Sour Cream

There are arguments for and against making dairy products that you can easily buy at the store. I can go to the store and purchase organic sour cream that has an appropriate list of ingredients, so why go to the trouble of making my own? Well, a few reasons. The biggest reason is just that I like doing this sort of thing. Making an entire meal from scratch for my family makes me happy. I also like showing my children how food is made and that it doesn't just magically come from the grocery store. Hands on activities like making sour cream are great because the kids have fun, learn something, and the result is a usable product. It isn't yet another piece of construction paper covered with marker scribbles that will end up in the recycling bin.

This is also a project that requires some patience on the part of the kids. This world is filled with instant gratification where we don't always get a lot of chances to learn patience. A project that requires us to wait for results is helpful in learning that good things, such as sour cream, really do come to those who wait. The anticipation and celebration when it turns out that everything went to plan is wonderful. 

Sour Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

Put both ingredients into a jar with a lid then stir or shake it up a bit to mix everything up. Leave the jar out on the counter for about 24 hours. After 24 hours has passed the sour cream will be thick and delicious. Refrigerate to get it nice and cold before dinner and serve. The sour cream will keep in the fridge for a week. 

I have tried making this with 1/4 cup of vinegar instead of buttermilk and did not personally care for the results. It can be done, the taste is just different. 

3 Things About Me

I read a lot of blogs. I am a complete addict. I love those wonderful urban,n homesteading blogs where the families produce all of their own food, feminist parenting blogs where there appears to always be meaningful conversations happening between parent and child and cooking blogs where it seems that nobody even thinks of eating a processed food item. I read these blogs and think about how I can get closer to achieving my goals of creating an amazing life for my kids. I cook from scratch, challenge gender assumptions with them, talk my liberal politics, include them in projects, etc...

But, you know what? The thing is that I am never going to be as hip as these bloggers. Never going to be as fully dedicated to this lifestyle as them. Why? Because there are 3 truths about myself that I have just accepted:

1 - If  my temperature is below 101 degrees am always going to put makeup on in the morning.
2 - I am always going to keep a bag of precooked falafuls in my freezer (processed food) for an emergency.
3 - I have cable television (and I like it).

I can logically talk myself out of all three of these things. Why insist on wearing makeup even when I had twin babies, one of whom would vomit up to 50 times a day? Why not use my other pre-made from scratch meals in an emergency? Why not just have netflix for occasional entertainment and just cancel the cable?

Because I don't want to.

1 - Makeup: I have really blotchy skin. On a bad day where I am covered in some sort of disgusting body fluid produced by a child, it really does make me feel better to catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and not think "ughh". I know I should accept my body for what it is, but I love concealer.
2 - Falaful: What can I say? Sometimes I just want a falaful. I do put it on a whole wheat tortilla with homemade hummus, but I am just not always going to make the falaful from scratch. I don't think that I will ever really give up processed food 100%. That isn't my goal. The goal is just to make the best healthy decision that I can most of the time.
3 - I like HGTV. I like those really awful made for TV movies they show on Lifetime. I like the Barefoot Contessa. Sure, I could probably manage to find a way to rent/stream all of that without cable, but I'm not gonna. I'm just going to have cable.

So I'm not as cool, not as dedicated, not as radical. Oh well... I am happy, so that is good enough for me.

Petal Balls

I'll let you know right here at the top that I am not a crafter. I like to cook, I don't mind cleaning, a painting project with the kids is well within my abilities, building things with power tools is right up my alley, but "crafty" is definitely not a word used to describe me.

I am in the process of trying to change that. Why? So I can make cute owl shaped things to fill my entire house? No, not so much. I like owls and all, but I don't really need them to fill my space. I have 4 years to fill the space. I am trying to learn how to make things that are meant for aesthetic beauty only to save money. Yeah, it all comes down to frugality. I am trying so very hard to avoid Target and the lure of their quick to purchase and pop onto my shelf stuff. For christmas I made the twins a few gifts, and this was one for Haley. Forgive the bad photos, my camera is just about done in. I made these to hang from her ceiling to add a little fanciness to a corner of her room.

I just have to put out there that it was really hard for me to purchase these pink and purple fabric (that grayish ball is purple in real life) to make these things. I am a pretty big on the whole gender neutral parenting thing. I don't think pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Anything is for everyone is this house (except the vodka - that is just for me). Pink is a tough one for me because I feel like it is representative of all things princess, but at the moment it is a favorite color in the house. The only comfort that I can find is that it is equally loved by both Haley and Kaden. They fight over the pink plastic cup at mealtime. I'm considering throwing the cup away because I am so sick of hearing "but I wanted the pink one". Really? Just drink your milk kiddos.

So, if you decide that you have a ton of extra time and desire to do something repetitive these petal balls may be right up your alley. Start of with 2 yards of fabric and styrofoam ball. I used one 6 in ball and 2 4 in balls. Take the fabric and spread it out. Find something circular to use as your template. I used a cookie cutter, but a glass would have worked well too. Start drawing circles across the fabric in rows.

Now cut them out. I did this in half yard segments just so that I could feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every piece. That was important because this might be the most boring thing I have ever done with my life. Seriously. The results are cute, but I would definitely recruit help for the cutting stage.

The good news is that the edges do not need to be perfect. As long as there are not any really sharp edges it will all look fine in the end.

I pinned the circles onto the ball at each half yard increment to see how much more was needed. For the 6in ball I used the full 2 yards. For the 4 in balls I used about 1.5 yards.

To pin the circles on hold the circle in your hand.

I know, you really needed a picture of that step.

Next, fold the circle in half.

Now fold the half in half.

Now pin it to the ball.

I tried pinning them all facing one direction and making it more chaotic looking and changing the direction the little pie sliced faced. It looks much better all facing one direction.

There you have it. Petal balls.

While I am sure you can tell that I really didn't enjoy this project, it was worth it in the end. Haley really likes them and they were an inexpensive gift to decorate her room.

Horrified

I am the mother of a daughter who has special needs. Haley has a genetic condition called Sotos. For her that means that she, among other things, has an intellectual disability. Does this mean that she is stupid? No. Does this mean that it takes her longer to understand concepts and learn skills? Yes. Haley requires extra supports, therapy, a thoughtfully considered environment that limits prolonged exposure to excessive sensory stimulation and patients. A lot of patients. If I am being honest here, which I am trying to be, it is physically and emotionally easier to parent my neurotypical son. Does this mean that I wish she were different? Absolutely not. 

Haley is incredible. She has a sweet disposition that is immediately endearing. To be around Haley is to be around a girl who experiences everything in full force. Happiness, anger, curiosity and frustration are full bodied experiences that she draws you in to experience with her. She doesn't hold back. She is full of energy and, at times, appears to never stop moving. She is athletic, loves to dance and has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. She wants to look at, feel and learn about everything around her. 

She also works harder than any kid I have ever met. Want to hear her count to 3? She will proudly show you her abilities. Please allow her to show off a bit because she has worked for 2 years to get to the number 3. That didn't come easily, she fought for it. It begs the question: what skill have I recently spent 2 years trying to learn? Personally, I usually get frustrated and walk away. She has also recently made huge strides in controlling behavioral outbursts. I wish I could claim credit for this, but it is her hard work and perseverance that makes these things happen. 

As her mother it is my job to hope. The teachers, therapists and doctors are supposed to give me reality based observations, diagnose her conditions, treat her and educate our family about how to best support Haley. My job is to believe in her, advocate for her, love her and stand by her side. 

I clearly remember some of the conversations that we had with people leading up to the adoption of the twins. I was startled, angered and horrified when it was either implied or blatantly asked - why are you adopting damaged goods? We fostered the twins for just under 2 years before they became legally free. As soon as we were able we adopted them to make legally true what was already in our hearts. We are a family. I was asked by social workers from the state why I was choosing to adopt a special needs child, heavily implying that I must be making some sort of mistake. Former friends implied that I must be a saint to take on this "burden" when I didn't have to. Those were the last times we spoke. Complete strangers asked why we made this decision. I couldn't believe it. Of course I was adopting the twins, they are my children. Would someone who had given birth to a baby who has special needs turn their back on their child? 

I am telling you this because I have recently read something that has horrified me more than those statements and implications that my daughter wasn't worth adopting. Here is, at the very least, a doctor and social worker who is saying that a child with special needs is not worth saving. That because the child has an intellectual disability she does not deserve a chance at life. This is possibly a hospital wide policy, but at this time that is unclear to me. 

http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/

My heart hurts, anger is burning in my gut and tears come to my eyes every time I think of this story. How is this possible? How can a doctor make a decision about an assumed quality of life? And the question that scares me more than anything... What if this was Haley? 

Spinach Muffins/Biscuits

There is one green thing that every person in my family will eat: spinach. Not plain buttered noodles, not yogurt, and not even cheese. I don't mind that last one because it means there is more cheese for me. I have one very adventurous 4 year old eater and one picky 4 year old eater, so finding overlap in their taste can be a challenge. Haley likes spicy foods and anything that involves making a huge mess. Kaden is a little OCD about keeping his hands and face clean and would prefer to only eat white foods with no discernible taste. He lives a pretty tough life in this house - I make almost nothing that meets that criteria. Thankfully he will eat spinach.

I pretty much put spinach in everything.

This recipe can be made in a muffin tin or can be made drop biscuit style. I personally prefer the drop biscuit style because a cookie sheet is easier to clean than a muffin pan.

There is something here to please everyone: carbohydrate, greens, cheese and portability. I make a batch of these and bring them along as a snack when the twins and I are at the park, zoo, library or just going to be out of the house for more than 15 minutes. Inevitably someone is going to get hungry.

This is a modification of the recipe found in the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

Spinach Muffins/Biscuits
- 2 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated/crumbled cheese (can decrease based on taste/pungency of the cheese)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional based on the taste of your children)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 8 oz spinach
- 2 tablespoons butter

First start by washing and drying your spinach. Melt the butter in a pan and put the spinach in to cook.

Cook the spinach until it is completely wilted.

Remove to a cutting board and give it a rough chop. Resist the urge to squeeze the liquid/melted butter out of it. You will need that moisture later.

Next combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix together. Here is a place where you can make this recipe your own. Is there is a dried spice you would like to throw in there instead of the cayenne? Go for it.

Now mix in the shredder or crumbled cheese into the dry ingredients until it is well dispersed and covered in the flour. For this batch I have used a white cheddar to meet the bland needs of my kiddos who are recovering from colds/croup. I really like feta or gorgonzola in this, but with those I usually only add a 3/4-1 cup of cheese. Experiment to find your favorite.

Stir in the milk and egg with a sturdy spoon. Your dough is going to be dense. The first time I made this I felt like I had done something wrong at this point and had, horror of horrors, wasted the cheese that I included in the recipe. Don't worry, it is going to be okay.

Now mix in the chopped spinach. Remember how I told you not to squeeze the spinach? That moisture is going to loosen up your dough and make you feel so much better about these being muffins (or biscuits as I prefer).

Now either grease a cookie sheet or muffin pan. You are going to get 12 good sized biscuits/muffins out of this batter, up to 18 if you go smaller. I like them to be a good hearty size to be a stand alone snack for the kids in the afternoon. Now just plop blobs of dough onto the cookie sheet or fill a standard muffin tin 3/4 full.

Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Vinegar Cleaning Products

I use vinegar to clean my home. I like to keep my children from playing in chemicals, so this is the number 1 cleaning agent used around here. I use two forms: full strength vinegar and a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% water. I keep both in spray bottles and use the strength needed for the cleaning task at hand. For instance, to clean my kitchen counters I usually use the 50/50 mix, but for my toilet I use the full strength. This is a great way to replace those extremely expensive cleaning products that clutter up the cabinet under my kitchen sink. Here is a quick list of what I clean around my house with vinegar:

- Countertops
- Wooden cutting boards
- Stovetop
- Toilets
- Bath/shower
- Windows and mirrors
- Stains on carpets
- Tile floors

Really, anything that I would have pointed a bottle of 409 at in the past is not cleaned with a vinegar solution.

Here is the problem - I hate the smell of vinegar. Remember, I am a febreeze addict and I do not want to walk through my house smelling vinegar. To mask the odor I add lemon and orange peel to vinegar to add a citrus scent. I've also heard that infusing vinegar with citrus ups the cleaning power, but I can't say that I noticed a big before/after difference in the power of the product.

I use lemons frequently in cooking or mixing up a quick cocktail on a Saturday night and my daughter loves oranges, so I usually have no problem finding the citrus peels that I need. Personally, I prefer lemon to orange... But I prefer either to straight vinegar.

Recently we had a vinegar tragedy. A ball was thrown indoors, the jar was pushed off of the counter and broke, and I was suddenly without my supply of citrus vinegar. I was mad, but I eventually got over it.

So, I am whipping up a new batch. Here is a rundown of how to get started...

First you have to have a supply of citrus peel. This is the bowl of little tangerines my family has been feasting on to help me build up a supply.

They are an easy going bunch and put up with my weird requests. Each time they eat one they open the door to the fridge and deposit their peel into a baggie.

Once you have enough to fill whatever jar you are using about 3/4 full you can move forward. This is really easy. Just stuff the peel into the jar and pour vinegar in to fill up the jar. That is it.

Now let the jar sit for at least 2 weeks to infuse. The vinegar will change color, don't let that worry you. Strain the vinegar and put it into a spray bottle. I fill one with straight vinegar and one with and 50/50 mix of vinegar and water.

Once you have a supply you can then just keep a jar of vinegar and pop the citrus peels into it as they are available. That way you never run out and have to resort to regular vinegar again.

DIY Febreeze

As the owner of a very bad dog, mother of small children and wife to a person who may or may not realize that leaving something that smells less than desirable in our home makes our home smell less than desirable, I am a febreeze addict. I spray the stuff every day on curtains, pillows, beds, carpet, etc... For better or worse, I love febreeze.

The one thing I don't like is purchasing it. Even the generic brand runs a higher price tag than I would like to include in my household budget. Luckily, a friend of mine emailed me a recipe for DIY febreeze (Thanks Julia!). I tried it, unsure if I would really beleive that it could replace my trusty bottle of fresh smelling spray. 

Here is the recipe to make 32 oz (the size of the bottle I had on hand):

- 1/8 cup fabric softener of your choice
- 2 tablespoon of baking soda
- enough hot tap water to fill the bottle to the top

Simply put the baking soda and fabric softener into the bottle and fill it with hot tap water. Give the bottle a shake and you are done. That is it. One quick suggestion - mixing the baking soda in with the fabric softener makes it easier to get the backing soda into the bottle if you don't have a funnel handy.

The verdict: It works! Smells great, has not clogged my spray bottle and appears to have better scent staying power than what I was purchasing.

The pros of making this at home include the obvious: cost. My fabric softener costs me about $6 on sale. I used about 2 oz, so the cost is 38 cents. The cost of the baking soda is pennies. So, for 40 cents I have made a full bottle of febreeze. This could be cheaper with a lower priced fabric softener, I just prefer the scent of Mrs Meyer's Lemon Verbena. That is the other pro. Being able to choose the scent of lemon verbena is great. Now my home has a smell that I really enjoy.

So far I have not found any cons, but if one pops up I will let you know.

I'm off to spray the carpet...