Ivy says:

This morning, I went to “Muffins For Moms” at my daughter’s school. It was really nice, but LOUD! I admire Meg’s teacher greatly for being able to handle the loudness. I was there for 45 minutes and had to turn my radio off on the way home to enjoy the silence. I couldn’t imagine a whole day of it.

With that in mind, it’s that time of the year again- time to give teacher gifts. This stresses a lot of people out because they want to get the teacher something nice, that they will appreciate and/or use, but they don’t have a lot of money to spend.

Trust me when I say teachers get that, not having a lot of money to spend. I’m not going to jump on the “teachers are horribly underpaid” bandwagon, but I think we can all agree that teachers didn’t go into the profession to make a fortune.

My mom is going to kill me for telling the world this, but my mom is a teacher. She appreciates every gift she gets, but there are some gifts she gets more than others. Some more unusual gifts that she’s gotten are some of her favorites, like the doily a student and her mom crocheted for her. She sometimes gets really pretty pens and pencils. Gifts like this are terribly appreciated, and not too expensive.

Another thing you should consider is a gift card. Even $5 is a great boon to any teacher. Staples and Target gift cards seem to be favorites with the teacher set. Other things you might consider are movie passes, restaurant gift cards, even a pack of white copier paper- they go through paper like there’s no tomorrow!

You don’t have to go to great expense to let your child’s teacher know you care. Even a card with your thanks is an awesome gift.

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Heather says:

Do you ever have a snippet from a TV show stay with you for eternity?

Now that you’ve had a peek into my twisted little mind, let’s talk chicken bog. At first glance, some long time readers may say, “But Heather, that looks just like chicken pilau.” Nay nay my friend, there are many heated arguments between Lowcountry residents and PeeDee residents about the superiority of one over the other. As long as someone is willing to share, I refuse to take sides. The grains of rice in chicken pilau are separate, where in a traditional bog, the grains will mold to a fork. Additionally, chicken bog is typically more savory.

This dish is economical, it utilizes a whole chicken which creates a rich broth to flavor the rice. It can feed a crowd or freezes for an easy night in the future. Andre Pope has been kind enough to share his recipe for chicken bog.

Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog

Ingredients

• 1 (3-5 pound) chicken (cut up)
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of salt
• Dash of garlic powder
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 3 cups raw white rice

Directions:
1. Cut the sausage into 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Combine the chicken, sausage, butter, seasonings and bay leaves in a large stock pot.

3. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 40 minutes at a low boil.

4. Remove the chicken. WARNING: VERY HOT

5. Remove the meat from the bones of the chicken. (Throw away the bones and skin. )

6. Add the rice to the pot with remaining chicken broth and seasonings.

7. Bring to a boil, stirring well.

8. Boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer, cover the pot and let cook for 10 more minuets or until the rice is done.

9. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, return the chicken to the pot, mix well, and serve.

10. Pour your self a big glass of iced-tea and enjoy.

Thank you very much, Andre, for sharing your recipe.

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Heather says:

This classic pairs well with sandwiches and meals that call Spring and Summer to mind.  In its most basic form, the recipe here, it’s low cost and low effort.  There are many variations on this recipe, feel free to share yours in the comments.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coarsely shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Directions:

Stir together and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

I don’t know about you, but that write-up just about wore me out.

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Heather says:

I just got in a few hours ago from Ivy and I’s first public appearance.  We spoke at CREATE South and had a wonderful time.  I would like to give Andre Pope the Home Ec 101 Seal of Approval for his BBQ and chicken bog.  I will be spending this evening with my family and catching up on things that must be done before I turn into a pumpkin.  With that in mind, it is time for an episode of Ask the Audience.   Feel free to clap and cheer, we love it, too.

Recently someone asked me a question that seemed perfect for our fun and creative frugal cooks:

When making a layer cake, what do you do with the trimmed bits of cake?

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Heather says:

While I am concentrating on food in this particular essay, the general sentiment can be applied to life in general.  Secondly there are no special needs in my household, with the exception of an intolerance to red dye #40.  If you are dealing with special needs, whether physical or psychological, I advise you to seek professional help for your situation.

I cannot please everyone all the time.  No matter how much effort put into menu planning and meal preparation not everyone will be perfectly content with every meal, not the children, not my husband, and certainly not myself.  I spent a lot of time learning to cook in a high end commercial kitchen, yet it is a world apart from cooking while entertaining three small children while my spouse works long hours.

I am not a short order cook; I did that for a brief period after highschool and if I can help it, it is not a resume bullet point I plan on revisiting.  Ever.

Each day, three meals, and a snack are prepared. Over the course of a week carbohydrates generally balance with protein, a healthy variety of fresh, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables are prepared and consumed.  I know my family’s diet is nutritionally sound.

Cooking for a family is a learning process, if there is a financial blow the grocery budget is often the first to be slashed.  If learning to prepare meals for a family is an undertaking, doing so on a tight budget can feel daunting.  Be flexible and mature: take reasonable portions, eat your vegetables, even if they aren’t your favorite, don’t make faces, and don’t complain.  Additionally, don’t allow those behaviors from others at your table.  If your spouse is the main culprit, address the issue privately and in a nonconfrontational manner, ask for help and remind him or her that they are a role model.

I test a lot of recipes for this site.  I think some of you would laugh to know exactly how many weeks we tried biscuits before I found the recipe that was simple, cost effective, and tasty.   There were a couple nights where my husband and I joked that this or that particular recipe may be banned in fifteen states for its potential use as a lethal weapon.

Last night was another such night. I was testing a recipe for Cuban pork tenderloin that looked inviting, but proved to be beyond underwhelming.  I don’t know about you, but we can’t afford to waste food. We didn’t complain (in front of the kids, anyhow) but no one took seconds and the leftovers will be transformed,  with a lot of seasoning and cheese for tomorrow’s stuffed peppers.  The next time you have a stinker of a meal, provided it isn’t burnt to a crisp and inedible, take it in stride and be the example.  Use it as an occasion to model patience and resourcefulness.

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