Food, Faith, Family & Frugality

This week is a total contradiction to me.  Last year this time I was just coming back home and getting settled after being in Afghanistan for a tour.  There is nothing to make you appreciate your family like being away from them.  Last year was a great Thanksgiving.  We spent it in San Antonio with my parents, and I ended up doing most of the cooking since that isn't my mom's favorite thing to do.  


This year I am completely by myself.  I'm starting a new job on base tomorrow, so I'm happy about that.  Coincidentally, the kids started asking about seeing their father recently.  My logical mind thought that maybe if they got to visit their father, then they wouldn't be home alone on school vacation while I was working and unable to spend time with them.  I'm glad they will be with their father, but they've been gone less than 24 hours and the house is so quiet I can't stand it.


I should have gone to church this morning, but after Danielle's slumber party on Friday night I had ended up functioning on 1 1/2 hours of sleep and driving almost 400 miles to drop the kids off at a designated spot halfway between my and their father's home.  I woke up around  9:30 this morning, which is really late for me.


So, this afternoon I will go to choir practice and to the Thanksgiving service and therefore, that brings me to what I'm doing today--baking a cake.  Ha!  If the request is to bring food, you're usually going to get a dessert from me.  The food for today's event is a chocolate caramel cake.  Sounds very good, but this is my first attempt.   Of course, I will post everything when I am done...unless it's a total disaster, of course.  

Yummmm.....the cake looked fabulous and tasted very, very good.  I don't really know what regular fondant tastes like, but the marshmallow kind is really good.  My kids were eating the leftover decorations like candy.  The inside held up very well.  Moist layers and the visual of chocolate/vanilla layers impressed the guests.  I'll call this one a success all the way around.  I look forward to doing this again soon!

Since I didn't want to go get a WalMart cake this year, I decided to try my hand at the fondant, which I have to admit is a lot of fun.  Yes, it was a huge pain to get the fondant on the cake in one piece and the sides draped, so I have to work on that, but I just decided it was too late and too much work to  start over.  Of course, that is what my perfectionist mind was telling me to do, but I knew that wasn't the way to go.

Southern cooking.  It's rich in history and tradition.  Also, if you want to talk about frugal...well, it goes hand in hand.  A couple of years ago I was looking for a really simple way to make homemade biscuits and came across recipes for something known as "Cat Head Biscuits".  Having a really close friend that was raised in TN in the most southern environment possible, I asked him about it.  Turns out that Cat Head Biscuits are drop biscuits so named because they rise up in the oven to approximately the size of......you guessed it--cat heads.  

I tweaked the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake and the result was so good.  I think it is better and moister today than yesterday when I made it, which I take as a very good sign.  Anyway, here were my changes:


use 1 cup buttermilk in place of regular milk
raise baking soda to 2 teaspoons
use 3 large eggs instead of two


As with my normal baking habits, I bring the ingredients to room temperature before starting, as this makes the cake cook better and prevents a cake that rises too much in the middle.


I also baked the cake at 325 degrees and extended the baking time for five minutes in yet another effort to have a level cake.  It was absolutely perfect.  Danielle says THIS version is her birthday cake.  I think it is good since I am planning on using the fondant.  The cake is light and rises enough to be delicious but I think it is substantial enough to stand up to the heavier icing.  We shall see.

Well, Danielle is officially having a slumber party  in about a week and I'm going to do the cake.  I don't normally do the cakes, but I'm sort of into baking right now, so I think I'll give it a try.  If I had all the supplies I need, it would definitely be more economical, but I am going to spend some money on some decorating supplies.  Therefore, I need to figure out what cake to make.  I think I am going to try out a few cake recipes I can scrounge up, but she wants chocolate.  To date, the best chocolate cake recipe is Hershey's, located on the outside of every cocoa box they sell.  The batter is extremely thin, but it comes out beautifully.  Since I baked this for the first time I've done a lot of reading and I've learned that the thinner the batter, the higher the cake will rise.  I guess my concern there is will the cake be substantial enough to stand up to fondant?  I think so, but I'm going to look around for a day or so and unfrosted chocolate cake will be the snack of choice around here.

I think I baked it several times before I baked it for Darrin's birthday in October.  Since I let Danielle decorate that one in some basic blue and green buttercream, I wanted to keep the cake white and opted for a white chocolate frosting that I made out of white baking chips, butter, vanilla and a little milk.  Since Darrin was turning 17, the cake was just for us, since he is far too old for a party.  Emphasis was definitely on taste.  It was really good, but I think it would need some tweaking before I try it again.  After a couple of days the cake was holding up wonderfully but the frosting was so hard you had to microwave it a few seconds to really cut it without having the frosting "chip" off and leave little naked cake spots.  I've made it with the Perfectly Chocolate Frosting recipe also on the Hershey box and that is so easy and fantastic (recipe is also below).

I will see what I can come up with, but for the moment, here is the recipe for Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake as found on the beloved cocoa box.  Please note that in all things baking, using butter is the best route to go and, unless specified otherwise, use unsalted butter for best results.


Directions:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Yep, this is basic Frugality 101.  I've been to lots of them over the years.  The ones who disguise themselves as being somehow related to antiques are the more upscale of the thrift stores and those who cater to those truly in need have the lowest prices.  My favorite is the ones on military installations.  They are absolutely chock full of lots of cute things that have come to be there as a result of a mandatory move.  What do people do when they move?  They get rid of stuff, of course.  I love going to flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales (although I don't get to garage sales as much being in a rural area) and antique stores.  Of course, the key to making a thrift store beneficial is not simply to buy other peoples' junk, but to find something useful that you need.  Buying someone's junk when you already have lots of junk just makes for more junk, of course!  I became addicted to visiting the thrift store on base after our last move.  Since I was not working, stopping by and dropping things off was no big deal.  Inevitably, I would drop bags or boxes off at the back door and end up taking something from the store home.  I'm at the point now where if I rummage through the clothes racks I can find things I've donated.  Once when I was there, a lady bought a pair of black leather boots I bought while in Korea.  That was a little bit odd.

Books are a great find at the thrift store.  I have puchased lots of four or five hardback books in perfect condition by well known authors for under $2 total.  There is a stack I have set aside for my father, a former government and economics teacher that will probably entertain him for awhile and since they are in such great shape, be a wonderful addition to his personal library.

Home decor is another great buy from a thrift or antique store.  I have purchased several paintings, drapes, and knick knacks (is that how you spell that?) for almost nothing.  Several weeks ago I found the beads that Danielle has been begging for months for...you know, the once that you have to fight your way through the entrance of a door--her bedroom in this case.  I spent $4 and made that little girl so happy and paid maybe a fourth or a fifth of what it would have cost brand new.  My mantra for shopping at a thrift store has to be 'One man's trash is another man's treasure.' because it's the absolute truth.

Danielle went with me to the thrift store today and I honestly caught a glimpse of the woman she will become. The thrift store on base is planning a move in a few months and trying to get rid of a lot of clothes.  For the bargain price of $3 you can fill a grocery sized paper back to the top.  Overflowing bag will cost you $1 more!  Anyway, she asked and I said she could and she painstakingly sorted through everything, making sure to note any stains, rips or missing buttons/broken zippers.  I'm a realist and realize I will probably bring some of this stuff back to the store, but what have I really lost?  We got several other items, with the one that was my major purchase was a Scrabble game that looked at though it had never been touched for $2.  We'll probably be playing a game tonight if she doesn't have too much homework.

Finally, in most of these organizations, price is negotiable.  Of course, if something is on consignment it can't be haggled unless the owner is actually there, which if they are you have certainly lucked out.  If there is an opportunity to negotiate on something that you are really interested in, then do so.  The worst that is going to happen is that you'll be told 'no'.  Americans tend to have trouble when it comes to price negotiations unless it's a purchase such as a car.  While visiting vendors and markets in foreign countries, the seller almost expects it and, I would say, seems to enjoy it.  For example, while in Korea you might want to try to be the first buyer in a store on any given day.  Although some of the more modern shopkeepers don't adhere to this, many believe that making a sale to the first person in their store that day will bring them good luck the rest of the day.  Therefore, you can make a good deal just by being in the right place at the right time.  The rocking chair on sale for $40 could be yours for $30 for simply asking the seller if his price is negotiable.

So, the next time you pass a garage sale or a thrift shop or any seller of secondhand items, don't turn up your nose, just take a look.  You might be surprised at the things you find.  I often take Danielle to one of the local antique stores in town.  She absolutely loves it, although we have to go in there with a predetermined understanding of what may or may not be purchased.  After all, the whole idea of saving money is out the window if you're buying things just for the sake of buying.  Unfortunately, many of us are guilty of that exact things.  But go look, enjoy....find a bargain!!!

As part of our entertainment on a budget, Danielle and I stopped by the library after bowling on Saturday.  It was the library on base here at Columbus and we had not been in there since we moved here over two years ago.  I know...how sad.  I checked out a couple of books on baking and cake decorating while Danielle was looking at dog training books.  I'm surprised she didn't check one out.  However, she did come up with a Playaway to check out.  It's books on audio and this one was titled The Idiot's Guide to Learning Spanish.  It looks something like a generic iPod and she can listen to the various chapters.  I thought this was great!  Today she's at school, I might just try it out.

Here is the link to their website for more information, or just to see what I'm talking about.
http://www.playaway.com/

Anyway, the library was a nice change.  I was watching an episode from the first season of Glee, and the football player in the Glee club goes and finds his teacher with a book he's checked out of the library.  I laughed so much because he said he was at the library and learned that you could borrow any of the books in there, except maybe the encyclopedias.  In this day and age of information and instant gratification, the library may be forgotten as a great resource.  Really, you don't have to buy a book to read it.  I know the high-end bookstores with comfy cozy chairs and every type of reading material (and let's face it, a lot of nonreading material as well.)  Add to that the coffee house that has become a mandatory accessory to these retailers and the library loses a lot of its luster.

But get this--the library is FREE!!!  Check out a book or two, find books on audio, some libraries have a pretty decent DVD collection.  For those who aren't lucky enough to have the Internet at home, you can usually access it at the library.  Send a fax or make a copy for no charge or minimal charge.  Read the latest magazines.  Check the library activities...there are often activities and story times specifically aimed at getting the younger readers involved and interested in reading.

I know most people have been to a library and know what a wonderful resource it is, but just a reminder in this time of stretching the dollar as far as it will go.....use it!

I have been learning a lot about myself over these past weeks.  Well, to be honest I've been learning about myself for months now.  The way we get caught up in a rut and don't expand beyond what we grow accustomed to is kind of sad.  These days I have learned that I am seriously not the best housekeeper.  That was a little of a disappointment.  I have learned that I really love to bake and I am really interested in learning how to decorate cakes.  I have a fascination with fondant that I need to explore.  I checked out three books at the library yesterday...two were strictly decorating and one was baking.  While I am not thrilled with any of them, I think I have some new directions.

Anyway, here is a recipe for Marshmallow Buttercream Fondant that I got from Cake Central that I am dying to try.  Sounds easier than standard fondant and better tasting, too.  I love the way fondant looks, but the taste normally leaves a lot to be desired.

and we actually had a good conversation.  I guess I am usually too busy to talk to her the way I should.  She frustrates me sometimes, because I don't think she understands much about me.  She has been married to my father for almost 49 years and they have an arrangement.  He worked and she took care of him.  I believe that when the time comes for one of my parents to pass on, the other will go very quickly afterward.  They are almost like one person.  Without one, the other isn't quite complete.  Strange because I have always been on my own and taken care of myself, my mother is a completely different person.  She has not worked much in her life...a few years before she married my father at age twenty and there was a short stint as a Social Worker in the 90s.  She also does not drive, although she has on occasion in the past.  There was the time she worked and there were also a few times when my brother, Brian, had to attend a school in another part of the city and my mom had to take him there.  She had several accidents and has not driven in many, many years.

Anyway, we had a good talk.  She is worried about me so much because I don't have a job.  I didn't tell her there was a tentative one in the works because I don't want to get her hopes up and then something not work out.  Or is it me that I'm afraid will get my hopes up?  Either way, I am excited to go back to work on the base, even if it is in an administrative position that I swore I would never work.  Having a family and bills that need to be paid tends to take away that foolish pride we seem to hold so dear.  In a way, I am thankful.  I have grown so much over the past couple of years.  I have seen and experienced things that make you realize how thankful you are to have what God has given you.  The kids are happy and healthy, we have a nice roof over our heads and no one has ever gone hungry or gone without any necessity in life.  Wants....now that's a different subject, but wants can get you into trouble.