DIY Pumpkin Butter

Since pumpkins are still in season here (read that: really cheap and easy to get), I thought I try pumpkin butter as my first DIY project for 2012. I looked at a few different pumpkin butter recipes but ended up coming up with my own very simple recipe. I really like how it turned out though; it tastes like spreadable pumpkin pie to me. Pumpkin butter is great on muffins and toast, and I would imagine it would be fabulous on homemade bagels.

Homemade Pumpkin Butter Recipe

• 8 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (or up to 3 cups depending on your personal taste, but we thought 1 1/2 cups was plenty sweet)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• dash (about 1/8 of a teaspoon) of cloves (optional)
• dash (about 1/8 of a teaspoon) of ginger (optional)

1. Place all ingredients in a crock pot or large stock pot.
2. Stir to combine.
3. Bring to a very low boil and simmer for 30 minutes to up to 2 hours.
4. When you can stand a wooden spoon up in the center of the pot and all of the flavors have combined nicely, remove from heat, and let cool.
5. Store in jars (or other airtight containers) in the refrigerator, or freeze for later use.

This recipe yielded about 7 cups of pumpkin butter for me.

12 Food DIY Projects to Attempt for 2012

Recently, I've talked about some of the projects that I attempted in 2011 and how I am using this first week of the new year to set some goals for 2012. One area I am obviously passionate about and want to keep challenging myself in is DIY projects, hence this blog. I also think that this is a good way to encourage creativity, try to be a life long learner, and possibly cultivate new skills. So I came up with 12 DIY projects that I really want to try in 2012. This list is all food items, but I chose a variety of different types of food. Here they are in no particular order:

• Homemade Pop-tarts
• Strawberry Freezer Jam
• Pita Bread
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Apple Butter
• Potato Chips
• Pumpkin Butter
• Cottage Cheese
• Thousand Island Dressing
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Homemade Doughnuts
• Chicken Broth From Scratch

These are all things that I've never done before and a few I've wanted to try for quite a while. I'll be blogging about my attempts at these projects throughout the year.

DIY Projects Attempted in 2011

This past year, I've tried to make a lot of things that I've never done before. Many of them have worked really well...but a few have completely flopped. I'll start with the ones that worked. Here are some of the successful projects that I've attempted that were new to me in 2011 (or that I finally figured out how to do well).

Homemade Tortillas

Frozen Yogurt made without an Ice Cream Machine

Pasteurized Eggs

Cheesecake Brownies

Real Homemade Ice Cream

Easy Fresh Lemonade

Homemade Ice Cream Cones

Corn Syrup Substitute

Homemade Glue

Homemade Watercolors

From Scratch Caramel Pudding

Homemade Chocolate Chips

Homemade Hash Browns

Homemade Caramel Chips

Pumpkin Scones

Chocolate Covered Spoons

Easy No-bake Caramel Corn

Homemade Bubble Bath

Homemade Chewy Salted Caramels

There are still quite a few other new projects that I did in 2011 that I haven't had a chance to post about yet like homemade marshmallows, crescent rolls, paint with water pages, and more that hopefully I'll get a chance to share with you soon.

There are also a few projects that I have tried that have been complete flops. Projects that I just couldn't get to work, at least not yet. I don't generally share these here, simply because failed projects aren't as helpful to others. But so that you all know I am human and still fail often, here are a few things I tried and didn't work out.

Limeade

I tried making fresh limeade the same way I make fresh lemonade in the blender, and it turned out incredibly bitter. Don't make limeade in this way, you'll just waste limes and sugar. (Although my husband still liked some of it.)

Candy Canes

I tried making candy canes twice and both flopped rather badly. I was trying to make them with just a dairy thermometer instead of a proper candy thermometer that would actually read all the way to proper temperatures (in high altitude, which effects boiling temperatures) and not using corn syrup. I think I need to change at least one of these obstacles before I'll think about attempting making these again. I did manage to save the slightly minty sugar and turn it into these mint-sugar balls, which all the boys ate with gusto, but it was not at all what I was going for.

Homemade Dehumidifier
I think I deleted all pictures of our attempts at making homemade dehumidifiers using old plastic tubs recycled from food, salt, charcoal, fabric, and colanders, because it made me mad that instead of helping they started molding themselves, and I had more to clean. For some reason they don't sell dehumidifiers in this city, so we were trying to make our own, but so far no success. If anyone has successfully made their own, please share. Otherwise we'll probably have to try to order one off of Chinese "Ebay" and see if it helps.

There are probably a lot more projects that didn't work out, but I think I'm repressing them at the moment. I am planning some new things to try as I am trying to set goals for 2012, and I'll share what projects I want to tackle next year soon.

Happy New Year!

Year In Review

Aaron Examining Christmas 2010

For the past two years, I have put together Year In Review DVDs of our best pictures and videos that we have taken throughout the year. First, I go through and label all of the pictures or videos we really want to save and remember. I copy the best ones into a Year In Review folder. This give us a way to look at the best pictures or videos we've take in a certain year quickly. We have then burned DVDs to give as gifts to parents and grandparents. It is an easy and inexpensive gift, except for the time involved. I have found it good to give myself this year end deadline for organizing these memories as well, and I know at least my Grandma watches them over and over again.

This year, I think that we are going to have a family movie marathon for New Year's Eve, featuring ourselves. I think we'll watch the slideshow of the Year In Review pictures and as many home videos as our little guys want to watch. They always love to watch themselves and family on video anyway, and I think this will be a great way to review all the things that have happened in 2011 on New Year's Eve. Maybe we'll make this a new tradition.

DIY Amazingly Delicious, No Corn Syrup, Salted Caramels

So, I've told you just how crazy I am about good caramel. Well I was eating a spoonful of this amazing sauce and noticing that the jar was soon going to be gone. I began to think to myself that this year I would try to make chewy salted caramel candy at Christmastime. Some for me to enjoy and (so I don't eat it all in one sitting) some to give away as gifts. These caramels make great gifts and stocking stuffers. So I began searching through tons of recipes for caramel online, but I only found two recipes that didn't use corn syrup. I too think that caramel is best when the sugar is caramelized separately before any other ingredients are added. But the honey isn't great here though, and I have almost as much trouble caramelizing anything but pure white sugar by itself as I do baking caramel corn. I almost always end up with burnt sugar instead of caramelize sugar, which is not nearly as tasty or desirable. So mixing it with brown sugar seems like a recipe for failure for me personally. So I took some of this process and came up with my own recipe, with just 4 ingredients. I guess it could be 3 if you don't like salt in your caramel, but just a little sea salt makes the flavors so much better that you really should consider adding it. There are more pictures of melting sugar and adding ingredients to it in these two posts.

Homemade No Corn Syrup Salted Caramel

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Sea salt to taste

Use caution when working with boiling sugar and caramel so you don't burn yourself.

1. Begin by placing sugar in a medium to large saucepan over low heat. You need a bigger saucepan than the amount of ingredients because the caramelized sugar will bubble and foam up a lot when you add the butter and cream, and you don't want to get burned.
2. Melt all of the sugar, completely stirring and swirling the pot as necessary to keep it from burning. Be aware than too much stirring can make the final product a little lumpy.
3. Once all of the sugar is melted, add the butter carefully, and stir to combine. Some of the caramel may harden and seize, but just keep stirring it over low heat until it melts into liquid again.
4. Then add the cream a little at a time because this is when the mixture will really bubble up. The caramel will harden again, but just keep stirring over low heat until it melts. Add sea salt to taste, but don't taste the syrup without cooling a tiny bit in cold water first; you'll get a really bad burn.
5. Now, you just need to cook this mixture until it reaches hard ball stage on a candy thermometer (250-266 F at sea level with an accurate thermometer) or by using the cold water method where you drop a small amount of the syrup into cold water to see if it forms a ball that depresses slightly when taken out and squeezed.
6. Now, you can pour this mixture into an 8x8 silicone baking pan or one lined with a silpat (or possibly even parchment paper), and allow it to cool.
7. Cut into squares or desired pieces, and wrap individually with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Makes 64 one inch square caramels.

DIY Amazingly Delicious, No Corn Syrup, Caramel Sauce

I absolutely love really good, homemade caramel. Next to chocolate, it is probably my favorite flavor sweet; although really good coffee is definitely up there too. But there is something about homemade caramel that is so different than store bought. I think it is the pure caramelized sugar, butter, and cream without anything else added that makes it so good. Anyway, this caramel sauce is incredibly amazing. It is great on apple pie, on or in ice cream, on in brownies, in coffee, or just eaten with a spoon. This sauce would make a great gift in an ice cream sundae kit, paired with another dessert or coffee, or a great stocking stuffer or hostess gift all by itself.

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Begin by placing sugar in a medium to large saucepan over low heat. Even though this recipe only makes about 1 pint of sauce altogether, you need a much bigger saucepan because the caramelized sugar will bubble and foam up a lot when you add the butter and cream, and you don't want to get burned.
2. Melt all of the sugar completely, stirring and swirling the pot as necessary to keep it from burning. Be aware that too much stirring can make the final product a little lumpy.
3. Once all of the sugar is melted, add the butter carefully and stir to combine. Some of the caramel may harden and seize, but if you just keep stirring it over low heat, it will melt into liquid again.
4. Then add the cream a little at a time because this is when the mixture will really bubble up. The caramel will harden again, but just keep stirring over low heat until it melts. Cook and stir until the mixture is well combined, and then turn off heat, and allow to cool. Cooking down the mixture a long time will result in wonderful chewy caramel candy, but if you are looking for sauce, you may not find that quite as wonderful.
5. Pour over your favorite dessert or into a glass jar, and refrigerate for later.

DIY Christmas Gift Ideas: Bubble Bath

I was having trouble thinking of things to make Andrew for his birthday, but I thought he would like some new things for bath time. So when I came across this blog post where Laura is having the same dilemma for a little bit older son, I thought this was a perfect idea. The basic recipe requires very few ingredients, although you can customize it more with additional scents and colors if you like. I put a sticker on the plastic bottle to make it Pooh-themed to match our soon-to-be two-year-old's birthday party theme, but you could easily make this gift appropriate for an adult too, simply but making the presentation more elegant. This would make a great inexpensive gift or stocking stuffer for a wide variety of people.

Homemade Bubble Bath Recipe

• 1/2 cup shampoo
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• few drops essential oils (optional)
• few drops food coloring (optional)

Mix the shampoo, water, and salt together in a bowl (or in the bottle) until the mixture thickens together. Add any extra essential oils or food coloring if desired.

DIY Christmas Decorations: Easy, Low Sew, Pocket Advent Calendar

I realize this is a little late for anyone to be making advent calendars this year, but I made mine a couple days late, and we've been enjoying it ever since then. I simply cut 4 inch squares out of a variety of green fabrics and one brown square for the trunk (Christmas Day). I arranged them in a pattern to resemble a Christmas Tree and hand sewed them on. I have been embracing frayed edges and uneven stitching in our holiday decorations, but you could finish these much nicer if you prefer. I then used fabric paint to paint on 1–25 for the days of the month, but you could embroider, sew on number beads or decals, iron number transfers on, or even just write them on with a sharpie.

The choice of fabrics and how you do your numbers could totally change the look of this calender for any decor.

My husband and I are working on writing a Jesse Tree devotional book for our family this year and I am putting each day's symbol ornament in the pocket for that day. But you could put treats, a verse, a family activity, or even an act of service in each pocket for other ways to celebrate the season. The boys really like our advent calendar, especially because we combine it with a treat in their Christmas stockings as we count down the days to Christmas.

DIY No-Bake, No Corn Syrup Crunchy Caramel Corn

I really like caramel corn, but I am really horrible at baking it. Somehow I always managed to burn at least part of the batch. I am not really sure how, but some always burns. So after learning how to make simple hard caramel candy, I got to thinking...what if I could make caramel corn using this caramel? I tried it yesterday, and it worked great. No baking and minimal ingredients required. It is the easiest way I have ever tried or seen to make caramel corn. The only trick is to make sure to spread the popcorn out well, drizzle the sauce over it, and then stir and spread it really fast so it doesn't all clump together when it hardens.

Homemade No-Bake, No Corn Syrup Caramel Corn Recipe

• 6-8 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup sugar
• Salt if desired

1. Pop the popcorn using your preferred method. I pop mine in sunflower oil on the stove top and then sprinkle on a small amount of salt.
2. Spread popcorn out in non-stick baking dish (like silicone) or in a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or buttered (or oiled) parchment paper.
3. Melt the sugar in a small saucepan using the method described here.
4. Once all of the sugar is entirely melted and caramelized, pour over the popcorn and stir quickly to coat. You can add even more salt now if you like. Let cool and you're done!
5. Eat once cool, store in sealed containers, or package it up for gift giving.

DIY Christmas Decorations: Pine Cone Window Treatments

When we moved around the world by airplane, we decided not to pack non-essentials, like our Christmas decorations. So this year, I have been having fun making our own Christmas decorations with things we already have, or found, and things from nature. My goal is to have a few simple beautiful Christmas decorations to decorate our house with for free. We have a great big curved window in the front of our living room that I thought I try to decorate with some pine cones Nate and Aaron gathered for me.

Homemade Pine Cone Window Treatments

• Pine cones
• Thread or fishing line

Simply cut lengths of thread or fishing line, tie one end to the pine cone, and then tie the other end to your curtain rod or tape it to the wall. Vary the height of the pine cones for visual interest.

I really like how the pine cones look, simple and beautiful.

DIY Sugar Cookies

We made this sugar cookies when the grandparents were here. It was a lot of fun, and this is a great sugar cookie recipe. I am pretty sure it was the real butter that made them the best sugar cookies ever, but the original recipe said to use margarine, so you can use that if you prefer. I also added Grandma Shirley's secret sugar cookie ingredient (nutmeg) which rounds out the flavors nicely.

Homemade Roll Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp nutmeg

1. Cream together butter and sugar.
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Add dry ingredients, incorporating flour about 1 cup at a time.
4. Chill in the refrigerator a couple of hours or overnight. I did find that with all real butter though I had to let the dough soften up a bit after chilling it overnight.
5. Roll small sections of dough at a time to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400F for 6-8 minutes, until edges just begin to brown.
7. Remove from cookie sheets immediately, and cool on wire racks or clean counter top.

DIY Stocking Stuffers: Chocolate Covered spoons

I started filling the boys stockings on December 1st and let them open one present each night until Christmas Day, when they can open the rest of their presents. So I've already been working on small treats for them. These small chocolate covered spoons are a great tiny chocolate treat for little kids who love to lick the spoon. They are also great to include in a gift basket with coffee or hot chocolate, as chocolate stirring spoons that add extra richness to the drink. If you could find inexpensive mismatched teaspoons at a second hand store that might be a beautiful non-plastic option for drink stirrers, if you are worried about plastic leaching into the hot drink.

To make these, you simply melt some chocolate, dip the end of the teaspoon in, and let dry on a baking pan on parchment paper before wrapping in cellophane or plastic wrap and tying with a pretty twist tie, ribbon, or string.

DIY Christmas Decorations: Jar Candle Luminaries

When we moved around the world by airplane, we decided not to pack non-essentials, like our Christmas decorations. So this year, I have been having fun making our own Christmas decorations with things we already have, items we found, and things from nature. My goal is to have a few simple, beautiful Christmas decorations to decorate our house with for free. I used recycled jars, re-purposed ribbon, broken tile we found and washed, an tea light candles I already had to put together some festive candle luminaries.

Homemade Jar Candle Luminaries

• Clean Glass Jars
• Non-flammable decorative filler for the bottom (tiles, marbles, sand, Epsom salts, etc.)
• Candles (tea lights or votives, small holders optional)
• Ribbon
• Extra embellishments to tie on (optional)

Fill the bottom of the jar to the height you desire, and then place the candle inside. Tie a ribbon around the outside of the jar, and add any extra embellishments you like.

 

 

DIY Christmas Decorations: Pine Cone "Chandelier"

When we moved around the world by airplane, we decided not to pack non-essentials, like our Christmas decorations. So this year, I have been having fun making our own Christmas decorations with things we already have, items we found, and things from nature. My goal is to have a few simple, beautiful Christmas decorations to decorate our house with for free. I have seen blog posts where people decorate their dining room lights with candy or other things, and I thought I try it with some pine cones that Nate and Aaron gathered for me.

Homemade Pine Cone "Chandelier"

• Pine cones
• Thread or fishing line

Simply cut lengths of thread or fishing line, tie one end to the pine cone, and then tie the other end to you light. Vary the height of the pine cones for visual interest.

We're not super fond of the actual light fixture here, but it is functional, so we haven't bothered to replace it. But I really like how the pine cone look in our dining room though: simple, natural beauty. And Andrew (our soon to be two year old) loves it too. He keeps saying, "Cone, cone, pretty."

DIY Christmas Gift Ideas: I Love Grandma Button Apron

The year of Aaron's first Christmas, I made these simple aprons for grandma gifts. They are pretty similar to these tote bags. I simply used an apron that I already had as a pattern and cut two pieces of fabric for the body. I sewed the right sides together, leaving a small opening for turning, turned it right-side-out and top-stitched around the apron. I made simple ties and a head strap out of lace, ribbon, or fabric pieces sewn together, again using the apron I already had a a guide for the length. I sewed these onto the body of the apron after it was completed, but you could also position them before you sew the body and sew them into the seams (like with the straps on this baby carrier). To decorate, I printed out the phrase "I Love Grandma" (or "mom," or "great grandma," etc.) on fabric transfer paper (remember to do it in reverse) and ironed it on.  Last, I sewed on three buttons in the shape of a heart for decoration. These were well received handmade gifts that were fairly quick to make.