Homemade Poulty Seasoning

Remember how homemade Cream of Chicken calls for Poultry seasoning? (Probably not since the post got deleted and I currently don't have time to retype it.)  I didn't have any of that to make the homemade Cream of Chicken, so homemade seasoning it was.


Homemade Poultry Seasoning

2 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
3/4 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix. Store in air tight container

Whew, between that and the cream of chicken and the cooking, that was a lot of work for dinner.  I enjoyed it though.

Summer Simplicity

Perhaps that title is misleading. Summer is already full of vacation, family activities and, yes, school, conferences, and work.

We decided we need to simplify our lives.  One way is less media- and less blogging.  I have a few ideas already lined up, but for the summer at least I will probably only be posting one or two articles a month.  Enjoy your summer!

Peanut Butter Balls

The other day my friend pulls these little treats out of her freezer and let us try them.  My toddler has been asking for them ever since. We have already made two batches. Peanut butter goes fast in our house.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 c peanut butter

1 c powdered milk

1/2 c honey

mix together and roll into balls.  Enjoy!

I think I am ready to experiment and add oats, chocolate chips, coconut or something else to add crunch.

This is very similar to edible play dough.  It should have about the same consistency.

Homemade Tootsie Roll

Every week my toddler and I have COOKie Tuesday. Two of our weeks have involved this simple no bake treat that little hands can help with.

Tootsie Rolls

3 Tbsp butter- melted

1/2 c cocoa*

1/2 c light karo syrup

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 c powdered milk

3 c powdered sugar

Mix in order.  Knead well.  Texture will be like play dough.  Roll and cut. Enjoy.

*For fruity tootsie rolls add 1 pk of Kool Aid instead of cocoa.  It is delicious too!

We actually halved the recipe because it makes a lot. This recipe is softer than store bought

Coconut Oil

Years ago Dove stopped making my favorite moisturizer.  Nothing- within my price range- has come close to being as amazing.  I'm still sad over that. Anyway... I had some coconut oil for another experiment I was trying and thought why not see if it works. (it would be cheaper than the brand I'm using now)  Putting oil on my face was a little scary, and I only used a little bit.  It absorbed quickly and three days into the experiment their have been no adverse effects.  I did look it up and learned people do use it as a regular moisturizer and for about a million other things.

I found this list (and many others) of 101 uses for coconut oil:

http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/

Although I don't think it makes a good lip balm by itself and I certainly have not, nor will I try all of the uses listed.  (I'm skeptical of any "Windex" claim.) As a moisturizer I think it works pretty well for the not too dry skin I have.

OKAY, UPDATE!!!!

I found after awhile I no longer liked using coconut oil as a face moisturizer. Too heavy.  Now I use 100% Extra Virgin Olive oil. I like it better.  I read this is a good oil for dry skin.  I have also read grape seed oil works wonders for those with oily skin.  We will see how long using this one last.

Gratitude For My Kitchen

Here is a post I found through another blog about an amazing place called The Kitchen.

It's funny and puts it into perspective.

http://momastery.com/blog/2014/08/11/give-liberty-give-debt/

Gratitude for What We Do Have

I want to share something amazing. This morning I was able to take a shower for the second day in a row.  Okay, laugh.  Seriously though, it got me thinking how blessed we are. We have a continuous stream of clean, HOT, water right in our homes. Then we walk to our closets full of clothes.  I don't know about you, but I have enough clothing that I wouldn't have to do laundry for a week.

Speaking of laundry I have these two incredible machines. One washes my clothes and the other drys them.  Instead of cleaning clothes I can head to my kitchen for something to eat because we have a lot of delicious food. Plus, I have gadgets in there that make food hot or keep it cold. Amazing!

Of course were I am eating is perfectly light. All I have to do is flip a switch and presto! Let there be light! 

Notice how early in the morning I have already been in multiple rooms?  Yes, we have three bedrooms in our apartment. And there are only four of us. I guess this has become even more wonderful to me because I have seen how others live without these things.

 I hear statistics all the time that if you have more than one room in your house, electricity, or a car that you are richer than such-and-such percent of the world. When I read those I always pictured some third world country in Africa.  Not here. Not in America.  Well,  there are places here where people live in one room huts.  Not one bedroom- one room.  Entire families- grandparents, parents, cousins, children live together in a small trailer.  People heat their homes with coal, and some don't have the luxury of indoor plumbing.  Suddenly I feel like I'm living in a palace.

How our view changes when look for our blessings.

Trying to "have it all" makes people like the Jonesses. The Jonesses are miserable people who want everyone else to be miserable too.  They tell us we need bigger and "better" devices, what we have is never enough, and that we should do whatever is necessary to obtain more, more, more.

Perhaps more stuff is not what we need, but more gratitude for what we do have.

What are your favorite blessings in life?