One Frugal Thing -- When Life Hands You Flat Bread Dough . . .
It's been at least a month since I baked a loaf of no-knead overnight bread, so I mixed up a batch before heading to bed. (I use this recipe from Frugal Fit Mom, although they're all pretty much the same.) It's a super easy recipe, calling for nothing more than 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of yeast and 1-½ cups of warm water. You give it a short stir and wake up to dough that's ready to form into an "artisan" loaf that tastes like it came straight from the bakery.
Easy, cheap, delicious.
However, I woke up to dough that had hardly risen and didn't have that nice risen yeasty smell. I moved it to a sunny spot in the house and even onto the sunny front porch without success.
So I decided to pivot and turn my barely risen dough into focaccia. I didn't follow any recipe and instead just spread the dough into a pan greased with olive oil and let it rise for a bit while the oven preheated.
I then poked my fingers into the dough and sprinkled it flakey sea salt, chopped rosemary and cranberries. (I bought a 50¢ bag of cranberries after Thanksgiving and look for opportunities to work them into recipes.) Of course I also drizzled it more olive oil to complete her transformation.
I wish I'd grabbed more, as they freeze perfectly!
Here's the result:
Is it exactly a proper focaccia? Not exactly, but it was delicious and something I'd actually be happy to serve to guests. My husband and I enjoyed it with our dinner and both snuck back into the kitchen to help ourselves to another "little slice."
I've made focaccia in the past, although it fell off the rotation for some reason. This variation was so delicious and it's definitely reentered our lives.
I'm weirdly proud that I was able to salvage the situation and save myself from wasting an entire batch of bread. Sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention!
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy, your link to Frugal Fit Mom no-knead overnight bread doesn’t go anywhere.
Nice save on the focaccia! Looks good enough to eat! (Oops, another teacher pun. Sorry.)
My FFTs:
1. Called Discover Card and redeemed my points toward paying my bill.
2. I got an envelope in the mail from my former insurer. Threw it away unopened. Then I thought maybe I should look and see what's inside, as they sometimes enclose freebies. So I fished it out of the wastepaper basket. No advertising bling, but something better: a check! Apparently I'd switched insurance companies before my term was up and they refunded some of the premium I'd already paid.
3. The box fan fell over and a piece of the plastic blade broke off. I fished the piece out of the boxed-in part and the fan is now good to go again.
4. Took some more stuff to Goodwill. Asked for my coupon. They have changed their coupons. Now, you only get ONE donated item for 20% off with the coupon; it used to be everything you bought that day. Since it was Tuesday and Senior Citizen Day, I asked the cashier if I only get one item discounted on a Tuesday. She said no, everything I buy on Tuesdays will get the Senior Discount. So from now on, I will shop Goodwill on Tuesdays....unless I'm going in there for only one item. (I have coupons for that.)
5. I needed to store more of my shoes so I rearranged things. I put a chest of drawers in the closet hall against the window, and nailed up a pocket shoe holder. I also got an under the bed storage box that had been designed for rolls of wrapping paper. I put all our giftwrap in an antique dresser bc the dresser drawers are too narrow for anything else; therefore, I didn't need the box. It now holds out-of-season or seldom-used shoes. I also had a shoe rack that fits on top of the chest of drawers and gives me more shoe storage in m closet hall.
(My closet hall is a little hallway off from the master bedroom; it has bifold door closets on either side. I also have a coat rack and a dirty clothes hamper in there. I use it as a dressing room/clothes storage area. There is no door to this hallway, so I put up a curtain rod and have it partitioned off with a floor length curtain -- the exact same thing you've done with your daughter's closet, Katy. It not only hides the clutter but also keeps the air conditioned or heated air in the main part of the bedroom; I don't need my clothes to live in air conditioned comfort so I shut off that vent. The floor length curtain keeps the bedroom more comfortable. However, I recently changed out the curtain for a quilted twin-sized bedspread that matches the one on my bed, and also matches the window curtains. It works even better than the curtain because it is thicker. )
You’re lucky you get coupons for donating. My local Goodwill has never done that. I’ve donated for years. Not only that, they offer no senior discount day. All they have is color of the week discount (50% off, .99 cents Sunday) but only on clothing. 🙁
I’ve been on a focaccia kick lately, mainly because I’m not at my own home, and there’s no Dutch oven here, but there’s a great stoneware focaccia pan which makes the edges nice and crispy!
My hubby and I are going away for a weekend - cabin in the woods with no phone, no cell service, no cable. We are taking board games and DVDs (and I'm taking books), but we look forward to being forced to unplug. I'm hoping the weather cooperates so we can take some nice walks/hikes, and supposedly there is an "everything is a quarter" thrift store nearby!
The kids are coming for dinner tonight. I have pulled everything from the cupboards that we need other than one package of Bob Evans mashed potatoes (I'm not making them from scratch on a weeknight).
I've read 3 books in a row that I own, and then I am gifting them. I enjoyed the books, but I really don't think I'll ever re-read them and want to share.
Speaking of which, I really recommend Theo of Golden and The Correspondent. I know both have gotten a lot of traction, but I will add my recommendations to all the others.
One of the door shelves broke in our fridge. My husband said he will just be on the lookout for one at work (he works for the waste department). I can do without until we find one for free (or forever if that never happens).
I have set a limit on my phone for social media sites and games. Even if I do go over it, at least I'm aware that I'm doing it, and I have really been trying not to go over.
We are waiting for parts to fix the washing machine. So, today I headed for the local laundry mat. Prior to leaving I sawpped my 7yo a twenty dollar bill for $8 in quarters plus small bills. We touched on math skills and what the different face values mean. I'm not sure the lesson was well received, but hey let's keep those skills sharp for next year! It's good that we did all that because the change machine was o/o/order. Thankfully, the $8 in quarters 'just' covered our 4 loads. I found a penny while doing wash, woot woot! Now, every single piece is hanging inside and on the line outside as well. It's quite the sight!!! 🙂
Ran by a local business and snagged a bunch of cardboard to use to suppress weeds in the garden and put under the kiddie pool to protect it from pokes.
Noticed the bank was having a customer appreciation day and serving lunch. Thank goodness! I had no plan for lunch and nothing thawed, so freebie hamburgers, chips, and a cookie were a godsend. We entered the raffle, too.
I mended a cardigan that had a tiny hole.
We haven't turned on the ac yet. It's unusual for us to make it this late into the year. To think, Europe is suffering a heat wave while we're comfortable......so strange.
I think supper will include the mess of collards my folks brought over. My fridge is full!
Received a check today for $30 for my household filling out a survey of our radio listening habits. Found a dime on the threshold of the laundry room door. It must have fallen out of someone's pocket.
A frugal thing from 45 years ago revived: My college roomie had a rather strict family and was not allowed to wear visible makeup, which she got around by using a soft writing pencil for gray eyeliner. The same trick works great for my graying, thinning eyebrows. Already had an extra soft Ticonderoga pencil, so no expense there. I scuff it up a bit on an emery board first for good coverage.