Teach Me Tuesdays: MYO Natural Triple Butter Whipped Super Lotion

 

 Winter Time Remedy for Chapped 

& Red Hands

I saved 6oz baby food jars from son (they were FREE otherwise I made my own baby food) and I pour the mixture in them. This way I don't have to worry about contamination and each batch stays fresh. I store the unused portions in the fridge if I happen to run out of room I place them in the closet in my bedroom which remains cool 9 months out the year.

This make so much & is so rich you 

only need a small amount- you can make  

some for yourself and  

give some for gifts! 

I use my Cricut die cutting machine to cut adorable tags and labels then I use adhesives to affix labels when able or tie on tags with pretty ribbon.

Teach Me Tuesday: Liquid African Soap Re-Formulated

OK, so I did try this once before with not so great results- we toughed it out nearly a year as I made about a gallon of this terrible, watery, slightly smelly, & mucky looking soap.  

I tried to convince myself and my family it was fine, 
but my daughter was afraid of using the "dirt soap". 
And my mom, who at the time came over 3 x's/week to help 
me with the kids as I recovered from major surgery,
started bringing her own soap over b/c 
she refused to use my "Murky Nile Dirt Soap" she so dubbed it....

I stubbornly held on until the last 8-16 ounces of my concoction was left. I became so grossed out by the smell, not putrid mind you, but "off smelling"- kinda metallic. I ended up using it to wash the tub and scrub the toilets...basically money down the drain...:-(


I still have 2 lbs left of the soap & after I used up all the store bought liquid soaps I had in reserve- I was determined to give this another shot. I researched all kinds of formulas and "tweaked" this one one to my preferences and understanding of formulating from my previous trials (Err..) errors and errors. 

WHAT I CHANGED FROM MY PREVIOUS ATTEMPT:

• DIDN'T dilute soap mixture with as much water as I had before
• ADDED Vegetable Glycerin to preserve it {I think that is what I omitted last time, probably the source of the "off smelling" concoction}
• ADDED Caster Oil: as it's a powerful humectant, meaning that it helps attract moisture to the skin plus it boosts the soap's lathery-"ness"
• ADDED Aloe Vera Gel for skin smoothing abilities
• DIDN'T add any tea {another probable cause for the "off-smell"}
• ADDED a small amount of melted extra virgin Coconut Oil: it adds more moisture to the skin and contains lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, which have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and antibacterial properties.

This makes a great hand soap and excellent body wash with a body poof it makes tons of lather, your skin feels amazing plus my razor just  

glided over my skin!

 

Was going to use tea tree EO but decided to use up another eo blend.

LIQUID SOAP FORMULA

1. 1 LB OF AFRICAN BLACK SOAP {could use a different natural handmade soap of choice about 2-4oz bars}
2. 6 C OF DISTILLED WATER
3. 3/4 C Vegetable GLYCERIN
4. 1/3-1/2 C Aloe Vera Gel
5. 1/4-1/3 C- Castor Oil
6. 3-5T Melted Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO)
7. Essential Oil/ Blend of choice{I choose *My Angles about 60 drops and 1/2 ounce from Birch Hill Happenings which is a much more affordable version of White Angelica Blend from a well known MLN. IT is one my FAVORITE scents!}
8. Carrier Oil {* *Rose Hip Oil. I purchase the majority of my supplies from Birch Hill Happenings, their prices, quality and customer service is really excellent}
9. ***Proper amount of Emulsifier{I choose Polysorbate 20, you basically use equal parts to essential oils}

 ----------------------------
2 Ways to go about this,  

• #1: Crumble soap and place in a large pan over a low heat and stir until melted completely. Will take about 30-45 minutes. Don't worry about the tiny black specks that might be left in pan, those are cocoa pods fragments. (This is what I did, I added 1/4 C raw honey to melt it for added humectant properties plus it is great for sensitive skin)
• #2: Pour the 6 C of distilled water over the soap you have crumbled and leave in a large 2 Gallon container with a large opening overnight.
• Allow Soap mixture to cool (about 20 minutes) IF you melt over the stove top - if you allowed to melt over night start at this point 

and add glycerin, aloe vera gel,  EVCO, & Castor oil, stir well to combine

-----------------------------

•  After soap has completely cooled mix essential of choice- be sure to mix with emulsifier of choice before you add it to any water mixture- Or you will waste your essential oil as it will lay on the top, remember oil & water don't mix, you need to add something to allow it to blend!!

• Pour into container of choice, this makes about 1/2 Gallon

This makes a WONDERFUL body wash, bubble bath, and hair cleanser too! I added some honey for added moisture and cleansing -  

I just used it as a body wash and cleansed my hair following a "homemade hair conditioner MISHAP" & this also makes an EXCELLENT SHAMPOO!!
...it was amazing!! 

This defiantly is a KEEPER recipe, try adding the honey!!

 

*From Birch Hill Happenings: "My Angels ™ Blend: sandalwoods, rosewood, bergamot fcf, geranium, myrrh, spruce, ylang ylang #3, ylang ylang extra, hyssop, melissa, rose otto, and rose absolute...this blend will help you have a wonderful sense of wholeness as your negative energies turn positive. This wonderful blend of mind enriching essential oils will give you a glow like that of the angels. A healthy 'halo' will surround you. You will feel more spiritual. My Angels ™ blend will strengthen and protect your very being. Sit back, and simply enjoy."

*I added Rose Hip Oil ONLY because it was at the end of it's shelf life, it only has about 6 months shelf life and I already had my facial serums and scar ointments made. So in lieu of  my expensive oil going bad I added it to my soap. IF you have the extra funds by all means add this oil it is a very effective oil for skin treatments. It is very rich in G.L.A. Gamma Linoleic Acid and Vitamin C- it is very healing and nourishing and would be helpful in healing winter dried hands.

**If adding Essential oils it is very important to add an emulsifier or the essential oil will lay on the top of any water mixture and not properly mix

Teach Me Tuesdays: DIY Conditioners & Deep Conditioning Recipes

Why do we condition hair- have you ever thought why? Or did you just wash your hair twice with a bubbly shampoo like the label tells us, then are left with such a tangled mess, scoop a HUGE glob of conditioner smothering your hair hoping the results would be a shinny and manageable mane like the commercials show us?

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The natural oil our hair possesses and needs gets stripped in the process of removing daily dirt and grime-conditioners restore the PH balance in our hair to its optimal level of 5.6 on the acidic scale. 

 But with all types of synthetic chemicals- 

what are we sacrificing?

Though I am still struggling with the "No-Poo Method" of cleansing my hair, it is a tanglely mess, not shinny, dull looking and doesn't feel good- I am pressing forward with this

However, keep in mind I have underwent 5 major surgeries, been on life support for 9 days, then in the ICU for 13 days, have been admitted to the hospital for a total of 60 plus days ALL in the past 2 years. I am currently still recuperating from the last surgery that was 6 months ago & still wearing a wound vacuum. 

Soooooo needless to say my body is so stressed and I am loosing my hair by the handfuls, even with the best professional shampoo & conditioner I was not seeing the bouncy and shiny hair I was used to {With 20 years in the salon business I have access to the best available}... Right now, I am just trying to rid my body of as much chemicals and toxins as I can. 

I am going to hang in there and try this for a few more weeks/month(s), even if I am just detoxing. What I have found to work the best for me lately (As of 11/20/12) is: 

1. Cleanse with the "No Poo Method" of choice found here 
2. Use one of the PH balancing rinse formulas below.
3. If you need more detangling or smoothing- use the conditioner formula of choice below as often as needed.*(Mainly because of the hair loss and my body's response to all the chemicals & healing I have gone through. I am using the glycerine & rhassoul clay conditioners every time)

 Here are a few rinses I am trying:

1. Apple cider vinegar. Apply (I use a spray bottle to concentrate o

   

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   n ends of hair) after shampooing, then rinse.
   
2. Coffee grounds. Massage into hair to exfoliate. Rinse thoroughly.
   
3. Lemon juice. Squeeze fresh lemon into jar, or boil and strain. Apply and rinse.

This site offers a short video discussing the pH-restoring benefits found in lemon juice, coffee grounds, and apple cider vinegar.

The following is more conditioning:

1. Glycerin conditioner: {I am trying this one because of the tangling issues}
   • 5 oz. herbal water (infuse nettle or lavender leaves in water—see our this link for an article for instructions) or use 5 oz. distilled water
   • 2 oz. glycerin
   • 1 oz. lemon juice
   Combine ingredients in glass jar and shake well. Apply 1/4 - 1/2 C. after shampooing. Rinse with warm water. Stores in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
2. Coconut oil. Apply to dry hair and leave in until the next wash. Coconut oil helps reduce protein loss in hair. See this article for more information.
3. Olive oil/egg/essential oil blend. This recipe is a conditioning treatment- protein rich eggs strengthen hair and help prevent split ends and damage. You can do this weekly or as needed.
   • 2 tsp. olive oil (moisturizer)
   • 3/4 C water
   • 1 egg yolk (softener)
   • 3-4 drops of essential oils of choice (optional)
   Mix egg yolk until bright yellow in color and thick. Mix water with Olive Oil then add essential oils. {Tea Tree, Rosemary, & Sage help dandruff. Sandalwood, Lavender, & Patchouli have a soothe a dry scalp and have a masculine scent. Peppermint will invigorate the scalp and citrus will help oily hair.}  Combine ingredients and apply to hair. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse using w/cool water, too hot will cook egg on your hair. Some sites say use this before you cleanse hair some say after.
4. Avocado-Coconut Milk: Deep Conditioner For Dandruff & Frizz
   
   1 Avocado
   ½ can of (fat) Coconut Milk
   2 tbsp of Organic Coconut Oil
   2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   Optional extras:
   (1/3 cup of organic honey for extra dry hair)
   (1 lemon for hair loss)
   
   *Blend and apply in hair for 30 min to an hour 
5. Yogurt-Banana Deep Conditioner For Breakage-Prone Hair
   
   1 cup of plain whole-fat Yogurt
   1 Banana
   1 Egg
   2 tbsp of Jamaican Black Castor Oil
   
   *Blend and apply in hair for 30 min to an hour
6. Hot Oil Deep Treatment For Dry Hair
   
   1 cup of Water (Bring to a boil)
   2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
   2 tbsp of Jojoba Oil
   2 tbsp of Jamaican Black Castor Oil
   10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
   
   *Stir oils in water until warm. Massage mixture onto hair and scalp. Rinse after 30 min 
   
5. Rhassoul clay. This clay can also be used for deep conditioning of the hair. Feel free to adapt the following recipe to suit your unique hair needs. *This is the conditioner I am using, due to the condition of my hair, I am using this nearly every time I cleanse my hair-which is about every 4-6 days 

• 1/2 c. rhassoul clay
• 1/2 c. warm coconut milk {Don't keep on hand use warm water &  enough dry milk powder to make 1/2 C} 
• 1/4 c. rose water or herbal water (make your own infusion by pouring 2 c. boiling water over 2 tbsp. organic herbs or flower petals. Allow to steep for 30 minutes and strain.)
• 1/4 c. distilled water (double this amount if no herbal or rose water is used)
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil
• Tad of Honey

Mix all ingredients except oil. Once you have a paste, stir in the oil. You may add a tad of honey at this point for added conditioning treatment. Apply to hair and allow to sit with a warm, moist towel or plastic hair cap for 1 hour. Rinse and style as usual. 

I keep this in a glass jar in the fridge and will bring to room temp before I use & will place in a pan of hot water to gently heat.
 
Rhassoul clay is excellent for ethnic hair as well, as seen in this video.

Teach Me Tuesdays: DIY NO-POO Method "Shampoo" Recipes

I have been slowly going down the list of chemical free cleansers and household cleaners this year. I have heard of natural shampooing and the reasons for going El'naturel' for a few years, but nothing has been as compelling as the simple paragraph I recently read from MomsAWARE BLOG HEALTH'S JOURNEY:

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"Our hair is made up of fiber, much like wool that comes from sheep or Kashmir goats. With at least 100,000 hair fibers on our head, it makes sense to treat our hair much like we would a cashmere sweater. Most commercial shampoos contain chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, which strip much-needed moisture and amino acids. Why not switch from the "heavy-duty cycle" to "delicate" and try these natural alternatives?"

SO that being said, I have started down the natural "NO-Poo Method" of cleansing my hair on the "Natural Cycle". I have only tried #1 & #5, so far, the rest are some I have found on this site:

1. Baking Soda-- Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in just enough water to make a paste. Apply this to your roots only; work it in and let it sit for a minute. (Having ready made in travels sized containers like pictured above is a great idea) I have used a picnic condiment bottle with a long nozzle to make sure the baking soda stays in the root area.
   
   (Next STEP IS IMPORTANT! YOU need to do this to lower PH- use only on ends) After you rinse the baking soda out, pour the apple cider vinegar over the ends of your hair, let it sit for a minute and then rinse it out. That’s all there is to it!  Pour about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a cup and add water. (Having ready made in travels sized containers like pictured above is a great idea or in a spray bottle. ) I also use a similar bottle for ACV rinse. This is the easiest and cheapest, I have a delicate scalp so this formula isn't one I use the most, only when I run out of rhassoul clay.
2. Castile Bar Soap.--Shampoo can be as simple as an all-natural, fragrance-free soap. Either grate the bar and make liquid soap, or moisten it and use the resulting lather to cleanse your hair. A little goes a long way! {Blogger "momsAWARE" offers a chemical-free, all-natural coconut castile bar soap, available at thier Online Store.}
   What seems to be most important is to be sure to use a pH-restoring conditioner such as apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or coffee grounds to bring the hair back to its natural pH level of approximately 5.6.
   
   Greta Breedlove, author of The Herbal Home Spa, offers these suggestions for shampooing your hair:
   • Wet hair thoroughly and use a small amount of shampoo, a dollop about the size of a quarter.
   • Put the shampoo on your hands. Rub together to form lather before applying to your hair.
   • Use your fingertips, not your fingernails, to massage the shampoo into your scalp.
   • Rinse hair thoroughly, then shampoo again.
   • Rinse again thoroughly, using the coolest water possible for the shiniest hair.
   • Pat hair dry; avoid rubbing.
   • Gently comb hair. (Consider a natural bamboo comb.)
3. Birch Shampoo.--Adapted from the book Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond. Birch was a major ingredient of nineteenth-century shampoos. Birch contains betulin, which is beneficial for hair loss. (See momsAWARE's article Five Ways to Stimulate Hair Growth for more help on hair loss.) The following recipe uses a birch herbal infusion.     To make an herbal infusion, pour 2 c. boiling water over 2 tbsp. birch bark or birch leaves. (Herb sources include  Mountain Rose Herbs.)
   • 1 c. birch water (directions above)
   • 4 oz. raw apple cider vinegar
   • 1 oz. liquid castile soap
   • 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
   Combine ingredients in glass jar. Shake well. This formula can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months. Note: The high salicylic acid content of birch makes it beneficial for dandruff. Add tea tree oil to the above recipe for added benefit.
4. Egg and Lemon Shampoo.--Adapted from the book Green Beauty Recipes by Julie Gabriel.
   • 1 egg yolk
   • 1/2 oz. olive oil
   • 1/2 oz. liquid castile soap
   • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
   • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
   Combine egg yolk with olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and stir slowly. Wet your hair and massage well. Leave on for 30 seconds or more. Rinse with lukewarm water. (REALLY IMPORTANT TO USE COOLER WATER, UNLESS YOU WANT SCRAMBLED EGGS!!)For oily hair, use even less or no oil. Rinsing with straight beer is really nice will give you a bouncy rinse to curls and straight hair.
5. Rhassoul Clay. {This is my chosen shampoo I LOVE rhassoul clay, the benefits are amazing ck this link for more info as to why I believe so. NOW  after one week, I am not so thrilled w/my hair, after 20 years in the salon industry I am used to my hair feeling differently. I am going to try this, but not sure I can stand the withdrawal...} Rhassoul clay has been used for hundreds of years for skin and hair care. This shampoo method involves some trial and error, but may be worth it for those who desire a thorough cleansing of the scalp and hair.

To create your clay shampoo: 

• Combine 2 tbsp. rhassoul clay
• 1/2 c. filtered water.
•  Allow this to hydrate for several minutes until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. 
• Add more warm water if needed. 
• This should keep at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or longer in the refrigerator.

 Directions for shampooing: 

• Apply liquid paste to hair and scalp.
• Comb through to distribute clay mixture. 
• Rinse thoroughly. 
• Comb through again and rinse one more time. 

I really prefer the Clay over the Baking Soda

For more information, see momsAWARE's helpful article on Rhassoul Clay.

Linked to Homemade Mondays

Teach me Tuesday: Adventures in Whole Foods/Organic Eating

Found an organic co-op in my area, now I am overwhelmed looking at the thousands of items that are offered, funny how seeing names and descriptions without pics make it harder for me to decide if we need it? I am not sure what I want to stock up on, what I really want to start with.


Since I am baking on a regular basis I am thinking that I want to try coconut sugar which is on sale 30% off, though I am not sure what the delivery and taxes will bring my cost up to as well as the one time fee of $10 to join the co-op and the $5 pick up fee if I don't regularly help unload truck. So I will have to add $15 right off the bat to my initial order plus shipping and taxes. They also strongly suggest you order minimum of $100 per month... Decided to save the money & go once a month up to Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Mustard Seed, & Earth Fare.

Anyhow, I am thinking I really want to try the coconut sugar reg in place of brown sugar and blonde in place of granulate sugar, xtra virgin coconut oil in place of my canola in all my cooking and baking & I think I replace shortening in cookies with coconut oil-will have to research.  I would like to find a sprouted flour for the bread I am making every other day that would be better. 

Plus I would like to find a wild sour dough starter, don't know if that would work in my bread making technique I have been using the Artisan Bread in 5 min. My husband cracked me up this evening as I inquired as to the children's supper, that he couldn't use the "new" bread to make Kissi's pb&j's, he was appalled at the mention of if LOL! He didn't want to "waste" that bread on that, he wanted simple sandwich bread, LOLOLOL!!! 

How funny was that? I informed him this was our new bread and Kissi loves it for sandwiches so I will try the sandwich recipe next time I make a batch which will prolly do by Friday. Will let u know how that turns out. I did make pitas with the Master recipe turned out gr8! Want to make tortillas now out of it, hopefully I can

The other area of concern is the kids snacks, I am doing Annies Homegrown bunnies seems like a good replacement for the fishies, would like to add the mac and cheese and their cheese ravioli's as well as the all starts, so when we are running late we have the convince items on hand that are healthy.  

I am thinking of ordering Keifer since it is on sale, that way I can give the kids kiefer every day and get some the health benefits going thru their systems and ours, I suspect if my husband drank some every day his IBS and mine would virtually disappear. I would like to get some Sprouted Ground Whole Wheat and pasta. 

Made the hand sanitizer, that was a BUST! Way too watery then I got the bright idea to add more glycerin...yeah now slippery and slightly sticky, so I think of adding my son's Simply Thick beverage thickener...ummm don't know if that helped or made worse. It does absorb eventually and my hands are as chapped as they have been, since we had Hand Foot and Mouth disease, ROTO Virus, Pink EYE, some throat virus (Jim and I are still battling), and sinus infections....so we have been using the hand sanitizer like it is holy water around here. Both of our hands are so raw and chapped it is insane.

My hands feel smooth and look good after a day of 10 poopy dipe changes and working, so perhaps it might not be so bad? Maybe in place of the pump dispenser I will use the spray bottle and it will not dispense so much? Might have to try that, bc it is still thin enough I believe it will spray, I think...

I did find another recipe from another blogger I recently discovered:

Searching For Hidden Treasure's Hand Sanitizer:

• 12 ounce bottle of 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel {It must be clear and say 100% on the bottle!}
• 3/4 teaspoon of Tea Tree Oil
• Witch Hazel

In a glass bowl, mix Aloe Vera and Tea Tree Oil. Then add witch hazel until you have the consistency you want your sanitizer to be.

 The more Tea Tree Oil you use, the stronger the antibacterial qualities your hand sanitizer will have. But the smell can be overwhelming too. 

You can add other essential oils such as citrus, lavender or cedar wood if you'd like to have a sanitizer with a better scent.

Like what the glycerin did for hand protection, still might add like a 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar for it's sanitizing properties. 

But will def start with a 12 oz base of Pure Aloe Vera Gel and Tea Tree is main add others maybe 1/8 tsp at time so it won't be so watery? Will let you know.

Teach me Tuesdays: BEAUTY DAY!!

Today I will focus my attention of my skin care regimen. 

I have heard about using oils for cleansers and I all ready use an olive oil based cleanser which my dry & sensitive skin loves. SO no real tweaking until I run out then I will be making my own version.

I have some recipes I will be trying out soon:

• olive oil 
• castor oil, 
• jojoba oil 
• in 1/3 proportions.

But today I focused on my facial scrub, mask and moisturizer.

Recipe mine, pic from this site

Facial Sugar Scrub:

• Castor Oil
• Tamanu Oil
• Rosehip Oil
• Sugar

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1. I use a castor oil base scrub bc it gives you the most cleansing & dissolving bang for your buck. It’s also highly antibacterial in nature, along with tamanu and rosehip seed oil (These both are quite pricey and I don't typically use them for a scrub since it doesn't rest on the skin for very long, but they both have limited shelf life and I need to use them up)  

Both tamanu and rosehip oils are healing and regenerative, they DO need a carrier oil so castor works as a carrier (base) oil for this as well.

1. I used oils 1/3 portions. 
2. NEXT I added sugar- 2 parts oil blend to 1 part sugar. 

I LOVE they way my skin feels, I might be using the rosehip and tamanu on a regular basis, as long as I have these oils at least.

There are other essential oils I can add like:

• lavender, 
• helicrysum, 
• myhrr, 
• rose 

All good for the regenerative qualities since I am nearly into my 40's I am into regenerating my skin as much as possible, especially in my sun damaged areas.

I am quite pleased with my scrub, so I turn my attentions to my mask. I am really into cleansing clays for my masks, I have tried the green french and Benoite clays, but I don't have oily or problematic skin so I opted to try Rhassoul clay from Morocco. Click this link to learn more about this amazing clay.

My Rhoussoul Mask with customized Oil Serum:

• I used 1T clay & 2/3- 1/2 C helichrysum/Lavender/Lemon Balm(Melissa) hydrosol or distilled water to make a creamy semi-liquidy paste. 
•  I add small drops of hydrosol at a time and watch as it absorbs the clay to get the proportions just right to properly hydrate the clay. 
•  I made a Jojoba(for added toning affects), tamanu, & rosehip seed oil serum that I added an essential oil blend with lavender, helichrysum, rose and myrrh powder blend to lay directly onto my skin under the mask so it would ionize into my skin. 
• Then a layer of the clay mask directly over. 
• It gets really tight as is dries, so it really tones and pushes/ionizes the precious oil blend into my skin.

For my night time moisturizer I have been using extra virgin coconut oil with added essential oils:  

• lavender, 
• helichrysum, 
• rose, 
• and patchouli
• the standard is 7-10 drops per tablespoon. 

My day moisturizer varies, sometimes I just use an oil blend bc my nighttime cream is so rich I barely need anything during the day, I mainly use oil to protect my skin from pollutants.

That is my skin care regimen right now and it works!

I love the customizing aspect of making it myself. 

There are times your skin needs more hydrating than other times or needs more balancing other times-so I only mix small batches at time, it keeps it fresh and allows me to customize as needed.

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8/22/12-Update on Rhossoul Clay mask:  

I have to say that within one use my skin feels velvety soft like when I have a micro-dermabrasion treatment. And within 2 weeks of use- The jaw line is more defined, the sun damaged areas on my cheeks look less pronounced as well. Amazing skin texture, I would say it knocks off 5 years in a manner of 10-15 minutes. LOVE my rhossoul clay!!

10/1/12-Update on the EVCO Moisturizer: The flakiness that I typically have on my forehead and around my nose, gone, the texture like I said velvety soft, the "marionette lines" on either side of my mouth are much less noticeable.

TEACH ME TUESDAYS: What to do with extra garlic??

What to do with an abundance of garlic cloves or bulbs of garlic about to go bad? Make infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I love the taste of garlic but often times we want an infusion of garlic in place of the strong "in your face" taste of garlic. So I take Extra Virgin Olive Oil, red pepper flakes for some spice, kosher salt and add some smashed cloves of garlic, & you have...

Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 Cup of EVOO
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• Large frying pan

Take the cloves of garlic and smash with flat side of knife and palm of hand, this will release the garlic enzymes, no need to mince we will be tossing the cloves so they will be easier to discard once they have fulfilled their garlic destiny. Toss smashed garlic cloves into pan and add enough EVOO
to cover garlic about 1 C, add more if needed.

Bring heat to medium and cook until garlic is slightly browned and aromatic, stirring with wooden spoon occasionally.  Once browned, about 5 minutes, take off heat and add red pepper flakes to taste, we don't like things too hot so a pinch is nearly too much and kosher salt. 


Allow to cool and pour cooled oil into glass jars, I add more garlic coves to jars and cover with lid, store in refrigerator.  Use as you normally would evoo with a garlicy, slightly red peppery kick.


Notes:
I had 3 bulbs of garlic that were on the verge going bad, so I used a larger pan and used about 18 oz of EVOO. I stored in 3- 6 oz left over baby food jars. 

Ways to use Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Saute veggies or meat in the flavorful oil
• Add to french baguette bread along with some Italian herbs and Parmegano-Regginao Cheese and toast for a mild garlic bread
• Use as a finishing oil to soups like white bean soup,  to humus, to cooked fresh made pasta with shavings of Parmegano-Reggiano, steamed veggies, salad dressing/vinaigrette, as a dipping oil for crusty chibatta bread, any sauce especially good for pesto sauce...

What 's on the Menu... MODAYS?? May 7- 13, 2012

For whatever reason I am really craving pork, funny bc I am not a fan but saw these recipes on a slow cooker blog hop gooseberry patch was having, where I entered my Crock Pot Beef Bracoile {amazing in my humble opinion!} and looked these recipes up and knew I was making them SOON! 2 Recipes I got from Mandy's Recipe Box a delightful blog with loads of tasty recipes and the other blog is called Delightful Country Cooking featuring country recipes that aren't laden in fat and bacon drippings.

Breakfast Options:

Baked Soaked Oatmeal "cake"     Buttered Toast         Hot Oatmeal-fruited-flax seed cereal
Cold Cereal                                   Pancakes                  Muffins
Eggs                                              Fruit                         Juices
Veggie, Keiffer, and Fruit Smoothies      

Lunch Options:

Main Dish/Sandwiches/Soup:       Sides:

Grilled Cheese                               Carrot Sticks w/ homemade cultured Ranch or

Egg Salad                                       homemade Humus

Tuna Salad                                     Veggie Chips

Chicken Noodle Soup                    Sweet Potato Chips

Left-overs from Supper                  Fruit

Ravioli                                            Cottage Cheese

Shells & Cheese                             Yogurt

Noodles & Cottage Cheese            Apple, fruit and veggie medley sauces

Snack Options:

Almonds, Hard Boiled Eggs, String Cheese,  Dried Edema, dried blue berries, cranberries, raisins, bunny snack mix, pretzels, carrots, Humus, Cottage Cheese, Keiffer smoothies, fruit, triscits, hard cheese, cheese crackers,  Veggie/fruit sauce, yogurt, sweet potato chips, veggie chips,  Fruit Leather, Granola Bar, Protein Bars, Rice Cakes, Animal Crackers, Easter Goodies {ONLY 1/day}

Supper:

*Monday: Repeats

*Tuesday:
Buttermilk & Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops w/Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Steamed Veggie along with spinach Salad

Yummy, smothered tangy pork chops!

*Wednesday:
Chicken Parmesan with Bolagnese Sauce, steamed veggie, and salad. A family frequent request, especially since I  found this recipe I really like from All Recipes, one of my favorite resources for recipes when I need inspiration.

Thursday: Repeats

*Friday:
Carnitas and Salsa Adada served with crunchy taco, cabbage and carmelized onions. Along w/refried black beans and yellow rice pilaf.
Saw this on the Gooseberry Patch Blog Hop and thought, "HMMMmm, hmmm, will be eating you soon!!" My family LOVES cruchy and Loves Mexican and since I rarely cook w/pork{if you follow me regularly you know that by the absence of pork in my menus}, I thought I would give this a try!

*Saturday:
Orange Chicken w/veggie loaded rice pilaf
& salad

*Sunday:
Baked Crunchy Swai Fish {Super Secret Crunch part is seasoned instant mashed potato flakes!} w/hot buttered Noodles grilled Asparagus and spinach salad






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