Bag of Halloween Candy (Note: I understand that some of the Kmart stores are NOT taking this coupon- contact your store to see if they will accept this offer) Home & Garden:
One of my favorite readers, Tracy, sent this great Christmas deal that she ran across and she wanted to share it with us! Thanks, Tracy!! You are the best!
I found this container when I hit our local Goodwill this past Friday. Saturday was their official half off day, but my husband was going to be gone all day and I was not about to brave the crowds with two little ones to take care of.
Lucky for me, they had discounted their seasonal items down to 75% off the day before their big sale day. This beautiful glass container ended up costing me less than a dollar after I got my discount.
I filled it with marshmallows and placed it on a serving tray along with hot cocoa and freshly popped popcorn. It was a fun treat for a freezing cold evening and a great way to start our weekend. I always try to do a special snack and the marshmallows looked so pretty in this!
I am going to have fun filling it with all sorts of fun goodies and it is the perfect size to be functional, but not take up too much room in our house.
Catch me every Tuesday morning for a quick dose of motherly advice from our site!
Quick Note: We are experiencing some technical difficulties with our forum and the registration process. The letters for verification are not showing and people are unable to register. I apologize that we are having difficulties and will let everyone know when we have resolved this issue. Thanks a bunch!! Sound Off: What are some ways that you save on your prescription medications?
Free Dr Pepper from Chick-fil-A (you have to enter their promotion and if you lose you still get a Dr Pepper- it is for a limited amount of people so be fast!)
Free toy from Toys ‘R Us (must be redeemed in store, but no purchase necessary!)
Free movies every week for the month of October (must provide cell phone number to be sent the codes) or you can sign up to be emailed the code (only one code versus four though)
Well, I got a great response from last week’s column about hosting the unexpected guest. I am not sure if it is because people love cleaning tips or if they just love talking about what a pain it is when people just drop in.
I got a great question though on what one can cook for their unexpected dinner guests so that helped to inspire this week’s post.
I hope you can swing by Frugal Hacks and check it out! Take a browse around while you are over there. There is a lot of great information and I love the collaborative efforts of the writers in supplying great family-focused content and practical information on frugality.
Is there anything else you would like for me to write about on the subject of entertaining on a budget?
Dale & Thomas $20 gift card for joining their mailing list (Note- I haven’t tried this yet so I am not clear if there is a minimum to buy or anything like that!)
Did you know that you can substitute your Pam cooking spray with this amazing diy pan release recipe. Stored at room temperature, this homemade version works great and won’t gunk up your pans like the usual cooking oil sprays. You won’t believe how easy it is to whip up this homemade cooking spray for all your baking needs.
Did you know that you can make your own pan release with just a few simple pantry ingredients.
When I first began baking, I relied heavily on store bought sprays to insure that my baked goods wouldn’t stick.
What I didn’t realize was the gunk that can build up on my pans from these sprays. Experts say that gunk can be removed, from your pans with a soak of baking soda and vinegar. I’ll be honest though, I have found it pretty darn impossible to remove this residue from my pans.
One popular substitute is a to purchase a spray bottle oil mister. These reusable misters can be filled with your olive oil (or vegetable oil) and applied just as you would with Pam.
Even after buying this kitchen gadget, I found my cakes and quick breads continued to stick to the pans. This green alternative just didn’t end up begin the solution I thought it would be.
You could say that my cake pans and these spray misters went together like oil and water.
Hahaha!
What’s the Secret to A Nonstick Spray That Doesn’t Gunk Up Your Pans?
I discovered this recipe when I signed up for a cake decorating course, at my local Michael’s.
I couldn’t wait to learn the secrets to perfect cakes and one of her best tips was on cake removal. I assumed she would tell us a product to buy, but it ended up being a pantry recipe that anyone could make.
Instead of commercial sprays, she greased her pans with a homemade mixture of oils and flour.
Say what?
That sounds way more affordable!
While fancy commercial cake release sprays were available, she found making her very own version of this yielded way better results.
I decided to take her word for it and can’t believe how beautifully it performed. I was no longer battling the icky residue.
How Do You make DIY Pan Release Spray?
DIY Pam Spray can be made with equal parts canola oil and vegetable shortening. Finally, the addition of flour, is added in to give this mixture a marshmallow creme consistency. I have found the use of a stand mixer makes this even easier to pull together!
How Do I Store My Homemade Non Stick Spray?
No need to refrigerate this because it can be stored at room temperature. I keep mine in a simple mason jar and apply it with a pastry brush.
Unlike coconut oil, you don’t need to worry about warming up your oil before applying it to your griddles and pans.
These ingredients may separate, but I just use a spoon to mix them back together when that happens.
How Do I Use DIY Pan Release Spray?
Keep in mind, a little goes a long way so start small. I find it is easiest to apply with a simple pastry brush. Dip your pastry brush, into the pan release, and paint it on your pans. This can be used to create nonstick surfaces on cake pans, bundt cake pans, griddles, and cake pans.
This recipe is so inexpensive so you will save some money at the grocery store too! I hope you can try it- you really won’t believe how great the results are. I won’t ever use anything else again!
How to Make Homemade Nonstick Spray (DIY Pan Release Spray)
Author: MomAdvice.com
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 1/2 cups
Did you know that you can substitute your Pam cooking spray with this amazing diy pan release recipe. Stored at room temperature, this homemade version works great and won’t gunk up your pans like the usual cooking oil sprays. You won’t believe how easy it is to whip up this homemade cooking spray for all your baking needs.
Ingredients
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (room temperature)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Using an electric mixer beat until mixture has increased in volume slightly and resembles marshmallow cream.
Place in an airtight container with a lid (like a mason jar). This can be stored in your cupboard. In the warmer months, you can keep it in your refrigerator.
If your mixture separates, just stir to bring these ingredients back together.
Use a pastry brush to brush on the your homemade cake release. Remember, a little goes a long way.
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Love this tutorial? Here are three other DIY projects I think you might like!
My cleaning caddy needed a little reorganizing and as I was working on this yesterday, I began to think about my “faux cleaning” routine that I do before we have unexpected guests.
I am the first to raise my hand that I have been embarrassed when an unexpected person shows up and my house is a complete disaster. I try very hard to maintain things around here, but with two children under five, I often feel like all I am doing is damage control.
I am also a perfectionist and I hate for anyone to come over here without me being prepared for them. Even among friends and family, it is important to me to feel in control of a situation.
Having a website that helps moms stay organized makes me feel like I should be even more zealous in my attempts to keep up with the house.
Let’s face it though, I am only human! We do the best we can throughout the week, but when that unexpected guest comes knocking, it feels good to have a game plan to fake them out with your cleaning routine.
I hope you get a chance to read the post and can share your own routines with me! As moms, I am sure we can all use a little help in this department.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and enjoys all of their freebies!
