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Category Archives: frugal
How does Trader Joe’s do it?
I’ve been wondering this for years. How does Trader Joe’s sell so much tasty stuff, much of it organic, at a price point far below stores like Whole Foods? Furthermore, how do they attract good employees, pay them well, and … Continue reading
Posted in consumer issues, food, frugal
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Blueberry Jam
I have a problem limiting my projects sometimes, so today when I went to the farmers market, I did NOT buy more blackberries for jam and I did NOT buy more peaches for salsa. If you’re not sure if you … Continue reading
Posted in eating in season, farmers markets, food, food preservation, frugal
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Homemade Sweet Relish
Pickling cucumbers are getting a workout here at Chez Green In Oak Park. Earlier in July, I mentioned making homemade pickles. I ran out of room trying to long-brine pickle many of them in casserole dishes, so I got a … Continue reading
Posted in diy, eating in season, food, food preservation, food storage, frugal, gardening, local food
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Reusables over disposables progress report
So I mentioned a while back that I was on a mission to replace disposable items with reusable items as much as possible. Here’s a progress report. – Replacing plastic wrap and sandwich baggies with things such as Wrap-N-Mats. This … Continue reading
Posted in beauty products, conservation, food storage, frugal, reducing waste, reusing
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Antiques, architectural salvage, and thrifting – oh my!
Let’s face it- re-using isn’t always easy or trendy, but it is green. And re-using can include furniture and the finishing touches of the rooms in our houses as well. Our house was built in 1925, and rather than swimming … Continue reading
Posted in antiques, diy, frugal
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Did I make too much?
I made too much awesome chipotle sauce. Okay, not really too much, since what we don’t use will go into the freezer and we’ll use it eventually. I quadrupled this recipe. This time, I added a bit of chopped cayenne … Continue reading
Posted in food, food preservation, food storage, frugal, reducing waste
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Preserving Bell Peppers
Bell pepper season is just starting here, and preserving them by freezing couldn’t be easier. Pictured here with their farmers market friends, pickling cucumbers. So how easy is it? You slice them however you wish to use them whether that’s … Continue reading
Posted in eating in season, food, food preservation, food storage, frugal
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Preserving blueberries
It’s blueberry season! Pretty soon, those yummy tart blueberries from the farmers markets will be gone, so I’ve been preserving mine. I haven’t done it, but you could make freezer jam or even regular jam out of them. If you … Continue reading
Posted in eating in season, food, food preservation, food storage, frugal
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Tiki Torches from Wine Bottles
Check out these tiki torches made of used wine bottles – a nice example of reusing and likely saving some money at the same time. Hat tip to Home Grown Evolution.