Freezer Cooking: Twin Meat Loaves

Way back when I was looking for new post ideas the topic of freezer cooking came up. I think there was quite a bit of interest in that and yet I've never posted about it since, until now. I'll try to post some recipes from time to time under the heading and label "Freezer Cooking: ________". I thought I had already posted this recipe as a single loaf version but couldn't find it.

This recipe comes from Farm Journal's Country Cookbook. I got my copy from my Grandma's basement and I love it. It really is appropriate for the way we are trying to live and generally avoids "add in seasoning packet" or "3 cups Bisquick".

Twin Meat Loaves

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped carrot
2 lbs. ground beef

Break two eggs in a bowl and until well broken. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. You'll have to use your hands to get this done in a reasonable amount of time, or I guess maybe a hand mixer would work. Pack into two greased 7 1/2x4x2" pans - I used my narrow bread pans that come close.
Pop the pans in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. Once frozen, tap the loaves out on a plate or cutting board. Wrap well with tin foil. You could also use the plastic out of a cereal box along with brown paper if you're trying to cut back on foil. Label with black permanent marker: BAKE @ 350 f FOR 1 HOUR.

When you go to cook these you can drop them in the pans frozen and thaw them in the fridge that way. I've cooked them straight out of the freezer and they were still done in just over an hour. I actually cooked one for 2 hours when something happened with the sheep and I forgot about it. It didn't dry out or burn even after all that time so it is pretty much foolproof. I don't eat ground meat at all but hubby says this is one of the better meat loaves he's had, he really likes it.

I usually thaw a bunch of hamburger and make 6 or 8 loaves at a time. It is a great back up for a day when I'm out of ideas. Happy freezer cooking!

The Trouble With A Menu Plan...

The trouble with a menu plan is that:

A) You have to make one before it works

and

B) When you have one you really come to rely on it and when you don't it makes for a miserable week!!

I thought about it on Monday but never quite made time since I had to work this Monday (my normal day off). I thought about it yesterday but made dinner and dessert and then it was 10 o'clock! Today is the day I guess. I know you're wondering if it is even worth it now? Yes, it is. Now that I know what it is like to plan ahead I HATE coming home and trying to figure out what to cook.

Here it is:

Monday: Tacos for Brian, I never really ate dinner.

Tuesday: Spaghetti (with herbs and butter for me, meat sauce for Brian) with Quick Cheese Bread (this recipe is a winner! We've had it twice now)

Wednesday: Parmesan Crusted Walleye with Roasted Herb Potatoes

Thurday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Soup & Peas

Friday: Breakfast for Supper - French Toast, Hashbrowns, Bacon, and Eggs

Breakfasts this week consist of those blueberry waffles I made for me, I'm not sure what Brian's been eating. For dessert I made No-Bake Cheesecake. I had one jar of blueberry filling that didn't seal so I topped the cheesecake with that. It was good last night but it is even better now that is had been in the fridge for awhile. Try it, you'll like it.

Whew. Glad that's done!! :)

What's on your menu this week?

Traditional 4th of July Pie

I've been making this pie almost every 4th of July now for several years. I think I missed last year so it better be extra good this year to make up for it.


Start with enough dough for a two crust pie. Roll out half of the dough and place it in a 9 inch pie pan. Roll the other half out in to a circle around 10 inches across. Cut 6 strips from that, about 3/4" wide each. You'll also need to cut out 6 stars from the dough that is left. I used a paring knife to cut my stars but you could use a small cookie cutter if you want them to be perfect.

Next, go ahead and get the filling ready. I normally use cherry and blueberry but this year I used strawberries instead of cherries. The strawberries are some that I froze last weekend, the blueberries I picked and Foodsavered a long time ago. If you're using frozen berries be sure to drain them well. Large berries should be sliced or cut in chunks.

Here's what you'll need.

Red Portion:
2 - 3 cups red berries (cherries or strawberries)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Blue Portion:
1 - 1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch


Mix all ingredients for each portion in separate bowls. You can use more red berries if you like. I only had a little over 2 cups of strawberries thawed today. That will work but it should be a little more full. Pour the red mixture into about 3/4 of the pie shell. Use a spatula or large spoon to hold it in place. Pour the blue mixture in to the remaining 1/4 of the shell. Adjust the filling with your spatula to make a nice line between the two colors. Sprinkle with some small pieces of butter.

Go ahead and place the strips across the filling. Put the longest strip right over the line between red and blue. Evenly space the rest of the strips above and below the first. Then place the stars over the blue portion.

Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet with edges to catch any juice that may bubble over. Bake on the bottom rack of the over at 400 degrees F for approximately 1 hour. Check the edges and cover with a pie shield or tin foil if they are starting to brown too much. Cool for at least an hour afterward, then serve with ice cream or whipped cream.


This is a great dish to take to a party or a potluck. It makes a great impression. I've taken in to some parties where I don't know many people and it has made for a nice icebreaker.

Enjoy, and have a great holiday!! If you make a special dish for the 4th I'd love to hear about it.

Cut Off From the World

Okay, I don't consider myself to be very high tech. I haven't used my ipod in 6 months and I refuse to text message. However, today I felt so cut off from the world it was scary, and I was having major withdrawals. Our internet is only working off and on so if I'm missing for awhile that will be why. We can no longer pick up a good signal and there is nothing the company can do to fix it so we're looking for a new service provider. Every time I turned around today I couldn't continue with my plans because I couldn't get online. Here's what I mean:

I wanted to preserve my garlic scapes but I didn't remember how they said to do it on that website I looked at the other day.

Since my Mom, Brian, and I picked a bunch of strawberries on Saturday I was dying to try Abbie's Strawberry Shortcake recipe but couldn't get the page to load.

I was planning to browse recipes for this weeks' menu plan and knew I wanted to make Quick Cheese Bread with dinner tonight. Luckily this thing started working. The bread is in the oven so I'll keep you posted!

More importantly, the builder was here repairing the shed that burned and I needed to write him another check. I had to tell him not to cash it for a few days since I couldn't get online to transfer the money from our savings to our checking, or to update our check register and compare the online banking with our Quickbooks.

Maybe I really am addicted to the internet like my husband used to claim. Of course he doesn't say that now, he's too busy fighting me for the computer so he can check the weather, browse craigslist, drool over tractors on ebay, and watch the grain prices on our local elevator's website. Oh, what is this world coming to!?!

Where do you spend your time online? Do you rely on the web like we do?

Menu Plan Monday - New for Me!

Okay, here's a new thing for me. I'm going to try being a part of Menu Plan Monday, a weekly menu plan share hosted by Laura over at I'm An Organizing Junkie. The banner above is linked to her awesome site.
I'm not sure exactly what our week will be like since we've got hay to bale. Here's my plan:

• Monday
  • Snack
  • Peaches and yogurt
  • Supper
  • Ham Steaks
  • Red Skinned Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • Chicken Gravy

• Tuesday
  • Breakfast
  • Rhubarb Muffins
  • Milk
  • Lunch
  • Leftover Mashed Potatoes
  • Hot Dogs
  • Peaches and yogurt
  • Snack
  • Homemade Granola Bar
  • Supper
  • Homemade Chicken Nuggets
  • Boxed Mac N' Cheese

• Wednesday
  • Breakfast
  • Rhubarb Muffins
  • Milk
  • Lunch
  • PBJ
  • Pretzels
  • Canned corn
  • Snack
  • Homemade Granola Bar
  • Supper
  • Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
  • Roasted Potatoes

• Thursday
  • Breakfast
  • Rhubarb Muffins
  • Milk
  • Lunch
  • PBJ or Leftover Tilapia
  • Pretzels
  • Canned corn
  • Snack
  • Homemade Granola Bar
  • Supper
  • Spaghetti
  • New Cheese bread recipe

• Friday
  • Breakfast
  • Rhubarb Muffins
  • Milk
  • Lunch
  • PBJ
  • Pretzels
  • Canned corn
  • Snack
  • Homemade Granola Bar
  • Supper
  • Homemade Pizza
  • Homemade Breadsticks

Canning Rhubarb, and more planting

I'm trying a new theory. Instead of eating within the seasons, how about preserving each season so I can have it all year long. Case in point: last year I made the heck out of rhubarb muffins for a couple months. I've been craving them for about 10 months now. I like to can as much as possible to save freezer space for meat so I thought I'd try canning rhubarb. It was the easiest canning experience ever!!

I had a bag of rhubarb that must have weighed 10 pounds. I could have run it through the food processor like I sometimes do but cut it up by hand instead. It is easier to work with and looks nicer. Plus, I didn't feel good and sitting in front of the TV with the cutting board for 2 hours made me feel like I accomplished something. Anyway, I chopped it in small 1/2-1 inch pieces.

Add 2-4 cups of sugar to each 16 cups of rhubarb. I used only 2 cups because I prefer a very light syrup. Toss together in a big bowl and let sit for at least a few hours. The natural juices will seep out and create it's own syrup.


After setting for awhile it is time to get the canner going and jars ready. Then heat the rhubarb and the juice in a pan until boiling. Boil for 30-60 seconds. Transfer to jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rim and seal. Process for 15 minutes.

The Ball canning book says that each 16 cup batch will produce 8 pints. I had about 40 cups but only ended up with 13 pints, not the 20 I expected. The rhubarb must have cooked down quite a bit. There was not a lot of syrup but all the jars sealed and I expect them to store well. I already opened 1 jar to make muffins and I was very happy with the product. I'll share the rhubarb muffin recipe as soon as I find the one I used last year.

In other news, I planted out some more seedlings tonight. 35 Waltham 29 broccoli and 17 more Amish Paste tomatoes, bring the total AP tomatoes up to 25 surviving.

Tomorrow is my early day at work so off to bed I go. Enjoy! :)

Pistachio Fluff Minus the Cool Whip

I love the taste a pistachio fluff. Cool Whip, not so much. It isn't the taste that I mind so much as the ingredients. The first four are: water, corn syrup, vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, followed by a bunch of gum and unpronounceable things. My version calls for real cream instead. If you wanted to take things a step further you could make your own marshmallows as well. Homemade marshmallows still contain corn syrup but not as much. Plus, you can then select a brand of syrup that you prefer. I've included a couple of links at the bottom for those interested in the marshmallows.

Anyway, back to the fluff. I use the following ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
10oz. crushed pineapple (do not drain the juice)
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1oz. package instant pistachio pudding

First, whip the cream with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks or doesn't fall from a spoon turned upside down. I stopped mixing when mine was a little lumpy rather than smooth and that's fine.

In a separate bowl, combine the pudding mix and crushed pineapple. Be sure to include the pineapple juice. Next, stir in the marshmallows. Now is the time to add in any other extras you may prefer. I've seen versions with maraschino cherries or mandarin oranges. If it sounds good it probably will be.

Fold the whipped cream in to the pudding mixture. Do not mix more than necessary, you just want to make a uniform green color throughout.

You're done! Keep chilled in the fridge and enjoy. This is a great, light dessert to serve after a barbecue.

The most thorough tutorial I have found on making marshmallows is at The Hungry Mouse.
If you prefer a recipe with less corn syrup you may like Crunchy Chicken's version although it calls for covering them in caramel so I'm not sure if they would be the proper consistency for making fluff.

Any alternatives for your favorite dessert?

Almost Local Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza

This is a quick and relatively easy dinner option for us. I personally don't like pizza so I make a separate pan of breadsticks for myself. I like the following recipe which can be found at http://www.wheatfoods.org/Quick-Whole-Wheat-Pizza-Crust.217.1.htm

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast/instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot tap water (120 - 125°F)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar

I mix the ingredients together in a bowl and then dump it out on to a floured countertop. I add parsley, oregano, and a little garlic salt to the dough to taste. Knead for a couple minutes adding extra flour as needed. Then roll out with a rolling pin into a circle big enough for your pizza pan. You can make 2 thin crust pizzas or 1 regular crust with this recipe. Carefully transfer the dough to a greased pizza pan.



Last time I bought cheese sticks Kraft brand was on sale so I bought that kind. We think they are gross: plastic like with no flavor. I thought I'd use them up by making this pizza with a stuffed crust. Just push some extra dough up over the lip of the pan. Place strips of the cheese around the edge and push them in to the dough slightly. Then roll the lip down and over the cheese while pushing the whole edge back against the lip of the pan.



Time to add the toppings. I used home canned tomato sauce and shredded 4 more cheese sticks to put on top of the sauce. I add venison pepper sticks from Brian's deer, sliced thinly with a knife, in place of store bought pepperoni. On goes 1 small can of mushrooms.



As a special touch I melt some butter, mix in a little garlic salt and herbs, and spread that over the crust. It makes it a little more moist which is part of what Brian missed from take out pizza. He approved this recipe and doesn't dislike it like he has some of the others I've tried.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or try a little longer if it isn't crisp.

For our pizza the ingredients are as follows:
Veggie oil, sugar, flour, tomato sauce, pepper stick - all very local
Sea salt - purchased at Lansing Market
Yeast, mushrooms, cheese - purchased at local grocery

Theoretically one could grow their own mushrooms and purchase local cheese for a totally local experience! What is your favorite almost local dish? Or easy dinner idea?

My New Favorite Cookbook

I borrowed a lot of cookbooks from the library a few weeks back. One of the best ones I tried and ended up buying is Make A Mix. I had never heard of it and stumbled upon it while browsing the freezer cooking manuals. Basically the first half contains recipes for mixes. The section includes dry baking mixes and other mixes that need to be frozen or used right away. Then you turn to the back half and find recipes for all the different meals you can make with each mix. My favorite so far is the Hot Roll Mix. I mix a large batch of the dry mix and then use it make some delicious things like Big Soft Pretzels, dinner rolls, and even Pizza Crust! I did find some good freezer cooking recipes in other books (more about that later) but Make A Mix is a great way to supplement those meals. Like I said, I found it through my library first. I liked it so much that I bought a used copy through Amazon.com pretty inexpensively.

By the way, those soft pretzels were a life saver when we decided to go to the church pot luck at the last minute. I rolled them out, Brian applied a little egg and salt, and they baked within 15 minutes. I don't want to cheat and share the recipe but it is very good! Enjoy!

What's your favorite cookbook?

Brian's Tater Tot Surprise

Here's a great, and quick invention that Brian made up for dinner the other night. He was really craving nachos and we didn't have any chips. So instead...

First, he browned some hamburger with seasonings to taste. Then he spread out a layer of tater tot hashbrowns on a cookie sheet. He sprinkled the whole pound of burger over those and then sprinkled a generous amount of shredded cheese on top. Then he baked it in the oven

I'm not sure that the picture does it justice. It really looked quite appetizing even though I'm too picky to try it. He topped it with ketchup and had two helpings so it must have been good. I love it because it is so easy and quick! Plus, it was really fun to watch him make up something that he liked. I'll have to experiment with fresh shredded potatoes and see how that goes so I don't have to make a habit of buying the tater tots.

Any quick meals you want to share? Or substitutes to calm your cravings?

Waste Reduction and Chocolate Muffins

I am very excited to be taking on the the Food Waste Reduction Challenge hosted by Crunchy Chicken (see sidebar for link). To start out I tossed any old food that I found in the fridge so that we can start fresh. Most of what I tossed were old dressings and sauces that we never use and brought here with us from the old house. I also threw out some shrimp and cocktail sauce from Christmas and one thing of leftovers from a restaurant. I plan to use my postal scale to weigh anything we throw out in February.

When I got to the freezer I was relieved not to find much that needed to be tossed. I did pitch some leftover cheesy potatoes we had frozen from our wedding. Then I came across the several bags of frozen shredded zucchini from last years garden. I had yet to use any of them. So, what's a non-wasting girl to do with all that zucchini?

Make muffins! Yeah, chocolate muffins to be exact. I pulled together a recipe from a few different ones to come up with the following:

Chocolate Muffins with (Shhh!) Zucchini
2 2/3 cups whole grain pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 cup shredded zucchini (could also use applesauce!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or milk)
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped almonds and/or 1/2 cup Andes baking chips

I mixed the wet ingredients together first then added the dry. This was enough to make 24 muffins. I filled 12 muffin cups then mixed about 1/2 cup Andes mint baking chips in to the remainder. After filling the other 12 cups I sprinkled some tops with more chips and others with the almonds. I left some plain as well.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. These are delicious!! Let me know if you try them. I froze 8, took 8 to work, and left 8 for us to eat.

Homemade Garlic Shells

Alright, here's the recipe for homemade garlic shells that I've been using. My friend at work gave me the idea and the basic ingredients. I've been experimenting with it and like the results. My husband and I both like the Lipton garlic noodles in the bag but they are expensive and full of preservatives and other junk. I doubt I am saving much because this recipe uses heavy whipping cream, but when all the ingredients are purchased on sale (or if you have a family cow!) it should work out to about the same, plus you know where it was made. The recipe is not real exact but tweak it to your liking and it will turn out fine.

The taste is a little bit sweeter than I was used to at first. However, today Brian made the bagged kind again and they tasted quite bland to me. I guess taste buds adjust pretty quickly!

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1-2 cups milk or water
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
Garlic powder or salt
Parsley for color
Medium sea shells (pasta)

Pour the heavy whipping cream in a medium saucepan. Add 1-2 cups water or milk (or a combination of the two). I add about 1 1/2 cups initially and a little more if the noodles start to stick later. Add the butter and a generous portion of garlic seasoning. We've been using Lawry's garlic salt with parsley in it plus I add a little extra parsley for color.

Bring contents to a boil, then add noodles. I'm sorry I've never measured them, I just eye it. A little less than 1/2 of a 1 lb. box works well for two of us, sometimes with a little left over.

I turn the heat down and just simmer the noodles until tender. This is the point where you may need to add a little more water or milk if the noodles start to stick. Once the noodles are tender turn the heat off and let the sauce thicken for 5 minutes or so. I you find that you've added too much liquid you can always stir in a little cornstarch for thickening before turning the heat off.

Enjoy! These are really good with pork chops or a basic chicken dish. Let me know if you try it.

Back 2 Basics and Other Challenges

I've decided to start the Back 2 Basics Harvest Keeper Challenge for 2009. Chicken eggs will be the only thing on the list for now but I am excited to see things rack up once spring arrives. This will be very good for me because I kept no records from all of the farming and canning I did last year. Check out my sidebar if you're interested, and go visit Farm Mom for a better example.

Other challenge updates:


We haven't been using our corn burner at all due to it malfunctioning and refusing to keep a fire going. Brian is trying to track down the problem but in the meantime we're blowing our budget with all the fuel oil we're burning. So much for keeping track of the corn we use! We do keep the thermostat set low (58-62 F) and I finally found the controls for our dual heated blanket so we use that every night to take the edge off. I covered most of our windows with the clear plastics kits in the fall and although I don't how much that is helping I do like that I can't feel a breeze when I walk by the windows! I'd like to make some insulated curtains with my new sewing machine. I hope to make them this year because fall is a busy time for us and I'm sure I won't do much sewing over the summer.


1. Plant something: not much of that going on here. Check out the next update for more info.
2. Harvest something: while there is nothing left outside to harvest I got a thrill out of using some of the carrots I stored away in the fall.
3. Preserve something: We reorganized our freezer and Brian filled it with venison from his hunting trip back in December.
4. Prep something: I have been spending all my free time researching poultry breeds and other topics in preparation to order chicks and expand our flock. I'd like to include some day range broilers this year and have enough eggs to sell. Right now we have plenty of extra eggs but not enough to market them.
5. Cook something: I have been trying a lot of new recipes and Brian is grateful, I think. First I made Parmesan Chicken then Buttermilk Baked Chicken, both of which I really like and can't wait to make again. Today I made Beef Stew, plus I've been using that great new bread recipe. I tried to make homemade potato chips too but still have some work to do there.
6. Manage your reserves: Our pantry is overflowing, we are definitely going to need more shelving! I've been making homemade garlic shells a lot with dinner so I scarfed up a 5 or 6 month supply of shells on sale last week. It is going to take a lot of finagling to get those to fit in the pantry. :)
7. Work on local food systems: for those who remember my post about the food co-op presentation I went to, I have an update. I did communicate with Dr. Schilling again and apparently there has been no further interest in a local co-op. I was hoping to hold a planning meeting and am a little disappointed that no contact information was collected at the presentation. I'll continue to seek out interest and may pursue a co-op more in the future. If anyone in the Michigan Tri-Cities or Thumb area is interested in a food co-op (as a producer or consumer) please let me know!


My seeds from Baker Creek have arrived! I also purchased a grow light and two bulbs in preparation for starting seeds. The next step is to check out my old ingredients for soiless potting mix and see if I need to buy fresh for this year. I think of have plenty of peat pots left to use initially but I may get some of a larger size (4" or so) for when the seedlings get bigger. How exciting!

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Abbie over at Farmer's Daughter is hosting a Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap! I'm excited to check out everyone recipes. Here's my first contribution.



Pumpkin Pie Squares
Recipe taken from Farm Journal's Best-Ever Cookies by Patricia A. Ward.

1 c. sifted flour
1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. butter
1 (16-oz.) can mashed pumpkin (2 c.) <----2 c. was most of a bigger can for me, not sure about that
1 (13.5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 Tbs. butter

Combine flour, oats, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1/2 c. butter in bowl. Mix until crumbly, using electric mixer at low speed. Press dough into bottom and 1/2" up sides of ungreased 13x9x2" baking pan. Bake in 350 degree (F) over 16 minutes.
Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves in bowl. Beat well, using rotary beater. Pour into baked crust.
Bake in 350 degree (F) oven 20 minutes.
Combine pecans, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 2 Tbs. butter; sprinkle over pumpkin filling. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool in pan on rack. Cut into 2 1/4" squares. Makes 24.

My comments: I liked this one because it allows you to work very efficiently. While the crust is baking you mix the filling, while the filling is baking you mix the topping. I whipped these together the night before my hubby headed up north for Thanksgiving. This is a great thing to make if you don't know what others are bringing, there were other regular pumpkin pies at his family's but these squares were a little bit different and still festive.
Sorry I don't have a pic, I'll add one next time I make them. Basically they look a lot like pumpkin pie but you could add them to a tray of other goodies. As mentioned above, the 16 oz. can and the 2 c. didn't add up for me so I may have used too much filling. The bars may be a little firmer and not require a fork if you stuck to the 16 oz. can. Enjoy!

Oh and of course you don't have to use pecans, I used walnuts and no one complained.

Homemade Laundry Soap

My Mom & I have been using this recipe for years now so I thought I would share it. It came from our local paper, author unknown.

Laundry Soap Recipe:

3 pints water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup borax
1 quart hot water
2 gallon bucket

Note: You may be able to get your local grocer to order the Fels Naptha for you, or you can find it online. The grocery store should have washing soda and borax, looks near the stain removers and other laundry aids.

Step #1: Mix grated soap in a large saucepan with 3 pints hot water. Heat on the stove over low heat until dissolved. Do not allow to boil.

Step #2: Stir in Super Washing Soda and 20 Mule Team Borax. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Step #3: Add 1 quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and mix well. Fill bucket with more hot water, leaving a few inches at the top, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

I like this mixture a lot and find it to work well on my clothes. My husbands really dirty/greasy jeans don't clean well in it but they didn't respond well to store-bought detergents either. We have pretty hard water, my Mom has soft water, and it performs well for both of us. I like that it is a liquid and that it lacks dyes and perfumes, since they sometimes irritate my skin.

Let me know if you try it or if you have any other laundry tips/recipes! :)

(Note: I took pictures of this entire process but they won't load right now so I'll try again later!)

Today, as I sit and look at my list of errands to run, I am thankful that we have the funds and vehicles available to do these little everyday tasks. One of the things on my list today is to drop off recycling. I am so lucky to live in a place where we have a wonderful recycling company and great people working there. I was very disappointed in our roadside pickup service so I'm glad to have found an alternate drop-off point. If you're local the place is Tuscola County Recycling.

9 Things We Do With Apples

Sorry for the long gap in posts - I lost my internet connection for awhile this week.

I have apples coming out of my ears and there is no end in sight - STILL! I thought I would share some of the things that we do with them around here to preserve the harvest. Here's the list:

1. APPLE BETTY
This recipe was suggested by my mother-in-law and can be found in the Better Homes & Gardens "New" Cookbook (mine is definitely not new, more like 30+ years old). The recipe calls for 4 cups of apples so I peel and slice mine and freeze them in 4 cup portions. As you're peeling drop them in some water & lemon juice to preserve the color, then drain & freeze. I don't bother rinsing mine. Here's the recipe:

"Apple Betty Pie"
4 cups sliced pared tart apples or 1 No. 2 can (2 1/2 cups) sliced pie apples, drained
1/4 cup orange juice (I'll skip this if we don't have any)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup butter

Mound apples in buttered 9" pie plate, sprinkle with OJ. For topping: combine sugar, flour, spices, and dash salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly, then scatter over apples.
Bake @ 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until apples are done and topping is crisp. Serve warm with cream (real whipped cream or cool whip, I don't use anything). Serves 6.

2. APPLE SAUCE
This is where I use the most apples and here is how I do it...
Again, slice apples directly into bowl of water & lemon juice. When done slicing, scoop out apples and put in large saucepan with just enough water to avoid sticking. I cook mine on medium heat until the apples can be crushed with a potato masher or large slotted spoon. I don't run them through a food mill or anything, I found that to be a waste of time. My husband likes his applesauce chunky but even if you don't, I gotten it pretty well mashed this way. Them add sugar and cinnamon to taste and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice. You can follow a recipe exactly if you want but since I use all the apples of our trees, and I don't know what kind they are, I just taste test each batch and adjust appropriately. I recommend the Ball Canning Book.
Once you add the sugar bring sauce to a slight boil again and then can in quart or pint jars, processing for 20-25 minutes. I guess you could probably freeze this too, although I try to only use the freezer for things that can't be preserved elsewhere. You could also make dried applesauce, which leads me to...

3. DRIED SLICES
This is a quick way to get rid of an abundance of apples. Again, slice in to water/lemon juice and then spread handfuls out on food dehydrator trays. You can also dry them in the sun or by hanging rings in your house but I prefer the dehydrator. I sprinkle each tray with cinnamon sugar and dry for 1-2 days. They should be dry throughout but still chewy. My husband and I both like these a lot better then we expected to. Actually, they are quite addicting.

4. GRANOLA BARS
I've been using these dried apples chopped up in place of raisins or other fruit in this great granola bar recipe. I also add them to my oatmeal-in-a-thermos (7th recipe from the bottom.

5. CHOPPED APPLE COOKIES
These are something that my hubby's Grandma always used to make. We're trying to track down her original recipe but in the meantime I'm planning to try this one.

6. CHOP & FREEZE
Hmm, maybe this is cheating. This is how I prepare the apple to use in #5, 7, & 8. I think it's quite ingenious if I do say so myself. First I peel them and cut them in slices or chunks. Then I use my Pampered Chef gizmo to chop them up, I like them fine to medium. I've been told a food processor would be much easier & faster. I intend to try that someday but for now I'm happy not using anything electricity. After chopping I pressed the apples in muffin tins and popped them in the freezer. When you're done you have nice 1/4 to 1/2 cup portions so you can thaw as much as you need according to each recipe. Here's some pics:




7. WAFFLES
I tried this recipe last weekend and it was great. I used fresh chopped apples because I had them but this winter I can use either the frozen blocks or I think adding applesauce would have a similar effect.

8. APPLE BREAD
This is my favorite on the whole list. I'll use 3 or 4 frozen blocks for this one. It is great to make on a Sunday and have a slice or two for breakfast all week. It is SO good and quite filling, even without any butter. I heat mine in the microwave for a few seconds. This recipe came on the back of my electric bill and gives credit to Bernice Hass:

1/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 c chopped apples
1 c sugar
2 Tbsp sour milk (or buttermilk, I use a little milk and vinegar)
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Topping: 2 Tbsp butter, 4 Tbsp sugar, 1-2 tsp cinnamon

Cream shortening & sugar. Add eggs & beat. Stir in sour milk, vanilla, flour, baking soda, & salt. Add chopped apples and nuts. Put in greased loaf bread pan. Add topping and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. MMmmm!

9. APPLE PIE FILLING
I've been canning a lot of this too. Here's the recipe straight out of the canning book, to make about 7 pints. I usually make a double patch and use quart jars. 1 quart will make a big pie:
12 cups apple slices
2 3/4 sugar
3/4 ClearJel(R) (I use cornstarch & have fine results)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice

Blanch apples for 1 minute, set aside and cover to keep warm. Combine all ingredients except lemon juice & bring to a boil. Stir constantly and cook until thick & bubbly. Add lemon juice & bring back to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and fold in apple slices. Heat again until apples are heated through. Can & process 25-30 minutes.

The book does not have directions for using the filling but I would use it as you would when you bake a normal pie, adding the filling to the uncooked crust and baking the whole thing at once.


Well, there's my list. Let me know if you try any of these things. I would love to hear what you're doing with your apples. I hope I've suggested a few things that will help them last until next harvest.

Greening Your Dishwasher

So a little more than a year after moving in and rearranging our kitchen to make room for a dishwasher, it is finally up & running. And I sure am loving it. I have lived without a dishwasher for most of the past 4 years and I really thought that maybe I wouldn't use it much once I had one - WRONG! With all the baking I do now I still have quite a few things to hand wash but it is very nice to just put the rest of the dishes right in there and have it all done for me. However, I was a little worried about how environmentally friendly this was going to be so I thought I'd do a little research. Please see the links to my sources thoroughout.

Apparently, if your dishwasher is more than 10 years old it is worth investing in a new one. The energy cost of running such an old machine is prohibitive. One article I read mentioned possibly donating an old machine. In my opinion it would be much better to call someone who will cut it up for scrap and find uses for the motors, fans, etc. Our dishwasher is not new and it is not an Energy Star model but it is only 2 or 3 years old. My Dad gave it to us after he installed a new one only to find their was a malfunction in his plumbing, not in the dishwasher. Anyway, the front says it is a "whirlpool - Imperial Series". A word of warning, according to the TreeHuggers article the new dishwasher with dirt sensors can actually use MORE energy than those without.

How you run your dishwasher will play a big role in the amount of energy it uses. If you can, have someone adjust your hot water heater's thermostat down to 120 degrees F (also see this & join this). Here's the obvious advice: run only full loads. This has been harder then I thought with the bottom/top filling up faster than the other. So what if you have to hand wash a few plates to even things out? Try not to pre-rinse most of the dishes if you can help it. I have found that usually the dishwasher does a good job without rinsing first, just scrape off any chunks of food (preferably in to your compost bin!). If your dishwasher has a delay or timer feature, or depending on when you're home, consider running it during off-peak electricity hours. Call your utility company to check out their options and programs, don't just assume you'll be saving a lot of $$$. Another common sense tip is to avoid the heated drying cycle and allow your dishes to air dry. Open it up and dump any water that is sitting on the bottom of cups, bowls, etc. Then leave the door cracked overnight and things should dry out. Alternatively, grab your dish towel and wipe any wet surfaces as you put them away.

Okay, on to the fun part: detergent. This biggest thing to avoid is using a detergent with high levels of phosphates. These are the components used in fertilizer that cause algae to grow in unwanted places and create a lot of damage to fish & wildlife habitat. The Michigan Environmental Council put together a nice list of phosphate levels in different detergents. Check the side of the box for more accurate levels. The partial box of Cascade PureRinse powder that my boss gave me has this lovely statement on the side of the box:

PHOSPHORUS CONTENT: This Cascade formula averages no more than 6.4% phosphorous, in the form of phosphates, which is equivalent to 1.0 gram per tablespoon.

6.4% !!! That's actually 2 points higher than the content listed in the aforementioned article. I found this option
here (available in gel, powder, or tablet, scented or unscented) and several options on Amazon.com

If you do have products shipped to you try to order in bulk and consider requesting limited packing materials. Most manufacturers' websites have a "find a store" feature now. There are also several recipes out there for homemade detergents. This is the route I plan to take since I'm already making my own homemade laundry detergent and it works great. The gals over at The Dollar Stretcher (which is a site I have loved for years and highly recommend!) suggest a 1/2 & 1/2 mix of borax and baking soda. If that sounds a little too simple for you, and it does to me, then look here.

It seems that phosphate-free options are more likely to cause a cloudy appearance on glass, and who doesn't love a good rinse aid anyway? You may already use white vinegar, and there are other options (see links on the bottom of that last article).

I will post more here once I figure out what works for me. I hope I've gathered together some useful information. Feedback is more than welcome! :)

*Update: I just found this great post over at One Green Generation.

Independence Days Update

1. PLANT SOMETHING: Some of my watermelon plants are coming up now. I planted three different kinds of cucumbers: one for slicing, one for pickles, and lemon cucumbers. I also planted my six little blueberry bushes in front of the house. One of them is mysteriously missing now and since ordering season is over for them I guess I'll have to get another one next year. I have a feeling that the puppy must have dug it up but I couldn't find it anywhere in the yard. What a bummer. On a good note, the potato plants that were accidently run over with the rototiller are coming back up again. I'm not sure if it is the same stems or new ones so hopefully it didn't hurt the yield too badly. At least we'll have some! :)

2. Harvest something. Not much ready right now. Next year I've got to plant some lettuce! My gooseberry plants have some pretty big berries on them but I don't think they're quite ready yet. I guess you could say we are harvesting hay because that is stockpiled feed for our animals all winter. We got 85 good bales off before a hailstorm hit and then the rest of a 7 acre field got poured on and will be cattle feed. Brian cut a couple rounds on the 15 acre field today. He has decided to say forget the weatherman and go with his gut instincts. I think he'll be better off.

3. Preserve something. *sigh* This is become more of a to-do list then notes on what I have done. I'll have to e-mail my Mom after this post and see if I can get more of her rhubarb to freeze. Oh, and my friend at work did leave some in the fridge for me so I'll get that tomorrow. Who knew I would love rhubarb so much. Plus I found a new recipe for it today so I'll try that.

4. Prep something. I have a couple of things to do here:

-Build a compost bin: we currently have to haul the table scraps across the road to avoid having them end up as dog food. Even then sometimes the puppy sneaks over and grabs a bite.

-Clean out the little red shed: this is the place where my chickens are housed and my sheep were at originally. I need to clean out the thick bed of hay and straw before the slatted wood floor gets rotten. Then I can finish the chickens' coop.

5. Cook something. Not much new here. I did make another patch of rhubarb muffins - Mmm Mmm!

6. Manage your reserves. I'm still doing okay here with the pantry. I was a little bummed when my fiance proudly announced he found a great sale on Powerade and then bought 2 cases of 15 bottles each. A few months ago I would have been excited about his find (and I was still a little proud at how price-conscious he is!) but it sucks to buy all those plastic bottles. We do reuse them until they get slimy or smelly but I'm afraid that probably isn't too healthy. Of course they go in the recycling bin after. So in an attempt to prevent this problem in the future we also bought a huge thing of Gatorade powder so I can mix up our own batches at home once the other stuff is gone.

7. Work on local food systems. Okay I still need to find a local source of feed for the sheep and chickens but I've got my flour source now! Atleast I think so. I called and talked to Shirley at Hampshire Farms and learned that they have several different kinds of flour and beans available. The flour is sold in 2# packages but larger quantities are available for order so I am going to try out a few different kinds and see what I like. Funny thing, as we got to talking we figured out that the farms' owner went to school with my fiance's parents and although there main farm is about 30 minutes away they also have an organic vegetable patch only 2 miles from our house! What a small world. I am so excited to get my first flour from them!