A few of my friends have asked on Facebook-'How do you make your Fire Starters....So here you all go!
This is super easy!
1) save all your 'lint' from your dryer
2) save your cardboard egg containers
3) save some wax (the bottoms of candles, Scentsy or other wax that you throw away normaly
4) save a can (coffee, beans, you get the picture
5) save any sawdust from a home project (not as important as the above, so don't worry)

Now, take a Cookie Sheet place you egg carton on it open, fill with your lint, (you can also use the sawdust, leaves, I use paper from the paper shredder too)

Now place all your wax in the can, fill a pot with about 4inches of water, place can in the water (it a simple double boiler, and you not ruining ours)...and wait for it to melt. once melted completely, simply pour over our carton...make sure you get as much of your lint and stuff waxy...and yes it will soak though(that's why it's on a cookie sheet)
Once it is dry...tear each 'egg' and you have a starter!
Happy burning!

From my Kitchen -

Zucchini Bread 

This weekend while my husband was off at drill, I was baking these yummy goodies! Zucchini Bread (mini loaves) and Mini Zucchini Chocolate Chip muffins! I did minis because 1. they don't last...because we eat the whole thing...in one sitting. Since we are all watching our figures, I did minis so there was less, for our mad rush of eating it all. I placed most of these in the freezer. The Muffins I bagged 2 to a bag, for a quick breakfast for the teenage girl on the run. I placed the loaves in the freezer as well, for breakfasts, snacks, or unexpected quests that I don't have any munchies out. From 2 Zucchinis I baked these 5 loaves, and about 24 muffins. I also placed in the freezer 1 other zucchini for future use.

Most Zucchini Bread recipes call for 1 cup of grated zucchini, and that raises issues for some...I have more than a cup worth of zucchini, and your only making 1 (or 2) loaves. The perfect zucchini in my opinion, is about 6-7 inches long. This is where some gardeners may argue, as they grow zucchinis that are 12 plus long. As they grow, they become grainy, dry, and the seeds are more abundant than 'the meat' of the veggie. I prefer the smaller for the juicy, meaty and the seeds are tender. Also 6-7 inch will give you about 2 cups of grated zucchini. Easy-2 regular sized loaves, 1 zucchini. To save on space in the freezer, I place the grated zucchini in a quart bag, lay it flat, press all the zucchini to the bottom of the bag, close all but 1inch of the top, and then as you press out all the 'air' to the top... flatten the bag to fill the whole bag. So your end result looks like this

I store everything I can this way, Zucchini, ground meat, sliced strawberries, since the bag is about 1/2 inch thick, and flat, they stack and take less space in my freezer. For those that would like my recipe for Zucchini Bread...

3 cups of flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoons baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 to 1 teaspoon fresh finely grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour, soda, powder, cinn., nutmeg, & salt in one bowl, set aside. In another bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar, zucchini, lemon peel, mix these all together well. Add the flour mix, and stir very well to be sure all is combined. (at this point you can add 1 cup of walnuts if you like)

Grease 2 regular bread loaf pans (or 4 mini pans). Pour in batter and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Besure to insert a cake tester (or a toothpick) to test 'done-ness' and allow to cool 10 minutes on a  rack. I always place breads on their sides (5minutes on each side, as it makes removing easier) remove from pan and finish cooling before you place 1 in a freezer bag, and eat the other loaf quickly!(I always get one slice in before I let my family know it's ready...or I wont get any!)

To make my Chocolate Chip Muffins- cut back some one the lemon, and add 1 cup mini chocolate chips at the end. I grease muffin tins (I don't use paper cup liners-but you can), fill tins, and bake, about 35-40 minutes.

TIP- I know that some have had questions to me as to 'who do you get the lemon peel from the grater?' I use a hand-held grater for all my citrus fruits. It is a really fine grater and the peel does not 'fall' off on it's own.

Left is the top where I grated the lemon. On the right, is the back, as you can see...it just collects.

I use a stiff bristle BBQ baster and just brush the front and back of the grater to remove the peel.

 

And done! Why do I go to this extra step? Lemon peel is a great flavor, and it accents the zucchini very well, and I like the taste of grated peel over lemon juice in my zucchini bread/muffins.

And with it so fine, it is not noticed as 'pieces' of lemon, just the flavor.

So, now you can add lemon peel to any recipe, with out 'chunks'!

Happy Baking!

The Skinny on Cleaners:

So, we all think our house is clean, after spraying disinfectants, spraying and scrubbing at those soap scum showers and baths, disinfecting the kitchen, and running around with air and fabric 'smelly' sprays...Right? Smells clean...there is even laundry products with matching cleaning products -so everything smells the same. Smelly, flowery, fruit, or fresh linen = clean right? But does your house have to be full of these smells in order for you to think it's 'clean', for a lot of you out there the answer is "YES".
I however have always questioned this, now that I 'have the time', I thought I'd try this out to test...of course this is my thoughts here, but no...all those 'chemical fragrances' does not mean clean. But then you need to look at what is clean? That is a large topic...so I'll go simple...
We buy store bought cleaners because:
a) We were taught to clean one day a week (mine growing up was Saturday), and then put things away as we go the rest of the week...and use what mom said (ajax, bleach, pine cleaner etc)
b) We are all  busy, so we see the ads-no scrubbing needed, instant results. Our thoughts this = more time
c) Convenient-we are at the store getting food...and it is in the isle between can goods and the ice cream...
d) They would not put it out if it was no OK..

Or would they...

We all 'read labels' now...looking at fiber, fat, sugar, calories, etc...RIGHT? So...go grab your favorite 'cleaner' and read the ingredient label, I'll wait...(waiting).......not there is it?
Now, most of you will say...I don't care, as long as it cleans like it says it will. OK, that's fine...but do you read labels, is it because you care about your health, do you buy 'organic', sustainable foods, because you are worried about what you put in your body? If you answer NO label reading here, then go ahead and load up on those cleaners...
And for those that do 'care', but can't afford those 'All Natural' cleaners, 'green cleaners' etc, or  I don't have time for that 'DIY' cleaners...Read on...I can help.
Now, as for those 'All Natural' cleaners...some are just not what they say they are...do your research, some have an ingredient label...but if you don't know 'what it is' it is probably not as 'natural' as they lead you to believe!
First off- the USDA does not regulate 'green' or 'organic' as some may think. Now there is an agency that has 'Definitions' of 'organic', but it is not what you may think...there are still synthetic pesticides, feed, etc that are 'alowed' in your 'organic' milk, meat, and other foods dubbed 'organic'..

How is the term "organic" regulated?

The Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP regulations include a definition of "organic" and provide for certification that agricultural ingredients have been produced under conditions that would meet the definition. They also include labeling standards based on the percentage of organic ingredients in food.

all this can be found and read here...http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ search for organic laws and regulations...(when you find it...it is long and questionable as to what it means)
Now to the 'smelly clean' hype...why do these things smell...and what are they made of...well...if you did not know you can look up anything you want to that is not a 'food' item to see what is in it at www.msds.com but be careful, you may not like what you read...here are a few things I've read, and it answered some of my questions...
Febreze= Has a 'Slight' Health Hazard and is 'Moderately' Flammable...
The health reason falls to

 Health Hazards (Acute and Chronic):
Ingestion: None
Eye Contact: Mild eye irritant.
Inhalation: None
Signs and Symptoms of Exposure:
Ingestion: Possible mild gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Eye Contact: Do not spray directly toward face. If eye contact occurs, rinse well with water.
Skin: Prolonged skin contact or instillation into the eye may result in transient, superficial effects similar to
those produced by mild toilet soap.
Inhalation: Inhalation of high concentrations of ethanol vapor may cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory
tract, drowsiness, and fatigue.

Now I copied and pasted this from the MSDS for Febreze...and even in this small part, doesn't it contradict it's self? Inhalation...isn't that the 'purpose' to make it smell good? and what is really 'high concentration'?

I'M NOT USING IT!  Do want to breath Ethanol Vapor? Not me...


I can go on and on, point is Way are you still using these products? Because of time and ease...I don't have time to DIY, not sure how, it's right there in the store, etc...
Well, I do have time, and I do know how, and I am able to share the finished product for the same reasons you would do it yourself...safer and cost.
As I develop new items and I've used them myself to test, then I will add them. I have a few friends that are testing and giving results too...
Now, the only thing is, I am not 'shipping' at this point (maybe soon), so pick up and some delivery (within reason).

Use the top links for some research sites I used and the other to see what I have to offer at this point! Happy Cleaning!