Angel Food Cake from Scratch

I recently made an angel food cake from scratch for the first time. Granted, it is not as easy as the boxed mix, but it has better flavor and I was amazed how light mine turned out. Angel food cakes take a ton of egg white and are a good way to use up egg whites stored from recipes that call for yolks. It is also high in protein, since the protein is found in the white of the egg. Another bonus to angel food cake is that there is no fat in it. So it is a sugary alternative to people wanting to watch fat intake. Although it will make a heavier cake, whole wheat flour can be substituted for the white flour.



Rebecca’s Favorite Angel Food Cake


12 eggs
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar


1. Separate eggs; discard yolks or refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. 
2. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. 
4. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely upside-down before removing cake from pan.

Effectively Sharing the Gospel With Tracts

A gospel tract is a simple and fairly effective method of sharing the gospel. The are easy to obtain and easy to give to sales clerks, waitresses, and people one crosses paths with while out and about. Sadly, a lot of Christians have ruined the effectiveness of this method of sharing the gospel, by not paying a tip and leaving a tract instead, or leaving tracts in places where a custodian is going to have to pick them up. 

I like to keep several things in mind when using a gospel tract.

#1-Keep it personal. Hand tracts to a person-do not leave it in a public bathroom, waiting room, or lobby for someone to have to discard. It is not only a rude, but cowardly and impersonal method of sharing the gospel.

#2-Don't just pass out gospel tracts like candy. The message of the gospel is personal and sacred and should be accompanied with a personal and friendly conversation-not just passed to a sales clerk with the comment "this is of you" (I have been guilty of doing) without any further conversation. If the gospel means something to us, it should not be passed off carelessly.

#3-Choose good tracts. There are a lot of tacky and un-scriptural tracts available. A catchy phrase is not what sharing the gospel is about. Make sure the tract is not only biblicaly sound, but does not try to scare a person into salvation. True salvation only comes by a person being repentant of sins, not simply afraid to go to hell. I make sure the tracts I use focus on man's depravity and need of a Savior, not on hell-fire and damnation.

#4-Prayer-I don't just hand out tracts to anyone and everyone without being assured that the Lord is leading. I accompany each tract with prayer before giving it to anyone and after giving it to someone. 

#5-A major reason I don't like to be liberal at passing out gospel tracts is because very often there is no way to follow up with a person after the tract has been given. I sold a name-brand cosmetic for some time and found that getting a phone number and asking if you can call in a few days and see what the costumer thought of the product was an unobtrusive way to get costumer feedback. I see no problem with carrying this into sharing the gospel. If I am genuinely concerned for a person's soul, I should be willing to follow up with them. 

Favorite Gospel Tracts: Bridge Illustration/Romans Road

Recently, I completed a simple gospel tract sharing our family's testimony. I have been given several personal tracts from friends, and have found that they are probably my favorite type of tract. Not only are they personal, but you can give it to a person after they have seen you and it generally intrigues them far more than a standard tract. I greatly encourage every person/family to spend the time to create their own tract. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

There is something magical about combine two opposite ingredients like sweet and salty or sweet and sour. I have made several different versions of sweet and sour chicken, but this recipe is the #1 choice out of all of my experiments. It is not only delicious, but the chicken is not deep fried like most other recipes. I thought the chicken would not be as tasty since it was not breaded and deep-fried, but to my surprise, this version of sweet and sour chicken is better than restaurant style or deep-fried. It was worth the sharing.

Rebecca’s Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

  

For the Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,

cut into chunks

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar (preferably rice or white)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

(I often double the sauce)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch and then coat with the egg. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

4. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

5. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

6. Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

Cheap and Easy Grape Jelly

Yesterday I canned 8 pints of grape jelly. I averaged that each pint cost about $1.80 to make. A store brand jar of jelly can cost About $2-2.50 so I was pleased to make jelly for less.

Bring 14 cups of grape juice to a boil for 5 minutes
Mix in 4 cups of sugar
Mix 2 boxes of "no sugar needed" pectin with 3 cups of sugar, gradually stir into boiling mixture
Boil mixture 5 minutes


Test jelly for consistency by cooling a spoonful of it to room temperature-if it is jelly-like in consistency, the jelly will be good, otherwise boil minute by minute and continue testing until it does set up to the desired consistency.


Pour into cleaned canning or jelly jars up to 1/8" from top. Place canning jar lids in hot water for 3 minutes and place on top of jars, then screw on lids. 


Boil the jars with hot water covering the lids for 5 minutes
Remove from heat, wait for the seals to pop, cool, label, and store


If a jar does not seal, it can be stored in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Whole Wheat Bread: I finally did it!

After over a year a failed attempts to make home-made 100%whole wheat bread, I am thrilled to announce that I finally made a perfect loaf yesterday. 

Problem 1: I don't have a grinder and had used a coffee grinder and blender to mill my berries. The result of the blend was a very course flour which was too heavy for making good bread. 

Solved: A friend with a grinder graciously milled the berries for me and that resulted in a fine, soft flour.

Problem 2: I was using red wheat berries which are heavier and more dense than white wheat.

Solved: Switched to white wheat which made my bread more moist and it rose better.

Problem 3: The yeast I was using was a regular baking yeast I bought in bulk. It simply did not have the strength to get the bread to a good rise.

Solved: I switched to SAF (a brand name) yeast that has more active cultures. Instead of taking all day to rise, my bread rose in 20 minutes and baked beautifully!

Problem 4: I worked with several recipes and formulas to come up with a moist, tasty loaf of bread, some were dry and crumbles, some were too heavy, others were simply bland in flavor. 

Solved: I found a recipe that worked and tasted phenomenal.

Problem 5: Kneading is vital to bring out gluten and softness in wheat bread. I found over-kneading caused me to add too much flour, making a hard loaf, while under-kneading made a dry unconnected loaf.

Solved: 10 minutes kneading in my Kitchen-Aid mix-master is the perfect amount.

Rebecca’s Honey Sweetened Whole Wheat Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water (110-120 degrees)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup oil

1 5/8 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground)

1T vital wheat gluten (optional)

1 T saf instant yeast

1/2 T salt

1 egg

5-6 cup whole wheat flour

1. In an electric mixer with a dough hook, combine water, oil, honey, the initial 1 5/8 cups flour, vital wheat gluten (opt), yeast, and salt.

2. Mix until fully combined, and then let it sit for 10 minutes.

3. After 10 minutes, it should have risen a little, so mix the mixture again and then add in the egg and additional 6 cups flour (more or less) and mix until the dough is not sticky (tacky) and all the flour is mixed in well.

4. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, and the dough, at this point, should look smooth

5. Put in well greased pan and then let dough rise until fully raised. 

7. Put bread into a COLD oven (not preheated), and turn on the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes.

8. When it comes out, you can put butter on the top of it. 

Making Pantry Products

From cleaning supplies and detergents to baked goods and foods, I have been asking myself if I can make that particular item for cheaper and if it can be better than the purchased product. So far, I have saved a considerable amount of money by doing so. I have come to the conclusion that if an item can be purchased, it can be made. However, not every home-made product I have tried is as effective as the store-bought item. So, then I ask myself if I can do without that item. By doing without, I have eliminated various items from our grocery bill and saved money. 

Recently, I have made a few kitchen products that have proved to be good alternatives to their store bought counterparts.


Brown Sugar
Mix 1 T. molasses per 1 cup sugar


Cooking Spray
Mix 1/2 c. water with 1/4 c. olive oil and blend with a stick blender
(note: used distilled or boiled water to kill bacteria and store in the refrigerator)


Oat Flour
Blend whole oats in a blender or coffee maker


Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mix balsamic vinegar with various herbs and olive oil


Buttermilk
1 T. Vinegar to 1 Cup milk


Yogurt
See article:
http://www.thehomeexecutiveoffice.blogspot.com/2012/04/yogurthas-many-health-benefits.html


Stock and Broths
See article:
http://www.thehomeexecutiveoffice.blogspot.com/2012/01/canning-chicken-stock.html


Baby Food
See Article:
http://www.thehomeexecutiveoffice.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-baby-food.html

Encouraging Verbal Skills

As a disclaimer, I am not writing this article presuming to be an expert on teaching verbal communication to a child. These are some tips I have learned from other people and personal experience. When our first daughter was born over a year ago, my husband and I discussed whether or not to teach her sign language. We choose not to, because we have known some children who learned sign language and it slowed down their verbal communication because the need to speak was not as urgent to them. Also, we thought that although she may be able to communicate through sign language with Mom and Dad, almost anyone we got to watch her would't be aware of what she was saying. So, we decided to focus on encouraging verbal communication. After a year, our daughter communicates very well with knowing just a few words. 


One of the first phrases I taught Emma was "all done" I would emphasis that we were "all done" when she is through with eating, bathing, and diaper changes-she now uses that word whenever she is done with anything. It has been most helpful-instead of fussing-she will say "done" or "all done"


I read articles about how to encourage little ones to speak. And came up with a few helpful tips that we have implemented in our home.


1. Carry on conversations with her. I make it a point to keep Emma part of the communication at mealtimes and throughout the day. Rather than talking about her, I try to talk with her. I interpret her sounds and carry on conversations with her-even if they are majorly one sided. 


2. Respond. This is not the time to teach a child not to interrupt. Welcome interruptions. If Emma talks, I hear and answer. Even if it is "mommy can't help you right now" or "just a minute." I don't ignore her comments, but let her know that whatever she says is heard. Right now, her interruptions in adult conversation are very short, so I consider them more important than the current conversation I am carrying on with someone else. Eventually, she will learn not to interrupt.



3. Ditch the pacifier. I personally don't have a problem with a pacifier. In fact they have been proven to help reduce the risk of SIDS. We give Emma a pacifier for sleeping only. Throughout the day, she does not need it. It has been nice, because she is not strongly attached to it, and she is much more talkative without something in her mouth.


4. Transition from a bottle to a straw or adult cup. A lot of speech therapists agree that if a child does not learn how to use his tongue in other motions besides sucking, it slows down speech development. A child who can drink from a straw or cup, can learn how to use their tongue in different speech patterns much more quickly than a child who only drink with a bottle or sippy cup with a sucking motion. A cup or straw is a bit more messy, but it has been helpful for Emma to learn to use various types of motions for drinking.



5. Read. All educationalists agree that reading is key in building language skills. Emma has learned so much about the world of words from books. She can relate various words to images through reading. I like to spend a good hour or more every day reading books with her. Also, I make it a point to stop whatever I am doing if she brings me a book. It takes only a couple minutes to go though a child's book and taking advantage of that teachable moment is vital.


6. Repetition of the same words in various circumstances. I try to use the same words she knows to communicate with her. For instance, one of the first words she learned was "Dada" It didn't take long for me to be able to tell her "Dada's coming home!" She gets excited and heads for the door or window if I tell that to her now. She can also understand if I tell her "Take it to Dada" or "where is "Dada?" She now says "all done." I would use that phrase whenever she was done eating or done with a diaper change. Now I am using it to communicate picking up toys. As I am encouraging her to help put toys away, I use the words "all done" over and over. I want her to understand that when we are done playing with toys, we don't leave them on the floor, but put them away. 


7. Be simple, clear, and precise. Professional public speakers know that effective communication begins with being clear. When teaching new words to a child, the same principle applies. Although a baby may say "bubb..bbb" instead of the word "bubbles," it is important not to use the baby's form of speech to communicate. A baby understands the word spoken correctly, and to encourage it otherwise-no matter how cute it is, is in essence teaching a child that his way is the correct way to say the word. Some babies use baby talk and sounds and cannot be communicated with as a result. Using simple words is also advantageous. Emma does not need to know that the bird hopping on the grass is a robin and the bird on the roof is a crow. At her age, she simply needs to understand that they are both birds. When she can master that concept, we will discuss various kinds of birds.


8. Enunciate. Sometimes little ones don't learn how to say words correctly, because we don't say a word correctly ourselves. When teaching a child a new word, make sure to emphasize the sounds of each word. I try to do this especially in reading books and pointing out objects in the world. I try to emphasis d's and t's instead of letting words slip out of my mouth without them. 

9. Make silly sounds. Emma has learned to use her mouth in many ways simply because Jim and I make silly sounds with our mouth to her. We hiss, blow raspberries, click, and growl when playing with her. We also make faces at her-puff up our cheeks and stick out our tongues. She thinks those sounds and faces are great, and mimics them. Unknowingly she is adding to her language skills.


10. Loving words. This is my personal addition because I know all parents show affection differently to their children. Jim and I are both the cuddly and verbal commutators of love to each other and our children. I tell Emma over and over that "I love her." I want her to know that things are well between me and her. After discipline, it is especially important to restore loving fellowship with a child. I don't want her to avoid me because she thinks I am mad at her or because she is upset. So, even at her young age, I endeavor to keep the lines of communication open-all the time.

Soy Alert

I faced the facts about soy when I learned that my 3 week old baby was intolerant to milk and soy protein. Trying to eliminate soy from my diet while nursing was a arduous task. Dairy is fairly easy to pick out, but soy seems to be the hidden ingredient in almost everything. I had to read all those words at the end of a list of ingredients that I skim through because I can't pronounce them. Often, they are soy products. 

Recently more and more article have been written about the dangers of soy. Studies are starting to show that soy is not the healthy food it was once believed to be. It is possible that most Americans are unknowingly consuming more soy than they are even aware. Soy is an excellent source of protein, fiber, and B vitamins. Women in their late forties have often been encouraged to consume more soy products or take soy supplements to help reduce the symptoms of menopause. Infant formulas have been based on soy and some are completely made out of soy in order to accommodate the babies with milk allergies and digestive problems. People struggling with lactose intolerance have switched to using soy milk as a dairy alternative. Athletes have drunk soy based protein powders and energy bars for years. Vegetarians have heavily relied on soy as a meat alternative. Orientals use soy sauce and tofu as a regular part of their diet. So what is the big deal? It is obviously edible and nutritious.

What most people don't realize is that soy is used in the United States in most commercially prepared products. Soy has become overused and too much of a good thing has become a bad thing. Soy flour or soy protein is used in most commercially made breads, crackers, and cereals. Parts of soy can be found in canned goods, candy, and frozen foods. Soy is found in deli meats, cake mixes, and margarine. Soy is used in the making of food coloring used in cola and Pepsi products. Most man-made or man-processed foods contain soy. By far, we Americans consume more soy in a day than the Chinese do in a week. We have over-consumed soy.

So, what is so bad about soy?

1. Intolerance and Allergies: As we have seen an increase in lactose intolerance, soy intolerance is becoming just as common. According to research soy is in the top eight foods that cause allergies in adults and top five for children. It give rashes, gas, breathing problems, and intestinal problems. A lot of bowel trouble could be eliminated with the elimination of soy.


2. Alzheimer: The term Alzheimer sends a chill down my back. To most Americans, Alzheimer disease is more dreaded than cancer. There have been multiple studies showing in increased loss of brain function to people who consume large amounts of soy. Men are particularly affected by soy created Alzheimer disease. Soy contained an enzyme that prevents zinc from being absorbed into the body. Zinc is vital in brain function-men especially need more zinc than women. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art14830.asp


3. Hormone Imbalance: There is are plant chemicals in soy that copy the human hormones we know as estrogen and progesterone. These compound can actually alter a woman's natural hormones causing hormonal imbalances and thyroid 

problems. One article I read even stated that "Some studies in animals show that this chemical can alter sexual development. And in fact, 2 glasses of soy milk/day, over the course of one month, contain enough of the chemical to change the timing of a woman’s menstrual cycle." (http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/soy.htm) A woman needs balanced hormones to reproduce, maintain emotional balance, and for girls, grow and develop correctly. An imbalance of hormones can be disastrous in many ways for a woman. Soy has been shown to directly affect a woman's thyroid where here hormones are balanced, causing thyroid problems.



4. Infant Formula: There are various types of soy based infant formula on the market. For a time I used a soy based product for my daughter. "Particularly worrisome is the presence of phytoestrogens in soy-based infant formulas (isoflavones are a category of phytoestrogen). Critics point out that the level of phytoestrogens in soy-based formula is over 20,000 times that found in breast milk" (http://chinesefood.about.com/od/healthconcerns/a/soy.htm) The concern is obviously the affect of soy based infant formula on the thyroid. 

Overall, research is still in progress as to the effects of soy. The Mayo Clinic that not enough research has been performed to make it necessary to take soy and soy based products off the market. It is really up to the consumer to be aware of the soy products available and make wise purchasing decisions. It is almost impossible to eliminate soy from a person't diet in our country, however it is possible to guard from in-taking too much.




Further research:
http://soy.mercola.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy/NS_patient-soy
http://hiddensoy.com/

Little Cynthia

With only three more months to go, my husband and I are awaiting the arrival of our little girl, Cynthia Joy. After having one perfectly healthy baby, I took it for granted that there would be no problems with our second child. I was stunned to hear that there was a spot on her heart and one kidney was enlarged. For ten weeks I have been seeing a specialist concerning Cynthia. Most recently, her weight has dropped below the acceptable percentile for her age. All of the health concerns we have for her could be separately occuring issues, or be signs of genetic problems. As long as she is in the comforts of my womb, there is little doctor's can do or know. For me as her mother, my grace is found only in resting and trusting completely in the Lord for her health and well being. There is nothing can or cannot eat, there is no exercise I can do, there are no vitamins or medicine I can take to help her form correctly. It is a time to wait, pray, and above all, rest in the Lord.


I have shed many tears for my little one. What is mostly frustrating is that I am completely unable to help. I am disapointed that despite my greatest hopes, her condition does not improve from week to week. Despite my inner struggles, the Lord has continued to give me His sustaining peace. I am thankful that He knows and has planned my child's life and health before I even knew about her life.

Psalm 139:13-16

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.

Strawberry Season

In most parts of the country strawberries are just starting, in the middle, or ending their season. It is a great time to find deals at local supermarkets and farmers markets. I snatched up 4 quarts this week and will probably pick up some more before the season ends.

Strawberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which is beneficial to the immune system. Many women may also be interested to know that there is some research that shows the ellagic acid found in strawberries may also help to slow down the skin from wrinkling with age. For those watching their cholesterol, strawberries have flaviniods in them that can reduce the bad cholesterol in blood. For women who are pregnant or wanting to be pregnant, strawberries are a good food to increase in the diet because of the high amount of folic acid in them. Overall, as long as a person has no apparent allergies to sweet and tart red fruit. Strawberries are a good source of natural sweeteness and fiber to be enjoying.


Freezing StrawberriesThe keys too good frozen produce are freshness and cleanliness.

I like to freeze produce the same day I purchase it to ensure the least nutrients are lost and the best flavor is preserved.

1. Rinse strawberries in cold water (do not let them set or soak in the water or they will loose flavor)
2. Pick or cut off stems
3. Lay fruit out to dry completely
4. Slice if desired or freeze whole by placing the strawberries on cookie sheets separately, then bagging together
5. Label containers or freezer bags with current date


Grape Juice Sweetened Strawberry Jam

6 (12oz) cans frozen white grape juice concentrate (no sugar added)
6 cups (48oz) fresh or frozen whole strawberries
2 T. Lemon Juice
3 oz Pectin-(can be made by boiling sour apples or lemons)-or purchased at a local supermarket-it is a natural element from fruit that causes jams and jellies to firm up

1. Crush the strawberries, pectin, and lemon juice in another pan. 
2. Bring mixture to a boil
3. Boil the fruit down to half the amount you started
4. Heat grape juice in a microwave or on the stove to boiling
5. Add grape juice to the boiling strawberry mixture
6. Pour into clean canning or jelly jars
7. Steam bath to seal jar lids-label and store

Pot Pie Production

Recently I discovered the benefits of pot-pies. Let's say, my life has become consumed with pot pies this week.

1. Pot pies make great food for little ones because the vegetables are cooked and mixed with soft pieces of meat and bread.
2. Pot pies are a great way to use leftover meat, veggies,  rice, and potatoes.
3. Pot pies are a complete meal in one dish-including vegetables, meat, and grain.

Unfortunately, store bought pot-pies, are not very nutritional. They have a hydrogenated fats, white flour crust, processed meats, and often more gravy than vegetables.

With those thoughts in mind, I endeavored to find nutritional pot-pies on the market. The best ones I found were Amy's pot pies-made with a whole wheat crust, lots of organic vegetables, and organic meats. Most generic pot-pies sell for .50-.80 cents a pie, however I could not find Amy’s pot-pies for less than $3.00 a pie. In my home, that is an expensive meal.

So, I decided to make my own. Little did I know what an undertaking I was getting myself in.

I began last Wednesday, and pulled a ten pound turkey out of the freezer to thaw. Saturday morning, I roasted the turkey. Sunday, we enjoyed roasted turkey for dinner.

Monday morning, I deboned and put the bones and cartilage in a pot of simmering water for the day, to make stock. In the meantime, I chopped and cooked an assortment of veggies in very small pieces for little teeth. I mixed the vegetables with the chopped turkey in a large bowl which went back in the fridge overnight until I had the turkey stock completely done.

3 cups finely chopped turkey
1-8oz pkg. finely chopped mushrooms-fried in butter
1-10oz pkg. frozen peas-cooked al dente (cooked, but slightly crisp)
1-12 oz pkg. frozen beans-sliced in half and cooked al dente
1-lb. pkg. carrots finely sliced and cooked al dente
10 celery stalks finely chopped and cooked with 1 T dried onions

I cooked each vegetable separately, because some take longer than others to reach the al dente point and I wanted them to all be at the same place before I mixed them with the gravy.

I added 1T. salt, 3 chicken bouillon cubes, 1 T. sage, 3 Bay leaves, and the celery leaves from the celery I chopped for the pies to the turkey stock.

Tuesday morning, I strained the bones from the turkey broth-giving me about 8 cups of good stock. To that stock I mixed one pint of heavy cream. Then I blended 1/2 c. cornstarch with 2 c. milk and added that to the broth. I simmered the broth until it thickened into gravy. I added pepper to taste.

I then got the largest bowl I owned and combined the gravy, meat, and veggies to one pot.

Then I made the whole wheat pie crust.

3 3/4 c. Whole Wheat flour
1 1/2 t. salt
3 T. What Germ
2 1/2 stick of butter cut into small cubes
3 egg yokes
6 T. ice cold water

After blending the pie crust ingredients, I rolled out crusts for 2 small pies and half a dozen turnovers,  which I stuffed with the turkey gravy and vegetables. 

I froze the remaining turkey mixture until I had more time to make more crusts, then froze wrapped the turnovers in aluminum and put them in an air-tight container. I baked the a pie for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, and Emma and I ate it for lunch.

The pie not only turned out perfectly, but tasted amazing! It was nice to eat something I knew was nutritious and not a budget killer. I think I have enough turkey gravy stuffing for 3 dozen small pies. 

The nice thing is that any vegetable can be added and any meat can be made into gravy and used. Broccoli would have been a nice addition to this pie, but if I did a beef pie, potatoes would be a good combination.

Go Yogurt!

Yogurt has many health benefits. The benefit most people are aware that yogurt contains is how good it is for the digestive tract. It gives the digestive system what is known as a probiotics, a good bacteria. That good bacteria has been shown to decrease the affects of irritable bowels, diarrhea, constipation, and even lactose intolerance. However not all yogurt contains probiotics. Only those that are labeled “contain living bacteria” or “live cultures” will have probiotics. Besides aiding in the digestive tract, yogurt with live cultures also aids in balancing the immune system and the calcium and vitamin D in yogurt can help in staving off osteoporosis.

Making Yogurt 
Besides its nutritional benefits, yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream and buttermilk in a lost any recipe (except fudge). It can be added to fruit smoothies, creamed desserts, fruit, sauces and gravies. It is cheaper and healthier to make than purchase and I found it is very simple.

For my first batch, I made a small amount to make sure I got the temperature and culture right. Making yogurt is like similar to making sourdough. It takes a bit of the old live cultures to make a new batch. So, when I notice I am getting low on yogurt, I reserve 3 T of the plain yogurt I have left to start the next batch.  


Ingredients:
1 cup milk any percent of fat will work 
2 T plain yogurt (home-made or store bought)
Some recipes recommend adding nonfat dry milk or flavorless gelatin to thicken up the home-made yogurt. My yogurt was just very thick without the dry milk or gelatin. 


Directions: 
1. Heat milk to about 170 degrees. Don't let it boil. I used the microwave to heat mine. It took about 3 minutes for 1 cup of milk.


2. Cool milk to about 108 degrees. I put the milk from the microwave to the freezer. It took 5 minutes to cool to 108 in my freezer.


3. Mix 2 T. of yogurt per cup of milk and blend well. 


4. Pour into an airtight glass (Pyrex or Corningware casserole dishes with a plastic lid work, or canning/jelly jars with a good lid work well.)

5. Place the yogurt in a mini crock pot and surround the dish with hot (not boiling) water. A yogurt maker can also be used.

My yogurt took a total of 10 minutes to mix up and 12 hours to thicken.



6. Let yogurt stay in the crock pot 8-12 hours until thickened.


7. Place in fridge and enjoy. 



I have found home-made yogurt is a bit stronger in flavor than store bought, so it may take getting used to. It really adds a wonderful flavor to baked goods in place of sour cream and mixes into fruits well.


Most yogurts have a refrigerator life of 2-3 weeks. I would not recommend keeping it longer.

Maternal Authority

Notes from: The Mother at Home  By John Abbott

After reading a book about the need for mother's to maintain the authority over their children at home, I jotted down a few points that seemed vital to me in training our little one. I thought those thoughts would be helpful to others as well.


Maternal Authority
I. Require Immediate Obedience

a. Never give a command which you do not intend to be fully obeyed.

b. When you give a command enforce its obedience

2. Be aware and alert to your children's attitudes

a. Observe your child's temper and do not allow or create a situation where a battle will in sue (i.e. if a child is in bad hummer and misbehaves because he is tired-send him to bed and address the disobedience first thing in the morning)

b. Choose a punishment that is equal to the crime (i.e. do not punish for an accident, but for the disobedience that caused the accident)

3. Never punish a child when he has not intentionally done wrong

a. If a child has not previously been told that a certain behavior is wrong, and he does that behavior-he deserves no punishment for the first offense

b. Punishment is NEVER appropriate when it is given out of frustration or anger 

c. Accidents do not require a punishment. If a child has an accident as a result of disobedience-then the child is punished for the disobedience, bot for the result of that disobedience.

4. Never think your child is too young to obey

5. Guard against severity

a. Don't be severe in punishment-the hardest part of punishment a child should bear is knowing how much he has disposed you and God

6. Practice personal self-control

a. A child must be taught at a very early age to have self-control and not indulge in everything his heart desires (sweets, entertainment, bedtimes and rising times, etc) A parent cannot expect of their children what they do not practice themselves

7. Resolve to follow through with punishment

a. Repeated punishment can be tiresome, but a parent must be constantly strong in order to maintain authority over the child

b. Even if a child is sick or weak, he or she should still be expected to obey

8. Be in harmony with your spouse in the education and discipline of your children 

a. In many homes this is difficult or impossible, because one spouse may be more strict or more lenient than the other, it is important to maintain a respect for the other for the children's sake. Children should be taught to obey their father even if he seems unreasonable (visa-verse)

9. Do not talk about your children, good or bad, in their presence

a. Children understand much more than they are given credit. They can comprehend and will act accordingly-either by entertaining a spirit of pride for good behavior, or indulging further in naughty behavior because that is what is expected of them.

10. Do not exhibit your children's attainments

a. Parents should not use a their or their children's pride as a motivator for good behavior.

11. Do not deceive your children

a. For example, do not tell them something tastes good in order to get them to eat it, tell them the truth, but ask them to be brave and endure.

12. Do no use fear as a form of punishment or motivation to obey

13. Do not constantly find faults in your children

a. Always seek the good and obedience in your children and praise them for it

b. Approach your child's faults cloaked in gentleness

"The most effective family government may be almost entirely administered by affection, if it be distinctly understood that disobedience cannot pass unpunished"


Suggested Method of Correction

• At very early ages, children must be taught that disobedience causes pain
• Once a child is able to reason, he can be instructed along with punishment

1. What did you do?
2. What should you have done?
3. What will you do next time?

Ask forgiveness of the person offended
Ask God to forgive

*Child must understand that he is loved and punishment is given out of love and care for him

Nice, But Not Necessary

In an effort to save money to purchase a home, my husband and I went through all of the things we spend money on and tried to eliminate anything we could live without. I personally went through our grocery budget and stopped purchasing specific items because we really didn't need them. It is amazing all the things we think we have to have, and there are good reasons to have them too, but overall, I have found that life is actually simpler without those things.


Budget cuts:

• Cable/Satellite TV
• Smartphone/Data plan
• Internet Service-(We live far from grandparents so we are not eliminating internet, but are cutting back on the service, only keeping the speed so we can Skype family)
• Turn off lights/AC/Heat-when we don't need it-don't use it-it is amazing how much we feel we have to have lights on, when we can see just fine during the day with the window shades up. Also, if someone is not in a room, there is no need to have a light on in that room. 
• Stop using a clothes dryer-this is not an option for me since we already do not have a washer and dryer, however-a clothes line is a huge money saver since a clothes dryer is one of the most expensive appliances to run in a home
• Stop using the dishwasher-I quit using our dishwasher mostly because it doesn't work well, but also it saves a lot of money simply not to have to buy dishwasher soap. Dishwasher soap is 3-4x more money than hand-washing soap-even if you make it yourself. Surprisingly, I have found that I really don't miss it at all.
• Eating out/ordering in-find other methods of entertainment. We have saved bundles by not even ordering pizza. I find having a plan is the key-if I know we will be out during a mealtime, I purpose to have something cooking at home so we are compelled to come home to eat. Also, keeping quick and easy meals on hand like cheese and tortillas for quesadillas is helpful for those days when nothing is coming together. I am not tempted to order food or eat out if I have a quick and easy meal on hand at home.
• Newspaper-I ask neighbors for their old papers coupons
• Magazine subscriptions-we don't get any

Grocery List Eliminations:

• Dishwashing soap-save up to-$10 a month
• Sodas-save more than-$10 a month (we substitute buying a few lemons to add to cold water)
• Meats-I don't buy meat unless there is a sale, then I purchase bulk and freeze-this saved tons of money on both red meat and poultry-I plan meals around what meat I have in the freezer
• Cheese-Buy whole block cheese and shred by hand-it is cheaper and tastes MUCH better than pre-shredded cheese
• Produce-buy in season/buy on sale/buy whole fruits and vegetables-not pre-cut or bags of salad
• Bread-buy on sale-often stores in my area have a buy one get 2 free on a local brand of bread, I purchase as many as will fit in my freezer at that time. (I usually pay .70-.99 for a loaf of wheat)

The key we have found is to simplify and live with less. It takes more elbow grease, but is worth the extra pennies in the bank.