Potato's

We have some potato's that we bought in 50 lb bags. They are starting to grow because we can't eat them fast enough. We took them peeled them all and shredded them and blanched them for 3 minutes,(check carrots on my blog to learn this process)rinsed them under cold water, in a colander to get them good and cold. It will rinse the starch off as well and make them so they are not sticky. We then put them in freezer bags. I now have hash browns that can be cooked in minutes, or I can use them in quiche, or funeral potatoes. I think they call them that because they are often found at funeral lunches. It can make things to make for dinner, or others a whole lot faster.

Carrots

We have had carrots in our garden all winter long. They are huge. But as the spring comes the ground becomes warmer and we know that we need to get the carrots out of the ground to start a new garden. The problem is is that there are so many of them that we can't use them all. So my dear husband pulled them all up peeled them and sliced them. Then we blanched them for 3 minutes, put them in a collander and get all the hot water off of them and cool them. I usually rinse them in the collander in cold water. Put them in freezer bags, and into the freezer they go. Now to blanch something you just put it on the stove. Fill water over it and boil it. Once it hits the boiling point you time for 3 minutes. Amazing! Then you can pull them out any time and use them in about anything you would like. In stews, or just as a vegetable. In a chicken pot pie. Enjoy.

Our Children Are Special

Over many years of raising children I have found that positive reinforcement works. My daughter called me a few days ago and announced that it really works for her. She said her little boy loves to help her. She is always saying, "You are my best little boy." Suddenly he wants to do more, and proceeds to help her all day long. My suggestion to you today is give those little ones a lot of positive reinforcement and miracles will happen for you.

Making Pie Crust Easy

To make pie crust easier takes a few things. This is what I use. Take your rolling pin and put an old nylon sock on it. I take my old pant hoes wash them. Cut off one of the legs and and pull it over the end of your rolling pin and tie it in a knot at the other end. This will make it so that your pie crust won't stick to the rolling pin. Then take a piece of wax paper sprinkle some flour on it and put your piece of dough on it and roll it out. Then when you have it all rolled out to the shape you want, take the wax paper fold it in half, then pull bake the wax paper. Take the dough at the side and fold it again, so it is in fourths. Pick up your piece of dough lay it in the pie pan and unfold it. Perfect. Then make sure it is in the pie crust nice, and cut off excess edges.

Kneading Bread

When making bread in a mixer you need to be aware of how long the bread is being kneaded in the machine, because if you knead whole wheat bread to long it will actually break down the gluten and make it seem as though it was never really kneaded. (I have the Bosch Mixer. You can get the Bosch Mixer in two different sizes. One is the Compact which will make 3 loaves and the other is the Universal which will make 6 loaves. If you are interested in one. I am a distrubutor. Just send me a comment we will work out the details and I can get you one.) Knead your whole wheat bread for 10 minutes, knead your half white and half whole wheat for 7 minutes. Knead your white bread for 5 minutes. Don't over knead it. (I also sell a cookbook on E-bay that is used for the Bosch Mixers and the Nutri Mill. It is $12.99 and is excellent. ) Just watch how much you knead bread and the end result will be amazing.

Saving Money

My daughter went to Thrift Store and bought a mans shirt so she could create herself a shirt. She picked out one she thought would work, here is how she did it and what she came up with. It is an easy way to save money. You look like you have just gone out an purchased your shirt form an expensive clothing store.

TRANSFORMATION OF A T-SHIRT

Lately I have been turning old ugly items of clothing to something new and more interesting. I found this men's large t-shirt at the thrift store for 1.99. I laid it flat and laid one a t-shirt that fit me on top of it. Then I just went to town cutting.

I trimmed the t-shirt fabric from the ribbing.

Then I quartered the ribbing and the neck of the t-shirt. Then I stretched and sewed the ribbing back into the neck. Then I sewed the side seams.




Then I gathered the top and bottom of the sleeve. I reattached the sleeve into the t-shirt. Then I took the little piece I trimmed from the bottom of the sleeve and used it as ribbing for the bottom of the sleeve. I cut this piece big enough to fit my arm and then sewed right sides together. Then re-attached the piece to the gathered base of the sleeve.


And easy as pie you have a new fitted t-shirt with a cute sleeve. Have fun experimenting with t-shirts. If you have any questions, hollar.

Green, Red, Yellow Or Orange Peppers

They are excellent for the body. There is a lot more vitamin C in these great vegetables, then there is in oranges. So I found them on sell the other day for 20 cents a piece. That is a great deal especially since most of the time they are $1.50 a piece. We bought about 4 bags of them, sliced them and froze them in the freezer. When you take them out you can cut them smaller or just use them as they are. A great way to save some money.

Get Rid Of Pin Worms

It sounds a bit disgusting but unfortunately it happens. We lived in Florida for a while and yes my kids picked up pin worms playing in the sand. I was frustrated with running to buy something that I didn't want to give my children so I talked to someone at an Herb store. They told me it is so simple just buy some flax seed and have your children eat a handful every day. The Flax seed is very slippery and it will carry the pin worms right out of the body. Try it, it was a life saver for me.

Sewing

I have been taking some drapes and cutting them off so they will be shorter. I had to sew a 3 inch seam in them for the rod pocket. I realized that may sewing machine doesn't have a mark to sew at 3 inches. So I marked 3 inches out from the needle and put a long piece of masking tape. It makes it so much easier to sew and I never get off, when it comes to the 3 inches that I need

Apple Pies

For years I have made apple pies. My family loves them. I have found a way to make them much cheaper than I use too. I use to go to the store and buy the apples fresh, or buy pie filling from the store which I couldn't take because it was way to sweet and spicy, so here is your answer. When apples are in season I buy about 5 bushel. The ones I love the most we can't seem to find, they are the yellow transparent, so I use golden delicious anything tart and yet sweet. Sometimes you can even get them free if people are sick of them. I bought my own glass bottles years ago and do a lot of canning in the summer. So I take the glass bottles fill them as full of the apples as I can and then fill them up with hot water. That's right hot water, no sugar! Then I Waterbath Can them. Bring them to a boil and boil them for 10 minutes. All during the year I can use them. I take the bottled apples dump the water off of them in a pitcher than pour the apples in a pan. When I do this I make about do about 6 quarts this makes 4-10 inch apple pies. I add anywhere from 3/4 cup of sugar to a full cup depended on how sweet the apples are. You can taste them to decide. Then I add about 1 cup of flour. Add 1/2 tsp. of salt, 2 tsp. of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. I also add 4 tbsp. of lemon. It is fantastic apple pie, you will love it. Ask questions if you need any help. By the way I add a little lemon to the apple juice and drink it, it is delicious.

Acid ReFlex Disease

Not a fun thing to have. You can't sleep at night unless you practically sit up. If you slide down at all opps you are running to the bathroom to throw-up. You can't eat to late or while you are sleeping you suddenly find yourself running to the bathroom to throw-up. You are burping up stuff constantly. It is not great to be the wife of someone who has to go through this, but we found the unbelieveable answer. It is so simple. Just exercise at least 4-5 times a week from 30-60 minutes. The miracle will happen for you as well. Get on that exercise machine or whatever you have available. Good times will be yours again.

Extra Vegetables From Your Garden

I hate wasting food. Maybe it is because I grew up in a family of 19 and food was very important to each and every one of us. So when I have left over vegetables from my garden I dehydrate them. That usually ends out being zucchini squash, tomatoes, green peppers and others. After dehydrating them I put them in my blender turn it on high and make a vegetable powder. I keep it in my freezer in a quart jar. I take it out to put in soups for flavor. It is an amazing flavoring and talk about good for you. You will love this idea. Also if you have tomato juice you can put it in that. There you go V-8 juice. It is alot cheaper especially if you put up your tomato juice.

No More Nasty Taste

When I was growing up it hated baking powder biscuits. I would not eat them. As I have grown older I have come to understand that it wasn't baking powder biscuits that I hate at all, it was the aluminum in the baking powder that was being used. If you are like me you need to look for baking powder that does not have it in. Yes there is such a thing. I've found it in Costco. I think it is Red Star. Another name brand is Rumford. Save your taste buds and reduce your chance for Aleichem's disease. Get good baking powder.

Important If You Have Children

When my children were little they didn't nap very well so I had a certain time during the day where we had quiet time. I told them to go in their bedrooms and find something quiet to do, read a book, play with your toys quietly in the corner I didn't care just as long as they were quiet. When they didn't stay quiet I would tell them whatever they did it had to be on their bed and I would prefer it be to look at a book. It saved me, it was time that I had to myself so I could actually get something done.