for Cheesecake Recipes!

Aunt Linda requested the recipe for Marlee's Famous Cheesecake - which certainly is very famous around our house! ...it will also be published in our town's newspaper very soon *smile*!

Here is the recipe:

Marlee's Famous Cheesecake

1.5 cups crushed NILLA wafers
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with foil with ends of foil extending over sides of pan to form handles. Mix wafer crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Refrigerate until needed.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream, flour and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over prepared crust.

3. Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift out of pan onto cutting board using foil handles. Drizzle with topping of your choice. Cut into 32 bars. Store leftover in refrigerator.

A couple of notes - Marlee doesn't make the foil lifter - we just eat it right out of the glass dish it is made in! We also usually eat it as is - no need to drizzle anything on it because it is so delicious. Lastly, 32 bars??? - well, we never get that many pieces out of it, but I suppose you could! *smile*

for Instant Refried Beans

I've had a couple of requests for the recipe we use for our instant refried beans. Without further ado, I bring it to you now!

Instant Refried Beans

In a coffee grinder, mill, or blender grind 3 cups of beans (I use pinto)to a flour consistency.

To the 'bean flour' add:

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
cayenne pepper, to taste

Store in an airtight container.

To make just add 3/4 C. Instant Refried Bean Mix to 2 1/2 cups boiling water. Mix with a whisk until combined. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

This is the basic recipe, but you may want to 'kick' it up a bit with your own seasonings. I like to add a little salsa to mine. The possibilities are endless and it is so simple!

We buy our beans and spices through Azure. We get the organic stuff - which makes me feel better. No additives, no preservatives. Of course, I've never read the label on a refried bean can, so I'm not even sure what is in them when bought from the store. I just know that with my grinder, spices, and beans - we never have to make a trip to the store again for refried beans.

Do you have a favorite recipe that calls for refried beans? If so, share it! We truly enjoy trying new recipes!

...for Mother's Day

What a fantastic day we had yesterday! The morning started out quietly. I was snuggled and hugged and just given lots of love by 5 sets of arms!!

The night before I had started the recipe for breakfast, but the family took over in the morning for a scrumptious breakfast!!

We had:

Blender Pancakes: which were made with our own homemade buttermilk)
Sausage: from the pig we raised last fall)
Scrambled Eggs: from the chicken-ladies we have out back!

In the afternoon, we went out for a Mother's Day lunch/dinner with Grandpa Ron and Grandma Sweetie.

After this, we had to go by the garden center - which is when I received my present. Well, I didn't actually receive it, but I was told about it. The kids (with Dad's help) are going to buy me a patio furniture set of my choice. How excited I am!!!

Once home again, we visited over bowls of ice cream, and then played a game of Stare.

I pray that you Moms out there had a splendid day, as well. I am truly, truly blessed and so thankful for the family that I have - God is so incredibly good!!

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...for making liquid laundry soap!

Last year, or was it two years ago??...we started making our own laundry soap. It's quite easy, and, I truly believe economical. I'll have one of the older kids do a cost-analysis on that, but for now...here are step-by-step instructions on making your own laundry soap!

Step 1:Gather your ingredients and supplies.



You will need 3 pints + 1 quart water for the initial step. Fels Naphtha Soap, Borax, and Washing Soda. You will also need a bucket large enough to hold 2 gallons of water, a wooden spoon, 1/2 cup Measuring Cup, and a grater. (We use a hand grater that is typically used for grating hard cheese and/or chocolate). When the soap is ready, you'll need two 1-gallon jugs and a funnel. Optional ingredients are Grapeseed Extract and any essential oils you may like.

Step 2: Put two pans of water on the stove. Put 3 pints of water in one pan, and 1 quart water in the other pan. You want the water in both pans to be very warm - too hot to touch - but not boiling.

Grate 1/3 bar of soap into the pan with 3 pints water.

Stir until all the soap dissolves.

Step 3: Add 1/2 cup Borax and 1/2 cup Washing Soda to the dissolved soap mixture.



Stir this until the Borax and Soda are combined.



Step 4: Pour this mixture into your bucket.



...and then pour in your 1 quart hot water.



Stir a couple of times and then...

Step 5: Add cold water until you have 2 gallons in the bucket.



As you can see, we marked off a '2-gallon line' on our bucket.

Step 6: Stir every 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. This step is very important. If you don't stir, you'll get big clumps of stuff. Every one in the family takes part in this step. If you happen to be in the kitchen when the timer goes off, you get to stir and re-start the timer. After about 2 hours, or so, I decrease the time to every 10 minutes. Continue in this fashion until the soap cools. After the soap has cooled, you can add your GSE and/or essential oils, if you'd like.



Step 7: Pour into gallon jugs and then get to washing!

We had some gung-ho stirrers this time...notice the bubbles on top

This was a good batch...no clumps whatsoever, notice the nice stream!

Two Gallons, 64 loads, $1.00...Excellent!

* Use 1/2 cup per full load. That's 64 loads of laundry...or a little less if you have a front loader.

Thank you to Headmistress, Zookeeper for the cost analysis she has on her site. She estimated it costs about .50 to make each batch (including the cost of the ingredients, the water, and heating the water). So, that's 64 loads of laundry for 50 cents!! On her site, she mentions 80 loads of laundry..but I'm not sure where she gets that number. If I'm doing my math right, there are 16 cups in a gallon. So, one gallon is 32 loads of laundry x 2 and you get 64. Maybe she'll post again *smile*. So, using the $0.50/batch you come up with $0.008 cents per load of laundry. Can't beat that can you?? I'll get our cost analysis for our area soon!

Okay, we did our cost analysis. Our ingredients are bit more expensive in our no stoplight town, but still very, very inexpensive. The Fels soap is $1.55, the Washing Soda is $2.49, and the Borax is $4.05. This breaks down to $0.92/batch. I figure if you add another $.08 for the water and heating it, that brings it to $1.00/64 loads of laundry and $0.016/load of laundry. Still a pretty good deal!

...for GOOT

GOOT, Airborne, and Tissue...all you need to send those ick germs packing!

Yes, GOOT. It is our remedy, along with Airborne, when the ick germs decide to pay us a visit. GOOT is a wonderful concoction using a wonderful resource God has given us. If you have not read up on the many wonderful qualities in garlic, get to researching!!!, you'll be WOWED by yet another aspect of our Father's wonderful, wonderful creation!

David was the first to be hit. Saturday, he was dragging a bit, but we were at a conference and figured he was just tired from the traveling and not sleeping in his own bed. However, he started a fever Sunday. It was gone by Monday evening. Marlee was next, but we had started treating her with Airborne and GOOT before whatever it was took hold, and while she is feeling a bit run-down, she is doing very well...no fever, no congestion. Victoria started feeling icky today, and again, we immediately hit it with GOOT and Airborne, and she is doing better this evening.

So, what is GOOT? It is wonderful, natural, and very easy to make. Melt 3 tbsp. coconut oil. Add 3 tbsp. olive oil. Next, add 3 tbsp. finely chopped (not minced) fresh garlic. Blend well for 3 or 4 minutes in your blender. Pour into a small, wide-mouthed jar and refrigerate. In about an hour, you'll have a soft paste. Rub a small amount onto the bottom of both feet. You may want to put on socks to protect your floors and furniture from the oils. Then, sit back and be WOWED! by God, praising and rejoicing in Him and His creation!

Was it the ick germs or the footwear that made them feel sickly??

..for carrying on Family Traditions

Last night, we tried our hand at an old family tradition passed to me from my father. I do not know any history beyond my own...however, I do remember it was always something we looked forward to as kids. My father's parents are from the Mediterranean...I believe Mersien, Syria and Tarsus, Turkey. Along with some great main course dishes, we learned some fantastic recipes for desserts.

One of these was (and forgive the spelling...lol) Halehweh Dijibon. First, you have to make some lemon syrup. Add one-cup water to two-cups sugar. Mom always used regular old white sugar, but we use cane crystals and it tastes just as good. IT's just a bit darker in color. Okay, so bring the sugar water to boil and let it boil for 1 minute. Turn heat down to low. Add 3 or 4 thin lemon slices. If you want it more lemony - add more lemon.

Now you are ready to make the Halehweh Dijibon. This is made with a double-boiler. Melt one stick butter in top of double boiler then stir in one-cup of farina. Once this is incorporated, add in 1 lb. mozarella cheese...the real stuff. Stir this well (Dad always did this) until the cheese is melted and it is all combined.

Next, put a small pool of syrup on the counter and put a golf-ball sized blob of the farina/cheese mixture on it. Turn it over in the syrup to coat. Then, using a wooden rolling pin, roll it out paper thin. Now comes the fun part... EAT!

This stuff is fantastic. I have to say, too, after making it and tasting it last night (for the first time since making it with Dad)...it tasted just as I remembered. My whole family enjoyed it. We'll be making this again, I'm sure!

Not quite there...

...getting closer!

Coat it...

Roll it....

EAT it!!!!

If you give it a try at your house...let us know!!! Better yet, send us some pictures to post!