peaches n' "cream" oatmeal.

this is just a simple breakfast recipe for an oatmeal alternative.  i make my oatmeal like this:

serves 5, 1 C. servings
170 calories per serving (just the oatmeal, not the toppings)

2 C. rolled oats
3 1/2 C. water
1/3 C. powdered milk
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. add oats and powdered milk to a pot and stir well.
2. add in water and stir; bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened.
3. stir in cinnamon.


for the peaches n' "cream":
3 peach slices per person
2 large spoonfuls of homemade crockpot yogurt (or other plain or vanilla yogurt of choice)
sprinkle of chopped pecan pieces
drizzle of honey

for the kids i stir in 1 tsp. of brown sugar into their oatmeal bowls before i add on their toppings.

this would be so yummy with fresh peaches in the fall!  for now the rest of the year i use my home-canned peaches.  this would also be yummy with some sprinkled coconut flakes or a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

rice pilaf.

i made this to go along with chicken pillows, which we usually have with potatoes.  this was a nice change and will be added into our rotation of regular recipes.  i did decide that next time i'm going to decrease the garlic and onion a little, so i have reflected that in my recipe. 

photo from {kelseys' apple a day}.

rice pilaf serves 6.
2 T. butter
1/3 of an onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 1/4 C. rice (can use brown)
2 1/2 C. chicken broth
can add in fresh herbs or dried herbs for color if desired.

1) melt butter over medium heat; add onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  stir until onions are soft.  

2) stir in rice until well coated; add broth and bring to a boil. 

3) cover, reduce heat and summer until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes.  fluff with a fork.

i got this recipe from the book The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner, pg. 213.

homemade yogurt in the crockpot. {part 2}. the recipe and fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt.

i got this recipe from{bless this mess}.

homemade yogurt in the crockpot: makes about 2 quarts.
1/2 gallon whole milk (8 cups)
1/2 C. plain yogurt (i like Mountain High)

1) pour milk into large crockpot.  turn it on low for 2 1/2 hours.

2) unplug crockpot and let sit for 3 hours.

3) stir in yogurt.  cover crockpot and wrap with 2 thick towels.  allow to sit out on the counter overnight or for 8-12 hours.

4) place in glass jars or large glass bowl and refrigerate; it will thicken a little more as it cools.

if you want to have the fruit throughout the yogurt, blend or whip it together for a creamy flavored mix.

photo from {the pea-pod}.

homemade fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cups: makes 6 servings

1 1/2 C. fresh or frozen berries of choice
3 T. honey or maple syrup
homemade yogurt

1) in a small saucepan, add berries and sweetener.

2) heat mixture over medium heat; let the mixture simmer, stirring often, until the liquid reduces by half.  this should take about 10-15 minutes.

tip: if you're using fresh berries, mash them a bit in the beginning so they release their juices and don't burn.

3) divide the berry mixture evenly into 6 half pint wide mouth mason jars.  (these are so cute and handy!)

4) add yogurt on top of the berries (3/4-1 C. per jar). cover and store in fridge.


NOTES:
you can add more or less sweetener and berries according to your taste.

for a healthy boost, stir in chia seeds before eating.

homemade crockpot yogurt. {part 1}. the info.

photo from {live simply}.

did you know you can make homemade yogurt in your crockpot?  this has been on my TO DO list for over a year now.  my kids and i LOVE yogurt and spend quite a bit of money every month on the small walmart yogurt cups, my favorite Zoi honey vanilla greek yogurt and the larger "boring" (as my kids call it) tubs of peach, strawberry or vanilla.

although my kids still prefer the small flavored yogurt cups (and i love my Zoi), i am trying to tighten our grocery budget over here.  living in utah is quite a bit more expensive than idaho. we were really spoiled with cheap, good food in idaho!

a tub of yogurt here costs almost $5!!!

a gallon of whole milk cost around $3.15.  the yogurt recipe calls for a half gallon of milk and a half a cup of plain yogurt (i use Mountain High).  to get started you need to buy plain yogurt, but then you can save out a 1/2 C. from your batch of homemade yogurt to use for your new batch.

by your second batch you'll only be paying around $1.57 + tax for about 8 C. of nourishing yogurt!

photo from {may purr}.

it also helps to know that i know the exact ingredients in the yogurt we are eating.  no sugars, dyes and preservatives!

i know, you may be thinking. eww- plain yogurt is sour and disgusting.  i thought the same thing.  this homemade yogurt is still tangy, but it is much milder than store-bought.  i add some fresh berries and a slight drizzle of honey and it's a delicious snack.  add in some granola and you've got a healthy and filling breakfast!

my kids even ate this with fruit and granola! i was impressed. usually my kids are total yogurt snobs and can detect when i've tried to give them plain yogurt.

benefits of plain yogurt:
1) to quote fitness magazine, yogurt's got power-boosting protein and bone-building calcium.

when you eat yogurt, the calcium in it signals your fat cells to pump out less cortisol, making it easier for you to drop pounds and especially belly fat when you are following a healthy diet.  cortisol is the hormone that triggers your body to store more fat, specifically around the waist.  

2) yogurt has "live and active cultures," which means that it has probiotics, beneficial "bugs" that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful micro-organisms that can cause intestinal infections.  the probiotics also strengthen your immune system

3) yogurt is loaded with vitamins.  one serving is a significant source of potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamins B5 and B12.  an 8 oz. serving of yogurt contains about 60% of the vitamin B12 that an average adult woman needs daily. B12 is the vitamin which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly.

4) a cup of yogurt a day can help you recover faster after a workout.  with the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt makes an excellent post-workout snack.  eat within 1 hour of a work out and the proteins provide the amino acids your muscles need to repair themselves.  the carbohydrates replace your muscles' energy stores, which are depleted after a hard workout.  it's a bonus if you drink a full glass of water along with it; the protein in yogurt may also help increase the amount of water absorbed by the intestines, improving hydration!

5)not all yogurt is equal!!!  fruit yogurts have less calcium than plain because of the sugar content.  yogurt is NOT a healthy snack or meal when it has tons of sugar loaded into it!!! and light or sugar-free are not great options either; the aspartame or other fake sugars added in instead are even worse for your body than sugar itself!

6) yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.  every day, 70% of people consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and heart disease.  the potassium in yogurt, almost 600 mg per 8 oz. may help flush out some of the excess sodium from your body!

7)a daily serving of yogurt keeps colds away!  the healthy bacteria in yogurt help to send signals to the immune-boosting cells in your body to power up and fight off harmful bugs. allergy sufferers may also find relief by adding yogurt into their diets.

8) the lactic acid in yogurt appears to give your gums protection and helps build stronger teeth.


in researching yogurt i have found so much information! according to the site {eat local grown}i found preservation of yogurt starter information and different ideas for flavoring yogurt:


how to preserve yogurt starter:
if you don't want to or can't make a new batch of yogurt every week or so, you can reserve your 1/2 cup of yogurt, or more if you cannot eat all of your yogurt before it goes bad and FREEZE it!!!

yogurt freezes well and the active live cultures in yogurt will survive for many months in the freezer.

simply freeze in a clean ice cube tray or small plastic container equal to a half a cup portions.


more ideas for flavoring yogurt:
flavor with the seasons!  flavoring plain yogurt is always to taste.  try adding seasonal fruits, cinnamon, honey, vanilla or other natural flavor extracts.

puree fruit in a blender or add in a bit of jam or even try blending it up with some fruit juice or concentrate.  you can add in chopped nuts, seeds, mini chocolate chips, protein powders, and coconut flakes.

photo from {paleo leap}.

fall/winter: apple, cinnamon/spices, peach, pear, apricot, cranberry, pomegranite
spring/summer: strawberry, pineapple, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, blackberry
year-round: banana

photo from {let the baking begin}.

if you preserve your own fruits you can enjoy them year-round as well!!!


there are tons of resources if you're interested in learning more about yogurt!!!

homemade chicken stock. egg noodles. chicken noodle soup.

i never liked homemade chicken or turkey soup growing up.  the smell of the the boiling carcass into broth made me nauseous and i just didn't want anything to do with.  it wasn't until recently when our friends, the Hansens made a simple chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles that i realized how delicious and comforting it is!

their method is simple: cook a few chicken breasts in a crockpot on low for around 8 hours with some spices and bouillon; shred the chicken, use the broth and add some egg noodles.  

i like this simple version, and they serve theirs over mashed potatoes, which seems so weird, but it makes the soups so smooth and creamy.  

i made some homemade chicken stock over the past few days (thanks to Pinterest and recipe from here) in the crockpot and will be canning it today (can freeze as well, but i prefer most of my food storage to be shelf-stable).  so here's an alternative version to homemade chicken noodle soup starting with homemade stock in a crockpot!

i especially liked making my own stock because it is so full of nutrients!  the bones in the broth and the addition of using apple cider vinegar leaches the minerals from the bones into the stock. the broth contains minerals in a form that the body can absorb easily, such as: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, and other trace minerals.

the broth also contains the broken down material from the cartilage and tendons- that include things like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine.  these are the kinds of things found in expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain. 

chicken broth supports the immune system by promoting the absorption of vitamins and minerals.  so yes, chicken soup really is good for the body!

your family is getting ALL of the nutrition available to them through this broth! 

you can use your stock in soups, gravies, casseroles, over rice etc.  

you can use a whole roasted chicken to make your stock, but i prefer to roast the chicken, eat it with your family, pick of most of the easily removed meat and then use the rest of the entire carcass {such a gross word!}to make the stock. 

you can add the giblets in your stock as well. great nutrition from those organs. 

other reasons to make your own homemade chicken stock?

1) it's WAY cheaper than buying regular or organic chicken broth (which by the way has almost no flavor!!!)

2) i have been using powdered chicken bouillon in place of broth for about 3 years now in order to save money because i use chicken "stock" a lot in recipes.  i actually took the time to read the label the other day.  ingredients: corn syrup solids, salt, cornstarch, hydrolyzed corn, soy protein, rendered chicken fat, sugar, onion powder, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, spices, turmeric, dehydrated parsley, silicon dioxide, yeast extract, sweet whey, garlic powder, caramel color, dehydrated onion.  

sound nourishing? bleck.  

i will still buy this to have in my long-term food storage and use in a pinch but i cannot go back now to using this as my staple when i've seen how easy and pretty much effortless it is to make several quarts of homemade stock in my crockpot over several days basically for {free!!!}

i hope you try it out!!!

chicken stock in a crockpot: makes approx. quarts

1 whole chicken carcass

3-4 carrots, scrubbed and cut in half

2-3 celery stalks, washed, leaves on, cut in half

1-2 onions, cut in half, skins on

2 whole garlic cloves, skin on 

1 tsp. peppercorns

2 bay leaves

fresh herbs if available (thyme, basil, parsley, even cilantro)

2 T. apple cider vinegar 

1) put carcass into 6-quart crockpot, adding in vegetables and spices on top.

2) fill crockpot up to 1" from the top with filtered water.

3) add apple cider vinegar.

4) cover and allow to sit for 1 hour in order for the apple cider vinegar to leach the minerals from the bones before cooking starts.

5) turn to low and cook for 12 hours; at this time remove any meat left on the carcass and save for use.  extract 1/2 of the liquid (stock) from the crockpot; straining with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer and pour into quart-sized canning jars.  

6) cover jars loosely and allow to cool on the counter prior to refrigerating.  

(you will fill your fridge over the next 3-5 days with jars if you are going to process them for canning; otherwise. leave 1 1/2" headspace and freeze the jars, or if you prefer freeze in quart-sized bags or plastic (BPA-free) containers).

7) add enough filtered water back in to fill up to 1" of the top; cover and cook on low another 12 hours. 

i started my stock in the evening after dinner; so i was able to pull my first stock out by 9 a.m. the next morning and the second stock at 9 p.m. that night, and so on for 3 days.  you can continue this process every 12 hours for 3-5 days. 

NOTES:

i don't usually have garlic cloves on hand (unless i grow them in my garden and store them) so if you don't have the whole cloves on hand you can use some powdered garlic or minced garlic.

your stock should be rich in color and aroma, like below.

                         

now for soup!

                                                   

homemade egg noodles: enough for 1 large batch of soup

2 C. flour

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. - 1/2 C. water

1) mix flour and salt.

2) make a well in the center of the flour and add in egg; begin to mix together by hand until a thick, sticky dough forms.

3) add in water, 1 T. at a time, until dough comes together into a soft, workable dough.  

4) turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a circle.  cut the circle into fourths.

5) working with 1/4th of the dough at a time, pat out the circle and then roll flat to about 1/8" thickness and slice with a pizza cutter into 1/4" strips.

6) add raw noodle strips into boiling stock and stir occasionally to keep from sticking.  simmer along with other soup ingredients for 30 minutes-1 hour prior to serving.

                           

photo from {how to simplify}.

homemade chicken noodle soup: serves 6-8.

14 C. chicken stock (3 1/2-4 quarts)

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, scrubbed and diced into large chunks

3 celery stocks, diced (my family prefers no celery, optional)

2 tsp. minced garlic, optional

1 T. olive oil

1-2 C. cooked chicken, diced into bite-size pieces

1/2 T. oregano

1/2 T. basil

1/2 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. turmeric, optional

all of the spices are optional, as your stock will already be flavorful.  sometimes i want a "lighter" soup and sometimes i want more robust flavors (adding in more spices).

1) bring stock to a boil in large stockpot and add in noodles when ready.

2) meanwhile, heat olive oil in frying pan and saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery if using.  this brings an extra depth of flavor to the vegetables prior to adding them into the soup.

3) add spices into the vegetables and continue to saute until aromas are very fragrant and onions are translucent.

4) add vegetables and spices into stockpot, along with chicken; turn to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to combine.  

soup can be thickened with cornstarch or flour if desired.  often the flour on the noodles will slightly thicken soup.  also, if serving over mashed potatoes, the potatoes will naturally thicken the stock.

i served mine with cheesy zucchini garlic & herb biscuits.

cheesy zucchini garlic biscuits.

i got this recipe from {emily shares} on Pinterest (of course) and decided that i didn't have 50 minutes to bake the loaf (as it was originally intended as a bread).  because the dough was soft, sticky and lumpy i knew these would work great as biscuits.

original recipe also called for cheddar cheese (which i didn;t have) and dill (which i didn't want)...so my adapted recipe....

cheesy zucchini garlic & herb biscuits: 

makes 9 large biscuits, or 18 small buscuits

3 C. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano (or Italian seasoning blend)

1 C. shredded zucchini, well-drained

1 C. shredded cheese (i used pepper-jack)

1/2 stick butter, melted

2 eggs

1 C. buttermilk (i used 3 T. buttermilk powder and 1 C. water)

1) combine all dry ingredients (including buttermilk powder).

2) add in zucchini and 3/4 C. cheese.  stir just to combine.

3) whisk butter, egg and water and add into dry mixture just until combined.  mixture will be lumpy.

4) drop by large spoonfulls onto greased cookie sheet and sprinkle tops with remaning cheese. 

5) bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) for 18 minutes, or until cooked all the way through and turning slightly golden.

these were soft and flavorful.  perfect addition to a pot of soup.

homemade crockpot refried beans.

this recipe for homemade refried beans is from {pennies and pancakes}.  she is an LDS girl who blogs about some frugal recipes and ways to get out of debt.  i tried this recipe and it was delicious.  we have eaten it in quesadillas and as a chip dip so far, but you could also eat it in tacos.  it makes a filling meal in a quesadilla and gives you the healthy protein.  no extra lard or fat in this recipe, just flavor.

NOTE:
i did not take the time to soak the beans overnight before i made these; though it would be great to do so and will cut down on overall cooking time.  it took a good 8-10 hours before they were soft enough to mash.

crockpot refried beans: makes 16 cups.

2 lbs. pinto beans (about 4 cups)

1 large onion, chopped

4 T. minced garlic

1 T. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. cumin

10 cups hot water (I boiled mine so it was extra hot and gave the beans a good head-start on cooking)

1) rinse beans in a colander. pick out any bad beans.

2) combine all ingredients in the crockpot. remove any floating beans. cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours. (i cooked on HIGH 4 hours and then LOW 4-6 hours because i did not soak them first).

3) uncover, and remove extra liquid. leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. (we like our beans somewhere between the very-liquidy restaurant style beans, and the canned version of refried beans.)

4) mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. (i actually ran mine through the blender, reserving some whole to mix in with the pureed beans).

serve warm. store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, or freeze in ziplock bags for later use. (we used half of ours within a few days and froze the rest, which we have thawed and taste great!)

thrifty thursday.

(this post is from the beginning of June...)

i like to have routines.  like mondays i wash bedding.  thursdays i wash towels.  mondays we grocery shop for the week.  tuesdays we go to the library.  thursdays we go thrifting.

the first week we lived here i found a few great items a the D.I. but wasn't overly impressed.  there are no other thrift stores in town either...bummer, but it will save me money!

i got a great 1980's globe for $3.  i already have a very similar one, and just sold another before we moved...so here's to making some cash!  major score!  i paid $20 in the past when i could find one.

also found a cute sign with perfect colors for the kid's bathroom, also $3

and a bunch of great vintage books, 0.50 each.  always love adding to our library.



i figured i'd give the D.I. another shot.  i've been looking for side lamps for the couch in the living room and really don't have many options here in town.  i've already scouted wal-mart and home depot here, and other than paying some outrageous prices at the one and only furniture store i was out of luck until i went into salt lake.  our new living room has no overhead lighting, which is ok with me because i prefer softer lighting anyway.  overhead lighting tends to give me headaches.  the only lamp i brought with me for the living room has a short-circuit in the wiring and decided to die after only a few days here.  so, aside from the entry light we have been in the dark.

today i found a matching pair of lamps for $5 each! score!  i didn't necessarily need the lamps to match but i do prefer it just so they're at the same height on either side of the couch.  i still need to find lampshades for these lamps and the pair in my master bedroom that i bought at D.I. months ago...

                         

also scored a brass lamp for $5 that is a hideous little guy right now but i have another similar one in the garage awaiting a paint job and the two of them will be perfect in the family room/play room downstairs.  my goal when i furnish things is to do it for the minimal amount possible- love when i find things i can use!

i've been wanting a real picnic basket for a while.  we got one for our wedding but the wicker in it was brittle and it broke easily.  this one for $6 is super sturdy, made with some sort of roping and has sturdy handles.  i can't wait to spruce the inside up a little...i'm thinking i'm going to love having this tag around with me on many a summer day or night!

 i plan on making a fabric covered bottom for the basket

this eyesore is a baby crib and i'm pretty sure it was homemade.  who ever loved it before decorated it for me with stickers, and although i'm happy that made them happy the stickers will be going.  i instantly thought of re-finishing this with paint, a little fluffy mattress, cute pillow and quilt for olivia's baby doll.  eventually it may be so when she has a bigger room.  right now her room is full with the few things she has in there.  so for now, i'm going to paint it and have it pull double duty to hold something like books, or yarn, or stuffed animals in the family room/play room. not too shabby for $4 bucks.

more vintage books.  cute animal stories. my kids always love reading about animals.  and this julia child cookbook?!  i love it!  not only will it be fun to cook with, but look at how pretty it is and it's hardcover and in PERFECT condition for only $2!

brady scored some much-needed shorts for this summer (2 pairs, $3 each) and a couple shirts for school in the fall (also $3 each).  he also got some glasses with a side microphone to use for dress-ups. olivia got a pink "laptop" for the car.  no luck for zach today.

we got a little sea turtle stuffy for cousin lexi (the kids want to give it to her when she moves next month to north dakota) and olivia got another unicorn (this time a "baby" one) for her growing collection.

i think probably the best score was this beautiful rocking chair!  it's sturdy, has no problems at all and is attractive as is.  i am sure i will paint it and distress it.  i may keep it for a while or sell it and use the profit to save for something else...i snatched it up as soon as i saw it for $8!!!

a cute three-tiered wrought iron candle holder, $1.  will sell for a profit.

lastly, i found a $2 queen-sized sheet of this vintage-look fabric that i plan to use for maybe a picnic blanket or as part of a quilt for that vintage camper i'm dreamin' of!

a good day at D.I.

...so that was last week.

today we had a very specific task at D.I.  we are going camping tomorrow and i needed a sweatshirt that would fit my pregnant belly.  my favorite fleeces' zipper broke and i tossed it back in I.F. walked into the store today, found a nice warm one and it zips too, which i much prefer to a hoodie.  $6.  not too bad!  looks almost new, nice dark gray color and super warm.

my other task- i needed at least one frying pan to use while camping.  i found this guy for $1, which is on the smaller side but will work great for bacon and eggs.

we quickly browsed the outdoor area (i was trying to see if i could find a large water jug with a spicket...no luck) but found another brass lamp with great shape for $5.  another project to paint and sell.  have to find pieces like this so i can make my sending money!

i had forewarned the kiddos that we weren't buying any toys this time.  i did want to quickly peruse the bedding/fabric area and within a few minutes i found these curtains!  i was so excited!  $4 for each panel, 2 panels for the family room/playroom.  i had just been thinking yesterday that i could get some fabric JUST.LIKE.THIS.  my friend, charlotte had these curtains in her playroom and i loved them.  couldn't believe my luck!  i would have preferred to pay $4 for both panels, but $8 is still cheaper than i could have gotten the fabric for even half off at Jo-Anns.

and as i strolled down the glassware aisle to get the kiddos playing in the toy aisle...found this super sweet jar.  i would like to keep it and fill it with some cottonballs for the masterbathroom, but for $1, I can make at least a $5 profit on it.  so it's going to get sold too.  

got to love thrifty thursday!

oatmeal. {2 ways}. maple raisin and apple cinnamon.

i have mentioned before how my kids don't like oatmeal unless it's from a quaker oatmeal packet.  thus frustrates me because oatmeal can be such a healthy and inexpensive breakfast.  i continue to try and introduce them to new homemade oatmeal recipes and these two finally hit the mark with all three of them, although brady {my voracious eater} won't eat more than one {hearty} serving.

pic from {its easy being vegan}.

maple oatmeal: serves 4-5.

2 C. rolled oats

3 1/2 C. water

1/3 C. powdered milk

1/2 C. maple syrup

1/2 C. raisins, optional

1) add oats, water and powdered milk to pot and whisk well to combine; cook until mixture begins to thicken.

2) add maple syrup and raisins and allow to cook 3-4 minutes.

serve plain or with a dollop of yogurt on top.

NOTES:

for a healthy boost- add 1 T. ground flax or 1 T. chia seeds into oatmeal.

this recipe was adapted from {bissful and domestic}.

recipe from {lose those poundz}.

apple cinnamon oatmeal: serves 4-5.

2 C. rolled oats

3 1/2 C. water

1/3 C. powdered milk

1 apple, diced with skin on

1/2 C. maple syrup

1 tsp. cinnamon

1) put water and apple in a pot; bring to a boil.  allow to boil until apple is soft.

2)add oats and remaining ingredients; simmer until oats are soft.

3)remove from heat and serve with a dash of cinnamon on top.

NOTE:

for a healthy boost- add in 1 T. ground flax seed or 1 T. chia seeds into oatmeal.

recipe adapted from {blissful and domestic}.