I was asked to do some recipes for ground beef that were easy and quick. So, I’m taking this week and dedicating it to ground beef. Beef! It’s what’s for dinner! Where’s the beef? This is sort of a Stacy original. I used a recipe from Taste of Home as a base, and went from there. I didn’t have all the ingredients that it called for, so I improvised……I didn’t follow the recipe. Don’t shoot me or turn me in to Martha Stewart. If you shoot me, you may end up in prison WITH Martha Stewart. You can do so many things with ground beef. I grew up on a cattle farm, so we’ve always had beef in abundance. I’ve never had to buy it at the store, but I hear it’s pretty cheap as far as meat is concerned. So, let’s make a cheap meal shall we? [Read more…] |
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
Meet Ruth and Rebecca. They’re expert laundry soap makers. Why are you seeing their photo? Well, because I tried making some laundry soap at home and it was a total dud. I mean, it was the duddiest of the duds. I got mad. This should be something I can do, right? Well, my soap chunked up and became almost un-stirrable. It was sad. I was sad. I was mostly mad though. I hate when I mess something up. So, I contacted Rebecca because I knew she made her own laundry detergent with her mom. I asked if I could come over and take photos to find out what I was doing wrong. Well, I wasn’t adding the same amounts of stuff that they were. Turns out that not everything you read on the internet is true. GASP! Sorry Al Gore. So, here is the story of the soap – the right way. [Read more…] |
Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent
I had been wanting to make my own laundry detergent for a while….but being busy with Annie and other things kept me from it. However, when a reader asked me to write about the process, it was the shove that I needed – but in a good way, not like a shove off a cliff. The verdict? I really, really like it. It gets everything super clean and at a fraction of the cost of store-bought detergent. My mom and I have been using it and we’re both fans. I think when I empty out the last of my stash, I’ll only be using homemade detergent. From what I can tell with my mad math skills and reading on the internet, this soap costs about $.05-10 per load, give or take. Most laundry detergents from the store cost around $.20+ per load. That’s a winner for me! Let’s get clean, y’all. |
To make this powder detergent, you’ll need Washing Soda, Fels Naptha Bar Soap, and Borax. That’s it. You know how I feel about Borax. So, all this stuff can be bought at Kroger. Strangely, the Fels Naptha Soap isn’t with the regular soap at my Kroger…..it’s with the mops. Tell me how THAT makes sense? The Arm and Hammer Washing Soda was on the top shelf near the Borax. A good source (thanks Rebecca!) tells me that these items can also be found at Food City. If you can’t find them at either store, you might be able to find them at a hardware store. Ivory soap can also be used, but Fels Naptha is really great for getting clothes clean. You can also use it as a pre-treater and just rub the soap right on the stain. Nice! [Read more…] |
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
So, let’s say you really aren’t feeling like making your own pumpkin puree. Or maybe you just really hate Pumpkin Pie. Are you going to cut up a pumpkin this year to put on your porch? If so, you’re going to be scraping out the innards aren’t you? Why not put them to good use and roast pumpkin seeds instead of throwing them away? It’s so easy and they’re so delicious! You’ll wonder why you never did it before. [Read more…]
How to Make Pumpkin Puree
Well, it’s that time of year when pumpkins abound! I just love them. They’re so pretty…..and tasty! Barry loves pumpkin pie (gag attack!) and I like putting pumpkin puree in breads, cookies, and stews.
It can get pretty expensive if you use a lot of pumpkin puree – unless you make it yourself. Then it becomes pretty cheap. Y’all know I like to keep things cheap! And I also like to teach y’all how to do things for yourself.
Which is why today, I’m sharing all about how to make your own pumpkin puree!
Healthy Eating for Annie
This might be one of the very few posts you’ll ever see at Humorous Homemaking that’s serious. I’m normally a cut up, so this is out of the norm for me. I’ve struggled over even writing this because it’s a journey that I’m still on….and will probably be on for many months/years. However, I think there are many women out there who struggle with this issue as much as me…..women who need help and support. So, I’ll just lay it out there – for the past five or so years I’ve struggled with an eating disorder. I’ve diagnosed myself as a Compulsive Under-eater. What does that mean? It means that I restricted my food intake severely…….and I did it all in secret. Luckily, Clementine St. Louis is a residential treatment program exclusively for adolescents of all genders seeking eating disorder treatment. This one really helped me recovered! I even kept it a secret from Barry and my Mama. There are members of my family that are going to read this and find it surprising – because I’ve never talked about it. But I’m ready to talk about it now, and hopefully by doing so I’ll be able to help someone else. How did it start? When Barry and I first got married, I went to the doctor for a yearly check up. He told me I was overweight and needed to lose some pounds. I knew I wasn’t skinny, but a doctor had never told me that I was in need of losing some pounds. I went home that day and immediately began to diet. I cut all my portions in half or less. Guess what? I started to lose weight – fast. I loved it……..so I lost some more. Then, I started an exercise regimen, such as using machines like Nordictrack vs Proform Elliptical. Every day at 4:45am, I’d get up and go out to run about 5 miles. Every day. If it rained, I ran…..if it snowed, I ran. One time I ran in the sleet and had a hard time getting back to the house. Barry was very upset……rightly so. He saw what I was doing to myself, and asked that I take at least one day a week to rest from exercise. So, I agreed and designated that day as Sunday. [Read more…] |
Apple Crowns = Pure Heaven
***UPDATE: See this post about our new eating habits. (7/10/11)You’re going to hate me. Please don’t make this recipe. If you do, your family will expect perfection out of you daily…..on the other hand, these Apple Crowns just might be worth it. Good grief! It’s 3pm right now and my house still smells like cinnamon apples and I made these at 7am! When I saw this recipe by Taste of Home, I had to make it. I’m an apple lover. You might as well just get used to the fact that you’ll regularly see apple recipes on Humorous Homemaking. When apples are in season, I am known to eat 2-3 per day. Yes, per day. These are sooooooooo easy and they look like you spent all morning in the kitchen. I get the shivers just remembering how good they were. Brrrrr!!!!!! [Read more…] |
Mandoline – Not a Necessity, But it Sure is Fun!
When I first got married and started doing a lot more cooking, I wanted a mandoline slicer. I had seen them used on TV, so they had to be awesome, right? The only versions I saw were at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for around $70! Whew! That was just too rich for my blood……especially when I knew it wasn’t a necessity. I would still go visit it….rub the box…….stare at it and dream about all the amazing things we could do in the kitchen. Then I’d walk away and cry my little heart out. Ok, so I didn’t cry, but I still missed it all the same. One fateful day I was with my mom in Ross and I saw THIS! Isn’t it beautiful!? Do you know how much this was??? $13.99. That’s it. A big step down from the $70 option. Guess what? I didn’t buy it the first day I saw it. I went home and stewed for about a week as to whether I should buy it. Finally, it won me over and I went back, praying that it was still there. Do you know it was in the EXACT same place I left it after I carted it around the store for an hour? I know what you’re thinking – no, I didn’t hide it. So I knew it must be fate…..we were destined to be together. I’ve used it several times and it’s just great! I don’t see any reason to think I got a bad deal or a cheap version. The blades are extra sharp, so I am pleased with my purchase. Keep your eyes peeled and you might find one too – maybe even cheaper than me! [Read more…] |
Ziploc Omelet
What? Ziploc omelet? What the heck is that? It’s magic my friends…..pure magic. If you make this, you’ll astound your friends and neighbors. Your kids will think you’re a genius and volunteer to do the dishes……ok, so maybe not that last one, but they will think you’re pretty cool. Ready to be a pretty cool parent/neighbor/friend? Let’s go! [Read more…] |
Cake Mix Cookies
***UPDATE: See this post about our new eating habits. (7/10/11)
These are about the simplest cookie you can ever make……well, except for those you get at the store and place on the cookie sheet to bake. Those are good too – but these, THESE are homemade. Doesn’t it make you feel like Suzy Homemaker when you tell your friends, “Here are some homemade cookies I made you.” Then they feel really special…..and you feel special knowing you didn’t waste all day making them. Let me just tell you that when I made these cookies, I was having a bad day. A very, very bad day. First thing in the morning I couldn’t get my computer to work. Then Annie locked herself in the car at the post office and it was raining. Then the cashier at Walgreens wouldn’t take my coupons. At CVS I left my coupon binder in the buggy and didn’t realize it until I got home (Don’t worry! It’s safe…..I know the manager there….thanks Tammy!) I came home only to let Annie fall butt first down into the clothes hamper. So, as you can tell I really needed some cookies. Actually, I made these cookies to say “Thanks!” to those who helped me get back into my car and also to take to Tammy at CVS. I like telling people I appreciate them. It always seems to pack an extra punch when you say it with cookies. So, to kill two birds with one marshmallow (or something like that) I decided to say thanks AND show you how to make them. You’ll love me forever. [Read more…] |
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