Friday, June 17, 2011

Whipped Honey

This whipped honey recipe is reminiscent of my grandparents.  When they lived in California, they would drive to Utah and buy commercial whipped honey.  It is such a treat!  I was shocked at how EASY it is to make it, and it stores in the pantry so well.

whippedhoney

Preheat: --
Category: Honey, butter, egg yolks

2 Egg yolks
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cups Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1.  Beat until honey until spreadable.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Baking Powder Biscuits

These are the baking powder biscuits my mom made while I was growing up.  I made them once several years ago and they were…  well, they were HOCKEY PUCKS.  We couldn’t even bite into them, no kidding!  After that disaster, it took me a few years and a bit of added confidence to try again, with SPECTACULAR results.  Just like mom’s, only better because I can have them ANY. TIME. I. WANT.



Preheat: 450*F
Categories: Bread, Mom’s recipes

2 cups – 4 cups Flour
1 Tablespoon – 2 Tablespoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon – 2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup Shortening
3/4 cup – 1 1/2 cup Milk


1.  Measure out flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.  Measure out shortening and then cut it in.  “Cutting” in shortening can be done with a fork… but my favorite is a pastry blender.
cutting tool
Just make sure that the shortening is evenly distributed.

2.  Add milk and stir until smooth.  With a doubled recipe, I had to add a handful of flour to get my dough smooth.

3.  Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch.  The dough will rise in the oven…

4.  Cut with a cookie cutter or cut the dough into approximated squares with a knife.  Of course, my favorite shape is a circle.  I have found that using my kids’ plastic drinking cups is the perfect size biscuit.

5.  Bake in a 450* preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.  I almost always have to go the full 12.  Of course all ovens are different!

Eat your biscuits hot, maybe with butter or whipped honey, yum!

p.s. The reason I had an epic fail the first time was.... OLD BAKING POWDER!  Yep, that'll getcha every time.

Meal Idea: Spinach salad, Sautéed chicken strips, Biscuits, Whipped honey, Mixed fruit

I have been giving it some thought and it is time to step up a little.  When I come to look at my blog, which I created for me, but am happy to share with everyone else, I made it to make menu planning easier.  What are we going to eat?  I have chicken... so I click on chicken and VOILÀ!  I have several chicken recipes.  I have potatoes... so I click on potatoes and... well, yeah.  But then, I have a recipe and no clue what to put with it.  On the days that the meal seems balanced, I am going to start sharing... then when I am fretting over a menu, I can click on meal ideas and fill in my chart!



Today's menu?
Spinach salad - baby spinach leaves raw, cherry tomatoes from our garden, a skiff of grated sharp cheese, a drizzle of ranch dressing.  I sautéed the chicken strips with a tablespoon of olive oil.  When chicken is cooked in strips, it goes so. quickly.  The olive oil is good for you, and the simple salt and pepper make the chicken so yummy.

Biscuits - I used my mom's recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits.  They. are. so. good.  Especially when topped with a spoonful of whipped honey

Mixed fruit - We bought a watermelon, I cut and chilled it.  I served a spoonful of watermelon pieces and a half spoonful of canned fruit salad.  That was the preferred item of the meal for the kids, with the biscuits coming in a very close second.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Carpet Cleaner for Steam Cleaning Machine

Look what my friend Susan found at this website!  I just cleaned my carpets three weeks ago, but yesterday, my lovely 4-year-old daughter got into my make-up foundation and there's a mess the size of a dinner plate in her room from where she tried to rub it out of the carpet.  Let's just say that I have high motivation to try out this recipe!

Preheat: --
Categories: Homemade cleaners, steam cleaning

1/4 cup lemon-scented ammonia  Susan used plain ammonia.
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 teaspoons non-moisturizing dish soap
Hot water

1.  Stir together ammonia, vinegar and dish soap in a gallon-plus size container.  Susan said that the ammonia stank when mixing up this part, but that the water diluted the ammonia amply.  Also, the ammonia did NOT smell after being used on the carpet.

2.  Add water; enough to equal a gallon.  One gal, in the comments, said that when she steam cleaned, she would turn her water heater on to the hottest setting.  Then she'd use the hottest water in her cleaning.  Makes sense to me!  Just be careful not to scald yourself!

3.  Use according to steam cleaner's manufacturer directions.  Except for the part of just using the brand-name, expensive cleaner, of course!