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Fall is in the Air

Yes, Fall is in the air and soon we will be smelling the Concord grapes and see the grape pickers pass by. All of a sudden it got a little chilly in the evenings and sunset is inching up earlier. I don’t really mind that. It is good to have 4 seasons. I lived in Delaware for several years and seasons were just not the same. Winter was more of a monsoon season than anything else.

Lately, I have been on a crafting binge. Some have been done on my own and some with fellow crafters. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and am finding it hard to stop. Although, it is to the point where I am going to have to rotate decor during this Fall season. (You know, when you break it down to Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving, the possibilities increase dramatically!) Pinterest is my jam and I find so many recipes to try and projects! In this post I will share some of what I have done.

I was checking on my blog and saw that I never published my August post. It is weird because I really thought I did. It is live now and I will continue working on September’s (whoops!) That has never happened before!

In addition to the craft projects I have some other items to share with you so let’s get into it!

Products I Love

  1. Nexcare Bandages are a good product but this particular line of their product is stupendous! My daughter, Sara, introduced me to them. She had discovered them when she had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery. They are very waterproof and are applied in a totally different way than normal bandages. I guarantee you will love them!

2. These large storage bags are awesome and I use them for so many things too numerous to mention and a lot of them are not food! My cousin, Linda, exposed me to these. They are available at Dollar Tree and are 5 gallon size. (I love that store!)

Hacks

*Coke syrup – you can get this at some drug stores or online. My Mom always kept a bottle at home. It is good for nausea and upset stomach. My Mom worked in a drug store so I am sure that is where she first heard about it. A friend of mine is a pharmacist with his own pharmacy and he still carries it.

*Soft mints – the most popular brand is Bob’s. I know you have seen them. Most often they are in the big plastic tubs. They are great for heartburn! Actually, any mint helps but these are awesome! A friend of mine was having awful heartburn from an antibiotic she was taking and these helped her almost immediately!

product image zoom

Recipe

I absolutely love citrus flavored things and when I found this recipe I just had to try it. It is definitely a dessert salad as it is sweet. As is my custom, I shared some of what I made and I had good reviews on it. Yum!

Dreamsicle Salad *celebgood.com

1 box orange Jell-O
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 Cool Whip 8 oz.
1 can mandarin oranges 14 oz. , drained
1 cup mini marshmallows

In a large bowl combine orange Jell-O and boiling water.
Whisk until Jell-o is dissolved.
Add cold water and allow to chill for 15 minutes in refrigerator.
Slowly whisk in vanilla pudding mix until smooth and chill for another 15-20 minutes or until it becomes slightly thickened.
Fold in Cool Whip, mandarin oranges and marshmallows

Craftiness

(as in, I think I have a problem and is there a support group for this?)

Flower Wreath

For this wreath I bought artificial flowers at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and just filled a large wreath form. My wreath form, being large, took a lot of flowers but you wouldn’t need to make one that large. I just hot glued the blossoms on the form after removing them from the stems. (Dollar Tree is also a great source for flowers.) I made a hanger using some jute that I had and creating a loop around the wreath form.

Rope Wreath

For this project you can use any size rope or wire wreath form you would like. My cousin and I worked together on this project. She used a different rope than I did and decorated it with different flowers and the result was totally different than mine. We got the idea from https://www.hometalk.com/43679532/dollar-tree-jute-wreath

Splatter Screen Pumpkin

This project is quite a popular pin on Pinterest as are most Dollar Tree DYI’s. I had to do a lot of searching to find the screens and actually, my brother-in-law, Hank found them for me. This was a lot of fun to make and I decided to be kind different and do mine in a muted blue shade.

http://www.thissoutherngirlcan.com/seasonal/dollar-tree-splatter-guard-screen-pumpkin

Last but certainly not least;

Cookie Sheet Sunflower

This project was made with two friends, Sue and Shelly. Sue pointed out later that it looked more like a Black Eyed Susan than a Sunflower. I love it anyway and we did follow the directions so………..this is the result……..

I hate to admit this, Sue no laughing, but if I were to do it again I think I would make the center of the sunflower larger as it would be more realistic. I ordered bee stickers from Amazon (where else?) and they seemed to add a nice touch. This is another Dollar Tree DYI which you can find at https://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/dollar-tree-foil-tray-sunflower-farmhouse-wall-art/

Contrary to popular opinion, I do other things beside crafting. For instance, just this morning I took the dogs to be groomed, delivered some items, mailed a package and picked up some things I needed at Tractor Supply.

“Oh, what is that you say?”

“What about housework?”

I do try to squeeze that in. Just this morning I scrubbed the toilet. I mean, geesh!

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August Already

I hope that you’re having a good Summer so far and staying cool. I was never an air conditioning person but I have become one of late. There are several things to share with you in this post and hopefully, something is of interest or help to you.

I have been redoing my bedroom. You know curtains, etc. I ordered a comforter online and when I got it the color just didn’t go with my walls like I had hoped. It was a Land’s End brand and I scored it at a great price. That led me to decide to get a duvet cover if I could find one in the color I needed. Once I found it and had it in my possession I realized I had never used one before and it might be a real mess putting one on the comforter if I didn’t know the best way to do it. Of course, I consulted Google and came up with this little video from the Rachel Ray Show that was wonderful and worked just as they said it would. I am sharing the video below.

Thanks guys! You made it a breeze and now I am so happy with my teal duvet and batik curtains!

Product Reviews

I present to you, Bag Balm! Wikipedia states;

Bag Balm is a salve developed in 1899 to soothe irritation on cows’ udders after milking. It is used as a treatment for chapped and irritated skin on humans and can be found in places such as drugstores, ski resorts, online vendors, and needlework stores, in addition to farm and feed stores.

There were certain things that my Mom always kept in the house. She had worked in a drug store for several years and saw fit to keep in stock some tried and true items. Just as Wikipedia states it was developed for cows’ udders but is extremely healing. I am using some right now on a spot that I scraped the skin off. It really works well! A little dab of that and a bandage and there you go! I bought my recent can at Tractor Supply. Walmart carries it for under $8. If you decide to pick some up, you won’t be disappointed.

Another item that I always keep around and is extremely handy in hot weather is Anti Monkey Butt Powder. It is amazing for all those areas that you like to keep dry! I buy the container for women but they have a full line of product. Trust me! This is a must have in the Summer!

How many of you have heard of or maybe have around a bottle of Witch Hazel? Maybe you have it and you don’t know why. Maybe Mom gave it to you and it has set there in the cupboard for years. Maybe it is time to pull it out and set it to work. It comes from the Witch Hazel plant, is very inexpensive and very useful. There are so many different uses for it that I had to just cherry pick some to share. Let me know if you know any other tricks for this product and if you try it.

  • mild disinfectant (not strong enough for Covid germs) that can be used to clean wounds
  • treats diaper rash and body acne
  • will ease the discomfort of bug bites, dry skin, razor burn and varicose veins
  • it is a mild astringent which can be used on your face and will shrink puffy eyes
  • you can clean your dog or cats ears with witch hazel
  • it will clean delicate jewelry
  • you can use it to fade bruises more quickly
  • finally, due to its astringent powers you can make your own version of Tuck’s Pads at home on the cheap

There are many different brands and you can even find it at the dollar stores. The above picture is of my bottle.

Recipes

At this time i am featuring recipes using zucchini since they are so plentiful at this time of year. I have made all three of the following recipes. Of course, I have so much zucchini that I still have grated and frozen a lot to be used later for baking and soups. I measured the grated zucchini into 1 and 2 cup portions for easy use later.

Cheesy Baked Zucchini *homemadeinterest.com

low carb Zucchini Casserole
  • 40 ounces (approximately) Zucchini, large, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 5 ounces Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 6 ounces Gruyere Cheese, grated and divided
  • 4 ounces Parmesan Cheese, grated and divided
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Prepare zucchini by slicing it and then lightly salting it on both sides. Place the salted zucchini slices on a layer of paper towels and let sit for 15 minutes before flipping and letting sit for another 15 minutes. This will remove the excess water from the zucchini before baking.
  • In a baking dish place the prepared zucchini slices in rows one on top of another until the dish is filled. Set dish aside.
  • In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
  • Add onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften. Then add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
  • Pour the heavy cream into the pan stirring until it begins to bubble.
  • Add 2 ounces of Parmesan cheese and 4 ounces of Gruyere cheese to the heavy cream, onions, and garlic. Stir together until the cheese melts.
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the zucchini spreading it evenly over the zucchini.
  • Cover the casserole dish with foil and place in the oven and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil, top with the remaining Gruyere and Parmesan cheese and bake for 5 minutes more or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the zucchini is tender. 
  • Remove from oven and serve.

This was an extremely delicious casserole. The only thing I will do differently next time is that I really didn’t cut my zucchini slices at least a quarter of an inch each. They were too thin and although delicious, it would have been better with thicker pieces.

Zucchini Relish *constantlycooking.com

  • 5 – 8 medium zucchini
  • 2 – 3 medium onions
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • 1/3 cup (90 mL) coarse kosher salt
  • 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) white sugar
  • 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) each celery & mustard seeds
  • Halve 5 of the zucchinis lengthwise and cut into one inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Using a food processor (or you can do this by hand with a sharp knife), chop zucchini into pieces approximately 1/4 inch or smaller in size. Put them in a large bowl or food storage container (capable of holding more than 12 cups / 3 L).
  • Use the same technique to prepare the onions, celery and peppers, adding them all to the zucchini. If you’re not yet at the 12 cup / 3L (approximately) mark, chop additional zucchini as needed.
  • Sprinkle the vegetables with the coarse salt and stir gently to blend.
  • Place a plate on top of the vegetables (it doesn’t have to completely cover them) then weight the plate down with a large glass jar (or a large glass measuring cup) filled with water.
  • Let sit overnight so the vegetables will release some of their moisture.
  • The next day, drain the vegetables in a sieve or colander and rinse well.
  • Prepare your jars by washing well in warm water and placing in an oven that’s been preheated to 220F. Turn the oven off. Place the two parts of the lids of your canning jars in a small pot of water and bring to a boil.
  • In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar, garlic and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the drained vegetables and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. With a ladle and wide-mouth canning funnel, transfer the relish into the sterilized jars. As you fill each one, wipe the rim with a clean, damp cloth then immediately put the hot lid on and tighten the band with your fingers.
  • The relish can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months. For longer term storage, or to store at room temperature, please follow instructions for safe hot water bath processing for high acid foods.

Makes about 12 cups.

I honestly think it tastes just like cucumber relish. Let me know if you give it a try!

Now you know I can’t do zucchini without mentioning zucchini bread! I have been making zucchini bread for years. It all started when my 3 younger kids would be given zucchini by our neighbor. I made bread the first time they brought it home and they loved it so much! After that when our neighbor would give them some they would come home carrying it like a giant prize and proudly tell me that we could now have zucchini bread!

Best Zucchini Bread Ever *afamilyfeast.com

  • Butter and flour for preparing baking pans
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3½ cups grated zucchini (you can use as few as 2 cups and as much as 4 cups)
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup apple sauce
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and lightly flour two 8”x4” loaf pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir gently to combine.
  3. Shred zucchini, lightly packing it down as you measure it.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat eggs, applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix very well.
  5. Slowly add the dry ingredients (about 1/3 at a time) mixing as you go – then beat well to fully combine.
  6. With a rubber scraper or wooden spoon, stir in shredded zucchini and nuts into the batter and mix well.
  7. Pour half of the batter into each prepared pan.
  8. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out cleanly. (The bake time will vary depending on how much shredded zucchini you add to the batter.)
  9. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks.

I hope you enjoyed this post and are able to use something that was mentioned. Please leave comments! I really enjoy hearing from readers. Enjoy this wonderful time of year with all the fresh vegetables and fruits and see you next month!

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A Tropical Heatwave

I think the title just about says it! I have never been a fan of air conditioning but ………….. here I am luxuriating in its cold beauty! I mean, a lady can only take so much (said in a deep southern drawl with a glass of sweet tea in my hand. Disclaimer, I hate sweet tea. It’s just an image folks!)

Some of you may be wondering when is the best time to water my outdoor plants in this blistering heat. The answer is early evening. This gives the plants enough time to dry out but there is still enough of a chance for the roots to soak up the water. If you can’t do it in the evening then your second best time is very early morning.

Recipes

This time of year I am all about fresh locally grown produce so I would like to share a couple of simple recipes to enjoy when local harvest of these items begins.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

The trick with this recipe is to use a medium size head of cauliflower. If it is too large it won’t get done all the way through.

You need to start by rinsing and drying off your cauliflower head. Then take off all the green leaves and cut the off the bottom so that it sits flat. In addition you can cut out some of the woody stalk but be careful as this technique calls for the cauliflower to stay intact.

Spray a Dutch oven and place your cauliflower in it. You can use a baking sheet too but I prefer the Dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Mix up a sauce which includes the following ingredients;

Parmesan cheese

garlic

olive oil

Italian seasoning

sea salt

pepper

There are no real amounts of each ingredient. Just do it to your liking.

Drizzle half of the mixture onto the underside of the cauliflower head and allow it to drain down into the head. Then turn the head over and brush with the remaining sauce.

Place the lid on the Dutch oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until head is fork tender. Then remove the lid and allow the cauliflower head to brown for around 10 minutes. Viola!

Cabbage Steaks *thespruceeats.com

  • For the Cabbage:
  • 1 head green cabbage
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Ground black pepper (to taste)
  • For the Dressing:
  • 1 clove garlic (finely minced or grated)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  3. Place the green cabbage with the root end up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into approximately 1-inch thick slices, trying to keep the leaves together as much as possible. Keep the core intact to help the cabbage steaks hold together.
  4. Transfer the cabbage rounds to a large sheet pan and brush both sides generously with the olive oil. Drizzle any remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, flip them over and continue roasting for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized.
  5. To make the dressing: add the garlic, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, ground black pepper and fresh parsley to a bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
  6. Once the cabbage steaks are cooked, drizzle them with the dressing and serve hot.

*Did you know that you can make ricotta cheese in your microwave? I didn’t either until recently. This would be handy if you had a hankering for stuffed shells or the like and didn’t have any ricotta on hand.

Microwave Ricotta

2 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a 4 cup microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. It depends on the wattage of your microwave. Mine is 1100 and was ready in 4 minutes. You can also use a food thermometer. It has to read 165 degrees for the curds to separate from the whey.

Using a fine mesh sieve or colander lined with paper towels or cheese cloth. Pour or spoon the curds in to drain. This should be stored in your refrigerator until use.

Hacks

*I have always struggled with making a nice looking bow. I have just recently discovered a great way to do it. It is called the re-fab bow. Follow the link below to learn all about it.

How to make a bow the SUPER DUPER easy way! This tutorial is literally so simple, and the bows are gorgeous!
How to Make a Bow the SUPER EASY Way



*You can make your own laundry stain remover with one part Dawn dish soap with two parts hydrogen peroxide. Pour or spray it onto the stain.

*If you soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and hold it on a bruise for a couple of minutes it will noticeably fade the bruise. I have tried this and it really works.

*Did you know that you can add 2 eggs and a half cup of vegetable oil to any cake mix to make cookies? Yep, it can be done! Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Form approximately two tablespoons of dough into a ball. Bake on a baking sheet (parchment lined) at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

That’sssssssssssssssssssss all folks (said in my best Porky Pig voice). Stay cool. Please comment and share your thoughts and remember to let me know if you try any of the recipes or hacks. See y’all soon! (Throwback reference to southern drawl and sweet tea. Didn’t your writing teacher always tell you to tie your closing back to your opening?

Check Mark Icon Free Stock Photo - Public Domain Pictures

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“Tunes” of June

My tunes for June and the drummer I am marching to are all about cooking, crafting and hacking life! How about you? Share with me what you’re up to in the comments. Let me know how you are playing your particular tunes this month!!

Recipes – the music of food

Pea Salad *saltysidedish

  • 1 large bag, 16 oz, frozen peas, thawed and drained
  • 6 strips bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup real mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper
  1. In a large mixing bowl combine peas, bacon, onions, cheese, and mayonnaise and mix well. 
  2. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
  3. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Mix well before serving.

This is great as a side dish for a picnic in the summer. It was super easy to make and delicious!

White Chocolate Clusters

This is a vintage recipe that fell out of a candy recipe book from the 1920’s which I bought at a household sale years ago. They were delicious and super easy!

I have chosen to post a copy of the original recipe rather than type it out. I like the way it looks and it is clearly written. * I used the microwave in 30 second intervals to melt the chocolate and also used parchment paper rather than waxed paper. Those were the only, insignificant, changes I made.

Lasagna Roll Leftover Hack

Shared by Shannon. Thank you!

She was making homemade lasagna and had leftover ingredients. She cut the leftover noodles in half and spread filling on them and rolled them up. Then they were placed in a casserole dish with sauce and baked. This reminded her of manicotti. Great job Shannon and thanks so much for sharing and even including a picture!

Crafty Tunes

Since my last post I made a doggy dress for my littlest one, Isobel Jemima. It was very easy to do.

First I purchased a baby’s bib for a dollar. I then used some ribbon, Velcro and tulle that I had on hand. I gather bunches of tulle in 3 various pastel colors and stitched them in a straight line across the wrong side bottom of the bib. Then using Isobel’s chest measurement I cut some cute ribbon so that it would overlap on her chest. To the ribbon I attached Velcro. I then sewed the ribbon onto the right side bottom of the bib.The whole thing was finished off with a cute bow. The result is below. Where the bib fastens around the baby’s neck it was fastened around Isobel’s neck too. (Don’t be distracted by the pink harness under the dress.)

You can find directions to make one similar to this but with fabric and not tulle at swoodsonsays.com

Memorial Day morning I decided I needed a little more patriotic stuff going on for my porch. I put together a couple of quick projects with items I had on hand.

First I made a nautical type wreath. For the wreath you need;

a foam wreath form

red ribbon either burlap or cloth

off white ribbon either burlap or cloth

hot glue and gun

I wrapped the off white burlap ribbon around the form and secured it with hot glue.

Then I wrapped the red burlap around but spaced it so that the off white was showing.

Viola!

Doesn’t it look cute and add a pop of pizzazz sitting on my vintage, wooden, folding chair?

The second project was a windsock. For this you would need;

hot glue and gun

strips of fabric in white, red, blue (they can be patterned or solid)

Some sort of toggle so the windsock can twist freely

twine

8 inch embroidery hoop (this project doesn’t ruin the hoop so you still can use it once you no longer want the windsock.)

I began by ripping approximately one inch fabric strips. For the blue I used old denim. I chose real white and not off white for this project. You could use either but personally I would go with one or the other and not mix them. The off white would give more of a vintage well worn feel to the windsock. I was really torn with choosing because, you know me, I like vintage but I happened to have more bright white fabric so I went with that.

Once the strips were ready I started putting them around the embroidery hoop. If the fabric was thin and wouldn’t bunch too much I looped it over the hoop which helped to cover the hoop and meant I didn’t need to glue. With the rest of the fabric I glued. I also was not fussy about the length. It was not my intent to have them all the same length.

When I was satisfied that I had enough fabric on the hoop I tied twine on the hoop in four places on the hoop trying to evenly space them. I then knotted the four pieces together and attached with a strong knot a small length of chain and a toggle that I had from a previous windsock that bit the dust.

The whole project took maybe 45 minutes from start to finish once I had gotten my fabric from the tote in my craft room.

Living and Hacking

I was having problems with my propane gas grill. Before I went further delving into the reason for the trouble I wanted to make sure that the issue wasn’t the gas canister was low. There is no gauge. I knew that I could way it since a tank typically weighs 17 pounds and the propane weighs 20 more when full. However, I had no desire to lug the gas tank upstairs to my scale.

Doing some research online I found another way to test it. I was unsure of it working but it sure did. So, I have decided to share with you.

First unhook you tank from the gas line (making sure your valve is shut). Then take a pitcher of warm water and pore it semi slowly down the side of the tank. Wait 5 seconds ( I counted) and then run your hand down the side of the tank. Since the propane will absorb the heat from the water you poured the tank will feel warm to the touch until you get down to the level of the propane. There it will be noticeably cooler to the touch. I had better than a third of a tank of propane. Cool, right?

I had some wooden palettes in my basement that I had brought home probably 6 years ago to make a bar for my deck. I never did get it done but I found a tip online which showed me how to use one of them. Beyond crafty projects I also like to organize things and this use for the palette immediately attracted my attention.

I put it by my side door where I keep rakes, shovels and the like. They were always just standing up in the corner but I like this a lot better. The best part was that all I had to do was put it in place where I wanted it. I would have had to remove the top board on the palette on one side so that there was more room to grab onto a tool when I wanted it but that piece was already kind of hanging so with a little effort on my part it came right off.

I usually by hanging plants every year to put on Shepard’s hooks at the head of my driveway. I water daily, for the most part, but the water just pours through the bottom as I am watering since there is no tray. I solved that problem by taking the plastic lid off of a to-go cup and placing it over the drain holes at the bottom. I place it so the underside of the lid was next to the bottom of the pot. This way there is a little reservoir for the water. I secured it with strong, wide tape. It is not air tight so the water still does drain but there is that little bit left in the lid and it also passes through a little slower which allows the soil to absorb more water.

I gave myself an A+ for that little diddy!

Please comment and let me know what you think. Have a wonderful June!

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Socially Distantancing Blog

I imagine that you with more time at home are doing projects around the house, baking, watching more tv than usual, reading, doing puzzles and all that jazz. That is what is happening for me. In addition, I have been making t-shirt yarn, going through old pictures, cleaning drawers and closets. Well, you get the idea.

Like everyone else, I also have been making masks. Luckily I had a lot of remnants in my material bin and my daughter ordered elastic for me after I ran out. It seems that I have gotten the process down to a science and can do 10 masks in less than an hour.

My two models!!!

Recipes

Orange Scones *sprinkle some sugar

Fresh Orange Scones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

25 minutes

Yield: 8 scones

Ingredients:Orange Scones1/3 cup sugarzest of one large orange or two medium oranges2 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen1/2 cup sour cream1 large eggOrange Glaze3 tbs unsalted butter, melted1 cup confectioners’ sugar1/2 tsp vanilla extract2-4 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until completely smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir sugar and orange zest together until sugar is moistened and zest is evenly distributed. Pour in flour mixture and toss to combine. Grate frozen butter into mixture. Using your hands, work in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gently stir in sour cream mixture until just about combined. Do not over work the dough! Again, very gently press the dough against the sides of the bowl a few times and form a ball. The dough will be sticky at first but will come together as you form it.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and lightly pat into an 8″ circle about 3/4″ thick. Use a very sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles (like a pizza). Transfer triangles onto prepared baking sheet. You can arrange them in two rows, 4 in each row, or arrange them in a circle shape – leaving about 1″ between each one.

Bake scones for 15-17 minutes or until the tops begin to golden. Don’t take them out too early or they will be too soft. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. During this time, prepare glaze. Stir together melted butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and orange juice until smooth. Once completely cooled, go ahead and either dip the tops of the scones into the glaze or drizzle it on top with a spoon.

These were delicious! I am definitely making them again.

Projects

One of the crafty things I have done lately is to make a wreath using strips of old denim and leftover fabric I had. Since we are heading toward Memorial Day I did it with a patriotic theme. I even had the wire wreath form already that I had purchased at Dollar Tree, “where everything really is a dollar”.

All I did was rip trips of fabric about an inch wide and then cut them approximately into 7 inch lengths as measured by my hand (measuring trick below). Then tied them in three rows around the wreath. You can do any pattern you would like. I chose to do 4 denim strips and two colored. I wanted to emphasize the denim since the red and white fabric would have no problem standing out on their own.

Hacks

*Measuring 7 inches with your hand is a trick I learned from my friend Karen. We would frequently use that method to measure things at a household or yard sale to see if they would fit where we wanted them to when we got them home.

The distance marked in blue is pretty darn close to 7 inches. It is a handy little measuring device that you never leave home without.

*Place a paper clip at the end of the tape on a roll of clear package tape. It makes it so much easier to find the end of the roll. I even do it on masking tape just so the end is easier to get a hold of.

*A twin size sheet fits over a normal size picnic or fold-able table to be used as a tablecloth. It stays put even with the wind blowing.

I sincerely hope that all of you are well and that something in this post is useful to you. See you next time!!

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Hacking This Life and Social Distancing

This is quite a time we are living through. I know there will be an end to it and we will have what they are calling “the new normal” similar to the “new normal” after 9/11. What that will look like I don’t think anyone is really sure of right now.

What I am concentrating on is how to use this time to be creative, reflective and kind. Of course, like many people, I am reading, writing, cooking, baking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, video chatting with friends and family and walking the dogs a lot more. I finally found a puzzle online and it just arrived so I am working on that now too.

My dogs, I am sure, are wondering why I am home so much because I am usually on the go!

Being kind is what everyone needs right now. How can we do that with social distancing? I have been sharing baked goods and homemade soups with neighbors and friends. Also, just checking on people, especially the elderly, and letting them know you are thinking about them. I know even when I walk my dogs people I don’t even know have a big smile on their faces and say hello. I am guessing for most of us it is a feeling of belonging. We all are in the same boat.

We can also be creative about visiting with our friends and neighbors. I have one elderly neighbor that I visit with while I am in her yard with the dogs. She stands on her porch and we talk for a bit and share what we have been doing. Another friend and I met in the McDonald’s parking lot after we each went through the drive-thru at Tim Horton’s. She stayed in her car and I in mine and we talked for about an hour while we drank our coffee. Another time we met at the lake (coffee in hand) and fed the seagulls Cheerios. We drove separately, of course, and stood much more than 6 feet apart but it was a nice visit and a diversion from the regular routine. I would love for you to comment and share with us what you are doing to keep in touch.

One of the things I am trying to do everyday is put some cologne and makeup on and do my hair. I feel like that lifts my spirits. How about you? What are you doing to remain sane and calm in this unusual time?

I have always loved brown sugar. I keep a canister of it just like flour and regular sugar. It is so much richer and fuller flavored than just plain granulated sugar. A couple of the items I have baked recently used only brown sugar and I want to share them with you.

Recipes

Brown Sugar Cookies (*dinnerthendessert.com)

  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups flour , plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a skillet melt 10 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until butter starts to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Pour into bowl, add remaining butter to same bowl and set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
  4. Add remaining brown sugar and salt to butter and whisk until smooth. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
  5. Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients, stirring until a dough forms.
  6. Either roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick and use a cookie cutter, or roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.
  7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until cookies begin to set.

These cookies are a little chewy and ever so yummy!!

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Muffins

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Muffins (*celebratingsweets.com)

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed make sure it is fresh and soft
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas about 3-4 bananas
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or swap for macadamia nuts, pecans or hazelnuts

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar until well combined, about 1 full minute. Add eggs, mashed banana and vanilla, whisking until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to lightly stir the batter until almost combined. Add 1/2 cup walnuts and stir until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to over-mix.
  • Grease 15 standard-sized muffin cups and divide the batter evenly among the cups. Sprinkle the top of the each cup with brown sugar and chopped walnuts (topping). Bake for 14-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.

* I used paper muffin cups rather than greasing the muffin tin. Also, I used pecans rather than walnuts. My muffins weren’t small, by any means, but I got 18 muffins out of the recipe rather than 15. I promise if you make these you will love them!

Hacks

Project

The latest project I have been working on is making masks. I have been making them from 100% cotton which is the recommended fabric and luckily I have a lot of it in my material bin. My first pattern called for using elastic to hook on ears. I am out of elastic now that I have used all the black and white 1/4 inch elastic that I had on hand. I will now have to make them using bias tape. Below is the link to patterns using bias tape and elastic.

http://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2020/03/face-mask-tutorial.html?m=1

Here is a picture of some that I have made.

Stay safe, healthy and as stress-free as you possibly can! Until next time my fellow humans!

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Leap Year, February 29

I hope everyone is faring well in the doldrums of Winter. I think the secret is to have hobbies or things you enjoy doing when there isn’t as much action to be had outdoors. In my case, I have too many things I am interested in doing.

There are projects waiting for me everywhere! I am not kidding. There’s the scarf I am knitting to match my new Winter coat. It is 2/3’s done. Two skeins of yarn weren’t enough so I had to order some online and wait (momentum died).

There’s the book folding pattern of a motorcycle for my son which required at least 1,000 pages. The size was a tough one but I am using a Webster’s New World College Dictionary (librarians and others who might object, I am sorry). I am now on page 450 of the pattern.

Also, I am going to make an Easter decoration. I purchased the plastic eggs and I already had the twine and burlap ribbon. The Easter decoration idea comes from something I saw in the store, it was overpriced and I thought that I could make it for a lot less.

Lastly, my daughter wants a ponytail hat. That project is all cast onto my loom but I haven’t started knitting.

Once I told my Mom that things would slow down after I got “such-and-such” done. Her reply was, “No. You will just find something else to do.” There you have it! Moms are always right. I am resigned to the fact that this is the way I am and that I kind of like it that way.

Recipes

I have tried many things since my last post but there are a couple I would like share with you.

This first one is going to sound a little odd at first but you really must try it! It is fantastic. That is fantastic if you like dill pickles or dill in general. Let me know in the comments what you think when you try it.

Dill Pickle Soup (lavendarandmacarons.com)

This soup is actually a Polish recipe. I had never heard of it until recently. My brother-in-law told me they have it on the menu in a Buffalo area restaurant.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion finely minced
  • 1 large carrot grated on large holes of box grater
  • 1 c dill pickles sliced horizontally and then halved
  • 5 c vegetable broth or chicken broth if you want
  • 3 medium potato peeled and cubed
  • 4 1/2 tbsp sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 4-5 tbsp pickle juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 4 tbsp dill chopped

Instructions

  • Add broth to a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add potatoes, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes.
  • At the same time, heat butter in large non-stick pan (avoid Teflon pans) over medium heat.
  • Add onion and carrot and cook until vegetables begin to soften, approximately 7 minutes. Stir in dill pickles and cook for 3 more minutes.
  • While vegetables are cooking, in a medium bowl whisk together sour cream, flour and 3 tablespoons of dill pickle juice.* (Note 1)
  • Stir in sautéed vegetables, salt, pepper, sour cream and flour mixture into the pot with potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender when poked with a knife.
  • Remove from the heat, and serve immediately garnished with fresh dill.

The bonus here is that it is a vegetarian soup and if you left out the sour cream it could be vegan too.

Oven Roasted Rotisserie Chicken (countrysidecravings.com)

Honest to goodness this chicken tasted like a rotisserie chicken you would buy in the store or one that I used to make when I had a rotisserie. The chicken was melt in your mouth delicious.

Ingredients

  • ½-1 tablespoon seasoned salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoons onion powder
  • ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 (5 lb) (2.2kg) whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
  2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and peppers.  Set aside.
  3. Remove giblets from chicken and rinse chicken in cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Rub chicken with olive oil then rub spice mixture over entire chicken.  Place in a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or rimmed baking sheet.  
  4. Bake for 80-90 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.  Baste with juices 3 times during the cooking process if desired.  Let chicken rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

Let’s Do a Little Life Hacking Now

Microwaves are a great kitchen tool. Here are some things you can do with your “nuke” that you may not have thought of.

  • A plastic cutting board can be put in the microwave for 1 minute to disinfect it. Wash the board well, rub it with a cut open lemon and nuke it for 1 minute. You can also microwave a sponge for a minute to sterilize it.
  • If you have fresh herbs that you want to dry that only takes 1 minute as well. Just place them on a paper towel and put in for a minute. If they are not dry enough to crumble in your hand then you can keep microwaving at 20 second intervals until they are.
  • Microwave garlic for 15 seconds to easily peel the cloves.
  • To get more juice out of citrus fruit microwave them for 10 to 15 second and then juice away!
  • If you have a stale roll or some sort of bread just wrap it in a paper towel or napkin for 20 seconds and viola it is edible again!
  • Do you cry when cutting or chopping onions? Just peel the onion and microwave it for 30 seconds and chop without tears.
  • Microwaving peaches or tomatoes for 30 seconds will make them easy to peel.

Beyond the Microwave

  • If you accidentally over salt something that you are cooking peel a potato and add it to the pot. The potato will absorb the excess salt.
  • Did you know that the tag on bed sheets, blankets, comforters indicates that it is to be placed at the lower right hand corner of the bed?
  • Cornstarch will untangle any knot you have. Just sprinkle some on the knotted shoelace, string, chain, etc, rub it in and watch the knot untangle.
  • Ever tried heating citrus or spices in water on the stove to make your house smell heavenly? Here’s one that will have your house smelling like a bakery in no time. Get a small pan and fill it with water. Just add some vanilla and cinnamon and simmer slowly. Remember to keep an eye on it though.

I hope that you enjoyed this post and found something that you can use. See you next time!

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Snowy Sunday

I just realized that I haven’t posted since November 24. It is hard to believe this much time has flown by. Thanksgiving to Christmas was a complete BLUR! How about at your house? I am sure it was the same.

The TG feast of November went very well and each of us enjoyed ourselves and ate too , too much which is all normal behavior. The only thing I would add to the festivities would be some card playing or board games. We never quite get that far but maybe next year.

The big new addition to the holiday meal was the molasses cake. It was a success. My daughter even came down to my house a couple of days later to see if I had any left. That made me happy but her not so much as there were no leftovers.

Hacks that I have put into place!

*Last year I ditched my paper calendar and started using only the calendar on my phone. I had to ask myself why I was using both (and updating both). It has worked out very well. Continuing with that thinking I searched for a grocery list app and found one that I love using. It is called “OurGroceries”. You can find it on itunes or the Google Play Store. You just create a list and when you find something you are running out of you just add the item to your list. It is very easy to use!

*Getting wild and crazy along these lines I looked for a to do list app. I am always out running errands or something and don’t have my notebook with me. At these times I remember something I want to accomplish that just keeps slipping my mind and can’t write it down. The “Tasks” app allows me to jot it down on my phone. I absolutely LOVE this app! Again, it can be found in either the itunes store or the Google Play Store.

*Did you know that the tag on bed sheets let’s you know that this corner is to be at the bottom right corner of the bed? I didn’t until recently but it sure helps with my comforter since the same applies to it.

*I recently stumbled on some hacks for slow cookers and want to share them with you.

( Courtesy of the Krazy Coupon Lady)

  1. You can get rid of the white film in a slow cooker with a mixture of dish soap and baking soda.
  2. If you need to have two things going at once you can create a divider with foil and then use a slow cooker liner over the divider creating two wells.
Create a barrier with foil to use one Crock-Pot for two dips.

3. You can cook the main dish and sides at the same time by wrapping each item in foil.

4. The slow cooker itself can get a little yucky. To fix that problem simply put a cup of alcohol in it and place the lid on top. You don’t even have to turn it on. Let it sit overnight and presto, change-o. It is clean.

*I have struggled for years to hammer nails in and old on to them. This usually involves 2 to 4 droppings and huntings for the nail before I finally get the job done. That is super aggravating. I have found a new method online. You simply put the nail you need to hammer in the “teeth” of a bobby pin. Then you have something more substantial to hold onto as you hammer. The side benefit is you don’t hit your fingers.

Genius, right?

(realsimple.com)

* For a very long time I have wanted to install a curtain rod under my kitchen sink to hold spray bottles and reduce the cluttered mess down there. Recently I saw an idea to put hooks on the inside of your cabinet doors. Thanks to my son, Jacob, who helped with the curtain rod placement I now have both items in play and love them!

Recipe

Five Minute Fudge

  • 32 ounce bag powdered sugar about 8 cups, unsifted
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder unsifted
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla

Line a rather large plate or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa in a large bowl until they seem well blended. If it seems like there a clumps in the mixture you may sift it. Pour the milk over the mixture but do not stir. Cut the butter up into chunks and place onto and again do not mix. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes until butter is almost completely melted. Remove bowl from microwave and stir to combine. Work quickly as you want it still warm enough when you’re done to spread on your prepared plate or sheet. When it is all mixed add your vanilla and incorporate it. At this point if you want to add nuts, mini marshmallows or anything else you do it. Spread on prepared dish and allow to cool.

*This is a great little treat to make when you find you have someone coming over on short notice or you need a quick treat for school or a party.

That’s all for now. I promise I will be back sooner with more ideas and a recipe or two. I hope you missed me just a little.

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The Feast Is At Hand

It is almost Turkey Day! It is one of my favorite holidays, if not my favorite. You get to have your whole family together and eat copious amounts of food. The bonus is you don’t have to worry about buying a gift for anyone or sending cards. It is all being thankful and eating. Perfect!

We are having about fifteen people for dinner. There will be the usual suspects to eat such as turkey, potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce and then of course dessert. To the main dinner menu I am adding glazed carrots this year (recipe to follow). My Mom used to make them. Dessert will be pumpkin pie cake (my kids’ favorite) and lemon meringue (my favorite). I am adding a molasses cake to the mix this year and I will be sharing the recipe in this post.

Before I share my Thanksgiving recipes I want to share a soup recipe that I made recently. It was delish! It is a yellow split pea soup. My brother-in-law, Hank, likes this kind of soup and he was the first one to introduce me to yellow peas. It is a big deal in Canada and Sweden.

Yellow Split Pea Soup (powerhungry.com)

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup dried yellow split peas
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  1. In a medium soup pot, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add remaining ingredients (except carrots) and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
  3. Add carrots and simmer, covered, an additional 10 minutes.

*You can also just throw everything in a slow cooker on low and let it cook all day.

Now, onto the two Thanksgiving recipes. My Mom used to just make glazed carrots with brown sugar and butter. I am going to add cinnamon to that and see how we like it that way. I also love cooking in cast iron so I am using that rather than a traditional casserole dish. I think it adds something to the flavor.

Glazed Carrots

  • 10 Carrots, peeled and then cut in half OR 2 dozen baby carrots.
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tbsp butter, diced
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put the carrots in a cast iron skillet and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix them up.
  3. Sprinkle the diced butter in the pan on top of the carrots.
  4. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until the carrots are cooked through. About half way through, mix the carrots up to ensure even baking.
  5. Pour any leftover butter on top of the carrots in your serving platter.

Molasses Cake (recipe from Romaine Hohenstein)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After 10 minutes of baking you will lower the temperature to 350.

  • 4 cups of flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix both sugars and the flour in one bowl. Cut in the shortening until you have the consistency of a crumbly pie crust dough. Reserve one cup of this mixture.

In another bowl dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Once completely dissolved add the molasses and mix. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix but don’t over mix. Pour in a greased and floured 8″ by 10″ sheet pan. Sprinkle the 1 cup of crumbs that you reserved on top of the cake batter. This forms a little topping for the cake.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for approximately 30 minutes (baking time varies in individual ovens). Test with a toothpick for doneness.

The way I first had the cake was just as I shared above. I am going to try it with a marshmallow icing for Thanksgiving. I think it will be a nice compliment to the cake. Although, it is delicious as written.

Marshmallow Frosting (liluna.com)

  • butter (make sure it’s at room temperature)
  • marshmallow fluff
  • powdered sugar
  • vanilla extract (extract, not flavoring)
  1. Beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy and well mixed.
  2. Mix in fluff and vanilla by hand and mix well.

This is super easy and really light and delicious.

So, let’s do some life hacking, shall we?

The safety pin was invented by Walter Hunt who lived in New York state in 1849. He received a patent for it in that year. Walter was a prolific inventor and continued inventing until his death in 1859. (Wait a minute. I think my teacher is showing. Old habits die hard.) In any case there are a lot of uses in today’s world for the lowly safety pin.

  • Keep your keys close during trips to the beach or amusement park by attaching to your clothing with a safety pin.
  • You can also use a safety pin attached to a zipper tab to lengthen your reach.
  • When wearing certain items of clothing like a razor back tank you can use a safety pin to attach your bra straps to each other. They won’t show!
  • When putting away pairs of items like socks, gloves or mittens you can attach them to each other with a safety pin so they don’t get separated.
  • A safety pin can also be used to clean out tiny holes like those in a garlic press.
  • If you’re going to a crowded event or city, loop a safety pin around your bag’s zipper, and then pin it to the strap or purse’s fabric. This will make it much harder for unwanted hands to sneakily open your bag.
  • If you have static cling in your pants, skirt or dress attach a safety pin near the hem. No more static cling!
  • You can also create do it yourself plate hangers by gluing a safety pin with hot glue to the back of a plate. The end of the pin with the closure should be down which leaves the loop part up providing the loop you need to hook onto a nail.
  • You can use a pin to rethread a drawstring in a hoodie or pair of pants. Just attach the pin to the string and use it to feed the string through the clothing.
  • Always keep a safety pin in your first aid kit.

Thanks Walter Hunt!!!

Discounts! Discounts!

Whenever you purchase anything, book a hotel room, rent a car, book a flight ALWAYS remember to ask about a discount. Some popular ones are AAA, AARP, Senior, Military, and Teacher. I recently found out that my garbage pick up company has a senior discount. It all adds up! As my Mom used to say, “Add it up over a year and it is worth it.”

  • Cut costs with scissors. When you are at the end of a tube of moisturizer, toothpaste, etc. use your scissors to carefully snip the tube open. You’ll get few more applications.
  • If you want to try an expensive restaurant do it at lunch time. The lunch menu is always cheaper and you can see if you like it in an less expensive way. Happy hour is another option where you can try appetizers, usually at half price, and save a bundle.
  • Start a new load of laundry while the dryer is still warm. It saves on having to heat up the dryer again.
  • Remember to compare drug prices at your local drug stores. They can vary wildly from one to the other. I need a medicine for my dog once. I called around. It was $90 at one, $40 at another and just $9 at a locally owned drug store.
  • When traveling in the summer you can sometimes rent dorm rooms at universities while their students are not in residence. You can find this in Europe especially.
  • Many of the major credit cards like American Express, MasterCard and Visa often provide extended warranties for many products at no extra charge. Be sure to check before buying a warranty at the store.
  • “Intraday Stays” are a thing. Many hotels offer 8 hour stays during day with no over night at as much as 75% off. You have use of the room, the pool, spa, exercise center, etc. To check this out go to HotelsByDay.com and Between9and5.com
  • If you are an AARP member you can take a defensive driving course online and save on your car insurance for 3 years.
  • Buy gift cards for people on your Christmas list at up to 35% off through CardCash.com or CardPool.com.
  • If you want to stream a movie or get an e-book for free just google it. There are many ways to get these! If you hold a library card you can do it too. My local library has an app called Libby where you can have “one tap reading”.

Crafts

You know me by now. I always have a project or two or three going. It makes me happy. Since we last visited I have had a few and I have picked 3 to share with you.

Rag Balls

So easy and yet it took me a long time to get around to this project. I priced styrofoam balls to use as a base for the rag balls (you know, so I didn’t have to use so much material) and the cost, for me, was prohibitive. Then I happened to think about the bag of tennis balls I had hanging around for my dogs. Our tennis coach at school gave me the used balls so I had quite a few. If you don’t have that option you can always ball up newspaper or foil to form the base for your rag balls.

I had a lot of old jeans and some patriotic material left from a project. I decided to use these for the rag balls. From Memorial Day until Labor Day they will grace my coffee table.

I simply cut the fabric in strips and using a hot glue gun to secure the ends began wrapping the tennis balls.

They are displayed in an old wooden bowl used for butter.

Christmas Wreaths

My cousin, Linda, and I get together periodically throughout the year at one of our houses to have lunch and do a craft project. The latest project was a Christmas wreath using an embroidery hoop.

Materials;

  • 12 inch embroidery hoop
  • Fat quarter of fabric in Christmas pattern
  • Greenery, etc to add spice
  • iron on letters spelling “Joy”

1.Apply your letters in the center of the fabric.

Then stretch the fabric taunt in the hoop. We used vinyl letters that didn’t require ironing which I cut using my Cricut Explore Air 2. This allowed us to apply the letters after they were in the hoop.

Then we cut the excess fabric from the back of the hoop. You could secure it with glue if you feel you need to but ours looked like it would be okay without that step.

Using a hot glue gun we then added our adornments to the top of the “wreath” which also hid the joint of the hoop. (The joint makes a nice hanger for your wreath.)

Viola!

The next wreath I put together at home using some cookie cutters from my vintage cookie cutter collection. I simply had a small wreath and using my trusty hot glue gun affixed the cutters to it. (Using hot glue on an item such as the cookie cutters allows you to easily remove them if you want to display them in a different way in the future.) A bow was all it needed!

Finally, I would like to leave you with this great idea! We have several stray cats in our neighborhood and I saw this idea online to keep them warm and protected during our cold and snowy winter. You can cut a hole in a cooler and it makes a nice little shelter for a cat. I have one cooler, my daughter has two and a friend donated one to the cause. My son is going to cut a hole in each one for me and I will cover the raw edges with something so the cats won’t get hurt.

Have an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and/or family! I will post again next month. See you then!

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Beloved Fall!

I love Fall/Autumn! The sights, sounds, smells, flavors. The crispness in the air and yet sunshine. Those are the perfect days. Then at night to read or watch tv with my pups by my side and covered in a blanket. This year the blanket is from TJ Maxx as it usually is. However, this one rather than featuring a holiday or season I have sloths. Yep, you read that right. Sloths! I have a unique personality and sense of humor, to say the least.

Since it has been over a month since I created a post I have saved up a multitude of tips and recipes. My challenge is in picking out which ones to share this time. I’m always reading, gathering tidbits, or trying new recipes with an eye out for something new to share.

Just as an aside, I have a little story to tell. My son wash doing a load of wash and having a hard time keeping the dryer door open to load it. I told him what I did to keep it open. He said, and I quote, “That’s your “hacking this life” brain working again!” It struck me as humorous and let me know he was at least reading some of what I write.

Well, here we go…………..I hope you find something useful and/or new!

There is a new thing popping up across the country. It is called Doc at Your Door. It is a return of the house call. Right now it is not in the area where I live but it is only a matter of time before this is a thing everywhere. So it is convenient and it harkens back to the old days and I like that. The drawback is that payment is rendered at time of service. No insurance is accepted at this time although the various doctors are in talks with insurance companies to make that happen. Now whether you could be reimbursed by your insurance company is another question. I found it kind of interesting. As you might imagine, there’s an app for that too.
Here’s how to keep your salad greens fresh for up to 10 days. When you get home transfer the greens to a glass or plastic airtight container lined with paper towels. Also, place a paper towel on top before sealing the lid. The hard container will keep the greens from bruising and the paper towels will absorb moisture.

Fresh fruit and vegetables can be some of the most expensive items we buy at the grocery store. That means we want to keep them as fresh as possible for as long as possible. One of the ways to do that is to only wash the item when you are going to use it. Washing/rinsing when you put it away adds moisture to them and hastens spoiling.
Yes, you can freeze that. I had an excess of celery recently. I chopped it up, portioned it and placed it in small freezer bags. I can use it for soups, casseroles, etc. You may not realize it but you can freeze milk. I have done it when I am going on a trip and want it to not spoil while I am gone. Cheese can also be frozen. If it is in a block wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer bag. If you are freezing shredded cheese just add a little cornstarch to it to prevent clumping and sticking.

Did you know that you can use pecans or walnuts to fill in small scratches and other blemishes on wood? Just rub the nut on the offending area to fill. If it needs to be darkened use scratch cover or a little stain. Viola!

Clear nail polish or top coat is usually hanging around anyone’s home. It has many uses. 1. If costume jewelry is turning your skin green just add a light coat to the part touching your skin. The problem is solved. 2. Ever have the screws in your eyeglasses come loose? Put a thin layer on top of the screws and they won’t loosen again. 3. If you are labeling something that will be exposed to the elements just put a thin coat of clear polish on top of the writing and no more smudging! 4. If you struggle threading a needle as I sometimes do there’s solution. Just dip the end of the thread into the clear polish. Allow it to dry. It is now stiff and easy to thread. 5. You can also keep a button in place by putting a light coat of clear polish on the thread which will keep it from fraying. I bet some of you have even more uses. Please leave a comment and let us know about your trick!

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and I have been looking for ways to make it the best it can be for me and the family.

One of the ideas I stumbled upon was instead of making a roux for the gravy, which always holds the possibility of lumps, you can add sour cream to the pan drippings. I am definitely trying that this year. I will have to let you know how it goes!

Another tip to get ahead of the game is to put the carcass and giblets in a large pan of water and cook them while everyone is eating. You can then strain the solids out and you have a great turkey broth for soup.

My family really likes white meat. There are a couple of us that like dark meat but hands down the white is the winner! This year I am going to get a slightly smaller bird and a turkey breast to supply that needed white meat. Again, I will let you know how that works out. My guess is that it will be great!

I want to share a recipe with you but first I need to tell you a little story. My son bought a house that was built in the late 1800’s. There were several things he found hidden in little out of the way spots. Knowing I love vintage things he saved a couple for me. One was a wooden recipe box. It was obviously old with dovetail corners and a rusty metal hinge. Inside was really a glimpse at someone’s life. I would estimate the recipes were mainly from the 30’s and 40’s. Many of them had a lady’s name at the top. I could only imagine ladies at a church group or together for coffee and exchanging recipes. Or maybe they had been to a neighbor’s house and loved a certain food and asked for the recipe. Many of them had old fashioned references that we wouldn’t see today in a recipe. Mixed in with the recipes were other odds and ends such as a receipt to a fuel company. Believe it or not, I found a home for that. A person I knew with the same last name as the company’s said it was his uncle’s business and was delighted to have the souvenir.

Now, finally to the recipe. There was a recipe for molasses cookies that had a last name on it that I recognized as the married last name of a high school classmate of mine. I messaged her on Facebook and asked if she knew this person. It turned out to be her husband’s grandmother. She always made the cookies when the grandkids visited and no one had been able to find the recipe since she passed. Her husband was delighted and shared many stories with her of visiting grandma.

Molasses Cookies

1 cup shortening 1 and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 1/2 cup of light brown sugar 2 teaspoons of ginger

1 and 1/2 cup of molasses 1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

3/4 cup sweet milk flour enough to form a soft dough

3 teaspoons of soda dissolved in the milk.

Cream the shortening and brown sugar. Then add the molasses and eggs. Dissolve the soda in the milk (note sweet milk is milk before it is homogenized with the cream still in it). I used regular milk. Add the milk mixture to the previous ingredients. I then mixed all the dry ingredients except the flour and blended them into the shortening and sugar mixture. Lastly, I added flour a little at a time until the mixture formed a soft dough. I used a scoop to achieve uniform size and placed them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies baked for 13 to 16 minutes in a 325 degree oven. They were soft and delicious! If you try them please let me know. The picture does not do them justice.

See you again in a month with more tidbits! I hope you found something that interested you in this post. Enjoy your Fall!

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