Rubbermaid Bento Boxes & Toppers (Review & Giveaway)

*Giveaway Closed*

I don't know what I was expecting when I took up the offer to do a review for the Rubbermaid Bento Boxes and Toppers, but when the UPS man showed up with a huge box I was so surprised and excited!

These boxes are just amazing! They are sturdy, and so neat looking!

Most of time I dread thinking about having storage containers/organizers around the house, but not with these! I would actually show them off! Lol!

The boxes and toppers came in a set of 4 and they all fit neatly into the biggest box (the X-Large box).

(Pictured above).

Mine are in the Paprika color.

Below is how the X-Large Bento box looks with the Flex dividers open.

The dividers pop out very easy, and make your containers easy to organize on the inside!

Also, may be great if you are trying to keep things stored and don't want things jostled around or broken.

 I think these would make great storage boxes for Christmas and other holidays!

My house is small, so these have been a great find for me.

My husband has the smallest one on his desk. He uses the flex dividers in his and it holds his pens in one corner, business cards in another and other small items. Great for keeping the desk from so much clutter!

I use the Medium size box for my sewing supplies! It is great for holding my scissors, needles, thread spools, lace, etc.

I love how you can use the tops for lids or covers OR trays! So neat! I have most of the tops on mine flipped over so that they can hold stuff on top too.
The tops are just as sturdy as the boxes so are also great for carrying things on, using for a tv tray, etc!

As a homeschool mom, the Bento boxes have so many uses and are so handy! If I am doing things around the house, I can always carry one of the trays with me of things I am using or need, putting up items etc.
I use the Large Bento box, JUST for homeschool, right now. It is the perfect size to hold the notebooks, teacher books, student books, flashcards and books we are using at the moment. =) I love it! So handy and also can have it right where I need it. And as you can see, in the picture below, the top for it is being used for the youngest Princess's Kindergarten puppets. =)

You can see more pictures and read more about Rubbermaid's Bento boxes and toppers HERE on their website. And check out their other great products!

You can also browse more pictures at the Rubbermaid Flickr photostream,
videos at the Rubbermaid Youtube channel, and follow the Rubbermaid Blog HERE! 
Plus don't forget to follow Rubbermaid on Facebook and Twitter!





A Big thank you to the Great folks at Rubbermaid, for giving us the opportunity to try out their Bento Boxes and Toppers and for offering one of my blog readers their very own set of Bento Boxes and Toppers!



Mandatory Entry:

Visit Rubbermaid and tell me which Bento fabric design is your favorite and tell me how you would use your Bento boxes and toppers!

Mandatory entry must be done to enter giveaway!

Please leave your email address in your comment or have it visible on your profile.



Extra Entries After completing mandatory Entry:

-Follow Rubbermaid on Facebook and tell them "Our Children's Future" sent you! (1 entry)

-Follow Rubbermaid on twitter (1 entry)

-Purchase a Bento product from Rubbermaid during the time of this giveaway (10 entries per purchase)

-Follow my blog through GFC (1 entry)

-"Like" Preparing For Our Children's Future on facebook ( 3 entries)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry)

-Follow me on twitter @ForTheirFuture (1 entry)

-Tweet this giveaway and leave me your tweet link (1 entry per day)

-Add my blog button to your sidebar and leave a link of where I can find it(3 entries)

-Write a blog post about this giveaway and leave the link to your post below (5 entries)

-Enter one of my other blog giveaways (1 entry per giveaway you enter)



That gives you 28+ chances to win! Have fun!

Please leave a comment per entry that you qualify for, for each entry to count!



This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada and Ends on January 27th at 12 am central. The winner will be chosen at random using random.org.

The prize will be sent directly from Rubbermaid to the winner.





Disclaimer:
For purposes of this review, I received a sample to review.
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own.

My new "purse"!

For my birthday, my extra super husband bought me a new "purse"!!

Well it is not really a purse! It is a gear bag, like a small duffel bag, but I thought it would make a perfect purse for me! And so far, it has!





I found it online at Cabela's (one of our favorite online stores=))! It cost around $16.00. It has 6 zippered pockets and is supposed to be sturdy and waterproof! Guess we'll find out!

I think it will make a great emergency handbag, diaper bag, overnight bag, etc. I like how much it holds and hides!

I hear that they do not have this bag in camo anymore at Cabela's but they have black and green.

"Stocking Up" Challenge Step 1

Hey ladies!


I am so excited to see that ya'll are interested and want to do this! Good for you!

I am not going to rush this challenge! I have no "day to finish" and have not planned on having one! I want to get you started and then you can grow from there!

Also for anyone who is on a tight budget, you may need 5 or 6 weeks to stock up on things that some one else can get in two or three weeks. So even if I lay it out to say so many weeks, you make your own plan on paper, and STICK TO IT AS BEST YOU CAN!

Okay, the FIRST STEP:

I want you to save every penny that you can for the next week!

Save your eating out money.

Stay home as much as you can. When you go out, you spend money!

Roll your change that you have around the house.

Get your spouse and your family involved! Tell them your plan and see if they can pitch in to help save money!

Spend as little as you can, and please save up!

Your stocking up money is the most important money for your families future! They can cut back on a trip to the movies, going out to eat, and just shopping around for "things"! Give it a try! I think you will be amazed at how much you can stock up on and things you can get that you couldn't before. And most of all, when you are done stocking up, you will feel so good about yourself and what you have done for your family! It will give you peace!

Also,

Get the local grocery store papers and find out what is on sell for next week.

And Collect some coupons if you want.

Well there you go! Short and simple! For the next week, SAVE MONEY!

I wish I could give you more then a week, but as I said, this is just to get you going! After this challenge, and during, I hope you continue on your own, to save and spend WISELY!

~Hannah

P.S. I will be posting more tips and ideas for stocking up over the next week, but I will probably not post the big step(s) 2 until the 28th!

"Watercolors by Arlene Faye" Etsy Shop Review & Giveaway!!

I think I was born about a century late. I love the good old days. The stories, the pictures and the lifestyle. I love antiques, and want to pass on the "old things" and "old ways" to my children and grandchildren!

A while back when I was "shopping around" on Etsy, a watercolor painting popped up and I went to check out "Watercolors by Arlene Faye"! I Just Love her paintings!

It is hard to say which painting would be my favorite, but I love laundry hanging out to dry, so the "Laundry day" painting would be high on my list!

After visiting "Watercolors By Arlene Faye" you will soon see that she has a wide variety of paintings and you can find a painting that will fit in every room of the house! And you can pick from Original watercolors or prints!

The "I CAN REACH THAT" Giraffe would be great for a children's room! I know my girls would Love it!

I love the "Sweet Gardenia"!

Isn't it breath-taking?! I would have this on a bedroom wall too!

I love cherries! And I think the "Life Is A Bowl of Cherries" painting will make you hungry for a fresh cherry or cherry pie! =) YUM! They look so shiny and real!

"Watercolors by Arlene Faye" would make great gifts!

I would get several of them for Christmas gifts! Or maybe you would rather give watercolor painting notecards? She has a lot of them too!

She has a lot of great winter scene paintings on notecards! Including these "Sheep in Winter" (below)! And watercolor cards that will be great for Christmas cards! There are a lot of them to choose from! Just visit "Watercolors By Arlene Faye" to see them all!

I have a print of the "Vintage Pink Teapot" from "Watercolors by Arlene Faye", and I am so excited about it! It is like having a rare treasure to me! When I first got it, I had thought about giving it to someone special for a gift, but I think I am going to keep it for our family and pass it on to our girls!

I love tea and teapots and as I said before, vintage items! Plus I think this will look really good on the cedar walls in the kitchen! Maybe someday I will have a dining room and can hang it up in there!

Visit "Watercolors By Arlene Faye" and let me know which one you love or bought!

Now for the Giveaway!
"Watercolors by Arlene Faye" is offering one of my blog readers the choice between two of her prints! A Big thank you to Arlene!

One winner will get to choose the 8x10" print of the "Life Is A Bowl Of Cherries" or an 8x10" print of "Laundry Day"!

Mandatory Entry:
Visit "Watercolors By Arlene Faye" and tell me another original, print or set of cards you would love to buy for you and your family, or give as a gift!
Mandatory entry must be done to enter giveaway!
Please leave your email address in your comment or have it visible on your profile.

Extra Entries After completing mandatory Entry:
-Tell me which print you would pick if you won! (1 entry)

-"Heart" Watercolors by Arlene Faye Etsy shop (1 entry)
-Purchase a product from "Watercolors by Arlene Faye" during the time of this giveaway (10 entries per purchase)
-Follow my blog (1 entry)
-Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry)
-Follow me on twitter (1 entry)
-Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per day)
-Add my blog button to your sidebar and leave a link of where I can find it(3 entries)
-Write a blog post about this giveaway and leave the link to your post below (5 entries)
-Enter one of my other blog giveaways (1 entry per giveaway you enter)

That gives you 26+ chances to win! Have fun!
Please leave a comment per entry that you qualify for, for each entry to count!

This giveaway is open to the U.S. Only and Ends on Oct 23 rd at 12 am central. The winner will be chosen at random using random.org.
The prize will be sent directly from "Watercolors by Arlene Faye" to the winner.

Disclaimer:
For purposes of this review, I received a sample to review.
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own.

Coming Soon! CSN Stores Review!!!

Hey friends! Are you looking to buy new furniture this year? CSN Stores has a huge, and amazing selection of sofas! I like the sleeper sofas and hope we can get one, one of these days! My husband could really use a recliner too! ;)

CSN Stores have just about everything you need for your home, and around your home. If you are doing any remodeling or shopping, you really have to check them out!

I am very excited that I will be doing a review for CSN Stores! Yippee!
I think most of my blog readers and friends would love the product I have picked for the review! =) And with summer almost here and so much to be done, I am looking forward to my new product as it should help me with several projects!!
You will just have to keep an eye out to find out what I am reviewing though! ;)

God bless your summer!
~Hannah

"Spring Into Health" Blog Event!! Info and List of Sponsers!!

I am so excited about the "Spring Into Health" blog event!

I have been blessed with a lot of great sponsors and the reviews and giveaways are just looking wonderful (and healthy!)! I think everyone is going to enjoy the products and hope you all have a great time!

Please get the blog event button and share it on your blog, etc!

The event will be starting right after Easter, so keep checking back so you can be in on all the action!

Here is the button (and the link to it is on the sidebar)




And now......The list of sponsors so far!!!

The Straight Stitch

KellysJewelry

me & gogi

Stonyfield




Frontier Coop




Morning Glories Handpainted Glassware


Green Mountain Coffee



Tropical Traditions

Keep checking back as I add more sponsors!

Thanks!

~Hannah

My Easter "Splurge"!

I hardly ever buy stuff for just me. Yeah, I know, I am not a "normal' female! But I knew that! When I buy things, I make sure that my whole family can benefit from them! I prefer to go without and spend for my family and when they are happy and have what they need, I find joy in that!
Last month, I had the opportunity to spend some money though (yay, naughty me!) and of course I went for mostly books! I purchased books that I knew my whole family (and even others) could benefit from though.
I wanted to get the children a treat for Easter and since the oldest is reading I got the Billy & Blaze book for her and a Dora reading set for her and the youngest (who Loves Dora!).

Plus I bought them a dvd! I never do that! I think this was the second dvd we have bought! Lol! But they love "Ice Age" and had not seen "Dawn of the Dinosaurs". Sure enough, the whole family loves it!

I also bought a bunch of seeds, but hope to post about that later!

The top herb book on my list has been:

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health

So I knew I wanted to get that one! Now if I could just discipline myself to read more, so I can soak in all this great herbal information!!!!!
Rosemary's book is full of recipes, pictures and info on herbs and health.



I would love to grow most of my herbs and have started growing some, but I would like to know more about how to do it right when I do more! I have been gathering up a lot of herb seeds, so I finally got
Growing 101 Herbs that Heal by Tammi Hartung!

This book is packed with info! I was surprised! I assumed it was all about growing herbs, but has So Much more! How to store herbs, making herbal preparations, recipes, garden plans, and about marketing your herbs, etc!!

Another book I have had on my wish list for a Long time is:
"Rejuvenate Your Life, Recipes for Energy" by Serene Allison

I was very excited to finally get it and read over some of the pages! She gives tons of info and advice on how to make and cook healthy for your family and switching to healthy foods. Also love that she tells where they get their foods! I look forward to being able to eat more like her family, but know that I will probably end up just using a lot of her recipes and ideas, since we do canning and cook on a woodstove!

My other purchase was also from Above Rubies!

"Who Am I?" Two-Disk DVD Set by Nancy Campbell

I have been wanting a dvd set from Nancy Campbell for a long time now, and when I saw the new set, and it was cheaper then her other set ("Reclaiming God's Plan For Women") I decided to get it. Nancy is so inspiring and I love her speeches. My husband was disappointed in her misspeaking some (like when she says that male and female are two separate species) but I hope people know that she must have misspoke there! Maybe I should have bought the other dvd set.....Oh well, I want to share your messages with other women, and thought her dvds would be good. Has anyone else had women over to their house to hear her dvds? Would love to hear how that went for you!

~Health Tip Tuesdays~ Pumpkin Seeds

~Health Tip Tuesdays~

Pumpkin Seeds!

I have not had pumpkin seeds in such a long time! But I have been reading about them lately, and I have already decided to grow some pumpkins this year, mainly for the seeds! (I will also save some of the seeds for planting next year if they grow well).

So how good are pumpkin seeds for you?

Well here is some of the info I have found and combined just for you!

From Rebecca Wood:

"The seeds from pumpkins, or any other variety of winter squash, make a healthy and tasty snack. They're protein rich and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamin A.

Commercially available green pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, have had their fibrous white hull removed. To hull your home-prepared seeds, crack each seed individually between your teeth, discard the hull and savor the tender kernel.

It's faster to crunch and swallow the seeds and hulls together. This, incidentally, is a home remedy for expelling pinworms or other intestinal parasites. As the seed and hull pass through your digestive tract, the seed is assimilated and the fibrous, indigestible hull gently scours out unwelcome guests.

To roast pumpkin seeds place them on a lightly buttered cookie sheet and add a pat of butter and a dash of cinnamon or curry powder and salt. Bake for about 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven, stirring once, until the seeds are aromatic and lightly browned."

For Parasites and Worms Herbal Legacy says:

"A simple herbal aid for a mild case of worms is to use pumpkin seeds (Cucurbitaceae). It is best when fresh seeds are used. To make the infusion, steep one ounce of crushed seeds for fifteen to twenty minutes in a pint of boiling hot water. Dosage: One teacupful or more (up to one pint daily), six days a week for one to three weeks. Also eat one to two ounces of the pumpkin seeds each day. [HHH p.124]

Another "Seed" Aid is to Combine the Following:

1 part pumpkin seeds, crushed (Cucurbitaceae)
1 part watermelon seeds, crushed (Citrullus vulgaris)
1 part cucumber seeds, crushed (Cucumis sativus)

Dosage: Take one pint of emulsion (two ounces of seeds triturated in honey and distilled water) in doses at two hour intervals; or take one to two tablespoons of the crushed seeds in honey, syrup, etc., in three doses at two hour intervals.

The patient should fast during this treatment, then take an appropriate cathartic several hours after the last dosage such as senna tea or preferably the lower bowel formula [Fen LB]. Use this procedure at least three days in a row. [HHH p.124]".

By the way, is case you are wondering "[HHH p.124]" means that the quote is from Dr. Christopers book, "Herbal Home Health Care". I Highly recommend this book to everyone!

From: REJUVENATE YOUR LIFE: Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison

"ZINC BUILDER MILK

3/4 - 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3 cups distilled water
1 scant TBS. of honey or pure maple syrup
Optional-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Blend until creamy and frothy."

And here is a trea from the Bulk Herb Store:

"Smoothies/Blended Drinks
Basic recipe:
1/2 - 1 c. liquid of choice (apple juice, orange juice, coffee, yogurt, milk, water, etc.)
1 banana, fresh or frozen in 1" pieces
1/4 c. fresh or frozen fruit of choice (strawberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)
1 Tbls. Chia seeds
1 Tbls. seeds or nuts (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax seeds, soaked almonds or brazil nuts)
Directions:
Blend and serve.The more fruit you add the thicker the drink. With a 1/4 cup of liquid you can create a pudding-like dessert from any fresh fruit and liquid of your choice."


You can buy pumpkin seeds from:

Tropical Traditions,
Natural Zing

And you can buy pumpkin seed oil from
Mountian Rose Herbs!

So pumpkin seeds have essential, unsaturated fatty acids, are loaded with zinc, and are a super food! Wow! Sooo much packed into a seed!
I am really looking forward to using them more and introducing them to my children! =)

God bless your health!
~Hannah

Coming Soon- Yogurt Maker Product Review!

I love kitchens, and I have a Long wish list of things I would have in my dream kitchen! Some bar stools and a island is on the top of the list, then a Kitchen Aid Mixer, sprout grower, and on and on! I am very excited that CSN stores is giving me the opportunity to mark off one item on my list! They have offered me a review on the Tribest Yolife Yogurt Maker!!!! I can hardly wait!

Follow my blog and come check back often so you can read the review!

Join me for a Melaleuca Presentation!

I was very excited to receive our two huge boxes from Melaleuca! One box had a ton of their products for us to start using and try out and the other box has Membership kits so that I can help others start their own Melaleuca, home business!
I have started giving online presentations, so anyone who would like to see it and learn about this wonderful opportunity and their excellent products, please send me an email to hannah@saferforyourhome.com and I will set up a presentation for you! Presentations are easy and do not take long. Just send me an email and let me know when would be a good time for you, I set it up and send you the link and a passcode.
Hope to hear from you soon!
~Hannah (Above is a few of their products that we received!)

~Menu Plan Monday~ Using What You Have

Well, once again my menus have overlapped because of an abundance of leftovers! =) I am I the only mom who uses leftovers like three of four times? I just tend to cook a huge pot of soup or beans or whatever and it just seems to last a long time with our small family! Oh well! It sure cuts our grocery bill down! I have not been to the grocery store since before Christmas! And when husband goes it is just to get eggs, milk, bread, butter, cheese and Maybe a couple of other things!
We try to keep a lot of food stocked up all the time though. We have home canned meat and veggies that we canned last year! And we stay stocked up on other canned foods and beans and rice! =) I love having a full pantry and cannot imagine having to go to the grocery store every week to restock!
Here is my "tentative" menu for this week! chances are there will be a lot of leftovers though!

Mon.
breakfast= oatmeal
lunch = chicken and rice and sauteed mushrooms
supper= pinto beans
Tues.
breakfast= scrambled eggs, sausage & toast
lunch = leftover chicken & rice
supper= pinto beans
Wed.
breakfast= sausage & cheese omelets
lunch = spaghetti
supper= white beans
Thurs.
breakfast= cold cereal (if we have milk! if not oatmeal)
lunch = spaghetti
supper= white beans
Fri.
breakfast= pancakes
lunch= beef & veggie soup (from home canned food)
supper= white beans
Sat.
breakfast= pancakes
lunch= grill cheese sandwiches
supper= leftover beef & veggie soup
Sun.
breakfast= oatmeal or cold cereal
lunch= turkey sandwiches
supper= leftover beef & veggie soup

For more great menus, visit:

"Organizing Junkie"

God bless your Monday! And God bless your week!

~Hannah

Suddenly! I am a Work-At -Home Mom! Wow!

Since Wed. night, this past week, a lot of things have changed for me! It is truly amazing and I am just praying for God's help and guidance through it all.
A large door has opened for us and I pray that I can use it to help others and help my household and environment at the same time. It is Very exciting! Not to mention that it will help our fiances out greatly!
I wanted to start sharing it with everyone who reads my blog and maybe have you join me on the journey ! Lol! I will be pretty busy the next 2 months trying to get a good, solid standing in this home business, but I will do my best to keep posting on my blog (and maybe start a blog for my job journey!! =) Never know)!
I told King Ed and a good friend that it just seems like a God-thing, the way it is all working out. I have been more scheduled this year, with more spare time, lining my days out better, and some other things that will help me with a home business.

As I mentioned, I will be sharing more about the new business over the next few months (and hope some of you will join me!), but I just have to tell you about the company, what I like about it, some about the products, etc. now!
The Company is Melaleuca! "The Wellness Company"!
I will be helping others become preferred customers so they can benefit from the wonderful, health, body, cleaning, etc. products!!! And for anyone who wants the opportunity to work from home, selling health products and helping others start their own home business!
The more I learn about the Melaleuca products the more I love them!
They are environmentally friendly, safe for your home and you save money by switching to their products!
As a mom, I would love to have safer cleaning and health products for my family! And the idea of a product that is better for the environment is great! Less in trash to haul off/recycle and less in the landfills!
I can give face-to-face presentations, or online/over the phone presentations!
We live on a fixed income and will probably not have it for very many more years, so this should really help us out financially. I have high goals for what I hope to achieve with this company, but I will be joyful even if I only reach half my goal!
Another big plus, as you have probably noticed by now, is how easy it is for stay-at-home moms and homeschoolers to do!
What a great opportunity! I can sell products that I will use everyday and Love! And that are not harmful to my children, pets, clothing, home and items I use them on! Plus they last longer, I use less of them and stay healthier and cleaner at the same time! And by using these better products, I have less empty bottle which means I throw away less and buy less! Fantastic!
Plus I can take care of my family's aches and pains, colds and coughs, and make sure they get the vitamins they need with all the great health and wellness products!

I hope you will send me an email to hpitts88@yahoo.com if you would like to learn more about this great company, and learn how you can become a preferred customer, start your own home business, or team up with me to do your own home business!

Bowflex and Book Reading!

I know I have not been very personal on here lately! That is due to staying busy with homeschool and trying to spend Less time on the computer! Wow! That is hard to do! =(
I hope you all had a Happy New Year and are enjoying all the snow and cold weather! =) We finally got a tiny bit of snow today. The girls are wanting enough to make snowmen and I am hoping for enough that we get to make donuts (a family tradition- make donuts when it snows! See this post Here from last winter for my recipe!!).

I am not one to make new year resolutions usually, but this year, we have a have a Bow Flex Home Gym that has been just sitting in our living room and has only been used maybe a dozen times since we got it several months ago! So I have started one of the work out plans doing 9 different work outs, for 20 mins., three days a week (Mon., Wed., Fri.). I have done it three days and hope to do my fourth tomorrow! Yippee! I am pretty excited about it! I really hope I can stick to it and wonder how long before I get the Bow Flex body? Lol! Actually, I hope it helps me strengthen my back more then anything.

I am also wanting to commit more time to reading this year! I have some good books that I have started and have more I Really want to read, so I have started a "reading schedule"! I was looking for a monthly schedule layout for reading, but could not find one, so I am using THIS schedule for now. I am writing in the days and month and then have six books picked out to read, one a day for six days (Mon.-Sat.), leaving my Sundays open for extra Bible/devotional reading!

The books I have to start with are "Created to Be his Helpmeet" by Debi Pearl (to read on Mon.), Lies Homeschool Moms Believe" by Todd Wilson (for Tues.), "The Joyful Homeschooler" by Mary Hood (for Wed.), "The Mom I want to be" by T. Suzanne Eller (for Thurs.), "A Woman's high Calling" by Elizabeth George (for Fri.), and "The 5000 Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen.

As I finish each book, I hope to replace it with a new one! Maybe I will be able to add more books to my shelf this year! That would be great!

I have added a book shelf to my sidebar, from Shelfari for fun too! =)

My favorite (sugar free) Carrot Cake!!

First Christmas Recipe of this season......(drum roll) .............
My Favorite Carrot Cake recipe!

This has been a family favorite (on my side of the family) for I am not sure how many years now! I believe Mom had it in her "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" cookbook! Anyways, I love it because it has no white or brown sugar, or white flour, yet it taste Sooo good! And the cream cheese frosting!!!!! I love cream cheese frosting!
With the Holidays here, I hope I get a chance to make this cake! I do not think I have made it since Easter! Wow. That sounds bad! I should make it just to eat for us! =)
Hope you get a chance to make it too, and you enjoy it! If you know of anyone who is diabetic, this would be a good treat for them!

Carrot or Zucchini Cake
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. grated carrots or zucchini
4 large eggs
3/4 c. oil
3/4 c. honey
1 c. unsweetened, crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. chopped nuts
Sift together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat together until blended the eggs, vegetable oil, honey. Stir in the carrots and pineapple. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, keeping batter smooth. Stir in nuts.
Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan or three 9" layer pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350o oven, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for a few min. in pan.


Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons of butter, softened
2-4 tablespoons of honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in honey to taste. Add vanilla and nuts. Ice cooled cake.


Keep refrigerated!

Canning Pork Roast

CANNING PORK ROAST

Last week, King Ed brought home two huge packages of pork roast (two large boston butt pork roast in each pack), from the store. He said one was $14 and the other was $12, so he could not pass them up.
It was a good week to can, since we were in between just finishing Kindergarten and starting 1st Grade!
Here is the first roast. Remember there were 4 of these to do!

Two bowels Full! Yippee!

I had to cut out a lot of fat. If I had been making sausage, I would have left more of it, but for canning chunk meat, I cut a lot out. Here was the bowel of fat and the 4 bones, one out of each roast.

Everything you need for canning meat!

I use sea salt.

And the rubbing alcohol is for cleaning the rims of the jars before I put the seals and rings on. My husband says he grandmother did this. I do this when canning meat to make sure the rims are extra clean!

Here are the 16 quarts with the meat in them, and 1 tsp. of salt in each, ready for seals and rings and to go into the canners.

Since the meat was cool, I bring my canners up very slow. Takes a while, but I do not want to crack any jars!

Since I had 16 quarts, I put 6 in each canner the first round and then I ran the last four after those were done.

I ran each canner 1 hour and 30 mins. on 10 lbs. pressure.

Here are the finished jars! Yum! It smelt so good when I opened the canners!

And below is a close-up!

All said and done it was a productive day! Especially if you consider that I did some house cleaning, and cooked a huge supper of sausage, gravy, biscuits, fried eggs and hash browns, etc! =)

The Smell of Fresh Granola!

My favorite cold cereal is Homemade Granola! I just love it! I use to make it a lot as a teenager, and it would hold me over till lunch, unlike some of my siblings who preferred the store bought "cardboard" or "air" cereal!
I had not made this granola in years till about two months ago! Now I have made it like 4 times since! Princess S. and I have been eating it! Hopefully Princess A. will get to like it too!

This morning I made a batch, and boy, did the house smell Good after it came out of the oven, to cool! Yum!


Here is the recipe I use:

Granola

Mix together in a large bowel:
6 c. oats
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. wheat bran
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. vanilla or 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

Melt in a pan:
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sorghum
1/4 c. oil

Pour liquid ingredients over dry and mix all together.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 mins. or until brown (stirring ever so often to keep edges from getting too done).
When done set on a rake to cool and add raisins or nuts (optional).


It makes about a gallon!

Hope you enjoy the recipe and a more healthy breakfast or snack, too!

God Bless!

Canning Apples...Part Two, And Finished!

Well, I worked up the last of the apples, yesterday and finally have them all canned! PTL!

Here is the picture of before I started the peeling and slicing! This time I peeled and sliced most of them, before I started the cooking. That way, I was not having to stop and peel/slice more while my canner was not quite full! That worked a lot better.

I took a picture of the apples cooking in the syrup this time!

The apples float to the top as it cooks and it will run over if too full, once it starts to boil! It does not take long for the apples to get hot and soft too, so this part goes fast!

Finished! Yippee!

Canned 17 qts. yesterday so that brings us up to 36 qts!!

That gives us a lot of apple pies over the year!

Wow! We got more then I thought we would! Must be because we canned almost every apple, instead of eating a bunch!

I hope a lot of other people canned a bunch of apples this Fall.

God Bless!

Canning Apples...Part One!

Okay, I think this is my first step-by-step blog post! Yippee! And sad since I have almost 200 blog post! Oh well!

As I mentioned, the other day, we went and picked up two bushel boxes of Gala apples! So yesterday, I canned a bushel of them! It took most of the noon and afternoon, since I did them by myself and had to do other things along, of course, but they turned out very pretty and I am soo happy to have that many done, and to think I have about that many more to can! Praise the Lord!

The apples before I started:

I just washed them off in the sink, (since I was going to peel and boil them)
The peeling and slicing by hand took the longest, since I do not have one of those neat cutters, or and Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer!

Well, at least I only had two bushels! =)

The clean jars and lids, and some apples in the jars, as I filled them:

I some how forgot to take a picture of the apples boiling in the Extra-Light syrup! Sorry! But you can see the pans in the picture above! I followed the Ball Blue book, of course, but used less sugar then they said, and lemon juice to help keep them from turning so brown!

The apples in the hot water bath:

The finished/cooled jars of apples!

Uh, and here is what is left to do! =) Not quite another bushel, so hope to get at least 14 (+?) more!

I hope to have another post as a follow-up, after I am done with all of them! Hope that will be soon!

God bless!