Soap!

I have a new hobby!  Making soap at home.

No, not the "real" homemade soap with lye and the chance of chemical burns…

  That scares me just a tad. ;-)

Instead, the easy kind, where you use a soap base 

and then add scent, color, herbs, flowers, etc. etc!

The possibilities are endless and I have had more fun getting started.

You can find instructions, recipes and inspiration for making soap all over pinterest.

I started simple this week and bought a soap mold ($2.47 at Hobby Lobby) 

a block of goat's milk soap ($6.59 with my 40% off coupon to Hobby Lobby)

and a block of shea butter soap ($4.99 with my 50% off coupon to Michaels).

I went back to Hobby Lobby two more times this week ;-)

and got some essential oils and dried herbs at 40% off.

For color, I simply used food coloring from the pantry.

I also used a few other items from the kitchen as well.

And, here is what I created… :-)

(Each of the "recipes" I list makes two bars of soap.  With the two blocks of soap base I bought, I made  12 bars of soap and I still have some left over to make 4 more bars.)

~sweet almond oatmeal and honey soap~

(using this one as my face soap - oatmeal and honey are so good for your skin!)

8 cubes of goat's milk soap base

a few drops of sweet almond essential oil

1 tablespoon of honey

1/4 cup of oats (use old fashioned, not quick cooking oats)

1 capful of vitamin E oil

~lemon and poppyseed soap~

(loving using this one in the kitchen!)

8 cubes of shea butter soap base

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 cup of poppy seeds

1 capful of vitamin E oil

2 drops of yellow food coloring

~mint soap~

8 cubes of goat's milk soap base

2 tablespoons of infused mint water

1 capful of vitamin E oil

2 drops of green food coloring

(The infused mint water didn't give me a strong enough scent for this soap, 

so next time I'll probably just get some spearmint or peppermint essential oil.)

~lavender soap~

(perfect for a sleepy time bath)

8 cubes of goat's milk soap base

1 tablespoon of drived lavender

a few drops of lavender essential oil

1 capful of vitamin E oil

1 drop of red and 1 drop of blue food coloring

~orange peel soap~

(for a morning shower, I think!)

8 cubes of shea butter soap base

1 tablespoon of dried orange peel

1 capful of vitamin E oil

1 drop of red and 1 drop of yellow food coloring

(Again, I think I'll get some orange or citrus essential oil next time for this soap.  Also, I want to add some cornmeal to this variety.)

~rose petal soap~

(Mr. H. calls this the "grandma soap!") ;-)

8 cubes of shea butter soap base

a few drops of rose soap scents 

a capful of vitamin E oil

2 drops of red food coloring

A few tips -

Get "suspension formula" soap bases and your add-ins won't sink to the bottom of your soap bars.

No need to buy the special soap colorings - food coloring works just fine.  One drop of coloring per bar of soap is a good rule of thumb.

It takes right at a minute in the microwave to melt 8 cubes of soap base.  I did 30 seconds, stir.

Then 10 seconds, stir 3 times.

Make sure your soap is completely cool before you pop it out of the mold.  Mine took about an hour.

No need to spray anything in the molds to help the soap not to stick.  Mine came out perfect each time.

Never buy anything full price at Hobby Lobby. :-)  Print your 40% off coupon and take your time gathering your supplies.

I do have a question for any experienced soap makers out there -

I am wondering about the shelf life of the soaps that I added organic ingredients to,

like the oats and the lemon zest?  Anyone know?

Next I want to try the clear glycerin soap base and add wildflowers from the backyard.

And a coffee bean soap, how neat would that be?

You can be SO creative with this 

and the possibilities really are endless!

I'm so excited to enjoy these at home 

and to give them as gifts.   

Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad

This recipe is from Paul Deen.

It's quite different and very good.  I actually don't think I've ever made a cold, asian pasta dish so it was a nice change of pace.  I am glad that I switched it to lunch for today instead of last night's supper. It's  more of a lunch type salad than a main dish. :-)

The toasted almond slivers are definitely the star of the salad.

Instead of toasting them in the oven, I browned them in sesame oil on the stove.

Then I used the same pan to cook the chicken and added some sesame seeds.

I used frozen Chinese veggies - sugar snap peas, onions, red and green bell pepper.

I mixed up the sauce, added the cooked orzo and water chestnuts 

and tossed in the almonds, vegetables, and chicken.

It's best after being chilled awhile.  So it's perfect to make ahead for lunch.  

It would be really great in a lunch box!

Today is National Iced Tea Day!

I had a glass, or two. :-)

Honestly, I celebrate iced tea everyday.  

Other than oj at breakfast and the occasional glass of almond milk,

it's pretty much all I drink!  Unsweet, with lemon or mint is the way I enjoy it.  

Are you a tea drinker?

Mediterranen on the Menu

I tried several new recipes tonight with a greek flavor.

I really wasn't sure if Mr. H. would like them or not,

but he ended up loving everything!

My favorite recipes always start with fresh ingredients.  Mmm!

First up was an easy, classic mediterranean salad. 

For four servings you'll need -

6 small tomatoes, sliced into quarters (campari are my favorite kind!)

1 english cucumber, chopped (sometimes labeled "seedless")

1/4 red onion, diced

16 kalamata olives

1/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

juice from one lemon

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and cheese in a large bowl.

Combine oil, lemon juice, oregano, and pepper.

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Next was tabbouleh lettuce wraps.  

For four servings you'll need -

1/2 cup bulgur

3/4 cup boiling water

1/8 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/8 cup fresh mint, chopped

1 tomato, chopped 

4 hearts of romaine lettuce leaves

Pour bowling water over bulgur and let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Add oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic, parsley, mint and tomato.

Toss.

Serve on lettuce leaves at room temperature or chilled.

Homemade pita chips!  Why not from a bag?

Because these were better, cheaper and so easy.

You will need - 

2 pita breads, separated and cut into 24 wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Place pita wedges on a cookie sheet.

Combine oil and garlic.

Brush oil over wedges and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Turn wedges over and again brush with oil and season.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until chips are brown and crispy.

Homemade hummus!  Again better and much cheaper than store prepared.  Also very easy.

You will need -

1 can chick peas (also called garbanzo beans)

1/3 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in blender.

Blend until smooth.

Yummy, different, healthy and fun.  

And Mr. H. approved. :-)

Menu Plan Monday

My last day of work for the school year was Friday.  I'm out of my neck brace for six hours each day this week.  And, the kids are at camp.  So, I'm more than ready to try out some fresh, new recipes just for me and Mr. H.  Hold on - we're headed around the globe this week. :-)

Supper Menus

June 9th - 15th 

Monday - Mediterranean 

greek salad, tabbouleh lettuce wraps, homemade hummus and homemade pita chips

Tuesday - Asian

asian chicken and orzo salad
Ok, Mr. H. decided to take me out to eat.  I'll be making this for lunch on Wednesday. ;-)

Wednesday - Italian

roasted tomatoes over pasta, green salad

Thursday - Mexican 

mexican chopped salad

Friday -
out for supper

Saturday - the kids are home! :-)

I'll be making or picking up whatever they request. 

Sunday

out of town

Linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Pimento Cheese on a Rainy Day

Nothing like a simple pimento cheese sandwich for lunch on a dark, rainy day.

Now, I'm not talking grocery store pimento cheese, mind you.  Sorry Prices! ;-)

I'm talking good 'ol, old fashioned, homestyle pimento cheese.

Homestyle Pimento Cheese

makes 8 servings

1 pound velveeta cheese

2 oz jar chopped pimentos

4 tablespoons mayonaise

onion salt to taste - a little goes a long way

Grate cheese into a bowl.

Add pimentos, mayonnaise, and onion salt.

Stir until combined.

Serve immediately.  

Refrigerate leftovers.

Best served with Ruffles potato chips and a glass of iced tea. :-)

Menu Plan Monday

Supper Menus

May 26th - June 1st

Monday

take-out bbq

Tuesday

hamburgers, french fries, ranch style beans

Wednesday

make your own individual pizzas

Thursday

soft tacos, spanish rice, pinto beans

Friday

out for supper

Saturday

breakfast for supper - pepper bacon, scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole, biscuits 

Sunday

pot roast, salad, dinner rolls

Such a happy day!

Today marks 10 weeks that I have completed in my neck brace!

My next doctor appointment is just a week and a half a way. :-)

Happy, happy day!

~Keurig Love~

Well, I'm on the Keurig bandwagon now.

I got one for Mother's Day and for the past week I have absolutely loved it.

I got a couple of boxes of our favorite k-cups at the grocery last week.

But then my amazon order came in of 36 different kinds and 

that sent me from keurig believer straight into keurig love! ;-)

My whole family had fun looking at all the different kinds!

And, then I loaded up my carousal. 

The assortment came with plenty of coffees of course, plus hot cocoas and ciders,

teas and decafs,

and flavored varieties.

I said this one, called "dark and handsome" must have been sent for Mr. H. ;-)

My daughter and I said we'd fight over the "pumpkin vanilla creme" one. 

(Of course I'll let her have it though!)

The first one I tried was the "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" crazy cup flavor!  How fun!

I plan to also get an insert that keurig sells were you can just use your own regular coffee in your machine instead of the k-cups.   

But, for a while I will love, love, love the novelty of a whole coffee shop sitting on my kitchen counter!

I am just loving my Keurig.

I can't wait to have company over and have them be able to select and make

 any hot beverage they'd like.  How neat is that?! :-)

Flowers, flowers, everywhere!

I just love how our property explodes with 

black eyed susans every May!

Literally hundreds everywhere you look.

I just had to snip a few to bring inside to enjoy. :-)

Pristine, manicured lawns in the 'burbs have never been for me.

I like the woods where there is always a surprise at every turn. :-)

Homemaking

“It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, [but] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's the flowers you choose, the music you play, the smile you have waiting. I want it to be gay and cheerful, a haven in this troubled world. I don't want my husband and children to come home and find a rattled woman. Our era is already rattled enough, isn't it?” ~Audrey Hepburn

Six Years Blogging

Well, my six year blogging anniversary came and went without me realizing it!  

On May 4th, six years ago, I was home one evening sick with a cold and I decided to start a blog.  

On that first day I shared - 

my first menu plan, 

a picture of Daisy, 

a favorite recipe, 

a quote, 

a movie I was watching, 

and a poem.

2,363 posts later…

 and the rest is history!

Thanks for visiting all these years. :-)

And, if you've never said hello, I'd love to meet you!

Menu Plan Monday

Back to menu planning after nine long weeks!  Woohoo!

Supper Menus

May 12th-18th

Monday

leftovers

Tuesday

texas chili, country cornbread muffins

Wednesday

potato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Thursday
leftovers

Friday

baked lemon chicken with new potatoes and vegetables, lettuce and tomato salad, rustic bread

Saturday
invited to friend's house for supper

Sunday dinner

pot roast, lettuce and tomato salad, dinner rolls

Ma Ingalls

“This earthly life is a battle,' said Ma. 'If it isn't one thing to contend with, it's another. It always has been so, and it always will be. The sooner you make up your mind to that, the better off you are, and more thankful for your pleasures.” Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

National Strawberry Month

May is National Strawberry Month!

You can go here to find lots of our favorite strawberry recipes.

And her are a few more!

~strawberry delight~

~strawberry shortcake cookies~

~strawberry cupcakes~

~strawberry syrup~

It's Dewberry Time!

"I smile when I look back at the troubles that have strengthened me.  What seems to be insurmountable struggles then are now beautiful ornaments illuminating my soul."

~Dodinsky

Our Favorite New Potatoes

Dig up three or four potatoes per person.

Scrub under cool water.

Boil until tender.

Toss with butter.

Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

~Fresh Garden Onions~

"The first supermarket supposedly appeared on the American landscape in 1946.  That is not very long ago.  Until then, where was all the food?  Dear folks, the food was in homes, gardens, local fields, and forests.  It was near kitchens, near tables, near bedsides.  It was in the pantry, the cellar, the backyard." 

~ Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, 

Healthier People, and a Better World

Home is Where the Heart Is

Sometimes I find myself missing our house in town.

The house where I could keep the floors clean

because we had sidewalks and paved drives.

The house where I had picked out every paint color, floor covering, counter top 

and light fixture.  And everything matched!

The house where I could walk to the corner store if I had to.

Four years ago this week, we sold that house and bought a quirky home in the country that someone else built.  And, in my opinion, very little matches!

I never seem to linger on my thoughts of missing that house in town too long though

because I quickly remember this home is where I hear our duck quacking 

and splashing outside my window.

Where I have wildflowers in my front yard.

Where I don't have an HOA telling me what I can and can't do.

Where I have room to roam and room to breathe.

And where I have pets that feed me breakfast. :-)

Home is where the heart is.  And my heart is certainly right here.