Homemade Vegetable soup

The most frugal way to make this is to use vegetables you have grown yourself and with meat you have harvested yourself. Not all of us have that going for us. Frozen vegetables are a great alternative for the time crushed frugal cook. As are canned tomatoes and broth.


Here is what I use for my vegetable soup:
3-4 bags frozen soup vegetables from Kroger
1 box beef broth (you can use 2 if you prefer)
2 quarts canned tomatoes
1-2 onions, chopped (you can even purchase diced frozen onions if you are crunched for time or hate cutting onions)
salt and pepper to taste
medium beef or venison roast or several round steaks
Italian seasoning or other seasonings of your choice
2-3 minced garlic bulbs (more or less to your taste)

Search your grocery store for a cheap roast or steaks. Freeze them if you find a good price and plan to make soup later. I like to pressure cook the meat to ensure it is nice and tender. Once it is is thoroughly cooked, I shred it into pieces with a fork. I add the cooked and shredded meat and all its juices into my soup. If I have venison, I use that instead of beef.
While the meat is in the pressure cooker, dice the onions. Place the tomatoes, beef stock, onions, and frozen vegetables in a large stock pot. At this point I also add about a quart of water. Add some salt and pepper and choice of seasonings now. I turn the stove on low to medium to begin a slow cook. I have found this works better than a high heat to prevent scorching the bottom of the pan.
Once the meat is cooled some and shredded, I add it all to the stock pot. Remove any sinew or visible fat before adding to soup. Allow the soup to slow cook to a simmer or slow boil then reduce heat to very low.
Taste the soup. It may need some more salt or spices of choice at this time. Add the garlic now and allow it to cook in to the soup.
Once it has been cooking for a little while, turn off the heat and once it cools a little, ENJOY!!!
Serve with saltines, grilled cheese, PB&J, or your bread of choice.
This is my favorite for cold winter days.

Feel free to tweet the vegetables to your liking. Slice and dice your own vegetables: carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, cabbage, lima beans, okra, corn, green beans... The choice is yours! It will be delicious!

Hello 2016

Hello 2016! And hello to whomever is reading this!
I have not posted anything in SO very long. I honestly did not believe that I could write anything that someone would want to read and I quit. I am going to start anew. I will write now about how I live frugally.
I grew up lower middle class. We were poor. My Mom stayed home and my Dad worked in a factory. He got laid off regularly. My parents and grandparents grew a garden and canned food. My Dad hunted to help put food on the table. Fast forward a few years...My parents divorced. That was a financial strain. Looking at it with adult eyes, I can only imagine how difficult both emotionally and financially that was for my parents.
Early in my own marriage, we did not have much in the finance department. I was a stay at home mom and my husband supported us on his teacher salary. We were pinching some serious pennies. We are better off today than we were then, but we're not wealthy by any stretch of my imagination. I am truly thankful that I learned how to make things and be frugal in my younger years. I admit I still have a lot to learn.
I welcome you to join me on this journey as I share what I already know and what I learn along the way!

Frugal Confession

I am sorry it has been so long between postings. I have a confession. I have not felt so frugal lately. That sounds horrible to say. I am still collecting coupons and living frugal BUT, my heart is not in it. I have not been excited about shopping sales, clipping coupons, and getting the best deals. Period.
Does anyone else out there have this happen to them sometimes? I still shop at Aldi and/or buy things that are marked down or on sale, and cook from scratch; but to go score the best deals just isn't as thrilling right now for some reason.
If you experience lulls in your want for thrift and frugality, how do you get through it? What helps you get back the excitement? How do we keep from getting burned out?

PLEASE leave your comments and suggestions! You may have just the tidbit I or someone else needs to hear.
Thanks for listening and caring.
-Lora

Happy New Year!

I cannot believe it is already 2009! First, I wish all who read this a very Happy New Year! I am not currently sure of the direction Frugal Home Girl will be going in this new year. Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions: frugalhomegirlatgmail.com

I did just learn of a giveaway. Head over to Right at Home to sign up to one of the first 5000 to respond and get free LARGE ziploc bags.
http://www.rightathome.com/offers/jangiftpack/?sid=offer&cid=RAH200901&rid=4209555&om_rid=AF$2U5&om_mid=_BJY7vQB7bSNdvg&

Thanks and I look forward to your input!
:-) Lora

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Holidays have been keeping me busy! I want to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANNAKAH, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I will see you all in 2009!!

Oh Fudge!

In my quest to make some wonderful melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge, I have been unsuccessful. I guess that is why most of us have resorted to the marshmallow fluff fudge that is pretty easy. My first batch came out very grainy. Like why did I even bother?
The recipes is fairly simple :
Old-time Fudge from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1tsp. light corn syrup
2 T butter, 1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional- but not really:D)
I cooked it to soft ball or 234 F on my candy thermometer. 1st batch I did not follow instructions to NOT STIR. OK, so I followed to a "T" on batch #2 but it came out a little more gooey than it should have and was taking FOREVER to chill to the 110F temp...so technically, I didn't follow it to a "T" because after more than an hour, it was still about 120-something..but it felt like it....Oh well....It tastes really good and if my taste testers feel it is worthy...it may be giftable...that is, if my taste testers don't eat it all ;-D
Does anyone have any pointers for me? Or a no-fail recipe?

Discounted Travel

With the holidays upon us, many of us are planning to travel or know someone who is. I wanted to take this opportunity to invite you to save some money while making those plans. I do not make any money plugging this site, this is only to help a friend starting out her travel business get the word out about how to travel for less.

Visit her at http://www.bookyourgetaway.com


Happy Traveling!