Melted Crayon in the Dryer

I have about three minutes to write, so I'm going to go fast! I just opened my dryer and do you know what I found covering the inside? Melted crayon! (Thankfully it wasn't on the clothes. Can you believe that)?! This could have been a lot worse than it was if I hadn't just learned what to do. It also works for chap stick.

What you need:

• toothbrush
• WD40
• dish soap
• wet rag

I sprayed WD40 on the toothbrush, scrubbed each crayon spot to loosen the wax, put a little dish soap on the same toothbrush, scrubbed each spot again to loosen the WD40, and wiped clean with the wet rag. Now you will never know there was crayon in the dryer.

Did I write that fast enough?

Bee Sting Remedy

I know this is the wrong time of year, for many, to worry about bee stings; but, I thought I'd include it anyway. Actually, Christina was just stung by a bee the day of our first snow - about three weeks ago.

Bee Sting Remedy: place honey on it. It's as simple as that and quite fast too!

I learned there are more than 5,000 native bees in North America - this includes bumble bees. Native bees are non aggressive because they are solitary. Which means they don't live in hives like honey bees, hornets, wasps, and the like. So, they don't have anything to protect. And, if one stings you, it's not painful.

Rudyard Kipling - Not an Official Brother

Teach us delight in simple things...

Rudyard Kipling

Making Cheese from Powdered Milk

This post, in it's entirety, is actually Preparedness Matters' Sunday November 8, 2009 post. It was so fantastic I had to share with all of you! All credit goes to Preparedness matters and Lori Dunford for sharing these with us. Aren't they fantastic?!

My friend, Lori Dunford, is a pro at utilizing food storage and making delicious, gourmet food out of it. Once again, she has blown me away with her latest conquest: making cheese out of powdered milk! And by the way, this is not so-so cheese. It's actually mouth-wateringly delicious cheese! She has been kind enough to share her recipes with this blog so I hope you enjoy them!

Quick Soft Pressed Cheese

2 cups boiling water

1-1/2 cups dry milk powder

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

3-4 Tbsps lemon juice

Cheese coloring tablets (optional)

Blend water, milk and oil, allowing foam to settle slightly. If colored cheese is desired, add 1/2 tablet cheese coloring (or cake decorating paste color) while blending. Pour into hot saucepan coated with a nonstick spray and heat to at least 160 degrees. Add lemon juice and continue to stir until mix curdles.

Pour into a cheesecloth lined colander. Rinse curds with warm water, then salt to taste. Place cheese in cloth between two plates or spoon into a cheese press. Apply weight and let sit for 1/2 hour or longer, depending on how firm you want the cheese to be. Remove from plates or cheese press,rinse, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Use within one month or freeze. This cheese can be sliced, grated, or crumbled. For Smoky Cheese, add 1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke flavoring and 1/2 - 1 tsp. salt after rinsing curds.

Soft Cottage Cheese

2 c hot water

1 1/2 c dry milk powder

3 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice or white vinegar

Blend water and dry milk and pour into saucepan (foam and all). Sprinkle lemon juice or vinegar slowly around edges and gently stir over medium heat just until milk begins to curdle. separating into curds and whey. Remove from heat and let rest one minute. Pour into strainer or colander, rinse with hot, then cold water. Press out water with back of spoon. Makes about 1- 1/2 cup curds. If desired, moisten rinsed curds with a little buttermilk before serving and add salt to taste. Refrigerate if not used immediately. Whey from fresh milk powder can be used in place of water in breads and soups.

Protein Shake

1/2 cup of cottage cheese (see recipe above)

1 c frozen fruit

3 T ground flax seed

1 c water

4 ice cubes

Sweeten to taste

2 T chopped nuts

Put everything in the blender except chopped nuts and blend. Stir in chopped nuts and enjoy.

Cheese Ball using Cottage Cheese (see [photo] above)

4 c well drained cottage cheese (the longer you drain, the drier it becomes)

2 c grated cheese (I used quite sharp cheese)

1 c real bacon bits

2 T onion powder

2 T dried parsley

2 T garlic

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 c chopped pecans

Makes 2 cheese balls

Mix ingredients well, divide in half, roll in pecans if desired. Wrap securely in plastic wrap and let chill for several hours before using.

You can find more of Lori Dunford's powdered milk recipes here: http://preparednessmatters.blogspot.com/2009/05/cooking-with-basic-food-storage_22.html

Just Jake ;-)

The other day, I was sending an email to my home school group about holiday traditions. One was about how my dad hides the Baby Jesus, and on Christmas morning, places him in the manger. Jake was reading this and said, "We don't have a nativity set to do that." I told him we did, but he said "No, we got rid of that ugly thing." "Ya, we did get rid of that, but we have another one." I jumped up from the computer and went to the hall closet, opened the Christmas box and pulled out a Ziploc bag. "Melanie, found this at a yard sale and I brought it home the last time we went to visit." In the bag was a very cute block Nativity. I was so excited about showing him this thing, that I pulled out one of the little animals, and holding it up exclaimed, "Do you know what the selling point was?! It's child proof!" Then, keeping direct eye contact with him, I flung this little, wooden, pointy block at the floor! As it ricocheted into the family room, I said "See?!"

As Jake's eyebrows rose, the emotion was a little hard to read...astonishment, confusion, pain, I couldn't tell exactly. Then, in a very quit voice he said "You just hit my foot." I busted up laughing! I couldn't help it. I laughed so hard I started crying! I should have watched where I threw that little animal 'cause I gave Jake a good sized bruise and a blood blister. Even now, I'm laughing about it!

I apologized a few times, but each time, I would start laughing more. And Jake, being so good natured, would grin and poke back with some little comment like "You're not crying because you feel bad. You're crying because you think it's funny!"

Oh, it was funny...

Jake will also be returning to school next semester. He hasn't been to school in almost six years; but, yesterday he met with an advisor at Utah State to set up his game plan. He found out that he has enough credits for an associates - but is missing a few core classes. That means it wont take him very long to finish. And then on to his Bachelor's. WOOHOOOO for Jake!

Food Storage Cooking School

I ran across this free book from the Utah State Extension. It's titled Food Storage Cooking School 'Use it or Lose it'. "[This] Book describes simple storage guides, types of storage, assessing current storage, storing what you use, water storage, old storage, rotating/keeping inventory, storing wheat, rice, dry milk and beans, building a storage program and where to store." Because I love cooking with "food storage," I wanted to share the link with all of you. Happy cooking!

http://extension.usu.edu/htm/publications/publication=5767