Frugal Lissa Finds a Body
Page 19
Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of thyme.
For Those Making Ahead:
I make this double batch every time and put them in the freezer in groups of four in plastic bags. If the potatoes are frozen flat and in one layer, they won’t stick together during the freezing process, and can provide a quick alternative when you need dinner in a hurry. I can pull out four, or just one or two. Whatever I need.
JAMEY’S HOMEWORK PROJECT
Oobleck – as seen on the Big Bang Theory
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1½ to 2 cups of corn starch (any brand)
A few drops of food coloring, your preference, or it can be left white
Prepare:
Put water into a bowl and add the cornstarch a small portion at a time and stir with a spoon. Once you’ve added about 1½ cups, continue adding any additional starch more slowly, and begin mixing with your entire hand. The idea is to keep the Oobleck in a liquid and yet solid state, so just add starch until reaching the desired consistency. If you find you’ve added too much cornstarch, add a little water, and then just alternate with a little extra starch needed until the mixture is balanced. One hint—it will feel appropriately weird.
Add food coloring slowly, drop by drop, and mix it thoroughly with each addition to achieve a uniform color.
Play:
Now it’s time to play with the Oobleck! Squeeze a handful and let it ooze through your fingers to feel it as a liquid. Put it into a plastic container and shake it or bounce it on the ground and watch it appear in a solid state. Or do like they did on the Big Bang Theory and put it onto plastic wrap on top of a subwoofer and play low frequency music at high volumes to watch the Oobleck perform.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
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SAVE MONEY ON FOOD by shopping your fridge first. American families throw out an average $2500 in food each year by not realizing what’s already available in their kitchens. Use clear plastic containers for storage, and lazy Susan options if you have room on your refrigerator shelves, so food cannot hide and go bad.
Plan menus to save money. Do six meals ahead, just starting with what’s already in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Then for the seventh meal, combine leftovers from the other six. This will save both time and money.
One website that helps plan dinner when you didn’t plan ahead is www.MyFridgeFood.com where you can enter ingredients you have on hand, and get recipes that fit those items.
Ways to Cut Prescription Costs:
Always call ahead and check prices if you have a deductible or no insurance. Every pharmacy prices prescriptions differently. According to the American Medical Association, 28% of generic drugs and 6% of brand-named drugs cost less than the standard insurance copay. Laws may keep your pharmacist from admitting you can buy cheaper by not going through insurance, but if you ask, they have to tell you. And check to see if the drug manufacturer has a program in place to offset the high cost of your prescription. One place to find out if you qualify is to visit www.BenefitsCheckup.org and enter a few details about yourself anonymously, and you’ll get information on programs that can assist you.
Spend Less on Your Next Car:
Always check the auto manufacturers’ finance rates, as they have been currently the best rates for new vehicles.
You can do your own “certifying” on a used car by getting your dealer to provide a free car history and then taking it to an independent mechanic and paying $100 to $200 for your mechanic to do a deep check on all systems under the hood. If your dealer won’t provide the history, you can order it yourself at www.AutoCheck.com for about $25, and you can check out any recalls on the model for free at www.NHTSA.gov
Dealers offer lots of add-ons that you can do yourself and save: like upholstery protection for hundreds that will cost less than $10 if you do it yourself, or VIN etching which will run $200 or more at the dealership, but can be purchased as a kit online for around $20.
And always check out extended car warranty companies with your local Better Business Bureau.
BOOKS BY RITTER AMES
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ORGANIZED MYSTERIES:
Organized for Murder
Organized for Homicide
Organized for Scheduled Sabotage
Organized for S'more Death
Organized for Masked Motives
.
Bodies of Art Mysteries:
Counterfeit Conspiracies
Marked Masters
Abstract Aliases
Fatal Forgeries
Bronzed Betrayals
.
Frugal Lissa Mysteries
Frugal Lissa Finds a Body
Frugal Lissa Digs Up a Body (coming soon)
Frugal Lissa Hunts a Body (available soon)
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Also by Ritter Ames
Frugal Lissa Mysteries
Frugal Lissa Finds a Body
Organized Mysteries
Organized for Scheduled Sabotage
Watch for more at Ritter Ames’s site.