We Like Making Our Own Stuff

I am finishing up processing most of our garden harvest at this time, but I still have not taken care of my pie pumpkins yet.  The reason being, I still have a huge container of frozen pumpkin puree in my freezer from last year's harvest!  Needless to say, we are going to be eating lots of pumpkin this month.  My first pumpkin recipe was pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.  This probably isn't good for you.  So make a batch, let everyone at home have one, and take the rest to work to share with your coworkers. The original recipe for these pumpkin bars comes from the Betty Crocker Cookbook , but I have modified it so that I could use the ingredients I prefer. Pumpkin Bars Ingredients: 4 eggs 2 cups raw sugar 1 cup coconut oil (melted) 2 cups pumpkin puree 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup oat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teasp...

I sewed this in less that an hour, and it turned out pretty cute.  I took one of my husband's t-shirts that he wasn't wearing anymore, and modified it into an off-the-shoulder top. All you need is: T-shirt Elastic (3/4" width or less) 1.  Cut off the top of the t-shirt at the tops of the sleeves and across the chest. 2.  Cut off an inch or two from each sleeve. 3.  Put narrow hems in to finish the edges of the sections you cut off. 4.  If you'd like, you can bring the sides of the shirt in somewhat so that it has a more fitted look, and cut some off the bottom if you'd like the shirt to be shorter. 5.  Measure yourself around your shoulders.  Take that measurement, and subtract 2" from it.  This will be the length of the elastic for the top. 6.  Measure your upper arm, and subtract 1".  Cut two pieces of elastic to this size for the arm holes. 7.  Use pins to mark the off-the-shoulder top into quarters....

This is my first year growing yellow pear tomatoes and I have a bajillion of them! These little tomatoes are only a couple inches long and have a nice golden color.  They are less acidic than red tomatoes, which gives them a more mellow, sweeter taste.  They have been very prolific in my garden this year, producing far more than any of our other tomato varieties.  They make a nice addition to salsas and look pretty in salads.  I also dehydrated a batch and packed them in olive oil, and am looking forward to using them. My latest culinary creation utilizing my abundance of yellow pear tomatoes was jam.  Now, at first when you hear "tomato jam," it may sound weird, and even kinda gross.  But trust me, this jam is anything but gross!  It somewhat reminds me of sweet and sour sauce, and it's got a little bit of spice to it, which I find to be absolutely delicious.  You can use this jam as a topping for toast or biscuits, poured on cream chees...

Infusing dried herbs and spices in oil is a great way to preserve their therapeutic and aromatic properties.  Infused oils can be used in the kitchen and will add extra flavor to your recipe.  They can also be used for medicinal purposes, for beauty, and even to clean. Before you begin making an oil infusion, you will need to decide which herbs or spices you would like to use.  Following is a list of various herbs and spices that I have infused in the past, along with a short description of what I use them for: Calendula (aka Pot Marigold) ( Calendula officinalis ):   The dried flower of this plant makes a skin-soothing infused oil that can be used for dry skin, bug bites, rashes, and a myriad of other skin irritations.  In a past blog, I describe the procedure for making a skin soothing salve out of Calendula flowers. Catnip ( Nepeta Cataria ):   Catnip infused oil can be rubbed onto the skin for a mosquito repellent.  But beware if you...

It's been rain, rain, rain around here!  The garden is getting squishy! But at least the cucumbers are loving it.  I found a bunch yesterday that I didn't even know were growing. And, as you can see, I've got one lonely roma tomato ripening.  Have a great Wednesday!

In my last post , I described how to make your own "steam distilled" rose water.  In this post, I will suggest a few ways to use your rose water now that you have made a batch.  Rose water is great for the skin, so it has a variety of uses for skin care; rose water is also useful for hair care, and even has culinary uses. Using Rose Water for Skin Care Toner My favorite use for rose water is as a skin toner.  Rose water will help to improve your skin's tone and texture.  After I cleanse my skin with a mild soap or my oatmeal cleanser , I like to follow up with rose water as a toner.  Dab a cotton ball into the rose water, and apply it to your face, using short, upward strokes; do not rinse it off.  You can also get a little more creative if you'd like, and mix the rosewater with a splash of witch hazel or vodka.  This will create a mild astringent helpful for removing any dirt your cleanser may have missed and tightening...

These days, roses are best known as an ornamental garden plant, or as a gift between lovers.  But in years past, roses were much more than a young man’s means of wooing a pretty lady.  Roses were once used for medicine, decoration, beauty products, and even food. One easy way to make use of your roses is to make rose water, using a simple distillation method.  You won’t need any special equipment to do this, and chances are you have everything you need already. Note:  Please read my upcoming blog post to find out what to use your rose water for once it’s made . Homemade Rose Water Ingredients: Handful of rose petals 3 Quarts filtered water or rain water Ice or frozen cold packs* Equipment: Large Pot with rounded lid Large Rock with a flat top or a large, heavy glass bowl* Small glass bowl Process: 1.  Thoroughly wash the rock and place it into the pot.   2.  Scatter the rose petals around the rock...