Company's Coming!

Well, today I want to give you a small tip...As a small child I always remembered spending time cleaning on Saturday's, because company was coming on Sunday. We had to clean the house, dust the furniture, clean our bedrooms, wash the floors, and like the rest of you...we had to polish the shoes. Sunday was coming and everything had it's place. Usually my mom would make some fresh platz, a pot of soup, zweiback,...but most of all she always had the table set with a table cloth and her best china. Most of us have probably fallen way back off these Saturday chores and traditions.
But one thing I have learned over my past years was how to clean a coffee thermos. I used to scrub those things with brushes, baking soda, soaked it...you name it...that ugly coffee stain became darker and darker. Would you believe I learned this tip while working at the university? It was part of my duty to help keep the staff room in order. A colleague shared her secret with me and I am more than willing to pass it on.
"Pour the container full with boiling water and add some dishwasher soap to the pot, screw the lid on tight, go home, and sleep."
Not too often my work was accomplished while sleeping. This truly is a miracle worker.

A stained coffee pot and Company's Coming? That just won't do.

Just add some liquid dishwasher detergent (2 Tbsp), or if it's really stained, I add a whole tablet of dishwasher detergent, into a coffee pot filled with boiling water. Let it sit over night and the next morning you will be smiling. Rinse it out with hot water and you won't mind Company's Coming anymore...
Let me know if you are smiling tomorrow morning.

Enviromentally Safe Cleaning Solution

It is Saturday again, and it is cleaning day for many of us. I can't tell you how excited I am about this way of cleaning, it even has the younger generation helping out with a smile.
I used it on my stove and cleaned up the grease and spaghetti sauce with one stroke, and the mirrors just shine. I love it!!!
These days we are always looking for better ways of being good to our environment, and our own health. I always appreciate it when people pass on their ideas as to what they use to clean their home. These ideas came from my friend Karin that uses nothing else to clean. She says that the following she uses for windows, mirrors, sinks, appliances, just about anything.

• 16 oz spray bottle (I used a 32 oz bottle and doubled the ingredients)
  

• 1 tbsp. rubbing alcohol

• 1/2 cup of vinegar

• 1 tsp. dish soap

1. Add enough water to fill spray bottle
2. Spray on anything that you wish to clean and wipe with a soft cloth.

Tea Tree Oil as a disinfectant

• Karin is a nursery school teacher and looks for safe ways to clean her classroom.
  
• Once a week she puts four drops in the toilet, swish and let it sit til the next flush.
• Or put a few drops in with some water in a spray bottle and spray down areas like toys or door knobs.
• She also puts few drops of Tea Tree Oil in the palm of her hand with shampoo helps to rid of lice (or keep them away) as well. We used this tip when we needed it and learned from personal experience that it really did work! Don't forget the hair still needs to be combed through with a special nit comb to get rid of any nits. Keep doing it until you don't see any nits anymore.

Well there you have it, more ideas on how to have a cleaner and chemical free home.
Happy Cleaning!

I would love to hear your ideas, or tips that you have for environmentally friendly and safe cleaning. Please share them in the comment box.

Homemade Laundry Soap

 

I've been making my own laundry soap for awhile now and am sold on the cost effectiveness and the efficiency of never running out of laundry detergent.

I haven't worked out exactly how much the soap costs per load but I'm saving a bundle.
I have a front loading machine and the clothing rinses clean and for those that are sensitive to fragrance it seems to be just fine.


I know there are many variatons out there. . .some liquid and some dry.
I'd love you to offer your recipe in the comment section and then everyone can try different recipes.

 

• 1 sunlight bar grated into a medium saucepan
• 4 cups hot tap water
• 1 cup Washing Soda
• 1/2 cup Borax
• 1 five gallon pail

1. Melt the Sunlight bar over medium heat . . stirring the whole time.
2. Dump it into a 5 gallon pail and add the Washing Soda and the Borax.  Stir well.
3. Add hot water to the pail to come to a few inches to the top of the pail.
4. Stir well.  ( I use a broom handle)
5. Let sit overnight and give it a good stir.  It will jell a bit.
6. Fill empty laundry soap containers. 
7. For my front load washer I use 1/4 cup.
8. For top load washers you will use closer to 1/2 cup.

You will need to experiment with your loads.  Dirty loads need more detergent than light loads.  I use it on my dirtiest farm laundry and on my delicates with equal satisfaction. 

How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs in Seconds

Many years ago when I was still a young wife, I learned the secret to peeling hardboiled eggs from a young man who had been invited into the news studio to demonstrate his technique during the evening news hour.
I have always peeled eggs this way and thought that everyone had learned to do it the same way, but I find that many women still peel eggs laboriously the hard way.. bit by bit.
In case you have never stumbled across this trick, I thought I would demonstrate it for you in a little home video.

My husband kindly agreed to hold the camera.

so here are the steps....

1. cover eggs in pot with cold water... add salt so that if an egg crackes the egg stays in the shell.

2. turn element on high and timer for 20 minutes -- it takes about 10 minutes for the water to boil and ten minutes for egg yolk to harden.

3. remove from stove , immediately put pot under the cold water tap .

4. as soon as you can handle the eggs break the shells against the side of the pot.

5. leave crushed eggs in cold water for a bit (longer if eggs are very fresh)

6. peel eggs... shells will just about fall off. (make sure you start peeling under the membrane)

ADDED HELPFUL HINT - We like our eggs hard-boiled, but there have been times when I take them off the stove a little sooner .. I do find that they peel better when they are boiled longer. So if you are having some problem with the shells falling off... try boiling them a minute or two longer..

Happy Anniversary Girls!

Time sure does fly when you are busy. . .and having fun!

It is hard to believe that the MGCC blog first began pumping out family recipe favorites one year ago.

With a simple idea and a few willing friends, I pressed the "create a blog" button and . . .
you began to show up. . .
looking in our kitchen windows. . . .
often remembering what your mom used to make in her kitchen.

We've learned so much ourselves. . .
testing recipes and reworking some that have nearly been forgotten.


We've had great fun learning to photograph food. . .
and learning how to best post a recipe.

Behind the scenes of our kitchens. . .
we have become friends.


Over the years, my circle of friends has had one constant. . .
it has reflected the stage of life that I am in.

Many friendships will remain forever. . .and nothing will sever those ties . .
but God continues to bless me with new friends. . .
today some of my dearest friends are those that share my passions.

This year blogging has taken a new turn for me . . .I have learned to entertain guests in a whole new way.

It is a little like playing make believe .. .

and in a sense. .

we don't really know who is sitting at the table of Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

Making this journey incredibly meaningful and special. ..
has been a group of ladies who like me. .
love to open up our homes to . . .
people like you.

Without you. . . it would be no fun to cook. . .
You have made this blog complete by encouraging us. . .
and tapping us on the shoulder when you think you might recognize us in the community.

The "girls" that write this blog have our own email address so that we can easily communicate ideas and questions and joys and concerns. . . and several times a week. . .

we chat back and forth.

God has blessed us tremendously with the gift of friendship. . .
and that has been perhaps the biggest surprise.

For the past while. .
we have sensed that God has a bigger purpose for our blog.
In the next while we will be "entertaining" ideas of of how this blog can have a greater purpose of giving back to God.

We feel burdened for children around the world that have not any food to eat.
Whatever we decide to do. . .we are committed to give 100% of the proceeds to a charity that we have yet to determine.


All of the contributors to this blog share another common bond.

We all believe that Jesus Christ came to save the world.

In Him we have a peace that only he can give. . .

and in Him we know that though we live in various different places in North America. . .

after this life on earth is done . .

we will be sharing the greatest feast of all together in Heaven.

What joy . ..

What a hope. .

None of us know what the next year will hold . ..

nor do we expect it will be free from struggles and challenges ..

but as friends . . .

we will stand together . .

working in our kitchens . . .

being an encouragement to each other. . .

and it is our prayer that this blog will also be an encouragement to you.

It has been my profound pleasure to create and administrate this blog.

I know that the contributors join me in humbly saying thank you for sitting at our table with us. .

All for now. . .

with love,

Lovella

First Rule for the Budding Chef

My two granddaughters are beginning to enjoy baking in the kitchen and my daughter is quite happy for them to learn.
This afternoon my ten year old wanted to make cookies , all by herself. So my daughter showed her the recipe and laid out the ingredients for her.
All seemed to be going well.. and soon the cookies were in the oven.
After some time my granddaughter came to her mother and said... "Mom, I think I made a mistake in the recipe ... the cookies taste a little salty!"

The recipe called for 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. vanilla....
My granddaughter had put in 1/4 CUP of salt, and 1/4 CUP of vanilla !!!!

Rule - ALWAYS check your ingredient measurements !! smile

Is a Celiac Coming to Dinner?

One of the hardest things about being Celiac is watching my friends and family struggle with it.
The people in my life are so sweet and eager to make something I can eat. The ladies in our church bible study group all have made the effort to learn what I can and cannot have and all of them go out of their way to adjust the goodies they serve.
I really don’t expect people to do that, but I embrace it as an expression of their love and am deeply touched.

I thought maybe I would share just a few tips for those of you who feel lost about what you can or cannot offer when a Celiac comes to visit!

So here’s my list of things you should know:

The basics - It is the grains Wheat, Barley and Rye that contain the gluten protein that causes the immune system of Celiacs to react by destroying the villa in the small intestine! Untreated Celiac leads to cancer, and other autoimmune diseases such as Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Celiacs do not have an allergy or intolerance to gluten...they have an autoimmune disease which has no cure but is totally controlled by avoided ALL gluten.
NOTE - Although oats do not have gluten, they are grown in alternating crops with wheat, so there is cross contamination. Gluten-free oats are now available made from oats grown in virgin fields. ‘Only Oats’ is one label.

1. Some Celiacs are more sensitive than others…..but it takes a very tiny amount of food with gluten in it to make them sick. So cross contamination is a very serious consideration. You would never cut a slice of gluten-free bread on a cutting board that you just used for regular bread. Wiping it isn’t good enough.. it needs to be washed with a good scrub. Some things like colanders where reg. pasta is strained, even WITH washing can have traces of gluten stuck to them. So make sure that you use utensils from the dish washer in preparing gluten-free food.

2. Celiacs appreciate fruit, vegetables, cheese - the things that are obviously gluten-free. Rice crackers are fine… (I never buy them anymore because I’m sick of them .. but that way I’m OK with eating them when I am served them at someone else’s home) Rice cakes are good used as a ‘pizza bun’ substitute.

3. I think I speak for most Celiacs that we prefer ‘real’ food to most “gluten-free” substitutes. If we still remember what real food tastes like, the substitute is at best tolerable or worse ! smile… The good news is that there are more and more better-tasting products out there making the options much more palatable.
Making your favourite dinner recipes with minor adjustments is great ! That way everyone is happy! But be sure to read the labels on all your ingredients…. Gluten can be lurking anywhere and DOES !!!

4. Be careful with gravies and sauces. Thicken them with cornstarch or sweet rice flour. There is now a new gluten-free product called 'Thicken Thin’ that is great !

5. Watch your recipes with canned soups. Almost all canned soups have gluten in them.
Soya sauce has gluten. There is a Gluten-free Soya sauce that you can buy in the USA but I have not found one in Canada. Some bullion cubes are gluten-free but not all. Spices and flavourings can have gluten. Anything with ‘malt’ flavouring is glutened – malt is made from barley - so cereals, like corn flakes or rice crispies are out. Nature Path has a gluten-free cornflakes sold in most grocery stores.

6. Gluten-free mixes are readily available now .... that allow you to make a dessert - cakes, cookies or muffins, quite easily.
*****

I would like to encourage some of you long-time Celiacs or those of you living with Celiacs who have other helpful hints please express them in the comment section and I will transfer them (with credit to you !) to this post .. making it a resource for people nervous about having Celiacs come to visit !

Freezing Bacon

The picture will follow soon ladies....in the mean time,
when you buy bacon.......roll each slice into a pin curl and freeze individually.
Then when you need just a few slices for a recipe you will be able to use what you need and chop it fine very easily for what you need it for.
I have been doing this for years and yesterday a friend noticed me doing this and asked if I would share it on mgcc, because she had never thought of doing that and it was a good tip. As soon as my camera is up and running i will post a picture.

natural sleep agents

Bananas

Bananas contain melatonin and serotonin which are practically some of the best sleep stimulating substances (such substances are frequently used in pharmaceutical industry). In addition, bananas contain magnesium which has a relaxing effect on muscles.
Warm Milk


There is definitely some significance to why our moms and granny's asked us to drink a cup of warm milk before going to bed! The explanation for this would be that milk contains tryptophane, which is an amino acid that has a sedative effect. Moreover, calcium contained by milk also helps the absorption of tryptophane.
Chamomile Tea



Trust the traditional herbs to soothe and calm your senses! Chamomile, one of the oldest garden herbs, has been known for its relaxing effect. Chamomile tea is generally known for its sedating effect, as well as a nerve-relaxant, serving to be the perfect natural antidote for stressed minds and bodies.
Potatoes


With all that starch in it, I have no doubt Potatoes would induce sleep! but jokes apart, they can help get rid of acids which can interfere with tryptophan amino acid. Baked potatoes can have an even greater sleep inducing effect if they are combined with warm milk when eaten. Aah, I wish they had a little fewer calories too!
Oatmeal

Oats are good for a good night’s sleep because they stimulate the production of melatonin. Also, with their high fiber content, they fill you up fast, triggering messages to your brain that you are satiated, hence serving to be relaxants and sleep-inducers at the same time!
There's nothing like a good night's sleep, and you should never deprive yourself of at least 6-8 hours sleep at night, but there are times when life gets really hectic (pretty much everyday!!), and its hard to force your mind to sleep!
So try these natural sleep-inducers; they'll silently do their work and do what you failed to do - ask your mind and body to sleep tonight, so you can be fresh and energetic to meet a new tomorrow!