My favorite treat recipes

Gotta love these tried and true favorites!

Layered Mint Brownies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Fudgy Oat Brownies

Food Storage Basics

How much and what types of food am I supposed to store for my family?

To calculate how much your family needs, go to the following websites:

food storage calculator 1

-this is very basic

-keep in mind that if your family doesn’t like something (i.e. lima beans – who does?!?! J); then you can substitute with other food that fits into that category. Just make sure your total amount is correct, even if your break down of each type of food differs from the food calculator suggested items.

food storage calculator 2

-this is from a great website that has a lot to offer, take some time to check it out

-this one is in a excel spreadsheet and gives you a spot to do a cost break down

-very detailed and might not be for you if you don’t like a lot of info thrown to you at once!

Click here for more detailed info on where to buy and how to store these foods (some of this info is specific to the area in which I live)

Homemade Laundry Detergent and Household Cleaning Products

A good friend helped me get going with these! If you're looking to "go green" and you love saving money, check this out!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

-I keep a long wooden spoon and measuring cups in my laundry room so I can easily stir and measure the detergent

-I use spray n wash to target stains before washing them

Cleaning Products:

There are more I am in the process of trying, but here are three that I currently use and really like:

Glass Cleaner (I use this on my windows and mirrors)
Wood/Tile/Linoleum Floor Cleaner (spray and clean with rag or mop)
Tub, Toilet, Sink Cleanser (homemade version of Ajax/Comet)

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

-you can buy 32 oz spray bottles for around $2.97 at grocery stores, home improvement stores...

-use up the store bought cleaners you have on hand so that you're not wasteful...

-though these cleaners are not made with harsh chemicals, we still need to keep them away from children; label spray bottles so the kids will know to not drink or spray on themselves or others...

Cooking with Beans

Beans with a crock pot (eat as soup or mash to make refried beans)

Homemade Baby Food

When I began feeding my first baby, I bought rice cereal and jars of baby food at the store - following the whole "stages" thing. Gerber 1 comes before Gerber 2 , etc...

Well, when I had my third baby, a good friend of mine introduced me to the fabulous concept of making my own baby food! Yes, it takes time, but it's way cheaper and healthier for your baby!

Baby can start eating as early as 4 months, but I wait until 6 months. Breastmilk and/or formula is still the most nutritious food baby can get the whole first year; and once solid foods are started, baby eats less breastmilk/formula. Also, baby has to be 6 months old to eat homemade rice cereal and I prefer waiting for that instead of buying infant rice cereal that baby can have before 6 months. But, do what's best for you. Go for it at 4 months if that's what works for you and your baby!

Schedule of food for baby's first year

How to make homemade rice cereal (and other kinds too!)

How to prep and store homemade baby food (fruits and veggies)

Consistency of foods for baby

Please keep in mind that I am not an expert in this area. Please consult with your baby's pediatrician to know if this homemade baby food plan is right for you! :)

Also, this is a brief summary of making homemade baby food. For a complete guide on this subject, I recommend Ruth Yaron's book entitled "Super Baby Food."

Homemade Pancake and Waffle Syrup

In an ideal world, I'd love to buy real maple syrup for my family. The sugar in it is natural so I feel that it's somewhat healthy. But, it's EXPENSIVE! Especially when compared to the cost of buying the big thing of Mrs. Butterworth's generic maple syrup at Costco!
So, this is the compromise I've come up with for my family - maybe you'll like it too.
These recipes still have sugar, but they don't contain artificial coloring or preservatives since it's homemade!

Homemade Pancake Syrup
Homemade Apple Pancake Syrup
Cinnamon Syrup 
This Buttermilk Syrup recipe was recently introduced to me by friends and family - my only question is: How come it took me this long to discover it?!?!
Buttermilk Syrup
I've never used buttermilk yet, but have just "made" it with lemon juice and milk.

Using dry milk (powdered milk) in recipes!

These are recipes that I think work well with helping me rotate through my dry milk food storage. All I've done is substituted the ingredient of fresh milk with the equal amount of dry milk and water (the ratio of which equals the amount of milk called for in the recipe). i.e. one cup of fresh milk is equal to one cup of water and 1/3 cup of dry milk (according to my brand of dry milk - brands vary, so be sure to check the ratio on your package)

Oatmeal Waffles
Mix in a large bowl:
½ c. dry milk*
1 ½ c. flour
1 c. oats (quick or whole is ok)
1 T. baking powder
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
Mix in a small bowl:
2 eggs
1 ½ c. water*
6 T. melted butter (I always use less – like 4 T. )
2 T. brown sugar
Mix all together and pour onto waffle iron.
*this recipe originally called for 1 ½ c. milk

Pumpkin Waffles