Something for the kids...

How many times has your little girl or little boy come to you and ask to play with some play dough?  You go to the cupboard and open the container, and low and behold the dough is all dried up!  I finally stopped buying the stuff about 4 years ago, when I found this recipe.  It makes a huge recipe, you can pick the color and if you keep it in a Ziploc bag, it will keep for a REALLY long time!  The best part, you already have the ingredients in your cupboard:)  So, here...we...go!

Homemade Play Dough

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 tsp. cream of tarter

2 cups water

2 Tbs. oil

Food coloring of your child's choice:)

Mix all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.  On low heat, cook, stirring constantly until mixture forms ball and is no longer sticky.  Remove from heat.  Place on table and work until smooth.  Store in an air tight container or a Ziploc bag.



Homemade Granola Bars

Homemade Granola Bars

3/4 lb. mini marshmallows (1/2 bag)

1/8 cup butter

1/8 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1/8 cup peanut butter

2 1/4 cup rice krispies

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 4 rectangles) (or ground flax seed is optional)

2 1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup crushed peanuts

3/4 cup raisins (optional)

1/4 cup coconut

1/2 cup choc. chips

Melt butter, oil and marshmallows on low heat until melted.  Stir often so it does not burn.  Remove from heat and add the peanut butter and honey.  Mix all other dry ingredients together in a separate large bowl.

Pour the melted items onto the dry ingredient mixture and stir.  Choc. chips tend to melt slightly as you stir it.  Pour and press into a 9x13 pan that has been greased with butter.

Recipe can be doubled and put into a large jelly roll pan.  These wrap individually well in cling wrap for lunches and snacks!

Let's talk laundry soap...

I don't know about you, but the last thing I feel like spending a ton of money on, is laundry soap.  Our family goes through detergent, like it is going out of style:)  You know what, though?  With 4 kids and a husband that works in a Tool shop, it is going to happen.  And that is okay!  I want my kids to explore, get muddy and have fun.  We only get 1 childhood, and I want our kids to live life to the fullest.  They are country kids, and I LOVE IT!  I got fed up with trying to buy the cheap kind of soap, but then paid with the fact that the stains just didn't want to come out.  So, I decided to do a little research.  I have a dear friend, Michelle, that has helped me with this.  She showed me the ingredients,and how to make the soap.  Do you know, that for about $25-$30 a year I can do our families laundry.  And the best thing, this soap works AWESOME!  It makes 5 gallons at a time, and lasts for a long time.  So, I will give you a list of what you will need, and when you have it all, then it is laundry soap making time.

List of Supplies

5 gallon bucket

1 package of Ivory bar soap (usually comes in 4,6,8)

1 box Borax

1 box Washing Soda

Tea Tree oil or Lavender oil (if wanted)

Making Laundry Soap

1. Grate 2 bars of soap into 2 quarts water

2.  Heat the soap and water on medium heat until the soap dissolves

3.  When you have the mixture ready, pour into the 5 gallon bucket

4.  Add 1 cup Borax, and whisk thoroughly

5.  Add 1 cup washing soda, and whisk thoroughly

6.  Add 5-6 drops of essential oil (my 2 favorite are Tea Tree & Lavender)

7.  Add enough water to fill the 5 gallon jug to within 2" from the top

8.  Now whisk everything together

9.  Keep whisking everything together every 2-4 hours for the next 24 hours.

10.  Now it is ready to use

Use 1 cup mixture to every one load of laundry

*It is normal if the soap is a little thick or like jello at first.  It will still clean really well, and after awhile it smooths out.  I whisk it every time before I use it.  You probably do not have to, but I have gotten into the habit of it.

Benefits and Uses of Whey

Benefits and uses of Whey

The best benefit of whey, is for you digestive system.  Whey is a great source of minerals and digestive bacteria.  When you have an upset stomach or the stomach flu, just drink a few ounces and it will help.  I try to drink at least 2 Tbs. a day to help with my colitis.  It has helped tremendously! 

The best way I have found to use whey in cooking, is for Sauerkraut.  It tastes awesome, and is quite easy to make.  I will share the recipe in another post:)

The best way to make whey, is by making cream cheese.  You can also use the whey from ricotta cheese, which I do most often.  It will have a bit of a bitter taste, just because it will have some of the apple cider vinegar.  But remember, Apple Cider Vinegar is crazy good for you!

Now I will show you how to make cream cheese.  You will be amazed at how EASY it is:)

Cream Cheese and Whey

(this is made with raw milk)

Leave the milk out at room temperature, preferably in a cupboard or dark space, and the natural bacteria will do the work for you.  It will turn it into cheese and whey.  You will know when the separation has occurred, because you will have cheese on top and the transparent whey is on the bottom.  This will take about 3-5 days, depending on the temperature of you home!

Pour the container into a cheese cloth that is on top of a colander, and the colander is resting on top of a bowl.  The Whey will drip through the cheese cloth.  This will take a few hours, and make sure that the cheese cloth is clear of the colander and bowl. 

Take the cheese cloth with the cheese in it and put it around a dial rod.  (tie corner to corner and put the dial rod through)  Then put a rubber band around the cheese cloth, or if you have made the knots strong enough, you won't need a rubber band.  The dial rod is so you can hang the cheese cloth to finish dripping the whey.  I lay the dial rod across a bowl, so I can catch the rest of the whey.  Just make sure to not squeeze the cheese.

Once it has stopped dripping, you now have cream cheese and whey.

*This is for Raw Milk only!



Raw Milk Ricotta Cheese

Raw Milk Ricotta Cheese

1 Gallon raw milk

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 TBS. butter

Heat your gallon of milk to 206 degrees.  When your milk has reached the correct temperature, remove from heat.  Slowly stir in the Apple Cider Vinegar.  (I use the Bragg's organic raw apple cider vinegar)  You will start to see the curd's separate from the whey.  When it is done curdling, drain the curds through a cheesecloth.  Now, do not throw away the whey.  I will show you some uses for it later:)  When the curds are done draining, (it is normal to have a little of the whey in the curds) add the baking soda and mix well.  Then add the salt and the butter.  Mix everything thoroughly, and now you have made Ricotta Cheese!  This can be saved in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but is best when used right away.  You can use this for stuffed shells, lasagna or just eat it plain.  My husband does:)

Did you know...

Since I have just posted the receipe for Yogurt, I thought I would take the time to share some things that I have learned. 

~most store bought yogurt have to add bacteria.  a product does not have "live" bacteria, unless otherwise stated.

~most commercial yogurt has to add a thickening agent so that it looks and feels like yogurt

~for a yogurt to have full strength probiotics, or good bacteria, it needs

to ferment for at least 12-24 hours.

~most commercial yogurts only ferment theirs for about an hour or less.



Homemade Raw Milk Yogurt

Homemade Raw Milk Yogurt

1 quart raw milk

1/2 cup starter

When making yogurt, do not use metal!  Heat milk to 180 degrees.  Then cool down to 110 degrees.  Take 1/2 cup of warm milk and stir in 1/2 cup starter.  I prefer to use Brown Cow, but any plain yogurt works.  When you are done gently mixing the yogurt and milk, add it to the rest of the warm milk and slowly mix.  Put into the oven, with the light on, for 12-24 hours.  Remove from the oven, and put into the refrigerator.  Let it set for about a day.  Now you have yogurt.

*The longer you let the milk set and ferment, the stronger the probiotics will be.

**Once you have a good homemade yogurt going, you can use that as your starter

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

3 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal

1/3 cup coconut

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 TBS. wheatgerm

2 TBS. flaxseed

3 TBS. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup total whatever (sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, walnuts, etc...)

1/2 cup raisins or craisins

Microwave oatmeal for 2 minutes.  Add everything, except raisins, and stir.  Microwave for 1 minute, stir.  Microwave 1 minute, stir.  Microwave 1 minute, add raisins, and stir.  Microwave 1 minute, stir.  Spread out on wax paper and let cool.  It will harden, slightly. 

You can use this as a cereal, put on yogurt or enjoy as a snack.

My kids love having this in the morning with yogurt before school. 

Enjoy:)