ARTICHOKES

We ate artichokes growing up. I remember going to my grandma's house and she serving these and then my mom would make them for us too. I would eat two by myself! I loved them.
What is it?
It is a big thistle plant that is native to the Mediterranean.
How to choose an artichoke?
Choose artichokes that are dark green, heavy, and have "tight" leaves. Don't select chokes that are dry looking or appear to be turning brown. If the leaves appear too "open" then the choke is past its prime.
How to store an artichoke?
It should be stored in a plastic bag and refridgerated.
How to cook an artichoke.

Peel off all dark or brown leaves.

I choose a heavy deep pot and steam the chokes. Make sure lid is secure. Add salt to water and bring to a boil. Add artichokes.
Put lid on and bring to a simmer 30 to 40 minutes. You want to make sure that your artichokes are tender all the way through.

Serve hot or chilled. Chilled artichokes have more flavor.

How to eat an artichoke?
Pull each leaf off the choke and hold the pointed end between your fingers and only scrape the bottom portion of the inside leaf. Serve with melted butter or olive oil and course salt. You may use lemon butter or mayonaisse.
Sorry, I couldn't pick my camera up to show how to pluck the leaves off and eat because I was eating it too fast.

Be sure to put out a plate for the discarded leaves.

Look, I think she likes it!

Yes, in fact, all of the children liked it! Mr. Incredible wouldn't try. wimp!

Most of the artichoke can be eaten all the way through.
When you get to the fuzzy part you have reached the prize.


Scoop the fuzzy part out with a spoon or just pull it off. The base of the artichoke is edible and is referred to as the heart of the artichoke. This is the best part! Dip in salt and butter and eat. Smile as it goes all the way down. yumm.

Bubble Bath Float

I made these bubble bath sundaes as teacher appreciation gifts and as Mother's Day gifts. They were really cute and fairly inexpensive.

Supplies needed:

Sundae cups and lids. (Go to DQ and ask if they will donate or ask any ice cream parlor)

Box of calgon powder bubble bath (pink)or if you use bath beads by vaseline.
(beads will not bubble like bubble bath.
Box of baking soda
A tube of red bubble oils. (At the dollar store they come in a sleeve of 6)
I could only find pink bath beads and not red. Red would simulate the cherry. They come in a sleeve of 10 for $1
Bath scrubbies They come in a sleeve of 6 for $1
hot glue
bendy straw

Instructions:

Fill parfait cup with 3/4 cup bubble bath powder
1/2 cup baking soda on top.
Should be layers. It should look like a float on the bottom and the foam on top.
Add scrubbie, for the whip cream
hot glue red bath bead for cherry and
insert straw.
Cover with lid, and attach a cute poem.

Make up a cute poem to go with your float and attach.
On the back of the bath bead box, it says you need to use 1/2 cup. I tried this in my own bath and it is plenty and leaves the water amazingly soft and wonderful!!! You will feel sooo soft!!!

The bath beads in a box is already colored a light pink shimmery dust.
It looks like the real MCCOY!!! Yep, I'm so tickled I almost wet my pants. roflrfol
and my clip art is of a strawberry float.
I switched the poem to read float instead of sundae!!
Find some cute cardstock and use a clip art and print the poem below.
**********************************POEM***********************************************
Poem by SHIRLEY THOMAS found at www.craftsayings.com
This very special sundae,
will leave you feeling great.
It's chock full of good things,
even though it can't be ate.

Take it in the bath with you.
Of course don't take a sip,
cause it may look delicious,
but it's made to take a dip.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry detergent

Here's what you need-1 bar of soap. I used Dove Hypoallergenic (andrew's allergic to detergent)

1-5 gallon bucket with a lid

1 3/4 cup washing soda (i found this at Kroger)

1/2 Borax

Put 4 cups of water on the stove and bring almost to a boil. As the water is warming whittle your soap into the hot water.

Stir a lot!

Add 3 gallons of hot water to the bucket. On the last gallon pour in your 4 cups of soapy water so you should have a total of 3 gallons. Add 1 3/4 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup borax to your water soap mixture. Stir for about 5 minutes.

Put the lid on and let sit over night.

The next morning you have a nice slimy laundry detergent! Can you believe it...that easy. I haven't added the cost yet but I spend approx. $7 a week on laundry detergent and This 3 gallons of detergent cost 5.26 for all the supplies so I need to do some math and figure out how many loads I will get!

Homemade Yogurt

Yummy homemade yogurt!!!!

Ingredients: and things you need!

1/2 gallon whole milk

1/2 cup Dannon plain yogurt with live active cultures

1 or 2 boxes of jello (your flavor of choice)(optional)

2 cups of pureed fruit of your choice (this is optional)

1 crock pot

1 blanket

1 towel

Turn Crock pot on LOW

Pour into crock pot 1/2 gallon of whole milk (I have heard some people use powdered milk)

Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours

Turn crock pot off after the 2 1/2 hours and let sit for 3 hours with the lid on

After the milk has sat for 3 hours scoop out 2 cups of the warm milk into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of dannon plain yogurt -this is your yogurt feeder. The next time you make it you will have your own feeder.(with live active cultures)

Add one box of jello (some don't use any flavoring or some use flavored pudding for creamer yogurt-depends on your taste)

whisk and whisk and whisk

Add yogurt, jello and milk mixture back into the crock pot and cover with a towel and blanket.
Wait 8 to 9 hours before peaking!

Dip out 1/2 cup and save for your next yogurt feeder so you don't have to keep purchasing Dannon plain yogurt with live active cultures.

Add strawberries and bananas or fruit puree of your choice. My kids don't like any lumps in their yogurt so we pureed our fruit all the way up until it was smooth. We added a little sugar because my kids are used to Trix yogurt! Some people add honey to sweeten!

This will last 7-10 days in the fridge. Your feeder will last the same.
This recipe made 24 1/2 cups! I actually did a little math this is approx. 09 cents per container. I paid 52 cents per container of Trix yogurt last week with a coupon!