1. Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are the easiest thing in the world to make.  It feels like you’re canning, but there’s no need to process the jars as they stay great in the fridge for several weeks.  I make simple dill pickles using a recipe from The Kitchn.  You can double the recipe and easily make four jars in 30 minutes and also vary the level of zestiness.  I’ve made EIGHT jars so far this summer and we’ve already plowed through two or three.

2. Cucumbers and Onions

My in-laws always make cucumbers and onions.  Simply slice cucumbers and onions (I like red onions) and cover with a mixture of vinegar, sugar, water and salt and pepper.  Let sit for a few hours before serving.  There are tons of recipes out there but check out this recipe from Lynda’s Recipe Box.

3. Creamy Cucumber Salad

We are headed to a BBQ this weekend and I plan to make this recipe from Closet Cooking. I like that the recipe uses greek yogurt and I have fresh dill ready to go on my back patio.  If you are not too hip to the vinegar-y version above, this one may be for you.

4. Cucumber Cooler Cocktails

I could probably post ten different cucumber salad recipes, but that’s not fun.  What is fun is to make cocktails at home and this one from Minimalist Baker looks fancy yet simple.  Bonus points if you also have mint growing in your garden!

5.   Sparkling Cucumber-Basil Limeade

If you’re not in the mood for a cocktail but still want something fancy, this sparkling cucumber-basil limeade from Fearless Homemaker may hit the spot.  I can picture myself sipping this on my patio while reading a good book.

6. Cucumber Face Mask

Cucumbers are not only refreshing to eat in the summertime, they are also refreshing for our skin.  Here are seven different recipes for cucumber face masks, depending on your skin type.  Each one contains only a few simple ingredients.  I plan to try the one with yogurt or aloe vera.

7. Cold Cucumber Soup

Super quick, no-cook, cold cucumber soup sounds like a delicious side dish to a summer dinner.  This recipe on Tablespoon uses fresh herbs and only has two steps!

8. Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki sauce is a Greek cucumber yogurt dip.  Get some soft pita bread or flatbread, fill it with whatever your heart desires, and pour on the homemade tzatziki sauce.  I eat mostly vegetarian so I fill my pitas with chickpeas, sliced quinoa bites or even just spinach and veggies.  Try this recipe for homemade tzatziki sauce from Natasha’s Kitchen.

9. Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats

Make your favorite tuna salad and scoop it into a hollowed-out cucumber boat.  This seems like a fun kid-friendly idea.  I have one kid who would probably love this and one who will likely screech and run away in terror.  Win some, lose some.  Try this tuna and white bean salad recipe from Cooking Matters.

10. Give your extra cucumbers to your neighbors

If you have extra cucumbers, walk next door or across the street and give some to your neighbors.  They will appreciate the fresh produce and it gives you a chance to connect with a person in your community face-to-face.  We can’t underestimate the importance of community and face-to-face connections in our technology driven world.

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I’m sure there are at least 27 more ways to use extra cucumbers from the garden.  As we have plenty of cucumbers this year, please share your favorite recipes or ideas in the comments below.  I will need lots of ideas for the rest of the growing season! And if you don’t have a backyard garden full of cucumbers, head to your local farmers market or befriend that neighbor with a garden.

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I have a hard time figuring out gifts for my kids when it comes to Easter.  I feel like it’s a struggle between clutter and candy.  My boys definitely do not need a basket full of candy, but it seems like all non-candy gift ideas end up as useless plastic cluttering up my house that will end up in the landfill sooner rather than later.

I love to do homemade and DIY gifts.  It’s usually a fun project for me and a more meaningful gift for the recipient.  As I was searching around for DIY ideas for my kids’ Easter baskets I jotted down a list that I thought I would share today.  Some of them are gifts I’ve made before for my kids for other holidays and the rest are ones I’d like to try.

I tried to pick gift ideas that are meaningful, useful or consumable to try to fight back against clutter!

• Play Silks

Play silks are large pieces of silk, dyed in various colors to encourage imaginative play in kids.  They can be used for dress-up, pieces of costume, parts of scenery, blankets, forts, curtains for puppet shows, etc.  I made these for my boys for Christmas one year and we’ve gotten a lot of use out of them.  The shipping was pretty fast on the plain silks I ordered so you probably still have time for this project if you order them soon.

• Slime

Slime is a fun science project to put together and it’s pretty inexpensive.  It’s pretty neat how the glue, cornstarch and water interact to make slime.  The options are endless when it comes to color and glitter add-ins.  I made this for my boys last year for Valentine’s Day and they loved it.  Put it in a clear plastic container and it would make a great addition to an Easter basket.

• Velcro Stick Art

Velcro stick art wins the award for the easiest DIY gift in the world.  It will take you all of 15 minutes to put it together.  All you need is big popsicle sticks, self-adhesive velcro and some kind of bag to hold it all.  I made this for my boys for Christmas and it makes a great “busy” toy to throw in your purse or diaper bag to pull out at a restaurant or anywhere you are waiting.  Use the colorful popsicle sticks to give this DIY gift a spring feel.

• Homemade Bubble Wands & Bubble Solution

I never thought to make my own bubble wands and was excited to come across this idea from Glued to My Crafts.  My boys have already been asking to get out the bubbles this year and we need to refresh our supply.  A homemade version is right up my alley, however I will have to find a plastic container for the bubble solution.

• Magnetic Fishing Game

I made a magnetic fishing game for my boys for Christmas one year and it turned out really cute.  I used the template and directions from Homemade Gifts Made Easy.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had most of the supplies on hand already.  Don’t want to sew?  Try this non-magnetic paper version from Frog Prince Paperie.  (I had to make the fabric one as my boys would’ve destroyed those paper fish in less than 24 hours.)  There’s also a tiny felt version that fits in an Altoids tin at the bottom of the Homemade Gifts post.  I would like to make that one too.

• Magnetic Eggs

Continuing with the magnetic theme I also found a great idea for magnetic Easter eggs at Frugal Fun for Boys.  My boys love magnets and they love playing with those plastic Easter eggs, so I think they would like magnetic eggs a lot.  I am a little concerned about them opening them though so I would have to find a way to glue them shut.

• Custom Pillowcase

My mother-in-law made my whole family KC Royals pillowcases for Valentine’s Day (we are big Royals fans).  She even ironed my boys names on the sides of theirs with iron-on letters.  It was such a nice gift!  A custom, homemade pillowcase would be a fun addition to an Easter basket.  Pick fabric in a favorite character or sports theme or fun print and iron their name on the side.  Here is an easy tutorial from Made Every Day.

• Homemade Playdoh Carrots

Homemade playdoh carrots are such a great idea from Made to be a Momma.  It’s a little bit of work to mix up the playdoh but it would look so cute in an Easter basket.  I’ve never made homemade playdoh before but have always wanted to try.

• Bath Bombs or Bubble Bath

Homemade bath bombs are something I haven’t tried before as I don’t really take baths myself.  However my kids love baths and I’m sure they would find a fizzy bath bomb hilarious. (They are two and four so it doesn’t take much.)  There are a ton of ideas on Pinterest but I think this one from Coupon Closet looks easy and simple.  Homemade bubble bath would be even simpler if you don’t want to mess with the molds.  Find a fun bottle and fill it with this calming bubble bath solution.

• Sidewalk Paint

I think sidewalk paint is one DIY gift that I will definitely be trying this weekend.  A couple containers with bright colored paint and some paint brushes would be perfect for an Easter basket.  I like this idea from Ashley’s Homemade Adventures because it’s washable.  The hardest part will probably be finding the right containers.  I might try the squeezable condiment bottles with the pointy tips which my kids could use to squirt the paint straight on the driveway and skip the brushes all together.

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I hope this list has been helpful and may inspire you to try a DIY gift this year.  Please share any other ideas!  I’m a total procrastinator and I’m sure I’ll be working on my Easter baskets next Saturday night.

Please feel free to pin this post and if you like, follow me on Pinterest.

Have a great weekend!

I’ve posted several blogs about homemade pizza before but as I looked back through them I realized I never posted any detail on the actual dough-making process.  Homemade pizza dough is actually really easy to make.  It only requires one rise and not much shaping.  Pizza dough is the gateway to homemade bread!

Homemade Pizza Dough
Makes enough for two thick crust pizzas, three thin crust pizzas or one giant pizza in a jelly roll pan.

• 1 ½ cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)
•  3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use olive)
•  1 tablespoon sugar
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  2 packages dry yeast (or 4 ½ teaspoons yeast)
•  4 ½ cups all purpose or bread flour

Combine water, oil, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water mixture and stir until dissolved. Gradually add flour, mixing well after each addition until dough is smooth and combined.

I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to make my pizza dough.  First I combine everything by hand using a wooden spoon, including the first three cups of flour (one at a time).  At that point, the dough gets to tough to mix by hand.  I snap the bowl into my mixer and switch to the dough hook to incorporate the last cup of flour.

Once the flour is incorporated the dough should start to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl as you can see in the picture below.

If the dough continues to stick to the bowl, add flour a little bit at a time until the ball starts to form.  The amount of flour needed can depend on a lot of things – temperature, altitude, humidity, etc.  This time I needed 4 cups exactly and the dough turned out perfect.

Once the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl, I turn my timer on for 12 minutes and let the dough hook continue to kneed the dough.  I peek at it every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t start to stick.  The extended kneeding time makes the dough nice and elastic which will give you a chewy pizza crust.

After the kneeding is finished I pull the dough off the hook and form the dough into a smooth ball with my hands.  I place the dough face down in a large bowl I previously greased with olive oil and then flip it over so all sides are greased.

The bowl is covered and left alone for an hour to rise.  The dough should approximately double in size.
Tip: place the large bowl on top of a smaller bowl with hot tap water to help the dough rise.

Once the rise time is complete, it’s time to make the pizzas!  Prepare a flat surface to roll out the dough.  I use a silicone pastry mat but you can use a clean counter or table too.  Divide the dough into the number of pizzas you want to make.  Start by patting the dough out into a circle, then switch to a rolling pin to get it to the desired thickness.  This is a nice time to get little hands involved if you have them.

I usually let my boys make their own personal pizzas to keep them from fighting over who gets what.

Once the dough is rolled and shaped the way you want, place it on your pizza stone or pan.  Dry bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes.  No sauce or toppings yet, just the dough.  Then remove the crust from the oven and very carefully add sauce and cheese and toppings.  Remember your pizza crust and pan will be hot!

This time I used a store bought sauce by Muir Glen (it was on sale!) but if you want to make your own sauce, here is an easy recipe.

Return the fully topped pizza to the 450 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes.  Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust starts to brown.  Remove from oven, cut and serve.

This dough can also be used to make breadsticks.  Roll out the dough to any shape, then score it with a pizza cutter.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian herbs or garlic or cheese.  Bake at 450 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until they start to brown.

See some of my other posts for other homemade pizza ideas:

Barbeque Chicken Pizza
Breakfast Pizza
Homemade Frozen Pizzas
Pizza Quesadillas

What are your favorite toppings?  I am usually pretty lame and like plain cheese the best.  Sometimes a few veggies make the cut.

Happy pizza-making!

Previously I had been using Kiss My Face olive oil soap. It’s really nice and pure and  worked for awhile but after I gave birth to my last baby my skin changed and became really dry. Suddenly the olive soap wasn’t cutting it anymore.  I knew from past experience that plain liquid castille soap would also be too drying. I needed a little more oomph.

I started searching around for a homemade body wash recipe that would be really moisturizing.  There are dozens of options out there. I knew I wanted something simple that I could make with ingredients I already have on hand or could be easily (and cheaply) acquired.  The process also had to be simple. Mixing was all I wanted to do.

When I first read this recipe for homemade body wash on DIY Natural, I thought “there’s no way that will work.”  Honey is one of the ingredients and I thought for sure it would wind up as a sticky mess. But honey is something I already have on hand plus I heard it’s a great moisturizer.  I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.

And I’m so glad I did!  The honey gives this body wash a silky texture. It’s not sticky at all. A couple additional oils also provide moisture and the castile soap makes it nice and foamy. The optional essential oils give it a nice fragrance.  It really is perfect. 

Here is a link to the full recipe:

Homemade Body Wash @ DIY Natural

To make this body wash I mix the soap and the honey in a liquid measuring cup with a spout until completely combined. Then I add the additional oils and stir gently. Then I pour it into my bottle (pictured above) and add the essential oils last, directly in the bottle.

The bottle is just a reused 16oz Castile soap bottle. I’ve reused it so many times that the label rubbed off. I could’ve bought a prettier bottle but I prefer to reuse when I can. A double batch of this body wash fits perfectly in that 16oz bottle.  Since Benzo and I both use it I almost always make a double batch.  A double batch will last approximately 6-8 weeks with two adults showering daily.  The ingredients will separate so you have to give the bottle a good shake before each use.

I’ve tried a few different scents in the past year. I really enjoy the geranium and lavender combination that DIY Natural recommends.  Lately I’ve made it with sweet orange which was nice in the winter. I also tried a peppermint and cinnamon blend which I did not care for at all. Thinking back I’m not sure why I thought that would be a good idea!  Whenever I’m trying a new scent or ingredient I start with a single batch.  I recently bought a different brand of honey and while it tastes fine, it gave my body wash a bit different smell. I’ll be going back to my regular honey next time.

I used to use this body wash with the geranium-lavender blend on my face for awhile too!  That is until I started making my own foaming face wash.  Post coming soon….

I hope this will inspire you to try to make your own homemade body wash. I honestly love it and see no reason to ever go back to store bought again.  There are so many different variations out there, so use this as a starting off point and then tailor it to your likes and needs.  I would love any essential oil recommendations for different scents!

Good luck!

Simple Balsamic Chickpeas
Serves 2 (can easily be doubled)

1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on the stove.  Bring to a boil.  Cook over medium heat, covered, for 3-5 minutes.  Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

These chickpeas make a nice vegetarian main course on their own and pair well with my favorite kale salad.

They also work well when added to a wrap or salad or as part of the bowls that are so popular these days.

I am so happy it’s Friday!  We should have nice weather so I’m hoping to get out in my garden and plant lettuce and radishes.  I love the beginning of gardening season when it seems like anything is possible.  Before the weeds and heat set in and I get a little more disgruntled. I also have a couple non-food projects in mind for this weekend so please check back next week.

Please feel free to pin this page using the buttons below or by hovering over either photo.

Enjoy!

Energy Bites by Super Healthy Kids

These energy bites have simple ingredients – oats, honey, peanut butter and a dash of vanilla.  Chia seeds are also included but not necessary.  From there you can add whatever additional ingredients you wish!  This time around I added a small handful of chocolate chips and then rolled some in shredded coconut and some in hemp hearts.

 With the chocolate chips I can pass these off to my kids as dessert. We also pack them as snacks when we’re out and about.  Overall they’re a great, healthy, easily portable snack.

Enjoy!

Did you know that the foaming action is just dependent on the special pump?  And did you know that foaming soap is mostly water?  That means that making foaming soap refills is really, really easy.

You actually only need two ingredients: soap and water.  I use unscented castile soap most of the time but you can use any liquid soap. I’ve grabbed the dish soap and used that in a pinch!  Here are the instructions for a basic refill.

Basic Foaming Soap Refill

8oz empty foaming soap bottle
1/4 cup liquid soap, such as Dr. Bronners castille
Water

Add soap to bottle. Top with water. Give it a few gentle shakes and you’re ready to go!

After making the first refill you won’t even need to measure the soap anymore.  Just eyeball it.

Now if you want to get fancy and have a bit more time, you can add a few extra ingredients for more moisturization and a nice scent.  I like to use honey and/or almond oil.

Fancy Foaming Soap Refill

8oz empty foaming soap bottle
1/4 cup liquid soap, such as Dr. Bronners castille
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp sweet almond oil
10-15 drops essential oil

In a glass measuring cup with a spout, measure liquid soap.  Add honey, almond oil and essential oil and stir gently to combine completely.  Pour soap mixture into foaming soap bottle.  Top with water.  Give it a few gentle shakes to combine and you’re ready to go!

Honey and almond oil can be used together or separately.  Almond oil could be interchanged with other types of oils such as jojoba or apricot kernal oil.  Essential oils can be included or excluded depending on your preference.  Lemon or sweet orange is nice in the kitchen and lavender works well in the bathroom.  You could also use tea tree for its antibacterial properties.

Note: If you have small children and would like to use essential oils, please do some advance research.  Not all essential oils are safe for children.  This article seems to be a good reference and I’m sure there are plenty other resources out there.

Finally, where do you get the foaming soap bottles?  Well I’ve been refilling my Bath & Body Works bottles for over a year now and they are working great.  You could buy any foaming soap at the store and then refill it once it runs out.  Or if you’d like to start fresh, Amazon has several options for empty foaming soap bottles such as this 4-pack.

Making your own soap refills only takes a bit of time and will definitely save you money in the long run.  Not to mention less chemicals.  I don’t have time to do everything homemade that I would like to but this is one simple thing I can do.

Have a great day!

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links.  If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission.

3-Ingredient Blue Cheese Appetizer @ Half Baked Harvest

 This one was so simple that when I read it I couldn’t believe I hadn’t made something like this before.  It does involve refrigerated biscuits which I rarely buy however Trader Joes and Immaculate Bakery have some that have a decent list of ingredients. And sometimes you just have to make an exception.

The biscuit pieces pull apart into individual servings. The one thing I’ll change for next time is to use less butter. I’ll probably try half a stick instead of a full stick.

Thanks for the great recipe Half Baked Harvest!

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You may have noticed some changes around here on my little blog.  I’m trying out a new WordPress theme.  The old theme and blog heading have been looking terribly out of date for awhile now.  I’d like to design a new heading with a logo but that may take awhile.  So we’ll live with the standard heading for now.

I’ve also started up an Instagram account to go with this blog.  You can find me @everything.is.homemade.  There’s also a link at the top on the right under “Let’s Connect”.  I’ve really enjoyed using Instagram over the past few years to post pictures and connect with people and thought it might be fun to have a public account to post my homemade ventures.  I will probably post on Instagram more frequently than the blog just because it’s easier and less time consuming.  I hope to connect with you there too.

Happy Presidents’ Day!

We found the cute ABC rulers in a 12 pack for around $4 at US Toy.

Not pictured is my son’s sweet wobbly handwriting where he wrote his name on the bottom of each one.

Here is a link to the printable:

Free Valentine Ruler Printable

The printable is for personal use only.  If sharing I would appreciate a link back to this post.  The printable is designed to be printed on colored paper or card stock.  Alternatively you could print it on white paper or card stock and let your child decorate the hearts as they wish!

Any size ruler can be used with the printable.  An adult should use scissors or an exacto knife to cut the slits on either side of the words to slide the ruler through.

So easy and simple!

The idea came from Deliciously Yum.

I peeled four clementines, melted some chocolate chips and dipped away.  Instead of shortening I used a teaspoon of coconut oil. I didn’t have any nice flaked sea salt so I left it off.

This was a great treat for the whole family and my four year old enjoyed helping me dip the orange slices. It’s also a great way to use up the last of the clementines. I don’t know about you but it seems like we always have a couple that don’t get eaten in time.

It’s been nice to have these in the fridge for when you need just a little something sweet.

Head on over to Deliciously Yum for the full recipe. Thanks for the great idea!

Also hi everyone.