John Buckingham

Gardening: Seed Catalogs

Late December is not a time to be working in the garden in Vermont but it is a time to be planning next years garden. One of my favorite occupations in the winter is to sit by the woodstove and read through the new garden catalogs! Some of them have the best copywriters and canContinue reading “Gardening: Seed Catalogs”

Frugal Tips: Homemade Bread

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend. I feel like I’m still on vacation, after all our boys are home from college and they are enjoying time off. It also feels like a Monday when it really is Tuesday. It’s a lazy morning here, the boys are still asleep as I write andContinue reading “Frugal Tips: Homemade Bread”

York Sensational Brownies

I found this recipe on the back of a package of York Peppermint Patties. I’ve been making these York Sensational Brownies every Christmas!

Prudent Pantry: Vinegar

Vinegar has been around for years and it has thousands of uses! You can use it for anything from cooking to cleaning, to gardening and home remedies; white distilled vinegar is one of the most versatile and economical products you can have on hand. Definitely something you want to stick in your prudent pantry! IContinue reading “Prudent Pantry: Vinegar”

Gardening: Overwintering a Geranium

Did you know that you could keep your geranium alive over the winter and enjoy it again in the spring? Geraniums can be grown indoors easily as long as you give them proper care and keep them in the right conditions. Before the first frost cut your plant back to half of its original size.Continue reading “Gardening: Overwintering a Geranium”

Frugal Tips: Homemade Holiday Potpourri

Are you still looking for a simple gift idea? Perhaps you plan to be entertaining and want your house to smell wonderful. Here is a simple recipe for a delightful smelling potpourri. In preparation for this recipe I have been drying orange peels for the last week, our counter has a rather large pile ofContinue reading “Frugal Tips: Homemade Holiday Potpourri”

Turkey Lasagna – Healthy and Low Fat

Around the holidays I’m always trying to fit in meals that are healthy and low fat, this turkey lasagna is easy to put together and freezes well.

Prudent Pantry: Oats

Oats are a staple that everyone should have in their pantry! They have so many uses, as a hot cereal on a cold winter morning, for making bread, baking cookies or even making granola. You can use rolled oats as a meat extender in meat loaves. Oat flour makes rich thickeners for soups, gravies andContinue reading “Prudent Pantry: Oats”

Gardening: Forcing Bulbs – Update

Before Thanksgiving I wrote a post on forcing bulbs. I set up several containers of bulbs and placed them in a cool spot while we went away. Was I ever surprised when we got home and I saw all the green shoots coming up out of the bulbs! The bulbs were so healthy they hadContinue reading “Gardening: Forcing Bulbs – Update”

Frugal Tips: Snax Mix and Coffee Cans

Funny the things you grow up with and the things you don’t. In my house growing up I don’t ever remember my mother making any sort of Chex Mix at Christmas, she made other things such as delicious Christmas cookies which we loved to decorate. In the collection of recipes my mother-in-law gave me whenContinue reading “Frugal Tips: Snax Mix and Coffee Cans”