Herb Mix
This herb mix is used in many different ways and is easy to make and store. Use dried herbs to extend shelf life.
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup marjoram
1/4 cup savory
1 Tbs basil
1 Tbs rosemary (crushed)
1 Tbs fennel seeds
1 tsp sage
Mix together well in a bowl and put into a 1/2 pint jar with tight-fitting lid.
To use:
Herbed Chicken
Place chicken parts in baking dish and sprinkle with herb mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Herb Roasted Potatoes
4 large white potatoes (washed well and cut in cubes, you can leave skins on or peel them, whichever you prefer.
1/2 tsp black pepper (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs Herb mix
1/4 cup olive oil
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add all other ingredients. Toss to coat potatoes well.
Spread potatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet or shallow baking pan.
Bake 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and tender.
Makes four to six servings.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Cleaning the Castle
Cleaning house has never been a favorite passion of mine. Oh, I come by it honestly, my mom was not a clean freak either but you do have to do it from time to time. If nothing else, you will need to dig yourself out every so often.
I have a friend over at Squidoo that has put together a wonderful page about making house cleaning fun and how to enlist the help of your kiddos. You know, those who usually help make the bulk of the messes!
Check out her page here and be sure to say "Hi" to Susan. She's a former homeschool mom, mother of soldiers and a work-at-home mom/wife.
Have a great day and happy cleaning!
Mavis D.
I have a friend over at Squidoo that has put together a wonderful page about making house cleaning fun and how to enlist the help of your kiddos. You know, those who usually help make the bulk of the messes!
Check out her page here and be sure to say "Hi" to Susan. She's a former homeschool mom, mother of soldiers and a work-at-home mom/wife.
Have a great day and happy cleaning!
Mavis D.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Why I Shop at Aldi's
I have a few friends that have asked me why I am willing to drive 25+ miles to shop at a certain store called Aldi's. Of course, this amazes me that they have not even tried it! I guess it would really blow their minds to know that I used to drive over 50 miles to shop at an Aldi store before our "local" city earned its place on the map. My mother, sister and myself would all take the truck and make a day of it and we would buy enough canned goods to last our families at least 3 months.
Now you must remember that I do not shop Aldi's exclusively but I do get the bulk of our food there. I also do not shop there once a week. If I happen to be "in town" and I will be close to it then I'll stop there for my fresh produce or a gallon of milk, otherwise, it's usually a once a month shopping trip and I prepare our meals from the pantry.
I have found that shopping at Aldi helps keep my food budget down which is very helpful when feeding a family of six...it used to be seven but one has left home now. When combining my Aldi shopping with cooking from scratch and taking advantage of sales, I have managed to keep our food bill down to $600 per month. For some, this may sound like a lot but most of those have smaller families. In addition, I have checked with the USDA's food plan chart, which says a family our size, should have a budget of $1058 per month on the "low cost plan!" It doesn't describe the "low cost plan" but I'm assuming it allows for a couple of roasts per month and a couple of evenings with lower cost steak choices with the bulk of other meats being chicken, ground beef, fish or pork.
I have compared prices with many different stores and have consistently found Aldi to be cheaper. Their "store brands" compare to those name brand items you are used to buying and many times the same company, on the same lines as the name brand labels, manufactures them. Of course, that is usually the case with most store brands located in all stores. I know this personally, as I worked in a canning company for a short time.
If you would like to compare prices without actually going to the store a homeschool dad was able to get a price list and he scanned it for the rest of the world. These prices were current for April 2008 and may differ a little bit by your location. It's now posted on SlickDeals...open the PDF file from there.
As with all of your shopping, I recommend you read the labels. As you may know, we avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils for health reasons but those things are in all processed foods no matter where you buy them. To read more about why you should avoid them check out "Cooking from Scratch - Healthy Living"
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Now you must remember that I do not shop Aldi's exclusively but I do get the bulk of our food there. I also do not shop there once a week. If I happen to be "in town" and I will be close to it then I'll stop there for my fresh produce or a gallon of milk, otherwise, it's usually a once a month shopping trip and I prepare our meals from the pantry.
I have found that shopping at Aldi helps keep my food budget down which is very helpful when feeding a family of six...it used to be seven but one has left home now. When combining my Aldi shopping with cooking from scratch and taking advantage of sales, I have managed to keep our food bill down to $600 per month. For some, this may sound like a lot but most of those have smaller families. In addition, I have checked with the USDA's food plan chart, which says a family our size, should have a budget of $1058 per month on the "low cost plan!" It doesn't describe the "low cost plan" but I'm assuming it allows for a couple of roasts per month and a couple of evenings with lower cost steak choices with the bulk of other meats being chicken, ground beef, fish or pork.
I have compared prices with many different stores and have consistently found Aldi to be cheaper. Their "store brands" compare to those name brand items you are used to buying and many times the same company, on the same lines as the name brand labels, manufactures them. Of course, that is usually the case with most store brands located in all stores. I know this personally, as I worked in a canning company for a short time.
If you would like to compare prices without actually going to the store a homeschool dad was able to get a price list and he scanned it for the rest of the world. These prices were current for April 2008 and may differ a little bit by your location. It's now posted on SlickDeals...open the PDF file from there.
As with all of your shopping, I recommend you read the labels. As you may know, we avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils for health reasons but those things are in all processed foods no matter where you buy them. To read more about why you should avoid them check out "Cooking from Scratch - Healthy Living"
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Stop Bleeding Quickly!
Have you had a cut that you thought you'd never get stopped bleeding? I have and I have friends and relatives who take blood thinners that have a serious problem if they cut themselves. Here is a little trick for stopping the blood flow quickly and it is as close as your spice rack!
Next time you have a cut, get your powdered Cayenne pepper out, sprinkle it on the cut, and cover with a bandage and amazingly enough, it does not sting! Because it is high in vitamin K, it has excellent clotting properties. You will also find that it has anti-microbial and astringent qualities that will help prevent infection.
Those of you who take blood thinner medications should carry a small container of the powdered cayenne with you. You never know when you might need it.
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Next time you have a cut, get your powdered Cayenne pepper out, sprinkle it on the cut, and cover with a bandage and amazingly enough, it does not sting! Because it is high in vitamin K, it has excellent clotting properties. You will also find that it has anti-microbial and astringent qualities that will help prevent infection.
Those of you who take blood thinner medications should carry a small container of the powdered cayenne with you. You never know when you might need it.
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Chicken Marinades
Here are several marinade combinations that are sure to please. Try making them up, put them into gallon sized freezer bags and then add your chicken. You can freeze them and have them all ready to go; just thaw and grill or bake.
Many times, I will bake my chicken (especially leg/thigh parts) in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow them to cool then marinate them over night in a gallon-sized bag. The next day, when it is dinnertime, I just put them on the grill to heat them through and give them the "grilled" flavor. This serves two purposes; the chicken is completely cooked and it is great for quick barbeques when friends are coming over.
They are also a great money saver and avoids many of the preservatives found in storebought marinades.
Basic instructions are to mix ingredients together well and marinate chicken overnight or put it in the freezer for later use. There are special instructions for the Sweet and Sour chicken.
Pineapple Orange Chicken
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup crushed pineapple in juice
1 tsp powdered ginger
Lemon Rosemary Chicken
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs dried rosemary
Honey Tarragon Chicken
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried tarragon
Tangy Italian Chicken
1 cup vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 Tbs garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dry mustard
Sweet and Sour Chicken
1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup wine vinegar
3 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs ketchup
3 Tbsp soy sauce (feel free to use low sodium soy sauce)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger
NOTE: Special instructions for "Sweet and Sour Chicken" marinade. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan until well blended. Heat on low stirring to prevent scorching. Cook until slightly thickened. Allow to cool before adding to the meat. This also makes a good dipping sauce.
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Many times, I will bake my chicken (especially leg/thigh parts) in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow them to cool then marinate them over night in a gallon-sized bag. The next day, when it is dinnertime, I just put them on the grill to heat them through and give them the "grilled" flavor. This serves two purposes; the chicken is completely cooked and it is great for quick barbeques when friends are coming over.
They are also a great money saver and avoids many of the preservatives found in storebought marinades.
Basic instructions are to mix ingredients together well and marinate chicken overnight or put it in the freezer for later use. There are special instructions for the Sweet and Sour chicken.
Pineapple Orange Chicken
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup crushed pineapple in juice
1 tsp powdered ginger
Lemon Rosemary Chicken
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs dried rosemary
Honey Tarragon Chicken
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp dried tarragon
Tangy Italian Chicken
1 cup vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 Tbs garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dry mustard
Sweet and Sour Chicken
1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup wine vinegar
3 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs ketchup
3 Tbsp soy sauce (feel free to use low sodium soy sauce)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger
NOTE: Special instructions for "Sweet and Sour Chicken" marinade. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan until well blended. Heat on low stirring to prevent scorching. Cook until slightly thickened. Allow to cool before adding to the meat. This also makes a good dipping sauce.
Have a great day!
Mavis D.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Learning to Knit
As many of you know, I have been learning to knit. This is not small undertaking for me. I have tried learning needlecrafts in the past. Like the time I tried to crochet. I was making a "doily" but when I finished it looked more like a bag! Apparently, I have a problem with tension...funny, a mom of 5 sons having a problem with tension? Impossible!
Well, I must report that I am not tied in knots and crying out for help. In fact, I have become quite addicted! This morning I ask hubby to drive to church instead of me driving...it was so I could sit on the passenger side and knit!
I have made two dishcloths, a scarf and I am working on a second scarf. My five year old "Little T" asked me to make him one...how could I say "no?"
I did try the "cheating" way as some of my friends call it. I bought a loom kit and tried that when I just could not get the hang of hand knitting. Now, I have done both and really enjoy the hand knitting much better. The loom knitting seems to roll up a lot more than the hand knitting
Here are two dishcloths I have made. The one on the right is the hand knit one (blue) and the other is the loom knit dishcloth (multicolored). I did make a mistake in my first one but I "fixed" it and it will serve its purpose after all. However, do you see how the loom knit one rolls at the top of the picture...I do not like that so I have all but stored the looms and bought more needles!
I have found knitting to be very relaxing and I've even loosened up my tension.
I am a visual learner so I need to SEE something before I can do it. I was able to find some great videos online that were very helpful to me and you'll find them here. I hope they are as helpful to you as they were to me.
Have a great knitting day!
Mavis D.
Well, I must report that I am not tied in knots and crying out for help. In fact, I have become quite addicted! This morning I ask hubby to drive to church instead of me driving...it was so I could sit on the passenger side and knit!
I have made two dishcloths, a scarf and I am working on a second scarf. My five year old "Little T" asked me to make him one...how could I say "no?"
I did try the "cheating" way as some of my friends call it. I bought a loom kit and tried that when I just could not get the hang of hand knitting. Now, I have done both and really enjoy the hand knitting much better. The loom knitting seems to roll up a lot more than the hand knitting
Here are two dishcloths I have made. The one on the right is the hand knit one (blue) and the other is the loom knit dishcloth (multicolored). I did make a mistake in my first one but I "fixed" it and it will serve its purpose after all. However, do you see how the loom knit one rolls at the top of the picture...I do not like that so I have all but stored the looms and bought more needles!
I have found knitting to be very relaxing and I've even loosened up my tension.
I am a visual learner so I need to SEE something before I can do it. I was able to find some great videos online that were very helpful to me and you'll find them here. I hope they are as helpful to you as they were to me.
Have a great knitting day!
Mavis D.
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