Best Bread Ever! *Recipe*

Recipe courtesy of Sarah Mae from the Homestead Blessings DVD!

Ingredients (makes two standard loaves or one 16 inch loaf):

2 1/2 cups warm water
4-5 cups whole wheat or whole white wheat flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbs (1 packet) of yeast

Directions:

-Add water, 2.5 cups flour, salt, oil, and honey – mix together.
-Mix in the yeast.
-Mix in the rest of the flour one cup at a time, until you have a nice dough (not too sticky, not too “floury”, add, add more if needed. I ended up adding about 2/3 more to my loaf).
-Knead (punch and roll around that bread for about 5-10 minutes) and let rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place (ideal temp is 80 degrees).
-Punch down, separate into two sections (or leave whole for a 16 inch loaf), and put into greased loaf pan(s). -Use a fork to poke several holes into the top of the dough.
-Let rise again for about an hour and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (50-60 minutes for 16 inch+ loaf) until lightly golden brown and slightly hollow sounding when you thump on the top with your fingernail.

Apple Pie! *Recipe*

Apple Pie!

Pie Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
I teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
hint: If this is your first time making this pie crust, make a double batch to be sure you have enough crust.

Pie Crust Utensils
1 Mixing Bowl
Rolling pin
Knife
Measuring spoons
Measuring Cups
Dough Blender (in picture, I know, it sounds electric, but it isn't)
Cutting Board
9 inch Pie Pan (smaller is ok, but no bigger)

First Step: Mixing the Pie Crust Ingredients
Warm the butter in the microwave until it is soft, but not melted.
Mix in a large bowl:
2 cups all-purpose flour
I teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Then cut in using the dough blender:
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Second Step: Chill the Pie Dough
Wrap your pie crust in plastic wrap. Then place in refrigerator for 20 or more minutes, while you make the pie filling.

*

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients
For the apple pie filling you need:
5 Tart Peeled Apples
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

First Step: Slice Apples
Peel and slice your apples.
Soak them in water with a tablespoon of lemon juice. This will prevent the first apples cut from turning a funky color.

Second Step: Mix Filling
Mix in large mixing bowl:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vinegar

Third Step: Mix Apples
Now, drain the water off of the apples and mix them with the spices.

*

Now that you have finished the filling, it is time to assemble your pie.

First Step: Cut
Now that your pie crust has had plenty of time to cool, divide it into two, equal halves.

Second Step: Rolling Pie Crust
Roll one of the balls of pie crust out until it is around 1/8th of an inch thick.

Third Step: Putting Crust in Pie Pan
Once you have rolled out the dough, wrap it around the rolling pin and unroll it onto your pie pan.
Once you have shaped it to fit the inside of the pan, take a fork and poke holes in the bottom of the crust. This will let the steam out as the pie bakes.

Four Step: Filling Apple Pie
Dump all of the apples in the pie. Place about 4 chunks of butter on top of apple filling. This will give the filling rich flavor.

Fifth Step: Putting Top Pie Crust On Pie
Ok, we're almost done!
Roll out the remaining pie dough and place it on top.

Six Step: Forming Edge of Pie Crust
Create a pattern around the edge of the pie by using the back of a knife.

*

Baking Apple Pie:
Cut long strips of tinfoil and place them around the edge of the pie.
This will prevent the crust's edge from burning while it bakes. You will want to take the tinfoil off about ten minutes before the pie is done. This way, the apple pie will have a golden brown edge.

Bake your pie at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

hint: Place a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil on the lowest oven rack (not on the same rack as the pie) to prevent any overflow from reaching the bottom of the oven--easy cleanup!

Brush With Egg White:
For a glossy effect, brush a small portion of egg white on top of the crust when you remove the tinfoil.

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

(You can adjust quantities accordingly to make a larger amount at a time)

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of distilled water
4 drops total of essential oil of your choice

Directions:

1 - Add ingredients together and shake well. Shake well before using.
2 - Pour mixture on and work through hair, and let sit for a couple of minutes.
3 - Rinse well with cool or tepid water.

Lemon Herbal Hair Rinse

(You can adjust quantities accordingly to make a larger amount at a time)

Ingredients:

The juice from one freshly squeezed lemon, medium to large size.
1 teaspoon of fresh, finely minced rosemary, chamomile, and parsley.
1/2 cup distilled water

Directions:

1 - Pour the lemon juice into your container.
2 - Put the minced herbs into a small saucepan and add the 1/2 cup of water.
3 - Bring herb and water mixture to a boil, then simmer for five minutes.
4 - Strain the mixture through muslin or a similar cloth and let the mixture cool.
5 - Mix 2 tablespoons of the herbal mixture with the lemon juice.
6 - Shake well before using. Pour mixture on and work through hair, and let sit for a couple of minutes.
7 - Rinse well with cool or tepid water.

Natural Hair Detangler Recipe

Summary:

Similar to No More Tangles

Ingredients:

8 oz. distilled water
1 tsp. aloe vera gel
1-2 drops glycerin
1-2 drops essential oil
15 drops Grapefruit seed Extract

Instructions:

Combine in a spray bottle. Shake before each use. Spray in hair to moisten as you brush it out.

All Natural Soap Recipe

For a couple of years, this recipe was my closely guarded secret, since I sold them, but now, it's more about the health of others rather than money, as it well should be. I have other, more exotic recipes, including shampoo bars, that I can post later if anyone is interested. It just takes a while to type them up. Most of the recipes are out of the book mentioned at the end, a very good investment if you are really interested in making your own soap.

This is a basic recipe. If you have extremely oily skin, Grapeseed or Sunflower Oil are good substitutes for the Olive Oil in the recipe. Other good, but more expensive, Olive oil replacements include Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe Vera Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, and Flax Seed Oil. They are all relatively close on the saponification chart and will have the same result in bar soaps.

This is also a good recipe to make in bulk, without added fragrance, to have some melt-and-pour base for making more exotic soaps with butters, natural colors from herbs, and scents later. :-)

It works best to either make or purchase a wooden soap frame. A good sized, shallow cardboard box can work too. You will need stainless steel pots, preferably able to be set as a double boiler, a grams-pounds scale, a large glass bowl, sodium hydroxide (lye), your oils, of course, and candy thermometers (or soap thermometers, whichever you prefer). Also, essential oils if you wish to use them for a natural fragrance or for their benefits. The best price I have found on lye is at http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-Sodium-dsh-Hydroxide-dsh-Lye-dsh-Food-dsh-Grade/Categories .

Other good supply sites include:
*www.essentialwholesale.com
*www.camdengrey.com
*www.brambleberry.com
*www.wellingtonfragrance.com (WF is more expensive for Essential Oils, but it is educational on the benefits of certain oils, and what fragrances do best as top, middle, or base notes.)
*www.newdirectionsaromatics.com is a good resource for more expensive but extremely beneficial additives.

All measurements in this recipe are done in weight as it is measured on the scale.

Basic Bar Soap
Should make about 40 4 ounce bars.

Ingredients:

3 pounds of cold distilled water
473 grams sodium hydroxide
4 pounds (1.81kg) olive oil (regular, doesn't need to be VOO or EVOO)
2 pounds 8 ounces (1.13 kg) coconut oil
1 pound 8 ounces (680 g) palm oil
30 grams grapefruit seed extract or Rosemary Oleoresin, preservative,
optional
45-50 grams (aprox 15-18 tsp) pure essential oil, optional
optional additives

Directions:

1- Line soap mold with waxed freezer paper. Use masking tape to smooth edges and secure the paper to the frame or box.

2- Pre-measure essential oil(s), preservatives, and any additives and set aside in sealed containers.

3- Wear goggles and gloves, measure out sodium hydroxide and set aside.

4- Set the glass container on the scale and zero it out. Add the distilled water and remove from the scale to a well ventilated area (I prefer to do it outside). Carefully add the sodium hydroxide and stir quickly with a metal or wooden utensil. *The fumes will be strong. The reaction will make the solution over 200 degrees, so you will need to set the bowl aside and let it cool to 80 degrees F*

5- While lye is cooling, measure out oils and add them together in the stainless steel double boiler over low heat, stirring as needed until the chunks are dissolved completely. If you use a preservative, add it to the oils after they have dissolved. Let the oil mixture cool to 80 degrees F.

6- When lye and oils are both at 80 degrees F, (make sure to remove from heat) wearing your goggles and gloves, add the sodium hydroxide mixture to the oil mixture and stir briskly as you pour. Continue stirring, circling the edges of the pan and cutting through the middle to keep as much of the mixture in constant motion as you can. *Make sure not to beat it or whip it, just stir "briskly", and do not scrape the sides of the pan.* Once it reaches "trace", or when a small amount of the mixture drizzled across the top of the mixture leaves a faint pattern before sinking back into the solution, the soap is ready for the essential oils and other additives. Reaching trace consistency could take between 7-40 minutes, depending on the batch. Patience and a strong arm are must haves, lol.

7- Add EO and additives, stirring swiftly and thoroughly for 20 or 30 seconds and then quickly pour into prepared frames. Mixture should be uniform in color and smooth with no lumps.

8- Cover the frame with a piece of plywood or heavy cardboard then cover with a thick blanket. Let sit for 18 to 24 hours, undisturbed. The insulation is really important, because it allows the soap to heat up and complete the process.

9- After 24 hours, uncover the frame and set it away from drafts and cold temps for 1-7 days, until the soap is firm enough to cut. Do not wait until it is rock hard.

10- Using rulers and a paring knife, lightly mark the soap block into bars, but be careful not to cut all the way through. Once the marks are satisfactory, cut all the way through into bars. Using the wax paper edges, gently lift the soap from the frame and peel the paper away. Trim a thin slice off the top to remove the powdery white soda ash, and trim the edges.

11- In a dry, well ventilated room away from temperature extremes, lay the soaps in a single layer on brown paper or wicker or rattan placemats. Don't use bags or paper with ink on them, it will imprint the soap.

12- Allow the soaps to cure for 4-6 weeks, turning them over once to expose the other sides. During this time the soaps are becoming harder and milder. Wrap and store in breathable material.

**Got this and other recipes out of "The Natural Soap Book" by Susan Miller Cavitch. Great resource for soap making.**

Homeade Castile Soap Recipe

A lot of recipes call for a bit of shredded castile soap, so here is a recipe. The directions are the same as the directions for the Basic Bar, so I included them below as well. The approximate cost per bar is $2.00 for Certified Organic ingredients.

Ingredients:

3 pounds cold distilled water
8 pounds Olive Oil
460 grams sodium hydroxide


Directions: (Same as basic bar)

1- Line soap mold with waxed freezer paper. Use masking tape to smooth edges and secure the paper to the frame or box.

2- Pre measure any additives that you want to add. (None are recommended for the Basic Castile Soap.)

3- Wear goggles and gloves, measure out sodium hydroxide and set aside.

4- Set the glass container on the scale and zero it out. Add the distilled water and remove from the scale to a well ventilated area (I prefer to do it outside). Carefully add the sodium hydroxide and stir quickly with a metal or wooden utensil. *The fumes will be strong. The reaction will make the solution over 200 degrees, so you will need to set the bowl aside and let it cool to 80 degrees F*

5- While lye is cooling, measure out oils and add them together in the stainless steel double boiler over low heat, stirring as needed until the chunks are dissolved completely. If you use a preservative, add it to the oils after they have dissolved. Let the oil mixture cool to 80 degrees F.

6- When lye and oils are both at 80 degrees F, (make sure to remove from heat) wearing your goggles and gloves, add the sodium hydroxide mixture to the oil mixture and stir briskly as you pour. Continue stirring, circling the edges of the pan and cutting through the middle to keep as much of the mixture in constant motion as you can. *Make sure not to beat it or whip it, just stir "briskly", and do not scrape the sides of the pan.* Once it reaches "trace", or when a small amount of the mixture drizzled across the top of the mixture leaves a faint pattern before sinking back into the solution, the soap is ready for the essential oils and other additives. Reaching trace consistency could take between 7-40 minutes, depending on the batch. Patience and a strong arm are must haves, lol.

7- Quickly pour into prepared frames. Mixture should be uniform in color and smooth with no lumps.

8- Cover the frame with a piece of plywood or heavy cardboard then cover with a thick blanket. Let sit for 18 to 24 hours, undisturbed. The insulation is really important, because it allows the soap to heat up and complete the process.

9- After 24 hours, uncover the frame and set it away from drafts and cold temps for 1-7 days, until the soap is firm enough to cut. Do not wait until it is rock hard.

10- Using rulers and a paring knife, lightly mark the soap block into bars, but be careful not to cut all the way through. Once the marks are satisfactory, cut all the way through into bars. Using the wax paper edges, gently lift the soap from the frame and peel the paper away. Trim a thin slice off the top to remove the powdery white soda ash, and trim the edges.

11- In a dry, well ventilated room away from temperature extremes, lay the soaps in a single layer on brown paper or wicker or rattan placemats. Don't use bags or paper with ink on them, it will imprint the soap.

12- Allow the soaps to cure for 4-6 weeks, turning them over once to expose the other sides. During this time the soaps are becoming harder and milder. Wrap and store in breathable material.