Natural unrefined sugar

This past week I was able to make a trip to the Mennonite Store (Coblentz Bulk Foods) by my parents home to stock up on some baking supplies.  My eye was caught by a bag of unrefined natural sugar so I purchased a bag and I have been using it. I LOVE IT!  A LOT!  I made molasses cookies this week and they were beautiful rolled in it.  So I decided to do a little research on raw sugar and I was amazed that there are minerals and beneficial nutrients in raw sugar and NONE in our refined sugar from the store, infact there are added chemicals. It was alarming. So something that intrigued me is now something I want to get instead of the regular sugar in stores, makes me feel better!!! I am including a link to a blog that has a wonderful article on this. Click on Natural Organic Lifestyle

I love how we can make little changes, it doesn't have to be all at once but as we learn and can adjust it to our budget.

Peach & Blueberry Crisp

As usual my breakfast creations are made using what I have on hand, I was trying to figure out a quick breakfast this morn and remembered I still had some Georgia peaches in the freezer that I had put up this summer.  So I made a peach crisp, I like to use the same crisp recipe that I use for apples.  And if you don't have frozen peaches many times I have used a can of canned peaches in syrup and slice the slices thinner, very tasty!

I thinly covered my 9 x 13 oiled pan with the peaches and then sprinkled a handful of frozen blueberries on top, for some extra color and flavor.

Then I mixed together

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup oats

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

7 T.  softened butter

(My base recipe is from my red 1969  Betty Crocker but I have changed it up a bit above by adding more oats and butter)

Mix all together and sprinkle over the peaches and blueberries, bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Sunday Morning Berry Muffins

This morning I wanted to make something quick and healthy for breakfast before church. I found a great berry oatmeal muffin recipe and made it my own below. Makes 2 dozen.

Ingredients
2 cup quick cooking oats
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 cup milk
1 cup vegetable oil
2 egg
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin pan.


In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the milk, oil, and egg just until dry ingredients are evenly moist. Fold in the blueberries. Scoop batter into muffin pan.

Mix 1/3 cup oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

The original recipe can be found here:

ENJOY!

Whole Wheat Granola Bars

There is nothing like a homemade granola bar for, much better than boxed and packaged hard things (and who knows what's in them).  I found a recipe here for granola bars and below is my version:

Mix together:

• 2 cups quick oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rice crispies cereal
• 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes (or bran)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins, almond slivers, craisins, white chips, peanut butter,etc.) use your imagination!

Press into 9 x 13 greased pan leave about an inch on each end, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 min.  Cut into rectangles, let cool, very yummy!!!

A Cozy Find

Maple Sugaring, Early Spring in the Northern Woods, 1872

I just love romantic, warm and fuzzy, cute and cuddly things that come along with this time of year! With so much chaos in the world it's so delightful when you can make your home a haven, a little "heaven" on earth.

So when I found this cozy book and movie list from Coffee Tea Books and More I did a happy jig about the room!  Ha ha ha, She also has sweet tunes playing in the background.  Here is a sample of her list:

AUTHORS (Fiction & Nonfiction)

Edith Schaeffer

Elizabeth George

Sally Clarkson

Gladys Taber

FICTION

Christy by Catherine Marshall

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

BOOK SERIES

The Mitford Series by Jan Karon

The Oxford Chronicles by Melanie Jeschke

Let me just say that I loved the book Christy, and although I loved the series immensely the book was spectacular!  Me and the girlies are reading all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books each evening and are almost finished with Little House in the Big Woods!

Whole Wheat Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls ~~~ YUM!

I love cinnamon rolls but don't always have the time to make the yeast ones, so this is a great treat when your in a hurry and want them for breakfast!!!

The rolls are made up of a buttermilk biscuit recipe:

You will need:

• 1-1/4 c. Whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c. white flour
• 1-1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. butter (cup up in pieces)
• 3/4 c. buttermilk

Mix all ingredients together.

Knead lightly on floured surface.

Roll out to a 9" x 16" rectangle, brush with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

Then sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon.

Roll up and cut into 1" thick slices.  Bake @ 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or golden brown.

Mix up 2/3 c. powdered sugar, 1 T buttermilk, 1 tsp. butter, and 1/4 tsp. vanilla add to tops of rolls for a yummy glaze!!!

NOW, Eat 'Em up!

Photo Shoot

I really enjoy taking pictures, my dream is to have a really nice camera!  My friends wanted me to do a photo shoot of them this last weekend and here they are, they are sweet sweet friends of mine married 9 years with four children.

Healthy Oat Applesauce Muffins

I have lots of recipes to add this week, now to just find the time to do it.  Here is a new favorite whole wheat oat applesauce muffins, these are so versatile and Low Fat!

First mix together:

1 c. quick oats

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. applesauce

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

And as you wish a handful of dried cranberries, or raisins, or choc. chips and raisins, the ideas are endless!!!

Pour into greased muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown or 20 min.

These are very tasty and the kiddos loved them!!!

Healthy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones

What to make on a cloudy morning, no butter, not much oil?  Healthy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Scones, these are so fun and easy.  Simple to make and fun for kids as you do not pat them out like regular scones, simply drop them out like biscuits.  These are absolutely scrumptious with a cup of Joe!!! Enjoy!

Mix together:

1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. white sugar
3 T applesauce
2 T water
1/2 c. milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I love to use mini-chips)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together and drop by large rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 min. Makes a Perfect Dozen!!!

My Mother

Today's post is in response to Kelli's Blog and her Show & Tell Friday!

I am happy today to show and tell my mother, a picture of my mother that is.  This photograph was taken when she was 3 years old and I absolutely adore it. My Grandmother gave me this frame when I was a teenage (my Father's mother) and I thought it was perfect for this picture. Means a lot to me! My Mom is my best friend!

Homemade Egg Noodles (How to)

Growing up we did not have much money at all, well let's just be honest we didn't have money. ;-)  So on our birthday we got to pick what meal mother would fix for us, and one of my favorites was homemade chicken noodles and angel biscuits.  Here below I have a step by step process on the making of homemade egg noodles, such comfort food!

You will Need:

• 2 cups white flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup water

Measure flour into bowl, make a well in center and add egg yolks, whole egg and salt.  With hands thoroughly mix egg into flour. Add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. (Add only enough water to form dough into a ball.)

Turn dough onto well-floured cloth-covered board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover, let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts.

Roll dough, 1 part at a time, into paper thin-thin recntangle, keeping remaining dough covered. Roll rectangle around rolling pin; slip out rolling pin.

Cut dough crosswise into 1/8-inch strips for narrow noodles and 1/4-inch stripes for wide noodles. Shake out stripes and place on towel to dry. about 2 hours.

(NOTE:  I do not roll my dough out paper thin, I am sure it is a personal preference, I also do not have a noodle cutter so a pizza cutter works great or a large knife.  I was in a hurry when I made this batch and it only air dried about 45 min., and they still tasted wonderful! )

When dry break dry stripes into smaller pieces. Cook in 3 quarts boiling water 12-15 min. or until tender.  If you are making chicken noodles add the noodles to your pot of cooked chicken and broth.

Finished product, as you can see my noodles are very thick!  Nothing like it on a chilly fall day, it's great with Amish Bread too!

Natural Lighting

As my desire to live off the grid one of the funnest ways to do so for me is non-electrical lighting.

Candles, oil lamps, lanterns, and the list goes on.  The types and varieties are endless and as I inspect them all my wish list grows longer.  But I try to make the wisest and most economical decisions in way of lighting.

I stumbled upon Lehman's BEST candles and may I say I was impressed.  As I have been watching many BBC episodes as of late I find myself watching and looking at the different candelabra's, candlesticks, wall sconces, and lanterns they used.

So one day while at the thrift store I spotted a pair of brass weighted candlesticks for 49 cents each!  I couldn't believe it, I have one pictured below.  Then one day as a surprise my honey brought me home a mirrored wall sconce to help reflect the light.

Lehman's Best candles can be found by clicking Here

The picture above was taken in my bathroom and I was very pleased how just one candle lit the room.

And here is the lovely wall sconce DH picked up at Surplus City for $9.  I have also been looking on ebay under antique wall sconces.  I much admire the tin wall sconces that are round and reflect light.  A wall lantern would be lovely and a double wick lantern!  I am not sure why but they all just fascinate me!!!

Fall Decorating

Fall is one of my most favorite seasons, and I enjoy decorating for it a little, I don't spend hardly anything on my decor, and really less is more!

(Before I go further don't forget to enter the free drawing below, the winner will be announced Monday evening)

Entryway

The front door!

My mini herb garden

The Kitchen Table, this tablecloth is from Dollar General for $1.

This is my new canister, my honey suprised me one day with this wonderful Anchor Hocking canister from Surplus City, what a blessing!

A wonderful gift from our little Black Bantam Cochin Frizzle hen, we call her Feather Duster!

The Almighty thrown! ;-)

Free Period Clothing Patterns

Buy This at Allposters.com

I was thrilled tonite when I stumbled upon a site with free period clothing patterns and diagrams.

There I found free patterns for civil war era, victorian, edwardian, gentlemen and children.

Buy This at Allposters.com

Although I myself am not a very good seamstress I thought I would pass this along to my blogging friends, feel free to post other free sites that you know of along these lines!

The site may be visited by clicking here

Other Period Patterns:

Article Featuring Costumes, Patterns, and More