Friday blogaround--the challenge edition

So, in keeping with my cat theme, to the left is a maneke-neko.  This is Japanese--it's basically a charm that invites good luck and money.  (The Japanese sign for beckoning you over is hand up, palm down, fingers bending, like the cat's paw in the picture.)  My old Japanese teacher gave me one years ago (though I've got no idea where it is these days). So here's hoping a picture of one can transfer good luck over the internet.

Let's get started.

 Bryallen is trying to eat on £1 a day this week. She's trying out a great recipe for lentil burgers (which I may try.)  She got them from Frugal in Derbyshire. There have been a lot of dollar-a-day challenges here stateside, and I've gotta tell you, I don't think I could do it.  I'm too much of a princess.  I am trying to eat down my pantry, though.

Since we're on these challenges, please check out Fusion on the Fly.  Chef Karl Wilder tried to live on a typical food stamp allotment for a couple of months in 2011 as part of a project with the San Francisco Food Bank.  He's now trying to live on a typical allotment and eat and prepare foods that are diabetic friendly.

In a similar vein, Billy Vasquez makes meals with ingredients that cost 99 cents or less.  Check out his blog the 99 Cent Chef.

Belinda's been eating down her pantry and freezer.

The Dinner Diva has a guest post over at Food Stamps Cooking Club about growing greens indoors.

There's an old but good post over at Simple Mom's place--12 Tips for Thrift Store Shopping.  I don't do a lot of this for reasons I outlined here, but you can find very good prices for clothes and housewares in good shape.  I have two designer sweaters I got from a thrift shop.  The two of them cost me something like $5. 

Nicoleandmaggie would like to know what your gazingus pins are.

Carol is decluttering.