Frugal Friday

After working all week, I do not want to spend a lot of time cooking.  In fact I want to have someone else cook and clean for me.  Well that’s not likely to happen.  Our budget doesn’t allow many meals out and I’m it for the chief cook.  I know that making menus up ahead of time help to budget my food dollars.  A menu also helps save money since I know ahead of time how to answer the “What’s for Dinner question?”   I really dislike planning a menu, coming up with all those meals so I use a trick that helps me.  I assign  each day of the week with a type of meal, then I just fill it in.    I normally have more time on Monday and Tuesday evenings so I can spend more time cooking, Wednesdays are church night so we either have leftovers or crockpot dinners, Thursdays are shopping night.  My third daughter does not drive so she and I get our shopping, errands, and medication filled on that day, so dinner needs to be quick and easy.


Friday is pancake night.  Sometimes we have bacon or sausage and eggs.  Sometimes we just have pancakes.  I make a double batch and then I heat them up in the toaster during the week.  I spread them with peanut butter and roll then up for breakfast on the go.  We have different kinds of pancakes, but pumpkin in the usual since my freezer is full pumpkin puree.    I often make syrup, but since I just recently  made orange marmalade I serve the pancakes with marmalade.  I really like the ginger in the pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/4 c. flour
2 TB sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnomon
1/2 tsp. gigner
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch cloves
Mix in large bowl.
1 1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. pumpkinpuree
2 T. melted butter
1 egg
Mix wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients.  Do not overmix.


I'm adding my Maple Syrup recipe.  I have used this recipe for over 20 years.


1 3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. water
Bring to boil, cover and cook 1 minute.  Cool sightly.
Add
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. maple flavoring
Cover saucepan for a few minutes as syrup cooks to melt down crystals, helps prevent syrup from crystaizing later in storage.