Camping Options and Tips

QUICK CAMPING OPTIONS
It is always a challenge to make meals when you are camping. Here is a quick and easy tip that will help out wit your next camping trip.

The next time that you are preparing to go, brown some ground beef with some onions.

Let the mixture cool thoroughly, then place in zip lock bags and freeze.

Now all you have to do is place the bags into your ice chest.

Once you get to your destination just add any variety of sauces to make spaghetti, sloppy joes, taco’s, chili or whatever else your family craves.

MEASURING GRANULATED SUGAR

Place the desired dry measuring cup onto a piece of waxed paper, or into a larger bowl. This will contain any spills for easy transfer back to the canister.

Scoop some granulated sugar from the canister with a spoon and place it in the desired dry measuring cup.
Using a straight edge (spoon handle or spatula) level off the top of the sugar in the cup.

Place the measured sugar into your mixing bowl and return the overflow caught on your waxed paper or bowl to the canister.

Mix It Up

Why is it that every time you make up a cup of cocoa or soup, you always end up with lumps. You have tried everything and nothing seems to help. The next time that you make up a cup, try this:

Place the dry mix in the bottom of your cup or mug. Slowly add just enough HOT water to cover the mix.

Using a spoon, blend the water into your mix until a thick paste has been created and all of the mix has been dissolved.

Now add the rest of your water mixing well.

Voila! Lump free!

Deep Fry Cooking and Safety

For safety in the kitchen, always make sure that you keep a lid handy for any pot that you are deep frying in.

In case your oil overheats or spills and causes a fire, immediately drop the lid on the pot of oil to prevent the fire from spreading and possibly becoming worse.

Kitchen Safety

Juicing

Juicing Jubilee

I recently received a diagnosis that made me rethink my food intake. I researched and decided that I wanted to join the juicing bandwagon. I bought a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor and about 3 pounds of fruit.

I was hooked after the first drink. My daughter and I go crazy seeing what different drinks we can make up. My favorite is one apple, one orange, a couple of strawberries and a handfull of grapes. She likes adding some honey and vanilla, but most of the time I don't find the need.

I will forwarn you that it takes longer to clean the machine than it does to make the juice! If you clean it promply after juicing it may only take about 5 minutes. If you let it dry out before you try to clean..... well, I am sure that the rest of the day might be shot for you.

Canning Tips

Easy Canning Tips

When canning, the recipe will always tell you to leave headspace at the top of the jar. Not all recipes will tell you how much headspace is needed. When canning the headspace must be there in order to get the ideal seal on your stored items.

If you leave too little or too much headspace you will not get an adequate seal.

Here is a quick list of different jars, and approximately how much headspace should be left.

Sugar or Liquid Pack: Wide top Jars ½ inch for Pint, and 1inch for Quart.
Sugar or Liquid Pack: Narrow top Jars ¾ inch for Pint, and 1 ½ inches for Quart.
No Liquid Pack: Unless otherwise noted, leave ½ inch.

Grannies Kitchen Canning Tips

Jelly - Canning

When making jelly, sometimes it is hard to tell when the jelly point has been reached. There is a simple test that you can do to determine this.

Place a small plate in the refrigerator. When you think that the jelly is ready, remove the plate from the refrigerator and using a spoon, place a small dollop on the plate.

Using a knife, draw a path through the jelly. If the path stays and does not ooze back down, your jelly is ready for canning.

Grannies Kitchen - Jelling Jelly, Canning and Homemade Jelly

Weekday Themes

Summer Calendar 2009

What to do with the kids home for the summer or if you are a daycare provider of childcare for ideas and days of the week themes.

Make it Monday
Two for Tuesday
Wacky Wednesday
Trivia Thursday
Fieldtrip Friday

Grannies Kitchen

Quick Applesauce - Apple Season

QUICK APPLESAUCE
You just got a bunch of fresh apples, and you are afraid that they are going to go bad.

You can make up a quick batch of applesauce that will keep in the refrigerator for 10-12 days.

Wash 6-8 apples, then core and quarter.

Place the apples into a saucepan and cover with 1/4 cup water.

Bring to a simmer and cover until the apples have cooked to a mush.

Puree in a blender or with a food mixer and add sugar to taste.

Place in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Balloons Nationals Indianola 09 - Windows Live

Balloons Nationals Indianola 09 - Windows Live

Balloon Nationals

Got to Love Maxine

Apple Cake - Apple Season

This recipe was surprisingly good. Even my family who doesn't like fruity desserts thought it was pretty good. I just used a regular Red Delicious apple for this recipe. Could be used for a breakfast snack also.

APPLE CAKE
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 egg white
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon No Iodine Salt
1/4 cup chopped apples; diced into 1/4 inch cubes

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Place in an 8x8 pan. Bake 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings


Grannies Kitchen - Apple Cake

Eunice Kennedy Schriver

In Memory of Eunice Kennedy Schriver


We are all ships returning home
laden with life's experience,
memories of work, good times and sorrows,
each with his special cargo;
And it is our common lot
to show the marks of the voyage,
here a shattered prow, there a patched rigging,
and every hulk turned black
by the unceasing batter of the restless wave.

May we be thankful for fair weather and smooth seas,
and in times of storm have the courage
and patience that mark every good mariner;
And, overall, may we have the cheering hope of joyful meetings,
as our ship at last drops anchor
in the still water of the eternal harbor.

By: Max Ehrmann

Grannies Kitchen Eunice Kennedy Schriver

Apple Season - Apple Muffins

Apple Muffins
This was a quick and easy recipe that I found. Good for breakfast or snack.



1/3 cup corn oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup egg white
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cup flour
2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except the 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tsp Cinnamon in a large bowl.

Grease a 12 piece muffin pan, or line with cups.

Divide mixture evenoly beween cups. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over tops of all muffins.

Bake 400°F for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 12 Muffins

Grannies Kitchen Apples

Ocean In A Bottle - Activities For Kids

Activities for Kids

Ocean in a Bottle, also referred to as a Pet Wave

Great for class projects, scouts, birthday party crafts or gifts.

What you will need:

rubbing alcohol
mineral spirits
food coloring
water bottle

1. Fill half of the bottle with rubbing alcohol.
2. Put two to three drops of food coloring into the bottle and shake.
3. Fill remainder of the bottle with mineral spirits.
4. Put top on - Do not Shake.
5. Hold bottle horizontally until clear, then raise and lower ends to create waves

5 Useful Ways with a Contact Lens Case

Think those double-cylinder lens cases are only good for your contacts? Think again! Here, we found five other uses that are just as handy.

Household Tips


1. Petroleum Jelly and Lotion
Fill one side with moisturizer or hand lotion and the other with jelly to dab on your lips on the go. Contact cases are wonderfully leakproof.

2. Earplugs
No more feeling your way around your bedside drawer in the dark. Keep one in each side of the case.

3. Pills
Pack a set of your daily meds and put it in your purse just in case. Or stash other pills you might need (Tylenol, Imodium, Benadryl). Use a permanent marker to label the bottom of the case with what’s inside.

4. Earrings
For those days when you forget to put some on before you leave the house. Put your dependable studs in a case, and slide it into your travel makeup kit.

5. Overnight Shampoo and Conditioner
When you need just one night’s worth of toiletries, squeeze a gob of shampoo in one side, conditioner in the other.

Grannes Kitchen Household Tips Contact Lens Cases

Traveling - Must Need Items for Kids

Items to always have on hand when traveling with kids

Band-Aids
antiseptic hand gel
small tissue packs
sun screen
Dr.'s phone numbers
Tylenol - children's & adults
a rubber door stop can provide extra security for a hotel room door
small plug in nightlight - to help find the bathroom in the middle of the night
Crayons
mechanical pencils
highlighter - good for word search games
paper
deck of cards
zip lock bags (collecting shells, storing food, wet clothes)
sun glasses
hats/visors
light weight wind breaker
umbrella
camera with extra film
keep a photo of your child in your wallet - incase you loose them in a crowed area
extra copy of birth certificates, photo id, travel reservations, airline tickets.

Grannies Kitchen Traveling with Kids

Planning a Road Trip - Helpful Items to Take

Helpful items for a road trip with kids

Frisbee - great for some quick exercise when making a stop
plastic boxes - one for each child, to hold their supplies - the lid makes a great desk or place to hold food.
clean water - several bottles of water work best for drinking, a quick wash up, cleaning a scrape and so on.
lightweight blanket - small child's blanket for cuddling with at nap time.
paper towels - for quick clean ups.
snacks - saltines, goldfish crackers - any kind of lightly salted dry cracker. Hard candy, such as life savers or tick tacks.
compass - fun for the kids if they want to help navigate.
trash bags - for storing laundry, wet items or just for trash.

Grannies Kitchen Items For a Road Trip With Kids

Travel Food For Kids

Travel Food


individual applesauce and fruit cups (don't forget plastic spoons)
dry crackers - small snack pack size
individual size water bottles (a permanent marker will help to keep these separate)
poptarts
individual cereal boxes
flavored rice cakes
juice boxes/bags
jar of peanut butter and loaf of bread (don't forget a plastic knife)

Grannies Kitchen - Travel Food For Kids

Activites For Long Trips With Kids - Bring Books

Bring Books!

Books are always a good choice whether you are at home or traveling on vacation. Mom or Dad may have to sit in the back seat for this one, unless your are fortunate enough to have a few books on tape. Bring along a tape or CD player with headphones which can be used for your books on tape or music. You can also combine books with counting, point out items in the books, like a cow or a barn and ask your child to watch for it.

Grannies Kitchen - Activites For Long Trips With Kids - Bring Books

Activites For Long Trips With Kids - Sing

Sing!

Kids love to sing. There are many songbook/cassette sets that children seem to love. Some favorites are the ones by Wee Sing. Disney soundtracks are also wonderful. And if tapes don't make them sing, maybe the songs will put them to sleep.

Grannies Kitchen Activites For Long Trips With Kids - Sing

Household Tips Candles

Refrigerate candles for several hours before lighting; it will cause fewer drips.

Grannies Kitchen Houshold Tip for Candles and Drips

Grannies Houshold Fridge Tips

* Wiping the inside of the fridge with vinegar helps prevent mildew because acid kills mildew fungus.






* For a fresh smelling fridge, keep a box of baking soda, a can filled with charcoal or dried coffee grounds or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract inside of it.


* Crumbled newspapers lining the vegetable compartments of a refrigerator will keep veggies crisp.

Grannies Kitchen - Household Tips for the Fridge

Perfect Pie Crust

Friday I had the pleasure of making fresh fruit pies with a dear friend who was classmates of my parents. Many times I have referred to her as my 2nd mom since my mother has passed away years ago. This pie crust recipe was one they where taught when they when in school by their homemec teacher in the 1950's.

This will make 1 two crust pie.

1 1/2 C Flour
3/4 C Crisco
1/2 t salt

Cut Flour, salt and crisco together till crumbs, Mix in 6 T cold water. Make a ball then roll crust out on a floured surface.

Grannies Kitchen- Perfect Pie Crust

Clothes Line News

A clothes line was a news broadcast to neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep when clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link for neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by to spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets and towels on the line;
You'd see the comp'ny tablecloths with intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth to folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung so carefully with pride.

The age of children could so readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed, you'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck, as extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too, haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now" when lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged with not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon if wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows, and looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past for dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home is anybody's guess

I really miss that way of life. It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best by what hung on the line!

Marcia Chumbley

A native of the Midwest farm country in Iowa, Marcia Chumbley has lived in a number of locations. She has resided in Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota., Living in rural and metropolitan areas taught Marcia to always look for the best opportunities each community could offer. She now lives in a rural area of Minnesota that has a small city flare and closeness to the land. Marcia’s work experiences outside the home include over 30 years in the medical and insurance field in manager, investigator and administrative roles. She has also worked as a contract administrator for a world wide security company. Marcia has work in the corporate world outside of her home and has various home based businesses over the years. She holds a degree in business management and is CMOM certified. Marcia is the founder and publisher of " Christian Work From Moms and Grandparents" web site, Faithful Grannies.com "Work At Home Divas Online for Boomers, Crafters and Stay At Home Moms, www.workathomedivasonline.com and Work At Home Moms Choices www.wahmchoices.com Marcia Chumbley: Specializing in Cooking Recipes http://grannieskitchen.blogspot.com/ She is a well known published and
featured author through out the internet and public speaker on domestic violence and a breast cancer surivor. She was choosen as a WAHM and SAHM of the 1st quarter of 2009 by Stay At Home Moms Online. http://stayathomemomsonline.com/momofmonth.html

Bookmarks Kids Crafts

Keep track of your favorite books with this handy bookmark
By Woman's Day Staff July 08, 2008 from WomansDay.com

Photo: © Paula Hible

Materials:
Fun Foam in assorted colors
Decorative scissors (optional)
White glue
Fine-point permanent markers in assorted colors
3/4" pompom
Two 5 mm movable eyes
Yarn

Instructions:
Cut 2" x 10" strips of Fun Foam for base of bookmark. Cut additional shapes, such as face or star. Use decorative scissors if desired.

Glue shapes to one end of strip. Decorate shapes with markers, movable eyes, pompom nose, yarn and hair.
Write names of books you’ve read on base strip.

Grannies Household Tips - Dusting

Dusting with a paintbrush can be an effective way to get into those hard to reach door jambs, etc.



Grannies Kitchen Household Tips