A Simple Christmas

For the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I got it right this Christmas. No frantic last-minute gift shopping, no calendar packed with parties, no elaborate decorations and, perhaps most importantly, no (well, at least very little) stress. 

How did I go from secretly dreading the holiday season to rekindling my love for Christmas? It started with a book I picked up from the library - The Simple Living Guide - which has an entire chapter devoted to simplifying the holidays. The author, Janet Luhrs, encourages readers to forgo the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and parties and instead keep the entire month of December open for time with the family. She also extols keeping the materialism of the season at bay and thinking creatively when it comes to gifts. Make things, shop at thrift or consignment stores, give experiences, etc. No matter what you do, she recommends removing yourself mentally from the frenetic nature of holiday gift-giving and instead focusing on the true meaning of the season: celebrating family, friends and faith.

Inspired, I set out to simplify our Christmas. It started with limits on gifts. We decided to get each of our boys two gifts. We set a $50 limit on gifts for spouses. We talked to our respective families, both of which decided to do no gifts for adults. We told grandparents to please only get one gift for each child (no easy task!). In addition to making for a less crazy shopping experience, limiting the extravagance of the season helped us bring back the focus of the holiday season to giving vs. receiving. Our hope is that on Christmas morning we'll be more thankful for - and not overwhelmed by - presents. (As I'm finally getting this post up after Christmas - so it goes with two kids - I'll share that one of my favorite things that morning was watching my two-year-old spend five minutes reading the first gift he opened from Santa, a book about fire trucks. His presents from grandparents, wooden blocks and a wooden train set, have been played with constantly since Christmas morning. It's wonderful to see him truly appreciate his gifts, and I believe that's because he's not buried by them.)

Probably the biggest change we made this year was adopting a family for Christmas. In November I called local charities and found a single mom and her son that were in need. This project brought special meaning to the season, as we carefully chose gifts that would be helpful to her in a new job and I used my now-honed-mom-of-two-boys skills to find things for her son. Even my hairdresser donated a haircut and style, which left me speechless. The process of putting together gifts and food for this family warmed my heart and reminded me of the true meaning of Christmas.

Finally, to simplify our holiday calendar we limited our engagements to a max of one per week. Instead we spent a lot more time with our family, enabling us to do things like cut down a Christmas tree for the first time with our kids (so fun!), drive around Napa looking at Christmas lights (live locally? Don't miss Paradise Drive), watch the original Rudolph movie with our two-year-old, bake lots of cookies, do an Nativity-themed Advent Calendar every day, and celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas with the tradition of treats and small presents in shoes.

Limiting commitments also gave us ample time to teach our two-year-old about the story of Jesus' birth so that he understands why we celebrate with cookies, parties, presents, a visit from Santa Claus, etc. The Advent calendar was a big part of this, as were books including The Little Drummer Boy, The First Christmas and the Usborne Nativity Flap Book. It has been such a blessing to watch our little guy really get Christmas this year. The joy on his face throughout the season has been a constant reminder to cherish this time of year.

I know that what's "right" for our family in celebrating Christmas may not be "right" for everyone, but I hope our process of getting to a truly happy holiday encourages other families that may also be overwhelmed by the season. We took time to think deliberately about what we wanted Christmas to mean to our family - the traditions we wanted to create and what we wanted to teach our children - and we tried to let the rest of it go. The result was a month of celebrating and giving that filled our souls and hearts with joy.

A very Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all!

Cheers,

Julie

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Do-it-yourself family photo shoot

To put it mildly, I love taking pictures. Oodles and oodles of them. I would even venture to say it's an addiction. One that's gotten much worse since having kids.

With the holiday season nipping at our heels, a few weeks ago I realized we didn't have a family photo with our newest addition, baby Ben. As you might imagine, I am one of those folks who has joined the Christmas card family photo craze. It's such an easy way to share a family update with friends and loved ones, though truth be told I miss the beauty and simplicity of classic Christmas card illustrations like the ones I grew up with.

It was time to drag - oops, I mean corral - the family outside and snap away!

Since becoming a mom and the Official Family Photographer, I've learned a lot about how to take a family photo. From investing in the right tools to brainstorming ideas to being the family cheerleader, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to take a good picture. But despite the time and effort, the final result is always worth it.

If you're frugal like me and prefer to take family pictures yourself - vs. hiring a professional photographer - I hope these tips will help you make your next family photo a great one.

1. Invest in a good camera: Yes, even a frugal person like me recommends investing a good camera, preferably a digital single-lens reflex camera, or DSLR. These cameras combine digital technology with the optics of old-school cameras and lenses. How much should you spend? These days you can get a DSLR for less than $500, including lenses. For example, you can find a used Canon Rebel on eBay for $250. Last year I upgraded to a Nikon D7000, which is a low-level professional grade camera, for around $500 (minus lenses). I got a great deal on a refurbished model because a newer model - the D7100 - had just been released. Check out websites like Slickdeals.net for the best deals. (Don't have a DSLR in your budget? Any point-and-shoot camera will do the job. If you find you like photography, you can always upgrade later.)

2. White Balance: I've found no other camera feature impacts the quality of photos as much as white balance - except, perhaps, focus. White balance influences the color tone in your pictures, making things like skin tone look natural or sallow. Find the white balance setting on your camera and play around with it to figure out what settings you like the best. There is much you can learn from your camera's manual on how to get started. The time of day and the place you are taking photos - for instance inside vs. outside - will impact the white balance settings, so take your time learning this feature. When using white balance settings for your family pictures, always take a few practice shots to make sure the colors look good.

If you're really up for perfecting the white balance in your photos, find out if your camera has a custom white balance feature. This enables you to set the white balance manually. Recently I invested in an Expodisc to help me do so with ease. The colors look great. Every. Single. Time.

3. Get a tripod: If you want to take your own family photos, this is a must. I've also gone the whole stacking-books-on-a-chair-until-they-are high-enough-to-hold-the-camera route, but it's incredibly frustrating and you never know when you're camera is going to topple off. For around $30 you can get a great tri-pod that you'll use for years.

4. Visit Pinterest for inspiration: What did I ever do before Pinterest? Last year was the first that I visited the site for Christmas photo inspiration and I wasn't disappointed.  Within five minutes I had five easy ideas for Christmas card pictures, including the theme you see below. What did we end up doing for this year's Christmas card? Well, you'll just have to wait and see!

5. Get your props ready:  Props for the photo to the right? A "Merry Christmas" sign from Target and a red Adirondack chair from our backyard. Other props for a Christmas card might be Christmas ornaments, Christmas lights, garland, etc. Gather these together so you're ready to go when the time is right. You might even have a few different ones to try so you have plenty of photo options to choose from.

6. Convince reluctant spouses/kids: Does anyone's husband love to take family photos? Mine needs a little friendly reminder that at least we're not hiring a professional photographer for $400. Also, I've found that promising to keep your "photo shoot" to a reasonable time limit (like 20 minutes) helps. And taking pictures right after a yummy meal. 

7. Dress the part: You don't need to be matchy matchy, but it helps to think about what everyone will be wearing before you snap away. This year I found a great blog post on family portrait wardrobes, which was just the inspiration I needed for the vineyard photo above. Decide if you want everyone to be casual (jeans) or dressy (slacks). Make sure to choose colors that everyone looks good in, which in the winter tend to be colors that brighten skin tone (not, say, light gray). My favorite tip? Start the process by mom choosing her outfit so that she feels and looks good. Then match the rest of the family to what she's wearing.

8. Location, location, location:  In my option, unless you have professional lighting outdoor family photos almost always look better than those taken inside. Scout out a few locations by looking for places that don't have a lot of "noise" in the background. For example, the Christmas photo above was taken in our backyard against a backdrop of trees - not facing the (messy) back of our house. The same concept goes for the vineyard photo above. Straight vineyard rows make for a simple setting that does not detract from the subjects. Don't have a good spot in your backyard? Check out your neighborhood park.

9. Face the light source: For faces to be illuminated and not in shadow, everyone should be facing the biggest light source. Inside? Face a window. Outside? Face the sun. Which brings me to...

10. Choose your timing wisely: Especially if you're taking pictures outdoors, this matters a bundle. I've learned over time that I get the best outdoor photos in the morning or late afternoon/sunset, or when it's cloudy outside. What you want to avoid is the sun beating down overhead and causing people to squint - or casting a lot of shadows.

11. Set up your gear before the family joins you: The time to keep the family focused on taking photos is limited. As much as possible, make sure everything is ready to go before rousing the troops.

12. Take test shots and focus your camera: Before going full throttle, take a few test shots and make sure the photo is framed as you would like it, that everyone can be seen in the photo, and that your camera is focused on the subjects. I can't tell you how many times I've gone through pictures to find the camera is focused on the trees rather than the people. Don't let this happen to you.

13. Put your camera on self-timer or buy a remote: Every point-and-shoot camera out there, and all DSLRs, have a self-timer function. If your camera has the capability, set it to take 5+ consecutive photos each time the timer goes off. You can also invest in a wireless remote if your camera is compatible.

14. Don't be too serious: OK, now is the time to have fun! Get in front of the camera, have everyone smile and start shooting. Take some photos where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera, and a few where everyone is looking at each other or, say, a baby. Laugh, squeeze each other, lean in, etc. My husband has even been known to lovingly pinch my bum to make me smile.

15. Different scenes: Take some photos where everyone can be seen head to toe, some from the waist up, and some sitting (or in another pose). Mix it up a bit because you'll find at the end that certain scenes really click and others don't.

16. Snap away: After five minutes you may think you've taken enough pictures. What I've found is that - especially when multiple people (and kids!) are involved - you get one good shot for about every 50 you take. Our family photo shoots typically result in a few hundred photos, of which ten might be decent (everyone looking at the camera, no funny faces, double chins, eyes closed, etc.). Of those ten, one or two is a winner. While even a hundred photos might sound like a lot, if they're taken at rapid-fire your photo shoot shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes.

Best of luck with your next DIY family photo session! Have your own tip for taking great pictures? Please share in the comments.

Cheers!

Julie

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Kid, earth & budget-friendly cleaning solutions

I have one sweet word for my bottles of Windex and 409: goodbye!

I  used to think I would never be able to survive without those trusty solutions at the ready. It didn't even occur to me that there were alternatives to traditional cleaners until I started reading books and magazines about frugal, simple living. My interest was piqued.

I started small: a vinegar and water spray to clean my kitchen counters, windows and mirrors. It worked like a charm (albeit with a bit more elbow grease than usual). I also didn't have to worry about my kids eating off of the surfaces after they were cleaned. And, to boot, it was way cheaper than buying a bottle of cleaner at the store. (Not to mention that it didn't require a trip to the store in the first place.) I was sold.

A few years later I am still making a vinegar and water solution for windows and mirrors, but have graduated to a "heavier duty" antibacterial cleaner for surfaces like kitchen counters and the dinner table. No bleach or harsh chemicals here - instead the workhorses are vinegar, tea tree oil (the anti-bacterial agent), washing soda and lavender.

The best part? My kitchen smells heavenly.

Truth be told, there is still a bottle of hallmark blue liquid lurking in my hall cabinet for emergencies. But I'm finding that there are fewer and fewer times I need to pull out the "big guns." The reality is that my homemade cleaners get the job done 95% of the time.

Cheers to a clean and happy home!

Julie

Vinegar & Water Solution

It doesn't get simpler than this. Fill an empty spray bottle with 50% water and 50% white vinegar. Spray on surfaces and wipe down with a clean cloth. A microfiber cloth works wonders on windows and mirrors.

All-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner

2 cups hot water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
15 drops tea tree oil
15 drops lavender oil

Mix ingredients together in a spray bottle. When you add the washing soda to the liquid it will fizz, so make sure you leave space in the bottle for a reaction.

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A Camping Convert

I didn't grow up camping. The story of why includes my mom, rain, and sleeping in a Pinto. My husband also didn't grow up camping but, like most men (yes, I'm stereotyping), loves it. He also likes survival shows and seems to salivate at the thought of being dropped in the middle of the wilderness with nothing but a pocket knife. 

Needless to say our differing views on the topic have not led to many successful camping trips. Not that they were awful, they just weren't vacation material. When asked whether I'd like to go camping or to Hawaii I would answer...wait, is that even a question?

So why am I writing a post on the topic? A few reasons. First, camping is just about the most frugal vacation you can take. As a frugal fanatic I need to give camping a second (and third, and fourth) chance. Heck, I probably need to become camping's poster child.

Second, on our most recent camping trip I did all of the packing and discovered one of the keys to a successful trip: organization. Having everything we needed and knowing where it was made such a difference. No more digging through the dark recesses of duffel bags praying that we'd remembered matches. Or soap. Or sunscreen. Everything was on a packing list and organized into large, clear-sided Rubbermaid tubs. 

Am I Type A? You betcha. Oh, and I should mention that we're most certainly talking about car camping here. No toting all this stuff on a backpacking trip. Not that I know (or most likely will ever know) anything about backpacking. So help me God.

With our car packed so full that our two-year-old thought he was in a pillow fort, we headed off to Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Although only an hour and a half drive due west from Napa, we felt a million miles away as we parked in front of our cabin at the Madrone campground (our two-person tent no longer accommodates our family of four). As far as our eyes could see, tall redwoods reached out and touched the sky. I could feel my whole body relaxing as we unpacked the car, opened a bottle of wine and started on dinner. 

The next few days were pure bliss. Well, as much pure bliss as is possible with two kids under the age of three. We hiked (there is a paved trail in the park, perfect for little ones), went to a kid-friendly beach on Tamales Bay (Heart's Desire Beach), ate lots of smores, and enjoyed a Cowgirl Creamery lunch in Point Reyes Station. Most importantly, we had the satisfaction of watching our two-year-old fall in love with the great outdoors.

I'll be honest. It took me a week to get packed for our trip, but it was so worth it. At the end of the process I not only had everything we needed for our trip to the redwoods, but three pre-packed tubs (cooking, camping gear, and hygiene) that will always be at the ready in our garage. The next time we venture out into the wilderness the packing process will be easy-peasy. So easy-peasy I might even be looking forward to our next trip.

Planning your next camping trip? Download my mother-of-all camping packing list. Most of the items came from our linen closet and kitchen, thrift stores, and a last-minute Walmart run. See something missing, have your own camping tips, or a suggestion on where we should go next? Please share in the comments.

Cheers!

Julie

Making the most of a promotion

Last week my husband called from work to go over some mundane items on the proverbial to-do-list, and then hit me with the news.

"Oh, and I got promoted to winemaker this morning."

I nearly fell off my chair. We'd been talking about him becoming a full-blown winemaker ever since our dreams of the wine industry took root. And now, in the blink of an eye, here it was. The real deal. Winemaker.

Holy cow (that's the PG version). I'm so proud of you babe.

After the initial giddy shock wore off, we did what any other couple faced with a promotion does:  daydream about how this was going to change our lives. You know where this is going...to the land of, "Now we can buy a new house/car/fill in big-ticket item here." Before you knew it, we were trolling Trulia and ogling diesel pickup trucks.

As a writer of a frugal blog I'm kinda ashamed to admit that it took a late night visit via public television from Suze Orman to snap me out of it. It's just so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the thought of what new money can buy. It feels like a drug. You want that big ticket item you've been waiting for and you want it NOW.

After returning to earth (from Google Earth, where a million dollar house with vineyard views looks quite nice...and way out of our price range), we realized we needed to back-up. Way up. Why were we even thinking about buying these things in the first place? It was time to go back to the financial planning process and revisit our goals.

Whenever an unexpected financial windfall comes your way there are lot of questions you should ask yourself. Here are a few we're pondering right now.

• What are my goals? This is a pretty basic question, but so important. It should be the first thing you ask yourself when it comes to how you spend your money. In our case, some of our goals include funding our children's education, buying a larger home for our growing family, replacing our 10+ year-old cars, and funding our retirement at 15% of our gross income/year. 
• Should I change my standard of living? It may be tempting to spend/shop more now that you're making more, but do you really need to? For example, we've proven to ourselves we can live on $75 a week for groceries. Do we really need to relax our budget - or can we stick to it and instead put the money saved towards our goals?
• Do I need to increase my emergency fund? You should have a minimum of eight months of expenses saved in a savings or money market account in the case of an emergency. This money is not to be touched unless there is a real emergency - like you loose your job. When extra income comes into the picture, this is the perfect time to increase your emergency fund if need be. One thing we are exploring this time around is using a Roth IRA for a portion of our emergency fund.
• Thinking about a big purchase - like buying a house? Practice the new payments. For example, we'd love to get a larger home but are concerned about affordability. How much of our monthly income can we spend on housing and not feel financially stretched/stressed? As we ponder our next move, we're going to pretend we have a higher monthly payment and save those extra dollars into our down-payment fund. That way we're increasing our down-payment and proving to ourselves - before we sign on the dotted line - that we can afford a higher mortgage.
• Increasing/buying life insurance. If you've been thinking about buying life insurance or increasing the amount you have, this is an excellent time to do it. 

What are some of the financial questions you ask yourself when you get a raise or a new job? Please share in the comments!

Cheers,

Julie

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Introducing Ben

I'd like to introduce the newest addition to our family - baby Ben.

Benjamin joined us in April to much fanfare, which included a cord prolapse (when the umbilical cord is delivered before the baby - never good) and an emergency C-section. Oh, and he was four weeks early. I will spare you the details, but suffice it to say that he's our miracle baby.

I quickly learned that caring for a new baby and chasing around a two-year-old doesn't leave much time for anything else. When you hardly have time to shower, you definitely don't have time to clip coupons and cook meals from scratch. My frugality (and my blog) has had to take a backseat to reality, a reminder that this is why we save - to give us the freedom to enjoy times like this with our family.

As the dust starts to settle, I look forward to getting back to meal planning, budgeting, squeezing the most out of each dollar and sharing the journey through my blog. But tonight, I think I'm going to go enjoy some cuddle time with baby Ben. As I've learned, that commodity is in very short supply.

Cheers!

Julie

A ruler growth chart for our growing family

Life is about to get more crazy wonderful - we are expecting a new addition to our family in April! Soon our family of three will be a family of four. What a miracle children are - to in an instant have a new little soul entrusted to your care. To both bring life into the world and forever have your life changed by it's blessing.

Our days of late have been filled with baby preparations and spending quality time with our toddler before his little life is forever changed. As you may have noticed by the lack of posts, in recent months my blog has had to take a backseat to, well, life. 

Another thing consuming my time is an uncontrollable urge to tear apart the house and get it in tip-top shape before the baby arrives. You know what I’m talking about: nesting. From re-organizing our son’s closet (which he will soon be sharing with his baby brother or sister) to finishing long-forgotten crafts and tackling big projects like replacing sliding doors, I am driven by what seems to be an internal hamster on speed.

One of the projects I recently crossed off the craft list is a ruler height chart for our soon-to-be growing family. I’m so happy with how it turned out and the best part is that the supplies were virtually free. Now comes the tough part – finding a way to mark it up and actually use it after all that hard work.

If you're looking for an attractive, low-cost way to record your children's growth milestones, this project may be for you. Read on for simple steps to make your own ruler height chart.

Cheers!

Julie

Giant Ruler Height Chart

Supplies

• Wood board: Ours is about 12'' x 1'' x 5', but you could also use an 8'' width board and/or get one closer to 6' long (if you plan to take height measurements well into the teenage years!). My husband found this one laying around at his winery so we got it for free. If you buy one it will cost about $10-$20, depending upon the type of wood. 
• Sand paper
• Stain
• Ruler 
• Steel Square
• Ballpoint pen
• Sharpies (thin and thick)

Instructions

1. Sand your board to a point where it is smooth to the touch. Little hands will be coming into contact with this so you want to make sure there are no jagged edges or splinters. As you sand, go with the grain to prevent sanding marks. As our board was in awful shape (who knows how many years it sat outside in the elements), I had to break out the big guns and use a power sander.

2. Stain the board. I had a few old  cans of stain in the garage so I tested each on the back of the board to find the best look. I used walnut. Use an old rag to apply the stain, again going with the grain. I used only one coat as I didn't want the board to be too dark.

3. Using a ruler or yard stick, make small 1'' tic marks with a pencil on the side of your board that will have the ruler lines.

4. Decide where you want your chart to start - i.e. will it hang 6 inches or 1 foot off the ground? This will tell you how to place the numbers on the chart. Ours starts 6 inches off the ground.

5. Make the ruler lines. There are two heights of line that I used - the short ones are 1.5'' and the long ones are 3''. There is a repeating pattern of 1 long, 2 short, 1 long, 2 short, etc. all the way up the board. A tool like a steel square will help you keep your lines straight. (Thank goodness my husband has a well-stocked tool bench!) Using those 1'' tic marks in step three, I marked my lines first with pencil, and then went over them with the thick Sharpie - all the while repeating to myself, "You are using a permanent marker. You are using a permanent marker." I'm just the sort to accidentally wave my hand with a Sharpie in it and then curse myself when I ruin a project.

6. Add the numbers every 12'' (depending upon where you start your ruler). I originally bought stencils and then realized I didn't need them. Back to Home Depot they went. Instead I printed 3'' numbers in Times New Roman on regular printer paper. Then I placed the sheet of paper on the board and traced each number with a ballpoint pen (using a LOT of pressure). What was left was a light outline of the number on the board. I used my thin Sharpie marker to trace the outside of the number, and used the thick marker to fill it in.

7. Our board is HEAVY. It's also slightly bowed. To hang it securely to the wall, I enlisted my husband's expertise. He used two "keyhole" hangers placed about 6'' from the top, which sit on screws anchored into the wall.

8. Done! On my son's second birthday we marked his height - for now with masking tape.

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Easy, frugal and festive: Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

With our son nearly two years old, this year we can really have fun with Christmas. Over the last month we've been learning about baby Jesus, taking photos with Santa Claus, baking Christmas cookies, singing Christmas carols, and dancing like crazy to Mannheim Steamroller. Hey, don't judge. I blame my parents.

At what seemed like the last minute - about a week before Christmas - I decided I wanted to make Christmas ornaments with William. He's at the age where he can appreciate crafts, if with a very, very short attention span. Given that I was already in the midst of umpteen Christmas projects - per the usual, biting off too much for the season - I wanted to find something that was easy. No rushing to the craft store for supplies, no cutting 100 pieces of felt, no glitter to clean up - you get the idea.

Enter salt dough Christmas ornaments. You know - those crumbling things on your parents' Christmas tree that you made when you were two. I had just about all of the ingredients/supplies I needed in the house and the instructions were super simple. We could make one for us and at the same time do one for the grandparents, aunts, uncles - perfect! What's better, with a few extra steps I could (hopefully) strengthen the ornaments so that, twenty years from now, they're not crumbling as well.

Whether you're looking for a last minute kid-friendly Christmas ornament project or just something fun to do over the holiday break, you can't go wrong with these simple crafts. Below are instructions on how to get started.

Merry Christmas!

Julie

Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments 
Recipe will make 6-8 ornaments

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt (I used kosher because it's all I had on hand - wouldn't recommend, but it still worked)
1/2 cup water
Straw
Cookie Cutters
Paint (acrylic or water-based, though acrylic should hold up better over time)
Paintbrushes (or fingers for water-based paint)
Ribbon
Optional (to strengthen/seal the ornaments): Gesso and Gel Medium 

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Mix the flour, salt and water together and work into a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth. It should not be sticking to your hands - if so, add more flour.
3. To make your ornaments, you can either roll it out as a cookie dough and use cookie cutters, or roll little freehand circles or other shapes. You could even do a handprint or footprint. You want the end result to be about 1/4 inch think. Have fun here and get your child involved!

4. Use a straw to make a hole at the top of each ornament.
5. Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for two hours.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. If using the gesso (which is basically a primer that will turn your ornaments white), apply this now. I timed the project so I could put the gesso on the ornaments while William was napping. It dries very quickly.

8. Get out paint and paintbrushes for your child and let them go crazy!
9. When the paint is dry, if you would like to seal your ornaments and make them shiny, apply a few thin coats of a glossy gel medium.
10. Thread ribbon through the hole.
11. Hang on the tree with your little one! 

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Napa Valley Frugal Daytrip: Bale Grist Mill

Though we've lived in the Napa Valley for over five years, it wasn't until last weekend that we finally visited the Bale Grist Mill.

What a hidden gem! Located between St. Helena and Calistoga, the Bale Grist Mill was originally built in 1846 by Dr. Edward T. Bale. When, only four years later, he passed away at the early age of 38, his wife took over mill operations and made improvements that brought it to its current state. She oversaw the addition of a 36-foot wheel (an upgrade from the previous 20-footer) and a new conveyor system that enhanced the Mill's productivity. The mechanics of the Mill, still in operation today, are a sight to behold.

Our visit to the Mill started with a comprehensive tour and demonstration of grinding corn into cornmeal. It was simply incredible to see the system of gears, pulleys, sifters, grindstones, etc. developed in the 1850s to produce what we now take for granted - flour.

The Mill is open on weekends from 10am to 4pm (call Bothe State Park at (707) 942-4575 to confirm, as due to California budget cuts it is currently run by volunteers). Entrance to the Mill and the surrounding grounds, which includes a tour and demonstration, is $5 for each adult, $2 for children age six to eighteen, and free for children under five. We made a day of it by packing a lunch and enjoying shaded picnic tables.

In the fall, the Bale Grist Mill hosts "Old Mill Days," a family-friendly pioneer celebration with music and history re-enactments. Kids can make their own corn husk dolls, learn to write in calligraphy, press apple juice, and - my favorite - wash clothes by hand. We will definitely be back next October to join in the fun!

The best souvenir from the Mill? Freshly ground grain available for $5 a bag (each approximately 1 pound). Visitors can choose from whole wheat flour, spelt, buckwheat, rye, cornmeal, or polenta.

Though each bag is clearly marked "not for human consumption," we threw caution to the wind when my husband baked the potentially lethal - yet quite delicious - loaf of bread below. We obviously survived to tell the story. (The warning is due to a misguided California regulation that classifies the Mill as a restaurant, which it clearly is not. There is a bill pending before the State Assembly to rectify the issue.)

We enjoyed the Mill's bounty with a butternut squash soup sourced from our garden, making the meal perhaps the most farm-to-table dinner that has graced our table.

Cheers!

Julie

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Bye-bye student loans: How we paid off $50K in one year

A few weeks ago, we made our final student loan payment. In just over a year, we had paid off more than $50,000 in student debt. As in, a home downpayment. A luxury car. A start to a new business. Or, ahem, a UC system education. (Well worth the investment, but pricey nonetheless.)

Was it easy? Heck no. We don't make six-figure salaries and live in Napa, CA where the cost-of-living - the median price of a home is currently $450,000 - is one of the highest in the country. As new parents we have new financial responsibilities, including childcare to the tune of a monthly mortgage payment. Moreover, I recently started working part-time vs. a previously full-time schedule. In a nutshell, some might think us crazy to tackle $50K of debt in a year. They may just be right.

But tackle it we did - with plenty of blood, sweat and, well, not all that many tears. It was us vs. Sallie Mae/Citibank/Federal Direct Loans and, by golly, we squashed them. It was as if we won the Super Bowl and the trophy was being debt free. I'll take that over a ring any day.

Though there were lots of beans for dinner, no cable TV, no flashy cars, no expensive nights out on the town, and no style updates to the wardrobe (ouch - that last one hurt), quite frankly it was empowering to know we could do it. It was one of the best life lessons I've had and, while I certainly don't recommend going into debt to learn the value of money, I think I'm a better person - and will be a better parent - for it.

Here are some tips on how you can squash your debts too:

• Be a team: If you're in a relationship, you and your partner need to be in this together. Eating beans once a week wouldn't have flown if my husband wasn't equally invested in obliterating our loans. There will be times you need to cheer each other on and agree that, yep, you can go without pricey Christmas gifts this year. As with any challenge in life, paying off a large debt as a united front will strengthen your relationship.
• Make a budget and stick to it: If you don't have a budget, tackling debt is pretty much impossible. The first thing you need to know is how much you're currently spending. Mint.com is an excellent tool for this. Once you have an accounting for a month or two, look at where your money is going and decide how you should be spending (e.g. you discover your wardrobe is costing you more than your groceries).  At that point, say you you want to find an extra $500 to put toward your loans. Look at each bucket of your expenses (food, clothing, savings, etc.) and trim where you are able. Then, each month, check-in on your expenses weekly to make sure that you're not going over budget. If you are, stop spending. "Shop" from your pantry. Turn away from the tempting cute shoes. Block Amazon.com from your computer. Walk to the store rather than drive. Do whatever it takes to live without dipping into your bank account. (What are reasonable budgets? As two examples, we manage to live on $300 a month for groceries and $50 a month for restaurants. Not easy, but doable.)
• Make it your number one financial priority besides retirement: Experts recommend contributing a minimum of 10% of gross income toward retirement. While we continued to do so while paying off our loans, we cut way back on our other savings goals, like buying a new house. (I should mention that before we embarked on this quest, we worked hard to build up an emergency fund. Knowing we had that cushion gave us the freedom to put our savings on hold without feeling like we were unprepared if one if us lost our job, etc.)
• Take stock of your assets: The first thing we did when faced with $50K remaining in student loans was take a look at our financial assets and decide if we were using them wisely. For example, we had some money in stocks, a gift from our wedding, that was not allocated toward any immediate goal. We decided to sell a portion and use that to take a chunk off the top of that $50K. It was a nice mental boost that made us feel we were making immediate progress toward our goal. While that may not be the right decision, or even an option, for everyone, think about what you do have that could get you closer to your goal. It might be a car that you're making payments on (buy a used car that fits your budget instead and reallocate the monthly payments to your loan). Or an entertainment center you don't really need. Or jewelry that you never wear. Whatever it is, you can do without it (really, you can!) until you reach your goal. Sell it and put the money toward your debt. (Don't have anything that comes to mind? That's OK too - if we hadn't done this, it would have taken us closer to two years vs. one to pay off our loans.)
• Pay attention to interest rates: Start paying off your debt with the loans that have the highest interest rates. For example, put an extra $500 a month towards the loan with the 8% vs. the 5% rate. Once you pay off the 8% loan, move on the 5% loan (with both that extra $500 and what you were spending on monthly premiums for the 8%  loan), and so on until you're done. 
• Cut your fixed expenses: Look at all of your fixed expenses - groceries, phone bills, power bills, mortgage payments, etc. - and think about how you can cut back. For example, I called AT&T and got a $10 credit toward each bill for the year. Or, on a larger scale, I called our county property assessor and had our home reassessed. We were able to knock more than $1,000 off our property taxes. Other examples? We refinanced our house, reduced our power bill by being smart about energy use, and cut our monthly DSL expenses from $35 to $20 by changing our provider.
• Save for fixed expenses: Don't get caught off-guard with a car insurance payment or any other large expense that you know is coming. Divide your annual payments by twelve and save that amount each month.
• Extra money? Put it towards the loan: Get an annual bonus? Take $100 off the top to get yourself something special and put the rest toward the loan. Yes, all of it.
• The little stuff counts: That bag of clothes with the tags still on that you'll never wear? Return it. The fishing equipment you got for your birthday that - let's be real - you'll never use? Sell it on eBay. All those little things add up for big savings.
• Count your pennies: One easy way to do this? Check your receipts. I can't tell you how many overcharges I've caught on grocery bills - at least one mistake a month.
• Extra paychecks: If you get paid bi-weekly, two months out of the year you will get three paychecks. As you're already used to living off of two monthly paychecks, find out when you'll see the extra ones and note on your calendar to put them toward the loan. 
• Dual income family? Try living on one income:  If both you and your partner work, try living off of the larger income and put all of the second toward your loan.
• Give of your time vs. your money: This is a time in you're life when you're not going to have the financial resources to give large gifts to family members or significant donations to charities. That's OK. What you do have is the gift of your time. Volunteer for the causes that are important to you. Make Christmas gifts for your family vs. buying them. Oftentimes, those are the gifts that mean the most.
• Make due: Much of what got us through the last year was a mindset that unless we really needed something, we were not going to buy it. Besides saving money, this is a great way to recalibrate your complete way of life. By making due with what you have, you will forever shift your priorities, better manage your resources, and be able to focus on what brings you true fulfillment. (I highly recommend the book Your Money or Your Life for those who want to dive deeper into these principles). 

While we present an extreme case for paying off debt (see above-noted craziness for tackling $50K in a year), I hope that our story inspires others to think creatively about how to become debt-free. It may take a year, or five, or ten, or more - but for those committed to whittling down expenses and putting every extra dollar toward their loans, it will happen. In the long term, the money saved in interest payments and the financial freedom gained will be well worth the effort.

The last year wasn't the easiest year of my life, but I can easily say it was one of the best years. It challenged me to focus on what is important - family, friends, and a healthy, positive outlook - and leave behind concerns about status and "Keeping up with the Joneses." I learned that true happiness doesn't come from how much money you have (or spend), but from the relationships you build, the goals you set for yourself, and a glass-half-full approach to life. I learned to be thankful for what we have and not to focus on what we don't.

And, I have to say the payoff was great. Pun definitely intended.

What have you learned by tackling debt or living a frugal lifestyle?

Cheers!

Julie

You might also like...

1. Meal Planning: How we eat well on a $75 weekly budget 
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3. How we spend $50 or less a month at restaurants

Dad's $75 weekly meal plan

Last weekend my husband gifted me a Mom's afternoon out and took over meal planning and grocery shopping for the week. I got a mani/pedi (his treat!) while he combed my dinner diary for recipes and took our toddler shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. 

Pinch me? I could get used to this.

Besides being pampered for a few hours, reading three back issues of Sunset Magazine, and returning home to find two happy boys, perhaps the best part of my day was seeing the delicious meal plan my husband put together while I was out. Not only that, but his shopping trip totaled only $48 which, when added to the $15 spent at the farmer's market/grocery the previous day, kept us below our $75 a week grocery budget. (Note: Our total $75 grocery budget does include breakfasts, lunches, snacks and kid-friendly staples. As far as planning goes, we focus on dinner as that is the main meal we prepare each day, and our lunches are nearly always leftovers.)

As with each of our weekly meal plans, he took into account what we already had in the fridge, garden and freezer, substituted (or omitted) ingredients in recipes, stayed away from processed foods, and stuck to his list when he went to the store. While your family may not be able to match our exact spending given what you already have on hand, the meal plan below is budget-friendly, reuses ingredients, and takes advantage of fruits/veggies that are in season (and thus less expensive). To help you see how we cut corners and saved money, I inserted notes on how we prepared each meal.

Have your own meal plan tips? Please share them in the comments!

Cheers,

Julie

Matt's Awesome Meal Plan

Saturday: Burgers with Kale Chips 

• The grass-fed ground beef for the burgers came from my husband's winery. Don't have your own free beef from work? (Really, who does?) Buy it on sale and stock your freezer. We get the kale from our garden, but you can find a bunch of it at the grocery store for $1.50 or less. If you have kids, I bet you can get them to try these delicious and crunchy kale chips. Our toddler loves them.

Sunday: Salmon Tacos with Carrot & Cabbage Slaw

• This recipe is for white fish tacos, but we like to spice it up with salmon. We buy 1/2 lb of fish for our family of three and make it work by having plenty of veggie toppings. Other ways we keep this recipe cheap: skip the jicima and red cabbage (just do green), and if you don't have all of the spices for the fish rub, no biggie. We often just do chili powder.

Monday: Grilled Whole Chicken w/Tomato Cucumber Salad

• We stock up on chickens when they are on sale (like this week) and put them in the freezer. Tomatoes and cucumbers are in season so if you don't have them in your garden like we do, you can find good deals at your grocer or farmer's market.

Tuesday: Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

• Use leftover dark meat from the grilled chicken for these yummy toastadas. Also plan to reuse a lot of ingredients from the salmon tacos: tortillas, chilies in Adobo sauce, sour cream, limes, and cabbage. We also save by not including the radishes, and keeping our pantry stocked with black beans we bought on sale.

Wednesday: Chicken BLTs and Side Salad

• Use the leftover white meat for these yummy BLTs and whatever bread you have on hand. Save any remaining bacon for a leisurely weekend breakfast. For the side salad, be creative with whatever you have on hand. For us this week? Let me guess...tomatoes and cucumbers...

Thursday: Zucchini Baba Ganoush with Fresh Vegetables

• This has become our go-to recipe this summer - it's delicious, easy and healthy. You will need to invest in Tahini paste the first time you make this, but it keeps well and can be used to make other great frugal dishes like homemade hummus. I've also found that I can use half the amount of Tahini called for in this recipe and the result is even - if not more - delicious. Zucchini is in season and if you ask around, you may find a friend who would beg you to take some off their hands. We serve our Baba Ganoush with Mediterranean flatbread from Trader Joe's (or leftover tortillas), sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Notice a veggie theme this week?

Friday: Margarita Pizza with (shocker) Tomato Cucumber Salad

• I love pizza nights because I can almost do the cooking with my eyes closed. We buy pizza dough and a huge hunk of mozzerella (you always save when you buy ungrated cheese) from Trader Joe's, and use tomato sauce that we canned last year. If we have leftover veggies or meat from the week, onto the pizza they go.

You might also like...

1. Meal Planning: How we eat well on a $75 weekly budget 
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A Napa Valley Peach Harvest

Biting into a ripe, juicy peach - the kind where the juice runs down your hand and drips off your elbow - means summer has officially arrived.

This year, that moment occurred for our family in early July when we arrived home from vacation to find our peach tree so laden with fruit that branches were laying on the ground. After four years, our tree had finally decided it was going to bear fruit. And bear fruit it did. Bushels and bushels of it.

It would be a conservative estimate to say we picked 100 peaches over the course of the next two weeks (nonwithstanding the countless number that fell to the ground). We ate peaches for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We gave them to friends. I think our 18-month old son lived on peaches alone for days on end (to his glee, I might add). And yet this barely made a dent in the pile of fresh fruit blanketing our patio table.

It was time to get to work.

As a child I spent a lot of time in Ohio, visiting my grandparents' farm. I always loved peeking into their root cellar to see canned fruits and vegetables neatly lined up along the shelves. The colorful rainbow that the jars made - red tomatoes, green beans, pink rhubarb, orange peaches - captured the essence of summer.

While our idea of preserving food is much different that my grandmother's - she canned/froze to feed a family of nine and we do so for three - when I'm in the kitchen in the heat of a summer afternoon with a big pot of water boiling on the stovetop, freshly sanitized jars on the counter and something delicious and bubbling ready to fill them (say, peach salsa), I like to think that she would be proud.

In preserving this year's peach harvest we canned, froze, dehydrated and baked. Have your own bushel of peaches? I hope you find some inspiration below.

Peach Salsa

Courtesy of the Ball Book of Complete Home Preserving

Note: If you haven't canned before, I highly recommend taking the Ball Book of Complete Home Preserving out from the library to read about the process, or visit their website for more information. When canning, it is extremely important for food safety to follow the recipe to a tee as you want an appropriate balance of acid, salt and sugar.

Makes about eight 8-ounce jars

1/2 cup white vinegar
6 cups chopped, pitted and peeled peaches 
1 1/4 cups chopped red onion
4 jalepeno peppers, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Prepare canner, jars and lids.
2. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar and peaches (to prevent the peaches from browning, put the vinegar into the pot first and as you cut the peaches, add them to the vinegar and stir). Add onion, jalapeno, red pepper, cilantro, honey, garlic, cumin and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot salsa. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
4. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Spiced Peach Jam

Courtesy of Preserving the Harvest, by Carol W. Costenbader

Makes five 1/2 pints

4 pounds (about 8 large) peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place all ingredients in a heavy 8-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to dissolve the sugar.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil until the mixture reaches 220 F on a cooking thermometer.
3. Ladle into sterile jars, allowing 1/4 inch of headspace. Cap and seal.
4. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Fruit Leather

Pit your peaches and place them in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If using a dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's instructions. If using your oven, pour the puree onto a rimmed cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap or freezer paper. The puree should be about 1/8 - 1/4 of an inch think (the thinner the fruit leather, the less time it will take to dry). Place in a 135 degree oven for 8-10 hours. Set the door ajar with a spoon handle to maintain the low temperature and allow for moisture to escape.

Peach Cobbler

This summer I discovered a recipe for the best, easiest, you-probably-already-have-the-ingredients-on-hand peach cobbler. Per the usual, it came from one of my favorite blogs: Dinner, a love story. I made this cobbler at least four times with our fresh peaches and every time it came out perfect.  

Frozen Peaches

Peaches should be wet packed, meaning they should be frozen in liquid. This year I froze our peaches in a 'honey pack,' a syrup made of 1 cup mild honey and 4 cups water. You can also use a 'sugar pack' - just substitute the sugar for the honey.

To make your syrup, heat the sweetener and water to a boil in a large stockpot. Let the syrup cool completely. Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice to your syrup to keep your peaches from darkening.

You can freeze peaches with or without the skins, either in slices or halves. As this was our first year freezing peaches I tried freezing them every which way so that next year I'll know what works best.

Add your sliced/halved peaches to your freezer container of choice (you can use plastic containers or glass canning jars). Use the syrup to cover the peaches, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in pint size containers and 1 inch of headspace for quarts.

Place in the freezer and add to your freezer list.

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Meal Planning: How we eat well on a $75 weekly budget

As a total foodie and someone who loves planning (the word spontaneous is not in my vocabulary, much to my husband's chagrin) I'm not sure what took me so long to put two and two together, but suffice it to say that when I discovered the concept of meal planning my life was forever changed.

Yes, seriously. And whether or not you are also a type A personality, I bet it will change your life - or at least the way you eat - too.

It wasn't until our son was born and we slashed our grocery budget to $75 a week ($300 a month) that the thought of planning our family's meals even occurred to me. Until then I thought that it was normal to go to the grocery store and ask the aisles for inspiration. Or to find new tasty recipes and buy every "necessary" ingredient. Or to not have a monthly grocery budget at all (though that's a topic for another post).

In all honesty, this was not a lightning bolt idea that hit me one day. It was inspired by reading the cookbook Dinner: A love story (one of my all-time favorite books). The author writes of keeping a diary of her family's meals to get organized for each week and to remember favorite recipes. I immediately knew I had to start my own dinner diary and upped the ante - planning our meals to make the most of each ingredient and cut our expenses.

Let me tell you, it works. Not only are we able to stick to our grocery budget, but it's so nice to come home from work and know what I'm making for dinner that night. It also helps me maximize resources - our food, our money, and perhaps most importantly, our time together at dinner as a family.

Here are some tips on how to get started with your own meal planning.

1. Create a record: Buy a small notebook to keep track of your meals. On each line, write the date and what you had (or will have) for dinner that night. So simple to do and so nice to revisit to get inspiration for future meal plans.

2. Plan: Set aside 20 minutes each week (I do this on Saturdays) to brainstorm meals for the week. I pull out my favorite cookbooks, my binder of recipes from magazines, and my computer so that I can look up recipes online. Start by making note of any nights that you will not need to make dinner (going out, off to a friend's house, etc.), and then fill in the blanks based on the tips below.

3. Shop first from your pantry, fridge, garden and freezer: The first thing you want to know is what you already have on hand. I begin by going through the fridge to see what is leftover from the previous week - especially perishable items -  that can still be used. For example, left over sausage and spinach can be transformed into a delicious pizza. Do the same for your garden (what is fresh that needs to be picked?), freezer and pantry. I find this especially helpful when, sometimes at the end of the month, we need to stretch our budget and keep grocery shopping to a minimum.

4. Pick one protein: Meat is expensive and, though my husband and I are a far cry from vegetarians, we try to limit it in our diet from both a health and a cost-conscious perspective. On a typical week we pick one protein - for example, chicken - and cook with that ingredient throughout the week. Night one might be a roast chicken, night two is an Asian chicken salad (with leftovers), night three is chicken and arugula pitas (again with leftovers), and night four is a butternut squash soup made with chicken broth from the carcass. 

5. Pick recipes that reuse ingredients: As with protein, make the most of everything you buy by finding recipes that reuse leftover food throughout the week. If you're buying arugula for chicken pitas, plan an arugula salad the following night or make an arugula pesto pasta.

6. Substitute in recipes: Have a recipe that calls for parsley or basil but all you have is cilantro? Use the cilantro. Need sour cream for your tacos? How about the plain yogurt already in the fridge. You'd be surprised just how much you can chop your shopping list by thinking ahead and substituting ingredients and trust me - your dinner will be just as delicious.

7. Stay away from prepared/processed foods: We've all heard the old adage to shop the perimeter of the grocery store - produce, proteins, and dairy - and stay away from the aisles upon aisles of processed foods in the middle. This practice is good for your waistline and your pocketbook. The average number of items in a supermarket now tops 50,000 (90% of them, I bet, made from corn). Wow. Something tells me that the goal isn't to offer you more selection, but to get you to buy more stuff.

8. Make your shopping list: I start my shopping list as I begin the planning process so I can see what ingredients I'll need to work into multiple meals.  

9. Do a final check: Go through your list and double-check to make sure you don't already have ingredients on hand. 

10. Shop around: Especially when it comes to staples, it pays to find the stores in your town with the best deal. For example, we buy our oats from Target, almonds from Trader Joe's, and coconut oil from Whole Foods (yep, they have the best price). Though it takes extra time, check weekly sales flyers for specials - this is a great way to get inspiration for your weekly meal plan.

11. Stick to the list and don't shop mid-week: When you go to the store only buy items on your list. Obvious? Yes. Hard? Oh my, yes. But at this point you don't want to sabotage your hard work by putting that frozen pizza they're sampling at Trader Joe's in your cart. Also, if you find mid-week that you need to run to the store, first ask yourself if you really need that ingredient. Is your soup begging for bread or would a quesadilla made with items you already have suffice? More often that not, you'll find you can make due.

To get you started, below is one of our recent meal plans. When putting this together I took stock of what was already in our fridge/pantry/freezer, which allowed me to keep within our $75 a week grocery budget.

Saturday: Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken & Salad
Sunday: Chicken BLTs
Monday: Pesto (from the freezer) Pasta  & Salad
Tuesday: Chicken, Apple and Black Bean Salad
Wednesday: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos
Thursday: Spiced Red Lentils with Onions and Spinach & Brussel Sprouts
Friday: Homemade Margarita Pizza & Brussel Sprouts

In the spirit of sharing meal plan inspiration with fellow frugal mamas (and dads), every few weeks I will post one up to the blog.

How do you organize your family's meals - do you have any favorite tips/meal plans/recipes? Please share in the comments!

Cheers,

Julie

You might also like...

1. How my slow cooker got her groove back 
2. Eating Well on the Cheap: Keeping a stocked freezer 
3. Cutting Back - Part Two (aka. my ode to Mint.com)

Have a fun & frugal Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there - including my incredible husband!

In celebrating holidays, our family has found that we don't need to spend a lot of money on gifts to communicate how much we care for one another. In fact, I've discovered that the less money we spend, the more creative and thoughtful we are in our gift giving.

This year for Father's Day, Will and I did a little "I love Dad" photo shoot in our backyard with some sidewalk chalk. (If there are any procrastinators out there, this idea is both frugal and a good last-minute gift idea.) It doesn't need to be perfect - just have fun!

On Father's Day we're going to let Dad sleep in, have a lazy breakfast with Eggs Benedict (Dad's favorite), present him with our gifts and let him put his feet up for the rest of the day. Unless, of course, he'd rather spend his "day off" working in the garden - we frugal folk aren't good at sitting still for long.

What are some of your favorite frugal Father's Day crafts or gifts?

Cheers to dads!

Julie

Better than Belgian: Restaurant-style waffles at home

I am a sucker for waffles. If there is a Belgian waffle on a breakfast menu, my order is a foregone conclusion. While I've tried to imitate restaurants' crisp, buttery waffles at home, my attempts have always fallen short.

That is, until I discovered the secret ingredient - yeast. Now, if you're like me, the mere mention of 'yeast' may have you backing away from the computer. Lord knows I've cursed many a hockey puck roll. Well this recipe, my friend, is easy as pie. Make that way easier than pie.

Step one is having yeast readily available, and I don't mean in tiny packets collecting dust at the back of your cabinet. Due to my husband’s recent interest in baking as a hobby (one that, needless to say, I do everything in my power to encourage), we discovered that you can buy one pound bags of yeast on Amazon for around $8. That beats the pants off the $4 you pay in the grocery store for just three ¼ oz packets. When stored in the freezer in a Ziploc bag, your pound of yeast will stay fresh for a few years meaning that a) you can whip up tasty baked goods at a moment’s notice and b) you can no longer blame failed recipes on old yeast. Darn. 

Step two is deciding you want waffles for breakfast on Friday night vs. Saturday morning. With this recipe, you start the mix before you go to bed, and when you wake up the next morning the batter is bubbly and nearly ready to go on the waffle iron. Bonus? Fewer dishes to clean up after your tasty breakfast.

Enjoy!

Overnight Waffles
Courtesy of Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled (I use less - about 4-5 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Canola or other neutral oil for brushing the waffle iron
2 eggs

Before going to bed, combine the dry ingredients and stir in the milk, then the butter and vanilla. The mixture will be loose. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.

Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and preheat it. Separate the eggs and stir the yolks into the batter. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter.

Spread a ladleful or so of batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done, usually 3-5 minutes, depending upon your iron. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low oven. 

Frugal eats in Napa

Whether you live in the Napa Valley or are planning a visit, it is possible to enjoy some of the best eats that Napa has to offer on a budget. My fellow frugal-minded folk will know I'm not talking about stretching your dollar at The French Laundry (though read on for an affordable way that even a penny pincher like me can enjoy Thomas Keller's food). I'm talking about family and budget-friendly restaurants that will excite your tastebuds and your wallet.

In my recent post about how to spend $50 or less a month on restaurants, I write about how to make the most of your money while eating out. For locals and visitors, here I write about where. Below are some of our favorite spots to dine out in and around Napa.

Breakfast/Lunch

Buttercream Bakery

(707) 255-6700

2297 Jefferson St  Napa, CA

Table Service

Corkage: N/A

www.buttercreambakery.com   

From it's pink and white striped exterior to its tasty cakes and I-can-die-now-that-I've-inhaled-this chicken fried steak, it's not hard to see why this local favorite has stood the test of time. Buttercream Bakery opened in Napa in 1948 and has been whipping up baked goods and delicious classic diner breakfasts ever since. 

Biscuits
(707) 265-8209
1502 Main St, Napa, CA 
Counter Service
Corkage: N/A
Opened just last year, the restaurant's namesake - flaky, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits that transport you straight to the heart of America's South - have quickly won this spot a place in the local community's heart. While we typically always get water when we eat out to stretch our budget, the lemonade and sweet tea here are worth the splurge. Try anything on the menu - I love the Big Mama and the BLT.

Model Bakery
(707) 259-1128
644 1st St, Napa, CA
Counter Service
Corkage: N/A
www.themodelbakery.com
We're on a mission to steal the secrets of the Model Bakery bakers. While certainly not the cheapest place in town to buy your bread, there are two great deals at Model that make it deserving of a place on this list: 1) each day the bakery has a 'Bread of the Day' for 50% off and 2) you can buy day-old pizza, breads and croissants for 50% off while they last.

Fremont Diner 
(707) 938-7370
2660 Fremont Dr, Sonoma, CA
Table Service
Corkage: N/A
http://www.thefremontdiner.com  
Though a little bit outside of town and the most pricey of these three breakfast options (you'll be in good shape if you spend about $40-$50 with tip on breakfast for two), Fremont Diner is on this list because it is just so darn good. Period. The chefs source most ingredients from the restaurant's farm and do cool things like make their own sausage.

Lunch/Dinner

Oxbow Public Market
644 1st St  Napa, CA
Corkage: Bring your own bottle and glasses - you can enjoy your own wine at any of the public tables.
www.oxbowpublicmarket.com
'The Oxbow,' as locals call it, is hands-down our favorite place to go for dinner in Napa. Set up like a public market, it is kid and budget friendly. Local purveyors include the Cheese & Wine Merchant, Ca' Momi Pizzeria (which, while not cheap - pizzas are $15 and up - is delicious), Three Twins Ice Cream (try the Cardemon), Kara's Cupcakes and, my personal favorite, C Casa, a unique taqueria that offers kick-ass tacos, nachos, and sides unlike any Mexican food you've ever had before.
  
Addendum
(707) 944-2487

6476 Washington Street, Yountville, CA

Counter Service

Corkage: None. Bring your own glasses and corkscrew.

http://www.adhocrestaurant.com/addendum/

You too can enjoy Thomas Keller's five-star food without mortgaging your house. Known primarily for his restaurant The French Laundry, Mr. Keller makes his crispy, juicy - dare I say perfect - buttermilk fried chicken available to all walks of life via Addendum, a small 'shack' in Yountville which offers fried chicken and BBQ lunches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (which include three pieces of chicken or BBQ, cornbread and a side) for $16.50. While that may sound pricey, consider that dinner at The French Laundry for two, with wine and tip, will set you back nearly $1,000. Call ahead with your order. If it's a nice day, enjoy your tasty meal at the quiet picnic tables and garden.

Gott's Roadside Tray Gourmet
(707) 224-6900
644 1st St  Napa, CA
Counter Service
Corkage: None
www.gotts.com 
I have never been to Gott's (which is next to the Oxbow Public Market - they also have a location in St. Helena) and been disappointed. I have, however, been surprised by the bill (when did $8-$10 burgers become the norm?). When we go, it's almost always on Local's Night (Tuesdays) when cheeseburgers and pints are half price. For less than $20, you can get two burgers, two beers, and fries. That, in this town, is a steal.

Sushi Mambo
(707) 257-6604
1202 1st St  Napa, CA
Table Service
Corkage: No fee on the first bottle; $10 on each additional
www.sushimambonapa.com
Craving sushi? Sushi Mambo has an awesome happy hour - from 4-6pm sushi rolls (and beers) are buy one get one half off. Make sure you mention to your waiter that you're there for happy hour pricing. 

Bistro Sabor
(707) 252-0555
1126 1st St  Napa, CA
Counter Service
Corkage: None
www.bistrosabor.com 
Bistro Sabor makes 'contemporary expressions of Latin America's favorite street food and snacks.' Whatever it is, it's good, really good. The atmosphere is informal, the food is homestyle cooking. One of my favorite dishes is the hominy soup.

La Taquiza
(707) 224-2320
2007 Redwood Road, Napa, CA
Counter Service
Corkage: None
www.lataquizanapa.com
You haven't had fish tacos until you've been to LaTaquiza. My favorites are the shrimp tacos - the shrimp are plump and juicy and the sauce the perfect blend of spicy and sweet with a hint of lime. My husband loves the pulpo (octopus) tacos. It's the only place I've ever had pulpo and not only did I eat it, I liked it.

Firewood Cafe
(707) 224-9660
3824 Bel Aire Plaza  Napa, CA
Counter Service
Corkage: None
www.firewoodcafe.com
Tucked away in the Bel Aire shopping center next to Whole Foods, Firewood Cafe is one of those restaurants where meals are consistently good. The food is Italian inspired - pastas, salads and wood fired pizzas - and if you sign-up for their email list you'll receive coupons for deals like buy one pizza get one free.

Small World Cafe
(707) 224-7743
932 Coombs Street, Napa, CA
Counter Service
www.worldcafenapa.com 

We recently discovered this gem when we were in the mood for some budget-friendly vegetarian food (though rest assured that Small World Cafe offers plenty of carnivore-inspired dishes as well). After feasting on the Falafel & Baba Ganoush platters, with a little and Baklava for desert (how could we not at only $1.40 a piece?), we were back within the week to introduce a friend to some of the best, freshest fare that we've found in the Napa Valley.

Did I miss your favorite "cheap eat" in Napa? We are always looking for new spots to try - please share your recommendations!

Cheers,

Julie