Nancy on the Home Front

Making a Non-Toxic Oven Cleaner

Having recently moved into an apartment I noticed our oven really needed a cleaning. Unfortunately with Thanksgiving upon us I didn’t have a chance to clean the oven until after the holiday. I did want to clean it before I began doing any baking for Christmas. I really didn’t want to use the self-cleaning aspect of the oven, instead I decided that making a own non-toxic oven cleaner was the thing to do.

Making a Non-Toxic Oven Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Liquid Dish Soap
1 ½ cup Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. Salt
½ cup White vinegar
Several drops of the Essential oil of your choice

Directions:

Cleaning your oven with a non-toxic oven cleaner is easy and effective. First of all start with a cool oven and remove the oven racks. If the racks are dirty you can use the same paste to clean them. Place them in the bathtub, wipe the paste all over them, and let them sit before scrubbing.

In a large bowl make a paste using the liquid dish soap, the baking soda and salt. Add the white vinegar. Mix the ingredients together. You want the consistency to be like frosting. If you want you can add a few drops of essential oils, I like to use lemon essential oil. When adding the vinegar to the baking soda it will foam up so make sure you mix it in a large enough bowl. Use a damp sponge to wipe the paste all over the interior of your oven. You want it to stick to the walls and not be dripping. Let it sit for 6-8 hours or best let it sit overnight.

Dip a sponge in warm water and wipe down the interior of your oven. You’ll be amazed at the dirt that comes up.You may have to use a little elbow grease to get the stubborn spots clean, but what a nice feeling to know you used a non-toxic oven cleaner to do the job! Spray lightly with distilled vinegar to remove any leftover residue from the paste. The oven will now be ready for all the Christmas baking you plan to do!

Keeping the Oven Clean

To keep the oven looking clean and to help contain any spills I like to line my oven with a silicon oven liner. The best thing about these oven liners is that they come in a three pack, keep one for yourself and give the other two away as gifts! The bakers in your life will appreciate it!
I love silicon oven liners. They help make any future clean up much easier. Let the Christmas baking begin!

How do you clean your oven? Do you have a homemade recipe that works well? I don’t mind using a little elbow grease as long as the end result is a clean and sparkling oven!

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Goal Setting Weekly Update #48

Thanksgiving is over and we’re heading into the busy month of December. Not only am I busy getting ready for the Christmas holiday but I’m also spending time thinking about my goals for the New Year. I’m so glad I wrote down my goals for 2018. I may not have accomplished them all 100%, but I made better progress than if I’d never written them down!

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

2. Monetize my blog. I have set up two affiliate accounts. You may be noticing links to my favorite items on Amazon. I’ve also teamed up with an amazing heirloom seed company, Mary’s Heirloom Seeds. As we head into the New Year I plan to focus more on this goal. How nice it would be to cover the costs of having a blog! I will also be setting up an Amazon Influencer Page, this is where I share all of my favorite items from cookbooks to cookware!

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. This is the goal I will put at the top of next years list.

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! As I mentioned this goal has been a dismal failure. Currently we have made it our goal to get outside for a short walk whenever the sun is shining. Living in the Pacific Northwest is a new adventure for us and there is a lot to explore.

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! This goal may be completed but I am still reading! Currently my husband and I are reading Craig Groeschel’s book Divine Direction. It’s all about the decisions we make that change your life. The perfect book to read as we near the end of the year.

7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. We gathered with all our of grown children, their spouses and our three grandchildren. It’s been a long time since we were all together for Thanksgiving! Our meal plan this week is to eat healthier. When you’re not focused on meal plans it’s amazing how this goal can slip.
8. ~~Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Finished my two needle holders which I’l be giving as gifts. I think rather than try to squeeze another knitting project in this year I will look ahead to next year and plan my projects for 2019. Two of my favorite books are Quick and Easy Projects for the Weekend Quilter and One-Skein Wonders. I may just pick my projects from these books!

9~~. Clean out our freezer.~~ Done! I miss having our larger freezers but I am not planning on stocking up while we live in this apartment. Shopping is done for the week ahead and that’s about it!

10. ~~Take a few road trips and visit family and friends on the east coast that we will not see as often once we move to the west coast.~~ Done! Having completed this goal we are now looking forward to a new year with new travel plans. I actually have a bit of family here on the west coast and it will be fun to catch up with everyone.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.“

Walt Disney

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For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front

Christmas Countdown: Mailing Week

No matter where we have lived we have always had friends or family that we would mail presents to. Once Thanksgiving was behind us I would use the following week to focus on completing package wrapping for the gifts that needed to be shipped. They may not all get mailed this week, but I try to have everything in the mail several weeks before Christmas.

I have a collection of flat rate boxes that I have picked up from the post office. If I am mailing anything fairly heavy I have found that flat rate boxes are the best way to go. If the contents are too large to fit in a flat rate box I then will mail the package FedEx ground. I have had good luck mailing packages using both of these methods.

Another task to focus on this week is to complete addressing and mailing of Christmas correspondences. We have lived in different areas of the country over the years and enjoy keeping in touch with the friends we have made. If we are planning on sending out a Christmas letter this is the week to get it done.

If we are planning on sending out a Christmas photo this is the week to finalize the photo and order the cards. Many of the companies like Shutterfly offer great deals if you order your card now and don’t wait for the last minute.

Focusing on a task each week has really helped me to stay organized and not be stressed by the Christmas countdown! Christmas comes whether we are ready of not. By doing a little each week you can stay on top of things and really be able to enjoy this special time of year.

Have you been following along with the Christmas Countdown? What steps have you taken to be ready?

What To Do With Leftover Turkey?

Thanksgiving is over and if you hosted the big day at your house you may have some leftover turkey? Are you wondering what to do with leftover turkey? I have several favorite ways to use up leftover turkey and I debated which recipe to share. Instead of just sharing one recipe I decided to share all three! When we host Thanksgiving at our hose these are my favorite ways to use up the leftover turkey.

Besides making delicious turkey sandwich’s one of my favorite ways to use up leftover turkey is in a turkey curry. This has got to be one the best recipes for using up leftover turkey. Don’t be alarmed over the length of the recipe, it comes together very quickly and in no time you will be enjoying this delicious turkey curry.

If you enjoy curry another way to use up leftover turkey is making this Curried Turkey Vegetable Soup. The curry flavor is mild and this delicious recipe is a wonderful way to use up some of that leftover turkey.

Perhaps you’re not a big fan of curry. If that’s the case use your leftover turkey to make this Turkey Soup. This is one of the best turkey soup recipes and I have been making it for years. I am so thankful that a neighbor of mine shared this recipe with me.

Hopefully you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with your friends and family. If you hosted the big meal at your house and are looking for ways to use up that leftover turkey try one of these soup recipes or make a batch of turkey curry. All three recipes are a wonderful way to use up leftover turkey.

Do you have a favorite way to use up your leftover turkey? Please let me know as I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy leftover turkey recipes!

My Favorite Gravy Recipe

Years ago I found this gravy recipe in a magazine and it has become my favorite gravy recipe. Part of the tradition of Thanksgiving has been searching for the 4 turkey wings needed for this recipe. This gravy is made ahead of time and can be frozen until you want to use it. I love the fact that it can be made ahead of time and you don’t have to fuss with making the gravy after your turkey is cooked on Thanksgiving Day.

You may not be able to make this gravy this Thanksgiving but save it for the future, you’ll be glad you did. I usually look for the turkey wings several weeks before Thanksgiving. I make the gravy and save the bits of meat from the wings to make a soup or else I make a simple white sauce and we’ll enjoy creamed turkey. The gravy is rich and delicious. The recipe takes a little cooking time but your house will smell wonderful.

My Favorite Gravy Recipe

Ingredients:

4 turkey wings (2-4 pounds)
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
8 cups chicken broth (divided)
2 medium carrots, chunked
2 medium ribs of celery, chunked
1 tsp. Dried thyme
¾ cup flour
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the turkey wings in a roasting pan and add the onions. Roast the wings for 1 ¼ hours or until the wings are browned.

Remove the wings and onions from the pan and place in a large pot. Add the one cup of water to the roasting pan and scrape up the bits, add to the pot. Add 6 cups of the broth, carrots, celery and thyme to the pot. Boil then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours.

Remove the wings and strain the broth. I usually place it in the fridge at this point, which makes skimming the fat easy. Once the fat is skimmed whisk the ¾ cup of flour into the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth that you have skimmed the fat from to a gentle boil, whisk in the flour mixture. Boil for 4-5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the butter and pepper. The gravy is now ready to serve. If you are making it ahead of time you can freeze it for up to one month.

Next time you are cooking a turkey make this gravy ahead of time, you will then understand why it is my favorite gravy recipe!

Goal Setting Weekly Update #47

We’re nearing the end of the year and I’m already beginning to think about the possible goals for 2019! The top of the list will be to move out of our tiny apartment and into a new home! Hard to think about another move but I am looking forward to unpacking the rest of the boxes! Living in a small space is making us realize just how much stuff we DON’T need!

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

2. Monetize my blog. I have set up two affiliate accounts. You may be noticing links to my favorite items on Amazon. I’ve also teamed up with an amazing heirloom seed company, Mary’s Heirloom Seeds. Really don’t want to clutter my blog up with too many ads, however I sure appreciate any support in running this blog! The closer we get to Christmas the more deals there are to be found on Amazon.

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. I had grand ideas of accomplishing this goal but I think it will go at the top of next years’s goal list!

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! As I mentioned this goal has been a dismal failure. However we are committed to getting outside and enjoying the nice days when the sun is shining. Enjoyed a beautiful walk along chambers Bay this past week. The colors were just gorgeous. May not be getting in all my steps but I am enjoying the scenery!

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! This goal may be completed but I am still reading! Did not finish any books this week but I saw an adorable book just released by Billings Farm and Museum in Vermont. The book is called Huck’s Way Home and is based on the incredible true life journey of Huck, a week-old American Milking Devon steer, who got lost within minutes of his arrival at Billing’s Farm & Museum in Woodstock, Vermont.The website even has a map so that you can follow the actually journey of Huck. How adorable is that? The illustrations just look adorable and I may have to purchase a copy for our library. The book is only available directly from Billling’s Farm & Museum.
7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. This week it’s all about getting ready for Thanksgiving! I’ve made some delicious Autumn Pumpkin Bread and will also be making some buttermilk rolls to share. My daughter is hosting this year and the whole family will be together! I did make a large batch of beef stew to get us through the week!
8. ~~Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Made two hats and two scarves. This goal is completed but I would like to knit a few small projects for the holidays, still remaining optimistic that this will happen. In the meantime I’ve been making some cute felt needle holders for my sewing friends! A dear friend of mine gave me this adorable flat heart years ago and I’ve always treasured it. This year I decided to make a few to give away.

“Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them.

They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures,

and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals

rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.”

Jack Canfield

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site.

For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front

Christmas Countdown – Thanksgiving Week

If you’ve been following along with the Christmas Countdown you have been making preparations for Christmas so that you won’t be overwhelmed and will be able to enjoy the holidays. This week is Thanksgiving. Use this week to prepare Thanksgiving dishes, homemade rolls, pies and enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.

Make up a batch of Thanksgiving Potatoes. These can be made ahead of time so it’s one less dish to prepare on Thanksgiving Day.

Take a few ideas from this post to enjoy a Stress Free Thanksgiving. I’m all for delegating on the big day, ask others to bring their favorite dishes.

If you are celebrating the holiday away from home do something different and have a Thanksgiving brunch!

The most important part of the day is to enjoy the company of your friends and family. As much as I love the traditions it’s always fun to try something new.

I hope whatever your plans are for Thanksgiving you are spending the day with family and friends. Remember to give thanks for the many blessings in your life.

Autumn Pumpkin Bread

This year we are spending our first Thanksgiving with our immediate family on the west coast. It’s wonderful to be here, while at the same time we miss all of our friends and extended family on the east coast. Cooking favorite Thanksgiving recipes can help bring back memories of past Thanksgivings and helps make the extended family seem not so far away. One of the favorite recipes in the family is Aunti M’s Autumn Pumpkin Bread. You can be sure this delicious bread will be on our Thanksgiving table this year.

Aunti M always made two small loaves and used foil pans. This made the bread easy to travel with and you didn’t need to worry about remembering any pans if you were bringing the bread to another house for the Thanksgiving meal. I’ve made this recipe using large pans and small pans, if you use the larger size bread pans you will need to cook it longer.

We will have a large gathering this year so I may have to double the recipe and make four small loaves. This bread can be made with or without nuts. I’ve made it with both walnuts and pecans. We have a granddaughter with nut allergies so I will be making the bread without any nuts.

Autumn Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 2/3 cup sifted flour

¼ tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

¾ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Cloves

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup water

1 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Sift the dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the pumpkin and water. Pour the mixture into 2 small greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Aunti M’s notes: I always use foil pans (4 ½ x 3 ½) since you are left with ½ can of pumpkin, I have doubled the recipe and it came out fine. Freezes well and is delicious with cream cheese.

Ready for a Stress Free Thanksgiving?

For the last month or so I’ve been sharing how to be prepared for Christmas by doing the Christmas Countdown. You may be getting prepared for Christmas but are you ready for a stress free Thanksgiving?

Our plans have been up in the air as we figured out where we would be for Thanksgiving. Finally our four grown children decided that since this was our first Thanksgiving living in the Pacific Northwest we should all be together. We’ve spent the last few days discussing the menu and deciding who would bring what.

Having Thanksgiving be a group effort helps make for a very stress free Thanksgiving! The menu has been decided. The location has been determined and everyone has decided just what he or she will bring to the table.

When planning your menu don’t go overboard. Consider how many people are coming to the meal. Most people don’t want to over eat but want to enjoy the company of others. Include a few healthy choices for those watching their weight. Skip the fancy appetizers and just serve nuts, good olives or figs and prosciutto. Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes are another idea for a healthy choice!

Our daughter will be hosting the meal at her house and she’s has determined how many of us there will be and has put requests out for additional chairs and a folding table.

By creating a game plan everyone knows what is expected of them and no has to feel stressed or overwhelmed. We can all enjoy being together for the first Thanksgiving in a long time. Remember the goal is to give thanks and have a stress free Thanksgiving!

Goal Setting Weekly Update #46

After a very busy first month is the Pacific Northwest we finally are catching our breath! Friday we got our Washington plates which was the last item on our to do list!

~~1. Find a new hosting site for my blog and make it secure.~~ Done! This was the first goal accomplished this year and I am so happy to have a secure website.

2. Monetize my blog. I have set up two affiliate accounts. You may be noticing links to my favorite items on Amazon. I’ve also teamed up with an amazing heirloom seed company, Mary’s Heirloom Seeds. Really don’t want to clutter my blog up with too many ads, however I sure appreciate any support in running this blog!

3. Create a cookbook. This is definitely getting put on hold. I had grand ideas of accomplishing this goal but I think it will go at the top of next years’s goal list!

4. ~~Be diligent about getting 10K steps in 5 out of 7 days a week.~~ I’ve decided to change this goal to 3 out of 7 days a week! Despite the beautiful weather we’ve been enjoying lately I have not been getting my steps in, this goal has been an epic fail! I hope to continue this goal next year, perhaps with some adjustment. I am looking forward to exploring this new part of the country we are living in!

5. ~~As we continue to prepare for our house sale, continue to de-clutter~~. DONE!!

6. ~~Read 25 books this year!~~ Done! This goal may be completed but I am still reading! this past week I did a little light reading and read The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs. Cute story which takes place in Sonoma County. I enjoyed the story but what I really liked was that each chapter started with a recipe! May have to try a few as they call sounded pretty good. If you’re looking for a delightful book all about family I recommend this book.

7. Have a consistent meal plan each week and prepare ahead. This has been going pretty well. Followed my daughter’s meal plan while we were watching our grandchildren. Nice to have someone else do all the planning for you! This week we’re back on track and I’ve got meals planned for the week ahead. First up on the list is to make some homemade bread!
8. ~~Finish 4 knitting projects.~~ Completed! Made two hats and two scarves. This goal is completed but I would like to knit a few small projects for the holidays.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan,

in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act.

There is no other route to success.”

—Pablo Picasso

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site.

For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Nancy On The Home Front