STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS...WHAT?

Could it be that Old Mother Frugal is bringing back ironing?

In all honesty, it never went away for me as it had for others.

As a new bride, I've recounted how I did not know how to cook.

The other skill that I did not acquire was ironing shirts.

I excelled at pillowcases and handkerchiefs. However, much like cooking, mom never delegated shirts to me. But I spent hours observing her technique.

My lack of precision pressing became abundantly clear to the new groom’s coworkers.

Unless he told them about the non-existent cooking skills, they were none the wiser. However, it didn’t take much to realize the new bride had no idea how to press a shirt.

I had to learn to hone my skill because in keeping a frugal household, sending shirts “out” to be laundered was not a chore that I was willing to pay someone else to do.

When money is tight and you need to be on a bare-bones budget, if you are sending out the shirts/blouses to be laundered, help is on the way.

Once washed, the first step is to toss the shirts into the dryer for no more than 5 minutes.

Then hang and allow to air dry. This step will take many of the wrinkles out of the shirt. Not sure of the science behind this phenomenon, but it works. It will also prevent undue shrinkage.

Next step is to set up your ironing board with iron in front of a TV or some music in your ears. It makes the time go faster.

Ready…Set…Press!

Start with the collar. Then the left sleeve and cuff. Flip it over and do the back of the left sleeve and cuff.

Now press the right sleeve. Flip it over and press the back of the right sleeve.

Turn shirt to the pointy side of the ironing board and press the narrow strip that runs below the collar. I never knew what it was called; I just call it the narrow strip under the collar. [See photo].

You are now ready to press the body of the shirt. Right front, back and then left front. Be sure to press the button holes flat as well.

Well done!  Hang it…button it…and admire your work and the money you have saved!

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Some dry cleaners offer special discounts and coupons to frequent customers. As a regular customer, my discount is 20% on services. Check with your dry cleaner and see if any discount is available to you too!

                                               Start with the collar

 

 

Move to the left sleeve

 

Back of the left sleeve

 

Front of right sleeve

                                                               Back of right sleeve

 

Narrow strip below collar

 

Top of right side of shirt

 

Right front

                                           Move to back once right side is done       

 

Once left front is pressed, iron the button holes

 

Finished product

 

TWENTY MEATBALLS FOR TWO

In the second part of this series, unofficially entitled “The Evolution of Old Mother Frugal”, a serious miscalculation in meal preparation over 35 years ago led to what became the “cook once, eat twice” or "batch cooking".

For those who have not read “Saga of a Soggy Burger”, your humble blogger could not even cook a hamburger when she took her marriage vows.  There was some quibbling over the “obey” wording in the vows, but there was no mention of being able to cook and provide sustenance in the form of an edible meal.

Mom was a good cook and she cooked for a family of five. She learned from two, good cooking Italian women. Working on the premise that copying mom’s good recipes would surely make this new bride a good cook too, all mom's recipes came along with me into my new life as a young wife.

Not that I asked, but mom never taught “Meatball Math”. As the saying goes, you don’t know what you don’t know.

One week after the honeymoon, spaghetti and meatballs were on the dinner menu. I diligently followed the recipe. When done, there were 20 meatballs for dinner but only two adults.

Calling my cooking lifeline (one of my dearest best friends from high school) with this "Meatball Math" crisis, the kitchen was being overrun with these round mounds of ground chuck.

After suffering through the failed boiled burger experiment and “must cook” potatoes before mashing debacle, the new groom was facing life with 16 meatballs unless a back-up plan was in place and in place mighty darn fast. My cooking lifeline informed me to freeze the meatballs. There were enough meatballs for a month but that was okay, meatballs freeze well. Good to know.

And so it began, cook once and eat twice…or three times or four times. Meatballs with spaghetti or meatballs with mashed potatoes [see “Saga of a Soggy Burger”] or meatball sub sandwiches or meatballs parmesan, when one needs to plate 16 meatballs for dinner ideas, the options are many!

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Buying meat in bulk can often save money. To save time, divide the bulk meat into smaller portions. When the meat is ground sirloin or chuck, section the meat. Use some for hamburgers, some for taco meat, and some for meatballs, enough for a meatloaf and sloppy Joes or stuffed shells. Label and freeze so that you don’t have to waste time thinking “what’s for dinner”. If you happen to have time on your side, cook ahead and freeze.