Monday Q&A | Starting a blog, car maintenance, and more
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
I'm curious as to why one of the top sides of regular loaves of bread tend to crack and rise higher (during baking) than the other side (like in your cinnamon oatmeal bread photos)?
-Elizabeth
You know, I've never thought about that before! It seems to me that this mostly happens in loaves that have a filling (like the cinnamon swirl bread) or in breads that have hearty grains in them (like oatmeal bread). I've also had it happen when I've rolled two different doughs together (like whole wheat and white dough, to make a swirl bread). In the case of the different doughs, I think it must be because they rise at different rates. In the case of the oatmeal bread, I'd imagine that the lower gluten level would cause the bread to crack (more gluten means a stretchier dough, so lower gluten would contribute to cracking). I don't really know why cinnamon bread tends to split, though! Readers, any ideas? I'd say it was from the oatmeal in my oatmeal cinnamon bread recipe, but my regular cinnamon bread sometimes splits too.
I do think the split side rises higher because it's freed from the rest of the loaf. But I don't think it splits the loaf because it's rising higher (if that makes sense!). 😉
I've been enjoying your blog and considering getting into the world of blogging myself but not sure where to start. Most of my favorite blogs appear on Blogher but I've realized they aren't where one starts......do you have any advice on where to start a blog?
--Amy
Yes, I do! 😉 I always, always recommend that you start out with a WordPress blog. I know a lot of people use Blogger and love it, but if you want to be at all serious about blogging, I'd definitely tell you to go with WordPress. Most of the big, popular blogs I read are powered by WordPress, and I keep seeing blogger after blogger moving from the Blogger software to the WordPress software. So, save yourself the trouble and start out on WordPress!
Why do I love WordPress?
I have to say, the main reason I adore WordPress is that they make blogs look sleek and professional, much moreso than Blogger blogs. Some people customize their Blogger blogs and make them look great, but most WordPress blogs look awesome right out of the box (which is good for a coding idiot like myself).
(Of course, Blogger and WordPress aren't the only two options out there...Typepad blogs look pretty snazzy, in my opinion, but I don't think that Typepad is as widely-used as WordPress is, which means that it doesn't have as many themes, plug-ins, and tutorials as WordPress does.)
I also like WordPress' dashboard better than Blogger's, and I like the way comments function better on WordPress (you don't have to open a new window to leave a comment). In addition, WordPress has a really useful built-in stats counter and spam catcher (Oh, Akismet! How I love you!). The spam catcher means that those annoying Captcha codes Blogger offers in the comments are completely unnecessary, and without those codes, your readers are more likely to leave comments on your posts.
Where to start
You can host your blog on WordPress.com, which is what I did at first....my blog address used to be www.thefrugalgirl.wordpress.com. When your blog is hosted on WordPress' servers, though, you have limited options as far as customization and putting ads and various media on your blog. After a few months at wordpress.com, I bought my own domain and hosting services, so now WordPress is installed and hosted on my own server (and now my blog address has no "wordpress" in it.)
The other sort of big change I made was buying the Thesis theme. Unlike a lot of other WordPress themes, Thesis requires a purchase, but it is SO worth it, in my opinion.
Why is Thesis so fabulous? Well, if you know html and css, you can modify free WordPress themes to your heart's content. I, however, am almost completely clueless about code, and that's why Thesis is so stinking awesome for me. I can change a bazillion things about my layout and design all with the touch of a button, and that makes me a happy girl. I uses Thesis for this blog, for my 365 blog, and for my review blog.
You mentioned BlogHer, and I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that they are one awesome blog network. If you have a blog and you're wanting to earn some money with it, do sign up to get onto BlogHer's advertising waiting list. My Blogher ads have definitely been the best source of revenue for my blog so far.
So in a nutshell, my recommendations are to 1) blog on WordPress, 2) use the Thesis theme, and 3) sign up with BlogHer.
I've also written a few (ok, two!) other posts about blogging, so you might want to check those out as well.
So I'm curious. I read your post from last year about fixing your van's door handle, but what does your family do about routine vehicle maintenance?
-Ben
Well, that depends on how routine the maintenance is. When it comes to stuff like oil changes, air filter changes, and the like, my husband is totally capable of doing the work himself. When we need to do more involved stuff (especially stuff that's way easier to do in a real garage with a lift), we have our trusted mechanic do the work.
We never, ever go to the dealer to have work done, though, as they charge an arm and a leg and the work they do is not as good as the work our mechanic does (plus, I kind of prefer to give my money to someone who owns a small, local business).
And though we try to fix problems ourselves when they arise, sometimes we pay our mechanic to take care of those. For instance, we fixed our door handle, and my husband and my dad put in a new air/fuel sensor when ours went bad, but we recently paid our mechanic to fix our blower. Fixing that involved removing the entire front dashboard, so to us it was more than worth the $100 to have our mechanic do the work (it turns out a small animal had made a nest inside our blower!).
Do you ever try to prepare other ethnic meals for your family? For example, pad thai, Vietnamese Pho soup, or Chinese and Indian foods? If not, do you expose your kids to these different kinds of foods, and do they enjoy them?
Virginia
I do make some Asian foods, like stir-fries (though not as often as I should, probably!), and our kids love takeout Chinese food (won-ton soup especially), but we don't eat much in the way of Indian and Thai food. In fact, I don't think that I've ever had Pad Thai!
Sometimes, I'm discouraged from trying ethnic recipes because of the long lists of unusual, hard-to-find ingredients. However, I've seen a few recipes from Cook's that offer simple substitutions, so I hope to try a few of those (I know at least one of those was a Thai soup).
Our kids eat exactly what my husband and I eat (I make one meal and they can choose to eat it or choose to not eat it, but I don't make separate meals), so their diet is just like ours (I wasn't sure if you were wondering about that or not!). I am always trying new recipes and new types of foods, so as our diet expands, so does our children's.
_________________
Readers, as always, do feel free to share your input in the comments. 🙂
I love a split cinnamon loaf...I think it looks "more homemade" if that's possible! 🙂 And you must try Pad Thai! It's not hard to make and it's delicious!
~kristin
I just read the requirements for BlogHer and it seems that you can't have any other advertising on your blog if you sign up with them. However, you seem to have this (and so do others). I'd love to be on the waiting list but I have two friends that advertise their businesses on my blog. Is this a requirement or not? I confused! 🙂
At first that's what I thought too, but you can totally have graphic advertisements on your blog along with BlogHer ads. They just have to be below the BlogHer ads, and all the BlogHer ads have to be "above the fold".
I don't at all mind this stipulation,though, as the BlogHer ads pay a little more than other ads just for the privilege of being the top ad on a blog.
Okay, great! I'm off to put myself on the waiting list. Thanks for replying so fast!
Could you please comment on Cook's Illustrated Magazine? Thanks
What types of grocery stores are Aldi and Weis? I live in MD, so are they anything like Shopper's Food Warehouse? Not sure if you're familiar with that one. I shop at Giant and Safeway and haven't been able to get my food order for the week below $130.
Aldi is very pared down, and Weis is sort of similar to Shopper's (though I think they have better sales). Giant and Safeway are definitely more expensive than Weis and Shopper's, and WAY more expensive than Aldi. Giant and Safeway do have some great front page sales, though, so I occasionally shop there.
I wrote a post recently about what I buy at Aldi, and you might find that to be helpful. https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2010/03/what-to-buy-and-not-buy-at-aldi/
Thanks for the comparisons. The other embarrassing thing is that I'm spending $130 to feed a family of 3!
Karen S., the price of goods (aka the cost of living) varies depending on where one lives. In Hawaii, for example, everything costs an arm and a leg because almost everything has to be shipped in. So the cost of living where you are might just be higher than where Kristen lives. She also has several inexpensive supermarkets near her. IMH(?)O, whether what one spends is reasonable depends on a lot of factors, starting with how much income and debt you have in the first place. Aiming for someone else's price point just because it's lower is a good way to drive yourself bonkers.
Another county heard from, as my sainted grandmother would say.
Oh, Kristen. Thai food is just the best. You really, really should try Pad Thai. And I would also recommend Panang.
I will do my best, Shana. Maybe next date night. 🙂
Kristen I just love your blog. Really because you are so like me!! Although you do a better job of doing things other than just having it on your head! lol
I was thrilled to see your whole wordpress plug. I'm really trying to decide what to do. I have a blog on blogger. I have this desire that won't go away to start a second frugal blog. I feel God has been pushing me to do something else to minister to real life women I know. I'm contemplating workshops, but a blog can happen instantly.
HOWEVER, it is hard for me to keep up with 1 blog. I don't know if I want to start a 2nd. I've always regretted not starting on wordpress. However you mentioned you are just on wordpress.com What about .org? Have you not had the need for that yet?
I don't mind taking the time to set up a blog and invest resources in it. However I have NO idea what "making noney from a blog" really means. Are we talking 10 bucks a month or $100? I've been on the blogher waiting list FOREVER. 🙁
sorry...I'm rambling. These are the times when I wish I could sit and have coffee with other bloggers:)
Yep, I have wordpress.org not wordpress.com. I started out on wordpress.com, but then switched to wordpress.org (which is when you have wordpress installed on your own host/server).
If you blog on wordpress.com, you can't have any ads on your blog, so if you're wanting to have ads of any sort, you'll want to install wordpress and get your own hosting.
How much money you make from a blog all depends on your traffic level. It took me about a year before I even earned my first $100, all of which went to pay my year's worth of hosting! lol The amount I earn each month varies greatly, but that's fine with me because this is all on the side and if I earn anything more than what I need to cover my costs, it's all a bonus. A lack of blog income won't mean that we can't pay our mortgage, you know?
Check out the #savvyblogging stream on Twitter, and also go read savvyblogging.net...it's not quite like having coffee with other bloggers, but it's sort of close. lol
I don't think I could keep up with two blogs like this one, but I haven't had a problem keeping up with this one and my 365 blog. The 365 blog is super easy and fun. And of course, I do have my review blog, but I only post on that when I have a review I need to do.
I really love Thai and Indian food, but they do require some exotic ingredients that really can not be substituted. For example, pad thai made with tamarind is fantastic, but pad thai made with ketchup (the common substitute) is not very good.
I second this thought. Tamarind paste can be cheaper at an Indian food store, though, if one's in the area. (I wouldn't buy it at Whole Foods...it may be easier to find than an ethnic store, but whew, will you pay for it).
I've found Patak's brand wet spice blends to be a pretty simple way to make an Indian curry without buying and preparing the spices myself. The recipe on the curry pastes is easy to follow, and it takes about 20 minutes' prep and 30-40 min. simmering. One jar makes 4-5 batches of curry for two.
Another inexpensive time-saving ethnic dish for us is Thai curry or stir-fry. A 99-cent can of curry paste makes 3-4 meals, sometimes more if we're doing stir-fry instead of curry. Or if we're having guests who don't like things quite as spicy =o).
Kristin,
Don't forget that you are also an amateur WordPress/Thesis web designer, as you were the brains, brawn and beauty behind the new Non-Consumer Advocate.
😀
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"
lol! Well, I have to say that it was MUCH easier to set up your blog than it was to set up mine, because I wasn't having to figure everything out for the first time. It also took me almost no time at all to set up my 365 blog, install Thesis, and get it configured the way I wanted it. Practice makes perfect!
Oh, you really should give more ethnic foods a try! Many of them start with a basis of very cheap ingredients (like lentils, rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, etc), and achieve their flavors through the use of different spices. It seems pricey to buy all those spices at once, which is where buying in bulk comes in handy because you can buy tiny amounts, but you really use so little each time that it's worth the investment. Some of my most frugal recipes are ethnic foods!
Alas, my husband is an avowed legume hater (so lentils and beans are out, at least for dinner). But he does like rice and pasta, so I am not entirely out of luck. lol
Huh? How can you hate BEANS?! 😉 Anyway, there are lots of ethnic dishes that don't involve beans or lentils...it's just nice that they happen to be so cheap!
I did kind of wonder why beans never really appeared in your menus, but I guess now I know!
lol! Yep, that'd be why. He does like green beans, just not legume beans. Lisey and I eat beans, but I can't exactly make a main course out of them.
Fortunately, he has many other redeeming qualities. =P
Lentils taste different than beans, and some beans taste very different than others. For example, I love black beans and all white beans; but not kidney, and pinto only if in refries or dip or tossed with pico di gallo, and chickpeas only in falafel or hummus (both of which I love). Has he tried the full breadth?
- WilliamB, just checking
Great tips about WordPress and Thesis. I made the move over from Blogger earlier this year and I'm amazed at how much more I like it. It might be a little intimidating for someone who is just getting started, but I've been really impressed.
In case any of your readers are looking for a great deal on hosting, I have some discount codes through my hosting company. And to make it even nicer, I'm offering to set them up and "hold their hand" through the whole transfer if they use my affiliate link. Might be a good option for someone just getting started. Here's the info:
http://www.goodtrueandbeautiful.com/2010/04/23/discount-on-hosting/
Keep up the great work on your blog - it's one of my favorites!
Just a random comment (not exactly helpful to your Q&A post) but I LOVE your blog. I actually remember when I first started reading your blog, you were on wordpress. I still enjoy visiting your site every day to see what's new 🙂
If you have an Asian grocery store in your area, it's a great place to get "exotic" ingredients for much less than at regular grocery stores. And even not-so-exotic, such as soy sauce. Plus, it's a fabulous field trip to another culture--check out the meat and/or freezer cases...you could get specimens for dissecting if you want. 🙂 The owner of our local Asian store is from Thailand; not only does he help me find what ingredients I need, but he's taught my daughter a few words in Thai!
I too think that the crack in the cinnamon-swirl loaf makes the bread look more homemade and appealing...nothing from a commercial bakery every has such character. Those loaves are great gifts for teachers--I buy cloth napkins at the thrift store, then wrap a loaf in one (and tie it with raffia if I'm channeling Martha Stewart that day) and take it in the afternoon when I pick up my kids. I'd much rather give a gift on a random day than during Teacher Appreciation Week when it's more expected.
i have several kids in this house that don't "like"beans and a hubby that is not crazy, crazy about them. you can EASILY sneak them in things. beans and rice in enchildadas as an addition to your meat or chicken. it makes things go MUCH further and they won' t know they are there...promise. Well just doon't put in TOO many.
also...try chickpeas. i made chili with chickpeas and my kids LOVE them becauase they are not so beany. you can buy them dry for very cheap.
see...this is one of my frugal blog posts:)
I agree. Sneaking beans into dishes helps stretch them out. My husband isn't a huge fan (unless they are blacked eyed peas), but he eats them when I mix them into things. I put them in a lot of my soups and mexican dishes. Beans are delicious and cheap.
You can also cook lentils into tomato sauce. In addition to stretching the dish, it makes simple pasta & sauce into a complete protein.
Thanks so much for your answers Kristen. I just went to Go daddy and checked out the hosting prices. I have NO idea how many Gigs of space I need. I guess I can start small and increase.
OH my. Why do I think of venturing into such things when I can't even keep my bathroom cleaned:? lol
thanks again.
Flamingo Mama,
I recently started my own blog/personal website talking about my passion for technology, while its not 100% finished it reflects my goals. If you are interested in starting your own blog I would be more then willing to help you out. I have a hosting package with http://www.greengeeks.com (100% Carbon Neutral Friendly ) and for $5/month I can host your blog with unlimited space. A domain will cost about $7-10 a year (depending on if you choose http://www.godaddycom or http://www.1and1.com). I can get your blog up and running within the week; this includes user set up, akismet filter, a theme of your choosing and a google analytics account to track visitors. All in all it costs about $70 a year...
I would be more then happy to talk with you more about this just shoot me an email at brainchildpro@gmail.com if this interests you. I promise im not out to rip anyone off..I am just a college student who loves helping people out.
I recently set up a wordpress blog for a dear friend of mine: http://www.momma-d.com if you would like to see a sample of my work.
Kristen,
i just wanted to let you know how much i enjoy the work you do here 🙂
My fiancee uses your bread recipes all the time and they are delicious, among making the yogurt from scratch (I love it!!)
James
OK, now I have been inspired yet again! I am currently using WordPress.com for my blog, and like it alot, but after reading your explanation of "moving up" now have a little more confidence about getting my own domain if and when I'm ready (I'm still building a brand). WordPress has its little glitches from time to time, but on the whole is very easy to use. I especially like their dashboard and blog stats features.
We live in a city with an abundance of ethnic stores, so finding ingredients isn't a problem, but if we want truly ethnic food, we go to a restaurant. The girls tell me my attempts at ethnic dishes are only "Chinese-y" or "Thai-ish" or whatever, but still like it when I try.
If your husband doesn't like beans or legumes, there are loads of ethnic dishes that use noodles or other ingredients. Thai Express is a national brand, I think, and their sauce mixes and other ingredients are good for starting out. I posted one of our favorite "Chinese-y" dishes a while back: Snake Alley Noodles: http://thinnerandwiser.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/frugal-recipe-of-the-week-snake-alley-noodles/ Some Chinese friends have said it has a pretty authentic taste (but maybe they were just being nice). It's one of our all-time favorites; my husband asked for it for his birthday dinner last week.
I too love your blog! It's the first place I go to in the morning after checking my email and Facebook.
You should try making falafel. It's made from chickpeas, but they are mashed up, turned into patties, and then fried or baked, so it's not so obvious that they are beans!
Here is a recipe I use:
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/recipe-for-baked-falafel-patties-with.html
Note that I usually use MUCH less onion, and MUCH more chickpeas - usually one of those big cans! Just taste a little before you make the patties.
Also, this is really yummy in pita pockets with the yogurt sauce, some cucumber, and some tomato or lettuce. YUM! Cheap AND meatless!
About the bread cracking: I think it has to do with how the bread expands when it bakes. When you have a filling, the sides don't stick together, so the roll tries to sort of "expand" by unrolling. When the dough doesn't have a filling, the sides can stick together and the roll can expand without unrolling.
I love falafel, too! I'm not fond of chickpeas, but in this form, they're very tasty. Another option is to make hummus - pureed chickpeas with a bit of tahini, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Hummus can be made with almost any legume, too, so it might be a good way to incorporate legumes in a non-legume-loving family. I put hummus on bread and veggies. I've even mixed a bit of plain yogurt into the humus to make it creamy, then used it as a spread.
Most farmers markets offer a wide range of ethnic ingredients at reasonable prices. You can find hispanic, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, and many others. They also have fresh seafood and meats! I recommend trying Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, they are delicious and cheap!
I felt like I was channeling you the other day. Not only was I making my own bread crumbs, but I've been using empty cereal bags to keep my bread in (in the freezer) while I gather enough to make the breadcrumbs!
http://librarianhousewife.blogspot.com/2010/04/homemade-breadcrumbs.html
Do you do this?
Also, filling or no, my loaves almost ALWAYS crack like that. I wonder if I'm letting them rise too long, or if the loaf pan I use is too small? Anyway, the bread still tastes good, and I like that it looks homemade!
About those "exotic" dishes and the special ingredients:
1. Cooks Illustrated can't do Chinese or Thai worth a damn. I don't know what it is about them, but their dishes aren't close to the original Chinese or Thai dishes their recipe is based on. Some of the dishes are tasty but they're no more Asian than chop suey, so don't use them as a basis to determine if you like those cuisines. I say this as someone who's studied China/Chinese all my life, and lived there, and traveled extensively in China and three times in Thailand.
2. Stir fry is a FANTASTIC way to use up random veggies and bits of meat. It's one of my three go-tos, along with soup and omlets. I can email you a few simple recipes that use nothing more exotic than peanut oil, soy sauce or cornstarch. PS: Stir-fries create fewer dishes to wash than most other meals.
3. The ingredients are unusual only if you don't make that cuisine much.
I couldn't live without the occasional Indian or Thai indulgence. Also, I heart beans!
It's called oven spring and I have the same problem. Apparently it is caused by multiple factors. Oven position, amount of flour, amount of liquid. I gave up and learned to live with it. I have 8 children and a loaf of bread lasts about 30 seconds, oven spring or not.