When my friend whipped out a little notebook and started making a notation after blueberry picking last month, I quizzed her on what she was doing. Turns out, she had her own spending diet going on, and was keeping track of every cent she spent in that notebook. I was intrigued. She said that the act of writing things down had gotten her to spend less just to avoid the hassle.

Intriguing, right?

Then, MutantSupermodel mentioned tracking her spending on an Excel spreadsheet in the comments of a post. That was when I decided that tracking was important.

So, I bought a small notebook and started last Sunday.

How’d it go? Well, I followed the tracking to a T until Wednesday. I have in my head what I’ve spent since then, but didn’t jot it down. That doesn’t make this a fail though. I really thought about every purchase when I had to write down when, where and how much was spent. It makes me want to spend less.

I spent more than I wanted to this week — mostly after I ceased writing it down. I think writing it down really does help though.

So, this is the latest evolution in My Spending Diet. I am going to write down every expenditure. Even if I don’t want to. Next week, I will share my numbers.

This Week’s Tips, Tricks and Deals

• Free Admission to National Parks – Looking for something to do this weekend with the kids? Head to a National Park! This weekend, there is free admission to all National Parks. Click here for details.
• Eating Well on $1 a Day – Could you eat well on just $1 a day? One blogger did it for 90 days — and his methods are nothing short of inspiring. Read up on his journey here.

Photo credit: alvimann from morguefile.com

Earlier this summer, I sat down and wrote a list of all the things I wanted to do this summer. Some years, it’s felt like summer just passed me by, leaving me yearning for that feeling you have when you are young and summer feels like it lasts forever. This year, I wanted to reclaim that feeling — not just for me, but for the kids as well.

So, we’ve spent this summer digging our toes into the sand, and hiking around a park where Dinosaurs once roamed. We’ve camped at a fabulous campground (in a cabin!), spent afternoons at the zoo and shopped till we dropped. It’s been awesome. This summer has felt like a true summer. And all of that has allowed me to get to that point that I used to love: the one where you anticipate what’s to come and imagine the wondrous things that fall and the school year will bring.

It feels so good.

So, in anticipation of fall, I am already thinking of fun snacks and desserts that I can whip up for a grade-well-earned or a just-because when school starts. This fabulous Cookie Cup Sundae totally fits the bill. It’s easy enough to whip up on a whim.

You start with chocolate chip cookie dough baked in a muffin tin. For the recipe, I use store bought dough since it’s so easy and fast. However, you can make it with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough too (note: you will have more dough than this recipe requires — bake the recipe of the cookies right away, or freeze it in balls and transfer them to a resealable bag for later usage).

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One of the best parts of belonging to a CSA is getting to chat with the farmers when you pick up your share. We discuss the crops, how things are progressing and trade tips on what to do with the produce. Today, the conversation revolved around some cows that the farm will be getting in the next year, as well as plans for pick-your-own fields … it’s an exciting time for the farm.

This week’s share includes some of my favorite things. Tonight, we had a simple dinner of grilled chicken, corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes with blue cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper, and pasta. It was delish.

We’ll also be having some of this fabulous Grilled Summer Squash with Tomatoes, Garlic and Scallions this week. This recipe I came up with on a whim recently when loads of squash sat taunting me on the counter. I knew I needed to do something with it before it went bad … and this was the result. I’ve made it a couple times since, because the flavors are fabulous. Sweet, garlicky, salty … all at once. And I love how some of the slices get slightly caramelized.

Even if you aren’t a fan of squash, this is a recipe worth trying.

Wondering what to do with your produce this week? Try these recipes:

• Peppers – Make Your Own Couscous
• Tomatoes – Heirloom Tomatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing
• Red Cabbage – Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
• Eggplant – Eggplant Parmesan
• Cucumbers – Greek Chicken Salad Sandwiches
• Green Beans – Balsamic Roasted Green Beans

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Oh tomatillos … are they fruits? Vegetables? Tomatoes? Something else? When I tried them for the first time a few years ago, I was totally filled with a bazillion questions. The papery husk, and slightly sticky skin, had me all sorts of confused. But I read up on them and figured out how to use them to make delicious dishes. For the record, they are a fruit that is part of the nightshade family — and a relative of the tomato, eggplant and gooseberry. They are popularly used in Mexican cooking.

Earlier this summer, I decided to try growing tomatillos in my garden. With just one plant, I figured we would get a few tomatillos .. enough to make a recipe or two. But not the plant is now huge. It’s branches have extended far and wide, bearing so many little husks for tomatillos that it’s almost unbelievable. Once they are all fully grown, it will be quite the harvest.

If you aren’t growing tomatillos though, you can also purchase them at grocery stores and farmers’ markets all over. The tart taste is fabulous in sauces and other dishes.

My favorite way to use them? In salsa. This easy, fast, raw salsa is a cinch to make and it pairs well with everything from tortilla chips to tacos to cheddar omelets. Tomatoes, tomatilloes, garlic, a shallot, a jalapeno pepper and lime juice are whirled together in a food processor with salt and pepper to make a delicious fresh salsa. And since it’s pretty mild, the kids love it too …

Of course, you could switch out the jalapeno for a hotter pepper and make it hot too. Just sayin’.

Also try my Tomatillo Guacamole recipe!

Do you have a favorite tomatillo recipe? Share a link! I am looking for more great uses for these delicious fruits.

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When I was in New York this past weekend, I was surprised to see that even the famed Junior’s Bakery has gotten in on the cupcake act. But surprisingly, I didn’t eat any cupcakes while I was in the city. Not from Crumbs. Not from Magnolia. None. I just didn’t feel like it.

But when I arrived home to the smiling faces of my kids, I wanted to make some cupcakes with them. Specifically, this recipe that I’ve been working on. Awhile back, I had this idea to put some grated summer squash into cupcake batter as a way to use up extra squash. After all, we put zucchini in bread, right?

I bounced the idea off Will and Paige … they were all for it.

So, we set about to make these. I finely grated the squash using a box grater (a food processor would work too). Then Will and Paige, added, mixed and prepared the other ingredients. Finely, the batter was divided into cupcake liners and baked. Frost with your favorite frosting and voila … delish cupcakes.

The chocolate creates this amazing bottom layer. Then there is the soft cake, sweet frosting and sprinkling of salty, wonderful crushed almonds. It’s an amazing and fabulous contrast. As for the summer squash, it melts into the background.

You may be surprised to see that I use a boxed mix for these cupcakes. Honestly, when it comes to cake, I prefer to start with a box. Why? In my experience, cakes tend to be finicky … it doesn’t take much to have a perfect good cake turn into a scary dry mess. Boxed mixes practically guarantee batter success.

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Dear Readers, Check in Monday for a fabulous new cupcake recipe (you won’t believe what’s in it!) Frugal Fridays will return next Friday. Look for it! -S

Yesterday morning, I arrived in New York bright and early for a day of meetings and parties, some leading up to the BlogHer Conference today and others about fabulous new opportunities.

Today, I will be speaking on a panel called Family Foodies: Raising a New Generation of Gourmands, at 2:45. If you are at BlogHer, drop by! We’ll be talking about how to raise kids who eat well and love good food. Should be an awesome conversation.

Until Monday …

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My kids and I have a love affair with paninis. The toasty pressed sandwiches have so many possibilities for fabulous, delicious fillings: chicken, pesto and tomato; ham, Swiss and honey mustard; roast beef, blue cheese and arugula. The list goes on and on.

Well, in researching for my Tablespoon.com column, I discovered that August is National Panini Month. Um, hello! It didn’t take much convincing to get me to head to the kitchen and start creating some delicious paninis.

Up first was Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese, Tomato and Basil. I wasn’t sure if that one would work for us, since we’ve never been huge goat cheese fans, but combined with lots of fresh basil, fabulous grilled chicken and juicy tomato, it was amazing. I love the creaminess that it imparted on the sandwich. As for the kids, they polished the whole thing off fast.

As much as we enjoyed that panini, it was the second one that totally won my heart and taste buds: Turkey, Apple and Cheddar (that’s the one at top). As far as flavor combinations go, I adore sweet apple with sharp cheddar and the turkey (my fav is Boars Head Maple Glazed Honey Turkey — Delicious) goes perfectly with that. Will gobbled that one right up. Paige, who is a tougher sell on all sandwiches, skipped the bread and ate the fillings, so I guess it was a relative win for her too.

Do you love paninis? What’s your favorite flavor combo? Read the rest of this entry…

When the school packet arrived last week, I got choked up. Parked at the top of our long, winding driveway, I quickly scanned the forms for teacher names while the kids demanded to know if there was mail for them. “One second, guys,” I said.

It was the last day of July, a beautiful, spotless day and one day after Will turned five. He’s no longer a preschooler and the child’s clothing that ends in T no longer fits him. He’s a little boy going to school. And now, it’s one month until school begins, one month until both my children have schedules and teachers and projects. Paige will be going too, to preschool with Will’s first teacher. For the first time, they will both be in school.

Last year, while Will was in his final year of preschool, Paige went to a twice a month Stay-and-Play program vaguely associated with his school. At first, it was hard. She would sob with her cousin while I walked to the car with a pit in my stomach, wondering if I was scarring my baby by walking away. But then things got easier. She loved school. Now, she can’t wait to go back.

With that program, it was casual and forgiving. I knew both the teachers, and they never said a peep as I dropped her off late more often than not. But this year, things will be different. There is no margin for error in drop off when Will starts kindergarten — lateness will get him effort referrals. Both schools lock the doors, forcing you to truly announce your entrance when you are late.

My babies are going to school. A monogrammed backpack sits by our front door, waiting for that magical first day, along with two embroidered lunch bags. Soon, I will be packing lunches and snacks, whisking the kids out the door at an hour when I normally don’t even wake.

With one month to go, I want to make the most of our time. The school that Will will be attending starts homework young, so there will be worksheets to work on and books to read soon. But before that happens, before Paige stands in drop-off line, waiting for the preschool door to open, before any of it … I want them to enjoy the experiences and flavors of summertime.

For the next month, we’ll be doing, eating, cooking and playing. We have so many things to do before school starts. I have a list on my computer with things that I wanted to do this summer — a bucket list, if you will. There are about 20 items left … I intend to do them all.

We’ve already checked off some items — bike rides and beach days, outlet shopping and heading to farmers’ markets. But there are so many great things still to do.

Heading to farmers’ markets is something we’ve done every year since Will was a baby. It’s not just an item on a list, it’s a tradition for us. We are always stopping at farmers’ markets or heading to a nearby farm where we belong to a CSA program. It’s an important part of every summer, but even more so this one … when Will’s ability to drop in with me on a whim will be limited by his school schedule.

As for cooking, we are eating a lot of summer salads — particularly ones that are great for packing for picnic lunches or grabbing during the day for a fast bite. This recipe for Sesame Soy Napa Cabbage Slaw, which the kids loved, uses produce from that CSA box. It’s a cinch to make if you use a food processor for the shredding. And it’s perfect for packing up to take while we head off to have all sorts of adventure.

Now, if you will excuse me, we are off for an adventure today …

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When I was a little kid, I dreaded having baked potatoes with dinner. It got to the point where I would audibly groan at the mention of them (how awful, right?). There was just nothing about them that I enjoyed. I’ve never been a fan of sour cream, and melty butter on semi-mashed potato doesn’t do it for me. In fact, the whole cross-cut and squeeze technique for eating baked potatoes was a turn off.

Weird? Yea, probably a little.

Since then, I have grown to like baked potatoes. There’s a world of difference between baked potatoes, cross-sliced and squeezed open, and baked potatoes, sliced and topped with something yummy (sharp cheddar, black beans and salsa, I am looking at you!). Heck, I even like them served that traditional way, as long as there is a fresh, fabulous mix-in to make it special

Fortunately, my kids don’t share my aversion to the traditional eating of baked potatoes. In many ways, they are easier eaters than most people I know, open to trying just about anything — and liking much of it. When it comes to eating potatoes, they love them any which way. Sure, Paige, wants her baked potatoes cut up like me (it’s easier to stab with a fork), but they will eat them plain, or with butter or sour cream or cheese or whatever. And me? I let them eat them however they want.

There’s a lesson in that. Had I been allowed to eat potatoes however I wanted at a young age, I might have never dreaded seeing baked potatoes being pulled out of the oven, steaming hot. I might have discovered how different flavors, stirred in or just topping it, can totally change the potato.

When it comes down to it, aside from using utensils, there isn’t one right way to eat most foods. Corn on the cob can be bitten off the cob, buttered or not, or cut from the cob before eating. Does it really matter which way its eaten? I don’t think it does …

Now, I know it’s summer and this is hardly time to be heating the house for baked potatoes. The good news? You don’t have to! You can have baked potatoes now — just grill them. Wrapped in aluminum foil and rubbed with salt, they are easy, fast and delicious.

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