I think it’s good to constantly be learning and trying new things. It encourages creativity and it allows you to explore new areas and attempt new skills.
One of the things I’m going to challenge myself to do in 2011 is to try one new do-it-yourself experiment each month. (Stay tuned on Monday for my full list of personal goals for 2011 plus my new blogging schedule/plan.)
Instead of just having a broad goal like that, I’ve made it more realistic by choosing 12 specific do-it-yourself projects I want to attempt. All of the projects I’ve chosen are things I’ve never done before — some I’ve wanted to try for years. Others (like the sewing projects!) are things I’ve added to my list in order to help me step outside of my comfort zone.
I’ll be blogging about each experiment on the third Friday of every month so you can follow along with my successes and get a good laugh out of the flops. 
Here’s my list:
January: Make From-Scratch Chai Tea
February: Make Homemade Dishwashing Detergent
March: Make Homemade Hamburger Buns (Anyone have a fabulous recipe to pass along?)
April: Make Homemade Laundry Soap (I did attempt this one time before, but it was with a pre-made mix someone gave me. So I’m going to try again — this time completely from scratch!)
May: Make Appliqued Flower Tee
June: Make Homemade Hummus
July: Make Freezer Jam
August: Make Homemade Soap
September: Sew a Rag Quilt
October: Make Homemade Apple Butter
November: Make Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
December: Make Homemade Marshmallows
Do you have any goals to try new things in 2011?
photo by Methyl Lives; CodeFin
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{ 204 comments }
Don’t wait till November! That bread is soooo easy!!! We love it here!
Trust me, it’s the easiest bread when you have little ones. Very forgiving and hard to mess up! I gave my book to a friend( she loves it and I miss it:) By the way,LOVE your blog!
@Jessica M.,
I agree! I was just about to post the same thing, Jessica! The bread is better than what you can buy at the store and when you mix a batch, you are mixing 6 small loaves worth at once! Once you start making it, you will wonder why you haven’t been doing this your whole life!
Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your list.
@Jessica M.,
I totally agree! Don’t wait until November! You will be making this bread every week and it is sooooo easy. I love Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day! We don’t eat bread any other way. You should also check out the authors other book, Healthy bread in 5 minutes a day. They also have youtube videos.
@Fay,
Funny that others are commenting on the same thing I thought immediately upon reading your goals – move your November goal up to January!!! This bread is amazing and so easy it is just crazy!! My kids just love this bread and so does everyone that tries it! Don’t wait to try this – the kids will enjoy helping you whip up a batch of this too!
@Julie, Here! Here! That bread is too easy (and delicious!) to wait until Nov. I make it almost every week and it’s the bread I bring to all family gatherings — they BEG me to bring it!
I’m actually blogging about my 12 for 12 goals. Starting tomorrow I’m making 12 small changes each month- things that oddly enough, I should ALREADY be doing like using my alarm clock or remembering to use my cloth grocery bags. My hope is, that by the end of the year, instead of being frustrated for not paying attention to normal resolutions I can make some small and minor changes that will affect my life and develop into habits— not excuses!
I look forward to seeing how this goes for you this year!
Kimberly @ Raising Olives has a homemade hamburger bun recipe on her website. I haven’t tried it, but her other recipes I’ve tried turned out well.
http://www.raisingolives.com
@Julie,
I have made them a couple times now and they are WONDERFUL!!! I was telling my mom about them over the phone “they are like store bought” and my 7 year old son emphatically says “NO they aren’t they are WAY better!” They are way better but have the consistancy of store bought and better yet they are done in 30 minutes! I make mine with 100% fresh ground “Prairie Gold Wheat” from Wheat Montana. The best wheat for 100% whole wheat as it is a spring white wheat so it isn’t as heavy as a winter wheat.
http://raisingolives.com/2009/02/homemade-hamburger-buns/
Please don’t wait until Nov to try artisan bread in 5 minutes! You will kick yourself for not doing all year – it is so easy and well…yummy. Plus it converts into pretzels and bagels right along with it easily too.
love the rest of your list too!
I second, I mean third, the motion on moving the Artisan Bread up the list. I am an avid bread-maker, and this is the BEST recipe out there. Once you make the starter dough, it really does take only 5 min. I knead the dough in my brownie pan to contain the mess (my only hang-up with non-bread-machine dough).
I fourth! With a little practice, you can also make a decent hamburger roll with this too.
@Jennifer G., I agree! Move that up! I make both hamburger and hot dog buns with the recipe.
The best recipe I use for hamburger buns is your buttery bread machine rolls recipe. I just make the rolls bigger for hamburger buns, usually getting 12-15 rolls instead of 20 smaller ones. I love that they’re part whole wheat. They’re soooo easy to make. And they freeze well too.
@nancy l.,
I also use a bread machine dinner roll recipe to make hamburger, hot dog and sub rolls. Very easy, just shape them how you want (and remember they will double after rising and baking) and very soft and tender.
I want to attempt homemade laundry detergent and cleaning supplies, and continue making homemade baby food. I also want to try making homemade bread from scratch!
If you want to make homemade bread, invest in a Bosch mixer…if you want you can make large batches of dough, enough to do 6 or even up to 8 loaves mixed up at one time, the Bosch can handle a lot of dough, it is powerful.
looking forward to these challenges-love learning something new
My favorites are the hummus and artisan bread–they’re both SO simple and SO yummy. I’d agree about not waiting for months.
Oh, this is funny! I just made a list earlier today of things I wanted to try making in 2011 and marshmallows and no-knead artisan bread are two of the things on my list.
@Kristen@TheFrugalGirl, Making marshmallows is easy and messy! But fun! Got some snowflake cookie cutters and wrapped some up with cocoa packets, choc covered peppermint sticks, and shortbread cookies for CHRISTmas gifts last year.
I think I will follow your list also , sounds fun
I so agree – don’t wait until November. Artisan bread in 5 minutes/day is amazing and so, so easy! And saving me a ton of money because I’m never tempted to buy a loaf of crusty bakery bread anymore.
Hey Crystal! I went on a hamburger bun experiment a couple years ago to find delicious hamburger buns and in our opinion (and all our fam and friends!!) these are the best! Hope you give it a try!
http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-hamburger-buns-bread-machine-80413
Happy New Year!
@Jamie, I make this exact same recipe, it is so yummy. And the kids love it the next day just with PB or jelly. It is a really easy one that has not yet failed for me and I am not a big “make it all from scratch” sort of person. It works for rolls, hamburger buns or hotdog buns. Oh, all this talk about it, I am going to make some today!!! =)
@Laura, We also use it for hot dog buns and for sandwiches as well!! It also makes two delicious loaves of bread!! After they rise bake for 10 min and then cover the top with foil and finish baking 13-15 more minutes!! It is the MOST delicious sandwich bread ever and I am picky! I have two loaves rising right now!!!
Just an FYI when you make jam. I used Sucanat once to make strawberry jam. It turned the jam brown! It was a pretty red in the beginning, but it gradually changed to a yucky brown. Also, it didn’t last as long as canned stuff usually does. I thought that maybe it was because the jar was opened. When I opened a new jar(a year later) it stunk really bad. Talk about a waste of sugar and strawberries!!
I don’t know if you have to do things differently when using Sucanat, but I thought I’d let you know about my experience so you don’t have the same issue!
@Marie,
And that was with a FREEZER recipe?? Very interesting info, thanks for passing that along!
I highly recommend using Pamona’s Universal Pectin – you can use very little sugar (if any!), honey or even fruit juice – and it gives guidelines for coming up with your own mixtures/flavors. I tried it for the first time this past year, and used a little raw sugar instead of processed. I’d love to go “Freezer” but don’t have the room yet!
I’m totally excited about the Artisan bread and am going to have to try it soon! Thanks for all you do and share, and thanks to everyone else for sharing your hints too! Happy New Year!
@amsangel, No, it was the regular canning method. I don’t know if I missed a step, but now I’m very leery of making jam again with Sucanat! Thanks for the info!
Love all the new content. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for the new year.
Outstanding idea! Last year I made the decision to stop looking at new recipes and actually try some. So, I decided I would try a new entree recipe, a new vegetable recipe and a new cookie recipe each month. I’ve found some great new dishes and I had several new cookies for our family cookie try this year.
http://livingsoabundantly.blogspot.com/2010/06/bread-machine-hamburger-buns.html
Great recipe for Chai tea mix. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chai-Tea-Mix/Detail.aspx
Definitely don’t wait on the artisan bread! The stuff is addictive… and SO INCREDIBLY EASY! Move it up to January…
And try making homemade goat’s milk soap… Go to http://www.dairygoatinfo.com/ for all your ‘how-to’ information! You’ll love it, guaranteed!
@Lee,
I love goat milk soap! However, my supplier up and moved several states away, taking her goats with her. It’s almost impossible to find raw goat milk around here.
:-/
Blessings–
Dana
@Dana S, You can often find powdered goats milk at the store by the powdered milk. Not quite as good as fresh, but it still works really well. I use it in my goat milk soaps & lotions.
@Rebecca B, do you have recipes? would love to know you you make your soaps and lotions.
thanks
I’ve made hamburger buns. Use your favorite yeast bread recipe (you can mix it in the bread machine), roll it out to about 1″ thick or so, then cut the circles with an empty tuna can. Easy!
I have a FABULOUS apple butter recipe if you’d like an easy one that’s really good. In fact, I made half pint jars of it for our wedding favors almost 10 years ago!
Dana
That apple butter sounds amazing. Care to share the recipe with the masses? Thanks so much!
Funny, I am also a “Dana S” and I also made canned goods for our wedding favors. Little 4 oz jars of strawberry jam, 6.5 years ago!
@Dana S,
Love the empty tuna can idea!! I’ll have to remember that!!
Love this list. Some of these are on my to-do list too, but I’m not as organized with it as you are. Already do the laundry soap. Love the bread idea — no kneading is key for me. And I’ve wanted to try soap for over a year. Maybe your monthly posts will inspire me to actually DO IT along with you.
I’ve made laundry detergent. 3.5 oz bar of soap (I used natural goat milk soap), 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda (not baking soda). Grate the soap and mix together with borax and soda – can use food processor
Use 2 Tablespoons for a full load. I stopped using it because the borax is not good for cloth diapers. But it works great for regular laundry!
The Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day is wonderful and super easy! Also, I think you may even be able to make the buns you are wanting from the recipes in the book! I would recommend moving this project to the top of your list. You won’t regret it! Thank you for your inspiration!
Rachelle
This is an awesome idea. A resolution for every month! I’m definitely following suit with some monthly goals of my own!
You will kick yourself HARD if you wait until November on the EASIEST bread known to mankind. Try it tomorrow.
@Rachel @ Must Share…, Or tonight, even! It’s easier to work with if the dough sits in the refrigerator at least overnight.
Your list contains many of the same things I’ve been contemplating trying to do myself.
Here is a great recipe for laundry soap. I made it and love it.
http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html
@Susan,
I use this recipe too and it is AWESOME! I’m never going back to buying it again.
Yay on the Chai Tea!
This recipe for homemade hot dog or hamburger buns came to me with high recommendations:
http://blisstree.com/eat/easy-perfect-homemade-hamburger-or-hot-dog-buns/?utm_source=blisstree&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=b5hubs_migration
I’ve had it bookmarked for some time and meant to try it.
Best hamburger buns ever and not very hard to make http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/beautiful-burger-buns-recipe
@Rachel, I was going to recommend this recipe as well, though it’s on my “to learn how to make” list
.
@Jenni, Give these a shot they are very forgiving and even if they look ugly they still taste great!
My favorite hamburger/hot dog bun recipe is Fish Mama’s – I think it is on her Good Cheap Eats site. Sorry, I don’t have the link. We think they are so good that we even used them as rolls on Thanksgiving. Looking forward to your experiments!
Oh YES! I have a hamburger bun recipe!! The recipe comes from the What Megan’s Making blog – search for it under the yeast bread tab. SO GOOD!
i used homemade laundry detergent for a while. It did a great job getting the dirt out of my dog’s bedding and leaving it looking like new so i thought it was effective and used it for everything. When it got really humid early in the summer this past year i noticed a dirty-clothes-in-the-hamper odor in my drawers of “clean clothes”. i confirmed with my husband that the laundry was indeed washed, but the homemade detergent in the end didn’t work real well and the humidity brought out the dirty odor. I used a recipe of borax, washing soda, felths-naptha soap from “19 kids and counting” website. I wish you luck in finding a recipe that works.
@anita,
Have you found a replacement detergent recipe that works?
@Jennifer, I was having issues with my whites not staying white and so I’ve switched to using Zote soap. If you can find it locally at your stores awesome but I had to order it off ebay and went in with a few friends. The great thing about Zote is that you only need half the bar so it goes even further in making the savings great. Also Zote comes in a couple of colors but I got the white bar which has a blue & white package. It also has a great citrus smell. My hubby has a crazy sense of smell and has complained about those “dirty” odors too when I used to use Tide and then also after using the homemade one with the Fels Naptha. So far using Zote we’ve had no issues of that. Hope that helps someone.
Fels Naptha bar soap is great a for taking out stains, my daughter dripped chocolate custard (ice cream) on her white dress by the time we got home, I was tired and didn’t want to go down to the basement to take care of it. The stain sat for an afternoon & overnight before I took the Fels Naptha bar soap and a little water and scrubbed the stain. I machine washed the dress, it came out…not a bit of chocolate left!
@Brandi,
Thanks! That helps me a lot. I’ll see if I can find Zotes locally.
I’m also going to check out the FelsNaptha for stains after Tim’s comment. Dang!!
@Brandi, Try looking at a hispanic grocery store for the Zote soap. Ours carried the pink Zote for $1.
@anita, I’ve been making my homemade laundry detg for a few years now and just recently noticed a dirty laundry smell in our clean clothes. i did some googling and found that that smell is common with front loading washers, which we have. i started adding a little liquid fabric softener (which i got for free w/ coupons!) and have wonderfully smelling clothes. not sure if that could cure your problem or if we’d get better smelling clothes using commercial detg, but i save SO MUCH money making homemade that i just can’t even think of buying it from the store.
Great idea!
I wrote about mine here: http://thedollarholleringhomemaker.blogspot.com/2010/12/goals-for-2011.html
I tried to step out of my comfort zone as well!
Try Annies-eats for the burger buns. Everything of hers that I have made has turned out AMAZING!!!
I second Tiara comment. Annie’s Eats is an incredible site. I have made her bagels, pita bread and all other kinds of bread and everything turns out great! Her desserts are so yummy but I need to make one of my 2011 goals to not make so many of them! Enjoy!
I read your list as “make homemade SOUP in August.” First I thought, gee, I’m surprised Crystal has never made homemade soup! Then I thought, ooh, isn’t August kind of hot for that? LOL.
Happy New Year!
Lo-o-ove hummus! And so easy to make!
I’m going to have to check out this 5 minute artisan bread everyone’s raving about. I’ve been thinking about trying to make bread more, ok . . . at all this year.
Burger or Hot Dog Buns
PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 10 Min
READY IN 1 Hr 30 Min
Ingredients:
1 cup milk-.31
1/2 cup water-free
1/4 cup butter-.12
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour-.42
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast-.67
2 tablespoons white sugar-.02
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-.01
1 egg-.21
Total-$1.75
Directions: ( I skipped steps 1 & 2 and put it into the bread machine on the dough cycle.)
1. In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm, 120 degrees F (50 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix milk mixture into flour mixture, and then mix in egg. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. (I did 9 bigger ones.) Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Cover, and let rise for 30 to 35 minutes. (I let it rise longer.)
4. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. For Hot Dog Buns: Shape each piece into a 6×4 inch rectangle. Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, and pinch edges and ends to seal. Let rise about 20 to 25 minutes. Bake as above. These buns are pretty big. I usually make 16 instead of 12.
I also agree with not waiting until November for artisan bread. Switch it to earlier in the year, you’ll thank all of us later.
I would love to try making the shirt with the flower on it…that is adorable. I think I may have been inspired to make my own list. I would love to learn how to use my sewing machine that I have owned for about 7 years.
@Shauna, Before you get ready to use that sewing machine you haven’t used in awhile here is a little tip to save you a headache later. Let the machine run (place a book, brick, etc on the pedal) without thread or needle for about 5 minutes let it rest then run again, repeat about 4-5 times. If you have the original manual for it and can access the areas to oil it that would be something to do before you run the machine as instructed above. Basically you need to be sure your machine is well lubricated before using it or you will have trouble with your thread bunching up and getting caught and making a mess of your cute project.
Homemade Hummus Tip – reserve the water from the canned chickpeas and use that if you need to make it thinner. My recipe is very similar to what you linked to and it is YUMMY!
I use Amy’s whole wheat hamburger bun recipe over at Mom Advice:
http://momadvice.com/blog/2009/03/whole-wheat-hamburger-hot-dog-buns
@Katie @ Frugal Femina,
I agree! This one is terrific!
Well, judging by the previous comments, you might not want to wait until November to make that artisan bread!
In fact, I think I’ll try it, too!
I make laundry soap using a recipe I found on the 19 Kids and Counting website, but it’s not strong enough to get the odor out of my sports-playing teenage boys’ clothes. If you have a better recipe, do tell! Thanks!
@Lecia, I have made and tried their recipe also, but I noticed that my clothes have begun to have blackish stains all over them so Iam back to using regular detergent. I still have close to 5 gallons of soap to use but I will find someway to use it.
I’ve done most of these myself, but the dishwasher & laundry detergent were flops….the laundry soap {liquid} was cheaper, but over time i could tell it wasn’t getting our clothes clean! the dishwasher soap was ridiculous…expensive, made a TINY amount and didn’t clean the dishes {i only tried that once!}….i hope you share your recipes and am curious how they work for you!
homemade marshmallows are the BEST! easy and so fun!
As soon as you make the freezer jam, you are going to want to make the bread. It is soooo easy, and there is nothing better than a slice of fresh-baked artisan bread with homemade jam. Your list looks great. I’m looking forward especially to a review on the homemade dish detergent; been wanting to try this myself. I’ve had good luck with my homemade laundry detergent. Super cheap and it’s lasting me forever. I have a top-loading machine and use the recipe from the Duggar family website.
@Christine,
So you don’t have the smelly issue when it’s humid with that laundry detergent recipe? I’m trying to find one that will work in my southern humid climate. Thanks!
@Jennifer, Nope, no smelly issues. At least not yet.
I’ve been using the detergent for about 6 months. But I live in MN, where it’s not quite so hot and humid!
@Christine,
) I’m thinking of getting both kinds of soap and maybe mixing it. I’ll have to see what I can find in my area. Thanks so much!
Someone else suggested Zote soap instead of the FelsNaptha for the smelly issue.
What is the recipe for the artisan bread?
Found it!
I’ve been making my own freezer jam for several years now. It’s so good, and really easy. We never buy jam from the store anymore.
@Lisa, We can’t even eat the stuff from the store-once you make your own, it’s no turning back!
Something to keep in mind about the laundry soap: if you have very hard water and/or an HE machine, you may have some problems. Our homemade soap worked fairly well in our hard water (not quite as bright, but the cost savings was worth it) until we got an HE machine. The combination made all of our clothes very dingy, and diapers weren’t coming clean at all. We’ve sadly had to switch to expensive HE detergent. *sigh*
Crystal,
You will LOVE the bread in five minutes. My Mom attended their class, as the authors are based here in Minneapolis, and loved it. I raved about the breads she made, so she got me my own set of books. So far I have tried the cibatta bread, and the standard issue bread, and I love love love it. So do the kiddies.
Just make sure to use regular yeast, and NOT yeast made specifically for the bread machine. There is a difference. (found out the hard way…)
I have tried the make my own laundry soap as well. It seemed to fade colors on my clothes, no matter how I adjusted the ingredients. Just my two cents.
I want to try making more bread from scratch–I’ll have to try that recipe. My hubby is British and really hates the bread here. Even when we’ve made it from scratch it never turns out exactly how he’s used to. Not sure what the difference would be, but there is definitely a difference. I’ve made homemade marshmallows the last couple of years and they’ve been sooo easy and great to give as gifts with a mug and hot chocolate. My recipe is for peppermint marshmallows from a Betty Crocker mag I picked up in the aisle at the grocery store. I’m usually disappointed after I buy these, but this one had the best recipes–including one for sea salt caramels that were absolutely delicious! Hope you have success with your list. I think I might try to do the same thing this year. It’s good to set goals!
I’m sure I have at least twelve things I want to learn how to make, the two at the top of the list being a good sourdough artisan bread and homemade goat’s milk soap. The others: make quilts for my boys, a little chef’s hat and hat for my 3 year-old son, knitting dishcloths (or crocheting), making several aprons (I’ve come to realize how crucial they are to keeping my clothes clean throughout the day), learning how to crochet/knit hats and mittens for our family, embroidered pillowcases for my sons, making soft pretzels, learning how to set up a basic website with code, making stockings for next year’s Christmas, and making homemade buttermilk & creme frache. I think that’s twelve. Given that I’m due in March with my 3rd son and that we may be moving to another state this summer, we’ll see how far I get
. I like the idea, though, of breaking it down to one goal a month – it feels much more doable.
I sent in a recipe for Hamburger Buns!
)
I also have a recipe for homemade detergent if you are interested.
Please do not wait an entire year to make the marshmallows! They are so delish you need to make them now!!! They are very easy and did I mention they are delish….lol
Love you blog! Many blessings to you and your family in 2011!
Love your goals and love all the comments. It never fails to amaze me how knowledgeable, skilled and creative your readers are!
I agree with all the other posters encouraging you to not wait till November to try the bread, it is super easy and makes wonderful bread. We use the American style sandwich bread (pg. 204 I think) instead of store bought bread. I’m currently pregnant, and thanks to the ease of this recipe we don’t have to switch back to store bought bread despite me being so tired and nauseous. Just takes a few minutes to mix up (no kneading!), let it rise, and bake it! Wonderful and simple!
@Celena, For me, the “dry” homemade laundry soap works better than the liquid: 1/3 bar grated Zote soap, 1 cup Borax, 1 cup washing soda. Mix very thoroughly. I usually make a triple batch. I use 2-3 TB per load. It does work well, but all in all, is not that much cheaper than a very good sale (w/coupons) on regular detergent. I like the recipe for dishwasher soap that you linked to- I used one that was the same w/out the salt. I have heard that you need to use more citric acid or koolaid if you have hard water.
@Jenny, That was NOT @Celena, oops!
@Jenny, The dry soap works really well for me, too! I use a bar of Oil of Olay soap because I have sensitive skin (I’m allergic to most laundry soaps, and Fels Naptha just burns my hands). I use a full bar of soap, 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda, and 1/2 cup Oxi Clean. It works great for me in cold water and with a front-loading, HE washer (I use 2 Tbsp per load). I grate my soap with my Kitchen Aid grater attachment, and like you, I do three batches at a time. I just keep it in canning jars in my laundry room.
I already make my own soap, and sell it, too! We started making Artisan bread in 5 minutes – LOVE THIS! Please don’t wait to try it. This year I will have a year round vegetable garden, make freezer jam, read through the entire Bible, remember my reusable grocery bags, and start composting! I’ll do all of this in addition to going to college full time, being a stay at home mom and wife, and raising my 18 month old grandson! Life is good!
This is a great idea! Can’t wait to see all your results!
And below is the link to the recipe we use for buns. It’s fairly easy and the results have been awesome! Enjoy!
http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-hamburger-buns-bread-machine-80413
Regarding the hamburger buns…the ones from Annie’s Eats are delicious!
http://annieseats.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/hamburger-buns/
This is my absolute favorite recipe for hamburger and hot dog buns. I like it because it doesn’t require butter, or eggs (my son is allergic to eggs). Powdered milk works really well in it, which means i always have the ingredients to make these whenever we decide to grill.
http://www.food.com/recipe/tasty-buns-35889
I love hummus, the best I ever had was a black bean hummus made by a friend of mine. It is super easy and inexpensive if you use dried beans or get canned on sale.
My husband asks me not to make soup/chili/chicken and dumplings until the colder months… So, living in TX, only Nov-March, maybe…
You will LOVE the homemade marshmallows. My husband & I made these twice this month. They are wonderful!
Apple Butter is really easy and super delicous!
Here’s my recipe!
I’ve made freezer jam for a while using my mom’s recipes, which where my Grandma’s recipes! It is super easy to do and so much cheaper than the store. My strawberry freezer jam recipe is made in the microwave.
Just an FYI, I clicked on the link for the strawberry freezer jam recipe that you posted and it uses the No Cook Freezer Jam Pectin. I tried that this past summer for my jam and it turned out really runny. My mom had the same results. Even after freezing, you can just pour it out the jar. Has any one else had that happen with the No Cook Freezer Jam Pectin?
@Rachel, I’ve had the same results with strawberry jam, but my blueberry turned out really well. Peach was inbetween. We usually use it to flavor our homemade yogurt, so the consistency wasn’t a big deal to us. For spreading, it would definitely need to be a bit thicker.
@Rachel, I am wondering if you used a blender or food processor to “crush” the strawberries instead of crushing them. As in the recipe link she put them in a food processer. A few tips here – 1) over blending the fruit will cause the jam to be more runny verses thick. Just crush them well – I use a potato masher. 2) pectin (which is what thickens the jam) is more prevalant in unripe fruit. If your fruit is overripe it will affect the thickness of your jam. Also some fruits are higher in pectin than others (strawberries are low pectin). Here is a good list of fruits and their pectin levels for reference (scroll down a little on the page): http://www.pickyourown.org/pectin.htm. Last tip – too much citrus also will affect the balance of pectin, or thickness, so you may want to omit the lemon juice she added.
Here’s a super-easy recipe for dry laundry soap. My kids grate the bar soap (which I can usually get free or for .25). Borax and Washing Soda are pricey though. I intersperse this with store-bought/use store-bought for smelly clothes, as sometimes odors can linger with the homemade.
have fun!
oops…link to laundry soap…
http://diynatural.com/simple-easy-fast-effective-jabs-homemade-laundry-detergent/
Did you know you can make your own tahini for hummus? I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks super easy (and much less expensive than buying it!): http://www.suite101.com/content/home-made-tahini-a49997
do u have a recipe for the homemade apple butter yet?i would love 2 learn how 2 make it as well
Oh fun! I am SO making the rag quilt with you!!!
I looooooooooooove these brioche buns from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/light-brioche-burger-buns/ . I’ve made them several times, and they are fairly easy and totally delicious.
March – hamburger/hotdog buns. I found this recipe earlier this year, but haven’t tried it yet.
http://www.frugalupstate.com/recipes/recipe-homemade-hamburger-hotdog-rolls/
What a great idea, now I am inspired to come up with a few things for myself.
Homemade hummus rocks (the recipe you linked up looks like a good one), and is waaaay cheaper than store bought. A jar of tahini will last forever too.
The dishwashing detergent is something I want to try but am afraid it won’t work…so I’ll follow along with you first, LOL!
They make hamburger buns on Homestead Blessings The Art of Homemaking. We make it around here a lot – delicious!
@Vanessa, I did not mean Homemaking. I meant the Art of Breadmaking.
I want to try and make more homemade items. The breads sound awesome. A bagel recipe would nice, I LOVE my bagels.
@Kara, I have made homemade bagels using my bread machine to make the dough several times. It is so easy and the bagels are delicious. Here is the link for you:
http://www.recipelion.com/Bread-Machine-Recipes/Bread-Machine-Bagels
you will be shocked at how quickly and easily you can make these and how great they are. Good luck.
I agree, the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day book is AWESOME. I just whipped up a batch today, in fact. Highly recommend it!
The Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day is amazing! I started this several months ago and I just love it!
We have HARD, HARD water. Making dishwashing detergent flopped (all three recipes I tried). Left a horrible white film on everything.
Laundry soap however, has been working with this recipe:
2 large bars or 3 small bars grated Ivory soap (tried Zote, liked Ivory better)
2c Borax
2c baking soda
2c Super Washing Soda
I grate the soap into a food processor that also has the blade running, then add the powders and let it run for a while to get everything mixed together and ground to a fine, white powder. I use 1/4c per large load, and always in warm water so it dissolves well (If I use cold water, I will put the detergent in a plastic lidded container with hot water from . I also use vinegar in the rinse cup. Very easy to make and store, does the job
for homemade hamburger/hot dog buns i use fishmama’s recipes http://goodcheapeats.com/2009/07/homemade-hot-dog-buns/ they are so great!!!
I will add my voice to the chorus to not wait-the bread is so easy and so, so good (my bread hating stepson would go after the entire loaf if I let him) and hummus is super easy too.
You could kill two birds with one stone and use the soft american white bread recipe from Artisan bread in 5 min a day to make hamburger buns.
A note on the Artisaan bread, it is an exageration in both directions. It is more than 5 minutes and less than artisan but it is good homemade bread and tastes better and is easier to use the longer (within reason) you leave it in your fridge.
Enjoy!!
Mmmm homemade hummus! I love to make it myself, but I also like the store-bought stuff too. With two little ones who would eat anything that can be dipped into something else, it makes a healthy and convenient snack!
I’ve been making my own laundry soap for about 6 months now and absolutely LOVE it!! It’s such a money saver, as the ingredients cost me only about $8 and I still have A LOT left to continue making for probably another year! Plus, the clothes come out extremely soft!! Good luck with all your goals, I’ll be watching…I think I’ll try the dishwasher detergent, now!
we also make our own, it is a money saver & a time saver. I like not having to watch for sales on laundry detergent & use coupons & hope there is some left when I get to the store (which isn’t easy)…such a time saver for me & TIME is money.
After reading all these comments, I’m putting that Artisan bread book on hold at my local library. and I really really really want a bread machine, preferably the kind that makes the more traditional looking loaf…WITH the instruction manual, so I can make cinnamon rolls, buns of all kinds, breads…..mmmm. Too bad it’s simply not in the budget.
@Robin, You can check thrift stores, breadmakers seem to be a popular item to donate in practically new condition. If you find a machine that you like that doesn’t have a manual, you could contact the manufacturer or look on-line for the instruction manual. We bought our (practically brand new) breadmaker at a thrift store 4 years ago for $8 and it has proven itself worth far more than that in the past several years!
@JoAnne,
. I missed one with the traditional-loaf style pan, as a friend beat me to it. She had one exactly it, but it was starting to wear out…so I’ve since asked her to keep her eyes out for one like it for me… 
thanks for the tip. I’m a big fan of thrift stores–the vast majority of our wardrobes come from thrift shops
@Robin, With the Artisan bread, you don’t need a breadmaker at all. There is no kneading whatsoever, it just stirs together and rises. Then you take about 20 seconds to form the loaf (or whatever else you’re making), let it rise again, and put it in the oven! I was actually given a breadmaker a couple months ago and gave it away because the Artisan bread was so much better – better texture, better size, better bread!
@Celena, Should also mention that the artisan bread recipe works well for cinnamon rolls, buns, etc as well.
@Celena,
Thanks! I’m even more excited to get a peep at that book now, and give it a test run. My mom always made bread, and has taught me…the good old fashioned way, but mine has never achieved the perfection hers has…so I really want to try this book. and no bread machine? nice…
Thank you
I have to second (or third, or at this point 147th) the try-the-bread-ASAP notion–it’s so simple and absolutely amazing, you’ll never want to pay for a loaf of storebought stuff again!
Here is my friend’s recipe for hamburger buns. I always top with some dried onion and I think that takes the flavor over the top.
http://www.makingdoughfromscratch.com/2009/06/taste-test-hamburger-buns/
I love the one a month idea. No pressure. Perfect!
The marshmallow recipe from smittenkitchen.com is fabulous. It is the egg white and has been a hit this Christmas!
I love your goals. I am going to attempt to make healthy pet food for my cat and dog. I was reading about how bad the fillers in most pet foods are and how simple it can be to make wholesome pet food. So that’s my goal. Plus making non toxic cleaning products. Happy New Year!
check out this dog food, made in WI, 100% natural, http://www.americannaturalpremium.com/ We purchase the original formula. Serving size is less than the cheaper/poorer quality dog food….so, it isn’t much more than the cheap stuff.
This is my favorite hamburger bun recipe. I sub whole wheat flour for at least half of the flour that is called for in the recipe.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/breads/herb-hamburger-buns/
Your goals sound great. My goal is to train for and run a 5k. I may end up adding a few of your goals as well. Homemade hamburger buns sound great.
I have THE easiest 40 minute hamburger bun recipe (I know its the easiest because I’ve tried at least half a dozen other recipes before)…its 40 min start to finish, NO rising time needed and they turn out so soft and tender! http://muslim-wife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/40-minute-dinner-rolls.html
Oh great, one of my biggest New Year’s Resolutions is to lose weight and after reading all of the comments now I am seriously craving Artisan bread. Great, thanks a lot everyone he he!!
I just love this idea! I am going to think about some projects I would like to finish and some new projects I would like to learn. Homemade marshmallows are something I have thought of making, but have been intimidated by them. If I don’t try, I won’t ever know will I? Thanks for sharing a wonderful post!
I like the idea of setting some goals. Seriously need to do that. Thanks for reminding me.
I found a great recipe for burger buns this summer but i am wheat and dairy free so it doesn’t use regular flour. I was so glad to find a recipe that is simple and quick- it had been years since I last ate a burger on a bun.
Here is a link to a really good Brioche Hamburger Buns, they are really easy to make and I usually have everything on hand already. And the taste…O wow they are amazing! I catch myself eating the leftover buns by themselves.
http://brookes-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/light-brioche-burger-buns.html
There is a good and easy recipe for quick breads on The Art of Breadmaking from the Homestead Blessings series. They make hamburger buns. I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks good. I have the DVD if you would like the recipe. I have also made the homemade laundry soap for my front loader for a year now and I got the recipe from the Duggars website, works great!! Happy New Year.
Shelley
This is the homemade chai tea recipe that I make. I checked the link, you shared, I don’t have the whole spices or a tea ball/infuser or know how to make tea that way, so this recipe will continue to satisfy me,
http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/11/homemade-vanilla-chai-tea
heavenly homemakers blog has a breat hamburger bun recipe.
Well, you’ve inspired my to make my own list. I think I’ll start with the Artisan Bread. LOL! Seems it’s the thing to do first. Thanks so much for putting this out there for us to cheer you and each other on.
@Jennifer,
OH, I also made homemade Hummus for the first time today! I guess it was on my ‘do this before the end of the year’ list. Amazingly easy. Have fun!
I have been thinking about making the artisian bread also but never tried it. After all of the many comments above, I can tell that it really must be easy and good for so many people to comment on it. Now, I think you guys have convinced me to try this now. Crystal, I hope you do it sooner so that we can compare notes! I enjoy your blog also. What a great idea to do something out of your comfort zone. This motivates me to do something also out of my comfort zone.
I am sure you have gotten plenty of good recipes for homemade burger buns, but here is another one that is SUPER yummy. Anything from Annie that I have ever made has been phenomenal. So here you go!
http://annies-eats.net/2010/03/01/the-perfect-burger-bun/
Bread making is something I would like to try this year, too.
Hi Crystal, here is a recipe for homemade hamburger buns from It Starts with Me. http://itstartswithme-danielle.blogspot.com/2010/12/plastic-free-recipe-burger-buns.html
I have not tried it yet though.
I really want to start cooking from scratch. So I am thinking trying one item a month. Can anyone suggest simple items? I got a waffle maker for Christmas so I am attempting waffles. What else should a new cook try?
@Rachel, If you have a slow cooker, that’s always a safe, easy, yet homemade tasting way to cook. I made this chicken and dumplings recipe in my slow cooker, and my whole family told me they tasted just like my Granny’s did. Huge compliment! http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-and-dumplings/Detail.aspx good luck!!
@Joanna, Homemade granola bars! They are so yummy, and so much healthier than store bought. Just search allrecipes.com. Our favorite is the Playgroup Granola Bar recipe. Granola is also always a big hit, and super easy.
An easy way to get started is to start searching AllRecipes for quick meals, I think they have a 30 minute meal section. Lots of the recipes are super easy and have great directions. You’ll get the hang of it before you know it!
@Rachel,
I started a simple food blog last year where I share recipes that I’ve tried and liked. Most of them can be made from very simple ingredients and take 30 minutes or less. I try to comment about where I got the recipe and why I like it. Some of my favorite are: whole wheat chicken pot pie, Delicious chicken and rice casserole, Chicken Main dish, Coconut chicken curry. There are so many good ones, it’s hard to choose!
I use a recipe I found on hillbillyhousewife.com It’s unlce Fred’s favorite rolls. These are great plus they use no eggs or sugar. I use the honey and my hubby and kids eat these up.
I forgot to tell you that I put all ingredients in my bread machine on the dough settine!
Those are wonderful goals. I also wanted to thank you for passing along so many DIY and money saving tips. Your blog is very encouraging as well. I have two great hamburger bun recipes – a regular one and a whole wheat one:
http://extraordinaryordinarylife.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/homemade-hamburger-bun-recipe/
http://extraordinaryordinarylife.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/100-whole-wheat-hamburger-buns/
I have been making homemade laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent for about 1.5 years now, and I wouldn’t go back for anything. It’s a lot less expensive than buying it in the store, and you’re using much more eco-friendly products. I can’t wait to see how all of you’re projects turn out this year! You’ve even made me want to make a list.
Love the list! I’m going to do my own list today and as it turns out, bread is going on mine too. However, I wasn’t too sure I could do it as the only recipe I found was in Martha Stewart Living from last month and it looked INCREDIBLY difficult and time consuming. So I am thankful for your post and link to the much easier recipe. After I get Christmas put away, I plan on giving it a whirl. I’m also going to try to make bagels too. As I’ve told my husband, I’d like to be able to make something that people beg for me to make for them.
Hamburger Buns??? Try this recipe — its a winner.
anything Annie Eats makes are super!
http://annies-eats.net/2010/03/01/the-perfect-burger-bun/
I have a REALLY easy photo tutorial for making laundry soap on my blog:
http://deuteronomy6.blogspot.com/2008/07/homemade-dry-laundry-soap.html
It’s really simple!!
Love your list!!
I just made burger buns the other night!! (Thanks @Robbie for linking my blogpost!!) The buns were so soft and SO Yummy… and best of all plastic-free!!!! AND…so you know… I am usually a failure at making bread… but it was so simple! (my husband said best he’s ever had
)
Making marshmallows and homemade hummus are the easiest things in the world to make….:D
Oh…. and crazy as this may sound… I stopped using laundry detergent last February!! http://itstartswithme-danielle.blogspot.com/2010/02/detergent-free-laundry.html
But not everyone is comfortable with that
Here’s the recipe that my friend uses: http://itstartswithme-danielle.blogspot.com/2010/06/recipe-for-laundry.html
Oh… and for me… this year I’m going to keep striving to be plastic-free. First up is to learn how to make corn tortillas!!!
Happy New Year!!
What a great idea to have one DIY project a month. I don’t have projects as my goal for this year, but certianly love doing them. They’re just not important enough for me to officially make time for them. But maybe if I just scheduled in one a month, it would be more feasible.
My major goal for this year is to get organized so that I can reduce stress, be a joyful mother, and care for the needs of my family. I’m actually making it a year long journey and will be blogging my way through it. Anyone is welcome to join the journey. There will be printable worksheets and weekly challenges.
http://unsolicitedadvice-n-such.blogspot.com/
What a great series! I especially look forward to the chai recipe.
We make hamburger buns with this recipe. I think they’re fantastic.
Hi Crystal! I have had the same wish to make homemade marshmellows! It’s marked and ready for me to try this summer. My friend did a great post about making homemade grahm crackers! Kira @ Kissing the Joy
http://ksmackee.blogspot.com/2010/10/adventures-in-homemaking-crackers.html
Her kids gobble them up the minute she bakes them. Here’s to a healthy s’more!
Here’s my hamburger bun recipe if you’d like to try it: http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/whole-wheat-hamburger-buns
Great with freshly ground flour!
Homemade hamburger and hotdog rolls are the best! This is the one that my husband loves. We make them all the time for burgers, sliders, and I like the cinnamon roll variation too.
http://momadvice.com/blog/2008/02/homemade-hamburger-buns
oh girl…don’t wait until December to make the marshmallows!!!! I made them after you posted the link and I’m hooked!! They are SOOO good! yesterday I added chocolate to a batch and YUM!!
I actually came up with my own hummus recipe that leaves out the tahini and oil. Those 2 ingredients add ALOT of calories and fat to a recipe. (I’m a dietitian and am always looking at that aspect of a recipe). Tahini is expensive too, even though it may last awhile, I haven’t found it really makes a huge difference in taste.
I take a 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, mash it with a wooden, well, masher. I leave chunks of beans so it’s not completely smooth. I don’t put the beans into a food processor as I like my hummus a little chunky.
I add about 1 to 2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise, lemon juice to taste-usually up to 2 tsp, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Adjust it to your taste adding a little bit more of this or that, etc.
Will taste better on day 2 once the ingredients blend well. This works for me. You can always double this for your family. People who try this like it. Thanks.
Something new I am doing this year is running a 5k. I’m really excited about it!
I love your list! Some of those are on my to-do-someday-list, too. I love the idea of trying one new project a month, I’m off to make my own “real” list. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love the recipe for the buns from the waffleizer. I don’t waffle them, I just follow the bun directions. YUM!
http://www.waffleizer.com/waffleizer/2010/01/waffleburgers.html
Thanks for sharing your list. It gives me some ideas. I’m actually suprised you have tried the homemade marshmallows yet lol. I have wanted to do it for a couple years now but as soon as you linked to the awesome video tutorial, I finally tried it. Sooooo glad I had a stand mixer though I don’t think I have the arm muscle to have been able to mix for that long haha
Thanks for the comments above too, I’m going to have to check into this 5 minutes a day bread that you all are raving about
I like that your to-do goals are in the simpler range. As in, you want to make the strip quilt, not tackle a queen sized appliqued quilt . . .
I guess I tend to ‘aim for the stars’ and then get discouraged before I even try it!!
I just made hummus in my vita-mix the other day, and we love it! It’s so easy to just dump, blend, and eat! I enjoyed reading the comments on the recipe you linked to, there’s a lot of neat suggestions there! I just used the recipe in my vita-mix cookbook.
I’m looking forward to seeing your results each month, and maybe I’ll try some new things too! Thanks for stirring me up a bit!
I’m trying to learn to be more realistic the older I get! Still working on that! But I tried to pick projects which could be completed in three hours or less — otherwise, I knew I was setting myself up for failure!
I like these potato rolls for hamburgers or pulled pork: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tender-Potato-Rolls/Detail.aspx
I use the bread machine to do the kneading.
I very rarely make homemade bread from scratch, (bread machine!) but a very wise woman gave me this recipe and told me I could make it–I did and I could!
I make hamburger buns with it or as a loaf of bread.
Oatmeal Bread
1 c quick oats
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1 TBL salt
2 TBS margarine/butter
Pour 2 c. boiling water over ingred. Stir.
Dissolve 1 pkg. dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water
When batter is cooled to lukewarm, add yeast mixture.
*Stir in 5 cup flour (white)
Knead 5-10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubles. Punch down and let rise again. Shape into bun shape or into loaves. Place on grease sheet or loaf pan. Bake at 350* for 20-25 min for buns, 30-40 min for loaf.
*I sometime will mix wheat and white flour.
The laundry soap ‘recipe’ I use is:
1 Cup grated soap (I use Zote)
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda.
I (actually hubby does) grate the soap using an old fashioned hand grater, mix with the borax and washing soda. Generally, hubby grates 1-3 bars and puts them in air tight containers.
I use it in my front loading HE washer without problems. I live in NE Ohio and never have trouble with it in the summer humidity.
I made a HUGE batch (3 bars worth) for the animal shelter I volunteer at. It gets out stains and those wonderful animal smells even after sitting for a day or two in the laundry room when we get behind on laundry.
I’ve done the liquid and found the dry is just easier to mix and use.
Our favorite hamburger bun recipe is here: http://www.jessicalynette.com/recipes/hamburger-rolls – it really does make for fabulous burgers!
I am still working on my list of things to do this year, but it includes running 15 miles in June, making a different ethnic meal every Thursday and learning how to mountain bike.
Have fun with your challenges!!
Hummus is so easy!!! I actually like it better homemade then from the store.
Not to add to info overload but I just wanted to share one of my favorite baking sites for free recipes. They have several recipes for buns and artisan bread. BTW, I don’t work for them — just a happy customer!
Their Baking Banter blog has been a huge help to me. Best wishes in your projects!
Hamburger Buns
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/beautiful-burger-buns-recipe
No-Knead Bread:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2009/12/01/the-crunchiest-crackliest-chewiest-lightest-easiest-bread-youll-ever-bake/
Fun series… I might have to come up with my own 12 monthly ideas too.
I love the Artisan bread in 5 minutes a day. I got if for Christmas last year and I have to agree with everyone urging you not to wait until November. The bread goes great with my strawberry freezer jam that I make every late May/early June during our strawberry season. I go to the u-pick patch and make the No-Cook freezer jam. I make enough for a year. The key to the no-cook is not over-processing in your food processor. I saw someone suggested above to use a masher and that is a good idea.
I just made my first batch of homemade liquid laundry detergent, using the recipe of the Duggar Family site. I’m a mom of 4, living in Southern California, so everyone thought I was crazy making it here.. it is simply not done, but after using it, I will never buy laundry detergent again. It cleans my clothes GREAT and they come out smelling better than before. Perhaps they can absorb the fabric softner scent better (which I have begun using 1/2 strength). So good luck.. I love it.
It’s on my list to make hummus from scratch too! YUM
didn’t read every comment but here is another hamburger bun recipe…i haven’t tried it though:
http://annies-eats.net/2010/03/01/the-perfect-burger-bun/
Here is a link with pictures for hamburger buns from artisanbreadinfive.com. I make bread from the Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day book every week for my family and have had great results using the doughs for buns, pizza, sweet bread treats, etc. I’d definitely move that up to January and knock 2 of your goals out at once. It’s so easy and tasty. You’ll never go back! I use white whole wheat flour(Wheat Montana Prairie Gold) because my family likes the taste and texture. Good Luck!
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1730
you will love that five minute bread. It will also make good hamburger buns, and pizza crust. I also love making jam. Super easy. What I didn’t care for was the homemade dishwash soap. All of it is worth a shot, but I had to comment on that bread and jam
Another bun recipe for you: I haven’t made this one, but it’s a variation of her basic Grandmother Bread, which is very good. http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-hamburger-hot-dog-buns/
If you lived nearby, I would LOVE to invite you to my next soapmaking class, such as the one we had here:
http://girottifamily.typepad.com/mountain_musings/2010/11/soap-making-a-class.html
It would be wonderful to meet you and learn this fun craft together. It took me several months of research before finally diving into actually making soap, but once I started, I think I might be hooked.
Best wishes on all the new skills you attempt this year!
I made dishwasher detergent this year. One tip I learned was to make it but leave the acid/lemon ingredient out and add it separately. As soon as I added that ingredient, it made it start to clump in my bag. Before adding the lemon ingredient, it was pourable/shakeable. Also, for the acid/lemon ingredient, use about 1 tsp of Lemi Shine (carried at Walmart, Target and other grocery chains). It does a GREAT job at making your dishes super shiny and will keep your dishwasher running better.
You’ll love the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day. Try to Naan recipe. It’s GREAT for camping.
Looks like you have some fun ideas. I love making/eating homemade strawberry freezer jam and it’s so simple! I’ll look forward to reading about your experiences.
thanks to moneysavingmom I was able to put together cocoa (that I got for nearly free) and homemade marshmallows for neighbor gifts this year. The marshmallows were really quite easy to make. I did find that a pizza wheel worked really nice for cutting I was having trouble with the knife. It was nice to be able to put together nice gifts that fit within our tight christmas budget. I was also able to get enough amazon giftcards from swagbucks and such to be able to grab some of the great toy finds that the searched out and posted. Making for a delightful christmas without any money stress!
I’ve done several of the things on your list recently! How cool!
I’ll share my links w/ you –
First, my recipe for hamburger (or hotdog) buns here: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/hamburger-or-hot-dog-buns-recipe
Second, my tutorial on making snowflake marshmallows (of course you can do any shape you want! http://wholesomemommy.com/homemade-marshmallow-snowflakes-a-step-by-step-photo-tutorial/
And, last, my FABULOUS recipe for hummus – very authentic and great with my flafel recipe (from a fellow Israeli friend) http://wholesomemommy.com/hummus/ AND http://wholesomemommy.com/falafel/
Most of my favorite recipes come from eatingwell.com. Here’s a link for their recipe for whole-wheat burger buns.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/whole_wheat_burger_buns.html
They turned out great when I tried them. Enjoy! (And sorry if somebody already posted this one and I didn’t see it.)
You inspired me. Here’s to enjoyable goals for a new year.
http://mysimplesunshine.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/hello-world/#comment-1
However, I’d vote for the all out jam instead of freezer jam. It’s easy, looks pretty, and doesn’t take up freezer space.
I really want tto try the artisan bread, but don’t you have to have a pizza stone?
Haven’t tried this yet, but Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day has one that I hope to try out soon. The rest of the recipes that I’ve tried from that book have been great – and SOOO easy! I agree that you should start before November on that one.
Oh and if you haven’t found an overnight crockpot oatmeal yet that works, I found one that I tried last night and it worked well for me.
1 cup irish oats (I usually get mine in bulk from the health co-op)
1 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup apple peeled & chopped
1/2 cup chopped dates
3- 4 cups water (depending on how “toothsome” you like your oats – I did 3)
1/2 cup milk or cream or half and half
cook on low for 8-9 hours
BTW, thanks so much for your time management series – I may actually get my life in order again.
based on Alton Brown’s version from foodnetwork
HELP!! After reading about the artisan bread & going to the site & finding the recipe & watching videos- I went to the store to get the one ingredient I’m missing- YEAST! However, I didn’t know there were different kinds and the online recipes just say ‘yeast’- can someone please point me in the right direction!? There were little containers and envelopes and some said quick or active- I was completely lost. Thanks in advance!
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