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A little bit of anything and everything that's part of
​creating, enjoying, and living a simpler life!
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RASPBERRY JELLY & SMOOTHIE RECIPES!

8/31/2015

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As promised here are two new recipes using my very own homegrown raspberries!  Of course you can make the jelly and the smoothie/smoothie ice pops using any fruit, but raspberries are my favorite since I don't have to buy them!

As with all the recipes I share, you can use the button below to download the pdf file below and print one sheet of  8 1/2 x 11 cardstock paper.  You can then cut out each of the 4 x 6 inch recipe cards.  They always come two per sheet.  

Visit my Recipes Page to print out previous recipes (pdf files) or to download a FREE 4 x 6 Recipe Card Template (.dox file) for your own recipes! 

Enjoy!
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click here to download pdf file recipe cards for raspberry jelly and smoothie/smoothie ice pops
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I use the Zoku Ice Pop Molds shown to the left.  
Check them out by clicking the picture or going here: Zoku Ice Pop Molds
(affiliate link).
Check out my other posts about raspberries:
  • Grow Your Own Raspberries - how to simply grow your own.
  • Freezing Raspberries - how to freeze the raspberries to be used later.
  • DIY Raspberry Jelly - how to make and can your own homemade jelly!
Please 'like' us on Facebook or join our mailing list 
so you never miss newly shared recipe cards!
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DIY RASPBERRY JELLY

8/29/2015

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Making homemade jelly is something that has been on my to-do list for so long it is not even funny.  Years ago I made an attempt to can pickled cauliflower and it was an epic failure so I was not in any rush to give canning another try. Until now that is, and finally, SUCCESS!  I made homemade raspberry jelly using my very own homegrown raspberries (See Grow Your Own Raspberries) that I had stored in the freezer (See Freezing Raspberries) until I was ready. What could be better than that?

Thank you to Simply Canning for their excellent water bath canning instructions!  The information they shared was extremely helpful :-)

Check out the FREE Printable Jelly Jar Labels below!


Canning Jelly
Supplies Needed
  • Canning Pot with rack
  • Canning tools (small plastic spatula, funnel, jar grabber)
  • Large Pot
  • Small Pot
  • Medium Pot
  • Ladle
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Towel
  • Paper Towels
  • Ten 4 ounce jars with lids and rims
  • Cheesecloth
  • Bowls
  • Potato Masher
  • Fine Mesh Colander
Ingredients Needed
  • 3 tablespoons Ball Classic Pectin
  • 4 - 5 Pints Raspberries (2 2/3 cups raspberry juice)
  • 3 cups Sugar

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Instructions:
  1. Wash jars and lids thoroughly (no need to sterilize since they will be processed 10 min).
  2. Press berries in bowl using a potato masher and then use colander to strain juice into another bowl.
  3. Add remaining berries to center of squared cheesecloth and close securely.  Gently squeeze out the berry juice into the bowl. This takes time. Check out How to Strain Seeds From Juice When Making Jelly (I actually added water to the remaining pulp and gave it to my chickens. They loved it!).
  4. Measure the exact amount of juice you end up with.  You need at least 2 2/3 c.  If you are a little low, then just add a little water or squeeze some more from the pulp.  If you have too much you can just take some out and use it to make something else (check out Raspberry Sauce Recipe).
  5. Add juice to medium sauce pot and set aside.
  6. Add 6-7" of water to canning pot and turn on high heat so it will come to a boil (it takes a while).
  7. Add 2" of water to large pot and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and place jars in open end facing down to heat them up and keep them hot (As the water cools they will jump around a little bit.).
  8. Add water to the small pot and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add lids (not rims) to keep them hot.
  9. Have 3 cups of sugar in container ready to add when needed.
  10. Have the 3 tablespoons of pectin ready as well.
  11. On high heat slowly stir the 3 tablespoons of pectin a very little bit at a time into the raspberry juice. Bring it to a rolling boil stirring constantly (a boil that no matter how much you stir it it will not stop).
  12. Add sugar all at once stirring continuously until it dissolves. Then bring to a rolling boil again stirring constantly. Continue stirring at a rolling boil for one full minute and then remove from heat. 
  13. Fill one jar at a time as follows:  Using funnel and ladle, fill jar so there is 1/4" headspace at top.  Run a small plastic spatula around the inside wall of the jar to release any trapped air.  Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel. Put the lid on then screw the rim on to finger tightness.  Place on rack in canning pot so that none of the jars are touching each other (the rack should be raised so that it is hanging on the side of the pot).  
  14. When all 10 jars are done, lower the rack into the boiling water and cover the pot.  The water should be at a rolling boil for a full 10 minutes.  If the water is not at a full rolling boil, do not start timing the 10 minutes until it is. 
  15. When the 10 minutes is up, remove the cover and turn off the heat.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  16. After 5 minutes, raise the rack and slowly remove each jar using the jar grabbing tool.  Place each jar gently on a towel (this could be on a tray) in a location where it will be allowed to sit for 24 hours.  
  17. Within a very short period of time you should hear a quick short 'pop' noise from each lid. This is good!  As the 1/4 inch headspace of air starts to cool it contracts and this is what pulls the lid in really tight to make the seal! Hence the 'pop' sound.
  18. After 24 hours, test the seal of each lid by pushing down on it.  If it pops back up, it is not sealed. You can keep it in the refrigerator and eat the jelly within one month.  If the seal is good, the jelly will last in a dark cool location for up to 1 year.
Jelly not fully set?
Jelly is a little runny (doesn't fully set):  Depending upon how 'runny' it is you can choose to do different things.  If it's not too runny you can try putting it in the refrigerator and see if this helps it to set.  If so, great, nothing else to do.  If it doesn't set after that and you are not ok with calling it and using it as a jelly the way it is, you can either use it as a sauce (like for pancakes) or re-process it using more pectin.  Just know that there is nothing wrong with it even if it is runny.  It is completely edible and will last just as long as 'set' jelly if the seals are good!

For other questions, concerns or problems check out the wealth of information available at 
The National Center For Home Food Preservation.
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YUMMY!
Free 4 ounce Jar Printable labels! 
This is a pdf file that is designed to be used with Avery White Address Labels 5160/8160 size 1" x 2 5/8".
Print a full sheet of labels, write in your name and the date, and choose to cut it out on the line or not!
Click on the picture or button below to download the pdf file.
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Full Sheet of Labels
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Example of One Label
click here to download raspberry jelly labels in pdf format!

Click here for FREE printable 4 x 6 recipe card!

Check out my post  Grow Your Own Raspberries!
Check out my post  Freezing Raspberries!
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Check out the Graniteware Canning Kit that I bought, used, and now vouch for by clicking the picture or link! (affiliate link).
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FREEZING RASPBERRIES

8/27/2015

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Freezing raspberries is extremely simple.  After trial and error I have come up with a simple method that works for me that is based on how I will be using them later on.  

Method
I simply take the raspberries, unwashed, and put them in a snack sized ziplock baggie.  I get as much air out of the baggie as possible and seal it tightly.  The filled snack baggies are then added to a gallon size freezer ziplock bag and labeled with the year.  

Why Snack Size Bags?
I use snack bags because of the way I will be using them later on.  I use the raspberries later for smoothies, sauces, and jellies.  The small snack size bag is the perfect amount for making a smoothie (I chop the frozen raspberries up and add them without defrosting).  If I need more for a sauce or jelly I simply defrost as many baggies as needed!  Each baggie holds about 1/2 pint.

Individual Use Raspberries
Since I do not use the frozen raspberries for yogurts or cereal etc., there is no need to freeze them individually first and then add them to baggies.  That just adds an extra unnecessary step based on how I will use them later on (Remember, I like to keep it simple!).  However, if you want the option for using individual berries later on check out How to Freeze Raspberries Whole. 
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These are frozen raspberries in the process of being defrosted to make jelly with.  
A  DIY Raspberry Jelly and Recipe Card will be coming soon!

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We appreciate your support :-)
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RECYCLING PART II - ODDBALL ITEMS

8/25/2015

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When in doubt, don't just throw it out!
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Have you ever thrown out any of the items in the picture above?  Well, all of those items are either recyclable or residential hazardous waste.  Yes, hazardous waste! Bottom line: none of them should be going in the regular garbage or into a landfill.  Especially the hazardous waste which can leach out of the landfill and into the groundwater.  I certainly don't want any of them in my drinking water!

In my last post Recycling Part I - At Home Basics we discussed the basics of recycling aluminum and tin cans, plastics #1 and #2, glass jars and bottles, paper, and corrugated cardboard.  Today we will talk about the other garbage, the oddball stuff that also includes hazardous waste.  

Getting Rid of Garbage Step by Step:
  1. Decide if it falls into the 'basic' category.  If it does, great.  Simply recycle it as discussed in Recycling Part I - At Home Basics.
  2. If the answer is no, then we come to todays discussion: is it hazardous waste or is it recyclable a special way?
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Hazardous Waste Products
Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any household product that contains corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients.  These are items that should NEVER be put in the regular garbage.  Town waste facilities provide a means for disposing of most hazardous waste, so you should be able to take all of these there. However there are few things that may be more difficult to recycle and for those I provide some alternatives.
  • Automotive Products (antifreeze, fluids, motor oil, oil filters, gasoline, polish and wax) -  Find out where to recycle motor oil and filters through The American Petroleum Institute.  Find out where to recycle all other automotive fluids at Earth911 Auto Fluids Recycling.
  • Vehicle Batteries (auto, marine, ATV, ride on mower).  Find a location to recycle them near you through Johnson Controls.
  • Tires - Find out where to recycle them through the EPA.
  • Fluorescent Light Bulbs and CFL's - Find out where to recycle at Recycle A Bulb.
  • Household Cleaners (ammonia, drain cleaner, rust remover, tile/shower cleaner and more) - *Contact your local waste facility for disposal.
  • Mercury Containing Items: thermometers, thermostats - *Contact your local waste facility for disposal.
  • Paint Products (oil-based paint, spray paint, caulk, wood preservative, wood stain) - note that latex paint is water based and can be disposed of with regular garbage after cleaning. *Contact your local waste facility for disposal.
  • Garden Chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides) - *Contact your local waste facility for disposal.
  • Swimming Pool Chemicals - *Contact your local waste facility for disposal.
  • Sharps (needles and lancets) and Pharmaceuticals - *Contact your local police department or waste facility for disposal.

*As stated earlier, local waste facilities usually manage the collection of the hazardous products mentioned above (as well as others).  My facility requires proof of residency and that the products are placed in sealed plastic bags.  All products must also be in the original labeled container.  Whatever is necessary to properly dispose of the hazardous waste is worth it.  These items should NEVER be in a landfill that could leach into the groundwater (and ALL landfills will eventually leach).  

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This is the label on my bin.
Miscellaneous Recyclables
These are items that usually must be recycled in a special way.  I simply keep a bin - see the label I use above - in my house and just put these items into it as I go.  When I know I am going to be at or near one of the locations I take the items with me to drop off!  Simple! 

Best Buy Recycling Kiosks:
The kiosks are right in the front of the store.  I love this because it's a one-stop-drop! Simple!
  • Plastic Shopping Bags and Zip -Lock Type Plastic Baggies (Plastic #4)
  • Ink & Toner Cartridges (I take mine to Staples for $2 in Staples rewards each)
  • Wires, Cords, Cables
  • Remote Controls and Game Controllers
  • Rechargeable Batteries
  • CD's, DVD's, and Cases
  • Old Gift Cards

NOTE: If it the item is in working order, wait for Recycling Part III - Selling & Donating!
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E-Waste Recycling through Best Buy Recycling:
Just click on the link, choose your state, and then choose the item you want to recycle.  Most items are free to recycle, but there are some exceptions so it is best to check before you go.  It's that easy!

Here is a partial list of items they will take (they literally take hundreds of items):
  • Televisions, DVD, VHS, and Blu-ray Players, Set-top Boxes and more
  • I-Pod's & MP3 Players, Chargers, and MP3 Speakers, CD Players, Turntables, Speakers, and more
  • Boomboxes, Alarm Clocks, Personal Recorders, Satellite Radio, and more
  • CB radios, Scanners, Radar Detectors, Dashboard and Overhead DVD Players, GPS Units and more
  • Digital Cameras, Lenses, Camcorders, Digital Photo Frames, Binoculars, Memory Cards and more
  • Cell Phones, Chargers, Headsets, Two-way Radios, Calculators, Shredders, E-readers and more
  • Game Consoles, Hand Held Games, Games, Accessories and more
  • Computers (desktops, laptops, tablets, netbooks, LCD and CRT monitors, motors, routers, hubs, hard drives and much more!)
  • Hair Dryers, Curling Irons, and Flat Irons, Vacuums, Fans, Pedometers, Heart Monitors and more

They DO NOT take large or small kitchen appliances.

Don't Want to Bring Your E-Waste to Best Buy?
Then check out the EPA's Donation/Recycle E-Waste to find other locations near you!

NOTE: If any  products are in working order, wait for Recycling Part III - Selling or Donating!
Other Recyclable Items:
  • NON-Rechargable Household Batteries (AA, AAA, D, C, and 9V) - Check out The Big Green Box.  You can find a partial list of stores that participate on their website, but currently you must call  your local Whole Foods, IKEA, Walgreens, or other potential participants to see if they are actively accepting batteries to be recycled.  You can also find out about getting your own Big Green Box for your business or school.
  • Plastics #5 (yogurt cups, fast food containers, etc) - Check out Preserve Products for a location where to recycle them near you.  They make them into toothbrushes (That you can also purchase!). Most Whole Foods have a box to recycle the #5 plastics.  

Have Something Not on the List?  
Check out Earth911's Recycling Center Search Guide.  You can find where to recycling numerous items in the following categories (And many things not mentioned too!):
  • Automotive (tires)
  • Construction (carpet, shingles)
  • Electronics (large and small appliances and many, many other items)
  • Glass (Not bottles and jars)
  • Metals (aluminum foil, metals, steel)
  • Paper (waxed cardboard and other odd items)
  • Plastics (packing peanuts, caps, lids, wraps, and more)
  • Odd Household Items (cooking oil, mattresses and more)
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Are You Part of An Organization?
Terracycle collects large amounts of a particular type of waste and gives proceeds to a cause of your choice – example: all Garnier Fructis Beauty Products or squeezable Juice containers.  You just arrange to collect it, then mail it to them.  Just go the site, select your waste, collect, and send.  Simple!
Sources:
http://www2.epa.gov/recycle
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8817.html
http://www.earth911.com
http://www.wm.com/enterprise/municipalities/residential-solutions/household-hazardous-waste.jsp
Coming Soon: Recycling Part III - Selling and Donating!
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TWO NEW RECIPES WITH CABBAGE

8/22/2015

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I love salads in the summer and these two are no exception!  I know they are simple, but that's the point, remember?  The simpler the better in my book!  My recipe book I mean :-) 

As with all the recipe cards I share, feel free to download the pdf file below and print out on 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock paper.  They are 4 x 6 inch cards.  

Visit my Recipes Page to print out previous recipes (pdf files) or to download a FREE 4 x 6 Recipe Card Template (.dox file).

Enjoy!
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click here to download pdf recipe cards forsouthwest salad & cole slaw
Please 'like' us on Facebook or join our mailing list 
so you never miss newly shared recipe cards!
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RECYCLING PART I - AT HOME BASICS

8/19/2015

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I don't like the chore of recycling, but I am proud to say that I do it. Why?  Because I am doing my part to help the environment for myself, for my children, their children and so on.  Baloney you say?  Actually, no.  It's truer than you think.  

What Does Biodegradable Mean?
Biodegradable means that a substance or object is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.  Anything made of organic compounds is biodegradable.  The problem is how long it takes.  Unfortunately, some substances take so long (we are talking hundreds to millions of years) that they could be considered non-biodegradable. 

What Do I Know?
I know there are arguments for why recycling is a waste of time.  How it actually costs more money than it saves, etc.  Despite all of the arguments (and there are many), what I do know is this: 
  1. The Earth does have limited resources (metals, water, fossil fuels, etc.). When they run out, at this point in time, we do not have the technology to make more within our grandchildren's or even their grandchildren's  lifetimes.  That leaves the 'future' populations high and dry for a lot of the things people currently use and take for granted every day.  
  2. Certain products don't biodegrade at all, or, they do not biodegrade in any reasonable amount of time at the surface of the Earth (where most bacteria and water are present).  For example, a plastic container or a tire will probably still exist  a hundred or more years from now.  
  3. Many products in landfills will generally NEVER biodegrade - they will literally LAST FOREVER!  What's that?  YES, FOREVER!  Landfills today are purposefully made so that nothing can leach into the groundwater and they are capped with clay (which is not permeable) to keep water out as well.  The decomposition that does take place creates methane which becomes trapped if they do not insert special pipes to release it (and sometimes use it to create electricity).

Some Questions:
  • What is the right thing to do?  
  • Is it right to just throw everything in the garbage and let it be someone else's problem?  
  • Whose problem will it end up being?  
  • Whose 'backyard' gets the landfill of garbage forever?  
  • Do we just ship it to another state or country and let them deal with it?   
OR
  • Do we have an obligation to be responsible for our own garbage?   
  • Isn't it better if we recycle materials so they can be reused over and over again? 
  • Isn't it better NOT to pollute the Earth?  

Should You Recycle?
YES! Obviously I believe that it is our personal responsibility to get rid of all our garbage in the most responsible way possible and this means recycling, reusing, repurposing, and polluting our environment as little as possible in the process.

Side note: It's practically impossible not to pollute.  Driving a car, burning fuel to cook and many other things all contribute to polluting the Earth whether you want to or not. 

The Basics of Recycling at Home: Metal, Plastic, Glass and Paper

STEP 1 - Know Your Town's Expectations
Where I live we only have to separate into three containers.  Metals, plastics, and glass all go into one, paper/corrugated cardboard goes in another, and regular garbage into the third. The bins were provided by my town (thanks to my tax dollars) and they really make it easy for us to recycle.  

If your town doesn't provide the containers then you need to provide them yourself.  You will definitely need to know exactly what they expect as far as sorting goes so you know how many containers to get.  If you don't know your town's expectations then either call them directly or google them online!
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CANS PROVIDED BY OUR TOWN
STEP 2 - Know What Can Be Recycled

No matter what town you live in the basics of recycling are pretty much the same.  At this point in time pretty much every town recycles metal, plastic, glass, and paper/cardboard in some way.  However, not all metals, plastics, etc. are created equal.  This is why it's important to know exactly what your town accepts and doesn't accept.
Aluminum/Tin
These metals can be recycled endlessly.  If you do not recycle them, they can take 100 - 200  years to biodegrade!  In my town this includes all cans used for food and drink.  I just rinse them and immediately put them into the container outside.

In my town they do not accept hangars, pots, pans, utensils, or any other oddball metal items.

FYI - Recycle the cans with a 5¢ deposit separately!
Plastics
Soft plastics take about 100 years to biodegrade and hard plastics take up to 500 years to biodegrade.  Definitely worth recycling! If you look on the bottom of the container you will see recycling numbers in 'chasing' arrows.  Make sure you know what numbers your town is willing to take.  My town only takes numbers 1 & 2. This includes peanut butter jars, milk jugs, motor oil containers, butter tubs, coffee containers, and pretty much all other commonly used products that are packaged in plastic containers. I simply rinse the container and put immediately into the container outside. You can recycle with the caps on them as well. For more information on the numbers and what they mean check out Recycling Plastics Is As Easy as 1, 2, 3...

In my town they do not accept plastic bags, toys, buckets, coolers, bowls, utensils, or any other oddball items.

FYI - Recycle the plastic bottles with a 5¢ deposit separately!
Glass
Glads is not biodegradable at all (made of silica).  It does however physically weather over time into smaller and smaller pieces.  It is definitely worth recycling.  My town accepts all glass bottles and jars with NO LIDS.  

In my town they do not accept glass from windows, drinking glasses, kitchen bowls or tableware, ceramics, mirrors, or any other oddball items.  They also do not accept broken glass.

FYI - Recycle the glass bottles with a 5¢ deposit separately!
Paper and Cardboard
Paper and cardboard can take anywhere from 1 - 2 months to biodegrade.  My town accepts newspapers, magazines, junk mail, used computer paper, and corrugated cardboard (including boxes).  

In my town they do not accept milk cartons, egg cartons, food boxes, and any other oddball items.
STEP 3 - Get Rid Of It!
Ours is picked up every Wednesday.  The town has a schedule as to which Wednesday is Paper/Cardboard, and which is Metal-Glass-Plastic.  This is of course different everywhere.  My parents live upstate and they actually have to bring it to the local waste facility (dump) themselves. They have an option to pay for a local service to do this, but either way it is important to know where, when, and how to properly get rid of your recyclables!   Remember: you are doing a good thing!  Be proud:-)

Part II Coming Soon:  What about the oddball items?

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TWO NEW RECIPE CARDS!

8/17/2015

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Here are two newly typed recipe cards that I am adding to my recipe book in my quest to organize it.  

I love any recipe that I can add my fresh garden vegetables to and these two recipes fall into that category because I can use my freshly harvested string beans in both of them!  The fried rice recipe is also especially fun because I always make it with the extra rice left over from ordering Chinese food (They always give us so much!) so I am also not wasting food:-)
Use the button at the bottom of the page to download a pdf file to print out and keep!
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Click the button below to download a pdf document of both recipes.  I print them out on 8 1/2 x 11 inch white card stock paper and cut them out by hand.  The cards are 4 x 6 inches.
click to download pdf file recipes for 
fried rice & string beans with almonds
Check out My Recipe Page for more information, more recipes, and a FREE Recipe Card Template (.dox) you can download and use for your own recipes!

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DO SCARECROWS WORK?

8/15/2015

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For as long as humans have been planting and growing their own crops they have been battling to keep the birds away.  Scarecrows, at one time found in just about every garden, are now more common around Halloween.  Why?  Well, frankly, they just don't work that well.  
Why don't they work well?
Birds are smart.  They figure out pretty quickly that the classic scarecrow (designed to look like a human) is not real and within a few days they are right back in the garden pecking away at whatever is available.  Some gardeners have tried moving the scarecrows around each day to make it seem like it's 'working' in different locations, but eventually the birds just figure out it's not a real person and go right back to helping themselves.
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Are there alternatives?
Classic scarecrows can be built with arms that will move in the wind.  This is pretty creative and probably works better as long as there is wind to make them move.  Adding sound is also helpful as it can help to scare the birds.  This is definitely a step up from the classic 'stick' scarecrow. 

A newer technological invention is motion activated 'scarecrows.'  These do not resemble 'classic' scarecrows at all.  Two examples are the automatic sprinkler and an owl with a turning head.  I don't know about the sprinkler (birds love when I turn mine on), but the reviews on the owl are pretty good so it's an option.  Other options are 'shimmering' reflective ribbons tied to plants or fake snakes.  I don't know what is best or if any of them are worth it or not but we just choose to keep it simple.  We just anticipate sharing some of our crop with the local birds and if we  don't want to share, we just cover those particular plants with netting.
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Bird enjoying our garden sprinkler!
Is it worth it to have a scarecrow?
Absolutely!  I still love having a scarecrow in my garden whether it keeps the birds away or not.  It's fun to have  and, in my opinion, my garden wouldn't feel complete without it!  
Make your own scarecrow!
Whether it is for Halloween or to keep in your garden, here are three different plans at different levels so you can build your own scarecrow.  Enjoy:-)
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For Children:
Four step scarecrow construction plans designed for children!  So simple!
Build A Garden Scarecrow
Easy:
How To Make A Scarecrow Without Money or Skill
Advanced:
This awesome DIY scarecrow has moving arms and makes noise! 
How to Make Scarecrow that Moves and Chimes

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ORGANIZE YOUR RECIPE BOOK

8/13/2015

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Free 4 x 6 recipe template AND two fresh vegetable recipes below!
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Cooking is not my favorite thing to do.  I don't mind it, but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice of things to do with my free time.  Actually it wouldn't even be my second, third, or fourth either!  However, it is a necessary 'evil' that must be accomplished for the sake of my family, and well, keeping my own body going. We have to eat to survive, right?  I do like to eat, but thats a different subject for another time.  Suffice it to say that for now I at least try to keep what I cook as simple and as healthy as possible. 

My recipe book, however, is anything but simple so I recently decided to redo it.  I have had it for about 20 years now and it's a complete disaster.  I just kept throwing new recipes into it haphazardly over time to the point where it's completely disorganized and I don't even know what's in there anymore.  Of course my favorite recipes don't require 'looking up' but I have been thinking for a while now about making sure they  are all written down and organized so that I can share them with my daughter.  So that's basically what my recipe page is really about: organizing my recipe book, creating one for my daughter, and of course sharing it all with you in the hopes that you will want to organize your recipe book too!
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First Things First:  A New Recipe Book
See that dilapidated old recipe book above?  Well, I asked for a new one for my birthday.  I did a lot of research on the kind of recipe book I wanted.  It needed to be something that I could organize the way I wanted and not the way the company that made the book forced me to.  I needed to be able to take the pages out, but also be able to add new ones at will and move them all around as needed.  I also wanted to be able to make my own recipe cards on the computer (typed of course) and be able to print them and cut them out myself.  I really had a lot of requirements....picky?  Yeah, definitely.  But I only plan on doing this ONCE!  However, I also read online that making a recipe book for someone is a great gift as well so I wanted to be able to save and easily print out all my recipe cards for someone if I decide to make it as a gift. At the top of this post is a picture of the new recipe book I picked out.  It meets and exceeds all my expectations!
It is a CR Gibson and is available on Amazon.  Additional pages can also be purchased (I asked for and got those too!).
I specifically like it because of the following:
  • Leather bound cover
  • 'Picture pocket' with opening on the front that I can put any picture I choose in
  • Black color resists stains and cleans up easily (I am a sloppy 'cook')
  • 3 Ring Binder so more pages could be purchased and added and or moved around at will
  • Holds 4 x 6 inch recipe cards (and came with 40 of them - but I probably won't use them)
  • Came with 24 embossed letters that you can use in the picture slot (I won't use these either though)
  • Came with 12 tabbed divider pages that I can choose to use or not, or re-lable as needed
  • Great reviews by everyone who purchased it, including me!

Whether you buy a new recipe book or not, I hope you join me on this journey to getting it organized and/or starting over from scratch!
Recipe Card Template 
There was absolutely no way I was handwriting all of my recipes (Ugh... I couldn't even imagine doing that!).  Writing them by hand would also defeat the entire purpose of being able to easily duplicate the cards to make a 'gift' recipe book. So I went online but there were so many recipe card templates to choose from that I didn't even know where to start!  I finally just decided to make my own because I wanted the card to be simple, one sided, and not use a lot of ink when I printed it out. This makes it very easy for me to keep a file of all the recipes I type up so that if I want to make the gift recipe book I talked about earlier I can just open the file and print up the cards that are all ready to go!  Here is an example of the card:
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4_x_6_recipe_card_template.docx
File Size: 1003 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

FREE RECIPE CARD TEMPLATE
The card is an MS Word document and has two 4 x 6 cards to a page that you can type your recipe right into and print out. Directions are below.
Find the downloadable template below, or here: FREE RECIPE TEMPLATE or click on the picture above.
Typing & Printing the Recipe Cards
To use the template, download the MS Word Document and open it.  On the card, right click on the black text next to 'Recipe For' and delete or highlight "Type Name Here." Then simply type in the title of your recipe.  Do the same for the ingredients and the directions.  If you are good with MS Word you can insert a picture as well!
After typing the recipes in, simply print the cards.  I use white card stock paper because it is heavier like an index card.  Then I simply cut out the card on the dotted line (which may be very faint) and slip it into a sleeve in the book!
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Two of My Favorite Summer Recipes:
We make these two very quick and simple recipes a minimum of twice a week all summer long because they require a lot of the the fresh garden vegetables we grow!  Feel free to copy them, print them, and, hopefully, enjoy them😊.  Visit my RECIPES page to download a pdf of the recipes to the left (or click on them to go there), or download them using the button below (they are a single page pdf file).
I will be posting more of my favorite recipes as I type them up for my new recipe book. These will be published on my Recipes web-page. Sign up for our mailing list if you are interested in receiving new recipes as they are posted!  
download cucumber salad & grilled vegetable recipe pdf file here!
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FREEZING STRING BEANS FOR THE WINTER

8/7/2015

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I love eating my own home grown string beans over the winter.  The fact that they will taste good months from now is because of how they are prepared and stored. Today I am going to share with you how I prepared and saved 7.73 pounds of string beans in under 2 hours by myself!

In my earlier post  "It's Not Too Late To Grow Beans" I shared with you how easy string beans are to grow. Those easy string beans are readily producing now and over the last three days I have filled the three gallon bags you see in the photo above (And yes, they really did total 7.73 lbs!).

My method of freezing them for the winter is very simple, but believe it or not it took me a few years to get it right! 
FIRST THINGS FIRST - PREPPING THE BEANS
Last night while watching TV with my husband I sat at the table and I prepared all the beans by simply cutting the ends off and putting them back in the bag.  At the same time I also pulled out any unwanted leaves and flowers and cut the larger beans in half.    When all was said and done the beans weighed 6.94 pounds.
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This morning it took me about an hour from beginning to end (including clean-up) to finish the beans for freezing.  In the end I had 9 sandwich baggies each weighing about .77 lbs (three quarters of a pound).
BLANCHING AND FREEZING THE BEANS
Supplies:
  • String Beans (cut and cleaned)
  • Water
  • Blanching Pot with Strainer and Lid
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Colander
  • Large Bowl
  • Ice
  • Tray or Cookie Sheet
  • Paper Towels
  • Sandwich Bags
  • Gallon Zip-lock Freezer Bags
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Procedure:
  • Add enough water to the pot to cover all the string beans you are putting in.  I actually used a lot of water because I did one entire gallon bag at a time. 
  • Bring the water to a boil.
  • Add the string beans and use the spoon to make sure they are all submerged.
  • Cover the pot and set the timer for 3.5 minutes.
  • When time is up, very slowly remove the basket strainer from the pot and pour the string beans into the colander in the cold water bath, again, using the spoon to make sure they are all submerged.
  • Transfer the cooled beans to the paper towels on the tray and pat dry with additional paper towels.
  • Fill sandwich bags with string beans and set aside (leave open until you are completely done)
  • Continue to blanch additional bags of beans if you have them.
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Boil Water
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Blanch Beans 3.5 Minutes
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Cold Water Bath
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Pat Dry
  • When all beans have been blanched and put into sandwich bags, then get as much air out of the bags as possible and close them securely.
  • Put a maximum of 4-5 of the full sandwich bags into a one gallon zip-lock freezer bag and seal.
  • Label it with the year and store it in your freezer until you are ready to use it!  Remove sandwich bags as needed and re-seal the zip-lock bag.
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Put in Sandwich Bags
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Put 4-5 Sandwich Bags in Gallon Freezer Bag
Some questions you may have:
  • I started using the sandwich bags last year because each bag holds just enough for two to three people for dinner.  If I need more than that I just use a second one.  For us this prevents waste and makes it easier to just grab a bag as needed.  
  • I use non-freezer sandwich bags because the beans are actually double bagged.  The sandwich bags are stored in a freezer bag so there was no reason to waste money by using two freezer bags.
  • You can use any large pot, and having a strainer basket in the pot is not really necessary.  I used to just put the beans directly in the pot and take them out with a strainer.  It just takes a little longer to do it that way.  The set I have is actually made for blanching, relatively inexpensive,  and works extremely well.  As much as it makes the process so much easier, it is absolutely not necessary to have in order to blanch.
  • I know some people claim that blanching is a waste of time and simply just freeze the beans.  That is fine if that's what you want to do.  I personally have tried it both ways and I can honestly say that in my opinion the blanched beans taste fresh even after being in the freezer for several months.  I cannot however say the same for the beans that were simply frozen as is.  

Please let me know if you have any additional questions about freezing string beans! 
Click on the picture below or the link to check out the Graniteware Blanching Pot I used! (affiliate link)
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    Hi there! I'm Kathie, the author behind Creating A Simpler Life blog. I'm excited to share our longterm projects (and planning) toward building our future retirement homestead in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. In the meantime I will be sharing all the other little things we do that are part of creating our simpler life!
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