Homemade Baby Wipes

Make your own safe, natural baby with this easy recipe. The smell nice and fresh, are free of scary, skin-drying chemicals, are inexpensive to make, glide easily over baby's heiny, and clean far better than plasticky disposable wipes. 

First, you are going to need some wipes. You can buy nice cloth wipes from Etsy or your favorite cloth diaper company, but cheapie baby wash cloths, or even a torn up old bath towel will work just as well. If you use cloth diapers, it only makes sense to use cloth wipes as well. If you don't, wash the wipes with regular baby clothes or bath towels on hot. They will come clean. I promise. 

For disposable wipes, use soft, thick paper towels. Saw a roll in half and pop into a Ziploc container, or just unroll a few and fan fold them into a travel wipes box. I keep a roll of paper towels or shop rags in the car for emergency wipers. 

Now, let's make the wipes solution. 

Start with 2/3 mild liquid soap. Any soap that you feel comfortable putting on your baby's private parts will do- baby wash, baby shampoo, liquid castille soap, melted, diluted Ivory soap, whatever. I wouldn't use harsh, antibacterial hand soap, dish washing detergent, or anything like that. It will be diluted, but remember how sensitive baby bits are. 

Add 1/3 oil. Again, any liquid oil will work. I like apricot seed oil best, but typically use olive oil because I have it on hand. Baby oil will work, but it can be drying. I recommend a nice, skin nourishing oil here instead. Choose something from the kitchen. Coconut oil may solidify if the room temp drops below 70, so I might not choose that one unless it's quite warm. 

Add to this solution a few drops each calendula (optional), tea tree, and lavender oils. Calendula heals minor skin irritations, like diaper rash. Tea tree oil (melaleuca) is an anti fungal. It inhibits growth of mildew, yeast and fungus in the liquid, wipes and skin folds. Lavender is calming and antimicrobial, lends a pleasing scent and prevents funky germs. 

Now, let's put it all together. I like to use a squeezy bottle for solution concentrate. I got mine from a restaurant supply shop for under a dollar, but you can also get them from the dollar store. Think ketchup and mustard. 

I use a wipes warmer for my pampered princes, but any water tight box large enough to hold your wipes is fine. This solution is liquid and will not solidify. 

Mix a squirt of concentrate in enough clean water to cover your wipes. Pour over wipes and flip once to saturate. 

Done! Wasn't that easy?

Update: I have found that for my little princess, I prefer a squeezy bottle to apply dilute solution directly onto the wipes. Add a little squirt-about 1% by volume-to a bottle of water. A spray bottle works here too. Give a little shake before each application if you like, as the oil will separate if it sits a while. 

New Mama Cookies

These cookies are nutritious for anyone, but I chose these ingredients specifically to help new mothers establish their milk supply. 

1 1/2 cups barley flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground fenugreek
3/4 cup oil of your choice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
2 TBS flax meal or seed
1/4 cup nuts

Stir together flour, soda, salt and fenugreek. Combine well. 

Add wet ingredients. Stir till just combined. 

Fold in oats, nuts and flax. 

Place rounded tbs full 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes at 325. makes approximately 2 dozen.

Throat Syrup

This syrup is soothing to a sore throat, calms a cough, and help fight the germs that cause them. 

1/4 cup honey- raw local is best, but use store bought if that's what you have access to
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbs whiskey, bourbon or rum (optional)
1 tsp ginger
dash of cayenne

Give 1 tsp twice a day, as needed. I like to give one before bed and one upon waking in the morning. 

NOT SUITABLE for babies under one year. 

pina colada pops

1 can pineapple or 2 cups chopped fresh
1 can coconut milk
Blend till smooth. If desired, add a tsp rum or rum extract. Freeze in pop molds.

Orange cream smoothie pops

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk (I use almond)
1 tsp vanilla
optional: 1 TBS sugar, honey or other sweetener to taste

Blend all ingredients together. Freeze in pop molds.

Tooth Powder-a Natural Alternative to Toothpaste

Toothpaste is messy, expensive (especially natural toothpastes and those for children), and contains toxic fluoride. After finding 2 kids eating toothpaste on 3 separate occasions, and D having to saw a section of pipe to remove the clog caused by 7!! toothpaste caps, we decided to switch completely to homemade tooth powder. 

I had used tooth powder from a health food store years ago, and much preferred to toothpaste or gel, but it's hard to come by. The homemade version is so inexpensive and easy to make, there's really no reason not to. 

With 4 small children, we were going through a tube of toothpaste a week, and most of it ended up on the walls, floor and sink. This tooth powder stays in the jar, is colorless and easy to clean up. It's completely edible, so no worries if someone swallows it. 

It can be flavored with a few drop of flavoring oil from a cake decorating store, but my family prefers it unflavored. It tastes mildly salty and sweet. 

1 tbs baking soda
1 tbs sea salt 
1 tsp xylitol

Mix together. Dip dry toothbrush in and scrub away. 

Baking soda is a mild, but effective abrasive. It does the scrubbing. 

Sea salt provide minerals to rebuild enamel. 

Xylitol strengthens teeth and prevents bacterial growth the leads to tooth decay. 

Better-Than-Grands Biscuits

These simple biscuits are quick to mix up and freeze beautifully for later. You will never go back to canned biscuits.

5 cups flour
7 tsps baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 sugar
1 cup butter, margarine, or cold coconut oil
1 cup almond or other milk
1 tbs vinegar
up to 1 cup water

Stir together dry ingredients. 

Cut in butter or oil. Mash with pastry cutter or fingertips to form large crumbs. These crumbs will form the flaky layers of the biscuit. How large they are depends on the temperature of your butter or oil, temperature of your kitchen and how much you mash it all together. Smaller crumbs = smaller layers, less flaky biscuits. 

Add vinegar to milk. Let sit a few minutes. It will curdle and thicken. Gently work into flour mixture to form a dry dough. 

Add water as needed to bring dough together. Do not overmix. Overkneading will make biscuits tough. 

Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Roll or pat to about 1 inch thickness. Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or clean, empty tin can to cut biscuits. 

Place desired number of biscuits on a baking dish, leaving 1 inch between. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes, depending on size. 

 Place the rest of the biscuits on a baking tray. Freeze on tray for 1-2 hours, then transfer to freezer bags. To bake, allow to thaw for 15 minutes and bake as above. 

Make 1-2 Dz biscuits, depending on size. 

Vegan, Baked Donuts

I love donuts, but they are too rich for me to eat many or often. I almost always get a tummy ache from all the sugar a fat. 

Not so with these. These have very little fat and the sugar content is mostly up to you. Serve them plain, lightly glazed, dusted with powdered sugar or slather on the frosting. Your choice. They are delicious and guilt-free. 

This recipe makes enough for a crowd. Freeze extras for donuts any time.

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbs yeast
2 tbs oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbs flax meal + 4 tbs water
1 tsp salt
Pinch of Nutmeg, cinnamon or other spice
Approximately 5 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine water and yeast in a large bowl. Let proof 5 minutes. The yeast should be frothy. If it isn't, your water is too hot or cold or your yeast is no longer active. Try again.

Add oil, sugar, flax meal and water, salt and spice. Stir to combine. 

Gradually stir in flour until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Do not overknead, or donuts will be tough. 

Place dough back in bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place on top of stove to rise 1 hr. Dough should be doubled in size.

Roll dough out on floured surface, half an inch thick. Use round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut large circles and a piping tip or bottle cap to cut small holes. Don't forget to cut extra donut holes in the scraps. 

Place donuts and holes on trays 1 inch apart. Play one tray on the stove to rise for 45 minutes, and additional trays in the freezer. Freeze 1 hour, then transfer to freezer bags. 

When well risen, bake donuts and holes 8-10 minutes until lightly golden brown. 

Top as desired, cool and enjoy. Makes approximately 2 dz donuts and 4 dz holes. 

Suggested toppings:

Powdered: Brush hot donuts with oil or butter (sub). Toss in medium bowl of powdered sugar. 

Cinnamon: Mix 1 cup powdered or white table sugar with 1 tbs cinnamon. Brush hot donuts with oil or butter. Toss with cinnamon sugar. 

Glazed: Stir together 1 tbs oil or melted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar. Add  1/2 tsp vanilla. Add milk of your choice (I like vanilla almond) or other liquid, a few drops at a time, stirring after each addition, until spreadable consistency is reached. Spread on slightly cooled donuts.

To bake frozen donuts:

Place frozen donuts on tray. Preheat oven to 375. Let rise 1 hour. Bake and top as above. 

Yogurt Berry Pops

These taste surprisingly fresh and yummy. Only 3 ingredients and so healthy. Pretty, too :)

1 small carton vanilla yogurt

2 tbs milk

1/2 cup frozen berries

Stir together yogurt and milk to make a thick, pourable consistency. Add frozen berries. Pour into molds. Freeze. Enjoy. 

Crockpot Cajun White Beans and Sausage

You have probably heard of red beans and rice. But have you heard of white beans? I hadn't until I came here. White beans are now one of my favorite comfort foods. The weather is cooling down. This is a perfect dish to warm up with.

Let me first start by saying that I don't measure. Of course. I'm estimating the amounts, but they are subject to taste. Use as much or little as you like. I'm also using dried onions, celery and peppers. For the purpose of this recipe, I will pretend I'm not, as I assume few, if any, of my readers will have these on hand. In my opinion, the results are the same with fresh, frozen or dried.

1 pound smoked Cajun sausage (if you can't get Cajun sausage, any good quality smoked sausage will suffice)
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced bell pepper-red, green or both
1 cup diced celery
1 pound dry white beans

Cut sausage into 1.5 inch slices. Place on bottom of  pot. Add onion, celery and peppers. Rinse and sort beans. Add to pot. Cover with water. Cook on high 5-6 hours until soft and creamy. Serve over rice.

Cookies on demand!

My 3yo has been asking me to bake him cookies for a few days. I meant to, but between breakfast, chores, schooling, lunch, diapers, naps, dinner, baths and a sleepless baby, there hasn't been time. This makes us both sad :(

Today, I carved out half an hour to mix up a triple batch of cookie dough. I chose a basic sugar-cookie type recipe, cleaned out my candy drawer, and got creative.
I divided the dough into 3 large bowls, added mini malted milk balls to one, chopped raspberry Hershey's Hugs to the second and a chopped dark chocolate, peppermint swirl bar to the last. Stirred each and divided    it into 3 logs. I wrapped the logs in plastic wrap and popped them in the freezer.

I baked one right away. Yum. Fresh cookies.

But then I wanted another cookie or 2 (or 6, maybe), so I pulled out another log, sliced it up and baked it. Raspberry, this time.Yum. Fresh cookies.

The time consuming part of baking cookies isn't mixing the dough. It's waiting around to switch out the trays, move cookies to the rack and reload the tray to go back in every 8 minutes.

Baking one batch at a time makes fresh baked cookies so much more accessible. You control the ingredients. Homemade yumminess in under 10 minutes.

Built in portion control prevents anyone from going completely overboard. I know if I put 4 dozen cookies in front of my kids they will happily each eat a dozen. If I put 8 cookies in front of them, they will happy each eat 2 cookies and go back outside. Much more reasonable.

Quick and melty club sandwiches

This is a standard after-grocery-shopping lunch or dinner. Club sandwiches are my oldest son's favorite food in the entire world. This smaller, more packable version is perfect to make a big batch and wrap up for quick dinners and lunch boxes for the rest of the week.

1 package sliced bacon
2 packages rolls-these are ciabattas
1/2 pound sliced cheese of your choice ( I like swiss)
1/2 pound thinly sliced ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced turkey
1 bag prepared garden salad
mayo, to taste

Spread bacon on a baking sheet with raised edges in a single layer. Broil till crisp.

Slice rolls in half, and arrange on another baking sheet. Layer one side with cheese and the other side with turkey and ham. Broil till cheese is melted, meats are steaming and bread is toasted.

Break each bacon slice in half and place 2 halves on each roll. Spread with mayo, if desired. Place a large pinch of salad in the middle of each sandwich and close.

Serve. Makes approximately 10 sandwiches.

Oatmeal Bake

I never know how much my kids will eat in the morning. Oatmeal is a favorite breakfast, but on their less-ravenous mornings, I'm often left with a full pot of mush, all dressed up with nowhere to go. Recipes using cooked oats are few and far between, and reheated oats don't do much for me, so I got myself to work.

1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2  cups cooked oatmeal
1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter), melted
1/4 tsp salt
6 eggs

Beat everything together. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until fluffy and golden. Cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve with syrup.

Sausage Hootenanny

A Hootenanny, or oven pancake or Dutch baby, is often referred to as the world's easiest breakfast. With good reason. Total prep time for a plain Hootenanny is about 30 seconds. All ingredients are readily available in nearly every pantry and fridge. Nothing fancy here, just good, hearty tummy-fillers.

I love a good Hootenanny. Not only is it fast, easy and wholesome, but also makes a great base layer for goodies. Apples, blueberries, and now, sausage. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Really, anything you like will enhance the yumminess of this warm breakfast treat.

8 sausage patties
1 cup flour-I used white whole wheat, but you can use gluten-free, all-purpose, or whatever you like. This recipe is very forgiving.
1 cup milk-I used almond
6 eggs-I don't usually bake with eggs, but this is more an egg dish than a pancake. Very similar to a souffle.
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter


First, precook, thaw or warm sausages. I used precooked, frozen sausage patties, warmed in the microwave for 1 minute.
Cut into quarters and spread in the bottom of a large baking pan.

Blend all other ingredients, except butter in a blender or with a whisk, until well combined.
Pour into pan, over sausage. Sausages may float a little. That's ok.
Top with chunks of cold butter. Do not stir. This will melt and give the top a gooey, melty, golden top.

Bake at 400 degree for 25 minutes, until light golden brown. Hootenanny will fluff up very tall in the oven, then fall all crinkly and ruffly as it cools.

Cut into squares and serve warm, topped with powdered sugar or syrup.

Makes 9 large servings.

Our Homeschool Year

We school more or less year round, but this year, I'm schooling 2 full time and one part time. I decided to put everyone on a more traditional schedule.

We started our new year in July, right after summer classes ended. I added a bunch of new stuff last year, so there was a ton of (largely unnecessary and VERY stressful) catch up work. I've decided to mellow things out a bit and skip Ben ahead to a more reasonable grade level. 

This year, I feel like we have a very comprehensive curriculum. I am an unschooler at heart, but I didn't find that approach to be working for my oldest. In researching resources to fill in the gaps, I found that the Classical Method, which I had previously dismissed as complex, overwhelming, rigid, and frankly, intimidating, though delightfully thorough and, well, classic, is not only a great fit for me, but also for my kids. I'm still in the process of adding and subtracting some things, but for the most part, our core curriculum is set, and it's working amazingly well. 

We use a block schedule. Core curriculum is done 3 days a week, and the other stuff is split between the other 2 days. 

Here is the line up as it stands right now. 
Ben:
MWF
Singapore Math/Timez Attack
Handwriting Without Tears cursive
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind grammar
Writing With Ease

Jeffrey:
MWF
Singapore Math
Handwriting Without Tears printing
First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind grammar
Writing With Ease
Starfall reading
Explode the Code phonics workbooks

Jason:
MWF (as desired)
Donna Young Penmanship Readiness worksheets
Starfall ABCs
Assorted Kindle Preschool apps
Lots of picture books

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we all work together as a group.

Tuesday:
Story of the World, Volume 2, The Middle Ages, supplemented with a historical atlas, globe and videos
Spanish Vocabulary and Salsa videos with lesson plans
Donna Young Art 1a drawing lessons
Free classic audiobooks from Librivox.org
Crafts from my Pinterest board

Thursday:
Simple Science-each child working at his own level
Buddhist Tales
More crafts from Pinterest
Board games of their choosing
More Librivox.org



In addition to this, Jason has a home teacher who comes once a week to help with his cognitive skills and speech therapy once a week at the local public school. He is working one-on-one with his therapist now, but will soon be joining the preschool class and working with other kids his age. 

So far this semester, we have not signed up for any extra-curricular activities. I recently opened a new homeschool group in my area, which I'm hoping will lead to playdates, parkdays and field trips. I'm in the process of lining up music teachers for the kids as well. 

Everyone makes mistakes

In the interest of honesty, I thought I would do something a little different.

I have read a few different articles accusing bloggers like myself of presenting an unrealistic, unattainable image of perfection, there-by causing other, less perfect women to feel inferior. At the very least, blogs like mine have been labelled as brag fests.

The brag fest label absolutely applies to my blog. I think I do some fun stuff, usually inspired by someone else's brag. I like to share the fun stuff, record it for myself and my children in the future and maybe inspire some other women to do something fun with her own little blessings.

I confess that I carefully stage some of my pictures to hide the clutter and the hideous disaster that is my stalled-out kitchen remodel. I only post my successes. Because why would I post things that didn't work? So  someone else can replicate my failure? Eh. No thanks.

But this time I will.  Here ya go.

I wish I could say these were tasty in spite of the ugliness, but they weren't. I also wish that I could say that the second batch was better than the first, but it was worse. They actually look much better in the picture than in real life. They look a lot better than they tasted, too. My kids, bless their hearts, ate the overcooked, 8 inch wide, greasy embarrassments without a single complaint. 

Next time you find yourself browsing Pinterest and feeling like a crappy mom for not hand sewing personalized quilts for your children, or designing custom crafted wardrobes for yourself and your family, or having an amazingly decorated house, or packing cute bunny shaped sandwiches in your kids' lunches or whatever you perceive your failings to be, let go of that feeling. We are all imperfect. Success is the result of practice and love, not magic. Ease up on yourself and go something fun that you love to do. Appreciate the results for the experience they provide. If you aren't having fun, you are missing the point. 

Bottle Bubble Blowers

To make a bottle bubble blower, cut the bottle off a soda bottle, dip the open end in bubble solution and blow gently. Any size or shape plastic bottle will work. These toddler friendly blowers make huge, delightful bubbles. If you inhale instead of blowing, or blow and then remove your lips, the bubble will slide back up the inside of the bottle. I had as much fun with these as the kids did.

This bubble solution is one cup of dish soap, one cup of water and a bit of corn starch. I'm still working out the kinks in the recipe. The good part is that it retains the color and scent of the soap. I used the cheap, pink, flowery stuff. It smells good and I find the color appealing. At $1 for a large bottle, we should be all set for a long time. Also works as bubble bath.

My first attempt at embedding videos:

Waffled Latkes

Let's begin today with a vocabulary lesson.

What is a latke? Latke (pronounced LOT kuh) is sometimes called a potato pancake. It is made of shredded potato and fried like a crispy hash brown patty. It's a bit gooier inside and a bit cakey, and a touch more flavorful than a hashbrown.

Latkes are traditionally served for Channukah with warm applesauce and sour cream.

I love latkes. My kids are completely berserk over them. But they are starchy and oily, and definitely a sometimes food.

Until now.

These latkes are toasted, not fried, made with whole grain flour, just a touch of healthy oil, and I used less-starchy, waxy, small red potatoes instead of the usual russets. Why, they are practically health food.

Also, very easy. That's a must.

You will need:
2 large, 3 medium, or 6 small potatoes
half an onion, diced
1 egg
1 TBS whole grain flour of your choice (I usually use wheat, but today, I used spelt)
dash of s&p
1TBS olive oil (or other)

Preheat waffle iron.

Shred the potatoes. If you are using a starchy variety, place the shreds in a strainer in the sink and let the liquid drain. If you are using a waxy variety, skip this step. They won't give up their liquid.

In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, onions, egg, flour, and s&p. Mush it around with your fingers until evenly mixed.

Pile the mixture up in the waffler. Use a generous amount. Clamp it shut and let it cook until very brown. If it starts to crumble when you touch it, cook it some more. It should be one solid piece.

Place on a plate and serve warm.

Makes 4-5 large waffle latkes.

Waffled hash browns

A waffle iron is a versatile and underutilized bit of kitchenry. It can easily cook many foods quickly, due to the top and bottom plates heating foods from both directions at the same time, with less fat, and without heating up the kitchen.
Case in point: Hash browns.
I LOVE homemade hash browns. Potatoes are one of the least expensive and most available foods. They homemade version is easy, quick and free of scary ingredients found in the packaged stuff. In fact this recipe has 4 ingredients, potatoes, oil, salt and pepper.
My homemade potatoes always turns out greasy and never as crisp as I'd like. These babies are not greasy at all and crispalicious. And waffly-fun. Everything is better waffled.
A starchy potato, like a russet, will give you a very crispy, nicely formed patty that holds it's shape well. A waxy potato, like a Yukon Gold or Red Rose, will give you a softer, creamier, less formed hashie, with a nice crunch just on the outside.
Let's get started.

1 large, 2 medium, or 4 small potatoes
drizzle of oil
salt and pepper

Wash and shred potatoes.
Spread shreds generously and evenly over waffle plates.
Drizzle very lightly with oil. I use a silicone basting brush.
Sprinkle with S and P.
Close the iron. Cook until crispy and brown.

Makes approximately 4 waffled browns.

Pink pickles

My kids won't eat radishes because they are too spicy. Pickling them lightly in vinegar and sugar removes most of the heat and leaves them tasting crisp, sweet, tangy and tinted a cheery pink.

10-12 ounces or so of radishes ( one packet)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbs sugar
water

Slice radishes and place them in a glass quart jar.
Add vinegar and sugar, and top with water to cover.
Shake.
Chill for 1 hr.
Enjoy on salads, in sandwiches, in sushi or as a snack.
Store, sealed, in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Cinnamon roll waffles

I am certainly not the first to do this, but I'm posting it anyway, on the off chance that the entire internet hasn't already seen it.

Step 1. Open a can of cinnamon rolls. Place in waffle iron. Cook.

Step 2. Drizzle with frosting. Optional: add sprinkles.

Step 3. Eat with fingers.

These are quite small, and very tasty. Total prep time was about 15 minutes. I served them for my baby's 3rd birthday. A fun little birthday breakfast.

Fudgey Grahams

I'm almost embarrassed to post this. This is my favorite quick and dirty snack. 2 ingredients. 30 seconds to make, tops. No nutritional value. I rarely keep these goodies in the house because I will eat them till they are gone.

Chocolate covered graham crackers
Fudge frosting

Spread frosting on the bottom of one graham, top with the other graham.

Also good with plain or cinnamon grahams, and peanut butter, other nut butters or other flavors of frosting. Cinnamon grahams with strawberry are another of my favorites.

Gratuitous cuteness

I have no helpful tips today. No recipes. Nothing of any value to offer. Except this:

These are my two littlest. Aren't they cute? Don't they look sweet and innocent? Aren't they just precious? Don't you just want to pinch their fat little thighs? I do.

 It's a good thing that they are so adorable. Because they leave this kind of destruction in their path.

All day long.

Yup,yup, yup. But I sure do love those little terrors.

Freezing in Canning Jars

Canning jars are amazingly useful. They are heat and cold resistent, have an airtight seal, and are vitually indestructible.
Dry goods stored in canning jars stay fresh and bug-free. Leftovers in the refrigerator are safe from leaching chemicals. The jars are easy to clean, non-staining, inexpensive, readily available and microwavable.
The best part, is that food frozen in canning jars can be stored for months and still tastes absolutely fresh.
The picture above is of 3 different soups stored in quart sized jars in my freezer. there are 3 more jars behind each of those, all containing a different soup or stew. Every evening, I put the leftovers from dinner in the freezer in a jar, write the name of the dish on the top with a sharpy and pop it in the freezer. I select a jar from my stash and leave it on the counter to thaw. At lunchtime, I warm it up and serve it. Voila, fast, healthy, yummy food in second.
Tips:
#1 Use clean jars and fresh lids. Unlike canning, you don't need to sterilize you jars and lids can be reused. But the lids do wear out after a few uses. If the rubber seal is feeling dry, stiff or rough, toss the lid. You can buy boxes of replacement lids for a couple of dollars. Rubbing alcohol will remove sharpy from
#2 Leave a bit of room at the top. Liquid expands when it freezes. If your jar is too full, the glass will crack. Leave at least an inch of airspace.
#3 Cool it down before popping it in the freezer.
#4 Never mix cold water and hot glass. It will shatter.
#5 Label your jars, either the tops or the glass, with a sharpy marker. Rubbing alcohol will remove it. Sticky labels and chalkboard paint are unnecessary. You can see clearly though a room temperature jar, but once it freezes, everything looks pretty much the same. Avoid surprises. Label everything.

Freezer Bag Stock

Homemade stock adds an extra burst of flavor to soups, stews, pasta and many other dishes. Unlike the stuff in the can or box, you can control the flavors that go into it, the salt content, and it's free of artificial additives and preservatives.

Stock has to simmer for hours, but actually takes very little effort from you. This method is hassle-free, and costs nothing.

While preparing your meals, instead of tossing vegetable scraps in the trash or compost bin, place clean, well-scrubbed peelings, ends and cores of your veggies in a freezer bag. Freeze between meals.

When your bag is full, place the contents in a crockpot and cover with water. Add herbs of your choice. I like rosemary and thyme. Season lightly with salt if desired. For beef or chicken stock, add a few reserved bones-kept in a separate freezer bag until needed. Cook on low heat 8 hours.

When finished, allow it to cool. Strain out the bits and pieces, reserving the yummy stock.

Freeze in quart or pint-size canning jars, or in ice cube trays. If using ice cube trays, transfer to a freezer bag when well frozen and store in the freezer until needed.

Pina Colada Oatmeal Cookies

These are a variation on my Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. They are healthy, hearty dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan and can be gluten free if you use gluten free flour. These wholesome, rich cookies taste like a snowy winter day in Hawai'i. You know. If it snowed in Hawai'i.

1 1/2 cups flour of your choice (I used white whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup oil of your choice (I used sunflower)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup molasses
4 tbs water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup diced dried pineapple
1 cup shredded dried coconut.

Combine all ingredients except oats, pineapple, and coconut in a large bowl. Stir well. Dough will be thick and dry.
Fold in last 3 ingredients.
Roll about 2 tbs of into a ball. This will give you a big, chewy cookie.
Place on baking sheet. Cookies will spread during baking.
Bake 15 minutes at 325 degrees.
Cool 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a rack.

Makes about 2.5 large cookies.

Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are simple, wholesome, vegan and versatile. I used dried cranberries, barley flour, pecans and sunflower oil, but you can use other dried fruit, whole-grain flours, nuts and oils. Not only does changing up these ingredientsvary the flavor, but each is packed with a variety of nutrients.
Both barley and oats boost milk supply in nursing mamas. Oats and berries balance blood sugar.  Nuts and oils are rife with healthy fats and Omegas. These cookies are free of animal products and cholesterol-free.

1 1/2 cups flour of your choice
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup oil of your choice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup molasses
4 tbs water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries ( or other dried fruit)
1 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts)

Combine all ingredients except oats, cranberries, and nuts in a large bowl. Stir well.
fold in last 3 ingredients.
Roll into balls. Smaller cookies will be crispier, larger cookies will be chewier.
Place on baking sheet.  Cookies will spred during baking.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 325 degreeF.
Cool 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a rack. The fruit will be VERY hot while the cookie is still warm. Enjoy with caution :D

30 Second Chocolate Sauce

When I made my 2 Minute Fudge Frosting a few days ago, I had the idea to put it on cookies. I always keep a package of animal cookies around for quick toddler snacks. The rich, creamy chocolate flavor was just begging to be a cookie dip.

This afternoon, while the kids were having their snack, I threw together an even quicker, dippier version of the frosting. It's thin and saucy, and -if possible- a little bit richer.

Let's face it. When you need chocolate, 2 minutes is 1 and half minutes too long.

I've spent the rest of the evening thinking of delectable applications for this simple sauce. Fresh strawberries with whipped cream. Pancakes. Apple slices. Granola and yogurt. PB toast. Oatmeal cookies. Peach slices. Cherries. Hot oatmeal. Waffles. Ice cream. Blueberries and cream. Yogurt-berry parfait.
Endless possibilities

2 TBS cocoa powder
2 TBS powdered sugar
2 TBS + 2 tsp melted coconut oil
Small pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Serve as a dip or a sauce.

The One-Dish Method

Washing dishes might be my least favorite chore. After ironing. Which I don't do. The only thing I like less than washing dishes, is having them piled up in my sink and on my counters. In the heat of the Louisiana summer, dirty dishes can lead to very bad nastiness in an absurdly short time.

I cook all of our meals and with a family of 6, dishes pile up at light speed. Some days, I felt like I never got more than 3 feet from the sink all day, and they just kept coming!

I had a couple of problems:

#1. No dish washer. No where to hide the dirties, and all the labor is manual.

#2. A huge sink. I love my triple sink, but it can hold an enormous number of dishes.

#3. Very little counter space. Real estate is so limited that a single stack of plates takes up half my workspace.

#4. An almost unlimited supply of dishes. We have over 3 dozen plates alone. We won't even discuss my collection of antique glass bowls, platters and bake ware, all of which see regular use. And, of course, there are cups, glasses, jars, plastic storage, pots and pans, and so on and so on and so on. You get the idea.

I triple sparkly heart love my dishes. Truly. Sometimes I just gaze at them in admiration.  We don't use paper products, even for guests and holidays. Our friends tend to have as many kids as we do. We really do have a use for all those dishes. So those are staying. I may not add any more (many more?) but I'm not not giving them away.

I'm not adding more counter space. I don't need MORE mess.

I love my sink. I would like it to be usable.

I don't like dishwashers. I would rather wash by hand.

I needed a solution to tame the insanity without a major overhaul of our lives.

So, I devised the One Dish Method.

I started off with the cup problem. I sat down with the 2 oldest kids and we did a little math. Our family was using more than 40 cups each day. A bit excessive, wouldn't you say?

I assigned each family member a reusable water bottle. ONE. They are washed and refilled repeatedly throughout the day as needed, and live next to the water dispenser. No more lost cups. Ever. Each person has his own color or name written on the bottle in sharpie. Everyone is responsible for their own bottle. Even the 1yr old keep track of his own bottle.

Juice, soda, coffee, etc, we do use a regular cup. These are for water only. But, we are almost exclusively water drinkers, so this has nearly eliminated the cup problem.

Here are a random sampling of bottles, hanging out in their home, waiting to go to work.

The water bottles worked so well, I decided to expand this program to include dishes.

I pulled out one plate per person-2 adult sized dinner plates for myself and my husband, 3 divided plates for the kids, and one enamelware plate for the baby, one bowl each-ceramic cereal bowls for the grownups, small glass bowls for the kids, and an enamelware bowl for the baby, and one appropriately sized fork, spoon and set of chopsticks per person. Actually, I used generic chopsticks. I didn't want to deal with matching them. I stacked everything neatly in middle of the table, with the utensils in a mason jar. Done! These are all the dishes we need for any given meal.

When it's time to eat, the kids hand out the necessary items. After dinner, everyone carries their own stuff to the sink. The kids wipe down the table. I wash and replace, and that's it.

AH. So much better!

We still have access to all of the dishes. I didn't pack anything up. They are available if we need an extra plate of whatever. I did sift through all of the chipped and cracked dishes that I had been hanging on to just in case. We no longer need them.

Sometimes less is more.

2 Minute Fudge Frosting

So yummy, so fast. Who needs a cake? You will want to eat this right out of the bowl. Super rich. Not too sweet. Look how beautifully glossy and shiny it is!

This recipe is one generous single serving. I used it to frost Chocolate-Covered Katie's One Minute Chocolate Cake.  Here's what's left of the finished cake. It's a little too rich and delicious to eat all at once. Pace yourself.

2 TBS cocoa powder

2 TBS powdered sugar

2 TBS melted coconut oil

2 tsps milk ( I used vanilla almond milk)

In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder and sugar. Blend completely.

Add coconut oil. Stir and mash until it forms a thick, smooth paste.

Add one tsp milk. Mash into paste completely.

Add second tsp milk. The paste will begin to melt. Beat with a fork or whisk until smooth and glossy.

Frost cake immediately. If placed in refrigerator or if the kitchen is cool, it may harden. warm in microwave for 15 seconds and stir until spreadable before using if this happens.  



Quick and Easy Kolaches

The Strawberry Papa, D, Made these for breakfast this morning. If you are wondering what a Kolache is...I don't really know. D says it's similar to Pigs in a Blanket. It seems that every bakery and donut shop in the South has their own version of kolaches, and none bears any resemblance to any other.
D spent his early childhood in his grandfather's bakery in Houston. The bakery was known for it's kolaches. D modelled these after his childhood memories, minus the waking up at 4am.
This will probably be the simplest recipe you will  ever see here in Strawberry Land. D makes these on the weekends so I can sleep late. The little Berries devour them.

2 cans of large flaky biscuits
1 package of hot dogs (or sausages, though D insists hot dogs are more authentic)

Preheat oven to 325F.

Cut hot dogs in half. Roll one biscuit around each hot dog half. Bake 8-10 minutes or until perfectly golden brown. Serve warm.

Tortilla Casserole

My 9 year old named this. The 6 year-old suggested Fruit Taco Combo. He argued that tomatoes are a fruit. I didn't think that name was entirely appropriate, even though he made an excellent point, and olives and chilies are also fruit.

All 3 verbal kids declared it "Delicious" and the baby licked the plate. High praise for the kids who routinely ask "Are there beans in this?" and make their excuses when I (almost always) say yes.

This whole dish costs less than $5 and takes under 30 minutes to make, including baking time.

Approximately 8 corn tortillas
1 large can refried beans
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 small can tomatoes with green chilies
4 oz Mexican style shredded cheese
1 small can sliced black olives

Dice onion and garlic. Sautee in oil until tender. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes, stir.

Layer into casserole dish, 4 tortillas, half of the beans, half of the tomato mixture, and half of the cheese. Repeat layers, and top with olives.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until melty.

Serve with shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomato, salsa, and guacamole, as desired.

20 Minute Turnip Soup

This soup is super easy, deceptively tasty and a perfect use for the extra turnips in your CSA basket or garden. It's a perfect autumn soup, but I have the AC cranked up and we are enjoying it today for lunch.

2 turnips with greens
2 carrots
1 box broth, 2 cans stock, or the equivalent

Dice turnips and shred greens. Slice carrots. Add veggies and stock to a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender.