Feb 12, 2010 | Appetizers & Snacks, Recipes, Uncategorized
I LOVE sesame sticks. They are so expensive though, and not as easy to find here as I’d like them to be. I can get them in bulk at Whole Foods, but it’s a 20 minute drive to get there (and they are still expensive!)
I found this recipe online at RedChiles (a really cool food blog!) and tried it this past weekend.
They are great!
So EASY and CHEAP to make!
I doubled the recipe, and didn’t have the chili pepper powder to add. Plus added a few things which I’ll list on my recipe below. (My recipe also reflects the doubling and extra stuff…)
Next batch I make I’m not going to put as much garlic powder either, they were SOOO garlicky (and this coming from a major garlic lover!) I guess you can add any flavorings you prefer, or cheese…
Sesame Sticks
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Oats
- 2 cups all purpose flour*
*I used about 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of baby rice cereal plus 1/2 cup of wheat germ)
- 8 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Sesame seeds (I think I added a bit more for fun)
- 4 tsp garlic powder (Next time I’ll only use 1 or 2)
- 2 tsp sugar (I might leave this out too, just because I’m trying to watch sugars)
- Salt per taste
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 cup water
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Coarsely powder the oats (I used a small food processor,) then take a bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients including sesame seeds and mix well.
- Melt the butter and add to the above mixture. This will form a bread crumb like consistency.
- Add water little by little and knead to stiff dough. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into smaller portions.
- Then take small balls of dough and place it in between 2 greased waxed-paper sheets. Apply pressure and make it into flat disc. Remove the top cover and with the tip of your hands flatten the dough and make it as flat as possible. (I used a rolling pin.)
- Using a knife or pastry cutter to cut into small strips. Repeat this process with the remaining dough as well.
- Place the strips on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are light brown.
- Turn them over and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool before snacking!
Yields: 80 sticks
Feb 10, 2010 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
I’ve always wanted to try this recipe from The Little House Cookbook. (Remember from Little House in the Big Woods when Ma helped Laura and Mary make this candy?)
Molasses-On-Snow Candy
For 3/4 lb. of candy you need:
Dark molasses, 1 cup
Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup
Fill pie pans full of clean snow and keep outside until time.
Combine molasses and brown sugar in saucepan (2 qt.) don’t use smaller as it will boil up.
Bring to a boil. On medium heat cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
After 5 minutes you can test using a drop in a glass of hot water to see when it forms a firm ball.
(I just use a candy thermometer and wait til it gets 245 degrees F. Remove from heat. Pour into 2 small
heatproof pitchers (I didn’t have any so used my measuring cup, which didn’t work all that great.)
Fetch pans of snow and pour hot syrup onto cold surfaces. When hardened break into bite sized pieces!
I was thinking it would taste like maple syrup candy, but it really doesn’t. Sort of like a hard caramel, pretty good but sticks to your teeth! 🙂
Feb 1, 2010 | Green Living, In-Edibles, Recipes
I just found this recipe for Natural Deodorant on this site.
I am so excited to try it as I know it will save bundles and I will know what’s in it!
You use your own empty stick deodorant containers (washed out.) I found a site once where you can order these new, but can’t find it now. If you know of it please let me know!
Natural Deodorant
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup baking soda
10 drops essential oil(they recommend tea tree or lavender)
Mix it all together(takes about 2 seconds)
you can use it just like that-dust it on as a powder
OR if you want to put it in a stick form you add
2-3 tbs coconut oil
you find it in the baking aisle by the shortening (also good as a skin cream and lip balm)
Once you have it all mixed up you pack it into an old, empty stick deoderant container.
Let “cure” about 24 hours for it to hold together properly when you apply it.
*Another recipe is HERE. (They say to use 1 part baking soda to 6 parts corn starch.)
Jan 31, 2010 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
Hot Cocoa Recipe
- Take a small saucepan and cover the bottom with turbinado sugar (you can use regular but I just like the taste of raw sugar.)
- Add about 2-3 Tablespoons of cocoa. (I use Penzey’s High Fat Content Natural Cocoa.) If you use Hershey’s or such you’ll need to add a Tablespoon or so more and also add a Tablespoon or two of butter. Also put in cinnamon if you’d like (I sprinkle a bit of Penzey’s Korinjite Cinnamon.)
- Stir the cocoa and sugar and water to cover, about a 1/2 a cup or so.
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat and immediately pour in milk to fill up pan (about 4 cups.)
- Add about 2 teaspoons of vanilla and heat til warm and stir with a whisk occasionally.
- Serve with whatever you like- a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle of cinnamon, marshmallows, (shot of Bailey’s or Kahlua for you stressed out folks!)
FY.I.
There are so many different hot cocoa recipes and variations.
If you use shaved or chopped up chocolate instead of cocoa it’s then called “hot chocolate!” Also good but I like the way the cocoa totally dissolves myself.
Did you know that “real” hot cocoa originated with the Aztecs? Some say it actually had chicken broth, wine, and hot peppers in it! I made it once to see what it was like and it was good, but different.
The Kuna indians in Panama drink 5 or more cups of hot cocoa a day! (They make it from fresh cocoa beans though…)
Cocoa
(There are small beans inside covered with a yummy white fruit- we used to love to get these as kids in Panama!)
I made these delicious cinnamon rolls this morning that my mom gave me the recipe for. So yummy!
Served with hot cocoa, just about perfect on a cold day!
Jan 25, 2010 | Green Living, In-Edibles, Uncategorized
Tub Scrub (I love this!)
In a mixing bowl pour about equal amounts of baking soda and borax.
(Maybe 2 cups each?)
Pour in some True Lemon powder (you can use True Orange or Lime also!)
just enough to scent the mix.
To use: Wet bathtub or sink. Sprinkle tub scrub in tub. Watch the fun! It bubbles when it gets wet!
Scrub and watch the sparkles! This smells yummy too.
Glass & General Purpose Cleaner
Both of these are subjective recipes too. (Sorry!)
I have some spray bottles I bought at Sam’s Club in a three pack.
I fill one up about two inches with vinegar (disinfectant,) then add about an inch of rubbing alcohol (disinfectant and makes it dry faster,) then add a few drops of tea tree oil and fill the rest to the line with water. To make it more of a general cleaner I add a tablespoon of Borax and let dissolve (makes icky stuff come off counters better.) To be just a glass cleaner you can actually use all vinegar, but I like the mix of the alcohol and vinegar- just think it works better.
This works great on almost every surface (except nice wood.)
Hope you like these as much as I do! If you have some good ones to share please comment!
Jan 21, 2010 | Green Living, In-Edibles, Recipes, Uncategorized
This is a great recipe for playdough!
4 cups of flour
1 cup salt
4 cups water
4 Tablespoons oil
1/2 cup of cream of tartar (I get my from Penzey’s.com- much cheaper!)
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low/med. heat until dough is completely
formed and no longer sticky. Allow to cool a bit before putting in a bag or tight container to store.
*You can add food coloring, kool-aid (for smell and color,) I usually put True Lemon in it to give it a nice scent. This recipe lasts a LONG time (as long as your kids put it away!)
