Make it Yourself:Homemade Hamburger Helper

So everybody likes Hamburger Helper, right? I know! Me too!

But wait, what's in that little envelope of powdery yumminess?

I DON"T KNOW!!! Hehe!

I found this recipe the other day and thought I would give it a try. I wish I could remember where I found it so I could give them credit but I've racked my brain, So if this is your recipe, I'm sorry and thank you!!! Because it is GOOD! And so easy. It is just as easy as making the stuff from the box-- I promise.

Also, I am not kidding when I say it tastes just like the original. You're gonna love it!


Hamburger Helper

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb pasta (I used the mulit-colored veggie pasta from Whole Foods)

2 c. water

1 1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 tsp sugar (or whatever sweetener you use)

squirt of mustard

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder (I ended up using a real onion- small)

salt to taste (at least 1/2 tsp?)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Brown and drain beef. Stir in pepper, onion powder, tomato sauce, sugar, and mustard, water and pasta. Bring to a boil and reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water is absorbed and the pasta is cooked.

Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese.
 

There you go: yummy "Hamburger Helper" and you know all the ingredients!!

I especially love using the veggie pasta for this because the nutrients don't get boiled away in pasta water.

Each color is made from a different vegetable: Purple- beets, orange- carrots, green- spinach. It's a good way to sneak in a few more veggies.

Stevia- My Splenda Alternative

For years I have used Splenda as a sweetener. Of course, everyone has heard the dangers of artificial sweeteners, especially Splenda. Their moto used to be "made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar". Thus, leading people to believe it was a more natural sweetener. But they were forced to change it when they were sued for false advertising! I loved Splenda because of three things, 1) It measures cup for cup like sugar, 2) It is fairly cheap, and 3) It's a no calorie option. It is hard to find something that meets all those qualities. I did though!!


It's called "Stevia In the Raw". For those who don't know, Stevia is an all natural sweetener. You might know it by the brand names Truvia, SunCrystal, ect. Stevia In The Raw comes in a bag just like Splenda, measures like sugar, and its no calorie! It costs only a dollar more than Splenda, which I'm willing to pay for a healthier option! The only bad thing is that it isn't available everywhere. I can't seem to find it at ANY Walmart. But I did find it at my local Reasor's (grocery store), and I haven't checked Target yet.

So, no more sweetener to sugar ratios for me! Yay!

Who knew it could be so easy... Part 2

Corndogs... who doesn't love them?? But...the ones that you can buy in the store are full of junk, fried in trans fats, and who knows where those hotdogs came from! In walks the perfect solution: Corndog Muffins!!!

They are super easy! Line your muffin pan. Cut each hotdog into thirds (use all beef or all chicken). Fill each cup 1/4 full with your favorite cornbread batter. Add one hotdog piece, then more cornbread batter. Bake at 400 degrees. Here they are:

Don't they look yummy (pardon the abused muffin tin)!

These are really easy for kids to eat. They are a good portable food as well, great for school lunches, ect. Also, they freeze really well so you could make a big batch and go straight from the freezer to the microwave for an easy lunch!

Your kids will be pleasantly surprised to find a hotdog in their cornbread!!

Who knew it could be so easy...

Tonight for dinner I tried a new recipe. Easy Mac-n-cheese, found here. I don't usually like to make homemade mac-n-cheese because it is a two-pot process. One to boil the pasta and one to make the sauce... oh and you have to make a roux and... let's admit it. It is easier to just resort to the box stuff! Especially when you have a three year old pulling on your pant leg! Well... say bye bye to the boxed macaroni that is chalk full of junk that you don't really want in your body! This was sooooooo easy!
One pot.
No waiting for water to boil.
No straining the pasta.
No making sauce.

Are you ready?? Here is the recipe:


Easy Mac and Cheese*


2 1/2 cups whole wheat pasta

3 3/4 cups whole milk

1 t. sea salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I use white cheddar and colbyjack)

Mix pasta, milk and salt in a large sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat STIRRING ALMOST CONSTANTLY until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes). Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve immediately.


This is what it looks like when you start:

Here it is when it is all finished:

It looks a little soupy in the picture but its not. It turned out really thick and creamy. The starch from the pasta mixes with the milk to make a super simple sauce. No flour or butter needed! I know it's hard to believe, but it really is that easy! You gotta try it to believe it!!

*The recipe above is not the original. I tweaked the original a little (added more salt, milk, and cheese- I like it really cheesy). For the original recipe, visit the link above.

How to refill Swiffer Wet-jet solution

A few weeks ago I posted about how I make my own Swiffer Wet-jet pads. I just realized that in that post I promised to tell you how to refill your Wet-jet solution container! In my crazy, pre-Christmas mindset I forgot. So here it is:

It's super easy. Start by filling a large glass measuring cup half way with boiling water. Next, add a couple splashes of white vinegar. Insert the empty solution bottle upside down in the water (it will suck up some of the water so that it won't float). Let it soak for 30 minutes. Remove. Using a towel to get a good grip, you should be able to remove the lid. Now you can refill with whatever solution you like. For an anti-bacterial cleaner that is safe for all floors including wood, use this recipe:

1 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs. dish soap
1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup water

This solution has worked well for me on my tile and linoleum.

Grinding Your Own Flour

This is something I have been exploring recently. I learned that whole grain flour loses many of its key nutrients in the first 36 hours  after it is milled. This means that grinding it on an as needed basis is key to maintaining its nutrient value. You can buy a flour mill or a mill attachment (for stand mixers) but they are fairly expensive. So I decided to try using my Magic Bullet to grind flour. I used the grinding/ whipping blade (the flat one) and organic whole wheat berries. It worked like a charm! I have used it to grind rice, oat, and spelt flour as well. In the long run, I might invest in a good flour mill (that would probably result in a finer flour than the Magic Bullet) but for now this method works great!

Homemade Oatmeal Bath

I was originally inspired to post this because of my poor little 11 month old nephew who contracted... duh duh DUNN... Chicken Pox! The poor little guy was COVERED with it so we found a recipe for homemade soothing oatmeal bath and adjusted it a little:

Homemade Oatmeal Bath

1 cup each Oatmeal, ground to a powder (food processor, blender, or use baby oatmeal cereal), epsom salt, powdered milk. *Also, you can add 1 cup of baking soda if using for Chicken Pox or Excema*

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container. Use 1/2 cup (or more) for each bath.



This is a very frugal alternative to buying oatmeal bath and it worked great on my sweet little nephew!

After seeing that The Nourishing Gourmet was hosting a Handmade Gift Carnival, I figured this would make a good entry! This would actually make a great gift for a new mother (to use for herself or the baby!) or really for anyone who takes a bath (which should be everybody!). You could jazz it up with a decorated jar and some ribbons- possiblities are endless!

Home Made Baby Wipes

Recently, I happened upon an idea for making your own baby wipes. I thought, "What a brilliant idea for saving money!" Also, have you ever looked at the list of ingredients on the back of the box? Even the ones that are "gentle", "for sensitive skin", "fragrance free", ect., still have loads of harsh ingredients! It is no wonder that babies scream when wiped with these things! Any how, I thought I would test it out on Corky, because after all, it is her bottom that will be the judge! So, I looked at all the various recipes online- there are a million! They all have a basic formula:

water, something to sooth, something to clean, disinfectant, and something to wipe.

Some people use the all-in-one wipes method. Others keep the wipe and cleaning solution separate (in a spray bottle or something). Also, you can make them disposable or washable/reusable. I chose to do all-in-one disposables (I know disposables aren't as good for the environment, but I needed something easy- I might try washables with our next child since Corky should be potty training soon!).

This is what worked for me:

3 cups warm water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup baby wash

4 drops tea tree oil

I mix it all and store in an airtight container (shake well before each use). Usually a batch of wipe solution will make about 4 batches of wipes.

Next, for the wipes, I use Viva paper towels because they are the softest. I have also used Bounty- they work well, they just aren't as soft. Also, I don't recommend using "select-a-size" type towels unless you have a small baby. Cut the paper towels in half cross ways, so they resemble a large roll of toilet paper. Use one half for each batch of wipes. Place the roll, cut side down, in an air tight container and pour a little over a half cup of solution evenly over the roll (if you use "big roll" towels, you will need to adjust the amount of solution). Then turn it over and repeat. Let it sit for an hour to saturate. It will seem like it isn't wet enough, but after an hour it should be just right. After an hour, pull the cardboard center out, and pull wipes from the center. If they are too dry, add some water, but be careful not to get them too wet! The first time I made them, they were so wet that I had to wring them out to use them- they were too soapy too!

* The reason this recipe is not exact is because all the recipes I tried were failures. So I adjusted it to fit my needs. I chose to mix a batch of solution, and just use what I need for each individual batch of wipes. Also, the amount of solution needed will vary depending on the brand of paper towel.

Substitutions:

Many of the ingredients that I used can be substituted with items more suited to your individual baby. Here are some suggestions:

Water- you can use filtered, tap, or distilled

Something to sooth- baby oil, mineral oil, olive oil, baby lotion (be careful about ones that contain alcohol).

Something to clean- castile soap, any liquid baby soap that works for your baby (something gentle).

Disinfectant- This step can be skipped, tea tree oil, lavender oil, vitamin e liquid from capsules.

Wipe- Any strong paper towel, blue shop towels, strips of soft Cotton fabric (for washables).

*Note- Some of the sites where I found recipes stated that people have had trouble with the wipes mildewing. I have never had this happen. I don't know if it is because of the tea tree oil or because I use them so quickly. Anyway, keeping them tightly covered and out of the sunlight should help.