Freezeing carrots

Hello everyone I was thinking of another great way to save money. Freezing carrots came to mind!  Its super easy and works great when you find them cheap at the stores.

 First you wash and peel them.  Then cut them

 Then blanch them for 5 mins. Then cool them down in cold water to stop the cooking.

 Then let sit to remove all the water out of them before bagging

Then bag in to meal size bags.
Nice and easy.
Happy freezing

S.O.S mix

finding out that I was gluten intolerance was hard at first.  It made me realize how much STUFF has gluten in, almost everything has in it there bread and pasta are the no brains but did you know its in soya sauce, bbq sauce, coffees and even in some salts, but the real kicker is that I found it in shampoos, body washes, chap sticks, hand and body lotions and even in some laundry soaps? I found myself asking why a lot.

Reading labels is nothing new to me now, sometimes people in stores give me funny looks when they see me reading the labels cuz they are thinking its yogurt but some do have it in there.  I am a fan of tomato soup, who doesn't love a grilled cheese dipped in tomato soup? But again I found myself asking why, there is flour in all of those condensed soups, so no soup for me, or can I make some make something that would be just a quick and easy? Found out my answer was yes there was.  Its called soup or sauce mix (S.O.S mix) its cheap to make and quick and easy just like opening up a can of soup.

here is the link to the I use:
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/soup-or-sauce-sos-mix.html  

Now I can have a grilled cheese and my soup again.

Bread making

Bread making may seem hard at first but the more you do it, you no longer even think about it when your making it. Most people now will use a bread maker ( I am one of them) but there are many breads that can't be made in a bread maker, you need to do it by hand.
For most people starting to make bread I would always say start with french bread, its a easy bread to make and you really cant mess it up as long as you follow the steps. Super easy and its a great basic recipe to add items to it once you get better at the art of bread making.

Tips on bread making:
1.  Make sure you are using the right yeast.  There are many different ones out there so make sure to look at them first.  This one is also for bread machines there is a yeast for bread machines so make sure to use it.
2.  When getting the yeast ready, make sure the water is warm not hot or cold, warm.  If the water is to hot it kills the yeast, if its to cold the yeast will not cook.
3.  It may seem funny but it is true.  If your house is to cold or to hot even if its humid in the house the bread may not come out right.  In the summer months i will try to wait in till dust to make bread and in the winter I use the fireplace to rise the dough.  I place it on top with a towel but if you have a wood stove I would place it in the back on the floor. Or you can turn your oven on to 150 for 15 mins then turn it off then place in inside.
4.  Do not over knead the dough, it will become a hard loaf of bread,also do not under knead the bread you will not get all the air bubbles and flour flour worked out.  When the dough is soft and no longer sticks to your hands it will normally be done kneading.
5.  When kneading the dough do not use lots of flour this will make a hard loaf of bread due to too much flour.  only use enough to make the dough not to sticky.  What I do is when adding the last 1-1/2 cups of flour I start to knead it and finish adding the flour that way to make sure I do not add to much flour.
6.  Follow the steps to a T until you have a better feel for bread making.  It will make things go easier.

Now on to the recipe:

French Bread

2-3 loaves

2 1/12 cups hot water
2 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons instant yeast
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


1. Place hot water in large bowl.
2. Add the shortening, salt and sugar.
3. Stir and let stand until lukewarm.
4. Sprinkle yeast over all.
5. Beat until smooth.
6. Add 3 cups flour and beat until mixed.
7. Work in 2 cups flour with a wooden spoon.
8. Gradually knead the last 1 1/12 cups flour in until no longer sticky ( about 3 minutes)
9. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
10. Punch down and place on a floured board.
11. Roll out to a rectangle.
12. Cut lengthwise in half.
13. with each strip, roll up lengthwise and pinch seams.
14. Roll gently back and forth with hands to desired length and to smooth loaf out.
15. Lightly grease cookie sheet or use french loaf bread pans.
16. Cover and let rise for 25 minutes.
17. Cut diagonal slashes across bread about 1/4" deep
18. Preheat oven, pour boiling water on lager cookie sheet to fill.
19. Place cookie sheet on bottom rack in oven.
20. Brush loaves with warm water and place bread on higher rack in oven above water
21. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.


When the bread is done and you want to check,  knock on the bottom of  the loaf it will sound hollow.
Place on a wire cooling rack and cover with towel to allow it to cool down slowly.

Don't be bummed if the first few loaves don't turn out keep trying you will get it.  This bread makes great garlic bread and works for sandwich bread too.

Happy bread making

Let me know how your loaves turned out!!!!

Gluten Free Doll: Things NOT To Say To A Celiac

Gluten Free Doll: Things NOT To Say To A Celiac

Old wash day recipe

I found this some time ago and loved it.  I started to look in to this and loved what I found.  I will share the finding with you later, but for know I will share this with you.


                                Old Wash Day Recipe
Variations of this ‘recipe’ handed down from a grandmother to her granddaughter on her wedding day has circulated around the net for years. Snopes declares this was making rounds well before the internet as "xeroxlore".
Whether it truly written by a grandmother to her granddaughter we’ll probably never know. But it is quite charming .
1. Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
2. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
3. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
4. Sort things, make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.
5. To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boilin water.
6. Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then boil. Rub colored, don’t boil, just rinse and starch.
7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinse, and starch.
8. Hang old rags on fence.
9. Spread tea towels on grass.
10. Pore rinse water in flower bed.
11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
12. Turn tubs upside down.
13. Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.Paste this over your washer and dryer. Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks.
First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet — those two-holers used to get Mighty Cold!
*Typos from original

spring cleaning part two

Hello everyone
last time I was talking about cleaning your living room and dinner room.  I find those two rooms the easiest to clean, maybe because they are straight forward and very basic.  Today I will talk about cleaning a bedroom still very basic but a little more work to but into them.  First thing first make sure to clean out them closets, I know they can be scary but it needs to be done.  The best way to work on them is to pull everything out, then wash them walls floors and all the rods that are in there.   Next go throw everything one by one.  Those cloths that just sit there hanging closet do you need them?  Try things on see if they fit right if not get ride of them.  Make more room in there.  Make sure to put the thing back that you are keeping.  Then wash the door and close it.  Now that might take you most of the day if you have lots in there but not everyone does,  so you will want to move all the stuff out of that room and place it with the other things you are getting ride of, I myself keep it all by the door so I know its leaving, and will get ride of it next I go out.  Then move on to striping the beds and removing the curtains and getting them washed well your cleaning.  Flip that mattes it will help it last longer, but if you have a pillow top then leave it.  Okay so we got the closet done, the bed striped let move on to moving everything away from the walls, this part I hate but it needs to be done.  Then was your walls and but everything back or move things around if you like, I find this is the best time to do this.  Now you can play dress up again, go throw all the cloths in your dresser, get rid of the cloths that don't fit or you just don't like any more.  Then move all that stuff out with the other stuff.  I think at this point you may need a brake so go make a tea or a coffee, make sure to enjoy it, you desire it at this point.
Okay brake time is over.  So we have done the closet,bed,walls and dresser now to clean all them knickknacks all over the room and pictures, get them all nice clean and hey if you don't like one or maybe even two of them get rid of them, or just move it to a different room some just moving what we have around the house can make the world of difference and you don't need to buy anything.  Now the only thing left is the floor, if you have hard wood just sweep and mop, but if you have carpet and if you have all though the house you might want to just vacuum it and leave it, then when your done all your spring cleaning them get the carpet cleaning and wash all of it at the same time, it will make it easier.  Then wash that window and put back the curtains and the bedding.  If you like add a little air fresher.  Then stand back and look at that clean and beautiful room.  You did great. 
Make sure that well you are spring clean you treat yourself, it can be hard work to do it.  When I spring clean I always make sure to have a good week to two weeks with nothing else to do, just so I know I will get it done. 
Know to clean a childes room is the same way but you need to go throw them toys, get rid of the broken toys or the one he/she don't play with anymore.  Another child would love to have them.  Try to get your child to help you with there room, it will give them a sense of how to clean a room and how to get rid of things that they no longer like, rather then brake it.  It might also give them the sense of how to help other people that need it.  This can be a teaching moment in how to help other in need and the people who are not as lucky as them.  Always try to teach your this, this way they will have a understand of why we should help others.
Well till next, happy cleaning everyone.

spring cleaning

Well hello everyone.  It has been a long time since I have made a post, today I have started my spring cleaning and I think many people have started this, but not many now how to start or where to start.  Well I am not a professional but I hope I can help some of you.  How I start is by going to the homemakers note book ( I will go into that later for you who don't know what that is) and get the master cleaning list.  Here is a great site to get ideas for a note book and cleaning lists ( this is where i got mine)
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/makehomemakingnotebook.htm
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/cleaninglists.htmI then pick a room to work one room and one room only a day. I also make sure i have a good week to do this, some may not need that long but myself I do. Then get my bucket of cleaner, rags, sponges, steel wool, a old toothbrush ( you just never know) and a bucket of nice warm water.  Then I go throw everything in that room, getting rid of things that no longer are needed or waited or just in the wrong room. Then remove any curtains or mats.  Then start on the dusting ( if you need to make sure to wear a dust mask and or gloves)  making sure to clean all the nicknacks and pictures and just under everything that can be moved.  Once that is done I take a small brake to let the room dry up a little and to let things settle.  Then I move on to the walls making sure i get those nice and clean.  some times it can be hard to get all the dirt and grim off but it will.  make sure not to use and harsh cleaners on the walls, that can remove the paint.  make sure to dry the walls, then place the clean curtains and move on to the floors.  For the spring cleaning i get down on my hands and knees to clean the floor, just to make sure its clean.  Then place the cleaned mats back in the room.  Then take another brake, you are going to need it after washing them walls.  Then i move on to windows getting them nice and clean.  Then I get the Lysol out and clean the door knobs and anything else that get used a lot by dirty gross hands.  The bathroom and kitchen are done different then most rooms ( for me they are) due to the high traffic that takes place in these rooms.
I will go into the tomorrow.
Have a great one everyone.