just-making-noise

Sourdough Journal #14 - Preserving Your Thriving Sourdough Starter

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Have a great sourdough starter, but want to save some just in case it dies? Want to give some to a friend that lives a few states away? Need a long break from making sourdough or planning a long vacation this coming summer?

Dehydrating your starter is the way to go.

Having dehydrated starter will come in handy "just-in-case" your fresh starter suddenly stops working, a family member (not familiar with your healthy, fermented food collection) tosses out your lively starter thinking it was food gone bad, a friend wants to try making sourdough (dried starter less messy to ship ~wink~), everybody is growing tired of sourdough (hope that doesn't happen with us!) or you are planning a month or two away from home.

These are many good reasons to preserve your sourdough for those "just-in-case" moments!

Storing your starter in the fridge is a good, simple solution for short vacations and weekly breaks, but when you need to store your starter for longer periods... dehydrating is the best way to go.

Its easy!

If you don't have a dehydrator... don't sweat it. You can do it without one!

I did this back before we left for our 2 1/2 month trip stateside and I'm so glad I did! I made the batch of dehydrated starter, but also left a small amount of live starter in a jar in the back of the fridge.

Well, guess what we found when we got back? Yep, an explosion... cracked jar with dried/wet, moldy starter all over the back of my fridge. I thought I let it settle down enough (dormant) before tightening the lid, guess not! It was truly a pain to clean up.

But I didn't worry because I had my dried starter in the freezer. I mix it up with some water and had a thriving sourdough in 2 days! Sweet!

Dehydrating Your Starter
All you need is:

1/4 - 1/3 cup of mature, thriving sourdough starter, fed within the last 12 hours (Allow the starter to build up before drying it out to be at a maximum level. I dehydrated mine after I fed it and left it alone for about 5 hours)
Parchment paper or non-stick dehydrator sheet
Dehydrator tray or baking sheet
Dehydrator (optional)

Place the parchment paper on the dehydrator tray or baking tray. Spread starter in a very thin layer on the parchment paper. You can dry your starter in one of two ways:

In room temperature. Dry your starter in a clean area, at room temperature (between 70 to 80 degrees F) until dry. When it develops a dray skin on top, cover with a light cloth to keep dust and bugs off. If temps are much lower than the 70s, mold may be an issue. If temps are much higher than the 80s, the organisms may die.

In dehydrator. Put tray in dehydrator and turn the dial so that it is just barely turned on. Dry for about 6 to 10 hours, depending on thinness of the starter. Check it often if you can.

Now, when your starter is crispy dry... break into smaller pieces (you will now have "starter flakes" and transfer to a freezer bag or container. Store in freezer for up to a year (according to Sourdough A to Z eBook). We don't know for sure how long a dehydrated starter will last, but it would be best to repeat the process yearly with fresh starter.

That said, I'll most likely be dehydrating a batch of my starter every August! Better safe than sorry!

Rehydrating Your Starter
Mix together 2 hefty tablespoons of dehydrated starter flakes and 1/3 cup of water into a clean, quart size jar or medium/large glass bowl. Mix well. Allow the flakes to soften for about 5 minutes.

Add 1/3 cup of whole wheat or your choice of flour and mix vigorously. Get as much air into it as you can. Cover with a cloth towel and place in a warm area or room temp area for about 24 hours. The warmer the temperature, the quicker it will rehydrate and bubble up. Don't let the temps go beyond 85 degrees F if you can help it. The mixture may or may not be bubble after this first step, but don't stop there!

Mix in 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour. Mix vigorously to get air in. Cover and return to a warm spot for 12 hours.

Repeat this process every 12 to 24 hours until the starter is light and bubbly with a nice sour smell.

Now you should have a reactivated starter!

Your starter is considered reactivated when it continues to get light and bubbly for at least 3 good feedings. In cooler areas (like mine!), it may take longer... up to several days. But I did say up there that is was thriving after 2 days and this was during a very cool & rainy time in my area. My starter must have been very strong!

Now, go get your stuff together and get some starter preserved! Better now, then have regrets later :o)

14 Reasons Why I HEART Blendtec Over Vitamix & Valentine Special!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:29:00 +0000

Valentine Special:
Through February 14th, you can get $40 off the purchase of their newest edition... the Twister Jar. This is the lowest price ever for this amazing jar! The Twister Jar can create extra-thick blends like nut butters, hummus, baby food, dips, dressings, thick shakes and more! Compare peanut butter in the FourSide Jar (4-5 minutes) vs. the Twister Jar (35-45 seconds). The jar can be loaded up to a full 16 oz., which is incredible for dense ingredients. These jars normally sell for $129, but get it today for only $89! Of course, if you don't have the blender base... read on.

Over 2 years ago I was blessed (and thrilled!) to receive Blendtec to review and compare it to Vitamix.

I had been using Vitamix for about 3 years and it did pretty well and I was, for the most part, happy with it… until I got Blendtec.

Since Blendtec arrived, I have retired Vitamix and don’t miss him one bit! Sorry Vitamix!

Below I am going to share my fourteen reasons, yes 14 (why does it have to be 10 like everybody else?!), why you should have Blendtec helping you in the kitchen.

14 Reasons Why I HEART Blendtec

So easy to clean. The whole thing is a breeze to clean! The buttons don't have cracks and the motor base can be wiped down easily with a wet cloth. The wide square base of this blender makes cleaning so much easier then Vitamix. You can toss it in the dishwasher or put in a couple drops of soap with water and pulse a few times, then rinse and dry it!

Nothing gets stuck at the base. It really bothered me whenever food would get stuck at the base of my old Vitamix, especially in the corners where I couldn't get it with the stick. I would have to turn it off and take a knife or thin spatula and scrape it around to get it moving again. With Blendtec, you can be assured that nothing will get stuck at the base because of its wide square base!

Functions like a food processor. I often make homemade salsa, chopped or pureed… depending on what I want. You can throw in any fruit or veggie and pulse for a few seconds to get it nicely chopped. Honestly, though, I still like my CuisineArt food processor and think it does a better job with some things like homemade mayo! Blendtec also makes wonderful soup very simply & smoothly… much like Vitamix, but better.

Grinds grain perfectly. I was shocked by how good this monster can grind grains into fine powder... it can even turn flax seeds and chai seeds into a nice powder! I have tried grinding my grains in my old Vitamix and wasn’t too happy with how hot and gritty it would get. Plus, some of the flour would get stuck in the base. With Blendtec, you can blend both dry and wet ingredients in one container (with Vitamix you have to buy two!) and does a way better job, all because of that wide square base! You can only grind 2 cups at a time, not exactly ideal for large quanities of bread baking, but great for everyday flour needs (ex: pancakes, muffins, crackers, etc.). I've grind my orange chips into powder in Blendtec and love how quickly it does the job!

Makes fantastic “smooth” smoothies. We love our smoothies, especially green smoothies whenever I am able to get fresh lettuce or spinach. I am so happy with my smoothies because they come out so smooth that you really can’t tell by texture what’s in the smoothie. I am able to “hide” some things in the smoothies from my girls and they slurp it up with delight! Another bonus, I can throw in whole raw flax or chai seeds and they are completely grinded smooth with no lingering texture. Never been able to do that with old Vitamix!

More versatile. According to the company, Blendtec can replace up to nine other kitchen applicances - no need for a grain mill, juicer, bread machine, ice cream maker , smoothie maker, blender, milkshake maker, coffee grinder or ice crusher. But I honestly can't live without my ice cream maker or juicer as they do best what they are made to do!

Makes smooth sauces with ease. I love how I can throw in a whole apple (skin, seeds and all!), add a little water and in several seconds get raw applesauce. Makes wonderful salsas, hummus, tomato sauce, mayo and other sauces in just over a minute! But you have to make sure to have enough moisture to keep it going without it getting too hot... normal for any blender.

Can do the job itself. Love how I don’t have to guess how long and how high or low of speed to use with Blendtec! This machine is a 'smart' blender, with 17 settings to get the job done! It’s simple, all I need to do is push my desired setting and let the machine do its job. I don’t have to stand there, hold the lid down and jiggle around with it like I had to with Vitamix. Blendtec has specific digital settings for pretty much every job and will turn off automatically when the task is done! Totally a muti-task machine… I can get a smoothie going or some sauce while prepping something else or cleaning up. Also, if you have an absent-minded family member, no worries… Blendtec will turn off on it own!

Very powerful & compacted. This machine is a monster, I am not kidding! It can tear through anything from 1560 watt with a 3 HP direct-drive motor and does not need any extra space to fit its mighty engine. It has run powerfully since the first day I used it and I've used it over 930 times! I couldn't say that for Vitamix, after just a year of using it The overall height is shorter, but wide and can fit in standard countertops. I couldn’t do that with old Vitamix, had to put the container next to the base because it is too tall. It is compacted enough that you can take with you when traveling, so you and your family can eat healthy while on the road!

Professional & very durable. After having Blendtec for over 2 years now, I can’t believe how durable it is! This Blendtec machine is popular in the majority of professional businesses and known for its high quality guarantee.

Better technology. I love how it shows on the screen how many times I've put Blendtec to work... over 930 times and it still works like new! When you run Blendtec, a timer comes up to show how much time is left before its done. Like I shared above... it is a 'smart' blender with 17 settings to get the job done well! I appreciate how the company took care to design their blenders with a wider base so there is no need to use a stick to push everything into the blade. That was one thing that bothered me about all the blenders I've used growing up, the narrow base... it never made sense to me because in order to 'cut & puree' your food up, you need room to allow the food to move around the blade, duh!

BPA-free plastic. Nice to know that I am not exposing my family to toxic chemicals when using it!

Looks pleasantly attractive. I like how simple and neat it looks, not bulky or awkward like Vitamix. Plus, you can choose a white, black or red base. I chose red, but they sent me a black one! Oh well, can’t complain when it was free!

Decent coverage. Each Blendtec Blender has a lifetime warranty on the blade so you don’t have to worry about it getting dull on ya! That was another issue I had with old Vitamix, the blade got pretty dull and wasn’t doing the job like they said it would. I was preparing myself to pay for a new blade and try to replace it myself! Blendtec is made with solid-state electronics which are more dependable and less likely to give you trouble, so you won’t have to go through the headache of sending it back for repairs!

Check out the video to visually compare Vitamx with Blendtec...

Now, I'm sure many of you are wondering if all I am saying is too good to be true.

It is for real so good and true!

Even better, Blendtec recently upgraded their warranty to 7 years. Before it was 3 years, but they've been making improvements and working towards bringing you the best quality kitchen appliance.

Vitamix and Blendtec are very similar, but Vitamix is more commonly known because it has been marketed better... but the Blendtec company has been changing that. Now, I'm sure you've been hearing the name pop up more and seeing it all over the food blogs nowadays.

Blendtec is the choice among professionals, especially among the raw foody crowd. Its body can fit on your countertop and one jar does it all, while Vitamix it too tall and has two different jars to accomplish everything. Vitamix doesn't turn itself off and has two switches that have to be used carefully during the blending process (a pain), while the Blendtec does all the work for you in speed, power and will turn off when done.

Now, the cost... Blendtec Wildside, which is what I have, costs $474.95... ouch, I know.

BUT BUT but when you consider the cost of purchasing all nine of those kitchen appliances that Blendtec can replace... you save a good chunk of $$$ with one fantastic machine! A grain grinder alone can cost around $250 and I don't even use or like the one I have!!

As a missionary, I've had to simplify and make use with what I have. If I had the Blendtec from the beginning... I would not have half the appliances I have in my kitchen right now. Honestly.

Also, the Blendtec company is coming out with a new, improved & fancier machine called the Total Blender Designer Series... go check it out and make sure to wipe up your drool! It is supposed to be much quieter than the other machines. Hope so! Mine sounds like a monster, but a good monster ;o)

To wrap it up... if you were to invest in one machine that would help you transition to a whole foods lifestyle, this is the machine you want. It is quality in action.

Valentine Special:
Through February 14th, you can get $40 off the purchase of their newest edition... the Twister Jar. This is the lowest price ever for this amazing jar! The Twister Jar can create extra-thick blends like nut butters, hummus, baby food, dips, dressings, thick shakes and more! Compare peanut butter in the FourSide Jar (4-5 minutes) vs. the Twister Jar (35-45 seconds). The jar can be loaded up to a full 16 oz., which is incredible for dense ingredients. These jars normally sell for $129, but get it today for only $89! That's almost half off the original price!

Small print stuff: Yes, I will earn a small commission through my links and that is no extra charge for you. Thank you for supporting my family this way!

Make It Yourself ~Tangy Orange Powder

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:02:00 +0000

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I am having too much fun taking pictures of these gorgeous orange chips and powder! The rich, sunny colors and beautiful, deep details just makes me want to keep clicking away!

Anyway...

I've already used this beautiful powder for a few things and have many more delicious plans for it! It smells like sunshine every time I open up the jar... hmm, must remember that when we have dark, rainy & cloudy days!

After dehydrating all those sunshine {orange} slices and enjoying them like chips and steeped in tea... I began to wonder if there were other ways to enjoy these yummy orange chips.

I googled around and came across this site that suggested to chop or grind the orange chips into powder, which can be used to flavor soup, fish, sauces or use has a garnish.

hmmm... interesting.

So, I threw in enough orange chips to fill my Blendtec and gave it a whirl... well, several whirls until it was powdery and smooth. It looks a little crumbly because of the natural oils from the rinds... simply wonderful!

I pour the powder into an airtight quart mason jar and kept throwing in more orange chips until I had almost 2 quarts full of tangy orange powder. And I still have about 1 1/2 gallons of orange chips to enjoy!

Ahh, lovely!

I have already used it to spice up cinnamon rolls, make drinks, give a tangy crunch to our favorite snack and more. I will {hopefully} be sharing these recipes soon!!

When you make these, make sure you store them out of direct light to protect the natural oils. They should last a long time ;o)

Sweet n' Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (4 Flavor Varieties!)

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:48:00 +0000

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So yummy...

So crunchy...

So addictive!

I can't seem to make enough of this stuff to last more than just a few days. Not only are they a great gluten-free snack that give a nice fiber & protein kick, but they are also great treats when the sweet tooth comes knocking.

Whenever I make a batch of these... the traffic flow to the kitchen increases to the point where I have to hide the batch or they are gone in one day!

Hmmm... You know what, I need to go get a handful... just made some fresh today! Only I know where they are. I've gotten good at hiding things from my family when I need to... hehe! be right back!

Anyway, I'm sure you are one of the many mamas (or dads) out there looking for a good variety of snack recipes that are nutritious, inexpensive and easy to make.

Well, you can just add this to your list of homemade snacks to make!

I promise, promise that you will love it and your kids too! I tested these out with my friends from Wisconsin that came down to help us last month. I burned them a little because I had too much going on at once (don't do that!), but they still liked it and their kids enjoyed it too!

After making these awesome roasted chickpeas several times... I've finally got it down where they are just perfect. The first time I made them... my girls didn't like them at all. I tried again and they each ate a bowl, but it didn't really fly. Tried it the third time and they each ate a bowl then asked for more!

After messing around with several different recipes, I found that it is ideal to first roasted the chickpeas with butter or oil (you can dry roast if you prefer, which would take less time, but won't be as flavorful)... then create a syrup of sort using a mixture of melted butter or oil, spices and sweetener to stir in after the chickpeas are roasted. Many of the recipes just say to mix it all together and stick in the oven, but I've found that they burned too easily or the flavors just don't "pop" or, if using raw sugar, it just didn't glaze nicely around the chickpeas.

For examples... Look at the pictures... the ones that Naomi is holding (top two pictures) are perfectly glazed, while the ones that Tabi (above) is holding has some burned areas with an uneven coating of sweetener.

I also found that you really can't be shy with the sweetener. So many of the recipes call for only a couple teaspoons of sweetener per cup of chickpeas... ugh. I tried that and it really didn't taste sweet at all and I don't have a very strong sweet tooth. If you are using good sweeteners such as raw honey, rapadura/sucanat, maple syrup or coconut sugar... there's really no need to hold back! Lately, I've been using the leftover syrup from making candied orange spice peels... the light orange flavor is simply delicious and the syrup glazes perfectly around the chickpeas! Yum!

Lastly, most recipes tell you to peel the skin off the garbanzo beans... forget it! I've tried many different methods to get them off and decided that it wasn't worth it. Of course, I tend to pull out clumps of skins after washing the beans... so the job gets half done, more or less ;o)

So, with all that said... please don't think it's complicated. I've basically got it figured out for you so that it should be a breeze... unlike it was for me during the first few times I made these guys!

If you want to make it super easy, just buy the can... but with all the BPA used in cans these days, I don't recommend it unless you buy this particular brand (BPA free). I prefer just soaking and cooking my own beans... so much cheaper and I don't have to wonder how much BPA is getting into our bodies!

Make sure to hang around the kitchen when making these because every time I keep an eye on them while doing something else in the kitchen... they come out perfect, but if I get distracted, leave the kitchen and leave them too long... they get burned. Maybe that's just me :o)

Again, I promise you and your kids will love it... just try it a couple times and see what happens. Enjoy! If you really don't like it... just let me know in the comments below.

Sweet n' Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas (4 Flavor Varieties)

4 cups dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

4 Tbsp butter, coconut oil or olive oil

NOTE: You can do this ahead of time and store the beans in the fridge.

Sort through the beans and remove any bad beans, rocks and dirt. Rinse them off and cover with very warm water. Stir in baking soda and set it aside. Allow it to soak overnight or preferably up to 24 hours. After they've soaked, drain them and rinse them off VERY good.

Put them in pot and cover with water. Bring to boil on high heat and skim off any scum that rises. Bring it down to low heat, cover it and let it simmer until soft. Drain them in a colander and rinse them really well. Let them drain for about 10 minutes to cool and dry out.

Turn the oven on to 375 F.

Pour the beans onto two baking sheets and spread them out. If they still look wet, dry them off with a paper towel. Cut or scoop your choice of butter or coconut oil onto the beans. Put them in the oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour (time varies from oven to oven and moisture levels). Stir the beans after 5-10 minutes of roasting to evenly coat the beans with butter or oil. Test taste them towards the end. They are done when crunchy and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, choose one of the 4 flavors varieties given below and make a syrup by melting your choice of butter or coconut oil. Stir in sweetener and spices. Keep the heat on medium low, you don't want the mixture to burn. Stir until everything dissolves. Set aside.

While hot, transfer chickpeas into a bowl and thoroughly mix with your choice of syrup. Spread chickpeas back on baking sheets and roast for additional 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until the chickpeas look glazed.

Take them out and stir again. Grind or sprinkle sea salt over them (optional). Allow them to cool to room temperature (if you have self-control and can hold off the kids!) and store them in an airtight container. They should last up to a week no problems, but I haven't been able try that because all the batches I've made have never last more than 2 days!

Honey Chai
3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

1/2 - 3/4 cup raw honey

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp finely ground white pepper (optional)
sea salt (optional)

Salted Caramel
3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
coarse sea salt

Pumpkin Spice
3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp sea salt

Tangy Orange Spice
3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup rapadura or sucanat
3 Tbsp dried orange powder (or just stir in 6 Tbsp orange juice)
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wanna try some?

PS- These are fantastic snacks for traveling!

Crispy Orange Chips (a.k.a - Dehydrated Orange Slices)

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:20:00 +0000

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These orange chips look like the sun... with beautiful details of fire going out from the center.

Whenever you open up the jar, a sweet & bright smell frolics through your senses... giving you a burst of energy and happiness.

We are nearing the end of our orange season here. This year I've started to appreciate my citrus trees more, especially the oranges... last year I hardly did anything with them because I didn't know what to do with it all! It was easy to grow tired of eating them and the juice was simply too sour to enjoy a glassful.

With some planning... I made candied orange spice peels and save the juice to make creamy popsicles & smoothies. I've used more orange zest in my baked goods then I ever have in my life!

With more oranges coming off the trees, I googled around and found this great site sharing all the different ways you can use the peels. One suggestion was to simply dehydrate the peels for later use, but I decided to use the whole orange instead...

Because I remember seeing a post somewhere with some chai tea and a whole dried orange slice added in for some fun flavor... I saved and filed that in the back of my mind.

So glad I did!

Now I have almost 3 gallons of dried orange chips. I've already enjoyed several slices in my Rooibos tea and the girls love nibbling on them... they are actually a yummy snack! Would be great to break these up and mix into some trail mix or oatmeal. Hmm!

You can use any kind of citrus fruit you have... I had some lemons (didn't get very much this year, sad!) and made a quart of dried lemon chips. Haven't tried using them yet. I am dehydrated some grapefruit right now and have plans to use them for a homemade cleaner.

It is super easy...

Simply wash 'em, slice 'em (about a quarter-inch thick), seed 'em and laid 'em on sheets.

Slide them in or sack them on your dehydrator of choice and turn on to 115 - 135 degrees (I prefer the lower temps to preserve the natural oils). Dry them for 5 - 12 hours... they need to be brittle. Store them in airtight jars and out of light.

What to Do With Them?

Add some slices in a container of water or tea and leave in the fridge. The oranges will leave a nice flavor in the water. So refreshing!
Add a slice to your favorite tea. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavor and it will not turn bitter.
Chop it up and create your own tea mixes. I already have some ideas!
Chop it up and use it to flavor dishes or simply garnish your salad. I'm thinking...
Throw some in your blender or coffee grinder and make some powder.
Use for decorating and get some color into your home! Check out what I posted on my board at Pinterest.

Want some?

linked up at Friday Food Flicks, Simple Lives Thursday, Make-Ahead Mondays, Superfood Sunday

My 'Hello Mornings' Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:26:00 +0000

Good morning y'all! Hope you all had a good start into the week.

It has been almost a month since I joined The "Hello Mornings" Challenge and I am happy to say that, overall, it is going really well.

I am finally learning to wake up in the mornings and say, "Hello Morning!" rather than groaning and rolling over to sleep for another 1/2 hour.

Really, I am a night owl and I don't like mornings.

But now that's slowly changing. Very slowly.

I still don't like getting up early, but I am loving my quiet time of digging in the Word, praying and worshiping the awe-inspiring God... that makes getting up at 5:45 worth it.

I've been in a dry place in my relationship with the Lord for too long now and finally feel like I've found my oasis... that beautiful, delicious spring of water in the midst of a desert. I leave my quiet time wanting more and can't wait for the day to end so that morning will come.

Not only that, but I have finally accept that the day for all of us go much smoother when I am up earlier, starting the day earlier and starting first with Jesus.

Honestly, it isn't easy.

I have my days where I just want to pull the covers over my head and tell my hubby to get his own breakfast, but that's my selfishness trying to ruin a brand new day.

It is my goal to be up and out of bed by 5:30 and in my spot for quiet hour by 5:40... I'm getting there, it is slow and hard, but I am getting there!

The challenge also includes being intentional with organizing and exercising. Truthfully, I haven't even tried adding in the exercise or organizing parts because I've been soaking in much needed time with the Lord every morning. I sit down and the hour just flies by! I often want to sit there another hour and keep going!

I am thinking I will add on the organizing in February and then exercise in March. Prayerfully those two will fall easily enough into the routine of my life as a missionary wife and mama! I know I won't have a problem with exercising, but organizing it a little bit more of a challenge.

Why? I'm an artist and often do things more on the spontaneous side. Which isn't always the best approach in the life that we lead as missionaries. LOL! I think a healthy balance of flexibility with some structure is what I need... which fits my spontaneous personality much better than complete set routine, structure and organization.

You might understand or you might not, but trying to be completely organized and planned actually stresses me out. I like a little freedom to change things around if I want/need to and feel that I am putting myself in a prison if I stick to a schedule/routine.

So, if you are in the same boat in the struggle of getting up in the morning. Don't despair... check out this challenge and join in when they open registration in April for the summer session, but you can get their free ebook and start now. That's what I did. I actually read the ebook back in October and it inspired me to get the ball rolling because I've known for a while I needed to at least get my bum in bed earlier at night and outta bed earlier in the mornings!

I hope this will inspire you to take action what needs to change for the best!
Have a great week ;o)

Sourdough Journal #13: Chili Beef Sourdough Pot Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Honestly, I didn't like pot pie when I was a child and because of that... I never made pot pie for my family. Even though chicken pot pie is one of my hubby's favorite childhood comfort food, I couldn't get myself to make one.

Well, GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse changed all that!

I tried Wardee's recipe for Chili Beef Pot Pie and it was delicious and it tasted even better then next day for leftovers! I was very surprised how much I liked it. My hubby loved it and it was the first time that my oldest daughter asked for seconds! Of course, I was thrilled!

The crust was light and fluffy while the chili beef was creamy and tasty. I loved that the crust was SUPER EASY to make and there was no need to roll out the crust. Just simply slap the dough on that skillet!

Now I should get going on finding a good chicken pot pie recipe. Anybody got one to share with me? If I find a good recipe and make some changes... I'll make sure to share it with y'all!!

I would like to share this recipe, but it is not my own and it comes from Wardee's Sourdough ebook, which has copyrights. SO, If you would like to try Wardeh's Chili Beef Pot Pie, go buy her wonderful Sourdough A to Z eBook which includes a lifetime of updates!

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check out the new upcoming Fundamentals II eCourse! Seriously great stuff that you don't want to miss!!

Strawberry Pineapple Oatmeal Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:47:00 +0000

The other day I shared with you about porridge pancakes using leftover oatmeal. Today I am sharing one of my family's favorite breakfasts... Oatmeal Bake.

Really, you can't go wrong with oatmeal bake. So satisfying, nourishing, delicious & simple. Do I need to say more?

For those of you who are in the cold winter months right now... this will bring a little bit of sunshine and tropical warmth right into your kitchen!

My favorite way of enjoying a hot piece is surrounding it with a deep moat of fresh milk, 2 thick slices of butter and a heavy drizzle of raw honey or real maple syrup. Sometimes I throw some fresh fruit on top, if I didn't use it all for the bake!

Oh la la! Mmmm!

What I love about oatmeal bake is I can use whatever fresh & dried fruits, spices and nuts I have sitting in my kitchen. Since making my first oatmeal bake (inspired by Wardee's recipe), I've made at least 10 different varieties of oatmeal bake.

This is one of our top 3 favorites and...no... I am not sharing with you the other 2 (grin), you will have to wait another time for those ;o)

Strawberry Pineapple Oatmeal Bake

6 cups regular rolled oats
1/2 cup whey, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or sourdough starter
8 cups water

Combine oats, choice of acid and water in a big bowl. Cover and let it soak overnight (if using sourdough) or up to 24 hours (using whey, vinegar or lemon juice).

NOTE: I usually use sourdough starter to soak my oatmeal overnight. I learned from my friend, Wardeh, at GNOWGFLINS that sourdough starter improves the effectiveness of soaking by adding phytase to reduce phytic acid and organisms to accomplish an overnight soaking effectively. Don't worry, it won't be sour as long as you drain and lightly rinse the oats in the morning!

1/2 cup lightly melted butter, coconut oil or olive oil
2 cups coconut milk or whole milk
6 eggs
1/2 - 3/4 cup rapadura or palm sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1-2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup dried pineapple
1 cup coconut flakes

Morning arrives: preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Drain the oats through a fine sieve. Gently rinse and allow to drain while mixing together other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, milk, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, almond, nutmeg and sea salt. Add in strawberries, pineapple, coconut flakes and oats. Mix it all together gently, yet well.

Pour oatmeal mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It should be golden brown when done. Insert a knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when the bake is done.

Take bake out of the oven and set it on a cooking rack. Let it cool for about 15 - 30 to set before cutting into bars.

Enjoy it simply topped with butter and raw honey... or do it my way (read above)... Store leftovers in the fridge, but you can leave it out for a day.

Excellent snacks for around the house, park, traveling via airplane or car!!

What are you favorite ingredients for a good, nourishing Oatmeal Bake??

NEW GNOWFGLINS eCourse: Fundamentals II

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:01:00 +0000

I am excited to share with you all that Wardee will be starting up her 5th class this month... the Fundamentals II eCourse!

This eCourse is a follow up of the first Fundamentals eCourse which was launched back in 2010 where she simply taught the basics of everything from soaking grains, nuts & seeds, soaking & cooking beans, sprouting, sourdough, natural fermentation (water kefir & kombucha), cultured dairy, simple cheesemaking and more.

Now with the Fundamentals II eCourse she will be covering traditional cooking skills such as equipment you need, what natural sweeteners to use, healthy desserts, traditional fats, stocks, wild & pastured meats, organ meats, advanced grain preparation methods, vegetables, homemade salad dressings & sauces, real salt, superfoods, healthy snacks and traveling with real foods.

Wow... you really don't want to miss this!

Head over to the GNOWFGLINS eCourse site and read in more detail what you will learn and do!

After reading in more detail and enjoying this video presentation... I have to say that I will be joining this class! I saw that there are some new things in this Fundamentals II class that I've been wanting to learn for some time... such as making ghee, increasing my knowledge of making stock, preparing & enjoying organ meats, get some more kid-friendly snack recipes and making traditional food that travels well (which I've already done, but would like to see if there's more!) Great timing, Wardee!

Now, the class begins late January 2012 and continues on into June 2012. You can join anytime, and membership includes access to ALL classes as well, including the first Fundamentals.

You really can't beat that kind of deal!

What You Will Get

Access to every class offered (including the original Fundamentals eCourse)
Class enrollment doesn't close. Enroll at any time.
Total access to all available lessons from the get-go.
Exclusive monthly thank you gift for qualifying payments.
Bi-monthly learning bonus.
Weekly lessons presented through multi-media tutorials.
Exclusive members-only forums.
Weekly email reminders (optional).

For How Much?
Become a member for as little as $8 per month! That's an awesome deal! Remember you will have access to EVERY CLASS OFFERED, plus you can do it any time. You will also get video demonstrations and print downloads to help you master the tasks listed above - no matter what learning style you have!

Plus, if you sign up anytime between now until the 29th of this month you will get a BONUS gift of the "Easy Sourdough" Booklet along with a video!

Like I said earlier... you REALLY don't want to miss out on this class or the others!

Sign up today!

NOTE: I will make a small commission for every sale through my links... no extra charge to you! Thank you for helping me and my family through your purchases.

Got Extra Porridge? Make Porridge Pancakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:44:00 +0000

If you are like me... you probably make porridge a couple times a week, right? Do you make each batch fresh? I don't! I usually like to soak 4-6 cups of oatmeal to make a large pot of oatmeal porridge once every week. Of course, soaking it first overnight or up to 24 hours for optimal nutrition.

Then I always have at least enough leftover for another morning of oatmeal.

Leftover oatmeal makes an even quicker breakfast in the mornings when you gotta get going or if the hubby has to make breakfast. Oatmeal porridge stores really well in the fridge for a long while. I've accidentally left a container of oatmeal porridge in the fridge for longer than 2 weeks a few times and it would be just fine!

But...

There are days when oatmeal porridge just doesn't sound appealing (even with toppings and all!), but its really all you've got at hand... had those days before?

I've had mornings where I am looking at a big container of leftover oatmeal and can't really bring myself to warm it up, but what else is there to eat?! Eggs... not enough. Toast... nada. Pancakes... no time.

You get the picture.

There are days where I am looking at only 3 eggs and my girls are crying because we are having oatmeal again and they want eggs.

Then one morning, it hit me... Pancakes! Duh!

Now, that got my girlies happy again. Who doesn't like pancakes?! Plus, it only requires 2 main ingredients... eggs and porridge. For every cup of porridge you will need 1 - 2 eggs (I usually use 2, but my hubby has done it with one egg). Then you can add in spices and fruit, if you like. Simple and easy!

Not only is porridge pancakes good for breakfast, but it is a fantastic mid-morning or afternoon snack. You can use any kind of porridge you have on hand. So, make sure you make extra porridge next time you cook up a batch for breakfast!

Porridge Pancakes

2 cups porridge
2-4 eggs
sea salt
spices
fresh or dried fruit
coconut oil or butter

Measure our roughly 2 cups of porridge and break it up as much as possible. Add in eggs and continue to break up the porridge until smooth and completely mixed in. If you don't get the eggs well incorporated into the porridge, the pancakes will not hold together well. You can use your KitchenAid Standing Mixer or a hand mixer for this job... it will get it done much quicker. Or if you don't have either, which I didn't for a long time, just use some good arm action!

Add in a few dashes of sea salt, spices and your choice of fresh or dried fruit. Stir until combined.

Warm up your cast-iron pan and add in your choice of oil or butter. Allow the pan to get hot before getting started with the batter. Don't make the pancakes too big or they might fall apart while flipping it over. Best to make them mini-pancakes.

These pancakes take a little while to cook, so be patience. Don't flip them until the edges are brown and crispy. Once you've flip the pancakes, it should take less time for the second side to cook.

You should get about 6-8 small pancakes out of this. Enjoy with some real maple syrup or raw honey!

Shared on Simple Lives Thursday & Pennywise Platter Thursday & Fight Back Fridays

Celebration Giveaway WINNERS!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Well, the moment you've all been waiting for is here!

Thank you everybody for joining in and a BIG thank you to the people who generously gave me these products to giveaway!

Here are the winners for FOUR different giveaways...

Giveaway #1
Simply Sugar & Gluten-free cookbook and Gluten-free Cupcakes cookbook

The winner of these faaabulous books is....

turq4!

theswitalas@------.com

Giveaway #2
Bones & Fat cookbooks

The winner of these delicious & savory books is...

Katie!

So cool! She blogs at Mexican Wildflower and is a

sweet friend of mine. We worked together for

2 years at Rancho Sordo Mudo. She is still there taking

care of 20 or so girls! Love you Katie!

Giveaway #3
Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD (Vol. #1)

The 5 winners of this fun, creative DVD are...

turq4!

theswitalas@------.com

Nancy!

allibrary@-----.com

Cottonpickinfarm!

gcgrytdal@-----.com

Abby Hilton!

mydaddystreasure@------.com

Lori @ Laurel of Leaves!

lori@------.com

Now, I have a surprise!
I have an extra DVD and will be giving it too...

Kelly!
kellydawn913@----.com

Giveaway #4
ListPlanIt Memberships

The 5 winners of this great place of organization are...

Michelle Bonsell!

Print Membership

Melissa B!

Download Membership

turq4!

Ruth!

Heather Anderson!

ePlanners

Whew! Congratulations everyone! I hope you will enjoy your prizes as much as I do ;o)

Now, please shoot me an email with your contact information (address, phone, etc) and I will pass them on to the people responsible to send you your prize(s). I will wait a few days, but if I don't get an email from some of you, I will try to shoot you an email myself. Please respond ASAP!

Have a great week!!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: ListPlanIt Memberships!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, the last few days have been blowing by and leaving us pretty wiped out. I know I was supposed to post a Celebration Giveaway on my birthday, but I wasn't thinking it through when I started the whole thing.

We've had a group working here since Dec. 27th & will be here until January 6th and I've been so busy cooking meals that I've been too tired to put up something. So, I thought I would wait until January 1st and make it a celebration for the New Year... as you can see, didn't happen.

Well, better late then never!

I decided to extend all the Celebration Giveaways to January 14th. I see that many of you are itching to win one of these giveaways by your daily entries! LOL! Well, you now have many more days of chances to win.

So, I had big plans to give you all a fantastic surprise giveaway for my birthday... but it fell through :o(

Instead, I am going share with you about ListPlanIt.com... a great place with hundreds of "lists to put your world in order"!!

Now, how many of you have put on your yearly resolution list to be more organized?!

Yep, I see many hands... hmm, just what I thought!

Who doesn't want to be at least a little bit more organized with life, family, kids and everyday things? I am not an organized person by nature, but I am also not a disorganized one either. I guess you can say I am in the middle and taking baby steps everyday to be a little more organized here and there. I don't obsessed about it because my kids don't need a organize-freak of a mama! LOL!

I've been using many of ListPlanIt lists for several months now and have enjoyed how simple & easy they are to use. Before I came across ListPlanIt, I had been looking for simple ways to organize my life and had little success with finding ideas and "already made" lists. I was ready to give up when I came across ListPlanIt!

There are lists for everything you can think of! Lists for organizing your home, business & life. Lists to organize the bedrooms, freezers, bathrooms and pantry. Lists to organize the parties, meal plans and groceries. Lists to get ready for moving, traveling and MORE!

Want a list for something specific?? ListPlanIt is sure to have it!
Want to customize a list for yourself or a business?? ListPlanIt can help you!

Now...

FIVE winners will be given ONE of the following:

1 Print Membership (value $20)
1 Download Membership (value $30)
3 ePlanners

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing one area that you know you need to be more organized! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

'Like' ListPlanIt on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 4 entries today and one everyday until January 14th! This giveaway is open to the world and the winners will be selected via random.org ~~at the end of this month~~. Winner will be contacted after January 14th.

PLEASE include your email in each entry to leave for me to contact you. Thank you!

Don't forget to check out Celebration Giveaways 1, 2 & 3!!

Also, you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $12

My friends, have a great New Year!!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD (Vol. 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Well! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to a great New Year!

Now, I was planning to post the 3rd Celebration Giveaway this past Sunday or yesterday, but we got knocked down to 24 hour dial-up after using up our limit with all the skyping we did with the grandparents ;o)

BUT... better late then never!

So, the giveaway...

To FIVE winners, I am giving away 1 copy of Making Herbs SIMPLE DVD!

I really enjoyed this video and like how simply Shoshanna taught, step-by-step, on how to find, wash, dry and store herbs. She also teaches the hands-on steps of making poultices, tinctures and more!

When I first started watching the DVD... my 5 year old daughter, Naomi, came over and watched it with me and enjoyed it so much that she wanted to watch it again! Like the title says... it is so simple that my daughter is able to understand and thoroughly enjoy how God made all these amazing herbs (that are often considered weeds) to bring healing to our bodies. She even talked to me afterwards and pretty much explained what each herb is, the benefits and how to use them. I LOVED that! The video didn't have closed caption, so it was great to hear Naomi sum it all up like a pro and made sure that I understood what Shoshanna was saying! LOL!

So, if you are looking for a good instructional video on herbs for your child's homeschooling program or just to teach them in your own time... this is the one for you! Funny, captivating and simple... your kids will enjoy learning how to find and using herbs to improve their health!

Now, I have to talk about Bulk Herb Store.

I love their products, the prices and quality!

I made my own pregnancy tea using their herbs and the taste was delicious. I'll have to share with you my recipe... soon I hope!

Since we don't drink coffee in this family... we like to drink a lot of tea around here! I am a die-hard fan of Rooibos Tea and I like it just the way it is... no raw honey! I've learned to appreciate its earthy, rustic flavors. Of course, there are some days where I just need a little sweetness to my tea ;o)

You can see that I have banners on my blog supporting BHS. If you are considering making some purchases... please use my links. I will get a small commission for each purchase and it is no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support!

Now, let's get to the giveaway... shall we?

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing your favorite herb, tea or herbal remedy! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

4 bonus entries:

'Like' Bulk Herb Store on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Shoshanna on Facebook (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

Follow Just Making Noise via emails or RSS feed (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 5 entries today and one everyday until ~~December 31st~~ January 14th! This giveaway is only open to US residents and the winners will be selected via random.org at the end of this month. Winner will be contacted in January.

PLEASE include your email in each entry to leave for me to contact you. Thank you!

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

Have a great New Year!!

Sourdough Journel #12: Delicious Sourdough Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:11:00 +0000

Pin It

Have you checked out the great deals at GNOWFGLINS? With any of your purchases of classes, menus, ebooks and videos... you will get up to 5 free thank you videos (value $10!).

THROUGH NEW YEAR'S DAY (Monday 11/28/11 at 10pm thru 1/1/12) you can get:

• Any 5 thank you videos with a yearly subscription

• Any 2 thank you videos with a monthly recurring subscription

• Any 1 thank you video with a single month subscription

I seriously can't say enough good things about Wardeh's wonderful e-courses! They have been so simple and easy to follow. So fun, too! Thank you Wardee!!!

So...

I mentioned two weeks ago that I have TWO different cookie recipe to share with you all. I am hooked on making my cookies with sourdough now!

I love it because I can now serve cookies knowing that they are much healthier and we don't feel sick after eating a cookie or two.

For a long time I've made our family favorite - Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies - and they were healthy, for the most part... except the oatmeal part. I find that when I don't soak our oatmeal... we feel pretty yucky afterwards. Especially if we eat too much of it, which is hard not to because they are so good!

So, when I learned that I could change my recipe a little and add in the sourdough into the dough to help break down the oatmeal... I was all for trying it out!

Our first batch was gone in one night.

I kid you not!

Yeah, it was so good with some fresh milk and we didn't have that ache in our stomaches after having one too many cookies. Yeaaaa!

Stuffed Oatmeal Sourdough Cookies

1 cup sourdough
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more, if needed, to get a stiff batter)
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 - 1 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (sometimes I throw in 3 cups!)
1-2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1-2 cups dried fruit (optional)

In a medium size bowl stir together the sourdough starter and butter. Add 1 cup of flour and the oatmeal. Stir to incorporate. Continue adding flour until you have a thick dough. You may need more or less flour, depending on your starter consistency and your flour choice. Cover and allow to sour for 8 or more hours.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease your baking sheets.

In a small bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, sea salt, optional cinnamon and baking powder. Pour mixture on top of your soured dough. You will need to get both of your hands in the bowl and use a squeezing motion to break up the very firm dough or use a thick, strong fork (that's what I do). Stir until free of lumps and of one mind, stir in your chocolate chips, nuts, coconut flakes and optional dried fruit. Then sprinkle on the baking soda. Stir well to incorporate.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (about 15 minutes in my higher altitude) OR spread the whole batter in the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Next I wanted to make some unique sourdough cookies for a Thanksgiving Potluck that we were invited to go. We met a lot of missionaries and made some new friends.

It was a little too crazy and loud for me, but I was glad to see that people were enjoying my cookies! I made them pan-style so I didn't have to spend hours laboring over every drop of dough and cookie to make enough for 80+ people ;o)

I started off following the recipe from the Sourdough eCourse for Molasses Ginger cookies, but then realized I didn't have molasses. So, I used honey instead and started changing up the recipe from there.

The final touch was the orange zest... oh my sweet goodness! I actually threw that in there in the last minute because I felt that it needed something.

Wish I had a picture because they looked pretty & yummy!

Cranberry Orange Spice Sourdough Cookies

1 cup sourdough

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more, if needed, to get a stiff batter)

1-2 cups oatmeal

scant 1/4 cup raw honey

1/2 - 3/4 cup rapadura or coconut sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cloves

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger
1-2 Tbsp orange zest (I used a whole orange's worth of zest!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 cups dried cranberries, chopped
1-2 cups walnuts, chopped

In a medium size bowl stir together the sourdough starter and butter. Add 1 cup of flour and the oatmeal. Stir to incorporate. Continue adding flour until you have a thick dough. You may need more or less flour, depending on your starter consistency and your flour choice. Cover and allow to sour for 8 or more hours.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease your baking sheets.

In a small bowl mix together the honey, eggs, sugar, vanilla, sea salt, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange zest and baking powder. Pour mixture on top of your soured dough. You will need to get both of your hands in the bowl and use a squeezing motion to break up the very firm dough or use a thick, strong fork (that's what I do). Stir until free of lumps and of one mind, stir in cranberries and walnuts. Then sprinkle on the baking soda. Stir well to incorporate.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (about 15 minutes in my higher altitude) OR spread the whole batter in the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Have a beautiful Christmas everyone!

PS- don't forget to enter for a chance to win some fabulous cookbooks (check it out here & here)!!

Candied Orange Spice Peels

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:22:00 +0000

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Since last week I've been going through several pounds (at least 30 lbs, if not more!) of oranges... washing, cutting, peeling, slicing and blending.

My kitchen has been full of sunshine and wonderful smells of delicious oranges! Yummm!

Can't get enough of the smells and beautiful colors, but I've had enough of all that work! LOL!

You may be wondering when I'm going to get to the point. Right?

Well, we have several citrus trees giving us more than enough oranges and I was wondering what to do with it all! Especially the peels. One day I was browsing through my Facebook and saw one of my friends posted that she was making candied orange peels. Of course, that grabbed my attention.

Candied orange peels?! Honestly, never heard of that!

I quickly googled for a recipe and found one at use real butter (Beautiful photography!). Honestly, I was very surprised to find out that making candied peels is so easy... just a little time consuming ;o)

Seriously, the work was well worth it... for Christmas we will be giving away small bags of these treats to all our Honduran neighbors & friends, the kids we work with and missionaries we know. I've already had a few kids taste the candied peels and they LOVE them!

While I was waiting for the raw sugar water to get hot... a great idea popped into my head. I threw in some cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and chunks of ginger to bring about a spicy flavor. Success! Delicious, warm spices drifted up to my nose... oh yum!

After pouring the peels in and simmering them for forever... they came out golden, glazed and sticky. Dropped them in a pan of cane sugar and they separated beautifully.

When Jon took his first bite of the sugar covered peel... he said the texture and flavor reminded him of those old classic sugar-crusted gumdrops!

I rolled some batches with cane sugar and some without. I am thinking the ones without the sugar crust would be fabulous in some oatmeal cookies. Hmmm, maybe I'll have a recipe coming on that idea!

I made my first batch for a Christmas party for the missionary women. They were a hit! I put the orange peels in small plastic bags and tied them up with a cute ribbon along with the recipe & suggestions... simple and easy. I would rather packet the orange peels in parchment paper or glass jars, but I am in a country where those are not easily found and often expensive. Boohoo. At least they looked cute in the plastic bags!

I am doing the same when passing them out to our Honduran neighbors and kids. I put on different tags that say, "Feliz Navidad!! Bendiciones! Familia de Jon & Marillyn Beard".

Can you believe how much I've made?! LOL! Next year I would like to plan ahead and have some girls help me.

Wish the picture of the gift bag looked a little better, but its good enough and you get the idea!

So, after all that glorious work.... I was left with 6 1/2 quarts of dark, dark brown, orange flavored syrupy sweetness! So, now I have plans for those!! Caramel popcorn, granola, candied nuts, hot chocolate, pancakes and more.

*Sigh*

Candied Orange Spice Peels

4 oranges (or any thick skinned citrus fruit)
3 cups sugar (rapadura, coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar)
1 cup water
1-2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
5-10 whole cloves (optinoal)
1 chunk of ginger (optional)
cane sugar for rolling

Quarter oranges into wedges. Carefully slice or peel the flesh away from the orange peels (I generally don’t like to remove too much pith, only if it is really thick). Slice the peel of each wedge lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.

Place peels in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat on high until water comes to a boil. Pour off the water. Repeat two more times.

Meanwhile, mix 1 cup water with 3 cups of sugar in a large saucepan or pot. Add optional spices. Bring to boil over high heat until temps reaches about 230F. Stir it to make sure sugar is dissolved. Add peels and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until peels are translucent (30 minutes or longer - about 50 mintues at my 6,500 ft. elevation). You will want to stir the peels every so often.

Drain peels in a colander (catch all the syrup in a bowl!). Add sugar into a deep, wide bowl. Use tongs to move peels into the bowl and roll in sugar, if desired. Set on a rack or wax covered cookie sheet to dry for 4-5 hours OR 2 days (best results). I put my peels in my dehydrator and set it on low heat (95-115F). They came out great!

You can now eat the candied peels! If you won’t be eating them within a week, store them packed in sugar in an airtight container.

Suggestions:

Don't throw out the sugar! Use it to sweeten your morning coffee or drink for some yummy orange-flavored sweetness.
Chopped up your orange peels and mix it with some nuts.
Don't throw out the syrup! Use it over your pancakes, sweeten drinks, make caramel popcorn and more.
Instead of rolling the peels in sugar. Allow them to dry for up to 2 days and dip each peel into some dark chocolate! Allow it to harden before storing in an airtight container.

Don't forget you can order Just Making Ice Cream ebook for $8 through this month! Also, enter for chances to win gluten-free & savory cookbooks!!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

DPP 2011 > Help Us Help Them

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:58:00 +0000

It isn't easy to catch a beautiful smile like that with these kids.

Most are so solemn... life is hard for many of them.

But when they come here to RO4Y, they are able to forget for a while and just be kids... silly, goofy and laughing. There is so much peace here and they can feel it!

I know a real smile when I see one... it lights up their eyes.

Like Diana, up there.

She has a hard life... Dad is alcoholic and can't keep a job. Both Mom and Dad can't read. They live very simply on beans, rice and corn tortillas.

Thankfully, Diana has chosen to learn to read and write. She has chosen to come to RO4Y. It seems that she wants to choose a better life and learn more about Jesus.

Help us help her.

We want to help with her spiritual needs and physical needs. We want to do that for every kid that comes here as much as possible!

For Christmas, we are planning to put together food baskets and give them out has gifts to the families of the kids we work with. For $25 we can give a family a basket of wholesome food that will last them anywhere from 2 days to a week... depending on how many people are in the family.

Would you like to help us?

DPP 2011 > CrockPot Christmas Potpourri

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

I LOVE Christmas Potpourri.

It makes the house smell festive and delicious!

Since I was a little girl... every year my Mommo would throw together a pot of water or apple juice, fresh oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg and let it simmer 24/7. She would keep refilling the pot with water or apple juice and change out the fruits about once a week when they would get so mushy.

The house would smell simply HEAVENLY from Thanksgiving till just past New Year!

With all the oranges that we've been picking off our trees and cutting them up for different things... all the smells from the oranges brought back to memory of that delicious potpourri that my mama used to make every year.

It got me thinking, "Why haven't I done that in my home?"

Well, I couldn't use my gas stove for 2 reasons... 1) I need all the burners for all the home cooking I do daily and 2) the gas burns too hot, that I couldn't leave it with fear that it would burn up to smoke (ugh).

Then I thought, "What about my crockpot? Perfect!"

So, I've been "simmering" my homemade Christmas Potpourri on high throughout the day without the lid on. I just LOVE coming into my house after working outside and taking a deep breath of delicious cinnamon-y orange fragrance.

Here's my simple recipe:

Oranges, sliced
Cinnamon sticks
Whole Cloves
Nutmeg (I used the old chunks after grating them)
Water

Throw everything in your crockpot. Cover with water and set it on high. Add in water as the level drops below the oranges. Change out the fruit about once a week.

Also, you can add in sliced apples... I didn't because I didn't have any and they are kinda pricey here. Not worth it to me.

I've also seen people put in bay leaves... hmmm. Maybe I'll try that.

NOTE: A small crockpot would be ideal, but if you don't have one... you can always shop on craigslist or garage sales!

I think I might play around with the recipe and try adding pineapple! Going for the tropical Christmas smells ;o)

Tell me, what kind of potpourri do you like? What would you add in?

DPP > Dog Love

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:57:00 +0000

We love our Danes... they are the Gentle Giants! Here is Tobi riding Daisy like a horse. I don't know how many times people have suggested that we should buy a small saddle for our Danes and train them to give "rides" around the yard. Like that would ever happen! LOL!!

DPP > Happy Birthday Tobias!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Happy Birthday little man!

Here he is... eating a banana cupcake made with coconut flour and sweetened with bananas, stevia & dates. So simple & good! The recipe came from Elana's Gluten-Free Cupcakes. The only thing that was missing was whipping cream... didn't have enough cream to make any, BUT I made homemade ice cream (maple cinnamon), of course! ;o)

He LOVED his cupcake, but found the ice cream too cold. LOL!

I know I said I would share the birth story today, but it was a full day for me and I ran out of time. So, l'll have to do it later! Thanks for your patience!

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Bones & Fat Cookbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:30:00 +0000

Well, today we are celebrating my little man's birthday! I know every mom says this, but... I seriously can not believe he is already 1 year old. Time just flies faster and faster with each kid!

It is my goal to share the birth story later today in honor of Tobias' birthday. I have to tell you! It is an amazing story of faith, trust and... well, I get to that later :o)

Before I get to the giveaway... let me share a few highlights of Tobias' first year of life.

Everybody fell in love with this little guy... my girls are especially crazy about him. How can they not be?! I am SO grateful that there has been no jealousy issues between my girls and this little guy. None at all.

He has proven to be a very strong-will little guy... my third strong-will child *sigh*. Life is sure very loud and noisy in the Beard household! All 3 of my kids have very strong spirits and lungs. People often ask me if it is hard for me to hear them... my answer is always, "Ha! No, God has blessed me with very loud children. If I think they are loud... can't imagine how loud they are to you!"

He began to crawl around 9 months old, but started walking before he was 10 months old! He loves following my girls around and doesn't let them push him around. Almost everyday I often see him do things and say, "He is SUCH a BOY!". Seriously, after having two girls... I am amazed just how different Tobi is and it sometimes feels like he is my first child.

Tobi has had more bumps, bruises & cuts on his head and face then both my girls combined when they were babies! Thankfully he isn't much of a crier and gets right back in the action after a few minutes in mama's arms ;o)

It has been an awesome year with this little man and I am so blessed! Thank you Lord! Happy Birthday Tobias!

Now, the second giveaway!

To one winner, I am giving away 2 delicious & savory cookbooks:

These two cookbooks are deliciously amazing... just reading through the recipes and look at the pictures make me feel nourished and well-fed! LOL!

Jennifer McLagan has done a wonderful job of explaining everything you need to know to appreciate the benefits of eating wholesome bones and fat. I love her witty sense of humor thrown in at just the right places. You can read Jennifer's bio here.

These two books are vital in my kitchen these days! I just love how there is so much you can learn and do with just bones and fat.... and still thrive in good health. Here's a simple write up on Fat cookbook (taken from Amazon.com):

For all of history, minus the last thirty years, fat has been at the center of human diets and cultures. When scientists theorized a link between saturated fat and heart disease, industry, media, and government joined forces to label fat a greasy killer, best avoided. But according to Jennifer McLagan, not only is our fat phobia overwrought, it also hasn’t benefited us in any way. Instead it has driven us into the arms of trans fats and refined carbohydrates, and fostered punitive, dreary attitudes toward food–that wellspring of life and pleasure.

In Fat, McLagan sets out with equal parts passion, scholarship, and appetite to win us back to a healthy relationship with animal fats. She starts by defusing fat’s bad rap, both reminding us of what we already know–that fat is fundamental to the flavor of our food–and enlightening us with the many ways fat (yes, even animal fat) is indispensable to our health.

Mostly, though, Fat is about pleasures–the satisfactions of handling good ingredients skillfully, learning the cultural associations of these primal foodstuffs, recollecting and creating personal memories of beloved dishes, and gratifying the palate and the soul with fat’s irreplaceable savor. Fat lavishes the reader with more than 100 recipes from simple to intricate, classic to contemporary, including:

• Butter-Poached Scallops • Homemade Butter • Carnitas • Duck Confit • Sautéed Foie Gras with Gingered Vanilla Quince • Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Sage Butter • Steak and Kidney Pie • Lamb Fat and Spinach Chapati • Bacon Spice • Cookies • Salted Butter Tart

Observing that though we now know everything about olive oil, we may not know what to do with lard or bone marrow, McLagan offers extensive guidance on sourcing, rendering, flavoring, using, and storing animal fats, whether butter or bacon, schmaltz or suet. Stories, lore, quotations, and tips touching on fat’s place in the kitchen and in the larger culture round out this rich and unapologetic celebration of food at its very best.

The one thing I learned from her Fat cookbook is chicken fat is delicious used for frying up corn tortillas! Oh my!

Next is the Bones cookbook (again, taken from Amazon.com):

Top food stylist and food writer Jennifer McLagan has a bone to pick: too often, people opt for boneless chicken breasts, fish fillets, and cutlets, when good cooks know that anything cooked on the bone has more flavor -- from chicken or spareribs to a rib roast or a whole fish. In Bones, Jennifer offers a collection of recipes for cooking beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, and game on their bones.

Chicken, steak, and fish all taste better when cooked on the bone, but we've sacrificed flavor for speed and convenience, forgetting how bones can enhance the taste, texture, and presentation of good food -- think of rack of lamb, T-bone steak, chicken noodle soup, and baked ham. In her simple, bare-bones style, Jennifer teaches home cooks the secrets to cooking with bones.

Each chapter of Bones includes stocks, soups, ribs, legs, and extremities (except for whole fish -- they don't have any). Many of the recipes are simple, with the inherent flavors of the bones doing most of the work. There are traditional, elegant dishes, such as Roasted Marrow Bones with Parsley Salad, Olive-Crusted Lamb Racks, and Crown Roast of Pork, as well as new takes on homestyle favorites, such as Maple Tomato Glazed Ribs, Coconut Chicken Curry, and Halibut Steaks with Orange Cream Sauce. Stunning, full-color photographs of dishes like Rabbit in Saffron Sauce with Spring Vegetables; Grilled Quail with Sage Butter; and Duck Legs with Cumin, Turnips, and Green Olives are sure to inspire.

In addition to the recipes, Bones includes a wealth of information on a wide range of bone-related topics, including the differences among cuts of meat, as well as the history and lore of bones.

Pretty awesome, huh? Now, she recently released a new cookbook called "Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal". I've got my eye on that and will most likely get a copy soon!

The one think I've grown to appreciate about living in Central America is how much people here appreciate the WHOLE animal. They use everything! Tongue, stomach, heart, hoof, head, tail and so on. I love grinding heart in with my ground beef... adds such a nice flavor. Oh and tongue is simply delicious... once you get past the weird feeling that you are "french kissing" the cow. LOL!! Using calf's hoof in my homemade beef broth has made a big difference in flavor... so rich!

There are a few butchers in the town next to us that often hang a whole cow in their station and will not close down until every piece of that cow has sold. Nothing goes to waste... talk about being frugal and smart!

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below sharing your favorite Christmas memory! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

Follow Jennifer's blog (1 entry)

Follow my blog (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

So, you can have a total of 4 entries today and one everyday until ~~December 31st~~ January 14th! This giveaway is only open to US residents and the winner will be selected via random.org at the end of this month. Winner will be contacted in January.

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

DPP 2011 > Orange Fest!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:15:00 +0000

A few days ago we had a huge bag of oranges harvested right off our citrus trees and I've been wanting to make candied orange peels as gifts for our neighbors and for a cookie party that I am hoping to go to... I will get to meet more missionary women and hopefully make a friend or two!

So, today we basically had an orange festival! Washing, cutting and peeling... but we only got half way through the bag! That's a lot of oranges! I am thinking I will zest the rest of them and dried the orange zest out. Great to have a jar of dried orange zest when you need it.

I will hopefully post a recipe for candied orange peels using raw sugar... SO easy! Great for those of you who have citrus trees giving too many oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit. Yep, you can use any peel of a citrus fruit to be candied... just make sure the skins aren't too thin or they will turn leathery after being candied. Not appealing.

What did I do with all the juicy, fleshly part of the oranges? Made fresh juice, of course!

Pictures from DDP 2009

Celebration GIVEAWAY: Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Gluten-Free Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:42:00 +0000

Today is the first celebration giveaway for the month!

We are celebrating my mom's birthday today. I wish I could be at her house right now, whipping up a batch of cupcakes using coconut flour from Elana's awesome cookbook. I would probably make either the German Chocolate Cupcakes (already made this once for her.. so GOOD! This recipe actually inspired me to make an ice cream version) or Red Velvet Cupcakes or Cookie Surprise Cupcakes or... there's so many good recipes!

Before I get into the giveaway... let me tell you about my mom.

She is a beautiful woman of strong character and a generous giving heart. The Lord has given her many skills and gifts... music, writing and teaching being her three strongest skills/gifts. She has wrote many songs that the Lord has given her to bless those around her. I hope one day these songs will be sung to the world and I'm sure it will... if not here in this world, then for sure in heaven!

My mom has gone through a lot of pain since she was a child, but God is bringing her through a time of healing that is hard, yet amazing to watch.

Often, when I look at her and all that she's been through... I see that she is a beautiful mess that God is lovely and patiently cleaning through.

I've watched her live her life of daily renewing her mind and choosing to believe in God's grace & mercy through everything... God has taught me so much through her!

Even though she is imperfect in so many ways. She is a woman of integrity, faith and prayer... that's what makes her so beautiful. I love you & Happy Birthday Mommo!

Now, the giveaway!

To one winner, I am giving away 2 gluten-free books:

Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free contains over 180 recipes, 140 of which have never been published on Amy's blog, Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. Her mouth-watering recipes can be made in 20 minutes or less... that's nice for those of you who lead busy lives! Here's a short bio about Amy:

Amy started the popular food blog Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free in May 2008 to share her passion for healthy living. She has abstained from refined sugars and wheat since 2004 and, as a result, is maintaining a 60-plus pound weight loss. Over the years, Amy has learned that eating healthier doesn’t equal deprivation.

In 2012, Amy is launching Nourished (with Jen Cafferty), the first gluten-free and allergen-friendly food blogger conference. Attendees will be able to learn and share with along with other professionals in their field.

In addition to owning a small business, Amy teaches local sugar-free, gluten-free cooking classes. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Education, both from The Ohio State University. Amy has also studied Baking & Pastry Arts at The Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education at Collin College and spent many years working both the front and back of the house in restaurants. Previously, Amy taught elementary school and owned one of the premier pet care companies in the North Dallas area. She lives with her husband and four dogs in Dallas, Texas. If you are interested, you can read more about her here.

You all know how much I love baking with coconut flour. When I first learned that Elana was writing another cookbook using coconut flour... I was already in line to get my copy! Gluten-Free Cupcakes has beautiful photography and delicious recipes that are simple to make, yet look so elegant!

This fabulous book features:

50 gluten free recipes for cupcakes and savory treats
14 recipes for frostings, fillings and toppings
25 cupcake recipes that use coconut flour
9 cupcake recipes that use almond flour
4 flourless cupcake recipes
12 cupcake recipes that use both almond flour and coconut flour
41 dairy free cupcake recipes
8 dairy free frostings, fillings and toppings
5 vegan frostings, fillings and toppings
38 nut free recipes
10 cupcake recipes that use arrowroot powder

If you are interested in more information, please read here. Like I said earlier, I've already tried her recipe for German Chocolate Cupcakes and they were simply luscious! Next I want to try the Cookie Surprise Cupcakes... oooh yummy. The only downside is not being able to get almond flour. So, I will have to compromise a little ;o)

How to Enter

Just leave a comment below on what you did today! (1 entry)

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day! (one comment per day strictly enforced)

3 bonus entries:

Follow Amy's blog Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (1 entry)

Follow Elana's blog Elana's Pantry (1 entry)

'Like' Just Making Noise on Babble (1 entry)

Also, don't forget you can purchase Just Making Ice Cream for a suggested donation of $8 through this month! That is $4 off the original suggested donation.

Let's Celebrate!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:22:00 +0000

This is a busy, special month of celebrations for my family...

My mom's birthday is on the 10th

My little man will be 1 year old on the 14th

Christmas day is on the 25th

and...

My birthday is on the 29th

Please join us in these celebrations! On each special day I will be giving away gifts of cookbooks & DVDs that you will find essential in my home and kitchen. The final giveaway (my birthday!) will be a surprise and I hope a good one!

To start off the celebration, we will be asking for suggested donations of $8 a book. That's $4 off the original suggested donation!

Go and purchase your Just Making Ice Cream eBook and enjoy ice cream made of every kind of flavor you need year round!

When you make your order, simply change the total from $12 to $8.

Want to give more? You can change the total anywhere from $8 to $12 and beyond!

Remember, everything things goes towards supporting the ministry of RO4Y. Thank you!

Now keep a lookout for these giveaways! Winners will be announced in January.

DPP 2011 > Who Wants A Cookie?

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:07:00 +0000

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Sourdough Cookies

and

Oatmeal Cranberry Orange Spiced Sourdough Cookies

So good! Especially the cranberry one... recipes coming soon!

DPP 2011 > Learning In the Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Marillyn Beard) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:17:00 +0000

It was a beautiful day out... warm breeze, hot sun and the smell of earth drew me outside.

"Wanna work on your writing outside?" I asked Naomi.

"Yeah!" Yelled Naomi, jumping up and down.

We gathered all the papers, books and crayons. I got an old pink sheet and spread it out in the breeze. We settle down and Naomi went right to work on her R's sheet. I started to read a chapter from "I Heard Good News Today " (GREAT book!).

After Noami finished her R sheet... we looked through the Children's Encyclopedia and learned about mountains & rivers.

Slowly and quietly... our animals came to us.

The dogs, always on the look out for attention and affection, laid down next to us.

The chickens, always watching for us to bring them scraps and food, pecked around us.

The horses, always curious (especially Nyssa, the filly) and looking for treats, snuffled through our things and gave us kisses.

The cat, always look for a hand to stroke him, laid on my lap.

Felt like heaven on earth at that moment.

"Mommy, this is nice. Can we do this again?"

DPP 2009 Picture