Be Thankful...

Now the people complained about their hardships...

The rabble with them began to crave other food,

and again the Israelites started wailing and said,

"If only we had meat to eat!" But now we have lost

our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"

God provided the manna. In His mercy,

"when the dew settled on the camp at night,

the manna also came down."
Numbers 11:1-9

We often forget all the good things god provides to us on a daily basis... Remember to be thankful for all that you have.

Its THANKSGIVING?!!

It will soon be Thanksgiving and I am never ready for the holidays... But I read a blog this morning which will help anyone get more organized... Check out 7 Days from "Cooke's Frontier", and be sure to check out her recipe for Mile High Peanut-butter/Brownie Pie posted on Chickens in the Road today.

EASY Button...

Go to Better After and take a look at the post about the EASY button for Craigslist. While there go through all her before and after posts.

P.S. I downloaded this and is does work...only it only brings up things listed which have pictures, so be sure to look over the list anyway, you wouldn't want to miss something good just because there's no picture.

FALL BACK...

Don't forget to reset your clocks...

Cheese please...

NEUFCHATEL CHEESE

by Dr. David Fankhauser, for Redco Foods 5 May 2003

Equipment:

5 quart stainless steel pot with lid, sterilized by boiling a small amount of water for 5 minutes covered
whisk, used to mix ingredients. Try not to create foam.
thermometer, should read in the range of 32-220 F (0-110 C)
quart strainer
sterile handkerchief, sterilized by boiling and hanging to dry
receiving container, to catch draining whey. A one gallon bowl or clean plastic bucket will do.

Ingredients:

1 gallon milk
1/4 cup culture buttermilk (fresh)
1/4th tablet Junket Rennet tablet
This is a soft, spreadable cheese originated in France and is eaten fresh. Sometimes called "farmer's" cheese, think if it as a low fat cream cheese which can eaten on crackers straight or mixed with seasonings, used in cheese cake, folded into omelets, etc.

1. Pour milk into the pre-sterilized 5 quart stainless steel pot. Warm to 65 F with stirring.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve 1/4 tablet rennet in 1/4 cup water.
3. When the milk reaches 65 F, remove from heat, add buttermilk, whisk to mix thoroughly.
4. Stir the dissolved rennet into the 65 F inoculated milk, blend thoroughly.
5. Cover and let sit overnight undisturbed at room temperature (65-70F, 20C).
6. The next morning, a clean break should have formed (see recipe for basic cheese for the test). If the coagulated milk is not firm enough, let it sit until is does, as long as another 12 hours.
7. When a clean break is achieved, cut the curd into 1/2 inch cubes (see recipe for basic cheese for technique). Some recipes call for stirring the soft curd with a whisk. This will work, but will make the separation of curds and whey more difficult.
8. Ladle the curds and whey into a clean sterile handkerchief supported in a large strainer, placed over a one gallon bowl. Allow the whey to drain through. If the cloth becomes clogged, lift the cloth back and forth or scrape the curd away from the cloth. Save the whey for ricotta if you wish (see recipe).
9. When most of the whey has drained through, pick up the four corners of the cloth and suspend the curd in a cool place to drain overnight (from a shelf of the refrigerator if you have room).
10. The next day, remove the cheese and mix in1- 3 teaspoons of salt, according to taste. It may be eaten immediately. Store covered in the refrigerator until use.
11. You may pack the cheese into a mold of your choice (a squat tin can with the ends removed for instance).

---

RENNET CHEESE

1 qt. hot tap water
1 c. buttermilk
2 rennet tablets dissolved in 1 T. cold water
2 c. dry milk powder
2 T. vegetable oil (opt.)
Blend all ingredients and place in a heavy saucepan coated with a nonstick spray. Let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Cut or stir to break into curds and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Pour curds into a strainer, rinse with hot, then cold water, and drain. Salt to taste, then refrigerate. Or, place in a cheesecloth bag and press. This is a very mild cheese, good with salt and chopped chives. Use within 3-4 days. To make cream cheese from this recipe, reduce rennet to 1/4 tablet and add 1 c. buttermilk when mixing ingredients. Set in a warm place overnight. After cutting set curds into cubes, place curds over medium heat, and cook five minutes. Pour into a cheesecloth lined colander and let rest 15 minutes. Gather edges of bag, secure with a rubber band and hang, or press until firm like cream cheese. Add salt if desired.

Click Here for Information on Making Cheese

by Dr. David Fankhauser Ph.D.

check out all his recipes, they are very informative.

Ways to save...

1. Stop buying books and magazines and start using the library instead!
2. Don't buy cleaning products and instead invest in vinegar and baking soda [see the Down To Earth blog for tips]
3. Only wash clothes that are dirty, don't wash simply because you've used them
4. Hang your clothes to dry
5. Shower instead of bath and put a timer on
6. Swap childcare with friends
7. Eat vegetarian meals 3 nights a week - eating less meat is certainly greener!
8. Set yourself no spending days begin with 2 a week for the first month then add in another!
9. Use low energy light bulbs
10. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
11. Turn off all lights in empty rooms
12. Put a sweater and socks on so you can keep the heat lower.
13. Turn down the water temperature.
14. Pack snacks
15. Practice freezer cooking once a month so you have frugal meals handy!
16. Don't use things that are disposable like water bottles
17. Stop buying paper towels
18. Plan a weekly menu
19. Have breakfast for dinner once a week
20. Only shop once a week maximum
21. Try to buy direct from local farms and co-ops
22. Limit or ditch the cell phone
23. Schedule a long walk each weekend (great frugal family activity)
24. Pick your own - in some areas apples are still available!
25. Use what is available free - does your gym have showers and shampoo you can use instead of showering at home?
26. Wash your clothes at lower temperatures
27. Establish a change jar
28. Set yourself no driving days - if you need your car for work, nominate one day at the weekend where you aren't allowed to use it.
29. Set yourself the goal that if you could walk somewhere within 30 minutes you shouldn't take your car.
30. Write down everything you eat.
31. Write down everything you buy
32. Cancel the newspaper subscription
33. Don't eat out. Maybe challenge yourself and see if you can not eat out at all between now and the holidays!
34. Nominate one night a week to be soup night
35. Commit to cutting your grocery bill by at least 10% [I cut mine by 75%]
36. Stop buying soda, juice and alcohol
37. Ditch the cigarettes
38. Have a movie night at home.
39. Rent movies from the library - in most countries that means they are free.
40. See if you can get what you need for free by making use of local adds and enquiring if friends or family are looking to get rid of what you need.
41. Join a book group - usually a free way to have a night out.
42. Turn off all electrical equipment
43. Get back to nature [photographing squirrels is free, green & fun!]
44. Make your own shampoo
45. If you want to purchase something, make yourself wait 48 hours and examine whether you need it or want it.
46. See if what you need you can purchase second hand
47. Wait to do dishes until there is a full load [by hand or machine!]
48. Watch your portion sizes
49. Be your own beauty therapist
50. Ask for the necessities for holiday gifts

These ideas are all out there, but I love when someone pulls them all together into one. I post so others can read and I can have a place to return to in the future.

Heavenly...

DEVONSHIRE CREAM

3 ounces yogurt cheese

12 oz. Carnations Evaporated Milk

1 teaspoon homemade vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 teaspoon sugar free/fat free instant pudding

Pour evaporated milk into metal mixing bowl, place beater into milk and place bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes. Pull from freezer; add sugar and vanilla and beat until the mixture holds its shape and looks like softly whipped cream. Add yogurt and pudding mix till combined. Use right away or cover and refrigerate the cream until serving time.

Makes about 3 cups.

I made this to put on the Banana bread Pudding I made using some of the banana bread Kenneth had made with some of the 6 pounds of banana's I brought home. Check out the recipe over on Chickens In The Road - Farm Bell Recipes.

We served it while the bread pudding was still warm.

Cooking like Julia...

The other night for "Date Night" Kenneth and I watched Julie and Julia. This was a really good movie and I realized that even though I remember watching Julia Child on TV,I was never really interested in making anything she cooked. I also thought that Julie Powells kitchen is alot like mine. Not much room to work. The one thing I took from the movie, Don't be afraid to try!

Also Julia lived to be 91 years old and her husband Paul lived to be 92. They married when she was 40 and learned to cook in Paris using REAL butter! I wonder what her cholesterol count was?

I just went and bought my first stick of real butter. it was $3.14 for 2 cups I think I would get 2 cups out of a gallon of milk which cost 5.00 plus gas $$.

Yogurt is $1.98 for 4 cups, or I can make 16 cups for $5.00, a much better deal. You also get the whey to use in cooking/baking. I strained some yogurt yesterday to make yogurt cheese, kinda like cream cheese and can be used in place of it.

I used the yogurt cheese to make some Devenshire cheese (whipped topping), Kenneth said "It tasted awesome!" he also said i should watch more Julia Child.