Stuff

We have been on the 'warpath' around here against clutter!  This has been in the making for a little while now but it just recently started to actually happen! (=
 Quite a while ago (maybe a yr or so) I picked up a book at a thrift store on clutter control. For a while it became part of the clutter! :/ But then one day I started to read it... and then read more... and then other books... and blogs... and 'googled' clutter control. All by moms who have or are having success in the clutter control area. Of course these moms had to be good mothers and wives with sound principles or their clutter control ideas were carefully handled! (Taken with a pill) Not that clutter control has anything major to do with principles (??it might??) but I don't want to shirk my family for the 'spotless' house! Or spend to much of my husbands hard earned money!!!
 So now we are living a rather different life then we once were and that is what I am sharing! (=
 The very first thing I had to figure out was to 'eat that frog'! Or to do the job I dread the most FIRST before any other jobs! I highly recommend the Eat That Frog book written by Brian Tracy. Even tho it might not be about clutter it still helps! (=
 Also, use the 'slight edge' on everything. It doesn't have to all be done today but a little here and a little there must be done every day! And then maintained. Everyday.
 Involve the children. Ask for ideas (and use them). Praise them at least 5 times for every correction you must give. And do a little here, a little there, everyday!
 And draw every day from God Who gives us the strength to be Mothers! (=
 Clutter control is just that. Controlling clutter! In my case with my tiny house that meant getting rid of it! At first it was hard but now 'things' get thrown out or given away quite happily because after all the only 'things' I get to keep when Jesus comes back is my husband and children! (=
 So my encouragement to you is, if you don't like clutter and you DO like to be organized then you CAN do it!! (= I was one of the most disorganized 'phlegs' ever! So start reading and motivating yourself and let yourself go! (=

Homemade Ketchup

You will need:

1 Lg Kettle

2 quart jars with lids

bender

 2 1/2 quarts tomato juice

3/4 cup red wine vinegar (the other recipe called for reg but I thought it seems to strong?)

1 Lg Onion

2 Tbsp sea salt

1/2tsp plus 1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

2 1/2 cups sugar (I didn't have raw on hand so used refined)

Clear jell or cornstarch

Quarter the onion and put in the blender. Cover with tomato juice and blend well. Pour onion and rest of tomato juice into the kettle and add salt and spices.

Cook down till it seems a lot like ketchup.(I don't know how long that takes as I had to turn mine off in the middle of cook down to go pick up Steve) Add the sugar and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Thicken with Clear Jell to however thick you want it!

Cool.

Pour into jars.

Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

(=

Ranch Dressing Dip

You will need:

 One SlowCooker

1/2gallon milk

1/2 cup live yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

1 pkg Knox gelatin OR 1 tbsp plain gelatin

Lg cloth to fix in and drape over a gallon sized bowl

1 Gallon sized bowl

String to tie the cloth and hang it

Blanket or several towels

 You will be making yogurt first and with yogurt it is best to use glass or ceremic.

 Measure out 1/2 cup milk into sm bowl. Pour rest of milk in slowcooker. Cover and turn to low. Set timer for 2 and 1/2 hrs.

When timer goes unplug cooker and reset timer for 3 hrs.

 Meanwhile add gelatin to 1/2cup milk. Measure out sugar. And place yogurt in a 2 cup or larger bowl. Set all aside.

 When the 3 hrs is up add 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the yogurt, whisk together. whisk sugar, gealtin mixture and yogurt into hot milk. Recover and tuck blanket or towels over the cooker. Leave for at least 8 hrs or overnight.

 If you start this at 3:30 in the afternoon it will be ready to 'put to bed' at @9 pm.

Line gallon bowl with cloth. And place string and bowl close to where you wanna hang it.

 When yogurt is ready,eat as much as you want (= As long as you dont eat it all! LOL

 Pour it into the cloth lined bowl and gather up all the corners,tie tightly with string and hang above bowl for @12 hrs.

 So if you want this dip for sunday lunch start it friday afternoon and it should be done sat afternoon. (=

At the end of 12 hrs flip the 'cheese' in the cloth into a bowl. Pour whey into jar to use in smoothies and shakes,refridgerate both till ready to use.

 If you are using the 'cheese' for dip right away, you will need:

1/2 cup of the 'cheese'

2 med cloves garlic

1 tsp dried minced chives

1/8tsp dried dill weed

3-4 dashes black pepper

1/4-1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt)

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp onion powder or minced dried onion

If it's to stiff add a little yogurt

Whisk well and refridgerate at least one hr.

 If you need the size you buy at the store increase this recipe 4 times to use 2 cups of the 'cheese'. 

Lemon Meringue Pudding

Lemon Custard

1/4 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp flour

juice and yest of one lemon OR 3tbsp LemonReal

3 egg yolks (save whites)

Cream butter and sugar in top of double boiler. Add milk,water,rind(if using),lemon juice,flour and egg yolks. Cook in double boiler til custard coats the back of a spoon,whisking all the while. ( I like to cook extra long rather than to little)

Pour custard into dish and cool.

Meringue

 3 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar til frothy and then add sugar one tsp at a time. Beat til peaks form.

Spread on cooled pudding and broil in oven till brown,watching closely!

Cool and eat! (=

 This can also be put in prebaked and cooled pie shell!

TO READ OR NOT TO READ

I have had others tell me they don't have time to read or they don't like to read. From what I have learned in the past two yrs I don't have time NOT to read! For 15 minutes a day I set my timer (optional) and read. Something that will help me grow into the person I feel God wants me to be! A wife and mother or whatever else. Right now I am reading the book Aspire by Kevin Hall. It is good and gets me to thinking! Also reading a few verses from the Bible during my reading time is essential to a women filled with Grace and Beauty. As to not liking to read,well..... I HATE to wash the dishes but I do it every day and am a better woman because of discipline (I hope) (= I haven't 'achieved' by no means,tho!
I know not everyone is called to the same task so dream big, set goals, read anything you can that will help you and LETS GO! (=

Genshai

Genshai (GEN~shy) means to never treat another in such a way as to make them feel small. Hmmm, new word to me! And do I use it in my daily life? Not the word but the meaning of the word!?
 It would be offering my child a glass of water,stooping to his level and offering with love and a smile, when he asks for it. It is similar to the word Charity but is Charity done with love and respect.
 It is believing that we are all brothers (regardless of race or age,created by the same God) and acting on that.
 We can serve others,that's what life is all about, but do we treat ourselves with respect? I must respect myself before I can respect others! The way I feel about myself will tell in the way I treat others!
 Note to self; Genshai has no part of selfishness in it!
 Live, LOVE and be blessed!