Grocery Shrink

I am so blessed!  My mother in law brought me 50 Avocados today and she is coming back with that many more again.  The food pantry in her small town had too many to use and are sharing with us.  I did a little research on the internet and found that they freeze well if mashed into guacamole first.

Avocados are a rare treat for us and they are sooo good for you.  They are usually $1 each, and I wait and snag them when they are half price.  A ripe avocado is dark skinned and soft, but not gushy.  (Although a few of the ones I received were gushy and they were just fine.)

Avocados make nice facials, check out this video:

I think that just plain avocado would be great for a facial too.  I'll try it today and let you know :).

Avocados are easy to prepare and eat and are great mashed, cubed in a salad, sliced on a sandwich, or just eaten out of the shell with a spoon!

Easy Guacamole

 
1.  Step one–slice in half and remove the pit.

 2.  Step 2–Use a spoon to scoop the meat into a bowl.  Add salt and lemon juice for flavor and to prevent browning.  4 Avocados take 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice.

3.  Mash with a fork or use an electric mixer.

4.  You can package in freezer containers or…

…eat right away. 

Guacamole makes a great chip dip, salad dressing, or sandwich spread.

My 2 daughters share a closet with sliding doors.  It's impossible for both of them to reach their things at the same time and the doors often come off the track causing a safety problem.  I've been dreaming of taking off the doors for awhile.  There isn't enough room for bi-fold doors or pocket doors, so I am going to hang a curtain. 

I've seen this done well and I've seen it done poorly.  Done well, it's elegant and fresh. Done poorly it looks half finished and cheap.  If you do a google image search for "closet curtain" you will see a lot of photos of closet curtains.  I'm not a designer, but I know what I like. 

Photo Credit:  http://keloconnell.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/office-in-a-closet/

Visit Kelo Connell for great inexpensive decorating ideas

I like curtains hung from the inside of the closet so all hardware and top of the curtain is completely concealed. This gives a feeling of mystery and keeps the curtain from taking over the room. I also prefer curtains that are very full, at least 2-3 times the width of the opening.  Curtains that are too sparse feel cheap.  Length is another consideration.  Curtains that are very long, at least grazing the floor if not pooling a little, feel elegant and extravagant but don't have to be expensive.  Short curtains look a little like someone wearing high water pants.  I love the look of wide constrasting bands at the bottom of the curtain.  They are a fun way to add beautiful prints and also give weight to the curtain to help it hang well.

I plan to add metal tie backs to the inside of the closet so the girls can tuck the fabric out of their way when they are dressing in the morning.  I wish I had room to hang sturdy robe hooks on the wall to hang out an outfit in the evening for the next day.  I'm still thinking about a place.

Photo Credit:  http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/pictures-of-kids-rooms/page9.html

I love how this curtain is hung on the outside of the closet but the top is concealed with a decorative cornice.

To make it look the way I want it, I'm going to need to paint all their wood work white–aak!  It's on my schedule, but may have to wait until after our kitchen remodel which will start next week!  (More on that later.)  Perhaps I can hang the curtain now and paint when I have more time.

DIY Dish has just launched their new online television show.  The first project features a cute no sew (or little sew) cake pincushion.  You can watch it right here and then visit their blog to enter the giveaways for a free Janome embroidery machine and pincushion patterns and kits from my favorite designer, Heather Bailey.

She's finally here and ready for shipping!  The Jillian Tunic pattern by my sister company, Blessed Designs was designed for American Hand Smocking and cut for maternity.  After hearing the demands of my customers, I added a non-maternity cut and 2 options for machine smocking.  The results are beautiful and easy to wear.  You can order this pattern at a discount through the end of March.  To order visit:  www.blesseddesigns.net/store  It is a full size pattern printed on heavy white paper.  All sizes from XS to XXL are printed in one pattern.

You may recognize my model as the beautiful Kelly Marshall, the owner of Designs by KM which was featured in an earlier post.  She is four months pregnant in these photos.

The first photos show the maternity cut sewn with a machine shirring technique and is made from a Heather Bailey print in blue ice from her Bijoux line.

This set of photos is made from pink dotted cotton and sewn with faux machine smocking. 

The slightly puffed sleeves feature 3 delicate pleats that echo the design of the back.

The next few photos show a Jillian tunic sewn from vintage dotted swiss that was handsmocked in Aqua using the American smocking technique.  Instructions for all 3 smocking techniques shown here are included in the pattern.  

www.blesseddesigns.net/store

I've been giving my children ginger baths for many years to relieve discomfort from flu, congestion, and colds. I didn't know why it worked, just that it did.  I recently came across an interesting article on why ginger baths are so theraputic.

http://www.pureinsideout.com/ginger-bath.html

Ginger baths are easy to give.  Simply sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of dried ginger into running bath water as hot as you can take it and slip in for a soak.  With a little rinsing the ginger will drain with the bath water.  We've never had problem with clogged drains. 

Epsom salts are also theraputic and you can combine the benefits by mixing 1 cup of epsom salts, the zest from 1/2 an orange, and 2 Tablespoons of dried ginger.  Mix in a bowl and store in a half pint jar.  Use the entire container for one bath.

Ginger is stuch a nice spice.  Hot and sweet and lemony all at the same time.  I decided to try to grow it this year.  It takes a lot of heat but prefers shade to sun and will die in temperatures below 40 degrees.  The midwest is an unlikely place to grow it well since it takes 10-12 months to mature, but in a pot I may have success.  I'll try anything once.  Here's a link to instructions:  http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-ginger.html and http://www.ehow.com/how_4576842_grow-ginger-indoors.html

I'm off to prepare a ginger soak for sweet Heidi.  I hope she feels better soon!

The children are not feeling well.  Brandon slept all day yesterday and Heidi is the snoozer today.  They have been well exposed to strep throat so I am watching them closely and staying home.   I like to fight these things off naturally if at all possible.  It helps to strengthen their immune systems and prevent reoccuring illness.  Garlic and oregano are wonderful antibiotics, but my children refuse them in pill form.  So today I made a variation of my easy biscuits–Garlic Cheese.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soured raw milk cream (Or buttermilk)

Mix all dry ingredients.  Stir in cream.  Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with butter.  I made 8 JUMBO biscuits

These are VERY flavorful, but even my picky eaters loved them.

Wooden Utensils are inexpensive, won't transfer heat, non-toxic, durable, non-stick, and beautiful when taken care of properly. You can get wooden cutting boards, rolling pins, spoons, dough paddles, and pancake turners and they should all be seasoned properly before use.

All you need is an oil that won't go rancid, a paper towel or piece of wax paper (think lining of a cereal box), and a pastry brush.  I used food grade mineral oil (found in the laxative section of the pharmacy,) because plant based oils will go rancid in this application and can cause free radical damage (cancer) in the body.  If you know of a plant based oil that won't go rancid–I'd love to hear about it.

Simply brush the entire wooden surface with oil and lay the utensil on a piece of wax paper or a plate.  Do this twice a day for 3 days, allowing the oil to soak into the wood in between applications.  Wait overnight after the last application and wipe down with a paper towel to removed excess oil before storing.  The oil will prevent water from penetrating the wood and it also brings out the natural tones in the grain.

Hand wash your wooden utensils after use and once a month (or after heavy use) apply another coat of oil.  I just used my well seasoned rolling pin on some sticky dough and it behaved beautifully thanks to the non-stick oil coating.   I cleaned it by wiping with a dry cloth instead of soap and water to help preserve the seasoning.

The best part about these biscuits (besides the taste) is no cutting in butter or shortening!  The dough comes together in just a few minutes and no purchased mix is required.  My 8 year old son exclaimed, "Wow Mom! Everyone in the world should try this recipe."

2 cups unbleached flour (I used the ultra wheat blend from Costco)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream (I used raw cream that soured after 8 days.  You could use cultured sour cream plus a little water or 1/4 cup melted butter and 3/4 cup plain yogurt.)

Mix all until a soft dough forms.  Pat out 1/2 inch thick and cut with cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Makes 12 biscuits.

These are light and flaky and fabulous with sausage gravy!

Basic Sausage Gravy

1 lb pork sausage, browned, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb ground turkey cooked with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon rubbed sage and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup unbleached flour

4 cups milk (whole milk is fabulous but skim milk works great too.)

Sprinkle cooked meat with salt, pepper and flour.  Cook and stir over medium high heat for 2 minutes.  Add milk continue cooking and stirring until mixture thickens. 

For best time management.  Mix up biscuits and place in the oven while you cook the gravy.  Including meat browning time, they should get done about the same time.

I created this recipe this evening to use up a lot of sour milk.  The bread is gorgeous and tasty.   This recipe makes 3 short loaves or 2 tall ones.  I formed two of my loaves into cinnamon rolls instead of loaves, yum!

2 1/4 cups sour milk (I am blessed to have raw milk. If you can't get raw milk and let some of it sour, you can put some whey or yogurt in with your fresh milk to sour it.)

1/4 cup butter

2 Tablespoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

4 cups hard white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

2 teaspoons salt

In a saucepan or microwave, warm milk and butter to about 110 degrees.  Pour into a mixing bowl and add yeast.  Stir until yeast is dissolved.  Add the 2 cups of oats and 1 cup of flour and mix well.  Let rest for 15 minutes.  (This will allow a sponge to form improving the texture of your bread, but also gives the oats a chance to absorb moisture so you won't add too much flour later.)

Stir down the sponge and add 2 eggs, salt, and gluten.  Mix well.  Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms that is slightly sticky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead by hand for 10-15 minutes or by machine for 6-8 minutes. 

Lightly oil the dough, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide into 3 balls.  Form into loaves and let rise for an hour or until doubled.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the top of the loaf is brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Butter the crust if desired and place the pans on a cooling rack.

Note:  It just occured to me that I could have mixed the sour milk and oats on the counter overnight before adding the yeast to sponge.  This would have released a lot of vitamins and made the oats easier to digest.  Oh well…there's always next time.