when the 'mallow's flaming...

Ten homemade marshmallow points for anybody who can name that movie...

Once you've had a real marshmallow, it's so hard to go back. I have nothing against Jet Puff. I was raised in a home where a proper cup of hot chocolate always had a mound of tiny marshmallows on top. And summer childhood dinners on the deck ended with a large flaming marshmallow roasted over the grill. Store marshmallows have their place, but if you have a stand mixer - make your own! The difference in texture and taste have turned me into a marshmallow snob (who still has store-bought marshmallows in her pantry for back up...).

The process to homemade marshmallow perfection is a tad bit messy. You have to work quickly to get the marshmallow fluff out of the mixer while it's still warm. Otherwise, be prepared for a giant hard-lava-like marshmallow mass in your bowl. This is the time to set aside the compulsion to get every last drop out of the bowl and into the pan. You won't do it. Don't attempt it. If you ignore my advice, you will be one hot sugary mess...I may know from experience...

If the process isn't simple, then why make your own? Three reasons you should give it a whirl:

1) The texture is radically different then store bought. When stirred into a cup of steamy hot cocoa a homemade marshmallow s l o w l y melts. Store bought will lose their shape and melt into the abyss in five minutes.

2) The flavor of traditional homemade marshmallows is deliciously vanillay. If you'd like you could use other extracts instead. Perhaps peppermint or raspberry - both great combined with a cup of hot chocolate.

3) The satisfaction that making candy-like things is not only for chocolate shops and kitchen divas. There is indeed beauty in the homemade. For the record: homemade marshmallows are not cost-efficient. It's cheaper to buy the store marshmallows when they go on sale for a dollar, but there's no adventure in store-bought. (unless you count navigating a cart through the narrow aisles of the supermarket on a Sunday an adventure...)

I use Bon Appetit's recipe and my marshmallows turn out perfect each time, but there are tons of similar recipes on the web. The only substitution I make is cornstarch for potato starch because I'm cheap and have never bought potato starch in my life.

Snuggle in with some homemade marshmallows floating in a dreamy swirl of hot cocoa and enjoy the last few remaining weeks of winter properly - hot cocoa in one hand, book in the other, and a blanket in your lap.

frugal find: ibotta app

For all my tech-savvy, deal-loving friends - do you know about the Ibotta app? You could be getting paid to shop! Well, sort of... Download the free app then anytime you purchase one of the items listed on the app take a snapshot of your receipt and redeem it for $$$ in your PayPal account. The catch: you might have to take a quick survey (super quick!) or write a one sentence testimonial on why you like the product.

Oh, did I mention you can still use regular newspaper coupons on the Ibotta item! Not sold yet? The teacher in me will now provide an example to prove the awesomeness of this app:
Soy sauce is on sale for $1.25 and you have a $1 off coupon. You pay $.25 for it in the store, BUT if it's also featured on Ibotta with the potential of redeeming for $.50 then you make $.25! 

I know you're thinking, "that's only a quarter, Caitlin." You could probably just as easily find that amount under your couch cushions, but think about if you redeemed 8 products similarly. $2 in your pocket and with free grocery items in your pantry for the month....I'd say that's living in semi-frugal style!

There are other similar apps available, but Ibotta is my favorite thus far. Easy-to-use, painless, and it has a fun name! One final word to the wise: make sure your grocery store is found on the list of stores working in conjunction with Ibotta. They keep adding new ones so check back often! 

Happy saving!

celebrating in style

We had a lovely frugalish two-part homemade Valentine's. I thought you'd like to drool over the pictures...

The weekend before love-day hubster made a scrumptious dinner of Maple Glazed Salmon with Dill Tomato Couscous. It was incredible! It's comforting to know his cooking skills are improving beyond omelettes and coffee...not that he doesn't make delicious omelette or a perfect cup of coffee :)

man in the kitchen woot woot!

On Valentine's Day I attempted to recreate our favorite date night dinners at home. A combination of P. F. Changs and The Melting Pot dinner! We've made fondue at home several times before. It's the perfect frugalish splurge while still keeping your $50. 

First Course: Cheddar Cheese Fondue with italian bread and veggie dippers. I halved the recipe and used half white wine and half milk for the liquid.  I'd suggest not skimping on cheap kraft cheddar - go for the good stuff. I found a $1.99 sale on Cracker Barrel that week and stocked up.  So SO good! A wonderful cheddar zippy flavor especially if you use extra sharp.

cheese: one of the hubster's love languages :)

Main Course: Asian Lettuce Wraps...spicy but delish! I added water chestnuts (eliminated the peanuts) and made it with ground chicken to make it a little more P. F. Changs-like. If you aren't a spice person, then you might want cut back on the ginger. Sorry, no pictures...we were too busy chowing down...

Then the piece de resistance: Mocha Fondue! Chocolate and coffee mingled together in a smooth creamy perfection. I made orange almond biscotti and marshmallows (look for a marshmallow post soon) and cut up fruit for dippers. My personal favorites were the biscotti, marshmallows, kiwi, and banana...I told you I had a lot of favorites! I cut the fat (sort of) by using half and half instead of heavy cream. Words cannot quite describe the deliciousness! 

To all my Stellar Living ladies (aka fondue connoisseurs) - try this recipe!! 

And to work all that food off we spent the weekend in the land of snow and mountains. Went snowshoeing, ate more incredibly delicious food (if you're ever in southern Vermont eat here!!), drank tons of coffee, snuggled in with books, and played settlers like a pro. Ahhh family weekends in Vermont!

lichen!

peaceful frozen riverside

a little love for covered bridges

the beauty of a birch tree

peanut butter chocolate swirl fudge

Nothing says love quite like peanut butter and chocolate. Reeses Pieces, peanut butter MMs (my favorite!), nutella and PB sandwich, chocolate cake with PB frosting...you get the point. Peanut butter and chocolate are simply meant to be. Where there is one the other also exists happily alongside. (Have I used enough sicken cliches yet?? No? Keep reading.) In honor of v-day and all things couple-like I present peanut butter chocolate swirl fudge. Peanut butter and chocolate mingled together in a creamy sweet culinary perfection.

I have even better news...fudge is easy to make. Most recipes involve some heating over the stove followed by some mixing. I actually chose to make this fudge for some company because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of cookies. Lazy? Yes. But if something this delicious comes out of my laziness, than I am totally ok with that!

Give these to your hunny or make them for a crowd (a great way to proactively make sure you don't enter a sugar-induced coma from gobbling them all).

Ingredients
1 stick of butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. semi sweet chocolate or more if you'd like a more chocolaty taste

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in brown sugar and milk then bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for two minute, stirring often.
3. At the same time, heat semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Remove from heat as soon as the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Remove from brown sugar, butter, milk mixture from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
5. Pour peanut butter mixture over powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. A stand mixer works best.
6. Once fudge is smooth, pour into a 8x8 inch pan.
7. Swirl in chocolate by alternating pouring some peanut butter then some chocolate. Or simply pour chocolate over top to create a thin chocolate layer then take a knife and swirl the mixture around. I haven't quite mastered the pretty swirl yet, but the good news is it still tastes fantastic!
8. Chill fudge until firm then cut into squares. Use a sharp knife...a butter knife makes crumbs ahem...

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes' Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge

the magic of microfiber

I have a love/hate relationship with my tile and wood floors. I love the look of our abode, but I hate the tumbleweeds that form. Not even a day after cleaning, the dust begins to accumulate. I have no desire to vacuum four times a week! Or spend precious money on a box of Swiffer sweepers each month! 

Enter my new favorite thing - microfiber cloths! If you haven't discovered the magic of microfiber yet, get yourself to the dollar store and buy two for a dollar! The cloths are perfect for cleaning grubby windows, walls, and now my newest discovery - floors. I just throw them in the wash with our towels and they are ready to go for the next cleaning project. It says on the packaging to not dry them, but I have numerous times (I know - such a rebel) and they still look fine...maybe slightly shrunk. I figure when they get too gross I'll just go spend a dollar for two new ones! Frugalish!

Anyway, here is my super complicated solution to our dust bunny problem. Affix the microfiber cloth to the Swiffer sweeper wand. Turn up the Mat Kearney music and get busy attacking the tumbleweeds! I'm sure I'm not the first person trying to save a dollar or two with this invention, but I'm loving this frugalish solution! Now I'm on a quest to find other ingenious ways to use microfiber cloths...stay tuned!