Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

http://www.westonaprice.org/Food-Features/Sourdough-Egg-Noodles.html

Sourdough Egg Noodles

Health Topics - Food Features
Written by Katherine Czapp
Tuesday, 06 July 2004 09:54

In the case of many mothers of young children who are in various stages of transforming their families’diets to one wise in traditional nutrition, often the last vestiges of modern, convenience meals to bite the dust are macaroni and cheese, either in the dry boxed form or frozen. Why one doesn’t make this simple dish from macaroni boiled at home and baked with milk and cheese of known origin is best understood by mothers of young children, I suppose, but the appeal of noodles needs no explanation. Yet of the wide variety of pastas available commercially—with or without egg, organic, whole grain and so forth—unfortunately none have been soaked or fermented to properly process the anti-nutrients in the flour. This is true also for the many recipes for pasta made by hand or machine commonly found in modern cookbooks. Imagine my complete surprise, then, to discover a recipe for pasta dough that requires a 2 to 3 day lacto-fermentation! Even more amazing, the recipe calls for whey!

The source of this recipe is a Russian cookbook (in Russian), a recent compilation of ethnic dishes called simply Russian Cuisine, published in 1998 and edited by V. Mikhailov and M. Riurikova. The first chapter, entitled “Siberia: Motherland of Pel’meni,” begins with the history of this well-known and universally loved dish.

Pel’meni are delectable meat-filled dumplings (forerunners of ravioli) associated with the ancient tribal culinary tradition of native Siberian peoples, in particular the Komi-Permyaks, inhabiting the Kama River basin along the Ural Mountains. In the Komi-Permyak language, this dish is called pel’ nyan’: pel’ means “ear” and nyan’ means “bread” so literally these are “bread ears,” and in Russian cuisine a variety of pel’meni is also called ushki, or little ears.

Ritual surrounded the preparation of pel’meni, which was a communal event. Only women who had borne children were permitted to prepare them, and they wore particular garments with ornamentation propitious to the success of their endeavor. The women sang special songs to provide rhythm and gentle encouragement to the careful task of preparing hundreds of pel’meni at a time; the dough had to be strong and elastic and sealed properly so that the dumplings would not open during boiling. The meat filling was usually reindeer, moose and horsemeat, chopped finely in a wooden trough, and although most modern pel’meni are made with ground meats, aficionados maintain that the best taste is still obtained from hand-chopping in a wooden vessel.

The Komi-Permyaks were hunters of the forests of the taiga (the moist, subarctic coniferous forest), and took sacks of frozen pel’meni with them on hunting expeditions. Since temperatures were below freezing for many months of the year, this was the perfect “convenience” meal. When the hunters reached their winter shelters it only remained to melt snow over a fire, drop the pel’meni into the boiling water and in a short time dinner was ready. Indeed, the editors of Russian Cuisine implore their readers to make a winter picnic of their own; to go to the forest and build their own fire and boil and eat pel’meni outside; it is an experience to remember all one’s life, they say.

Next follows my translation of the master recipe for the pel’meni dough with my additional comments in brackets.
Pel’meni Dough

“We recommend the following proportions of ingredients for pel’meni dough: 2 cups wheat flour (the highest quality), 6 egg yolks, 1 cup whey.

“Sift the flour, pour it onto the table and make a well in the center. Mix eggs yolks, salt [they never give a measurement for this, but I would assume a pinch or two], and whey carefully together until homogenous. Pour this into the well in the flour and begin to mix all together until the mass forms a ball. It should be elastic, but not too stiff. Knead and work the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands or to the table.

“You want to let the dough remain at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, adding a bit of flour and kneading once or twice a day. [No mention is made of placing the dough in a bowl and covering it, but I would assume one would do just that. Also, the assumption is that after the 2 or 3 days, your dough is ready to be rolled out, cut, filled and simmered in broth.]

“In order not to have to deal with the dough constantly, if pel’meni are made day after day, we advise you to use the leaven, or sour starter, method which has always been in the armamentarium of folk cuisine. To do this, you will add to a remnant of your dough [made as per instructions above] a mixture that is prepared thus: Bring a cup of salted water to a boil [in a pan], add 2 cups of flour, stirring quickly so that no lumps form. Continue to cook the mixture for another several minutes, then cool slightly and add 3 egg yolks and [a bit more] flour so that an elastic dough is produced. Combine this mixture with the remnant of dough [from above] and carefully knead to amalgamate. Leave this mixture to ferment at room temperature for several days. [Again, in a covered bowl.] In this manner, you will always have a supply of pel’meni dough. The resulting product is very elastic and durable and will not easily tear. [Very important as the dough must withstand being rolled thin, and then cut, filled, sealed and cooked in broth.] In the refrigerator the dough will keep for about a week.”
Making Pel’Meni

Instructions follow next for adding vegetables to the dough (carrot and beet)—rather like making spinach linguine—and then about 20 pages of recipes for fillings! Combinations include pork and beef, as well as mutton, veal, wild game, fish, eggs, cabbage, sauerkraut, mushrooms, pumpkin, liver and kasha, nettle, horsetail, lambs quarters, and sorrel! Filled pel’meni may be gently cooked and served in broth, or served alone drenched in melted butter or sour cream, or, in the Siberian style, with a sprinkling of vinegar.

I tried this recipe, using durum semolina flour, but decided right away that 6 eggs yolks were certain to be too many. I had large eggs on hand, and used only 3 yolks. Even so, I did need to add more flour to keep the mass of dough from sticking. This didn’t bother me, though, since I wasn’t making something like a cake where strict measurements would matter more to the final product. After the first 24 hours at room temperature, the climate in our part of Michigan suddenly contorted in a sickeningly typical manner: after weeks of cloudy, 45-degree April days, the temperature shot up to 87 with howling, blast-furnace winds. My dough reacted equally violently, lifting the glass plate on its bowl several inches as it bubbled forth. This behavior rankled me since I had never seen pasta dough act like bread dough! I punched it down, kneaded it and brought it down to our cool basement for the night. Over night, however, it bubbled aggressively up again, and I decided to use about a third of the dough to make flat noodles that day to see what sort of product all this excitement had caused. The dough was very springy and resilient, yet I managed to roll it out thin, and hand-cut the ribbons. I cooked the noodles in salted water and dressed them with a spring “pesto” of dandelion greens pounded in a mortar with garlic, salt and olive oil. To my great relief, they were very tasty indeed with no hint of over-souring; in fact, they were tender and sweet and noticeably light on the stomach.

The evil weather continued one more day, and I punched down and kneaded my poor dough periodically throughout. On the third day, temperatures returned to “normal” and I felt I was ready to try the pel’meni.

The editors of Russian Cuisine described the Komi-Permyak women making pel’meni by rolling the dough into a rope (after kneading it vigorously beforehand) and then pinching off a bit and rolling out each dumpling to fill one at a time. This method worked fine for me since I was only making about 15 the first time. I pinched off a piece of dough the size of a smallish walnut and rolled it out to about 1/16 of an inch thick, placed a heaping teaspoon of filling (I made a simple one of minced onion and carrot sauteed in lard added to some minced, cooked chicken seasoned just with salt) in the center and folded over and pinched the seams to seal. When all were made I dropped as many as would fit without crowding in one layer in a pan of simmering, salted chicken broth. After about 12 minutes they were done—we had them with rice wine vinegar and a splash of tamari; the second batch we had with sour cream. They were just delicious; the dough was tender and flavorful, the filling succulent, both benefitting from their bath in the flavorful broth.

The digestibility of these dumplings was also a noticeable virtue; they were very light on the stomach while at the same time satisfying to eat. For this toothsome aspect we can thank the lactic acid bacteria at work on the flour from the whey. Not only are anti-nutrients such as phytic acid neutralized by the acidic long soaking period, but recent research has shown that the lacto-bacilli present in sourdough cultures effectively neutralize the toxic components of the wheat gluten molecule responsible for the allergic reaction in celiac-sprue sufferers.1 Mere soaking with the addition of acetic acid showed no effect on the gluten molecule. This discovery is truly exciting for those who are gluten-intolerant, as it may be the door to food that is traditionally prepared and safe to eat, with the welcome bonus of being both tasty and extra-nutritious. The lacto-bacteria in a sourdough culture can be boosted by the addition of whey (in place of water) for baking bread, and as the liquid component of noodle dough, as we see in this traditional recipe for pel’meni. And just as with the traditional Komi-Permyak women, we can make a satisfying ritual from preparing these nutritious, delicious dumplings. They can be assembled and laid on trays in the freezer for about an hour, then transferred to freezer containers until you need them.

As they say in Russian Cuisine, we wish you success in your culinary masterwork!

Editor’s Note: We look forward to receiving reader feedback on their success with pel’meni.
Gluten-Free Bread

Although properly prepared bread is tolerated by many people who can’t eat gluten in supermarket bread, there are some who need to be completely gluten-free. The usual gluten-free bread offerings are mainly starch—white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, or might include soy, or other unsoaked grains. Deb Gully of New Zealand has developed the following soaked flour, gluten-free, dairy-free bread. The base recipe is dairy-free as well, for those who are very intolerant. Those who tolerate dairy products can use kefir or yoghurt for the soaking.

Whole grain, gluten free bread (Can be made dairy-free)
1 cup flour* (1/3 each quinoa, amaranth & buckwheat)
2 tablespoons whey or lemon juice
1 cup less 2 tablespoons warm water (i.e., total liquid = 1 cup)
2 eggs
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
1 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 cup sesame seeds, freshly ground in coffee grinder (comes to just under a cup of meal)
1/4 cup flaxseeds, freshly ground in coffee grinder (comes to just under ½ a cup of meal)
2 teaspoons pectin, xantham gum or guar gum**
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
pinch of fine celtic sea salt

The night before you want to make the bread, mix together the flour, warm water and whey. Cover and leave in a warm place. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs with the oil until well blended. Mix in the soaked flour. Mix remaining dry ingredients together well in a large bowl, and then add the batter, whisking as you go. The texture should be a fairly heavy batter. Let stand for a few minutes while you prepare the loaf pan. The flaxseeds will soak up some of the moisture and thicken the batter further. By this time, it should be thick and similar to a bread dough. The thicker it is, the better it will cook. If you need to, add a little more sesame meal.

Spoon into a buttered and lined loaf pan. Smooth the top, then make a small dip in the centre to allow for rising. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool before slicing.

* If you can’t get all 3 flours, try half and half of any 2 (not tested). All quinoa also works. Or try amaranth flour (not tested). All buckwheat also hasn’t been tested.

** Some people react to guar gum, so xantham is better. If you also react to that, try pectin. If still no go, try the bread without it, it will just be a little heavier.

Variation: Coconut bread
Replace butter or olive oil with 5 tablespoons coconut cream and replace the flaxseeds with 1/2 cup fine desiccated coconut.
Bread Machine Bread

Luisa Perkins of Cold Spring, New York, has supplied us with the following soaked recipe for a bread machine. She uses a Zojirushi bread machine (available from the King Arthur flour company), which has a “homemade” cycle.

1 cup purified water
3/4 cup homemade whey
5 cups freshly ground hard wheat flour, preferably white wheat, not red
3 tablespoons Rapadura or Sucanat
4 tablespoons lard or butter
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons yeast (SAF brand recommended)

Put the water, whey and flour into the bread machine loaf pan. Set the homemade cycle to the maximum time allowed on preheat and rise cycles—this should be at least 6 hours. The baking time should be set to zero. After preheating and kneading, the dough has about 6 hours at about 100 degrees. Add the remaining ingredients and set the machine to the wheat cycle, which should be another 3 hours at least. The two cycles together give the dough more than seven hours for the whey to do its work. The bread comes out nicely browned, risen to the top of the loaf pan and flat on top. It has a good, even structure and texture. If you start in the morning, the bread is finished by early evening and will be cooled off and ready to eat the following morning. Makes a 2-pound loaf.

References

1. 1. DiCagno, et al. Proteolysis by Sourdough Lactic Acid Bacteria: Effects on Wheat Flour Protein Fractions and Gliadin Peptides Involved in Human Cereal Intolerance. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, February, 2002, p. 623-633, Vol. 68, No. 2

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2004.

About the Author

Katherine CzappKatherine Czapp was raised on a three-generation, self-sufficient mixed family farm in rural Michigan. After studying Russian language and literature at the University of Michigan, she is gratified to discover that the skills and experiences of her anachronistic upbringing are useful tools in the 21st century. She works independently as a three-season organic gardener and WAPF staff editor. She and her husband Garrick live the slow life in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To learn more about authentic sourdough bread recipes and to obtain a live culture starter, visit www.realsourdoughbreadrecipe.com.

written by alison, Jan 08 2010
I made the sourdough pasta as described in the pel’meni recipe. I added some white flour to reduce the dough stickiness (next time I’ll try w/meal)and successfully made some fettucine on my pasta machine. The taste of the cooked pasta was divine, slightly tangy but more pleasant and delicate than wholemeal pasta. The only drawback is that the pasta is a lot softer and even a bit “gluggy” but that maybe due to incorrect cooking time. I’ll definately be doing some more experimenting with this recipe. Thanks.

http://www.westonaprice.org/Food-Features/Gluten-Free-Sourdough-Starters-Pancakes-and-Muffins.html

Gluten-Free Sourdough Starters, Pancakes and Muffins

Health Topics - Food Features
Written by Sharon Kane
Thursday, 25 June 2009 10:15

After a number of years of building Weston A. Price Foundation principles into my daily life I learned I had multiple food sensitivities and had to let go of some beloved foods, namely butter and homemade sourdough rye bread. Unable to find suitable store-bought gluten-free and allergen-free breads I began a journey of culinary discovery that taught me more about gluten-free sourdough baking than I ever could have imagined. Over time I coupled WAPF guidelines with modern gluten-free baking principles and came up with some lovely breads, muffins and pancakes that have become nutrient-dense, highly digestible comfort food for me and my family.

For those who must accommodate similar food sensitivities, I hope the following instructions for producing gluten-free starters will ease the transition to this way of baking. The devil is always in the details, and I have provided advice based on my experiments as I came to devise recipes that were successful.

Let’s start with a few definitions:

STARTER: A culture of wild yeast and lactobacilli in a flour-and-water medium used for leavening bread products.

PLAIN STARTER: Simply brown rice flour and water (not as potent or dependable as a boosted starter).

BOOSTED STARTER: Brown rice flour and water boosted with one to two tablespoons of water kefir, dairy kefir, kefir whey or kombucha.

FRESHLY MADE STARTER: A new starter made without any previously fermented starter.

ONGOING STARTER: A small amount of potent starter reserved from every batch and used to ferment the next batch.

RESTING STARTER: Starter stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator. It needs to be fed every two weeks. To feed, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Add equal amounts of flour and water. Let ferment for at least four hours and return to refrigerator.

When I first began experiimenting, I used plain starters but didn’t find them to be potent enough to be dependable. Now I always use a boosted starter. I have found that brown rice flour makes a very dependable and versatile starter and is a good base from which to try variations.
Working With Starters

There are three ways to work with starters:

1. You can use up all your starter each time you cook or bake. You would create a new starter for each time you want to cook. Just allow enough time, usually three to four days, for the starter to be ready.
2. You can have an ongoing starter at room temperature stored on the counter indefinitely, feeding it two to three times a day. You take out what you need for that day’s cooking, leaving a small amount for the next batch, feeding it and letting it continue to ferment.
3. You can store some starter in the refrigerator between cooking and baking days. It must be fed every two weeks. Take it out of the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature, feed it with equal amount of brown rice flour and water. Let it ferment on the counter for four hours. Then put it back in the refrigerator. When you need it take it out, let it come to room temperature and feed it. It will be ready for cooking in one or two days.

If you need a lot of starter you can use one cup flour and one cup water for each feeding. If you need a small amount you can start with one cup flour and one cup water and use smaller amounts, such as one quarter or one third cup flour and water each for subsequent feeding.

If you miss a feeding check to see whether the starter seems less potent or too acidic. If it’s less potent it may still be fine for pancakes. if it’s too acidic, the finished products may be unpleasantly sour. It may be best to discard it and start over.

I find the best starter consistency is not too soupy and not too thick. Using roughly equal amounts of flour and water with a little less water than flour, gives a nice balance. If the starter is very soupy right before cooking you can use just flour and no water for the last feeding or two. If right before cooking the texture seems too thick you can always add a little water, a tablespoon at a time, whisking as you go until you get the right consistency.
Visible Stages of a New Gluten-Free Starter

These stages are approximations of the actual time. The stages may take a total of two to four days depending on season, climate and temperature of kitchen.

DAY 1: Mix flour and water. Sometimes solid sinks to the bottom, liquid stays on top. This is okay.

DAY 2: Small bubbles come up when the starter is moved or stirred.

DAY 3: “Hill stage.” The solid part forms a soft hill at the top of the water level (this stage doesn’t always happen).

DAY 4: Bubbles of different sizes come up when the starter is moved or stirred. Sometimes there is a hissing or burbling sound when they come from the bottom of the bowl. Sometimes the starter will become spongy like a wheat or rye starter, but is almost always a viable starter even if it doesn’t produce this effect.
Boosted Brown Rice Starter

Start with one cup brown rice flour and put it in a ceramic or glass bowl. Pour in slightly less than one cup water and whisk smooth. Add one to two tablespoons of water kefir, dairy kefir, kefir whey or kombucha and whisk again. Cover with a cloth or paper towel and secure with a rubber band. Leave it on the counter away from drafts or extreme temperatures.

Feed the starter every eight to twelve hours, or two to three times a day, for a total of four days, with nearly equal amounts of rice flour and water, a bit less on the water, whisking smooth each time and covering.

After two days put the starter in a clean bowl and continue feeding. (Change the bowl so that the dried out starter that clings to the sides of the bowl stays out of the living starter.) After about forty-eight hours the starter should show signs of viability. If you don’t see any bubbles or “hilling” you can add another tablespoon of water kefir, dairy kefir, kefir whey or kombucha.

By the third day you should see small bubbles, especially while stirring. By the fourth day you may see bubbles of different sizes and there may be a hissing, burbling sound when they rise from the bottom of the bowl.

It should take about four days for a new starter to be ready for cooking. It may take less time in warm weather and more in cold weather. With a little practice you will get to know when your starter is ready. If you want ongoing starter, when you’re ready to cook or bake, remove a small amount 1/4 to 1/2 cup) and put it in a clean bowl. Feed with roughly equal amounts of flour and water and whisk smooth. Cover and set aside to continue fermenting. This will be your starter for your next batch. Proceed with your recipe using the remaining starter.

Using my guidelines to get you started, I hope you and your family will soon be enjoying nutritious, satisfying and easily digested gluten-free baked goods. You’ll soon discover that there are many variations that you can use to tempt your family. Happy baking and good health!

SIDEBARS
Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes: Basic Recipe

These gluten-free pancakes are different from most people’s experience of regular pancakes. It’s important to keep an open mind about what this particular food tastes and feels like rather than comparing it to wheat pancakes. These pancakes are nutrient dense and very satisfying. They can be used for sweet as well as savory meals. With a little practice one can master the subtleties of working with this gluten-free starter.

For pancakes, prior to cooking, use 1/2 cup of buckwheat or gluten-free oat flour for the last feeding. A pure rice flour starter tends to be on the thin, soupy side—add buckwheat or oat flour; this will give the pancakes some needed density. For four pancakes:

1 cup mature brown rice flour sourdough starter (in the bubbling stage)
1 tablespoon oil, melted butter or fat
large pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons freshly ground flax seed (grind in a coffee grinder dedicated to this purpose)

Mix oil, salt and ground flax seed into starter and let sit for at least fifteen minutes to allow the flax to thicken the batter. The batter should be like a thick cake batter. If the batter is too thick whisk in a little water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency. (The batter can also sit for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. The finished pancakes will be thinner and lighter.)

Grease the pan or griddle and heat to fairly hot. Spoon or ladle out the batter onto the pan. These pancakes will take longer to cook than wheat pancakes so flip well after bubbles show up or the edges start to dry out. Cook another one to two minutes and serve.

You can also cool the pancakes on a rack and refrigerate them in a covered container for three to five days. Just reheat them in the toaster.
Gluten-Free Pancake Breads

With a few changes in the recipe, the gluten-free pancakes may be used as bread for sandwiches. Begin with three to four cups of starter. Add a little water to the batter for a thin batter and make large pancakes, five to six inches in diameter. Store them in a container in the refrigerator, and toast them before using as bread in sandwiches.

You may spice up basic pancakes with these suggested additions to the batter:

Cinnamon
Pumpkin pie spice
Garam masala
Ground hot pepper
Chopped apple
Berries
Chopped or sautéed onion
Ground sesame seed

You can use different flours in the starter as it grows or you can use a different variety of flour for the last feeding. Each type of flour brings a different quality to the finished product: teff flour (grind in a coffee grinder) thickens it and gives it weight; sorghum flour fluffs it up; amaranth flour (grind in a coffee grinder) lightens the batter and gives it a nutty taste; gluten-free oat flour lightens and fluffs it; buckwheat thickens it almost to a cake-like consistency, and makes a very substantial pancake.

Note that buckwheat flour is so dense that fermentation bubbles may not move through the starter easily. It will nevertheless be alive and potent. Because of their density, buckwheat pancakes may not show bubbles in the pan so look for darkening around the outer third and then flip them.

Another variation: Use leftover cooking water from boiled potatoes (including any starch or potato bits on the bottom of the pot) for the water portion of the starter. This produces as excellent starter giving a wonderful potato pancake taste. Try it cooked with chicken or duck fat and topped with chopped liver or liver pâté.
Spice Muffins

4 cups boosted brown rice starter
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour or arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon stevia powder or 1 teaspoon crushed stevia leaf
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup expeller expressed sunflower oil

Place flours, salt, stevia and spices in a bowl and whisk together. Put starter, ground flaxseed and oil in mixer bowl and mix gently. Add flours to starter mixture and mix on low speed for 15-30 seconds until spongy. Do not overmix. Fill greased muffin tins half full. Let rise for 8 hours. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and remove muffins to rack. When completely cool, refrigerate, wrapped in a cloth in a plastic container. The muffins freeze very well and are great toasted after freezing. Yield: 12 muffins or 24 mini muffins.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Summer 2009.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1108067

If the starter ends up being a problem, I would make a starter using yeast (basically flour, water, yeast and about 12 hours) and use that in the sourdough recipes. Perfect the other stages of bread-making, then experiment with starters.

My method:
Two cups flour
One packet of dry yeast stirred in to flour
Add enough lukewarm water (~body temperature) to make a thick batter

Place your starter in a ceramic or glass bowl in a warm spot for 12-24 hours depending on the temperature. In hot months, your starter will get “yeasty” very quickly and will be ready to use. Cover the bowl with something to keep the flies out. I use wax paper for easy disposal. Sourdough starter on hand towels can be hard to wash off.
__________________
Amanda Rose, Rebuild from Depression, a book on nutrients and depression.
Phytic acid tips for consumers; foods for depression; vitamins for depression.

eastkygal
Senior Member

I skimmed the mold off and underneath looked normal. It doesn’t “stink”, but smells as I imagine it should. It doesn’t nauseate me to smell it. I proceeded as normal and will take a gander at it tomorrow. I’m trying not to use yeast, so if this doesn’t work, I think I’ll order a starter.

I just need to get over the mold will make us sick thought. I think where I went wrong is I set the starter outside as the recipe recommends and forgot about it and it was in direct sun for a few hours, then I moved it indoors. Maybe that got the mold started. :
__________________

tbednarick
New Member

Refrigerating Sourdough & a VERY EASY loaf of bread.
I keep my starter in the refrigerator all the time. I pull it out the night before I want to bake and add enough flour and water for the recipe I’m going to make. In the morning, I measure out the amount needed for the recipe and store the rest in a little mason jar in the refrigerator for next time.

Here’s a very easy recipe if you like hearth style breads. I unfortunately weigh everything because I’ve found it to be the best way for me to bake. I also use parchment paper and small dutch oven or stainless steel bowl for baking.

Easy Minimal Mess No Knead Sourdough

Ingredients:

* 100 g starter at 100% hydration*
* 310 g water
* 12 g salt
* 450 g flour

Approx cup measurements (I haven’t done it this way, but it will be very close and the recipe is extremely flexible.) You want a sticky dough that just stirs together without having to work in any of the flour to hard.

* 1/4 c starter at 100% hydration*
* 11 oz water
* 1.5 t salt
* 3 c flour

* Equal parts by weigh of water and flour. If measuring with cups, use 1 part flour and 2/3 part of water. For this recipe, I start with 50g of starter and add 50g of water and flour. If you are measuring, start with 1/4 c of starter and add 1/4 c of flour and 2.5 T of water.

Mix starter and water until blended. I use a wisk for this. Add salt. Stir in flour with a strong spoon. Let rise for 8 - 12 hours (for me, 8 in the summer, 12 in the winter).

Gently dump the risen dough onto a floured surface and pat it gently into a rough rectangle. Fold sides in then fold the top down and bottom up. I like to do this a couple of times until the dough stops being relaxed enough to do it. Three times works for me.

Get a big bowl and line it with parchment paper. I take 2 six inch wide strips and make an X in the bowl. Saves some paper and money. You could try oiling the bowl, but I haven’t done it that way. Shape the dough into a ball, scoop it up and put the messy side down.

If I’m making 2 loaves (double recipe) I put half in a glass bowl and half in about a 4 quart stainless steel bowl that is oven safe. Both of these are lined with my X of parchment paper.

Cover with saran wrap or something that will keep the dough moist. I use a disposable shower cap that I don’t dispose of . If you have time, let the dough rise for another 4 hours, or if you’re strapped for time, and stick in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

About 1/2 hour before you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 450. Stick the dutch oven in to pre-heat now. Snip the top of your loaf in three slices to allow it to “spring” in the oven. I use kitchen shears, but have used a serated knife. Scissors work better (easier) for me.

After at least a 1/2 hour, open the oven and position the cast iron dutch oven so that you can lift the X of parchment paper by it’s corners and into the dutch oven easily. Bake for 1/2 hour covered. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes.

If I’m using the stainless bowl I cover it with aluminum foil and stick it in right away, before letting the oven pre-heat. When I do it this way, I’m usually baking two loaves and they are done at slightly different times. I take the foil off about 30 minutes in, just like the dutch oven cover, but cook for maybe another half hour instead of 15 minutes.

If I want rye, I sub 125g of rye flour and add 15g of caraway seeds. We seem to always have rye around here.

I’m, sadly, gluten free because of candida, and milk and egg free for my allergic nursing son. But my husband and boy get to enjoy the bread . Hopefully the gluten can come back soon. I want to be friends with bread again!

Gosh, I didn’t mean to type a novel. I just love that I found a really cheap, easy, no stress way to make bread on a weekly basis.

SpringRain

Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: in a temperate rainforest

I’ve always used this pineapple juice method because the acid in the juice prevents mold and bad bacteria from growing while allowing the good yeaties to flourish. I get perfect results every time!

http://www.breadtopia.com/make-your-own-sourdough-starter/

Pineapple juice sourdough starter: [video at link]

As I mention in the video, the wild yeast spores and lactic-acid bacteria that give your starter its leaving properties are all around you. You are simply creating the conditions ideally suited for them to thrive and multiply. I used whole wheat flour in this recipe because fresh whole wheat flour may harbor greater numbers of yeast spores than ordinary all-purpose flour and so increase your likelihood for success. It worked for me, so you might try the same. If, at any time, you wish to transition your whole wheat sourdough starter to a regular white flour starter, it’s super easy to do so.

I’ve listed the ingredients and approximate steps here to save you the note taking.

* Step 1. Mix 3 ½ tbs. whole wheat flour with ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for 48 hours at room temperature. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. (“Unsweetened” in this case simply means no extra sugar added).
* Step 2. Add to the above 2 tbs. whole wheat flour and 2 tbs. pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for a day or two. Stir vigorously 2-3x/day. You should see some activity of fermentation within 48 hours. If you don’t, you may want to toss this and start over (or go buy some!)
* Step 3. Add to the above 5 ¼ tbs. whole wheat flour and 3 tbs. purified water. Cover and set aside for 24 hours.
* Step 4. Add ½ cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 to 1/3 cup purified water. You should have a very healthy sourdough starter by now.

Notes: I do wonder if the fact that I bake all the time with a sourdough starter (and so theoretically have wild yeast floating around our house by the gazillions and covering everything we own) would increase the likelihood that I would have success creating my own sourdough culture from scratch. So I anxiously await feedback from anyone who attempts this process at home. (You’ll see a nifty little form below for comments and feedback.

http://www.breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-bread-recipes/

Menu of Recipes:
Cajun Three-Pepper Whole Grain Spelt
Tutti Fruiti

Cajun Three-Pepper Bread (No-knead)

Big thanks to Jerry in Seattle for this great recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s Brother Juniper’s Bread Book. It came out very well.

3 cups bread flour
¼ cup uncooked polenta
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup sourdough starter
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1-1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Place dry ingredients (flour through salt) into a large bowl and mix well. Combine starter, Tabasco sauce and water and add to the dry ingredients. Stir and add in the garlic, bell pepper.and parsley.

Cover bowl with plastic at let sit at room temperature for 18 hours

After 18 hours turn dough onto well floured surface and gently flatten enough to fold dough back onto itself a couple times to form a roundish blob.

Cover blob with plastic or an inverted bowl and let rest 15 minutes. During this rest period, line a proofing basket or bowl with Reynolds Release foil.

Gently and quickly shape blob into an approximate ball and place in proofing basket or bowl.

Cover with a towel or bowl cover and let rise for 1-2 hours depending on room temperature.

Just before baking, slash the bread top to control cracking and lift the foil and dough into a Dutch oven or ceramic (e.g. La Cloche) baker preheated to 500F degrees. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes at 450 degrees.

Allow bread to cool completely before slicing and eating.

This loaf has outstanding color in the crumb and is only slightly hot. Cream cheese is a better spread than butter. Would be good as a sandwich with cheese and meat.

Note: Check out Peter’s post and pics of his Cajun Three Pepper Bread.

Also, see Steve Krause’s first try at no knead baking – Cajun style.

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Christina kindly contributed these no-knead gems to the repertoire. Christina resides in beautiful Fairfield, Iowa

Tutti Fruiti

To regular no-knead dough add…

* The finely grated peel of 1 orange
* 2 tsps. unrefined sugar
* And up to 1 and 1/3 cups dried fruit. (We used whole cherries, chopped pineapple, minced candied ginger, and golden raisins.)

The dough can be on the wet side as the fruit will absorb moisture. Rise and bake as usual. (Beware, the sugary fruits will caramelize if they touch the pot directly, so use a pot that cleans up easily and try to form the dough so that not too much fruit is exposed.) Makes a sort of light-hearted cousin to a stollen.

Whole Grain Spelt

Make the dough using…

* 3 1/2 c. whole spelt flour
* 1 3/4 tsp. salt
* 1/3 c. starter
* Water to 1 2/3 c.

Stir in more flour if you can–the dough seems to gain quite a bit of moisture as it rises. Monitor the volume of the dough rather than watching the clock. I found I had to cut my rising times quite a bit.

For the final rising put it in a greased bowl that has been well dusted with rice flour. (If you leave it on a flat surface it will just ooze as it rises.)

Use a bowl that has a diameter slightly smaller than the pot you’ll be baking in. It won’t rise as much as a loaf made with refined flour, but should increase by 2/3.

Dust the top of the dough with rice flour immediately before baking so that when you (carefully) flip it out into the pot you’ll have some there to prevent sticking.

Bake as usual. Makes a flattish loaf–not as fluffy as those with some refined flour, but good texture with smallish air holes throughout and great taste.

If anyone comes up with a way to increase the fluffiness of whole grain NKB I’d love to hear about it!

http://www.breadtopia.com/bread-recipes-dry-yeast/

No Knead Bread Recipes Using Instant Yeast*

*Email your favorite recipe for posting
Menu of Recipes:
Denali’s No Knead Bread
Rick’s No Knead Variation
Malcolm’s No Knead Method
Rick’s Whole Wheat & Rolled Oats No Knead
Rick’s No Knead Rye
Mark’s Caramelized Onion Loaf

See also Joe Valencic’s recipe for over-sized Craisin No Knead Bread. This recipe is 50% larger than the basic recipe. And Joe’s recipe for No Knead Rye. (Clicking these links will take you to other pages)
And Ruth Katz’s (Hatuli’s) recipe for seeded whole wheat rye bread below.

Denali’s No Knead Bread

Thanks to Denali for this modified version of the New York Times recipe of Nov. 2006.

Denali operated her own bread baking business for 10 years, and studied baguette making with Amy Sherber from NY. She has also taught bread baking, and recently taught a group of at-risk inner city young people how to bake.

Mix together thoroughly (this becomes your poolish {sponge}):

1 & 3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp instant yeast (yes, that’s all)
1 cup all purpose flour (King Arthur or any unbleached, unbromated all purp. white flour)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Cover loosely & let work overnight (or 4 – 8 hours). Mixture should be risen and possibly bubbly. It may have risen & fallen and be sitting on top of a bed of liquid. If you wish & you’re able to, you can go on to the next step as soon as the poolish becomes bubbly, but it’s all right to let it work till it gets to the “sitting on liquid” stage.

Add & mix well with spatula:
2 cups flour (I use half whole wheat & half white; you can experiment as you wish)

(At this point you can add any ingredients you’d like:

* 2-3 TBS fresh rosemary + 2/3 of a med-lg onion sliced thin;
* 2/3 cup calamata olives cut in halves or thirds;
* 1/2 to 2/3 cup each craisins & chopped toasted pecans + 2 TBS sugar;
* chunks of asagiao cheese in ½ inch cubes (better if you use 2 cups white instead of part white & part whole wheat);
* 1 and 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese + 2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts;
* for rye bread: DO NOT add 2 cups white flour. Add 2 Tbs caraway seeds and 3/4 cup rye flour and 1 1/4 cups white flour;
* 2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts, 2 tsp maple extract, 3 TBS brown sugar; preheat oven to 500 to heat pot, but bake at 425 for first half hour and for uncovered stage;
* whatever your creativity suggests

Cover & let work till risen (6-8 hours or over night). At this point the dough should be doubled in size and you should be able to see large bubbles just below the surface. You can bake the bread now, or delay baking by doing the following.

Sprinkle top & edges with 2 TBS flour & fold sides in to center all the around the bowl. Fold the dough over a few times.

*Set aside for another 3 hours or so.
(If you don’t have time to bake the bread at this point, you can repeat this (*) step. The flavor will develop further if you do, but will still be good if you don’t.

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Malcolm’s Method

Malcolm’s no knead recipe, as with Denali’s above, uses a poolish as the starter. A poolish (also known as a biga {Italian}) is the starter or pre-ferment that is made of flour, water and yeast. Malcolm makes his from 100 g flour, 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast, 1/4 tsp sea salt, and water to mix (enough water to make a slack dough, probably 150 ml). Then leaves it until it bubbles up, and refrigerates covered until needed.

Malcolm is holding back a piece of dough (50 grams) from his previous batch as his starter for the next one. So if you are just starting out, you will need to create your starter first. You can use Malcolm’s simple method or Denali’s above. In this recipe, Malcolm is using a starter PLUS 1 tsp instant yeast. If you’re having any problems with getting a good rise in your bread, this aught to take care of it.

If you’re not on the metric system, you’ll need to convert measurements.

From Malcolm:

Here’s my present standard method, which I have to say produces consistent delicious results.

* 50 grams starter (poolish)
* 400 grams of flour
* 350 ml of cold water
* 1/2 tsp instant yeast
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

All mixed together (hold back a little water) to produce a moist dough that pulls away from the walls of the bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and leave it in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours, then at room temperature for 8-12 hours or until it doubles in bulk.

Turn out and form the dough on a floured board, handling it gently so as not to degas. Reserve about 50 grams of the dough for a starter in the next batch. Put the baking pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 500. Bake the dough in the covered pot (I mostly use a clay baker, but any covered pot will work) at 500 for 30 minutes. Then uncovered for 8-10 minutes at 450. I often just remove the lid and leave the bread in the residual heat of the oven for the 8-10 minutes.

I usually mix 2/3 unbleached white flour with 1/3 something else: multigrain, or stone ground hard whole wheat, for example. If the proportion of whole wheat is higher, I might add 1 Tbs of vital wheat gluten.

Use inexpensive balsamic vinegar. White balsamic vinegar is also good. I just made a loaf with all white flour, white balsamic vinegar and mixed into the dough 1 Tbs of dried fines herbes, with excellent results.

The starter really makes a difference, like a poolish or biga. I now reserve some dough from each batch, without worrying if it’s the same flour mix as the new batch. It keeps indefinitely tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Refrigerating the dough has the effects as described in BBA (Bread Bakers Apprentice), but also makes your baking schedule flexible, since it doesn’t seem to matter if the dough is refrigerated, say, 18 or 24 hours or even longer.

Cheers,

Malcolm K.
Toronto, Canada

BTW, I was in a rented condo in Florida for two weeks, where I made terrific bread in a covered pyrex bowl, using King Arthur unbleached white and their white whole wheat flours, which they don’t market in Canada. Here I use excellent unbleached white and stone ground hard whole wheat that I buy from a bulk store, and Robin Hood MultiGrain. Robin Hood also has unbleached white and Nutriflour, which is unbleached white plus wheat bran. They’re all good.

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Rick’s No Knead Variation

Rick, from Oakville, Ontario, has had great success with this variation of the basic no knead method using a multi-grain cereal and a little milk…

“Here is the recipe and pics for the no knead loaf I did, using Red River Cereal to add some texture and flavour. I used unbleached flour in this bake to see what it would do for the colour. It adds a nice creamy tone to the bread. I added a little more yeast – probably 3/8 teaspoon in total. The milk softens the crust a little, it is still chewy just not as crisp. The milk can be left out and water substituted for a crispier crust.

For the rest I followed the usual no knead steps however I use an oiled bowl for the proof stage – never could understand why on earth the towel method was suggested.

If you are not familiar with Red River cereal here is their website: http://www.redrivercereal.com/.

Ingredients:

* 3 C unbleached all purpose flour
* ¼ t+ rapid yeast – Fleischmann’s
* 1 ½ t coarse sea salt
* 1 ½ C tepid water
* 2T milk
* 6T Red River cereal

18 hour ferment, 3 hour proof. 30 minutes at 450F in glazed clay casserole covered then 20 minutes uncovered, internal temperature 200F+.”

Ricks Bread

Ricks Bread2

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Rick’s Whole Wheat & Rolled Oats No Knead Recipe

Another winner from Rick…

Here is my take on whole wheat NK bread. It turned out quite well. A nice looking flavourful bread.

Rick

Whole Wheat and Rolled Oats No Knead Bread

* 1 cup rolled oats – chopped coarsely
* 2 cups whole wheat flour
* ½ tsp instant yeast
* 2 tsp demerara sugar
* 1 tsp sea salt – optional
* 1 ½ tbsp wheat gluten
* 2 tbsp milk
* 1 ½ cups water

Mill the oats in a food chopper to a coarse consistency. Measure and top up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour.

Dissolve salt in tepid water, add milk and combine with dry ingredients

Ferment and proof according to the traditional NYT instructions. I use oiled bowls for both the ferment and proofing stages.

Notes:
This dough was slow to rise on the ferment; it did not show the population of large bubbles that you normally see with this style of bread. The final 4 hours of the ferment took place in the oven with the light on. The oven temperature with the light on is between 78F and 80F. Once the dough was in the oven more activity took place and it rose nicely.

I gave it 8 single alternating folds (fold, turn, fold, turn) prior to shaping, then proofed in a small oiled mixing bowl and again put it in the oven with light on. Very good rise in proofing stage. Proofed for 2 hours.

I dusted the top of the loaf with rolled oats and baked it at 450F in a glazed stoneware casserole – covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes – to an internal temperature of 200F.

The crust was softened with the addition of the milk (leave it out if you want a crispier crust) the crumb was typical of whole wheat breads with a range of small to medium holes and a flavourful firm crumb.

Ricks Whole wheat and oats.jpg

Ricks Whole wheat and oats sliced.jpg

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Rick’s No Knead Rye

Another Rick gem. Made with 20% dark rye and only a 12 hour initial ferment. You can see the nice rise and open crumb. Rick describes the taste as “very flavourful”.

This may address some questions about the necessity of proofing for the entire 18 hours as typically prescribed in the no knead recipe. While the longer proof is often desirable for full flavor development, it’s nice to know we can squeeze the total recipe time down if time is short and still achieve good results.

This is a yeasted bread. Next up for Rick is a sourdough version of the no knead recipe, his first attempt at sourdough baking. Perhaps he’ll keep us abreast of his baking adventures.

Ricks no knead rye

Simple Light Rye 12 hour

2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup dark rye flour

2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4+ teaspoon yeast

1 3/4 cups water – by weight 75% hydration

Ferment 12 hours then French fold

Proof 2 hours

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 500F

Finish uncovered at 400F 15 minutes

(Dry 15 minutes heat off)

Internal 209.5F
Open crumb, salty, good flavour, great crust.

Rick’s Baking Notes:

SALT: Most of us are or should be aware about sodium consumption. This recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of salt. I have made this same loaf without salt and substituted 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar for 2 tablespoons of water to maintain a hydration of 75%. The cider vinegar boosts the overall flavour of the loaf and also adds a pleasant back taste to give the loaf personality.

FRENCH FOLD: I discovered this method on a baking blog. When the primary fermentation is complete turn the dough out on a floured board and gently stretch the dough into a loaf like shape. Place your hands under the dough at the mid point and lift. When the dough folds in on itself return to the board, stretch and repeat. I do this 5 or 6 times and then proof the loaf for 2 hours in a proofing bowl.

FLOUR: This loaf works nicely when 1 cup of whole wheat flour is substituted for 1 cup of all purpose flour.

DRY CYCLE: Once the loaf is baked and the internal temperature has been reached, turn the oven off, prop the door open a few inches and leave the loaf in the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes. This conditions the loaf and will help deliver a crusty loaf.

WEIGHING VS MEASURING: The debate surrounding dry measure versus weighing ingredients continues. I bought a digital scale from Eric last year and now find I can replicate recipes time after time without noticeable variations. I was not able to do this when I baked using volumetric measuring. This recipe was developed using volumetric measure.

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Mark’s Caramelized Onion Loaf

Breadtopia reader Mark Liptak has been enjoying great results with a variety of no knead bread variations. But his favorite (as of press time) is this shoe in for the No Knead Hall of Fame…

Using your basic no knead recipe I sliced a large vadalia onion and caramelized it with butter on low heat in a sautée pan for 20 minutes. I let the onion cool and mixed it in with the dough, added a couple more TSPs of water for sticky consistency, and let stand for 18 hours. I was concerned that I’d added too much onion, but after it rises and is baked off its fabulous. Give it a try….

Marks Onion.JPG

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Bread Maestro Mark Liptak
April 29, 2008 at 8:58 pm

{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }

Beth May 2, 2010 at 12:36 pm

I am beginning a small bread business (completely by accident). I have several requests for a sourdough 100% whole wheat. Any recipe suggestions? Artisan style (no knead) is preferable. Thanks everyone!
Beth May 2, 2010 at 12:36 pm

I am beginning a small bread business (completely by accident). I have several requests for a sourdough 100% whole wheat. Any recipe suggestions?
Hatuly November 13, 2009 at 3:01 pm

My recipe for no knead whole wheat/rye seeded bread bakes wonderfully in the Romertopf. The bread is denser than bread made only with bread flour.

I use larger quantities of ingredients since I like a slightly larger loaf of bread. We no longer buy bread since I started baking bread nearly 18 months ago.

My recipe calls for:
1 1/2 Cups Bread Flour
1 1/2 Cups Rye Flour
3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 Tbs Seeds*
4 Teaspoons Salt
3/4 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
3 – 3 1/4 Cups water

* 3 Tbs of seeds: I add 1 Tablespoon each of raw sunflower, flax and pumpkin. Basically any grains or seeds are find as long as they are not more than 3 Tbs otherwise the bread is too dense.

I bake using Breadtopia’s instructions for no knead bread and use a Romertopf to bake the bread.

[There are many comments, and several have recipes]

ROTAVIRUS VACCINE - USA (02): EXTRANEOUS VIRUS
**********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

******
[1]
Date: Fri 7 May 2010
Source: CIDRAP News [edited]
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/news/may0710rotateq.html

Another rotavirus vaccine found to contain porcine circovirus

Merck, the company that makes the most commonly given rotavirus vaccine in
the United States, yesterday said it has detected very low levels of DNA
from porcine circovirus (PCV) in its Rotateq vaccine, making it the 2nd
rotavirus vaccine found to contain PCV. The company said in a press release
that it used highly sensitive assays to test its vaccine after an
independent testing laboratory found evidence of the virus in the other
US-licensed rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

On 22 Mar 2010 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that,
although it doesn’t appear that the Rotarix poses any safety risks,
physicians should suspend administering it until government and industry
scientists could review the findings.

The FDA’s vaccine advisory panel was scheduled to discuss the Rotarix
findings today [Fri 7 May 2010], and yesterday in advance of the meeting it
posted a notice on Merck’s PCV findings for its vaccine. It said
preliminary studies from Merck had identified DNA fragments from PCV
subtype 1 (PCV1), the same subtype found in GSK’s vaccine, as well as from
PCV subtype 2 (PCV2).

The FDA said neither has been known to cause illness in humans, though PCV2
can cause illness in pigs. It also said it has no evidence that either of
the vaccines poses a safety risk and that both have strong safety records.
At today’s meeting of the FDA Vaccine and Related Biological Products
Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), members were briefed on the latest study
findings from FDA and industry scientists. Most members said the benefits
of the rotavirus vaccines clearly outweigh the risks, though several
expressed concerns about the PCV2 findings in Merck’s vaccine, due to the
fact that it can cause disease in pigs.

Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
that the last 2 rotavirus seasons were shorter than past seasons and that
vaccine coverage has risen to 72 per cent. However, usage is about 13 per
cent lower than 2 other childhood vaccines commonly given to infants. The
CDC findings appear in the latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report (MMWR)
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5917a4.htm

Some VRBPAC members today voiced a need for transparency when talking to
parents about the rotavirus vaccine PCV findings, but they also worried
that news about contamination with extraneous virus fragments could erode
some of the gains in vaccine coverage.

[byline: Lisa Schnirring]

—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

******
[2]
Date: Thu 6 May 2010
Source: FDA (Food and Drug Administration), Vaccine, Blood and Biologics
[edited]
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm211101.htm

Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting
Background material — porcine circovirus and rotavirus vaccines

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting on
7 May 2010 will discuss the findings shared with the public on 22 Mar 2010,
that porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) DNA was found in GlaxoSmithKline
Biologicals’ Rotarix Vaccine. Additional data pertaining to the Rotarix
vaccine will also be presented to the committee.

The FDA recently received information from Merck and Co, Inc that its
preliminary studies have identified fragments of DNA from PCV1 and from a
related porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in its RotaTeq vaccine. Merck’s
findings suggest that the number of PCV DNA fragments in its vaccine may be
smaller than what has been found in Rotarix. These preliminary findings
will be included in discussions with the committee.

The FDA has been working closely with manufacturers of the 2 licensed
rotavirus vaccines, has consulted with experts inside and outside of the
federal government, and has considered issues related to the novel testing
that led to the identification of PCV.

The FDA has no evidence to date that these findings pertaining to Rotarix
and RotaTeq pose a safety risk. Both vaccines have strong safety records,
including clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients and
clinical experience with millions of patients.

PCV1 and PCV2 are both small, circular viruses composed of a single strand
of DNA. PCV1 and PCV2 are common in pigs. Neither PCV1 nor PCV2 are known
to cause illness in humans, however PCV2 may cause illness in pigs.

Rotarix and RotaTeq are the 2 US licensed vaccines indicated for the
prevention of rotavirus disease in infants. Rotavirus disease causes the
deaths of more than 500 000 infants around the world each year, primarily
in low and middle-income countries. Before the introduction of vaccination,
the disease caused more than 50 000 hospitalizations and several dozen
deaths in the US each year. Rotavirus vaccines are given by mouth to
infants to prevent rotavirus disease, which can cause severe diarrhea and
dehydration.

The FDA will continue to work with both GSK and Merck as additional testing
is conducted by both the manufacturers and FDA to further assess the
findings of PCV DNA in rotavirus vaccines.

After considering the input of the committee’s experts and the available
scientific information, the FDA will make further recommendations on the
use of the licensed rotavirus vaccines in the US. The FDA will provide
updates to the public and clinical community through http://www.fda.gov
and other communications.

—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis (vomiting
and diarrhea) among children worldwide. Two different rotavirus vaccines
are currently licensed for use in infants in the United States. The
vaccines are RotaTeq (RV5) and Rotarix (RV1). Before being licensed, both
vaccines were tested in clinical trials and shown to be safe and effective.
In these studies, during approximately the 1st year of an infant’s life,
rotavirus vaccine was found to prevent almost all (85-98 per cent)
rotavirus illness episodes that were severe and to prevent 74-87 per cent
of all rotavirus illness episodes.

The presence of fragments of the genomic DNA of the 2 circoviruses in both
vaccines suggests that the contamination was present in the original
rotavirus isolate from which the vaccine viruses were derived, and that the
contamination was not introduced during subsequent development and
production of the vaccines, but that remains to be established
conclusively. So far there appear to have been no deleterious consequences
resulting from the presence of these contaminants in the vaccine. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Rotavirus - Americas: PAHO alert 20100330.1009
Rotavirus vaccine - USA: extraneous virus 20100322.0914]

...................cp/ejp/sh

Tipnut’s Hit List – November 2009 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On December 12, 2009 @ 6:15 am In Monthly Hits | No Comments

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – November 2009

1. DIY Wrap Up: 101 Gift Tags, Toppers & Wraps [1]: Newly updated for 2009! New freebies added, dead links have been pruned. Everything you need for wrapping and presenting gifts with a little homemade flair is on this list. Enjoy!
2. 50 Appetizer Recipes & Party Pleasers [2]: A packed bunch of 50 crowd pleasing appetizers that I’ve handpicked from around the ‘net: some easy (some fussy), some cheesy, some healthy (some not!), some hot (some cold)–I’m confident you’ll find a few new favorites in this collection.
3. Kitchen Q&A: How Much Is A Knob Of Butter? (Plus More) [3]: The first in a series of Kitchen Questions & Answers.
4. Christmas Cactus: Houseplant Notes [4]: A few quick tips to help your plant thrive.
5. Scalloped Hot Pads: {Crochet Pattern} [5]: Whoa! You guys loved these and I can see why–they’re awesome!
6. 12 Simple Beauty Hacks From The Kitchen [6]: Fun beauty food tips that were republished (from February, 2009).
7. Do You Wash Your Broom? [7]: You don’t have to clean your broom each and every time you sweep the floors, but giving it a good wash regularly will keep your broom in tip-top cleaning shape. Here’s how.
8. Fingerless Gloves Knitting Patterns: 15 Freebies! [8]: These make lovely handmade gifts! Here’s a fine collection of free patterns for fingerless gloves (and handwarmers) that I’ve gathered from around the ‘net, just click a picture to view the pattern page.
9. How To Make Caramelized Onions: Recipe & Tips [9]: Caramelized onions are a delicious way to add flavor to meats, breads, omelets, pastas, potatoes, rice–whatever you like–and they’re so easy to make too!
10. Crafters Medley: 25 Neat-O Projects To Make [10]: Lots of crafty goodness shared.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

Each month I randomly select three different blogs to thank for sharing Tipnut with their readers, I truly appreciate everyone who’s done so! Here are three bloggers who mentioned Tipnut in November, thanks a bunch!

* Little House In The Valley [11]
* Content In A Cottage [12]
* At Your Palate [13]

If you’d like to see what was popular each month, here’s the section that you can browse through: Tipnut’s Monthly Hits [14] (this section was started about a year after Tipnut launched). For the hottest of the hot, you’ll find them here: Tipnut’s Most Popular [15].
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2009 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – November 2008 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/november-2009-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] DIY Wrap Up: 101 Gift Tags, Toppers & Wraps: http://tipnut.com/wrap-up/

[2] 50 Appetizer Recipes & Party Pleasers: http://tipnut.com/appetizer-recipes/

[3] Kitchen Q&A: How Much Is A Knob Of Butter? (Plus More): http://tipnut.com/kitchen-answers/

[4] Christmas Cactus: Houseplant Notes: http://tipnut.com/christmas-cactus/

[5] Scalloped Hot Pads: {Crochet Pattern}: http://tipnut.com/scalloped-hotpads/

[6] 12 Simple Beauty Hacks From The Kitchen: http://tipnut.com/simple-beauty-hacks/

[7] Do You Wash Your Broom?: http://tipnut.com/wash-broom/

[8] Fingerless Gloves Knitting Patterns: 15 Freebies!: http://tipnut.com/fingerless-gloves/

[9] How To Make Caramelized Onions: Recipe & Tips: http://tipnut.com/caramelized-onions/

[10] Crafters Medley: 25 Neat-O Projects To Make: http://tipnut.com/crafters-november-2009/

[11] Little House In The Valley: http://www.littlehouseinthevalley.com/homemade-gift-jars

[12] Content In A Cottage: http://contentinacottage.blogspot.com/2009/11/air-freshener-spray-recipe-vanilla-and.html

[13] At Your Palate: http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2009/11/i-love-growing-my-own-penicillin-dont-you/

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/december-2009-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – November 2008 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/november-popular-tips/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2009 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On January 9, 2010 @ 6:37 am In Monthly Hits | No Comments

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – December 2009

1. Kitchen Q&A: Holiday Baking Edition [1]: Tipnut’s Kitchen Question & Answer feature with helpful tips for holiday baking.
2. Cooking Bacon In The Oven: How-To [2]: Careful with this cooking method, it’s a lot simpler and neater making bacon this way (with no sacrificing the taste) and you may find yourself making bacon more than your hips can afford…
3. Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More [3]: Always a favorite on Tipnut since it was first posted in 2007.
4. Gifts From The Kitchen [4]: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes
5. Fragrant Home: 13 Simmering Pot Recipes [5]: Another firm favorite with Tipnut readers since it was first published in 2007.
6. 15 Holiday Wreaths To Make [6]: Free tutorials for making some gorgeous wreaths.
7. Free 2010 Calendar Printables {Lovely} [7]: Some fantastic freebies here! Don’t miss the bottom section where I have a lot of resources listed for online calendar generators, blank calendar templates and planner pages to download.
8. How To Frost A Cake [8]: Here are a few different tips I’ve collected for frosting cakes (and a little kitchen hack for slicing a cake), all of these are from vintage cookbooks (Better Homes & Gardens and Fry’s Cocoa).
9. 50 Appetizer Recipes & Party Pleasers [9]: A packed bunch of 50 crowd pleasing appetizers that I’ve handpicked from around the ‘net: some easy (some fussy), some cheesy, some healthy (some not!), some hot (some cold)–I’m confident you’ll find a few new favorites in this collection.
10. Free Printable Recipe Cards – A Nice Collection [10]: Updated list from 2008.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* Blisstree [11]
* Handmade Homeschool [12]
* RedThreadDIY [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2008 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – May 2009 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/december-2009-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] Kitchen Q&A: Holiday Baking Edition: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-answers/

[2] Cooking Bacon In The Oven: How-To: http://tipnut.com/cook-bacon-oven/

[3] Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More: http://tipnut.com/free-gifts-in-a-jar-recipes/

[4] Gifts From The Kitchen: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

[5] Fragrant Home: 13 Simmering Pot Recipes: http://tipnut.com/fragrant-home-13-simmering-pot-recipes/

[6] 15 Holiday Wreaths To Make: http://tipnut.com/holiday-wreaths/

[7] Free 2010 Calendar Printables {Lovely}: http://tipnut.com/free-2010-calendars/

[8] How To Frost A Cake: http://tipnut.com/frost-cake/

[9] 50 Appetizer Recipes & Party Pleasers: http://tipnut.com/appetizer-recipes/

[10] Free Printable Recipe Cards – A Nice Collection: http://tipnut.com/free-printable-recipe-cards-a-nice-collection/

[11] Blisstree: http://www.blisstree.com/articles/add-natural-simmering-scent-to-the-holidays/

[12] Handmade Homeschool: http://handmadehomeschool.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/tart-and-sweet-at-the-same-time/

[13] RedThreadDIY: http://redthreaddiy.com/blog/2009/12/diy-gift-packaging-tutorials/

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2008 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/december-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – May 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/may-2009-popular/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/january-2009/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2010 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On February 13, 2010 @ 6:08 am In Monthly Hits | No Comments

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – January 2010

1. Make Your Own Bookmarks: 32 Crafty Ideas & Printables [1]: If there’s one page full of creative and gift-worthy bookmarks to keep on hand, this is the one! All kinds of free printables and crafty ways to make lovely bookmarks for yourself or as a gift.
2. Winter Detox: 12 Easy DIY Air Fresheners [2]: Banish stale odors and beat the winter blues by freshening your home with scents of summery citrus, herbs & spices. Here are 12 easy DIY air fresheners that can help make that happen.
3. Paper Flowers: 35 How-To Instructions & Templates [3]: Here’s a lovely assortment of paper flowers to make, I’ve organized them in a few sections for easier browsing: Bouquets & Centerpieces, Tissue Paper, Crepe Paper, Origami Paper and the rest under general tutorials. Many of these have free templates to download and most are surprisingly easy to make!
4. Growing Tomatoes: {Tip Sheet} [4]: Tips for harvesting garden fresh tomatoes.
5. 16 Tuna Casserole Recipes [5]: Recipe Hit List featuring a collection of tasty Tuna Casserole recipes that I’ve found around the ‘net.
6. Cooking Meatloaf: Kitchen Q&A [6]: This Kitchen Question & Answer is all about meatloaves: what the internal temperature should be when meatloaf is done, how long to cook it, how to make a meatloaf less greasy and more.
7. How To Cut Hair: {Tips & Resources} [7]: There’s a lot of information online and I picked the best resources I could find to get you started (lots of videos). Cutting your own hair is a big money saver especially those with big families, even just trimming bangs to stretch out appointments between professional haircuts will add up over the year.
8. Cooking With Potatoes: Tip Sheet [8]: Kitchen Q&A answers questions that are all about potatoes.
9. How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries: {Recipes & Tips} [9]: Here’s a handy recipe guide showing you how to make four different types of chocolate covered strawberries: Chocolate Dipped; White Chocolate Dipped; Double Chocolate Dipped and Chocolate Tuxedo Strawberries.
10. Chocolate Covered Pretzels: {Recipe & Tips} [10]: Chocolate covered pretzels are a great idea for a homemade Valentine’s Day gift package and they’re so quick and easy to make. Prepare them ahead of time and package right before gift giving for best results.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* Outblush [11]
* ShelterPop [12]
* WiseBread [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – February 2010 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/january-2010-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] Make Your Own Bookmarks: 32 Crafty Ideas & Printables: http://tipnut.com/make-bookmarks/

[2] Winter Detox: 12 Easy DIY Air Fresheners: http://tipnut.com/easy-air-fresheners/

[3] Paper Flowers: 35 How-To Instructions & Templates: http://tipnut.com/paper-flowers/

[4] Growing Tomatoes: {Tip Sheet}: http://tipnut.com/growing-tomatoes/

[5] 16 Tuna Casserole Recipes: http://tipnut.com/tuna-casserole-recipes/

[6] Cooking Meatloaf: Kitchen Q&A: http://tipnut.com/cooking-meatloaf/

[7] How To Cut Hair: {Tips & Resources}: http://tipnut.com/how-to-cut-hair/

[8] Cooking With Potatoes: Tip Sheet: http://tipnut.com/cooking-potatoes-tips/

[9] How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries: {Recipes & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/chocolate-covered-strawberries/

[10] Chocolate Covered Pretzels: {Recipe & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/chocolate-covered-pretzels/

[11] Outblush: http://www.outblush.com/women/life/holidays-events/the-hopefully-best-trends-of-2010-lets-make-it-happen/

[12] ShelterPop: http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/01/10/10-ways-to-update-your-bedroom-for-less-than-10/

[13] WiseBread: http://www.wisebread.com/its-sew-easy-to-save

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – February 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/february-2010-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – February 2010 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On March 13, 2010 @ 6:19 am In Monthly Hits | 1 Comment

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – February 2010

1. 50 Household Uses For Baking Soda [1]: We all know baking soda is an important ingredient in many recipes, but here are 50 ways you can use it to make the job easier and save time when cleaning and freshening around the home.
2. Tender Ways With Less-Tender Cuts Of Meat [2]: Take advantage of less expensive cuts of meat to cut down on your grocery bill.
3. Paper Crafts Saturday: Freebie Printables (List 4) [3]: Here’s a fun mix of goodies I’ve bookmarked just waiting to be shared, enjoy!
4. Roast Beef Cooking Times: {Timetable & Tips} [4]: Here’s a handy kitchen chart outlining how long to cook roast beef. Oven temperature and cooking times can fluctuate depending on the cut and size of the beef so it’s nice to have a quick guide to refer to. Don’t miss the tips underneath the chart!
5. Cooking A Ham: {Timetable & Tips} [5]: Handy cooking chart for ham plus tips and basic ham glaze recipes.
6. Peonies Question & Answer Sheet [6]: Helpful tips for common questions about growing peonies.
7. Do You Grow Dishcloths? [7]: The dishcloth gourd, Luffa acutangula, is easily grown from seed, and produces a very satisfactory, sanitary dishcloth. Most seed catalogs list it. (Re-published from October, 2009.
8. 12 Egg Salad Recipes To Try [8]: Egg salad is delicious and an all-time classic that’s a favorite in sandwiches, wraps, pitas and on top of salad greens too, but who knew you could make it in so many different ways?
9. Free Vintage Valentines: {Printables For 2010} [9]: Here is a new batch of vintage valentines from my collection of ephemera for Valentine’s Day, I believe these are from the 1940s and 1950s. You’re free to download them and print them off to use in scrapbooking, as gift tags or whatever else you like.
10. Growing Strawberries: {Tip Sheet} [10]: Strawberries generally produce fruit for two or three years so you can enjoy them again and again. Here’s how to grow them.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* DIY Life [11]
* Zoey Farms [12]
* A Single Mom’s Adventure into Urban Homesteading [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2010 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/february-2010-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] 50 Household Uses For Baking Soda: http://tipnut.com/household-baking-soda/

[2] Tender Ways With Less-Tender Cuts Of Meat: http://tipnut.com/cooking-tough-meat/

[3] Paper Crafts Saturday: Freebie Printables (List 4): http://tipnut.com/freebie-printables-4/

[4] Roast Beef Cooking Times: {Timetable & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/roast-beef-chart/

[5] Cooking A Ham: {Timetable & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/cook-ham/

[6] Peonies Question & Answer Sheet: http://tipnut.com/peonies-tips/

[7] Do You Grow Dishcloths?: http://tipnut.com/grow-dishcloths/

[8] 12 Egg Salad Recipes To Try: http://tipnut.com/egg-salad-recipes/

[9] Free Vintage Valentines: {Printables For 2010}: http://tipnut.com/valentines-printables/

[10] Growing Strawberries: {Tip Sheet}: http://tipnut.com/growing-strawberries/

[11] DIY Life: http://www.diylife.com/2010/02/17/home-ec-make-your-own-eco-friendly-laundry-detergent/

[12] Zoey Farms: http://zoeyfarms.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/potatoes/

[13] A Single Mom’s Adventure into Urban Homesteading: http://singlemomurbanhomestead.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/make-your-own-potting-soil/

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/january-2010-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2010 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On May 8, 2010 @ 6:20 am In Monthly Hits | No Comments

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – April 2010

1. Recipes & Tips For Homemade Ant Killers [1]: I’ve listed various home remedies and solutions for ant control (along with some tidbits of information on ant behavior and habits). Originally published June 15, 2009.
2. Recipes & Tips For Weed Killers [2]: If you’re looking for more natural ways to control weeds that don’t include harsh chemicals and are safer for children and pets (bonus: most are pretty frugal too), here is a list of homemade weed killer recipes and solutions from my collection. I’ve also included a few tips at the bottom. Originally published June 9, 2009.
3. Tips & Instructions For Freezing Strawberries [3]: Strawberries can be frozen for up to 12 months so take advantage of this season’s bounty to enjoy all year until next year’s harvest!
4. Garden Tips For Tenderfeet [4]: This collection of vintage garden tips was published in 1938 (Sunset Magazine) and were sent in by the magazine’s readers, the best were published in a column titled “Garden Tips For Tenderfeet“. Although they were shared over 70 years ago, I think they’re still helpful for today’s gardeners.
5. Vintage Patterns For Father & Son Barbecue Aprons [5]: Tipnut is packed with quite a selection of apron patterns but not many for the guys…here’s a pattern that is timeless in its design.
6. 25 Household Uses For Salt [6]: Salt is a staple in cooking and baking, but it’s also a great help for cleaning and freshening the home. Here are over two dozen ways to use salt around the house.
7. Tips & Instructions For Grilling Shrimp [7]: Grilling shrimp couldn’t be easier and they can be prepared as fancy or fuss-free as you like…simply toss with seasonings, marinate them in a tasty sauce / fresh lemon juice or pack their shells with pesto for a dish that’s sure to impress. Here’s how you do it.
8. Tips For Moving Houseplants Outdoors [8]: Most houseplants love to go outdoors for a vacation in the summer. When the weather has settled down and the nights stay warm is the time to put the plants out.
9. How To Make A Moon Garden [9]: Did you know that with a clever selection and arrangement of flowers and plants, you can have a beautiful nighttime garden that will provide a visual feast and delight your senses–even during the middle of the night? Creating a moon garden does exactly that!
10. Free Fabric Wallet Patterns & Tutorials [10]: A list of 20 different patterns I’ve found online for making a own wallet–perfect for gift giving.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* Thrifted [11]
* Money Talks News [12]
* An Ode to Survival, Bushcraft, and the Wily Hillbilly [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – June 2009 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2009 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/april-2010-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] Recipes & Tips For Homemade Ant Killers: http://tipnut.com/ant-killer/

[2] Recipes & Tips For Weed Killers: http://tipnut.com/weed-killers/

[3] Tips & Instructions For Freezing Strawberries: http://tipnut.com/freezing-strawberries/

[4] Garden Tips For Tenderfeet: http://tipnut.com/garden-tips-tenderfeet/

[5] Vintage Patterns For Father & Son Barbecue Aprons: http://tipnut.com/father-son-aprons/

[6] 25 Household Uses For Salt: http://tipnut.com/household-uses-salt/

[7] Tips & Instructions For Grilling Shrimp: http://tipnut.com/grill-shrimp/

[8] Tips For Moving Houseplants Outdoors: http://tipnut.com/houseplants-outdoors/

[9] How To Make A Moon Garden: http://tipnut.com/moon-garden/

[10] Free Fabric Wallet Patterns & Tutorials: http://tipnut.com/wallet-patterns/

[11] Thrifted: http://thriftingvignettist.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/10-cool-homey-things-3/

[12] Money Talks News: http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2010/04/12/do-it-yourself-laundry-detergent/

[13] An Ode to Survival, Bushcraft, and the Wily Hillbilly: http://minnesotahillbilly.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/my-potato-tower-because-growing-them-in-the-ground-is-just-too-easy/

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – June 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/june-2009-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/april-2009-popular/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2009 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/april-2009-popular/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/april-2009-popular/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2009 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/april-2009-popular/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/april-2009-popular/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2009 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2010 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On April 10, 2010 @ 6:05 am In Monthly Hits | No Comments

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – March 2010

1. Polka Dot Utility Apron: {Vintage Pattern} [1]: Useful as well as ornamental … apron with princess lines. Pot holder to match completes the picture.
2. Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet: {How To} [2]: Quite the clever gardening tip here folks! If you have limited garden space or want to try some nifty gardening magic, this could be a great option for you. Republished from April 7, 2009.
3. 15 Potting Bench Plans: {Free DIY Projects & Tips} [3]: Here are several free plans for you to review, pick one you like and you can build a potting bench over a day or two and enjoy it during this year’s gardening season. Republished from April 4, 2008.
4. 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Kit: {DIY} [4]: Why not take a weekend to organize an emergency kit for your family? Some basic supplies are all that’s needed and you’ll be able to grab the bag and go (if needed) or have everything you need on hand if something happens.
5. How To Get Rid Of Slugs: {Garden} [5]: Here are a few different home remedies and tips that I’ve gathered over the years, these are natural options that don’t include harsh chemicals.
6. 16 Tasty Steak Marinade Recipes To Try [6]: These recipes are easy to prepare, many with simple ingredients while others offer something a little more fancy to try.
7. 3 Ways To Grill Baked Potatoes: {How To & Tips} [7]: Baking potatoes on the grill is not only delicious, it allows you to enjoy an entire meal cooked on the bbq which saves you from turning on the oven during hot summer days.
8. How To Steam Broccoli In The Microwave: {Quick & Easy} [8]: This method for cooking/steaming broccoli is a must-have in my kitchen bag of tricks. Use fresh bunches of broccoli and you’ll never settle for bags of frozen again–it comes out delicious in minutes with no special gadgets required!
9. Fluffy Scrambled Eggs In The Oven: {Recipe How-To} [9]: This tip from Merill shares an easy way to make perfect, fluffy scrambled eggs in the oven that I just had to try. They turned out great!
10. 15 Beauty & Health Uses For Baking Soda [10]: Here’s a handy list for ways to use baking soda in beauty & health.

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* Design On A Dollar [11]
* Harvest Of Daily Life [12]
* Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – February 2010 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2008 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2008 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/march-2010-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] Polka Dot Utility Apron: {Vintage Pattern}: http://tipnut.com/polka-dot-utility-apron/

[2] Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet: {How To}: http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/

[3] 15 Potting Bench Plans: {Free DIY Projects & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/potting-bench-plans/

[4] 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Kit: {DIY}: http://tipnut.com/emergency-preparedness/

[5] How To Get Rid Of Slugs: {Garden}: http://tipnut.com/rid-slugs-garden/

[6] 16 Tasty Steak Marinade Recipes To Try: http://tipnut.com/steak-marinade-recipes/

[7] 3 Ways To Grill Baked Potatoes: {How To & Tips}: http://tipnut.com/grill-baked-potatoes/

[8] How To Steam Broccoli In The Microwave: {Quick & Easy}: http://tipnut.com/broccoli-microwave/

[9] Fluffy Scrambled Eggs In The Oven: {Recipe How-To}: http://tipnut.com/fluffy-scrambled-eggs/

[10] 15 Beauty & Health Uses For Baking Soda: http://tipnut.com/health-baking-soda/

[11] Design On A Dollar: http://www.designonadollar.com/aprons-tie-one-on/

[12] Harvest Of Daily Life: http://www.harvestofdailylife.com/ant-invasion-bites/

[13] Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh: http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/books-guides-resources/diy-72-hour-emergency-preparedness-kit-111199

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – February 2010 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/february-2010-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – March 2008 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-popular-tips-from-march/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2008 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2008 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2008 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/tipnuts-hit-list-april-2008-popular-tips/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – April 2008 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Tipnut’s Hit List – June 2009 – Popular Tips

Posted By TipNut On July 11, 2009 @ 6:20 am In Monthly Hits | 1 Comment

If you’re new to Tipnut or wish to revisit a few of the goodies, here is a list of popular tips from last month (based on page views) that you won’t want to miss. They’re in no particular order.

The next set has a thank you and introduction to a few bloggers that shared Tipnut with their readers, I think you’ll like them too.

Tipnut’s Popular Tips – June 2009

1. Natural Pesticides: Recipes & Tips [1]: These homemade pesticides are cheap and easy to make with many being just as effective as some commercial products on the market. No fancy ingredients required, everything you need is likely stocked in your kitchen and garden. Most of the ingredients are earth friendly and natural with the harshest being liquid dish detergent–no need to spray your garden with toxic chemicals!
2. 35 Reusable Grocery Bags You Can Make: Free Patterns [2]: **Updated List** Sure you can buy some trendy brand name shopping bags, but why not make your own bags for cheap (and even free!), they can be as chic and cool as you like (and original too)!
3. 55 Homemade Popsicle Recipes [3]: Here’s a fun collection of homemade popsicles, perfect treat to enjoy during the summer season! This list isn’t exclusive to popsicles, I’ve also included pudding pops, frozen yogurt & fruit pops. Many of these recipes are a lot healthier (and sometimes cheaper) than buying ready-made. How to pick just one recipe, they all look so good!
4. How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies [4]: Here I have a few cleanup and prevention tips plus a handful of easy & natural homemade fruit fly traps you can make that will capture and kill them–no need to run out for supplies since it’s likely you have all that’s needed in the kitchen already.
5. Want Greener Grass? Try Epsom Salts [5]: Here’s a tip to help give your lawn a boost: Epsom Salts can be used as a natural lawn fertilizer. I’ve included a bit of information about why this works and added a few recipes below to help you get started.
6. Homemade Ant Killers: Recipes & Tips [6]: Here I’ve listed various home remedies and solutions for ant control (along with some tidbits of information on ant behavior and habits).
7. How To Freeze Fruit [7]: Here’s my guide for freezing fruits, lots of tips, charts and information provided (including how to freeze many different varieties of fruit).
8. Homemade Weed Killer Recipes & Tips [8]: If you’re looking for more natural ways to control weeds that don’t include harsh chemicals and are safer for children and pets (bonus: most are pretty frugal too), here is a list of homemade weed killer recipes and solutions from my collection. I’ve also included a few tips at the bottom.
9. 101 Homemade Jam, Jelly & Marmalade Recipes [9]: Here are 101 hand-picked recipes featuring homemade jams, jellies & marmalades made from fruits, berries, herbs, flowers and produce harvested from early Spring right through to Fall. The collection includes a mix of tried-and-true traditional favorites, many featuring a flavor twist and others that are quite interesting and unique. Some also include not only recipes but full tutorials on jelly & jam making.
10. Fancy & Garnished Ice Cubes: How To [10]: Easy directions for making fruit filled and garnished ice cubes, nice for summer drinks!

Thank You! Blogger Appreciation

* Dances With Wools [11]
* Aunt Pitty Pat’s [12]
* Simple Productivity Blog [13]

* Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2009 – Popular Tips [16]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips [17]
* Tipnut’s Hit List – July 2009 – Popular Tips [18]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [19] ~ Facebook [20]

Tweet It [21] ~ Delicious [22]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/june-2009-popular/

URLs in this post:

[1] Natural Pesticides: Recipes & Tips: http://tipnut.com/natural-pesticides/

[2] 35 Reusable Grocery Bags You Can Make: Free Patterns: http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/

[3] 55 Homemade Popsicle Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-popsicles/

[4] How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies: http://tipnut.com/fruit-flies/

[5] Want Greener Grass? Try Epsom Salts: http://tipnut.com/green-grass-tips/

[6] Homemade Ant Killers: Recipes & Tips: http://tipnut.com/ant-killer/

[7] How To Freeze Fruit: http://tipnut.com/freeze-fruit/

[8] Homemade Weed Killer Recipes & Tips: http://tipnut.com/weed-killers/

[9] 101 Homemade Jam, Jelly & Marmalade Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-recipes/

[10] Fancy & Garnished Ice Cubes: How To: http://tipnut.com/fancy-ice-cubes/

[11] Dances With Wools: http://danceswithwool.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/60-little-stashbuster-patterns/

[12] Aunt Pitty Pat’s: http://auntpittypats.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-vintage-apron-fun.html

[13] Simple Productivity Blog: http://www.simpleproductivityblog.com/open-loops-20090623/

[14] Tipnut’s Monthly Hits: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/monthly-hits/

[15] Tipnut’s Most Popular: http://tipnut.com/category/notes/popular-tips/

[16] Tipnut’s Hit List – December 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/december-2009-popular/

[17] Tipnut’s Hit List – January 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/january-2009/

[18] Tipnut’s Hit List – July 2009 – Popular Tips: http://tipnut.com/july-2009-popular/

[19] Email: mailto:?subject=Tipnut’s Hit List – July 2009 – Popular Tips&body=http://tipnut.com/july-2009-popular/

[20] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/july-2009-popular/&t=Tipnut’s Hit List – July 2009 – Popular Tips

[21] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/july-2009-popular/

[22] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/july-2009-popular/&title=Tipnut’s Hit List – July 2009 – Popular Tips : Tipnut.com

Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes

Posted By TipNut On December 22, 2009 @ 2:46 am In Popular Tips, Recipes | 1 Comment

Infused Vinegars

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

Homemade Liqueurs & Alcohol

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

Mug Mix Recipes

1. Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix [10]
2. Homemade Instant Flavored Coffee Recipe – Cafe Viennoise [11]
3. Homemade Flavored Instant Coffee Recipe – Mocha [12]
4. Amaretto Mocha Recipe Mix [13]
5. Homemade Instant Cappuccino Recipe [14]
6. Homemade Chai Tea Recipe [15]

Homemade Extracts & Oils

1. Homemade Vanilla Extract: Recipes & Tips [16]
2. Homemade Orange Extract Recipe [17]
3. Homemade Lemon Extract Recipes [18]
4. Homemade Vanilla Oil [19]

Flavored Sugars

1. Homemade Lavender Sugar Recipes [20]
2. Homemade Lemon Sugar Recipes [21]
3. Homemade Vanilla Sugar Recipes [22]

Spa Gifts

1. Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes [23]
2. 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks [24]
3. Candy Cane Sugar Scrub – Recipe [25]
4. Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself [26]
5. Bath Cookies Recipe [27]
6. Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe [28]
7. Rosemary Herbal Hand Scrub: Recipe [29]
8. Homemade Sea Salt Scrub Recipes [30]

Baking & Food Gifts

1. Parmesan Popcorn Seasoning Recipes [31]
2. How To Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons [32]
3. Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking [33]
4. 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes [34] and The Cookie Batch [35]
5. 21 Tempting Coffee Cake Recipes [36]
6. 16 Homemade Salsa Recipes [37]
7. 101 Homemade Jam, Jelly & Marmalade Recipes [38]
8. Pickled Peppers Recipe [39]
9. Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes [40]
10. Make Ahead Herb Seasoning Salt [41]

More Easy Gifts–In A Jar

* Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More [42]

Tips

* Homemade Gift Baskets – The Ultimate How To Guide [43]
* Baking Gifts: Creative Container & Filler Ideas [44]
* Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line [45]
* Fruitcake Baking Tips [46]
* Homemade Candy Making Tips [47]
* Kitchen Q&A: Holiday Baking Edition [48]

Updated: Originally Published December 12, 2008
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags [49]
* Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More [42]
* Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe [28]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [50] ~ Facebook [51]

Tweet It [52] ~ Delicious [53]

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

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

URLs in this post:

[1] Cranberry Vinegar Recipes: http://tipnut.com/cranberry-vinegar/

[2] Raspberry Thyme Vinegar Recipe: http://tipnut.com/raspberry-thyme-vinegar-recipe/

[3] Homemade Rose Petal Vinegar Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-petal-vinegar-recipe/

[4] Lavender Vinegar Recipes: http://tipnut.com/lavender-vinegar-recipes/

[5] Multipurpose Herb Vinegar: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/multipurpose-herb-vinegar/

[6] Lavender Liqueur Recipes: http://tipnut.com/lavender-liqueur/

[7] Homemade Cranberry Liqueur: http://tipnut.com/homemade-cranberry-liqueur/

[8] Homemade Irish Cream Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-irish-cream-recipe/

[9] Make Your Own Apricot Brandy: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-apricot-brandy/

[10] Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix: http://tipnut.com/homemade-spiced-mocha-mix/

[11] Homemade Instant Flavored Coffee Recipe – Cafe Viennoise: http://tipnut.com/homemade-instant-flavored-coffee-recipe-cafe-viennoise/

[12] Homemade Flavored Instant Coffee Recipe – Mocha: http://tipnut.com/homemade-flavored-instant-coffee-recipe/

[13] Amaretto Mocha Recipe Mix: http://tipnut.com/amaretto-mocha-recipe-mix/

[14] Homemade Instant Cappuccino Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-instant-cappuccino-recipe/

[15] Homemade Chai Tea Recipe: http://tipnut.com/chai-tea/

[16] Homemade Vanilla Extract: Recipes & Tips: http://tipnut.com/homemade-vanilla-extract/

[17] Homemade Orange Extract Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-orange-extract-recipe/

[18] Homemade Lemon Extract Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-lemon-extract-recipes/

[19] Homemade Vanilla Oil: http://tipnut.com/vanilla-oil/

[20] Homemade Lavender Sugar Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-lavender-sugar-recipes/

[21] Homemade Lemon Sugar Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-lemon-sugar-recipes/

[22] Homemade Vanilla Sugar Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-vanilla-sugar-recipes/

[23] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-sugar-scrub-recipes/

[24] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-bath-salts-soaks/

[25] Candy Cane Sugar Scrub – Recipe: http://tipnut.com/candy-cane-sugar-scrub-recipe/

[26] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself: http://tipnut.com/milk-bath-recipes/

[27] Bath Cookies Recipe: http://tipnut.com/bath-cookies-recipe/

[28] Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/

[29] Rosemary Herbal Hand Scrub: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/herbal-hand-scrub/

[30] Homemade Sea Salt Scrub Recipes: http://tipnut.com/salt-scrub/

[31] Parmesan Popcorn Seasoning Recipes: http://tipnut.com/parmesan-popcorn-seasoning-recipes/

[32] How To Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-chocolate-dipped-spoons/

[33] Squares, Slices & Tarts For Holiday Baking: http://tipnut.com/squares-slices-tarts/

[34] 30 Holiday Cookie Recipes: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-cookies/

[35] The Cookie Batch: http://tipnut.com/cookie-batch/

[36] 21 Tempting Coffee Cake Recipes: http://tipnut.com/coffee-cake-recipes/

[37] 16 Homemade Salsa Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-salsa/

[38] 101 Homemade Jam, Jelly & Marmalade Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-recipes/

[39] Pickled Peppers Recipe: http://tipnut.com/pickled-peppers-recipe/

[40] Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes: http://tipnut.com/sun-dried-tomatoes/

[41] Make Ahead Herb Seasoning Salt: http://tipnut.com/herb-seasoning-salt/

[42] Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More: http://tipnut.com/free-gifts-in-a-jar-recipes/

[43] Homemade Gift Baskets – The Ultimate How To Guide: http://tipnut.com/homemade-gift-baskets/

[44] Baking Gifts: Creative Container & Filler Ideas: http://tipnut.com/baking-gifts-container/

[45] Holiday Baking Tips: Cookie Assembly Line: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking/

[46] Fruitcake Baking Tips: http://tipnut.com/fruitcake-baking-tips/

[47] Homemade Candy Making Tips: http://tipnut.com/homemade-candy-making-tips/

[48] Kitchen Q&A: Holiday Baking Edition: http://tipnut.com/holiday-baking-answers/

[49] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags: http://tipnut.com/gifts-kitchen/

[50] Email: mailto:?subject=Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe&body=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/

[51] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/&t=Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe

[52] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/

[53] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/&title=Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe : Tipnut.com

Free Gifts In A Jar Recipes + More

Posted By TipNut On December 21, 2009 @ 2:01 am In Food Tips, Popular Tips, Recipes | 5 Comments

Gifts 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 bath salts [1] and foot soaks [2]), hearty soup mixes, bread, buns, pastry ingredients, seasoning mixes, hot beverage recipes (like Homemade Spiced Mocha Mix [3]), 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 as well as some freebie printables (labels & tags for gifts in a jar).
Free Homemade Gifts In A Jar Recipes

* Nikibone.com – Gifts in a Jar [4]
* JoycesFineCooking.com Recipes – Gifts in a Jar [5]
* Recipes To Go – Gifts In A Jar Recipe Category [6]
* Heart4Home.net – Jar Mixes [7]
* Gifts From Your Kitchen – Gifts in a Jar or Bag [8] (click categories to view all the recipes)
* Craftbits – Jar Gifts Category [9]
* Mary Mae’s Jars and Mixes [10]
* 354+ Edible Gift Mixes [11]
* Gifts You Can Make: Delicious Hot Drink Mixes [12]

Decorating Ideas For Gift Jar Lids

* Martha Stewart: Decorative Jar Lids [13]
* Felt Jar Topper – LuckyKate Crafts [14]: This has a strawberry design but you can change it to whatever you like.
* Directions to Sew Fabric Canning Jar Covers [15]
* Jar Topper With Bias Tape Finished Edge [16]
* Oilcloth Gift Jar Toppers [17]
* Scrappy Jar Lids Tutorial [18]

Tags & Labels For Gift Jars

* Lollychops [19]
* Domino Sugar: Baking Gift Tags [20] (pdf)
* Domino Sugar: Spa Gifts In A Jar Tags [21] (pdf)
* Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables [22]

And here are some tips if you’re new to making gifts in a jar: Giving Dessert Making Ingredients in Jars and Containers [23] (About.com).

Homemade gifts in a jar are easy to make and they’re great frugal gifts, they’re also nice additions to homemade gift baskets [24]. Also see Gifts From The Kitchen: 30 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes [25] and 30 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make [26].

Updated: Originally published December 15, 2007
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables [22]
* Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags [27]
* Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes [25]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [28] ~ Facebook [29]

Tweet It [30] ~ Delicious [31]

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/gifts-in-a-jar

[10] Mary Mae’s Jars and Mixes: http://www.members.tripod.com/~MaryMae/jarlinks.htm

[11] 354+ Edible Gift Mixes: http://everythingyourmamamade.com/2008/12/12/354-edible-gift-mixes/

[12] Gifts You Can Make: Delicious Hot Drink Mixes: http://momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/gifts-you-can-make-delicious-hot-drink-mixes

[13] Martha Stewart: Decorative Jar Lids: http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/decorative-jar-lids

[14] Felt Jar Topper – LuckyKate Crafts: http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/07/tis-season-for-strawberries.html

[15] Directions to Sew Fabric Canning Jar Covers: http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/carjarlidsvisua.htm

[16] Jar Topper With Bias Tape Finished Edge: http://www.achristianhome.org/Homemaking/sew_a_jar_topper.htm

[17] Oilcloth Gift Jar Toppers: http://oilclothaddict.blogspot.com/2008/12/oca-tutorial-6-gift-jar-decorations-by.html

[18] Scrappy Jar Lids Tutorial: http://fowlsinglefile.blogspot.com/2009/10/scrappy-jar-lids-tutorial.html

[19] Lollychops: http://www.lollychops.com/lollychops/2008/12/tagerific-tags.html

[20] Domino Sugar: Baking Gift Tags: http://www.dominosugar.com/mm/files/Baking-Gift-Tags.pdf

[21] Domino Sugar: Spa Gifts In A Jar Tags: http://www.dominosugar.com/mm/files/Sugar-Scrub-Gift-Tags.pdf

[22] Canning Jar Labels: Free Printables: http://tipnut.com/canning-jar-labels/

[23] Giving Dessert Making Ingredients in Jars and Containers: http://baking.about.com/library/weekly/aa081799.htm

[24] homemade gift baskets: http://tipnut.com/homemade-gift-baskets/

[25] Gifts From The Kitchen: 30 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

[26] 30 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make: http://tipnut.com/beauty-spa-gifts/

[27] Gifts From Your Kitchen: Recipes & Gift Tags: http://tipnut.com/gifts-kitchen/

[28] Email: mailto:?subject=Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes&body=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

[29] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/&t=Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes

[30] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

[31] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/&title=Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes : Tipnut.com

42 Pampering Beauty & Spa Gifts To Make

Posted By TipNut On December 22, 2009 @ 11:44 am In Beauty & Home Spa, Popular Tips | No Comments

Bath & Shower Treats

1. Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe [1]: 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. How To Make Bath Bomb Fizzies [2]: A great video showing step-by-step how to make fizzing bath bombs.
3. Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself [3]: 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. How To Make Cupcake Bath Fizzies [4]: The instructions include two recipes, one for the “cupcake” part and the other is for the meringue-like frosting.
5. Homemade Rose Bath Oil [5]: Super easy to make.
6. Bath Cookies Recipe [6]: This is an interesting recipe, you first cook a batch of bath cookies then add them to your bath after they’ve cooled.
7. Homemade Honey Bath Recipes [7]: A few easy recipes.
8. 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks [8]: 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. Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes [9]: 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. Homemade Shower Spa Bags [10]: Start the day with a pampered feeling by using shower spa bags.
11. Homemade Sea Salt Scrub Recipes [11]: Sea salt is rich in natural minerals and regularly exfoliating your skin with salt scrubs is a pampering treat that can renew and condition your skin.
12. Homemade Bubble Bath: {Recipe} [12]: Here’s an easy recipe for making an all-natural, homemade bubble bath that you can customize to your own preference by mixing favorite scents–also ditches harsh perfumes and chemicals that some commercial bubble baths use.
13. Summer Floral Bath Splash: Recipe [13]: Use in baths and as a skin spritz refresher on hot summer days.

Gift Soaps

1. Remold Hotel Soap Bars [14]: 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. How To Felt Soap [15]: Learn how to felt a bar of soap, these make a really cool washcloth and soap in one.
3. Snowflake Gift Soaps: How To [16]: Easy project!
4. How To Make Homemade Soap [17] and How To Make Soap [18]: If you ever wanted to learn how to make your own soap–here you go!
5. How To Make Soap Petals [19]: Soap petals are simply silk flower and leaf petals dipped in soap. They are single use and look pretty sitting beside the sink.

Pampering Gifts

1. Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes [20]: Six different recipes.
2. Candy Cane Sugar Scrub – Recipe [21]: Lovely!
3. Homemade Rose Dusting Powder Recipe [22]: You want to be sure to use organic or pesticide free roses since the dusting powder will be applied to skin.
4. Herbal Foot Spray Recipe [23]: Tuck this in with other spa gifts.
5. Herbal Steam Facial Recipes [24]: Mix all dry ingredients together, package and add a tag with instructions on how to use.
6. How To Make Perfume [25]: A great start if you want to delve into a perfume making hobby.
7. Homemade Rose Petal Vinegar Recipe [26]: 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. 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes [27]: Include a bag of marbles to place on the bottom of the foot bath to rub sore tootsies on.
9. How To Make Rose Water [28]: Use as a facial toner or astringent, in your bath water or as a facial splash (refresher).
10. Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes [29]: Here are two different recipes that moisturize lips nicely as well as taste delicious…chocolate anyone?
11. Homemade Lip Balm: Recipe [30]: 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.
12. Homemade Hand Balm [31]: Makes 12 mini-muffin sized balms and the tutorial includes plenty of pictures and instructions that walk you through the process.
13. Rosemary Herbal Hand Scrub: Recipe [32]: Good for hand care but can also be used on elbows, heels of feet and any place that suffers from dry skin
14. Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe [33]: The scrub is made with basic ingredients: Sugar, Kosher Salt, Lemon Zest, Olive Oil, Pure Lemon Extract (optional).
15. Floral Infused Olive Oil: Rich Beauty Aid [34]: Did you know olive oil is a lovely (and natural) skin moisturizer? Here’s a way to make it more special…infuse it with flowers picked fresh from your garden!
16. Winter Hand Cream: Recipe [35]: Store in little containers or jelly jars for nice gifts for a friend or for yourself.

Crafty Pleasers

1. Homemade Herbal Sleep Pouches [36]: 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. Home Remedy: Headache Soother Sachets [37]: 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. How To Make A Microwave Heating Bag [38]: 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. Dirty-Girl Washcloths & Spa Cloths: Free Knitting Patterns [39]: All of the patterns are dishcloth designs, but flipping the purpose of them to personal use, great idea!
5. How To Make A Bath Towel Head Wrap [40]: Two different designs, one similar to the Twisty Towel.
6. Stipple Quilted Hot Water Bottle Cozy: Tutorial [41]: The design makes it easy to pop the hot water bottle in and out of the cozy while keeping it securely in place once it’s tucked inside.
7. Homemade Reed Diffusers [42]: Reed diffusers are decorative air fresheners for the home that work with scented oils and reeds.
8. Fiesta Bath Mitt: {Knitting} [43]: It knits up easily, has a crochet loop for hanging and would be perfectly sweet to give with a bar of homemade soap.

Updated: Originally Published December 15, 2008
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Plant Related Gifts You Can Make [44]
* Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes [45]
* Homemade Shower Spa Bags [10]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [46] ~ Facebook [47]

Tweet It [48] ~ Delicious [49]

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

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

URLs in this post:

[1] Homemade Bath Jelly Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-bath-jelly-recipe/

[2] How To Make Bath Bomb Fizzies: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-bath-bomb-fizzys/

[3] Milk Bath Recipes To Pamper Yourself: http://tipnut.com/milk-bath-recipes/

[4] How To Make Cupcake Bath Fizzies: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-cupcake-bath-fizzies/

[5] Homemade Rose Bath Oil: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-bath-oil/

[6] Bath Cookies Recipe: http://tipnut.com/bath-cookies-recipe/

[7] Homemade Honey Bath Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-honey-bath-recipes/

[8] 5 Homemade Bath Salts & Soaks: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-bath-salts-soaks/

[9] Homemade Herbal Bath Bag Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-bath-bag-recipes/

[10] Homemade Shower Spa Bags: http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/

[11] Homemade Sea Salt Scrub Recipes: http://tipnut.com/salt-scrub/

[12] Homemade Bubble Bath: {Recipe}: http://tipnut.com/bubble-bath/

[13] Summer Floral Bath Splash: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/floral-splash/

[14] Remold Hotel Soap Bars: http://tipnut.com/remold-hotel-soap-bars/

[15] How To Felt Soap: http://tipnut.com/how-to-felt-soap/

[16] Snowflake Gift Soaps: How To: http://tipnut.com/snowflake-soap/

[17] How To Make Homemade Soap: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-homemade-soap/

[18] How To Make Soap: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-soap/

[19] How To Make Soap Petals: http://tipnut.com/soap-petals/

[20] Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-sugar-scrub-recipes/

[21] Candy Cane Sugar Scrub – Recipe: http://tipnut.com/candy-cane-sugar-scrub-recipe/

[22] Homemade Rose Dusting Powder Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-dusting-powder-recipe/

[23] Herbal Foot Spray Recipe: http://tipnut.com/herbal-foot-spray-recipe/

[24] Herbal Steam Facial Recipes: http://tipnut.com/herbal-steam-facial-recipes/

[25] How To Make Perfume: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-perfume/

[26] Homemade Rose Petal Vinegar Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-rose-petal-vinegar-recipe/

[27] 5 Homemade Foot Soak Recipes: http://tipnut.com/5-homemade-foot-soak-recipes/

[28] How To Make Rose Water: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-rose-water-4-recipes/

[29] Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-chocolate-lip-gloss/

[30] Homemade Lip Balm: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-lip-balm/

[31] Homemade Hand Balm: http://tipnut.com/homemade-hand-balm/

[32] Rosemary Herbal Hand Scrub: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/herbal-hand-scrub/

[33] Homemade Kitchen Hand Scrub: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-hand-scrub/

[34] Floral Infused Olive Oil: Rich Beauty Aid: http://tipnut.com/floral-olive-oil/

[35] Winter Hand Cream: Recipe: http://tipnut.com/winter-hand-cream-recipe/

[36] Homemade Herbal Sleep Pouches: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-sleep-pouches/

[37] Home Remedy: Headache Soother Sachets: http://tipnut.com/home-remedy-headache-soother-sachets/

[38] How To Make A Microwave Heating Bag: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-microwave-heating-pad/

[39] Dirty-Girl Washcloths & Spa Cloths: Free Knitting Patterns: http://tipnut.com/dirty-girl-washcloths/

[40] How To Make A Bath Towel Head Wrap: http://tipnut.com/bath-towel-head-wrap/

[41] Stipple Quilted Hot Water Bottle Cozy: Tutorial: http://tipnut.com/quilted-bottle-cozy/

[42] Homemade Reed Diffusers: http://tipnut.com/reed-diffusers/

[43] Fiesta Bath Mitt: {Knitting}: http://tipnut.com/fiest-bath-mitt/

[44] Plant Related Gifts You Can Make: http://tipnut.com/plant-related-gifts-you-can-make/

[45] Gifts From The Kitchen: 40 Gift-Worthy Recipes & Mixes: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-gifts/

[46] Email: mailto:?subject=Homemade Shower Spa Bags&body=http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/

[47] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/&t=Homemade Shower Spa Bags

[48] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/

[49] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spa-bags/&title=Homemade Shower Spa Bags : Tipnut.com

Homekeeping – A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes)

Posted By TipNut On March 29, 2010 @ 4:09 am In Homemade Cleaners, Popular Tips | 3 Comments

Here’s a tip list of over a dozen natural cleaning recipes I compiled from an article published in the first issue of Martha Stewart’s magazine (Martha Stewart Living, Winter 1990).

I went through a slight obsession years ago to own each and every Martha Stewart Living magazine, this picture is a scan of my copy of Martha’s premiere issue (you can see the top of the title is a bit faded)–I consider Martha as the original “DIYer”!

I also referenced a few tips that were previously published on Tipnut for more cleaning recipes. Lots of handy stuff here!
Homekeeping – A Natural Shine To Cleaning

To Disinfect: These two recipes work well on bathroom and kitchen surfaces

1. 1/2 cup of borax dissolved in one gallon of hot water
2. 2 cups of boiling water poured over 2 cups of fresh thyme (an antiseptic herb); steep for ten minutes; strain & cool. Store in plastic spray bottles.

See also Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes [1].

All Purpose Scouring Powder:

1. Grind dried petals or fragrant herbs and mix with baking soda.

Also check out this Homemade Softscrub Cleaner Recipe [2].

Metal Cleaners:

1. Silver: Use toothpaste
2. Brass: Use equal parts salt and flour, add a touch of vinegar to make paste. Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and ketchup also work. Let sit before wiping dry. You’ll also find tips for cleaning brass here [3].
3. Copper: Use a paste of lemon juice and salt.

Floor Cleaning Recipes:

1. All Purpose Floor Cleaner: 1 cup of vinegar in a pail of water
2. For greasy floors: 1/4 cup washing soda and 1 TBS vegetable oil based soap to every two gallons of hot water
3. Polish linoleum floors with club soda
4. Clean & Deodorize Carpets: Mix two parts cornmeal with one part borax. Sprinkle generously over carpet, allow to sit for one hour then vacuum

More Floor Cleaners & Tips: See this page of tips for cleaning laminate flooring [4], Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe [5] and Tips For Floor Cleaners, Spots & Scuffs [6].

Windows & Mirrors: Store these solutions in spray bottles.

1. One part vinegar added to four parts water
2. One cup cold strong black tea with 3 TBS of vinegar

Here are More Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes To Try [7].

Oven Cleaner:

1. A paste of baking soda and hot water or sprinkle the soda on a damp sponge and wipe. You’ll find more homemade oven cleaners here [8]. You’ll find tips for cleaning stainless steel appliances here [9].

Water Spots On Furniture (Removal Tips): Also see this handy trick [10] as well as more table stain removers [11] here.

1. Massage white toothpaste on the spot, let dry, and buff with a clean cloth.
2. Scratch or Stains: Rub the meat of a walnut into the scratch.

Lots more ideas and tips found here: 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle [12] and 50 Household Uses For Baking Soda: {Quick Tips} [13].

Updated: Originally published March 31, 2008
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Grout Cleaning Tips & Recipes [14]
* Kickin Bathtub Cleaning Soak [15]
* Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes [16]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [17] ~ Facebook [18]

Tweet It [19] ~ Delicious [20]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/homekeeping-a-natural-shine-to-cleaning-recipes/

URLs in this post:

[1] Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-cleaner-recipes/

[2] Homemade Softscrub Cleaner Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-softscrub-cleaner-recipe/

[3] tips for cleaning brass here: http://tipnut.com/brass-cleaners/

[4] tips for cleaning laminate flooring: http://tipnut.com/clean-laminate/

[5] Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-carpet-freshener-recipe/

[6] Tips For Floor Cleaners, Spots & Scuffs: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-floor-cleaners-spots-scuffs/

[7] More Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes To Try: http://tipnut.com/more-homemade-window-cleaner-recipes-to-try/

[8] more homemade oven cleaners here: http://tipnut.com/oven-cleaner-recipes/

[9] tips for cleaning stainless steel appliances here: http://tipnut.com/clean-stainless-steel/

[10] this handy trick: http://tipnut.com/diy-how-to-remove-white-heat-stains-on-wood-table/

[11] table stain removers: http://tipnut.com/more-white-stain-removal-tips-for-wood-furniture/

[12] 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle: http://tipnut.com/vinegar-kitchen/

[13] 50 Household Uses For Baking Soda: {Quick Tips}: http://tipnut.com/household-baking-soda/

[14] Grout Cleaning Tips & Recipes: http://tipnut.com/grout-cleaning/

[15] Kickin Bathtub Cleaning Soak: http://tipnut.com/kickin-bathtub-cleaning-soak/

[16] Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes: http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/

[17] Email: mailto:?subject=Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes&body=http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/

[18] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/&t=Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes

[19] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/

[20] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/&title=Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes : Tipnut.com

43 Cake Baking Tips & Tricks Posted By TipNut On March 30, 2010 @ 5:35 am In Baking Tips, Food, Popular Tips | 15 Comments Here is a large assortment of tips I’ve accumulated over the years. Different recipes will provide different results, but overall I’ve found the tips do noticeably improve most cake recipes or make baking cakes and working with them easier. Nice Big Slice Of Chocolate Cake Some recipes success depend on a specific ingredient or action. If one of these tips contradicts your recipe, your best bet is to follow the recipe instruction. Cake Enhancers: * Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of meringue powder to your cake mix to help it rise a bit higher and make it a bit lighter in texture. * Add 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin to the cake batter, helps prevent the top of the cake splitting or cracking. * First add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the butter and sugar called for in the recipe before mixing the rest of the ingredients. Helps make the cake lighter. * Take your time creaming the butter, beat/cream for at least 5 minutes to get lots of air into the butter. Add the sugar and beat/cream really well again. * Separate eggs before adding them to recipes–beat yolks till golden and creamy then add to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat the egg whites until light and frothy before folding them into the butter mixture. Moister Cake Tips: * Chocolate Cake: Before adding the baking soda to your cake recipe, mix it with a teaspoon of vinegar. * Fruit Cakes/Dense Cakes: Keep a pan full of water in the oven when baking the cake (replace water if needed to keep it topped up). * Substitute oil in the recipe for unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt. Your measure can be 1:1 or 50/50. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup oil, use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce. Different types of cakes will offer different results for texture and taste, but a good start would try the 50/50. Not only helps for moister cakes, also cuts fat. Sifting: * Measure all ingredients to exact amounts first, then sift. Grease & Flour Pans: * Use a paper cupcake holder, a paper towel, a piece of wax paper, the butter wrapper paper or a plastic baggy to grease the pans without messing up your hands. You could also use a pastry brush. * Try dusting the cake pans with a bit of the dry cake mix or cocoa (for chocolate cake) instead of flour. * Grease pan with shortening then line the pan with a piece of wax paper to fit the bottom. Re-grease the top of the wax paper. Pour in the batter. To get the wax paper to size, you can either trace the bottom of the pan and cut it out, or grease the pan, smooth a sheet of wax paper into the pan (pressing all around the creases of the pan), remove the wax paper and cut out along the crease. This is kinda messy though, better to trace the pan then cut it out. * To cut fat, try baking a cake without greasing the pans even if the recipe mentions to do so. You can just place a waxed paper liner to fit the bottom of the pan, then pour in the batter. This will also help remove the cake cleanly. For high cakes, you’ll want to still grease and flour sides of pans if specified. Homemade Pan Grease: You can buy Pan Grease or make your own. This is used as a substitute to greasing the pans then dusting them with flour when directed by the recipe to do so. Keep unused portion in an airtight container and refrigerate to use for your next batch of baking. * Recipe #1: Mix 1 cup shortening (like Crisco), 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and apply to baking pans evenly with a pastry brush. * Recipe #2: 2 cups of Crisco and 1 cup of flour Baking A Level Cake: * Fill cake pans no more than 1/2 to 2/3 full to allow for even baking and rising. * Once you’ve poured the batter in the pan, wobble the pan sideways a bit so the batter reaches up along each side (with the middle being slightly lower). As the cake bakes the middle and edges will meet and rise more evenly. * If the cake rose high and uneven in the middle when baking, you may need to slice a bit off across the top so it’s level. Oven Baking Tips: * Preheat the oven first before starting to bake, make sure the rack is in the center of the oven (unless directed differently in the recipe) and keep pan in the center of the rack. If you’re baking more than one pan at a time, keep them at least 2″ away from the walls of the oven and from each other. Check For Doneness: * Using a toothpick, wood skewer or a piece of raw spaghetti, test the cake for doneness by placing the toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Problems With Cake Sticking To Pan: * Place a thick, clean towel in the kitchen sink and pour a kettle of boiling hot water over the towel to heat it (don’t plug the sink to retain the water, allow it to drain out). Set the cake (still inside the pan) on the hot towel and leave it for a minute or two, the cake should turn out easily. * Turn the cake over on a sheet of wax paper or a cooling rack. Place a clean, thin cotton towel on top of the cake pan and using a hot steam iron, heat the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. The pan should lift off cleanly. * Cool the cakes in the pans completely before trying to remove them. Don’t cool on top of the stove where there’s heat, they’re best cooled on a rack on top of the counter. Gently insert a knife between the outside of the cake and the inside of the pan. Run it along the pan to loosen things up before turning over. Angel Food Cake * When the cake has finished baking, take it directly from the oven and place it upside down on the neck of a bottle. This will help prevent the angel food cake from falling as it cools. After 30 minutes, you can turn it over then remove from pan once cooled. Frosting & Icing Tips: * Don’t attempt to ice the cake until it’s completely cool. Dust the cake lightly with a pastry brush before frosting, helps reduce crumbs in the icing. * First ice the cake with a thin layer of frosting, then refrigerate (covered). After an hour you can do a complete frosting job. This helps keep the crumbs at bay and your outer frosting layer should be crumb free. * After frosting the cake, you can use a hair dryer to slightly melt the frosting. This will give the frosting a smooth, glossy look. If you prefer you can use a metal icing spatula or knife first heated by sitting in hot water, wipe dry, then use the heated knife to smooth the icing. * Have a bag of chocolate chips on hand? Just sit the whole bag in a bowl of very hot water, and mush the bag up every couple of minutes until all the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps. Snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out the melted chocolate directly onto the cake. * Have two favorite frostings and can’t decide which one to use on a layer cake? Try both! Spread one frosting on top of one layer, and spread the other on the bottom of the other layer (you’ll want to flip the bottom ‘up’ when frosting). Then put the layers together. The middle will have a delicious two-frosting surprise . Can also use this technique when filling the layers with a combination of fruit and whipped cream or frosting. * To help prevent a flaking or cracking frosting, add a pinch of baking soda when mixing the frosting. * If icing is a bit too thin or runny, lightly dust the top of the cake with flour then spread the icing on top. This will help the icing hold to the cake. * Quick Tip: Icing Cakes: For one layer cakes, turn the cake upside down before icing so that the top is perfectly flat and even. When icing two cake rounds or squares, place a layer of frosting on the top of one round, then place the other round upside down on top for a perfectly flat top. * Easily Color Shredded Coconut: Shredded coconut can be a nice, decorative touch achieved easily. Simply put the coconut in a clean jar (only one half jar full at a time), add a few drops of food coloring in your choice of color, then cap the jar and shake it until all the coconut is evenly tinted. Cutting Cake Tips: * Heat a knife first before cutting a cake for crumble-free slices. To heat the knife, you can run the knife under very hot water then wipe dry with a clean towel. * Use unwaxed dental floss to slice through the cake (great for the gooey or sticky cakes). Keep Cut Cake Fresh: Once you start slicing the cake, the exposed or cut sides can dry out quickly. Here’s a way to keep things fresh: * Wrap the cut cake with a few slices of fresh apple or cubes of sugar or a slice of fresh bread set inside the cake pan (or in the open space of the cake plate). Make sure to store the cake in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap. Miscellaneous Cake Baking Tips * Dust the cake holder or platter with a bit of confectioner’s sugar before placing the freshly baked cake on it, this will help keep the cake from sticking to the bottom. * Use ingredients that are at room temperature, the butter soft but not melted or oily. * When mixing sticky, goopy ingredients (molasses, honey, peanut butter), try spraying the measuring cups with non-stick spray first (just lightly). The ingredients will come out easier. * You can make your own cake flour [1] if necessary, simply add two level tablespoons of corn starch to a one cup measuring cup, then fill with bread flour. Sift three times then use as needed. * Dust nuts and fruit with flour before adding to cake batter (via Fresh Apple Cake Recipe [2]) or try toasting nuts first (Quick Tip: Freeze Nuts [3]). You can also just sprinkle the nuts across the top of the batter instead of mixing them in, this way the nuts will toast while the cake bakes. * Make Bigger Cakes From Mixes: To make a bigger cake from a mix, add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. baking powder. * Quick Tip: Cleaning Cake & Pie Pan Edges [4] And finally–sometimes it seems the cakes you bake just never turn out right. Try running through this list to see if you can spot what the problem may be: Why a Cake Fails [5]. A common problem is that the oven temperature isn’t true to what the dial says. Buy a thermometer, preheat your oven and test. A few of these tips are also listed on 50 Quick Tips For The Kitchen [6]. Is it a fruitcake you’re baking? Try these fruitcake baking tips [7]. Also check out How To Frost A Cake [8]. Originally Published October 8, 2007 Don't Miss These Tips: * How To Frost A Cake: {Baking Tips} [8] * Why a Cake Fails [5] * 26 Cooking & Baking Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection [9] Love This Tip? Share It! Email [10] ~ Facebook [11] Tweet It [12] ~ Delicious [13] Article printed from TipNut.com: http://tipnut.com URL to article: http://tipnut.com/cake-baking-tips/ URLs in this post: [1] make your own cake flour: http://tipnut.com/handy-substitute-recipes-for-baking/ [2] via Fresh Apple Cake Recipe: http://tipnut.com/fresh-apple-cake-recipe/ [3] Quick Tip: Freeze Nuts: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-leftovers/ [4] Quick Tip: Cleaning Cake & Pie Pan Edges: http://tipnut.com/cookware-cleaning-stain-removal-tips/ [5] Why a Cake Fails: http://tipnut.com/why-a-cake-fails/ [6] 50 Quick Tips For The Kitchen: http://tipnut.com/quick-tips-for-the-kitchen/ [7] these fruitcake baking tips: http://tipnut.com/fruitcake-baking-tips/ [8] How To Frost A Cake: http://tipnut.com/frost-cake/ [9] 26 Cooking & Baking Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection: http://tipnut.com/cooking-baking-tips/ [10] Email: mailto:?subject=26 Cooking & Baking Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection&body=http://tipnut.com/cooking-baking-tips/ [11] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/cooking-baking-tips/&t=26 Cooking & Baking Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection [12] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/cooking-baking-tips/ [13] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/cooking-baking-tips/&title=26 Cooking & Baking Tips: Timeless Wisdom Collection : Tipnut.com Copyright © 2008 TipNut.com. All rights reserved.

Tipnut’s Guide To Spring Cleaning

Posted By TipNut On April 12, 2010 @ 2:15 am In Cleaning, Popular Tips | 4 Comments

Everyone Loves A Fresh, Clean Home—Especially In Spring!

Here’s a peek at this year’s battle plan for the big Spring Clean in my home, I’ve also included references to homemade cleaner recipes, tips for specific cleaning jobs and assorted fix-it projects that will help make this year’s job a big success.
Spring Cleaning Tips

Mission: Clean – Declutter – Organize

Every surface is cleaned, everything is emptied out, washed & scrubbed, decluttered and organized.

Clean from Top to Bottom, Left to Right so you always know where you left off when returning to the room to clean (see how to clean like a maid [1]).

Specific cleaning jobs & chores will depend on what room you’re working on, here’s an overall plan…

Working From The Top Down

1. Ceilings – Dust from corner to corner and wash if possible, remember to clean the light fixtures, ceiling fans [2], smoke detector covers (might as well replace light bulbs and batteries while you’re up there).
2. Walls – Dust corner to corner, floor to ceiling; Wash & scrub walls & everything on them (such as fixtures, pictures, mirrors, doors & door frames, hanging shelves, clocks, etc.).
3. Windows – Inside & outside glass; Clean tracks & window frames; Wash all curtains, drapes & blinds. Find homemade window cleaner recipes here [3].
4. Cupboards, Counters, Drawers, Shelves – Empty, remove shelf paper, wash inside & out, top & underneath, line with fresh shelf paper, sort items as you put back (keep/trash); Wash all knick knacks; Tighten, repair or replace handles and knobs where needed; Declutter & organize all items in drawers, on shelves, in cubbies.
5. Furniture & Appliances – Pull out to wash floor & walls behind as well as all sides of furniture or appliances (inside & out); Steam clean furniture if possible; Wash all kitchen appliances [4]; Dust & clean [5] all electronics; clean lamps & lampshades [6].
6. Floors – Sweep well & wash; Vacuum & clean carpets and rugs [7], bring laminate to a shine [8]. I also have a lovely herbal lavender carpet freshener here [9].

Declutter & Organize As You Clean

1. Review all bedding items, linens and towels, are they getting threadbare and won’t make it through the next few months? Too stained? Either cut them into cleaning rags, pack away for craft & repurposing projects they can be used for or trash. See 10 Ideas for Recycling Old Towels [10], 10 Ideas For Recycling Pillowcases [11] and plenty of repurposing ideas here [12].
2. Clean and sort all clothing to be given away, pull items that you can repurpose for around the home.
3. Pack away all household files from the previous year and prepare new folders for the upcoming season. If you don’t have a home filing cabinet, a cardboard filing box should do the trick.
4. Items to be tossed are sorted: Box for charity, Box for garbage, Box for garage sale [13] (if one is planned this year).
5. Toss all food items that have no expiry date and you’re not sure how old they are (Herbs & Spices: Storage Tips Guide [14]). Replace spices and herbs you don’t regularly use. List all food items that need to be re-stocked on the next grocery trip.
6. See Off Season Clothing Storage Ideas [15] for finding extra storage space.
7. Remember: Beware Of Junk Bunkers [16].

All Areas Of The Home Are Cleaned

* Kitchen: See 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle [17] and Kitchen Cleaning Tips [18]. Don’t forget to include deep cleaning small appliances (How To Clean A Coffee Pot [19]) and shine your sink for a gleaming finish: How To Clean A Stainless Steel Sink [20].
* Bathrooms: See 10 Quick Tips For A Shiny Bathroom [21], Kickin Bathtub Cleaning Soak [22], Clean A Bathtub With Oven Cleaner [23], Tips & Tools For Cleaning Shower Door Tracks [24], Quick Tip: Shiny Shower Doors [25], How To Clean A Toilet – Really Well [26] and Quick Tip: Cleaning Shower Heads [27].
* Livingroom
* Bedrooms: Quick Tip: Mattress Freshener [28], Fresh Summery Scented Bedding Year Round: Tip Sheet [29].
* Hallways
* Laundry Room
* Front & Back Entrances
* Storage Areas & Small Rooms

All Spaces Are Washed, Decluttered & Organized

* Pantry: Pantry Organizing With Tote Baskets [30], Utilize The Pantry Door [31]
* Closets: Get Organized: Easy Tip To Store Bedding [32], Do It Yourself Closet Organization [33].
* Drawers
* Cupboards: Pot Lid Taming Options [34], Organize Pot Lids Neatly [31]
* Cabinets

All Appliances Are Cleaned

* Refrigerator (see Tip: Clean The Refrigerator Daily In 10 Minute Chunks [35])
* Stove [36] Top [37], Oven [38] & Range Hood [39]
* Microwave [40]
* Dishwasher [41]
* Washing Machine
* Dryer [42] and Lint Trap [43]
* Freezer [44]
* Furnace & Duct Cleaning (by professionals); Change furnace filter

Seasonal Preparations

* Lay out fresh herbal bug bags [45] throughout the house to get one step ahead of the warm weather creatures that will soon be heading your way.
* Bring all winter outerwear to the cleaners so they’re ready when you need them in the fall.
* Repair, Launder and store away any winter bedding
* Repair, Launder and store away all winter clothing

Keep A Running List While Cleaning

Note all nics, scratches and repair jobs needed. This is the perfect time to evaluate your home’s needs:

* Flooring Nics & Chips (Tip #2) [46]
* How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Table [47]
* Freshen Up Wicker Baskets [46]

Homemade Cleaning Recipes

Save money on cleaning supplies by making your own:

1. A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes) [48]
2. Homemade Shower Spray Recipes [49]
3. Homemade Softscrub Cleaner Recipe [50]
4. Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser Recipe [51]
5. Homemade Window Cleaner Recipes & Tips [3]
6. Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes [52]
7. Household Degreaser & Cleaner Recipe [53]
8. Homemade Wall Cleaner Recipe [54]
9. Homemade Multi-Purpose Household Cleaners [55]
10. Homemade Cleaners For The Bathroom {Peppermint} [56]
11. Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes [57]
12. Homemade Granite & Marble Cleaner [58]
13. Find more recipes here: Homemade Cleaners [59]

Troubleshooting Tips & Fixes

* Cat & Dog Hair Cleanup Tips [60]
* 21 Crayon Busters: How To Remove Crayon From Walls [61]
* Tips For Floor Cleaners, Spots & Scuffs [62]
* How To Clean Brass [63]
* How To Remove Stains From Marble & Granite [64]
* Grout Cleaning Tips & Recipes [65]
* How To Remove Rust Stains [66]
* How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies [67]

Homemade Household Fresheners

A thorough cleaning job will definitely freshen up the house, you might like to also use one or two of these lovely fresheners to perk things up:

1. 12 Easy DIY Air Fresheners [68]
2. Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe [9]
3. Easy Homemade Air Freshener Sprays [69]
4. Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe [9]
5. 4 Homemade Febreeze Recipes [70]
6. Easy Refrigerator Deodorizer Ideas [71]
7. 10 Ways Herbs Can Freshen Your Home [72]

Tips & Tools

* I like to break down my spring cleaning over a period of a week or so: Each day I do one big area (like the laundry room) and one or two smaller projects (like the hallway). I find the job I do is much more thorough (and less stressful) if I spread the cleaning job over several days rather than just a weekend.
* If a job is too big for one day, I’ll do all the cleaning then save the decluttering/organizing for the next day. For example, the Kitchen: It will be cleaned from top to bottom but the Pantry and Junk Drawers [73] will be decluttered and re-organized the next day. All chores left to do for an area are written on a list and tackled the next day before moving on to the next room.
* Pack the cleaning kit [74] so all the cleaning supplies you need are right at your side. Have lots of garbage bags and empty boxes on hand.
* Have all the tools you need cleaned and ready to go: mop [75], broom [76], swiffer [77], cleaning brushes [78], sponges [79], big bucket, feather dusters [80] & dusting cloths [81]. If you don’t have adequate cleaning tools, consider spending a few dollars to get what you need. It makes the job so much easier if you have the proper tools to work with.

Spring cleaning can be overwhelming, but the end result is well worth it. A few days of housework and some elbow grease is all it takes to enjoy a clean and well organized home!

Updated, Originally Published: April 21, 2008–Ultimate Spring Cleaning Tips Guide
Don’t Miss These Tips:

* Spring Cleaning: Motivation Tips [82]
* Spring Cleaning Outdoors – Chore Chart [83]
* Cleaning Your House on the Cheap! [84]

Love This Tip? Share It!

Email [85] ~ Facebook [86]

Tweet It [87] ~ Delicious [88]

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

URL to article: http://tipnut.com/ultimate-spring-cleaning-tips-guide/

URLs in this post:

[1] see how to clean like a maid: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-like-a-maid/

[2] ceiling fans: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-ceiling-fan/

[3] homemade window cleaner recipes here: http://tipnut.com/more-homemade-window-cleaner-recipes-to-try/

[4] kitchen appliances: http://tipnut.com/clean-stainless-steel/

[5] Dust & clean: http://tipnut.com/dusting-tips/

[6] lampshades: http://tipnut.com/lampshade-cleaning/

[7] clean carpets and rugs: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-removing-carpet-stains/

[8] bring laminate to a shine: http://tipnut.com/clean-laminate/

[9] herbal lavender carpet freshener here: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-carpet-freshener-recipe/

[10] 10 Ideas for Recycling Old Towels: http://tipnut.com/10-ideas-for-recycling-old-towels/

[11] 10 Ideas For Recycling Pillowcases: http://tipnut.com/10-ideas-for-recycling-pillowcases/

[12] repurposing ideas here: http://tipnut.com/category/crafts/repurposing/

[13] Box for garage sale: http://tipnut.com/garage-sale-tips-for-success-how-to-guide/

[14] Herbs & Spices: Storage Tips Guide: http://tipnut.com/herbs-spices-tips/

[15] Off Season Clothing Storage Ideas: http://tipnut.com/clothing-storage-ideas/

[16] Beware Of Junk Bunkers: http://tipnut.com/junk-bunkers/

[17] 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle: http://tipnut.com/vinegar-kitchen/

[18] Kitchen Cleaning Tips: http://tipnut.com/category/cleaning/kitchen-clean/

[19] How To Clean A Coffee Pot: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-coffee-pot/

[20] How To Clean A Stainless Steel Sink: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-stainless-steel-sink/

[21] 10 Quick Tips For A Shiny Bathroom: http://tipnut.com/tips-bathroom/

[22] Kickin Bathtub Cleaning Soak: http://tipnut.com/kickin-bathtub-cleaning-soak/

[23] Clean A Bathtub With Oven Cleaner: http://tipnut.com/clean-a-bathtub-with-oven-cleaner/

[24] Tips & Tools For Cleaning Shower Door Tracks: http://tipnut.com/tips-tools-for-cleaning-shower-door-tracks/

[25] Quick Tip: Shiny Shower Doors: http://tipnut.com/household-cleaning-quick-tips/

[26] How To Clean A Toilet – Really Well: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-toilet-really-well/

[27] Quick Tip: Cleaning Shower Heads: http://tipnut.com/quick-tip-cleaning-shower-heads/

[28] Quick Tip: Mattress Freshener: http://tipnut.com/quick-tips-for-mattress-care/

[29] Fresh Summery Scented Bedding Year Round: Tip Sheet: http://tipnut.com/scented-bedding/

[30] Pantry Organizing With Tote Baskets: http://tipnut.com/pantry-organizing-with-tote-baskets/

[31] Utilize The Pantry Door: http://tipnut.com/quick-tips-for-organizing/

[32] Get Organized: Easy Tip To Store Bedding: http://tipnut.com/get-organized-easy-tip-to-store-bedding/

[33] Do It Yourself Closet Organization: http://tipnut.com/diy-closet-organization/

[34] Pot Lid Taming Options: http://tipnut.com/pot-lid-taming-options/

[35] Tip: Clean The Refrigerator Daily In 10 Minute Chunks: http://tipnut.com/tip-clean-the-refrigerator-daily-in-10-minute-chunks/

[36] Stove: http://tipnut.com/clean-stove-burner-drip-pans/

[37] Top: http://tipnut.com/8-cleaning-tips-for-crusty-stove-tops/

[38] Oven: http://tipnut.com/quick-tips-for-kitchen-cleaning/

[39] Range Hood: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-range-hood/

[40] Microwave: http://tipnut.com/how-to-microwave-cleaning-tips/

[41] Dishwasher: http://tipnut.com/clean-dishwasher/

[42] Dryer: http://tipnut.com/clothes-dryer-safety-tips/

[43] Lint Trap: http://tipnut.com/did-you-know-wash-your-dryers-lint-trap/

[44] Freezer: http://tipnut.com/how-to-clean-a-freezer/

[45] fresh herbal bug bags: http://tipnut.com/bugs-be-gone-bags/

[46] Flooring Nics & Chips (Tip #2): http://tipnut.com/household-quick-tips/

[47] How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Table: http://tipnut.com/diy-how-to-remove-white-heat-stains-on-wood-table/

[48] A Natural Shine To Cleaning (Recipes): http://tipnut.com/homekeeping-a-natural-shine-to-cleaning-recipes/

[49] Homemade Shower Spray Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-shower-spray-recipes/

[50] Homemade Softscrub Cleaner Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-softscrub-cleaner-recipe/

[51] Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser Recipe: http://tipnut.com/kitchen-cabinet-degreaser-recipe/

[52] Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes: http://tipnut.com/homemade-herbal-cleaner-recipes/

[53] Household Degreaser & Cleaner Recipe: http://tipnut.com/household-degreaser-cleaner-recipe/

[54] Homemade Wall Cleaner Recipe: http://tipnut.com/homemade-wall-cleaner-recipe/

[55] Homemade Multi-Purpose Household Cleaners: http://tipnut.com/homemade-multi-purpose-household-cleaner/

[56] Homemade Cleaners For The Bathroom {Peppermint}: http://tipnut.com/homemade-cleaners-bathroom/

[57] Freshen Your Home With Eucalyptus: Recipes: http://tipnut.com/eucalyptus-recipes/

[58] Homemade Granite & Marble Cleaner: http://tipnut.com/granite-marble-cleaner/

[59] Homemade Cleaners: http://tipnut.com/category/cleaning/cleaning-recipes/

[60] Cat & Dog Hair Cleanup Tips: http://tipnut.com/cat-dog-hair-cleanup-tips/

[61] 21 Crayon Busters: How To Remove Crayon From Walls: http://tipnut.com/21-crayon-busters-how-to-remove-crayon-from-walls/

[62] Tips For Floor Cleaners, Spots & Scuffs: http://tipnut.com/tips-for-floor-cleaners-spots-scuffs/

[63] How To Clean Brass: http://tipnut.com/brass-cleaners/

[64] How To Remove Stains From Marble & Granite: http://tipnut.com/marble-granite-stains/

[65] Grout Cleaning Tips & Recipes: http://tipnut.com/grout-cleaning/

[66] How To Remove Rust Stains: http://tipnut.com/rust-removers/

[67] How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies: http://tipnut.com/fruit-flies/

[68] 12 Easy DIY Air Fresheners: http://tipnut.com/easy-air-fresheners/

[69] Easy Homemade Air Freshener Sprays: http://tipnut.com/homemade-lemon-air-freshener-spray/

[70] 4 Homemade Febreeze Recipes: http://tipnut.com/4-homemade-febreeze-recipes/

[71] Easy Refrigerator Deodorizer Ideas: http://tipnut.com/easy-refrigerator-deodorizer-ideas/

[72] 10 Ways Herbs Can Freshen Your Home: http://tipnut.com/herbs-freshen-home/

[73] Junk Drawers: http://tipnut.com/how-to-organize-a-junk-drawer/

[74] Pack the cleaning kit: http://tipnut.com/house-cleaning-kit/

[75] mop: http://tipnut.com/how-to-make-the-best-mop-in-the-world/

[76] broom: http://tipnut.com/wash-broom/

[77] swiffer: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-swiffer-cloths/

[78] cleaning brushes: http://tipnut.com/brush-ideas-for-detail-dusting/

[79] sponges: http://tipnut.com/tipnut-mailbag-clip-your-sponges-cloths-used-for-dirty-jobs/

[80] feather dusters: http://tipnut.com/feather-duster/

[81] dusting cloths: http://tipnut.com/diy-pretreated-dusters-or-dusting-rags/

[82] Spring Cleaning: Motivation Tips: http://tipnut.com/spring-cleaning-motivation-tips/

[83] Spring Cleaning Outdoors – Chore Chart: http://tipnut.com/spring-cleaning-outdoors-chore-chart/

[84] Cleaning Your House on the Cheap!: http://tipnut.com/cleaning-house-cheap/

[85] Email: mailto:?subject=Cleaning Your House on the Cheap!&body=http://tipnut.com/cleaning-house-cheap/

[86] Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://tipnut.com/cleaning-house-cheap/&t=Cleaning Your House on the Cheap!

[87] Tweet It: http://twitter.com/home?status=See http://tipnut.com/cleaning-house-cheap/

[88] Delicious: http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://tipnut.com/cleaning-house-cheap/&title=Cleaning Your House on the Cheap! : Tipnut.com

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