Blueberry Pie

So, just how hard is it to bake a pie with a three year old? Harder than I anticipated, but not impossible . . . even with more help than I could ever hope for!

Perfect Pie Crust                                      

• 2 Cups Flour                             
• 1 tsp salt                                       
• 3 TBLS Butter                                  
• 2/3 Cup Shortening                          
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/3 Cup Buttermilk
• 1 Egg beaten

Preheat oven to 475*

Blueberry Filling

• 3 Cups blueberries
• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 2tsps cinnamon
• 1/2 Cup flour

   

Mix the shortening and butter. Add salt to flour and mix well.

Pour flour and salt mixture into the shortening, cut in with a pastry cutter (you can use two knives if you do not have a pastry cutter) until you get a coarse crumbly result. Add Buttermilk to this mixture. I stir with a fork until a ball starts to form then switch over to my hands to pull the last of the mix together.

HINT: I never have need for a whole container of buttermilk and it kills me to waste. Here is a trick my mother in law showed me years ago. Simply add 1 tsp of vinegar to each 1/2 cup of milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Instant "buttermilk" without waste! The 5 minute sitting time is important to allow the milk to thicken and for the tangy taste of buttermilk to develop. 

Generously flour your surface, form a patty, place on floured surface. Sprinkle flour lightly over the dough. Roll out from the center of dough to form a circle about 3" larger than your pie plate.

This tool at the top of the shot is actually a frosting spatula from the cake department but I love it for releasing the dough from the counter.

Poke holes with a fork on the bottom and sides of lower crust. I pop this crust in the frig while I mix the filling.

Mix all ingredients for the blueberry filling in a bowl. Set aside. Pop the lower crust into the 475* oven for 10 minutes. After removing crust lower temperature to 375*.

While lower crust is pre-baking roll out top crust about 2" larger than pie plate. Take lower crust from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Put berries into lower crust and top with the rolled out upper crust. Pinch upper crust to lower crust, trimming any excess. Cut a few slots into the crust then smear beaten egg on crust and lightly sprinkle with sugar to give a glazed finish.

Bake pie at 375* for 1 hour until golden brown. 

The things I forgot!

1. The spatula thing for lifting the crust away from the counter

2. The tin crust protector. These are about 3 for $4 at most grocery stores. They are disposable, but I use mine over several time. I have a solid metal one but I find that it often dose not fit my older pie plates.

3. Flour!! I was so busy trying to keep up with my helper that I forgot to put the flour into the berries. This resulted in a very soupy pie. By day two the issue resolved itself, but it would have been better to have the flour.

My very insistent assistant!

Ginger Water

On a trip to Belize we happened upon this local "fruit water". While technically ginger in not a fruit, it gets thrown in with other waters such as Jamica, Watermelon, and Lime.

We have developed a love of these different water drinks. They are particularly appealing in that they are all natural. No dye, no flavors, no artificial flavors. 

My husband is extremely fond of ginger in any and all forms, so when the waitress said that one of the drinks specials was ginger water he could not wait to try it. Once we did we had to ask how to make it ourselves. Turns out it is super easy.
There are many health benefits attributed to ginger, here are a few:
1. Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.
2. Feeling airsick or nauseous? Chew on ginger, preferably tossed in a little honey.
3. Tummy moaning and groaning under cramps? Munch on ginger.
4. Reeling under joint pain? Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties—can bring relief. Float some ginger essential oil in your bath to help aching muscles and joints.
5.Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warming benefits of this tasty tea are even greater!
Our family has been using ginger for years to control car sickness, it works like a charm!

For all of you that like a natural drink with a clean and refreshing taste here is how to make it at home.

Start with about 3 or 4 good size pieces of fresh ginger.

Peel and chop into small pieces.

Place in a pan with the sweetener of your choice and about 4 cups of water. We use raw or turbinado sugar. You can use agave, stevia, honey, or processed sugar. Be cautious of using artificial sweeteners as they have a tendency to become bitter when heated. Bring this to a boil and cook until the water is reduced by at least 50%. We usually go down to about 25% to make a ginger flavored simple syrup. Stir occasionally to avoid burning the syrup.

Once your water has reduced, remove from heat and let sit for a while to cool. Pour through a strainer and store syrup in a container in the refrigerator. We usually make a couple of batches and put the first batch right into a half gallon pitcher with cold water. For us, we use about 1 cup of syrup to 3 cups of cold water. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly. I add a bit more water for mine, Todd likes his with more "bite" from the ginger. I also like to add a splash of the syrup to my iced tea for a more exotic tasting tea.

50% OFF Silicone Necklaces!

Mon Petit Mardi round bead silicone necklaces are on sale for 50% off 05/30/14 - 06/03/14. Available in 19 colors, these necklaces are safe for baby to teethe on and stylish for mom to wear. You can find the sale here.

Features

• Mommy chic, baby safe
• Approximately 30'
• 100% silicone beads
• Soft on babies gums and emerging teeth
• No BPA, phthalates, cadmium, lead, metals
• Easily cleaned with dish soap and water, also dishwasher safe
• Necklaces have a breakaway clasp for added safety
• Necklaces are a great sensory tool to help babies focus while nursing

Quotes I Love

I am Barbara, the Grandma (or “Munga” as Tuesday calls me) of Mon Petit Mardi.

I grew up in Boston (not Boston, Massachusetts just Boston, I have always laughed at how arrogant we Bostonians are that we just know that there is no other possible Boston!) My grandmother was a Liberian so that is probably where my great love of books started. I can remember being so excited when she would come with a box or two of discarded books from the library for me. The subject matter ranged from fantasy to history. There was never any rhyme or reason to what she would include. As I got older I wondered if it was her intention to expose me to all genres or if she chose books by how pretty they looked all lined up together. I suspect it was the latter as there was never any type of order that I could tell on her bookshelves, but they sure looked attractive and all of her books were well used and loved.

I married a fellow book lover and I think even he was surprised at the number of books I brought with me to my new home.

As we grew our family it was important to me to pass along my love of books. From pregnancy forward I read to my kids, and like my grandmother I included every type of book I could. I am happy to say that love of literature has stuck with both of my girls and it looks as if Tuesday is on the same path. We go through a daily routine where she selects books to be read to her and then manages to convince my husband (aka PaPa) to read “just one more”. I am not sure if he gives in because she is irresistibly cute in her begging or because he is an avid reader too. Whichever the case may be, she usually manages to get several books a day into her busy 3 year olds schedule.

As I was reading some passages out to Todd and it occurred to me that book quotes might work as a blog subject, so here it is. Some of my favorite literary quotes on motherhood follow:

"A good mother loves fiercely but ultimately brings up her children to thrive without her. They must be the most important thing in her life, but if she is the most important thing in theirs, she has failed." ― Erin Kelly - The Burning

"Gilbert put his arm about them. 'Oh, you mothers!' he said. 'You mothers! God knew what He was about when He made you." — L. M. Montgomery - Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables Series)

 “I think this power of living in our children is one of the sweetest things in the world…” ― Louisa May Alcott - Jo's Boys

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." — Washington Irving

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.” ― Donna Ball - At Home on Ladybug Farm

“When your mother asks, "Do you want a piece of advice?" it's a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway.” - Erma Bombeck

“Think for a minute, darling: in fairy tales it's always the children who have the fine adventures. The mothers have to stay at home and wait for the children to fly in the window.” ― Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveler's Wife

“Does your ma know you're this silly?" she demanded tartly.

He nodded, comically sad. "The few gray hairs she has on her head are my doing. But" — with an exaggerated change of mood — "I send her plenty of money, so she can pay to have them dyed!"

"I hope she beat you as a child," Onua grumbled.” ― Tamora Pierce - Wild Magic

“I will look after you and I will look after anybody you say needs to be looked after, any way you say. I am here. I brought my whole self to you. I am your mother.” ― Maya Angelou - Mom & Me & Mom

“Just as there is no warning for childbirth, there is no preparation for the sight of a first child... There should be a song for women to sing at this moment, or a prayer to recite. But perhaps there is none because there are no words strong enough to name the moment.” ― Anita Diamant - The Red Tent

“I don't remember who said this, but there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child.” ― Anne Lamott - Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year

Did any of these quotes make you smile or touch a spot in your mind or heart?  There are so many more that I could include, but I would love to read some of your favorites. Please feel free to join the conversation by leaving your comments below.

Slime!

Homemade slime is an all time favorite around here. This recipe is a fun activity to do with your kids and will keep them occupied for hours!

Supplies:

- 4 oz white school glue (you can use white or clear for different looks)

- 1 teaspoon Borax (find this in the laundry aisle)

- 1 1/2 cups water

- food coloring if you want colored slime (red, in this case)

- something to mix in & stir with

Start by dissolving 1 teaspoon of Borax into 1 cup of water. 

(don't worry if all the powder dissolves)

Next pour the white school glue (or clear if you want) into a bowl. Next time I'll try glitter glue.

Next add 1/2 cup of water and a few drops of food coloring. I filled the empty glue bottle, gave it a good shake and dumped it in. You can use the glue bottle one more time as a 'spoon' for stirring. No need for extra dishes, right?

Now the fun part! Pour your Borax solution into the bowl and stir. Almost immediately you'll see the slime start to form. 

You'll need to drain the excess water now. It will still feel like it's too wet and slippery at this point, but it will firm up. Just knead it, stretch it, repeat. After a few minutes of this it'll be perfect. 

Here's the finished product.

When you're finished plying with your slime, put it in a zippy and keep in the fridge. If it seems to get a little dry, add a few drops of water to the baggy.

I probably don't need to say this but, please don't eat the slime. Although it may not be especially toxic, it can't be good for you either!

 Scones and Cream

When in Australia visiting Tuesday's dad we discovered scones and clotted cream. While my mouth says it was the find of a lifetime, I am not so sure that I can say my waistband would agree.

I have been going through some pictures and got a craving for scones. I looked at loads of recipes and settled on two that sounded easy to prepare, looked yummy, and had good reviews.

Here is the one I made (and it turned out great!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

English Cream Scones

Servings:  16 small scones

Ingredients:

 2 Cups All Purpose Flour ( I used unbleached). The recipe recommended using a scale for accuracy. They say it makes a big difference so I did weigh out the 9 ounces.

1 TBLS Baking Powder

4 TBLS Sugar (I used the "less" refined)

1/2 tsp salt

5 TBLS Cold Unsalted Butter (I used salted as it was all I had on hand) cut into cubes

3/4 Cups Heavy Cream

1 Egg - slightly beaten (oops forgot to beat in advance)

1 tsp Vanilla

2 TBLS Sugar to sprinkle on top (I skipped this step as I thought that there may be a bit much sugar in these anyway. Traditional scones are really not very sweet)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and butter into a bowl (if you are among the blessed to have a food processor put ingredients into there and pulsate in 3 second intervals until it looks like coarse meal) and with a pastry blender (2 knives will work too) mix until you achieve coarse meal texture. I never really got to a texture that I personally would call "coarse meal" but this was close.

In a large bowl stir in the heavy cream, beaten egg, and vanilla. Mix by hand until it forms a slightly sticky moistened dough ball. If you have a stand mixer you can also mix on the lowest speed with a dough hook for a few minutes.

I strongly suggest at this time you remove your wedding and other rings. 

Don't ask, just trust me!

Flour your working surface and grab enough dough (about 1/4 of the dough) to form about the size of a baseball and gently roll it into a ball. On the flowered work space flatten the ball until your disk is about 3/4" high with the center slightly higher then the edges. At this point you can sprinkle the tops with sugar if you are going that route.

Cut each of the circles into 4 pieces. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, or on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes until the bottoms are golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

And this is what we ended up with!

Strawberry & Cream                                              Lemon Curd and Cream

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clotted Cream

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 TBL Confectionery Sugar

3 oz. Cream Cheese 

Soften cream cheese, add sugar and mix with hand mixer. Add heavy cream and beat until soft peaks form. Do not over beat or you will have whipped cream instead of clotted cream. The consistency should be like very thick cream, not fluffy.

These have been taste tested and family approved. I will try them out on company very soon.

                                                                                

Helpful Household Hints

I found a lot of these while looking through Pinterest. Pinterest is a wonderful source for finding creative and economical tips for around the house. I will include links whenever I can to the original site where I see the tips. If a link is wrong or no longer working just let me know and I will fix it if I can.

Please feel free to leave your feedback on any of these that you try or to leave a tip of your own!

___________________________________________________________

Don't you just hate trying to find the end of a roll of tape? Here is a great fix using a plastic bread tag as a tape marker. Just fold the end of the tape over the plastic bread tag, and your tape will be ready to use next time you reach for it.

From Martha Stewart. Slip-proof your rug: To give an area rug some traction, flip it over, and apply lines of acrylic-latex caulk every 6 inches or so. Once dry, you can safely put down your rug; the rubbery strips will hold it in place.  

marthastewart

Restore a vacuum to maximum power by cutting the lint and hair from its roller brush using a seam ripper. This is a huge time saver. I have used scissors before but the seam ripper is so much easier and faster! I hate to admit the number of hours I have spent over the years picking away at the hair stuck in our sweepers roller bar. I have often thought that we could house a kennel and not have as much hair as our two girls managed to shed!

realsimple

If you break your blender container you can substitute a mason jar.

Remove gunk from the sole plate of an iron. With the setting on low, rub the iron over the dryer sheet until the residue disappears, and you're left with a pristine press.

realsimple

Love this idea. I hate climbing up to clean the tops of our kitchen cabinets. They seem to be grease and dust magnets which is a deadly cleaning combination. Once I have the length of the first sheet, just tear a bunch off the same size and you can switch out clean for used in minutes.

Inthiscrazylife

You can freeze heavy cream or buttermilk. I have all kinds of recipes that call for small amounts of these and then the rest either goes to waste or I find my self baking enough to pack pounds onto the whole family! Just fill ice cube trays and freeze. When solid store in freezer zippy bags.

Homestead Revival

Only time will tell, but if this works as well as everyone on Pinterest says, it will be terrific! Cinnamon in the sandbox keeps the bugs away. You need to use a cup to a cup and a half of cinnamon and mix it into the sand.

I love this idea. Bobby pins have a way of escaping to never be found when needed (they can always be found when unwanted like when vacuuming!) 

onefrugalchick

I have often run my sponges through the dishwasher to freshen them up, but if there is not a load about to run this is a great idea. Soak sponges in water with either white vinegar or lemon juice, place in microwave for one minute on high. Be careful when these come out as they will be HOT! Use tongs or an oven mitt to remove.

shine

Color Code Keys - I find myself stumbling around looking for the "right" key too often. When I saw this idea I thought this is just what I need! So far, so good . . . the polish is holding without chipping or peeling.

offbeathome

     

Cloth Diaper Terminology

You've finally decided to cloth diaper and you want to look up some information on how to get started. You search for a cloth diaper group  or look up a cloth diaper blog and it looks like people are speaking another language! What does AIO,CD,PUL mean? HI my name is Amber and I felt the same way at one time. No need  to worry, Here is a list of common cloth diaper acronyms.

CD: Cloth Diaper

Pocket Diaper: This is the number one choice for CD moms. There is a pocket opening between the outer shell of the diaper and the inner layer that touches babies skin. inside this pocket you can place an insert you wish to use.

Inserts:  this is the absorbent material for the diaper (can come in many forms, microfiber, bamboo, cotton and hemp)

AIO: All in one diaper, no need for inserts. Everything is one piece making it super easy to use and no need for "stuffing" you diaper like a pocket style. Since this is an all in one this style diaper does take longer to dry.

AI2: All-in-Twos. The diaper has an absorbent layer (like an insert) that attaches to the inside of the diaper with snaps. You can remove the layer for washing and then snap it back on. The closures are also adjustable.

PUL: PUL stands for polyurethane laminate – it’s a water proof material used to make outer shells of diapers

Aplix: This is similar to a Velcro closure, but is said to be softer and more durable. This is also known as the Hook & Loop closure

EBF: This refers to a baby that is exclusively breastfed.  EBF poop is water soluble and doesn’t need to be rinsed before placing in the washing machine since it will rinse clean.

Fluff Mail Term referring to cloth diapers.  Example: I’m expecting Fluff Mail (my cloth diapers) to arrive tomorrow.

Doubler: Another liner that can be added to the diaper and that can “double” the absorbency of the diaper. 

Diaper Sprayer: Attaches to most toilets and allows you to “spray” and rinse your dirty diapers over your toilet.