My family loves Ranch dressing. I always buy it because I never remember to have the ingredients on hand to make it. I finally just made some yesterday and it was great.
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup of buttermilk
1/2 t salt- I put too much salt in mine, beware, you can always add salt later
1/2 t pepper
1 t dill weed
1 t garlic powder
1 t fresh or dried parsley (I used fresh)
sprinkle of Italian seasoning
sprinkle of paprika
Put all ingredients in glass jar. Put lid on tightly and shake. I ended up have to get a fork and stir it to work out the mayo lumps. You could also use onion powder or whatever herbs you like. This is just what I had on hand. Tasted just like the bottle stuff, but was fresh and I knew what was in it. I have enough dressing to last a month!
April 3, 2008
Homemade Ricotta Cheese
Last week I made a recipe that called for ricotta cheese. I don't usually buy ricotta and many times if I am making lasagna I will just buy cottage cheese. But I got to thinking, I can probably find an easy to make some for much less money than $3.80 for a small container of it. Well, there is a way.
Today I made it and have yet to use it, but I think it will be success.
You need:
1 gallon of whole milk
1/3 cup of white vinegar
1/2 t salt
thermometer
1.Put milk in a pot on the stove and turn to medium-medium/low heat. Heat milk until it reaches approximately 185 degrees.
2. Turn off heat and add the salt and vinegar. Stir to distribute throughout milk. Let sit for 2 hours.
3. Line a colander with a thin tea towel or cheese cloth. Pour your separated curds and whey into the colander and let drain to desired 'dryness'.
4. Now you have ricotta cheese. Cool huh?
Note: I got tired of waiting for the cheese to drain so I started squeezing it out which is why my towel is such a mess. If you can find it cheese cloth is the way to go, but it's hard to find here.
Today I made it and have yet to use it, but I think it will be success.
You need:
1 gallon of whole milk
1/3 cup of white vinegar
1/2 t salt
thermometer
1.Put milk in a pot on the stove and turn to medium-medium/low heat. Heat milk until it reaches approximately 185 degrees.
2. Turn off heat and add the salt and vinegar. Stir to distribute throughout milk. Let sit for 2 hours.
3. Line a colander with a thin tea towel or cheese cloth. Pour your separated curds and whey into the colander and let drain to desired 'dryness'.
4. Now you have ricotta cheese. Cool huh?
Note: I got tired of waiting for the cheese to drain so I started squeezing it out which is why my towel is such a mess. If you can find it cheese cloth is the way to go, but it's hard to find here.
Homemade Creme Fraiche
If anyone has watched Food Network a time or two, you've probably seen someone exclaiming about how wonderful creme fraiche is. (pronounced 'crem fresh') However it is very hard to find in the local markets, at least in my neck of the woods. So I googled it and thought I'd try making homemade. Guess how you make it?
Take two cups of heavy whipping cream. Place in a jar, like a glass canning jar. Add two tablespoons of buttermilk, stir. Let sit in a warm place 12-24hrs. When thickened refrigerate. That is it! It is very silky smooth and mildly sour. We used it as a replacement for sour cream yesterday.
Someone may be thinking, is it really worth it if I have to buy heavy cream and buttermilk just to make some sour cream? Well, you can make your own buttermilk too!
Candy at Keeping the Home has instructions for making homemade buttermilk here.
Now you can make a 'gourmet' item in your own kitchen and not pay however much money that stuff would cost in a specialty store.
Take two cups of heavy whipping cream. Place in a jar, like a glass canning jar. Add two tablespoons of buttermilk, stir. Let sit in a warm place 12-24hrs. When thickened refrigerate. That is it! It is very silky smooth and mildly sour. We used it as a replacement for sour cream yesterday.
Someone may be thinking, is it really worth it if I have to buy heavy cream and buttermilk just to make some sour cream? Well, you can make your own buttermilk too!
Candy at Keeping the Home has instructions for making homemade buttermilk here.
Now you can make a 'gourmet' item in your own kitchen and not pay however much money that stuff would cost in a specialty store.
updating
I am trying to update my blog a bit- I'm not too blog savvy and just really don't have time to re-learn html code and all that. You wouldn't believe how long it takes for me to figure out how to change my background, thus the reason it has stayed the same for a good while.
Lately I've been doing more kitchen 'experiments' and wanted to add a section of how to 'Make Your Own' on my blog. So, there will be lots of posts coming up as I create the section on my sidebar.
Lately I've been doing more kitchen 'experiments' and wanted to add a section of how to 'Make Your Own' on my blog. So, there will be lots of posts coming up as I create the section on my sidebar.
Just some pictures
Leiah and Alexa's new passion.
The cake I made for our family Easter gathering. It was a carrot cake with cream cheese icing and toasted coconut on top. I thought a brown bunny would be cute.
I am amazed the stroller is holding up.
Sarah helped herself to the 'crudite' while I was in the bathroom and Daddy was fixing the air conditioner.
Sarah's new passion. Crayons and paper are everywhere- I finally put them in a secret place and get it out for her at a good time.
Alexa's typical look- layered clothes with heels.
Some of our free flowers.
'Talking' to Grandpa on the phone-cute.
The cake I made for our family Easter gathering. It was a carrot cake with cream cheese icing and toasted coconut on top. I thought a brown bunny would be cute.
I am amazed the stroller is holding up.
Sarah helped herself to the 'crudite' while I was in the bathroom and Daddy was fixing the air conditioner.
Sarah's new passion. Crayons and paper are everywhere- I finally put them in a secret place and get it out for her at a good time.
Alexa's typical look- layered clothes with heels.
Some of our free flowers.
'Talking' to Grandpa on the phone-cute.
April 2, 2008
Workin' Wednesday
Whew! I need a break!
I've been going all morning and now I can finally take a moment to relax. Wednesday is usually the day I do wet cleaning chores, such as mopping, bathrooms etc. However, our pastor and his wife are coming later this evening so I wanted to make sure I vacuumed and stuff. I attempted to do an Emergency Quick Clean, but the 'quick' took me several hours. Yes it would have been quicker to wait till nap time to do it, but I wanted the afternoon to work on some sewing.
I got up before 6:30, made the bed and got dressed, and donned my 'new' vintage full length and very worn apron I found at a resale shop yesterday. I wanted to make dh a hearty breakfast so he'd not get hungry soon after getting to work. (yesterday's homemade granola and yogurt didn't cut it) I heated two skillets, added a few lumps of coconut oil, peeled and sliced two potatoes and then layered them in one skillet and sprinkled some salt and pepper on top. Then I fried three eggs in the other pan. I toasted some homemade sourdough bread, spread it with butter and reheated yesterday's coffee. (dh doesn't mind it, but I had to make a new pot for myself later) I then scrambled some eggs for the kids and I. I thought I would try using buttermilk instead of regular milk or cream when scrambling the eggs. Well, don't use the cheaper more watered down buttermilk because all it did was completely change the texture of the eggs and produce tons of water!!! I was fighting mad too- wasting good eggs like that. I ate about 1/3 c of them with salsa on top and it was fine. The kids ate it with ketchup and no one noticed. Lesson learned- buy the good stuff always.
After all of that, I sat down with my fresh coffee and read my Bible while the older girls watched some cartoons. Then I made some more yogurt, did a bit of laundry, got the baby situated with milk and food, dressed the girls and got to work. Today I let them watch some 'new' videos I bought from the resale store and play while I cleaned. I wiped down surfaces and appliances, windexed the mirrors and screens, cleaned all sinks, toilets, counters, swept and spot mopped bathrooms, put baking soda all over the floors and vacuumed, doused some cotton balls with essential oils and hid them in the bedrooms and bathrooms, changed the bathroom trash etc. In between that I fixed hair, did Leiah's exercises, changed diapers etc.
I got the girls at the table with playdough while I made a meatloaf and fixed their lunch. Then I mixed up cookie dough- an experiment with healthy ingredients. Next on the list is clearing off the desk, finish mopping the kitchen, cutting out some fabric for a new blouse pattern and maybe a nightgown for Leiah, finish baking the cookies and make dinner later. If weather and energy level permits I will plant the flowers we got last weekend. It's also a bath night tonight, so, still lots to do. But, then I will be DONE! Tomorrow and Friday will be practically free, save a few touch ups here and there and will leave time to work on sewing etc.
Did I mention how my energy levels have been since on the coconut oil? Ha, ha, and shall I also mention that yesterday my monthly friend came to visit? Yeah, and I've been great! I've been making a large pitcher of red raspberry leaf tea when the 'time' is approaching and drinking it. BIG HELP! No cramping, no bloating, no aches of any kind, slight moodiness and it only visits for three days instead of seven! Praise the Lord!
I've been going all morning and now I can finally take a moment to relax. Wednesday is usually the day I do wet cleaning chores, such as mopping, bathrooms etc. However, our pastor and his wife are coming later this evening so I wanted to make sure I vacuumed and stuff. I attempted to do an Emergency Quick Clean, but the 'quick' took me several hours. Yes it would have been quicker to wait till nap time to do it, but I wanted the afternoon to work on some sewing.
I got up before 6:30, made the bed and got dressed, and donned my 'new' vintage full length and very worn apron I found at a resale shop yesterday. I wanted to make dh a hearty breakfast so he'd not get hungry soon after getting to work. (yesterday's homemade granola and yogurt didn't cut it) I heated two skillets, added a few lumps of coconut oil, peeled and sliced two potatoes and then layered them in one skillet and sprinkled some salt and pepper on top. Then I fried three eggs in the other pan. I toasted some homemade sourdough bread, spread it with butter and reheated yesterday's coffee. (dh doesn't mind it, but I had to make a new pot for myself later) I then scrambled some eggs for the kids and I. I thought I would try using buttermilk instead of regular milk or cream when scrambling the eggs. Well, don't use the cheaper more watered down buttermilk because all it did was completely change the texture of the eggs and produce tons of water!!! I was fighting mad too- wasting good eggs like that. I ate about 1/3 c of them with salsa on top and it was fine. The kids ate it with ketchup and no one noticed. Lesson learned- buy the good stuff always.
After all of that, I sat down with my fresh coffee and read my Bible while the older girls watched some cartoons. Then I made some more yogurt, did a bit of laundry, got the baby situated with milk and food, dressed the girls and got to work. Today I let them watch some 'new' videos I bought from the resale store and play while I cleaned. I wiped down surfaces and appliances, windexed the mirrors and screens, cleaned all sinks, toilets, counters, swept and spot mopped bathrooms, put baking soda all over the floors and vacuumed, doused some cotton balls with essential oils and hid them in the bedrooms and bathrooms, changed the bathroom trash etc. In between that I fixed hair, did Leiah's exercises, changed diapers etc.
I got the girls at the table with playdough while I made a meatloaf and fixed their lunch. Then I mixed up cookie dough- an experiment with healthy ingredients. Next on the list is clearing off the desk, finish mopping the kitchen, cutting out some fabric for a new blouse pattern and maybe a nightgown for Leiah, finish baking the cookies and make dinner later. If weather and energy level permits I will plant the flowers we got last weekend. It's also a bath night tonight, so, still lots to do. But, then I will be DONE! Tomorrow and Friday will be practically free, save a few touch ups here and there and will leave time to work on sewing etc.
Did I mention how my energy levels have been since on the coconut oil? Ha, ha, and shall I also mention that yesterday my monthly friend came to visit? Yeah, and I've been great! I've been making a large pitcher of red raspberry leaf tea when the 'time' is approaching and drinking it. BIG HELP! No cramping, no bloating, no aches of any kind, slight moodiness and it only visits for three days instead of seven! Praise the Lord!
April 1, 2008
I'm still around
I've just been doing other things instead of blogging :) Like, reading one of my library books.
I was very blessed by all the nice comments on my last post, as I was a little nervous about putting something up like that. Some people get all bent out of shape about discipline. Anyways, speaking of which, yesterday I had a different child. Miss Alexa was wonderful. I mean, there were a few tiny issues to deal with, but compared to last Monday, a night and day difference. And I wasn't perfectly consistent 100%. Now to crack down on the other two...
Also, we were totally blessed this weekend. A nursery close by is closing down and had loads of plants that they were giving away. We got the tiny pansies called violas and snapdragons-like 200 of them?? We also got some winter vegetables like broccoli and kale and some herbs. My husband got the flower beds ready to plant them and now it's been raining constantly... I guess it's true that 'April showers bring May flowers'.
Something unexpected also happened to me this past weekend. The Lord dropped a revolutionary plan on me for the kids in our area. I have always had a heart for youth and did a lot in youth ministry as a teen and after we were married. However, being absorbed in my family I didn't see that that was a possibility for me anymore. Yet my heart would still go out to the kids milling around in parking lots with nothing to do and maybe no one really cared where they were. I see kids hanging out wherever they can do who knows what. I want them to know that they matter, that there is a purpose for them, and that people do care about them.
Anyways, dh and I are meeting with the pastor this week to discuss it. If it works out then I will explain the details. I'm kinda anxious, because in my mind I'm not sure how to work it out without taking away from our family, but God has already placed strategic people that want to be a part of it as well. If this is His plan, it will all work out. I just need to let Him take care of it and not worry about details- easier said than done!
I had forgotten earlier to add this. A week or so ago I had ordered a gallon of virgin coconut oil. You've heard me talk about this stuff before. Anyways, my husband and I had taken a questionnaire about candida albicans overgrowth and we both tested positive, however his was much higher. So we ordered a special product for him and the oil for both of us. The oil is excellent at killing the candida. Anyways, I've been trying to get into my diet everyday, at least 2 tablespoons. I spread it on bread, cook eggs with it, use it in baking and once I drizzled it on top of grapefruit. I've also been rubbing it all over me! After a week I've noticed that my 'moods' are more stable, as in I don't need to take St. john's wort much at all to keep me from getting too stressed. Also, I don't get hungry or crave sugar. Sometimes I eat because it's been 5 hrs and I should probably eat something :) So if you are interested in knowing more about the coconut oil and candida go here.
I am also hoping it will help me to lose weight. I have come to the conclusion that losing weight isn't just about taking in less calories. It is possible that my thyroid might be messed up and that's why I can't see to lose. So, the oil is supposed to support thyroid function and boost metabolism. Go to that website and read more about it.
I was very blessed by all the nice comments on my last post, as I was a little nervous about putting something up like that. Some people get all bent out of shape about discipline. Anyways, speaking of which, yesterday I had a different child. Miss Alexa was wonderful. I mean, there were a few tiny issues to deal with, but compared to last Monday, a night and day difference. And I wasn't perfectly consistent 100%. Now to crack down on the other two...
Also, we were totally blessed this weekend. A nursery close by is closing down and had loads of plants that they were giving away. We got the tiny pansies called violas and snapdragons-like 200 of them?? We also got some winter vegetables like broccoli and kale and some herbs. My husband got the flower beds ready to plant them and now it's been raining constantly... I guess it's true that 'April showers bring May flowers'.
Something unexpected also happened to me this past weekend. The Lord dropped a revolutionary plan on me for the kids in our area. I have always had a heart for youth and did a lot in youth ministry as a teen and after we were married. However, being absorbed in my family I didn't see that that was a possibility for me anymore. Yet my heart would still go out to the kids milling around in parking lots with nothing to do and maybe no one really cared where they were. I see kids hanging out wherever they can do who knows what. I want them to know that they matter, that there is a purpose for them, and that people do care about them.
Anyways, dh and I are meeting with the pastor this week to discuss it. If it works out then I will explain the details. I'm kinda anxious, because in my mind I'm not sure how to work it out without taking away from our family, but God has already placed strategic people that want to be a part of it as well. If this is His plan, it will all work out. I just need to let Him take care of it and not worry about details- easier said than done!
I had forgotten earlier to add this. A week or so ago I had ordered a gallon of virgin coconut oil. You've heard me talk about this stuff before. Anyways, my husband and I had taken a questionnaire about candida albicans overgrowth and we both tested positive, however his was much higher. So we ordered a special product for him and the oil for both of us. The oil is excellent at killing the candida. Anyways, I've been trying to get into my diet everyday, at least 2 tablespoons. I spread it on bread, cook eggs with it, use it in baking and once I drizzled it on top of grapefruit. I've also been rubbing it all over me! After a week I've noticed that my 'moods' are more stable, as in I don't need to take St. john's wort much at all to keep me from getting too stressed. Also, I don't get hungry or crave sugar. Sometimes I eat because it's been 5 hrs and I should probably eat something :) So if you are interested in knowing more about the coconut oil and candida go here.
I am also hoping it will help me to lose weight. I have come to the conclusion that losing weight isn't just about taking in less calories. It is possible that my thyroid might be messed up and that's why I can't see to lose. So, the oil is supposed to support thyroid function and boost metabolism. Go to that website and read more about it.
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