For as long as I can remember my ultimate goal has been to live a quiet and simple life, eventually retiring to a small farm where I would have the freedom and space to obsess over my garden, raise chickens, goats and livestock and truly explore what it is to live a more self-sustaining life.  That opportunity presented itself recently and I accepted the challenge, jumping head first from a decidedly urban life into full-fledged rural heaven complete with crowing roosters and rabbits, chipmunks & squirrels stealing my bean seed out of the ground before it has the chance to sprout.

Things are beginning to level out enough so that I can bring some great new things to Gone Frugal, including the cookbook that I have been threatening to write for several years!

Michael

Not to be outdone by a bunch of Englishmen who celebrated Shrove Tuesday just last week, IHOP restaurants across the United States are giving away a free short stack to guests who consider making a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network or other local charities.  More info here.

And before I get berated I want to remind you that it is still Freedom from Convenience Food Month, so you can make your own damn pancakes and if you follow Michael’s tried and true Gone Frugal Pancake recipe, they will be better than you’d get if you went out!

As much as I have been baking bread lately, I didn’t own a bread pan so while I was out on errands I went to a cooking store to buy a couple of good pans.  I learned my lesson long ago about using cheap bake ware so I knew I was going to get something with a good construction and a good reputation.

I found what I was looking for at a decent price but then I was drawn in by another item in the same aisle.  I hadn’t seen a Pullman loaf pan in years, likely because they had fallen out of vogue when the more organic-shaped artisan breads became popular.  The Pullman pan looks a lot like a metal rectangular box with a lid, by all accounts.

Pullman bread isn’t fancy, in fact it doesn’t look all that different from a loaf of sandwich bread you might buy at the supermarket but that’s where the similarities end. 

A loaf of Pullman bread is dense and hearty; the perfect wrapper for any sandwich and a definite contender for the greatest French toast bread in history.

Wanting to save a little cash I opted for the smaller Pullman pan that measures 8 1/4”x4”x4” as opposed to the more standard 13” model but I didn’t expect to have such a problem locating recipes for this type of bread pan.  Because of the confining space in a lidded pan your bread dough has to be measured well to fill all the available space without overfilling.

It may take a few tries to get the right proportions down for my pan but I plan to report back soon with my very own perfect Pullman loaf recipe.

Okay, I did all that talking first in the hopes that some of you wouldn’t read to the end to find out that I spent thirty bucks on that Pullman pan.  I know, I’m ashamed.

A little.

31 Days of Freebies
After months of responding to emails from lots of folks who wanted me to have another Month O’ Freebies, I have designated January 2010 to be 31 Days of Freebies!  That’s right – from software to samples, audio books to music there will be something for everyone when we spotlight a different freebie every day in January.

WWME?
What exactly would Michael eat?  Well in the coming year you won’t have to ask that question anymore as I will be posting my dinner menus each week along with recipes for all of the dishes you’ll see.

The Frugal Garden
Tips and step by step guides to help you start your own garden and grow your own fruits and vegetables at home.  Don’t worry, it is much easier than you probably think.  If I can grow tomatoes inside during the Winter, you can grow something outdoors in Spring!

I’m looking forward to next year and I hope you are too!