In the Kitchen With Molly
Need a hand in the kitchen? Molly can help.
From planning meals to putting them on the table, feeding a family is a big job. In the Kitchen With Molly is the next best thing to having a personal chef.
This new E-Book contains 12 weeks of menu plans, one for each month of the year, plus shopping lists and printable recipe cards. With the planning done for you, you'll have more time to spend enjoying your family or tackling other projects that need your attention.
And with Molly, the focus is always on frugality. These recipes not only save you time, but they also save you money. Trimming dollars from the grocery bill can add up to a significant difference in the family budget, and having meals planned means you'll eat out less often. That's good for your wallet and your waistline.
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A Look Back . . .
September 2010 Digest:
Do you have emergency plans ready and set to go? Kids included?
Would the staples in your pantry feed your hungry household for a week? How far could you stretch it?
Invest your time wisely! Be ready for the unexpected and inspired by many low- or no-cost supplemental projects inside this essential edition of Molly's Money-Saving Digest!
September 2009 Digest: Frugal Decorating 
Is your home a beautiful, cozy nest and shelter? Start weaving your own attractive love- and dream-filled nesting place!
Make your home and décor a pleasing, personal, frugal reflection of you-with Molly's help. Molly's Money-Saving Digest September 2009 |
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Molly Makes $7 Slow Cooker Suppers ~ Quick & Easy 140 deliciously simple recipes --140 wonderful ways to feed your family! Our daily lives often seem to run on overdrive. Too frequently a healthy, home-cooked meal is one of the things sacrificed. If only you had more time! Okay, maybe you really like to cook and it's worth all the effort it takes. But every day, day in and day out, perhaps two or even three meals a day . . . 14 to 20 meals a week, whew! A homemaker needs a reprieve!
Molly Goes Camping
Do you long to enjoy and explore the great outdoors with your family? Want to make that special connection with your kids? Don't let a few varmints, mosquitoes, or mishaps spoil your fun. Go camping! For the price of spending a night or two in a motel, you can outfit your family for adventure and make memories for a lifetime! Get ready for an unforgettable experience as Molly and her fellow campers show you how, in Molly Goes Camping. |
Organize With Molly- Organization Bundle Since our organization-focused Digests have been reader favorites, hands-down, we've decided to put together a special "organization bundle" just for you. |
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Cupcakes have become very popular for weddings, birthday parties, and other get-togethers.
And why not?
They are relatively inexpensive, naturally create portion control, and don't have require a plate or silverware to eat them, which means less cleanup! Plus, the decorating possibilities are endless.
In this week's newsletter, I provide creative cupcake ideas for your next party, and a few cupcake crafts too!
Also, if you haven't joined me on Pinterest or YouTube, click the links in the left sidebar. I have lots of fun stuff on both sites!
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From the Blog
If you didn't make it to the blog this week, head on over to see what you've been missing. Don't forget to leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
- Extended warranty, yea or nay? Be sure and read the comments for more great tips.
- Come see what I've done with my summer squash! Thanks to reader suggestions, I have a new favorite summer dish. (I link to an excellent gluten-free zucchini bread recipe as well.)
- If you are a visual person, you will love My Savings Machine! Play with your spending to see how little budget changes can save you in the long run.
- Don't forget to check out this week's Freebie Friday!
- Yes, you really can feed a family on $400/month. Read this post to see how.
We'd love it if you would show your support of Econobusters by sharing posts you like with your friends. The number of "tweets" and "likes" will also give me a better idea of what you'd like to see more of. Thanks so much! |
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Creative and Tasty Cupcakes
Here are some cupcake ideas for your next party!
- This Ice Cream Cup Cupcake was made to give to a teacher, but I think it would also be great for birthday parties. Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes are also a big hit with kids.
- Check out these fun Stiletto Shoes! If you sign up for Hoosier Homemade's newsletter and leave a comment on the blog, she will send you the directions.
- For a spring birthday, check out this flowerpot Ccupcake arrangement, mini rainbow, or Flower Power Cupcake.
- How cute are these Beach Cupcakes?
- These Owl, Cookie Monster, and Lion and Lamb cupcakes are adorable!
- Popcorn Cupcakes would be fun for a movie-themed party.
- Hamburger Cupcakes with Cookie Fries or Corn-on-the-Cob Cupcakes would be great for a barbecue.
- This doesn't have a tutorial, but these Billiard Cupcakes would be a hit for anyone who likes to play pool.
- Mini cupcakes in a votive holder make a sweet treat and cute table decoration.
- The holidays are quickly approaching. Check out these fun Thanksgiving cupcakes.
- This Orange Crush cupcake looks delicious.
- If you love root beer floats, you must check out this cupcake recipe!
- Here are some spring cupcake recipes by Betty Crocker. I think they could be made anytime of the year, though!
- Martha Stewart has some gorgeous wedding cupcake ideas and tutorials. The Wedding Wire has some beautiful photos of wedding cupcakes--no tutorials, but you can still get some great ideas there.
- If you still haven't found what you were looking for, check out Hoosier Homemade for many more ideas!
- For some crafty cupcake ideas, check out this cupcake pincushion, washcloth cupcake, printable birthday card, printable gift set, and printable envelope. Don't forget to scroll down for the featured craft tutorial!
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Molly Members
Hi, Molly Members,
We've got all kinds of fun and inspiring family room links this month, so be sure to check out the September resource page after you download the September Digest. Best of all, this month, Molly Members receive the E-Book Dreams and Designs, which is full of great things you can make to use with school (home or otherwise). This is a $12.45 value. Enjoy!
Not a member yet? We'd love you to join us. Only $3.95/month! And remember, if you don't want to join with monthly payments, you can pay in advance with our six-month or 12-month prepaid membership options. For only $23.70, you can enjoy six months of Money-Saving Digests, plus receive additional free E-Books and resources. This is a small investment to keep yourself armed and encouraged on your money-saving journey. The tips in each Digest easily recoup the cost!
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Allergy-Friendly Cupcakes and Frosting
DeBi, a fellow frugalista, shares another allergy-friendly recipe. Here is what she has to say about these cupcakes: "There is no other recipe that I get more requests for. This is hands-down the BEST chocolate cupcake (and no one will ever know it doesn't contain any eggs or dairy)!" Enjoy!
Allergy-Friendly Cupcakes Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Directions: - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, combine the oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water. Slowly add the flour mixture until well combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. The batter will be more watery than typical cake batters--this is normal!
- Fill each muffin cup one-half to three-quarters full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove the cupcakes from the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- IMMEDIATELY remove them from the muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.
Allergy-Friendly Frosting Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup dairy-free margarine (I like Earth Balance)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon rice milk Directions: - Combine the first 4 ingredients until mixed well, then slowly add the rice milk to the desired consistency. You may need more or less.
- You can also add cocoa powder to this recipe or any other extract you like.
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Pin the Candle on the Cupcake
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Photo Credit: Jane of All Crafts
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I thought this was so cute and would be really easy to make. Head over to Jane of All Crafts to learn how to make a Pin the Candle on the Cupcake game for your child's next birthday party! |
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Molly Saves! In the Family Room
Focus on your family!
Create a comfortable space and carve out some together time.
In Molly's Money-Saving Digest for September, get some tips on making your family room fun and functional--for less! With ideas on furniture, food, and family entertainment, this Digest will help you foster an atmosphere your family will love to come home to. But it doesn't stop there. You'll find plenty of other advice to help you get the most out of your money and your time.
- Having guests over? Make our featured meal mostly ahead of time.
- Find out which pet problems need emergency care--and which don't.
- Help your kids get serious about their "fun" money.
- Learn which foods can give your brain a boost.
- Pamper your feet without treading on your budget.
- Find out which book can help you with hospitality.
- Get inspired to craft your own greeting cards.
September's special feature is:
Molly Saves! In the Family Room
It's back-to-school season, and that usually means busier schedules. Don't let your family pass you like ships in the night. Get them involved in a family room makeover, grab them for a fun game, or start a new family tradition. Create a welcoming space that won't drain your wallet with the ideas you'll find in this month's Digest. Pull up a comfortable chair and make your plans for some frugal family togetherness.
Pick up some fresh peanuts and turn them into healthy, homemade snacks for family time.
Go online for inspiration, with fresh ideas for fun and furniture.
Think outside the box to find your perfect coffee/game table.
Learn how to buy entertaining electronics on a budget.
Outfit your family room with stylish practicality.
Try your hand at an upcycling project that's top-drawer.
Change your attitude, change your mind about hospitality.
Create memories for your children with a family hobby/fun/movie night every week.
Read more and see a sample HERE. |
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