Dec. 2, 2008
Christmas Tags for LESS!
Posted in Simple and Frugal Living
Tags for Christmas packages can be fairly costly, but it is important to label each package properly so each recipient gets their intended gift, right? Well, I have a few tips on how to keep the cost of these items to a minimum.
- Print your own using address labels. Try these links for Christmas printables. Gift Tags, Christmas Printables.
- Consider making your own labels. A little sticker on an address label, children drawing on address labels, etc will make the most adorable unique and personal labels for your gifts
- USe last years Christmas cards. Each year I have a few cards left over from the previous year,s mailing. I also save the fronts of all cards sent to us. These make excellent and FREE labels. Use a hole punch so you can attach with packaging ribbon or simply adhere with tape on one corner. Sign the back and you have a FREE Gift Label.
- Use a photo. We all have photos that have been printed that we will never use in a scrapbook, photo album, or frame. Punch a hole in a corner and attach as above. Sign the back and a little line about what the picture is. People really enjoy these labels. They aren't free because you paid at some point to have the pics printed, but they cost nothing extra. These are always a big hit with our friends and family.
Happy Gifting!
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She is a writer, speaker, and vintage seamstress. For FREE daily tips and a FREE E-zine on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Need a source of encouragement, inspiration, and support on your journey to Godly womanhood? Visit Simple Journey Ministries (she has a FREE E-zine too!) Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Nov. 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted in A Word Fitly Spoken
To each and every one,
Happy Thanksgiving from our homestead to yours!
May God bless you today and always.
My Cup Runneth Over...
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm
Nov. 26, 2008
Our Thankful Trees
Posted in Craft Day
We wanted to make a craft for school to help count our blessings. I love the whole Thankful tree idea... but I am ready for Christmas around here.
So instead of a Autumnal tree, we made Christmas trees and on the ornaments we wrote what we were thankful for.
I know what *I* am thankful for... :)
From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm
Nov. 25, 2008
Frugal Wrapping Ideas
Posted in Simple and Frugal Living
Recently, I was speaking about handmade Christmas gifts that really make the grade so to speak. I know there are times when we get and give those gifts and think, Ok that was nice, but they just don’t have that extra pizzazz, ya know? However, one of the things I brought up was that it isn’t just the gift. If you are including handmade gifts this year, that may not themselves be personal, such as pot holders, gifts in a jar, flavored oils & vinegars, and other gifts you may make multiples of, you can make each of those gifts intimately personal for each recipient with little time and money!
Consider the wrapping or packaging. There are so many ways to personalize a gift that is truly from the heart and lets the recipient know that you are thinking specifically of him/her. For some FANTASTIC ideas for frugal wrapping Check Out This Link. It is filled with creative and fresh ideas that will get your creative juices flowing as to how you can personalize every gift this year for pennies!
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She is a writer, speaker, and vintage seamstress. For FREE daily tips and a FREE E-zine on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Need a source of encouragement, inspiration, and support on your journey to Godly womanhood? Visit Simple Journey Ministries (she has a FREE E-zine too!) Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Nov. 24, 2008
How to Roast a Turkey
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I am sure a lot of you reading this already know how to cook a turkey. But I also know that many ladies have never done it before. I was in my late 20’s before I cooked my first turkey. My grandma or mom or mother in law had always done that part. When I went to cook my first turkey I was reading lots of cookbooks and talking with my mother to learn. It is not like we have the opportunity to practice turkey roasting too often!
I thought I would just share from my own turkey roasting experience how I have done it. There are lots of ways to do this and tips, etc.. and I am sure I won’t cover them all but will share what has worked for me.
First is the actual buying of the turkey. I typically have purchased frozen turkeys. The week before Thanksgiving you can find turkeys at the best price of the year. In fact I usually take advantage of these great prices and buy another turkey or two for the freezer. A mini Thanksgiving dinner at another time of the year is actually kind of fun. A couple of years ago I bought a fresh turkey from Costco and it was good too.
If you buy your turkey frozen you will need a few days to let it defrost. Do not sit it on the counter to defrost. The outside of the turkey will start to spoil before the center has completely defrosted. This is especially true for bigger birds. I put my turkey in the refrigerator to defrost. Two days ahead of time for a small turkey (say 12lbs or under) and three to four days for a bigger turkey.
The night before Thanksgiving I open the turkey up and wash him and remove the giblets. I put those in a bowl and put them back in the fridge. The next day I boil those with some salt and use the broth for my gravy as well as cutting up the giblets to add to the gravy. I rinse the turkey off in cool water making sure he has defrosted completely. I put him in a large roaster pan, cover him up with plastic wrap and put him back in the fridge until the next day.
I also make up my stuffing the night before. Don’t put the stuffing in the bird the night before to save time. This can once again cause spoilage. After I make the stuffing I store it in the fridge.
On Thanksgiving morning I pull the turkey out, preheat the oven, remove the plastic and stuff my turkey. I find the easiest way to do this is to set the turkey in my clean sink and use a big spoon (or my clean hands) to spoon in the stuffing. Then I set the stuffed turkey on my roasting pan. I melt a cube (we call them cubes here in my parts.. some call them sticks) of butter and if it is a big turkey I melt 2 cubes. I take a brush and brush the top of my turkey with this melted butter. Cover the bird with foil and put him in the oven to start baking.
After he has baked for about an hour I use my trusty turkey baster and baste him with the melted butter that has drizzled to the bottom of my pan along with any other juices that have also accumulated.
I continue to cook and baste for the required amount of time. The closer I get to the finish time the more frequently I baste. I also take the foil off for the last couple of hours so the turkey can brown nicely.
Now for some specifics:
Temperature to Bake a Turkey:
325 is what I have always done
How Long to Cook:
If your turkey is stuffed:
8 to 12lbs about 3 hours
12 to 15lbs about 4 hours
15 to 18lbs about 4 ½ hours
18 to 24lbs about 4 1/2 to 5 hours
If you don’t stuff your turkey you can subtract about anywhere from 15 minutes to a half hour off the above times.
However my experience has been that this is a rough estimate. I have had it take longer or shorter.. Your very, very best guide will be your thermometer.
The temperature of the whole turkey, no matter where you put the thermometer (but not touching bone) should read a minimum of 165 (and that includes taking the temp of the stuffing). I actually like it when the temps are a bit higher than that say.. 180.
I also wiggle the drumstick and it should move very easily. When the turkey has finished cooking, take it out of the oven and let is sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will give you time to make the gravy and mash the potatoes.
I hope you all have a wonderful day of good food, family and much thankfulness.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 21, 2008
Thanksgiving Wishes
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Nothing purchased can come close to the renewed sense of gratitude for having family and friends. ~Courtland Milloy
This season, I am increasingly aware of the blessing of family and friends. And you wonderful folks here are some of those I feel priveleged to count among my friends; though our connection is just a "cyber" one, I feel a kinship with many of you who are part of this little community.
I received this little poem in my inbox from another dear friend, and would like to share it with you:
The Computer Prayer
Dear Lord,
Every evening as I'm lying here in bed,
This tiny little prayer
keeps running through my head.
God, bless my mom and dad
And bless my little pup
And look out for my sister
When things aren't looking up.
And God, there's one more thing
I wish that you could do
Hope you don't mind my asking
But please bless my computer too.
Now, I know that's not normal
To bless a motherboard
But just listen for a second
While I explain to you, my Lord.
You see, that little metal box
Holds more than odds and ends.
Inside those small compartments
Are a hundred of my 'friends'.
I know for sure they like me
By the kindness that they give
And this little scrap of metal
Is how I travel to where they live.
By faith is how I know them
much the same as you
I share in what life brings them
From that our friendship grew.
Please take an extra minute
From your duties up above
To bless this scrap of metal
That's filled with so much love!
author unknown
I pray you have a lovely Thanksgiving holiday, surrounded by the the blessing of family and friends, enjoying some of the bountiful harvest from your gardens!
I will be back visiting with you on the Front Porch soon. Our family is once again "on the move", so it may be a few days until the computer has a new spot in our little nest, and is set up and ready to go. First must come other things...the kitchen, the bedrooms, the bathrooms (oh, they need some serious attention), and of course, a nice sunny spot indoors for my potted herbs.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!!!
Blessings to you and yours,
Catherine
Nov. 20, 2008
Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I love the liquid coffee creamers that come in all kinds of yummy flavors, but… I don’t like the unhealthy ingredients they contain. So every now and again I try my hand at making my own with better quality ingredients. I made this one today and I hope you enjoy it too!
.
.
Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
Crystal Miller
1 cup half-n-half
½ cup cane juice crystals (can use white sugar instead)
3T canned pumpkin
½ t vanilla
½ t cinnamon
¼ t ginger
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t cloves
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until cane juice crystals dissolved and ingredients are well combined. Enjoy in a hot cup of coffee. Store in refrigerator.
.
.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 20, 2008
Save on Shaving Cream
Posted in Simple and Frugal Living
Don’t you love the ease of shaving with your favorite shaving cream or lotion? Well, you can get that simple time saver for less!
When your shaving cream or lotion runs out, don’t replace it. Instead use olive oil! Olive oil is a bit thicker than other oils, but also provides essential moisture to your skin. Rub it on your leg and shave as usual. If this seems like the end of this frugal practice, hold on, because you will also save on your moisturizing lotion. When you use olive oil in place of shaving cream, you won’t need to moisturize your skin afterwards. DOUBLE SAVINGS!
This tip works with men as well, and since olive oil doesn’t have an odor, no purchasing of separate products. Now that is a simply frugal savings!
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She is a writer, speaker, and vintage seamstress. For FREE daily tips and a FREE E-zine on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Need a source of encouragement, inspiration, and support on your journey to Godly womanhood? Visit Simple Journey Ministries (she has a FREE E-zine too!) Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Nov. 17, 2008
Thanks Gardening
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching (where did this year go?); I've been pondering having a thankful heart. Our family has much to give thanks for- health, a home (not our dream home, but a roof over our heads nonetheless), friends, family, and for the time being, 2 gardens!
Gardening is one of those things that we just "do" in our family. For me, growing things is not only a hobby, but a passion I suppose. As I ponder giving thanks, and more importantly....living thanks to Him who gives to us so generously and abundantly; I am seeking ways to make gardening a way of giving and living gratitude.
Here are a few thoughts:
Sharing the harvest, a simple place to start.
Planting an extra row of edibles to donate to a food bank or needy famililes.
Saving seeds and sharing those with other gardeners.
Starting a community garden and teaching others the skills to grow their own food.
Market gardening, and donating part (or all) of the profits to the needy or perhaps to a missionary.
Hosting a "Harvest Festival" that gives honor and glory to the Lord of the Harvest.
Giving the gift of seeds to a needy family.
Supporting mission efforts that teach sustainable agriculture.
Anyone else have ideas to share?
Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron
Blessings,
Catherine
Nov. 17, 2008
Fall Baking: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
Want to do a little fall baking? Try these delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They go great with a hot cup of coffee or tea on a cool autumn day.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Crystal Miller
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup butter (half of a stick or cube)
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup honey
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 T yeast
5 to 6 cups whole wheat flour**
¼ cup gluten flour**
Butter
Sucanat or brown sugar
Cinnamon
**Options: you can use half white flour and half whole wheat flour in place of all whole wheat and gluten flour
In a sauce pan combine milk and butter. Heat until the milk is hot and the butter almost melted. Pour the milk/butter combination in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid or Bosch mixer. Let this cool to lukewarm. Add the pumpkin pure, honey, salt, eggs and yeast. Stir until well mixed. Add flour and mix until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of your bowl but is still soft and pliable. Let this sit and rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Turn the mixer back on to punch down the dough. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 2 pieces. Roll the first piece out in a rectangle approximately 12x15 inches.
Butter the dough and sprinkle Sucanat or brown sugar all over. You can use as much or as little as you desire. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of this. Starting at the long side of the dough roll it up jelly roll style. Pinch the dough to seal. Cut the dough into one inch pieces. I like to use my kitchen scissors for this job.
Repeat this with the other half of the dough.
Lay out the cut cinnamon rolls onto a large jelly roll pan or in 2 9x13 pans. Let them rise until the have doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Glaze with a powdered sugar (or powdered Sucanat) glaze as soon as they come out of the oven, if desired.
Glaze
1 1/2 C powdered Sucanat or powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 - 3 Tbs milk
Mix until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 15, 2008
Winter Harvest
Posted in Putting Food By
Conventional wisdom would tell us that the time for putting up produce has come and gone with summer's long, warm days. But, that just isn't so! There are many ways to keep preserving the harvest even as we head into late fall and early winter. Here are a few ideas:
Cranberries - Take advantage of the low prices and abundance of this versatile autumn fruit. I like to stock up on the 3 lb. bags available at Costco and other discount stores. Just throw the bags into your freezer for future batches of homemade cranberry jelly, breads, muffins and even for juicing. Canning cranberry jelly is super easy. Because of it's high acidity and natural pectin content, you only need to put your jars in a boiling water bath for about 5 minutes. Little half-pint jars of cranberry jelly are a great addition to a Christmas gift basket. Write to me if you would like my recipe for Honeyed Cranberry Jelly.
Yams & Sweet Potatoes - Again, another veggie that is in season right now. You must have a pressure canner to can these gems, but they are great for the freezer too! Simply boil them whole till tender, remove skins and chunk up or mash. Then, freeze in quart bags. Now you have them ready-cooked for those last minute meals.
Nuts - Plentiful and nutritious late season crop. Buy them in bulk in their shells for the best prices. Once shelled, most nuts freeze very well.
Pumpkin - Now that Halloween has passed, your local pumpkin patch, farmer's market or grocery store may be eager to sell their leftover pumpkins. Buy small to medium sized pumpkins and keep them in a cool (not cold), dry, dark place. They will keep for several months if they are not cut open. When you are ready to use them, you can bake them like squash, scoop out the flesh and freeze for pies, breads and soups.
Apples - Still delicious and fresh in the markets. Prices are low, so stock up! There is no end to what you can do with apples - applesauce, apple butter, pies, juice - can them, freeze them and/or dry them. You can be enjoying delicious, freshly made apple treats through the months ahead by putting in a little time and effort now.
I have learned that no matter what the date says on my calendar, I can always find something to "put by" to keep my pantry filled with fresh, home-preserved foods.
Lisa Vitello
Lisa publishes the New Harvest Homestead newsletter for women who want to live a simpler, more home-centered lifestyle. Back issues are packed with recipes and information for canning and preserving all of the foods above and lots more!
Nov. 13, 2008
Thanksgiving Craft Project: Make a Thankful Tree
Posted in Craft Day
Want a fun way for you and your family to display all that you are thankful for?? Make a Thankful Tree!!
You will need:
1 brown paper bag
Construction Paper: red, yellow and orange
Cut open the brown paper bag by cutting down one of the creases and then cutting the bottom off. Lay the paper out on the table and use about half to ¾ of the length of the bag to draw a tree trunk.
Staple this to the back of a door or a bulletin board.
Using the remaining pieces of the bag make branches. Staple those coming form the tree trunk.
Now make leaves out of construction paper. Make lots of them!
Put them in a basket and leave a pen nearby.
Have the members of your family begin to write down on the leaves what they are thankful for. Begin to attach these leaves to the tree.
Once you start this project.. the tree can fill up quickly!!
How nice to have a heart full of thanks to the Lord for all His blessings when you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner!
Crystal Miller
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/quiverfull
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com
