I thought it was almost too beautiful to eat! We did eat it though and it tasted almost as good as it looked. It was Strawberry Rhubarb. I wanted to get the bags of strawberries and rhubarb out of the freezer so I made more strawberry jam and made up some pies to freeze. I don’t know why I’ve always been intimidated by lattice crust – it was so easy. Mmm mmm mmm. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie 4 cups rhubarb (sliced in small pieces or diced) 2 cups sliced strawberries 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch (or preferred thickener) 2 tablespoons lemon juice small dash nutmeg generous few dashes of cinnamon Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Pour in to 9 inch pie crust. Top with a second crust (try the lattice – it’s easy!). Beat a small egg and use a pastry brush to coat the top crust. Cover the rim with foil or a pie shield. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Drop the temperature to 375 F and bake for another 50-60 minutes. Remove the shield or foil for the last 10-15 minutes. Be sure to place a cookie sheet or pizza pan under the
Continue readingMonth: July 2010
How I Clean My Couch in 60 Seconds
This is part of Works for Me Wednesday. I picked up this handy “dog hair remover brush” at Walmart (eww) probably over a year ago. With 4 dogs and a cat in the house I am always looking for alternatives to those disposable sticky rollers. I really hit the jackpot with this one. The label claims that the brush consists only of natural rubber. The bristles are very flexible and their is a little shield on the underside. I use it our couches, both of which are suede. I use sweep it over the couch in short, quick strokes. I start on the top and then do the back, arms, and finally the cushions and the front. The hair flies right off. It also gets rid of any wood shavings from the rabbit cage and any bits of dirt that were carried up by our socks. I brush the couches once or twice a week before I vacuum. It also works great on the pillows. I have used it a little on clothes. How well it works depends on the fabric. Things with a longer nap like corduroy work best. It does not work as well for regular flat fabric
Continue readingA good look at…my teeth!
I’ve mentioned before that I’d like to share some of the steps I’m taking to prepare for starting a family. While this may seem unrelated, one of the first things I’m doing is reevaluating my dental care routine. Why worry about my teeth now? According the the American Dental Hygienists’ Association an estimated 75% of Americans reportedly have some form of periodontal disease. Women with periodontal disease may be at three to five times greater risk of preterm birth than those who are periodontally healthy. Poor dental health has been linked again and again to cardiovascular disease due to the transmission of bacteria from the mouth through the bloodstream and the subsequent build up on the valves of the heart. Statistics aside, why else is this a good time to consider good dental care? Simply put, I want to teach my future children good dental habits. I want that twice a day brushing and flossing to come natural to them. I need to get in a better routine myself and the time to do it is not going to be when I am chasing after a toddler. Plus, pregnancy itself can affect dental health. Some women claim to have more
Continue readingBreakfast at the Farm
Last Sunday we had breakfast at the farm after church instead of going out to a restaurant. I really enjoyed hosting! My family is about an hour away so I’ve rarely had the chance to host anything. I added an extra leaf (leave?) to the table an everything! Funny thing about those flowers… I picked them out by our grain bins. This year I got a little behind on the weed whacking and it turns out some of those weeds produce flowers if you let them grow long enough. I don’t know if they’re really weeds or flowers but they’re pretty so I’m letting them stay. 🙂 Brian’s Mom and Grandpa joined us. It’s so nice to spend church and breakfast with our family all around us! I’m very glad we had Grandpa out for breakfast because he’s been in the hospital this past week. At age 94, we’re trying hard to cherish every moment. He’s still quick as can be and won’t hesitate to give you a punch on the arm. My Mom and sister moved out here a few weeks ago. It is so cool to have them nearby – they’re only about 3 miles away!! That sure
Continue readingHousekeeping Trouble Spots
Our house is gradually looking better for longer periods of time since I’ve settled in to a cleaning routine. I still rarely make it through the week without missing at least one scheduled day of cleaning but things still look pretty good. However, I have noticed there are a few areas of our home that are constantly cluttered and looking terrible. I have some ideas on how to tackle these areas and I’ll be sharing my solutions as I implement them. I’m even going to be brave and share a few pictures. To start out, here are the Top 5 Trouble Spots in my home: Recycling: There is a counter top about a foot wide between our sink and kitchen door. Our cutlery sits there in a wooden block. Flattened cardboard and paper gets tucks behind the block. Can and bottles pile up in front of the block. Eventually, the papers get so high that you can’t see the light switch. Shortly after that, the whole collection tumbles to the ground and fills the doorway. At that point I gather it all up and stomp downstairs to put it where it goes. Arggg!! Specific problem: The recycling bins are not
Continue readingSunday Stroll: Hay
Head over to Quiet Country House to see who else is strolling today.
Continue readingOprah’s Debt Diet: I’m Not Impressed
Yesterday happened to be my short day at work and I made a point to be home in time for Oprah’s Debt Diet (Part 4, I think). I generally like Oprah and was curious to see what her plan was all about. She has the ability to influence a great number of people so I was hoping her plan would lead them in the right direction. I was disappointed. If you aren’t familiar with her plan go check out the steps, then come back and we’ll talk it over. Before I tear it apart, I will admit that her plan probably has more potential to be followed by the masses than Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps. Mostly because it is much less drastic. She supports the use of credit and suggests people maintain and groom their credit scores. That jives well with today’s cultural addiction to The Great FICO (gag). My greatest objection to the Debt Diet (DD) is simple: I don’t feel that it leads people to a state of financial peace. It is not specific enough. At the end of the DD’s Step 8 you would ideally have a handle on your spending, have low interest rates on your
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