How to Freeze Avocados & Frozen Yogurt Covered Strawberries

This post really is for Thursday, Feb. 7th - I just couldn't get to my laptop any sooner.

My first pin, How to Freeze Avocados, comes from my For the Home pinboard.  When avocados go on sale, buy a bunch, store them in your pantry until they are ripe, they will give slightly under pressure, and then freeze them for later.  I got mine for 25 cents each, gotta love the latin markets!  I use them for fresh baby food, and when the dolly is done with avocado flavor, I freeze any remaining for later.  It's easy: wash and cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove pit, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in a freezer bag.  They last in the freezer up to 6 months.  If you are picky about the bright green color, treat your avocado with lemon juice before wrapping and freezing.

***Note:  with freezing food, unless it is a thick glass or plastic container, always have at least 2 layers between your food and the freezer!

My second pin, Frozen Yogurt Covered Strawberries, comes from my New Recipes to Try pinboard.  I got a few pounds of strawberries and decided to make some of these yummy treats for Valentine's Day.

They turned out pretty nice, really cold to eat, but tasty!  I had to sample one, give me some slack.  I live in Utah and strawberries are out of season, so I added a sugar topping to mine, it's optional and made them a tiny bit sticky, but it tasted better.  After experimenting with a few batches here's the easiest way to make these:

1. Wash and quick freeze your berries on a cookie sheet
2. Dip your frozen berries into a thick vanilla yogurt
3. Act quickly and sprinkle white sugar to coat
4. On a wax paper lined cookie sheet, refreeze
5. After an hour or so, they can be bagged and saved for later

A couple of tips:  Pat your berries dry, assembly line your dipping to cookie sheet, and double bag your berries for their long term trip to the freezer.  And of course, work as quickly as possible!

Uses of Coconut Oil: Body, Part 1: Shaving Oil & Uses of Coconut Oil: Body, Part 2: Body Oil

I've been experimenting with the uses of coconut oil, and so far I've already tried coconut oil exfoliating face scrub and serious eye cream.  I like it so far, and with the eye cream I'll add a thickening agent to my next batch.  So trying coconut oil for other beauty uses hasn't been too much of a stretch.  My first pin comes from my Homemade or Natural Remedies pinboard, it's 52 ways to use coconut oil and I tried it instead of shaving cream.

My legs, I admit, are hairy.  Young age introduction to a razor combined with my Scottish genetics makes me a cactus if I go too long between shaving.  Plus, my skin is prone to razor burn, so I have to take extra care when I do shave.  Yes, I have waxed and tried Nair, but for now, shaving is what I can fit into my lifestyle.  No, there will not be a picture in this post!

I found that my skin was not irritated after shaving with the coconut oil, it behaved better than if I had used sensitive skin shaving cream, and didn't need any moisturizer after I toweled dry.

However, I learned a few things the hard way:  coconut oil is very messy in the shower and thick!  My razor and tub became very sticky and I'm glad that I soaped off before shaving, because when the coconut oil accidentally got in my bath poof ball it would no longer become sudsy with soap! A little goes a long way, it's easy to apply too much - normal shaving cream has a larger volume, so trying to eyeball a replacement lead to too much.

If you were on vacation at the beach or camping or on a long car trip, some situation where water isn't readily available or showering long enough to shave isn't an option I would suggest using coconut oil with a disposable razor or one about to be replaced.

My second pin is also from my Homemade or Natural Remedies pinboard, it's the many uses of coconut oil - tried by Jillee.  I love Jillee's blog: onegoodthingbyjillee.com!  Check her out!  Anyhoo, for my second part I used coconut oil for a week after each shower as a body oil.

I have very dry skin out here in the frozen desert, and being indoors with the heater going constantly in an already dry atmosphere, really makes my skin uncomfortable without some sort of moisturizer.  In my household we have to lotion after just hand washing, otherwise your knuckles and hands crack!

Trying the coconut oil as moisturizer, I admit, that while I didn't see any drastic difference in cellulite or stretch marks, made my skin feel great and it's zero scent was a plus.  I gave it about 5 minutes before getting dressed so as not to get oil on my clothes and learned after the first application that a little goes a long way!  I'm not sold on this over lotion or body creams though, for two reasons: I have yet to figure out which is more cost effective, and I'm worried that if I get some on my clothes it might not be able to come out of all fabrics.


***As a side note:  I have finished my 1 week trial of Dr. Oz Teeth Whitening, check it out!

Parmesan Meatloaf Recipe and Review

My pin came from my New Recipes to Try pinboard.  I am very skeptical about meatloaf, it's a loaf of meat, usually with ketchup and sometimes someone's mommy puts bacon on top.  So when I came across this Parmesan Meatloaf pin, it looked non-traditional enough to earn a second look, so I tucked it away for the Mister, who likes meatloaf.  Tonight was the night, the moment of truth, to try a new twist on the loaf of meat.

After reading on-line comments on the recipe I altered the cooking temperature to 375 and the baking time to 1 hour 45 minutes and baked it in an 8x8 pan, not a loaf.  I had to add more sauce and cheese to cover the area, but I think that it had a much better meat to sauce and cheese ratio.  Overall pretty tasty!

The Mister commented that while he never had a problem with ketchup on meatloaf, he enjoyed having the tomato sauce, and combined with the cheese and spices it had a fun Italian feel.

For all of those who follow a gluten-free diet, this recipe is definitely one to try!  For those who don't have such needs, just substitute regular bread crumbs for the gluten-free ones in the recipe.  Some quick substitutes for breadcrumbs: ground up Rice Chex cereal, ground up saltine crackers,  and toast or stale bread pulsed through the blender or food processor.

PS - use a food thermometer if you've got one!  It will help make sure you don't over cook your food!

Gluten-Free Parmesan Meatloaf
adapted from mommyimhungry.blogspot.com

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
marinara pasta sauce to cover top of meatloaf
shredded Italian cheese blend to cover top of meatloaf
minced parsley for garnish

Bake at 375 Fº in greased pan for 1 hour 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 Fº.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Wreath of the Month: Whimsical Cupcake Liner Indoor Wreath

My pin today comes from my Wreath pinboard.  It's a Whimsical Cupcake Linear Indoor Wreath.  It took just about an hour, my stupid accent took the longest time because I couldn't get it to work right, so it's optional.

Supplies:
8 inch foam wreath - from Dollar Tree (Hobby Lobby costs $5!)
100 cupcake liners
4-6 cupcake liners for accent
Do-dad for accent
Ribbon to wrap wreath and to hang
Glue gun and glue

First, wrap your wreath in ribbon.  I choose an outdoor ribbon, it was nice and wide and I got 25 yards for $5 at Wal-Mart.  I just overlapped the start and hot glued the end on the back of the wreath.

Second, take about 9 cupcake liners and bunch them together, it will look like a pompom or a carnation flower.

Third, make a blob of hot glue, smash your 9 cupcake liners in it, and hold it, until it sticks and is slightly cool.

Mine at 50 liners

Fourth, continue making liner pompoms all around the wreath, don't do your pompoms right next to each other, let them cool completely first, so leave a gap between them.

Fifth, now make smaller pompoms and fill in the gaps until you like it!

Sixth, make an accent of your choice, this took me the longest, and truthfully, I'm not satisfied with mine!

Seventh, attach ribbon to the back and hang!

Kimmy's Laundry Detergent

Part of my New Year's Resolution was to go green or natural when possible, I've already made the switch to using Orange Vinegar Cleaner and I just ran out of my laundry detergent.  In my Homemade or Natural Remedies pinboard there are a few options for homemade laundry detergent recipes, but I am very fortunate, my dear friend Kimmy gave me a sample of her own tried and true recipe!  So I won't have to make my detergent batch quite yet, I'll use up my sample and if my family ok's it, I'll just use her recipe.  Several families at church now use this detergent for it's cost effectiveness and it's cleaning power - Kimmy does professional catering and swears that this stuff gets out all kinds of kitchen and food spots.

Looks pretty, huh?

Kimmy's Laundry Detergent

• 4 lbs. box of Borax
• 4 lbs. box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
• 1 box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• 3 bars Fels-Naptha Soap, grated
• 2 small containers Oxy Clean
• 1 bottle Downy Fragrance Beads

***Oxy Clean and Downy is optional***

To use:

• Add 1 Tablespoon for small and medium loads, add 2 Tablespoons for large or extra large loads.
• Pour powder directly on top of wash.
• Safe for he washers or regular because it is low sudsing. 

Total cost for each batch, including optional ingredients: $37.00!  My friend Angela uses this detergent, for her family of six, doing at least one load of laundry a day, has reported that her batch lasts at least 10 months!  $3.70 or less a month for laundry soap!

I personally feel that if you make your own laundry detergent, powdered is the way to go, just so you don't have to do so much work and it lasts a great long time.  Plus it doesn't take up as much room as bottles of liquid detergent.

*On a related note:  instead of using Shout or Resolve, you can damping the stain and then rub a bar of Fels-Naptha soap into it.

*Fels-Naptha soap may be switched for Zote.

Free Valentine's Day Fonts

With Valentine's Day fast approaching Pinterest has provided a plethora of wonderful free font links for everything from cute-sy to romantic script to holiday symbols.  I love that now when I want something new for a church poster or sign-up sheet it only takes about 5 minutes to find, install, and use!  Before I would have to search through font sites and it would take too much effort!  Lazy, but true.  From my Fonts and Printables pinboard I downloaded several new fonts for our church's cookie exchange handout.  My top four pins (over 50 fonts!  too many to make individual links) are: Valentine's Day playful fonts and graphics, 14 Romantic fonts, Fonts for Valentine's and Love Letters, and 10 free Valentine fonts.  Happy typing!

As a note:
I will be making this indoor wreath for my February Wreath of the Month this upcoming Monday night after my kiddos are sleeping - galpals you're welcome to join me!  Bring your own supplies!

Whimsical Valentine's Day Cupcake Liner Wreath

Supplies:

8 inch foam wreath - $1 at Dollar Tree

100 cupcake liners for main part

5 different cupcake liners for accent

Button or decal for accent

Coordinating ribbon to wrap around foam wreath

Ribbon to hang wreath

Hot glue and hot glue gun

Disneyland Countdown Chain

Today, my pin comes from my Family and Kid Activities pinboard, it's our family Disneyland Countdown Chain!  With a trip coming up I wanted a fun visual way to help the three year old get a sense of time and anticipation.

Every night before bed, we tear off one chain until we reach Minnie and that's when we get to go to her house at Disneyland!  The three year old was so excited by this!  And she was able to get the concept, she was telling the baby how tomorrow night we get to tear off one more and it's the white one tomorrow.

We have family by Disneyland that we'll be visiting, but I didn't want the three year old to assume that every time we visit our family that we automatically go to Disneyland, so the countdown overlaps when we leave - the last few chains will be torn off while on vacation.

For the next few weeks, most of the pins will be about Disneyland or Disney themed ideas, or ideas about packing and travel.