Nancy on the Home Front

Prudent Pantry: Storing Coffee

I love my morning cup of coffee. I have been keeping my extra coffee beans in the freezer. Lately I began to wonder it this was the best way to store coffee. Is it possible to store coffee long-term?

The enemies of roasted coffee are moisture, air, light and heat. Storing your coffee away from them will keep it fresher longer. An airtight container stored in a cool, dark place is the best environment for your coffee. Once coffee’s original packaging is opened, coffee loses its freshness quickly. The best containers to store coffee are ceramic or non-reactive metal containers with airtight gaskets. Coffee can be stored fresh in clear, glass canisters or clear plastic ware only if the canisters are kept in a cool, dark place. If you are planning to store your coffee on your counter use an opaque, airtight container.

Coffee is porous which is a good thing if you are a fan of flavored coffees. Coffee beans absorb the coffee flavoring syrups and oils used to make flavored coffee. However this means that coffee can also absorb other flavors such as seafood or the moisture your freezer produces. This is why we don’t buy our coffee from the freezer section at the grocery store! Does this mean you can’t store coffee in your freezer? No, if you found a great price on bulk coffee and it is more than you will use in a two-week period than the freezer can be an acceptable place to store your coffee. However you want to keep it in the freezer until ready to use and then take it out and use it. Don’t keep putting it in and taking it out. The change in temperature is not good for your coffee. If you’ve purchased a large quantity of coffee that you will not use immediately, small portions, wrapped in airtight bags, can be stored for up to a month in the freezer.

whole coffee beans, prudent living, prudent pantry — whole coffee beans

Never store your coffee in the refrigerator; it is the worst place to put coffee.

Buy whole beans and keep them whole as long as possible. Grinding the coffee breaks up the beans, their oils are exposed to air and the coffee goes stale a lot faster, no matter how you store it. For the best tasting coffee, buy your beans whole and store them in a sealed container in a dark place. Grind right before serving.

What about vacuum sealed coffee? Vacuum-sealed coffee does not equal fresh coffee. When coffee is roasted, it releases carbon dioxide and continues to release it for days afterward. Fresh roasted coffee can be packaged in valve-sealed bags to allow the gases to escape and will taste best about 48 hours after roasting. The vacuum bag will indeed help preserve coffee longer while it ships and maybe sits on a store shelf, but before it is shipped it has to sit around for a awhile before it was “sealed for freshness” Vacuum sealing is best for pre-ground coffee, which we already know is not going to taste as good as fresh-ground coffee.

So in review: buy whole beans directly from a coffee roaster if possible. Look for valve sealed bags, not vacuum-sealed, store your coffee beans in a sealed container in a dark place. Grind your beans just before serving. If you want to store coffee beans long-term you should learn about how to roast your own coffee beans! Enjoy your coffee!

My Garden: Starting Seeds Indoors

In late February – early March it is time to start my seeds indoors. There are certain vegetables that if you want to plant by seed they must be started indoors. Varieties such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, perennials and some annual flowers benefit from an early start indoors.

Insufficient light is the biggest problem with starting seeds indoors. Long, tall, skinny seedlings which eventually fall over and die are the result of not enough light. Use fluorescent lights, preferable a 4-tube ballast. Tubes must be placed 1” to 2” above the seedlings. Ballasts can be hung on chains and hooked into ceiling hooks for easy adjustment as the seedlings grow. Seedlings must receive 14-16 hours of light, and 8 hours of darkness per day. My husband built me a grow table out of scrap lumber. I have two sets of grow lights which I use over my seedlings. I found a great plan online for building a grow light stand out of PVC pipe. Very clever. Click here for the directions.

Make your own seed starting mixture or purchase high quality seed starting mix that holds the moisture yet has good drainage. Seedlings must be kept moist but not soggy. If they completely dry out just once, seedlings will die. If soggy, fungal problems can occur.

seed starting, gardening, prudent living — Various containers I use for seed starting.

Almost any container can be used to start seeds including old milk containers or egg cartons. Seed starting trays and larger pots for transplanting seedlings are available. To retain soil moisture until seed germinates, cover your container with a clear lid or wrap in clear plastic wrap. Remove the cover immediately when you see the first seedling. I save the clear containers that salad mixes or spinach come in as my growing container.

seed starting, gardening — Empty lettuce containers I save each year.

If your containers are very small and it’s not quite time to plant your seedlings outside, you may need to transfer them to larger containers to allow for proper growth. Chose a container twice the size of the original one, fill it part way with moistened soil, and carefully transplant the seedling handling only the root ball or the leaves, not the stems. Add soil to fill, and water gently.

Before moving the seeds outside you will need to ‘harden the seedlings off’ for about a week. Take the containers outside and place in a filtered sun/shade location away from harsh winds during the day, and bring them back in before evening. Gradually increase the time the seeding’s are outside until they are ready to be planted in your garden. You can also use a cold frame to transition your seedlings. I will post more about cold frames in a later post.

How do you know when to start your seeds inside? All the seeds packets indicate the optimum sowing time based on the average last spring frost date. Generally, tomatoes are sown indoors 6-8 weeks before the average last frost, peppers 8-10 weeks, onions 8-12 weeks. Flower seeds sowing time can vary from 4-12 weeks before the average last frost depending on the variety. For specific variety information, check the back of your seed packet. You also can check the new Plant Hardiness Zone Map from the USDA which will give you an idea of what plants will thrive in your area.

Seed viability is another thing to think about before starting your seeds. If you are using seeds left over from a previous year it is a good idea to check the viability of the seeds. An easy way to do this is to take 10 seeds and place them on a dampened paper towel. Moisten the paper towel and lay it over the seeds.Place the covered seeds in a zip lock plastic bag and store in a warm, dark place such as a cupboard. Check it occasionally to make sure it is still moist. After a week check the seeds to see if any have sprouted. By using ten seeds you can convert the viability to a percentage. If all 10 seeds have sprouted you have a 100% viability. If only 6 sprouted the percentage drops to 60%. If the viability is low you may just have to plant more seeds or get a new packet of seeds.

Check my video on the seed viability test I did on some pepper and tomato seeds.

Frugal Tip: Homemade Hand Lotion

I don’t know about you but in the winter my hands suffer with the dry air, I am constantly looking for a decent hand lotion. After the good results I had making a lip balm I decided to try making a hand lotion. With three basic ingredient plus water I made a really nice lotion.

hand lotion, frugal tip — Ingredients for making a hand lotion.

It’s too thick to use as a body lotion but works perfectly for my hands. When you first put it on your hands it seems a little greasy but it soaks in in no time. I used lavender as my essential oil but you could use whatever you want. I had the olive oil on hand and purchased the emulsifying wax from Mountain Rose Herbs. Next time I’ll have to find a recipe for making a homemade beeswax lotion as we have our own beeswax. I poured lotion into a wide mouth pint jar, which I now keep by the sink.

Here’s the recipe:

1 ¼ cup hot water
¼ cup emulsifying wax
¼ cup olive oil
15-36 drops of essential oil (depends on your taste)

In a Pyrex measuring cup I combined the olive oil and emulsifying wax and microwaved it on high for 1 minute or until the wax is melted. The temperature is about 155 degrees.

homemade hand lotion — Emulsifying wax and olive oil

I then removed the wax – olive oil mixture from the microwave and heated up the water in another Pyrex measuring cup for one minute. While the water was heating up I added the essential oil into my melted wax-olive oil mixture. I only used 15 drops of lavender essential oil.

wax, olive oil, homemade hand lotion — Melted wax and olive oil.

Then pour the hot water slowly into the wax-olive oil mixture and watch it turn milky white. At this point the temperature is about 125 degrees. I then poured the hot lotion into my wide mouth pint jar and let it cool over night.

homemade hand lotion, frugal tip — Lotion poured into pint jar.

I was a bit skeptical that it would thicken, however the next morning the lotion was a nice thick consistency.

lavendar hand lotion, homemade, frugal tip — Hand lotion thickened overnight.

I could have used more essential oil but I really like the gentle fragrance of the lavender, it is not overpowering at all.

Recipe Box: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

As a general rule I cook from scratch. Occasionally I will doctor up cake mixes or other time saving mixes. I have a son who loves Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I discovered this recipe many years ago. It is quick and easy and you can have a batch of muffins in the oven in no time. I usually have the ingredients on hand so I can mix up a batch when my son is home.

homemade muffins, recipes, poppyseed muffins — Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

18 ¼ oz pkg White Cake Mix
6 oz pkg lemon pudding
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
3 eggs
1 ¼ cup water
⅓ cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, blend cake mix, lemon pudding and poppy seeds.

dry ingredients, poppy seeds — Mix dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, water and oil.

eggs, muffin mix — Combine eggs, oil and water.

Blend the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir. Line muffin tin with muffin cups. Fill 2/3 full. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Let cool 5 minutes before removing.

Makes 20-24 muffins depending on the size of your muffin tin. These muffins freeze well too.

snacks, freezer snacks — These muffins freeze well.

muffin, homemade, prudent living — Ready to eat.

Prudent Pantry: Coconut Oil

Last week I mentioned the virtues of Olive Oil, today I’m going to talk about a new oil to me – coconut oil. I recently started reading more about coconut oil in various blogs and discovered it was used in making hand lotions. Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. Apparently it has been a part of the diets of many throughout the tropical world. It is very heat stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. It is a good item to have in your pantry because it is slow to oxidize and, thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content.

There are many benefits to coconut oil; it is one of the best natural nutritions for your hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair. Coconut oil is used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. Most of the people in these countries apply coconut oil on their hair daily after their bath. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.

Coconut oil is an excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil.

Oil pulling is another way to use coconut oil. All of a sudden I have been hearing more and more about oil pulling. I’ve read numerous articles and read many personal experiences of people that have been using this procedure. Oil Pulling (“OP”) is reported to cure: Mouth & Gum Disease; Stiff Joints; Allergies; Asthma; High Blood Sugar; Constipation; Migraines; Bronchitis; Eczema; Heart, Kidney, Lung Diseases; Leukemia; Arthritis; Meningitis; Insomnia; Menopause (hormonal issues); Cancer; AIDS; Chronic Infections; Varicose Veins; High Blood Pressure; Diabetes; Polio; Cracked Heels. I will let you read about oil pulling yourself. There are numerous articles on the web both negative and positive!

One article I read that listed over 160 different uses for coconut oil. Everything from cooking and health problems to general health and wellness. I was amazed at the extent of uses! Check out the whole article here: 160 Uses for Coconut Oil

I am interested in using it in soap making. It can be used as one of the fats in soap.

Coconut oil is solid when you purchase it. It has a high melting point (76-78 Fahrenheit) therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperatures are high.

If you are using the coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil by keeping the bottle in the sun or warm water. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes.

Coconut oil is a valuable resource and something that I will keep stocked in my pantry!

My Garden: the “Have More” Plan

I will be starting my seeds in another week. In the meantime I thought I’d review an interesting book for you – The “Have-More” Plan by Ed and Carolyn Robinson. This book was originally published in the 40’s. Since then it has been reprinted 22 times and is available from Amazon for a very reasonable price.

Here is what Amazon has to say about the book:

It has been Ed Robinson and wife Carolyn’s dream that every family can own a home and a little land. Their classic book, The “Have-More” Plan, was written in the 1940’s. The book has been kept in print unchanged because it is still, after 70 years, a useful reference for the home gardener. Over 500,000 people have now discovered how to do things in ways that work simply and well. Ed said, “…poultry, goats, lettuce, and home canning haven’t changed much in the generation since The “Have-More” Plan was first published. Today home gardening seems on the verge of a giant step forward: We can now get more produce on small plots by using plastic cover-ups over raised beds to extend growing seasons. This ushers in a new era for home production.”

This book is full of valuable information especially for those of us who are pursuing the prudent way of life. There is information on landscaping your property, making space for your garden, and details on any livestock you might want to raise. Ed and Carolyn firmly believe in raising at least part of your food and have extensive information on getting your soil in shape, which vegetables are suitable for your area and harvesting your crops. They have a large vegetable planting chart which will help you decide how far apart to plant certain vegetables, how deep to plant the seeds and common pest problems.

vegetable planning, chart, gardening — Vegetable Planning Chart

Although some of the information in the book may be outdated, such as the pesticides they recommend, overall it is a wonderful little book full of valuable information for anyone who wants to live a more self-reliant lifestyle… it’s well worth the cost!

Frugal Tips – Homemade Lip Balm

For some time I’ve been interested in learning more about homemade hand creams and homemade soap. In researching various recipes I came upon a recipe for lip balm and decided to give it a try. I was amazed at how quickly the recipe came together and the end product was wonderful.

lip balm, homemade creams, prudent living — Ingredients for Lip Balm

I used our own honey and our own beeswax, which gave the lip balm a beautiful honey color.

beeswax, homemade lip balm — Grated beeswax.

The vitamin E oil is squeezed out of Vitamin E capsules; you get about 3 drops out of one capsule.

Vitamin E, lip balm — Squeezing Vitamin E out of capsule.

I had several 1 oz metal tins, which I used to pour the lip balm into. I ended up with four 1 oz containers when done. Here is the recipe I used:

6 Tbsp almond oil
2 tsp honey
4 tsp beeswax, grated
5 drops vitamin E oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
8 – ½ oz lidded pots

In a double boiler, melt almond oil, honey and beeswax together. I used a tin can placed in water.

Melting wax and oil. — I used a tin can to heat up the oil and melt the wax.

Remove from heat, allowing mixture to cool slightly. Add vitamin E and peppermint oils, stir until well blended. Spoon into pots and allow to cool before covering. Makes 8 – ½ oz pots.

lip balm, prudent living — Peppermint Lip Balm

This blog is linked to Frugal Tip Tuesday!

Recipe Box: Candy Cane Brownies

As promised I will share my Killer Brownie recipe from my husband’s family. I have to admit I am a recipe collector! I not only have numerous cookbooks but I also have several recipe boxes full of recipes I’ve collected over the years. The first recipe I asked for was in grade school, I asked my best friend’s mother for her macaroni and cheese recipe. It was something I don’t remember my mother making and I thought it was delicious! Since then my collection has grown. I’ve mentioned before the collection of family recipes that my mother-in-law gave me when I was engaged.

recipes, cookbooks, collections — Well loved recipe collection.

It is a wonderful collection of delicious and well-loved recipes. When my grandmother-in-law passed away I inherited her recipe box. What a treasure, this brownie recipe originated from the recipe box but was also passed along in the collection of recipes from my mother-in-law. I will pass it along to you.

brownie recipe, recipe boxes — Original Recipe

recipe box, recipes, prudent living — Gram's Recipe Box.

Killer Brownies

2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
½ cup butter
2 squares of Bakers Chocolate (semi-sweet)
½ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla

Melt the butter and chocolate over hot water. In a bowl, beat the eggs till light add the sugar and continue to beat. Add chocolate mixture, then flour, baking powder and salt. Then add vanilla. Spread in a 8×8 pan and bake 325 for 25 minutes or until done. I’ve also baked this recipe in a pie pan for brownie pie.

I then made a basic cream cheese frosting and spread it over the brownies (I doubled the recipe for the brownies). Once the frosting was spread I sprinkled on some of the crushed candy canes. What a delicious treat!

candy canes, brownies — Candy Cane Brownies

frosting, homemade, cream cheese — Basic Cream Cheese Frosting

I also made the Peppermint Sauce, which despite its bright pink color is delicious. Poured over vanilla ice cream I can enjoy the taste of peppermint stick ice cream year round! This recipe is very easy and can be made in a matter of minutes. If you missed the link here is the recipe:

Peppermint Sauce

1 ½ cups crushed peppermint candy canes
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème (fluff)

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and the candy is melted, stirring occasionally. (I left some of the candy bits un-melted)

peppermint sauce, ice cream topping — Stir until melted.

marshmallow creme, peppermint candy — Combine ingredients in a pan.

Pour into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. Serve warm over ice cream or cake. Makes three cups.

ice cream topping, peppermint candy canes — Bright pink Peppermint Sauce.

Prudent Pantry: Basic items including olive oil

There are several basic items you should have in your pantry. With these few essential ingredients on hand you’ll always be able to whip up a meal quickly.

Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Spices
Canned Tuna
Canned Beans
Chicken Broth
Tomato Paste
Jarred Marinara Sauce
Red & White Wine
Rice
Pasta
All-Purpose Flour
Sugar
Potatoes
Garlic & Onions

In your refrigerator keep on hand:

Butter
Milk
Eggs
Plain Yogurt
Parmesan Cheese
Dijon Mustard
Carrots
Lemons

This is a basic list from which you can expand as your pantry grows.

I’ve mentioned the benefits of vinegar before. Olive Oil also has many uses such as for cooking, greasing pans and making salad dressings. Did you know it has many valuable uses beyond cooking?

Olive oil has been used for centuries for personal care. It is a great skin moisturizer, in part because it contains linoleic acid, a compound not made by the body, but which prevents water from evaporating. Consuming olives and olive oil can promote healthy skin, as can applying it directly as a moisturizer. You can also add olive oil to a warm bath for a good healthy soak.

Olive oil also has benefits for hair. Comb a bit through dry or frizzy hair to help tame and moisturize your hair especially in the winter or on humid days. In the book Clean Body, Michael de Jong suggests treating your hair by kneading a few tablespoons of olive oil into your scalp and hair. “Swathe your oiled-up curls with a shower cap and take a thirty minute breather. Then just shampoo as usual to reveal a refurbished mane that even Fabio would envy”, he writes.

A number of people use olive oil as a natural remedy for earaches. One suggestion is to “very carefully use a cotton swab to apply olive oil to the outside ear cavity to help with earaches and excess wax.” Another suggestion is to heat up some olive oil in a microwave for 30 seconds and then apply to the ear that hurts for relief.

According to curbly.com, add a teaspoon of olive oil to your cat’s food to help prevent hairballs, as well as to promote a shiny, healthy coat. Olive oil is likely to be gentler on a cat’s system than petroleum-based anti-hairball lubricants. Plus, it has the benefit of coming from a renewable resource, as opposed to oil from the ground.

However you decide to use your olive oil it is definitely something to keep stocked in your pantry!

My Garden: Establishing Your Garden

The days are getting longer and soon it will be time to start my seeds inside. However it is still a little too soon to start anything, even the seeds that take a while. I’ve ordered my seeds and they should arrive any day. While we’re waiting feel free to check out the latest issue of Prudent Living Magazine. It’s full of all sorts of information including a wonderful article on maple sugaring. Once you’ve had the real stuff you’ll never go back! If you’d like to read about gardening, read my article on Establishing Your Vegetable Garden. If you live locally be sure to mark your calendars for the 34th Annual Homelife Show, March 16, 17 & 18 in Hanover, NH. Come visit and enter our drawing for your chance to win a 32GB iPod touch, or a WonderMill – the world’s cleanest, quietest, easy to use grain mill. Hope to see you there!