Thriftism

Black Currant & Rhubarb Jam Recipe This homemade  Black Currant & Rhubarb Jam  combines the rich, slightly tart flavor of fresh black currants with the bright, tangy flavor of rhubarb. The result is a beautiful deep-red jam that's delicious on toast, biscuits, scones, pancakes, or fresh homemade bread. With just  four simple ingredients , this is an easy way to turn fresh summer fruit into a delicious homemade preserve. 🍇 Why You'll Love This Recipe Made with fresh black currants and rhubarb Only 4 ingredients Sweet and pleasantly tart Beautiful deep color Delicious for breakfast or dessert Great for homemade gifts 🥄 Black Currant & Rhubarb Jam Recipe Ingredients 1 pound fresh black currants 1 pound fresh rhubarb 2 cups granulated sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Instructions Wash the fruit.  Thoroughly wash the black currants and rhubarb. Prepare the fruit.  Remove the stems from the black currants and chop the rhubarb into small pieces. Combine the...

Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box: What’s Inside? If you’re expecting a baby and creating an Amazon Baby Registry, you may have heard about the  Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box . It’s a fun perk for eligible registry customers and can be a great way to discover useful products and samples for your little one. What Is the Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box? The welcome box is a collection of baby and newborn items that may include samples, diapers, wipes, feeding products, and other baby essentials. The exact contents can vary, so opening the box is always a little bit of a surprise! This is what I got in summer of 2026 with an estimated worth of each item: Item Approx. value 🍼  Dr. Brown’s Anti-Colic 4 oz Narrow Bottle $8.00 👶  Amazing Baby Newborn Muslin Swaddle $10–$12 🧼  Seventh Generation Dishwasher Tablets (4) $1.25–$2.00 🧷  Pampers Amore Size 1 (1 diaper) $0.35–$0.50 🌿  Palmer’s Skin Therapy Oil (20 ml) $1.50–$2.00 🤰  Palmer’s Stretch Mark Lo...

Oregano is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. I love that it creates an edible garden while also acting as a repellant against biting insects. It is also known as wild marjoram and grows similarly to marjoram.  Oregano has traditionally been used to reduce fevers and relieve cramps by taking as a tea. This herb has been said to also help with bronchitis, measles, mumps, upset stomach, anxiety, and irregular menstruation. Topically, oregano oil has been said to help with seizures when applied to neck, spine, chest, throat or temples. For tea, add 1 tsp dried oregano leaves to 1 pint boiling water and let steep for 30 minutes up to 3 times per day. As with all treatments, please check with your doctor before self administering. This herb contains Thymol, which can be an antiseptic. As we look to culinary uses, oregano has been using in cocktails as a bitter as well as multiple types of food. Known best for use in Italian dis...

Ingredients  1 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks about five large ones  4 large ribs celery sliced  4 medium carrots peeled and diced  2 large parsnip peeled and diced or 1 large potato 1 Large yellow onion diced  1/2 teaspoon black pepper  1 quart water + 1 teaspoon salt  Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions:  Place all of the ingredients in the pot, pouring in the chicken broth over top.  Cover the pot and set to “Soup” setting for 1 hr (up to 1hr 20 min for frozen chicken).  Allow to naturally depressurize for 10 minutes.  When pressure seal releases, remove the drumsticks and allow them to rest just until cool enough to handle or wear nitrile gloves to protect hands.  Remove the meat from the drumsticks, discarding the bones, skin, and cartilage.  Return the meat to the pot with the other ingredients. Embed

We visited Trelissick Garden on a May afternoon and lucked out with a sunny, semi-warm day that was clear and allowed us amazing views. From what we heard, the views are pretty spectacular year round. This is one of the National Trust properties so it is free to get in and park if you are a member or if you are a member of the Royal Oak Foundation (for US citizens). I highly recommend buying a membership if you will be in the UK for any amount of time as it saves a lot of money in the long run. If you aren't a member, I'd still recommend stopping here and paying the  £13 ( at time of publishing post).  This English garden seems to be where Lewis Carroll got a few of his ideas or at least where the animators of the film got theirs. We loved seeing the tree with the hole at the base and the rose trees and other fantastical sights. Was wonderful for our toddler to play around in the large grassy areas and as with many of the national trust sites, there is a lovely cafe, sho...

Thriftism visits St. Michael's Mount in the coastal town of Marazion in Cornwall, England. This is a tidal island that can be reached via the causeway during low tide or by boat in high tide. Plan ahead if you want to walk as we got a little wet walking back to the mainland. It is approximately 15 minutes to walk the causeway.  It is a National Trust property, meaning that if you're a member, you can visit for free! I highly recommend doing the Royal Oak foundation if a US citizen as you get entry to so many places and free parking as well. If not, it is still well worth the entrance fee to see. This includes visiting both the castle and the gardens. The castle dates back to ~1650 while other buildings can be dated to the 12th century. Saint Michael's Mount is a National Trust property, although thanks to a unique lease agreement the St Aubyn family still live here! St Michael's Mount island is one of 43 islands that one can walk to from Britain. Once a Benedictine mon...

This spicy mint chutney is really more of a creamy mint sauce than a traditional chutney. This being said, it goes great with rice (with or without meat) as well as crackers, bread or even veggies. Be sure to use thick greek yogurt or it will be even runnier than it already is. Feel free to sub a bell pepper or less spicy pepper in place of jalapenos if you're not a fan of any spice (it can have a bit of a kick). We loved being able to use up an abundance of mint from our garden this fall and hope it helps you switch up from the standard mint teas and mojitos.  Embed

This is a very simple recipe that is delicious and easy to make gluten free and dairy free if desired. It wouldn't be hard to transition to vegan as well (cut out chicken and cream cheese and replace with desired alternative. We loved this a a warm fall, budget friendly meal.  Embed

Thyme is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. If you let it flower, it will produce tiny white, pink, or purple flowers that add to the visual appeal of your garden, while not detracting too much from herb flavor. Plant up front as this is a short growing perennial.  Burning thyme can help reduce insects in house or yard.  Thyme has many medicinal uses. Thyme has been known as a natural antibiotic. Some use for gargling or tea to help treat cold sores, bad breath, allergies, and the common cold. It can be used external as a hot compress to help relief chest congestion, though I have not tried this myself. It has been said to help improve blood circulation as well as treating nail or foot fungus when used as a soak. Can be applied to cuts/scraps to help prevent infection or used in toothpaste. People have used for acne and rashes as well. Thyme may help relax tense muscles helping relieve headaches. Thyme oil can still be...

While rhubarb recipes are traditionally sweet or revolving around dessert, we decided to try taking rhubarb into the savory realm. Rhubarb adds a fun flavor to this healthy soup that can easily be made into a vegan meal (just switch vegetable stock for chicken stock). It is quick and easy to make and incredibly affordable, especially if you have any home grown garden produce. Scroll down for a printable recipe. Steps: Put all ingredients minus spices into stock pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add spices. Simmer additional 5-10 minutes. Eat and Enjoy! Embed

Sage is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. I love that it doubles as a flowering shrub while stilling creating an edible garden.  Sage can provide itch relief for insect bites. Do this by crushing leaves and mix with water or saliva and apply to bite area. This herb can also soothe sore throats and may help relieve mucus buildup when taken as a tea. Use caution as tea can be considered harmful to some.  NOTE: Sage can and likely will reduce milk production/flow if taken while breastfeeding. Some also noted that sage may reduce heart problems. It is also well known in rituals and spiritual purification.  As for cooking, sage pairs well in traditional thanksgiving dishes as well as with many meals. It is high in Vitamin K.  Growing sage is very easy. While you can plant either in the ground or in a container, I would recommend ground planting as it is more of a bush than other herbs. Sage is a perennial...

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We walked along the South West Coast Path today near Kynance Cove. This is an amazing spot to hike as well as enjoy a beach day out here. With tidal pools that the kids can play in to clear waters and white sands, this is a great beach spot. Watch the tide times as you can get cut off at high tide and cannot access the caves as the water returns up. There is a high tide path to access the cafe from the car park as well as the South West Coast Path without walking on the beach.  The car park is a National Trust lot meaning you get free parking with your national trust card or Royal Oak Foundation Parking permit. If not a member, I believe it is around 4 pounds to park. This is a quick sneak peak of the portion of the trail we hiked today.  The entire trail stretches over 630 miles across wide ranging terrain all with gorgeous sea views and many historic landmarks.  **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Download maps.me for offline map access and to view your location along with hiking ...

Mullion Cove We walked along the South West Coast Path today starting at Mullion Cover heading towards Gunwalloe. This is a quick sneak peak of the portion of the trail we hiked today. The entire trail stretches over 630 miles across wide ranging terrain all with gorgeous sea views and many historic landmarks.   Link to google map of today's hike: https://goo.gl/maps/HCRvwzMLtzjbe71N6    **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Download maps.me for offline map access and to view your location along with hiking trails. See our video on the app: https://youtu.be/kPcdiUMe1aA   For recommended routes visit: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk   Click on "walks" to search near your desired location. Also has option to search for food, lodging and things to do along the path near your chosen walk or hike.     Embed

Just because winter is here doesn't mean we can't enjoy summer favorites. Whether you buy fresh peaches or use canned, this gluten free peach cobbler is sure to be a new favorite. It is quick and simple to make and comes together in under an hour. We've made this with both fresh peaches and canned with great results. I might recommend canned as the flavor doesn't change too much and it saves time by not having to peel and slice the peaches. This can easily be made into a vegan cobbler as well by substituting almond milk and plant butter (we have tried this as well with great results).  Start by combining peaches, sugar, cinnamon and water in sauce pan. Boil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile melt butter into an 8x8 pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk until smooth. Pour over butter - DON'T MIX! Top with peach mixture. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or so.  Video Tutorial: Printable to letter size paper Embed

Follow along to learn how you can easily make your baby's cherry puree from your kitchen. You can choose to steam cherries, boil in a sauce pan or use an instapot.  Cherries are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Adjust the liquid content to suit your desired consistency for your baby. Cherries are great for making a puree that works well for introducing a single food or adding a touch of sweetness to your combined baby food purées. By making your own baby food, you know exactly what goes into it and can avoid preservatives. We are choosing to start adding in purees at 6 months, but talk to your doctor to decide when to introduce foods into your baby's diet.  For our homemade baby food, we are using organic produce to avoid any pesticides or other chemicals being added to our baby's puree. By buying fresh fruit when it is in season, you can save money on your baby food as well as getting the highest nutritional content. Frozen cherries and dehydrated cherri...

Strawberries are great for making a super quick puree that works well for introducing a single food or adding a touch of sweetness to your combined baby food purées. By making your own baby food, you know exactly what goes into it and can avoid preservatives. We are choosing to start adding in purees at 6 months, but talk to your doctor to decide when to introduce foods into your baby's diet. For our homemade baby food, we are using organic produce to avoid any pesticides or other chemicals being added to our baby's puree. Ideally, we would grow our own, but that adds a whole lot of work to this simple process. By buying fresh fruit when it is in season, you can save money on your baby food as well!  Start by rinsing well. If you're not using organic consider doing a short baking soda soak.  Cut off any bruised or overly ripe. You'll also cut off the greens and core the strawberries. Rough chop your strawberries.  Either boil (cook down) your strawberries without ad...