It’s A New Week!

Hi there!

Hope all is well with everyone this week. I have been busy on various projects and testing some things.

If you have tried any ideas or recipes from previous blog posts, I invite you to share them with us in the comments. It would be fun to see what unique spin you put on things when you do them.

Money Saver

I’m a AAA member, as I imagine some of you are. When I received my “Member Connection” magazine for this Summer the big headline on the front was, “New Grocery Discounts for AAA Members.” Well, needless to say, we all need groceries and my Spidey Sense started to tingle as I read the headline. I read the short article on the inside and it turns out that AAA has partnered with Tops and Price Chopper supermarkets resulting in discounts on groceries. You can register at http://www.AAA.com/Grocery or you can call 1-800-836-2582. I did it on the website. It only took 5 minutes or less. You just link your shoppers loyalty card with your AAA account and then discounts are automatically applied when you purchase featured items. No need to load or print coupons. The offers will vary regularly and will be posted online at the previously mentioned website. I declare this EASY ENOUGH! 

Updates

I continue to work on my Civil War Campaign chair. This past week I stained it with Rustoleum Wood Stain in Dark Walnut. I bought a half pint and didn’t even use half of it. After making sure the wood was free of any particles left from the sanding job I did, I used a soft cloth and applied the stain. This was allowed to sit for 5 minutes and then I wiped off any excess. I am pleased with the results.

I was in Walmart and in their discount fabric bin for $4 a yard was a Waverly upholstery bolt of fabric. I bought 1/2 yard for $2 and just this morning I sewed the seat for the chair. The seat was sewn like a little sack with one side left open to turn it. I clipped the corners before turning so the fabric would lay flat at that point. Once turned, I folded in the raw edges of fabric and sewed down the fourth side. I will put that side at the back of the chair.

I am really getting excited to get the satin coat of polyurethane on and use upholstery tacks to put the seat on. Where, oh where, will I display this piece? I am scoping out spots as I write!

  The chair so far with the stain.

 This picture is just to show you the fabric I picked out.

Product Review

Recently a friend sent me a free trial of Blue Apron. Blue Apron is one of those services that sends fresh food to your home with everything you need to make three meals for which they have sent the recipes. I mean they send everything! If you need a clove of garlic for the recipe you get that too. Salt, pepper and olive oil are the only things that were not included in the food I was sent.

My free trial consisted of the recipes and ingredients to make Thai steak and rice lettuce cups with green beans, salmon and dill burgers with potatoes, and chicken with a rhubarb honey sauce with potatoes and asparagus. They were all delicious! There is enough food for two people but I found you could really feed three. My daughter worked with me on one meal, a friend on a second meal and I made the last one alone and had a neighbor over to eat.

It was my intention to cancel after the free trial since it is $59.94 for three meals each week and I felt I could make meals more cheaply. It was an expense I didn’t need to add to my budget. (It was fun to try though!) I cancelled before noon on June 3 as I was supposed to do. It was a little bit of a process to cancel because you have to email them and then they send you a code and directions to cancel. However, it didn’t take too long.

I thought I was all set and then the next week came and on my porch was another week’s meals! I thought this was going to be tough. You know, you get something for free, it’s hard to cancel, they get some more money out of you and you’re frustrated. Happily, I can say that was not the case. I tried calling them and because it was the weekend I was instructed to leave a message or to email them. Email was the choice I made. I did this on Sunday. I heard back on Monday with an apology, a confirmation of cancellation and the promise I would see the money credited back to my checking account within five to seven days. Yippee for good customer service.

Not having to send the meals back, I went ahead and have made two of them already. The first was Persian style chicken and crispy rice and the second was steak, sautéed asparagus, radishes, and fingerlings potatoes. Both were very good.

In short, I would say that if you can afford it that it really is a nice alternative and you get to try different foods than you would normally prepare. If you go online to blueapron.com you will see the same offer available to get a free trial. If you are so inclined, go ahead and give it a whirl. I don’t think you have anything to lose.

Recommendation

Lately, I have found myself curious about the whole French press coffee thing. I had always wondered if coffee made that way was good and if it was easy. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a small, one coffee press in TJ Maxx for $5.99 and decided to satisfy my curiosity. Along with the purchase I also did some online research.

What I found out was that the coffee press was invented in 1929 by and Italian. There are versions of the same device called by different names in most European countries.

As far as actually using this is what I found out. It is best to use course ground coffee as the finer grind will seep around the screen on the plunger and you will have grounds in your coffee. First you put your coffee in. It was trial and error for me to figure out how much to use. I like my coffee strong. It took two to three times before I figured out how much I needed to produce the type of coffee I desired. Then you add your water which should be between 199-205 degrees. I heated mine in the microwave. You let the coffee steep for two to four minutes and then slowly press the plunger down. Viola! Coffee!

Presses come in many sizes from small ones for espresso all the way up to 12 cup. Travel mug versions exist too. They are quite neat.

You can make tea in a press as well using loose leaf tea. The same press should never be used for coffee and tea unless you clean it thoroughly. This is due to the oils from the coffee which can change the taste of your tea.

Speaking of the oil in coffee, the French press is said to make better tasting coffee since the paper filters in today’s coffee pots absorb a lot of the oils in coffee and that takes away from the rich, robust flavor the beverage.

 My little one cup press, Isn’t she cute?

Have a great week!! Remember to leave a comment and tell your friends about the blog. I have 58 subscribers so far and my short term goal is 100. Help me get there!