Showing posts with label homemaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homemaking. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2009

Apple Varieties

by Miss Jessica C.

Apple Varieties

Summer continues on and it’s apple time once again! Here are eight delicious recipes to serve up to your family. Keep in mind that different apple types have different purposes and will cook up differently.

Here’s a quick guide to five of the more widely used apples:

Red Delicious

Red Delicious apples have a sweet taste and can range from pale to dark red. Due to their texture they bake poorly and are best suited for snacking and in salads.




Golden Delicious

Golden Delicious apples have a mild flavor and light yellow color. They are considered an all purpose apple and can be used for salads, sauces, baking and freezing. They hold up to heat well and aren't as likely to turn brown after being cut.



Granny Smith

The Granny Smith is another all purpose apple. They are bright green with a crisp texture and strong, tart flavor. They can be used for snacking, pies and sauces. Their tangy flavor comes through when sautéed and baked.




Gala

Generally red over a creamy yellow background, Gala apples have a sweet, rich and full flavor. Considered a very aromatic apple, they are excellent for fresh eating and salads, but cooking destroys both its aroma and texture.





Fuji

Fuji apples range from yellow to red in color. They have a mild, sweet flavor with a crispy texture. They keep well and are excellent when eaten fresh, but they are also suitable for cooking and saucing.

For more apple types and their uses please go to: http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Canning/apple-variety.html


Miss Jessica C. enjoys many activities, but the main things include sewing, harp, photography, reading and blogging. However, with all those personal “diversions” the Lord has been teaching her, she feels that they are insignificant when compared with his work and calling as a daughter and sister. You can read more about her at Seasons of a Heart.




Friday, July 31, 2009

Cleaning Mirrors and Windows

by Lady Jess

Every now and then the mirrors and windows around the house need to be cleaned. Water spots and dusty windows are unsightly, especially when you have guests.

Outside Windows

1. You may use a rag and the glass cleaner of your choice or you could try a soap bucket full of water and the cleaner with a squeegee.

2. Remove any screens that are on the windows. Too clean the screens you can: Lift them out of their tracks and rinse them under a running hose and then scrub them very gently with a rag or sponge.

3. Remove any cobwebs you see with an old broom or old cloth. You can buy a special duster for hard to reach windows that looks like this

4. Rinse off any extra dirt or dust from the outside windows with a hose. It would be best to rinse one window at a time, so that water spots don't appear on the windows.

5. Clean the window frames well with a soaked sponge.
  • Start on the upper-left side of the window and make an s-shape downwards until you reach the bottom-right corner of the window.
  • Start cleaning the window from the upper-left corner and drag the sponge straight down. Use a chamois or a dry rag to remove any excess water from the squeegee and start cleaning the next line until you reach the right side of the window.
*Don't forget to dry your squeegee with a chamois or dry rag after each stroke you've made. Otherwise, you will have visible lines on the window pane.

6. Lastly, dry the window frames. After cleaning the window panes, you can dry off the windows using a chamois or dry cloth.

Once you soak your sponge in the bucket filled with water, you can start cleaning the windows following one of these methods:
The insides of windows are right there next to the elements and is a big breeding ground for mold. If you don't clean the windows out often enough the mold will grow there and allergies may develop. If you have been having allergy attacks recently, this could be contributing to your problem. If you clean the outsides of your windows first, be sure not to use the same dirty utensils on the inside. You may want to rinse them out first, or grab some clean ones.

Inside Windows

1. You can use a sponge/rag and glass cleaner of your choice. Gather all of your tools and supplies.

2. Wipe off the window frames using a duster or a damp cloth.

3. Clean the window frames thoroughly with your sponge/rag and the glass cleaner. You may also want to use an antibacterial spray around the glass of the window to help remove the tiny mold particles.

4. Spray the glass cleaner on the window. You may follow the same kind of methods that are on the outside windows

5. Dry the window frames.

Here are some extra tips for "just in case" situations:
  • It is well worth investing in a good-quality, professional squeegee that won't skip. A few extra dollars up front will save plenty of time and frustration. A good idea would be to measure your smallest window and purchase the widest blade that will fit in it.
  • If there are little drops left around the edges after squeegeeing your window, lift them gently with a dry, lint-free cloth or a clean finger, but don't rub them around over the freshly-cleaned area, just wipe straight down.
  • Do not wet a window in direct sunlight, or it will dry quickly and leave unwanted streaks.
  • Clean, unused newspapers can also be used for cleaning if you don't want to dirty a bunch of rags and just have to wash them all later. Just wash the glass the with the steps mentioned above, then use a crumpled-up sheet of newspaper to wipe the glass until it's dry. If the sheet of paper gets too wet, just use another sheet until the glass is dry. This is a good method if you are worried about leaving streaks. You can wear rubber gloves if you don't want headlines on your hands.
  • Remember that there is both a wet and a dry side to a squeegee. If water is streaking from the top of the squeegee, simply apply a little pressure to the side of the squeegee that is streaking. It may also be wise to wipe excess water off of the squeegee from time to time.
  • Practice makes perfect.
  • When cleaning windows inside a house, put down an old towel underneath the window if you are worried about drips.
*Caution*
As often as possible, use an extension handle to reach high windows with your feet firmly on the ground. Also, be sure to find out if the window panels lift out or fold in for cleaning. If you need to use a ladder, use it safely, have some one stand next to you to stabilize it, and take make sure that you don't lean to far out, otherwise you might fall.

Mirrors
*These tips for mirrors are very similar to cleaning the insides of windows*

It happens all the time, you've just finished using hot water (like the shower, tub or sink) and the mirror is fogged up. You don't want to wipe it with your hand, that leaves nasty fingerprints. You don't want to wipe it with a your towel, that leaves little fuzzies. You may want to try these steps.
1. Choose the glass cleaner of your choice, and a paper towel, sponge or rag.

2. Spray down the mirror and the frame and wipe with your pt/sp/rg.

3. Enjoy!

-It would be better if you waited until the fogginess of your mirror goes away before doing this. Also, you may not want to do this right before you take a shower just to do it again after you are finished.

If you decide to try these steps and tips and they work well for you, feel free to leave a comment and let us know you enjoyed it. Also, if, after utilizing this article, your allergies get better, feel free to let us know. I hope that if you decide to try these helps that you'll have fun with it.

God bless!

Lady Jess is a teen lady who is homeschooled along with her siblings. She assists her mother in teaching her younger siblings, is an interpreter for deaf ministry, sings in a local choir, and is in training to be a homeschooling parent herself one day.








Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Creative Kitchen - Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread is a favourite in our house. It Photobucketis the only way I like eating zucchini. Its a sweet, healthy treat that anyone can enjoy. The recipe calls for raisins along with the nuts, but we never put raisins in ours.

We also like ours frozen. Well, I do.) If you wrap the loaves in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer after they have cooled will do the trick. You can pop them for an after-dinner treat. Pumpkin bread is great frozen too!

Zucchini Bread

PREHEAT: 350° | COOK: 60-70 minutes | Yields: 2 loaves

2-2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
3 cups shredded zucchini (about two medium)
2/3 cup of water
4 eggs
3-1/3 cup flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1-1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsps. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup raisins

Heat oven to above temperature. Grease bottoms only of 2 loafs pans thatPhotobucketare 9×5x3 inches. Mix sugar and shortening in large mixing bowl. Stir in zucchini, water and eggs. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and baking powder; stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pans.

Bake until wooden pick (or cake tester) inserted in the center of loaf comes out clean, about 60-70 minutes. Cool for five minutes. Then loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing.



Lady Rachel, a GGM Columnist, is a 15-year-old homeschool student and is the third daughter in eight children. She is a baker, babysitter, older sister, little sister, helper, homemaker-in-training, homesteader, gardener, avid reader, writer, artist, and a clean-freak at times. She enjoys being home, being in the barn, blogging, being with family, knitting, crocheting, and sewing and creating things in the kitchen. You can find out more about Lady Rachel at her blogs - A City On A Hill and Rachel's Reasoning.

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