Banana Ice cream

Anyone that knows me, knows that ice cream is not big on my list of favorite foods.  But it is one of Gordon's favorite foods.  (We do, in fact, have an entire shelf in our big freezer dedicated to ice cream.  We don't have quite 31 flavors but we come exceedingly close on occasion.)

I am intrigued though with the concept of an one ingredient ice cream.  Since bananas were on my diet plan for today, I thought I would give this ice cream a try.  I've seen it on Pinterest (of course!) and googled it this morning.  (Has google become a verb in the Oxford or Webster dictionaries yet?)

It is VERY simple.  Take a slightly overripe banana (not too ripe, though OVERripe might work), peel it, cut it into chunks.  Put these chunks in the freezer for a couple of hours (I put the chunks on a lidded plate).  Once the chunks are frozen, pull them out of the freezer, toss them into a blender (I had to scrape a bit to get them off the plate) and puree.  You may need to help the chunks get access to the blender blades, I used a spatula - gingerly.   (I'm sure you could use a food processor as well.)

This is two bananas worth (about 1 cup):

This portion of banana is approximately 200 calories with 1 gram of fat, 51 grams total carbohydrates (of which 28 grams are sugar and 6 grams are dietary fiber), and 2 grams of protein.  Whereas, vanilla ice cream is 140 calories for 1/2 cup serving with 8 grams of fat, 16 grams total carbohydrates (of which 15 grams are sugar and no grams are dietary fiber), and 3 grams of protein. 

I tried it - I liked it. Gordon tried it - he liked it. (I'm not sure if it is good enough to replace real ice cream for him.) I like it because it might be healthier and it is definitely easier. Now to try it with different flavors. I know it has been tried with peanut butter and / or chocolate. Gordon has been hankerin' for Almond Pistachio, so I might give that a try (though it won't be green, I'll use real pistachio not the pudding).

Pinterest Vacation - Day 3

 

This was NOT on my list to do while on vacation, but 3B wants to take my camera with her to Oregon this summer and I want to let her, but I need it for my projects.  Yet, I NEVER use it - I usually take pics with my Samsung Infuse phone camera.  I had seen vids on youtube about how to make stands for phones and thought "why not"?  Well, BINGO!  I found one on youtube  (http://www.deanying.com/PermaLink,guid,a99a1c06-b55b-4001-afeb-46a707055ecc.aspx)on the first try that works.  (Now, how do I take a pic of my stand with my phone on it, if I'm taking the picture with my phone?...conundrum.) 

The cheetah print fabric

I also made my Teardrop Ruana out of the cheetah print I purchased from Fashion Fabrics Club.  This will be my first tutorial once I get it all together.  I'll be setting up a separate blog for my clothing line.

On our move to Georgia, I became fascinated with sarongs.  That led to learning more about other multi use clothing.  I came across a No Fuss Scarf (www.nofussscarves.com) on youtube.  Joyce Marie has developed this scarf.  Visit her website and check out all the many ways you can wear this scarf.  (And if you don't want to wait for my tutorial to make your own, purchase one from her.)

Myfinished product as a skirt.  It can also be worn as a shawl, a kimono top, a dress, and definitely a scarf.

We have been building up our garden over the past few years since we moved to Georgia.  This year, I planted a 4' x 8' box with burgundy beans.  I planted A LOT of bean seeds, I just scattered them on top and then 3B and I went and poked them all into the soil.  Well, I think all of them came up.  So this is my harvest from today.  I decided to freeze them as I'm not too keen on canning (though I'm making my Sustainable Living group make me can this year) and also I didn't have enough to do a whole batch.  ( Another tip:  I was having a difficult time removing the ends of the beans so I grabbed my kitchen shears and voila! the ends and the snapping we done in no time!)

 We are also finally getting zucchini for the first time in years.  We have battled with squash bugs.  I don't know if it's the Malathion (adding sparingly and only if there is no fruit present) or the fact that we put the plants in buckets this year, but so far so good.

This site has a lot of good information on taking care of your harvest: 

pickyourown.org

I'm trying the bread recipe (again) this time with only whole wheat flour.  (Of course, I didn't read until AFTER I mixed up the batch that she had all ready tried it with whole wheat flour and it didn't work so well.)  So far, it definitely isn't as sticky as the white flour recipe.   I'll let you know tomorrow if it worked for me.

I also made the S.O.S. mix - Soup or Sauce mix.  I had made it years ago and kept meaning to make it again as my girls seem to need cream soup mix quite often.  It's easy to make: 

2 c powdered non-fat dry milk

3/4 c cornstarch

1/4 c instant chicken bouillon

2 TB dried onion flakes

2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)

I doubled the recipe and it fit into a square Kroger's salad container (you know the container that potato salad or coleslaw comes in).  I didn't want to lose the recipe so I wrote it on the side with a Sharpie marker and the instructions.  This should be enough for 18 cans of soup.  I don't have a clue what the cost per comes out to be as I had all the ingredients in my cupboard, but I know that a can of cream of chicken soup costs at a minimum $.80 = $14.40 for 18 cans of soup. onegoodthingbyjillee.com

I'm also trying a clay recipe that is suppose to be like Sculpey.  I think I may have cooked it too long.  Definitely use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture and not a spatula.  (And I think there must be 1 cup of glue in the regular Elmer's Glue All bottle as I was a bit nervous as I was pouring the glue into my measuring cup.)

RECIPE:

3/4 cup Elmer's Glue All

1 c cornstarch

2 TB baby oil

1 TB lemon juice

Mix the glue and cornstarch together in a non stick pan.  Add the baby oil and lemon juice and stir.  Heat on low heat and stir until it becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes (I think with a little bit of glossiness remaining).  Remove from heat and rub your hands with a little baby oil and knead the dough (as soon as you can handle it) until it's smooth.  (My dough did not smooth out the way I wanted it to, that's why I think I cooked it too long.)  Place in a ziploc plastic bag opened until it has completed cooled, then close with the air removed from the bag and store in the refrigerator.  I got this from newnewblog.blogspot.com.

BTW, the Vietnamese pickles are good.  The Dilled Chickpeas could use more salt if they are going to remain as pickles.  And I'm trying really hard not to eat the entire loaf of bread.

STAY TUNED for more.

Pinterest Vacation - Day 2

Well, today didn't seem as productive as yesterday.  My two projects for today:  bread in the crockpot and soap.

I began the bread yesterday and let it sit for 24 hours on the counter.  (Oops!  Didn't internalize the instructions very well - again!)  I took it out of the bowl and tried to form a loaf.  It was VERY sticky.  I put olive oil on my hands and lots of flour on the dough and my hands.  I had cut a piece of parchment paper prior to trying to form the dough and that was sitting in the crockpot.  I didn't "grease" the parchment paper.  I turned the crockpot on "high".  I finally said "the heck with it" and put my misshapened loaf in the crockpot and let it cook for an hour.  (It was probably more like an hour and a quarter.)  I turned the broiler on and placed the rack in the middle (yes, I know, it should have been the other way around).  I put the bread and the parchment paper in the oven once it had heated up (I think it was heated all the way) and let it broil for about 5 minutes.  (I was more worried about the parchment paper catching fire than the bread getting too brown, or is that black.)  Anyway, this is how it turned out.

 Just out of the oven.

Cut.  And it tastes good!

Oh, I found the instructions for the bread in the crockpot on artisanbreadinfive.com.  But the recipe is actually from simplysogood.blogspot.com. 

My other project was making Castile soap.  Oh my!  I really need to change the name of my blog to Tweaker.  This time I had all the ingredients, but the tool I needed, a stick blender which I especially bought for this project, was not as it was suppose to be.  When I opened the box the blender part was missing.  All I had was the motor and a wire whip.  UGH!!! 

The ingredients and supplies for making soap on the back deck

Anyway, Castile soap in theory is easy to make - water (I should have used distilled water - or maybe I did), lye (ouch!), and olive oil (with the modern version, incorporating some coconut oil).  These need to be at approximately the same temperature when mixed.  When mixing, one is looking for "trace" - still not sure what that is, but it suppose to indicate that the correct chemical reaction is occurring.   Well, I followed the recipe and the instructions TO THE LETTER on this one (see www.frugalberry.com - the best instructions I found plus a video), because I didn't want any chemical mishaps happening when Gordon wasn't here to play HAZMAT.  That is, until I got to the part about mixing the lye water and the oils.  I didn't have the stick blender - so what was I going to do?  I had watched another video where someone had "cooked" the mixture in a crockpot - but I wasn't going to do that.  Then I reflected on how our pioneer ancestors must have made soap and thought that they just kept stirring (just kept stirring, just kept stirring).  Well, I stirred and I stirred (one video said at least 5 minutes with the stick blender).  It seemed to be mixing well and I could smell the olive oil.  So I let it sit to begin setting up.  I went off to make the bread and do other things and I came back and there was liquid on the top of the mixture.  (Somewhere, sometime I had read about soap making and I vaguely remember that the liquid is probably not what I wanted.)  So I popped the mixture in the microwave for 45 seconds on high and stirred some more.  I again let it sit for awhile.  I came back to it and there was liquid again on top (but not quite as much) and the mixture was a bit thicker.  So I popped in the microwave again for 45 seconds on high and stirred some more (probably 3 minutes).  Off, I go again to work on something else, come back, and there is still some (clearer) liquid on top.  In the microwave it goes and stirring some more - this time the consistency is more like pudding and I believe I have arrived at the correct consistency for soap to set up.  (An FYI, the temp of the mixture after being in the microwave was between 120 and 150 degrees F.)

The soap setting up - FINALLY!

Well, and here it is.  It now has to sit for at least 48 hours to neutralize and then I can cut it.  (I know I was suppose to put it into some type of mold, but I thought "What the heck!  I wasn't sure it was going to work and I'll be cutting it anyway if I use a different mold.")  Then it has to "cure" for 6 to 8 weeks.  This is suppose to make 7 bars of soap.

I'm here to tell you, you CAN make soap without a stick blender and extra pans.  (At least, Castile soap.)

So, even a Pinterest vacation has the mishaps of a regular vacation - something gets lost or forgotten and one has to make do.

Stay tuned!

Pinterest Vacation - officially DAY 1

Well, Gordon and the girls are at camp for the week and I officially started my vacation this morning.  We did the usual last night, scrambling for the last minute items needed for vacations - they needed additional camping gear and clothing and I needed ingredients.

It was aggravating this morning then, when I went to try one of my first projects to not have all the ingredients.  The butter has disappeared. So Easy Microwave Caramels are being put aside for now until I either find the butter or walk over to Food Depot for some.  (BTW, the recipe that I was directed to on Pinterest at food.com isn't as comprehensive as the one at TasteofHome.com.)

The Vietnamese pickles.  I should probably call my blog, The Tweaker.  I had to tweak this recipe a little as I didn't (again) have all the ingredients.  This one I had to double the "brine" recipe so I ran out of rice vinegar (I substituted a little bit of white distilled vinegar).  I couldn't find a Daikon radish at Krogers so I used a rutabaga, and I totally forgot about the cucumbers so I used zucchini (from our garden!!!!) instead.  So, the recipe is 1# of cucumber (or zucchini), 1# of carrots, 1# of Daikon radish (or rutabaga) which should be juliennized.  The "brine" is 1 cup of rice vinegar, 2 TB sea salt, 1 cup of water, and I used 1/4 cup of Truvia (one because I wanted to try the Truvia rather than sugar and two, I don't like my food as sweet as the Vietnamese, so I cut the sweetness in half).  I'm suppose to let this sit for 5 days (!).  I doubt that will happen.  And of course, I cannot find the lid to this jar.:-(

Beginning  the bread.  It is 3 cups of all purpose flour, 1 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp (really?!) yeast, and 1 1/2 c of water.  I'm to let it sit on my counter for 12-18 hours.  More tomorrow.  I'm hoping to cook it in the crockpot.

I went to make my leave in hair conditioner/hair dye and re-read the ingredients list a bit more carefully.  I'm suppose to have 1/2 cup of DRIED sage and 1/2 cup of DRIED rosemary leaves to 2 cups of water.  (I thought it looked kinda light).  So I went back outside to my bushes and harvested some more leaves.  I don't know how long it will take them to dry - so another work in progress.  (I did take what sage/rosemary tea I had previously brewed and mixed it with a bit of jojoba oil and have sectioned a piece of hair to see if my chemically dyed hair reacts funny with the natural stuff.)

And I'm cooking the chickpeas in the crockpot.  We purchased a three well crockpot last Christmas to help the girls with their apple project.  So I thought I would put the chickpeas in one of the wells.  I used four cups of water and 2 cups of chickpeas.  These are for the Dilled Chickpeas.  I hope to finish these this afternoon.

I have a few pics from the gel resist tie dye shirts, but not finished products.  So that post will have to wait until the girls get back from camp (unless, they didn't take them with them.)  Just as a teaser, it did work and they were happy with the results.  (Of course, there will need to be some tweaking.:o))

I have also been catching up with Etsy and figuring out how I'm going to begin my business.

Stay tuned for more vacation news.

What Works for Me - Kitchen utensils

As I was puttering around this morning doing my Pinterest vacation, I realized that I have some kitchen utensils that work for me.  I really like having these utensils and would (and have) take these on vacation with me if I would be in the kitchen.

(Obviously, I need to learn more about better photography.)  In this picture, you'll see a mandolin (L), Quick Shake container from Tupperware (R), and a Spork (CF).   

The mandolin I use to julienne and slice vegetables mainly.  It comes with a grater attachment, but I very seldom use that.  It can be a dangerous utensil to use especially if you don't use the cap while slicing and julienning the vegetables.  (Of course, I very seldom use it - ugh!  but, I have had very few accidents also.)  I used it this morning to julienne the vegetables for the Vietnamese pickles.  I use it often for the potatoes in the Farmer's breakfast (and I did use it for the Waffle Hash Browns that can be found on Pinterest).  Just another FYI, I have bought a fairly expensive one at Bed, Bath and Beyond and I have this one, which is not as expensive at the BB&B one.  I like this one better.  It works better and isn't as bulky/heavy as the other one.

I have a lot of the Tupperware Quick Shake containers in my kitchen.  If I ever went camping I would crack eggs before leaving home, put them in this to not worry about the egg shells breaking ( you can cook them either sunny side up or scrambled - try it!).  I make salad dressings with this container and store them.  I also mix up batters and shakes.  It easier to take  liquid items places (think Tupperware seal).  The measurements along the sides, both in English or metric, are a convenient set of measurement cups all in one.

My all time favorite utensil is the Spork.  Gordon discovered these at Cal Ranch store when we lived in Tooele.  I bought a bunch of these.  It works!  They cut meat (but then you need to two).   I recently found it at REI again.  They are great to have for work, travelling, or in the car.

Yes, notice all these items accomplish more than one task.  My kind of utensils.

Pinterest Pre-vacation

Since I went back to the outside working world about 20 months ago, my children have been primarily  responsible for keeping up the house.  They have done well enough that we usually eat dinner on time and we can move around the house without killing ourselves either the physically or the microbiologically.  (Actually, they do a great job!)

I usually pull alternate Saturday breakfasts oppposite Gordon (he makes the AWFUL"ELY" GOOD WAFFLES) and Sunday dinner.  Well, we are out of eggs this week (I usually make Farmer's Breakfast - you know hash browns, onions, sausage and/or bacon, eggs and cheese).  Since I was on Pinterest, I garnered a recipe for breakfast this morning.
 http://kitchengirljo.blogspot.com/2009/07/easy-cheese-danish.html

Mine doesn't look this nice, but I was doing it at 10:30pm or so last night.  Of course, because I wasn't necessarily prepared to do this, I had to tweak it.  (We're also out of milk, grrr!)  I made the half filling recommendation.  With no milk in the house, I improvised for the liquid and used lemon juice (from the bottle) instead.

This recipe is another hit!  It was easy and delicious.  I would like to try a different filling next time - say, apple or cherry or strawberry - maybe add some sliced almonds on top.

BEFORE

AFTER

Also, last night prior to going to bed, I made a concoction of 1/2 c of distilled white vinegar - warmed up in the microwave for 30 seconds and 1/2 c of Dawn dish detergent.  I squirted this concoction in my shower.  When I got around to cleaning the concoction off this morning (fairly early), it took a very little bit of elbow grease because the detergent part had dried on the walls.  The "after" picture is taken from looking THROUGH the glass shower door (and you can see the bubbles from the detergent as well as the reflection of the jar from the "before").  Next time, I will probably change the ratio to 2/3 c distilled white vinegar and 1/3 c Dawn dish detergent.









The sheets from the linen closet

The other project I tackled this morning was the linen closet.  Now, you must understand that my 3B is VERY organized.  She is my go to person for organization.  But the linen closet seems to escape her.










  I found this idea on Pinterest of putting sheets together.  http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2011/09/4-ways-to-fold-bedsheets.html



And this what I accomplished...They are all folded and those that have matches are matched together.  My folds don't look quite as neat, but this is one of the most ingenious ideas EVER!  Also, I realized that some of these sheets are from our college days.  Don't ask me why we still have them.  (We do have lots of white sheets for theater reasons.)

I have done some other projects this morning, but they aren't ready to show off.  My girls have been busy keeping up with 7 children. 

This is quite the vacation.  I'm enjoying it.  Hopefully you are too. 

STAY TUNED....

Buffalo Chicken Bites from Pinterest

Okay this was the first completed project from my vacation. http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/09/24/buffalo-chicken-bites/

Gordon doesn't like macaroni and cheese and that is what my 4B had planned for dinner. So I thought I would help her out and fix an additional something.  I didn't really care for them, but Gordon REALLY liked them and my girls liked them as well.  But I didn't follow the recipe that was given at the website because I didn't have all the ingredients and this wasn't a planned vacation excursion.  This was a spur of the moment excursion.  So this is what I substituted:

-I used canned chicken for the cooked shredded chicken (partly because 3B was complaining that we had SOOoooOOO much canned chicken in storage).  I opened the three little cans and one of the large ones.
-For the hot sauce, I substituted Sriacha sauce.  I used 1/4 cup for most of it. Since Gordon likes his food hotter than the rest of us, I added another 1/4 cup to his portion which equalled about 1/5 of the recipes.
-I LOVE cream cheese, so I used all 8 oz and it was the Fat Free version of cream cheese.
-I probably came close on the amount of shredded cheddar cheese I was suppose to use.
-I didn't have any mature enough green onions, so I went out to my garden and retrieved some chives - which I generally like better anyway.  (Though, we are big fans of cutting off the tops of green onions and leaving the bulbs in water to regrow - which we learned from Pinterest.:o))
-I did use white flour.
-I think I had one egg left, so I pulled out some powdered egg whites and mixed them in with the "juices" the chicken was packed in.
-I don't think anyone in my family particularly likes corn flakes, so we seldom have them in our home, but Special K Protein Plus is a constant (because of Thrive! which you'll learn more about in weeks to come OR you could read a really old post).  We just smooshed these up and used them in the place of the corn flakes.

We did bake them on the parchment paper (I can't remember which Pinterest project I originally bought that for, but glad we had it hanging around the house) at 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes.  They held their shape fairly well.

As I said before, my family quite liked them.  So I hope you give them a whirl either from the original recipe or from my out of the pantry renovation.

Stay tuned...for more of Pauline's Pinterest Vacation

P.S.  I have four children:  one son and three daughters.  They are all my babies, so the oldest (at 19!) is sometimes nicknamed 1B on down to the youngest called affectionately 4B (at 12! and not really a baby anymore).