Bath salts and scrubs

So for mother's day I decided to make some bath salts and scrubs.  My mom happens to be allergic to most scents, so I went looking for ideas and recipes that used natural, organic ingredients thinking that she would be able to enjoy those.  I ended up making a large batch and giving them to a couple of friends with May Birthdays, my mother, and mother in law, and to teachers as teacher's gifts.  I also of course got to keep the left overs.  Fun!  These are the scrubs and salts I made.

Lemon Rosemary Bath Salts

Ingredients

• 2 cups epsom salt
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary; finely chopped (I tossed mine in my coffee grinder)
• 6-8 drops lemon essential oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons lemon zest

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.

Coconut & Lime scrub

(I think I did like 4 times this amount)

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• zest from one lime
• lime and/or coconut flavoring oils (I couldn't find these, so I added a drop or 2 of lemon essential oil or citrus bliss I can't remember which.)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, adding more sugar or coconut oil until desired consistency is reached.

Chocolate Lover's scrub

(I also did 4 times this amount, but I was making gifts.  It took a lot of cocoa butter - just a warning.  At the store I bought a 7 fluid ounce container, but it was only about 1 cup of cocoa butter - also just a warning.  This stuff smells like chocolate chip cookies or something - it is yummy.  The cocoa butter is also a great lotion.  I love using this on dry skin.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1 oz) cocoa butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 Tablespoons sweet almond oil
• optional extra - 1/2 -1 teaspoon vanilla -I did not use this.

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.

Soapy scrub

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Dr. Bronner's Peppermint castile soap
• 4 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 Tablespoons glycerin
• 1 teaspoon ground rosemary - I ground some fresh rosemary in the coffee grinder - the original recipe called for 5 drops of rosemary essential oil but I didn't have it.  I like the flecks of green in the mix though.
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.  Mix well.  Store in an airtight container.

Invigorating Foot Scrub

Ingredients

• 1 cup epsom salt
• 1/4 cup sweet almond oil
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 1 Tablespoons dried peppermint leaves (I didn't have these, but they were in the original recipe and would add a nice touch.

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients.  Mix well, store in an airtight container.

foaming hand soap (or body soap)

Here is another recipe I'm looking for again on pinterest.  Blogging it to make finding it easier on myself.  I found this on kitchenstewardship.  I have a couple of her e-books, but this is from her website and I love it.  Super simple, uses ingredients I had already bought to make some scrubs and body washes (recipes to follow) and simple to make.  This amount also makes just enough to refill my pump bottles.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup liquid castile soap (I used Dr. Bronners - I found it cheapest at HEB - like $10 instead of $16 a bottle.)  Use the baby one if you want to add essential oil.  I've also made this using the peppermint soap and not added the oil at all because it already smell great.
• 3/4 cup distilled water
• 8-10 drops essential oil

Directions

1. Mix everything together and pour into foaming soap dispenser.

brownie mix

I obviously found a bunch of mixes on pinterest and have been trying them out.  This one is for brownies and came from heart, hands, home website.  There are tons of mixes on this site.  I want to try more of them, but so far I've only tried the brownies.  Again, I used coconut oil when baking them (it isn't in the mix.)  It made my mix kind of thick and I worried about getting a good brownie texture, but they baked up nicely and were plenty tasty.
I can't say these are healthy, and I didn't use a healthier sugar this time, but next time I may try it with sucanant, and/or coconut sugar.

Ingredients

• 8 cups sugar
• 6 cups unbleached flour
• 2 cups cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Mix everything together in a large container or zip top bag.  Label.

To make Brownies, mix together

• 2 1/4 cup brownie mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil (I used coconut, melted - can use butter, or olive as well - original called for canola but I don't use that.  It was tasty with coconut)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional) - dried cherries would be tasty too.

Bake in a greased 8 inch square pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

You can also apparently make Texas sheet cake with this recipe by mixing 

• 4 cups brownie mix
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

The directions say to boil the water, oil and sour cream, then mix it with the brownie mix and add the remaining ingredients.  Bake on a greased jelly roll pan at 375 for 20-25 minutes.  Frost with the following:

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

It says to frost while still hot.  

I have not made this, but living in Texas, this is actually brought to many an event, so I may actually try it sometime.  It isn't however my favorite cake to eat.  I prefer brownies.  :)

pancake mix, shake and pour

Obviously, I've let my food blog go lately.  Life got a little bit insane for a while.  While it hasn't really calmed down per se (I just had a baby a week and a half ago) at least I have a couple of seconds to add a post or 2 to the food blog.  I sure do miss being able to find the yummy food I have made quickly and easily on the blog.  Sadly I won't have pictures for the next few since I'm really out of that habit right now, but hopefully I'll get back to that soon too.

This recipe I found on One Good thing by Jillee.  I pinned it and actually made it pretty soon after pinning.  I did change the oil used from shortening to coconut oil.  It makes the most delicious pancakes - small hint of coconut flavor.  Yummy!  I don't add the sugar she calls for -I don't see a need.  I've also made them at least part wheat both times I've made them.  I don't think even my wheat haters noticed because the flavor from the coconut oil is so good.

I loved that these were also made in a mason jar to be a shake and pour mix.  I actually made them for my younger boys to enjoy while I was in the hospital having the baby.  They do have fun helping shake the batter up.

Here is my version of the mix.

Ingredients

• 9 cups of flour (I've used a mix of wheat and white each time.  The first time - lots less wheat, the second time I used 4 cups wheat and 5 cups unbleached flour)
• 1/3 cup baking powder (I use and aluminum free)
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups coconut oil (this is just about one 14 oz container making these a bit on the pricey side unless you find a good deal on coconut oil but they are delicious this way.  Be sure to use extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil to get the subtle coconut flavor.)
• 1 3/4 cups non-fat dry milk

Directions

1. I toss all the ingredients in my bosch, put the paddles on and let it do the work of mixing in the oil.  Or, you can hand mix it until it is well mixed - it will look a bit crumbly with the oil mixed in.
2. To make shake and pour jars, add 2 cups mix to a 1 quart mason jar.
3. Label with these directions (add 1 egg and 1 cup water.  Shake until combined.) 

Notes:

• Just an FYI, I always find I need a bit more than 1 cup water.  I start with 1 cup and end up adding a bit more because the batter looks too thick.  Maybe it is because I've used wheat and it absorbs more, that has just been my experience.  
• Also, I find that some of the batter usually likes to stick to the jar and I end up stirring it up in the jar.
• Because I end up stirring, and also to make them easier to clean, I prefer to use wide mouth quart jars.  

Mexican chicken spaghetti

I really liked this dish, which was surprising.  I haven't cared much for chicken lately.   I thought it was from having eaten vegetarian for a long time, but after finding out I was pregnant, I've decided that maybe I can just blame it on pregnancy.  This is one of the fist meals I tried when trying chicken again and I really liked it.  Some of my favorite things about this meal were - 1) it was easy, 2) the spaghetti cooked in the crock pot, 3) it wasn't as spicy as the chicken spaghetti's I've had in the past, and 4)it didn't have any cream of anything soups.  Good recipe if you ask me.  It was nice and creamy with a great flavor. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, sinless cicken breast
• 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 cups salsa (I'm partial to Jack's sold at costco - fresh salsa with a hint of lime.  Yum!)
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 oz spaghetti noodles, broken into small pieces
• 2 - 3 cups hot water
• 8 oz cream cheese

Directions

1. Place chicken in the bottom of a 5 quart crock pot.  Add beans, salsa, corn, salt and pepper.  Pour 1 cup of water over the top.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Remove the chicken and shred.  Return to the crock.  Add 2 cups hot water (original said 3 but a comment said they did 2 and so did I.  I may have added 1/2 cup more, I can't remember.  If you don't look like you have enough water, feel free to add 3 cups.  You just want enough to be able to submerge your noodles, but not so they look like they are drowning.  You don't want soup in the end.)  Add broken spaghetti noodles.  Push down to submerge.  Turn crock to high and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour.  
4. Turn off crock.  Add cream cheese and let melt.  (I cut my cream cheese into squares before adding to speed up the melting process.  Stir and serve. 

Asian maple chicken

I have done a lot of crock pot recipes lately.  I used to make more on my piano lesson days but had gotten out of the habit.  I started back and have really liked it. 
This recipe comes from an e-book called crock on.  I've liked a lot of the recipes I've tried there.  What I like most is that they use real food for the most part.  Not cans of cream of something this and that.
This recipe originally called for 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast.  I had 3 1 lb packages of thighs in my freezer so I used one and added a can of mayacoba beans (you could use pinto or navy if you want.)  I liked the beans just fine but my 14 year old didn't.  No one else complained about them.  They kind of don't go with the whole asian aspect of the meal, so feel free to leave them out.  I was just trying to use less meat and add some fiber in the process.  Also note that the original recipe was called maple sesame chicken because it was topped with toasted sesame seeds.  I just didn't feel like adding them so I didn't.  Feel free if you love them.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped pepper (I have a mix of red, yellow, and orange diced in the freezer.)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 can mayacoba beans rinsed and drained
• 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder (original used flour and water.  I was lazy and mixed in arrowroot as I think it dissolves a bit easier.  You could also use corn starch and water.)

Directions

1. Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker.  Sprinkle onions and peppers on top.  In a small bowl, combine honey, maple syrup, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder.  Pour over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  (I added the beans in about the last 1 hour of cooking and partially shredded the chicken when I added them.)
3. Shred or chop the chicken and return to the crock pot (if you took it out.  I just shred mine with 2 forks in the crock pot.)  Add arrowroot powder.  (or other thickening agent)  I just pushed a measuring cup down on top of the chicken to get some juice in it, whisked the arrowroot into the  juice until smooth and returned it to the crock pot.  (With flour or cornstarch, I'd probably use water, whisk it together and add it to the pot.)
4. Cover and let thicken.  Serve over rice.

Ravioli with tangy butter

I am the queen of bad bloggers right now for many reasons but we have had a few meals that were delicious lately and I really wanted to post them.  This ranks right up there for super simple, and Sooo yummy.  I don't know if the kids loved it as much as I did, but I thought it was absolutely wonderful.  All 4 boys ate all of it, so I guess it wasn't too bad, and Duncan even had the 2 left over raviolis (yes only 2 - and DH was out of town) for breakfast the next morning. 
I had worried with the name tangy in the title and with 2 Tablespoons of vinegar that it would be a bit too tangy for the kids - especially when I added the vinegar and it boiled and smelled strong.  However, it was definitely NOT too vinegary.
Sadly, there is no picture of this one.  With my lack of blogging has come a lack of picture taking.  :(


Ingredients

• 18-20 ounces ravioli (I used closer to 21 oz of cheese ravioli - tortellini would also work fine.)
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (more or less - I used less because only 2 people wanted walnuts)
• Parmesan cheese, grated for topping

Directions

1. Cook ravioli according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat stirring occasionally until it begins to turn golden brown (about 3 minutes.)  Turn off the heat.  Let cool for about a minute.  Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  Stir in raviolis (or pour over raviolis.)  Stir to combine.  
3. Serve and top each serving with walnuts and Parmesan cheese.