Monthly Archives: September 2011

American Virtue’s Monthly e-Newsletter

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A little administrative business for you loyal fans – if you signed up for our monthly e-newsletter, it really will be coming out soon.  We have had to upgrade our sign up program.
What does that mean to YOU?  Well, we chose one that with more features that will keep you even safer from SPAM.  (Unless it’s in a frying pan, we’re not fans of SPAM.  *wink*)  
This also means that you may receive a notice from our new carrier asking if it’s okay to migrate you over.  Please confirm your subscription with the new mailing list so we can keep in touch with you!  We don’t want you to miss out on our monthly e-news.  It’ll also be the way we let you know when the first issue of the magazine is ready; I know you don’t want to miss that!
Missing the little envelope icon over there where you signed up?  Don’t worry – we’ve got a fancy schmancy one on the way.  

Lastly, please be aware that this transition means you’ll get the September e-newsletter on the last day of the month.  On the upside, you’ll get the October one mid-month, which means you won’t have to wait a full month to get it!

Thanks for your patience, folks.  We really appreciate all the support and encouragement you’ve shown us in our new venture!

Wednesday Wit & Wisdom: 9/28/11

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The Worst Way
“Lincoln attended his first ball in Springfield (Illinois) because he wished to see Mary Todd.  ‘Miss Todd,’ he said, ‘I should like to dance with you in the worst way.’
“Afterward Mary told a friend: ‘He certainly did!’”
~ From Presidential Anecdotes, by Paul F. Boller, Jr. ~
~ 1981, Oxford University Press ~

Quick Tip Tuesday: A Prepared Pantry

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Concerned about emergency preparedness but not sure how to fit it into your budget?  Next time you’re making your grocery list, make a note of what is consistently on it.  Then add one extra can – or one extra case, if your budget allows – of whatever you eat the most of.
You’ll save money in the long run by purchasing items that your family will actually use – allowing for proper rotation of emergency supplies.  Buying a pantry full of wheat berries because an expert said to store wheat does you no good if most of your household is allergic to gluten!  Invest instead in extra cans of green beans or whatever you’ll really eat; in the event of a family-level crisis such as a layoff, you can go shopping in your own pantry and you’re rotating your food storage.
As for the money aspect: If you’re a fan of warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s, budget for one extra case.  If you are couponer who hits the regular grocer most frequently, ask around for extra coupons on your family’s favorites.  (Need tips on getting the really great deals?  Check out MoneySavingMom for loads of resources.)
Not everyone can hit a website and purchase a full year supply of food for their family in one fell swoop, but each extra can of stew or bag of dried beans you can pull in is a great step toward the overall goal.  You might not walk out of the warehouse with a truck full of toilet paper, but not having to rush to the store because you bought two tubes of toothpaste last trip instead of only one is a great feeling too!

Shoot for an extra pack of batteries, one more candle, or a few cans of your favorite soup in the cupboard each payday.  Remember, every little bit counts!

The BEST Gluten Free Banana Bread Muffins

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I recently posted about being blessed with an entire BOX of bananas and what we did to put them up. I’ve had folks asking for the heavenly gluten-free banana bread muffin recipe we used, so I thought I’d just post it and share!

Heavenly Gluten Free Banana Bread Muffins
4 TB butter, melted
1/2 C sugar or honey
2 eggs
1 very ripe banana
1 3/4 C Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 t salt
1/2 t vanilla

Beat together the melted butter, sugar (or honey), eggs and banana. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Pour into greased or papered muffin tins; ladle in your muffin mix to about the halfway point.  (We used mini muffin tins.) 

Bake at 350* F for about 10-15 minutes for MINI muffins; about 25 minutes for full size muffins. You can use this for banana BREAD – just use mini loaf pans as full sized tend to have to be baked so long that it dries this great moist bread right out. Watch carefully–do not OVER bake.

These make deliciously moist yummy muffins! THE BEST GLUTEN FREE muffins we’ve ever had — the whole family (GF or not) LOVED them! Make LOTS and enjoy!

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American Virtue Magazine is pleased to partner with Lisa Barthuly of Homestead Originals to present a Frugal Living series here on our “Taking the Hill” blog. Mrs. Barthuly is the author of Homestead Simplicity: Natural Clean and the creator of the Homestead Originals line of all-natural, handcrafted candles.
Each week we will feature recipes Mrs. Barthuly has created for use on her family’s homestead. Whether your homestead is rural, urban, or somewhere in between, we trust that you will glean something of interest from these offerings. We invite you to leave comments here on Taking the Hill, on our Facebook page, and to visit the Barthuly family’s web site to learn more about her company’s offerings.