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How To: Roasted Garlic
Now that the days are growing cooler, keeping the oven on for close to an hour is much more appealing. If you are cooking a casserole or roast already, why not toss in a couple heads of garlic and make magic in your kitchen!
Roasted garlic is indeed the best thing EVER! If you've done it before, I'm willing to bet that you agree it to be one of the best pay offs for 10 minutes of your time that you can do in the kitchen. While you're at it, go ahead and roast several at once. This is something you can never have too much of, and extra can be frozen for several months.
The exact cooking time can depend on the size of the garlic heads and the age of your garlic, but in general heads of garlic will roast to perfection in about 45 minutes. To be sure, begin checking them around 30 minutes and keep cooking them until they are to your liking. Don't worry, in order to over cook garlic you would have to really be trying.
Super-simple method to roasting garlic.
Supplies:
1 (or 2 or 10) full heads of garlic
Olive Oil
Sharp Knife
Aluminum Foil
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. If your adding this to the oven to roast with another recipe, simply adjust your "check it" time accordingly.
2. Cut the tip off each full head of garlic. Not much, just enough to expose each clove. Peel away the loose papery bits but leave the inner layer of paper. This will keep all the cloves snug together.
3. Wrap the garlic in the aluminum foil, leaving it open on the top. Drizzle approx. 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each head of garlic. Allow a minute or so to let the olive oil settle into the head of garlic. Now close the foil over the top, fully wrapping the garlic in the foil. Place the foil wrapped garlic on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Begin checking for the soft, roasted garlicky goodness after 30 minutes.
Homemade Chicken Broth
Homemade Chicken Broth?
Yep! Homemade Chicken Broth is a definite can-do DIY even for the busiest of moms. Have you found yourself eyeing the bottles of bone broth in your local natural foods store? At $6 a pop, you can quickly sink a sizeable chunk of your grocery budget into this delicious habit. Don't get me wrong, the health benefits are totally worth it! But with just a little hands-on time and a few dollars invested, you can make gallons of your own delicious and nourishing bone broth! For instance, If you have your pot bubbling on the back burner and have to run out for an our (or so), simply turn the burner off and re-start when you return home. Even better, toss the whole kit into your slow-cooker and it will basically take care of itself!
Homemade chicken stock is not only powerful help for healthy hair, skin, nails and joints because of all the gelatin and collagen it packs in, but it’s even a natural immune booster – the old wives’ tale about it being helpful for beating colds is TRUE, especially if you leave the fat in.I’ve been making homemade chicken stock since before I was even interested in real food at all because it’s something my mom always did (yay, mom!!) and it’s a habit I’ll never ever drop. Since my first post explaining how to make it, I’ve picked up some new tips and tricks along the way, and I realized I wanted a “one stop shop” resource with all the information in one place.
Gingerbread House DIY from Three Pixie Lane
Not Your Average Gingerbread House
This is the sort of Gingerbread House DIY that I can find myself getting excited about! If you've ever dreamed of curling up with your honey in front of a fire while sipping a warm and cozy mug of something, then you probably imagined yourself in a rustic lodge such as this one! There is something so very romantic about this scene. While most of us in today's society are far removed from such an environment, we remain wistfully nostalgic.
From Three Pixie Lane, we bring you the Gingerbread Log Cabin!
We worked on this over several days. My son and I had planned to enter the local town contest; however, we missed the admission deadline. Also, I believe the rules are that everything has to be made of food. The car and the bottle brush trees would have to go, but for our purposes, they add such character!
Low-Fat Graham Cracker Crust
Making a low-fat graham cracker crust is SO easy to do, using just 3 ingredients (plus water), you'll never buy a pre-made one again. You can use regular graham crackers, gluten-free, or even chocolate like I did here. Once made, you can fill it with anything your heart desires.
Click the link below to be taken to the full article.
via Easy 3-Ingredient Low-Fat Graham Cracker Crust | Skinnytaste.
The Gift of Time
The Gift of Time
How often do you find yourself saying to someone, "We have got to get together soon!" knowing that you were already booked to the max? Perhaps this December, rather than spending the time at the mall shopping for gifts, you can use those hours catching up with friends and other loved ones!
What I’m really craving this year is time. Time to reconnect with friends and family. Time to have those long girl-talks. Time to reminisce with my siblings. I didn’t appreciate the amount of freedom I had with the hours in my day pre-baby. It’s a very different world when you’ve got feedings, naps and bedtimes to adhere to. Your life is broken up into two or four-hour chunks. And conversations lose a bit of their depth when you’re trying to keep tiny fingers out of light sockets.
Please click the link below for the full article.
via Apartment 34 – Your ultimate source for style, fashion, living and beauty.
Diy Rice Bag with Heart Detail
Such a sweet little DIY rice bag and easy to make with supplies you probably have on hand. These make great paperweights, sachets, or even eye pillows if you make them a bit longer. They are endlessly customizable with fabric "stuffing" combinations for everyone! I've made a few with buckwheat and lavender before and they work wonders for aching wrists. For an extra special touch, use all organic components and gift them to someone you know who might have sensitivities to chemicals or pesticides. Even when the weather may be in the higher temps, these little rice bags are a comfort to those suffering from sore muscles or aching joints. Add a cup of lavender buds for extra soothing.
Click the link below for the full article.
From: www.iheartnaptime.net
Perpetual Bone Broth in a Crock-Pot
Bone Broth
For its healing, nourishing, and restorative properties, bone broth is something our ancestors would not have been without. Sadly, and due partly to our time-strapped society's preference for speedy solutions, bone broth fell out of use in favor of pop-top cans of soup and foil wrapped bouillon cubes. Little did we know, bone broth provided more than a hot meal or added flavor (though both of these things are true and important).
However, it turns out that the bone broth in the age old remedy of chicken soup has a lot more to do with our healing than we understand. And while most agree that a hot cup of soup is comforting when you are feeling under the weather, it is hard to prove all of the benefits claimed by champions of bone broth. No doubt about it though, bone broth (along with many other ancient food traditions) is enjoying a renaissance and is now being offered at restaurants and grocery stores. And hey, if you need some scientific evidence, it turns out that bone broth has actually been proven to clear nasal passages and reduce inflammation!
If you're ready to start making your own bone broth, we'd like to share our favorite method along with a loose "recipe" of sorts.
Perpetual Bone Broth
We cook our bone broth in a slow cooker and scoop it out as needed throughout the week. This makes it so convenient to use in our dishes throughout the day and leaves time free for other chores. If you are looking for a smaller batch method, please see our article on Bone Broth here.
Ingredients
- Chicken Bones or chicken "frame" from a roasted chicken
- Sea Salt
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Veggies or veggie scraps you'd like to add (carrots, garlic, onions)
- Filtered water
Instructions
- Place the chicken your slow cooker with all other ingredients. Cover with filtered water and cook on high for an hour and then on low for up to one week.
- After a day or so, you can begin using the broth. As you use the broth or stock, replace it with an equivalent amount of filtered water.
- At the end of the week, strain off any remaining broth and discard or compost the bones. Wash the insert of your slow cooker and start again.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe Using Real Pumpkin
Here is a pumpkin pie recipe using real pumpkin that all your guests will love.While you may choose to buy pre-cooked and canned pumpkin, you should at least give this version a try once! You might find you like it better!
Ingredients
2 eggs separated
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups cooked mashed pumpkin
3/4 cups evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 baked 9 in pastry shell
Method
Beat egg yolks until thick. Add brown sugar, and beat until thick. Add pumpkin, milk, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg stirring well. Pour pumpkin mixture into top of double boiler; bring water to a boil. Cook over water until mixture is thickened. Soften gelatin in cold water; add to pumpkin stirring well. Set mixture aside to cool.
Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 CUP SUGAR, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Fold egg whites into pumpkin mixture. Pour filling into pastry shell. Chill.
Next, the most important part of all. Make some home made whipped cream and put lots on each piece you serve. That will make it even better. If you have never made home made whipped cream just look for a recipe any where on the internet its really simple and well worth it.
Best Ever Mashed Potatoes
Everybody has their own method for making mashed potatoes, here’s mine. I use Yukon Gold potatoes for a couple of reasons. They are less starchy than Russet potatoes but mostly I use Yukon’s because I don’t have to peel them!
I hope you enjoy this recipe. It really is a time saver not having to peel all those potatoes!
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
4 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1 – 2 Tbsp milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
1. Wash, scrub and quarter the potatoes. Place them in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover. Heat on high until the water boils. Reduce the heat and simmer potatoes, covered, for about 20 minutes. You want to be able to push a fork through the thickest potato.
2. After the potatoes pass the fork test, drain completely. At this point, you can either put them back into the pot that you cooked them in or go ahead and put them into the serving bowl. I usually put them back into the pot so that the butter has help melting. Add butter and cream, mash everything together using a potato masher. Add milk only to achieve desired consistency.
3. Once the potatoes, butter and cream are well mixed and smooth, add salt and butter to taste.
Clear Clutter Before The Holiday Rush
Before you know it, the holiday hustle will have begun. Now is the time to look around you and take stock of your surroundings in order to be ready!
Do you have plenty of supplies for your business? Not just creative supplies, think cleaning, packing and shipping.
Are you offering gift wrapping? A great way to add value to your product is to offer gift wrapping for your customers. If gift wrapping is part of your service, make sure you are ready for it!
One great way to get ready for the holiday rush is to do a bit of (Summer) Spring-cleaning. Get your workspaces clean and squared away so you can focus on what's really important!
Coconut Flour for Gluten-Free Baking
Baking with coconut flour
Have you decided (or has it been decided for you) to try going gluten-free? If so, then you've probably been looking for flour substitutes.They do exist, and I've tried a few. I'd like to share with you what I learned about baking with coconut flour:
It's not a one-for-one substitution for flour. You can't just straight-up replace regular flour with coconut flour. A little coconut flour goes a long way. I used only 1/3 cup of coconut flour to make 10 cookies.
Lots of hydration is needed. Coconut flour absorbs lots of moisture, so you'll need way more eggs or other forms of moisture than normal to hydrate coconut flour.
Coconut flour doesn't spread. Once I scooped the cookie dough onto the baking sheet, I gently spread the mounds out into the thickness and size of the cookie I wanted since the mixture doesn't spread during baking.
Thoroughly mix coconut flour. To make sure the end product is evenly textured, really hydrate and mix the coconut flour together well with the other ingredients. Since there's no gluten, you don't have to worry about the final product being tough.
via Coconut Flour in Gluten-Free Baking: What You Should Know — Let's Try Something New | The Kitchn.
Quinoa & Toasted Coconut Breakfast Porridge
It’s October – like, hold the phone – IT’S OCTOBER!!! – and cozy is the name of the game right now. And when cozy is the name of the game and healthy is trying hard to be somewhere in the mix, breakfast porridge becomes everything.
So, uhhh, I realize we’ve got some Goldilocks vibes going on here. Really – “porridge?”
More important question: when are you, judger of porridge recipe name, going to eat this coconut breakfasty bliss? Say soon, or else you’re getting kicked off in three, two…
Click the link below for the full article.
Ease Inflammation
You may be able to ease inflammation drinking these time tested concoctions and avoiding others!
The danger of chronic inflammation is a frequent, recurring theme in the health world today.Though inflammation is a normal function of your immune system—it's a defense mechanism that your body activates when it senses it's under attack—it can easily reach abnormally high levels.Many people suffer from chronic, out-of-control inflammation throughout their whole body as a result of unhealthy lifestyle choices. If you don't eat right, don't exercise, or get too little sleep, it’s quite likely that your inflammation is off the charts.
Source: Control Your Inflammation With These Drinks – mindbodygreen.com
Pumpkin Soup Recipe with a Kick!
This Pumpkin Soup Recipe first appeared in Simply Recipes a couple seasons ago. It has since become an absolute favorite in our house.
Ah, fall, a perfect time for a spicy pumpkin soup! This soup comes together quickly, and has warm notes of ginger, curry, cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Great flavor additions that enhance not detract from the pumpkin.What gives the soup its heat? Not chili this time, but some freshly grated ginger. I love the zing ginger brings to the soup. (If it’s too much for you, just scale back.)
Superfood Powders
Superfood powders – You may have heard about superfood powders somewhere online, from friends, family or perhaps you’re already taking some yourself. If you’ve never heard of them before, I’m hoping to convince you of their wonderful health benefits and why you should be taking one every day. Superfood powders typically consist of a bulk, powdered version of a superfood(s) in a raw, natural state. The powdered version makes them easy to mix in water, smoothies, juice or any other beverage for consumption. Most are carefully processed, freeze-dried or cold temperature processed to ensure that all the whole food nutrients are kept intact and fully undenatured. These nutrients: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, bioflavonoids and many others, are incredibly healthy micronutrients that can help inhibit cellular damage and oxidative stress in your body. They can also help boost your natural energy levels, protect your immune system and provide a host of other healthy benefits.
The best way to think of superfood powders is to think of all the wonderful whole foods that make up each powder. Picture each whole food berry, plant, root and vegetable in its undenatured state, and then picture all of the nourishing nutrients from each one of those superfoods in a convenient powder form. It makes perfect sense to supplement with superfood powders because let’s be honest, we all are probably deficient in the fruits and vegetables department. Maybe not all the time, but some days we all fall short of getting our daily requirement of fruits and veggies. Having a superfood powder on hand ensures that we can always meet our fruit and veggie needs. Plus, if someone is on a low carb diet or not eating fruit, it is a great way to still get all the essential nutrients from fruit without the calories or carbs
via The different types of Superfood Powders | All Star Health Blog.
3 Meatless Main Dishes
Tofu’s proponents have tried to get us to see all the ways to improve its texture — freezing or pressing or boiling to rid it of spare water, broiling or roasting to crisp it up. These are all effective at making tofu friendlier to cook with, but nothing is as guaranteed to seduce a skeptic as dredging tofu in cornstarch and pan-frying it to a shiny crisp, while the inner bits go soft and custardy.
The just-fried nubs are almost too crunchy to eat, which is why it’s a good idea to add them to a pan of shallots, chiles, ginger, and garlic that have stewed in butter and soy and heaps of black pepper. In the sauce, the fried cubes will relax just enough, but main- tain all the integrity you’ve fried into them.
This — with some brown rice — is as impressive a vegetarian dinner party main dish as you can get. And cheap, too — despite the 11 tablespoons of butter and 5 tablespoons of black pepper. The tofu called for, even organic, costs less than $6 and feeds at least four, generously.
From: www.mindbodygreen.com
Cleaning Your Stove and Oven
There are in fact secrets for cleaning your stove and oven. I have gathered the best ideas for you below so just follow along and learn how to get your stove and oven clean with minimal effort. We have some great all natural alternatives for you below as well so be sure to check those out if you are trying to minimize the chemicals in your home.
Savory Seasoned Rice
This savory seasoned rice recipe from wifemomgeek.com is one of our favorites! We have rice several times a week so it's nice to mix things up! It's subtle enough that the whole family likes it, even my picky eater!
Yesterday, I made spicy pork chops for dinner, and we needed a side with great flavor that wouldn’t overpower the chops. This rice turned out perfectly, so I’m sharing it with you today!Normally, we prefer a low-carb side, like the savory riced cauliflower that I shared a couple of months ago. But since we we’ve been eating down the pantry, the pickings were slim. We always have white rice on hand, though, because I use it frequently for the kiddo’s sensory bins.This combination of seasonings will also work well for brown rice, jasmine rice or even cauliflower with some adjustments.
From: wifemomgeek.com
