Suburban Prairie Homemaker

Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Coconut Milk Popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:37:00 +0000

Sorry - no photo. But trust me - these are AMAZING!!!

So my camera died. Like really died. And of course on the day of Bubba's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Yeah. Because that's how things roll in my life.

Anyway, supposed to be hotter than you-know-where here today. Which means popsicle weather.

If you follow me on Facebook (hint, hint, HINT), yesterday I posted a link for 36 Homemade Popsicle recipes. Which got me thinking...

We absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE So Delicious (brand) non-dairy frozen treats. Our favorites are the chocolate dipped bars, which taste like Dove Bars. Oh they are so good! BUT, they only come 4/package, and aren't exactly cheap.

I knew I had to figure out how to make our own.

So here goes:

SPH Chocolate Dipped Coconut Milk Popsicles
1 15-oz. can full fat coconut milk
1 1/4 cups simple syrup (directions to follow)
1-2 T vanilla (or to taste)

In small saucepan, warm coconut milk. When the "cream" has melted, add the simple syrup. Bring to just a bubble (little bubbles around the edge of the pan), and add vanilla. Stir for just another minute or 2, then remove from heat. Pour into popsicle molds, add sticks, and put in the freezer until frozen solid. I've found that using a small funnel helps me get the liquid into the mold easier, and less messier.

We are going to be dipping ours in a MagicShell-type coating. This recipe calls for coconut oil, which would be the best choice, but I'm out at the moment, so I'll be using butter.

Feel free to add shredded coconut to the popsicles, or even roll them in chopped nuts while the coating is still somewhat liquid.

So here's the simple syrup...
Equal parts sugar and water.

Put them in a saucepan, heat and stir til sugar is dissolved. Boil for a minute or 2, and you're done.

Yep. That's it. That's why it's called Simple Syrup. Use it as a base for lemonade or sweet tea. Add some citrus peels and let them boil for a minute or 2. Now you have citrus simple syrup. Blend it with some frozen berries in a blender, then freeze as popsicles. I keep a large batch in a half-gallon jar. You'll want to do that, too, because when you figure out all the amazing uses for simple syrup, you'll be using it all the time.

Enjoy!

Easy Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:13:00 +0000

A classic from one of my mom's old cookbooks - now quicker, easier, and gluten free!

Sorry, no photo today. My camera actually died. Like the battery is toast. And they don't make replacements for it anymore. It was a sad day in our house. That camera captured memories at over a dozen national parks and monuments, and so many precious life events. But I digress.

You came here for banana nut bread, right?

My favorite recipe of all time is in one of my mom's old cookbooks. It is just perfect, every time. And, I found an easy way to make it gluten free.

SPH Easy Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread
inspired by "Banana Bread", p. 250, Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, Volume 1, (c) 1957

1/3 cup melted butter or oil (I used Crisco(r) butter flavored sticks because that's what was handy)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
1 3/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 cup pecan chips (the tiny ones you'd use in cookies - these are optional, of course)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Grease it really well. In mixer bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each egg. Stir in bananas, and mix well. Add baking mix in 4 portions (I do 3 separate 1/2-cup portions, then a 1/4-cup portion). Beat until smooth after each addition. Gently stir in pecan chips. Pour batter into loaf pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or til skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

So some helpful tips...

Be sure to spread the batter evenly in your pan before baking. Always allow any gluten free baked goods to cool completely before slicing. They will crumble. And crumble badly. Also, when you make quick breads, set them to cool on a cake rack or something similar. I use one of the burners on my stove. After about 10-15 minutes, set the pan on its side. This will allow air to circulate more freely around the underside of the pan. This will not only cool your pan more quickly, but by cooling evenly, you don't get those "damp spots" where moisture may have been trapped in a corner of a pan. And, if you want to make these look a little prettier, feel free to sprinkle some nut pieces on the top. Or, use walnuts if you prefer. Or chocolate chips. Or, be a purist - don't add anything at all. Bake these in smaller pans as gifts for friends, neighbors, etc. Just be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly. I'd start with 30 minutes, and check every 8-10 after that.

Try it today, and enjoy!

Earth Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:23:00 +0000

Looking for something new to do with family and friends this weekend?

Watch this video. Call your neighbors. Your friends. Grab a deck of cards and some candles. And turn out your lights for an hour. Show the world that together we can make a difference to save our planet.

Remember, we only have one Earth. Have some fun with Earth Hour tonight!

Making Gluten Free Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:11:00 +0000

I told you it was coming - and now it's here!

Surprised? Amazed? Impressed?

I think the subtitle tells it all. All the tips and tricks I've shared with you over the last year and a half. Lots of recipes we've made together, plus several more that I've saved just for the book. All in one place. With a most-wicked-awesome index to help you locate what you want to make in a snap. And then some.

Want a copy for yourself? Click here to order yours!

Easy Gluten Free Grasshopper Cheesecake Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:35:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all! Looking for a quick, easy and delicious dessert to whip up while your corned beef is cooking?

Quick and easy. Simple and delicious. Just a pretty shade of green to accent your holiday table.

But before we get started, I have some really big news to share!

You've probably been wondering what I've been up to these days - haven't been on here much lately, and thought you'd like to know why.

It's coming. In about 6-8 weeks. A tiny little bundle of joy.

No, not a baby - the COOKBOOK!

Gotcha on that one, didn't I?!

Making Gluten Free Easy should be hitting bookstore shelves sometime in May. It contains many of the recipes here on the blog, and some new ones. Also, all the references I rely on and the how-to's for actually walking a gluten free walk. This will be a great gift for anyone new to being gluten free. And for those of you who are totally digital, the book will be available in ebook format as well.

You'll also notice that the blog may not look quite right this morning. To go along with the new book, I'm doing a new look for the blog. It needs a little sprucing up. Some spring cleaning, if you will. Don't worry - all the content is still available.

So let's get to those yummy brownies before it's dinner time, shall we?

SPH Easy Gluten Free Grasshopper Cheesecake Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix, made per package directions, baked in a 9" square pan and cooled completely
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3 tablespoons creme de menthe

Cut cream cheese into tiny pieces and drop them into the bowl of your mixer. Add frosting and creme de menthe. Beat until well combined and fluffy. Spread over top of your brownies. Chill for at least 30 minutes, to allow the frosting to set before cutting.

To make these even fancier, bake the brownies in small canning jars - fill the jar about 1/4 full of batter, and place jars on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely. After making the frosting, spoon it into a zip top bag, then snip off one corner and pipe it into the jars on top of your brownies.

And of course, you can always add some type of sprinkles. I used mini chocolate chips. You could use a holiday shaped sprinkle or a light dusting of cocoa powder as well.

Oh, and if your worried about the alcohol content, for the amount that you are using, it really is a flavoring ingredient. It's no different than using 3 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract.

Some other ideas: add the creme de menthe to the brownies as well for more minty goodness. Use Grand Marnier. Glaze the brownies with melted strawberry or raspberry jam/jelly, then make the frosting plain (no booze) and spread it over the glaze. Use any or all on top of chocolate cupcakes. Or yellow cake cupcakes. Make chocolate cheesecake frosting by adding cocoa powder. Start with a tablespoon or 2, then work your way up to your desired about of chocolatey-ness.

Anyway, make up a quick batch this morning to surprise your little leprechauns after their St. Patty's Day dinner. Enjoy!

Scouting's Highest Honor

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:25:00 +0000

From Wikipedia:
"The first Eagle Scout medal was awarded in 1912 to Arthur Rose Eldred, a 17-year-old member of Troop 1 of Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York. Eldred was notified that he was to be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a letter from Chief Scout Executive James West, dated August 21, 1912. The design of the Eagle Scout medal had not been finalized by the National Council, so the medal was not awarded until Labor Day, September 2, 1912. Eldred was the first of three generations of Eagle Scouts; his son and grandson hold the rank as well.^[5]^[6] Since then, more than two million Scouts have earned the rank. In 1982, 13-year-old Alexander Holsinger, of Normal, Illinois, was recognized as the one-millionth Eagle Scout,^[4]^[7] and Anthony Thomas of Lakeville, Minnesota was the two-millionth in 2009.^[8]^[9]"

Mr. Eldred was the first of three generations of Eagle Scout in his family. Last night, Bubba became the third generation of Eagle Scout in ours.

This was a day 13 years, 8 months and three weeks (exactly, by the way) in the making.

We have often laughed about the day that our little man was born. He was the first grandson on my husband's side, my husband being one of three boys. It was a big deal to the in-laws.

So while everyone was taking turns holding our sweet little newborn, Hubby and Father-in-Law were taking bets on when Bubba would Eagle. Seriously. They were both so excited to get to share their wonderful scouting experiences with a brand new scout.

I, of course, was the party pooper. "Can we at least get through teething and potty training before we send him on a five-mile hike?"

My child, who never played a game to win, who never really set any goals, suddenly decided that he wanted to Eagle younger than his dad, earn more badges than his dad, and earn more palms than his dad. Oh, and he wants to earn ALL the merit badges, too - all 130+. There was a sudden change in this sweet boy when he crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts almost 3 years ago. He had a mission. And big shoes to fill - Hubby reached Eagle scout around the age of 15. Hubby earned 57 merit badges, and a LOT of palms.

Well, the junior rock star in our family recently earned badge #66 - 9 more than his dad. That puts him half way to his goal of earning all the merit badges. And, with so many more badges available, he will definitely earn more palms. And, now he reached the rank of Eagle Scout, roughly 2 years younger than his dad.

To say I am proud of him is an understatement. I have watched my little boy grow into a mature, self-confident young man. It's that feeling of when your heart is so full of love for your child that it flows out your eyes.

Have a great rest of the week!

Great Bokashi Experiment - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:20:00 +0000

If you had told me that I could be out working in my garden, in December, with no winter coat on, I would have laughed. Until I was out there yesterday...

Looks fantastic, doesn't it?!

Ok, just kidding.

Yesterday, it was about 60 degrees here. No kidding. So I decided to take advantage of the relatively warm weather and repair my garden bed that had been tilled by mysterious creatures in the night.

In case you are new to this story, you can read this post about how I started my Great Bokashi Experiment.

I had buried 3 buckets so far, all of which were apparently not dug deep enough. Even though I dug down to the bottom of this bed, and piled all the dirt back on the contents of the buckets. Many articles and blog posts I had seen online recommended covering the area in which a bokashi bucket's contents were buried with metal mesh of some kind. I guess I was a bit naive or lazy maybe and thought I could get away with just dirt. Nope.

So I used what I had on hand, and followed the lasagna gardening method I use in my other garden bed. Here's how it went...

I raked out all the chewed up leftovers into a pile near the original holes. I then dug out all the holes deeper and wider. I also added a fourth hole because Bucket #4 was ready to hit the dirt. Into these holes, I returned the fermented contents to their garden graves, and covered them back up with the existing soil. Now, because Bunny #1 is paper trained due to a disability, we had "pre-fertilized" newspapers because Princess and I just happened to have cleaned out his cage yesterday. Those went on top of the newly re-replaced soil. I had one bag of organic garden soil left, which then went on top of the newspapers. The giant former canning kettle, which holds the contents of Bunny #2's litter box (aka bunny beans), was emptied onto this soil and its contents were gently raked to mix it into the soil on top of the papers. I raked up a bunch of leaves from our yard (3 wheelbarrows full) and spread these in another layer on top of the rabbit manure/soil mixture. I am sincerely hoping all that rabbit urine smell will deter our mystery tiller. If I had coffee grounds on hand, I would gladly have added those as well.

Also, I rounded up all the bigger sticks and branches from our yard and our next door neighbor's yard (yes, I have permission). I put these on top of the leaves, mostly to hold them down, but with their spiky branches and twigs pointing up, they also make great faux barbed wire.

So far, as of this morning, nobody found their way into our little garden fortress.

So that's the first half of this story...

Because I've been using newspapers from Bunny #1's cage in the buckets, the newspaper has actually been soaking up too much moisture in the bokashi bucket. I don't think my microbes have enough water to survive and thrive. And you can tell when they are thriving - you'll notice the lid on the bucket expanding upward. I actually have to "burp" my buckets about every other day while they are active.

Which brings me to this tip:
If you use newspaper, like I use newspaper, add non-chlorinated water when you add your pre-made bran that you've either purchased or made yourself. I'm going to play with a yeast/water/molasses combo that I think may work easily and cheaper than the pre-made stuff you can buy. When I get this figured out, I'll be sure to post my results for others to try.

And here's some of what was going into them:

used pizza boxes that I cut up
used paper napkins and paper towels (NOT the ones I used to clean anything with, just ones that were used for wiping mouths and hands and greasing baking pans)
vegetable scraps, including the outer layer of onions
cold morning coffee, complete with sugar and cream
coffee grounds, filters
tea bags
fruit peels and cores
the bottom crumbs from chip bags, pretzel bags, etc.
and of course, "used" newspapers from Bunny #1's cage

One bucket inherited some extra worm compost I had no home for at the moment, and another one inherited the contents of the bunny bean kettle.

And as for the weight?

I ended up with 2 buckets per month, and while I did not actually weigh the buckets with a scale, I can tell you that they each weigh about as much as a larger bag of soil. These usually run in the 25 pound range.

And the numbers would then add up like this:

50 pounds food/newspaper/etc. TIMES 10,154 homes in my home town TIMES 12 months/year

EQUALS

6,092,400 pounds of waste NOT in a landfill

When you divide that 6-million-ish number by 22,000 pounds/garbage truck, that's a LOT of garbage trucks NOT on our roads, using huge quantities of fuel, polluting our air and causing wear and tear on our streets. Try 279 trucks. I told you it was a lot!

So I hope that if you haven't given this any thought yet, or are just beginning to try, you'll find these numbers and my processes so far encouraging and inspiring. I realize that not everyone can actually do this in their own backyard, but if enough folks did, we could really start making a huge difference in the amount of trash needing to be hauled away every week and the amount of fuel needed to do so.

Think about it, and give it a try!

Holiday Helpers

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Wanted to bring back some oldies but goodies that you might find useful this time of year...

If you are baking or making other goodies for the holidays, check out Creative Ways to Use Sugar Cookie Dough and Creative Ways to Use Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough from last year's Twenty Five Days of Treats. The base dough for these recipes is NOT gluten free; however, if you are baking for lots of folks who don't have gluten issues, using a tube of regular dough from the store can be a real budget saver. A friend of mine, who was moving into a new house this time last year, told me that her family would not have had Christmas cookies at all without these ideas so be sure to check them out!

PS - there are also TONS of recipes here on the site! Go to the "Looking for something?" box in the right side column, and browse to your heart's content!

Also, are you following me on Facebook? If not, click the little icon in the right side column. You'll get to see what I find inspiring posted there, including lots of craft projects and recipe ideas. Trust me, you'll want to see these!

And finally, be sure to do some crafting for charity this holiday season. Remember our January Craftivism Challenge where we made pillowcases for the American Patchwork and Quilting Million Pillowcase Challenge? I'm making pillowcases this time around to send to victims of Hurricane Sandy who are in homeless shelters. If you're going to be stuck in one for a long time, I think having a little something - ANYTHING - that makes it feel more like a home has to be at least a little morale booster. Something to let them know we are all thinking about and praying for them. I've got 4 done so far waiting to be shipped, with more planned. If you'd like to know where I'm sending mine, please email me or message me on Facebook.

I also took advantage of the Black Friday sale at JoAnn's and bought several pairs of $1 gloves and mittens, and a bunch of fleece, which I made into scarves. These will be on their way to New York with the pillowcases. Want to make the easiest scarf ever? Take a yard of fleece, cut it into 12" wide strips across the width of the fabric. Remove selvedges, and cut slits every 1/2" along that short edge. I made mine about 3" deep. This is project that kids can help with - a great way to practice scissor skills and measuring!

And, in case you don't hear from me for a while...

I'm in the work room, creating a REALLY REALLY REALLY BIG project. I'll share more later, as soon as I have more details. You will absolutely LOOOOOOVE it!

So see you soon!

(did I mention that you can take a stroll through some of the really awesome recipes just by using the search box?)

HACKED!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:08:00 +0000

My email for Suburban Prairie Homemaker has been hacked! If anyone receives an email from me, please delete it - DO NOT OPEN IT! It could contain viruses! Please be safe and careful, and I apologize for any inconvenience!

Easy Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:28:00 +0000

How to make a silk purse from a sow's ear...

So I realized that I was out of gluten free cornbread mix, and I got to looking through some of my mom's old cookbooks. Basically, cornbread is just yellow cake with cornbread. Well, maybe a little bit more than that, but you get the gist of it. This is when it pays to KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS! That way, when you see a recipe, you can find ways to make it with something on your pantry shelf.

SPH Gluten Free Cornbread
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. Grease it WELL! Combine cake mix and cornmeal in a mixer bowl. Add melted butter, and mix well to combine. Beat in eggs and buttermilk until batter is smooth. Pour into pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes, til tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, and serve.

Want to serve it warm? You'll want to let it cool completely, then reheat it. I know that seems redundant, but gluten free products need that extra time out of the oven to finish doing what they are supposed to do.

Out of buttermilk? Use yogurt or a combo of milk and sour cream. You can also culture your own soured milk by placing 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 cup of milk. To speed this process, I put mine in a glass measuring cup near the back of the stove when I'm preheating my oven. I also made this recently for a potluck with Blue Bonnet Light (brand) margarine and water because one of the guests had dairy issues. It still came out really yummy.

With Thanksgiving coming up, this would be great for cornbread stuffing. It's also fantastic with any "down home" type meal.

Enjoy!

Election Day - GO VOTE!

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Today is Election Day!

Go vote!

If the line is long, wait.

Think of the folks who sat and waited at the lunch counters down south.

If it's raining and cold, wear extra layers and take an umbrella.

Think of the folks who had fire hoses turned on them.

If it seems inconvenient, do it anyway.

Think of the women in Afghanistan who were tortured for voting.

If you feel intimidated by how complicated the ballot can be,

imagine staring down a tank in Egypt.

Get to the polls.

Find a way.

Call a neighbor or a friend and take them with you.

No excuses, people!

Puppy Rescue Mission Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Princess and I made some items to donate to this wonderful charity. Go check it out! Here are the deets from my friend, Kaydee:

The Auction is NOW OPEN!!!! Click this link to take you directly to the auction!

How to bid:

1. "Like" Help Bring Leonidas Home From Afghanistan's Facebook Page
2. Click Photos
3. Click Photo Albums
4. Click Double Double Toil Trouble PRM Auction Album
5. Read over the rules on picture number 2 and agree to them

6. Bid Bid Bid!
*please note that 100% of proceeds go DIRECTLY to The Puppy Rescue Mission*

Thank you all for either donating or showing interest to donate! If you were not able to donate for this auction we still ask if you can please help us spread the word on this auction and help up surpass the last auction!!! (Our goal is$6,500) We can do it, but only with your help!!!!

PAW SALUTE!

And while you're on Facebook, be sure to like the Suburban Prairie Homemaker page!

Happy Monday, all!

Gluten Free French Onion Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I'll admit - this is one that I really hated giving up when we all went gluten free.

This past weekend, our neighbor traded me some chard and leeks from his garden for some kale from ours. I immediately thought "French onion soup" because leeks are one of the main ingredients, and this would be a chance to try my hand at a gluten free version of one of my all-time favorite soups. French onion soup is always so hearty and rich. It really warms you up from the inside out, and keeps you warm on blustery days like we've had this week from the leftovers of Sandy. And even though it's a bit time consuming, it's really rather simple to make, especially with some staples from your pantry.

SPH Gluten Free French Onion Soup
A few tablespoons of olive oil
A few tablespoons of butter
2 small-ish leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into fairly narrow slices
5 medium onions, sliced into narrow half-moons
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use the kind from the jar)
1-2 teaspoons dried thyme - to taste
1 quart beef stock (I use Pacific brand Organic Beef Broth)
Gluten free bread slices, either toast on the side like the photo or use slices of a gluten free baguette
Melty cheese of your choice - I used mozzarella because that's what I had on hand, but traditionally gruyere or Swiss is used - figure on a generous handful of shredded cheese per bowl

In a large soup pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the butter, and allow it to melt. Lower the heat, add the leeks and onions, and stir. Continue stirring occasionally, every few minutes, until leeks and onions are completely wilted down. To like a third of their original size. By cooking these low and slow you release the starches from the vegetables, which will help thicken the soup a little bit. Now add the garlic and thyme. Stir for a minute or two to warm the garlic and thyme through. Add the stock and stir well. Simmer just until the stock starts to reduce. Sorry, I don't have a time for this. It's an eyeball-it kind of thing. Serve in individual bowls with melted cheese and crusty bread. If you really want to get fancy, put the bowls of soup on a cookie sheet. Top each with a baguette and cheese, and stick under your broiler for just a few minutes, until cheese is melted.

This one is definitely worth the time - enjoy!

Hurricane Sandy

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone on the East Coast today, and we're hoping for everyone's safety. God bless our first responders and keep them safe.

Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Quick and simple. Easy and delicious. Gluten free and oh so healthy for you!

Ironically, in a summer of record-setting heat, my kale has grown better than anything else I planted in my garden. Kale prefers things on the cooler side, so if anyone can tell me why THIS would be the ultimate kale-growing year at the Suburban Prairie Home, that would be really nice.

Typically, we grow kale to help feed our rabbits. It's one of their favorites, and in return, as their way of thanking us, they make lots and lots of "fertilizer pellets". Aka "bunny beans". You get the idea. One packet of seeds usually lasts us a few years, so I literally get a good amount of organic kale for pennies. I just need to keep it weeded, watered, and plant zinnias nearby to help keep the cabbage loopers away.

This year, I decided to try to cook some for us. Princess had found a recipe she thought sounded good, and I had also seen a brief description of one by an online friend at Mary Jane's Famgirl site. And believe me, these are not hard. Or time consuming. Nothing but delicious.

Most sauteed greens recipes follow a very similar method. Once you learn the method, you can switch up the ingredients as you want, based on your own tastes and what you have on hand. Start by heating some oil in a pan. Add some diced onions and garlic, and a little bit of liquid. Then, add your greens, cover with a lid, turn off the heat, and allow the greens to wilt down. Be sure they stay a bright green for maximum nutrition.

So let's make some kale!

SPH Yummy Cranberry Kale Recipe
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use the kind from the jar), to taste
1 cup chicken stock (I use Pacific Brand organic free range chicken broth)
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (aka "Craisins")
Kale - enough to make about 4 cups sliced into @1/2" strips
Chopped walnuts

Heat oil over medium heat in large saute pan. Add diced onion, and heat through til nearly translucent. Add garlic and stir. Add chicken stock and cranberries. Cover, and allow cranberries to plump up - about 5 minutes. Add sliced kale, cover, and turn off heat. Allow to stand about 5-7 minutes - til kale has wilted down and is still a very vibrant green. Remove lid. Stir well to combine kale with cranberries and flavored oil. Toss with walnuts and serve warm.

So let's talk method again. Use currants and chard instead of cranberries and kale. I make something very similar to this with those two ingredients, and I start with browning up some bacon pieces for extra flavor in the oil. No walnuts? Use almonds or pecans. Use bok choy and collards, and omit the fruit and nuts entirely. These are especially good with a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos.

This would be a delicious side to some sunny-side-up eggs and toast. I have also received requests to make this as a side for Thanksgiving. No matter how you try it, you really can't go wrong. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Another pumpkin craving...

I love pumpkin cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. Like looooooooooove it! Something about the darkness of the chocolate always brings out the best in the cheesecake.

So I decided to try my hand at combining brownies with the pumpkin cheesecake for a deeper chocolate layer. And it had to be pumpkin. And of course it had to be gluten free.

Here's what I came up with:

SPH Gluten FreePumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
1 Gluten Free Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 cake pan. Grease it really well.

Make brownies according to package directions with 2 eggs and butter. Spread batter in cake pan.

In your blender, combine pumpkin, cream cheese, 1 egg, and sugar. Blend til creamy and smooth. I tried doing this in the mixer, and no matter how hard I tried, I always ended up with lumps of cream cheese. Trust me - use the blender.

Carefully pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter. Swirl with a knife. I did circles across, back and forth, all the way down the length of the pan. Then, I pulled the knife in a straight line, up and down, along the length of the pan. Like cutting brownies, but mixing the batter. This process will give you your swirls.

Bake this baby for about 40-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then cut into bars or squares, and serve.

These are rich and decadent, but also quick and simple, easy and delicious. Make some for your family (or Bible study or a neighbor) today!

Enjoy!

This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.

Gluten Free Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:11:00 +0000

A special treat for a dear friend!

You've heard me mention from time to time about how we get our meat and eggs from a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. Let me tell you - there is NOTHING that is so good as far as quality and taste. This is the way things are supposed to taste!

Well, over the past couple of years that we've belonged, I've developed such a fondness and friendship for Farmer Dave and his beautiful wife, the lovely Robin. It always does my heart good to spend a while chatting with them on pickup day. We talk food, farming and gardening, kids, and just really enjoy some good fellowship!

Robin confided in me one Saturday that she was looking for a particular recipe. Something she and her family have really missed. See, they're gluten free, too. So I promised I'd see what I could do. I read bunches of recipes on allrecipes.com Guess what - they all start with a CAKE MIX! That's when I knew we could come up with something, and here it is.

SPH Gluten Free Texas Sheet Cake
1 Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devils Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup water
1 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 can milk chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a mixer bowl, and beat til well combined. Line a jelly roll pan, or large cookie sheet with sides, with foil. Pour batter onto foil, and place in oven. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or til tester inserted in center comes out clean. When done, allow to cool for about 8-10 minutes. You want the cake still slightly warm, but it also needs to cool a bit to maintain its structure. You certainly don't want a crumbly mess! Carefully plop bits of frosting on top of the cake and spread evenly. This makes that shiny glaze-like frosting. Feel free to use as much frosting as your heart or your family desires. When completely cool, cut into big squares, and enjoy!

So when we were doing our taste testing, Princess added some chopped pecans on top of hers. Super delicious! Which got me to thinking...

Sprinkle the top of the frosting with chopped pecan pieces, then drizzle with some melted caramel sundae topping. Now you have turtle sheet cake.

Or...

Instead of water, use coffee - espresso sheet cake.

Add peppermint extract, frost with white frosting and top with candy cane pieces - candy cane sheet cake.

See where I'm going with this?

You can do just as much with a Texas sheet cake as any other cake. The possibilities are only limited by what's in your pantry!

And if you're interested, and live in Northern Illinois, be sure to click the Walnut Acres button in the right hand column. This will send you straight to the CSA website for more information.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.

The Great Bokashi Experiment

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:00:00 +0000

A topic that was a question from a friend in a composting class I took - you know what they say about curiosity and cats?

So the whole group of us was ready to start our composting class earlier this summer. All of us anxiously waiting to hear how to begin composting if we had not started already, improve what we were already doing if we were composting, or add vermicomposting (composting with worms) to our "portfolio" of gardening skills.

And my friend asks "Will we be learning about bokashi?"

You would not believe how fast everyone was scribbling that word in their notes to look up online later!

What is bokashi? According to all the websites that feature information about it, bokashi means "fermented waste" in Japanese. This is not like most forms of composting, where food is broken down by fungi, bacteria, etc. aerobically, meaning in an oxygen-rich environment. No no no. Bokashi composting ferments your waste anaerobically, as in without oxygen. Or as close to it as possible.

And yes, your food waste ferments. Actually, it's cultured. Like yogurt. But with food scraps.

So I started doing my own research. There are lots and lots and lots of sites online, and videos on YouTube. I will warn you that some of these are produced by folks who grow - shall we say - "medicinal herbs". SPH is a family-friendly show, so I just want to give you a heads-up on that one.

You can buy expensive buckets to contain your waste, and also bran, which is what contains the micro-organisms (EM) that will be fermenting your scraps. I found this article that describes how to make your own from newspapers and water from rinsing rice, and I found a compromise idea for my own bucket.

Several weeks ago, I posted our own little trash experiment. There is one number that didn't make it into the data I shared with you. Newspaper. We get our local paper once a week, and Hubby and I gladly take copies from others that would normally be recycled. We use them as the "potty area" for our disabled rabbit who can no longer hop into his litter box. In the spring and summer, I gladly reuse these pre-fertilized papers in the garden. However, Northern Illinois really only has a 6-month growing season, which means for half the year, bags of soiled newspapers from our house head to the landfill. While we only get rid of the bags once a month, these bags still weigh probably about 20-30 pounds each. Because of the strong acid in our bunny's urine, I can't use them in the worm bins. They cannot be recycled. So off they go.

After reading the newspaper bokashi article, I knew we had a solution, and here's what I came up with...

Start with a 5-gallon bucket. These are inexpensive and readily available. You probably have one in your garage.

Measure up from the bottom about 2-3".

Fill that bottom space with newspaper. I filled my bucket with bunny newspapers. This will absorb any excess liquids from your food wastes.

Sprinkle bran over the top of the newspapers. Just a couple of handfuls. I bought my bran on Amazon. Until I get more confident in this process, I'm planning on buying the bran. For now. But not forever. It's not cheap. Add your food scraps on top of the bran.

Which food scraps, you ask? Anything and everything. Meat. Dairy. Vegies. Bones. Dairy. Oily foods. Salty foods. In the photo above, I have leftover chicken pieces including bones from making some wings, vegie scraps, used paper napkins. Like I said, anything and everything.

Then, cover your food scraps with another couple handfuls of bran, and another layer (@ 1/2") of newspaper. For us, that's one section of bunny papers. On top of the papers, I place an old ceramic plate, and press it down firmly to remove as much air as possible. Remember, anaerobic means without oxygen. To keep things packed down, I use an old landscaping brick on top of the plate. And finally, I seal with a lid. Managing that lid is the hardest part. You may wish to invest in one of the screw-on types. I will warn you that they are almost 4 times the price of a regular lid, so adjust your project budget according to your patience level.

Only open your bucket at the most once a day. I've been "feeding" mine every other day. And no, there's no real smell to it. Remember, it's not rotting, it's fermenting. The first few days, it smelled somewhere between sweet pickles and sauerkraut. Yesterday, it smelled like mayonnaise. Just keep covering with a few handfuls of bran and another layer of newspaper every time until your bucket is full.

We have been adding to our bucket for a week now. It is only half-full. When it's all the way full, we'll leave it covered and let it set for about 2 weeks, or until a nice white layer of moldy-type stuff forms across the top. Before we seal it that final time, I plan on switching out the plate for a pizza circle and removing the brick.

And then, when that batch is done, I'll bury it in my garden. The micro-organisms in the garden can then work their miracles, and incorporate this waste into the soil.

This may seem like a lot of steps for composting. And you're right, compared to regular composting with leaves, lawn clippings and vegetable peels it is. It's even more involved than composting with the worms.

But...

This process will take at least 25 pounds a month of trash from our house out of the general waste stream, and turn them into compost for my garden. To me, that's a big deal, and totally worth it. It's no different than hauling that heavy bag (and the smaller kitchen bags) out to the trash, or our compostables outside to the compost pile. Especially in January when it's (usually) cold and icy.

Do your own research and check this out. You'll be surprised and amazed like I was. Find your own solution. Maybe it'll be the premade buckets with premade bran. Maybe you'll go totally DIY. Maybe you'll find a middle-ground, like I did.

No matter what, give it a look, and give it a try!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chip Cookies Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:28:00 +0000

Quick and simple. Easy and delicious. Chocolate and pumpkin. Who could ask for anything more?

My sister makes these wonderful pumpkin chip cookies. They are amazing. They are delicious. But alas they are not gluten free.

So I've had a real taste for these lately. Because it's October. And I'm suddenly hungry for anything pumpkin. What's a gluten free homemaker to do? Grab a box and a can out of her pantry - that's what!

SPH Gluten Free Pumpkin Chip Cookies
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, made per package instructions
1 cup pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350. Add pumpkin to cookie dough, stirring well to combine. Dough will be very soft. Drop by spoonful/scooperful onto greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from cookie sheet. Try not to devour the whole batch before sharing with spouse, children, etc.

These are delicious just like this. Not too sweet, but very cake-like for a very dessert feel to them. However, if you really want to play around with them...

Add some pumpkin pie spice. No more than 1/2 teaspoon. Chocolate and spices go very well together. Want them sweeter? Dust with powdered sugar either before they cool (for more of a glaze effect), or after they cool. Or, before baking, roll them in cinnamon/sugar.

No pumpkin? Fool your kids and use either leftover baked squash or sweet potatoes.

Enjoy!

This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.

Recipe Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:44:00 +0000

If you've noticed, we haven't had a whole lot of posts lately. Sorry about that. I have been back at work here, testing some new recipes, adapting some others, and have had what Bubba calls "recipe fail." After fail. After fail. After fail. So I promise, I've got lots of goodies up my sleeve, just can't seem to get them from the recipe to a plate.

Happy Friday, all!

Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pancake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:48:00 +0000

When you want something easy, fast and WARM on a chilly morning...

Bubba and I were in Gatlinburg, TN, one time, and we had the BEST Dutch apple pancake I'd ever eaten. It was so big, the two of us shared it. It was light and fluffy and ooooooh soooooo good! Thankfully, when I asked for the recipe, the server was gracious enough to provide it for me.

Then, in a moment of pure stupidity, it was recycled. I know.

I have had such a taste for this lately. A craving. That feeling of "I would chew through drywall to get one". So I did some web searching, and found this recipe for Apple Puff Pancake. It seemed pretty familiar, and of course, I made my own little tweaks.

SPH Dutch Apple Pancake
inspired by Apple Puff Pancake on allrecipes.com
3 T. butter
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into roughly 1/4" slices
1/4 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

Put butter into a 9x9 baking pan. Set it in the oven, and turn the oven on to 425 to preheat.

While butter is melting and oven is preheating, whisk together pancake mix, sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture, and whisk until well combined and smooth.

Remove pan from oven when butter has fully melted. Spread the butter around the pan CAREFULLY with a brush or paper towel, then lay apple slices in the butter. I put mine in the pan in a pattern. They will float to the top during baking, and it looks nice when your finished product comes out of the oven. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Pour batter over top of the apples and sugar. Bake for about 35 minutes, or til tester comes out clean when inserted in center. Serve warm with powdered sugar, or as Princess suggests, whipped cream.

This looks like a dense cake, but it is really just so light and fluffy. You'll be really surprised. Also, it's not too sweet, so if you have someone in your house who prefers thinks on the more plain Jane side, this will suit them just fine.

When I made these, I did not use the cinnamon. We have people in my house who can't eat it. However, I LOOOOOOVE it, so if I made this just for me, I would throw it in. No cinnamon in your house? Substitute nutmeg (or do half and half cinnamon and nutmeg), apple pie spice, or even pumpkin pie spice. No apples in the house? Substitute a can of apple pie filling, and omit the brown sugar. Or use pears or peaches. And canned pears or peaches (drained please) would work equally as well. Dress this up for a brunch by making it in a deep dish pie pan or round cake pan, and slice into wedges before serving. Or for a family gathering, double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan. Remember to add extra baking time for this, and test the center for doneness.

Fill your home with warm apple-y goodness, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Spicy Black Bean Fritters Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 19:48:00 +0000

This recipe was originally a question from a friend that turned into an amazing lunch...

So this morning one of my dear friends sent me a message on Facebook asking how to make this recipe for Crispy Black Bean Fritters gluten free. Here's what I came up with...

SPH Gluten Free Spicy Black Bean Fritters
inspired by a recipe on Mia's Domain

1 1/2 c. Pamela's Baking Mix
1/2 c. cornmeal
2 T. dried minced onion
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. chili powder
Salt and/or pepper to taste
2 eggs, well beaten

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, well rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), patted dry with a paper towel and diced pretty small
A good size frying pan and enough oil to fill it up about 1"
2 soup spoons

In a large mixing bowl, combine baking mix, cornmeal, onion, garlic powder and chili powder. Add eggs and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in beans, tomatoes and bell pepper pieces.

Heat oil in pan til a small drop of batter sizzles and start to brown. Using one soup spoon, scoop some of the batter mixture from the mixing bowl. Slide the batter into the hot oil with the other spoon. Flatten the batter with a spatula. Repeat. In my pan, I was able to fit 4 fritters. Do not overcrowd your pan. The oil needs to be able to maintain a consistent temperature, and you need to be able to get a spatula in here and flip these babies. So let them fry away for 2 minutes, then flip them. They should be a nice even brown. Cook side B for about 2 minutes, too. Remove from oil, and place on a plate or platter that's been covered with paper towels or a cut-up brown paper grocery sack. Continue this procedure until all the batter has been used. Sprinkle with more salt if desired, and serve hot. And if you're interested, the original recipe has a creamy sauce that goes with the fritters. None of the food critics in my house felt they needed a sauce. The food critics in your house might like the sauce.

So let me add all the fun little side notes. When I made these for lunch today, I made them with bacon. I cooked the bacon first, drained off all but a tablespoon or two of the grease, then added enough olive oil to actually deep fry the fritters. The original recipe used fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Since I had no fresh tomatoes or pepper in the house, the stuff on the pantry shelf had to do. Also, I find that the more wet stuff you add to a fritter (and fresh chopped vegies have a LOT of water in them), the more likely your fritters will fall apart when they meet the hot oil. Call me picky, but I like my fritters whole. So, I used dried minced onion and also garlic powder. I patted my bell pepper from a jar dry before dicing it, and drained my tomatoes really well. While I was cooking up the bacon, I let the beans and tomatoes continue to drain and dry up a bit in the colander in the sink.

Here's a little water saving tip, too - when you rinse your beans and tomatoes, use the water to rinse the cans they came in first, then dump that water over top of the beans and tomatoes. And shut the water off between filling the cans. Then, recycle the cans. And their lids. Every little bit helps.

These are very filling and delicious! A great way to have something fast, hot and yummy in a hurry using what you have on hand in your pantry - perfect for a weeknight vegetarian meal or appetizers for a party. Enjoy!

Fifteen Great Home School Ideas for Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:14:00 +0000

It's that time of year when there's a nip in the air in the morning, and soon the leaves will begin their annual art show. Here are some great ideas to do with your kids!

We always loved September and October when the kids were smaller. The weather was still fairly warm and sunny, and the local park was usually empty during the weekdays. Then, as the leaves began to change and drop, we still found ways to embrace Nature's bounty. These were some of our favorites:

Collect the leaves. Even if you do nothing else with them beyond walking around and picking them up, you are giving your kids a chance at some gross motor and fine motor skill use. Gross motor is using big muscles, like your legs. Fine motor is small muscles, like your fingers.
Press those leaves. I still find leaves from who knows how long ago in our big books and dictionaries.
Use the leaves to make rubbings. Just place a piece of paper over the leaves, then rub with a crayon. Also fun to do on the bark of the tree. Use compare/contrast words like rough and smooth.
Make leaf "stencils" onto dark construction paper with chalk. I found packages of black construction paper for a pretty reasonable price at my local teacher's store. Place your leaf on your dark paper, then rub over the whole paper with white or light colored chalk. Lift the leaf, and admire your stencil. Try this with other flat objects, too.
Measure your leaves, and the trees they came from. Use a ruler for the leaves, and a string and yardstick for the tree trunk. See if you can guess how tall each tree is using a child as a unit of measuring. For example, "I think this tree is 4 Bubbas tall" or "Wow! That's a big one! I'll bet it's 4 Dads high!"
Make leaf suncatchers. Cut a large rectangle from an old brown paper grocery bag, by cutting down one long edge, then removing the bottom. Cut 2 pieces of waxed paper big enough to cover each leaf and leave a little around the edges for a border. On your ironing board, lay the brown paper flat, then set one piece of waxed paper on the brown paper. Set your pressed leaf on the waxed paper, top with the other sheet of waxed paper, and fold the brown paper over the top of all, like a big leaf sandwich. Press with a hot iron for about 30 seconds, just to melt everything together. Allow to cool for about a minute, then carefully, peel back the brown paper. You can trim the edges using fun scissors, like scalloped or pinking shears. You can find these scissors for a very reasonable price in the scrapbooking section of your local craft store. Want to make it even more fun? Add crayon shavings over the leaf. Use a plastic knife and CAREFULLY scrape down the side of a crayon. Sprinkle the little bits on the leaf and/or empty waxed paper space. Melt as described above.
Nature hikes - and LOTS of them! Here's your chance to take advantage of the beautiful weather, get some good exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and have a blast! Choose parks in your area that you usually don't visit. State parks are particularly fun, because they usually encompass very specific ecosystems. What a great opportunity to discuss those ecosystems, food chains, plant and tree identification, and bird/animal identification. And speaking of birds...
Find out who migrates through your area, and put out bird feeders. Better yet, make some of your own with pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed. Grab a bird identification book, and learn TOGETHER with your kids how to use it. Learn some big vocabulary like migrate, flyway, adaptation, transient and resident, and many many more. Keep a bird journal to practice writing skills and observation skills.
Plan your garden for next year, and lay it out. What a great math activity - measuring, calculating square feet for planting and cubic feet for filling the space with soil. And while you're at it...
Start a Lasagna Garden bed. Read Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza WITH your kids, even if it's just looking at the diagrams and photos and reading the captions. Save your newspapers (and ask the neighbors to save theirs, too, if you need more), top them with lawn clippings and fallen leaves, and let them rot over the winter to create the garden space you planned together in number 6.
And start a compost pile. Fill it with fallen leaves and those last minute lawn clippings to get a head start on some great plant food for next spring and summer.
Rake leaves. Good exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and of course the best part - JUMPING INTO THE GREAT BIG PILES! Have leaf fights - throwing leaves back and forth at each other. Build leaf forts, or even a maze. Better yet, volunteer to rake for elderly and shut in folks you know who may not be able to do this for themselves.
Star gaze. On a clear night, find some dark space, and just admire God's handiwork in the heavens. Learn the constellations TOGETHER. Read the Greek myths that correspond to each of those constellations. Find out how to tell which way is north, using just the stars. See if you can find the constellation for your horoscope sign. Then, learn about stars and all things cosmic.
Find an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Learn about why apples and pumpkins are so nutritious, then make some yummy healthy treats from the items you bring home. This is also a great opportunity to discuss and practice kitchen safety, and by all means, find a way to let the little ones help safely somehow. The more engaged they are, the more they'll learn, especially if they can eat the results!
Come up with your own new family tradition. Create memories that will last a lifetime!

Embrace and enjoy this wonderful time of year!

What's Up These Days

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Hi, all!

Just a quick shout out to everyone to say hey, and hope you're all doing well.

Listen, I've been finding some really amazing stuff all over the net lately. Like lots and lots and lots of really easy inspiration for everything from gardening to kids crafts and more.

If you don't already follow me on Facebook, click on the little Facebook icon in the upper right hand column that says "Stay in Touch". It's been so much easier to just share these on my page, than to try to bring it all to you here. Plus, then you can pick and choose what projects interest you the most and save them for your own inspiration file. Yesterday, I posted over half a dozen cool finds from one site alone. It's worth your time to check them out!

Have a great day!

More About the Environmental R's - Recycle

noreply@blogger.com (Suburban Prairie Homemaker) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Couldn't bring you this post without some serious data first, and now here it is!!!

I decided to see just where we were in our own home with what we put out every week with trash, recyclables, and compost. This past week was just an average week, so I'm using it as a baseline. Let me share this information with you, and then we can play with some numbers.

Trash - 11.7 pounds
Recycling - 10.6 pounds
Compost - 7 pounds

Last week I shared with you a whole lot of numbers related to my home town. Let's use those numbers again with the numbers above. I told you we'd keep 528,008 pounds of food waste out of the landfill if every household would compost just one pound of that food waste a week for a year. When you bump that number up to our 7 pounds, it becomes mind-boggling. Now, hopefully, you've had your coffee this morning, and you are sitting down. Try this on for size: 3,696,056. And that's pounds my friends. Remember our cute little garbage truck? Those hold 22,000 pounds of trash. That 3 million-ish pounds of food waste that has been composted now takes 168 of those trucks off the road a year. At 8,600 gallons of fuel per year per truck, we'd also save 1,444,800 of fuel. Not bad for a town of roughly 30,000 people!

Now, our town is notorious for not recycling, even though we have a great curbside service offered to us. If all of us recycled 10 pounds/week, we'd recycle 5,280,080 pounds a year. These are materials that can be reused in some way. And each pound really adds up. For example, 1 ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees. Our little town could EASILY do a ton a week. Easy peasy. And here's why. We have about 10,000 households. Multiply that by 1 pound a week and you get 10,000 pounds. That's 5 tons. That's 85 trees. A week. And that's 4,420 trees a year!

And that's just our little town...

So I want to remind you about the other half of recycling, which is buying products made from recycled materials. When you read the labels on products for ingredients, start checking for post-consumer content in the packaging as well. Glass bottles always have a very high post-consumer content. Buy products in glass bottles when you can. Reuse those containers when possible, and recycle the rest. Fortunately, newsprint and cereal boxes generally contain at least some recycled content. The boxes in my pantry all say 35% post-consumer content. Which is a good start. And did you know that aluminum cans have about 50% post-consumer content? Every can that's recycled saves enough energy to run your TV for 4 hours. And using recycled aluminum reduces the amount of raw materials needed for production by 95% and energy needed for production by 90%.

I told you - the numbers are all mind-boggling...

This makes a great math and science project for the kiddos. Have them start tracking the amounts in your home. By tracking the numbers for a month (or longer if they are interested), they can learn about data collection and trends, gross, net and tare weight measurements, and more. They can learn to break the data into more or less sets to suit their interests. Maybe do it with a group of friends and have a contest.

Week #2 data starts for us today. We'll see where we are again next week. Hopefully you'll join us, and have fun!