Old Fashioned Popcorn Garland

Hi all! Christmas is already upon us! It doesn't even seem possible. At any rate, I decided to make some old fashioned popcorn garland for our lovely tree. Here's how I did it:

Materials:
•   bulk white popcorn
•   dental floss
•   whole fresh cranberries (optional)
•   needle

1. Cook your popcorn. I chose white because of its nice bright color. I cooked about a whole cup which was 3 batches.
2. Allow the popcorn to cool completely in an airy spot. Pick a spot where it won't be disturbed. It will need to stay there for 8-24 hours to "stale up". Stale popcorn threads easier. I poured mine out on wax paper on the table.
3. Dry your cranberries.
4. Cut 9 foot lengths of dental floss to work with. My tree is pretty large, so it look about 7 strands.
5. Tie a knot (I do a cluster of knots) on one end of the floss. Thread the opposite end onto the needle. Be sure to leave tails on both ends for tying the stands together.
6. Pick a nice comfy spot on the couch, and find a good movie to watch. Older kids can help with this project if you trust them with a needle. Begin stringing your popcorn and cranberries. I strung in a pattern of 10 popcorn, 3 cranberries.
7. Once you are finished filling up the strand, tie some knots at the end. Go ahead and put the strand on the tree to see how much you'll need. As you progress, tie the strands together to make one large strand. 

It will be a bit delicate at first. The cranberries look like pretty little red beads. Enjoy your garland!

Thanks for reading!

Homemade Fruit Roll-ups

Hi all! Does anyone else eat fruit roll-ups as much as their kids do? I LOVE fruit roll ups,  and since I have a passion for a good old DIY I decided to try my own.

1.   Take some applesauce (you can actually use any combo of pureed or individual fruits. I used applesauce that I had canned in October.)

2.   Put it on a dehydrator tray or parchment paper to fit a dehydrator or a sheet of parchment paper. At any rate, whatever you're using be sure to grease it up a bit to prevent sticking.

3.   Dry in the dehydrator or oven set at 135 degrees or the lowest setting you can on the oven if it doesn't go lower than 135. Try to keep the oven cracked to prevent overheating. Dry for 6-8 hours or until only slightly tacky.

4.   Allow to cool for about an hour. Cut it into slices or shapes.  Roll in waxed paper if desired.  I store mine in a ziploc bag.

5.   Enjoy!

I LOVED ours. Plus, they were a big hit with the little guy.  This is a yummy, easy, guilt free treat!

DIY Play Dough

Hi all. As most of you know, I have a busy little toddler on my hands. We are trying to teach him many things, among them are his colors. I'm sure most of you have seen the recipes for homemade play dough floating around the blogosphere, facebook, and pinterest. Well, I saw it too! I decided I'd give it a whirl.

I can't link up to the recipe I used, so I'll just write it out here.

* 1 c. Flour

* 1 c. Water

* 1/4 c. Salt

* 1 Tbsp Veggie oil

* 2 tsp Cream of Tartar

* Food coloring (kool-aid can also be used)

Mix everything in a small kettle until most of the clumps are gone. Add as much or as little coloring as you desire. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Mix until it reaches the consistency of play dough. It will look slightly dry and cooked. This happens in just a few minutes!  Be prepared to stir your arms off! Place on a plate to cool. Knead for a few minutes to fully disperse all ingredients and moisture.  Once completely cool, it can be stored in a sealed container for several months. 

I did not try using kool-aid myself, but I read that it can be used and smells yummy!  I used several drops of cheap food coloring.  Mine doesn't stain at all. This is non-toxic and totally edible (though not tasty). The first thing my son did was eat some!  I found it to be exactly like what you buy at the store. It was really fun to make!  

Thanks for reading! 

The Dairy Aisle

Hi all! For me, the only thing better than recycling and gardening, is recycling in the garden. I've stated many ways in previous posts how this can be done, but this post is a special highlight of a certain section in the grocery store. The Dairy Aisle. It's not just for making strong bones or breakfast anymore! 

When incorporating recycling into your garden, look no further than the dairy aisle. It is chock full of great items you can reuse.

My Projects:

1.   Drain contents from an egg through a small pinhole, carefully rinse, and allow to dry. Now use for decorations. They can be painted, speckled, and more!

2.   Cut a milk jug into a scoop. Use your new scoop for potting soil, feed, etc.

3.   Compost your spent egg shells. They are great for putting calcium into the soil.

4.   Use empty egg cartons for starting seeds. 

5.   Using a large gauge needle heated by a flame (don't burn yourself) carefully poke holes into a milk jug lid. Now you have a watering can!

Projects to Try:

1.   Use broken egg shells to start seeds in.

2.   Cut a milk jug not quite completely in half, fill with soil, and use as a mini greenhouse.

3.   Cut the bottom off of a jug and use as a cloche to keep your seedlings and transplants protected from the elements.

Be creative! What have you tried? 

Thanks for reading!

Doughnuts From Scratch

Hi all! I decided to try my hand at yeast doughnuts from scratch. I had been envisioning fluffy glazed rings so I thought I would give it a whirl. I found a recipe online (I only look for recipes that I can make without buying anything special or that I wouldn't usually buy). It seemed simple enough.

What I ended up with was a little fluffy, a little dense (but not unpleasantly so) yummy glazed rings. I'm pretty proud of my first attempt. I made a few cinnamon-sugar doughnuts too.

Here is the recipe I used from AllRecipes.com.

Crispy and Creamy Doughnuts

My ugly little yummy doughnuts

INGREDIENTS:

2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup shortening

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 quart vegetable oil for frying 

1/3 cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

DIRECTIONS:

1.Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

2.In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.

3.Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.

4.Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.

5.Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

My own tips and such

* I don't own a doughnut cutter so I just used a large plastic tumbler and a popsicle mold dipped in flour instead. Use what ya have!

* My dough was super sticky to knead so I added a bit more flour. It may account for the denser finished product but was way easier to work with. 

* You can use your oven turned on a low setting for a minute or 2 with door cracked open then turn it off to allow heat for the dough to rise.

* Don't forget the doughnut holes!

* Watch your oil temp. I had a few doughnut hole casualties that were a "little" burnt up.

* For cinnamon-sugar doughnuts: mix up a ratio of 1 part cinnamon to 4 parts sugar (or whatever your preference) and put on doughnuts that are fresh from the fryer. 

* For chocolate glazed doughnuts: add a little cocoa powder to the confectioners sugar

* For a caramel like glaze: replace some of the confectioners sugar with brown sugar

* Remember I'm not an expert.  I'm just sharing my own humble experiences.

* Have fun! Get messy! Let the kids help! Don't get discouraged! Improvise! 

Thanks for reading!