Loaf Bread and Spice Blueberry and Peach Jam recipes

Another bread blog has been LONG in the making.  I have purchased my last loaf of bread from the grocery store, and I am making it from here on out.  Why?  BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY!!!  Plus, it tastes better.  And it is cheaper.  What could be better than that?  Nothing.  Repeat after me.  Nothing.

Oh, and did I mention it is best with spice blueberry and peach jam?  Homemade, of course.

The Future of the Dirty Goat Farm

Things have been moving along here, although I haven’t really put too much information out as to what is happening.  Actually, in some ways it is happening very fast, and in other ways it is just totally dragging along.  We have been thinking and planning and discussing plans for our farm until my brain hurts. 

DIY Homemade Play-do

About the most fun any kid can have is playing with play-do.  But who really wants to buy that little tiny container from the store only to have to end up with a brownish-blackish-mucky color that only lasts for about a week or so before it dries out?  Growing up, my mom always made our own play-do.  I don't remember buying it from the store very often, and after having my own children, I started making my own play-do.  So simple!  And the kids love to help with it!

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.

Setting up a Sewing Machine

If you are not an avid seamstress…  sometimes pulling out the sewing machine can seem…  well, a bit intimidating.  It’s one of those humps, that unless you have someone helping you along, may seem impossible to get over.  Learning to sew on your own can be a lot of trial and error.  This is me, trying to help ease some of that sewing grief. 

Some of the biggest mistakes people make are also the most simple to remedy, but unless you know you are making them, then how can you remedy them?  There is only ONE way to set up a sewing machine.  If you do it wrong, it can mess up the whole project and leave you feeling very flustered. 

DIY Wool Dryer Balls

Use up the last of your dryer sheets and then never go back!  I got a good alternative for you for the dryer.  Make wool dryer balls!  They take out the static, they keep the stuff in the dryer bouncing around so that they dry faster, plus your clothes aren’t exposed to any chemicals. 

DIY Fleece Blanket

Full size fleece blanket with travel size blanket. 

I have made so many of these blankets, that I have since lost count.  I love them because they are so versatile for people of any age.  When my kids are infants, I can lay one of these on the ground and put them on the floor.  As they get older, they snuggle up with them in bed.  During story time in the evenings, they wrap themselves up in them to stay warm.  And for a few of our kids, they have since taken to them as security blankets and have become inseparable.   I actually had to start making smaller sized blankets so that the younger kids who still insist on having “blankie” in the car with them, don’t have to take a full sized blanket.  Those have been a hit as well. 

They are really easy to make.  No sewing machine required, so anybody can do this.  It takes a little time, but they are definitely worth it.  It takes me about 45 minutes to get a full size one finished, and about 25 minutes to get a travel size blankie made. 

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!

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. 

Our Carrie is FAMOUS!

Check it out!  Carrie the goat was in the newspaper!

Sweetness!  Thank you Mary Ann!  You can check out her blog here! 

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! 

Lessons from a Homesteader and an Herb Garden Plan

Today we did a lot of work.  Well, Keith (my husband) did a lot of work.  I did a lot of managing and complaining.  You know, I realized very early on, that even a backyard farm was A LOT of work.  We don’t have much space.  Everything we do is strictly limited to a backyard space.  I like to think of it as a farm (although the definition might vary for people) because this is the way I see it…  We grow food, we have the opportunity for fresh milk, eggs, and meat…  so in my mind, that makes us a farm. Right?  Everybody nod your head in unison.  Thanks.  I have learned a lot of lessons on a small space that someday I hope to take to a large space.

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!