A Little of this and a Little of that

I know...it has been a really long time since my last post...I have been busy...really!

Today it is raining so I can't go out and play so I am staying in and play....First, I made a Chocolate cake with Plain Greek Yogurt and seeing the oven is still on I made a batch of Ranch flavored Oyster Crackers and then a batch of Sweet Pea Foaming Sugar Body Wash....Oven not needed....lol...

 (recipes to follow)

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Cake

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix

1 cup Greek Yogurt

1 cup water

Put all 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix real well

Oil and Flour Dust your pan

Transfer mixture to pan and bake according to the cake mix and pan you use.

I did buy 2 smaller Chobani Greek Yogurts. One plain and one vanilla and mixed them together and what was left over I ate...lol...

This is what the mixture looks like while mixing it up.  It reminds me of Mousse and tastes pretty darn good too!...

This is a picture of it right out of the oven.  I am not going to frost it like my husband suggested....but, I am going to give it a good dusting with powdered sugar....

Ranch Flavored Oyster Crackers

2 bags of Oyster Crackers

1 package of Ranch Dry Mix

3/4 cup Olive Oil/Veggie Oil

Mix oil and Ranch Dry Mix together and at this time you can add different seasonings to the mix...garlic, dill, lemon etc.  I didn't want to take away from the Ranch Mix which is strong enough for my taste buds.

 They taste good enough right now but, go ahead and  spread the crackers on at least 2 cookies and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes or until crispy brown.

I say at least 2 cookies sheets because as you can see I needed a few more sheets.  I guess it all depends on the size you are using.

Out of the oven and ready to inhale!...I totally recommend these ♥

Sweet Pea Foaming Sugar Body Wash

1 Bottle of Body Wash

Plastic Containers

Sugar

I bought the Sweet Pea Body Wash and 4 plastic containers at the Dollar Tree!

I mixed 2 cups of sugar with a 1/2 cup of Body Wash and transfer the mixture to my containers.  I haven't used it in the shower yet but, I did wash my hand with it and they feel smooth and soft.  For just a few dollars I have a body wash  product that feels great.  The scent combination is endless and you can also add a few drops of Vitamin E for added moisture.

Thank You for stoppin at Homestead 1863

~Positive Energy to all~

Tina

Best Brownie Recipe...ever!

Good Morning and Happy Monday!  I wanted to share with you a recipe for homemade brownies before I get my day started.  I know your going to enjoy it.

Homestead 1863 Brownies

ingredients for brownies

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs



1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

icing ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners sugar

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter evenly in baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

frosting

Combine

3 tablespoons soft butter

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

and 1 cup confectioners sugar

While brownies are still warm spread icing.

~Enjoy~

Thank You for stopping bye....

All those Pears....

I haven't been for a walk in our woods in awhile and was happy as heck to come across this Bosc Pear Tree just loaded.  Canning them isn't on my list of things to do but, Pear Bread is.  I found this easy recipe for Pear Bread at Bake or Break and I plan on making up a bunch of bread for the winter months... I can taste it now on Christmas Morning...

~Pear Bread~

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

3/4 cup butter, softened (may substitute 3/4 cup vegtable oil)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups peeled and finely grated ripe, firm pears

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9 x 5 loaf pans.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of this mixture and combine it with nuts to coat. Stir back into the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine butter, eggs, sugar, pears, and vanila. Add the pears mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until flour disappears and batter is evenly moistened.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until bread is browned and firm on top. A pick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, remove from pan and place top side up on a plate or wire rack to cool completely.

I made individual bundt cakes and sprinkled them with a little powdered sugar.  I don't put the nuts in but, I am sure they are just as tasty....and tasty this bread is. 

Thank You for stopping bye!



Fair Crafts

These are just a few of my craft items that I entered in the Armada Fair this past August...I know..a little late...

I took third on these Crow Buttons.... I sewed them to a Saw Dust Pillow I made....  I really don't think whoever was judging these knew what ~Prim Crows~ look like...I personally thought I Rocked It...lol...

Altered Halloween Journal

Took first on this Moss Pot Fall Gathering....I made the Crow, Pumpkins and Gourds and tucked in a dried rosehip branch...

Thank You for visiting me at Homestead 1863....

No words Monday!

Keepin busy....

 Homestead 1863 Zucchini Bread

(ingredients)

2 cups shredded raw zucchini

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup vegtable oil

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

(preparation)

Put zucchini in strainer and press or squeeze with hands to get some of the excess liquid out.  In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar and oil together. Stir in the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanila, and walnuts, mixing just until all ingredients are combined. Add drained zucchini.  Mix well. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out with very little or no crumbs clining to it.  I like to sprinkle a little sugar on the top before I bake it.

(optional ingredients)

chocolate chips

poppy seeds

sunflower seeds

grated carrots

grated apples

Abe Lincoln that I made.... kinda sorta...lol.... I painted the canvas black....printed the picture off of Abe and modge podged him to the canvas and gave him a light sanding for an aged look...So, I guess I can claim I made it.

This is a jar candle that I altered with a label I made that says (Simplify) and a purple grungy mixture for the base of the jar candle and then a mustard yellow grungy coating for the top.  The crow I made out of salt dough and dusted it with cinnamon.

These little star tarts I made out of almost gone jar candles...lol... I hat to throw them away with a little scented wax left so, I put the jar in a pot of water on the store and melted it down and poured it in to a star mold that I bought at a yard sale... I love yard sales...

A few things on my must do list....

Open a Prim Etsy Shop...

Fill Prim Etsy Shop....lol

Organize Craft Room

Exercise more and

Enjoy everyday...

Thank You for visiting me at Homestead 1863



Gettin Frugal on the Homestead

Happy Saturday to all! 

For months now I have been wanting to make my own laundry soap but, never have got around to it...until today.  I headed to the grocery store to pick up my box of Borax, Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda and Fels-Naptha bar soap and if your grocery store doesn't have Fels-Naptha soap you can use Ivory bar soap. This batch I used Ivory bar soap because I already had it ground into powder.

2 Cups Borax

2 Cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda

1 Full bar of Ivory or Fels-Naptha bar soap

Now you want to shred your bar of soap to as fine of powder as possible.  Out of all the recipes I read and compared to each other I never once found anyone saying to do this process and the next step  in a well ventilated area...Please do...lol...The next time I am going to do it outside. 

I added the shredded bar soap to my food processor and seeing that it is big enough I added the other 2 ingredients and gave it a good mix to make sure I didn't have any large pieces of soap...



I also added about 10 drops of Bergamot and Mandarin into the powder.  I learned from the first step and took it outside and gave it a good mix... Perfect! 

Now that I am being Frugal today why not continue with using recycled pickle jars from the Dollar Store to put my Washing Soda in.  I also made my own Prim looking labels for the jars.

I stained the card stock with a strong coffee mixture and while wet I put it on a cookie sheet and sat it out in the sun until dry.  I really like this method because I don't have to iron the paper as much and when I put the whole sheet of card stock in the printer my ink is bright and not fadded when done printing

Now for the test....does it really work like everyone says... YES!  I have well water and our whites don't stay white long so what better way to test it is to do a load of whites...  I used 2 tablespoons of my washing soda and washed a full load of whites in cold water.... Yes  cold water...When I opened the lid to the machine I was blinded by the light....lol.... I have never seen whites in this house so bright and they smelled fresh... no oder at all...  I am a Believer!... Give it a try and let me know how you like it...

Thanks for Stoppin By!