A New Twist on an Old Cleaner

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Vinegar.  Good old plain vinegar.  It is an excellent household cleaner.  I use it all the time around the house.  When added with a few other ingredients, vinegar is great for cleaning windows, wooden floors, as a furniture polish, as an all purpose cleaner, it is great as a fabric softener for you clothes, and even as a great conditioner for your hair!

 

 

Vinegar can be used in the garden to get rid of pests, you can use it on your vehicle for getting rid of decals, polishing the chrome, cleaning vinyl upholstery to name just a few.  It can be used in many different ways to help your four-legged friends......keep a dog from scratching it's ears, remove odors, and even to keep cats from fighting with each other!  There are many human health benefits with vinegar as well, including losing weight.

 

It is non-toxic, has been around for thousands of years, it is economical, environmentally friendly AND it is all natural.  You can't get much better than that.



 

 

If you type in vinegar on your search bar, hundreds of thousands of links will pop up encouraging you to try vinegar for every situation in your life that you can imagine.

 

Now that I have demonstrated just how great vinegar is, I want to let you in on a little secret.  With my day to day cleaning, I like vinegar to smell nice and when I mean nice, I mean like lemons, limes or even oranges and there is an easy way to get that aroma in your vinegar.

 

 

 

Every time you peel an orange or use a lemon or even a lime, save those peelings!!!  I keep a mason jar under my kitchen sink filled with vinegar.  Actually a few mason jars at varying stages of 'steeping'.  I like to call it 'steeping' as it reminds me of a tea bag soaking in hot water, just waiting to be enjoyed.  I wait for at least a week to ensure the peelings have soaked long enough then strain through cheesecloth before using.

 

So if you have a few mason jars laying around and have just enjoyed an orange, throw the peelings in with some vinegar and in a week, you will have a wonderful cleaner.  Trust me, you won't go back to plain ole vinegar.....you will want the deluxe version. 

 

 

 

Happy cleaning and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

 

Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

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New recipes were tried this Thanksgiving week ...... I call it "Thanksgiving week" as it seems all we do is eat for that whole week.  With hunting season over for another year, Thanksgiving thrown into the mix and all the company that has been present off and on at our home .... well let's just say a lot of food was eaten, wine drank and the conversation flowed long into each evening.

Wanting something 'fresh' and different, I spotted this new fruit dip that was posted by Six Sister's Stuff.  Loving orange creamsicles in the summer ...... well this just had to be made!!

Strawberries were not looking all that hot last week at the supermarket but oh my .... I can just imagine how this dip would taste with strawberries.  

Apples, bananas, cantaloupe, bananas and grapes were lifted to new heights when dipped in this delightful, refreshing twist on an old favorite.

I had always made the standard fruit dip recipe, you know ... cream cheese, marshmallow creme, lemon juice and jello ..... this recipe follows along the same lines but adding the fresh squeezed juice from the orange and the grated orange zest .... well ... you just have to try it for yourself.  It is THE BEST!

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese

1 (7-8 oz) jar of marshmallow creme

1/4 cup fresh orange juice ( I used the juice of a large orange and it was more than enough)

2 tsp orange zest (using the same orange from the juice)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

any fresh fruit for dipping ... cut into bite size pieces

Directions

Beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth.  Add orange juice and vanilla extract.  Still well then fold in orange zest.  Chill until ready to serve.

This recipe was definitely a winner and has been added to my recipe book.  What's your favorite fruit dip recipe?  I love trying new ones!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug.

Strawberry and Banana Trifle

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Another recipe, boy I have been baking and cooking a lot!  This is a recipe that I have had f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  It is wonderful that it is easily adaptable to the fruits that are in season, to different flavored cake mixes, puddings and jello that you might have on hand.

This dessert is light and airy.  Hardly filling which can be dangerous as sometimes I could eat the whole thing myself!  I was lucky to be gifted a trifle bowl by my sister-in-law so it makes it look extra special.  Perfect for a pot-luck, family gathering, holiday or like for us .... just Sunday dessert.

So let's get started!

Make two packages of instant pudding using the package directions.  Any flavor.  I happened to have banana cream on hand so that was the flavor today.  Let it set and cool in the refrigerator as directed.

Bake a cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Any flavor.  Since I was using fresh strawberries, I decided to try a strawberry boxed cake.  You can make a cake from scratch but I am working through my pantry, using items that are getting close to the expiry date.  I usually don't have boxed mixes on hand but when they are dropped to a deep discount of .49 cents a piece I can't refuse picking some up.

If using a boxed mix or from scratch, make and bake it as directed.  Let the cake cool and cut it into bite sized pieces.  

Grab some fresh fruit.  Bananas seem to be NEEDED in this recipe. Anything else can be used along with it but nanners seem to make trifle.  Clean and cut up the fruit.  

Once the pudding is set, the cake is cooled and cut and the fruit cleaned and sliced it is time to put it all together.   Grab your trifle bowl or whatever you are using but be warned .... you need a LARGE bowl.  My trifle bowl holds 20 cups!  

Start layering the cake and the fruit, in between drop large spoonfuls of pudding between all the cake and fruit.  Keep layering until you have used everything up.

When you have it about all layered using up all the cake, fruit and pudding, mix up a jello gelatin package according to the directions.  Instead of letting it cool, pour the mixture over the whole thing.  Yes, the gelatin will still be hot but it is okay.  

The gelatin is meant to soak into the cake. 

The final step is to layer the whole thing with a tub of cool whip spreading it with the back of a spoon.  I use the 'light' cool whip to reduce the calories.  LOL

Since I had some strawberries left over, I added them to the top for garnish.

Pure yumminess.  Store in the refrigerator ..... if it lasts that long.

An end of season delight.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Adding to the Fruit Trees

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Friends of ours, Barb and Dave, own the local greenhouse here in town.  In the spring and summer they sell everything from flowers to trees to bushes to shrubs to vegetable seedlings to soil.  They then close up for the months of July and August.  

They re-open again in September and sell fall flowers such as Mums and pumpkins, ornamental squash, straw, cornstalks and anything that one would use to decorate their home for the season.

Locals love their greenhouse and products as Barb and Dave take great care in providing only the best for their friends and customers.  The other day, the hubster and I stopped in to check out their new stock and say hi as we don't see much of them when the shop is open.

Around the corner I noticed an adorable and very healthy looking tree.. a Redwing American Cranberry Bush.  The leaves were already a glorious red and they looked almost like a maple leaf.  Well I just had to have it and the price was perfect!  Only $14.95!!!  This bush was already five feet tall!

We have been slowly adding fruit trees to the property and this will be a wonderful addition.  The berries are edible .... just imagine .... my own homegrown cranberries for Thanksgiving dinner!  That will, however, have to be next year as the berries have already gone through their cycle.

Loading it into the trunk, we drove our new little baby home but a heavy frost was threatening that evening and since I didn't want the leaves to fall off just yet, we brought the bush indoors for the next couple of nights.

Yesterday the threat of deep frosty nights had passed and it was time to put the bush in the ground.

After digging a hole big enough, I added a bag of Miracle Grow soil to the bottom to give the bush some extra nutrients for a good head start.

I then added a bucket of fresh water and dropped the bush into the hole.  Finishing up, I gave it another good bucket of water.

Hopefully the deer will leave the bush alone and let it grow into a large, fruit producing tree that we can enjoy for many years to come!

Do you add fruit trees to your property?  If you do, which ones have been successful?

Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Apple Pie Bread

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Now that the weather is cooler, it is time to bake around this old homestead.  I search for new recipes all summer long .... in magazines, on blogs, on websites ... wherever I can find one!

I love the smell of goodies baking in the kitchen.  The smell wafts through the house and makes it seem all cozy and warm.  On those days that are cloudy and dreary, there is nothing better than a cup of tea and a fresh baked goodie.

I have bookmarked quite a few newbies this year and could not wait to start trying them.  Well this weekend was the perfect time for some homemade goodness.  If you are going to try something new this year ....... you just have to try this recipe!  I think I gained ten pounds just looking at it sitting on the counter!

This is the ultimate in goodness.  The taste of apple pie in a bread!  Can you just imagine the yumminess?  Not sure if that is even a word but it was definitely yummy!  I am a bread-loving type gal so this one is just perfect for me and with having an abundance of hand picked apples from a neighbor's tree, well this recipe was a perfect one to try.

You can find the recipe here.  Julia has created this masterpiece and what a masterpiece it is.  The center is a cream cheese/icing sugar delight and the crumbly apple pie/brown sugar topping is 'the icing on the cake' so to speak.  

Since you now have the recipe, I will leave you with pictures to entice your taste buds.  Try it, you won't regret it!

Remember to give your loved ones a hug .... and a slice of apple delight!

Strawberries Anyone?

Pin It Strawberries have been in abundance lately at the supermarket and at a really good price too. They looked oh, so tempting .... I just couldn't resist picking up a container or two or three.

Then I found a recipe that I badly wanted to try but it called for fresh raspberries.  I figured that fresh strawberries should make the coffeecake taste just as yummy.  I found the recipe in the April 2012 edition of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Lemon-Strawberry Coffeecake

Prep:  15 min  Bake: 45 min  Oven: 375F   Cool: 10 min

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 egg
1 cup fresh strawberries
powdered sugar (optional)


1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly grease bottom of 9 x 1.5 inch round cake pan.  Line bottom of pan with parchment.  Grease and lightly flour pan; set aside.  For cake, in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.  In medium mixing bowl beat 1 cup of the granulated sugar and the butter with mixer on medium to high until combined.  Add 1 egg and the vanilla.  Beat on low to medium 1 minute.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, beating just until combined after each addition; set aside.

3.  For cheesecake filling, in small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar on medium to high until combined  Add lemon peel and 1 egg.  Beat until well mixed.

Layering the Batters

Keep the cheesecake filling from mixing into the cake layer.  Spread half the cake batter into the pan and evenly top with the cheesecake filling.  Using two spatulas, dollop remaining cake batter over the filling and carefully smooth top.

4.  Spoon half the cake batter into prepared pan, spreading to edges.  Pour cream cheese mixture on cake batter, spreading to edges.  Dollop remaining batter on cream cheese layer, carefully spreading to edges of pan. 

5.  Bake 20 minutes or until puffed.  Gently press strawberries/raspberries into cake. Bake 25 to 30 minutes more or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  Loosen edges of cake from pan; remove from pan.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.  Makes 10 servings.

This turned out 100 % better than I expected!  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Remember to give your loved ones a hug.