Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself

Posted By TipNut On August 26, 2008 @ 8:37 am In Beauty & Health | No Comments

Picture of Spa Towels - Tipnut.comMilk baths are luxurious and a nice treat to pamper yourself, makes skin silky soft. These can also be made in bulk and given as [1] gifts in a jar–just omit the water and include directions with each jar.

You can adjust the recipes below to suit your own preferences, simply increase or decrease the scented items as you like.

Peppermint Milk Bath Recipe

1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

Herbal Milk Bath Recipe

1 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 TBS dried herbs of choice
2 cups hot water

Almond Honey Milk Bath

1 TBS Almond Oil
1/4 cup honey (*omit honey if mixing ahead, add when using)
1 cup powdered milk
2 cups hot water

Lavender Milk Bath

1 cup powdered milk
1/8 cup dried lavender
2 cups hot water

Directions For Each Recipe:

* Mix ingredients together with a whisk until powdered milk is dissolved then pour into running bath.

Also check out:

* [2] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks
* [3] 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes
* [4] Bath Cookies Recipe
* [5] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes

More Tips You May Like:

* [5] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes
* [6] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes
* [2] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks
* [7] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes
* [3] 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/milk-bath-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] gifts in a jar: http://tipnut.com/free-gifts-in-a-jar-recipes/
[2] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-bath-salts-soaks/
[3] 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-foot-soak-recipes/
[4] Bath Cookies Recipe: http://tipnut.com/bath-cookies-recipe/
[5] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-honey-bath-recipes/
[6] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-bath-bag-recipes/
[7] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-sugar-scrub-recipes/

Plant Related Gifts You Can Make

Posted By TipNut On May 2, 2008 @ 1:15 pm In Beauty & Health | No Comments

Picture of Herbs & Plants - Tipnut.comToday’s feature is from You Grow Girl with [1] Plant Related Gift Ideas On The Cheap:

Herb Mix Recipes:

Every year my recipes are different but they are always based on what I think are the three things people want out of a bath; to heal, to revitalize or to relax.

As a result I mix my herbs accordingly. I always add a few extra ingredients aside from herbs to each bag. I add rolled oats (coarsely ground in the blender first) for moisturizing and soothing, epsom salts for muscle relaxation and celtic sea salt (as opposed to table salt) for its healing properties. Powdered milk or citrus peel can also be added. I have listed this year’s recipes below and a listing of other potential ingredients at the side.

Visit the site for directions and recipes for making herbal bath teas (really easy to do, cheap to make and lovely to use). I also have a bunch of ideas here:

1. [2] Homemade Herbal Sleep Pouches
2. [3] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes
3. [4] Homemade Shower Spa Bags
4. [5] Homemade Rose Dusting Powder Recipe
5. [6] Homemade Potpourri

Tip: You can use these to [7] fill small spa gift baskets.

Careful: Make sure to use herbs, plants and flowers that are pesticide free. You’ll also find more bath & beauty recipes in the [8] Beauty & Health category.

More Tips You May Like:

* [9] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks
* [3] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes
* [10] 30 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make
* [11] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself
* [12] How To Make A One-Pot Indoor Herb Garden

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/plant-related-gifts-you-can-make/

URLs in this post:
[1] Plant Related Gift Ideas On The Cheap: http://www.yougrowgirl.com/use/giftideas_bathtea.php
[2] Homemade Herbal Sleep Pouches: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-sleep-pouches/
[3] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-bath-bag-recipes/
[4] Homemade Shower Spa Bags: http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/
[5] Homemade Rose Dusting Powder Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-dusting-powder-recipe/
[6] Homemade Potpourri: http://tipnut.com/homemade-potpourri-101/
[7] fill small spa gift baskets: http://tipnut.com/homemade-gift-baskets/
[8] Beauty & Health category: http://tipnut.com/category/beauty-health/
[9] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-bath-salts-soaks/
[10] 30 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make: http://tipnut.com/beauty-spa-gifts/
[11] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself: http://tipnut.com/milk-bath-recipes/
[12] How To Make A One-Pot Indoor Herb Garden: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-a-one-pot-indoor-herb-garden/

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/use/giftideas_bathtea.php

Herbal Bath Tea
By Gayla Trail

HERBAL BATH TEA

What You Need:

# Cotton muslin or pre-made resealable tea bags (large size).
# Ribbon or string
# An assortment of herbs and essential oils (optional)
# Optional — rolled oats, epsom salts, sea salt.
# Cellophane bags, cellophane roll, other packaging.

This is such a simple but satisfying gift to make. I have been making them for years and always receive compliments and requests. I often give three of them in conjunction with other bath/spa products (also homemade), or give one or two with other gifts. I make lots because everyone likes them and I can fire off a large batch in one night. As an additional savings use herbs grown in your garden. I use my own home-grown sage, basil, rosemary, mint, calendula and lavender (flowers and leaves).

To make the bags you will first require some cotton muslin. Other cotton fabrics can be used but I prefer this kind the most because it is dirt cheap ($2.00 and change for a yard or cheaper if you buy scraps from the ends bin), unbleached, and has an open weave while remaining sturdy and rigid. In the past I have purchased ribbon (I’ll explain its use later), but this year I found some nice seam binding tape in earth tones for a very good price (29 cents a yard). If you don’t want to sew you can purchase special large-sized, sealable tea bags made especially for this purpose. They are relatively cheap to buy and can be sealed with an iron. However, I guarantee you that even the most inexperienced sewer can make this. Keep in mind that it is going to be used a few times and thrown out. Precision is not necessary. No one will be grading you on your ability to achieve a perfect square because the bag will be wet and soggy before the recipient has a chance to inspect the merchandise.

1. Start by cutting the fabric into squares. Any size is fine but I usually cut mine into 6” squares because that is the thickness of my ruler and it’s faster.

2. Cut a 12” length of ribbon or string. Butcher cord or just about any strong string you have on hand can be used. This will be used to hang the bag over the faucet so it must be strong enough to bear the weight of a bag of wet bag of herbs.

3. Lay out a piece of fabric. Lay the string/ribbon on top in a u-shape with the U formed inside the square. The object is to sew the ribbon inside the bag so that when you turn the bag inside out, you can hold the ribbon like a handle. Place the other piece of fabric on top and secure with a few pins.

4. Sew around the square, being sure to leave a small opening to pour the herbs through. Turn your bag inside out through the hole, push out the corner and iron flat.

5. To fill the bag, take a piece of scrap paper and form a cone with it. Insert this into the hole and use it as a funnel through which to pour your herb mix.

6. Sew the seam shut with matching thread.

7. Herb bags can be packaged in cellophane to retain freshness and the potency of the smell longer. Or you can give as is. Be sure to include the ingredients and instructions for use (Hang over faucet when filling tub. Hang to dry and reuse up to 3 times) with each one.

Herbal MixesHerb Mix Recipes:

Every year my recipes are different but they are always based on what I think are the three things people want out of a bath; to heal, to revitalize or to relax. As a result I mix my herbs accordingly. I always add a few extra ingredients aside from herbs to each bag. I add rolled oats (coarsely ground in the blender first) for moisturizing and soothing, epsom salts for muscle relaxation and celtic sea salt (as opposed to table salt) for its healing properties. Powdered milk or citrus peel can also be added. I have listed this year’s recipes below and a listing of other potential ingredients at the side.

Please Note: When using herbs be sure your recipient doesn’t have an allergy. Chamomile for instance is a common allergen to those with ragweed sensitivities. Also note that some herbs should not be given to pregnant women. Although you will not be drinking this ‘tea’, your skin is a semi-permeable membrane and anything that comes into contact with the skin will have an effect.

Soothing: Calendula petals, eucalyptus leaves, lemon balm, rolled oats, espsom salts, celtic sea salt.

Relaxing: Rose petals, lavender leaves, white sage, rolled oats, epsom salts, celtic sea salt.

Stimulating: Mint leaves, lemon grass, rolled oats, epsom salts, celtic sea salts, a dash of lemon grass and mint essential oils.

Skin Softening/Healing:

· Chamomile
· Plantain
· Linden
· Rose Petals
· Ground Almonds
· Calendula flowers
· Chickweed

Stimulating:

· Mint (various)
· Lemon Grass
· Basil (various)

Relaxing:

· White Sage
· Calendula
· Rosemary
· Lavender
· Eucalyptus
· Rose Petals
· Thyme
· Beebalm
· Lemon Balm
· Chamomile
· Bay Leaf
· Jasmine flowers

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/use/giftideas.php

Herbal Bath Tea

By Gayla Trail

CHEAP N’ EASY PLANT-RELATED GIFTS

The Holiday Season is swiftly approaching and you’re struggling to stretch your pocket money as far as possible. What to do? The natural approach is to turn to handmade, but even that can be deceptively pricey.... and time consuming. The following are a few ideas that are especially suited to the green-thumbs in your midst, but most of them will be gladly received by just about anyone. Some of these ideas are remarkably cheap to make as they make use of ingredients you may already have on hand from your garden’s fall harvest.

Forced Bulbs and Forced Bulb Kits: Give the gift of plants that you’re allowed to kill. They won’t last forever so you’re not forcing a brown-thumb into a long term commitment. But they’ll last long enough to bring a little sunshine into the dreary days of winter. Kits are great for the green-thumb who want to do it themselves.
· Full article and instructions.

Herbal Bath Tea: I’ve been making this one for years and have it down to a science. Use dried herbs from your garden or purchased in bulk. The perfect gift for those who bathe — which is just about everyone.
· Full article and instructions.

Seed Packs: Most gardeners like seeds. If you collected seeds from your garden this year, then you’ve probably got a few spares to give away. Or alternatively buy some heirloom seeds from organizations like Seed Savers or Seeds of Diversity. Make your seeds unique by designing your own packages. Use nice paper, photos, tiny money envelopes, drawings, cut outs from old seed catalogues, or design them on your computer and print them out. We have a few designs here that you can use to get started and some labels you can print out onto plain or sticker paper and attach.
· Info about harvesting and packaging seeds.

Give the Gift of Clean Air: Cuttings are a great, and totally free gift you can give to the plant-loving people on your list. Pot them up ahead of time so they will be established and healthy before the recipient takes them home. When giving to beginners be sure to include instructions and choose easy care plants.
· Easy care plants and growing instructions.
· Plant Propagation Instructions.

Herbal Vinegars: Healthy and tasty herbal vinegars made from weeds growing in your own back yard.
· Full instructions.

MORE IDEAS

Garden Help I.O.U’s: Promise the gardener on your list some help with their garden. Draw up an I.O.U. certificate and list the total number of hours you will be available. This gift is especially good for those with physical limitations who need help with some of the more difficult, back-breaking gardening chores.

Gardener’s Journal: Make a journal for your gardening friend. There are lots of easy, introductory book binding methods available that could be used. Incorporate an assortment of paper, envelopes for seed or tag storage, a calendar, an attachable pen (hung by a ribbon), a place marker, or a handful of photo corners.

Seed Cards: A set of blank note cards impressed with seeds (wildflower, herbs) are a good gift for the green thumb. If you know how to make paper, then you can make seed cards. Make paper following your usual procedure but throw some seeds into the pulp at the last minute and set aside to dry.
· Paper making instructions.

Cat Grass Tins: Buy a tin with a lid or reuse one you have kicking around. Throw in some dry potting soil. Sprinkle a layer of rye grass seeds across the surface of the soil. Apply a very thin layer of dry soil on top of the seeds. Put on the lid and attach a sticker or label that says “Cat Grass”. Maybe include some growing instructions. It is that easy. Alternatively you can substitute the cat grass for some easy-to-grow herb seeds such as basil, cilantro, or dill and call it “Herbs In A Can” instead.
Cat Grass Growing Instructions. 1. Moisten soil with water. It should be wet, not soggy. 2. Place tin, with lid off in a dark place for a few days. 3. Once germinated, place tin in bright, window. 4. Keep soil moist (not soggy) and give to your cat when the grass is long enough for munching.

Herb and Spice Mixes: Buy lots of dried herbs and spices from a good bulk supplier. Alternately use herbs grown from your garden. I once made a great garam masala this way. I bought good dried spices in bulk, roasted it all on a tray in the oven (low heat), and then ground it all up in a spice grinder (or blender). Hint* Splurge and buy the cardamom pre-ground rather than as whole pods. I spent hours shelling tiny cardamom seeds.
Alternatively you can forego the grinding and leave the spices whole to keep them fresh longer. Package it all up in small metal tins and slap on a decorative label.
Ingredients for Garam Masala: Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns.

Herbal Tea Kit: Another gift that uses extras from the garden. Package herbs loosely in ziploc baggies or tiny jars (a six pack of spice jars is inexpensive). Pre-fill empty tea bags for beginner tea drinkers who can’t navigate a tea ball or sew your own reusable tea bags from cotton muselin. If you’re feeling confident, try making up personalized tea mixes. [See a list of herbs and their uses below] Accessorize your kit with a teacup or two, a small tea pot, a tea ball, a jar of honey, a stick of licorice or stevia (dried or liquid) for sweetening, cookies, or anything that might go with a cup of tea. A good book or video will work too.

· Herbs For Tea
· For coughs and colds: mullein leaves, catnip, echinacea root, ginger root, nettle, rosehips
· Relaxation: lavender, catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, dill
· Stimulating: mint, rosemary (also good for headaches), lemongrass
· Digestive & Stomach: lemon balm, ginger root (nausea), marshmallow root, dill
· Tasty: lemon verbena, chocolate mint, lavender, lemon catnip

· Related Articles: Herbal Tea Delight, Grow a Lemongrass Plant

ELSEWHERE

Poetry Bricks: Decorative “stone” bricks for the gardener.

Twig Coasters: Ambitious people can modify this to make entire placemats as well.

Mini Herb Garden Kit: Everything needed to grow some herbs.

Gifts From The Kitchen: 30 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes

Posted By TipNut On December 12, 2008 @ 11:17 am In Recipes | 1 Comment

Wrapped Kitchen Gifts - Tipnut.comInfused Vinegars

1. [1] Cranberry Vinegar Recipes
2. [2] Raspberry Thyme Vinegar Recipe
3. [3] Homemade Rose Petal Vinegar Recipe
4. [4] Lavender Vinegar Recipes
5. [5] Multipurpose Herb Vinegar: Recipe

Homemade Liqueurs & Alcohol

1. [6] Lavender Liqueur Recipes
2. [7] Homemade Cranberry Liqueur
3. [8] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe
4. [9] Make Your Own Apricot Brandy

Mug Mix Recipes

1. [10] Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix
2. [11] Homemade Instant Flavored Coffee Recipe - Cafe Viennoise
3. [12] Homemade Flavored Instant Coffee Recipe - Mocha
4. [13] Amaretto Mocha Recipe Mix
5. [14] Homemade Instant Cappuccino Recipe

Homemade Extracts

1. [15] Homemade Vanilla Extract: Recipes & Tips
2. [16] Homemade Orange Extract Recipe
3. [17] Homemade Lemon Extract Recipes

Flavored Sugars

1. [18] Homemade Lavender Sugar Recipes
2. [19] Homemade Lemon Sugar Recipes
3. [20] Homemade Vanilla Sugar Recipes

Spa Gifts

1. [21] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes
2. [22] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks
3. [23] Candy Cane Sugar Scrub - Recipe
4. [24] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself
5. [25] Bath Cookies Recipe

Baking & Food Gifts

1. [26] Parmesan Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
2. [27] How To Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons
3. [28] Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking
4. [29] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes and [30] The Cookie Batch
5. [31] Pickled Peppers Recipe

* [32] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags
* [33] Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More

Tips

* [34] Homemade Gift Baskets - The Ultimate How To Guide
* [35] Baking Gifts: Creative Container & Filler Ideas
* [36] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line
* [37] Fruitcake Baking Tips
* [38] Homemade Candy Making Tips

More Tips You May Like:

* [32] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags
* [1] Kitchen Gift Idea: Cranberry Vinegar Recipes
* [33] Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More
* [13] Amaretto Mocha Recipe Mix
* [34] Homemade Gift Baskets - The Ultimate How To Guide

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URL to article: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

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30 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make

Posted By TipNut On December 15, 2008 @ 6:24 am In Beauty & Health | No Comments

Picture of Spa Ingredients - Tipnut.comBath & Shower Treats

1. [1] Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe: Bath jellies can be made as luxurious home spa goodies or they can be packaged for the kids (set with toys inside). Great to give as gifts.
2. [2] How To Make Bath Bomb Fizzies: A great video showing step-by-step how to make fizzing bath bombs.
3. [3] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself: Milk baths are luxurious and a nice treat to pamper yourself, makes skin silky soft. These can also be made in bulk and given as gifts in a jar–just omit the water and include directions with each jar.
4. [4] How To Make Cupcake Bath Fizzies: The instructions include two recipes, one for the “cupcake” part and the other is for the meringue-like frosting.
5. [5] Homemade Rose Bath Oil: Super easy to make.
6. [6] Bath Cookies Recipe: This is an interesting recipe, you first cook a batch of bath cookies then add them to your bath after they’ve cooled.
7. [7] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes: A few easy recipes.
8. [8] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks: You can add as little or as much as you like to the bath, anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup should be plenty.
9. [9] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes: Herbal bath bags (also known as bath tea bags) make a lovely soaking bath that can be beneficial to your skin, ease stress and help soothe aches and pains.
10. [10] Homemade Shower Spa Bags: Start the day with a pampered feeling by using shower spa bags.

Gift Soaps

1. [11] Remold Hotel Soap Bars: Grate several bars of hotel soap, add a handful of instant oatmeal, moisten with a bit of water, heat up the batch then mold the soap/oats mixture into soap bars using muffin tins.
2. [12] How To Felt Soap: Learn how to felt a bar of soap, these make a really cool washcloth and soap in one.
3. [13] Snowflake Gift Soaps: How To: Easy project!
4. [14] How To Make Homemade Soap and [15] How To Make Soap: If you ever wanted to learn how to make your own soap–here you go!

Pampering Gifts

1. [16] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes: Six different recipes.
2. [17] Candy Cane Sugar Scrub - Recipe: Lovely!
3. [18] Homemade Rose Dusting Powder Recipe: You want to be sure to use organic or pesticide free roses since the dusting powder will be applied to skin.
4. [19] Herbal Foot Spray Recipe: Tuck this in with other spa gifts.
5. [20] Herbal Steam Facial Recipes: Mix all dry ingredients together, package and add a tag with instructions on how to use.
6. [21] How To Make Perfume: A great start if you want to delve into a perfume making hobby.
7. [22] Homemade Rose Petal Vinegar Recipe: Ideas for use are as a facial splash, skin freshener (dilute with water), headache soother (soak cloth with vinegar, squeeze out, then place on forehead), shampoo rinse, bath soak.
8. [23] 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes: Include a bag of marbles to place on the bottom of the foot bath to rub sore tootsies on.
9. [24] How To Make Rose Water: Use as a facial toner or astringent, in your bath water or as a facial splash (refresher).
10. [25] Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes: Here are two different recipes that moisturize lips nicely as well as taste delicious…chocolate anyone?
11. [26] Homemade Lip Balm: Recipe: There are just three ingredients: beeswax, jojoba oil and peppermint essential oil (or whatever EO you prefer). Simple to make, just melt together then pour into your containers.

Crafty Pleasers

1. [27] Homemade Herbal Sleep Pouches: Here’s a nice & easy recipe for making a herbal sleep pouch that contains lavender, flax seed and lemon balm leaves, another herb that helps soothe and encourage sleep.
2. [28] Home Remedy: Headache Soother Sachets: Always choose organically grown lavender (chemical free) when using as a health aide, you should have no problem find this in a bulk health food store.
3. [29] How To Make A Microwave Heating Bag: These bags serve a dual purpose as you can also keep them in the freezer to use has a cooling pad or freezer pack when needed.
4. [30] Dirty-Girl Washcloths & Spa Cloths: Free Knitting Patterns: All of the patterns are dishcloth designs, but flipping the purpose of them to personal use, great idea!
5. [31] How To Make A Bath Towel Head Wrap: Two different designs, one similar to the Twisty Towel.

More Tips You May Like:

* [32] Plant Related Gifts You Can Make
* [9] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes
* [3] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself
* [8] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks
* [20] Herbal Steam Facial Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/beauty-spa-gifts/

Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe

Posted By TipNut On October 20, 2008 @ 9:57 am In Beauty & Health | No Comments

Homemade Bath Jelly - Tipnut.comBath jellies can be made as luxurious home spa goodies or they can be packaged for the kids (set with toys inside). Great to give as gifts.

They may not bubble up as nicely as some liquid bubble baths, but definitely a nice bath treat.

Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup liquid soap (unscented–use shower gel, hand soap or bubble bath)
*Essential oil (choose your favorite–a few drops)

Directions:

* Bring water to a boil, remove from heat then slowly stir in and dissolve the gelatin. Slowly add liquid soap and stir to mix. Add essential oil, stir well.
* Pour liquid into a clean clear jar or container, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Once the mix gels, it’s ready to use. Just add a spoonful under running water in the bath for a bubbling treat (a tablespoon or two will do).

*If you wish, you can skip the essential oil and use liquid soaps that have a fragrance.

Notes: Use within a few weeks. Keep refrigerated and airtight to avoid mold.

Optional: Add a couple drops of food coloring when first mixing bath jelly to give it some color, don’t use too much though since it can stain tubs.

Gift Ideas: Package in small jars, add a decorative label and embellish with ribbons or trims. You can put a small toy or object in the jelly when first poured, it will set inside. Make in small batches at a time so it can be used within weeks.

More Tips You May Like:

* [1] Homemade Smelly Jelly Recipes
* [2] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes
* [3] Bath Cookies Recipe
* [4] Homemade Rose Bath Oil
* [5] Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bath-jelly-recipe/

URLs in this post:
[1] Homemade Smelly Jelly Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-smelly-jelly-recipes/
[2] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-honey-bath-recipes/
[3] Bath Cookies Recipe: http://tipnut.com/bath-cookies-recipe/
[4] Homemade Rose Bath Oil: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-bath-oil/
[5] Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-cleaner-recipes/

Substitute For Whipped Cream Recipe & More

Posted By TipNut On April 3, 2007 @ 6:13 am In Baking Tips, Food, Recipes | 3 Comments

Whipped Cream Substitute

Ingredients:

2 large ripe bananas, sliced
3 tsp sugar
2 egg whites

Directions:

* Whip all ingredients together just like you would regular cream. Add some flavoring if you like.

Flavoring Ideas:

Almond Extract
Vanilla Extract
Flavored Liqueur
Brandy or Rum
Lemon or Orange Zest
Instant Coffee
Sifted Cocoa
Cinnamon

Real Whipped Cream Recipe

1 tsp gelatin
4 tsp water

* Combine the above until thick; Microwave 25 to 30 seconds until clear; Cool slightly

1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

* Whip together until thickened then add the gelatin mixture (while still whipping); Whip until stiff

Quick & Easy Fruit Dip

1 part whipped cream
1 part vanilla or flavored yogurt, or vanilla pudding

More Tips You May Like:

* [1] Mock Devonshire Cream Recipes
* [2] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe
* [3] Chocolate Mint Sticks Recipe
* [4] Homemade Flavored Instant Coffee Recipe - Mocha
* [5] Homemade Instant Flavored Coffee Recipe - Cafe Viennoise

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/substitute-for-whipped-cream/

URLs in this post:
[1] Mock Devonshire Cream Recipes: http://tipnut.com/mock-devonshire-cream-recipes/
[2] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-irish-cream-recipe/
[3] Chocolate Mint Sticks Recipe: http://tipnut.com/chocolate-mint-sticks-recipe/
[4] Homemade Flavored Instant Coffee Recipe - Mocha: http://tipnut.com/homemade-flavored-instant-coffee-recipe/
[5] Homemade Instant Flavored Coffee Recipe - Cafe Viennoise: http://tipnut.com/homemade-instant-flavored-coffee-recipe-cafe-viennoise/

Winter Hand Cream: Recipe

Posted By TipNut On December 15, 2008 @ 1:01 pm In Household Tips | No Comments

Picture of Cream Jars - Tipnut.comToday’s feature is from Sweete Felicity Home with [1] How To Make Winter Hand Cream:

This morning we had a fun time visiting with my good friend who lives down the street. I showed her how to make a simple, yet effective hand cream for dry skin, and I’d like to share the recipe with you (This is similar to the recipe given to Tasha Tudor by Rosemary Gladstar, in case you were interested!):

Ingredients Needed:

* comfrey tea, rose water, or distilled water
* olive or coconut oil
* liquid lanolin
* lecithin
* beeswax
* essential oils of choice
* tincture of benzoin for preservative

Mix it up and melt down then chill until the cream sets. Store in little containers or jelly jars for nice gifts for a friend or for yourself.

Please visit the site above for full recipe details. Also see [2] Dry & Chapped Hands Remedies and today’s earlier list [3] Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make.

More Tips You May Like:

* [4] Homemade Liquid Hand Soap - Recipe
* [5] Substitute For Whipped Cream Recipe & More
* [6] Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe
* [7] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe
* [8] Homemade Beeswax Furniture Polish Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/winter-hand-cream-recipe/

URLs in this post:
[1] How To Make Winter Hand Cream: http://sweetefelicity.blogspot.com/2008/12/cold-weatherdry-airtime-to-make-hand.html
[2] Dry & Chapped Hands Remedies: http://tipnut.com/dry-chapped-hands-remedies/
[3] Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make: http://tipnut.com/beauty-spa-gifts/
[4] Homemade Liquid Hand Soap - Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-liquid-soap/
[5] Substitute For Whipped Cream Recipe & More: http://tipnut.com/substitute-for-whipped-cream/
[6] Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bath-jelly-recipe/
[7] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-irish-cream-recipe/
[8] Homemade Beeswax Furniture Polish Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-beeswax-furniture-polish-recipes/

Baking Gifts: Creative Container & Filler Ideas

Posted By TipNut On December 11, 2008 @ 6:22 am In Baking Tips, Crafty Ideas | 2 Comments

Picture of Gift Box Filled With Cookies - Tipnut.com
Container Ideas

* Decorative Holiday Cookie Jar
* Baskets: Wicker, Wire or Plastic
* [1] Biscuit Tins
* Cannisters: Glass or Tin
* Wide Mouth Jars
* Small Bucket
* Decorative Holiday Plate or Platter
* Decorative Holiday Bowl: Ceramic, Glass or Plastic
* Large Mug or Tea Cup
* Styrofoam Trays
* Chip Tubes (like Pringles–good for cookies)
* Milk Carton: Wash clean and cover with wrapping paper
* Repurposed Boxes (chocolates, tea, crackers, etc.): Wrap boxes in holiday paper
* Cellophane Bags

DIY Gift Boxes

* [2] How To Make A Gift Box From A Cereal Box: Using just scissors, hot glue and an old cereal box, you can whip up a most-excellent gift box.
* [3] How To Make Decorative Boxes With Take Out Containers: All you’ll need is some spray adhesive, decorative paper (great way to use up scraps!) and a take-out container.
* [4] Tutorial: Origami Box

More gift box ideas listed on [5] DIY Wrap Up: 101 Gift Tags, Toppers & Wraps.
Liners & Wraps

* Cellophane
* Wax Paper
* Paper or Fabric Napkins (Holiday Themed)
* Paper Cupcake Holders
* Paper Doilies
* Tissue Paper

Gift Box Fillers

A container brimming with homemade baking is usually more than enough, but if you want to tuck in a few more goodies, here are a few ideas that will compliment baked goods:

* Candy Canes
* Packets of Hot Chocolate
* Hard Candies
* Wrapped Chocolates
* Cinnamon Sticks
* Specialty Teas
* Nuts
* Small Christmas Oranges

Also see [6] Homemade Gift Baskets - The Ultimate How To Guide for holiday basket ideas.

For holiday baking, see [7] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line and [8] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes.

More Tips You May Like:

* [9] Creative Container Gardening: Tips & Ideas
* [2] How To Make A Gift Box From A Cereal Box
* [7] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line
* [10] Christmas Keepers: Over 200 Crafty Holiday Ideas
* [11] 10 Projects To Help Organize Your Home

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/baking-gifts-container/

URLs in this post:
[1] Biscuit Tins: http://tipnut.com/repurposing-biscuit-tins/
[2] How To Make A Gift Box From A Cereal Box: http://tipnut.com/gift-box-cereal/
[3] How To Make Decorative Boxes With Take Out Containers: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-decorative-boxes/
[4] Tutorial: Origami Box: http://tipnut.com/tutorial-origami-box/
[5] DIY Wrap Up: 101 Gift Tags, Toppers & Wraps: http://tipnut.com/wrap-up/
[6] Homemade Gift Baskets - The Ultimate How To Guide: http://tipnut.com/homemade-gift-baskets/
[7] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking/
[8] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-cookies/
[9] Creative Container Gardening: Tips & Ideas: http://tipnut.com/creative-container-gardening-tips-ideas/
[10] Christmas Keepers: Over 200 Crafty Holiday Ideas: http://tipnut.com/christmas-keepers/
[11] 10 Projects To Help Organize Your Home: http://tipnut.com/projects-organize-home/

Recipe Hit List: 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes

Posted By TipNut On December 4, 2008 @ 1:05 pm In Recipes | 2 Comments

Picture of Snowflake Cookies - Tipnut.com

I’ve been busy collecting recipes for holiday baking, this week’s Recipe Hit List features cookies that will fill festive trays quite nicely (and make great homemade gifts too). Many traditional favorites included but lots of new ideas too (for me at least). Watch for Holiday Baking Part II on next week’s hit list!
Holiday Baking - 30 Cookie Recipes

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. [1] Thumbprint Cookies: This cookie is really buttery, soft and melt-in-your-mouth. You can put any kind of jam on it. You can even fill it up with Nutella but you have to bake the cookies first and then only fill it up with Nutella. Recipe found at My Kitchen Snippets.
2. [2] Cranberry Shortbread: This version of shortbread is certainly a family tradition just as Santa and snowflakes. Soft and tender, they simply melt in your mouth. Wonderful all alone, but for the Holidays the addition of toffee or dried cranberries is an extra special treat. Recipe found at Vegan Visitor.
3. [3] Elfin Shortbread Cookies: These are so easy. Even easier if you use a food processor. They’re a basic shortbread, so if you’re looking for a sweet cookie, these aren’t going to do it for you. But if you love shortbread or know someone that does, give these a try! You make the dough right in the food processor, knead it a few times to get it all together, pat it out on your baking sheet and cut them into little squares. So easy! The only problem is that they’re teeny, and so easy to pop in your mouth…so watch out, hehe. Recipe found at Elle’s New England Kitchen.
4. [4] Gingerbread Roll-Out Cookies: Today’s gingerbread recipe, from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion is medium spicy and particularly crisp. Recipe from Serious Eats.
5. [5] Checkerboard Cookies: They are a light cookie with nice flavor and are not as sweet as some festive cookies. Recipe from The Barmy Baker.
6. [6] Ginge-O-Ramas: Ginger cookies! Spicy, chewy, pretty, yummy. The recipe I use most often is adapted from The Intimate Vegetarian. I can’t seem to be consistent with how I make them though. Sometimes I add freshly grated ginger to the batter, sometimes I add twice the amount of powdered ginger, sometimes I add candied ginger, sometimes I ice them with a lime glaze… They always turn out; this is a no-fail recipe. Nice huh? Recipe from Vegan Addict.
7. [7] Gale Gand’s Pinwheel Cookie Dough: Pinwheel cookies, in which chocolate and vanilla dough are layered, rolled, and sliced, are an impressive-looking and delicious treat. Recipe from Epicurious.
8. [8] Jess’s Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls: These are best kept in the refrigerator so that the chocolate remains a crunchy contrast to the creamy peanut butter. Recipe found at B More Sweet.
9. [9] Peanut Butter Balls: (These are the ones with Rice Krispies). Recipe found at Lavender, Lace And Thyme.
10. [10] Orange Vanilla Sugar Cookies: These cookies are inspired by the sugar cookies my mother, Virginia, made each year for Christmas. I fine-tuned the original recipe over the years, replacing shortening with butter, eliminating milk, and increasing the orange flavor–but the wonderful aroma, subtle sweetness level, and crisp texture remain very much the same. Recipe found at Luna Cafe.
11. [11] Chewy Sugar Cookies: They taste so wonderful and really beg to be dunked into a glass of milk. These are classic Santa cookies! You won’t believe the texture. When you pick them up, they feel like a regular cookie, but biting in reveals a tender chewiness unlike any other. Recipe from Southern Plate.
12. [12] Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies: The cookie itself is chocolaty and moist. On top is gooey marshmallow with a smooth topper of chocolate frosting. Make them. Love them. Recipe from The Apronista.
13. [13] Holiday Cookie Ornaments: Candy canes are the sweet baked-in hooks for this easy-mix sugar cookie. Recipe from Betty Crocker.
14. [14] Lemon Sugar Cookies: The sweet aroma of sugar cookies baking in the oven is a fond holiday memory. A dash of lemon extract to the batter keeps things lively. Recipe from Redbook.
15. [15] Cookie Swap: Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Cookies: I found this recipe on Country Home. Mint and chocolate is about my favorite combination in all the land. I am going to have to try this one! Recipe from Be Different Act Normal.
16. [16] Minty Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe: This first cookie combines thin chocolate wafers with a thick, creamy peppermint filling. I was imagining something along the lines of a homemade, peppermint, Oreo-type sandwich cookie. I stamped them into cute, tiny, bite-sized shapes - so they wouldn’t be too overwhelming. Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.
17. [17] Fresh Cranberry Orange Cookies: They look like regular cookies but they are lighter and fluffier. The fresh cranberries not only give these guys a great festive color but give a nice little tart bite in a cookie otherwise surrounded by sweetness. It makes these cookies not classified as “sugar bombs” like, say, a rich fudge cookie. Only problem? It makes it easier to eat more than one! Recipe from Good Things Catered.
18. [18] Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Caramel: I promised a bunch of holiday-friendly recipes this month, and this one is a doozy! Peanut butter cookies, filled with salted peanut caramel—do those sound as good to you as they do to me? Recipe found at David Lebovitz.
19. [19] Anita’s Molasses Spice Cookies: (Recipe is towards the bottom of the page). Baking Notes: Be sure to use spices that are as fresh as possible, as much of the cookie flavor depends on them. The type of molasses used also affects the intensity and depth of flavor. Light and dark molasses are the most common types found in stores; both work well in this recipe. Recipe found at Baking And Books.
20. [20] Red Velvet Black and White Cookies: Seriously. Please understand me when I say that YOU MUST MAKE THESE COOKIES! They’re brilliant! They’ll instantly make you more popular (if you share) and they’ll reduce the fine lines and puffiness under your eyes (if you use them like spa cucumber slices). I wouldn’t lie to you. Go. Make! Recipe found at Joy The Baker.
21. [21] Apricot Balls Recipe: These soft apricot and coconut balls contain crushed peanuts, chunks of fluffy marshmallow, and finely chopped white chocolate. For optimum flavour, we remove the apricot balls from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving. Recipe found at Exclusively Food.
22. [22] Really Good Rum Balls: There are rum ball recipes galore, but none better than this one. Recipe by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen.
23. [23] Hazelnut Rum Balls: Although I’ve never succeeded in making the perfect rum ball at home, I’ve now succeeded in making quite a perfect variation of it. Hazelnuts have always seemed like good company for a decent rum ball and condensed milk is probably good company for anyone interested in the very quintessence of company. Recipe found at Bounteous Bites.
24. [24] Cherry Peanut Butter Balls: Years ago, I saved this festive recipe and made it only at Christmastime. But my grandkids loved the sweet combination of peanut butter, chocolate and cherries so much that now I mix up a batch anytime they ask or visit! Recipe from Taste Of Home.
25. [25] Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Outs: I have decided that these are my favorite Christmas cookies. And this recipe makes a lot of them…which is why it’s a good idea to have lots of people in mind to share them with!! Because having them just sitting around the house screaming at me to come eat them is a bad idea. Recipe from Heavenly Homemakers.
26. [26] Stained Glass Gingerbread: CANDY. Yes it’s totally bad for you, addictive even, spikes your blood sugar, gives you diabetes, and has little other nutritional value. It makes for excellent stained glass when melted inside gingerbread cookies. My mother figured out this trick when we were kids, and we’ve been making them every year since. Recipe found at A Smart Mouth.
27. [27] Snowball Cookies: I’ve seen several different recipes for this cookie also. I just stick to my tried and true recipe that I have used for over 30 years. Thought you may want to try them out too. So here is the recipe for you to enjoy. Recipe found at My Little Cottage In The Making.
28. [28] Chocolate Coconut Balls: Recipe from Hershey’s Kitchen.
29. [29] Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies: My family immediately adopted these yummy peanut butter kiss cookies as a family tradition. Recipe from Andreas Recipes.
30. [30] Paradise Macaroons: Recipe from Food Network.

Don’t miss today’s earlier tip [31] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line. Also see [32] Tips Guide For Making Homemade Cookies which includes a Basic Refrigerator Dough Recipe with 9 variations (nine different cookies from one cookie dough!). If you’d like some original cookie cutters, here’s [33] How To Make Cookie Cutters + More.

More Tips You May Like:

* [34] Recipe Hit List: The Cookie Batch
* [35] Recipe Hit List: Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking
* [31] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line
* [36] Recipe Hit List: 12 Family Favorite Pie Recipes
* [37] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-cookies/

URLs in this post:
[1] Thumbprint Cookies: http://www.mykitchensnippets.com/2007/12/thumbprint-cookies.html
[2] Cranberry Shortbread: http://veganvisitor.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/cranberry-shortbread/
[3] Elfin Shortbread Cookies: http://ellesnewenglandkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/09/holiday-baking-elfin-shortbread-cookies.html
[4] Gingerbread Roll-Out Cookies: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/12/gingerbread-rollout-cookies.html
[5] Checkerboard Cookies: http://thebarmybaker.blogspot.com/2006/12/going-boldly-where-no-barmy-baker-has.html
[6] Ginge-O-Ramas: http://veganaddict.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/my-spicy-love-affair/
[7] Gale Gand’s Pinwheel Cookie Dough: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gale-Gands-Pinwheel-Cookie-Dough-236723
[8] Jess’s Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls: http://bmoresweet.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-perfect-bite.html
[9] Peanut Butter Balls: http://lavenderlaceandthyme.blogspot.com/2008/11/peanut-butter-balls.html
[10] Orange Vanilla Sugar Cookies: http://thelunacafe.com/orange-vanilla-sugar-cookies/
[11] Chewy Sugar Cookies: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/11/chewy-sugar-cookies-and-king-arthur.html
[12] Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies: http://apronista.blogspot.com/2008/12/chocolate-marshmallow-surprise-cookies.html
[13] Holiday Cookie Ornaments: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeID=44654
[14] Lemon Sugar Cookies: http://www.redbookmag.com/recipefinder/lemon-sugar-cookies-dessert-recipes
[15] Cookie Swap: Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Cookies: http://bedifferentactnormal.blogspot.com/2008/12/cookie-swap-peppermint-frosted.html
[16] Minty Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/minty-chocolate-christmas-cookies-recipe.html
[17] Fresh Cranberry Orange Cookies: http://goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/2008/12/cranberry-orange-cookies.html
[18] Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Caramel: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/12/peanut_butter_cookies_with_salte_1.html
[19] Anita’s Molasses Spice Cookies: http://www.bakingandbooks.com/2008/11/12/anitas-molasses-spice-cookies/
[20] Red Velvet Black and White Cookies: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/archives/64
[21] Apricot Balls Recipe: http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2007/11/apricot-balls-recipe.html
[22] Really Good Rum Balls: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/really_good_rum_balls.php
[23] Hazelnut Rum Balls: http://bounteous-bites.blogspot.com/2008/05/hazelnut-rum-balls.html
[24] Cherry Peanut Butter Balls: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cherry-Peanut-Butter-Balls
[25] Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Outs: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/smells-like-christmas-cookies-orange-cream-cheese-cut-outs
[26] Stained Glass Gingerbread: http://asmartmouth.com/2008/12/01/stained-glass-gingerbread/
[27] Snowball Cookies: http://cottageinthemaking.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-favorite-christmas-cookies.html
[28] Chocolate Coconut Balls: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=4627
[29] Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies: http://www.andreasrecipes.com/2006/01/01/peanut-butter-kiss-cookies/
[30] Paradise Macaroons: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paradise-macaroons-recipe/index.html
[31] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking/
[32] Tips Guide For Making Homemade Cookies: http://tipnut.com/tips-baking-cookies/
[33] How To Make Cookie Cutters + More: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-cookie-cutters-more/
[34] Recipe Hit List: The Cookie Batch: http://tipnut.com/cookie-batch/
[35] Recipe Hit List: Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking: http://tipnut.com/squares-slices-tarts/
[36] Recipe Hit List: 12 Family Favorite Pie Recipes: http://tipnut.com/favorite-pies/
[37] Recipe Hit List: 14 Grilled Sandwich Recipes: http://tipnut.com/grilled-sandwich-recipes/

Recipe Hit List: Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking

Posted By TipNut On December 11, 2008 @ 1:03 pm In Recipes | 2 Comments

Picture of Tarts - Tipnut.comLast week’s Recipe Hit List for holiday baking was [1] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes, this week it’s Holiday Baking Part II with a big batch of recipes for squares, slices and tarts–perfect for gifts and baking trays.

Lots to choose from, many traditional favorites but also some new ideas to try. There are 9 tart recipes and 21 recipes for squares, bars and slices.
Holiday Tart Recipes

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. [2] Cocoa Tassies with Peppermint Creme Filling: Cocoa Tassies with Peppermint Creme Filling (Adapted from BH&G). Recipe from Culinary In The Desert.
2. [3] Pecan Tassies…aka Tiny Pecan Tarts!: In all honesty, I do know why I don’t make these little treasures more often (other than the calorie thing!). They are somewhat time consuming and a bit tedious to make. But they are so worth the effort, and everyone loves them. I can also say that the cream cheese pastry just melts in your mouth, and its the only pastry I can make with any shred of confidence. These little tarts are tiny morsels of perfection, and I hate to brag, but they just ARE. Recipe from What’s Cooking In A Southern Kitchen.
3. [4] Lemon Tassies: Being a lemon lover, and knowing that I had some cream cheese that needed using, these were a no brainer. The only complaint I had about these cookies was too much cookie and not enough filling. But as I looked on Martha’s website today, I saw that the recipe listed online has the same amount of filling, but the cookie ingredients are cut in half. I’m not sure why they changed this when they published the book. The recipe below is from the book, but I would suggest halving the cookie dough, or doubling the filling! Recipe found at Taste And Tell.
4. [5] White Chocolate & Cranberries Tartlets: For the tart shells I used dough recipe from La Tartine Gourmande that I already tried before and liked very much. This time I used ground walnuts instead of almond flour and was very satisfied with the taste. Recipe found at Palachinka.
5. [6] Prize Winning Butter Tarts: There’s nothing sweeter than good old fashioned butter tarts. Apparently, this decadent treat is a Canadian classic. Only in Canada, eh? Pity!This recipe won my mom top prize at a Fall Fair years ago. It’s my dad’s favourite, although we don’t make them very often. That’s how he stays so skinny. Recipe found at Christie’s Corner.
6. [7] Butter Tarts: If you like butter tarts you have got to make these ones. I have never tasted any like them. The recipe calls for maple syrup which gives them an extra something and they aren’t too sweet which is nice. Recipe found at Kjmillar.
7. [8] Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Tassies: Recipe found at Hershey’s Kitchen.
8. [9] Apricot Cookie Tarts: This recipe calls for dried apricots simmered in a simple syrup spiked with a bit of liqueur. Regardless of the form they take, apricots will always be something I enjoy — especially baked between layers of a brown sugar crumble. Nothing compares to their perfectly sweet tartness. Recipe from Sass & Veracity.
9. [10] Mini Millionaire Shortbread Pies: They turned out to be as everybite as wonderful as pictured and described in the book. The size was perfect to enjoy them without being hit on the head by a spoon full of sugar. Recipe found at Tartelette.

Squares & Slices For The Holiday Tray

*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. [11] Double White Chocolate Layered Bars: Double your chocolate pleasure! White chocolate is in the cookie bars and also drizzled on top. Recipe from Pillsbury.
2. [12] Nanaimo Bars: According to local legend about 35 years ago, a Nanaimo housewife entered her recipe for chocolate squares in a magazine contest. In a burst of civic pride, she chose to dub the entry not “Daphne’s Delights” or “Mary’s Munchies”, but “Nanaimo Bars”. The entry won a prize, thereby publishing the town as much as her cooking. Some American tourists claim sovereignty over the dessert, referred to as “New York Slice” which is sold in many other places in the world. Nanaimo residents refuse to accept this theory, however, believing that once you set foot on Vancouver Island, there are no other places in the world. The official Nanaimo Bar recipe was available as a handout as well as on quality tea towel and apron souvenirs. Recipe found at City of Nanaimo website.
3. [13] Montelimar Nougat: This is ooey, chewy honey goodness at it’s best. It may seem a bit tricky, but once you get over the fear of hot sugar, it’s really not too bad. Recipe from The Barmy Baker.
4. [14] Dark Chocolate Bark with Walnuts & Dried Cherries: It’s festive and pretty, simple and delicious, studded with chewy dried cherries, bits of crystallized ginger and meaty toasted walnuts. I can say with authority it would make an excellent addition to your holiday cookie tray. Recipe found at The Kitchen Sink.
5. [15] Chocolate Mint Fudge Brownies: These brownies are wonderful and exactly what I was trying to create. The texture of these fall somewhere between a ‘cakey’ and ‘fudgy’ but lean a little more toward the fudgy side. In my opinion they have the perfect texture. Recipe found at Baking Blonde’s Weblog.
6. [16] Rainbow Layer Bars with Almond Paste: They remind me of Christmas and also of an Italian flag with the red, green and white layers. All I know is have almond paste in them (which is a LOVE of mine) and I want to make these this Christmas! Recipe found at An American Housewife.
7. [17] Those Valuable Fruitcake Cookies (or Bars): If you make bars, cut when cool into squares. Wrap cooled cookies individually in plastic wrap. They’ll survive mailing to relatives far away, travel in backpacks and pockets, and the brisk school trade. Have fun with them and Happy Holidays to all! Recipe found at The Garden Granny.
8. [18] Butterscotch Confetti Squares: This is probably hands down my favourite “sweets” recipe. My Grandma would make these when I was a kid. Recipe from Tales From The Fairy Blogmother.
9. [19] Chocolate Peanut Butter Confetti: I turned to the Company’s Company cookbook series, and selected this square from Best Loved Treats. The recipe was called Butterscotch Confetti, but I altered it to resemble another square that I had tried before. FOr a colourful and tasty treat, try this out. Recipe from Onions Make Me Cry.
10. [20] Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: I made this for the first time this summer and realized that this is a perfect Christmas fudge. Creamy, peanut buttery with a crown of chocolate. So tasty and EASY to make. Aren’t those the best kind of recipes? Recipe from Heather’s Recipes.
11. [21] Easy Cherry Almond White Chocolate Fudge: This recipe takes about 10 minutes to prep, and a minimum of 2 hours to cool, so it is relatively quick. I really like to individually wrap each piece in candy foil, which makes a great presentation. Recipe found at This Food Thing.
12. [22] Easy Christmas Fudge: To me, fudge is the ultimate Christmas indulgence. In fact, about the only time I have fudge throughout the year, is at Christmas time. This fudge is super easy to make, and you can dress it up with just about any topping you like. Recipe from What’s Baking.
13. [23] Lemon Bars: These are bold and tart lemon bars, ones I feel are best in smaller doses than Ina Garten suggests. I’ve made a few changes to the recipe–increased the salt in the crust, reduced the sugar in the lemon filling and an encouragement to grease your pan, as mine were all but cemented into their non-stick pan. For those of you who like the 1:1 crust to lemon layer ratio, use the second option. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
14. [24] Chocolate-Almond Fudge Squares: These rich, fudgy bites are basically almondy truffles cut into squares, and they are fantastic! Recipe from CookiePie.
15. [25] Holiday Bark: I usually do both versions of this. Salted nuts with chocolate morsels and peppermint candies with white chocolate. it’s always a hit at get togethers. Recipe from C & X Cooking.
16. [26] Cherry Mash Bars: This is a family favorite that my mom always makes every Christmas! Recipe found at Pretty Random Thoughts.
17. [27] 7 Layers in One Bar Cookies: I saw them described as the famed seven layer bars, but all mixed together. I’d say that is an accurate statement. They are amazing - moist, complex and yummy. They were so easy to put together. Recipe found at Lobster & Fishsticks.
18. [28] Dream Bars: If you have that one Christmas party yet that you need to bring treats for, this is it. They are easy, and they will cause a a stir! Recipe found at My Sister’s Kitchen.
19. [29] Date Squares Recipe: How we loved these squares with their two layers of buttery oatmeal crust sandwiched with a layer of pureed dates that have a hint of vanilla. Recipe found at Joy of Baking.
20. [30] Christmas Baking: Recipes for Toffee Bars, White Christmas Fudge, Mocha Toffee Cashew Bars and Coconut Macaroons. Recipes found at Kitchens Are Monkey Business.
21. [31] Nestle Walnut Coconut Slices: Recipe found at Niya’s World.

More Tips You May Like:

* [1] Recipe Hit List: 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes
* [32] Recipe Hit List: The Cookie Batch
* [33] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line
* [34] Recipe Hit List: 12 Family Favorite Pie Recipes
* [35] Recipe Hit List: 12 Marvelous Muffin Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/squares-slices-tarts/

URLs in this post:
[1] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-cookies/
[2] Cocoa Tassies with Peppermint Creme Filling: http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/05/cocoa-tassies-with-peppermint-creme.html
[3] Pecan Tassies…aka Tiny Pecan Tarts!: http://cookinginasouthernkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/07/pecan-tassiesaka-tiny-pecan-tarts.html
[4] Lemon Tassies: http://workingwomanfood.blogspot.com/2008/07/lemon-tassies.html
[5] White Chocolate & Cranberries Tartlets: http://palachinka.blogspot.com/2008/02/white-chocolate-cranberries-tartlets.html
[6] Prize Winning Butter Tarts: http://christie-corner.blogspot.com/2006/06/prize-winning-butter-tarts.html
[7] Butter Tarts: http://kjmillar.com/wordpress/?p=335
[8] Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Tassies: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=6706
[9] Apricot Cookie Tarts: http://sassandveracity.typepad.com/sass_veracity/2008/12/apricot-cookie-tarts.html
[10] Mini Millionaire Shortbread Pies: http://tartelette.blogspot.com/2007/04/donna-hays-millionaire-shortbread.html
[11] Double White Chocolate Layered Bars: http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=17611
[12] Nanaimo Bars: http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html
[13] Montelimar Nougat: http://thebarmybaker.blogspot.com/2006/12/montelimar-nougat-well-this-girls.html
[14] Dark Chocolate Bark with Walnuts & Dried Cherries: http://ourkitchensink.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/and-its-christmas/
[15] Chocolate Mint Fudge Brownies: http://bakingblonde.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/chocolate-mint-fudge-brownies/
[16] Rainbow Layer Bars with Almond Paste: http://www.housewifebarbie.com/2008/11/rainbow-layer-bars-with-almond-paste.html
[17] Those Valuable Fruitcake Cookies (or Bars): http://www.thegardengranny.com/those-valuable-fruitcake-cookies/
[18] Butterscotch Confetti Squares: http://shanrev.blogspot.com/2006/12/whats-cooking-wednesday-butterscotch.html
[19] Chocolate Peanut Butter Confetti: http://onionsmakemecry.blogspot.com/2008/12/chocolate-peanut-butter-confetti.html
[20] Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: http://hmckillip.blogspot.com/2008/12/chocolate-peanut-butter-fudge.html
[21] Easy Cherry Almond White Chocolate Fudge: http://thisfoodthing.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/easy-cherry-almond-white-chocolate-fudge/
[22] Easy Christmas Fudge: http://akbaking.blogspot.com/2008/12/easy-christmas-fudge.html
[23] Lemon Bars: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/lemon-bars/
[24] Chocolate-Almond Fudge Squares: http://cookiepiebklyn.blogspot.com/2008/12/lovely-decadent-chocolate-holiday-gift.html
[25] Holiday Bark: http://cxcooking.blogspot.com/2008/11/holiday-bark.html
[26] Cherry Mash Bars: http://bunnycakes.blogspot.com/2008/12/cherry-mash-bars.html
[27] 7 Layers in One Bar Cookies: http://lobsterandfishsticks.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/the-last-of-my-holiday-baking-7-layers-in-one-b
ar-cookies/

[28] Dream Bars: http://mysisterskitchen.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/dream-bars-oh-my/
[29] Date Squares Recipe: http://www.joyofbaking.com/DateSquares.html
[30] Christmas Baking: http://www.kitchensaremonkeybusiness.com/2008/12/christmas-baking-day-4.html
[31] Nestle Walnut Coconut Slices: http://niyasworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/nestle-walnut-coconut-slices.html
[32] Recipe Hit List: The Cookie Batch: http://tipnut.com/cookie-batch/
[33] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking/
[34] Recipe Hit List: 12 Family Favorite Pie Recipes: http://tipnut.com/favorite-pies/
[35] Recipe Hit List: 12 Marvelous Muffin Recipes: http://tipnut.com/muffin-recipes/

http://www.donrearic.com/ww2kits.htm

WWII Era Survival Kits

This article is nothing in-depth! There, how do you like that! It is more for ideas and to preserve some pictures…

Some Historical Information

Please read the following statement very carefully.

This is OLD STUFF here my friends. This stuff is NOT mine, please don’t E-mail me and ask me to sell it or anything else about it because I’m going to show it to you and tell you what I know and that’s all I have.

If you know more about the items, don’t hesitate to E-mail, but please don’t ask me to sell the stuff because I don’t own it and don’t have it.

Examine the pictures and precisely what these things are and apply them to modern container systems and your own kits if you want to. I already have and you will probably see an article on that kit in the future, a modern day version of these types of kits. And it is excellent!
Some Kits

E-3A “Tape Lid Kit”

This is known as the E-3A “Tape Lid” Survival Kit, sometimes these were referred to as “Sustenance Kits” or “Survival Flasks” too. It is called the “Tape Lid” because the top of the flask was secured by a piece of tape. You would peel the tape off then take the entire lid off of the flask so you could empty the contents and then use it for storing water you would purify (with tablets supplied in the kit).

I have also seen this described as Korean War vintage; I have no idea about that but know that these types of “Sustenance Flask Kits” were issued in World War Two.
E-17 “Bale Wire Kit”

The next type of kit is very similar to the “Tape Lid” Survival Kit. This next one is the E-17 “Bale Wire” Survival Kit or Flask…or…Sustenance Kit. Using Wire on the top of the kit instead of simply taping the lid in place. Very neat ideas, aren’t they?

You will notice the actual opening for drinking water moved from the end/side of the E-3A Flask to the center on the E-17 Flask.
There’s gold in the clouds!

Here is some very interesting stuff! The O.S.S. and S.O.E. were not the only people issued gold coins and whatnot for escape and evasion. Some pilots were as well.

Gold Barter Kit

Isn’t this so cool! I saw these for sale and they are way out of my league as far as cost is concerned but I grabbed the pictures so I could write about them. I usually do not write articles about things I do not have in my hands but this is entirely different.

These kits could be “country-specific,” meaning they could be tailored so they had coins indigenous to the country or countries the pilot would be flying over.

The Gold Barter Kit also contained solid gold rings in the form of simple Wedding Band types of rings. (Directly above)

Another Barter Kit: Trinket Barter Kit

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of these types of kits. I do not have content lists either. I do know that they contained mirrors and beads and these sorts of things that…the more primitive peoples in the world would have found valuable back in that time frame. As the name implies, “Trinkets.”

So, even though I do not have a picture or an actual list, I wanted to add that these Barter Kits existed hand in hand with Survival Kits and things like the Gold Barter Kit.

If you think about it, to some people, a mirror or string of beads might be more “valuable” than gold. It all depends on whom you are dealing with and what the conditions are.
Fishing Equipment

There were survival fishing kits that were like tool rolls. All the lures and various items had dedicated pockets and you simply rolled the kit up. I think these rolls were aprons as well. I’m not positive about that.

There were also small fishing tins not unlike the current fishing kit.

But this is something even more interesting…in a way…
Spit and Gaff Kit

I have to get one of these; this would come in handy even today (like most survival gear).

The sharp/pointy items were stored in the metal tin (as far as I know) and the rest of the spit assembly, which consisted of the rods and various attachments, was stored in the box.

The large hooks are Gaffs, but they could also be used to actually snag fish. (This is usually illegal in most areas, under the name “snagging.”) You could land a fish with a hook like that or actively snag fish – a good way to get them too. (It has to be a good way to get them or it would not be illegal! Same as with a Gill Net! Gill Nets are not illegal in almost every state because they don’t work, but because they work too well. Poaching and Poaching “Tech” is usually a good way to get animals – although not recommended and should not be condoned except in survival and emergency situations.)

In this picture, it looks like there is an attachment where you could create a drag attachment with several of the hooks; I am not sure, as I have never read the manual in this kit.

There is also a spearhead, this is self-explanatory. This is a much better idea than lashing your knife to a pole and using that to spear fish!

Very good piece of kit!

Hope you found this interesting!

Christmas Keepers: Over 200 Crafty Holiday Ideas

Posted By TipNut On November 29, 2008 @ 5:05 am In Crafty Ideas | 2 Comments

Tipnut’s Christmas Keepers - Tipnut.com[1] Tipnut’s Christmas Keepers has just been updated and is now loaded with over 200 creative ideas for holiday decorations, ornaments, homemade gift ideas, crafts, holiday recipes and more.

New! Vintage Goodies Added…

[2] Vintage Holiday Templates: Three different downloads available. Templates for Santa, a Christmas Stocking, a Baby Reindeer, a Pixie Boot, a Gingerbread Man, a Snowman and a few more designs.

The other is [3] Gifts With Felt Scraps: Vintage Gift Ideas which offers patterns and instructions for three different projects: a decorative felt mitt (to stuff little gifts in or use as an ornament), a felt eyeglass case and a felt case (for stockings or whatever else you like).

If you favor designs from the 1950’s, I’m sure you’ll be enchanted with these :). You can use them as felt crafts, cut out on cardstock for labels or use to embellish projects as you wish. Cute stuff!

Categories on Tipnut’s Christmas Keepers:

* [4] Craft Ideas
* [5] Homemade Gift Ideas
* [6] Holiday Recipes
* [7] Holiday Tips
* [8] Videos

I hope to continue adding more projects & ideas before the season is over, I’ll keep you posted!

More Tips You May Like:

* [9] Tipnut’s Christmas Keepers
* [10] Curbly’s Guide to 2008 Holiday Gift Guides
* [11] Wow! Golden Thimble’s 527 Free Crafty Links
* [12] Baking Gifts: Creative Container & Filler Ideas
* [13] Craft Bump: 75 Crafty Ideas Revisited

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/christmas-keepers/

Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More

Posted By TipNut On December 15, 2007 @ 8:15 am In Crafty Ideas, Food, Food Tips, Popular Tips, Recipes | 5 Comments

Picture of Gifts In A Jar - Tipnut.comGifts in a jar typically include all the ingredients to make or bake something that are stored in jars (like mason jars or jam jars, etc.) and presented as gifts.

They can be cookie mixes, cake mixes, bath & beauty ingredients (like [1] bath salts and [2] foot soaks), hearty soup mixes, bread, buns, pastry ingredients, seasoning mixes, hot beverage recipes (like [3] Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix), any recipe that will keep well in a jar pretty much works.

Sometimes the ingredients are all layered in the jar and this can look quite appealing if there’s some contrast between the colors, other times the recipe ingredients are fully mixed together before being placed in the jar.

After filling the jars, you can decorate the lids to look pretty and more festive. Make sure to include the list of ingredients and recipe directions for cooking or baking the mix or how to use the gift.

Here’s a collection of resources that share hundreds of free recipes for these lovely homemade gifts. I also added a few treats at the bottom for how to decorate the jar lids.

Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes

* [4] Nikibone.com - Gifts in a Jar
* [5] JoycesFineCooking.com Recipes - Gifts in a Jar
* [6] Recipes To Go - Gifts In A Jar Recipe Category
* [7] Heart4Home.net - Jar Mixes
* [8] Gifts From Your Kitchen - Gifts in a Jar or Bag (click categories to view all the recipes)
* [9] Craftbits - Jar Gifts Category
* [10] Mary Mae’s Jars and Mixes

Decorating Ideas For Gift Jar Lids

* [11] Martha Stewart: Decorative Jar Lids
* [12] Felt Jar Topper - LuckyKate Crafts: This has a strawberry design but you can change it to whatever you like.
* [13] Directions to Sew Fabric Canning Jar Covers
* [14] Canning Jar Lid Covers

And here are some tips if you’re new to making gifts in a jar: [15] Giving Dessert Making Ingredients in Jars and Containers (About.com).

Homemade gifts in a jar are easy to make and they’re great frugal gifts, they’re also nice additions to [16] homemade gift baskets.

More Tips You May Like:

* [17] Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables
* [18] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags
* [19] Gifts From The Kitchen: 30 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes
* [20] Plant Related Gifts You Can Make
* [21] Homemade Smelly Jelly Recipes

Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/free-gifts-in-a-jar-recipes/

URLs in this post:
[1] bath salts: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-bath-salts-soaks/
[2] foot soaks: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-foot-soak-recipes/
[3] Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix: http://tipnut.com/homemade-spiced-mocha-mix/
[4] Nikibone.com - Gifts in a Jar: http://www.nikibone.com/recipe/gifts_in_a_jar.html
[5] JoycesFineCooking.com Recipes - Gifts in a Jar: http://www.joycesfinecooking.com/gifts_in_a_jar.htm
[6] Recipes To Go - Gifts In A Jar Recipe Category: http://www.recipestogo.com/foodgift/foodgift.html
[7] Heart4Home.net - Jar Mixes: http://www.heart4home.net/giftsinajar.htm
[8] Gifts From Your Kitchen - Gifts in a Jar or Bag: http://www.giftsfromyourkitchen.com/jar/jar.html
[9] Craftbits - Jar Gifts Category: http://www.craftbits.com/viewCategory.do?categoryID=REC
[10] Mary Mae’s Jars and Mixes: http://www.members.tripod.com/~MaryMae/jarlinks.htm
[11] Martha Stewart: Decorative Jar Lids: http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/decorative-jar-lids
[12] Felt Jar Topper - LuckyKate Crafts: http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/07/tis-season-for-strawberries.html
[13] Directions to Sew Fabric Canning Jar Covers: http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/carjarlidsvisua.htm
[14] Canning Jar Lid Covers: http://oneofthebunch.wordpress.com/tutorials/canning-jar-lid-covers/
[15] Giving Dessert Making Ingredients in Jars and Containers: http://baking.about.com/library/weekly/aa081799.htm
[16] homemade gift baskets: http://tipnut.com/homemade-gift-baskets/
[17] Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables: http://tipnut.com/canning-jar-labels/
[18] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags: http://tipnut.com/gifts-kitchen/
[19] Gifts From The Kitchen: 30 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/
[20] Plant Related Gifts You Can Make: http://tipnut.com/plant-related-gifts-you-can-make/
[21] Homemade Smelly Jelly Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-smelly-jelly-recipes/

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

Your food stash

Now that I have a bit more time, I’d like to finish the post I meant to write yesterday about food.

Food being at the top of your needs SHTF or not, I’ve always advised to keep 6-12 months for emergencies.

What I don’t remember ever doing is actually showing what kind of food I do store.

Nothing out of the ordinary, it’s not space age food that will last 100 yrs in a volcano, but its normal food anyone can buy the next time they visit the supermarket.

This is just a small selection of what I store lots of, there’s some obvious things missing, like cheese (which we eat a lot of) , salt, sugar, tea , oil, coffee, frozen and canned vegetables, chocolate and milk, just to mention a few. Still, all of these items, except for the frozen meat, will easily last 2 years as long as it’s kept in a dark, dry place away from insects and pests.

This is easy, cheap, and you can do it in a small apartment.

For guys that store loads of buckets and choose to keep their food that way, that’s just great, more power to you.

Money difference isn’t that much if you consider all the expenses and I’d rather have the food supply distributed in smaller serving packets, in at least three locations around the house. That way if something bad happens I don’t loose all of it. If a pack of rice has bugs, it’s just that one pack and not an entire bucket full of it.

I suppose it makes sense if you store much larger quantities. Even if more food is always better, for me 6 to 12 months is a nice amount. If something that bad happens, it’s more than enough time to move, plan what you are going to do with your life.

If something that serious occurs, you should really be somewhere else.

Again if you are already into food storage and have it all figured out, don’t even bother reading. I’m writing this for the average guy that barely has a month worth of food in the house, if lucky.

OK, lets go from left to right, top to bottom.

Tang

Lots of vitamins, and at least it gives water some taste when having dinner. You can store it for a couple years, though I doubt vitamins will be there. Just the sugar and orange flavor I guess. Try to rotate this according to it’s expiration date to make sure the vitamins are there when you need them.

Tuna. canned and in tin foil

Love this stuff. Specially the tinfoil which is also light!
Get the one in oil. (more calories) Tuna has lots of proteins, Omega 3, tastes good, and you can mix it up with rice or lentils for a nice nutritious meal. Canned tuna will easily last 3 years without loosing it’s flavor.

Rice

This thing keeps the Chinese nation fed, along with many other nations. A rice stew is something common, using any leftovers you may have in hand, you can combine it with a million other things.
Kept dry and out of the reach of bugs, it will store for years.

Dehydrated smashed potatoes.

I like this stuff a lot. It stores almost indefinitely as long as it’s kept dry. Incas used to make something similar. Look:

“The Incas had an interesting way of dehydrating potatoes. Small potatoes were placed outside on the ground at high elevations to freeze during the night. The next morning the potatoes would be gathered into piles. The men and women would stomp on them which would cause the water to squirt out. When they wanted to use the dehydrated potatoes they would just add water. “

http://coe.fgcu.edu/STUDENTS/WEBB/MESO/incafood.htm

Potatoes are ones of the basic food staples around the world. Small light pack that stores indefinitely and just needs water? Priceless.

Pizza mix

It stores well, it’s cheap, you just need to add water, tomato sauce and some cheese. Not as easy as frozen pizza but easy enough for me, the pizza tastes better than anything you buy from the store, and I don’t need a freezer to keep it.
At least this particular brand I buy, tastes better than the one I do myself with flour. ( Pizza Hut not included, we don’t have Pizza hut here any more, they went broke after the crisis :( )

Lentils

If you can only eat two or three staples, make sure Lentils is one of your top choices. It’s one of the most nutritious foods in the planet, has lots of health benefits.
Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil

Protein, iron, calories, fiber, dietary fiber, Folate, vitamin B1, and minerals, lentils has it all, or at least most of it covered. :)

Dried Pasta

I suppose many poor countries are basically fed on one kind of dried pasta or another. A plate of dried pasta with tomato sauce will keep your belly full and your body going for another day.
Many children here have been living for years on dried pasta and little else. Cheap too, easy to find and store for long periods of time.

Tomato Sauce

This is one of those things you need mostly to give taste to most of the other staples you have. I use sauce a lot, on my pasta, pizza, lentil stew, tuna and veggie pie mix.
It stores pretty well too due to the acid content. If it tastes too acid, ½ a spoon of sugar will fix it ( 85 yr old grandma tip ;) )

Frozen meat

I keep canned meat and a lot of tuna, but fresh meat, ( or almost fresh meat) is important for your diet and you either have to freeze it or have your own critters in your back yard for when you need them.

Someone asked at Minion forum the other day, what to store in a deep freeze chest. I told him to keep at least 2/3 of it full of meat.

I keep it in ziplock bags, three portions of meat in each (3 family members). Makes thigns a lot easier.

Dulce de Leche

This is probably something you never ate before but it can be considered a basic food item around here. People mostly eat it with bread or crackers for breakfast. It’s simply boiled condensate milk with sugar, brown with a thicker texture. Most Americans that tried it find it to be a bit too sweet, but it’s a terrific source of fat and sugar to boost your body.
The one pictured is canned and lasts for a long time if stored properly.

Flour

Nothing you don’t already know about flour can be added. Just have enough around. I used to buy a pack every time I went to the supermarket until I built up a nice supply, and then rotated it.

Mate, and mate implements.

Don’t think many drink mate outside of South America, except for maybe Vigo Mortensen that lived here most of his childhood and doesn’t go anywhere without his mate. According to what he said in an interview, he usually tries to find another Argentine to drink mate with on stage during his films, some of the prop or stage workers.

Some say mate has all the minerals your body needs to live. I don’t know if that’s true o not, but poor people drink mate a lot, that’s for sure.
It’s also kind of therapeutic, calm down a moment and sip some mate, alone or with friends, in which case you always share mate. Not sharing mate with your friends is pretty much an insult, and don’t even think about mentioning spit and germs, you might as well say you are getting a sex change next week. :)

Well, that’s it for now guys. Lots of things I didn’t mention but this is a beginners guide to know what to pic a bit extra next time you go to the supermarket, so you can start building up your food stash.

FerFAL

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2008
Economy crisis in USA
So guys, things don’t look good.

It pains me to see America going through this and the consequences it will bring. These are critical days, now is when we’ll get a better picture of how bad things will actually get, how long until we see the economy back on it’s feet. Instead of trying to guess what will happen, lets go through some things you should to right now, if you haven’t taken care of them already.

First, how about what NOT to do?

*Don’t open you big mouth!

It’s ok that you feel all nice and warm about the 1/5/whatever year food supply you already have, but there’s no need to talk about it with the guys at work, the neighbors, friends or even family that is not directly related. Other than my wife and kids, these are things that we simply do not talk about with people that know us, know our faces, names and know where we life.

Next thing you know someone’s knocking on your door, asking for favors you simply can’t afford.

Not long ago a friend asked if I could lend him a gun for self defense… yes, right.

Here, the owner of the gun is responsible for it and is not allowed to lend it to other non licensed persons. Other than my brother, I’m not giving a gun away to just anyone.

*Don’t waste your money!

How many times have we read about paper money only being good for TP after a crisis? Though it may have happened in some extremely primitive nations, or countries destroyed by war, do not expect that to happen in USA. It wont. Rather the other way around, you’ll consider it a precious commodity even more. As prices go up, you’ll save every penny.

If you already have savings you want to protect, buy precious metals, or if you have enough money, buy real estate. It’s a buyer’s market right now.

A small apartment would be a good investment.

Give it a few months, you’ll see rent prices go up in no time. People can’t get loans to buy or they don’t have the money, so people start renting more. More demand, prices go up.

*Don’t run for the hills

This isn’t a hurricane or flood, you can’t run from this. Running to your bug out location and “living off the land” is a terrible idea, almost as stupid as thinking about quitting your day job to start growing corn.

If you are a farmer and that’s what you do for a living, that’s just perfect. But if you are doing it as part of preparedness for the end of the world, you need to think things a bit better. For a farm to be a profitable, you need a margin of production large enough to make it economically sustainable.

Farming as a way of producing your own food is a terrible mistake. Spending an entire day to produce the food equivalent of what you can buy with 15 minutes of your current salary isn’t smart.

Yes, inflation, I know about it, as a matter of fact I know about it very well, but the solution isn’t growing your own food, building your own car, building your own house, digging your own petrol site or fixing your teeth yourself. :) The solution is making more money and reducing expenses as much as possible. Money ( in one form or another) makes the world go around and it’s been this way for more than 10.000 years, wont change any time soon.
No more toys guys, at least for a while.

Ok, now for things to do

*Reduce your expenses.

And since I managed to drift form the previous subject in just 6 lines, lets talk about reducing expenses a bit.

This requires 0 money, 0 skills other than a cool head and some rational planning , and you can start right now.

There are few things you absolutely NEED. You don’t need the latest cell phone or Ipod, you don’t need to buy every gadget that hits the market.

Most people could easily reduce their monthly expenses by ¼. That may vary a bit depending on how frugal you are already, but the truth is all of us can reduce the amount of money we spend if we make a few sacrifices.

Eating out instead of taking you own food to work? walking (or using a bike) instead of driving?
Do you need cable? Do you need that tactical SOG knife that would just look down right bad ass in your mole vest? The clothes you buy, are you just throwing away money in brand names? Your car, how about selling one of the big gas eating machines and buying a smaller one for getting you from point A to B? You wont mow down mutant zombies with it but the money you’ll be saving can be put to better use, AND you are contributing by using less gas.

Don’t even get me started on that gym or health club you pay for every month and never visit… :)

In our family, credit cards are for emergency use only, otherwise we use debit card or cash. And trust me, with the current economic situation, you’d be well advised to keep most of your money home instead of leaving it in the bank.

There’s a million things you can do to save money. Start now.

* Solidify you income source.

I wrote about this a few times, but it can’t hurt to do it again, considering the circumstances.
Wont take long until unemployment starts growing and people around you start getting fired.

Make sure you are not one of the casualties!

Do your job well, so that if 3 out of 4 guys get fired, your boss wont let you go. Make sure you are a valuable asset to the company, one of the last guys they’d think about when firing people.

If you work on your own, keep your clients happy. During times like these it’s better to think about setting solid storm-proof foundations than thinking about taking risks.

*Worry about personal protection.

It’s only a matter of time until you guys see crime getting worse than it already is.

Get an alarm, get a dog, secure your home. Buy a handgun and if you don’t have one, and START CARRYING IT EVER SINGLE DAY. And for the love of God, when I say carry it, of course I’m not even bothering to mention the obvious: Know how to use it. That means self defense shooting lessons ( not just target practice) and somewhat regular practice sessions.

Even more important than all the guns in the world, you need to develop safety habits.

I don’t understand how some people can worry enough to carry a gun, but don’t see the basic common sense behind locking your car’s door.

Recognize the people around you, look for suspicious behavior, be extra alert when going in and out of your home, keep your house locked and do not open your door to strangers.
This is obvious for most, but again, you’d be surprised how naïve people can be.
These are simple things to do, and they are essential in keeping your family safe during high crime.

*Keep yourself (and your family) emotionally stable.

One of the things we noticed here in Argentina some time after the crisis was the emotional toll it had on people.

Shrink visits had gone up significantly, along with the sale of tranquilizers, anti depressives and sleeping pills. The suicide rate went up, so did alcohol and drug abuse. The financial insecurity makes people nervous, it stresses you and affects your health. Add the fear of becoming a crime victim and you’ll soon find yourself walking up the walls.

So, it’s important to have a solid family environment, one that provides security for kids and adults alike.

Talk about what’s going on. Explain it to your kids, they’ll hear about it anyway and it’s better if they hear your version too. Also, talking about it with your significant other will help you cope with it better as well.

Have some kind of recreational activity , a hobby you enjoy. Work out. You’ll feel better physically and emotionally speaking.

Make sure you sleep well, a nap on weekends wont hurt.

The idea is to deal with what’s going on but in a way it doesn’t affect you.

*Have an emergency kit and food supplies.

This has been discussed for ages. Bug in kits, survival kits or whatever you want to call them.
You’ll need a minimum amount of gear to get by during riots, blackouts or after natural disasters, specially since the government will already be somewhat crippled because of the economic crisis so these situations may become more common and will probably take longer to get solved.

Things like blackouts became very common here because the power grid was collapsed, there’s no money for maintenance, you get the picture. Of course you can’t blame natural disasters on an economic crisis, but do not expect the same kind of help, both in quality and in response time, to the one you were used to before the economy crashed.

In terms of food and water.
6 to 12 months would be what you should set as an objective. More than that wont hurt, but in all honesty if you need more than that, you should leave the area because things wont be getting any better.

For water my minimum at hand is a month worth, 1 gallon per person per day. Ensuring a safe supply should be one of your priorities (well, near by river).

*Act like a damn adult

Yes. I know most of you guys get it but you’d be surprised by the kind of losers that are within our beloved survivalist & preparedness community. Some people don’t get it even if you write it on their foreheads.

For an economical crisis like the one the US seems to be getting into, isolating yourself and living like a hermit is the last thing you should look forward too. The idea of being completely self sufficient, and thinking that achieving that is some kind of nirvana survival state, that’s ok for a 16 year old living in mom’s basement, but that’s not what an adult with a family to take care of should look forward to.

People like that remind me of a native American woman that made it to the local news some time ago. Over 80 years old, she’s the last one of her tribe, and lives completely by herself in the Andes, in La Rioja. She made herself a small stone shelter (small dome, the size of a 2 person tent) , just big enough for her to sleep in. She has a pot, a few blankets, matches and a knife. She has a dozen llamas or so, and she sell one every now and then, in exchange for flour, oil, matches, etc. She eats Llama meat once in a while, to complement her diet. She never married, never slept with a man ( that’s what she said :)) Her entire existence consists in just staying alive, talking with the Llamas ( again, her words) and building a fire at night to keep the mountain lions away.

If your ambitions in life can be reduced to the ones of a dog, just eating and staying warm, that’s not much of a life.

It’s simply impossible to produce on your own everything you need if you want a life standard that sets you apart from an animal.

If you want more than that, don’t try to avoid the system, don’t turn your back on society like a weirdo, but try to take advantage of it and make it work in your favor.

This post turned out a bit messy but these are a few random ideas that I wanted to share given the context, and also given the similarities between what we went through and what seems to be going on in USA these days.

Take care everyone.

FerFAL

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