Cake Baking Tip #2

Also from a friend:

Not motivated or just don't have time to frost the cake? Use marshmallows. One large marshmallow per cupcake or half a bag of minis for a 9x13 pan. Just plop one on top of each cupcake or spread the minis out evenly on the bigger cake. (remember, marshmallow really expands when it melts). Put it back in the oven til the marshmallow is nice & melty. If you like, after it melts you can turn the broiler on for a minute to toast it. If I make a chocolate cake, after it comes out, I like to sprinkle it with a little espresso powder and/or cocoa powder. You can use candy sprinkles or depending on the flavor of your cake, a little pre-sweetened Kool aid or Jello powder. (My granddaughter LOVE white cupcakes with marshmallow topping sprinkled with a little pink lemonade powder) do this AFTER the cake is done.

Making Body Butter Bars

From: http://ourgreenexperiments.blogspot.com/

I have a project that I've been meaning to do for quite a while now. I had all the supplies, I worked out my process, everything was ready to go...........then 3 months went past. In the last three months I forgot all about my project, I have so many that's not a hard task for me but when I was reading Keeper of the Home yesterday my project came back to me. YES!

This idea originally came to me after my soon-to-be-husband fell in love with the Buffy Body Butter Bar from Lush. He didn't care so much about the exfoliation aspect, but he really enjoyed being able to moisturize in the shower. I was really happy that he enjoyed Lush's product (I like stuff from Lush, I figured it would be easier for me to get away with buying stuff from there), but they are $12 each. That was a cost that I couldn't stomach to pay all the time (and I didn't particularly care for the scent either). I found this great informative youtube video on how Lush makes its body butter bar and knew I could do it at home myself.

Body Butter Bars

You'll Need
Mold (I used a silicone cupcake tin)
Double boiler of some sort
Shea Butter
Coconut Oil
Beeswax

1) Determine how much weight your mold can hold. I did this by placing my mold on my kitchen scale, hitting tare, and pour water in to the desired fullness. If you're using something like a cupcake tin, or something with multiple cavities you can just fill one and then multiply by the number of cavities. My cavities held 2 oz of water, so I needed a total of 24 oz of oils.

2) Measure oils. I decided that I would use equal parts of beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil, so I measure out 8 oz of each.

**NOTE: When buying beeswax, it's probably better to buy the pastilles or 1 oz blocks. I bought the 1 lb blocks because they were cheaper (I regret that decision). It took me 10 minutes to figure out how I was going to break down that block of beeswax. I ended up just breaking it into pieces with a hammer.**


3) Melt oils. You can do this step however you feel comfortable. Options include in the microwave, crockpot or using some sort of double boiler. My double boiler was actually a steaming pot that I set a 4 cup, glass Pyrex measuring cup in (it made for easy pouring).

I did find that the oils melted faster if I put the lid on. Also the beeswax takes the longest to melt so you might want to put that on the bottom.

This is what everything looks like when it's melted. Those little bits on top are beeswax that didn't fully melt. (Don't worry about them)

4) Pour melted oil into mold.

5) Put mold in freezer. My bars were completely cooled in 33 minutes. (I know because that's exactly how long I was exercising)

6) Remove from mold and enjoy! After taking my bars out the mold, I wrapped the ones I didn't intend to use right away in wax paper and put them in the freezer. The one I'm currently using is in a metal tin in my bedroom.

That's it. It's super easy and doesn't require a lot of work. I guess the real question is economical is this?

7 lbs coconut oil: $17.95
5 lbs shea butter: $50.85
5 lbs beeswax: $52.60

7 lbs = 112 oz

5 lbs = 80 oz

17.95 / 112 = $0.16/oz coconut oil

50.85 / 80 = $0.64/oz shea butter

52.60 / 80 = $0.66/oz beeswax

($0.16 x 8) + ($0.64 x 8) + ($0.66 x 8) = $11.68 for 12 body butter bars

OR 

$0.97 per bar

Not to toot my own horn but I don't think anyone could deny that this wasn't a successful experiment. Up next I'm going to be making stick deodorant. I just have to find some of those little tubes first. 

Until next time, 

Kellan

Three Key Valuable Honey Properties

From the Benefits of Honey website. For more information, click their banner above:

Be pleasantly surprised by these amazing honey properties -- antimicrobial, antioxidant, and hygroscopic which all make honey a popular food as well as a medicine.

1. Honey is Hygroscopic

Honey has a hygroscopic nature, which means when exposed to air, it naturally absorbs moisture in from the air. In treating open wounds, honey is useful as it could help prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist, encourage the growth of new tissues, and allow easy removal of any dressing by preventing dressing from becoming stuck to the skin. Honey's hygroscopic properties also make it an ideal ingredient in a lot of cosmetics as it helps keep skin hydrated and fresh and prevents drying. Thus, some people call honey a natural "humectant" as it attracts and retains moisture. When used in skin and hair treatments, honey trap and seal in the moisture leaving skin soft and supple, and hair glossy and healthy. 

2. Honey is Antibacterial

Researchers began to document the healing properties of honey in the early part of the 20th century. This ceased with the development of antibiotics but recently the development of resistance to antibiotics has led to a resurgence of interest into the healing properties of honey. The effectiveantimicrobial agent in honey prohibits the growth of certain bacteria. It contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is believed to be the main reason for the antimicrobial activity of honey. As such, honey is a useful treatment for wounds and scalds. Cuts, abrasions and scalds can be covered in honey to prevent bacteria from entering the wound and promote healing.

Honey can help treat minor acne by attacking the bacteria that cause the outbreaks while moisturizing the skin to aid rejuvenation. Types of honey differ greatly in their antimicrobial potency, varying as much as a hundred fold. Honey derived from the Manuka bush, found in abundance in New Zealand, claims the highest potency of such antimicrobial properties.

Read more in: Honey the Tastiest Antibiotic.

3. Honey is a Source of Antioxidants

Honey contains natural antioxidant properties that can destroy biologically destructive chemical agents which have been linked to many diseases such as cancer. Studies also found that dark-color honeys such as Buckwheat seem to possess more antioxidants than light-color varieties. Not only could honey's antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals in the body, they are also part of the nutrient supply for growth of new tissue. These precious honey properties help protect the skin under the sun and help the skin to rejuvenate and stay young-looking. As such, there have been an increasing number of manufacturers of honey skincare products such as sunscreens and facial cleansing products for treating damaged or dry skin.

Read more in: Sweetest Dose of Antioxidant.

End of "Three Key Valuable Honey Properties". Back to "Quick Honey Facts".

Learn much more about the Benefits of Antioxidants .

Hump day? Not for my cake!

Courtesy of my friend Eve Lynn:

I just wanted to share a little cake baking tip. You know that dome you sometimes get in the middle of a cake? It is caused by the sides baking faster than the middle.....well, you can prevent that.
Someone gave me a set of these things put out by Wilton, called, "Bake Even Strips" and they were wonderful. So wonderful, I wanted to buy more, but was put off by the cost.
I went online to see if there were a less expensive knock-off & came across a DIY site that shows how to make them. So easy! Just an old towel, some scissors and a couple pins. (I use big safety pins)...if you really want to get fancy, you can hem & surge the edges of the fabric.
http://www.cakeswebake.com/video/make-you-own-bake-even-strips

** 

Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op: Crockpot Soapmaking

Crockpot Soapmaking

by Lynn at Viggies Veggies 

I'd been planning on waiting to learn to make soap for a while yet, because I'd heard it made to sound so expensive and complicated. But my net.friend Dilli  recently tested out a crockpot soap recipe she found that demystified the process for me. It's pretty well fool proof. And while talking to her about it, I realized I didn't need any special supplies or equipment. The only thing I purchased to start was an inexpensive bottle of lye from the hardware store...

Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op: Crockpot Soapmaking

Portuguese Soup

This is a great recipe. My mom used to make it all the time. Despite the name, this is a very inexpensive, delicious and filling soup that is VERY easy to make. You can make it on the stove top or in the crock pot. Matter of fact, I have a batch in the crock pot right now.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb ground beef (Substitute other ground protein if you wish)
• 2 C. chopped onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (I used 80/20 ground beef and omitted the extra oil)
• 1 lg can whole stewed tomatoes
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper (I also added some cayenne for some heat)
• 2 qt. water
•  1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 C. broken vermicelli
• 1 pkg keilbasa (chorizo would also be very very good if you have it)

CROCKPOT: Dump it all in, turn onto highest setting, let cook for at least 4 hours. (Or until you get home)

STOVE TOP: brown mean, onion and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sausage and water. Bring to boil. Cover, Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add thyme, basil, cabbage and pasta. Bring to boil. Cook until cabbage and pasta are soft.

YEP that's it. It freezes well and is even better eaten the next day, if it sticks around that long. 

Try it out. Let me know what you think and how you changed it to your liking.

My recipes are merely guidelines. I change stuff all the time depending on what's in season and/or on sale, and to my taste. I like more heat than my mom, so I add cayenne. You can too. Try it as is, then change it up :D

Have fun with it. Yum Yum.

Little Homestead in the City - the Urban Homestead Journal

Little Homestead in the City - the Urban Homestead Journal

This really is a great website, full of killer info. This family is amazing. They grow 99% of their own produce, which comes to about 6,000 lbs of food year round, including animals for eggs and manure. They have workshops and lectures as well. They share their stories of their day to day living and homesteading. On a 1/10th of an acre urban lot, they have created a little paradise in the city. It truly is mind blowing and inspiring.