Easy Blackberry Pie - Tutorial

Easy Blackberry pie -

ingrediants:

about 2 cups blackberry juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
1/2 stick butter


place fresh berries in a pot and add enough water to cover. cook over medium heat.


while berries are cooking add flour, milk, sugar to a bowl and stir.

it will be a very thin mixture.


cook berries until they change color, and become pink, about 15-20 minutes.


place a seive over a bowl to squeeze the juice through.


use a fork or spoon to mash berries and extract all juice. discard seeds and pulp.


you should have about 1 1/2- 2 cups of fresh juice.


melt butter and place in bottom of baking dish. and pour the flour mixture into the dish as well.



pour the juice on top of the flour and butter in the baking dish. it will swirl around like this.



cook at 350 for about 20-30 minutes. the crust will rise to the top, and absorb the purplish color. It looks wierd, I know. But the moment it hits your mouth, looks mean nothing.

Can be served with vanilla ice cream, or by itself. Its kinda like a blackberry dumplin pie.

Completed project: Blue Ribbon Doily

OMG. This doily has been a WIP for almost a year. I started it last August. I've worked off and on again, on it since then. I finally decided to get the lead out of my butt and finish it. It measures 20 inches across. Made with Coats size 20 Opera thread in lilac and deep purple, size 10 hook. I'll take applause, as I am proud this thing is finally D O N E !!!!

(Pics are clickable)

Blackberries-ultimate frugalness

I've been watching these vines ever since they started blooming. And, just now you see I've barely got a bowlful. Now, what can be any more frugal than a bowl of wild blackberries? Oh, I like this path I'm on.

later tonight this will become a mini-pie......mmmm

Homemade Black Bean veggie burgers

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

"You will never want to eat frozen veggie burgers again. These are so easy, and you'll be proud to have created such a vegetarian delight." Before *ugh'ing* this recipe out, try it. Use it as a side to a meaty meal, just try it. It's got a really good flavor!

READY IN
35 Min
SERVINGS: 4 patties

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs, leftover rice, oatmeal, etc.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat indoor grill to 375.

In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs (or other filler) until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties. It seems it works better if you freeze it before grilling. I grilled 2 and have frozen 2 for next time. Also, make sure you drain out any water in the beans, and onion mixure. Less liquid is better for making it stick together. I also, used this as a grilled patty, with a side of pasta salad, and grilled zuchinni.

Grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

Sunday Funday

Finally, a day off. Prop up the feet, crochet alittle, spend time with the kiddos.... ahhhhh sounds great.

First, I want to cook a proper breakfast for the family. Homemade biscuits, bacon, eggs, and some strawberry freezer jam. mmmm. We only sit down on Sunday for meals together. Its sad, but throughout the week its hard for us all to be eating at the same time. To much going on...




Also, I'm hanging out more laundry. If I keep doing a load daily, maybe I won't get behind....so far so good


I made this Rambler Rose motif for a mini doily for my mom's birthday. I'm actually considering making the whole doily again. It is, IMO, the prettiest floral doily around. I think I'm going to "tweak" the center rose though.

Happy Sunday Ya'll!

It's Saturday!

Hope you all have a good day today, kick back and maybe put your feet up for awhile.

Today's task: work. Then hanging out some clothes to dry. I then thought I would sit outside with the kiddos, and try to crochet alittle, while they play in the pool. Mom will probably end up getting in the pool and playing volleyball tho. It's just too tempting!


Have a great day ya'll!

Frugal Living: Homemade laundry soap

I am really turning in an anal -frugal wierdo, aren't I? LOL. I have been doing this for about 2 months now. Making my own laundry soap. My daughter has sensitive skin and I've always had to use the pricier brands for that reason. Or she would suffer with an itchy rash. So, I found this website while searching for frugal stuff and thought I'd give it a try. It worked really well. too well. So, I let my friends and family try it, hoping that someone would tell me there was something wrong with it and that it was too good to be true. Didnt happen. Everyone loves it. I haven't had one complaint. The best part is the money you truly save. It averages out to about a penny a load. A PENNY A LOAD. (75 cents per 2 gallon batch) Now who can say they cant afford to try it. It only takes about 15 -20 minutes to make a batch, and that consists of grating the soap, melting it, adding the other ingrediants and letting it set. Super easy, Super natural. Give it a try, and amaze yourself.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

I use Zote laundry soap. I found it at the local save a lot store for 69 cents a bar. You can use about any soap, some use ivory, irish spring, fels naptha, etc. If you don't want to make your won laundry detergent, you can use Zote as a cheap stain remover. Just wet and rub the bar over a stain before laundering. One bar will last longer than you ever thought possible.

I use Arm & Hammer washing soda. Had to order it offline. no one around here sells it. But, I found out that as long as you use 100% calcium carbonate (AKA soda ash) it is the same thing. You get soda ash in the swimming pool dept of ur local wal mart, or pool shoppe. and alittle goes a LONG way. :-)

I use 20 mule team borax. wal mart.

Also, for tought stains, or grungy stuff, add 1 scoop of Oxy clean to the bottom of ur washer, before adding clothes. It works well. I also use 1/2 c. white vinegar for fabric softener. (no, it doesn't make ur clothes smell)

If you try it lemme know!

No Poo Solution

hey guys! i've decided since i dont have alot of time for crochet/knitting at the moment I would start a weekly posting session. If nothing else, just to help me figure out where I am, and where I'm going on my "green" kick.

No Poo. You heard me. No poo. Tonight is my first trial of this anti-shampoo revolution. i mixed 1 tbs baking soda, with some water and made a paste and worked it into my scalp. then massaged all around. I actually enjoyed the massage, even if I did do it myself. After a good rinse, I added 1 tbs. of white vinegar ( didnt have apple cider vinegar ACV) and 1 c. water. Poured it on as a rinse and let it sit about 2 minutes. Another good rinse. Towel dry, and the big test. Will my frizzy, curly, hair conform to the comb thru test?

Amazingly, it did. Really. I sniffed, it smelled.....clean. no smell really. And so ends day 1 of the no poo challenge. To learn more about no poo method, visit this link