From: Rachel H
Here is a great coconut cake recipe for these hot
summer days:

You will need:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. container cool whip
8 oz. shredded coconut

Bake cake according to direction is a sheet pan.
As soon as  cake comes out of the oven, pierce
with a fork all over. Pour condensed milk all
over cake. Put in fridge to chill completely. Mix
cool whip and coconut and spread over cake. Keep
in fridge, but it will not last long! I got this
recipe years ago from a co-worker, and it is a
family favorite.

From: Linda
I love the recipe you posted for pork chops…I
just wanted to share one thing….it works
fantastic in a crockpot. Just layer everything in
the crockpot and set it. We have a developmentally
disabled friend that loves to invite us to dinner
and play yahtzee and he fixes it that way all the
time. He also adds a bag of baby carrots to the
dish when he puts it in the crockpot. It is
delicious and wonderful. In case there is
confusion I have posted the recipe at the end of
my comment.

Recipe:

*Peachy Pork Chops

4 pork chops
1 10 oz jar peach jam
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Brown meat and cook until done. Mix and heat rest
of ingredients and serve over meat.

I love peach jam and pork chops slow cooked so I can’t wait to try this. Another way to do pork chops in the crock pot is to layer the chops with barbecue sauce. I think Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue is good. You can get it at Wal Mart but if you can’t find it just use your favorite.

Jill

It seems like lately everything we do we have been going in circles trying to get it to work. Well, the latest is my tub. Mike was gone last week so I took that time to re-caulk the tub.

I followed the directions, cleaned it well, let it dry thoroughly and let it set for 4 days. Then we used it and after 2 uses it all peeled off! I am so mad!

Is there any caulk that actually stays? I go around and around with this stuff and tried every brand, I think.

Any construction workers out there know of a brand that actually works?

Tawra

From: Melissa
I would like to know if anyone has any tips to
make a trip to Disneyland cheap. I have decided
that the rainy day fund I have will be used to
surprise my 3 children with a trip to Disneyland
this year. We will be staying in a hotel off
site, it was cheaper. Thanks a bunch!!!

Since Mike and I have never been on a “real vacation” we were thinking of doing this with our kids in the next year if possible. No, our kids have never stayed in a motel! I would love any tips anyone has too! If anyone has any ideas please comment!

In case you are wondering our “vacations” always consist of visiting family in Colorado. We love Colorado but by the time you visit all the family it’s not really a vacation so we do get away but have never had a real vacation.

We need to get our own reality show so they can pay for us to go everywhere. LOL

We already have the food tips and we know of course it’s usually cheaper to drive than fly, check AAA and always stay with friends or family. Any thing else would be great!

Tawra

P.S. I would love to take a trip to Branson some time so if you have any tips for doing that cheap too please pass them along!

photo by:spin spin

This recipe calls for a  box of brown sugar. That is the only way you could get brown sugar years ago so a lot of older recipes are written with this. A box of brown sugar is 1 pound, 16 oz. or 2 1/3 cups.

Chow-Chow Relish

1 medium cabbage
4 medium onions
3 green peppers
2 red or hot peppers (I used red)
3 TBSP salt
1 TBSP mustard seed
1 TBSP turmeric
5 medium tomatoes (not quite ripe_

2 cups cider vinegar
1 box brown sugar

Wash 9-10 pint jars in hot soapy water. Sterilize jars by boiling in
water for 10 minutes–Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
Using food processor, grind all ingredients except tomatoes, vinegar
and brown sugar. Chop tomatoes by hand. Mix all ingredients (except the vinegar and sugar). Let stand for 30 minutes and strain excess water if necessary.
In a large pot, add vegetables, 2 cups cider vinegar and 1 box of
brown sugar. Cook until mixture boils. Place in jars and process for 30 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Note: Makes 9-10 pints, and is absolutely fabulous on hot dogs!!

From: Margaret2
Mint recipe can be altered by the omission of
peppermint, and grated lemon, orange, or lime peel
substituted to make citrus candies.  I’ve tried
it, and it works fine.

I have not tried fresh lemon thyme or lavender in
these, but that sneaky little cook’s instinct says
that they would be great.  You would have to grind
the herb with granulated sugar, between clean
fingers, and then add the sugar.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Happy Birthday dear daughter

And I love you. : )

LM (love mum)

I know that’s pretty bad even for me but I knew you would understand I am suffering from brain fry after the tons of books we packed for the sale. For some of you who wonder how we do a sale, Tawra is at the computer printing the labels and invoices, I do most of the packing with a huge amount of help from B.J. (Tawra’s oldest).

We all have our certain jobs and this time Elly’s was babysitting Baby Jack and David was our littlest trooper pitching in and volunteering to “help” when he could. B.J. and I then haul these huge sacks of books and load them in the car and then Tawra and B.J. take them to the post office.

Today will be more packing but in between and when we are done we will have a mini birthday celebration for Tawra that is if either of us are still in an upright position. : )

Anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAUGHTER DEAR!!!!!! Mum

Thank you Mum and everyone else who emailed me!!

I just wanted to say that if you are ordering for the sale YES, the Early Bird Special is still good. We had screaming baby for 3 hours last night and Mike and I just got to worn out to change the sales page and he is sworking his other job today. So…yes, you can take advantage of it while it’s still up there. :-)  Tawra

From: Carol H.
When my daughter married 4 years ago she and I
cut expenses by making all the flowers for the
alter and table decorations from silk flowers we
purchased on the internet. Saved a ton of money
vs buying at the local stores.  We attended
bridal fairs and won several prizes including
her bridal bouquet and the flowers for the
wedding party.  She wanted a sit down dinner due
to the time of the wedding and we hired the
local technical college’s culinary students to
prepare and serve the food. The DJ for music and
dancing was a company that was hired by the
country club my daughter worked for and she
received a substantial discount.  The
photographer was one that a local radio station
used and advertised on their station.  Great
pics and great price.  We used a local
convention center for the reception and was
offered a larger room than we needed at a
discount because another group needed the
smaller room for a smaller party.  I purchased
the wine and drinks including liquor at the
local warehouse club.  All in all, including
bridal dress and the tuxes for the men, we spent
less than $3000.  Everyone had a great time and
the guests were allowed to take the table
decorations home as a souvineer.  You have to be
resourceful, but it can be done.

I had a request to re-post where I got my glasses.

It was zennioptical.com.

I’ve had my “Sarah Palin” glasses for almost a year now and still love them! Tawra

From: CRYSTAL
HI,
I HAVE VERY PICKY EATERS THAT CONSTANTLY WANT TO
EAT OUT. MY HUSBAND AND I DO NOT ALLOW IT OFTEN,
MAYBE ONCE A WEEK. HOW CAN WE CONVENCE THEM THAT
THE CHICKEN NUGGETS THAT WE HAVE AT HOME ARE THE
SAME ONES AT WENDY’S, MCDONALDS AND BURGER KING?
WE CANNOT KEEP AFFORDING TO EAT OUT ALL THE TIME.
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Well, I just wouldn’t worry about it and just not eat out. My kids are very picky too.

At our house we have the same problem so what I do is just tell them they have to eat what is put out or nothing else until the next meal.

If it’s something I’m pretty sure they won’t eat I give them a small portion (like 2 nuggets). If they ask for a snack later then I tell them they must finish their lunch first.

You are the parent so I wouldn’t let the kids dictate when you eat out.

Tawra

If you need more ideas check out our Saving with kids e-book.