Natural Homemade Living

This is a fun project and easy enough for kids to get involved.  I had lots of those plastic eggs left over from years of Easter egg hunts and wanted to use them for something. A couple years ago, I found this Egg Tree idea in a magazine. What you need: cone shaped Styrofoam (Walmart or craft store) plastic eggs (white if you can find them, I used the colored eggs for this tree) some type of tissue paper or paper napkins with different patterns or colors mod podge or white glue small paint brush to glue the napkins to the eggs shredded paper or straw (to cover the Styrofoam between the eggs) hot glue gun to attach the eggs to the Styrofoam a container or plate to display your tree  Start by cutting or tearing your paper napkins into small squares or strips.  If you are using glue, dilute it with a little water.  Using your paint brush, "paint" the pieces of napkin on the plastic eggs until the eggs are all covered. Depending on what paper you use, you c...

I got this recipe from a friend of mine. It is such a moist and delicious cake.  Even my kids, who aren't really carrot eaters, LOVED it! Here's what you need: 2 c flour 2 c sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 c oil (I used Canola) 4 eggs 3 c shredded carrots (I used the small bag of regular size carrots, it's a little over 3 cups shredded, but works) crushed walnuts (optional) Mix dry ingredients with cooking oil, and then add eggs all at once. Blend in carrots and nuts Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan (can also be made into cupcakes) Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Bake about 30 minutes for cupcakes. Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 c butter softened 8 oz cream cheese 2 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 lb. powdered sugar Beat all ingredients until creamy.  When cake has cooled, frost and enjoy! I kept the leftover cake (there wasn't much) in the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frostin...

We wanted to show you our pantry organizing ideas. We have different styles of pantries so maybe one of them will work for you if you are have trouble getting organized. I have a pantry in my kitchen that has slide out drawers and is fairly narrow. I keep my food and toaster in this pantry because these are the items I use on a daily or weekly basis. granola, muesli, nuts, raisins, then dried beans baking supplies and oils Tammi's Simply Organized Pantry Hopefully this will give you some ideas to help keep you and your family organized.   Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi and Angie

A few months ago after a lengthy hiatus (with the exception of a few poodle skirts), from the darkest corner of my storage closet, I located my sewing machine. My parents bought it for me many years ago and it still works like it's brand new. I used to sew my own clothes and whatever else I could find to sew up, but sewing sometimes seems like a lost art. My daughter has been asking me for months to show her how to sew, napkins are a great way to learn (see previous post just enter napkins in search this blog box).  I recently found some great buys on material and after my spring cleaning adventures I found some more items to repurpose; sheets, shirts, dresses, pillow cases and blankets. These are also great items to practice on because you don't have to spend too much money. Since I am tired of finding and throwing plastic bags away, I decided to make some inexpensive grocery totes that I could use then wash with my other laundry. I just don't like the material of the...

I am now making my own yogurt,  Simply Homemade Yogurt for a few reasons, the cost is low, I eat yogurt every day and I cook and bake with yogurt. I love the health benefits so I have been substituting yogurt in many of my recipes that call for sour cream, butter, oil, shortening, milk, and sometimes cream cheese (in veggie dips). The substitution amounts are not always equal parts so I thought I would share my own substitution tips with you and also some that I found on livestrong.com . Use plain (fat free or low fat) yogurt as a substitution in recipes for dips, cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies, and breads such as banana, pumpkin, etc. I have used applesauce as a substitution for oil but I prefer the plain yogurt. Substitution tips: Sour cream - use equal amount of plain yogurt Butter - 1 cup of butter equals 1/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup butter Oil or shortening - 3/4 cup plain yogurt for 1 cup oil Milk - 1/4 cup plain yogurt for 1 cup milk Simply Homemade...

I have seen this Ball jar soap dispenser on several magazine websites and thought it was cute, useful, and goes with my home decor. So I decided, as I usually do, on a whim to try it making it myself. Some of the directions said to drill a hole in the lid. I don't use power tools, my sister and I joke that "we aren't allowed to use them" (we can be a little accident prone!) So for me the tricky part was trying to find something the right size. If you can drill-go for it! What you need: a jar with a lid, I used a pint size Ball jar, but you can use any size or kind of jar you have a soap or lotion pump, I have seen them at craft stores, but I used one I had from an old bottle of soap instant glue, I used Krazy Glue (thanks to reader comments, hot glue does not work) a hammer something large enough to poke a hole to fit the pump through (I used several things, I started with a nail and then started bending the metal with a scissor (feel free to use whatever wor...

This recipe was simple to make and depending how thick your chicken is, can be ready in 30 minutes.  You can also pound your chicken breasts to thin them first to cook faster. Here is what you need: 4-5 chicken breasts, I use boneless, skinless but you can use what you like 2 c of bread crumbs with seasoning - I make my own so I added garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper and fresh grated Parmesan marinara or pizza sauce (you can make it or buy it; I put 2-3 T on each piece of chicken) mozzarella slices I coated my chicken with the bread crumb mixture, then put them in a hot pan with olive oil (on the stove) uncovered about 25-30 minutes (check to make sure they aren't pink inside). Then I took them out and topped them with sauce and a slice of mozzarella. Put them in the oven 350F for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly (they should be fully cooked before you put them in the oven, this is just to heat the sauce and melt the cheese). Enjoy! ...

Another beautiful day so you know what that means...I'm spending 30 minutes to clean out my linen closet. This is the closet next to our guest bathroom, since it is between the office and the "princess" room, I don't really call it a linen closet because I don't keep many linen items in it. This is where I keep my first aid items, Winnie's (puppy) supplies, cleaning supplies, and my plant water jar. I use baskets just because I like them, but I never pay full price for them. You can pick them up really cheap at garage sales and thrift stores and they do mark them down at the stores if you wait for the clearance sales. My first basket (first shelf) is for my vacuum bags, vacuum filters, Swiffer pads (for my wood floors and ceiling fans) and charging cord and a few hand towels. My second and third basket (second shelf) is for my first aid supplies, splints, bandages, medications, thermometer and blood pressure machine (out of children's reach).   M...

I really like salsa. I used to can it in the summer, but it would be a whole day project. Then I found this recipe on mountainmamacooks.com . It is one of our favorites. There is no cooking or canning involved and is pretty much perfect every time. It makes about 2 pints.  It would be great with the fish tacos, or if you're like me, you can eat it with just about anything! Here's what you need: 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes 1 10 oz can rotel 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed 1/2 -1 jalapeno, seeded or not depending on how spicy you like it 1 t honey 1/2 t salt 1/4 t cumin small to med. handful of cilantro (I'm not a huge fan of it, so I don't put much in) juice of 1 lime Put all the ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips, over tacos (or anything else...

No - they're not gross! Fish tacos are one of those supper items that are super easy to make and yummy. We're not really hard core fish eaters in this house, anyway not the fishy flavor kind! If we don't have any fish from our fishing friends, I buy inexpensive white fish, pollock is the cheapest and it goes on sale quite often, my package of 5 fillets cost $2.74. I also use tilapia or cod if it's on sale. Last night I was hoping to have leftovers but when I offered the suggestion of fish tacos, my husband voted for those! I usually cook my fish on the grill but I was too tired to walk to the deck to start the grill - haha!! For a quick, delicious supper try some fish tacos! Ingredients : 4-5 white fish fillets corn tortillas or wheat flour tortillas olive oil 1 tsp cilantro 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp garlic powder pinch of sea salt coarse black pepper to taste Toppings : Use whatever you like, here's what we use: Shredded lettuce or shredded ...

Another beautiful March day in the Midwest, 79 degrees as I write this!  If you live here, you know what I'm talking about, I remember most March days with snow on the ground or a blizzard on the way. But this year, we have been blessed!  How is your organizing project going? This afternoon in between pans of cupcakes, I managed to clean out another kitchen cabinet. This is the place where I keep my serving bowls, cooking bowls, lids, grater, and colanders. I keep my stand mixer and food processor on the counter top because I use them so much.  I used to be a Tupperware queen but I gave most of it away (except for my cupcake container). I prefer to use glass. I kept only the items that I use on a daily or weekly basis, the rest was donated. I keep my lids in a basket so they don't fall out or get misplaced and everything is accessible. It took about 30 minutes and one box for donations. Open your windows, take a deep breath and enjoy your organizing journey! Lov...

Today I'm making cupcakes for a birthday party tomorrow! Our twin granddaughters are turning 1 today and my daughter's birthday is tomorrow on St Patrick's Day! I am baking the twins their own 6 inch cakes (relatively healthy vanilla cakes that I will post later) and chocolate cupcakes for the rest of the family! I'm trying some different recipes because in 2 short months our oldest granddaughter is graduating from high school. She has requested cupcakes for her open house so being the overachiever I am, they must be perfect! This recipe is my favorite that I've used for years, it is a moist chocolate cake and of course it is yummy-licious! You can bake it in a greased, floured 9x13 pan, 2 round pans for a layer cake or cupcakes in liners. (When I bake cupcakes I always use an aluminum pan rather than the non stick pans. For me they seem to bake more evenly and no dark or burned bottoms)! Ingredients : 1/4 c butter (room temperature) 1/4 c coconut oil (room t...

I think my sister and I have spring fever. The more we talk, the more we clean out, throw out, donate, and finally organize! We have decided our goal is to keep only those items that have memories attached or those items that are useful. For many years I purchased totes and containers until I realized I have too much stuff! So regardless if it was organized or not, I had too much stuff! At first the process might seem difficult because if you're like me, I could always think of a million reasons why I wanted to keep something. But the more you clean out the easier it gets and the feeling after you've cleaned out is awesome! It's like your stuff doesn't own you anymore. And it is a great feeling when you can donate items because whether you know it or not there are many people in our communities that would love to have what we are cleaning out. For example, do I really need 6 pie plates? Or 5 comforters? Or 3 sets of dishes? Or 17 coffee mugs? You see what I mean? You...

Cake Batter Chex This is a fun treat to make and works great for parties too!  This recipe is adapted from sixsistersstuff.com  You will need: One bag of white chocolate chips (about 10oz) 5 cups rice Chex cereal 1 1/2 c dry cake mix (I used yellow, but any kind works) 1/2 c powdered sugar Sprinkles are optional Melt the white chips in the microwave for about one minute.. You might need to put them in for additional 30 seconds, or until they are all melted(careful not to do it too long, or it will turn into a hot mess) Pour  it over the Chex and mix gently, then add the powdered sugar and cake mix and stir until they are all covered. ~Simply Angie

Chocolate Lava Cakes are one of my family's favorite treats.  The chocolate really does come gushing out of it! Here's what you need to make them: 4 buttered ramekins placed on a cookie sheet   4 squares  Semi Sweet baking chocolate (I use Bakers brand) 1/2 c butter 1 c powdered sugar 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 6 T flour Preheat oven to 425 I usually do this part in my 8 cup pyrex measuring cup. Microwave the chocolate and butter on high 1 minute or until butter melts then stir until choc. melts Stir in sugar until well blended, whisk in eggs and yolks Stir in flour, divide into cups Bake 13-14 minutes or until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute, run small knife around the edge of cakes to loosen then invert cakes onto dishes. Top with whipped topping or ice cream. ~Simply Angie

Caramel Rolls I made these caramel rolls using the Sweet Bread Recipe we posted earlier.  When you divide the dough to put in the pans, I divided it in two pieces and made one loaf and used the other one for the rolls.  I rolled the dough into a rectangle,(about 8x12) Then spread softened butter and sprinkled cinnamon/sugar on top. Then rolled it up from the long side and pinched the seam so it stays rolled up when you cut it and lay it in the pan. Then using dental floss, (you put the floss under the dough and make an X on top and pull until it cuts off a piece.) In a 9x13 pan, place the rolls on top of the warm caramel sauce (see recipe below). Cover and let rise about 30 minutes. This makes 9-12 rolls, make them whatever size you want to get more or less. Simple caramel sauce recipe : This recipe is from Tammi. We also use it for our Simply Homemade Monkey Bread . YUM! Melt the following ingredients in a medium saucepan until sugar is dissolved and butter is m...

A great way to sneak some veggies into your picky eaters' diet is to puree them and add them to your favorite recipes. If you have infants, it's much cheaper than buying baby food in the jars or plastic containers.  I like to roast or steam vegetables like carrots, yams or sweet potatoes. You can use almost any vegetable. Then mash or puree them, put 1/4- 1/2 cup in freezer bags (I get the air out and freeze them flat) then take them out and either thaw them in hot water or just add them to meals like Barbeque sandwiches and casseroles as you are cooking them.  I have even been known to add them to a couple muffin recipes, and no one has noticed the difference. I will share some of those recipes on another blog day.  In the meantime, cook up some veggies and get them in the freezer! ~Simply Angie

I recently found this recipe when I was organizing my recipe book, I had forgotten I had it.  It instantly took me back to the days when I would go visit my Grandma and Grandpa, their house always smelled like fresh baked bread. She would serve these sweet pickles with our meal. Mine turned out just how I remembered them. There is no cooking or canning involved. They are simply, Refrigerator Pickles. 7 cups unpeeled, sliced, cucumbers ( I used about 5 large cucumbers) 1 sliced onion 2 c sugar 1 c white vinegar 1 t salt 2 t celery seed I made 2 quarts and 1 pint but you could put them all in one large gallon jar. I put the cucumbers and onions in the jars and then poured in the mixture, it seemed very dry and doesn't cover the cucumbers all the way, but as they sit, they shrink down.  I called my sister because I was sure the recipe had to be wrong but she said she remembered going to Grandma's and helping her shake the jars to mix and cover the pickles.  After ab...

Delicious pork chops and gravy During another experimental cooking adventure, my official taste tester was impressed with my gluten free pork chops and gravy. We have family members that require a gluten free diet so I like to experiment with combinations of ingredients so we can all eat the same meal. Thanksgiving no longer requires 2 gravies, we all eat gluten free gravy. I think it is healthier and we all like it better than the traditional gravy. So if you are looking for delicious pork chop recipe and would also enjoy the benefit of gluten free flour, try this! It's so very yummy! Ingredients for Seasoning : 1 cup white rice flour (I used Bob's Red Mill) but feel free to use all purpose white flour if you don't want gluten-free 1 T dried thyme 2 T onion powder 1 tsp rosemary 2 T garlic powder 1 T dried oregano 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper(optional) 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper (or to taste) Mix all of the above ingredients and pour th...

Since I eat yogurt for lunch every day (I know I'm a creature of habit) I'm always looking for ways to change it up a little. So last night as I was standing in front of the granola at the grocery store, I looked at the prices and thought, "are you kidding me?" The prices were crazy expensive! I refuse to pay those prices for something I can make myself.  So when I got home I started searching for granola recipes. Can I just tell you there are so many recipes out there for granola that I had to stop reading, it was giving me a headache -haha!! So hopefully I'm not copying any recipes without giving credit, I just started with what I thought were the basic ingredients, a few texts to my sister, and guess what? I made granola! You can use any combination of ingredients you want. I didn't feel like adding too many ingredients today, I don't always like walnuts or coconut in my granola, and I'd rather add my fruit separately because let's j...

I baked this cake for my husband's birthday - it's his favorite. Unless you weigh 50 pounds, you probably would not want to make this cake every week; it's very rich. The original cake recipe is adapted from my grandma's "Superb White Cake" recipe but I replaced the 8 egg whites she used with 4 large eggs. I also added vanilla bean because I love love love the flavor! Grandma frosted her cake with coconut frosting but I changed that to a filling made from mascarpone cheese and white chocolate ganache for the outer frosting. Yes, it IS yummy-licious!! Cake Ingredients : 1 cup butter (softened) 2 cups white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 vanilla bean (scraped) 4 eggs 3 cups unbleached all purpose white flour 4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup milk I used my stand mix to make this cake. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla extract, vanilla bean and 1egg at a time then mix. After all the eggs are added, mix the flour, baking powder...

What you need: a small glass jar or container olive oil a wick essential oil of your choice dried flowers or herbs(optional) I made this candle with a small glass container I had that was my grandma's. You could use a 1/2 pint or pint jar with a lid.  It is a liquid candle so it's nice to cover when your not burning it. I put the wick in and stuck it to the bottom with some tacky wax, but you can also use melted wax, then I poured in the olive oil and added about 10 drops of lavender essential oil.( you can add more or less depending on the size of your container and how strong you want the scent)  I added dried lavender blossoms just because I had them- and I liked the look.  These are clean burning and don't smoke.  When the olive oil is gone you can just wash out the container, add another wick and make a new one.  ~Simply Angie

Buttery Tomato Spaghetti Sauce This is a quick and easy Spaghetti sauce recipe from foodnetwork.com courtesy of Rachel Ray. It is one of my favorite sauces, it is sweet and buttery. I serve it with pork chops smothered with peppers and onions, grilled chicken or by itself. It was a hit with my taste testers! You can also put meat in the sauce, but we like it without meat.   This is what you need: 6 T of butter, I know it sounds like a lot - that's why it's called "Buttery Tomato Sauce" a few leaves of Basil, torn or dried, use what you have 1 clove garlic (minced or grated) 1 small onion, halved 1 28-32 ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 lb. spaghetti or other pasta freshly grated Parmesan (or what you like) If you use crushed tomatoes instead of whole, it cuts the cooking time of the sauce in half. Heat a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Melt the butter in a sauce pot add the basil, garlic, both onion halves, and tomatoes. Season with...

The weekend mornings are for muffins at my house!  My muffin recipe comes from many muffin experiences. We are picky muffin eaters at this house! They can't be too dry, too heavy, too crumbly, too bland, burned on the bottom, the list goes on and on...so this is my favorite muffin recipe - it took me a couple of years to figure it out but it is yummy-licious! I think to sum it up we like our muffins to taste like cupcakes but muffins for breakfast sounds much healthier than cupcakes for breakfast - haha! Well maybe...anyway the best part is that it's kid approved (big kids and little kids)!  To keep it interesting for my family and friends I alternate the last ingredient in the muffins so people don't get tired of the same muffins. I use fresh (or frozen) blueberries, sliced peaches (but not the juice), chocolate chips, sliced almonds (I use 1/2 cup and replace the vanilla with almond extract), raspberries, blackberries, whatever your favorites are. You can even combine ...

I have to admit, I love love love my coffee! I do have a couple of alternatives to coffee so I thought I would share my favorites. These are super simple and you only need a couple of ingredients. The first recipe is dairy, soy, and gluten free. Even though I'm not really a tea drinker, I like the flavors together and it smells great! You will need: 1 packet (tea bag) organic chai tea 1 6.5 fl oz vanilla coconut milk about 1/2 cup of hot water Regardless of the size of my cup or mug I fill it about halfway with tea, then I add the coconut milk and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds to heat it altogether. It equates to about 1 part hot tea to 2 parts coconut milk. This is so yummy! I also make another variation of this because I like vanilla protein drinks. I substitute the coconut milk with a vanilla protein shake. Heat this at a lower heat because some of the protein shakes will curdle if you heat them too quickly. When I don't have time for breakfast, ...