Still Alive and Kicking!

Ok...

One thing I've found out is that I am not good at signing into a blog website to create posts. For one, it doesn't work well on my phone, and so I have to use the computer. And secondly, I never have time to do it when I'm home and can get on the computer.

So...I am moving my "blog" to Facebook. As soon as I can get a page set up there, I'm hoping that I will have more time to be able to post things. Plus I can easily upload pictures, share recipes on various websites that I have tried, etc.

Please find my page there and "Like" it! Give me a day or two to get it set up, and I'll try to be more active there.

:)

Cheese, Please?

We have a historically-based special event coming up at work this weekend. As the site's Historic Foodways Coordinator, I was trying to come up with a fun new demo. I decided that we would try our hand at making cheese. However, having never done it before, I decided to try a batch at home before the special event.

And...

THIS is the fruit of my labors! My first ever batch of homemade cheese. It's a soft whole milk based cheese. And it's pretty good. It could use just a bit more salt for an extra flavor kick, but I didn't know how much to use, so I still consider it a success. It's great with Ritz crackers.

And now that I know what I'm doing...it will be even better on Saturday!!!

The method is this:

Pour a gallon of whole milk in a pan. Pour in 4 Tbs of lemon juice and heat to 84 degrees, stirring constantly. Add rennet (Amount varies by brand. Check package for amount needed.). While stirring, heat to 113 degrees. By the time it reaches desired temperature, you will start seeing the curds separating from the whey. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Uncover, and use a sharp night to cut through the curds. Spread cheesecloth over a bowl, and pour the curds and whey into the cheesecloth. Bundle the curds up, and twist the bundle closed. Squeeze until all of the whey is removed, and no more liquid runs out. Spread dry curds out onto a cutting board. Sprinkle with salt, and work curds with your hands until the salt is all mixed in. Return curds to cheesecloth and rebundle. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Once you unbundle it, you will have a ball of cheese, ready to slice and eat. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.

That's it. It takes less than an hour from beginning to end!

The cheese was only one part of my cooking adventure from the day. I also made lemon poppy seed muffins, and a fantastic new dish for dinner. THAT recipe was awesome, and I will post about it next time. In the mean-time, you should try making your own cheese. It's lots of fun, and pretty yummy!

Pasta Machine Search

I am currently looking for a pasta machine for my next self-challenge. If anyone has one, and doesn't use it, I would be interested in purchasing it. I have fallen in love with the idea of making all of my own pasta from scratch. I've never made my own pasta before, but I am SO READY to try it. If you have one, please leave me a comment below, and I will contact you.

I have been challenged to try a healthy chocolate pudding recipe, using avacados. Thank you for the challenge, Mom. I will be trying it very soon, and I'll definitely blog about it to let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, I've been keeping busy with work, babysitting, menu planning and lots more. I'm going to try to spend more time with you all in the near future. I'm sorry for my long absences.

For dinner tonight we had a yummy big batch of Zucchini, thanks to co-worker Linda. She grows lots of fresh veggies in her garden every year, and shares the excess with other people. I have been the grateful recipient a few times, and we enjoy it so much. I do miss having my own garden, but that's part of living in an apartment in the city.

Good night to all. I'll see you all soon!

Doll Hair De-Tangler

This is a secret every mother/grandmother/aunt/babysitter/friend/etc. of young girls should know...

You're sitting there and all of a sudden a little girl throws a doll in your lap and asks you to comb her hair. The hair is tangled and matted, and no matter how much you brush it with that mini doll brush, it just isn't working. What do you do now?!?!

Make your own doll hair de-tangling solution. Not only does it work great, but it makes the doll smell GREAT! Here's how you do it:

Take a spray bottle and put in 5 oz. of water. Next add 2 oz. of liquid fabric softener (Downy or generic...doesn't really matter) and 3 drops of baby oil. Put the lid on the bottle, and shake it up.

Now, pull the dolls hair up, and cover it's face and body with a towel. Spray the solution on the hair until it's saturated, and start combing it out. Once you have the tangles removed, brush it down the way you want it to dry, and set the doll aside. Once it's dry it will look so much better!

Hello, all!

Hello, everyone!

I hope you are all doing well. I would like to apologize for my long absence from my blogging. Things have been crazy, and quite honestly, sitting down and blogging was the last thing on my mind.

So why is it on my mind now? Because we've had so much fun the last few days. Let me explain...

I was scheduled off work to reduce some of my comp time, so I took advantage and came to SW Missouri to visit my family for 6 days. While here, my sister introduced me to the show "Master Chef". I had never watched this show, and fell in love with it immediately. Watching all of the interesting dishes and challenges has been so much fun. But it's led to 2 things....

1. I want to be on "Master Chef". Will I ever make it? Probably not. But I'd sure love to check into it. It's not because I think I'm the best chef in the world, but because it would be interesting to learn so many new things and find some new challenges myself.

2. We decided to try our hand at making molten lava cakes.

One of the challenges on the show was to make a perfect Molten Lava Cake. According to chef Gordan Ramsey, these make chefs all over the world tremble in fear, as it's a very delicate dessert to make. 1 minute too long in the oven, and it's overcooked and there's no "goo" in the middle. One minute too few, and it's runny and collapses. Now I have certainly eaten a few of these, but had never made one. My sister Amber (another great cook) had neither eaten or made them. So....we decided to give them a try.

We invited my parents over to my sister's house, and while they were here we made a beautiful molten lava cake batter. We poured it into our ramekins, and baked it for the exact 13 minutes the recipe called for. We pulled it out and held our breath as we inverted a plate, and carefully dumped the cake out of the ramekin. It didn't collapse! We dusted them with powdered sugar and quickly handed them off to brother-in-law Patrick and my parents. They cut into them, and they were PERFECT!!! Yay!!!

Now...I'm not going to pretend everything I/we've ever made was perfect...but I'm pretty proud of this. I wish chef Ramsey could try them.

This has really renewed my passion for cooking yet again, so look out blog friends...I'm looking for challenges, so I'll probably be posting more frequently!

Also...here's your chance to be involved....

Challenge me. If there's a dish you would like me to try to make, leave a comment, and if I've never made it before, I'll try my hand at it, and see what happens.

Have a great night!

So true...

I just got done reading a quote by the late Albert Einstein. That man was so smart. His thought?

“The difference between genius and stupidity is genius has its limits.”

Boy...how true is that?! I've noticed some pretty interesting people recently who have surprised me with their level of stupidity. LOL!

WD-40...Who Knew???

Ok...first off, I can't take credit for this post. I read this on the internet recently, and then saw it again on a Facebook post. But it's such great information I had to share!!! Who knew this stuff was so great?!

"The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.
WD-40 was created in 1953, by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company.
Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'Water Displacement' Compound.
They were finally successful for a formulation, with their fortieth attempt, thus WD-40.
The 'Convair Company' bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that could hurt you.


WD-40 Uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floor that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps the flies off of Cows, Horses, and other Farm Critters, as well. (Ya gotta love this one!!!)
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic / terracotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on both home and vehicles doors.
18. It removes that nasty tar and scuff marks from the kitchen flooring.
It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.
Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Remove those nasty Bug guts that will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gearshift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers...
22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes grease splatters from stovetops.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons away (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, it protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose.
Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. It is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray it on the marks and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you spray it inside a wet distributor cap, it will displace the moisture, allowing the engine to start.

P.S.
As for that Basic, Main Ingredient.......
Well.... it's FISH OIL...."

Cool, huh?!