Day 14: Cleaning your Keurig

For some unknown reason I am in a bit of a cleaning kick.  When I saw this tip on Pinterest I knew I had to do it for 2 reasons.  #1 Mr. J got a Keurig last Christmas and I never thought it needed a cleaning on the inside and #2 My sister in law got one for Christmas (like I am sure many of you did).

I am rating this pin a 4....a great piece of knowledge & relatively easy to do...the last step does take a little time but easy to do while you wipe down the kitchen or have a snack.

The original pin can be found on cleanmyspace.com
If you are going to clean your Keurig I would recommend checking out the website....I will be paraphrasing and she gives much more details.

Items needed:
Cleaning toothbrush
Pure white vinegar
All purpose cleanser, dish liquid
Microfiber cloth

Step 1:  Remember before you start make sure to unplug it!  Safety first.

Step 2:  Remove all the pieces.  The reservoir and lid, drip tray and drip tray cover, the K Cup holder and funnel.

Step 3:  These removable parts can either be placed in the dishwasher (on the top shelf) or soak in a sink filled with hot water and some dish soap.  DO NOT place reservoir lid in the dish washer (it specifies that it should be wiped with a cloth)  Let them soak for 15 minutes and clean gently.  Rinse and towel dry.

Step 3:  Cleaning the machine itself.  It can be cleaned by wiping down the machine with all purpose cleaner and the microfiber cloth.  Take the cleaning toothbrush and gently brush out any stuck coffee grounds in the K Cup holder.  If you notice any lime scale deposits, use a little elbow grease with the help of the white vinegar.

This is the inside of our K Cup holder before I took the toothbrush to it.

Step 4:  Now its time to run what they call the descaling brew.  This is an important because lime scale can build up inside the machine on the heating coil and make the Keurig have to work harder and use more energy to heat the water and brew the coffee.  Hard on the machine and hard on the energy bill.  Fill the reservoir half way with white vinegar.  Brew several "beverages" with no K Cup in the holder to clean the reservoir and tubing.  The vinegar will help break down the build up.  Refill it with water and run more brews of water through to rinse out the reservoir/tubing and get rid of any vinegar.  This step take at least 15 minutes.  (After running the vinegar through the system, I washed the reservoir again with soap and water to help get rid of some of that vinegar...it seemed to help get rid of the vinegar faster).

Step 5:  Time to put the machine back together again.  Be careful when putting the K Cup holder back in to the machine, since it has that sharp needle inside.  Now you are ready to brew a nice, fresh and tasy cup of coffee.

This is what my K Cup holder looked like after I cleaned it all up!!  Can't wait to have a cup of joe....or more like coco

A few tips that the website also listed that I never would have thought of

1.  If you are going away for over a week, don't leave water in your reservoir.

2.  If you brew hot chocolate or iced tea or any other sticky beverage, run a cleansing brew of just water and no K Cup.  It helps rinse out any sugar crystals.

3.  Use distilled water, it has less minerals.

Hopefully you found this helpful or at least informational.

Day 22: Vinegar & baking soda tub cleaner

So once again, I am on a cleaning kick...the stranger the pin sounds the more I want to do it.  This one is using common household items and turn them into a more environmentally friendly cleaning project.  With having a young child around it can be a little nerve racking to try and clean and have Little T not get into the chemicals.

Here is my disclaimer:  My bathtub is usually NOT this dirty...but for the interest for my blog I let the tub cleaning go a little long.  If I am going to try this out I thought I needed to give it a good work out!!

I would give this cleaning pin a 3...it was easy to make, but it wasn't as easy as the pin said it would be.

The original pin can be found at lifecraftsandwhatever.blogspot.com

Ingredients
1 cup vinegar
1 cup dawn liquid dish soap (I used Great Value)
Spray bottle

Step 1:  Heat up the vinegar for 90 seconds to 2 minutes.  Than pour in your spray bottle.

Step 2:  Add equal amount of Dawn (one to one ration) to spray bottle. (Just a side note....when pouring the 2 together don't...i mean don't put your face directly over the bottle!!  I got a face full of these weird vinegary-soapy fume...it was stuck in my nose and mouth for way too long.)

Step 3:  Shake gently.

Step 4: Spray on tub/shower...let it sit.  You can do it any where from 30 minutes to 2 hrs.  Use a sponge or cloth and a little warm water and wipe it off.  That's it!!  Say good bye to soap scum.

And there is my clean tub!!  Holy moly it looks great!!!  Don't know if its ever been that clean!!  I was impressed.

So I think that it turned out pretty darn well!!  I will say that it wasn't as easy to wipe off as the original blog made it seem.  But it did a good job.  I even used it on my sink...and that was a double holy moly!!  Wish I would have done a before and after picture of that!!  My faucet that looks like it has been in the house since it was built...I kid you not...looks almost brand new!!  I will be interested to see if it works better and better each time I use it.

Day 21: Cream Cheese Wontons

Anyone who has even been shopping with me at the mall knows that when its time for a snack I usually pass on the ice cream & sweats and head straight to the cream cheese wontons.  So for day 21...well it might have actually still been the 21st...I made these as a late night snack.  Not the best choice...but oh so good!!

I am rating this recipe a 5...because they are OH SO GOOD!!!  Plus they were pretty easy to make and I only needed 3 ingredients to make them.  I changed what I used from the original pin and folded them in a simpler way...it was late and I just needed my wonton fix!

The original recipe can be found at budgetsavvydiva.com

Ingredients
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 tbsp scallions
pinch of garlic powder
wonton wrappers
oil for frying

I choose to eliminate the scallions

Step 1:  Heat oil in a cooking pot to 350 degrees (you could use deep fryer if you have one).  Mix together cream cheese, garlic powder and scallion.

Step 2:  Place 1 tbsp of the mix in the middle of the wonton wrapper.

Step 3:  Fold wonton wrapper and secure edges with water.  (I followed the directions on the wonton wrapper package, which was shown folding it in half than bringing the 2 corners together...that was a little more work then I wanted to do...plus when I get them at the mall they are just folded in half)

Step 4:  Once oil is heated to 350 drop wonton in the oil

Step 5:  Turn once to get both sides golden brown.  Once cooked to a golden brown, remove from oil and let wonton dry on paper towel.

Now for the fun part...sit down and enjoy!!  They were SO good!!  I could have eaten a ton of them!!  Can't wait to make them again!!  I think even Little T would like them.

Day 20: Texas Garlic Toast

As the weekend continued to go on, so did the snow...blowing and crazy cold!!  Not wanting to get bundled up, warm up the car, going out in the cold to the restaurant and repeating the process on the way back home....plus doing it all with a potty training 3 yr old...I think NOT!!  We decided to stay home and make a night of it.  Spaghetti dinner followed by a family friendly move.  All was going well until....we discovered that we had NO sprinkle cheese aka grated Parmesan which Little T loves with his pasta and we needed it for the bread...Momma S headed to the store.  Thankfully it isn't too far from her house.  Once we got our sprinkle cheese we went back on track!!

This is a recipe for Texas toast that you would or could freeze...just like the toast you buy in the box.  Since I had Texas toast left over from the french toast casserole  what better way to use it!!  We made enough to have 4 whole pieces of toast with dinner and freeze 5 for later.

I am rating this recipe a 4:  It was easy, tasted delicious and it was kid friendly...Little T got involved too!!

The original recipe can be found at themakeyourownzone.com

Ingredients:
6 slices Texas toast
1/3 c grated margarine spread (I used butter)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley

Step 1:  Mix all ingredients together, stir until well combined.  Spread some on each slice of bread.  Lay bread on a cookie sheet and place in freezer.  Once the bread is froze, you can stack them and package them in a Ziploc bag.

To cook your frozen toast: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lay the toast on a cookie sheet and cook for about 5 minutes.  Flip toast if desired to brown both sides.

Making this toast is much cheaper than buying the boxed one and just as tasty!!  This recipe, if you make a large batch using the whole loaf of Texas toast, you can make enough slices to replace 4 boxes.  The cost for the Texas toast was $2.97 at Walmart & the Great Value brand Texas toast (8 slices) is $2.00.  Sounds like a good deal to me!

Note:  If you're like me and cooked some right away I heated my oven to 350 and cooked for about 4 minutes per side.

This is Little T spreading...spreading...spreading the butter on the toast.  That's what he keep saying as he was doing it!!  I have a little chef on my hands...he LOVES ti help cook.  The best part is when he helps us cook dinner or put some of it together he ends up eating more and enjoys talking about what he did to get dinner ready.  Even better...he likes to help with the dishes too!!

Can't wait to see how the frozen batch turns out!!

Day 19: French Toast Casserole

Mr. J was going to be out of town at a curling tournament this weekend...so whats a girl to do?!?  Head to her momma's.  Little T and I went to spend the weekend with my mom, so I thought what better way to say thank you for having us was to make breakfast.

I found this recipe and thought I would give it a try.  It was something that could be made up the night before when Little T was already a sleep and the next morning I just needed to put it in the oven.  Not a lot of work to do, which I good when you have a 3 yr old around who LOVES to help with EVERYTHING!!

Rating this recipe a 3:  Fairly easy to put together and bake.  The whole "problem" was that after you cook it & it cools it kind of sinks.  Its nice and fluffy right away...maybe I need thicker Texas toast.

The original recipe can be found at sheldonrachel.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1/2 c melted butter
1 c brown sugar
1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar, cinnamon & extra brown sugar (for sprinkling)
9x13 pan

Note: For my recipe and only did a half recipe.

Step 1: Melt butter in microwave.  While the butter is melting get Texas toast ready.  (I cut the crusts off mine, but you don't have to).

Step 2:  Once the butter is melted add the brown sugar and stir together.  You might need to microwave the mixture for 30 seconds than stir again.  You want the butter and sugar to be mixed together.

Step 3:  Spread the mixture evenly to cover bottom of the pan.

Step 4:  Beat eggs, milk and vanilla together.  Spread an even layer of Texas toast on the butter/sugar layer.  Ladle half the egg mixture on top.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.  Repeat same steps with the next layer.

Step  5:  Refrigerate over night.

Step 6:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 45 minutes.  After baking sprinkle with powdered sugar.

The top will be crusty, the middle soft & moist and the bottom is full of caramely goodness.  You could serve this with warm maple syrup, but we ate it just as it is.  With the brown sugar bottom it really didn't need it.  Yummy..yummy!  Might pull this recipe out next time the in laws are in town!!

Day 18: Irish Stew

The winters in MN get cold....REALLY cold!!  What better way to warm up than with creamy mash potatoes topped with Irish(ish) beef stew?!?  Yummy...yummy!  So that is what I made for day 18!!

Since Mr.J is trying to stay away from carbs this was a prefect way to satisfy his eating habits and mine and Little T's.

I am giving this recipe a 4:  its a little bit more work, but totally worth it!!  The majority of the work is the waiting for it to finish cooking...2-4 hrs to get everything all nice and tender.

The original recipe can be found at laurenslatest.com

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lbs. stew meat
4 large carrots
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
1 large bay leaf
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
heaping 1/3 c frozen peas
mashed potatoes (optional)

Step 1:  In a large stock pot, brown stew meat in olive oil until all sides are brown.

Step 2:  Add onion, carrots, garlic and all the spices.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Add beef broth.  Cover and simmer 2-4 hrs or until meat is very tender.

Step 3:  Right before you are ready to serve, in a small bowl stir softened butter and flour together until smooth (making a rue).  Before adding the rue remove the bay leaf.  Stir butter mixture in the stew along with the frozen peas.  Once the gravy thickens a little, its done!!

Step 4:  Serve over creamy mashed potatoes or serve in bowl with a crusty piece of bread.

This was an amazing stew!!!  I will be making this again soon!!  The whole family loved it...I wish I could say that there was some leftovers, but the pot was scrapped bare.

Day 17: DYI eye makeup remover

Another DIY beauty project!!!  The shaving lotion worked out so well that I thought I would try another one.  This time it was eye makeup remover....yup...that stuff that you usually pay a lot of money for I basically made it for free...FREE!!  Gotta love that!  I had all the stuff on hand so I didn't even need to buy a single thing for it.

Original recipe can be found at cookingwithkaryn.blogspot.com

I am rating this DIY a 4: super easy to make and it works just as good as the MaryKay stuff I usually buy.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp baby shampoo (tear free)
1/8 tsp baby oil

Step 1:  Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a small container.

That is all there is to it!!  I made a double patch...that way I won't have to do it again later.  The only thing that I will tell you is that the next day there are a few little "chunks" floating in the solution.  Shaking it a little before you use it and those chunks become no problem.  Used it and it worked perfect...no more make up stuck to my eyes the next day!!

Day 16: Cleaning your dryer filter

Once again...still cleaning!  Another pin I found that seemed interesting was 17 tips to make your life easier, there are a few things on here that caught my attention.  One thing that really stood out was cleaning your dryer filter.  With a dirty filter it can be hard on your dryer...making it work hard and even burning out your heating unit...plus it can even start fires (or so I've heard).

Your dryer filter might look clean...but it might not be.  The mesh can appear clean, but dryer sheets can cause a film to build up on it and causing it to work less effectively.  The film is caused by whats in the dryer sheet.  You know that waxy feel it has when you take it out of the box, that stuff builds up on your filter mess

The original pin can be found at stumbleupon.com

This pin is getting rating of 1...another not so good one...boy am I on a roll!!

Instructions:

Step 1:  Remove your dryer filter and clean the lint off of it

Step 2:  Wash it using hot soapy water and a brush.  Give it a good cleaning.

Step 3:  Replace the filter...good as new

This might work better on dryer filters in dryers that use dryer sheets every cycle.  I use the bounce dryer bar & not sure if it uses the same ingredients that dryer sheets do.  I'd be interested in hearing how this works for other people.  If you decide to give it a try, let me know what you thought.  Happy cleaning...hopefully my next cleaning tip works better.

Day 15: Recharging your towels

I am still on this cleaning kick....so I have been trying some crazy tips I found on Pinterest.  Some have worked out better than others.  This tip is about recharging your towel.  From time to time I have noticed that my towels can have a funky smell to them....not sure if it was from them sitting too long in the washer before I can them in the dryer or that the towels don't get dried all the way.  So I found this pin about how towels can get a build up of detergent and fabric soften.  You can recharge them with a little vinegar and baking soda.

The original pin can be found at adorable-decor.com

I am rating this pin a 1...fail!!!  It might have cleaned the funky smell a way a little but it didn't seem to change the condition of the towels.

Instructions:

Step 1:  Wash your towels once in hot water with 1 cup vinegar.

Step 2:  Than wash them a second time with hot water and 1/2 cup baking soda.

Step 3:  Dry towels like normal

This helps strip the residue and leave your towels fresh.

I would suggested using just baking soda to help get rid of any of that "funky" smells that might come up every so often.

On to the next cleaning step...won't be using this one again.  Maybe you'll have better luck then I did :)

Day 13: Tomato Soup from scratch..well sort of

Its a chilly day in MN and what better way to end a lazy weekend inside but with the perfect winter soup...tomato soup!!  I was craving it & went to the cupboard, but the cupboard was bare...of tomato soup in the can that it.  So what's the next best thing?!?  Making it from scratch with a little help from a can of tomato sauce.  I tweaked the recipe a little bit to add an extra layer of flavors.

This recipe is getting a rating of 3....I wish I could have make a tomato soup with more natural ingredients and stay a way from the canned tomato sauce.  On a bright note it's made of tomato and water.

The original recipe can be found at blissfulanddomestic.com

Ingredients
1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz)
1/2 can of water
1/2 can of milk
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp flax seed (optional)
salt and pepper

My added ingredients
I omitted the garlic and added 1 glove of finely chopped garlic, added 1/2 tsp finely chopped onion.  Since I didn't have the chicken bouillon I decided to use chicken broth in place of the water (using 1/4 can chicken broth) and 3/4 can milk (to make it a little creamier.)

Step 1:  Combine all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan and cook until bubbly.

Looks yummy!!  As you can see I brought back an earlier recipe (ranch oyster crackers) and added those to my bowl of soup.  The soup was delicious and adding the crackers gave it a little extra flavor.  Little T liked this as well...for a 3 year old he is a big lover of all things soup.  I think he might take after his Grandpa Paul.

This would also be great with a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich.

Day 12: Crockpot Chicken tacos

All I have to say is O...M...G!!!  This is the greatest thing I have eaten in a while!!!  I am telling you once you make this you'll never eat Mexican out again!!  It is that good!!  I actually can't wait until lunch tomorrow to eat it again....I might even have some before I go to bed.  I know...I know its bad to eat after 8 pm.

I am rating this recipe a 5!!!  (I'd give it a higher rating if I could).  This is another quick and easy recipe...3 ingredients and 4-8 hrs and you are golden!

The original recipe can be found at mychocolatetherapy.com

Ingredients:

1 Envelope of Taco Seasoning (any brand)

6 Boneless chicken breasts

1 16 oz jar of salsa (any brand will do)

(I added salt and pepper to mine)

Step 1:  Put the chicken breast in the bottom of the crock pot, sprinkle taco seasoning on top and then add salsa.  There is no need to add water to the taco seasoning.

Step 2:  Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Step 3:  When done, using forks shred the chicken.  (This should be easy to do)  After shredding give it a stir to mix all the chicken with the juices.

Step 4:  This chicken is so versatile that you can use it for enchiladas, nachos, tostadas, quesadillas, tortilla soup...the options are endless.  You can also freeze the chicken mixture to use later as well.

I choose to make tacos...yummy yummy!!!  I gathered tortillas, shredded lettuce, Mexican cheese, sour cream and guacamole!

For Little T, I cut the tortillas into kid sized shells...easier for him to hold on to and eat.  He liked it a lot...he mostly ate the stuff out of the shell.

I ate mine with LOTS of guacamole and sour cream!

Like I said...hands down this is better than any chicken I have had at a Mexican restaurant!!  Next time I make this I am going to make a double batch.  That way I can freeze some to use for enchiladas or tortilla soup.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!!  3 ingredients and the crock pot does the cooking...whats not to love!

Update:  Like I said I LOVE this recipe...in fact I ate tacos before I went to bed last night, Little T and I made tacos & quesadillas for lunch and I just finished eating the most delicious chicken nachos!!  And I can still say after a 24 hour obsession with this chicken I still LOVE it!!

Day 11: Homemade microwave easy mac

For day 11 I wanted to try something that was just for Little T.  He loves...I mean LOVES easy mac!  So I thought way not try and make it at home.  I have pasta, milk and cheese so this shouldn't be too hard, right?  Anything made from scratch should be better than the box.  Looking at the ingredients in a envelope of easy mac I can barely pronounce half of them.

This recipe is getting two ratings.  The actual recipe on the blog is getting a 2...it had mixed reviews in the comment section of the original blog & based on those comments I made several tweaks to it to get it to turn out.  So in the end I would rate it a 3...not as easy and easy mac, but tasted better.  Even I liked it.

The original recipe can be found at blogs.babble.com

Ingredients:

Blogs Babble recipe
1/3 C pasta
1/2 C water
1/4 C 1% milk
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

My recipe
2/3 C pasta
1 1/2 C water
1/4 C milk
1/2 C Velveeta cheese

Step 1: Combine the pasta and water in a large bowl.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes then stir.  Caution because the water might overflow if the bowl isn't large enough.  Repeat at least 2 to 4 more minutes, stirring in 2 minute intervals.  The water should absorb completely into the pasta

Step 2:  Remove from the microwave and stir in milk and cheese.  Microwave for another minute.  Stir until cheese is thoroughly combined.

Step 3:  Eat and enjoy!!

Ok...now its time for the tweaks...where do I start.  Granted I used pasta that isn't traditional mac & cheese pasta, but it needed more cooking time than 4-6 minutes.  Once I placed the pasta and water in the bowl I noticed that the water wasn't even covering the pasta, so I added another cup.  I figured that even if all the water didn't get absorbed I could just drain it out.  Next I cooked it in 3 minute intervals, and did that 4 times, by than the pasta was cooked and all the water was absorbed into the pasta.

Next, a few comments said that the cheese was one big clump in the bottom of the bowl, so I decided to use another comments suggestion.  Add the milk to the pasta, microwave it for about 30 seconds before adding the cheese.  Adding cheese to cold milk will cause the clumping.  

Just by looking at the recipe I knew that shredded cheese wasn't going to melt very well, so I decided to use Velveeta cheese....it is much creamier and has a similar taste to easy mac.  Than microwaved it for about 30 more seconds and removed from the microwave and stirred, stirred, stirred until all the cheese was melted in.

Finally it was ready to eat!!  It was a little more work than easy mac...but Little T liked it just as much and I'm pretty sure it is a little healthier than the Kraft brand.

Not sure if this recipe will make it into the regular rotation, but it could be a recipe that I use in an emergency case....if you run out if easy mac that can make for a very bad day for mommy.

Give this recipe and try...let me know what you think and what changes you made.

Day 10: Unclogging a clogged sink

For day 10 I decided to another non food pin.  This one was a last minute idea....more like an emergency case.  We had a sink in our bathroom that wouldn't drain & with no Liquid Plumber in the house....what else is a girl to do but turn to Pinterest!!  No pictures for this one...I don't think anyone really wants to see our clogged sink.

Sorry to say but I am rating this pin a 1....epic fail!!!!

The original "recipe" can be found at marthastewart.com

Ingredients:
1/2 C baking soda
1/2 C white vinegar
Boiling water

Step 1:  Pour baking soda & vinegar.  The mixture will foam up.

Step 2:  Then pour boiling water down the drain to wash out any clogs.

I saw this same pin a few times when looking for a solution to our problem...but nope had to send Mr. J to the store to buy Liquid Plumber and a plastic tool thingy to unclog it.  Well now the sink is draining perfectly...for now :)

On a side note...I think this more for maintenance then to actually unclog a clogged sink.  So I plan to try it again next week to keep my sink unclogged.  Give it a try you might have better luck than me!

Day 9: Ranch oyster crackers

After making homemade ranch, I needed to use it to make something. Give it a real test in my world. Little T loves crackers & dipping stuff in ranch...so ranch oyster crackers was a perfect idea!!  They are a tasty & nice snack to have on hand.

This recipe I give a 4. Fairly easy to make & it took only 20 minutes from start to finish. Plus it's pretty darn tasty!!

Original recipe can be found at examiner.com

Ingredients:
1 packet of ranch mix (or in my case...I used my homemade match mix)
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 bag of oyster crackers (10oz)

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Step 2:  In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and mix well.

Step 3:  Stir in oyster crackers and mix well....very well.

Step 4:  Pour crackers onto a large cookie sheet.

Step 5:  Bake 15 minutes and stir every 5 minutes.

Step 6:  Cool and place in covered container.

There you go and quick and easy snack.  

I made a double batch of the crackers so I would have plenty.  Once you start it is sure hard to stop!!  With my double batch I actually used 2 1/2 bags of crackers.  Not as oily for little fingers....I sure don't need any extra finger prints around our house.

Day 8: Homemade Ranch Mix

I LOVE ranch!!! But really...who doesn't? It makes great things even better!!! And what do I love more than ranch?? Saving money!!! Buying those little envelopes of ranch mix can cost anywhere from $1.70-$2.12 (depending where you shop) & after mixing up your own it costs about .50 cents per Tbsp (the amount used to make ranch dressing.)

I rate this recipe a 5!!!  It tastes just like the Hidden Valley Ranch mix you buy in the store....but it tastes even BETTER!!  It is missing all those chemicals and has a "fresher" taste to it.  Plus when you have the mix (or all the ingredients) you don't have to sweat when you reach for the ranch mix...with these recipe in your Pinterest file, you'll always have ranch :)

The original recipe can be found on everythinngscomingupdaffodils.blogspot.com

Some of the ingredients needed for this recipe I already had on hand, but one in particular I needed. Powdered buttermilk...who knew that was an actual product. It was easy to locate...right in the baking section at my local Walmart.

Ingredients:
1/3 C dry buttermilk
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Step 1:  Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or I my case I used my blender.  Blend it all together for a minute or 2...you want to make sure that the parsley and onion flakes are broken/crumbled.  Store in an airtight container.  I used a mason jar.

A few last things....I made a double batch so that I had enough to last a while since like I said before...we LOVE ranch.  When making mine I used a tablespoon of the mix with the other ingredients.  Depending on how you like your ranch, you could add or subtract some mix to your liking.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as we do!!  Tomorrow I am using it to make a special treat...stay tuned!

Day 7: Mini Monkey Garlic Bread

For day 7 I decided to do a side dish.  I love spaghetti & garlic bread, so this was a spin on traditional garlic bread.

I rate this recipe a 5!!  It was quick & easy to make...plus it tasted DELICIOUS!!!  This would be a recipe that would impress your dinner guests! It looks like it would be more difficult to make than it is & who doesn't love that!!

The original recipe can be found on eatcakefordinner.blogspot

Ingredients needed:
2 (7.5oz) cans of buttermilk biscuits
6 Tbsp. melted butter
3 gloves of minced garlic (I used fresh garlic, but garlic powder would work just fine)
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 Tbsp. to sprinkle on top (you could use a Italian cheese blend too)

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Open the 2 tubs of biscuits, cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and place in a bowl.  Melt the butter & mince garlic.  Then combine all the ingredients together and pour over the biscuits.  Toss gently to make sure that each biscuit piece is evenly coated.

Step 2:

Using a greased 12 cup muffin tin (make sure you grease the pan well...they will stick!  They look so cool when they are in one pull piece & can be pulled apart).  The original recipe says to place 6-7 pieces in each cup, but i did about 8-10...with 6 or 7 it didn't seem to fill the cup enough.

Step 3:

Sprinkle with the 2 Tbsp. of grated Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Serve warm makes 12 servings.

They were SO good!!!  I think I ate more of the garlic bread then I did anything else!!

Day 6: DIY Shaving cream

I know it sounds crazy?!?  Why make something when you can just buy it?  True...but where is the fun it that?  Plus this recipe calls for things that most people have around their house, and if not most of these things  can be purchased for very little.  I had the baby oil & lotion on hand and I decided to purchase an inexpensive shampoo and conditioner that I liked the smell....that only cost me $2.00!!!  Pretty sure I will be able to make another full batch with the items that I have....so for $2.00 I can get 3 16oz jars vs. the cost of a can of shaving cream.  One suggestion that the pin I found gave, was buying the lotion in the same scent as the shampoo and conditioner...I will be doing that next time I need to mix up a batch. Then I was ready to whip it up!

This one I am rating a 4...it could use a little more thickness & next time around I will make a few tweaks.  It as easy & quick to mix up (if you have been reading my blog you'll notice that quick and easy are kind of a theme).  Bonus it smells great (since you can do whatever scent you want) and it saves money.

The original recipe can be found at beautytips4her.com

Ingredient List:

1 C Shampoo
1 C Conditioner
5 Tbsp Baby Oil
5 Tbsp Lotion

Step 1:  Mix shampoo and conditioner together & mix.

 Step 3:  Add 5 Tbsp baby oil and 5 Tbsp lotion. Mix.  It can be a little on the runny side...if you would like it a little thicker you can add more lotion about 8 Tbsp. but you can add lotion until its the thickness you like.

Step 3:  Let set up for 1 hr than pour into a container and use.

This was a really fun experiment!!  I have NEVER EVER made any homemade beauty product and I thought it was great.  I might get used to this "make your self home products" savings, the price it costs you to make it vs the price you buy to purchase could be addicting!!  Look for more in the future....I have a great homemade laundry detergent coming up soon!!

Update:  I decided since it is a little on the runny side to let it set for 24 hrs before using it.  And when I did it was truly AMAZING!!!  It left my legs SO silky and soft.  The best part....I seem to be having to shave less than when using regular store bought shaving cream!!!  Double save...save money and save time in the morning shower routine!!

Day 5: Creamy Vegetable Chowder

On a chilly winter day what could be better than a cheesy, creamy, veggie & delicious soup!!!  Since Momma S was going to be at our house to help watch Little T while I was working & Mr. J was cheering on the NDSU Bison in Texas, I decided to make her a special lunch.

Momma S and I rated this recipe a 2...it was ok...but could use a little tweaking the next time around.

The original recipe can be found at luluthebaker.blogspot.com

Ingredients List
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 C chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot (I used a grater on mine)
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 C chicken broth
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 C water
2/3 C milk
2 C chopped broccoli
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

(I also used a little salt and peeper because I thought it needed a little something something)

Step 1: Melt the butter in a large stock pot.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add the garlic and cook a few minutes longer.

Step 2:  Add chicken broth and potatoes (I cut mine a little on the small side, they will cook faster the smaller they are), bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour and water, add to the stock pot and simmer until soup is a little thicker.

Step 3:  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  (I cooked my broccoli a little longer because I like mine a little on the softer side.)

Step 4:  Stir in cheese and allow it to melt.  Serve when cheese is completely melted.  I served my soup with oven warmed rolls and crackers

I will be making this recipe again...with a few changes.  I will update you on what I did differently.

Also if you are looking for instructions on how to make this soup in the crock pot check out luluthebaker site there are a few comments on there about how people convert it to a crock pot recipe.  I promise I will do some other things besides cooking....soon!