Adventures in Homemaking

GOIN' OLD S'COOL

2010-05-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned on my blog in the past about trying to improve the lifestyle and health of my family and myself. We are continually making small changes that are beginning to add up to something bigger. We took that next step this week.

A little background...

A few weeks ago I had an appointment for that (supposed to be) yearly female test that we all just can't wait to go to. Except, I hadn't been in YEARS. I had been having a few issues that I talked to the doc about. And, she drained 1/3 of the blood in my body to run some tests. None to my surprise, my results showed that I have some things really out of whack. I'm just thankful that I have a doctor who cares about fixing the root issues rather than throwing pills at me. Although, she did some of that, too. I now am on one prescription and 4 supplements. Notice the ratio of scripts to supplements. I'm pretty happy about that. Anyway, I also have to make some lifestyle changes.

You've read repeatedly about my learning to bake my own bread so we can be sure to have only wholesome, nutritious, non-chemically stuff in the staff of life that we partake in. Except...I found out that my body can't tolerate the staff of life at this point in time. Nor, any carbs, for that matter. So, I'm really having to re-evaluate my meal prep.

Also, I'm having to make weekly trips to the doctor for the next couple of months. It's a 40-45 minute drive each way. And, you know how time consuming doctor appointments can be. My son gets hungry. So, I decided to plan ahead this time.

Last week when I ran into Goodwill I found a little lunchbox sized cooler for $2.99. I snatched it up quick. It would be the perfect item to help us in this new 'thinking ahead' lifestyle.

My husband attended a seminar with me a couple of weeks ago that my doctor was giving in regards to some of the issues I'm dealing with. She mentioned about water bottles leaching chemicals (carcinogens) into the water and that was all he needed to say ix-nay on the ater-way, bottled that is. I've yet to buy the stainless steel reusable water bottles that are all the rage right now - so I went old school. Did anyone else drink out of mason jars when they were kids? Something about doing that seemed like a treat to me. So, I pulled out 2 pint sized jars and filled 'em up with some good ol' filtered H2O.

I added some hard boiled eggs (peeled, salt and peppered), a stick of string cheese and little container of natural peanut butter with some celery sticks for dipping.

It didn't really take all that long to pull together and Isaac had some healthy snack options when the hunger pangs hit to tide him over until meal time .

I think we're gonna like bein' old school.

So, how 'bout it? Do you take snacks with you for the kids when you're on the go - or do hit the nearest 7-11 when they start crying, "I'm hungry!"?

Happy Homemaking!

MESSY MISHAP

2010-04-21T11:05:00.001-04:00

So, yesterday I spent the whole day in the kitchen baking bread; 2 loaves of whole wheat and 6 loaves of French Baguette. As you may or may not know - French Baguette needs a container of water cooking underneath it for part of the bake time. I have this glazed earthenware casserole dish that I have been using for this purpose.

I bake 3 loaves at a time. The first batch went off without a hitch. But, then...

when the beeper when off signaling me to remove the pot of water from the oven...

I grabbed my pot holders, opened the oven door, clasped the casserole dish by the handles, lifted it up, and...

this happened:

Look closer:

The whole side just lifted right off - pouring steaming hot water all over my oven door, which in turn, spilled all over my floor. Buuuummmmmmer!

I was shocked. I couldn't even articulate what had just happened. But hearing my moans of horror - my big, strappin', helpful husband hopped up and came to my rescue. I love that man! At least it was just water - albeit, scalding water. I choose to look at it as an opportunity to sanitize my kitchen tile! :0)

I have NO idea what caused this dish to snap like that - I'm just thankful it happened before I had it up in the air. I'm sure there would have been burns involved at that point.

Have you had any kitchen (or other) mishaps lately?

Happy Homemaking!

A REFRESHING TAKE ON H20

2010-04-16T07:58:00.001-04:00

Just about the only thing I drink anymore is water. But, sometimes...I want a little flavor. Yesterday, I decided that instead of drinking my water from the filter in the fridge, I would just fill up a pitcher with ice and filtered water because I go through it pretty quickly. And, it's just prettier that way. :0)

After I filled my pretty pitcher with water - I noticed I had 3 oranges left. "Hmmm....that might be nice floating in there." So, I sliced one up and tossed it in. Then, I remembered the lemon balm growing in my front flower bed. "Hmmm...that's lemony. That might be nice in there." So, I snipped some, washed it, crushed it in my hands a little to release the flavor, and in it went. I gave it a good stir and poured myself a cool, refreshing glass of good ol' H2O - with a kick.

The nice thing about it was that the longer it set, the more flavored it became. It tinted the water a pretty shade like Ginger Ale, too, after a while. When my pitcher was empty - I simply added more ice and water. I did this 2 or 3 times and it still flavored the water.

If you have a hard time drinking plain water - or if you just want a little something extra - you should give this refreshing twist on water a try. You may just find that if you have a pitcher of it waiting on you, you may drink more during the day.

This would be delicious with any citrus fruit - lemons, limes, tangerines... Lots of different types of herbs would be fabulous as well - mint, rosemary, lavender...

So, how do you take your water? Straight up? With a twist? Sparkling? Do you ever flavor it - and with what?

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE FOR PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICHES

2010-04-15T10:24:00.001-04:00

I needed an easy supper last night because I was going to be gone all afternoon. So, I threw a chicken in the crockpot and let it cook while I had my appointments.

When I got home - I pulled the bird out of the slow cooker.

I grabbed a few organic potatoes.

And got them ready to go into the oven for fries. Click here for my super simple recipe.

Then I started making a crazy-easy homemade BBQ sauce.

BBQ SAUCE:

3 c. ketchup

2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. liquid smoke

optional - various other seasonings

The basic recipe calls for the ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke and salt to be combined in a pot and heated through on medium low until it's warm and thick.

But, since I can't leave 'well enough' alone - I added a few things. I'm going to give you approximate measurements, because this part would be all to taste anyway. I threw in about 2 tbsp. of paprika, 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper, 1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of onion powder. We like our BBQ sauce with an ever-so-mild kick.

This is the part where I forgot to take more pictures. :0) So, pretend that you see me shred up the chicken and add a little bit of sauce to it for the sandwiches.

We used the last of my homemade sourdough buns to serve them up on. I remembered to take the last picture after I ate my first bite!

My Notes:

This sauce was really quick and simple to throw together.
It made plenty, so I have a ton of it left in the freezer for another use.
It would be great on another pulled meat sandwich, brushing on ribs or chicken when grilling, or even as the base for a BBQ Chicken Pizza. Mmmmm....
My husband, who is isn't a huge fan of BBQ sauce, loved this stuff.
You can add different flavorings to it to make it uniquely your own.
Although, it has a lot of sugar in it - I figure it's still got to be better for us than the store bought kind that is not only full of sugar (probably more), but an inch long list of ingredients that I can't pronounce, also.
I will still probably cut back on the sugar amount the next time I make it to see how little sugar I can actually use while keeping a well-flavored sauce.
I will definitely keep this in my repertoire.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

2010-04-13T08:53:00.001-04:00

Last night I made tacos for dinner - with homemade flour tortillas. Oh my - they were a huge hit! I wish that I could have video taped my guy's faces for you. I'll definitely be making these again because they were not only yummy, but they were pretty easy, too. Here's the recipe...

Homemade Flour Tortillas:

3 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. lard or bacon grease (I suspect that butter or coconut oil would work, too.)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. milk

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in fat. Add liquids. Stir into a ball. Knead slightly if you need to.

Wrap lightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You can make these early in the day, if you need to and they will keep 'till supper time.

When you're ready to cook them - cut dough into 8 pieces (keep covered while you're rolling them out, so they don't dry out).

Heat an un-greased cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Roll out the balls into disks about 10". (Mine did better on medium.) Cook on each side until brown spots begin to appear. The original recipe said about 2 minutes per side. Mine actually cooked in about 15 seconds per side. It may take you 1 or 2 tortillas to get it down. Cover with a towel to keep warm while you cook the rest. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from a recipe from Sarah's Musings.

Happy Homemaking!

PAINT WOOD WORK - CHECK!

2010-04-12T15:10:00.001-04:00

Today I am sore. Well, only when I stand up or sit down. However, I can walk a little more normally than yesterday. I'm pretty happy about that. :0) You see, we spent the entire day on Saturday FINALLY painting that old, ugly, nasty, scratched up wood work in the dining room, living room and hallway.

I'll share just a little peek with you.

Before:

After:

The white wood work makes the house feel so much lighter, fresher and cozy. It was definitely worth the sore muscles. I can't wait to tackle those kitchen cabinets next!

Happy Homemaking!

PERFECTED ROASTED CHICKEN

2010-04-09T08:25:00.001-04:00

I made roasted chicken for dinner last night - something I don't often do. For some reason it has a tendancy to intimidate me - whether it's not getting it to turn out with moist meat and crispy skin, or just thinking that it's a pain in my backside - I'm not really sure. But, after last night's supper - I'll definitely be adding it to our menu more often. It was so easy. And, so yummy!

Roasted Chicken:

The most important part to do before you get started is to pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees and lower the rack to the 2nd lowest spot it can go in the oven.

Next, put a roasting rack in your cake pan or roaster. I found that spraying the roasting rack with a little bit of cooking oil helped to release the bird when it was done, as well as make clean-up much easier. Wash the bird in cold water and take out the packet of innards. Fold the wings under the back and place it on the roasting rack.

Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper.

Rub the skin and the breast under the skin with butter. Be generous. Butter is good for a bird. (Olive oil can do in a pinch.)

This next part is where you can feel free to get creative. I always salt the skin with salt and pepper. This time I used lavender sea salt. I also, sprinkled on some French Thyme. Whatever herbs are your flavor preferance can be used. I also use fresh herbs when I have them. Rosemary is divine. This always changes by what I have on hand, though.

The next part is the cavity. It is a great place to infuse flavor from the inside. I always stick a couple cloves of garlic in the cavity. Last night I also added 1/2 an apple. Sometimes, I add celery and onion or oranges and more fresh herbs... it really doesn't matter - you just want to add more flavor.

I put the rest of the apple in the bottom of the pan along with the innards - these are my husbands favorite. Then, and this is the super important part, before you stick the bird in the oven - pour 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pan. It really helps to keep the meat moist.

Now we're ready for the oven. Roast the bird uncovered at 500 degrees. The amount of time will vary according to the size of your bird. Mine was really large - probably 5 lbs or more. It took about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. The important thing is to wait for the little white thing to pop up - or until the meat reads 185 degrees with a thermometer.

One last thing - leave it uncovered until the skin is a nice, crispy, golden brown - then loosely cover it with foil for the rest of the baking time. You're striving for golden brown, not burnt.

This was so yummy! The skin won rave reviews. :0)

The key is to cook it high (500 degrees) and put that water in the bottom of the pan. These are the two things that will keep your bird juicy and it's skin delish. This is also how I cook my turkey now.

It didn't take long at all to prepare the bird for the oven and then I was free to let it be until it was done. I just had to whip together some simple sides (basmati rice, asparagus, carrot salad) and dinner was ready to be served.

I hope that you consider roasted chicken the next time you're in a menu planning funk.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH HAMBURGER BUNS

2010-04-03T15:04:00.001-04:00

Instead of making 2 loaves of bread the last time I made sourdough bread, I decided to make 1 loaf of bread and attempt to make hamburger buns with the rest of the dough. Click here for the recipe. I patted out the dough and cut them like I would a biscuit. My 'biscuit cutter' is just an old vegetable or soup can that I washed and popped air holes in. It works beautifully and was free. I also have one made from a tomato sauce can that is smaller. I thank my mom for this idea. :0)

Next, I laid my 'buns' out on a cookie sheet to rise until they were doubled in size.

Once they had risen I baked them at 375 degrees until they were done. Definitely check them after about 15 minutes. Cooking time will vary according to the size of your 'buns'.

Here is my final result:

My thoughts:

When I buy whole wheat hamburger buns in the store I spend about $3.00 for an eight pack. I got eight buns out of my dough for pennies. This makes much more sense financially. Plus, I know exactly what is in there - no processed gunk.
Next time I make them I will use a cake pan so they won't be so far apart from each other. They didn't rise as much as I was hoping. I think if they are closer together in a pan that just barely fits them, it will force the buns to rise up instead of out. But, skinny rolls seem to be the in thing right now, anyway. :0)
They freeze extremely well. I didn't plan on using mine right away - so I stuck them in a freezer bag in the freezer after they were completely cooled. They thawed much more quickly than a loaf of bread because of their size and density.
The taste was great.
I will definitely be making these again the next time I make sourdough bread.
Making hamburger buns would probably work with my basic whole grain recipe, too. I may try that next.
The next time I need hot dog buns, I'll try hand forming them with this same method. I'm sure it would work as well.

There you go. If you are looking for ways to "healthy up" and have been easing your way into bread-making, I hope you consider making your own hamburger or hot dog buns. They're easy, peasy, home-baked goodness!

Happy Homemaking!

GRASS-FED BEEF GIVE AWAY

2010-03-24T08:05:00.001-04:00

OK, y'all. I'm pretty excited about the give away going on over at Nourished Kitchen right now.

My family is on a journey to better health. We have eliminated just about all processed foods from our house. We are eating homemade yogurt every day. We are eating more organic fruits and veggies. And, we have significantly cut our sugar intake.

One area that is on my list of changes yet to be made is switching over to grass-fed beef. Can you guess why I'm so excited about this give away?

US Wellness Meats is giving one of Jenny's readers a grass-fed beef package worth over $100 that includes:

Hickory Smoked Brisket (1.5 lb.)
Liverwurst (1 lb.)
Garlic Beef Franks (1 lb.)
Plain Beef Franks (1 lb.)
Beef Bologna (1 lb.)
Pot Roast (2 lb.)
Salami (1 lb.)
Summer Sausage (1 lb.)
Shredded BBQ Beef (1.5 lb.)

So, if you're wanting to switch over to grass-fed beef - or if you just live with a bunch of carnivores and would like some free meat, head on over to Nourished Kitchen to find out how to enter.

*Disclaimer: If you win and I don't, I would happily accept the summer sausage on your behalf for introducing you to the give away. :0) I'm just sayin'...

Happy Homemaking!

SPRING DINING ROOM UPDATES

2010-03-12T10:23:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I posted about a few updates I've made in my bedroom this at my other blog. But, I have other plans for that blog today (hope I have time to get to it). So, I thought I'd share a couple of quick and cheap udates here that I made to the dining room.

I have always had red accents in my neutral(ish) home. This is a picture from last Spring. I added a white table runner (the one made from the shower curtain) and a Springtime/Easter display. But, lately I have wanted to change things up a bit and get some softer colors in the house for Spring and Summer.

I have a guest room upstairs that has a beautiful comforter in blues on the bed that my mom gave me when she re-did her bedroom. I have spent the last year combing Goodwill and thrift stores for accessories to fill the guest room out. Since the room has had guests in it for a total of 3 nights in the past 25 months - and it's upstairs where no one, except me and the boy (and on rare occasions - the husband) goes - I felt that I could safely swap a few items from up there with no one really noticing. Hence, the new blue color scheme was born.

I have spent about the past month looking for things at Goodwill to help me freshen things up in the main living areas. This is what I came up with for the dining room.

I found this tablecloth for $1.99. There is another one exactly like it that I plan on picking up today - if it's still there. I now realize the value of having a back-up for when this one is in the wash. I also took the red rug out to the garage and lugged this one that used to be in the living room back in with Isaac's help. It has much softer colors with some blue sprinkled in there.

Then, there's the windows.

I found these at Goodwill for $3.99 per panel - $7.98 total for a huge amount of drapes. They are actually just king sized flat sheets. I did nothing to them, save for the washing. The top of the sheet (when it's on a bed) with the large four or five(ish) inch hem is by the floor. I simply clipped the other end to my rings, making a double fold at the top to get them the right length. You can see it if you look closely.

In the above picture you can also see that I took the black shade off of the chandelier. My goal (if it goes like I see it in my head) is to cover the shades with some really pretty soft blue and white toile wrapping paper that I have and then put them back on the chandy. But, that would require me remembering to buy some double-sided tape when I'm out today. :0)

And, lastly...my centerpiece for the table. I already had this Jasmine topiary, so I decided to make it work for Spring. It's sitting in my wicker Goodwill tray (lined with burlap) that has held many other things in the past. I had this nest of eggs from last year. It needed something around the base, so I bought 2 bags of blue glass for a buck a piece at the dollar store and put them in there. And since I had a nest of eggs - I thought it only fitting to swipe the lovebirds from my bedroom to fill it out. Is it perfect? Nope. Is it good enough? Good enough for me!

So, that's a peek of where I am with the dining room right now. I think that it will make a huge difference when the woodwork is all painted out white, too. I hoping that happens tomorrow. :0) Total spent in this room = $11.97. Not bad for new curtains and everything. I'll share the living room next.

Happy Homemaking!

MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT SOURDOUGH BREAD

2010-03-06T09:05:00.002-05:00

I promised that I would share my first attempt at making sourdough bread. Let me first just say that I was slightly, just slightly apprehensive about this little venture. From what I've read about sourdough, you have to have patience, because it can be slightly tempermental at times. But, what the heck...I like to live on the wild side! Sourdough? Bring it on, Baby! I used Sarah's recipe from Sarah's Musings, once again. She has become my virtual sourdough guru.
See yesterday's post to learn how to make your sourdough starter.

OK, enough jibber jabber! Let's make bread!

THE PLAYERS

1 c. sourdough starter
2 c. whole milk
1/4 c. honey - I prefer raw because it's nutrients are in tact.
2 large eggs
6 c. (divided) whole wheat flour
2 tsp. sea salt - I used kosher. It's what I had.
6 TBSP. unsalted butter, room temperature

THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU MAKE BREAD

Make a sponge. Does anyone know why it's called a sponge? I certainly wouldn't eat my kitchen sponge and I sure as heck ain't going to clean with this one. What a mess that would be! Anyway, here's how you make it.

In a large bowl, mix your starter, milk and 2 cups of flour. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter over night.

This was my sponge in the morning, after I stirred it.

THE BIG BAKING DAY

Stir your sponge. Add eggs and honey and stir well to incorporate. Add the remaining 4 c. of flour, salt and butter and stir until it forms a mass. Dump out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead for about 5-7 minutes, until it's smooth and elastic. I like to err on the side of a longer kneading time. Only knead it with enough flour to keep it from sticking. Also, I used damp hands for this particular bread. It worked very nicely and didn't stick at all.

Place dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with oil. Let it rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size. This will take longer than yeast risen bread, anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the conditions in your kitchen. Go give yourself a pedicure or something.

Now that your dough has doubled in size, butter two 9" x 5" loaf pans. Then, punch the dough down and dump out onto a clean work surface. Cut in half. Flatten each dough section with the heel of your hand (about the width of your pans). Next, roll the bottom 1/3 up onto itself and seal edges. Continue rolling and sealing until you have an oval log. Place in loaf pans seam side down and flatten slightly to evenly disperse in pan.

Leave them plain. Or, brush the tops with water and sprinkle on a topping like I did. I used a combo of poppy and sesame seeds. But, you could use oats, nuts, cornmeal, or any other seeds you like. Just make sure that you cover the loaves loosely and allow to double in size again - up to 2 hours. Go watch a chick flick and eat bon bons.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees when they're getting close to the right size.

Once they're ready - slash the tops of the loaves and immediately stick them in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. You'll know they're done when they sound hollow on the bottom when tapped.

Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

Beautiful, Daaahling. Just beautiful.

Once the bread has cooled completely, feel free to slice and enjoy!

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:

I don't know why I was intimidated by the process - it went off without a hitch.
This bread has a beautiful crumb and makes a great sandwich bread.
It actually holds together much more nicely than my multigrain bread.
See Sarah's post on making it for a few more ideas about using this dough.
I will DEFINITELY be making this bread more often.
I like that I don't even have to buy yeast to make this bread.

I hope you consider taking the plunge in sourdough (and bread-making for that matter)!

Happy Homemaking!

MAKING SOURDOUGH STARTER AND PIZZA CRUST

2010-03-04T10:10:00.001-05:00

I've been reading about the benefits of sourdough lately. And since I've begun to tackle and expand my skills at bread-making - learning to make sourdough bread just seemed like the next logical step.

First I had to make a starter. I followed the process from Breadtopia to make it. It uses pineapple juice instead of water to initially get it started. Evidently, there is something in the pineapple juice that prevents bad bacteria, while encouraging the good.

SOURDOUGH STARTER
The first step was to mix 3 1/2 TBSP. whole wheat flour with 1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, cover it and set it aside for 48 hours at room temperature. Stir it 2 to 3 times a day.

It doesn't look like much now, but hang in there.

The next step was to add 2 TBSP. whole wheat flour and 2 TBSP. pineapple juice after the first 48 hours have passed. Once again, set aside (covered) for a day or two, remembering to stir a few times a day.

Beautiful tell-tale bubbles that signal fermentation is beginning!

The next step was to add 5 1/4 TBSP. whole wheat flour and 3 TBSP. purified water (from my fridge), cover and set aside for 24 hours.

Lastly, I added 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 - 1/3 cup purified water. I had a healthy starter at this point, so I transferred it to a crock that would hold more starter and easily allow me to get it out when I needed it.

Now, to keep it alive, all I have to do is feed it every day with a 1:1 ratio of flour and water. It smells all yeasty and wonderful.

OK. So, now that I had a healthy starter I needed to make something with it. I turned to Sarah's Musings for this. Sarah seems to have a really good handle on all things sourdough and she has a bunch of recipes on her site, too.

The first thing I decided to try was her pizza dough. We eat homemade pizza pretty regularly. I usually make a whole wheat crust, but opted to shake things up a bit this time. Here's Sarah's recipe a la Pam.

SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST

1 1/2 c. sourdough starter
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. olive oil
water (optional)

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well, adding water or flour as necessary to make a soft dough. (If you feed your starter with a 1:1 ratio of flour/water this shouldn't be necessary.)

Knead for about 5 minutes until dough is soft and elastic and is not sticky to the touch. Form into a ball and let rise in an oiled bowl (covering dough on all sides with oil). Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with oil and place in a warm spot until it has doubled in size. I usually turn my oven on about 250 degrees and set the bowl on top of the oven.

After the kneading process.

The risen dough.

And, here is where I ~~forgot~~ got too busy to take more pictures.

Go ahead and get your oven pre-heating to 500 degrees. If you have a baking stone, let it heat up as well. I used 1 regular old metal pizza pan and 2 iron skillets. I let the iron skillets pre-heat.

After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into pieces to make your crusts. It will make 2 - 12" crusts. But, we all like our pizzas slightly different, so I cut mine into 3. Whatever...just make yourself happy. Cover the dough balls with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Use this time to gather/prepare your toppings.

Roll the dough out to about a 1/4" thickness. Sprinkle a little cornmeal onto your pans and then put the dough down. Top them as you wish.

Bake pizzas for 10-15 minutes until the crust is crisp and brown. Remove and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

A few notes:
I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup of unbleached flour in my crust.

This was by far one of the best pizzas I've ever put in my mouth. Remember the scene from "What About Bob?" when he was eating dinner with his therapist's family? That's kind of what we felt like eating this pizza.

I liked the fact that I didn't have to drag my heavy stand mixer out to make this crust like I do with the one I usually make. I will be making this one from now on.

Tomorrow, I'll share my first attempt at making a sourdough sandwich bread.

Happy Homemaking!

CLEANING UP MY ACT

2010-02-24T22:54:00.001-05:00

Every since Isaac's hands went from looking like this...

to this...

They're actually even better than this now. Read about what we changed to get them healed up here. Anyway, I've been wanting to learn how to make our own natural soap.

You can't make soap without lye. Guess who can't find lye? Evidently, it's getting harder to come by in the stores because - wonder of wonders - it's not only an ingredient in soap, but it's also used for making Meth. Hmmm... can you sell that on Etsy? Just joking, people. Geesh.

Well, looky what some really smokin' hot married man was able to acquire for me this past week:

That is 8 pounds of lye right there.

And a butt load of essential oils.

Guess who's going to be learning how to clean up her act in the not-too-distant future? I'll be keeping you updated.

Happy Homemaking!

FABRIC SOFTENER

2010-02-23T16:57:00.001-05:00

I am a homemaker and I take my job seriously. That's right I said JOB. Because it's WORK. I feel that part of my job as a homemaker is to find ways to stretch our one income as far as it will go. This is an on-going procedure that is constantly being tweaked as I learn more and improve my homemaking skills.

One of the easiest areas I've found to shave $$ is in the laundry room. I began making my own laundry soap probably a year or so ago. I began using straight vinegar in the place of fabric softener about that same time. Oh, we tried going back to store-bought fabric softener a couple of times 'just to see' - but, we like what the vinegar does for our clothes better. It's really much better at cutting down on static, too. Not to mention...it's way cheaper.

Well, a few weeks ago I ran across a recipe for homemade fabric softener that piqued my interest. I wish I could remember where I saw it, because I would give credit where credit is due. But the recipe was so simple I remembered it. It used vinegar, water and baking soda.

My homemaking wheels began to churn. I pay $2.69 for a gallon of vinegar. If I could successfully dilute it, then I could stretch my vinegar further - therefore saving some fundage. So, I tried it yesterday. I don't have any pictures, but really, there's not much to see. Just use your imagination.

I used an empty gallon sized vinegar container to make it in.

FABRIC SOFTENER

1/2 c. baking soda
6 c. vinegar
8 c. water.
10-15 drops of essential oil.

First, put the baking soda in your gallon sized container and add the vinegar. Shake a little at a time to incorporate baking soda without cause an eruption. Not that I did that or anything. OK. Yes, I did. I was lying. Sue me.:0) Well, not really. Anyway... add the water already.

I don't think that the essential oil would be necessary, but I had it so I went ahead and added some. It smells sooo good.

I haven't completely worked out the economics of it. But, I figure I can get at least two batches out of the vinegar this way cutting my cost from $2.69 to about $1.35. I have the added cost of baking soda, but I can get that for about $.50 per box and only need a 1/2 cup per batch. So, I figure that the cost for a gallon of fabric softener would come in around $1.50 - probably less.

I washed our sheets with this new fabric softener yesterday and my husband said that he thought they felt softer. I thought they did, too. I don't know what would cause this - unless the baking soda has some sort of effect on it. But, I'm pretty pleased with it. I'm sure I'll continue to make it.

Happy Homemaking!

YUMMY EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

2010-02-18T17:23:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid... make that teenager... heck, who am I kidding? Up until the past year or so I had huge aversion to most things with the name 'salad' in it. Oh, I liked salad-salad alright. You know, lettuce with veggies, croutons, bacon bits, dressing and a great selection of other toppings that we're told nullify the point of eating a salad in the first place. I also liked chicken salad, tuna salad, and pasta salad - but only the stuff I made. You could certainly keep your macaroni salad, potato salad, spaghetti salad, egg salad and even cole slaw for all I cared. But, here of late, I am branching out. It's time to grow up.

I found a recipe in my Patchwork Potluck cookbook by Gooseberry Patch. It made a really yummy lunch for me and Isaac today.

Hard boil 6 eggs and peel them.

Give them a rough chop. I suppose you could use an egg cutter and get really small egg bits, but I want to actually bite into something. As you can see, I've yet to master the art of hard boiling an egg without that tell tale green ring around the yolk. Please, help me. I'm really not yellow yolk intolerant.

To your eggs add 1/3 cup of chopped celery. I chopped a little bit too much celery up - so, we're gonna take a celery induced bunny trail. Mkay?

If you find yourself having chopped too much celery or onion, pepper... just bag it up, label it and stick it in the freezer. It comes in really handy when you need just a little of something to put in an omelet, potatoes, soup, or what-have-you.

Do you often find yourself with embarrassing, LCS or Limp Celery Syndrome? Then, have I got a cure for you!!!

Wrap up that fresh, firm celery in aluminum foil and you'll have firm and crisp celery for weeks to come! Disclaimer: Using aluminum foil to wrap your celery in will NOT cause the following side effects; runny nose, pussy eyes, IBS, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, canker sores, lymphoma or blindness. But, it may cause extra money in your grocery budget due to lack of wasting rotted food. Now, back to our regular broadcasting...

Add 1/3 cup chopped onion. It doesn't matter what color. I just had a red one going because we used some on our pizza last night. Plus, it's pretty. Who doesn't like purple vegetables? Why don't we call them purple onions? Anyone? Alrighty then...

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1/4 teaspoon pepper.

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard.

1 whoppin' tablespoon (3 tsp.) dill weed.

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Does anyone actually know how to pronounce this stuff?

1 to 2 teaspoons mustard. I like 2.

3 to 4 tablespoons mayo - not Miracle Whip. Ew. My philosophy on the white stuff? Less is definitely more.

Mix it all up and refrigerate for about an hour before you eat it...

on homemade French baguette...or...

homemade multigrain bread. Or, regular bread, crackers, whatever. It's really good. The next time you're hankerin' for some egg salad give this a try.

Happy Homemaking!

HOW TO GET PERMANENT MARKER OFF OF SKIN

2010-02-15T10:34:00.002-05:00

When I was writing on the freezer bags that held my bone broth the other day, I got a little bit of blue Sharpie on myself. I tried to wash it off with soap and water. This is what I was left with...

I remembered my sister telling me about a family Christmas fiasko a couple of years ago where one of the kids wrote with a Sharpie marker all over my nephew's face and what her MIL did to get rid of it.

Enter...olive oil.

I rubbed some on the spot...

I used my finger nail to really get it in there. And when I washed it off, this is what I was left with...

You can still see a slight blue mark, but it is barely noticeable.

So, the next time you're on the losing end of a battle with a marker - grab your trusty bottle of olive oil.

Happy Homemaking!

MAKING BONE BROTH

2010-02-14T08:47:00.001-05:00

If you don't make your own meat broths - you are missing out on not only financial savings, but health benefits as well. Many people today may not realize how simple and virtually effortless it is to make their own stock. That's why I'll walk you through the process of making chicken stock today.

95% of the time I buy whole chickens instead of boneless, skinless breasts, parts or what have you. I do this because it's cheaper, the meat stretches into several meals and I can use those precious bones to make nutritious and delicious bone broth. If you make friends with your slow cooker it is pretty painless.

First, you want to rinse the chicken in cold water and put it in your crock pot. I simply seasoned mine with a little salt and pepper and added water and a bay leaf. I started mine in the morning with intentions on making chicken soup for supper, so I cooked on high for 4 or 5 hours until the chicken was done. Another easy way to do it is to put the chicken on low before bed and it will be ready for you to continue when you wake up.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate to cool. Leave the cooking liquid in the crock pot.

While the chicken is cooling, roughly cut some veggies to put in your pot. Here I have an onion, a couple stalks of celery, a couple carrots and a few cloves of garlic. You can add more of what you have on hand; a potato, parsnips, herbs, etc... When I have parsley growing I always add that. Not only will your veggies flavor the broth, they will infuse it with their nutrients.

Once your chicken has cooled enough to handle, begin picking the meat off the bone and cleaning it. This is the method I use: I have my crock pot to throw the bones and cartilage back into it, I have a bowl for putting the cleaned meat into and I have a plastic grocery sack to throw the skin and any uckies from the meat in. From there, I can either use the meat immediately or bag it up into whatever serving sizes I desire for freezing. The plastic grocery sack is easily thrown away. And the pot is nearly ready for turning into stock.

You can see in the above picture the bones on top of the veggies and that I added a few red pepper flakes. Now it's ready to put the lid back on and cook it on low. Since I started my chicken in the morning - it was now evening, so I cooked my broth all night. If you cooked your chicken at night - you'll cook the broth during the day.

When I woke the next morning the veggies and bones had done their job well.

Time to strain the broth. I saved the carrots. I put them in a bag in the freezer. They can be used for stews, pot pies or whatever in the future. Or, you could go ahead and eat them for breakfast. I won't judge you if you do. The rest of the bones and veggies have served their pupose and can be tossed.

At this point I put a lid on the bowl and refrigerated it until it was cool. This time of year you could let your garage or your porch act as your fridge if you live in a cold enough climate.

The thing to remember here is that you don't have to set a timer, you don't have to watch it like a hawk. It will be waiting for you when you're ready to deal with it. No pressures.

Once it's cool, the fat will have risen and solidified on the surface.

Just scoop it off and dispose of it.

What you have left is rich, delicious and nutritious bone broth. It doesn't look like the canned stuff you buy. The color is much deeper and it is a gel. This is actually a good thing.

I have read from several sources, that our moms were right about chicken soup being so good for us. The problem that we have today is how we prepare it. The substance in the bones that causes homemade stock to gel is where all of the rich, nourishing properties lie. So, when we only buy canned stock instead of making our own, we really end up short changing ourselves in the health arena. I should have probably pulled out my books and researched for you the exact specifics of how bone broth helps your body, but I'm just a little too lazy for that this morning. We'll just call it good homework for you, MKay? I'm guessing you could google it. It's really very fascinating, though. :0)

The last thing left to do is bag it up.

Ummm, I'm pretty sure you don't want to do it this way. See that bag of broth? Yeah, I stuck it in the freezer and then it slid down over each one of those wires and froze that way. Now, I have a gallon of homemade stock that I can not get out of the freezer. Believe me, I've tried. I even took everything off of that shelf thinking I could lift the whole shelf off and let it thaw in the sink until I could get the bag loose. Wouldn't you know it? That shelf doesn't come out. So, don't be a dork, like me.

Save yourself some heart ache and do it this way. A can of broth holds about 1 and 3/4 cups. Bag it in 1 and 3/4 cup portions, then lay it flat on something until it's frozen. When you need a can of broth, just pull a bag out of the freezer. It will thaw in no time.

You can see here how I got the equivalent of 4 full cans of broth and 1 extra cup (which I marked) out of what many people throw away. Although, it took a while to complete the process - I barely had to mess with it at all. And, most of the time, I didn't even have to think about it. My slow cooker did all of the work for me.

If you eat leg quarters or just the drumsticks or thighs - save those bones. You can freeze them until you have enough to make stock. You can do the same thing with beef or fish bones (if you eat it that way), too. I suppose that pork bones would work, too. But, I always freeze those to cook in various pots of beans.

Another option that I've done with a turkey carcass was to roast the carcass with the veggies in some olive oil in the oven before making stock. Boy, was that ever yummy. I'm usually too lazy for that, though. My point is - there are many variations to making your own stock. Don't be intimidated by it. Just do it. You can't mess this up. But, you'll reap the rewards in your taste buds, your budget and your health. What are you waiting for? Go make some stock already!

Happy Homemaking!

TWO KITCHEN MONEY SAVERS

2010-02-10T14:07:00.003-05:00

These two kitchen money savers are super simple. I can't believe I've never done this before.

First, I had a loaf of bread not rise properly about a week ago. I didn't know what to do with it. It was about 3 or 4 inches high - not really big enough for toast, but I didn't want to waste it. We've been eating a lot more salads lately, so I decided to turn my perfectly-fine-except-it's-a-little-shallow bread into salad croutons. You could use day old bread for this, too. Just freeze it until you have enough to make a batch of croutons (about 4 cups).

The first thing I had to do was cube my bread up. Then I chopped up 4 cloves of garlic in the food processor (a garlic press would be great) and mixed it with 2/3 c. of olive oil. Use the cheap stuff here (not virgin). I actually used grapeseed oil because I didn't have regular olive oil. I really don't think the type of oil that you use is vitally crucial.

Pour the oil/garlic mixture over your bread cubes to cover completely, but not saturate. A few of mine got saturated and it was fine. I just squeezed the excess oil out and cooked them for a little longer.

Lay your bread cubes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you wish.

Bake for about 10 minutes on 275 degrees, turning a couple of times, until dry.

I got 2 pans worth of croutons out of my mis-shapen loaf. I stored them in canning jars. It yieled about one and a half quarts. Free and a little healthier than what I would buy in the store.

Next up:

I regulary make a couple of different soups that both call for a can of Great Northern Beans. They aren't always easy for me to find at every store. When I do, I pay between 89 cents to a dollar per can.

Last week, I saw a large bag of dried Great Northern Beans at Dollar General Market. I don't remember if it was a 2 or 3 pound bag. I just remember paying $1.75.

I sorted the beans and soaked them yesterday. Then, last night before I went to bed I threw them in the crock pot with about an inch of water to cover and cooked them on low all night. This morning when I woke up the kitchen smelled so yummy and the beans were done. I unplugged the pot, then after they were cool I drained them. I put 1 cup worth (what you get in a can) each in freezer bags.

I have 11 bags here just waiting to be put into the freezer. That is the equivalent of 11 cans of beans for $1.75. Plus, I have the added benefit of knowing exactly what went in them and the ability to control the sodium content.

The next time I'm ready to add Great Northern Beans to soup - all I have to do is grab a bag out of the freezer.

I am going to eliminate buying canned beans of every variety from our pantry and do them all this way from now on.

Both of these examples cost me very little effort or time in the kitchen but rewarded me with big savings - both financially and health wise. That definitely works for me.

I'm linking this post up to Works for Me Wednesday.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE SUGAR SCRUB

2010-02-09T11:51:00.001-05:00

This sugar scrub is something that I've used for years. I always keep it made up in a Lock-N-Lock container in my shower. I use it everywhere - from my face to my feet and all the spaces in between.

There is no set formula - it all depends of the size of the container you use. It's definitely not rocket science. But, it feels oh-so-good!

Pour a little lemon juice into the bottom of your container. The lemon juice has alpha hydroxy acids in it and helps loosen dead skin cells.

Pour in some sugar. This is your abrasive - it helps remove all those dead skin cells. I read once where a dermatologist said that you should never put anything on your skin more abrasive than sugar. My thought: Why not just use sugar? Yes, I am simple minded.

Stir it together to make a thick paste. You may need to add a little more sugar or lemon juice to get it to the consistency you want.

Add a little bit of olive oil. This will help moisturize your skin. You can also add honey. Some people wash their faces with straight honey due to it's cleansing and anti-bacterial qualities. Sometimes I add it. Sometimes I don't.

Stir to combine. Viola! You're done.

Put a lid on it and stick it where the sun don't shine - I mean stick it in the shower.

I use mine about every other day and it does a great job of keeping the dry, flaky skin away - even on those tough places like knees and elbows.

Happy Homemaking!

IS THE GRAPESEED OIL AND CASTILE SOAP WORKING?

2010-02-08T16:33:00.001-05:00

It's been 5 days since I posted about Isaac's lobster red, thick skinned, dry, rough hands.

Can you see how his hands were thick and bumpy? Well, after less than a week of eliminating the use of chemical laden hand soap by switching to all natural castile soap and having him follow up with a squirt of grapeseed oil to moisturize with afterwards - this is where we are today...

The color of his hands is almost back to normal. You can see on his right wrist a slight line of discoloration - but it's nothing like it was.

They are definitely soft and smooth again. We are extremely pleased with the progress his hands are making. After at least 6-8 weeks of nothing helping his hands at all - we are amazed at how quickly they are getting back to normal.

I won't be going back to regular handsoap. I have been converted to the natural/pure soap group of folks and I will forever keep grapeseed oil in my pantry as well as my bathroom.

If you or someone in your family is having issues with dry and sensitive skin, I highly recommend that you give this system a try.

Happy Homemaking!

HOW TO MAKE A HEAT PACK

2010-02-07T10:18:00.001-05:00

Back a few months ago I came across a tutorial that Holly from Homebody did on making heat packs. She had seen it floating around the internet herself. Since we cannot seem to find our electric heating pad, I decided to make one myself. I couldn't believe how much better the heat from the rice pack penetrated sore muscles than our electric pad. I let Holly know that I had made one and how much I liked it. She told me that the rice is a wet heat and therefore penetrates better. (Her husband is a chiropractor.)

I gave the original one I made to my MIL because she has a lot of pain in her spine. She can't sing it's praises enough. She said it is so soothing to her. This is also the same sort of heat pack that my mom uses. Sometimes simple is just plain better. So, I thought I'd share how to make them as well.

I had bought this small tablecloth at Goodwill back several months ago thinking the material might be good for something. And at $1 I think it was a pretty good bargain. You can see I've used some of it already. This is what I'll be using today.

*I am going to make the packs straight from this material. But, I have also made some from muslin and used this to make washable covers for the muslin heat packs. The choice is yours.

Decide on the size you want your heat pack to be and cut 2 pieces of material the same size. This one is about 10" x 15". A square that is 12" x 12" is a good size. I have also made long tubes to wrap around the neck and shoulders. Really, it's just a personal preferance, not rocket science.

Place your 2 pieces of material together (right sides facing) and sew up 3 sides with a straight stitch. Leave 1 short end completely open. Also, the 2 long sides should be left open 1" from the top that is open. This will leave you with a flap to fold in and make a finished edge at the end.

Once the 3 sides are sewn, flip it inside out and press.

Now you're going to make the channels to fill it. I like to have 3. The channels will help keep the rice a little more evenly distributed. Figure out how far apart they need to be. Each of my channels needed to be just over 3" wide, so I marked them with straight pins all the way up.

When I got to the top with the opened end - I measured down 1" and put a straight pin in the opposite direction. This is my starting point for sewing my channels. Remember, I left an inch on each side open as well.

Start at the pin marking 1" from the top and sew a straight line all the way down the length of the fabric using the straight pins as your guide. Repeat for the next channel. Don't forget to back stitch at the top to reinforce it.

Now you are ready to fill it with rice or corn. You could also use dried beans. But, I like the rice. You can also add dried herbs if you wish. I added dried lavender. Only fill about 3/4 full. You want the rice to be able to move around a bit.

Once the pack is filled, fold each 1" flap at the top in towards the middle - meeting at the seams. You will have a 1/2 " flap now. Press it and pin it so the rice doesn't fall out. See the picture below.

I like to close mine off with 2 seams for reinforcement. I set my needle as far to the right as it will go and use my presser foot as a guide for my first row of stitching. Don't forget to back stitch at the beginning and the end.

Next, I move my needle back to middle position and sew another row with a 1/2" seam allowance. That's it. You're heat pack is now done.

These packs can go in the microwave for about 2 minutes (depending on how your's heats) to warm it. Or, they can go in the freezer when you need a cold pack. The weight of these is really nice.

Even if you have limited sewing skills (like me), these are very simple to make. I hope I made the directions understandable. Very simple. Very affordable. Very effective.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE YOGURT

2010-02-06T09:16:00.003-05:00

Although I have always tried to eat yogurt throughout my life (though not consistently), it's never been something I would say that I love. I am trying to commit to making it a part of my daily diet now, though. I love the whips style yogurt. But, I know that not all containers that claim to be yogurt are full of the beneficial probiotics that are so import to keep our guts healthy. So, I have given myself a personal challenge; learn to eat plain yogurt.

The same container of plain yogurt can morph into any number of versions of fruit yogurt. Honey can be added to sweeten it naturally. Vanilla can be added. I sometimes eat it with my cereal in place of milk. Plain yogurt can also be substituted for sour cream - adding beneficial protein and probiotics to a dish. We tried this recently. My family was very surprised that we could tell no difference what-so-ever between sour cream and yogurt in a side by side comparison with our enchiladas.

I have found, though, I prefer the milder flavor of Greek yogurt to the regular variety. It's not quite as tangy. It is also a little thicker and creamier, which I like. A 16 oz. tub of Greek yogurt costs me $3.00. Not terribly expensive, but not cheap either.

I recently found a recipe for making yogurt in the crock pot at A Year of Slow Cooking. My first attempt was a horrible failure. We ended up with yogurt soup. Not one to throw in the towel that easily, I tried it again yesterday. Lesson learned; NO PEEKING! This time it was a success! Here is the extremely simple steps to make yogurt at home.

You will need a crock pot, 1/2 gallon of milk and a 1/2 cup of plain yogurt as your starter - regular or Greek style works just fine, depending on the type of yogurt you want.

Pour your milk into the crock pot. Cover and turn on low for 2 1/2 hours. DO NOT PEEK! Every time the lid is opened it loses 25 degrees in temerature.

After 2 1/2 hours have passed, turn the crock pot off and unplug it. Leave it alone for 3 more hours. STILL NO PEEKING!

Once your 3 hours have passed you may open the lid. :0) Take out 2 cups of the mild and add 1/2 cup yogurt to it. Stir it up and then place it back in the crock pot.

Cover it again and wrap with a large bath towel or blanket. Leave it alone for 8 more hours.

Now you should have yogurt! Mine was thinner than I expected. But, I think this is normal. There is a simple way to thicken it.

Place a sieve over a bowl and line with coffee filters or cheese cloth. I personally think cheese cloth would be a better option, but I didn't have any.

Pour in your yogurt and let some of the liquid drain off.

This is called the whey and is full of nutrients. You can save it in the refrigerator and add some of it to smoothies to add more nutrition. You can also use it to lacto-ferment grains, beans and veggies. I haven't ventured into that territory, yet. :0)

Once you've drained off a good bit of the whey, you're ready to decant it. I simply reused 16 oz. sour cream and yogurt containers. Can you see how it has thickened beautifully?

You can drain more whey off and make yogurt cheese. You would use it just like cream cheese.

A half gallon of milk gave me 2 full 16 oz. containers of Greek style yogurt and a quart of whey. Not a bad return!

This morning I checked my whey and saw that the solids had separated further, leaving the clear, yellow whey on top.

I'm excited that this turned out so well this time. From now on I can use my homemade yogurt as a starter and just have to buy a 1/2 gallon of milk when I need to replenish our stash.

If you like yogurt, this is something you simply must try making yourself! It only has 2 ingredients and takes very little hands on time. It is sheer simplicity. But, be warned, if you live with other people you might want to tape a note to the lid that says; NO PEEKING! I'm just sayin'.

*UPDATE: I made my second batch of yogurt and put it in the fridge overnight before straining off the whey. This made a huge difference. The yogurt was much thicker and creamier, and yielded about 3/4 of a container more yogurt than last time. Also, I used a mesh-type cloth instead of coffee filters to drain the whey this time. That worked much better.

Happy Homemaking!

NEW USES FOR OLD JARS

2010-02-05T09:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I went to the grocery store and a new (to me) spice store, Penzeys Spices (awesome BTW), and came home with 5 bags of nuts, seeds and spices. I don't really care for bags of stuff in my cupboards because they always end up get lost in there where I can't find them - not to mention the chaos they create. So, this morning I tried to find a way to deal with this slight inconvenience.

These...

went in here...

like this. Much better.

But, you don't just have to use canning jars. This is the only case where I actually did. I save many of my empty glass jars that once housed spaghetti sauce, pickles, relish, fruit and the like. They make great containers for the contents of those nuisance plastic bags.

All of this...

now looks like this. I simply cut the labels off of the spice bags and used my glue stick (I keep one in the kitchen drawer.) to attach the labels. Once the contents are empty, a quick soak should peel those labels right off.

Repurposed jars are also good for many other things.

These are holding math manipulatives that we use for homeschool. I hit these lids with a coat of black spray paint.

I think that these jars would be great to hold anything small that seems to get lost (or stepped on) - think little toy characters, marbles, beads, barrettes, homemade bath salts, Q-tips, cotton balls, Nintendo games... And with a shot of spray paint to the lid, they would easily coordinate with any decor. Plus, it's easy to see what's inside.

Flexible, free storage. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Happy Homemaking!

MAKE-SHIFT VALENTINE'S DAY WREATH

2010-02-04T14:35:00.001-05:00

I think that a wreath hanging on the front door makes a home look so welcoming and inviting. I, however, don't usually have a wreath hanging on my front door. I don't like visitors. Just jokin'! I just don't have space to store a wreath for every holiday and season. But, I'm trying to creatively rectify this situation by using a basic wreath frame and changing out the frou frou's.

Last year, my MIL had bought a heart shaped wreath covered in red garland for Valentine's Day. After the big holiday was over she decided that she wouldn't reuse it again. So, she offered it to me. Not being one to turn down a freebie, I graciously accepted. Thanks, Carol! But, a red wreath is just not going to show up against a red door. So, I clipped all of the garland off and stuck the frame aside until today.

I got a wild hair up my heiny and on the spur of the moment foraged through my meager supply of crafting items to quickly find a way to make a wreath for our door for the upcoming holiday. This means that I was in such a hurry that I couldn't possibly take the 2.94724 seconds that it would have taken to run downstairs and grab my camera so I could show you how I did it. But don't worry, it was rediculously stupid easy - I promise.

I had a remnant of off-white flannel lying around that I simply opened up and began wrapping around the frame, starting and ending at the top. I used straight pins on the backside to secure it in place. I didn't even bother to trim or tuck the frayed edges. We'll just call it texture and be happy. :0)

Next, I stuck a couple of white roses in some folds and straight pinned them in place.

After I realized that I had some cream ribbon that would work, I wrapped it around the wreath, too. Once again, I secured it to the back with straight pins. You didn't see that coming, did you? See, I told you this was stupid easy.

A small picture frame that I had bought for fifty-cents or a dollar at Goodwill back several months ago caught my eye. I had painted the frame Heirloom White and covered the wooden back with chalkboard paint. I thought it might fit nicely on my wreath. The only problem was it didn't have a chain to hang it with yet. I just couldn't be bothered with small details like that at the moment. So, I grabbed my hot glue gun and simply smothered that sucker with glue and plopped her where I wanted her. She's holding nicely, if I do say so myself. A quick XO makes it a lovely Valentine's Day touch, me thinks.

Lastly, I hung the wreath by stapling it on my door with more of the cream ribbon. Then I tied a bow and hot glued it to the top of the wreath.

It's not perfect. It probably needs more frou frous. But, it was free and welcomes our visitors with Valentine's Day warmth. I like that I was able to throw something together with a bunch of stuff I had on hand in a matter of 5 minutes and it didn't cost me anything. The good thing is, in a couple of weeks I can dismantle it and use the stuff for something else. I think me and my make-shift wreath are going to get along just fine. :0)

Happy Homemaking!

A GRAPESEED OIL EXPERIMENT

2010-02-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

I've talked about my kiddos sensitivity to chemicals before at my other blog, Ramblings of a Happy Homemaker . It's not just his lungs (asthma) that we have to watch out for - his skin is also extremely sensitive. The doctor told us to never allow him to take bubble baths (Can you imagine how awful that would be for a toddler?) and we had to use specific soaps. Given his propensity for cleaning things, we've had to really work on shedding the chemicals in our house, as well as put a limit on what and when he could clean.

Winter naturally leaves skin drier, as I'm sure you've experienced. A little while back Isaac used some lotion to combat his dry hands.

Now, this is what we're up against. Can you actually see the line where the milky white arm meets the lobster red hand? We are having an awful time getting this cleared up. Not only are his hands red - they're completely leathery. And they tend to crack and bleed. It's really not good.

Obviously, more lotion is not going to do the trick since it exacerbated the problem to begin with. For a while now we've been making him lube up with olive oil. But, I'm still not getting the results I'm looking for. We haven't used antibacterial soap in this house for a long time now. But, I'm beginning to wonder if the chemicals in our regular old liquid hand soap are still too much for his sensitive skin.

So, I've decided to do an experiment. I kicked out the liquid hand soap and replace it with a bar of natural (no chemicals) soap.

This bar just so happens to be Kirk's Castile Soap. But, I'm not going to be fussy about it - just so long as it isn't chemical-laden, I don't really care. And, yes, I realize that the soap isn't in a proper soap dish and that it is really too big for that container. But, this is an exercise in the art of using-what-you-have and the latter will take care of itself with use. :0)

The next thing I did was to empty the old hand soap dispenser and fill it with grapeseed oil. Isaac's instructions are to lube up after the wash up.

This ought to make it easier for his 9 year old boy brain to remember.

If you're wondering why grapeseed oil - check out this little bit of info lifted straight from Wikipedia.

Grape seed oil is a preferred cosmetic ingredient for damaged and stressed tissues, possessing regenerative and restructuring qualities which allow for strong control of skin moisturization. It can help skin retain the normal structure of epithelium cells and nerve cells via supporting the cell membranes. It is noted to be especially effective for repair of the skin around the eyes. Used as an all-over skin moisturizer, grape seed oil is known to reduce the look of stretch marks. A light, thin oil, grape seed oil leaves a glossy film over the skin when used as a carrier oil for essential oils in aromatherapy. It contains more linoleic acid than many other carrier oils. Grape seed oil is also usable as a lubricant for face shaving. In addition, grape seed oil applied to the feet each morning clears up many foot problems such as itching, scaly flaking and odor.

There is so much more information out there regarding the virtues of grapeseed oil that I couldn't even begin to scratch the surface. Take for instance the facts that it is supposed to lower cholesterol and lubricate joints when used in cooking. Just google it if you're interested in finding out more about it. But, for our purposes as a topical application - I'm finding that I like it better than olive oil as a moisturizer at the moment due to the fact that it is lighter and seems to penetrate the skin more readily. The cost is comparable to olive oil.

We've only been using this system for about a day and a half now. But, the color of Isaac's hands has changed from 3rd degree sunburn to 2nd degree sunburn already, I think. So, I'm really hoping that this experiment in avoiding all chemicals and adding good moisture rich nutrients to his skin will finally be the steps to getting his hands back to normal. But, I really like the system set up at our bathroom sink already. It's definitely helping my hands. They have a tendancy to crack and bleed this time of year with the dry air and 50 gazillion hand-washings a day. So, I'll think we'll definitely be keeping it. I'll keep you updated with our results.

Happy Homemaking!

A LITTLE ABOUT FLAX SEEDS

2010-02-02T13:58:00.001-05:00

Today I needed to make bread. I still have 2 loaves of French baguette left from my big baking day last Saturday, so I only needed to make a couple of multi-grain loaves. I try to squeeze a little more nutrition into each loaf I make by adding flax seeds.

I ran out of flax seeds a few weeks ago and couldn't find any whole seeds - just ground. I like to grind them myself for a couple of reasons. I figure that they'll be fresher if I do it myself. Whole seeds also last much longer than ground ones do. And, I've also found that when I pour a 1/4 cup of seeds into my coffee grinder I get 1/2 c. back. So, it's also a cheaper way to stretch them. Anyway, back to not finding whole seeds... I finally went to my CVS and found a 15 oz. container that didn't say they were ground. Since they were in a white plastic container I couldn't actually get a look at them. But, I needed them. So, I swallowed hard and handed over $11.99 + tax only to get home and find out that I had just bought ground flax seeds. Bummer. :0(

Friday when I went shopping at Trader Joe's, low and behold, I found a 15 oz. bag of whole flax seeds in the cereal aisle by the oats. Yay me! Can you imagine how I felt when I saw that they only cost $2.99? I swear, if it hadn't been so crowded I would have done a back hand spring! Well, really, I would have thought about doing a back hand spring. Momma don't move that way.

The bag on the left is my Trader Joe's whole flax seeds. Love how they leave a clear opening so I can actually see what I'm buying. How novel! The container on the right is my $12.99 ground flax seeds. So mysterious I wasn't even sure what I was gettin until I got home. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I even talked to the pharmacy about it and they had no clue, either. I felt like I was opening a jack-in-the-box just waiting to be surprised by the contents.

Anyway, CVS charged me 4 times more than Trader Joe's and I'll get twice as much from the seeds. That's just one more reason I love that store!

Below is some information copied from Wikipedia describing some of the health benefits of consuming flax seeds.

Flax seeds contain high levels of lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids. Lignans may benefit the heart, possess anti-cancer properties and studies performed on mice found reduced growth in specific types of tumors. Flax seed may also lower cholesterol levels, especially in women. Initial studies suggest that flaxseed taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast and prostate cancers. Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels. There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content though excessive consumption without liquid can result in intestinal blockage.

One tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three tablespoons of water may serve as a replacement for one egg in baking by binding the other ingredients together. Ground flax seeds can also be mixed in with oatmeal, yogurt or any other food item where a nutty flavor is appropriate. Flax seed sprouts are edible, with a slightly spicy flavor. Flaxseed is called 'Tisi' in northern India, particularly in the Bihar region. Roasted 'Tisi' is powdered and eaten with boiled rice, a little water, and a little salt since ancient times in the villages. It is aromatic and considered soothing for the stomach, useful as a laxative, and good for health.

Flax seeds are chemically stable while whole, and milled flax seed can be stored at least 4 months at room temperature with minimal or no changes in taste, smell, or chemical markers of rancidity. Ground flaxseed can go rancid at room temperature in as little as one week. Refrigeration and storage in sealed containers will keep ground flax from becoming rancid for a longer period of time.

There is much more information out there on the goodness and nutritional value of flax seeds, but the above information gives a pretty good idea. I've also heard that flaxseed oil is a good way to get in those Omega 3's. I'm not crazy about swallowing pills, so the seeds work well for me.

I hope you learned something today!

Happy Homemaking!

HOMESTEAD BLESSINGS DVD GIVE AWAY

2010-01-29T09:02:00.001-05:00

If you're interested in improving your domestic skills at all - well, then...Kendra at New Life On A Homestead has a great give away for you!

Franklin Springs is giving eight of Kendra's readers each a DVD from their series of Homestead Blessings DVDs. Titles to choose from include; The Art of Gardening, The Art of Bread Making, The Art of Canning, The Art of Candle Making, The Art of Soap Making, The Art of Herbs, The Art of Cooking and The Art of Dairy Delights. Now, that's a lot of information!

If you're interested in learning (or learning more) about any of the above topics then head on over to New Life On A Homestead to enter to win.

Happy Homemaking!

SOUTHWESTERN BEAN SOUP AND BATCH COOKING TIPS

2010-01-25T10:37:00.001-05:00

I have a weekly routine that I stick to pretty closely. Friday is my shopping/errand day. I am learning that after spending a full day out running, then putting away groceries - the last thing I want to do on Friday evening is spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. I used to solve this dilemma by either bringing fast food home or ordering a pizza. I'm trying to stop this bad habit for 2 reasons; 1) to be a better steward of our finances, and 2) to be a better steward of our health. This means I have to do some planning. I need to have an arsenal of quick, simple recipes that I can pull off without much mess. This Southwestern Bean Soup recipe has GOT to be the winner of all categories.

SOUTHWESTERN BEAN SOUP

1 - 48 OZ JAR GREAT NORTHERN BEANS
2 - CANS MEXICAN STYLE CORN
1 - 28 OZ CAN DICED TOMATOES (I USED 1 QT. OF MY CANNED TOMATOES)
2 CUPS WATER
1- PKT. TACO SEASONING
1 - PKT. RANCH DRESSING MIX

PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A STOCK POT, BRING TO A BOIL, THEN SIMMER FOR 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.

This soup is good and easy. It's also good and easy. :0) It takes less than 5 minutes to throw it all together.

When I got home from shopping Friday, I took a couple minutes to get my soup going, then I started putting away my groceries. It was the ultimate in multi-tasking. All I had to do to finish dinner was throw a quick salad together and heat up some French Baguette. There were also plenty of left-overs - which leads me to my next topic...

________________________________________________

I have been working on learning the art of cooking once and eating twice. For instance, instead of sticking the soup in the fridge for left-overs, I divided into two different gallon sized freezer bags, labeled them with it's contents and the date and layed them flat in the freezer (once they had cooled down). I now have 2 more quick meals just waiting to be re-heated.

I did the same thing on Saturday. Saturday was to be my baking day. I knew that I wouldn't feel like messing with dinner after baking bread all day. So, that morning I cooked up some hamburger and threw it in a crock-pot with some vegetables, broth and V-8 juice.

I doubled my bread batches, which doesn't take any more effort than making a single batch. So, by the time I had finished my 6 loaves of French Baguette and 2 loaves of Multi-grain Bread - dinner was ready and we had fresh baked bread to go with it. Mmmm... Just like with the Southwestern Bean Soup, I bagged up the left-overs and sent them to the freezer for future meals.

I also made mostaccoli one night this week. Instead of cooking 1/2 box of pasta - I cooked the whole box and doubled it. Half of the finished meal got wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, labeled and sent to the freezer.

In three days of my regular cooking (aside from the bread, which I don't do every day) I was able to add 1 meal of mostaccoli and 5 soup meals to the freezer. Plus, by spending 1 day making bread I was able to have 2 weeks worth of a slicing loaf of bread (toast, sandwiches, etc.) and 5 loaves of French Baguette in the freezer.

*A note on the soups; It's easy to make a large pot of soup by adding more veggies or what-have-you. But, if you have a larger family and don't have enough left-overs to make a whole meal, simply freeze into individual sized portions. This would be great to have on hand for snacks, or to heat in the morning and send in a Thermos to school or work.

I'm learning that by changing the way I view left-overs and utilizing my time in the kitchen for maximum efficiency (batch cooking) - I'm able to save myself a lot of work in the long run and build up a stock pile of freezer meals for those days (like my Fridays) when I know that I won't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen making supper.

I challenge you to start thinking about doubling your recipes sometimes when you're in the kitchen. It will save you time down the road.

Happy Homemaking!

TWO EXTREMELY HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS

2010-01-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

As I am getting a little older and more familiar with my way around the kitchen I am discovering certain tools that I feel no kitchen should be without. A really good knife is one of those tools.

When Chris and I first got married I got a set of knives that came in a plastic holder. They are supposed to never need to be sharpenend. I have used them for 14 years now. They did the job OK (I did manage to keep us fed somehow.). But, they also aren't the easiest thing to chop a lot with without making my hand tired.

When my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, I told her that I wanted a Santoku knife. Being the good Mommy that she is - guess what I got? Let me just say - I. LOVE. IT! I does all the work for me without making my hand tired. It cuts like buttah, I tell ya. But, that also leads me to the next tool that no kitchen should be without.

Enter the knife sharpener... There are all different types of sharpeneners. Find one that suits you. My dad gave me this one.

This end has two V notches. The knife gets run through each side of the notches, sharpening each side of the knife blades. The other end has an attachment that is supposed to sharpen serrated knives. I haven't broken out my manual to see how to do that, though.

The key that I'm finding with a good knife is that it needs to be sharpened frequently. Like, I sharpen it every day. A really sharp knife takes a lot of the work out of chopping. It is also supposed to be safer to use than a dull knife.

My Santoku is also very versatile. I use it for everything from chopping veggies, to slicing bread (I've never had an actual bread knife), to cutting meat, to slicing my banana in the morning. I won't say that it is the only knife needed in the kitchen. But, I will say that if you could only own 3 knives - I'd make this one of them.

I'm realizing that it is better to own a good quality piece that is very functional and versatile than to waste money on many little gadgets that take up lots of space and have only 1 purpose. So, the next time you're in the market for a good, versatile knife - the Santoku is a good bet.

Happy Homemaking!

PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICHES AND FRIES

2010-01-19T07:48:00.006-05:00

I cooked chicken and yellow rice for a crowd Sunday. My family has this thing about feeding people - you MUST have food left over when company leaves. If there's nothing left over then someone didn't get to eat his fill. That would make me a tragic hostess. Incidentally, I also married into a family with the same philosophy. So, as you can imagine, I had a lot of chicken left over. It got morphed into pulled chicken sandwiches for dinner last night.

This is so stinkin' easy - you don't even need a recipe for it. I based it off of my now-favorite roast recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking since my family isn't a huge fan of BBQ - unless it's Sonny's and we don't have those in these parts. Even if we could just buy the sauce here...sigh...

Here's what I did.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

I took my already cooked chicken (you could also use left-over turkey) and broke it apart into my crock pot. Just put in the amount that you think your family will eat. Next, I opened a can of cranberry sauce with whole cranberries in it and added that to the pot. I also added 2 TBSP of soy sauce and about a tablespoon of dried onions. You could use some chopped onion, but I didn't have any in the freezer and was just way to ~~lazy~~ busy to chop any at that moment.

*When you get the ingredients into the pot you'll need to use your judgement on whether it looks wet enough for you or not. This isn't rocket science. If you've so much chicken in your pot that it looks very dry - then add more sauce mix. They key here is for every 1 can of cranberry sauce - add 2 TBSP of soy sauce and 1 TBSP of dried onion flakes. Very simple.

Since the meat is already cooked, you really just need to warm the sauce through. I put mine in the crock pot on low heat about 2:30 PM and we had dinner around 6:30 PM. I doubt it would need that much time if you didn't have it.

To serve, I brushed the insides of some whole wheat hamburger buns with a little bit of butter (you could use a mix of butter/olive oil) and toasted them in my iron skillet. Add a bit of Romaine lettuce and top with your pulled chicken and voila! A yummy and healthified sandwich.

I served with homemade fries (which are super easy to make).

Homemade Fries

This is a judgement thing again. Figure out how many potatoes you'll need by the size of your family. My Russet potatoes were pretty small, so I used 5 for our family of 3 and we had left-overs.

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees while you begin cutting your potatoes.

Cut your potatoes in 1/2. Then cut each 1/2 in 1/2 again - making sure your cuts are parallel. (Sorry, no pictures.) You will have 4 layers of potatoes now. Flip them over and cut into strips as wide or narrow as you like. *I wash my potatoes but don't peel them. There is a lot of nutrients in the skin. But, you do what you like. You'll save a lot of time by not peeling them, though.

Toss your potato strips with a little bit of olive oil, enough to coat but not drown them. Lay them on your baking sheet(s) and roast at 450 degrees until done - flipping about 1/2 way through the cooking time. It took mine about 30 minutes.

Season with salt at the end. *When roasting any vegetable that you want to stay crispy don't add salt until towards the end. Salt draws the moisture out of the vegetable and will cause it to be soggy. You definitely don't want that with French fries.

My guys loved this meal and requested that we have it again. I like knowing that it isn't full of yucky preservatives and trans fats. We're baby stepping and this is an easy meal that is oh, so yummy that we didn't even miss the bad stuff. You won't either.

I'm linking this post up to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Happy Homemaking!

NEED MORE IRON IN YOUR DIET?

2010-01-15T09:56:00.006-05:00

Grab a skillet!

Among many of the iron skillet's wonderful attributes is it's ability to infuse iron into your food, and therefore your diet. This is a good thing since it's obviously something that our bodies need, right? Just check out the vitamin and supplement aisle the next time you're at the grocery store.

I have two and use them all. the. time. I got the largest one first. After I had just turned 19, I was planning on moving out of state to go to school. I would be sharing an apartment with 4 other girlfriends and needed to acquire some things of my own to take with me. At this same time my cousin was getting married and he and his fiance were buying his grandmother's little house. She was moving out, but left a house full of decades worth of treasures behind. Richie and Lisa decided the best way to handle this was to have a yard sale.

As they were setting up for their sale, I went over to see if they had anything I could use. That's when I spotted it - a beautiful, old, perfectly seasoned iron skillet. I didn't think that Lisa knew the treasure that she was getting ready to let go of. So I told her. "Lisa, you don't want to get rid of this iron skillet. It's already seasoned and everything. They last forever." To which she replied, "I will NEVER cook with that thing. Just take it. You can have it." I couldn't believe what I just heard. My mind could not comprehend that someone would get rid of an iron skillet. It still can't. So, I have been using Granny Lula's iron skillet for the past 16 years and I don't know how long she used it or whether or not she inherited it as well. What I do know is that it has served me well.

Sometimes I don't need that large of a pan when I cook though. Enter the perfectly sized smaller skillet that I picked up at a barn sale a few years ago for just a few bucks. It was already seasoned as well.

The beauty of the iron skillet is that it only gets better with time and usage - unlike my other multiple sets of non-stick cookware that has repeatedly disappointed me with their false claims and "life-time guarantees". My iron skillets are sturdy, steady, faithful and true. With love and care these babies really do last a lifetime. Actually, a well-loved iron skillet will outlive us all.

If space is at a premium in your kitchen - this is the one pan to have. It can fry chicken, make pancakes, omelets, the best cornbread you'll ever eat, steak, home fries, gravy, biscuits and even dessert. It needs very little oil once it's seasoned well. And clean-up is a breeze.

I rarely ever use soap on my iron skillets. Soap can remove that precious seasoning that has taken a long time to acquire. A quick rub with a nylon scrubby under running water is all they really need. Sometimes, (like when I make cornbread) wiping them out with a dry paper towel is all that is necessary.

Occasionally they need to be re-seasoned. It's really very simple to do. Just wipe it down (inside and out) with a paper towel coated in oil. Give a generous coating. Then pop it in a 300 degree oven for 2 or 3 hours. Then wipe off the extra oil after it's cooled down. Seasoning a skillet gets oil into the pores of the iron, sealing it and giving it a smooth invisible coating.

If you spot one at a yard sale - grab it. Even if it is covered in rust and gunk it can be restored quite simply (as long as the metal isn't cracked). Just take some steel wool to it until the rust is removed and then re-season it several times. I do hope you'll rethink the practicality of an iron skillet and blow the dust off one that hasn't been cooked in for quite a while. It will serve you well and bless your body with the iron it needs in the process.

Happy Homemaking!

MAKING FRENCH BAGUETTE

2010-01-13T10:38:00.012-05:00

Monday, while I was baking a loaf of my multi-grain bread, I got a hair that was just wild enough to cause me to try my hand at making Parisienne Farmgirl's French Baguettes. This is a double batch - so, it makes 6 loaves of baguette.

My family loves French Baguette, but it can be a little pricey. I don't have a bakery anywhere close to me. So, the closest thing we got to the real thing was when I would buy the frozen La Brea Bakery loaves in the grocery store or Pillsbury's French bread in a tube. That's actually pretty good bread, BTW. I would always buy it on sale, but it's still not what I would consider cheap. I bought a bag of unbleached flour at Trader Joe's for less than 3 bucks and only used about 1/2 of it. Like I said, I got 6 loaves at about a buck fifty. Can't beat those prices. I'm sure other stores carry unbleached flour - that just happened to be where I was.

I actually enjoyed the process even though it took a long time. But, the largest portion of time was used up in waiting for the yeast to do it's thang. During all the waiting I was free to do other ~~chores~~ stuff. Here's how it went...

In a large bowl mix 8 cups of unbleached (organic if you can find it) flour and 1 TBSP. of salt. Divide up the flour/salt mixture and put half into another large bowl. It should be large enough for the dough to rise in.

Next, add 2 TBSP. of yeast to 4 cups of warm water. Let it set until bubbly. (My bowl isn't dirty. This is the "popcorn bowl" that we used when I was just a little girl. Those are burn marks. Now ain't that special?)

Once the yeast is proven (bubbly), add the water/yeast mix to 1/2 of the flour in the largest bowl.

Stir well. It will be soupy. Then cover and let it set for 3 hours in a warm area.

It will look like this after 3 hours.

Stir well. Then add the remaining flour and salt.

You're ready to knead at this point and it will look something like this.

Knead dough for 10 minutes, adding a little flour as needed. I have to admit - this part was fun. It smelled all yeasty (Is that a word?) and the way it handled was fabulous. I'm sure the kiddos would get a kick out of this part, too. It should be a pretty smooth ball by this time.

Now you can put your dough into a large bowl that has been coated with oil. Cover it with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with oil and let it rise for another hour. Go clean your toilette or eat bon bons and watch TV or something.

It's time to punch this bad daddy down and knead it again for another 10 minutes - don'tcha think?

Cut the dough into 6 portions and roll into a log about the size of a baking sheet. Cut a few shallow slits in the top and let set for another 10-20 minutes while you pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Fill an oven-proof bowl with water and put it in the bottom of your oven once it's pre-heated and you put your loaves in. (I had to cook mine in 2 batches. You want to make sure the air can circulate in there.) Bake for 15 minutes.

Take the bowl of water out and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your crust. (I liked ours best at 10 minutes.)

Remove your French Baguettes from the oven and repeat the process with the next batch.

Mah-velous, Darling! Simply mah-velous!

Of course, we couldn't resist sampling a bite right away! Can someone say DELICIOUS? Mmm -Mmm -Momma! So good it'll make you want to slap your Grandma!

6 loaves of bread is a lot - but it's a smart way to bake. You see, I simply wrapped up what we wouldn't be eating the next day (in plastic wrap then aluminum foil) and stuck the rest in the freezer. When it's time to eat them I'll be able to unwrap them and re-heat in the oven on 325 degrees. Parisienne Farmgirl says they're even better re-heated. I haven't gotten that far, yet, though.

The verdict: This was a huge success with the men in my life! Not only is it delicious and cheap, but I know that my guys aren't getting any wacky preservatives that we can't pronounce. And, each loaf is baked with a big ol' heapin' helping of love. Awww! Now, tell me your gonna get THAT from the store!

So, if you're ever feelin' froggy and want to try your hand at baking bread - this is really very simple with only FIVE ingredients. French Baguette is great with soup, salad, just about any dinner you can think of - and it could easily be split and morphed into garlic bread. Don't be intimidated. You might even have fun!

Here's a recap.

Ingredients:

8 c. unbleached organic (if you can find it) flour - and more as needed during kneading

2 TBSP. yeast

4 C. warm water

1 TBSP. salt

oil

Directions:

Combine warm water and yeast and let set until bubbly.

Mix flour and salt then divide equally into 2 bowls. Add the water/yeast to 1/2 of the flour in the largest bowl and stir to combine. Cover and let set for 3 hours.

Add the remaining flour mixture and knead for 10 minutes, adding a little more flour as needed. Place in a bowl that has been coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with oil. Let rise in a warm place for another hour.

Knead for 10 minutes. Begin to pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut dough into six portions and form into loaves the length of a baking sheet. Make a few shallow slits in the top of each loaf. Let set for 10-20 minutes while oven pre-heats.

Once oven is pre-heated - place one batch of bread (3 loaves) in the oven with a bowl of water on the bottom rack. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove water and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Repeat with second batch of baguette. Don't forget to add the water back in the oven for the second round of baking.

Freeze whatever won't be eaten right away. Re-heat in a 325 degree oven until warm.

Happy Homemaking!

P.S. I'm linking this post up to Works For Me Wednesday because making my own bread really does work for me!

WEEKLY CLEANING

2010-01-12T09:41:00.006-05:00

I have begun implementing ideas from the FlyLady into my life schedule and it is really helping. For instance, yesterday, I spent the entire day in the kitchen and I was completely spent. By the time we had finished eating supper - the last thing I wanted to do was get in there and clean the kitchen (again). But I did. I knew that I would be thankful for it this morning. And I was. Very thankful. Establishing a routine is helping me to weigh the cause and effect of doing now versus doing later and thinking about the future outcome instead of just living in the moment.

I talked about getting on a routine of things that need to be done on a daily basis as far as cleaning goes in this post. Today, I want to talk about things that should be done weekly. Basically, there are 7 things that should be done weekly in the home - give or take. If you break each chore into 10 minute segments and set your timer to finish each one in that amount of time - it will take just over an hour to git 'er done. FlyLady calls this the Home Blessing Hour. You can do this however you like. Some people want to deal with it once a week and be done. That doesn't work for me. I spread my 7 across several days. Also, running the vacuum once a week isn't enough in my house, either. I supplement by sweeping with a broom in addition to the vacuum on another day or two (I don't have carpet).

Here is a breakdown of the 7 chores:
-vacuum or sweep just the middles, not around the walls
-dust
-mop kitchen and bathroom
-clean the glass in the doors and bathroom mirrors
-purge magazines
-empty trash cans (all)
-change bed sheets

It may seem strange to see that you aren't supposed to vacuum around the walls. That is because the house is also broken down into zones where you deep clean (little by little daily) when you are in that zone. I can't not vacuum the edges, though. Like I said earlier, I don't have carpet in my house. Therefore, dust bunnies and dog hair love to migrate to the edges of the room. So, it's all about tweaking and adjusting until you find a system that works for you.

The first time I set my timer for 10 minutes to dust I was very surprised. I had dusted everything from furniture to lamps to pictures on the wall and the dining room chandelier before the timer ever went off. Of course, I have a small house. But, it is really amazing how much you can accomplish in a short amount of time if you just get at it.

I'm still not perfect with system, but I'm getting much better. I'm finding that by simply striving for a goal gets me a whole lot farther than I used to get, even if I don't always make the finish line. I knew that things are getting better in this area when my MIL came over the other day and told me that my house looked pretty. Sadly, I hadn't heard that in a while.

So, if you're feeling like you need a little coaching where getting control over your house is concerned - let me encourage you to set some realistic goals, write them down and start somewhere. FlyLady is a great place to go for more inspiration, too.

Tomorrow I'll share my first experience with making French Baguette and the recipe I used.

Happy Homemaking!

COUNTRY LIVING SIMPLE COUNTRY WISDOM

2010-01-10T08:01:00.005-05:00

"The world makes a lot of demands on us. There's always something that needs to be done, someone we need to make time for, an item to pick up here and another to drop off there, traffic that tests our limits, friends and coworkers caught in dramas of their own, and often, at the end of the day, any number of to-dos and should-dos that already casting their shadow over tomorrow.

Your home should be a refuge from all that. The "shelter" in the food, clothing, and shelter equation means more than mere protection from wind and rain or a place to stow one's belongings. It also means shelter from the stresses of the greater world, a little oasis where we can relax, pursue our own interests, share time with those we love."

That is an excerpt from the book I am currently reading, "Country Living Simple Country Wisdom; 501 Old-Fashioned Ideas to Simplify Your Life". The focus of the title should be on the word IDEAS in the phrase Old-Fashioned Ideas, because what I have read so far is very relevant for today. It isn't old-fashioned information that wouldn't work for today at all. On the contrary there are many things in it's pages that will help to make life much simpler, even in today's world.

I just picked up the book from the library and am already about 1/3 of the way through it. I am looking forward to finishing it and implementing some of the ideas. There are chapters on; WHAT MAKES A WELCOMING HOME?, CLUTTER CONTROL, WHAT MEETS THE EYE, THE ELEMENTS OF CLEAN, THE TAO OF LAUNDRY, KITCHEN WISDOM, THE A-Z OF FOOD, BETTER LIVING THROUGH BAKING, IN THE GARDEN AND A GREENER LIFE.

If you're looking for a good manual to help with the ins and outs of making your home a refuge from the riggers of the world - "Country Living Simple Country Wisdom" would be a great place to look.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE HERBAL SHAMPOO

2010-01-09T00:00:00.005-05:00

I have been using my own homemade herbal shampoo for a while now. I've experimented with a few different recipes. Did you know there is a whole movement called No Poo ? I kid you not! I can't say that I'm a part of that (When I hear the name I don't know whether to giggle or cringe!), but I don't like the idea of all the chemicals in store bought shampoo. So, I try to find a happy medium.

I found (and modified slightly) a version that really works for me at Parisienne Farmgirl. It's super simple to make and does absolute wonders for my hair! I love this stuff! Honestly, the difference in my hair when I shampoo with this versus the store-bought stuff is unbelievable.

You need some herbs. I had rosemary - so, that's what I used. Put it in a pot with 2 cups of water on low heat for 20 - 30 minutes. It makes the house smell divine!

Strain it into a bottle when it's done. I use a plastic water bottle with a sports cap. I wouldn't want to put anything glass into the shower, ya know? Next, I added 3/4 cup Castile Soap. Honestly, next time I'll cut that amount down to 1/2 cup because it's so sudsy. Then I finished filling my bottle up with water. That's it.

The original recipe calls for 2 cups of herbal water and 1 1/2 cups of Castile Soap. That's just too much soap for my liking. I think that a ratio of 1/2 cup soap to 3 cups herbal water would be just perfect.

The Castile Soap I have is peppermint scented. So the final product ended up being a heavenly combination of rosemary and mint. You could do whatever combination suits you. Also, the rosemary I used was the last of what I had. So, after I steeped it the first time - I put more water in the pot with the rosemary and steeped it again for about a half hour. Then I strained it into a canning jar and refrigerated it. I'll have enough for another batch of shampoo when I need it.

My hair is much shinier, full and manageable with this herbal shampoo. I also do a cider vinegar rinse before I condition. If you have any herbs hanging around that you don't know what to do with - or if you just don't know what to do with your hair - you should really give this a try. I'm hooked.

Happy Homemaking!

GOODBYE, SINUS INFECTIONS!

2010-01-08T03:00:00.004-05:00

Probably one of the most important parts of homekeeping is keeping the people that live in the home healthy. This time of year, especially, sinus infections seem to be lurking around every corner. No family seems to be immune.

I have a terrible history with sinus infections. Growing up, I didn't even have to make a trip to the pediatrician for him to call me in an antibiotic due to my history. Then, there were the times I would try to self-medicate with an over-the-counter pill so I wouldn't have to pump anymore of those antibiotics into my system than absolutely necessary. Once, I accidentally overdosed on Actifed. Usually, I would take 2 Sudafed, but Actifed only required 1 pill. I took 2 on an empty stomach. Then I went to church. That made for a re-heal-ly exciting evening. We'll just leave it at that. Anyhoo...before we moved to Florida my sinus infections would almost instantaneously turn into bronchitis. I didn't get them quite as often while we lived in the Sunshine State. But, the minute I would head north I was in for a doozy.

During my time in Florida I started to hear about sinus flushing. I couldn't find the neti pots that you were supposed to use to do this. So, I improvised and used salt water and a nasal aspirator. It wasn't the greatest approach - but, it helped. Nowadays, you can find neti pots almost anywhere.

They come in a kit with saline packets and the neti pot itself. These things are a God-send!

It reminds me of an Aladdin lamp. It is so easy to use that my husband (who would not use the nasal aspirator) and nine year old son use it regularly.

The refill packets are cheap. I think this box of 100 cost me $9.99.

Dr. Oz (and about every other doctor out there now) recommends flushing your sinuses to stay healthy. They say that all sickness starts in the sinuses and then progresses to the throat, the chest, yada, yada,yada... I received an e-mail recently regarding the Swine Flu virus. It said that the virus stays in the sinuses for something like 2 days before it germinates (or whatever viruses do). So, they said that if you flushed your sinuses daily, you wouldn't get the H1N1 virus. I don't have medical facts supporting my next thought - but it seems to me that the same thing would be true for any flu bug flying around.

I am convinced that we have been spared at least one trip to the doctor for antibiotics this year to get rid of a sinus infection, and probably more. My husband likes to sleep with a fan. But, it can't be pointed at his head or he will wake up with a sinus infection. This seems weird to me - but after 14 years of marriage, I don't even try to understand it anymore. I just know that's how it works for him. About a month or so ago - the fan got moved and he woke up with those burning sinuses. So, he flushed them before he went to work. By the time he came home, they weren't burning anymore. He continued to flush them morning and night for the next couple of days. By the 2nd or 3rd day he was completely over it. No trip to the doctor required. Let me just say, that was a first.

The box says that this is so safe that you can safely flush your sinuses up to 20 times a day. I can't possible imagine needing to do it that many times. But, hey, whatever.

It may seem like a strange thing to do if you've never flushed your sinuses before. But, truly, it's quick, easy and painless. My nine year old flushes his all by himself. And, $.10 per pack of saline seems like a cheap price to pay to keep my family healthy. I hope you consider flushing your sinuses the next time an infection comes knocking on your door.

Happy Homekeeping!

EASILY CLEANING THE BATHROOM

2010-01-07T07:25:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had said that I would share my system for cleaning the bathroom. I didn't get to it, so, sorry. Mother Nature threw a curve ball and my weekly routine was interrupted. We are being hit hard with snow and hubby suggested that I do our grocery shopping yesterday instead of tomorrow because there is a good chance I won't be able to get out. And, just in case you're ever snowed in - food is a good thing to have on hand. :0) So, here it is - a day late.

The bathroom has always been a major nemesis for me. I HATED to clean the bathroom. Now, it's a breeze thanks to my new simple FlyLady system. I clean it every day. Yep. Every day. The funny thing is, it is much easier than it sounds because this keeps hard water stains and soap scum from building up - thus, making it take longer.

As you can see, my bathroom is dinky. You can shut the door while you're sitting on the toilette. But, I still have a cabinet in there behind the open door. I now keep a roll of paper towels in the cabinet - along with a spray bottle I bought for a buck at Dollar General filled with nothing other than straight rubbing alcohol. It's a cheap, all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant. These two items never leave my bathroom.

Every morning once I'm finished applying my make-up and fixing my hair I get out my roll of paper towels and bottle of alcohol. First, I spray the mirror and wipe it down. Then, I spray the sink and wipe it down. Next, I take that paper towel that is already damp with alcohol and wipe the toilette handle and grab any stray hairs that have fallen on the toilette. (Sometimes, I think I shed worse than my dog!) By this time that paper towel is pretty well finished, so I grab a new one. But first, I dump a glob of shampoo (use could use body wash, hand soap or anything you have on hand) into the toilette bowl and give it a quick swish with the toilette bowl brush. Soap is soap, right? Lastly, I spray down the commode with alcohol and wipe it in this order; top of tank, seat lid, top of seat, underside of seat, rim and finally the bottom where the bolts are located.

This takes me all of a minute and I keep a clean bathroom - even while sharing it with two guys. I never get stressed over having to clean it. And, when company drops by, I'm never embarrassed.

The worst monster in the bathroom for me used to be the shower. I admit, I've had to compromise here. Every since my son was hospitalized for asthma, I have been on a mission to rid our home of chemicals. But, something about scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing the shower while I was twisted into weird, pretzel-like positions was rather unappealing to me. So, I just didn't do it very often. Don't judge - I'm just being honest, here. My compromise is in the cleaner I use. Every Tuesday, I spray the shower down with a Scrubbing Bubbles type cleaner, crack the bathroom window a few inches (even when it's 18 degrees outside) and shut the bathroom door. I tell my kiddo not to go in there until I'm done with the shower. I let it set for 10 minutes, then I hit it with the scrub brush I leave in the shower and rinse. The cleaner does most of the work for me. If it's not perfectly clean -well, that's OK. It's better than it was before, right? Consistently cleaning it every week makes is consistently cleaner. By the time I'm done, the smell has pretty much dissipated so, I can shut the window and open the door.

I would like to get to place where I can use a green cleaner for the shower again. But, I need to find one that doesn't require contortionistic flexibility. For now, I know I need to work on developing the routine of consistency. I'm sure I'll branch out again and try to clean it with something different. But, I believe that life is about give and take. We do the best that we can do and constantly strive to do better. For me, a clean shower with a chemical is better than a scuzzy shower with no chemicals.

So, there you have it. My easy peasy approach to a clean bathroom; clean the shower weekly and wipe down everything else daily. It takes all of a minute and a half, and I don't have to go hunt down cleaners because they stay in the bathroom. I hope you consider giving this approach a try. I think you'll be glad you did!

Happy Homemaking!

P.S. Tomorrow I'll share my favorite remedy for staying healthy this season. It works like a charm!

Getting Control Over the House

2010-01-05T15:09:00.002-05:00

I have stayed in a state of "overwhelmed" where my house is concerned for quite some time now. I don't like that feeling. You know, the one where you're already behind before your feet ever hit the floor - and you can never quite seem to get caught up? I hate living there.

Back several years ago when we sold our home in Florida to move back to Hoosier-land, I didn't have that problem. My house stayed pretty clean. Actually, when the appraiser came to look at it he told me that it was the cleanest house he had ever seen. Then he repeated that sentiment to the realtor, the people buying our house and their lawyer. I, personally, found that quite humorous - I never considered myself an immaculate housekeeper. But, the house was usually presentable.

I have found myself wondering "What happened?" too often lately. Not only am I homeschooling now, but, our current home is very small. You would think that a small home would be easier to keep clean. I'm finding the opposite to be true. Space is at a minimum, so clutter wants to creep out of control. That makes me almost claustrophobic. I HAD to do something about this. So, I have decided to change my address. I don't want to live in that place anymore.

I am finally finding a system that works for me. It's not perfect yet. I doubt it ever will be. This is real life, after all. And, sometimes life gets messy. But, it's getting better. Much better. I feel like I can take a deep breath again. If you find yourself suffocated by your own home, that place that is supposed to be your refuge - read on. I'll share what's working for me.

Have you ever heard of the FlyLady ? I have recently become a "flybaby" and it's making a difference for me. Basically, you sign up for her free e-mails and she baby-steps you through getting a routine going. Basically, every task is broken down. There are things you do each day. There are things you do each week. And, things you do each month. The house is broken down into zones. If you miss something, it's OK, that zone will come around again. Hang with me a minute and I'll show you what my Control Journal looks like.

At first, the e-mails can be a little overwhelming. Not only do you receive a daily e-mail with the current "mission of the day", but, there are testimonials, updates and things like that. The key is to not let it overwhelm you. I quickly learned that I don't have time to read all of the testimonials. So, if I don't have time that day - I simply check the boxes of all that aren't necessary for me and I hit delete before I even open them. I have also found that at the beginning of the week an e-mail comes out with the entire weeks "mission of the day" on it. I simply print that e-mail out and hang it on my fridge. That way I know at glance what I need to do every day of that week. It also means that there is one less e-mail I need to look at each day. The key is to find out what works for you.

The biggest change that has happened for me in the few weeks since I have been flying has been the change in my attitude. I was almost paralyzed by the mountain in front of me, so I did nothing. I now realize that something is better than nothing and I am beginning to eat that elephant one bite at a time. It's amazing what simply moving in the right direction can do for you.

One of the main things about "flying" is creating your Control Journal. I resisted this for weeks. That was dumb on my part. I'm still working on creating it - but that's OK. I'm moving in the right direction. You can make your journal as simple or elaborate as you like - just be warned; don't get caught up in perfectionism and not do it at all. Some people use a 3-ring binder and clear sheet protectors. I simply used a one subject notebook that I bought for a dime before school. It's what I had on hand. Let me just apologize here for the crappy pictures. But, you can at least get the idea.

The Control Journal sits on my counter where I can refer to it as I need throughout the day. It has sections. And, I wrote in pencil in case I see that I need to tweak something that isn't working for me. It's personal, so don't be afraid to make it as such. My schedule is different than yours. That means what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. That's OK.

There is a before bed routine. Doing a few things at night can make the next morning go a whole. lot. smoother. Trust me.

I was a classic example of the person who didn't usually do dishes at night, but waited 'till the next morning. Don't judge. And don't hate me because I'm beautiful. My hubby works hours where he usually conks out pretty early. After dinner we like to spend family time together and by the time dishes were done there was a good chance he'd be asleep. I chose my family over a clean kitchen. But...I'm finding that since I go ahead and clean up after dinner - my hubby is helping put things back in the fridge and helping me DO the dishes. That way, I get done faster AND we still have time together in the evenings. I didn't even have to ask for his help. He just jumped in all on his own. Man, what a bonus! When I wake up to a clean kitchen I feel so much better.

There is also a morning routine. I know some of this stuff probably seems self-explanatory. But, there really is something to having it written down in front of you. It's easy to get distracted and not get anything done. There used to be many days when my bed went unmade. Now, as soon as we crawl out of bed in the morning - me and my man make her up. Not only does it go quicker with the two of making it, but I sleep better at night because the sheets don't end up getting all twisted. They're smoothed and tucked every morning eliminating the problem. Also, making sure that I'm dressed to my shoes and make-up. It's mental, but it works. One of the most beneficial things in my morning routine has been to clean my bathroom every day. It's not as bad as it sounds. I'll go into detail about it tomorrow.

Another section in my Control Journal is my weekly schedule. These are things that are done regularly on each day of the week. For example, because Friday is my errand and shopping day, Thursday is the day that I make out my weekly menu and grocery list. And since my trash runs on Tuesday mornings, Monday is the day I clean out the fridge of anything that needs to be trashed. It keeps me from finding out Tuesday afternoon that the last handful of lettuce is nasty and is going to have to sit in the trash can (or fridge) for another whole week.

I'll get into the cleaning routine part that works for me in another post. In the meantime, if you're not already "flying" but are interested in finding out more about it - you can go check out the FlyLady for yourself and see if it might be something that can help you like it's helped me and so many others to get back on track.

Happy Homemaking!

HOMEMADE BREAD

2010-01-04T16:25:00.003-05:00

For my first official post on this new blog I thought I'd share how to make homemade bread. I am feeling the need to get more nutrition into our food lately, as well as learn the art of making things from scratch that I have taken for granted by buying from the store my whole life. I was really intimidated by the whole process when I began looking for recipes to try my hand at. I found a no-knead beer bread to try thinking that would be an easy way to start. That was a disaster both times I tried. This bread, however, is very easy. And the satisfaction of doing it myself is priceless. Plus, my guys really love it! Let's get started, shall we?

Start with 1 1/4 c. very warm (not hot) water in a bowl. Add 1/3 c. sugar and 1 TBSP. yeast. Stir, then let set 5 - 10 min. until the yeast is proven by becoming bubbly. If it's not - throw it out and try a new batch. Better to waste 10 minutes and 3 ingredients than to ruin a whole loaf of bread. I didn't get a picture of the proven yeast (bad blogger!) but you'll see it in a minute in the flour.

While your waiting on your yeast to activate get out a big bowl and add 2 3/4 c. flour. You can add it how you like. White flour will give you white bread (duh!). All whole wheat flour will give you a dense wheat bread. You can also do a 1/2 and 1/2 mix of white/wheat. Whatever - this recipe is very forgiving. I have been doing it a little differently. Because I want to infuse more nutrition into the bread - I have been grinding up flax seeds and oats in a coffee grinder to make flour to mix into the bread.

The ratio I used for this loaf of bread was; 1 c. whole wheat flour, 1/2 c. ground flax seeds, 1/2 c. ground oats and 3/4 c. white flour.

You will also need to add 1/4 c. vital wheat gluten (found in the baking aisle), 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking powder and 2 TBSP. dry milk.

This is what my dry ingredients looked like. Mix these all together and make a well in the center.

Add 1 TBSP. melted butter and 1 TBSP. vinegar.

By now your yeast should be nice and frothy. Add it to the well with the butter and vinegar. You can see how foamy mine got in the picture above.

Mix all of this together until you have a sticky ball of dough. Lightly flour your clean, dry counter or board and dump the dough out on it. Begin to knead it for 8 - 10 minutes, adding flour as needed. Don't skimp on the kneading time - it is vital to develop the gluten strands so you get a nice loaf of bread.

You could do this in your stand mixer. I prefer to do it by hand. I find that I can tell better how much flour to add by handling the dough myself. But, you do it how you prefer. Tomato, tomahto... I also find it kind of therapeutic. Call me weird, I know...

By the time your 10 minutes are up you should have a nice ball of dough. See the difference a few minutes can make?

Now, pour about 1 tsp. of olive oil in the bottom of your bowl and put your ball of dough in there and roll it around to cover the ball in oil - lightly please. :0) You'll also want to cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with PAM. If your house is cold - do the plastic wrap.

Since it's frickin' cold outside right now I have a hard time keeping the house warm enough to get a good rise out of my dough. An easy remedy is to turn my oven on about 225 - 250 degrees and set my bowl on the stove top. It's just warm enough to give me a good rise without cooking my bread.

Let the dough rise until it's doubled in size. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature. I probably let this go a little longer than double but, it didn't make a difference.

Punch the dough down and knead for 2 more minutes. Roll it into a cigar shape and dampen the log with cold water. This will give you a nice crust. You can also roll the log in nuts, seeds or oats to get some more nutrition in there and make it pretty. I rolled mine in oats. It's what I had.

Now you're ready to place the dough into a lightly sprayed loaf pan for the final rise. Don't forget to cover it back up with your plastic wrap. Just use the same piece you did before. Let it rise until it's about an inch or so above your pan. This will take anywhere from another 30 minutes to an hour.

When it looks like it's getting close to the height you want it to be for the oven - go ahead and and raise the oven temp to 425 degrees.

Yeah, Baby! It's ready for the oven. A little side note here; you want a hot oven for your bread to get a good rise. I first tried recipes that said to bake at 350 degrees. That did not work for me. The inside stayed doughy while the outside got too dark. Upon further research I found that most recipes call for a 450 - 500 degree oven for 10 minutes and then drop the temp down to 400 degrees. I have a glass loaf pan, though, that can only go in an oven up to 425 degrees. So, I compromise.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then, without open the oven drop the temperature down to 395 degrees for 15 minutes longer. Mmmmm...smell that heavenly aroma?

Check for doneness by tapping on the bottom of the loaf. It should give you a hollow sound. I now know what that sounds like because of my first doughy loaves.

If you have an ounce of will power, let it cool completely before slicing. If you don't - grab some butter and dig in!

This is delicious fresh from the oven slathered in butter. But, if you want to use it for sandwiches or toast, it slices sooo much better once it's completely cooled.

I want to encourage to give making bread from scratch a try. It's not a lot of hands on time for the process. Most of the time involved is waiting - waiting for the bread to rise, waiting the bread to bake. You will want to wait to do this until you have a morning or an evening when you'll be home, though. I get a lot accomplished during those waiting sessions. Or, you can eat bon bons and watch your shows while you're waiting. Whatever... My point is - the flavor, nutrition and satisfaction from a home baked loaf of bread just can't be beat! Your family will hug you and squeeze you and kiss you all over for it!
Happy Homemaking!

*Update: I baked another loaf of bread yesterday and completely eliminated the white flour. With the addition of ground flax seeds and oats - it was still very soft. Also, I replaced the sugar with raw honey to activate the yeast and it worked perfectly. Now, not only does not have the bad sugar - it has the benefits that raw honey adds.

Also, the vital wheat gluten can be eliminated with this amount of good kneading.