How to make Stock

Ok, so I have had some people question how to make their own stock. Its so easy... first of all, I keep a stock bag in my freezer at all times... what this is, is a gallon sized freezer bag with STOCK written on it that I put all of my ends of celery, my bits of carrots, skins of onions, left over garlic, green pepper stems...pretty much anything veggie related that I was going to pitch!!! I just pop it in the freezer bag and save it for stock! Now, when I have a chicken or turkey...or anything like that, I take the meat off the bone and KEEP the carcass!

I roast the contents of my "stock bag" to bring out the flavors ( I heat my oven to 350, put everything on a baking sheet drizzle with EVOO, season with salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, I put my carcass in a large stock pot and cover with water. Once the veggies are done, I add them to my stock pot. Add seasonings and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce heat and simmer for many many hours (over night is good, I like to give it a good 24hours though for the best flavor) The goal is to get the bone marrow out of the bones.

Once it has simmered and all of the flavors are combined and wonderful, you should be left with a nice dark stock. Strain through a cheesecloth or very fine strainer. Let sit so the fat can rise and it can be easily separated.

Now Beef Stock is a little trickier...
You need to start out with some good sized beef BONES. Bake them at 450 for 30 minutes uncovered... then add your veggies and bake another 30 minutes... remove from the baking dish and be sure to scrap up all of the goodies on the bottom of the pan... now transfer all of that into a stock pot, fill with water, season and bring to a boil, once it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for many many hours. Once again, I recommend overnight, but I would go as far as all day and all night! And why not, your house will smell WONDERFUL the whole time!!! Once it has simmered and all of the flavors are combined and wonderful, you should be left with a nice dark stock. Strain through a cheesecloth or very fine strainer. Let sit so the fat can rise and it can be easily separated.

All Stocks can be stored in the fridge for around a week, or can be frozen. I recommend freezing in ice cube trays to control portions!

Potato Soup

A medium Onion
a few stalks of celery
a couple good sized potatoes
6 tbls butter
6 tbls flour
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or you could just use a good chicken stock in leu of water and chicken bouillon)
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked ham
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream (I totally used more than this)

In a dutch oven or stock pot, sweat the diced onion and celery, season with salt and pepper. Add chopped potatoes, and ham, cover with water. Boil for 10 minutes until potatoes start to get tender. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan or skillet, melt butter and wisk in flour, stir for 1 min, then begin to add milk. once incorporated, add the heavy cream stir for 3-5 minutes until thickened.

Once you have boiled the potatoes with the water and blah blah, reduce heat and add bouillion cubes stir, once they are dissolved add the milk mixture. Cook another few minutes so all of the flavors blend, season with salt and pepper to taste!

It is soooo good!!

Homemade Doggie Treats

Here is a fun recipe that the kids love to help with! The dogs love them and I feel good about giving it to them because I KNOW what has gone into them.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered dry milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. honey
6 tbs. homemade turkey, chicken or beef stock (I use the fatty filmy layer that I scrap off the top of the pot. The dogs LOVE it!!)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Combine flour, dry milk, garlic powder and honey. Cut in meat drippings until mixture resembles corn meal. Mix in egg. Add enough water so that mixture forms a ball. Using your fingers, pat out dough onto cookie sheet to 1/2" thick. Cut dough into squares or if you have a cool doggie biscuit cutter, that would work too, whatever is most appropriate for your dog size. Prick each cookie with fork. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.

I made these for all of the neighborhood doggies as Christmas Treats!!!

Dishwasher detergent

Once in a while, there is a little more month at the end of my money...and I need to do dishes, but really dont want to spend a ton of money on dish detergent. So I needed to play around with some homemade options, when this one came up...

2 1/2 cups washing soda (crystals)
2 1/2 cups borax
5 -7 drops essential oil (optional but I use lemon oil)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and make into a finer powder... put in a ziplock bag or airtight container... use 1 1/2-2 tablespoons per load. You can use white vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser for sparkling dishes!!

Chewy Granola Bar

We are having a fundraiser for the Point Place Lions (my competition squad) and we are serving lunch to the customers at the UCC Church Craft Show tomorrow from 9am-3pm. Well, as you can imagine, people dont eat lunch at 9am, so I had to think, do we do nothing and not lose money, or do I improvise! I of course chose to improvise, and made breakfast oatmeal bars to sell from 9-10:30am. I wasn't sure how they would turn out, but man were they good! You can pretty much put whatever you want in them, but this is what I did.

Breakfast Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup Wheat all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
  
• 2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat your oven to 325 and grease a 9x13 pan. Mix EVERYTHING in your mixer then press firmly into pan. Bake for 18 mins, let cool.

Hint- Line your pan with Foil or parchment, then when its done baking, just lift it out and let it cool on a baking rack. If you don't line your pan, do not remove the bars from the pan until they are cool.

You can substitute raisins, or dried fruit of any kind, you can mix and match any of your favorite flavors to make this recipe your own!

My family really enjoys these, I think yours will too!

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Apple Cake- Perfect for this awesome time of the year!

6 apples, Any kind of baking apple or all-purpose
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar ( I use organic, but refined is ok too)

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted (I use cake flour, but you can use all-purpose if you want)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan, Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Coffee House Coffee Drink

I love nothing more than to sit at a coffee shop and enjoy a nice quiet cup of creamy mocha, however, at $3 or more per cup this price really adds up. And to be honest, I am home sick today and I am missing my coffee date with friends, so I needed something in its place.

1/4 cup coffee grounds
2 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp almond extract or vanilla extract, which ever flavor you prefer
2 tablespoons sugar ( I use organic sugar)

1 bar of dark chocolate
1 cup of skim milk (if you are all about flavor and not calories, you can go for half and half)

First, get your coffee going, but before you do, put sugar and extract in the empty pot!

Now, put your chocolate and milk in a mircowave safe bowl and heat on med until chocolate is incorporated. Stir every 45 secs.

Once your coffee is brewed and your chocolate is melted and incorporated, add your milk mixture to the coffee. Stir and enjoy! You can add a dollop of whipped cream if you'd like to make it fancy! :-)

Enjoy!

Uncrustable Like Sandwiches!

These are great! My daughter is in LOVE with Uncrustables, and I have purchased them for a long time. I have even bought the Sam's Club brand to save money. However, recently I started to experiment and ended up with the PERFECT substitutes for these handy lunch favorites!

2 pieces of your favorite sandwich bread!
Peanut Butter
Your fav jelly or jam
a small circle food storage container or 3 inch biscuit cutter if you have one. ( I didn't, so I used a storage container, it worked great!)
Butter knife for spreading
Fork for crimping

Put a good amount of peanut butter in a 2 3/4 inch circle in the center of the bread (dont measure, just guess, hold up your cutter and do just smaller than that), do that to both pieces, place the jelly or jam in the center of the peanut butter, dont use too much, you dont want it to leak out! Place your pieces of bread together and use your food storage container or biscuit cutter to cut out your circle! Now that you have a crustless sandwich, take your fork and go around the edges to seal, now place your sandwich in a baggy and place in the freezer, take out 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, or place in your kids lunch box for a much healthier version of the old lunch favorite!

Eczema Cream- Shaelyn's Special

This is so simple to make. My 3 yr old loves it and it doesn't burn or sting like many others. It helps with inflammation, itch and all over discomfort, it also promotes healing of the skin and moisture retention!

2 oz of Olive Oil
14 drops of Tea Tree Oil
15-17 drops of Lavender Oil
1 T of melted Cocoa Butter

Mix all together and allow the Cocoa butter to set up. When it does it will form a cream. When applied it will become oil like again. This is very soothing and calming for the skin, and works wonders on my little ones eczema!

Facial Toner

Making your own facial toner is not only simple and affordable, but most importantly EFFECTIVE!!!! Here are some ideas on how to make your own!!

Ingredients:

4oz Witch Hazel

10 to 20 drops of your Essential oil. Amount of drops may depend on which oil you are using, their strength and how many different oils you are using. Read the label to see the recommenced amount.

Directions:

Mix ingredients well in bottle. Shake before each Use. Apply to face with cotton ball after cleansing.

• Sandalwood Essential Oil has an astringent effect on oily skin and helps soothe irritated skin. Use sandalwood in facial blends to help balance the skin. Also helpful for removing wrinkles and scars.
  

• Tea Tree Essential Oil is helpful within acne products and can help fight cold sores and heal wounds and is an effective acne fighter.
  

• Carrot seed essential oil is used primarily for its healing properties and effects on the skin. It stimulates circulation, repairs and tones the skin, increases elasticity, reduces the formation of wrinkles, and scars.
  

• Patchouli essential oil is an effective anti-inflammatory. Patchouli helps to tighten the pores of the skin and is used to combat wrinkles.
  

• Rose Otto Essential Oil, Bulgaria is also useful in facial formulations as it helps with dry, maturing skin and wrinkles.
  

Helichrysum Essential Oil unrivaled skin toning benefits. Helichrysum oil is great for mature and dry skin. A wonderful healing oil that's gentle yet effective on acne, wrinkles, burns, eczema, scars, sunburns and stretch marks.

Easy Facial Cleansers

At home Easy Face Cleansers

Rejuvenating Cleanser Recipe

Ingredients

6 tablespoon Flax Seed Oil

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil

12 tablespoons castor oil

30 drop essential oils of your choice (Tea Tree or Lavender are excellent)

Instructions:

Add carrier oils to a clean, dark glass bottle. Add essential oils. Gently shake to blend before each use. Store in a dark, glass bottle in a cool place or fridge. Apply a small amount to face and massage to cleanse. Rinse with warm water and a wash cloth. Skin will feel super smooth and silky! Perfect anti-aging cleanser!

Sensitive skin Cleanser

Ingredients:

3 tbs. liquid Castile soap

3 tbs. Jojoba oil

1 tbs. Avocado oil

6 drops German-chamomile essential oil

6 drops helichrysum essential oil

10 drops Neroli essential oil

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to glass jar, then shake for 2 minutes. To use: Apply to skin in a circular motion for a minute or 2. Rinse with a warm cloth and water.

Cornstarch & Glycerin Facial Cleanser

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. glycerin

1/2 c. water

Instructions:

Mix ingredients until smooth. Heat in a small double boiler pan Heat until thick and clear; it will have the consistency of pudding. Do not boil. Cool completely, Use in place of soap to cleanse your skin.

Exfoliating Oily skin Facial Wash

Ingredients:

1 tsp powdered skim milk

1 tsp honey

few drops of apple vinegar

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Apply to skin in a circular motion for a minute or 2. Rinse with a warm cloth and water.

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Fabric Refresher

I have 2 dogs... 3 children...and a husband. I have more than one use for fabric refreshers! Needless to say, I could go through a boat load of this stuff, however at $4-$5 a bottle, it gets really pricey...Even when using generic brands your are looking at $3 a bottle...Now you can make it at home for pennies a bottle. If you use 1 bottle a month (which I use more than that), you could save over $55 a yr JUST on this!!!!!

Ok...super simple...

All you need is:

a cap full of your favorite fabric softener

an old fabric refresher bottle (it sprays a finer mist than the average spray bottle)

Water

Put one cap full of fabric softener into your empty spray bottle, then fill with water. Shake up and your ready to use!

Now your curtains, couches, rugs, bedding and more can smell fresh and clean at a fraction of the cost!