The post about Ina Garten’s great new “barn” brought to mind what I think is the best decorating magazine out there — and I am including a deal at only $10 for a year!

Let me tell you, I have subscribed and read ‘em all — Martha Stewart Living, House and Garden, Better Homes and Gardens, Architectural Digest, etc. But I can wholeheartedly say that House Beautiful is the one magazine from which I learn the most, glean the most ideas, and truly enjoy receiving every month.

Now, I am not making a dime, here. This is a true recommendation.

Even though House Beautiful often showcases homes in posh areas, you can learn so much — color, accessorizing, ideas, and truly great interviews with the designers.

I’m not saying I agree with all the decorators — and there are truly homes I look at and say, “I could never live there,” but in every issue there is at least one that strikes my fancy and provides inspiration. Even with designer furniture, you can see the “in” shapes and colors that you can replicate for a fraction of the cost. I always like, too, to see how they put things on tables, mantles, etc. (And of course, it has a monthly column by my favorite, Ina Garten, with a dish to make — or at least drool over.)

So with that recommendation, I can say you can receive this great magazine for 83 cents a month for one year. Here is the link to subscribe. I signed up for the 2 year subscription for $15 about 16 months ago, and I am glad I did. Next I will sign up for 3 years for $20.

Honestly, this is the only magazine I pay for nowadays, and I’m glad I do.

Looking for the quickest way to raise your cooking to a new, gourmet level? Add kosher salt to your pantry!

I came upon this delightful addition to my meals through the shows on Food Network. Most every chef there — including my favorite, Ina Garten — uses it in every dish.

I won’t go into details about why it’s called Kosher salt, but you can read more here. The salt is much more course than what you’re used to, but the flavor is so bright. Trust me, you’ll never use standard table salt again. I no longer serve dinner with a salt shaker, just Kosher salt in a small, former sugar bowl.

The cost, when compared to standard table salt, is about $1-$2 more a pound, so about $3 a box. But that lasts me nearly a year, so I say that is pretty affordable to add a gourmet touch to any meal.

Try it!

Usually I am all about saving money, but sometimes, a product is exemplary enough to throw a few rubles to the wind.

And let me tell you, Reynolds Wrap Release foil is worth all of its $3.50 cost.

Before anything else, this is not your everyday aluminum wrap — this is for the occasions when ordinary tin just will not do. Reynolds Wrap Release is a non-stick heavy duty foil, and let me tell you, I continue to chart its uses. Let me know how else you use it, if it already graces your pantry.

Here is where I found it useful:

Like I said, you don’t use it every day, so the cost is reasonable when you pull it out for those special occasions. And let me tell you, you’ll be singing its praises, too.

I’m all for protecting the environment, blah, blah, blah. But really it comes down to me — and whether it works. Let me tell you, reusable grocery bags work!

Why do I love them? These suckers hold a lot! I can do a week’s worth of shopping for two people, and fill it all in three reusable bags. They are stronger than they appear! I’ve chatted with others who are using them in the grocery store, and they rave about reusable grocery bags.

Sure, there is an initial investment, but anything that helps me make fewer trips to the car trunk to haul groceries in is A-OK in my book. I only wish these were available when I lived in a second floor condo. I could have saved a lot of time walking back and forth to the carport. So the grocery bags are convenient — and time savers!

Mine are stored next to the fridge (where I used to put the paper bags with handles that I thought were great). You may wish to put yours in the car. But wherever you store them, I highly recommend reusable grocery bags. I’m sure you will love them just as much — and make fewer trips to haul groceries. And, isn’t that’s what it’s all about — you and me?

As we know, onions are called for in most any recipe, but chopping one is just one more thing to do when cooking dinner.

To speed up the prep time, the secret I have come across is to chop and save for use later.

This lovely photo shows a variety of onions, but my go-to onion is the white one. First, they don’t make you cry (like yellow).
And they go with everything! Red onions are pretty but just don’t pack the onion punch like white and are not as pungent as yellow ones. So there is your shopping tip — go white and you’ll never go back.

I will do another post to explain about how to chop an onion, but this link will give you all the details.

At any rate, either dice or in one of those cool mini-choppers (money well-spent), then put in a Gladware container, and the onion is ready to go all week (or at least through two dinners). This is a wonderful time-saver, especially when you’re in a rush at dinnertime!

When I cleaned houses for a living, my last task was to vacuum. Let me tell you, at that point, saving time was of uber importance. I never looked as happy as this woman when faced with vacuuming a 2,000-square-foot home. But I knew how to cut the vacuum time in half.

Obviously, if you are in a 600-square-foot apartment, this is not as important, but anyone with a 1,500-square-foot-plus home can save themselves a lot of time.

The biggest time-waster when vacuuming is plugging and unplugging the sweeper as you move from room to room. Think about it — you finish one room, then have to walk back, unplug, then pick up the vacuum, move it to another room, find another plug, and begin again. Multiply this by 7 rooms, and you just spent easily 15 minutes.

The secret is to buy a 25-foot extension cord. I’m not talking some wimpy thin cord (you can’t buy ‘em at that length), you need to get the heavy duty, ugly orange ones you purchase in a home improvement store. Pick up an equally ugly orange plastic wrap-around cord holder at the same time. Don’t worry — both are cheap.

Unwrap your vacuum cord, as usual. Now unwrap the Goliath cord and add to the original. Now plug in once. You should be able to vacuum your entire home downstairs and plug in just once. With a one-story, you may need to plug in twice, but I doubt it.
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I learned this tip from an excellent book written by the owner of a professional home-cleaning company. I highly recommend “Speed Cleaning.” I have provided a link to order. This book is great — and cheap!

Please let me know how the vacuum trick works for you!

I could kick myself for all the years I bought chicken broth (at 50 cents to 89 cents a can) when it is so easy to make!

Now if you only think you need broth at the holidays, you’re wrong. It’s called for any many casserole and soup recipes, and is perfect when cooking rice. Even if you don’t use it that often, I will show you how to freeze it one cup at a time (the common measurement), so you can pop in the microwave and enjoy the flavor — and savings!

First, how the heck do you make chicken stock? Well, there are a ton of recipes, which usually are wonderful when you make a huge stock-pot batch, but, let’s face it, most of us need just a cup here or there.

But what if you need it, and need it now? Buy for your pantry one product — Caldo de Pollo. I bet you can guess where you find it — in the Hispanic Foods aisle in your grocery store. (Do you see a pattern of savings here?) Caldo de Pollo is Spanish for “chicken soup.” Dissolve two teaspoons in 2 cups of water, and, voila, chicken broth — at a cost of pennies! It’s an investment of a couple dollars, but this sucker will last in your pantry until you are long gone. You’ll never buy canned broth again, I promise, and you’ll always have it available.

But when you do buy a whole chicken, you can make the broth even richer. With a whole chicken, take the giblets (that normally you discard) and put ‘em in a sauce pan. Add 2 cups of water, or so — this ain’t brain surgery — and start dumping from the produce drawer in your fridge. Add wilted celery, old carrots, parsley, some onion, a bay leaf, and maybe a couple crushed cloves of garlic — whatever you have on hand. In cooking parlance, it adds depth to the stock. Don’t worry if you don’t have one item or even three. Bring to a boil and add your Caldo de Pollo. (Remember 2 teaspoons per 2 cups of water.) Simmer for about an hour or so (this ain’t brain surgery, again). You just want enough water to cover everything plus about an inch or two.

Let the stock cool. Use a slotted spoon to remove all the veggies, etc. Pour all into a Ziploc bag, or in leftover margarine containers (great for 1 cup measurement later). When you defrost it, the stock keeps for a week or two, but in a hurry, you can always nuke.

Honestly, you need to add Caldo de Pollo to your pantry (no matter how small). The Hispanic Foods aisle, once again, is your budget friend! Let me know how it works for you!

In tight times — as many American households are experiencing now — we reel in as much as spending as possible. Of course, this helps the bottom-line budgeting, but it also cuts something even more precious — our spirits.

I’m not lobbying for careless spending, putting some high-priced consumer item on a credit card and casting a blind eye to the consequences. But I do strongly believe that everyone — even those on the tightest budgets — needs to nurture themselves with small purchases that mean a lot.

“Affordable luxuries” is the term coined by author Sarah Ban Breathnach’s in her fantastic book, “Simple Abundance,” and I think she nailed it right on the head. The example she gives is purchasing a simple bouquet of flowers at a roadside stand or in the grocery store for say $5, and being able to enjoy it every day in your home for the next 10-14 days. How many of your friends have flowers in their homes? This is an affordable, and long-lasting, luxury.

But it might not be a bouquet that nurtures your soul. For me, a $2 scented candle from Walmart glowing in my living room in the evening makes me feel that things are not as bad as the bank account may try to make me believe.

So if you’re feeling a little low, take a short trip to the dollar store or Walmart, and find a little something that makes you smile or something you’ve wanted for awhile. Try to keep it under $10. And just see how long-lasting that little boost improves your mind and outlook. Please post your ideas — they might help somoene else feel a little better.

And, I highly recommend Sarah’s book, “Simple Abundance.” It’s written as a day-by-day book of essays, but I find that it’s best to just open it up and see what you need to read that day. I’ve owned this book for 13 years and still read it. You can order it below. Let me know how you like it.