Grilled Pizza

Yes, you read that right. We've been making this for a few years now and really love it! I like to make my own dough but you can use the frozen stuff, too. (I've also heard you can actually grill a whole frozen pizza, but I haven't done it myself!)

This is what we do:

1. Light the grill (my husband loves charcoal grills and likes to put wood chips on the coals to add flavor to the food).

2. Make the dough or thaw the dough.

3. Shape it into small pizzas.
4. Grill just the dough for about 3-4 minutes per side. Ours got a bit charred, the charcoal grill is harder to control the heat and it got too hot.
5. Bring it back in and add your toppings, including cheese.6. Grill again, just til the cheese melts. About 2-4 minutes (you obviously don't flip your pizzas this time!)

Enjoy. We sure did!

Composting

We have a garden. Our soil is just "builder's soil" meaning it's mostly clay and not that great for growing things. Composting is great for helping improve it so our tomatoes and peppers grow better!

Starting a compost pile is easy. Just designate a part of your yard (preferably away from where you spend your time...it does attract bugs...) as the 'Compost Area' and dump your vegetable and fruit scraps plus eggshells, coffee grounds and filters, and other things there. Also, pile on the grass clippings and leaves.

You could also purchase a "Gastro" (a name my parents gave their outdoor plastic compost bin) but I didn't, so that isn't very Monkey See, Monkey Do-esque. Or frugal. But my parents got theirs for free, so it was frugal.

Things That Do Not Belong in a Compost Pit or Bin:
Cooked Veggies
Meat
Dairy
Bones
Fish
Grains
Tomato Products*
Pickles*
Citrus Fruits*

*These things change the pH of the compost.

Edited to add: I was recently sent a link to this site with an extensive list of other things you can compost! I was excited to see that many of these things are just everyday household items. Some are paper-based, so make sure you don't let them blow all over your yard (add them under other things that will wet them to weigh them down). So check out Backyard Boss for surprising suggestions.

Decluttering Regret

I just saw this project and am feeling regretful that I tossed a few canvases from a home decor project gone wrong.

Please reference my article on becoming a pack rat. I really need to draw a line between saving everything and the urge to get rid of things! Maybe I just need a spot to keep things that could be useful for my next crazy craft idea.

Generic Products

This blurb caught my eye on Yahoo today. We buy a lot of generic things (ie the store brands). Almost every store has store brand items from ketchup, cereal, tomato sauce, diapers, soap, shampoo, you get the picture.

I was disappointed in their list of 5 suggestions for generics. In my opinion, it wasn't extensive and it also wouldn't save a ton of money.
-Cereal, sure.
-Rx drugs, you may not have a choice since your insurance may require you to choose generics. If there is a generic, you usually walk out of the store with it and don't get a choice... this is because the pharmacy has a higher profit margin on generics, anyway. They're usually manufactured in Puerto Rico. (Former drug rep here.)
-OTC meds. They're usually sold by the name of the actual drug (ie acetaminophen is the ingredient in Tylenol. Tylenol is just a brand name.)
-Basic Baking Products. Not sure I buy enough of any product to save significant money, but I do buy generics.
-Fresh fruits & Veggies. I don't recall getting much of a choice for produce. I buy what's there. Usually there are different varieties of tomatoes or apples, but not brands.

So. What would our household's list contain? I am actually going to name some store and brand names, to my chagrin. I'm not being paid for this.

-Diapers. Target Up & Up brand when we're not using cloth.
-Milk. Walmart, Giant Eagle & Aldi store brands are much cheaper and don't contain the growth hormones or antibiotics.
-Toilet Paper. Kirkland @ Costco is good as is Target's.
-Paper Towels. When we're not using rags, I really like Costco's store brand.
-Cereal. Kroger has the best generic selection, in our opinion. Trader Joe's is good, as is Wal-Mart now. Watch for high fructose corn syrup!
-Oatmeal. Marc's usually has some off-brand. Giant Eagle has their own brand, too.
-Cheese. Marc's has it for $0.99/8 oz un shredded. Giant Eagle has a store brand as does Wal-mart.
-Ice Cream. I did recently splurge on Ben & Jerry's since I had a coupon, but we've found Aldi has good stuff. Kroger, too.
-Applesauce. Target, no sugar (or substitutes) added, is cheapest and just as good as a brand name.
-Frozen Fruits & Vegetables. Trader Joe is wonderful for these! So much less expensive but they are better. Tons of varieties, too.

What types of things do you buy in generic form?

"A Dress A Day" Blog

Check out this idea!

The girl took an ugly dress that she got for $1 and recycled it into something wearable.
Every day. For a year.

And she has a blog.

I'm inspired.