I've Moved

OK, I know I just started this blog, but I have decided to move it over to HomesteadBlogger.

You can find me at  It's All About the Home

I would love it if you would follow me there.

I know it is a trouble, but I am not going to post here anymore.

Thank you guys so much. you are great.

I love ya!!!

See you over at HomesteadBlogger!!

Food Processors

 

You don't have to have a food processor, but they sure do make short work of all the prep that you have to do. 

I have only had this, mmm, not even 2 weeks yet, but, I am loving it.

(I have this one, but not the Classic Red shown, I have the Gloss Cinnamon)

I have shredded up block cheese, which is cheaper and does not have a wax coating like pre-shredded cheeses does, sliced mushrooms, processed onions and celery so fine that my husband doesn't notice them in his food, (he is fine with this by the way, as long as he can't "crunch" them), made bread crumbs, sliced tomatoes, and sliced apples for an apple crisp. 

It makes everything uniform and is so fast. 

Although I haven't done it yet, you can make pie crusts and dough in this too!

This particular model came with, a 12 cup bowl, a 10 cup bowl, a 4 cup mini bowl with a mini blade, 2 slicing discs, one shredding disc, a dough blade, an egg whip, and a citrus press. 

As you know, I have just recently started cooking, but when my husband noticed that I was actually committed to doing this, he has bought me a few quality items to help me out. 

All I am really wanting now is a good dutch oven and a bigger mixer. 

I have found a dutch oven at Sam's for $39.99, which is a fabulous deal for a cast iron one. 

If any of you have the Classic Kitchenaid mixer,(the smallest one) and really cook a lot, you will know why I am needing the bigger one.

I was so surprised at how inadequate it really is for quantity cooking. 

I didn't use it a lot before, so I never noticed, but as I tried making breads and heavy doughs in it, I started to see a problem. 

It won't even incorporate chocolate chips into a heavy dough well. 

Forget trying to mash more than 4 or 5 potatoes at a time, or make multiple loaves of bread. 

I am not downing it, because it is a perfect machine for the smaller jobs. 

It has worked perfectly for me for making cake or pancake batter, things like that, but I found out real fast that if you want to really cook, you need the bigger one. 

Then I just the other day came across an article in Cooks Illustrated, my favorite cooking magazine, that said the the mixer I have rated poorly and is not recommended. 

The reasoning behind it was the same problems I had.

So, if you are in the market for a mixer, I would highly suggest going ahead and getting the bigger one. 

It will save you from having to buy two mixers. 

(Unless you want to buy mine! HA)

I have a lot to learn and don't like having to purchase tings twice, but to do what I am trying to do, I need the bigger one. 

I am going to sell mine to help pay for the new one. 

It is a $240 mixer, but I probably won't be able to get more than $100 for it, I am guessing. 

I think my sister is going to buy it, as she wants a mixer but does not cook a lot and it would work perfectly for her as it did me.

So, that is my next purchase, and I am keeping my eye out, as I never pay retail! lol

Right now QVC has the Profession 600 6 Qt. one for $387, which is the cheapest I have found. 

I am waiting for it to go on another sale, or at least free shipping. 

I am hoping closer to Christmas it will be an even better deal. 

Let me know if you find this any cheaper!

I actually buy a lot from HSN or QVC, as they usually have the best prices around, unless Sam's has the same item. 

Sam's carries a lot of Wolfgang Puck items, and they are usually cheaper there than on TV, but other than that, I have not really found any better deals. 

If you have any places that you buy cheaper from, please let me know. 

Ok, anyhow, I am loving my food processor, and it really aids you in doing all those professional looking dishes, and really cuts down on the prep time. 

If I sound like an advertisement for the any of these products or places, I am not, I just love them, and want to share. 

I will let you know if I am reviewing something or getting anything from a company. 

I just love these new "toys" that I have gotten!!!

What is your favorite kitchen appliance?

 

Fresh from the Freezer Cooking Class - FREE!

Use Your Freezer to Save $$

I just found out about this free freezer cooking class and thought I would pass it along.

her name is Shelly, and she has been teaching cooking online for 4 years, and was going to charge $42 for this class, but decided to give it away as a freebie!

How nice!

All you have to do is sign up here.

Now, I have never taken any of her classes, but I was sent this info from Malia Russel over at Homemaking 911, and I love her, so I am sure it will be good! lol

I will definitely be taking this class.

Let me know if you are too!

Oh, and the first handful of lessons are already up, so you can get started right away!

Pressure Cooking

 

My husband bought me this Wolfgang Puck pressure Cooker a few weeks ago, and I am loving it! 

This is what I made my mashed potatoes in yesterday. You don't have to cut the potatoes up and them boil them in water. 

 All you have to do is wash them, and plop them in the pressure cooker, add a couple cups of water, and push a button. 

When they are done, they can be mashed even with the tongs you use to take them out of the pressure cooker. 

Yes, they are that tender. 

Th pressure cooker really takes a lot of prep out of your cooking, and saves so much time. 

It will even cook beans in 20 minutes, and you don't have to soak them overnight! Yeah!

It is also a steamer and a rice cooker too, so there is no need for more than one appliance to do the same job. 

I have cooked corn on the cob in it, potatoes, fish, and stock.

I will start a pressure cooking recipes section for anyone who is interested in pressure cooking. 

I am not familiar with any other brands of pressure cookers, so I do not know how they compare, but I love this one. 

I got it from HSN.

 I believe it is sold out right now, but it will come back. 

I highly recommend getting a pressure cooker. 

I am not geting anything at all for talking about this, by the way, I just love my pressure cooker!

You can cook a whole chicken in 20 min.! It's crazy! I haven't done that yet, but that's what the book says. 

I have cooked Tilapia, and it turns our perfect.

I will soon put all of these recipes up for you!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Look what I Did!

Yes! "I" did that! And it is all from scratch! Can you believe it?

 I made homemade mashed potatoes, homemade stuffing, homemade macaroni, and homemade gravy along with the chicken.

This is the first time I have ever made stuffing or gravy!

My husband only likes the Stove Top stuffing, but it has MSG in it and I can't eat it, so I tried to find a recipe that would taste like it and I did!

He loved it! I loved it too! And I found a recipe that told me how to make the gravy from the chicken drippings too!

This is the second time I made the macaroni. It is so good. it tastes like Furr's!

And the chicken was actually moist this time. I found a recipe from Cooks magazine that told me how to keep it moist.

I cooked the potatoes in my pressure cooker.

My husband bought me a pressure cooker a few weeks ago and I have been loving it. It works so well, and really cuts down on the prep and cooking time.

I am proud of myself. It was all actually really good.

I'll keep you updated on all of the new things I learn to cook, and I'll get you some of these recipes soon! 

What is Homesteading?

Every person might have a different idea of what homesteading means to them, but basically it is about getting back to the basics.

Things like making what you can yourself, growing what you can yourself, being self reliant, buying in bulk or on sale, and preserving it by freezing or canning, saving money, reducing expenses, re-using what you can, and possibly even having your own chickens, goats, or cows.

Each person will do this differently, and if you live in the city, it will be different for you than it would someone in the country.

I am still in the country, but I am learning now as we are going to move soon.

It's almost like I have been doing my own unit study!

I have learned a lot so far, and have a lot more to learn, but I am loving it.

How do you homestead where you live?

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!
I am really excited about this blog.
I have never been one to make my own detergent, or my food from scratch, and never thought I would be, but weird things happen sometimes. lol
I have just recently started learning how to cook.
I was never taught how, and it has been hard for me.
I have been married almost 14 years, and am just now starting to figure it out.
I am on a mission to not only learn how to cook, but how to be organized, and how to save money, and all of that good stuff.
I am sure that a lot of things I write here will be humorous, as I really don't know what I am doing in all of this yet, but I am learning, and I know I will get there.
I hope you will join me in this process.
So, sit back and have a few laughs with me as I venture to be a true homesteader.