Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Braids

This week was the last week for the Farmers Market in my area.  It is kind of a sad moment, because I have been going to this particular market since 2008 and have not missed very many Tuesday afternoons.  I knew the names of the people we bought from and they knew us.  We always saw the same people.  We knew the honey lady, the milk lady, the bread lady, the soap lady, and the produce lady.  I would consider them my friends.  And this past Tuesday was the last one before we move, so we all went to say “good-bye.” 

While we were there, we bought a couple of sweet bread braids.  One was cinnamon and sugar and the other was cream cheese.  They were so good!  And it got me thinking…  Man, I sure am going to miss this.  As soon as we got home, I set out to learn how to make my own. 

Walnut Surprise Cookies Recipe

Several years ago, I found the most fantastic recipe, but I didn’t write it down… and I haven’t seen it since.  UNTIL, a few weeks ago… I was standing in the checkout line at Kohls. They always have a shelf of books for sale at the registers that are only $5 each for fundraiser.  My oldest daughter was with me, and she picks up this book with Christmas cookie recipes.  She says “Mom, can we get this book?”  And by default, I said “No.”  But I look through it anyways.  Low and behold, there are the cookies!  Well, close enough, anyways.  We ended up getting the book.  I changed the recipe a bit, but I think you will enjoy the results!  I know we already are!

DIY Chocolate and Peanut Butter Dipped Pretzels

I found on clearance at the store a few days ago, a double boiler!  So, of course, I HAVE to use it.  When I brought home the double boiler, I also brought home chocolate and pretzels...  do you see where this is going???  It is SO, SO easy to dip pretzels and you can make all kinds of delicious combinations. 

For this, I used the square pretzels that have a grid kind of thing in the center of them.  I dipped a whole bunch with just chocolate and then while the chocolate was still drying, I sprinkled them with festive Fall sprinkles.  I found the Fall sprinkles at Target in the dollar bins.

N'Awlins Red Beans and Rice recipe with Sweet Cornbread

When I was growing up, one of my family's most favorite meals was always red beans and rice.  My mom made it best!  Now, I get to make it for my own family and they love it just as much as I did growing up.  It has definitely become a family tradition.  In fact, this is exactly what I made during the Super Bowl several years ago when the New Orleans Saint won.  It is easy to make from scratch and once you try it like this, you will NEVER go back to that boxed crap.  It is so much healthier for you anyways.

Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning Recipe

I LOVE Tony Chachere's.  In fact, when we started anticipating our move, I started thinking about how much Tony Chachere's I needed to stock up on to last us like...  forever.  I. Can't. Live. Without. Cajun. Seasoning.  Just can't.  So, I found a recipe!  Score!  Now, no matter how far into Yankee country I am...  I just still have my Cajun seasoning. 

Banana Bread Recipe

We have a lot of favorite things at our house, but pretty close to the top of the list is banana bread.  My kids could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I allowed it.  And it is even better (which is truly hard to imagine after cutting a slice while it is still warm) after it has sat in tin foil overnight to make the top sticky.  Nummy nummy! 

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

My family does not actually USE our dishwasher unless we are canning something.  And even then that is only because we do so much at one time that we do not have the space we need on the stove top to heat everything up like it needs to be.  So, we throw the mason jars in the dishwasher and it works just fine.  That is really the ONLY thing we use the dishwasher for.  The reason being is because when we started cutting out chemicals in our house, the dishwasher detergent was one that had to go.  But none of the “green” detergents really did the job.  They all left a film after they’d been washed.  We started hand washing and just haven’t gone back, even though I make a pretty good dishwasher detergent now that does work like it is supposed to.

Favorite Fall Pumpkin Recipes

Fall is in the air (or at least it will be soon), and I have already hung my fall wreath on the front door in anticipation.  I always look forward to the fall time…  crisp air, warm sweaters, hot chocolate, red leaves falling…  but one of the things I probably enjoy the most when the season starts to change is the food.  Hm…  I love food. 

And isn’t that the majority of what homesteading is about?  Being able to provide everything you and your family need on your own?  Food is a great big part of that.  It is an essential in life for all of us.  So, do you want food (eh.) or do you want GOOD food??? 

Because I am so in the mood for fall, I am craving pumpkin.  I came up with all kinds of pumpkin things. 

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe (the most awesome-est EVER)

Tonight I made probably the best cheesecake we have ever eaten.  It takes a little work, but not anymore than to make a strawberry cake or pumpkin pie.  And the results are totally worth it!  

I was able to find end of the season berries at the store, brought home six packages, and within 24 hours only two packages remained.  I figured if I was going to make something with the berries, then I had to do it fast, because I was fighting little fingers from snatching berries the whole time I was baking.  Really though, this recipe would be good with any berry.  Don't limit yourself to just strawberries.  Use what you have!

Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

It will be crumbly once mixed completely

Basic crust recipe.  MUCH better than the store bought crusts and very easy to make!  Use it with any pie just for a little something extra!   Besides, this way you can brag you made it from scratch.

1 ½ cups of finely crushed graham cracker

1/3 cups of sugar

6 tablespoons of melted butter

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Homemade Chest Rub

A few blogs ago, I said I was not sure how natural Vicks Vapor Rub was.  So, I looked into it…  and technically, it is somewhat of a natural option.  It is actually made from quite a few essential oils with a base of something similar to Vaseline.  However, I am plagued with the do-it-yourselfitis…  and so I found several recipes and then kind of made my own from what I saw.  Google is definitely feeding my addiction.  Besides, at our house we use a lot of Vicks, so this way I can replace it with something that I made knowing full good and well what is in it.   

When my kids see me pull out the Vicks, they actually willingly bring me their socks so that I can rub it on their feet before they go to bed.  It’s like candy for the toes. 

All Natural Skin Care and Remedies

I have been on somewhat of a health kick lately.  It makes for a whole lot of good crunchy herbal information for everybody around me.  So much so that I am calling people up and telling them “Did you know such and such is good for such and such!”  This kind of thing gets me excited.  In my former life, I was a medic in the Army.  I dig medical information even if it is a little…  ahem…  less than mainstream now.  ...And it is less emergent than my previous life.  Going from combat medic to wannabe herbalist is a big transition no matter how you try to swing it.  But the part I love most about it is that I can still manage my family’s health without pumping them full of chemicals to get the job done. 

Pure Olive Oil Soap Recipe (updated)

This is a pure castile soap.  All that means, is that olive oil is the only ingredient besides the lye which causes the saponification.  This is, by far, my favorite soap. Adding a bit of aloe vera and honey to it at trace just kind of takes it up a notch and adds to the nutrient blast your skin recieves when you use it.  I use this all over, including washing my face with it, and I use it on the babies because the soap is gentle enough for even the most senstive of skin.

Pure Olive Oil Soap Recipe
Makes 4 pounds

Lye (NaOH)- 8.15 ounces or 231.05 grams

Distilled Water- 24.32 ounces or 689.46 grams

Olive Oil, pomace grade-  64 ounces or 1814.37 grams

Castile Soap with Hemp Oil Recipe

Castile Soap with Hemp Oil Recipe

Makes 4 pounds

Lye (NaOH)- 9.03 ounces or 255.87 grams

Distilled Water- 24.32 ounces or 689.46 grams

Coconut Oil, 76-  19.2 ounces or 544.31 grams

Palm Oil-  19.2 ounces or 544.31 grams

Hemp Oil-  12.8 ounces or 362.87 grams

Olive Oil, pomace grade-  9.6 ounces or 272.16 grams

Jojoba Oil- 3.2 ounces or 90.72 grams

Natural Cold Remedies and Care

Out of everyone in my family, I am the only one that ever gets knocked off my feet kind of sick.  It is almost guaranteed that at some point in time when the weather starts cooling down that Mom will get deathly ill.  Okay, not really DEATHLY ill (although, it feels like it to me in a very dramatic way), but in a way that surely keeps me from my true potential.  It could be that I am pregnant right now, which means my immune system is already weakened.  Whatever the case, I feel terrible. 

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Here at the Dirty Goat Farm we are all about homemade.  It’s a borderline disorder.  When I see something, I am not one of those people that say “Oh wow, that’s really cool.  How much does that cost?”  Instead, I say “Oh wow, that’s really cool.  Pf, I could do that.”  Sometimes I irritate myself.  I’ve heard that there is treatment, but so far I am skeptical. 

About a year ago, I said “I could make vanilla extract.”  So, I did.  It’s very easy, although start up can be slightly expensive (think long term), but it is not something that will go bad (that I know of).

Cinnamon Vanilla Cream Recipe

Nothing goes better on warm pumpkin bread or hot oatmeal on a cold morning than my cinnamon vanilla sauce.  It’s just perfect for those crisp mornings after the leaves have started changing colors outside. 

And you are in luck!  I have a recipe! 

To make a quart sized mason jar of cream you will need

2- 12 oz cans of evaporate milk

1 cup of sugar

4 tablespoons of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

4 cinnamon sticks (the thinner the sticks, the better they will be)

In a sauce pan on medium heat, add the two cans of evaporated milk with the sugar, cornstarch, and the cinnamon sticks.  Stir occasionally, making sure that as the cream warms and thickens that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  Once you feel it start to thicken, take it off the heat and add the vanilla extract.  Pour into mason jar and cool in the refrigerator. Leave the cinnamon sticks in for added flavor later on!

After it is done, pour onto almost anything.  Your taste buds will absolutely LOVE you for it!  It goes really great on my Banana Bread.

What would make this recipe even sweeter?  Make your own vanilla for it.  Click here for instructions.

Check out Dirty Goat Farm on Facebook! 

World Famous Banana Bread Recipe

Cooler weather for me means an increased and renewed interest in baking.  My family appreciates that.  One of our favorite (I guess we have several favorites), is banana bread.  mmm-mmm!  I have to bake a double batch every time I do make this, because an entire load gets eaten within less than a half hour after it gets pulled out of the oven.  I particularly like wrapping them up in foil so that the tops get sticky.  That is my favorite part.

I am not sure where this recipe came from.  I have been using it for so long that it has become engrained into my memory. 

Autumn Pancakes... perfect for the cool weather!

There is nothing more delicious in the mornings than a plate of hot mouthwatering pancakes made from scratch.   Awhile back, my family decided that Bisquick pancakes just were not cutting it like they used to.  So, we made our own recipe and over the last year, we have perfected it.  They are thick, hearty, and will leave you feeling satisfied.  Plus, they are good for you! 

Homemade Bisquick Recipe- Simple and to the Point

Simple living should always cost less.  If simple living is not costing less, then there is something terribly wrong.  Every little step people take should be one extra penny in their pocket.  When it comes to baking, a lot of the recipes I use also use Bisquick.  And have you looked at how much a box of that stuff costs lately???  Not cheap.  My family goes through a lot of it, so I figured I would share a recipe that I recently found in hopes of cutting another cost.  Bye-bye Bisquick!  Parting is such sweet sorrow- unless it saves you money, and then you can't wait to get it out the door!