December 21, 2012

Gluten Free Vegan Apple Crisp

Weather you are eating gluten free or vegan for health reasons or you just prefer it, this is great recipe! During Thanksgiving I tried this version of the classic dish and was pleasantly surprised on how well it came out. I am not currently vegan, and I do not need to eat gluten free foods regularly but I understand how difficult it can be to find good tasting recipes for these specific diets. Try this out and I bet your non vegan or gluten free friends and family won't even be able to tell.

This is a picture taken before baking



Gluten Free Vegan Apple Crisp

4 Apples ( 2 Granny Smith / 2 Gala)
2/3 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C All purpose gluten free baking mix
1/2 C Rolled oats
1/3 C Vegan butter (Softened)
    1 t Cinnamon



Mix together the sugar, baking mix, oats and cinnamon. Once evenly combine cut in butter with a pastry cutter then set aside.




Core, peel and slice apples about 1/4" thick. I used a combo core/slicer that also peels the apples but you can also do so by hand.






Layer apples in baking dish sprayed with oil. Try mixing the two kinds evenly through out so the flavors flow together.(I used a dish that was 6.5" X 10" X 1.75")

With each layer sprinkle some of the crisp mixture leaving the majority for the top layer.


Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes depending on your oven. The apples will be tender but not mushy and top will be golden



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RibbonTree

Although I love real Christmas trees I realized this year we really just do not have the room for one. Last year we got a mini tree that was kind of fun but we were not even going to be here for Christmas this year. So I made a table top ribbon tree instead. I can use it year after year and it is not too big so it can be stored away until the following year after Christmas.




To make your own ribbon tree you will need:
Cardboard or cone shaped base
Ribbon
Hot glue and glue gun
Scissors

If you have a cone base already you can start gluing your ribbon to the base. If not you will need to make one with your cardboard. Figure out how tall you would like your tree to be. With a straight edge measure the height from one point to the next. Then with a compass or string draw an arch about 45 degrees. Cut out then glue or tape edges together.

Once you are ready for adding ribbon, cut your pieces about 3 inches long. I used wider ribbon toward the bottom, similar how a real tree has larger branches at the bottom. Work your way around your cone base. I folded the ribbon in half, glues the ends together then glues the ends onto the base.


Continue this all the way around then move up to the next row. Try to space the ribbon pieces in between the ones on the row below to overlap any ends. Continue this proses until you reach the top.Once at the top you can put a star or what ever kind of topper you would like. I just added some ribbon loops upward then wrapped a single piece around where the ends were glued to cover the seam.




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November 26, 2012

Dried Coconut and Date Rolls

I live in the state of Washington in America. Which is nowhere near coconuts. But it must have been coconut season somewhere because my local grocery store had coconuts for a dollar each. Due to the far proximity of real live coconut trees, they are usually priced around five dollars each, so I was impressed. I instantly found myself grabbing a couple just because I love them and WILL find a way to use them or just eat them.

I thought about vacuum sealing them but was not sure if it would be worth the vacuum seal bag. I didn't picture them lasting very long any way. So the next best thing was to dry the coconut out to use in some holiday baking I was planning on doing in the next month. Relatively speaking, dried coconut is not very expensive. However, if coconuts are cheap and plentiful, drying them is a good way to preserve the meat inside for later use.

I had been meaning to make date rolls for a few weeks now after rediscovering how much I love them in the bulk section at the grocery store. Every 10 months or so I get a couple just to fulfill the craving. Since I was attempting to dry my own coconut I thought I might as well make up some date rolls with some freshly dried coconut. Kind of ironic but delicious none the less. These snacks are Vegan and most specialty diets friendly. They can be made quickly and by any skill level. Great for the upcoming holidays!


The upper rolls over covered with almonds. The low rolls are covered with coconut.

First to dry out your coconut. You will need to drain any liquid inside. You can drink or use later for something else, just don't waste that liquid joy. You will need to poke out two of the three eyes to do so. (It still sounds funny in my head as I type it).



You will then need to pour out the liquid. You can do so by positioning the coconut with one eye down and the other two above it. This allows air to flow and helps the liquid to come out.


To brake in two pieces to reach the meat inside. Hit with a hammer or something heavy along the center line across if the eyes are on the top or bottom.


You can now also pull the inner shell away from the outer hard shell.



Cut away the bark or inner shell from the meat. You can now start adding to your dehydrator tray. I like to shred it and also cut thin wide strips with potato peeler.


Spread evenly around tray. Smaller pieces can fall through the tray if the spaces are too big. I recommend using a tray liner. I made my own, here is a link to my blog with instructions.
Dry for about 1-2 hours on low.
I found I can get about two coconuts worth on four trays.



Moving onto the date rolls you will need; 14-16oz of pitted dates, 3/4 C ground slivered or ground almonds, 1/2 C dried coconut.

If dates are not pitted start by doing that... then you can cut in quarters or halves. then set aside. If you are starting with slivered almonds you will want to chop very finely or run through a food processor. The texture is up to you, I chose to process until it was almost a powder at the finest point and no more than 1/2cm thick at the largest piece.

Warm dates until soft in pan on a cook top or in the microwave. You do not want to cook them, just make them tender. Combine 1/2C almonds and all of the dates in a food processor. You can also do this by hand but may take a little longer. If so I recommend using a rolling pin to help smooth out date paste.

Once almonds and dates have been well combine. You can roll into a log shape then cut in pieces or grab about a golf ball sized piece and roll into desired shape. I kept mine about the size of the whole date. Roll into topping of choice, your almonds or coconut. Store in air tight container to keep soft.

Normal dates can last about 6 months in the refrigerator or at least a year in the freezer or in a cool air tight container in your cupboard. I hope you enjoy and try put this quick recipe.


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November 17, 2012

Thanksgiving Wreath

As November winds down and grows closer to the Thanksgiving holiday I like to think of everything I have to be thankful for. Frankly the list goes on and on. I feel so blessed in this last year that words can not express. I am not rich but I am full of hope for the future. I am not poor but I am joyful in what I do have.
No matter who you are and what circumstances you have lived though you can always find something to be thankful for. Even if it is just the shirt on your back.

This year for thanksgiving I will be spending it with some dear friends who are more like family then some of my actual family. I cherish the time I get to spend with them even if it is just grabbing a cup of coffee. For dinner I am going to be making some desserts. I am still working on it so check back in the next day or so. In the mean time I did get some decorating done around my house. I first made an autumn wreath about a month ago but decided I wanted something a little more Thanksgivingish, so here it is!

You will need:

A Wreath base ( I got mine at the dollar store)

Hemp twine

Hot glue and gun

Feathers (I used pheasant)

Buttons or other things to decorate with

I chose to use two different sized wreathes tied together with hemp twine. You can also wrap the twine around the entire wreath if you want to to help keep the shape of the wreath.

I recommend sketching out where you want to place everything, because once you start gluing it is very difficult to change things.



Start with the farthest feathers first. Glue in groups of three alternating colors or shapes. This gives interest to the wreath and helps draw your eye into the center of the feathers.

As your work toward the center, decrease the size of the feathers.
***Trimming the length of the feathers or removing some
of the more fine feathers away from the ends
helps thin out the bulk of each feather***


You can add buttons or other embellishments in the center or at the end of each feather grouping.


I chose to alternate colors and decrease the size of each layer of feathers to suite my own taste but please try other methods to meet your own ideas.

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October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!

Today is the day! I have been blogging everyday for the last month. It was a very interesting experience to say the least. I enjoyed being able to make food and projects that I feel inspired to do but usually write down to do "somewhere down the line". The downside to blogging daily is that I don't have enough time or energy in the day to keep up with strong content. I have managed to write at least one post for every day of the month even if it was not posted on the specific day it was meant for. I think I work better with out such a demand. I do love a challenge and I can work well under pressure but it is not how I want to live every day.

I can definitely say that, while I like to write and share my ideas, I would rather spend more time with my family and working on projects. I still am going to keep blogging like I always have but will sleep well knowing I do not NEED to blog tomorrow! Thank you for reading! Check back in soon for some November craft projects and recipes.


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October 30, 2012

Old shirt upgrade

In keeping with my theme of everything is new again... I figured I might as well try to spruce up some stuff that was destine for donation for a second chance in my closet. I can't remember the last time I bought any new clothes and I have been getting rather board with the ones I have. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful that I have any clothes at all and I have been blessed in the ways I have. I just like some variety! The seasons are changing and so must I! 

I had to adjust the length of the neckline due to the trim being a little too short and the depth being a little longer than I prefer.
I took it up about two inches. Pin trim in place than sew down.
Voila`! Simple as that! I still plan to do some more work to this shirt as I have stained and bleach spots in different places, so I got to figure out something. Maybe screen printing???



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Halloween Wall Hanging - Part 2

I started doing this project earlier in the month, got a little distracted and procrastinated a lot. I finally finished the felt wall hanging. I love the way it turned out and now I have a Halloween decoration for years to come that is unique and personal because I made it. If you want to make your own decoration for any holiday see my quick instructions below.



If you want to make some thing like this you will need:

Felt of various colors
Embroidery floss
Embroidery needle
Wooden dowel
Glue gun and glue
Ribbon
Stuffing (optional)

First figure out what you want to do. I knew I would be staying with in the size of one sheet of felt. With my perimeter set I started cutting out shapes. I picked similar colors of floss to do the outlining of each shape. Once about 3/4 of the way around the shape with your outline stitches stuff with filling then finish sewing down.

Next you repeat with each remaining shape. I also added some ascents like grass, the lines on the bat and faces on the pumpkins. (I do recommend sewing any designs on before sewing them down.). When completely finished with the stitching, hot glue another felt peice to the back the same size as the main body peice. This will cover the back of your stiches and make more sturdy. Glue top of felt over the wooden dowl then add ribbon to hide seam between front and back. And you're done!

  

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October 28, 2012

Toasting pumpkin seeds

Carving pumpkins and eating the seeds is a tradition for our family. After carving our pumpkins we always save the seeds and then roast them! If you have never done so your missing out! Your first step is to scoop out all the seeds then separate from the goo. Rinse in water then spread onto cookie sheet with vegetable oil. Bake on low heat (About 200 degrees) for 45-60 minutes. Sprinkle on seasonings if desired and enjoy. Finished seeds should be crisp but not brittle. I like to eat them shell and all! Do you have a tradition for Halloween?





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October 27, 2012

Carving pumpkins

This year I decided to carve a white pumpkin instead of the traditional orange. My husband thinks it looks like an alien but I thought it was fun do something a little different.

I have noticed Lumina pumpkins have been a lot more popular this last few years.
So I figured I would give it a shot.
They cut easily and have a light green inner flesh. I already have some good ideas for next year!
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October 26, 2012

Refreshing Kale

If you have been reading my blogs for any length of you know that my family and I like to juice fresh fruits and vegetables. One problem we tend to encounter is using everything before it spoils.  After a trick my mom taught me I am able to save green leafy vegetables for an extra week or so. Similar to flowers, cut the bottom 1/4 inch off. Store in a glass of water in the refrigerator until ready to use. The tall glass helps keep the leaves upright and straight. I have found this method also helps already drooping leaves perk back up. Let me know if you have any food saving tips I can try.
 
 
 

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October 25, 2012

Dehydrating Pineapple

When I first embarked on the idea dehydrating pineapple when I was getting craving for it one day. I thought it would be much cheaper than buying a small bag or buying in bulk at $6.99 a pound. Needless to say I don't know what I was thinking. LOL. Ya see, dehydrated pineapple does not really keep it's shape like the "dried" pineapple found at the grocery store. For some reason in my mind I was thinking , "Yea! It is going to be just like the prepackaged kind for a fraction of the price."

The process of drying fruit is different than dehydrating fruit. So what I did was dehydrate it. Don't get me wrong it is still delicious and a  great little snack or topping, just not was I was wanting at that moment. So he is a brief how-to on dehydrating pineapple.



Drain pineapple from cans / jars.

Set aside juice to drink or use later.

Lay out pineapple evenly among the dehydrator trays.

Dehydrate for about 10 hours on Low (about 200 degrees)



 Once you are all done you will have something like this...



I used 4 20 ounces cans of pineapple with no sugar added. I was able to drain about 2 1/2 cups of juice and a yield of 3 cups of fruit (seen above).


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October 24, 2012

Jean upgrade

 
As I have been working on mending clothes this last couple days I keep finding more and more rips, or soon to be rips in my jeans. Since the main structure of the jeans is still good and strong I have taken on stopping the rips before they get any worse. I have found the simplest way to do so is to make it look intentional like some fashion jeans. I find it ridiculous to spend $50 plus on  some jeans that are already worn out or have holes in them. I get holes in my jeans the good old fashion way, wearing them.

 
So with this idea in mind to just make my warn down jeans look like a hundred bucks, I have been sewing over the worn parts with a different color thread. I try to make it coordinate with the other stitching already on the seems so it look like they came that way. This is nothing new really, I have been doing this for a couple years. I just happen to find an old paid of jeans that fit again and saw that they could use some TLC. The method is to just run the sewing machine back and forth over the area to repair. It is more like a glorified free hand zig-zag stitch.

Do you have any mending or clothes repairing methods? Let me know in the comments!


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October 23, 2012

Light heavy breakfast

When I think of pancakes, I think of a delicious stack of a buttery loggers breakfast smoothered in a rich maple syrup. Makes my mouth water thinking about it but that is as far as it gets. I really try to make a cautious effort to not give in into my fat girl cravings. I am little by no means, and I am happy with who I am. But I definately want my insides to be health, thus no giant stack hotcakes.

I opt for two medium size blueberry pancakes with honey on top, a 1/2 C of cottage cheese and 2 peices of bacon. I still feel like I am getting my diner breakfast with out the extras like hasbrowns, toast, sausage, eggs etc. I love all those things too. Just not all in one sitting.

 
 
Do you have a favorite breakfast?  Let me know in the comments!
 
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October 22, 2012

Mending clothes

Cutting costs does not have to be hard. Mending clothes is not always enjoyable, however it is necessary. Something as basic as mending holes, rip, tears and lost seems is a simple way to start. You don't even need to have a sewing machine. Most of the time if you keep up with mending regularly you can stop any problems before they get too big, so a needle and thread is all that is needed.

My husband is an tradesman and constantly comes homes with all sorts of damage to his clothes. I have been trying to make it a habit to inspect his clothing as I fold laundry. As soon as I see a problem I set it aside.  About every other month I go through the pile of clothes to be mended. I think a good gauge is the height of my sewing machine. Once the stack is level with the machine I get to work.

From my experience I have found that sometimes and iron on patch works better then just sewing an area shut. I like to go over the patch with the sewing machine if I can for extra stability. I enjoy using a machine to speed up this process but every now and then I feel that I can work more detailed by hand. Do you repair your own clothes? What methods do you like best? Let me know in the comments!


 
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October 21, 2012

Chicken-Pot-Roast Potatoes

  
Fumbling through the kitchen searching for something to make for dinner I came across left overs from earlier in the week. I had made chicken pot pie and also pot roast. I had the filling from the pot pie and the potatoes from the pot roast. Everything was seasoned already, I just needed to combine them some how. So I came up with chicken-pot-roast potatoes.

Pot pie filling topped with potato
 
Chicken pot pie filling
Place pot pie filling in oven safe dish.

Whip potatoes, 1/4 C sour cream and 1/4 C milk until smooth.

Top pot pie filling with potatoes then bake at 300 degrees or until potatoes become golden brown.


You can add some butter to the top of the the potatoes if desired. Other wise your done! 

The pot pie filling consists of peas, carrots, onion, butter, flour, chicken, broth, seasonings.

The potatoes were cooked with a beef roast, carrots and onions.


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October 20, 2012

Frame Jewelry Rack


I have been looking for a cheap or free solution to storing my jewelry that does not look cheap or free, but have come up unsuccessful thus far. I have seen people make racks out of wood frames and screen. So I thought I would give it a whirl. I searched for the perfect kind of screen that would work for the type of project I was attempting. I wanted to make something that would be durable and not rust, seeing as how I would be storing it in my bathroom. I am out of counter and dresser space so figured it would be nice to hang on the wall.

What else goes great on a wall? Pictures frames! I had a long picture frame that the glass had broken in. The frame was destine for donation anyway so it was worth giving this project a shot. Now that I had the frame, I needed the screen. I looked at what I already had, but it was just plastic window screen. It was a little too light weight and I was afraid it would not support the weight of all the jewelry. I looked at window screen of metal but felt it was still a little flimsy. I moved onto screen for kitchens that was really cool. Needless to say it was not worth the bacon. Lastly I tried chicken wire. Not the traditional hexagonal shaped wire but some that was a grid of 1/4 inch squares. Thirty minutes later I had a jewelry rack!


***I will work on writting up a tutorial if anyone
is interested in making one of your own.***

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October 19, 2012

I aint 'fraid no ghost!

I strongly believe that decorations should be fun. Everyone has a different definition of fun but it is whatever you consider fun. I consider things that are neat, organized and stylish "fun". I don't know what that says about me, just a smidgen of OCD I guess.

Anyway here is what you will need to make your own FUN ghost!

 

I guess he was more scared of my dirty dishes
Cheese Cloth Ghost
Cheese Cloth
Liquid starch
Balloon
Foam brush or sponge
Scissors
Hot glue or glue dots
Decorations (things for eyes, mouth or accessories)

Blow up balloon to desired size. Secure balloon in place so it does not move too much when adding layers. If you are using a larger balloon you can rest on top of a tall glass and tape down to hold it in place.

Brush liquid starch onto balloon. Lay piece of cheese cloth over top then brush more start over cloth completely covering. Let dry.

Repeat 3 more times letting it dry completely between layers.


***Keep in mind how you are going to display your ghost.
If you want to hang it, think about fishing line because it is clear and will give more of the illusion of  floating. Figure out if you want you ghost to have long hanging pieces or not. If you do not put starch on a specific area it will stay more pliable and soft.***

Once dried you can pop balloon and remove. You are now ready to decorate you ghost. Have fun and I would love to see pictures of your ghosts!

***Special thanks to Mr. Hassell for the construction of the little scaredy ghost seen above***

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October 18, 2012

Saving seeds

I do not have a house of my own yet , but my family and I have been trying to prepare for when that time comes for us. One thing I feel is important is knowing where our food comes from. We enjoy planting and harvesting food and know we will have a chance to do that once we get into a home. Until that time we are finding little ways to get in the habit of saving seeds for the following year.

This may seem pointless to some. "You can just buy more seeds next year." I have heard from people when I mention saving seeds but there is no guarantee that the seeds you buy will be available, not genetically modified or are not suicide seeds. For these reasons I am trying to learn how to do it myself. ( If you are not familiar with "Suicide seeds"  it is when the plants are modified to only yield a crop for one season, then you are forced to buy more seeds the following years.) I encourage you to do some research or watch films like Food Inc. for more information on this horrendous practice.

If you want to start saving your own seeds here is some tip on how to get started.




Start by removing the seeds from your fruit or vegetable. I have found that snapping a core of an apple for example will allow you to get the seeds out without worrying about cutting into them with a knife.



 Honeycrisp apple, Golden Delicious apple, Braeburn apple
D'Anjou pear, Gala apple, Granny Smith Apple 




After you get the seeds out, set in dry area for a few days to make sure the moisture is out so they do not mold.




For saving squash seeds I like to use an ice cream scoop to take them out without harming the seeds. It also makes cooking the squash easy because it makes the inside nice and clean with minimal effort. Make sure to wash thoroughly first then set aside to dry.


Once you have prepared your seeds for storage, keep in a envelope or jar. If your seeds are not completely dry it can lead to molding so it is worth keeping them out to dry for an extra day to make sure.

I am by no means an expert in saving seeds so if you are interested you may want to do additional research or speak to someone who has more experience in planting or gardening. Most nurseries and garden store have knowledgeable people there to help you. If you have any questions or topics you would like me to blog about let me know!


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October 17, 2012

Halloween Wall Hanging - Part 1

If any of you were reading my blog during the spring you might remember a St. Patrick's day wall hanging. Here is a link to that post if you want to check it out. I am working on something similar but totally different. Well, not really. It is the same idea just a different holiday. The only difference is now I know what I am doing and how to make it so much better! I hope so anyway, if not at least I tried and then will just have a mediocre decoration.

Here is what I have started so far...



I am using a few pieces of different colored felt, a large needle meant for embroidery and embroidery floss.

So far I have cut a couple basic shapes and are trying to figure out where to place them. I have started stitching a little bit around the larger pumpkin. At this point I will start to stuff the pumpkin to give it some dimension. Check back in a few days to see the finish wall hanging.


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