Cream Cheese and Sour Cream

Cream Cheese

1 quart homemade or store-bought plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat, depending on your preference)

Place a clean kitchen towel or clean muslin in a colander. Place the colander in a bowl that is large enough to hold it. Add the yogurt to the lined colander and wrap the towel over the top to cover (or use a plate). Leave this to drain for about 5 hours in the refrigerator. If you want a thicker consistency, leave it longer, making sure to empty what is draining so it doesn't reach the bottom of the colander and get reabsorbed. Store your finished cream cheese in a resealable container in the fridge. Better yet, use one of your old packaged cream cheese containers to do the job!

Your cream cheese will last as long as your yogurt would, so if you used purchased yogurt rather than make it your self, check the expiration date and use that as your guide.I recommend to make the yogurt yourself since this will cut down on additional waste especially if you can get your milk in returnable glass bottles.) If you want to get fancy, you can add flavorings to your cream cheese. Try adding homemade strawberry jam for strawberry-flavored cream cheese. If you spent time dehydrating onions, then adding those (or fresh green onions) and chives from your garden will make a tasty chive-and-onion cream cheese spread.

 Sour Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream or buttermilk (or even white vinegar will work)

Instructions

In a screw-top jar or mason jar with lid, combine the heavy cream and sour cream (or buttermilk). Shake the ingredients up a bit to thoroughly mix and let stand, covered, at room temperature for about 24 hours or until it becomes very thick. You can store your sour cream in the refrigerator in the original jar you mixed it in (or use some other resealable container) for up to one week. Make sure that your sour cream is well chilled before using.

If you want to make a lighter sour cream, substitute whole milk for 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. 

Quick Homemade Butter

Quick Homemade Butter

Equipment.

• Mixer (or jar to shake)
• Strainer
• Bowl
• Spatula

Ingredients.

• Heavy cream (preferably fresh/Raw)

Steps.

1.  Leave the cream out for a bit so that it warms to 50F or so.

2.  Pour the cream into the mixer with a whisk attachment.  Put a cover over the mixer, so you don’t splatter cream all over your kitchen:
Alternatively, you can pour the cream into a jar you can shake.  (This will take longer, but your arms will get a good workout, and you can make it a family project.) 
3.  Mix on medium-high for 5-7 minutes.  For once in your life, you get to over-whip cream!  Here’s what you’ll see:When the butter has separated from the liquid, you’re done mixing
4.  Strain the butter into a bowl, making sure all the liquid runs out.  Then set aside the liquid.  (That liquid is homemade, uberfresh buttermilk!)
5.  Rinse the butter with water to remove any excess liquid.6.  Knead the butter with a spatula to bring together the curds.  This doesn’t take long – a minute or two.  If you want to salt your butter, now is a good time.  (We prefer to have unsalted butter, which gives us more salt control when cooking.)Save the butter in a sealed container in the fridge, and use the fresh buttermilk for pancakes or homemade biscuits!

Kiss Vicks Goodbye – DIY Chest Rub

Written by Stacy on August 11, 2010 · 

When we are sick, many of us reach for the Vicks Vapo Rub.  I often have, hoping it would ease my congestion.  Over the past few years I have grown more wary of using any petroleum-based products, and have sought more natural means of dealing with colds and congestion.

I was going to save this post for the winter months, but my daughter just came down with a summer cold and I thought some of you might too. (But hopefully not!)

With the surge in skin-based medicines such as the birth-control patch and the nicotine patch, it has become increasingly obvious how much the skin actually absorbs.  What we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in our bodies!

There are many natural products available at the health food store, but they can be expensive.  Making your own chest rub could not be easier.  All you need is a little olive or almond oil and some essential oils.

Here is the very un-complicated process:

Pour 2 ounces of almond or olive oil into a small bowl or cup.

Add 20 drops of essential oil – choose eucalyptus, hyssop, thyme, peppermint,  basil, or rosemary.

This recipe comes from An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, by Mary Bove, N.D. page 286.

I have personally only used  eucalyptus so far and often make just half the recipe (1 ounce oil, 10 drops eucalyptus).

Chest rubs are useful because they help to relax the chest muscles by increasing circulation.  The aroma is also soothing and aids the opening of respiratory passages.

Bove mentions that the recommended essential oils (mentioned above)“are very volatile and therefore penetrate the skin easily, stimulate blood flow, relax the muscles, and deliver medication to the local area.  They can be especially effective with spastic, tight coughs.” (page 99, An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants )

With younger children you may wish to start with less than 10 drops per ounce of oil and see how they do.  Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin, and never ingest.

This post is being shared at Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS.

Household Hints from Northern Cookbook 1967 Eleanor A. Ellis

• Household Hints from Northern Cookbook 1967 Eleanor A. Ellis

  By Rosemary Pentland in Back to the Basics! ·  Edit Doc

  If cheese has started to mold, trim the mold, then wrap in a cloth dipped in vinegar.

  
  

  If mold appears on ham or bacon, wipe off with a cloth dampened with vinegar.

  
  

  Fresh potatoes may be frozen for winter use. Put into boiling water salted without peeling and cook until tender, then peel if you like. Or bake.

  
  

  To keep butter from becoming rancid, store it well covered in a cool dark place.

  
  

  Soak bacon slices in cold water for 5 minutes to reduce the salt, drain, and pat dry.

  
  

  Break sprouts off stored fresh potatoes as soon as they appear, to prevent the potatoes from becoming soft.

  
  

  Soften brown sugar by storing in an air tight container with a slice of fresh bread.

  
  

  Fresh eggs will keep longer if dipped in thin warmed mineral oil, drained, then stored in a cool place.

  
  

  Soften hard butter for sandwiches by inverting a warmed soup bowl over it.

  
  

  When you cook eggs in the shell, a teaspoon of salt in the water prevents cracking.

  
  

  Wash windows with 1/4cup vinegar in 4 cups warm water.

  
  

  Add a spoon of salt to your last rinse water and your laundry won't freeze to the clothesline.

  
  

  Loosen doors or windows that are frozen shut by pouring heavily salted water around the edges.

  
  

  Hard soap rubbed on drawer runners will help prevent sticking.

  
  

  To remove a water ring from furniture, rub with a mixture of table salt and light oil, or cigarette ashes, and butter. Wax, and polish.

  
  

  To thaw frozen pipes, wrap pipes with cloths and pour boiling water on the cloth.

  
  

  Remove the adhesive tape marks with alcohol or nail polish remover.

  
  

  A paste of baking soda and water will take the sting out of a burn, and the burn out of a sting. A mud paste also eases insect bites. (as an aside, i have been told this by my Amish ladies in my community, ~Rosemary)

  
  

  Remove rust stains from a sink or tub with kerosene.

  
  

  Keep baking soda near the stove, good for putting out fires.

  
  

  Stick your sewing needles in a bar of soap in  your sewing kit. They will slide easily, and won't rust.

  
  

  The flavour of safe but unpalatable water may be improved by adding charcoal from a campfire and allowing it to stand overnight.

  
  

  A sheet of clear wrap, or a pane of glass helps keep a recipe book clean.

  
  

  When making jelly, 1 tablespoon epsom salts to 5 pounds of fruitt will take the place of commercial pectin.

  
  

  Freshen stale walnuts by pouring boiling water over them.

  
  

  Revive tired peanuts by baking them in a 275 F oven for one hour. Leave the shells on if you wish.

  
  

  To render animal fat, cut the suet and surface fat into cubes, heat it slowly in a heavy covered kettle, then strain it. Bring the liquid fat to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for ten minutes to sterilize it. Pour fat into hot, sterilized containers seal, and store in a cool place. Rendered bear fat makes excellent pastry.

  
  

  Use baking soda in the water that you wipe the inside of your fridge with when cleaning it.

All Purpose All Purpose Soap

All Purpose All Purpose Soap

24 oz. coconut oil = 1lb. 8 oz.

38 oz. lard = 2 lbs. 6 oz.

24 oz. olive oil (inexpensive kind) =1lb. 8 oz.

Total weight of fats is 5# 6oz. When using old cooking oil I just weigh up 5 # 6 oz

I don’t always use these measurements. If I don’t have enough olive oil, I make up for it with another kind. Sometimes I even use all lard. I even use all recycled oil from the cafe in town after I strain it several times.

12 oz. lye ( I use household 100% lye drain opener)

32 oz. water (When I am making goats milk soap I use fresh goats milk instead of water, it needs to be very cold. It will turn a beautiful yellow and then to a tanish brown. I wish it would stay the lovely yellow.)

2 oz fragrance

½ to ¾ cup chopped oats (optional)

2- thermometers (candy thermometers work fine)

Measure everything by weight.

Line molds with freezer paper (shiny side up) or parchment paper.

Prepare all ingredients before starting process.

Run sink part way full of cold water and set plastic container of water 32oz. into sink.

Slowly pour measured lye into water while stirring.

When lye water and oils are both at 110 – 120 degrees at the same time, slowly add lye water to

oils while mixing with stick blender.

When mixture comes to trace add fragrance, color and other add ingredients if desired.

Mix these in and pour into mold(s).

Cover with parchment or freezer paper and a couple of towels or a blanket.

Let sit undisturbed 24 hours.

At this time remove soap from mold and slice into bars of the desired size.

When I remove the soap from the molds I cut it into 4 bars 2 inches wide.

I then slice it into 1 inch pieces.

My husband made my molds which are 8 in. X 9in.

We used 1X4 lumber for the sides.

For the bottom we just found a board to fit and used that.

I use a mitre box, to cut the soap into one inch pieces.

Let cure for three weeks before using.

This recipe makes approx. 36 bars of soap and fills one 8X9 inch mold.

Some actions you can take to make frugal decisions and start socking away some extra cash without feeling like a miser.

1. Buy generic.

If you look carefully at those nondescript packages and cans at the bottom of the supermarket shelf, you'll see the savings they offer. These generic goods are often made by the same companies that make your favorite foods; they just don't have the same fancy labels. Generic is almost always cheaper, and while they may not be the most aesthetically-pleasing products, it's not as if you're going to eat the can.

2. Keep your freezer full.

This may sound counterintuitive, but it works. A stuffed freezer means your appliance doesn't have to work as hard to keep the space cool. Think of it this way: It's much more expensive to heat up a large, empty loft than it is a full apartment. The same applies to your freezer, just inverted.

3. Buy second generation.

Undoubtedly, there is something attractive about being first to market and always having the coolest, newest device. However, consider holding off on this impulse - even if only for a few weeks. As with many new devices, those who are quick to buy are also often quick to regret - why not wait? Even the hottest of items can end up on eBay within a few weeks of coming out, where the frugal shopper can find them at significant discounts to the retail price.

4. Buy at the right time.

We all know that the worst time to buy a plane ticket is the day before an important holiday. We also seem to know that if we plan and buy the ticket a few weeks ahead of time, the price tends to be a little bit cheaper. There is nothing wrong with buying Christmas decorations on December 26 - plus, we all know why it is cheaper to do this on December 26 - it just makes sense.

5. Soak your clothes.

Clothes won't last forever, but you can help them last longer. To protect your clothes from fading, moisten them in a vinegar-water mixture before washing them. They'll last longer, which means fewer expensive trips to the store. The less shopping needs to be done, the better.

6. Host events.

This is the oldest trick in the book, and one that really works. Tidy up your place and invite your friends over for a poker tournament or a poolside cookout. Let your friends bring their own beer. Entertaining guests at home is something of a forgotten art. People seem to just like being out. However, when you are out and about, you will likely spend a lot more money at restaurants and at the bar.

7. Fill up at night.

Without getting too deep into your high school chemistry class, remember that gas changes its properties based on temperature. If you fill your car up at night, when it's cooler, you'll get a more densely packed concentration of fuel. You won't save a bundle, but every little bit helps.

8. Obey the limit.

It's a fact that most cars are most efficient at or near 55 miles per hour. On the one hand, you should obey the law because it's for your own safety and because you don't want a ticket. It's also nice to know that you'll get an added benefit in savings.

9. Never top off.

If you've been topping off your gas tank, all you've been doing is running the meter. True, a little bit of gas will trickle out, but it's deceiving as it's not anywhere as much as you would get under full pressure. In other words, you're paying full price for hardly any fuel. Furthermore, your car just doesn't need it. When she's full, she's full. Topping off only raises the price, so don't do it.

10. Subscribe to magazines.

This suggestion is a little trite, but let's face it, people buy magazines at the newsstand or in the grocery store checkout line. So, rather than dropping the $6.99 every week at the grocery store for the latest issue, the frugal consumer should consider subscribing to the magazine and receiving in your mailbox. Subscription rates can often be 50-90 percent less than the newsstand price, and magazine retailers can offer further savings and incentives.

11. Save on shipping.

You can get a lot of deals online if you shop around, but sometimes your savings get eaten away by the shipping charges. For example, Amazon, offers two options to help you get around this. First, if you order something that is more than $25, you'll qualify for free shipping. Second, if you order multiple items that each cost less than $25, Amazon will allow you to ship them together, so you'll only pay one reduced shipping rate.

12. Use coupons.

No one wants to clip coupons all day, but you don't have to do that anymore. A lot of stores offer instant coupons that you can take from a machine located near the product you're buying. With the right coupon, you can save as much as 50 percent on a two for one offer. The same tip applies when purchasing something online - do a quick search for "(item name) + coupon," and you might find a rebate at your fingertips.

13. Be frugal with your phone.

How much cash do you rack up for your cellular provider or long-distance phone bill? Especially with wireless phones, the ease and invisibility of text messages and downloading ring tones make it easy to build up your balance due. For one month, consider not downloading the new songs as ring tones. Or, rather than sending endless text messages to your friends, try leaving voice mail. When a friend sends you a text, call back or send an email from your computer - rather than responding with a text.

14. Know your billing period.

Here's a way for a credit card to save you money. When you make a purchase with one of your credit cards, use one that just passed its closing date. This way the clock won't start to run right away, giving you a little more time to pay, giving you a better chance of avoiding interest and late fees.

15. Pay online.

This one is simple. You could spend a few hours each month going through your bills, writing checks and licking stamps. Or, you could pay online. It's fast, it's easy, and the cost of stamps does add up.

16. Enroll in loyalty programs.

These days almost every place has a rewards system, from the grocery store to the video outlet. If it's free to join and there are no hidden costs down the road, there's no good reason to not enroll. Particularly when it comes to loyalty programs attached to credit cards (like those that give you airline miles), there's nothing to think about after you set it up, except for the fact that you're gradually getting closer to a vacation.

And remember, if you save a few dollars now, you'll be in a better position to live the lifestyle you want to live - both today and in the future.

Foods that double as good medicine

We don't need a lot of fancy lotions and potions to look and feel our best. Many food products already in our homes can be used for medicine. Not "food as medicine" but external applications to treat everything from pimples to sweaty feet and from gray hair to itchy skin.

 Here's a quick look of what food products can double as good medicine:

Corn starch: A very common food addition, use corn starch as a medicine to soothe heat rashes and in the place of foot powder and baby powder. Mix a half teaspoon with a few drops of water in the palm of your hand and apply to your face for a soothing face mask. Remove with plenty of warm water after 5 minutes.

Corn meal: This common food makes a good facial or all over body scrub. Mix it with your favorite liquid soap for a real treat. Corn meal supposedly draws impurities from the skin.

Oatmeal: Itchy skin calms right down when you wash it with oatmeal. There are a couple of different ways to do this, but the simplest is to tie up a tablespoonful into a wash cloth. Get the cloth good and wet, then scrub your dry, itchy skin with it and rinse off with plain water.

Milk: Remember Cleopatra? She knew what she was doing when she took her bath in milk. Whole milk has fats, of course and that seals moisture into the skin. Food for your skin, it will help smooth out rough spots. Add at least a cupful to your bath or smooth some onto your face, leave on for five minutes and rinse with cool water.

Real Vanilla: Use on cold sores, pimples and as an air freshener. A dab on a cotton ball placed in a trash can will keep a bathroom smelling yummy... er, fresh.

Baking soda: It may not be an official food, but it's used in many foods. It makes an excellent tooth powder and a facial scrub that will leave your skin feeling as smooth as glass. Work up a little lather of your favorite cleanser in your hand and sprinkle a half teaspoon of baking soda in it, then work it up so it looks like a fine cream. Wash your skin with this and rinse immediately.

Vinegar: What hasn't been said about vinegar? Your hair will be soft and shiny if you rinse it with a quarter cup of vinegar to three quarters cup of warm water. Use vinegar to soothe a sunburn and keep your skin from blistering. Pat it on, don't rub it in. Soak your dentures in white vinegar and they'll be clean and white.

Honey: Food of the gods, Honey can be used as a medicine to promote healing of cuts and scrapes. Honey was used as an antibiotic before commercial ones became available and Roman soldiers used it to dress wounds from battles. Honey soothes cuts and abrasions and protects and moisturizes them so they heal faster. It works better than most medicine sold for the purpose.

Oh... about the gray hair? Make a very strong tea of sage and let it steep an hour or more, then rinse your hair with it. Don't rinse it out. It won't cover the gray thoroughly, but if you use it regularly, gray hair will seem to fade away.