Showing posts with label Provident Living. Show all posts

Make Cornmeal from Popcorn in a Blendtec or Vitamix!

Are you wondering if you read that right? Yes, yes you did.

I know we've all heard it said that "Necessity is the mother of invention", but Plato was really on to something. All my best breakthroughs have come from needing something I didn't have yet. Case in point. I wanted delicious cornbread to go with the ribs my husband was smoking but all my cornmeal was rancid. So I needed a way to grind my own cornmeal because there was no way or time for me to run to the store to grab some before dinnertime.

(side note- You might have seen that I am trying to work my way through my freezers and pantry. I had gotten a great deal on Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal over a year ago and I had been saving it so long it went rancid before I remembered about it. oops. Luckily I only had 2 packages left)

I do have a grain mill. But, did you know that most grain mills aren't strong enough to grind corn? It's true. In the instructions, most mills will say it absolutely can't grind corn or it will break. I got a Blendtec forever ago for green smoothies and grinding my own flour but one of the things I was most excited about was that it can grind corn! I was soooo excited. And it is so easy.

Directions ________________________________________________________________________



I like to use NON-GMO or ORGANIC popcorn to make sure my family is avoiding an exposure to genetic engineering or chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. I needed 1 1/4 Cups for my recipe so I started with about a cup and a half of popcorn and it was just about perfect.


I just turned it on to the highest setting (10) and let it go until it auto shut-off after 50 seconds.



It was the perfect consistency. It took me about 2 minutes from start to finish, using just plain old popcorn from my pantry. I don't think I'm ever going back to packaged cornmeal. Obviously I can't manage to get through it without some of it going rancid. Popcorn on the other hand keeps for years.


And it made a pretty incredible cornbread. I use a soaked cornbread recipe based off of Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.

INGREDIENTS ___________________________________________________________________
1½ cups cornmeal
1½ cups flour
2 cups buttermilk (or 1/2 plain yogurt and 1 1/2 cups milk or 2 cups milk + 2 TBLS vinegar)
2 Tbsp. lard or coconut oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 eggs
⅓ cup non-GMO sugar (you can use honey but all the goodness is killed off by te=he
¼ cup melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS  _________________________________________________________________
Combine the cornmeal, flour, and buttermilk in a bowl, mixing to moisten everything. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven with 2 Tbsp. lard or coconut oil.
In a small bowl, mix salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
In another small bowl, whisk eggs and mix in honey and melted butter.
Pour wet ingredients into the soaked flour and fold in. Dump the dry ingredients over and continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, swirl the melted oil around to evenly distribute and cover the edges, then scrape the batter into the hot skillet.
Place skillet in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serve with honey butter (1:1 ratio) and enjoy!

This cornmeal turns out delicious every time. I've even just soaked it for only 6 hours and it still was amazing. It's one of my husband's favorite dishes. Let me know if you try it or what else you use ground cornmeal for. I love making polenta as  well.


Tiara
-The Provident Princess
Cornbread, Grinding Popcorn, Healthy Food,
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How to Make Powdered Sugar Using Granulated Sugar

You won't believe it. It was my son's birthday recently (he turned 2!) and my girls had made some cupcakes and we were starting to make the frosting but when we went to grab the powdered sugar, it was no where to be found! I could have sworn I had a few bags as back up downstairs in our storage room but nope, I was wrong. What I did have though was a few bags of granulated sugar.

I know I have heard about making homemade powdered sugar before but I have never felt the need until now. I grabbed my awesome Blendtec Blender, oh I love that thing. It had ground an assortment of grains and beans but never sugar yet. 

I like using cane sugar because I know that it is Non-GMO. Even if it isn't labeled that way. GMO sugar comes from sugar beets never sugar cane.

2 Cups Granulated Sugar
 I needed 3 cups of powdered sugar and wanted to be on the safe side so I filled it up to the 2 cups mark and blended it on HIGH for 90 seconds.

Homemade Powered Sugar From Granulated Sugar

Magic. 

My 2 cups of granulated sugar became 4 cups of soft and fluffy powdered sugar before my eyes. We were able to go back to our lovely afternoon of baking together without having to run to the store or disrupt our Sunday afternoon family time.

And the cupcakes were so good! I didn't even get a picture before they were all gobbled up. But Nawna's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting definitely was a hit like always.

I love having tricks like this up my sleeves. Not only did it save me a trip and extra annoyance but buying granulated sugar is less expensive than powdered sugar so it saved me money too. Win, win.

Let me know if you try it out. You may need to blend it a little longer to get it as fine as you want.

Happy Baking

PP
DIY, Homemade, Homemade Powdered Sugar,
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All Natural Homemade Lavender Bath Salts w/ Essential Oil


I am always on the look out for nice, thoughtful, inexpensive gifts and I've got the perfect one for you today. Recently, I was invited to a summer garden party and needed to bring a hostess gift. Hostess gifts aren't supposed to be expensive, just something to show your appreciation for the invitation and effort that went into the event. Just something thoughtful you know your hostess would like.

When choosing a hostess gift, keep in mind the recipient and what they would like. This particular hostess is someone who loves flowers, especially roses and the smell of lavender. I also happen to know that she loves baths.

I could have run out and bought some fancy bath salts but have you ever read the back of a jar of bath salts you can buy at the store? They are full of hormone disrupting chemicals and synthetic ingredients that probably do more harm then good.

Luckily, we have the perfect diy natural lavender bath salts that any hostess would love.

We at Provident Princess love all things natural and non-toxic. This recipe for lavender bath salts is all goodness. First we have epsom salt which helps relieve sore muscles and joints with its magnesium and sulfate content. Second, it smell divine from the pure food grade essential oil which is made from the actual plant and not from some lab. And lastly, we add a little carrier oil which helps equally distribute the essential oil throughout the tub while also 'carrying' the oil into your skin so that it absorbs and really benefits from all the health benefits of the essential oil. And bonus, it acts as a moisturizer too after the bath so no extra lotion is needed.

The best part? Instead of spending $20 or more, this costs less than a dollar to make and has way better ingredient than anything you could find in a store.



Ingredients_______________________________________________________________________

  • 1 3/4 cup Epsom Salt
  • 1 Tbls Carrier Oil- I like coconut oil, but you can use olive oil 
  • 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil- (I only use Doterra Oil, they have such quality ingredients and rigorous testing to make sure their oils live up to their high standards. You can find out more here). 
  • 1 Tbls of Fresh Lavender Flowers - if you don't have these it is fine, they just make the salts look pretty and show what its made of. Kind of like how you garnish a plate with things that are in a dish so you know what's in it. 


 Directions________________________________________________________________________
It's really simple as can be.

  • Pour the Epsom Salt into a mixing bowl (glass or stainless steel- wood will absorb the oils)
  • Pour the Lavender Essential Oil drop by drop into the carrier oil and mix together with a spoon. 
  • Pour the combined oil over the salt and stir until it is equally distributed and the salt looks like wet sand. 
  • Stir in the lavender flowers through out.
  • Transfer into whatever glass storage container you would like. Do not use plastic. 

Enjoy your self or use as a gift.

Here's a few pics from the tea party, wasn't it gorgeous?



It was the perfect way to spend a summer's evening chatting with friends and sipping mint julep. I loved how the Lavender Bath Salts fit right into the garden theme. Especially, since I had picked the lavender from my own garden.


To learn more about Essential Oils see my post on Essential Oils 101
DIY, Essential Oils, Frugal Tips,
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How to Plant Garlic

I am really excited to share this post today. It's all about how to grow garlic at home.

Growing your own garlic is so easy! Anyone can do it. Seriously.

Have you ever had some store-bought garlic so long that it started to sprout? Perfect, you're halfway there. If you just stick that clove in the ground and it will grow into a head of garlic next summer.

Now is the perfect time for planting bulbs; flowers or garlic. Anytime after the weather turns cooler in the Fall is a great time to plant. You just need make sure you plant before the ground freezes. Luckily, with how weird the weather has been this winter our growing/planting season has been extended.

Charlotte and I spent a wonderful morning in the garden and it was so fun having her help me with the planting. Though of course she just wanted to dig them all out afterwards.




Directions:
All you need is a head of garlic from the store. Just the regular kind you buy to cook with.

Break apart the head of garlic to get the individual cloves. One clove will grow into an entire head of garlic next year. One of my friends brought me home some popular garlic from a recent trip to California. I'm really excited to plant it. It's been so hard not to use it all because it is so delicious, I hope it grows well here. Fingers crossed.

You only want to plant the biggest ones because they will yield the biggest crop next year. Just save the small ones to use in the kitchen.

Go out to your garden and turn the earth under. Basically just loosen up the dirt and add in any compost you might want to.

Once your dirt is turned over, dig holes 6 inches apart all the way around and about 3-4 inches deep. If you don't have raised garden beds you might want to think about leaving space for a walkway depending on how many cloves you plant.

I use a stick like this to dig. I feel a little like a cave woman digging in the dirt with a stick but hey, it works. And Charlotte loves it too.


Next stick your garlic clove in the ground with the point sticking up. You will want the top of the garlic about 2 inches from the top of the dirt once you fill it in. And, doesn't everyone garden while juggling a baby? Charlotte is learning young.

 
Cover and repeat for all remaining cloves.  I like to dig one hole at a time because my dirt is really loose and falls back into the holes easily making it harder to go back and stick the cloves in. But you could dig all your holes first, then stick in all the garlic cloves, then cover all at once.

You're done.

See what did I tell you? Easy! And you'll love cooking with your homegrown garlic next year.

Tips:

  • you may want to put a layer of mulch like leaves over the dirt to help insulate the garlic over the winter.
Gardening, How to Plant Garlic, How to's,
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Frugal vs Cheap

Being frugal doesn’t mean you are a miser afraid of spending any money. Frugal to my mind means that you use your wealth and resources deliberately. Maybe it is just the accountant in me and I can’t get rid of the debit/credit mindset.

When you use an asset it either can be for another asset, an expense or a future liability. I don’t know about you but I want to feel like I am getting value for the money I use,  not feeling like I just flushed it down the toilet.

My husband and I made the decision for me to work at home raising our kids instead of in an office bringing home a paycheck. He works hard to provide for our family and I work just as hard to respect that and use our money in the most prudent way.  That isn’t to say that our purchases are strictly practical, that would suck the fun out of life (and that’s when you turn into a miser).

No, what that means is that I try to use our money as economically as possible. For instance, if I want to take my kids to a museum I will look and see if they have any free days or discounts. Many times they do and it just takes a little looking. So in this instance if I found out they do offer a free day I would wait and go then. I still will be able to do what I want and provide a fun, educational experience for my kids. The same experience they would’ve had if I had paid full price, but instead I would have saved at least $30 which I can now have available for something else. We can still have nice things. We just have to choose which of those we want to set as a priority.

There is a quote by Gandhi I came across recently that I loved:
“There is enough on Earth for everybody's need, but not enough for everybody's greed.”
I feel like that can apply individually to our lives as well. There is enough for your needs. Enough even your wants (greed). But you have to work within your financial constraints.  We might not all be able to take the most lavish and extravagant vacations without a second thought about where the money is coming from but there is probably a way to have meaningful, amazing travel experiences in another way. And this doesn’t just relate to travel. This idea can apply to every other facet of life.

I believe that we can have all the experiences we want in life if we just look for a way to make it happen. When you live providently or frugally, you feel like you have more. Not just for yourself but for others also. When we save in so many little ways it makes it easier to give in big ways. Life is abundant, there are so many opportunities out there and I plan to make the most of them. If this is something you resonate with, then follow along as I share my adventures and my frugal tips that make them possible.  
Budget Tools, Finance, Frugal Living,
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How to Make Pumpkin Puree in a Pressure Cooker

Wondering what to do with your pumpkins now that Halloween is over? A great way to use left over pumpkins is to make pumpkin puree. 

Pumpkin is actually really good for you. It is packed full of Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, and minerals like Copper, Manganese, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus. 

And get this. 

One cup of pumpkin provides 245% of your daily Vitamin A allowance. 

Now that you know how good it is for you, I'll show you how to make your own pumpkin puree from scratch. 

Directions:
Gather your pumpkins. Don't try to use a pumpkin that has been carved and hanging out on your porch for weeks. 

I didn't carve any of my pumpkins, I just stacked them next to each other for a more 'harvesty' display rather than 'Halloweeny'

This is a pie pumpkin also known as sugar pumpkins. They are smaller than the carving pumpkins and have a sweeter taste. You can use a carving pumpkin, the taste will just be a little less pronounced. But pumpkin recipes always call for so many strong spices like cinnamon and nutmeg that a carving pumpkin would do just fine.

Slice it in half with a sharp knife.

Scoop out the guts and cut out the stem. I have found that using an ice-cream scoop is perfect for getting all the stringy seeds out.

Chop up the pumpkin. I cut it into about 8 chunks.

Next throw them in your pressure cooker. If you don't have a pressure cooker you can lay them on a cookie sheet and cook them in the oven for 1 1/2 hrs at 375.

This is what I love about pressure cookers. I could cook this in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or I could throw it in my pressure cooker for 4 minutes! It saves so much time and energy costs.

When the 4 minutes are up, use the quick release method to release the steam and let your pumpkin pieces cool. I moved mine to a plate to cool faster.

After your pumpkin has cooled, scrape off the flesh and toss it in a blender or food processor. One pumpkin will yield anywhere from 2-4 cups of puree.

Blend until smooth. (If you have trouble, add a little water. Just decrease the amount of liquid called for in your recipe later) You may want to do this in a couple of batches.

Doesn't that look so much better than what you buy in the can? Why would you ever buy canned pumpkin puree now that you know how easy it is to make yourself?

You can use this puree for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins or baby food. 

I am proud to say that I have never bought a jar of baby food. I love making my own baby food and knowing my girls are getting the healthiest food possible, not loaded with a ton of preservatives, salt or sugar.

This pumpkin puree freezes so well.

For the baby food, I just pour it into an ice-cube tray and then transfer the cubes into a freezer bag once they're frozen. The cubes make the perfect serving sizes so I just grab one or two out of the bag when I need one.

I also freeze puree for me to cook with later. (You could can it yourself if you would like but I feel freezing is more convenient. One store-bought can of pumpkin puree is about 1 3/4 C. But, I freeze mine in 1 cup measurements.There are recipes like pancakes that don't call for a full can so I like them in smaller increments because I can always just double up if I need to.

 I found the cleanest way to get the right amount of puree into my bag is to put my bag into the measuring cup first then fill it with the puree. That way you're not scooping the puree then trying to get it all in the bag without making a mess. 

Label your bags and freeze for a later date.

Or if you can't wait...

Pull out your favorite pumpkin recipe and get cookin'. I made chocolate chip pumpkin bread. It has such a warm, comforting taste. Just perfect to eat during the blizzard of a snow storm we got hit with last night.
How to Make Pumpkin Puree, How to's, Pressure Cooking,
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Zucchini Apple Pie


Yes, you read that right. Zucchini. Apple. Pie.

A few years ago I was invited to meet the family of a guy I had been going out with. His step-mom made us dinner and for dessert she brought out some pie.

She served everyone a slice and we dug in. It was really good. After about 3 bites my date looked up and said "Mmm, this is good, what kind of pie is this?"

At that moment I was so embarrassed for him. I thought:
 "Really, has he never had apple pie before? Who doesn't know what apple pie is. I mean, what else could these big green slices be?"

So I leaned over and said quietly "It's apple pie."

Then to my horror he asked again, only louder "So, what kind of pie is this?"

I just sat there and stared at him, then his step-mom replied. "Oh, this is zucchini pie."

"What!" I was shocked, I could not taste it. It tasted and looked just like apple pie. I would've bet my car on the fact that it was apple pie.

I guess that's why they say 'only fools are positive.'

The joke was most definitely on me.

But it was a delicious one so I didn't mind much.

Since this is the time of year everyone with zucchini plants has them coming out their ears and can't seem to give them away; I thought I'd share this little recipe with you.

It will be a fun way to use some of your bumper crop. And,  it's always great watching people's faces when you tell them what it is they're eating.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Get dough for a double crust pie ready for a 9in pan. You can either make your own or if you don't feel like it, use store bought pie crust dough.

 If you want to make it from scratch check the bottom of this post for a no fail recipe.

Grab some zucchinis. I only used 2. You want about 4-5 cups once they are sliced.

Peel the zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. I used a measuring spoon because it left a nice round center. 

Meanwhile, put a pan with water on the stove and heat to boiling. This will be used to steam your zucchini.

Slice the zucchini halves into nice half moon slices.

Throw your zucchinis in the boiling water and cook about 6-7 minutes until they are just barely fork tender. Empty the steamed zucchini onto a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with a little salt and drain.

In another bowl combine:
Add 1/2 cup brown sugar 
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 
4 Tbls white all-purpose flour


Return drained zucchini back to pan and stir in the sugar mixture. It will be pretty runny, that's ok. Make sure everything is dissolved.


Pour everything into the 9 in pie crust. 

Top your filling with a few pats of butter. About 1 1/2 Tbls.

Carefully place the top of your pie crust on the pan. Go around the edges with a fork or your fingers to give it a decorative look. I also like to make a few slits on the top and sprinkle a little white sugar over it. Just to make it prettier.

Cook it in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35-40 min. Remove and allow to cool. The liquid will still be runny but will thicken as it cools.

When it's time for dessert, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!


No Fail Pie Crust Recipe
1 cup flour
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbls sugar
1/4 cup cold water

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or rubber spatula. Add water and mix until the mixture forms a ball and holds together. Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on a well-floured board and add more flout as needed to prevent it from sticking.

Shape and place in pie pan. Add filing and bake as directed.

Tips:
I don't like my crust very thick so this was fine for my double crust. If you want a thicker crust then I would either double the recipe or make a 1.5 batch.

*This article first appeared on Deseretnews.com
Cooking From Your Garden, Desserts, Pies,
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Provident Living Spotlight- What To Do With Left-Over Rice

Rice and Raisins
You are all in for a treat. 

I am about to share the yummiest breakfast recipe in the whole world. It is warm, chewy and sweet. Total comfort food. And it is super fast to make.

My mom would make this for us whenever she had too much left-over rice. 

I make too much left-over rice just so I can make this the next day. 

If you have ever had rice pudding, it is like that, only for breakfast. Who wouldn't love dessert for breakfast? Yum! I can't wait.

Grab your left over rice. 4-5 cups is best. It is just right for the amount of evaporated milk you get in 1 can but you can make it with any amount by just decreasing the milk. I had 5 cups so that is what I used. Dump it in a stock pot or large sauce pan.

Turn your stove on medium-low. Open a can of evaporated milk and dump it over your rice. You can use regular milk here if you want but the evaporated milk justs adds better flavor and creaminess.


Stir your rice and milk mixture. The rice will start absorbing the milk. You just want to heat everything through, nothing needs to cook. As you can see there isn't a lot of standing liquid. You want the rice to get thick. Like the consistency of porridge. 

Next, add some brown sugar. I use dark brown, the flavor is better. Scoop about 1 Tbls per cup of rice. If you want it sweeter you can always add more to taste. Remember that the raisins will add some sweetness too so you won't want to add too much. Stir. The rice should start looking a little golden. 

Add 1/2 tsp-1 tsp cinnamon. I usually end up right around 3/4tsp. Stir.

Now you can either add 1/3-1/2 cup of raisins to the mixture and heat through. Or if you have picky eaters you can have each person sprinkle however many they want on top of their own serving. Or none. I like to have about 1 raisin per bite. That way you have all the textures and flavors together. 

This is a great way to use the raisins that are left at the bottom of a bag. You know the ones that are a little dried out and no longer look appealing.

K, are you drooling yet?

 Just pour a little regular milk over everything, like how you would eat oatmeal, before digging in. For some reason I like the warm rice and raisins with the cold milk taste. 

Enjoy! 

If for some reason you don't devour the whole pan for breakfast and you happen to have left-overs, it is great straight out of the fridge too.

If you were living exclusively off your food storage can you imagine how tired you would be of oatmeal? This would be a nice little treat for everyone just to change things up a little. Plus, rice is a lot easier for little bodies to digest than most grains.
Long-Term Food Storage, Provident Living, Recipes,
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