Lets Clean the Washing Machine

Last Thursday's post was about cleaning the dishwasher. This week I am going to share how to clean your washing machine. I know it sounds ridiculous to be cleaning a cleaning machine but your washing machine does a lot of hard work and it needs regular TLC and maintenance to keep it in optimum running condition.

I was talking to an older woman, a few years ago now, and she was dumbfounded to find out that her Simpson automatic washing machine had a lint filter! She thought the brown flakes on her washing were caused because she didn't use enough detergent so she kept increasing the amount she was using.

If you could have seen the look on her face when I pulled the top off the agitator and showed the little (absolutely full and black) lint basket to her you would have laughed, just like I did.

If you have never cleaned the lint filter in your washing machine go and do it now. Right now! 

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine doesn't, it is supposed to be self-cleaning. It isn't. It doesn't have a filter I can easily get to so I do a regular deep clean to keep the brown flakes off my washing.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it. 

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up. 

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder.

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the hottest wash (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine.

Building Your Emergency Fund Part 2: Being Prepared is Always More Pleasant Than Being Caught Short

Paying down debt is important. Building your emergency fund is more important.

Now before you roll your eyes and think I don't know what I'm talking about stop. Read the rest of today's post and remember: I've been there. I've been broke. I've conquered debt. I do know what I'm talking about. Then you can decide whether you want to tackle your debt the way I did or find another way that will suit you better.

When you put all your spare cash into a debt payment push you have no buffer, no safety net, for when things go wrong. And go wrong they will.

For example if you are putting everything into paying off debt and the fridge blows up, that's not so bad. Sure, you'll need to resort to credit to repair or replace the fridge, but that's only a relatively small amount of money. You can use your credit card or get a loan. You'll have increased your debt load, and put that emergency fund back a couple of years, and you'll be paying interest on the loan, but you'll have your fridge.

Think though, about what would happen if you have all your money going towards paying off debt and Disaster Strikes. You have debts, including a mortgage, that you have been paying down quickly.  Then you lose your job. Your spouse or partner loses their job. The house is half-torn down so you can renovate. You already have a couple of kids. And then you find out you're expecting a third. And you have no money in the bank, no savings to fall back on, because you've been paying extra on those debts.

You are always wiser to focus on building even a small emergency fund, even if it is just one month's living expenses, because that scenario isn't fictitious, it's real. It happened to us. And it is a horrible place to be.

Without your emergency fund you won't be able to pay those debts, and they'll still need to be paid; even if you are ahead you will still have minimum monthly repayments to make. You won't be able to pay the mortgage or the rent. You won't be able to buy food, pay the electricity bill, keep your mobile phone or even buy medicines for your sick baby.

You will be forced to go into even more debt, which will cost you more in interest and keep you on the debt cycle even longer.

Always build your emergency fund, while working on your debt payment push. When your emergency fund is fully funded you can then add the money you have been putting towards building it to your debt payment push and watch those debts disappear fast.

Mexican Tortilla Stack

(excuse the cheesy photo but a Fridge Fairy who shall remain nameless ate the plate I'd prepared for a photo! I'll update this next time I make a Mexican Tortilla Stack)

Last week I shared my favourite recipe for Mexican Lasagne, commenting in the post about a new product on the market and how it was really just a seasoning packet you were paying for.

The recipe for that product was a Mexican Tortilla Stack and some of you have asked for the recipe.

There are two ways you can make it:

1. Use the Mexican Lasagne recipe, substituting three large flour tortillas for the Mountain Bread.
2. Try this recipe I made over the weekend when we had visitors for Saturday lunch (it's really good!).

Mexican Tortilla Stack
Ingredient:
500g mince
1 tin baked beans
1 tin tomato soup
1 large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely sliced celery
2 tbsp MOO taco seasoning
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese
3 large flour tortillas

Method:
Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

Brown the mince in a non-stick pan, drain. Brown the onion in the same pan, then add the baked beans, tomato soup, celery and taco seasoning. Stir until it starts to bubble. Add the mince to the pan and cook 20 minutes until the mixture has thickened.

Line a large pizza tray or a baking dish large enough to take the tortillas with baking paper. Put one tortilla in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated cheese. Add one third of the mince mixture, spreading it carefully to the edge of the tortilla.

Spread the second tortilla with the sour cream and place it on top of the first one. Carefully spread one third of the mince mixture over the top, going to the edges.

Place the third tortilla on top. Spread with the remaining third of the mince mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Place in pre-heated oven and cook for 25 minutes until cheese has melted and is golden brown.

Cut into 6 wedges to serve.

Spice Things Up

I was cleaning the spice cupboard on Friday, after doing the shopping. I'd picked up some herbs and spices to top up the jars and before I put them away I gave the cupboard a quick wipe out and replaced the bay leaves (bay leaves repel weevils, but they do need to be changed often).

Tom wandered in and commented on the number of jars and it had me thinking. Before I learned to cook I had basic herbs and spices in the house. Mixed herbs, cinnamon, mixed spice, garlic salt (I can't believe I used it!), ginger powder and curry powder.

Once I started cooking from scratch I realised that was a pretty meagre spice cabinet and started to buy different spices and herbs as a recipe called for them.

These days the spice cupboard holds:
Sweet Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley flakes
Garlic granules
Onion flakes
Chives
Dill flakes
Sweet Paprika
Hot Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Ground Chilli
Chilli powder
Curry powder(s)
Mustard powder
Mustard Seed
Coriander
Cumin
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme
Turmeric
Rock salt
Whole Black Peppercorns
Ground Black Pepper
Ground White Pepper
Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon sticks
Whole Cloves
Ground Cloves
Nutmeg
Mixed Spice
Vanilla sugar
Vanilla beans
Vanilla extract (MOO)

That's quite an improvement in my cooking skills right there in the spice cupboard. They all get used regularly, definitely before they go stale (herbs and spices have a shelf life of around 6 months once opened, then they start to lose their potency).

Having such a choice of seasonings meant I have had to learn what flavours go best with different foods, that was a learning curve once I started to adjust recipes to suit my grocery budget.

Here's what I've learned:

Beef goes well with: allspice, basil, bay leaves, coriander, cumin, curry, lemongrass, mustard, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme.

Chicken goes well with: bay leaves, basil, coriander, cumin, curry, ginger, lemongrass, mustard, rosemary, sage and tarragon.

Fish goes well with: Dill, basil, chives, curry, coriander.

Lamb goes well with: rosemary, garlic, basil, coriander, cumin, curry, mint, sage and thyme.

Eggs go well with: chives, parsley, dill, basil, curry, rosemary, sage, thyme.

If you've become a little boring and rely on salt, pepper and garlic to season your meals be daring and spice things up with a new seasoning. You probably have some of the common herbs already in your spice cabinet.

Swapping Produce and Making Jam

Saturday is my day off. I don't cook or wash or do any housework other than make our bed and the dishes, and the dishwasher takes care of those.

We usually spend the day as a family with whatever friends happen to be around. But a couple of weeks ago ( I know, I've been sitting on this post waiting for photos!) when I woke up on the Saturday morning I dressed and gently encouraged Wayne to do the same (as we wives do ;) ) and went to the Whitehorse Urban Harvest Swap.

I didn't have any produce to swap this time, but it was nice to have a look at what other keen gardeners are growing and swap tips. There was even a short talk on jam making. I love to see how other cooks make the things I do.

I'm never going to win a CWA prize for jam making. For a start I don't chop all the fruit to the same size (if it needs chopping I whizz it in the food processor). But I do make lovely jam that suits my family just fine.

I stick to the basic 1:1 fruit to sugar ratio with a squeeze of lemon juice in it. Bring it to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar then let it come to a rolling boil and keep it there until the mixture reaches gel point - usually about 20 minutes for the batches I do. Let it cool 5 minutes then ladle it into hot, sterilised jars. http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/p/preserving-fruit-and-jams-is-great-way.html And it's done. Yummo, especially with hot scones and lashings of whipped cream.

It was nice to know that's how the speaker made her jam. It was also nice to know that sometimes, especially with apricot and strawberry jams, she also had slightly "runny" batches. Apricots and strawberries don't have as much natural pectin in them as other fruits.

Pectin is the stuff that occurs naturally in fruit; it is the stuff that makes your jam thick and helps it to set. Sometimes when fruits are low in pectin, like apricots and strawberries, you need to add it if you want a thicker, firmer set jam.

You can make pectin yourself from apple peels and cores. I found it a tedious process and then forgot to use it. You can also buy it in the form of Jamsetta which is found in your supermarket.

I don’t bother; if our jam is a little runnier that's OK, it's homemade and good, much better than store-bought and if it is really runny then I just call it sauce and we enjoy it with ice cream or sponge pudding.

Hannah's Raspberry Jam
This is Hannah's recipe for raspberry jam. It's the one she learned to make in Year 7 for a school open day, where she was helping Mrs. Allan in the Home Ec room demonstrating what the kids were learning to cook (did you know that jam making is actually a Year 12 Home Ec topic?). This is the recipe she makes for her Granddad to have on his toast when he comes to visit and she always makes enough for him to take home a jar or two.

Ingredients:
500g frozen raspberries
2 cups white sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
Place frozen berries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Stir, over a low heat until berries have thawed and sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and continue to stir until jam boils.  Continue cooking jam, stirring continuously and at boiling point until setting point is reached - about 15 minutes. Stir continuously to avoid burning and sticking. Once jam is ready, allow to cool a little before placing hot jam in sterilized jars and sealing.


Do you make jam? Do you have any jam making tips to share?

Yesterday was Grocery Shopping Day

My baking supply and condiment pantry looking good with full canisters and restocked baking supplies

Yesterday was my monthly shopping day.

I made up my shopping list, using my usual method of deciding what I needed to buy. I went through the pantry, fridge and freezer to see what staples were running low. I like to keep about three months worth of staples on hand all the time, using my shopping day to replace what has been used from the stockpile.

This month I made my shopping list using the Aldi online shopping list. I love that it has the unit price, the item price and adds it all up for me - I know to a cent how much I'm going to spend at Aldi. As I only shop at Aldi and Coles for the bulk of the groceries (and the Coles list only had 3 items on it, easy enough to scribble on the bottom of the printed list) it was really easy.

Off Hannah, AJ and I went. Hannah went to Coles for me while AJ and I whizzed around Aldi.

But this month it wasn't as easy as it normally is.

For a start there were empty spots on the shelves. That meant items I couldn't buy, and that frustrates me no end (and why I love my stockpile - they just get put on the list for next month). Then I noticed that two of the items I wanted had different shelf prices to the price on my printed-just-before-I-left-home shopping list, and those differences were not in my favour.

The items in question by the way were tuna and grated cheese (and yes I know I could buy a block and grate it myself, and I do, this cheese was for a specific purpose). I circled those items on my shopping list and kept them back when we unloaded onto the conveyor.

Before they were scanned I asked the woman on the checkout about the difference in price between the website and the shelf. Now all credit to her, she asked how I knew they were different prices, took my word that I'd printed the shopping list straight off the Aldi smarter shopping website that morning and adjusted the price, all the while apologising for the inconvenience.

She dealt with the problem perfectly and I'm still a devoted Aldi shopper.

My point in mentioning this is check your prices. Whether you get them from your price book or straight from your supermarket website it really does pay to know your prices. If I'd just had a simple shopping list and hadn't bothered to check prices I'd have paid an extra $5.60 on my shopping!

That may not sound like much, but if that happened every month it adds up to $67.20 - almost a week's grocery money!

And in case you are curious (I know some of you are because you email and ask) the Aldi shopping cost $184.27 and the Coles shopping cost $25.63, leaving $110.10 for milk and fruit and veg top ups in August.

We are eating the veggies from our garden and freezer so I'll only need to buy fruit and perhaps potatoes.

I didn’t need to buy meat this month. The freezer is full of meat, chicken and fish bought last month, using the slush fund, when Tasman Meats had some really good specials. There is enough meat in the freezer for three months.

I did restock some groceries we have run down (tomato soup, tuna, baked beans, spaghetti, dishwasher powder) to bring them back up to three months worth in the pantry, using up the meat portion of the grocery budget.

I really enjoy doing the grocery shopping. I get a great deal of satisfaction seeing the canisters full and the shelves stacked with food, knowing that I can feed my family even if things do go pear shaped.

The CPR (Cost Per Recipe) Calculator

One of the things I'm asked most often is how I keep our food budget so low. This year my grocery budget is $320 a month and so far we are not only under budget but we are eating well too.

There are lots of  things I do to keep the grocery budget down, and I've covered them in other posts, and no doubt I'll go over them in future posts.

But the thing that really helps to keep our food bill down is knowing how much a recipe costs. I first wrote about the CPR Calculator in August 2013, and I thought it was time to remind you all about it, especially as this week I've had two questions just on the cost of recipes in the Cheapskates Recipe File.

We've all see the ads on TV for family dinners for under $10, or Jamie Oliver getting excited over a meal that cost £2.36 a serve (which by the way at today's exchange rate is $4.29 a serve - almost my budget for the whole meal). But then when you get the recipe and actually make the dish you realise it costs a whole lot more.

There are a couple of reasons for this:
1.These recipes usually use premium ingredients.
2.These recipes usually contain ingredients you wouldn't normally buy.
3.These recipes contain ingredients bought at full price in supermarkets.

If you really want to know how much your recipes cost you need to calculate the exact cost of the ingredients. It's a bit of a pain having to work out how though. Or it has been. A little while ago I was despairing, doing the math for a bunch of new recipes was sending me grey and giving me wrinkles. And that's when I decided to do the math once for all the basic ingredients I use and keep a record of them.

And so the CPR Calculator was created. It's a simple sheet with a list of ingredients down the side and a list of serving sizes across the top.

Next to each ingredient you can jot down the price for each portion (and the prices will vary depending on where you shop, how you shop and of course what you buy - organic products being pricier than regular and so on).

Now when you find a recipe and want to know the exact cost you can get your CPR Calculator and do the math, quickly and easily. Then you can decide if the recipe fits your budget as is, or if you can make some adjustments and substitutions to make it fit.

I love this A4 sheet. I printed it off and laminated it and it's stuck on the inside of the baking cupboard door. I use a white board marker to make changes to prices as they go up and down so it's always up to date.

Click here to get your CPR (Cost Per Recipe) Calculator
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/docs/cpr_calculator.pdf

Does Your Dishwasher Suffer from Bad Breath?

Next to my vacuum cleaner, my dishwasher is my favourite appliance. I think I'd give up coffee before I'd give up my dishwasher. I love the fact that I load it up with dirty dishes, push a couple of buttons and 45 minutes later I pull out sparkling clean, shiny dishes and cutlery. Bliss.

Occasionally my poor dishwasher suffers from bad breath. It hits me when I open the door and almost knocks me down. This is when I realise it needs a little TLC too and so I go to work.

First thing you need to do is clean the filters. Yes they do need to be cleaned regularly by you. In my dishwasher the filter is in three parts: a basket type of thing that then sits in a mesh basket and the stainless steel top filter. All three parts can be lifted out for cleaning. Fill a sink with some hot water and washing soda. Take the filters out, scrape off the gunk and soak in the hot water. Scrub with an old toothbrush if you need to. Rinse in hot water and put them back into place.

To help with odours and clean the inside of your dishwasher you can add 2 tablespoons of bicarb soda to the detergent dispenser. Pour ½ cup white vinegar into the bottom and run the econo or light cycle. Your dishwasher will be sparkling inside.

Once the cycle has finished, rinse a cloth in white vinegar and use this to clean around seals and the edge of the door, wiping off any gunk or grime that has built up. Pay special attention to the fiddly spots around the hinges, they can be really disgusting.

Do this twice a year and your dishwasher will always smell sweet and be sparkling clean inside.

Building Your Emergency Fund Part 1: How Much is Enough?

You should always expect the unexpected! You can be prepared for the unexpected by having an emergency fund set aside. An emergency fund is the best defence against a financial emergency so over the next four weeks, Wednesday being Finance day, I'm going to explain the why, how, what and when of an emergency fund.

Many people doubt they can afford to start, build and maintain an emergency fund. The truth is you can't afford to not have one.

A financial emergency could be an car or home repair, urgent medical expense, job loss, death or anything else requiring a significant amount of money on short notice.

Unfortunately, these challenges force many people to deal with the situation by using credit cards or taking out a loan. This simply makes the situation even more challenging in the long-term.

How Much is Enough? 

The general rule is to keep between three, preferably six months of living expenses in a readily accessible account. Of course, that's just a general rule.  Twelve months of living expenses in today's economic climate is a better goal. The proper amount for you will depend on your specific situation. No two situations are identical.

Consider if children are part of the equation. How much debt are you currently carrying? What types of insurance cover do you currently have? The answers to these questions will allow you to make an informed decision about the size of your emergency fund.

Sudden loss of income is the most common reason for needing to dip into an emergency fund. If there is a job loss, bills still need to be paid. Finding significant employment can take at least a few months. Current statistics show that if you are aged over 50 it takes an average of 72 weeks to find employment - any employment, not just in your field of expertise. You don't want to be caught without an income and without money in savings!

Australians have the safety-net of unemployment benefits but believe me when I say it is not enough to cover your mortgage, your daily living expenses and your household bills.

It is always best to have a plan in place for the worst-case scenario. It's easier to handle the smaller emergencies, like having to replace a refrigerator or get the car repaired from your general savings.

But situations will arise. It's simply part of life. And some of them will cause you major financial hardship. And that's when you will appreciate the peace of mind and security of a fully funded emergency fund.

Next week: Part 2 - Being Prepared is Always More Pleasant Than Being Caught Short

Mexican Lasagne

This dish is a favourite in our house. I like it because it's one of those simple to put together but tastes absolutely amazing dishes. The family like it because it's good. They're easy to please.

What prompted me to share it with you here was an ad I saw for a seasoning packet for a Mexican Tortilla Stack. That seasoning packet costs around $1.80 for 40g of what is basically just taco seasoning.

Mexican Lasagne
Ingredients:
500g mince beef, lamb or chicken
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tin tomatoes
2 tbsp MOO taco seasoning (or 1 packet bought)
1 cup grated cheese
1 pkt corn Mountain Bread

Method:
Brown the mince. Add the tomatoes, taco seasoning, tomato paste and water to the mince. Mix and simmer for 20 minutes, breaking up tomatoes, until the mixture is cooked and slightly thickened. Spray a lasagne dish with cooking spray and spread 1/4 of the meat mixture in the bottom. Cover with two sheets of the corn mountain bread. Repeat the layers, finishing with the sauce. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake in a moderate oven 25 – 30 minutes until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling.

Nifty Ways to Reuse Butter Wrappers

We use a lot of butter in our house. I use it in all our baking, to grease cake tins, to grease the fry pan for pancakes and scrambled eggs and of course on sandwiches and to make garlic and herb breads. I'm sure there are other things I use butter for; they just don't come to mind right now.

I prefer butter to margarine, and not just for the taste. Butter has no more than two natural ingredients in it: pure cream and salt, and only one if you buy or make unsalted butter. 

But I digress. How and why I use butter isn't what today's post is about. It's about how I use the butter wrappers, those delightfully handy squares of greaseproof paper that keep butter fresh. 

Don’t throw them away after you've unwrapped your butter. Fold them and put them in the fridge for the next time you need to:

Grease cake tins: next time you need to grease your cake tins or cookie sheets use a butter wrapper.

Press down MOO LCMs or Mars Bar slice:  when making your next batch use a wrapper to press them into the pan, no more sticky fingers. Use them to mould popcorn balls too.

Instead of non-stick spray for cooking: next time you need to sauté something or lightly grease a frying pan, use a butter paper to wipe the pan.

Separate hamburger patties: If you're out of MOO freezer paper (repurposed cereal wrappers) use butter papers to separate hamburger patties or steaks in the freezer.

Microwaving potatoes: Poke washed potatoes with a fork then wrap them in butter papers before microwaving. They'll come out soft and delicious, ready to be filled. 

Butter tops of freshly baked breads: As soon as your bread comes out of the oven, take a butter wrapper and rub it over the top! The butter will glaze the crust beautifully.

Coat your cast iron pans: After wiping out your frying pan, use a butter wrapper to rub a little butter back into the pan then wipe it over with a clean dishcloth to keep it seasoned for the next use. Saves accidentally using too much oil.

Set a wrapper on a stack of pancakes or waffles: Stack them high and set a wrapper on top to keep them buttery without loading a ton of butter on them. You can also put a wrapper on top of a bowl of rice or potatoes before serving too!

Corn on the cob: Put a butter wrapper on each plate when you serve corn on the cob. Use them to coat the corn with butter. It stops butter dripping all over hands and is so quick and easy even little children can manage their own corn cob.

Cut a cheesecake: Before cutting a cheesecake (or any other sticky dessert), wipe the butter wrapper over the knife blade to make cutting through super clean and easy.

Stop pancakes from drying out: put a butter wrapper on the plate you stack cooked pancakes on. Have another one handy to keep on top of the stack to prevent the pancakes from drying out. 

Buttering hot popcorn: Take a wrapper and stir it through hot popcorn to butter it. You'll get the buttery flavour without the kilojoules and mess.

The $100/24 Hour Rule

The $100/24 Hour rule is so good if you're tempted to buy something: if it's more than $100, wait 24 hours before buying it. Then, if you still need it or really want it, think about how you can afford to get it. Do you have the cash on hand? Will you need to borrow from the budget? Will you have to go into debt to buy it (credit cards, store loans etc.)? Can you raise the money to buy it (overtime, garage sale, use birthday money etc.)?

Most of the time you've changed your mind, realized you don't really even like it or just plain can't be bothered going back to the shop to get it and you've just saved yourself a couple years worth of debt re-payments!

And I bet you don't feel deprived either!

Grandma's Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is not only good for the soul (I love the Chicken Soup series of books) but it is good for the immune system too. Seeing as this is soup month, and Tuesday is recipe day, I'm sharing my mother's chicken soup recipe.

I grew up with this soup and I've made it regularly each winter since I left home. My kids have grown up with it too. It is the only chicken soup Hannah will eat.

This soup is warming when you're well. When you're not well it is soothing and comforting and healing all in a bowl of tasty, steaming goodness.

I know I've shared this recipe before, but if you've lost it, can't remember where it is filed or have never made soup before this is the one to try. It really is easy, even if it seems fiddly to make. Give it a go, you won't regret it.

And if you would like to make it cheaper, use a chicken breast and three chicken frames instead of the whole chicken and reduce the cooking time in Step 2 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
4 carrots, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 onions, diced
6-8 parsley stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1 chicken, size 18

1. Put a small quantity of each vegetable aside. Put the remaining vegetables into a large pot, add the parsley, black peppercorns and the bay leaf.

2. Put the whole chicken into the pot and add the salt. Add just enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Put a dinner plate over the chicken and vegetables to hold them down in the broth. And allow to come back to room temperature.

3. Put the whole pot into the fridge. When the fat hardens, skim it off with a spoon.

4. Take the chicken out of the pot and pull it apart. Put the meat on a plate and set aside. Put the skin, bones and fat back into the pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 hour.

5. Cut the cooked chicken meat into bite sized pieces.

6. Strain the contents of the pot. Keep the liquid but add the vegetables, bones etc. to your dog's dinner (take out the bones first) or to the compost.

7. Just before you are ready to eat, simmer the reserved vegetables and liquid for about 5 minutes then add the cooked chicken.

8. Warm the soup through and serve.

MOO Soothing Eczema Cream

Eczema is horrible. It's red, itchy, scaly, painful and ugly. If left untreated it can leave horrible scars. And it is almost as common as the common cold. And like the cold, there really isn't any one successful treatment for this painful skin complaint.

Hannah and AJ both suffer from eczema and have done since they were babies (another reason I MOO washing powder and soap). Over the years we've spent a fortune on creams and lotions, doctors and specialists, natural remedies and some not so natural. And while some of them worked for a short while the eczema always came back and the painful cycle would begin all over again.

Until Hannah found a recipe for a homemade cream and gave it a try. And it worked! Oh joy, oh happy relief!

It soothes and stops the itching, cools the skin quickly and moisturises and softens dry scaly patches. Best of all we had all the ingredients in the kitchen.

Over the years we've tweaked it to the recipe below. It is far and away the best eczema cream we have used and its all natural - not a steroid in sight, no need for a prescription and it costs under $1 a jar.

It only has four ingredients: rolled oats, coconut oil, rosemary oil* and olive oil.

Oats have been used to soften and moisturise skin for centuries. They are know for their anti-itching properties and are an easy treatment for dry skin.

Coconut oil is rich in fats, Vitamin E, proteins and fatty acids. It is renowned for it's moisturising and anti-aging properties. Because coconut oil doesn't go rancid it can be applied to the skin it can work longer without going rancid.

Rosemary oil is know for it's therapeutic properties and is a common ingredient in shampoos and moisturisers for it's purifying properties.

This recipe can be used as a daily skin moisturizer to prevent eczema from flaring up. If by chance it does still appear this helps to nip it in the bud quickly!

You will need:
1/4 cup of oats
3/4 cup of coconut oil
Few drops of rosemary oil* (optional)
1 tbsp of olive oil
A small jar with a screw top lid, sterilised

Step 1. Finely grind the oats to a powder/flour consistency and set aside. I use my food processor but you can use a stick blender, vitamiser, mortar and pestle (if you have the muscles), a Magic Bullet - any appliance that will grind the oats into a fine powder.

Grind to oats to as fine a powder as you can

Step 2. Over a low heat, melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan until it melts.

Step 3. Add in a few drops of rosemary oil if you are using it.  I usually add 8 drops as we like the fragrance and I like the antibacterial properties of rosemary oil.

Step 4. Add finely ground oats to the saucepan and mix until well blended. At this stage the mixture will be quite thin.

Step 5. Now, pour the olive oil into the mixture and stir until blended.

Step 6. Once all ingredients are thoroughly combined remove from the heat and let it cool, absorbing all the goodness from the oats. While it is still semi-liquid pour in to a small, sterilised storage container. It won't matter if you get any of the oats in the jar, your cream will just have a little texture. If you don't want any oats, strain the liquid into the jar. Let it cool and harden for several hours.

Apply to hands and skin as needed and feel the moisturising magic at work!

Making Meals Cheaper

Classic cottage pie - leftover mashed potato, cooked mince, peas, carrot, onion and gravy

How do you make meals cheaper? If you follow a recipe exactly it can really blow your food budget right out of the black and into the red, often with just one meal.

I've seen the ads on television for $10 family dinners and I can tell you that not only are they over-priced but my budget runs to $5 per dinner, $3 per lunch and $2 per breakfast per day. I don't include the cost of the vegetables we grow; I actually take the cost of the seeds from my mad money, gardening really is something I enjoy and see as relaxing so that is free food.

These days I automatically make recipes fit my budget. That means they must be cheap. They must be nutritious. They must be quick and easy to prepare. And they must pass the Family Approval Test.

So how do I make meals cheaper without starving Wayne and the kids?

Portion control - if a recipe says "serves 6" then I make sure I get six serves and put the "spare" in the freezer for a freezer meal.

Measure accurately - when a recipe says half a cup or one tablespoon that's what I use. When it says to use a pinch of something then a pinch is what I use - a pinch being the amount I can pick up between my thumb and index finger. When it says 700g meat - I weigh out 700g and use it. Measure accurately and your recipes will be a success and you won't be wasting ingredients.

Pic of measuring cups and spoons

I buy meat in bulk. Real bulk - a minimum of 10 kilos chicken fillets/mince/steak/chops/sausages/roasts at a time and I only ever buy when it is on sale - I never, ever pay full price for meat.

I always pull the tenderloins off chicken fillets to use them in another meal. They make great skewers, can be diced for enchiladas, crumbed and baked whole, minced to make pie filling, poached and shredded to make chicken salad - you are limited only by your imagination and recipe collection.

For my family of five I use two chicken breast fillets per recipe for cassseroles/enchiladas/pies/stir fries/apricot chicken/cacciatore etc. That is plenty of meat for the five of us, with two small fillets weighing around 400g - 500g. If the fillets are large I use one fillet and two tenderloins.

Those chicken fillets are diced into small chunks. Chunks go much further than serving a whole breast per person.

For chicken schnitzels a breast fillet is sliced through to make two portions and then pressed out with my fingers. If it's a larger fillet I get three schnitzels from it. And they are easier to slice if they are partly frozen.

A mince based meal is 750g of mince and bulked out with more vegetables, pasta, rice, fresh or dried silverbeet, minced mushrooms or rolled oats.

Leftovers are always planned, never an accident. They are used for another family dinner, as the base of a new family dinner or for freezer meals on an MCBB night.

A roast chicken is used for tea on Sunday night, a stir-fry or pies or enchiladas later in the week and the frame is then used to make soup or stock. If it's a big chicken there may be enough meat left to make chicken salad for sandwiches too.

Roast lamb or beef is similar. Tea on Sunday night (we always have a roast on a Sunday), then the rest of the meat is sliced for another dinner and the scraps are diced into a curry or a French Shepherds Pie and the bones (if any) used for soup and stock.

Because we grow most of our vegetables there is very little to waste. Tonight for example I ran outside and picked a Chinese cabbage, a red capsicum and some spring onions for the stir-fry (and we're having the sloppy joes that were on the menu next month).

Sauce bottles are rinsed with a little water, cream, milk or vinegar depending on the type of sauce to get every drop out.

Bread ends are used for stuffings and to make dried bread crumbs.

Veggie peelings go into stock, to the worms or to the compost bin.

Bones are composted in the Bokashi bucket after all the meat has been pulled from them and they have made stock.

And of course I use my favourite spatulas to scrape out jars, cans and bottles. Scraping the peanut butter jar provides enough spread for two more sandwiches! The Vegemite jar is rinsed with warm water (not hot, it will explode) and used to make a rich gravy. Jam jars get rinsed with milk to make yummy milk shakes.

These are just a few of the ways I make a recipe cheaper. They work for my family and they certainly work for our grocery budget. This year the aim is $80 a week for the five of us and so far we are on track.

Get Creative and Redesign Leftovers

Let's face it, leftovers aren't nice. They are, well, leftover. But with a little creativity you can redesign those leftovers into a delicious and totally different meal and save money and time into the bargain.

Put simply you are going to cook once and eat twice (or even three or four times). When you plan your meals look for dishes you will have leftovers from. For example when I cook a pot roast I cook a 2 - 2.5kg piece instead of a smaller single meal piece.

The first night we have pot roast with potato, pumpkin, carrots and beans. Then the next night I use some of the meat to make stroganoff and we have it with buttered noodles. Then the third night I shred the remaining meat to make enchiladas. Two extra meals from leftovers! When roasting beef comes on sale at $5.99/kg I buy three or four pieces and put them in the freezer ready to prepare some tasty, cheap meals.

This works for other staples too. When you cook rice or pasta double the amount and freeze the extra. Leftover pasta can become pasta bake or pasta salad. Leftover rice can become fried rice or rice patties.

An Easy Bedroom Makeover

You don't need to spend a fortune to makeover your bedroom. If you're bored with your bedhead transform it in just an hour with this inexpensive trick.

You will need:
Staple gun
Scissors
Quilt batting
A designer flat sheet
Buttons - matching, coordinating or glamorous
Hot glue gun

Step 1. Start by covering the front and sides of the bed-head with three layers of quilt batting to give it a luxurious, padded look. Pull the batting around the sides and fasten it to the back of the bed-head with the staple gun. Don't be stingy with the staples, you want the batting to stay put.

Step 2. Using your sheet cover the front of the bed-head with the fabric, pulling it around the sides to stretch it tight. Staple it in place over the batting on the back. Again, don't be stingy with the staples.

Step 3. Using tailors chalk mark a diamond pattern on the front of the bed-head. Staple at regular intervals to create a tufted look. Hot glue a button over each staple.

You now have a custom upholstered bed-head and a brand new look for your bedroom.

How to Stop Having the Money Argument with Your Friends, Family, Partner or Spouse

Money can be a touchy subject. It’s necessary to live and many people have their own money beliefs and money habits.

This can lead to some very heated arguments. And unfortunately, unless the money issues are resolved the arguments happen again and again.

It’s unfortunate because many relationships break up over money arguments and it is completely unnecessary.

The key to ending the money arguments once and for all is to communicate.
For example, if you’re having difficulty with your big spending friends sit down with them and tell them your financial goals and objectives. Explain why going out to expensive nightclubs and restaurants doesn’t fit your plan. See if you can find common ground.

For money fights with your spouse or partner the solution is similar. Sit down and establish your priorities and goals. Create a plan together to achieve your goal. When you’re both open to communication and working together money arguments will be a thing of the past.