The Salt of the Earth

One of the most important items in your cupboard is salt, which comes from two sources; from underground sea salt beds that have been trapped for thousands of years (most of our common salt comes from here) and from the earth’s seas, called sea salt.

I’ll explain a little bit about each.
Table salt- Used on the table or at the stove to salt our food this salt is finely ground and contains some additives to keep it free flowing
Course salt- As the name implies is a larger grind of salt. This is what is used on pretzels.
Iodized Salt- Iodine has been added to the salt as a necessary nutrient for the body to prevent hypothyroidism. There is also a small amount of sugar (dextrose) added to prevent oxidation of the iodine.
Kosher salt- This salt is also a coarse grind which contains no additives.
Rock salt- This is a chunky, grayish looking salt used in ice cream machines, and is not usually edible, it being a less refined mined salt.
Celtic Salt- A very expensive salt that is harvested from Solar evaporation from the Celtic Sea. It is said to be of a mellow slightly sweet flavor.
Sea Salt- Of fine or coarse grind, this salt is distilled from sea waters, but is a less costly version of Celtic Salt. It is considered by some to be nutritionally better than rock salt because of natural mineral content. It has a stronger flavor than table salt.
Pickling salt – This is a fine grained salt with no additives, and is used in brines to pickle foods. Because there are no additives the brine remains clear.
Seasoned salt- Herbs and spices are added to this salt to make combinations, such as garlic salt, and onion salt.
Great Uses for Salt
I read that there are more than 14,000 uses for salt. And I thought it was just added to make our food taste better. Salt naturally prohibits the growth of bacteria and mold, so it can be used in many areas of your home. Here are a few for you to try. Let us know how they work for you!
In the Kitchen
Prevent browning – Peeled apples, pears and potatoes will keep their color when dropped in lightly salted cold water.
Peeling eggs - Boiling eggs in salted water will make eggs peel easily.
Clean sponges - Give sponges new life by soaking them in cold saltwater after they are washed.
Keep milk fresh - Add a pinch of salt to milk to keep it fresh longer
Remove onion odors from hands - Rub fingers with salt moistened with vinegar.
For Health
Gargle- Stir ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon soda in an 8 ounce glass of warm water and use as a gargle for sore throats. Noses are known to contain lots of germs. Use the same solution to rinse your nose with a nose or netti pot. ( I try to do this everyday during the winter. It helps to prevent sinus problems and stuffiness.)
Relieve bee stings - If stung, immediately wet the spot and cover with salt to relieve the pain.
In the Laundry
Remove perspiration stains - Add four tablespoons of salt to one quart of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until the stain disappear.
Brighten yellowed cottons or linens - Boil the yellowed items for one hour in a salt and baking soda solution.
Deodorize shoes - Sprinkling a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally will take up the moisture and help remove odors.
Fun with the kids- Make your own play dough, for a small price. Here’s a recipe.My Grandkids love playing with this!
PLAY DOUGH
1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Oil
½ cup Salt
1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
Food Color (optional)
Cook over medium heat until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and becomes like playdough in consistency. Knead until cool. Keeps 3 months unrefrigerated.

My Favorite New Baby Item

They just keep coming up with better things for babies! I'm on baby no. 2 and I can't believe all the extra handy things that are around with this one. I guess they have to keep you spending! Anyhow, I picked up the very cute Little Munchkin Fresh Feeder the other night. It is wonderful! You can stick a banana in it and no choking occurs!! My 8 mo. old baby LOVES to suck on it and amazingly enough I get to eat! Generally I'm trying to keep him happy while throwing down a few spoonfuls of something for myself. The feeder is the best because you can put all sorts of things in it. So far I've tried cooked carrots, mango and banana repeatedly. It works really well as a teether too because it gives them something to bite on and a taste at the same time so they don't throw it down after only a minute or two. Okay, had to share. Hope you pick one up! I bought mine at Walmart, but I see that they have them on Amazon and a bunch of other places online. Enjoy a few minutes to yourself! I actually got more cleaning done this week too while he watched me in his high chair with the feeder.

Peanut Butter & Honey... Celery?

My brother wasn't feeling well this last week, out with some kind of stomach BuG. In any case, I saw him prepare a celery stick with peanut butter... YUM, a good snack. Then he pulled out the honey and started to drizzle it on top as if it was a PB+H sandwich. I asked him if it tasted good. He said he didn't know. Then he took a big bite. "YEP" it tasted good. I haven't tried it yet, maybe when I get home (I didn't want to catch his germs), but it seems like a good alternative to a Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich.

You don't always need a recipe

Sometimes to get comfortable with cooking you need to experiment. I find this is one of the best ways to learn to cook. Stir fry is an easy one to start with.

It was time for dinner, and once again I couldn't figure out what to make. I looked in the fridge and had lots of vegetables, so I decided on stir fry. I didn't have any meat and no peppers, so I had to make up my own version. I put the rice on to cook first, it would take the longest. Next I had to figure out what to do about no meat. You can substitute beans and legumes for meat in many recipes. I decided on lentils and got them in a pan, I figured add water to soften them, bullion for flavor, olive oil for good fat, and what stir fry doesn't have soy sauce, no measurements just guess. Then I started cutting up veggies. I used onion, celery, carrots, cabbage, and asparagus, which is what I had on hand. Tossed those in about 15 minutes later and cooked for another 5 minutes. I like sauce to drip down a bit on my rice so I added more water until there was enough liquid for my taste and sprinkled a few tablespoons of flour over the top to thicken the sauce. Cooked a few more minutes till it was thick, tasted it, and it was ready to go. Serve on top of rice.

Easy Donation

Have you seen these before? They are found on a number of products that you probably buy on a regular basis, and on some you wouldn't expect. They are found on cereal, diapers, toilet paper, cookie mixes, yogurt, paper plates, and more.

Box tops are an easy way to donate to schools without costing you anything. Don't have school age children at home anymore? Save them for the cute kids next door, or send them to your grand kids, or I am sure your local school would be happy to take them off your hands. You can get a complete list of participating products here.

These little things add up fast and make a big difference. Schools are able to provide extra programs that the state does not fund. My kids school just got a check for $1000. Once you start collecting you will find them everywhere. Now go look through your house and see how many you have to give.

It's not finished until...

We recently went out to visit my family and my dad passed along some good advice that his dad taught him. I am sure he was trying to teach us when we were growing up, but you don't understand or appreciate some things till your older.

When he was growing up his dad always taught him that a project is not finished until you have cleaned up afterward. I thought this applied to everything in the household. Laundry isn't done till its hung in a closet or folded in a drawer. Dinner isn't done till the table is cleared, wiped off, and leftovers are in the fridge. The lawn isn't done till the mower is emptied of grass clippings and put away, and the sidewalk is swept or blown. My craft/sewing project is not done till it is hung on the wall and my crafting/sewing area is clean. Since we have been back I have tried to remember this as I go about my day and it helps to keep the house cleaner.




Thanks Dad and Grandpa. You are both wonderful Grandpas!

Orange Julius

My kids love orange julius for breakfast. It is fast and easy to make, and if you add a peice of toast you have breakfast that you can take on the go.

Orange Julius
2 C water
1-2 C ice
1/3 to 1/2 can orange juice concentrate
1/3 C powdered milk (or decrease water by 1 C and use 1 C milk)
squirt of vanilla

Combine all in blender and blend on high till smooth. Adjust ingredients to your taste.