Prairie Story

Chocolate Mint Cake Cookies

2012-03-16T20:45:00.001-05:00

These cookies remind me of Girl Scout Cookies... they are so good, and actually addictive. They are the most requested cookie from my family!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Makes: 24 Cookies

Ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker SuperMoist French Vanilla Cake Mix
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
10 drops green food colouring
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate Drizzle:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions:
- In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, margarine, oil and eggs, then remaining ingredients.
- Drop 1 inch balls onto cookie sheet.
- Bake @ 350° for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet.
- Melt chocolate chips, margarine and milk together in microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in mint extract. Drizzle over cookies.
- Makes 24 cookies.

Omelette Muffins

2012-03-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

These little morsels of yumminess are full of flavour and easy to make ahead of time and then reheat for breakfast, brunch or snack! And of course you can mix it up and try different fillings if you like!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 30 Minutes | Makes: 12 Muffins

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced ham (or sausage)
1 tablespoon margarine
1 cup diced peppers (red, green, yellow)
3/4 cup cheese, grated

9 eggs

20-25 vegetable crackers, crumbled (or Ritz crackers)

Instructions:
- Line muffin tin with liners.

- In saucepan, fry onion and ham with margarine. Add in peppers.

- Add a spoonful of filling into each muffin paper using about 3/4 of filling. Save some for top.

- Add 3/4 of the cheese. Save some for top.

- Beat eggs together, adding in crumbled crackers.

- Fill each muffin paper with egg mixture, then top with remaining filling and cheese.

- Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes.

Haystacks

2012-03-05T20:12:00.000-06:00

I finally found my Haystacks recipe! This is totally kickn' it old school for me.... I remember one of my classmate's awesome mom would make these for our hot dog days at Domain Elementary. Oh the memories from our little 3 room school on the prairie. Anyway, feel free to make it with just chow mien noodles, just pretzels, or combo of both!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 0 Minutes | Makes: 24 Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup chow mien noodles

1 cup stick pretzels

1 cup salted peanuts
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Instructions:
- Combine noodles, pretzels and peanuts in bowl. Break up noodles and pretzels into smaller lengths. Set aside.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In microwave safe bowl melt together chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter until smooth.
- Pour chocolate mixture over noodle/pretzel/peanut mixture and combine until covered.
- Dollop on baking sheets using spoons. I try to make them stand up a bit to look like haystacks.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until they set up.

Pantry Reveal

2012-03-04T13:53:00.001-06:00

I'm happy to report that not only have I completed my Pantry Challenge, but I was able to get it all done much quicker than I had anticipated. Here's the BEFORE:

BEFORE

Here's what I did:
1. Took a quick inventory - This was funny. I seriously had 10 cans of kidney beans, a few bags of quick oats, chow mien noodles that I hadn't used, and enough pancake mix to feed an army.
2. Tossed out any old, stale and expired items - Yep, sadly lots went into the garbage. Some very old cans of veggies, some stale flour, and other dried goods that I knew I had had for an eternity.
3. Planned some meal around what I found - I made a big batch of chill to use up some of the beans, a chocolate pie to use up some pudding mixes, and chocolate Haystacks out of the chow mien noodles to mention a few.
4. Cleaned out and wiped down - done!
5. Organized into areas - each shelf now has a defined theme. Starting from the bottom shelf, cans because they are heavy; then crackers, cookies and snack food; then bread, pasta and other meal time foods; then baking; and the top for cereal and other large items.
6. Used containers and Tupperware to help organize and store.
7. Went grocery shopping to restock - I've made a trip to Costco and started to replenish mostly the snack shelf, with granola bars and fruit snacks for the kids.

Drumroll please... here's the AFTER. Now maybe it doesn't look like a drastic change, but I feel really good that I got the old and stale stuff thrown out, and have a system in place going forward.

AFTER

A new addition to my pantry is this little step stool to help me easily reach items on the upper shelves.

Another new addition are my new Tupperware cereal containers. I find that we are going through cereal like crazy with kids, and buy the big bulk boxes from Costco. It only makes sense store them in these containers that you can easily pour into your cereal bowl, rather than fumbling around with a cut open bag that spills out all the time!

And lastly I got most of my dry baking goods into Tupperware Modular Mates, which keeps them fresh, but also really easy to scoop out of!

Pantry Challenge

2012-02-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of the Pantry Challenge? Well, I'm about to take it, because my pantry is a MESS!!

A Pantry Challenge is when you make a concentrated, focused effort to "eat from the pantry" rather than buying groceries. Many do this as a way to lower the monthly grocery bill, some do it simply to make sure they use and get to those items that you bought once but haven't exactly found the time or a way to use them, and rotate stock. OR in my case, I know I need to do a major clean, organization and overhaul of my pantry, so why do that when it's full? Right? I'm going to try to empty it first by eating!

Also, I have recently noticed that there have been some of my pantry items that have gone stale or WAY past their expiry date. Gross, and what a waste. Anyway, I'm starting the challenge, and I'm giving myself a month to have a clean, organized pantry full of new, fresh food!

Care to join me? I'm not setting any real rules for my challenge other than having my "after" pantry be better than my "before" pantry! But here's what, I'll be doing:
1. Take a quick inventory of what is in my pantry.
2. Toss out any old, stale or expired items.
3. Plan some meals around what I find.
4. Clean and wipe down.
5. Organize into areas.
6. Use storage containers, and all that Tupperware I bought to store and group items.
7. Go grocery shopping to re-stock!

Let me know if you have done a Pantry Challenge or would like to join me by leaving me a comment below. For some inspiration, check out these other bloggers who have taken their own pantry challenges!
Good (Cheap) Eats: Pantry Challenge
Balancing Beauty & Bedlam: January's Pantry & Freezer Challenge
The Vintage Butterfly: The Pantry Challenge
Going Crazy Wanna Go: Boost Your Budget Pantry Challenge

So, time to start going into the deep, dark corners and planning some meals around what I find. This should be interesting!

Crock-Pot Whole Chicken

2012-02-04T18:31:00.000-06:00

This fall my husband brought home about a dozen chickens from our Hutterite neighbours. Perfect! My freezer was full! But then it dawned on me, I better figure out how to cook these birds. So after 11 chickens, and 11 trials, I know that I've found the best, tastiest, juiciest, easiest recipe. I find that the paprika gives it a nice warm flavor. Proudly I roasted my last one up tonight!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 4-6 Hours | Serves: 8-12

Ingredients:

1 medium/large whole chicken

1 onion

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

- Thaw and clean chicken.

- Quarter onion and place inside chicken cavity and place in Crock-Pot.

- Mix spices together in small bowl.

- Sprinkle spices over chicken. No need to rub, just cover generously. (And you don't need to add any water or liquid.)

- Cook on high for 4-6 hours, using meat thermometer to ensure it is thoroughly cooked.

24 Clever Ideas

2012-01-28T21:25:00.009-06:00

I received this email from several friends, and thought the ideas were so clever it was worth sharing. Kudos to the smart cookie who came up with these and the organized one who put the email together!

1. Hull strawberries easily using a straw.

2. Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes.

3. Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40.

4. Stop cut apples browning in your child's lunch box by securing with a rubber band.

5. Overhaul your linen cupboard, store bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.

6. Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod in a bowl. The concave shape amplifies the music. (Hmmmm not sure about this one... )

7. Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.

8. Add this item to your beach bag. Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily, who knew?!

9. Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.

10. Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor.

11. Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose.

12. Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.

13. For those who can't stand the scrunching and bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet.

14. Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins, tweezers and clippers, behind a vanity door.

15. When travelling, store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can find them in just about every hotel.

16. A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy. Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant.

17. Bread tags make the perfect cord labels.

18. Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones, so much more fun and easier for kids to eat. (Old school! I totally remember these from when I was a kid!)

19. Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.

20. Install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles.

21. Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila, you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream.

22. Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.

23. Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering. (Exactly what I need for my new garden shed!)

24. Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.

Isn't this a cute collection of little tips, tricks and ideas that make life easier and solve everyday problems?

Miss Pattimore

2012-01-25T19:00:00.001-06:00

I finally made time to read a book that has been quite popular here on the prairies, I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby. I wanted to read it because we have so many colonies around us and down our gravel road, and also because there are several mentions of my mom, Miss Pattimore, who taught some of Mary-Ann's siblings when they first left their colony. Here's an excerpt:

My brother and I were both in grade five. Alex had failed grade two on the colony. The teacher had failed everyone in the second grade that year and, typically, nobody thought to ask why. Rosie was in grade four. Our teacher was Mrs. Erb. She wore nice clothes and sensible shoes and wasn't as glamorous as Miss Pattimore, Phillip's grade-three teacher who taught the primary grades downstairs. But more than attractive, Miss Pattimore made a concerted effort to help us fit in and wouldn't tolerate other students sneering at us. Once a week, on Friday afternoons, she came upstairs and taught our grades French. It soon became my favourite subject. "I really like the Frenchman, " I once overheard Father telling Mother over Lunschen in Fairholme. I feel myself at home with them." I knew he was referring to the milk truck driver from Modern Dairies who came each week to collect the milk. He was so affable, the company kept him on after he lost his driver's license due to careless driving. They just ad someone else drive him.

Miss Pattimore was young and kind with the most amazing dark hair. Sometimes she startled us by wearing a wig. It was a lighter colour and a different style than her own, and it gave her a whole new look, which I found fascinating.

Yep... sounds like my Mom.

See You Soon!

2011-08-25T09:11:00.003-05:00

After many weeks of struggling through internet, technical and hardware issues, I feel I need to take a little blogging break. You can still find me on Facebook and on Twitter, and please come back to Prairie Story in the Fall! Prairie best to you all until then!

Recipe Swap #50

2011-08-18T06:32:00.014-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! This week we're celebrating the big 50! 50 wonderfully delicious Recipe Swaps!!

The most popular recipe from Receipe Swap Thursday last week was Better Than Coach Cake @ Everyday Mom's Meals. Oh my!!

This week I'm sharing my Great Aunt Clara's Coffee Cake. I was so happy to find a little section in one of my Grandma's recipe scribblers called Clara's Korner where there were many of my great aunt's baking recipe!

How to swap:

1) Link directly to your recipe. Scroll down to "Click here to enter" button. You will be prompted to enter the URL (link directly to your post), Name of your recipe, and Email (not visible), and then select a Thumbnail to upload.

2) Visit the other recipe links!!

3) Please include a link back to Prairie Story so everyone can see all the delicious recipes. Feel free to grab the Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday badge, or Tweet/Facebook this swap to your friends and followers.

Thank you to all recipe swappers, blog hoppers, my loyal readers, Twitter and Facebook followers, fellow foodies, family and friends for your support. I'm so happy to be able to share my Prairie Story, and appreciate that you take a precious moment or two out of your busy day to visit my blog!

Clara's Coffee Cake

2011-08-18T06:15:00.000-05:00

My Grandma Agnes Pitura's sister, Clara, married my Grandpa's brother, and their farm was a few miles down the road from ours. Crazy, eh?! Anyway, I do remember visiting my Great Aunt Clara often and it seemed liked she always had something good baking. Needless to say, I was so happy when I found "Clara's Coffee Cake" handwritten in one of my Grandma's scribblers that she wrote recipes in!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 60 Minutes | Serves: 9

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon Cocoa
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter (I used margarine)
3 eggs
3 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sour cream

Instructions:
- Prepare filling by combining 1/2 cup sugar, walnuts, cocoa and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Beat butter/margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 cup sugar, and add eggs 1 at a time.
- Mix in flour, baking powder, and baking soda, alternatively with sour cream.
- Pour 1/2 of cake mixture into greased 9" angle food pan (I used 9x9 baking dish), and sprinkle 1/2 of filling.
- Pour rest of cake mixture over and top with filling.
- Bake @ 350 for 50-60 minutes.
- Enjoy with a cup of coffee!

Coffee Helps

2011-08-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

I just can't put down my Grandma's 1927 Household Helps book! I find all of the tips so interesting and find myself referring to it often. We were at our cabin last weekend and ound my weekend coffee out there needed some improvement... so I looked up the helps on Coffee.

Coffee Test - Stir a teaspoon of ground coffee in a half glass of cold water; if coffee is good quality, it will who but little discoloration and very few grounds will sink to the bottom of the glass.

Another Coffee Test - Add a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of cold water; if pure, coffee will remain on top of the water; if not the water will at once change to brown color.

For a Good Cup of Coffee - put the ground coffee in a saucer and place it into a fairly hot oven for three minute before making; this will bring out the flavor.

When Making Coffee - always warm coffee-pot first; then sprinkle little salt on the coffee before pouring on the boiling water and the flavor will be greatly improved.

To Keep Coffee Pot Sweet & Clean - put a tablespoonful of bicarbonate of soda in it, nearly fill it with water and boil awhile; rinse in several lots of clear warm water.

To Keep The Best Coffee Urn Sweet - drop a small piece of charcoal in it, or a lump or two of sugar, and prop the lid open with a toothpick.

Instead of Using Cream - bring milk just to the boiling point and pour it steaming hot into the hot coffee, using enough to make it golden brown.

Darn... all I can think of now is an Grande Non-Fat Carmel Macchiatto from Starbucks.

Recipe Swap #49

2011-08-11T06:22:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday!

The most popular recipe from Recipe Swap Thursday last week was Petite Lasagnas @ Sensible Shoppers. Totally cute! I need to try these!

This week I'm sharing my Blueberry Sour Cream Cobbler. I love this recipe because it works with almost any fruit, it's not overly sweet, and the top of the cobbler cake has a nice little crunch to it! Soooo good!

How to swap:

2) Visit the other recipe links!!

Blueberry Sour Cream Cobbler

2011-08-11T06:10:00.000-05:00

I have been making this cake for years and it is one of my all time favorites! And the best part is you can use almost any type of fruit - I've even used canned pie filling.

Fruit Bottom

2-3 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cobbler Top
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

- Place blueberries in bottom of deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle sugar over, and drizzle lemon juice.
- In a bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs.
- Mix in baking soda and sour cream.
- Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Dollop batter over blueberries.
- Bake @ 350 for 45-60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
- Always best served warm!!

Household Helps Poem

2011-08-10T21:19:00.005-05:00

I like to have a clean, neat and tidy home, but it doesn't always mean I enjoy the endless picking up, laundry, sweeping and monotony of it all! Oh how I remember my working days when I had cleaners come to do the dirty work... but for now I'll just have to keep motivating myself. I found this cute little poem in my Grandma's Household Helps book that has inspired me to remember to take pride in housekeeping. As always, thanks Grandma!

With such a book of "helps" as this,

Housekeeping should not go amiss;

So, housewives, all - and others, too,

Prove how each "does its bit" for you.

Each "help" herein is "true and tried"

And some good housewife's honest pride-

Some home's delight;

Yet should your effort prove in vain,

We'll say not where to put the blame-

'T were impolite!

Happy housekeeping!

Recipe Swap #48

2011-08-04T09:06:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday!

The most popular recipe from Recipe Swap Thursday last week was Zucchini Cookies @ Angel Foods Kitchen. Oh how we love baking with zucchini!

This week I'm sharing my Borscht. Borscht really is the BEST soup ever. As kids we used to beg our Grandma to make it with her garden fresh veggies... and it's still one of my favorite comfort foods. Be sure to check out a few of my other favorite Prairie Story Beet Recipes too!

How to swap:

2) Visit the other recipe links!!

Beet Helps

2011-08-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Here are some more old school Household Helps... this time on Beets! Don't you just love these tips and tricks! And be sure to check out a few of my favorite Prairie Story Beet Recipes.

For Washing Beets use a small brush. It does the work better and saves time and fingers.

To Skin Beets Easily place them in a basin and pour boiling water over them; let stand a minute, then drain.

Best Way to Skin Beets Without Bleeding - put them in cold water as soon as cooked; then draw the hand gently down each beet and the skins will come off easily. Leave stems an inch long on beets and the color will not cook out.

Recipe Swap #47

2011-07-28T07:50:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! Happy August long weekend to my fellow Canadians... it's been a beautiful summer here on the prairies!

The most popular recipe from Recipe Swap Thursday last week was Nutella Blended Coffee Drink @ Around My Family Table. How can you go wrong with Nutella and Coffee!

This week I'm sharing my Garlic Smashed Potatoes. They are one of my favorite sides in summer with new garden potatoes or in winter as a total comfort food! And be sure to check out the old school Potato Helps for quick tips and tricks!

How to swap:

2) Visit the other recipe links!!

Potato Helps

2011-07-28T07:29:00.001-05:00

My fascination with my Grandma's 1927 Household Helps book continues! Clearly I have not tried most of these "helps" (yet), and a few are pretty much obsolete for today's world; but they are just so darn interesting I had to share. Here are the helps on Potatoes.

When Peeling Potatoes or other hard fruit or vegetables, a piece of adhesive plaster over the forefinger and thumb prevents cuts and discoloration.

Sprinkle a Little Flour on potatoes before frying to make them a delicious golden brown.

Salt Added to Potatoes when nearly done insures flouriness and prevents them going to pieces. A teaspoon of vinegar in the pan just before straining makes them white and flaky.

When Baking Potatoes, first grease them with a little butter and they will be brown and crisp, with nice glazed appearance.

When Baking Potatoes, first let them stand in boiling water for 15 minutes; they will bake in one-half the usual time. Or, if time is short, try boiling them till nearly done and finish in oven. Pierce potatoes with a fork before baking them and they will not burst open in the oven.

If Cold Baked Potatoes are dipped for a moment in hot water and then placed in moderate oven till warmed through, they will be as nice as if freshly baked.

When Boiling Potatoes for mashing, slice them as for French fried instead of leaving them whole or cut in half, and you will save much time and fuel.

When Boiling Old Potatoes, add a few tablespoonfuls of milk, or a slice of lemon, to the water to improve the flavor and prevent them turning dark in cooking.

When Mashing Old Potatoes, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to two quarts of potatoes for greatly improved flavor; also use hot milk and they will beat up lighter. Adding a teaspoonful of baking powder when ready to mash and beating vigorously also makes them light and creamy. Try adding a little chopped parsley and onion to mashed potatoes.

When Preparing Potatoes for Boiling, instead of peeling the whole potato, just peel a narrow strip entirely around the middle of each lengthwise. When cooked the skins will slip off easily.

To Peel Potatoes Easily, wash them and drop them into a pan of rapidly boiling water for ten minutes. Remove and strip the thin skin the same as when thoroughly boiled. They will still be practically raw for use in preparing dishes such as scalloped or French fried potatoes, potato chips, etc.

Before Scraping New Potatoes, soak them about two hours in water to which add a little common soda; they will scrape and clean easily and the fingers will not be soiled as usual. Soaking new potatoes for 10 minutes in water in which a handful of salt has been dissolved also causes the skins to scrape off easily.

To Peel Sweet Potatoes Easily - Before putting them in the oven, grease the skins with lard; they will then peel easily without waste. Add a tablespoon of sugar to the water in which sweet potatoes are boiled; it improves flavor.

Who knew?!

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2011-07-28T07:28:00.000-05:00

These potatoes are rustic and total comfort food. They make me feel like a chef when I make them and they are perfect to use as a bed for pork tenderloin or a grilled steak, or even as a side for a roast chicken or turkey!

10-12 medium potatoes (I like to use yellow, but red or new garden potatoes work great too!!)

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons margarine

1 head garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

- First roast garlic by cutting off top of garlic head exposing the cloves. Rub off any loose, outer excess skin.
- Place in baking dish, drizzle olive oil over top, and bake @ 400° for 30 minutes. (See Roasted Garlic)
- Boil potatoes, until skin cracks and starts to fall off. Drain.

- Smash potatoes with hand masher to break open, leaving them chunky.

- Mix in milk, margarine and roasted garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Household Helps From 1927

2011-07-27T14:22:00.004-05:00

I found this little gem of a book in a box of my Grandma Agnes Pitura's old cook books. It's called Fowler's Blue Book Of Selected Household Helps and Guide to Household Economy. Other than a few stains and a bit of writing on this 64 page paperback from 1927, it's in pretty good shape, and I've been immensely enjoying reading it!

As it says on the cover, this little book houses a "brimful of tried and true helps about the home, carefully compiled, classified and indexed in convenient form for frequent use".

The book starts with Selected Recipes, an Introduction, and then the following sections:
In the Kitchen
In the Sewing Room
In the Bedroom
In the Parlor
In the Bathroom
In the Laundry
Removing Stains
In the Sick Room
Beauty Helps
Salads and Dressings
Household Weights and Measures
How to Serve Meats, Fish, Potatoes
Time Table for Baking, Cooking, Canning
Sandwiches
Candy Recipes
Summer Drinks and Ices

And on the back cover:
Birth Stones
Wedding Anniversaries
Facts About the Bible
Seven Old Bible Recipes
Seven Wonders of the World

I'm so excited to start sharing the "Helps" here on my Prairie Story blog, my Prairie Story Facebook page and on Twitter (#householdhelps1927). So please check back and follow...I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Here's a few:

To Mark Your Page in this book, your cookbook (or any book), just snap a rubber band over the page and back of book lengthwise.

Butter, Oil, or Pure Glycerin rubbed all over very fresh eggs will keep them fresh for some time.

Good and Cheap Sachet Powder for bureau drawers. Mix one-half ounce of lavender with one-half teaspoonful of powdered cloves.

Boil a New Clothesline for one-half hour before using. It prevents stretching, it will last longer, and will not tangle.

A Good Hair Tonic to prevent hair from turning gray or falling out. Make a quart of strong sage tea, adding a teaspoon of salt; apply to scalp three time a week.

The more I read, the more I realize a how much things have changed in 90 years, and although wives and moms are still trying to make their house the best home possible for their family, it was a certainly different for my Grandma!

Recipe Swap #46

2011-07-21T09:12:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! In the spirit of summer time grilling and the simple fact that it is too darn hot to cook anything inside, I'm sharing two of my favorite grilling sauces and marinades!

But first, the most popular recipe from Recipe Swap Thursday last week was Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars @ Captive Creativity. Always a favorite! These are very similar to Prairie Story's Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispie Cake!

So here are my two lip smacking grilling marinades / sauces! I just made a nice big batch of my Caramelized Onion BBQ Sauce. It really is the BEST homeade BBQ sauce ever. It's good on any type of meat, either as a marinade or as a sauce!

Next, is my Ginger Soya Steak Marinade. So tasty! I'm addicted to it. Try it! I'm sure you'll love it too!

How to swap:

2) Visit the other recipe links!!

Ginger Soya Steak Marinade

2011-07-21T08:45:00.002-05:00

This is my newest addiction. I loved marinating beef in this, grilling, then slicing up to top a salad. It is so tasty!

1/2 cup soya sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

- Combine all ingredients together, and stir until sugar is dissolved.

- Pour and brush over beef steaks. Marinade for a couple hours then grill!

Closet Vanity

2011-07-19T11:15:00.000-05:00

Tucked away in the corner of my bedroom closet is this little cute vanity, where I usually get ready. My hair products are in baskets, my make-up all in the drawer, and I'm thrilled that I finally got my bobbles and bangles, rings and things all organized so I can see and find them!

I hung this hook rack up which gives me plenty of room to hang all my necklaces and bracelets. I've tried to hang them by color.

And then I found this cute earring holder. I don't have many earrings, but I thought it was perfect!

Both the hook rack and the tree are by Umbra. But now I'm curious, how do you organize your jewellery?

Recipe Swap #45

2011-07-14T09:13:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Prairie Story Recipe Swap Thursday! Thank you, once again for visiting!

The most popular recipe from Recipe Swap Thursday last week was Snickers Chip Cookies @ Something Swanky. Be sure to check out her entire Bake Sale Series too!

This week I'm sharing another old fashioned recipe - Date Square! It just makes you want to invite a friend over and have a coffee break.

How to swap:

2) Visit the other recipe links!!