Honey Face Wash

Over the last few months I have been on a quest to remove nasty chemicals from our bathing products. I was wary at first because I assumed that nothing would be able to measure up to the chemical laden products I had been using.  Over the last few months I have tried making/using SO many different body products.  This week I’m going to give you my findings, and honestly some of them surprised me!Let’s start with my face routine. I have never truly had an issue with acne or breakouts. The breakouts I did have were few and centered around my period.  When I first threw out chemicals I tried making my own exfoliating face scrub. And it was good, but still not exactly what I wanted. I felt like it just left my face slightly too oily and it didn’t truly feel clean to me when I was done. So back to my internet research I went. I found a bunch of suggestions on face cleansers, but one I kept coming back around to was: raw organic Honey.Yes, you read that right, raw organic HONEY. In my head I was going…this is something to put in TEA, why am I going to put this on my face?!?! But being curious I tried it. OH. MY. WORD! This stuff is AMAZING! The honey that I found still has bits of the honeycomb inside the jar so I get a slight exfoliation (which is super important to me).Using the raw honey I have noticed that my face needs less moisturizer after I’m done. Typically two or three drops of Grapeseed Oil do the trick for me. My face feels fresh and clean after every application. I haven’t had any trouble with breakouts and my face feels fantastic.Now you may ask: How does one go about using honey as a face wash? Well here is what works for me. About five minutes before I take a shower I take about a tablespoon of honey from the jar an smear it evenly over my face. I let it sit for a few minutes to sink in then hop in the shower! It comes right off with warm water and even if I accidentally get it in my hair it comes right out.I totally suggest trying this face wash method, and following it up with a couple of drops of organic Grapeseed (for sensitive skin) or Sweet Almond oil as a moisturizer.  I’m sure you’ll be amazed at the results!

New Years Fun

Wow! What an excellent start to our 2015. Alex, Pond, Rory and I have all been traveling a great deal over the last few weeks. We started out visiting my family, then traveling about 13 hours north to one of Alex's extended families cabin. It all culminated in our hosting Christmas (on New Years Day) for Alex's parents, Grandfather and brothers.We of course, spent the evening playing games together. One game we played was called Coup. It is a very fun, very quick game!  I have to recommend that you get it. However it is not really suited to young children since the game is based on deceit and lying.I hope you and your families had an excellent Christmas and New Years season!

Happy 2015

Happy New Year! May the Lord richly bless your 2015.

Fried Ravioli

Are you looking for the perfect hors d'oeuvre to complete your New Years Eve party menu? This is a great last minute recipe that your party guests will love.I absolutely love ravioli in any form. I just love the way the filling adds the hint of cheesiness that make the pasta so yummy. These are super easy to make, and your party guests will love this treat.

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 Fried Ravioli:Boil the ravioli until fully cooked. They will rise to the surface of the water when they are done. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.

Place about 2 inches of oil in a sauce pan and set on medium low heat.

While your oil is heating prepare your breadcrumb topping. I used about 2 cups of Panko bread crumbs, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and a pinch of white pepper. You can use whatever flavor combination appeals to your taste buds. Be sure to mix thoroughly.Take two eggs, put them in a separate bowl and beat lightly until the yolk and egg whites have mixed.Take your dry ravioli and dip in flour, then in the egg mixture and finally into the bread crumbs.

When your oil is bubbling put the covered ravioli in the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on clean paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Serve with Marinara sauce.

DIY: Makeup Brush Roll

I finally replaced the makeup brushes that I’d had for about 8 years.  When I bought the new ones I wanted a better way to store them. I’d just been storing my old ones in my makeup bag and they got all dirty from the powder. I looked at Sephora and saw makeup bag rolls and decided that was how I wanted to store my new brushes.However, I didn’t want to spend the money to purchase one of those, especially not when they looked so easy to make. So I decided to try my hand at making one of these and I found it was way easier than I first imagined!If you are looking for a neat way to store your brushes then this might be for you. I also made it out of washable fabric so when it gets suitably dirty I can just pop it in the washing machine and its as good as new.I made mine with a sewing machine. If you don’t happen to have one you could easily make this by hand, it will just take a little while longer.Start by hemming your top piece of fabric. This will be what holds the brushes onto the makeup roll. You want to hem the top of this before you sew it onto the makeup roll, you won’t be able to do this after you sew it together.

Next take two pieces of fabric cut to the size you want your makeup roll to be. Mine ended up being about 12 inches high by 16 inches wide.  Place the two sides you want showing against each other. Place the piece you hemmed earlier in between the two pieces of fabric. You also want to put your ribbons on the inside now. Place the longest parts of the ribbon between the two pieces of fabric leaving a small bit outside the edge.Sew the edges of the makeup roll together, leaving a small hole in a corner. Trim the edges to about ¼ of an inch.

Turn the bag inside out so that all of the right sides are showing, pulling it though the small hole that you left.Sew the hole shut with a short seam.

In order to store the brushes you need to sew seams to hold the brushes in. I took my brushes and measured the size of the holes that I wanted. I marked them with a pin and then sewed a straight seam at each of the intervals needed.

After I finished mine it turned out so well that I made two more for each of my sisters! These are super easy and would make great gifts for anyone who wears makeup. If you want to be able to fold the top portion of the makeup roll over your brushes be sure to factor that into your measurements.

How to get your Dog to wear a coat!

As we are starting to enter the coldest parts of the year you may be concerned about keeping your furry friend warm. When we adopted Pond we got her from a rescue that had brought her all the way up from Texas. Because of this her fur is very thin, she wasn’t really made for the harsh northern winters!

I noticed with the last cold snap that she was quickly getting cold when we took her outside. So cold in fact that she was shivering after just a few moments out. I started looking at dog coats in order to add an additional layer of warmth for the cold months. When we got her coat I tried it on her and she HATED it! From what I’ve heard this is a pretty normal first reaction for dogs to have when they wear coats.

So now I’m sure you’re wondering how to go about getting your fur baby used to their coat to keep the cold at bay. The key I found was getting Pond used to the coat while she was distracted. This kept her from trying too hard to eat the coat when she had it on.

We started out putting the coat on her when she was eating, when we took her for a walk or outside to go potty. When she was done we would take the coat off immediately. This kept her from realizing that she actually had the coat on and got her used to wearing it.

She loves her coat now! Her butt will start wiggling whenever she sees the coat because she knows it means she is going outside. This tactic will also work for getting a dog used to sweaters or boots too.

Potato Soup

Alex and I love to have a different soup every Sunday night during the winter. This is one of our favorite recipes to enjoy. It makes a fantastic and hearty soup. This is a great recipe to make when you have leftover ham lying around. This recipe is from my Mother, originally from my Aunt I believe. I have made a couple of changes depending on what I have on hand when I go to make this. This pairs well with a nice crusty bread. Our favorites are and Italian or Flax Seed made in our bread maker. This would also be great with leftover rolls from your Christmas celebration.Typically I use water when making this recipe, but the last few times I’ve made it I’ve had leftover chicken stock from other soups in my fridge. I find that adding the chicken stock give the soup a more complex flavor and would suggest it if you have some on hand.The best veggies to use in this recipe (the ones my mother always uses) are the frozen California Blend veggies. These should be diced before they are put in the soup. However, I don’t always have those veggies on hand. When I photographed making this I had a bag of frozen mixed veggies in the freezer so I used that. Alex said he really enjoyed that since he got a wider variety of veggies.I have also cooked carrots and celery in the pot with the potatoes and removed them all before pureeing it. Then added them back in along with broccoli, corn or green beans. You can use whatever veggies your family prefers or that you have on hand. Just make sure that if you are using frozen veggies you don’t put them in the soup frozen.

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Potato Soup:4 Cups cubed Potatoes2 ½ Cups Chicken Stock (or Water)1 Small Onion3 Tablespoons Butter3oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese1 Cup California Blend Veggies (diced)Ham, CubedSalt, Pepper, Garlic and Paprika to tasteBring the potatoes, onion, butter and chicken stock to a boil in a large stockpot.Boil for approximately 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the onions are translucent.Spoon half the potatoes and one third of the liquid into a separate bowl.Puree the remaining potato mixture in stockpot. Put the potatoes and water back in the pot. Add the ham, cheese veggies and spices and heat through.

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2: 1-20 NIVIn those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Merry Christmas from all of us!

Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

For the last few years I have been obsessed with bundt cakes. I love how elegant they are without being horribly time consuming. I found the most amazing bundt cake recipe book called “Kiss by Bundt”.  This is a great cookbook that gives great base recipes that you can combine and change to suit whatever flavor you are trying to achieve. This cake would be a great last minute addition to any Christmas or Christmas Eve celebration.I decorated the top with holly leaves for a festive feel to the cake. Since I didn’t want to get out all of my icing paraphernalia I simply used snack sized baggies and cut and end off. You will want to mix a small amount of icing with red or green food coloring to get the detail for the cake. I used a toothpick to pull the icing out to make the decoration.I always keep dry buttermilk on hand for baking. I have not found that this effects the taste of the cake any.

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Red Velvet Bundt Cake:1 ¼ Cup Oil1 Cup Buttermilk2 Eggs2 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring1 Teaspoon White Vinegar1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 ½ Cup Flour1 ¾ Cup Sugar1 Teaspoon Baking Soda2/4 Teaspoon salt1 Tablespoon Dutch Process Cocoa Powder Chocolate Ganache:¼ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream¾ Cup Chocolate Chips1 Teaspoon Vanilla Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:2oz Unsalted Butter4oz Softened Cream Cheese1 Cup Powdered Sugar¼ Teaspoon Vanilla To make the cake:Preheat the oven to 350. Using an electric mixer, combine oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.With your mixer on low slowly add your dry ingredients.Transfer your batter to a large bundt pan that has been generously coated in cooking spray or flour.Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.Invert the cake onto a cooling rack. It should just fall right out. If it resists let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting. Cool completely before frosting (about 1 hour). To make ganache:Heat the heavy cream over medium heat until boiling.Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla.Stir until smooth.When it is cool pour evenly over the top of the cake and let harden. For the frosting:Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.Slowly add powdered sugar until well combined.Add vanilla and combine well.Spread over the top of the cake with a spatula. To Decorate:Fill baggies with small amounts of frosting and mix with red or green food coloring. Cut an edge of baggie and use to apply frosting.Make small lines of frosting on the cake.Use a toothpick to pull the frosting out into the design.Make small red dots for holly berries.

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Red Velvet Bundt Cake Source: Kiss my Bundt – Chrysta Wilson

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Twelve Days of Cookies: Molasses Sugar Cookies

These are Alex’s favorite cookies. They were originally made by his Grandmother and now his Mother makes them.  They taste very similar to a gingerbread or gingersnap cookie but they are far softer than either of those.  These are definitely the best smelling cookies that I made this year. My whole house smelled like Christmas while they were baking. If you are looking for a last minute cookie to take to your celebration this is an amazing choice.

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Molasses Sugar Cookies:1 ½ c. shortening2 c. sugar½ c. molasses2 eggs4 c. flour4 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. cloves1 tsp. ginger2 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. saltAdditional Sugar for rolling Preheat the oven to 350. In a separate bowl, melt shortening.Remove from heat and let cool a bit (so eggs don’t cook when added!).Add sugar, molasses, and eggs.Beat well with electric mixer.Add dry ingredients and mix well.Chill dough for several hours (or overnight).Roll in 1” balls and then roll in sugar.Bake 8-10 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Gingerbread Men

I have tried several gingerbread recipes over the years. This is by far my favorite recipe. With the other recipes I have tried they have never truly turned out.  These cookies are deliciously spicy and are especially fantastic when decorated with royal icing. This year I didn’t really have time to add any icing to these, but I have done it in the past and they turn out amazing.

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Gingerbread Men:1 Cup Butter1 Cup Sugar1 Cup Molasses1 Egg4 Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Salt1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Vanilla1 Teaspoon Cinnamon1 ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves2 Teaspoons Ginger1 Teaspoon NutmegPreheat the oven to 350. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.Mix in molasses and egg until well combined.Add the vanilla, soda, powder and spices. Combine well.Add the flour and mix until incorporated.Cover the bowl and chill for at least one hour.Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a ¼ inch thickness.Cut into the desired shapes. Place cookies onto a prepared baking sheet.Bake for 10 minutes. Decorate as desired.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Snowballs

These are my personal favorite cookies that I made this Christmas season. I love the chocolaty flavor combined with the powdered sugar coating.  Surprisingly this was the only chocolate cookie I made this season. These cookies will be quite popular at any Christmas gathering you might take them to.I strongly urge you to invest in a quality Dutch Process Cocoa powder. You can really taste the difference between the natural cocoa and dutch process cocoa. You will get a richer, more complex chocolaty taste if you use the dutch process. I hear a saying once, “once you go dutch, you don’t go back!” and it is very true! I only use dutch process cocoa powder now to bake. I prefer to get my cocoa powder from Penzey's Spices in Minneapolis. I find they have excellent quality cocoa for a decent price. You can also find dutch process cocoa online if you prefer

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Chocolate Snowballs:½ Cup Butter1 ¼ Brown Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla1 ½ Cup Flour½ Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder¾ Teaspoon Salt¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda Preheat the oven to 350. Cream together the butter and brown sugar.Add the egg and vanilla.Slowly combine the dry ingredients.Cover and chill for 30 minutes.Roll into balls and roll in powdered sugar.Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

These are the most versatile cookies I make during the Christmas season. Each year they turn out differently depending what jam I use. This year I used raspberry jam. Last year was strawberry jam. These would also be excellent with a homemade jam on top!One thing I have noticed is that people tend to enjoy the cookies more then there is a mound of jam on top of these cookies. I had one person remark that they hadn’t ever seen cookies this large and jam filled before. I’ve found that these cookies tend to spread out so make sure that you top them with plenty of jam so that each bite has a lot of flavor.

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Raspberry Jam Thumbprints:1 Cup Butter2/3 Cup Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 Cups Flour½ Teaspoon SaltApproximately 6oz of JamPreheat the oven to 375. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs and vanilla.Add the flour and salt and mix until well incorporated and the dough comes together in a ball.Form the dough into 1 inch balls.Flatten the balls slightly with your thumb or the back of a spoon leaving an indentation in the center.Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are just barely golden.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and redefine the indentations. Fill the indentation with a healthy scoop of jam.Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the jam is slightly melted and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Snickerdoodles

This classic cookie is one of my Mother’s favorites. I have very fond memories of making these cookies as a child. These cookies have a crunchy, sugary taste that pairs well with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. It flattens a lot while baking so you want to make sure that you space them out far enough. If you use a baker’s half sheet you can fit about a dozen cookies per sheet.You want to make sure that you coat these generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture. This mixture provides much of the flavor for the cookie so don’t skimp!

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Snickerdoodles:2 ¾ Cup Flour½ Teaspoon Salt2 Teaspoons Baking Powder1 ½ Cup Sugar2 Eggs1 Teaspoon VanillaCoating:1/3 Cup Sugar2 Teaspoons CinnamonPreheat oven to 400. Cream together the butter and sugar until smoothAdd the eggs and vanilla.Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until the dough is smooth.Wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm (one or two hours).When the dough is firm enough to handle, roll into 1 inch balls.Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on a cookie sheet.Gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass.Bake 8-10 minutes.(Best if stores in an airtight container at room temperature, and eaten within 10 days.)

Twelve Days of Cookies: Sugar Cookies

These are a great classic sugar cookie.  While you can’t roll these out they have great flavor and are quite chewy. These are a fantastic addition to any Christmas cookie platter and are appropriate throughout the year.  If you wanted to give these an extra special kick they would be great paired with a buttercream frosting.

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Sugar Cookies:1 Cup Butter1 ½ Cup Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 ¾ Cup Flour1 Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Baking PowderPreheat the oven to 375. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.Beat in the egg and vanilla.Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.Roll rounded teaspoonful’s of dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Coconut Shortbreads

These cookies were a surprise hit. They were the other new cookie I tried this year, and to be honest I didn’t have high hopes for them. Looking at the ingredient list they looked like they would be pretty bland and nutty. Two things that I don’t enjoy in a cookie!These cookies are surprising flavorful and they don’t taste like coconut. When I first saw the recipe I was especially concerned about that since I don’t really enjoy that flavor. These simply taste like a really nutty sugar cookie. You can use any type of chopped nut that you like, I simply had chopped walnuts on hand. I baked mine for the full 12 minutes suggested. This ended with a great crunchy cookie. If you prefer a softer cookie you may want to bake for less time.I picked up this recipe when we were cleaning up Hubby’s grandparent’s house. The recipe was an old newspaper clipping from the Star Tribune. Unfortunately there is no date or edition number on my small clipping.

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Coconut Shortbread Cookies:1 Cup Shortening½ Cup Sugar½ Cup Brown Sugar1 Egg1 Teaspoon Vanilla2 Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Salt½ Teaspoon Baking Soda¾ Cup Chopped Walnuts½ Cup Shredded CoconutAdditional Sugar for rollingPreheat oven to 350. Cream Shorting and both sugars togetherAdd the egg, vanilla, flour, salt, soda, nuts and coconut.Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls, and then roll in the granulated sugar.Place on a cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.Bake 10-12 minutes.

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Source: The Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Twelve Days of Cookies: Peanut Butter Cookies

These are classic Christmas cookies. I have great memories of making these when I was a kid. These have a great peanut butter flavor and are a great crispy cookie. They are very easy to make and are a must for a well-rounded cookie platter.Make sure that you use creamy peanut butter to make these. They spread out quite well and will be lumpy if you use crunchy peanut butter.These cookies would be great to make a cookie butter with if you have leftovers!

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Peanut Butter Cookies1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter1 Cup Butter1 Cup Sugar1 Cup Brown Sugar2 Eggs2 ½ Cups Flour1 Teaspoon Baking Powder1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda½ Teaspoon Salt Preheat the oven to 375.Beat together the first four ingredients until they are creamy.Beat in the eggs.Stir in the dry ingredients.Refrigerate for at least one hour.Roll into one inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet.Flatten each ball with a fork with a criss-cross on top.Bake for 10 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Scotcheroos

This recipe I received from an elderly lady at Church when I was in High School. It is the absolute best Scotcheroo Recipe I have found to date. This recipe has a fantastic blend of peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch. These are best within the first week after you make them, although in our house they never last more than a few days!

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Scotcheroos1 Cup Corn Syrup1 Cup Sugar1 Cup Peanut Butter6 Cups Rice Krispies6oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips6oz Butterscotch Chips Bring the corn syrup and the sugar to a boil.When the sugar has dissolved mix in the peanut butter until smooth.Pour over the rice krispies in a large bowl. Mix.Press into a greased 13x9 pan.In a double boiler melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Spread over the top of the rice krispies.Chill until firm.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Spicy Pretzels

This is one of Hubby’s favorite treats! He loves it so much I had to ask his Mother to give me the recipe. She makes it for special occasions and I figured it would be a unique addition to my Christmas cookie platters. This recipe tends to be on the spicy side so beware! You may need to adjust the seasoning amounts to suit your families' tastes.

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Spicy Pretzels½ Pound Pretzels¼ Cup Vegetable Oil1 (1oz) Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Put the pretzels in a 13x9 pan.Mix together the oil, dressing, garlic salt and pepper.Pour over the pretzels and toss thoroughly.Bake at 200 for 1.5-2 hours stirring every 30 minutes.

Twelve Days of Cookies: Chocolate Fudge

This fudge recipe was one of the first recipes that I tried adapting. I wasn’t content with the flavor of the fudge recipe I had found so I decided to attempt to make it more what I liked. This recipe always turns out beautifully! It has a delicious complex chocolaty flavor that comes from using both milk and semi-sweet chips.

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Chocolate Fudge7oz Milk Chocolate Chips11oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips14oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk1tsp Vanilla ExtractLine a pan with foil and butter. I used a silicone baking pan and this made for far easier removal than plain foil.In a double boiler heat the milk and chocolate chips.As soon as the chocolate is melted remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour into a pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into bite sized pieces before serving.