped their food packages to encourage more moms to breastfeed their babies. They are encouraging breastfeeding by reducing the amount of formula paid for by WIC. I think encouraging moms to breast feed is a wonderful idea.<br /><br />But,I also realize that not every mom is able to breastfeed exclusively or for the entire first year. Sometimes it is necessary to purchase formula. And formula is not cheap.<br /><br />If you do have to purchase formula, consider the options. There is a wide range of prices and choices out there. More expensive does not mean better. According to Dr. Barbara Levine of Weill Cornell Medical College, all formulas are regulated by the FDA and nutritionally equivalent. The <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=70232&amp;url=http://www.storebrandformula.com" rel="nofollow">store brand formula</a> is just as good as its more expensive and more advertised counterpart. Check out the link above to even get a coupon for store brand formula.<br /><br />How you feed your baby is an important and personal decision. Breast milk has so many advantages, but if you need to buy formula consider the options, and save your self some money by buying the store brand.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><map name="map4772"><area href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=70232&url=http://www.storebrandformula.com" shape="rect" coords="0,0,206,45" rel="nofollow" /><area href="http://socialspark.com/code_of_ethics" shape="rect" coords="207,0,225,45" rel="nofollow" /></map><img alt="Post?slot_id=70232&url=http://socialspark" border="0" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=70232&url=http://socialspark.com/images/disclosure_badges/disclosure_badge_grey.png" style="border:0" usemap="#map4772" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-8644831785432704730?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/2246417797_7f31c4ee8e_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 167px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2075/2246417797_7f31c4ee8e_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Blame it on the change of seasons, the lack of sunshine, and the pressure to get things done before winter is here for real,<br /><br />Or on Tim's crazy schedule that has finally come to an end, and the crazy busy weekends I've had at work lately.<br /><br />Perhaps it is the change of focus from the garden to homeschooling, and the numerous field trips we've been going on.<br /><br />Blame it on the rain...<br /><br />But I've been feeling rather blah lately. No, blah doesn't quite cover it. Drained is a better description.<br /><br />There is so much to do, and I am having trouble summoning the motivation and energy to get it all done. I don't feel like going to work, and have begun to wonder if it is really worth it. It is time for a reality check.<br /><br />Back in January we were facing a <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/01/something-has-to-change.html">financial crisis</a>. We had cut and cut our expenses, and still we were behind on some bills, and not even paying another. Something had to change, and the only thing left to change was our income.<br /><br />We went to <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/">Financial Peace</a>. We considered a number of options, and in the end I took a server job to generate a little more cash flow. In June I reported that <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/06/back-to-work-is-it-worth-it.html">it was all worth it</a>. I changed my schedule to work only three days; two very long days and one short evening. That helped us manage our time a little better. We got through the summer and all that comes with it in terms of the garden. We made it through Tim's fall rush at work, and now I'm tired.<br /><br />To find a little motivation, I pulled out my last pay stub, and took a glance at the YTD gross pay sum. Oh yes, that is a tidy little sum that made me smile a little, but how has that traveled through our cash flow?<br /><br />The bills have all been caught up, and paid on time for months now. I think I've taken that a bit for granted. Going back to read some of my older posts reminded me of the stress that being behind created. But we want to do more than just stay caught up. We went to get out of debt.<br /><br />We've been working the plan, paying down our debts. We have our snowball amount, and when there is extra income that also goes toward the debt. I decided I needed to see our progress in black and white.<br /><br />I pulled a couple snapshots from Quicken showing our account balances. One report from the end of February and one with a current date. Those numbers are motivating. Our credit card balances are down by over $7000. Our savings up by more than $2000. This was all accomplished while not only keeping up with the bills, but also paying a hefty amount on our student loans that we had been trying to ignore. Add a little fluff to all that in remembering that we also replaced our washer and computer, with cash, in this same time frame. I am feeling pretty good about putting the hours in and seeing a little payoff for the work we have done.<br /><br />It is still rainy and gloomy out. There still are not nearly enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I would like to. But seeing those numbers in black and white was just the little ray of sunshine that I needed. I found some motivation.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-6301140805759675583?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/StMtt5Cnd4I/AAAAAAAADqg/pqoE7Gdvo0A/s1600-h/ra_logo.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 60px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/StMtt5Cnd4I/AAAAAAAADqg/pqoE7Gdvo0A/s200/ra_logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391703445321774978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Have you checked out the Rite-Aid ad this week?<br /><br />The entire back page shows offers for items that are FREE after rebate. You'll find Sucrets, Carmex, Simply Saline, and many more.<br /><br />And to make a sweet deal even sweeter take along a <a href="http://offers.riteportal.com/760/ecoup_S525.pdf">$5 off a purchase $25 coupon</a>, and rack up your <a href="https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/fall/default.asp?jse=yes">Fall Gift of Savings dollars</a> to earn additional rebates.<br /><br />If you haven't participated in Rite-Aid's rebates before, it is super easy. Just sign up at their <a href="https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/default.asp?jse=yes">Single Check Rebate</a> site, and enter all your receipts online through the month. At the end of the month request your rebate, and wait for your check to come in the mail.<br /><br />Check out some of the deals <a href="http://www.forthemommas.com/riteaid/rite-aid-deals-week-of-1011">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-9122801003932711462?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

Thanks to <a href="http://www.moneysavingmom.com">Money Saving Mom</a> for posting this!<br /><br />Sign up for <a href="https://www.biglots.com/join/">Big Lots Buzz Club Rewards</a>! After you are signed up you can go to <a href="http://www.biglots.com/Coupon/BuzzclubCoupon.aspx">this link </a>to print a coupon for 20% off your shopping trip. (Expires October 10th.)<br /><br />Funny, a friend and I were just talking yesterday about the good deals at Big Lots, and all the fun and fancy foods that can be found there for cheap. I will be heading there this week, coupon in hand!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-6805210182068522207?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

For a ton of frugal and healthy recipe ideas be sure to check <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/">Kitchen Stewardship</a>'s October Fest Carnival of Super Foods. This week's topic is <a href="http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/09/30/october-fest-carnival-of-super-foods-beans-and-legumes-recipes/">Beans and Legumes</a>. Check out the recipes and share some of your own!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-8512478135167298034?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

The random number picked by <a href="http://www.random.org">Random.org</a> is 18! Congratulations to <a href="http://confessionsofanover-workedmom.blogspot.com/">Confessions of an Overworked Mom.</a> I will be emailing you shortly with details.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-4371485176127308635?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

September is almost over and I have yet to update on the challenge I took a few weeks ago. You may remember I made my own variation of the <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/09/75-grocery-challenge.html">$75 Grocery Challenge</a>, and challenged myself to not go out to eat this entire month. Let me give you a little update.<br /><br />The first week was easy. It was easy because we didn't go anywhere. Life would be so much simpler if we only stayed home wouldn't it?<br /><br />The following week temptation was fairly easy to resist also. We had some homeschool activities. Those are almost always bring your own food or food to share, so that worked out well. But then I ran into my nemesis; grocery day.<br /><br />We rarely go out for dinner. I am willing to bet 90% of our dining out is lunch. More specifically, lunch on errand day. I do not normally buy convenience foods. Even if I do, there certainly none left by the next grocery day. The mornings of our shopping days I spend scouting deals and making lists. I don't take the time to find or make something we can eat for lunch. Then we find ourselves out and about and hungry. (Big surprise!) Often we call my husband and we all meet for lunch.<br /><br />It isn't cheap to feed the six of us out, even if we go to the cheaper places and use coupons. I can easily spend, on one meal, a quarter of what I spend stocking up on basics for two weeks of meals at Aldi. It essentially negates all the deal shopping I spent my morning on. I always feel guilty about this going out to eat expenditure.<br /><br />This month I am determined to break that habit. When we went shopping last week my plan was to start early enough that we would be back for lunch. A few things came up that morning, and my plan was out the window. There really was nothing that could be packed for an on the go lunch. I considered going shopping after lunch, but then we would be into nap time. There isn't much worse than shopping with an overtired three year old. We couldn't wait for the next day. We needed a new plan.<br /><br />The new plan involved compromise.<br /><br />It bothers me to buy convenience foods. They are overly processed and overly expensive. In theory, I can make my own snacks and convenience foods for lunch time needs like those that occur on shopping days. The reality is that my schedule rarely allows for that.<br /><br />The compromise was to buy some convenience foods at the grocery store that are normally not on my shopping list for lunch. I was able to get things that were on sale and I had coupons for, but they still made my grocery total jump considerably. Still, they weren't nearly as expensive as taking everyone out to eat. It is a good compromise.<br /><br />So, we haven't gone out to eat at all this month. I'm not counting the ice cream that we got after our <a href="http://stkappleto.blogspot.com/2009/09/point-pleasant.html">field trip</a> today that my eleven year old keeps razzing me about. That was a treat, not a meal, so it doesn't count in my opinion.<br /><br />**********************************************************************************<br />Don't forget the drawing for <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/09/family-feast-for-75-week-giveaway.html">Family Feasts for $75 </a>a week is tomorrow. Still time to get your name in the drawing!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-5641021732776978407?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP0OozShnI/AAAAAAAADkY/7yxjKa2ZXFw/s1600-h/101_0260.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP0OozShnI/AAAAAAAADkY/7yxjKa2ZXFw/s320/101_0260.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382914511945762418" border="0" /></a>Gardening is always and adventure, and always a learning experience. Every year we make a plan, drawing on knowledge gathered from book, blogs, and experience. Every year we tend to the best of our ability, and hope for bumper crops. And every year curve balls are thrown into the plan, and surprises occur. This year was no exception.<br /><br />This was the year of the newbies. We expanded the garden significantly this year. This opened up a lot of space for items we usually don't bother with because they aren't very practical or because we haven't had much success with them in the past.<br /><br />I've been amazed at how most of these items flourished. I wasn't pleased with them all. We just can't seem to produce eggplant, and I was less than satisfied with our carrots, but those were the exceptions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP2QO6TXtI/AAAAAAAADkg/S-fu4pa-Wg0/s1600-h/101_0027.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP2QO6TXtI/AAAAAAAADkg/S-fu4pa-Wg0/s200/101_0027.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382916738378850002" border="0" /></a>We planted a row and a half of sunflowers on a whim. We did nothing with them, but put the seeds in the ground and hoe around them a few times. They were beautiful. We saved quite a few seeds to roast, and the chickens enjoyed the rest of the bounty.<br /><br />We planted what seemed to be an insufficient amount of okra, maybe a dozen plants. They too were incredibly easy to care for. I think I fertilized them with corn gluten once. When they started producing, we promised ourselves we would plant more next year. A few months later, and they are still producing, we've promised ourselves we will plant the same amount next year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP37QAfoFI/AAAAAAAADkw/qUjm2Rzh2yo/s1600-h/101_0020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP37QAfoFI/AAAAAAAADkw/qUjm2Rzh2yo/s200/101_0020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382918576919257170" border="0" /></a>Planting pole beans was an experiment too. We've always planted bush beans before. They grew wonderfully along the garden fence. They also produced way more than we needed. We will be planting these again, but in a smaller quantity.<br /><br />Watermelon graced our garden for the first time this year. We've so enjoyed the sweet juicy melons. They are significantly smaller since the end of the summer has turned dry, but they still are delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP51R-6HFI/AAAAAAAADk4/WSva3ky-Zwg/s1600-h/101_0160.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrP51R-6HFI/AAAAAAAADk4/WSva3ky-Zwg/s200/101_0160.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382920673393515602" border="0" /></a>Then there are the pumpkins.<br /><br />I didn't plant any pie pumpkins this year because the produced so poorly the past two seasons. One volunteer came up anyway. It produced a dozen or so pumpkins; plenty for some <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/2009/09/pumpkin-pie-from-pumpkin.html">pies</a>, and to freeze.<br /><br />There was some space at the edge of one of the gardens, so we decided to plant some jack o lantern pumpkins. The kids always want to carve pumpkins, and it kills me to pay for them, so why not try to grow our own? They produced the largest pumpkins we've ever had. Pictured above with my five year old is what we harvested the other day. The largest weigh over 40 pounds. Plenty of carving material for the kids!<br /><br />One lesson I'll be taking from the garden this year is to keep trying new things. You just never know what kind of wonderful surprises will be waiting for you when you do.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-273412860870648570?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrNfFroa1cI/AAAAAAAADj4/x6ToPMeGafc/s1600-h/51oAaqDQaRL._SL160_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 129px; height: 160px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SrNfFroa1cI/AAAAAAAADj4/x6ToPMeGafc/s320/51oAaqDQaRL._SL160_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382750530854114754" border="0" /></a>Do you read <a href="http://www.owlhaven.net/">Owlhaven</a>?<br /><br />If you do, then you have certainly heard about Mary Osten's new book,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0848732960?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=stoptheride-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0848732960"> Family Feasts for $75 a Week: A Penny-wise Mom Shares Her Recipe for Cutting Hundreds from Your Monthly Food Bill</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=stoptheride-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0848732960" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />. Guess what? I have a copy to give away!<br /><br />As a mother of ten, Mary has lots of tricks and tips for trimming dollars from your food budget. Roughly the first quarter of the book is devoted to teaching you these tips and tricks. She takes you on a shopping trip with her, explains how and why to set up a price book, how to make your time spent in the kitchen more efficient, and much much more. These are all fabulous tips, but the real gems, in my opinion are found in the remaining chapters of the book.<br /><br />There you will find the recipes! What good is knowing how to shop frugally without knowing what to do with all those frugal groceries? What I really love about the recipes is the diversity. Mary has an ethnically diverse family, and she cooks ethnically diverse meals. I can't wait to try some of the Asian and African dishes that she has included in this book. Don't worry there are lots of standard favorites too for those with less adventurous taste buds.<br /><br />This is a fabulous book for anyone wanting to trim their food budget, and pick up some good recipes for frugal cooking. You could win one of your very own. Simply leave a comment, be sure there is an email address at which I can reach you, and a winner will be randomly picked next Friday!<br /><br />Good luck!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-4081983806232972191?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

For a couple of years now I've spotted some small dark berries at the edge of our driveway. (Understand that our driveway is 3/4 of a mile long.) I thought they may be Elderberry. This year I finally confirmed that yes, in fact, they are elderberries, and I decided to pick them.<br /><br />These berries ended up being more challenging than expected. From the driveway it looked like the berries were on a small bush that was right on the driveway. The bush actually is very large and growing about ten feet down a very steep slope. The berries that I saw from the driveway were actually the berries on the very top of the bush. They were just out of reach from the driveway. So, down the slope we went. Once at the bottom of the shrub, most of the berries were above our heads. Good thing the kids like to climb. Once we were able to get to the berries, we picked quite a few in a very short time.<br /><br />We brought them home, where I realized that I had no idea what to do with Elderberries. I looked in a few wild food cookbooks. I did a google search, and asked a few friends on Facebook. I found a lot of interesting ideas, but pancakes sounded the easiest, not to mention they could serve as dinner that night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6ShLQepI/AAAAAAAADh0/Q3vMUlgyTAQ/s1600-h/101_0155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6ShLQepI/AAAAAAAADh0/Q3vMUlgyTAQ/s200/101_0155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380528638386010770" border="0" /></a>I mixed up some <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2007/03/home-made-buttermilk-pancakes.html">Buttermilk Pancakes</a>, and added the Elderberries to the cakes on the griddle. I like the way the Elderberries cooked up in the pancakes. They hold their shape and don't make a juicy mess. The taste, though, is pretty tart. The kids liked them. I thought they were ok, but I'd rather have blueberries.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6Tjwmd1I/AAAAAAAADiE/wxHvWwXBbm4/s1600-h/101_0181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6Tjwmd1I/AAAAAAAADiE/wxHvWwXBbm4/s200/101_0181.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380528656259381074" border="0" /></a>Many of my friends also recommended Elderberry Pie. I made up some <a href="http://makeitfromscratch.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkin-pie.html">pie crust</a>, and found a recipe for pie. The recipe called for three cups of berries and one cup of sugar. I was not thrilled with the result. The pie looks nice. The crust was wonderful, but the pie was too tart. If I make another Elderberry Pie I will use more sugar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6TIV5pUI/AAAAAAAADh8/t8x_43GS6Xo/s1600-h/101_0159.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqt6TIV5pUI/AAAAAAAADh8/t8x_43GS6Xo/s200/101_0159.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380528648899634498" border="0" /></a>In looking at Elderberry recipes, I often read that the berries are an acquired taste. After the pancakes and pie, I began to see the truth in that statement. There were still berries left. I decided to try a recipe for bread given to me by a Facebook friend.<br /><br /><blockquote>Elderberry Bread<br />3 cup flour <br /> 1 cup milk<br />1 tsp salt <br />1 1/8 cup oil<br />1 tsp baking powder <br />1 tsp vanilla ext.<br />2 cup sugar <br />1 tsp butter ext.<br />1 cup elderberries(stemmed)<br />1 tsp almond ext.<br />3 eggs<br /><br />Mix above all together except for the elderberries. Blend 1-2 minutes with mixer. Add elderberries and stir with a spoon. Pour into 2 large or 5 mini loaf pans that have been greased and floured. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. While still hot glaze in pan. Cool and remove from pan. Enjoy!<br /><br /> GLAZE<br /> tsp butter extract<br /> tsp almond extract<br /> tsp vanilla extract<br /> cup orange juice<br /> cup powdered sugar<br /><br />Mix all together until smooth. Spoon over top of baked loaves. </blockquote>This recipe restored my hope that I could enjoy Elderberries. I did not use that butter extract. I didn't even make the glaze. The bread itself was quite delicious.<br /><br />Picking and using elderberries proved to be a bit more challenging than I imagined. It was an experiment. I'm done with elderberries for this year, but I probably will give them a try again next year.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-2001722897533967042?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqplGCbr1WI/AAAAAAAADhs/_HVtuk-YRlQ/s1600-h/kids.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqplGCbr1WI/AAAAAAAADhs/_HVtuk-YRlQ/s200/kids.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380223859254089058" border="0" /></a><br />Every weekend in September <a href="http://fazolis.fbmta.com/a/0/27917401189/27917333005/default.aspx">Fazoli's</a> is offering free kids meals. One free kid's meal per adult meal purchased at participating locations. I love Fazoli's and would love to take advantage of this offer, but <a href="http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/09/75-grocery-challenge.html">we aren't eating out this month</a>. Hope some of you can take advantage of this deal!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-5050832683081691069?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

It sounded interesting......<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqg4uLY5H6I/AAAAAAAADhc/mG7vyzuUc6k/s1600-h/101_0179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/Sqg4uLY5H6I/AAAAAAAADhc/mG7vyzuUc6k/s320/101_0179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379612120876392354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It even looked pretty good....<br /><br /><br />But it didn't taste all that good. I prefer my watermelon cold, thank you very much. Chalk it up to a learning experience.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-7419195189034043749?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqTtb7Wb3KI/AAAAAAAADhM/Huh4JTb3G4w/s1600-h/101_0193.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqTtb7Wb3KI/AAAAAAAADhM/Huh4JTb3G4w/s320/101_0193.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378684919031258274" border="0" /></a>Often when picking from the garden there just isn't quite enough to can or freeze, and I find myself with a little of this and a little of that. These odds and ends are sometimes just munched on for snacks, and sometimes put together for a stir fry. This year, though, we have okra, and those odds and ends were just begging to be turned in gumbo.<br /><br />I've never made gumbo before, so I looked for a recipe. I found this <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Chicken-Gumbo-58158">chicken gumbo recipe</a> at Recipezaar. What I made was very loosely based on that recipe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqTuQ-MvAvI/AAAAAAAADhU/s3IYPtnMWJc/s1600-h/101_0195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMtrgo7WmcI/SqTuQ-MvAvI/AAAAAAAADhU/s3IYPtnMWJc/s320/101_0195.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378685830328943346" border="0" /><br /></a>I toned the spice down a bit since the kids would also be eating the gumbo, and used the vegetables and meats that I had on hand. It was served over rice with grilled corn on the cob. What a delicious dinner, and a great way to use the garden odds and ends!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33624471-6527915016332769995?l=www.stoptheride.net' alt='' /></div>