Meals in 20 - Roast Beef Sandwich with Au Jus

Cooking is a major hobby for me. I can't think of many things more rewarding than watching the look of joy pass across the face of someone who has just tasted one of my creations. That being said, lengthy, complex meals are not always possible. Several days ago, Dear Hubby and I spent a good deal of time running errands ending in a grocery store trip. By that time we were exhausted and starving. We could have ordered take out, but the truth is we had a craving for Italian Beef sandwiches, and living in the panhandlers of Florida, they are impossible to find. When we were in Chicago, there were countless restaurants that served or one could find tubs of the stuff in nearly any store. The correct way to make it requires hours that we were unable to wait through. Then Hubby came up with a plan.

We started with good roast beef from the deli. You know the kind, perfectly pink in the middle, not sliced until you order it. We had them slice a pound and a half on the second thinnest setting. We also picked up beef broth, mushrooms, and hoagie rolls. In retrospect, a fresh clove of garlic and fresh oregano would have been good too.

This is the "doneness" we wanted. It cooks more in the au jus. 

To assemble the sandwich, we wanted the broth adding Italian seasoning, garlic pepper, and a beef bullion cube to boost the beefy goodness. This also eliminated the need to add salt. Next we added the mushrooms to flavor them and warm them. Lastly, we added the roast beef to give it more flavor and warm it. When everything was hot, it time to begin building. Slit open the rolls, and add the beef being sure to get a little of the au jus to soften the bread. Then add  the mushrooms and enough mozzarella (or whatever cheese makes you happy) and close top the sandwich. The hot meat should melt the cheese. Dish up a little of the au jus for dipping the sandwich, and chow down.

I only use Kräft cheeses. They are largely lactose free meaning they are the only choice for me. 

This is one of my favorite meal hacks because it can be personalized in so many ways and it is so quick. Not too expensive either - the roast beef was the most pricey bit. Of course we have leftovers which is always my goal. It was a great meal for a lazy night. Can't ask for much more.

Shoeless no more

In my normal boring life, I work in a restaurant, mostly in the kitchen area. As you may expect, there are frequently spills and slippery debris on the floors that can lead to painful slips and falls. For that reason, we are require to seal slip resistant shoes. In that past two and a half years I have been through four pairs of shoes. I need a new pair, but money is tight right now, so when the sole of my current pair blew out, I decided the get a little more life out of them by combining two pair of shoes to make use of the best part of both.

Using a heat gun to remove the soles.

All removed

My current shoes are men's oxfords. I love almost everything about them. They're tasteful and not overly masculine. They have the cheapest soles though. I started noticing that my feet kept getting wet and when I investigated, the bottoms had given up the fight. The pair I owned previously didn't fit my look at all, and had begun losing the stitching in the uppers. Also the soles were separating from the uppers, which is what gave me the idea.

How I created the sizes needed.

I used duct tape to hold the new soles to the shoes. Gorilla glue does not bond instantly.

Using a heat gun, I removed the soles from the ugly pair and trimmed away the edging. My current shoes have heels, so I cut the soles to fit the heel and main base of my oxfords, and pulled out the Gorilla Glue. It is important to note that Gorilla Glue expands so use it sparingly. I forgot that fact, so when the glue was dry, I had glue to trim from the edges. I cut it away with my pocket knife. Because the shape of the two shoes were so different, it does look a bit like I am floating, but that's a little fun. Point is, 2 days in,and no one has noticed, and I have dry feet. Total win in my book.

DIY Cat Scratcher? Why not?

While perusing kitten toys, I noticed those cardboard cat scratch boards. I thought to myself, "That's brilliant." That thought was cut short however because my eyes fell to the price on the shelf. Ten dollars for the equivalent of a shoe box lid filled with strips of corrugated cardboard tightly arranged within. I figured this could easily be made for free, and set about proving that theory.

The first step, as I saw it, was finding a containing box. I had a few smaller Amazon boxes around, and so I cut one down to be about 2 1/2 inches tall. For the filler, I cut the flaps from a portable freezer shipping box. It is quite thick and sturdy, and so it seemed perfect. I then cut the flaps into strips matching the height of the box. The strips are folded into accordions to fill the entire container as tightly as possible. This is where things get tricky if you don't have a straight edge, as I found out on my first attempt. The layers are uneven, and that just seems unfinished. Also, it is too small. The test kitten liked it, but only for small stretches as she got frustrated that she couldn't sit on it and scratch at the same time.

So, because all I really did wrong was to take was to be lazy with the project was to think too small and make shortcuts, I was able adapt my same idea. I used a ruler to make the goods in the strips even and used much larger containing bow. It was the lid from a cardboard storage tote. I decided to add a bit of glue in between the slats to keep things neat. Since my test kitten loves it, I plan to dress it up by covering it in fabric, but for now, this is one perfectly serviceable, nearly free cat scratcher.

Meet Willow, the test kitten.

She likes to lounge and scratch here. I feel rewarded.

Updates...

When I last posted I told you all of a number of free items that I sent away for. So far I have received 3 of them. The first to arrive were my wallpaper samples from Wallpapers Direct. The colors weren't exactly what I expected, but that's what I get for choosing colors from a computer monitor. The last item that arrived was the fabric samples. I should have noted the size as they are tiny, but I can still work with them. I wanted varying shapes and sizes, and that is what I have. Bemz shipped them from Lithuania, so the shipping time was pretty amazing and I can't wait to get the whole project together.

The second item to arrive was the lettuce seed from Groundswell International. I have been quite preoccupied with life lately, and so only got them planted today. I am looking forward to having fresh free lettuce in my home, and am already looking for the next plant to get started.

I also had a great surprise this week when the ginger I started from a store-bought root started to sprout. I've already begun looking for new Asian inspired recipes to use it in. One great dish that I have already tried is Crock Pot Mongolian Beef. I tweak this recipe by decreasing the amount of brown sugar and adding crushed red pepper. It's so easy and tasty that this will make appearance on our table regularly.

My ginger... isn't it cute?

FREE!!! My favorite word.

One of my favorite things is finding free things that are actually useful. The usefulness of the item is actually the most important part of the deal, as we all know that it is an easy thing to find free things that nobody wants. Today I'll share some of my more recent finds. Perhaps they may spark some new ideas for you.

Wallpaper and fabric samples
I have a completely bare wall above the couch in my living room. I hang stuff there for Christmas, but the rest of the year it's just a full, unused space. It has been this way for the two years we have lived here because I couldn't come up with anything that seemed to fit the space. Yesterday I had an epiphany and began looking for free wallpaper samples on line.

Wallpaperdirect.com allows 2 free samples (shipping included), no questions asked.

Bemz, a company that specializes in Ikea furniture updates allows fabric samples that ship overseas at not cost. The plan is to use the wallpaper and fabric in frames to fill in the space. (Now just to find free frames!) I will be sure to update this project once it is all in place.

Gardening
As you know if you have read previous posts, I have begun trying to supplement our grocery supplies by growing a few things at home. I already have cilantro and basil growing well from seeds that I purchased on the cheap. I also have green onions and ginger growing from store purchases. It is a good start, but I want more. After searching, I found several sources for free seeds.

Groundswell International was the most impressive source that I found. They have a goal, it seems, to feed the world. Therefore, every spring they give away thousands if not millions of seeds to promote ending world hunger. Definitely worth checking out even if you don't have a green thumb.

Gardens Alive will send you a free catalogue, and that contains a $25 coupon with no minimum purchase. I haven't received the catalogue yet, so I can't promise there is no fine print, but other testimonials I have read point to it being true to its words. The exciting thing here is that they offer equipment and other gardening supplies.

Feed a Bee has a lofty goal in mind. They want go grow 50 million flowers to help out dwindling new population. To that end they will send packets of 200 wildflower seeds for free. No, it's not food for us, but we rely on bees for a majority of our food. In my book, this type of gardening is even more important than any of my plant endeavors.

This isn't the end of my quest for freebies, but it is a great start. If you have any good sources, please share them in the comments. I, of course, will report on the outcome of everything I tried here today. A little searching can pay off in a big way!

Money crunch!

This week I bought an almost new car. It is only a year old, has very few miles, and has all the fuel saving perks a frugal girl could want. While I got a great price given my credit situation (thank you recession), it still is a lot more money than I spend on things. Of course after the purchase, I panicked about money. So today, I am looking for ways to save even more money around the house. I already use dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar to do most of my cleaning (especially the floors) and shop sales for commercial cleaning products. I buy the store brand or equivalently priced item for nearly everything else. I also take advantage of various store perks and programs such as Wal-Mart Savings Catcher and grocery store member cards but still think I can do more.

Another step I have taken is to start an indoor herb and scrap garden. It's been slow going since I have been quite busy lately, but I have basil and cilantro going strong. I started them from those small $1 kid's growing sets. The containers are recycled tea cans. I also have onions, both green and yellow, growing from what was purchased from food we bought. Apparently this can be done with a number of produce items. I have some ginger that will find itself in a pot before the weekend is over as well. The most expensive part of this venture was the potting soil (yes Mom, Miracle Grow). Recycled containers help, but even the ones I purchased were only $1 from Wal-Mart.

This is a beginning, but by no means the end of this quest. Feel free to comment below on some of your container gardening adventures, and I'll keep you updated on my progress.

My herbs and green onions. 

Hard to see, but a small yellow onion plant is popping up here.

Reuse, reduce...

Because money is harder to come by than ideas, I have decided to use the latter to make the most of what I have or can get for very little cost. That is fortunate, because I have a desire to lessen my carbon footprint and I love to make things. Finding unique solutions to everyday issues comes naturally to me. My bedside wastebasket is made of old magazines and hot glue. I based it on an idea I found here. It has lasted a year, and a little less trash went to the dumpster that day. I save jars for storage of small items, etc. and use soft drink caps to elevate my dish drain to help with water flow. I know this makes me sound a bit like a hoarder, but trust me - many things do end up trashed. The key is to keep a few items (jars, empty water jugs) on hand, then toss the rest until some have been used. So now that I have shared a few ideas, it's your turn. Please share some of the unique ways you reuse items in your homes. I will continue to share ideas I find with you... complete with instructions and photos.

Theses  jars were re-purposed for avocado plants. Nothing happened, but I tried!