Pineapple Jalapeño Pitcher Margaritas

Pineapple Jalapeño Pitcher Margaritas These Pineapple Jalapeño Pitcher Margaritas infuse good-quality tequila with spicy jalapeño. Mix with pineapple juice for a margarita that balances sweetness and heat! https://ift.tt/2PNSsj7

What Tequila Should You Buy?

What Tequila Should You Buy? Confused by tequila? Ever wondered what words like anejo and blanco mean? What's best for a straight-up margarita, or sipping neat, or a fruity pitcher cocktail? In this guide to tequilas, we break it all down for you! https://ift.tt/2C4JkUt

Applesauce Spice Cake

Applesauce Spice Cake Applesauce cake, made with applesauce, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, walnuts, and raisins. This easy applesauce cake is a tender spice cake that is perfect for fall! https://ift.tt/2wvhmfa

Back to School Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

Back to School Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

The time period from the beginning of August through right after Labor Day weekend marks back to school time around much of the country. While my kids have already been at school for a few weeks, I thought it would be fun to put together a free Back to School Word Search Printable Set.   

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Bacon Jam

Bacon Jam If bacon makes everything taste better, then bacon jam makes it taste AMAZING? Whether you serve it on burgers or with a cheese plate, this jam will take your party to the next level. https://ift.tt/2PeZGeS

Tomato Jam

Tomato Jam Ever made tomato jam?! With farmers' markets and gardens overflowing with ripe tomatoes, now's the time! This chunky, jammy spread is a great addition to sandwiches or burgers, or spread it on crostini for an appetizer! https://ift.tt/2N3BOgA

Blue Cheese Sauce

Blue Cheese Sauce Blue cheese lovers, look here! Here's a blue cheese sauce that's just begging to go with burgers, steak, and wings. Make a double batch for your next cookout! https://ift.tt/2olOlhu

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls These Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls make a great after-school (or after-work!) snack. You can whip them up in a jiffy and they'll be gone just as quickly. They also freeze beautifully! https://ift.tt/2NvuOpO

How to Cook One Flexible Dinner That Makes Everyone Happy

How to Cook One Flexible Dinner That Makes Everyone Happy A few simple tweaks during dinner prep means that you can make one meal that everyone will eat. The trick is to customize as you go! https://ift.tt/2LzoYlu

Spelling Help: 5 Reasons Kids Misspell Words

Spelling Help: 5 Reasons Kids Misspell Words

Spelling Help: 5 Reasons Kids Misspell Words is from Becky of This Reading Mama: There’s no question about it. Spelling is tough for many kids. (Spelling is even tough for some adults.) There are many reasons kids misspell words, but today I want to explore just five of them. Spelling Help: 5 Reasons Kids Misspell

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Mom’s Ground Turkey and Peppers

Mom’s Ground Turkey and Peppers The mother of ground turkey recipes, this 1-pot family classic is quick and easy! Sautéed ground turkey with onions, garlic, bell peppers, and seasoned with chipotle chili. https://ift.tt/2whSdo4

Menu Plan Monday, August 27th - Frugal Family Home

Menu Plan Monday, August 27th - Frugal Family Home

It’s Monday and time to make our meal plans for this week. I love having a meal plan ready to go so I know what I’ll be cooking each night.

We’re having grilled pizza this week. We just love how great the pizza turns out when cooked on the grill. If you haven’t ever tried it before, I have tips to help your first grilling pizza experience to be a success.

We are trying a few new recipes I found, the Szechuan noodles with spicy beef sauce and creamed ground beef. I’ll have to modify the creamed ground beef to make it dairy free for our family.

Both of these look like quick and easy dishes. Which is the kind of recipe I love.

The rest of the week we’ll be having easy family favorites too.

For lunches most days we’ll be eating leftovers. But occasionally we don’t have enough leftovers. On those days we’ll either have sandwiches or burritos.

On weekdays, we’ll have toast and eggs for breakfast. On the weekends I like to make breakfasts that are special. This week we’ll have waffles and breakfast sandwiches.

Scroll on down for our full meal plan with recipe links too! So you can make your meal plan and know what you’ll be cooking this week too.

Here’s our menu plan for this week, 

Dinners

Grilled Pizza and Salad

Creamed Ground Beef over Egg Noodles with Salad

Cheeseburger Wraps, Chips, and fruit

Southern Fried Tofu over Egg Noodles with Salad

Hobo Packages with Fruit

Brown Sugar Steaks, Baked Potatoes, and Salad

Szechuan Noodles with Spicy Beef Sauce and Fruit

Lunches

Leftovers most days

Sandwiches and Chips

Burritos, Chips and Salsa, and Fruit

Breakfasts

Waffles, Sausage, and Eggs

Toast and Scrambled Eggs

Breakfast Sandwiches with Fruit

What’s on your menu plan for this week?

Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for my frugal menu planning tips.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

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Arroz con Tocino (Puerto Rican Rice with Salt Pork)

Arroz con Tocino (Puerto Rican Rice with Salt Pork) Puerto Rican Arroz con Tocino is such an easy weeknight meal. It's made with rice and salt pork (or bacon!) and topped with a fried egg. You can also eat this for breakfast! https://ift.tt/2wjeLEZ

Homemade Cup of Noodles

Homemade Cup of Noodles Skip the packet, and make your own homemade cup of noodles! There's something so satisfying about having a soup like this assembled and ready in the fridge. Just add water! https://ift.tt/2NmTaCp

20 Awesome Mermaid Crafts and Activities Your Kids Will Love

20 Awesome Mermaid Crafts and Activities Your Kids Will Love

I can’t remember a time when mermaids were more “in” than they are right now – there are mermaid pillows, mermaid fabric, mermaid crafts, mermaid shirts – everything mermaid. Even after The Little Mermaid came out, it seemed that there wasn’t as much mermaid hype as there is right now. And who can blame people?

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Meal Plan for August Week 4

Meal Plan for August Week 4 Here's your meal plan for August Week 4! We've got Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp, Veggie Fried Rice, Cider Glazed Salmon, and more! https://ift.tt/2PDzXNY

Farmers’ Market Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Basil

Farmers’ Market Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Basil Almost everything you need for this salad can be purchased at your local farmers' market at the height of summer: sweet peaches, creamy goat cheese, and aromatic basil the key components! Enjoy the season while it lasts! https://ift.tt/2NkdTXc

Prepositions Worksheets – Free Preposition Printable Packet

Prepositions Worksheets – Free Preposition Printable Packet

Prepositions Worksheets – Free Preposition Printable Packet Post Preview: This post contains a free eight page preposition printables packet for elementary students just becoming more familiar with prepositions up to middle school students needing a prepositions refresher course. This post also contains other language arts and prepositions resources. Working on prepositions currently or do the kids

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Free Editable September Calendar Pack - Frugal Family Home

Free Editable September Calendar Pack - Frugal Family Home

Fall is just about to begin. Get a head start on the month with this printable and editable September calendar pack.

Whether you’ll use it for meal planning, tracking everything you need to do for the kids the first month of school, or just for yourself to keep on track this calendar pack can help.

Grab the printable September calendar pack below…

Plan Your Month with this Editable September Calendar Pack

With summer over, and school just starting, it’s time to transition to a new season. You can make the most of the start of fall by getting prepared now.

With this September calendar pack, you can get all the important dates on your calendar and make copies for the rest of the family too. So no one forgets about those important dates.

You can use it to get your kids organized and doing more on their own without nagging from you. Each child can have their own calendar so they know what they need to do when. Like those chores you want them to do weekly.

You can also have one dedicated to your meal plan so everyone know what’s for dinner that night. Or for your cleaning schedule. Well, you get the idea.

The September Calendar Pack is Editable

With this editable September calendar pack, you can edit the pages before you print it. It’s so nice. I don’t know about you but handwriting in the squares of the calendar always seems messy.

It’s so much nicer when you can type your plans on the square and then print the calendar page you want.

Choose the Calendar Page you Want

There are two calendars in this printable pack. One that is vertical, great for putting in a binder and one that is horizontal. The horizontal one is great for hanging on the wall or refrigerator.

Print as Many Calendar Pages as You Need

Because these are printable you can print as many as you need. It will only cost you ink and paper. Plus I’ve tried to make these pretty but also ink friendly too. So it won’t cost you too much to print them at home.

Grab your Printable and Editable September Calendar Pack below…

When you join our email list, you’ll be sent not only this calendar pack but all the new calendar packs for the months to come. Not a bad deal, huh?!

Click here to join to get added to the email list!
I hope you find this September calendar pack helpful and the calendars help you make the most of the start of this new Fall season.

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Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Herb Cashew Sauce

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Herb Cashew Sauce Pasta? Check. Roasted tomatoes? Check. Creamy vegan cashew sauce? Absolutely CHECK! This recipe is so simple, but it delivers big on both flavor and creaminess. Make the cream sauce ahead of time and dinner is ready in no time. https://ift.tt/2Ps6K8G

How to Make Creamy Vegan Cashew “Cheese” Sauce

How to Make Creamy Vegan Cashew “Cheese” Sauce Use this creamy vegan cashew cream sauce in place of dairy-based salad dressings and pasta sauces! Just because you're not eating dairy doesn't mean you can't have something creamy in your meal. Make a big batch and use it all week long. https://ift.tt/2w1P1gk

How to Make Corn Tortillas

How to Make Corn Tortillas Making Homemade Corn Tortillas from scratch is EASY! They taste better than anything you can buy at the store. https://ift.tt/2OV6yxF

21 Best Recipes With Ripe Summer Tomatoes

21 Best Recipes With Ripe Summer Tomatoes Oh, tomatoes! How we love you! Here are 21 different ways to enjoy those ripe summer tomatoes. Whether you need to use them immediately for something like a gazpacho or a Caprese salad, or you have so many you need to can or get creative (think basic tomato sauce or salsa), we've got you covered. https://ift.tt/2BtJLr9

How to Save on Pork, Tips to Cut Your Food Budget - Frugal Family Home

How to Save on Pork, Tips to Cut Your Food Budget - Frugal Family Home

Feeding your family can challenge you when you have a tight food budget. And meat is usually the most expensive item. But if your family loves pork, these tips can show you how to save on pork.

How to Save on Pork

What if you could save over $1 a pound on pork chops just by purchasing them differently?

What if changing where you purchased pork could save you money?

I used to spend full price on pork chops and roasts. But not anymore. You can save money with a few changes in how you purchase pork and these tips for how to save on pork can help.

First, we will start with where you want to purchase pork…

Where to Purchase Pork

We usually stick to buying pork at Costco and at our local grocery store. Costco always has good buys on the pork loin. I shop at the grocery store for other cuts we like and purchase them when I find them on sale.

But if you have a meat market near you that might be the best place to purchase. At the meat markets near us, they always have a pork package discounted in price from the individual cuts of meat.

If you like the cuts that come in the pork package at your local meat market, then that may be an easy way to stock up at a good price.

What Pork Cuts are the Best Price

I think everyone has favorite cuts of meat they purchase over and over. And those are the cuts you want to stock up on for your family. But we’ve found a few cuts that are less expensive and those are the ones we purchase most often.

For our family, we have two cuts of pork we like to purchase. I will purchase pork loin and pork shoulder or butt roasts. Occasionally in the summer when I see a good sale I’ll purchase pork ribs but we don’t eat ribs that often.

Relate Link: The Best Pull Pork Recipe

I buy the pork roasts when I see them on sale. They are usually on sale in the summer and if you have room in your freezer, you can stock up and get a couple extra. That’s what we do.

For the pork ribs, we purchase those when they are on sale at the grocery store and eat them usually that week. I don’t usually keep ribs in the freezer.

But I will purchase pork loin from Costco. Costco always has a good price on their pork loin and that’s what I stock in our freezer for dinners. But we don’t eat it as a roast. I prep it for dinners because it’s such a good buy.

Why Pork Loin is the Best Buy for Pork Chops

When I look at pork prices in the store especially prices on pork chops, they can be expensive. On sale around here, they run about $2.99 a pound, and that’s usually with the bone in.

When pork chops aren’t on sale they can be around $3.99 to $4.99 a pound. Which is a little expensive for our grocery budget.

But I can purchase pork loin so much cheaper at Costco and then cut them into pork chops myself. Saving more money.

Just how much money well see for yourself below.

Price Points

These prices are the prices I usually pay either on sale or are the regular prices I see at our local stores. The prices you can purchase at may be different, depending on where you live.

It’s best to keep a price book so you know what the best prices are in your area and you’ll know when to stock up. But here are the price points I purchase to give you an idea.

I purchase pork shoulder roasts I like to pay around $1.99 a pound. Sometimes I’ll see it at $1.29 a pound in the summer then I stock up.

For pork ribs, I look for a sale price of $2.99 a pound. We see that price about every 12 weeks. Especially during the grilling months of the year.

And I purchase pork loin at Costco for around $2 a pound. Then I cut it up myself into pork chops and pork roasts saving at least $1 per pound on sale priced pork chops and up to $3 a pound on regular prices. So it’s well worth the bit of work.

Now you might think, I’m not sure how to cut a pork loin? No problem, keep reading and watch the video below.

How to Cut a Pork Loin

If you haven’t purchased a pork loin before it can look intimidating at the store. It’s this huge long piece of meat about 10 pounds each shrink-wrapped with liquid. Yes, not very appealing.

But it’s so easy to cut up. Really, all you need is a sharp knife a cutting board and about 15-30 minutes. It’s a simple process.

If you want to see the video I made, take a peek at it below. It’s an older video of mine but it shows the whole process plus how I make the cuts into freezer meals too. Don’t like watching videos, keep on scrolling for the written directions below.

Some links below are my referral links. Which means when you purchase through them I can make a little money at no extra cost to you. Thanks! See my disclosure policy for more information.

What You’ll Need to Prep a Pork Loin for the Freezer

A Cutting Board
Sharp Knife

I love my Victorinox Forschner knife for this job and my flexible cutting boards. They work great for this task. But a having a sharp knife makes this job so easy.

If your knife is dull this cheap knife sharpener is what I use to sharpen all of my knives. It works great.

Steps to Cutting a Pork Loin

Cover your counter with newspaper and then a layer of plastic wrap. This is an optional step but I find it makes clean up so much easier.

Place your cutting board on top of the prepped work surface. And get your knife.

Cut one end of the pork loin bag open and drain a little of the juice out of the bag. I do this into the sink to keep the juices from running on the counter. But don’t take the pork loin out of the bag yet.

Place the pork loin on the prepped counter with the open end on the cutting board.

Slide part of the pork loin out of the bag onto the cutting board. Just grab the end and pull, it might not come out too easily at first because of the suction of the bag. But it will come.

Cut off two pounds from the end for a pork roast and set it aside.

Cut the pork chops next. We like thin pork chops but you can cut as thick or think of pork chops as you like. Or make a mix of sizes.

Keep pulling out more pork loin as you need and keep cutting pork chops until you have about 2 pounds left. Take the last of the pork loin out of the bag. That will be your second roast.

Once done you’ll have two pork roasts and a bunch of pork chops to package for the freezer.

Now that was easy, wasn’t it? And you just saved yourself quite a bit of money too.

How to Freeze Cut Pork Loin and Pork Dinner Ideas

Now you have your pork loin cut up, it’s time to freeze it for later.

Start by wrapping the pork roasts in plastic wrap and then place them into a gallon sized bag. Both roasts will fit and it saves on one freezer bag doing it this way.

For the pork chops, add 4 or enough for your family to a sandwich sized baggie and seal. Do that for the rest of the pork chops. Then place all the pork chops into a gallon size freezer bag. Next label and freeze.

This helps to keep the smaller packages together and makes it easier to organize the freezer too. This way you’ll be less likely to lose a package of pork chops somewhere in the back of the freezer.

And you only have to label the gallon freezer bag instead of the smaller bags.

If you’d like to make your pork chops into freezer meat packs instead of just freezing them take a peek at the Pork Loin Freezer Cookbook.

It has easy freezer meal packs to make 8 dinners from one pork loin in just about an hour. No pre-cooking needed. Click here to see all the recipe included.

Those are my best tips for saving on pork. It’s one way I keep my family fed on less money.

Want to Know How to Save Money on Other Meats? Try these articles too…

Tips to Save Money on Chicken
Tips to Save Money on Beef

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Free Catholic Word Search Printables for Kids

Free Catholic Word Search Printables for Kids

One thing that I really enjoy making is word searches. I think they’re a fun way to help kids look over terms that they may be studying or just need to be a little more familiar with. One type of word search that I make here at Real Life at Home are Catholic word search printables with

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6 Make-Ahead Casseroles for Back to School

6 Make-Ahead Casseroles for Back to School Cheesy casseroles for the win! From Buffalo Chicken Lasagna to Tater Tot Casserole, we’re lining up a few of our faves in partnership with Castello Cheese. https://ift.tt/2OUNCPV

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups Think of these zucchini roll-ups as like lasagna, but without the pasta! Precooking the zucchini softens it enough to roll it up with some cheese and herbs. Top with a quick fresh stovetop tomato sauce, bake, and serve! https://ift.tt/2OQvTZz

Menu Plan Monday, Oven Free Meals - Frugal Family Home

Menu Plan Monday, Oven Free Meals - Frugal Family Home

Just a few more weeks and summer will be over. I’m so ready for some cooler weather and to get back to baking. The store-bought bread is alright but I so miss the homemade bread. It’s just been too hot to bake. 🙁

This week I’ll be staying away from oven cooking. We will be grilling and using the slow cooker most days. I’ll be making the baked potatoes in the slow cooker. They turn out so nice.

If you haven’t tried it before you’ll have to give it a try. Just put the potatoes into the slow cooker. You can rub the skins with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper if you like. Then set the slow cooker to low and let it cook all day.

Dinners

Chicken Artichoke Casserole, (baked in the barbecue) Fruit, and Salad

Grilled Herb Chicken on a Salad with French Bread

Hot Dogs and Baked Bean Casserole, Salad, and Fruit

Mongolian Beef, Stir Fry Vegetables, and Rice

Easy Hamburger Dish, Salad, and Fruit

Baked Potato Bar, Salad, and Fruit

Sloppy Joes, Chips, Fruit, and Salad

Lunches

Leftover most days

Sandwiches with Chips, and Fruit

Salad with Lunchmeat and Cheese on top and Fruit

Breakfasts

Toast with Scrambled Eggs

Pancakes, Homemade Pancake Syrup, Eggs and Sausage

English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches and Fruit

What’s cooking at your house this week?

Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for my frugal menu planning tips.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

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The Unsweetened Brief History of Gingerbread

The Unsweetened Brief History of Gingerbread

Do you know the history of gingerbread? You’re probably familiar with the sweet The Gingerbread Man fairytale, right? It goes something like this: Run, run fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man! But where did…

Read More

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars Chocolate chip cookie + cheesecake = chocolate chip cheesecake bars! Why choose one when you can have both?! Bonus: these cheesecake bars are ready in about half the time as regular cheesecake. https://ift.tt/2N0EDvZ

Meal Plan for August Week 3

Meal Plan for August Week 3 Check out our meal plan for August Week 3! We've got Santa Maria Tri-Tip, Chicken Tostadas, Pasta with Tomatoes and Brie, and more! https://ift.tt/2PoEB2y

Gazpacho with Avocado and Corn

Gazpacho with Avocado and Corn Gazpacho is meant for hot summer nights when during on the stove is a chore. Add avocado and corn for a more complete meal! Gazpacho needs to be made ahead and chilled, but that also means you have lunch or dinner right in the fridge, ready whenever you are. https://ift.tt/2BnmB5z

August Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

August Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

Oh, August. I know that some of you are still enjoying summer break, of course. Around here, however, it means a final couple of weeks of summer and then the beginning of school. It kind of makes it a weird month for us. However, this means also means it’s time for a free August Word Search

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Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake

Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake Have your cake and eat it too! If you need a festive cake without gluten, dairy, or eggs, this is THE cake to make. It's tender, soft, and tastes great with chocolate frosting. (And sprinkles!) https://ift.tt/2vSLLUl

15 Ways to Cook with Zucchini This Summer

15 Ways to Cook with Zucchini This Summer Got zucchini? It's that time again, when we have more zucchini than we know what to do with. Never fear! We have solutions to this problem—15 of them to be exact! Zucchini Fritters, Cheesy Zucchini Bites, Chocolate Zucchini Bread, and more! https://ift.tt/2PexZDC

Hearty and Delicious Zucchini Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts

Hearty and Delicious Zucchini Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts

My family loves these zucchini muffins with raisins and walnuts. This is especially funny because Eric is the only one in our family who likes raisins. The rest of us tend to turn our noses up at raisins. But, somehow, these muffins are just perfect with raisins and walnuts. They help make these zucchini muffins hearty

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Sous Vide Pork Belly Bites

Sous Vide Pork Belly Bites These Sous Vide Pork Belly Bites are totally irresistible! They cook low and slow for 12 hours, then get crisped up on the grill for an easy BBQ appetizer! You NEED these at your next party. https://ift.tt/2MOGJif

Grilled Dukkah-Crusted Chicken with Lemon Hummus

Grilled Dukkah-Crusted Chicken with Lemon Hummus Try this Dukkah-Crusted Grilled Chicken! A new spice blend can really be a game changer when dinner time gets boring. Dukkah is a blend of coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and nuts, and it pairs beautifully with grilled chicken. https://ift.tt/2vLLdzE

How to Grocery Shop with Kids Without Losing Your Mind

How to Grocery Shop with Kids Without Losing Your Mind

There was a great television ad for soup a while back that I think pretty much every parent could relate to.

The ad showed a mother walking down the aisle of the supermarket, pushing a cart with a toddler, and another little one racing around near the cart. The voice coming over the supermarket loudspeaker warned about an impending storm, with road closings, and school cancellations.

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How to Grow Garlic in your Backyard Garden - Frugal Family Home

How to Grow Garlic in your Backyard Garden - Frugal Family Home

Fall is soon to be here, but that doesn’t mean you have to quit gardening. Fall is the time to plant garlic. And if you haven’t grown garlic before these tips for how to grow garlic in your backyard garden can help.

This is the second Tuesday of the month and it’s time for Tuesdays in the Garden. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to find more fall gardening tips and ideas from my gardening friends.

I’ve grown garlic in the past and homegrown garlic is so different from the garlic from the store. It’s much stronger in flavor. Plus, you can grow a lot more varieties than are available at the store.

The problem is, I often forget to get my garlic in before a freeze sets in. But this year I’m planning ahead and I will grow garlic in our garden.

Now if you haven’t grown garlic before you might have a few questions about it. Let’s clear those up first and then get down to how to grow garlic.

A few answers to questions you might have about growing garlic…

Can You Grow Garlic from the Grocery Store?

You can plant garlic from the grocery store and it will grow but it may not be the best type for your area. If you purchase seed garlic, you’ll have a better quality to grow. You can pick the type you want to grow and it’s likely to be more disease resistant.

Can You Grow Garlic From a Clove?

You can the end portion will sprout roots and the upper pointed portion will sprout the leaves.

Can You Grow Garlic in Containers?

You can, this is a great idea if your gardening space is limited. Garlic has shallow roots but needs room to grow.

Choose a pot that is 18 inches deep and about 12 inches wide to give it enough space to grow. Make sure your pot has drainage holes and place it where it will get 6 hours of sunlight a day to ensure good growth.

If you have more questions about growing garlic, I hope I will answer them below. If not, leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to answer it.

How to Grow Garlic

Garlic is fairly easy to grow. It’s not fussy like some plants but there are a few things you should know before you grow garlic in your backyard garden.

Why Type of Garlic Should I Grow?

Like I mentioned above you can grow garlic with cloves right out of the grocery store but it’s best to purchase seed garlic instead. And there are two main types of garlic to consider growing.

Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic is good for growing in areas with cold winters. It will give you two harvests too. This type will produce a flower stalk that’s called a garlic scape. When you harvest the garlic scrape, it helps the plant put its energy into growing the bulb. And the garlic scrape is edible too.

Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic is better suited for warmer winter climates. It’s more like the garlic you would purchase at the store. Softneck garlic doesn’t produce a garlic scrape but the leaves are softer and suitable for braiding after harvesting the garlic. It also keeps well.

When Should You Plant Garlic?

Garlic should be planted in the fall as early as 6-8 weeks before the first fall frost or as late as 3-4 week before the first frost.

You can plant garlic directly into the garden in the fall. It can be planted in the spring but it’s best to plant it in the fall if you can remember.

Garlic takes about 9 months to mature so pick a spot you’ll remember where you planted it so you don’t disturb it in the spring.

You can plant garlic in containers like mentioned above. Just make sure your pot is big enough.

How to Plant Garlic

Once you’ve decided what variety you’ll grow it’s time to plant. You can plant garlic in pots or in the garden bed either will work well.

Break apart the head of seed garlic but leaves the skins intact. Don’t peel the cloves. Also break apart the head of garlic two days before planting.

You’ll want to plant your garlic cloves in well-loosened soil about 1 to 3 inches deep. Garlic needs a little space so keep the rows about 5 inches apart. If planting in a pot give each clove enough room to grow.

Place the cloves in their upright position with the widest portion down.

Make sure the soil is damp but not soaked. It will take about 14 days for the cloves to sprout leaves.

Caring for Garlic Plants

Once planted you can add a layer of mulch to keep weeds down and help hold moisture in. This will protect the shoots in the winter too.

Remove the mulch in the spring. Fertilize the garlic if you see the leaves yellowing. Water every 3-5 days in the spring and taper off watering in mid-June.

When to Harvest

For fall planted garlic you’ll harvest somewhere in July to August. To know when to harvest you’ll want to watch the plants.

When the plants yellow and fall over it’s about time to harvest. But don’t wait until they are completely dry.

When you suspect the garlic is ready, take a sample. Dig up one garlic head to see how it looks. The garlic head should be plump with nice sized cloves. The outer covering should be thick, dry and be like paper.

If your garlic sample looks good. It’s time to harvest. You’ll want to dig the garlic instead of pulling it up. Using a garden fork or spade and dig the garlic up.

Then carefully dust off the extra soil from the bulbs.

How to Cure and Store Garlic

To cure the bulbs, you’ll want to leave them out in a well-ventilated area in the shade for two weeks.

You can hang them upside down on a string to make sure all sides get air circulation around them.

Be careful not to bruise the heads of garlic or they won’t keep well.

Once the bulbs are dry, it’s time to get them ready to store. You’ll want to trim off the leaves and roots. Keep the wrappers on, only removing the dirtiest wrappers.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place. If stored properly they should last until the next harvest. Remember to keep some to plant again in the fall for the next years crop.

That’s how to grow garlic. If you are looking for more fall, gardening ideas keep on reading!

Want more fall gardening ideas? Look below, the other Tuesday in the Garden bloggers are sharing more fall gardening tips and ideas. Just click on the photo to be taken to their articles.

            

Find more garden inspiration by following this link. 

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Homekeeping 101: The Basics

Homekeeping 101: The Basics With the kids home all summer and a lot of conversations with friends happening about general household chores, I thought I would take some time to focus on the basics. Because just as much as I love a little hack for cleaning shower heads, a great homemade cleaner recipe, or an amazing cleaning checklist, the basics are what keep our house running on a daily basis.

Having the kids home from school all summer is always a quick reality check of how messy the house can get oh-so-quickly, and how important our "all hands on deck" mentality is. From beach towels to athletic gear to multiple meals a day and sleepovers galore, things can spiral out of control in the blink of an eye. The following "basics" have definitely been our glue, and although some of these tips might seem ridiculously obvious, they are absolutely worth mentioning.

I have talked about this before but here it is again because it is my top tip for quickly maintaining your home: Set yourself up for success.

I recommend storing your household cleaners in the primary areas of your home so they are easy to grab and use. Also, simplify your cleaners down to just what you need to reduce confusion for the entire family. Many all-purpose cleaners are just that and can tackle counters, windows, stovetops and even quick floor cleanups. Keep bathroom cleaners under a bathroom sink and kitchen cleaners under the kitchen sink.

The basic cleaning supplies that I have found I can get away with using for 99% of our household chores are:

• Duster
• All-Purpose Cleaner (I just use a mixture of distilled water, 2-3 drops of dish soap, vinegar, and tea tree oil, and apply it to counters, appliances, glass, and floors)
• A couple cleaning cloths (one for glass, one for surface)
• Vacuum
• Mop

In the bathroom:

• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Toilet brush
• Surface cleaner & cloths
• Shower cleaner inside of a dispensing scrub brush 

I have loved and used cleaning caddies for years now, and they are great when I am doing a bigger room-to-room deep cleaning session, but for daily battles, I like that my go-to cleaners are right within an arm's reach of the mess. I also recommend keeping a vacuum and broom on each floor of the home and storing less-used specialty cleaners together and out of the way (I keep mine in our laundry room).

By removing a lot of the extras and keeping it simple, my family asks me fewer questions and are quicker to just grab what they need to get the job done.

Color code the cleaning rags.

We use microfiber cloths for just about everything, and to prevent cross-contaminating the bathroom germs with the kitchen germs, I assigned the two spaces their own cloth colors. Green is used in the kitchen and blue is used in the bathroom (or for other dirtier jobs). I also added a stack of pink for our pets near their feeding station. Easy enough for all of us to remember and the rags just get stored in their designated areas.

At the end of each week, the bathroom rags are washed with my mop heads and bath mats, the pet rags are washed with dog bed covers and their bath towels, and the kitchen rags and dishtowels are washed together. I always wash these items on a sanitary cycle during my Sunday linen wash day.

Baking soda and dish soap can clean just about anything.

Clear dish soap makes a really great stain remover and I use it all of the time on furniture, clothing, rugs, and spills. Because it is clear, I don't have to worry about it damaging colors or materials (I always start with a small drop or two and paired with some water it typically does the trick). Baking soda is a good deodorizing agent and also helps to absorb the spill/stain/wetness.

For those tougher messes (think pots, pans, baking sheets, ovens, etc...), soaking items with baking soda, dish soap and water is a major sanity saver. After cooking I always soak our pots and pans with baking soda and dish soap and by the time I am ready to wash them, they come clean with little to no scrubbing.

Baking soda and dish soap seem to be a powerhouse cleaner when combined, and I wouldn't hesitate to reach for the combo when tackling any major cleaning job around the house, inside or out!

Clean from top to bottom.

This general rule applies to just about any cleaning task; it is always easiest and quickest to work from the top down. Washing glass? Start at the top and make "S" motions down to the bottom. Cleaning the kitchen, wash counters and the table first, then vacuum/mop the floor. Bathroom? Clean the mirror and work down to the sink and counter and finish at the base of the toilet. Spraying down the siding outside, start at the top and... you got it! Work your way down.

Clean with the grain.

There are times when I actually encourage folks to go against the grain, but that is not the case when it comes to basic homekeeping. Washing items against the grain will bring out imperfections and may cause the surface to appear less clean than it is. It is always best to clean floors, stainless steel, wood furniture, etc... with the natural grain of the item. When the cleaner dries, it should blend right in and enhance the beauty, not fight it.

Dishwashers are not just for dishes!

Did you know that so many other things can be cleaned in a dishwasher? A few examples of things we have washed in our dishwasher are light fixture shades, toothbrushes, sponges, scrub brushes, toys, soap dishes, shower caddies, combs, vases, canisters, baseball caps, drawer organizers, basic tools, vent covers, etc...

Of course, I say this with my use with caution warning, the top rack is usually best for anything you worry about. Avoid putting anything too precious in the dishwasher, also avoid washing anything made of wood or with a delicate metal finish. Always rinse items first to prevent clogging up your dishwasher and when in doubt, leave it out.

Fold/hang clothes straight out of the dryer.

In the past I would get in a habit of taking clothes out of the dryer, tossing them in a basket, and taking them to another room of the house to deal with. Then I would do my best to fold things during a nightly T.V. show, but too many times the contents wouldn't end up put away. And just as I did when I was a kid, my boys would mix dirty with clean or would leave piles on their beds which would then tumble to the floor...

A while back we decided to try something new, so straight out of the dryer the clothes are either immediately folded or put directly on their respective hangers (I just grab the empty hangers out of the closet on my way to the laundry room), and stacked in a portable basket. Same for linens. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes it much easier to put everything away right away. I also have the boys doing this with their personal loads and it has completely cut down on the piles of questionables around the house and in each bedroom. The wire baskets we use are lightweight and portable making it easy to tote around the house and return back to the laundry room (as shown here).

Laundry can quickly become a monster if not managed regularly but really isn't all that hard if you just get into a good groove with it. I am not sure why it works so much better for us to just deal with everything right out of the dryer (vs. taking it to the couch or our bedroom to fold), but it has been a huge sanity saver so I call it a very basic win. And while we are on the subject, giving each member of the house their own designated day to do their laundry has also been amazing.

Multi-task whenever possible.

I have gotten into the habit of building some of the basic household cleaning tasks into my routine each day, which makes it much easier to maintain the home in general. For example, I wash the bathroom sink/counter each time I brush my teeth. I scrub down the walls of the shower while actually taking a shower. I quickly wipe up the kitchen counters while making my coffee. I wipe down the inside of the fridge each week when I put away groceries. These very quick add-ins really add up each week.

Make your bed every day.

Maybe I should move this one to the top because it might just be the most impactful. I will admit that I haven't always been a believer in making my bed every day, and never really encouraged the kids to do it either. But after it became such a positive habit, I can't imagine not doing it. It makes a huge difference in quickly pulling our bedroom together, but it also has been really uplifting to my mood. And I love leaving our bedroom door open and catching a glimpse of the tidy bed, which can be exactly what I need when I am having a messy day.

Not buying it? I encourage you to try it for two weeks and check out this article (or listen to this awesome speech). It is a great basic housekeeping and life-changing task!

Homekeeping takes some effort.

Dang, if I could teach my kids anything about basic housekeeping, it would be that life is so much easier if you just pick up after yourself right away. And if that just isn't possible, to set aside a few minutes at the end up each day to do so. Too many times we have spent an entire afternoon on a weekend dealing with a week's worth of random piles and messes. I can think of 1,001 other ways I would rather spend a weekend day, and my family agrees.

I know that some people are naturally more tidy than others. That some people can look right past a pile or mess and be completely unphased by it, while others can't focus or relax until that pile is gone. We have both personality types living under our roof and it has always been a give and take and compromise.

There are definitely days when I say, "the chores can wait", and the clean freak in me has done a lot of letting go over the years. There is something to be said about soaking up the little moments in life and I know first hand that our time with our kids goes much too quickly. So cheers to playing a card game after dinner instead of stressing out about those puppy nose prints on the patio door.

But the matter of the fact is that the mess will continue to be there until we deal with it, and it only snowballs if we don't.

So we try to find that right balance and do our best to take care of a lot of the basics each day and to pick up after ourselves when we take things out.

We also work together to do a quick pick-up at the end of each day. I leave a flexible basket hung on a hook near the stairs to corral random items that need to be brought down, and it also works great for running through the house and collecting things like electronics, mail, crafts, toiletries, socks, etc... that have been left out throughout the day and need to be put away. We always tidy up the kitchen (run the dishwasher after dinner, quickly sweep or vacuum, wipe down the table/counters) and fluff the sofa pillows before bed. It makes all of the difference just taking 10-15 minutes each evening to start the following day off right.

I wish there was a red "easy" button or magic cleaning fairy that would come in and get things done while we sleep, but general homekeeping just takes some work and discipline. We aren't always perfect or on top of every mess, and we still have times when we have to play catch-up and binge clean parts of the home, yard or garage. But we continuously instill in the boys that we are all responsible for our home, and always have them help with the basic homekeeping responsibilities.

I think this is one of those discussions that could really benefit from your added ideas and advice in the comments below. I hear so often that people are generally overwhelmed with household chores and keeping up with daily duties. People want quick tips, shortcuts, and basic ideas to make homekeeping more manageable and less discouraging. Do you have additional ideas to share? How about small things you have added to your routine that have had a big payoff? Any ah-ha moments that we all could benefit from? Let's chat!
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