Homemade Strawberries & Cream Coffee Creamer

I LOVE COFFEE AND STRAWBERRIES like Bubba from "Forrest Gump" loved his shrimp. (AND If you've never seen "Forrest Gump," you are truly missing out in life aka it's a CINEMATIC CLASSIC, MASTERPIECE kinda MOVIE!!!) I truly could rave for days about recipes and reasons for why I adore these two lovely gems: Strawberries & Coffee!! They make the world a better place in my book for 1001 different reasons! Coffee warms my cold, bitter soul (hehehe) even on the chilliest of morns, puts a lil' pep in my step, and is downright delicious among thee 998 other reasons to love it. However, before I ever had the pleasure of knowing the glory of coffee's deliciousness, I knew the splendor of strawberries. As a child, I was literally obsessed with this fantastic little red berry in nearly every way!!!

Strawberry Shortcake the character and the food were what my dreams were made of (still kind of are). Strawberry soda pop, strawberry ice cream, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry milk, strawberry yogurt and really any strawberry flavored sweets were my bag. I'd have fought you like a rabid raccoon over anything strawberry even scented markers and scratch n' sniff stickers, but that's neither here nor there (lol). For every Birthday I celebrated until about age 18, the go-to- dessert included strawberries in someway! Nearly all of my fondest childhood memories included strawberries somehow! Whether it was hiding strawberry pop tarts from my greedy, always hungry, growing brothers or the joy I felt when my mom brought home the fixings for strawberry shortcakes (those days I was on top of my own tiny, carefree world LOL) I lived for strawberries and probably would have died for them way back in my youngster days (not even kidding) LOL. So yeah...I hold strawberries BERRY near to my heart just like Bubba loved his shrimp. Today, I decided to combine two of my all time favorite flavors into one harmonious, EPIC masterpiece! Strawberries N' Cream Coffee Creamer <3 Even if your not obsessed with coffee or strawberries, this is a winner. MY FAVORITE HOMEMADE CREAMER THUS FAR!!!

~What you need~
* 1-14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
* 2 cups Whole Milk (or Whatever your dairy preference, but I can't assure you skim or less fatty milk is gonna be as amazing in this)
* 3 Tablespoons of Strawberry Syrup
* 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
*Clean Quart Sized Mason Jar or Similar Container, measuring and mixing utensils

Combine all ingredients and shake/mix well, the mason jar is easiest for shaking it up, but you could put it in almost any quart sized container with a lid and stir it with a spoon if you prefer! I find the mason jar easiest for storing, mixing and pouring the creamer plus it's rustic and way cute :) Makes me feel like a thrifty little pioneer of sorts lol! ANYHOW :) This creamer has a nice mellow strawberries and creme' flavor sure to put a smile on your face and start your morning off right (even if your not Bubba obsessed with Strawberries and Cream or Coffee). Cheers, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!! P.s. the fresher the ingredients i.e. thee MILK, the longer the lifespan of this creamer if refrigerated and stored properly, but if you like it as much as I do....you shouldn't need to worry about all that!! However, you might worry about how you'll ever enjoy another cup of coffee without it (JUST SAYING, It's kinda EPIC folks).

~Furthermore, the totally adorable Strawberry Shortcake Pics and the other high quality opening pic was not taken by moi, (I wish, they are lovely) My camera is obviously ol' school and drawing is not really a strong suite of mine.So if by some CRAZY odds these happen to be yours please don't sue me, they were labeled free images so sue Google... I'm thrifty for a reason LOL  :D <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13076521/?claim=g2gejfj8b2q">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
    

Homemade Chocolate Covered Almond Coffee Creamer

Very few things are more dear to my heart than a quality cup of coffee. NOT EVEN EXAGGERATING, for reals though lol! I love coffee and it is one of the first things on my little mind when I wake EVERY single morn. I have probably only gone without coffee in the morning a handful of times in the past 5 years and it wasn't by choice either lol! We can just say I'm hooked (BADLY), I take my Cup o' Joe very seriously, and you probably don't want to come within 10 feet of me if I don't have it or my creamer and sugar. Just stating the facts here (hehehe), no, but really. When I'm out of coffee, creamer, or sugar, LOOKOUT WORLD; I'm one highly unhappy camper. My Fiance' can verify that statement wholeheartedly. OH YEAH.... he knows when any three of those things get low we best get to the store stat lol!!!

Some folks have a nice balanced breakfast every morning, which I admire greatly! Bravo to you glorious morning folks that roll out of bed with such zest and vigor to face each new day and make miraculous breakfasts every single morning!! I make coffee. Generally, consuming about 4 cups before I even think about lunch and dinner lol. I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I prefer my waffles after noon :) Coffee is my breakfast. Like I said I take my Cup o' Joe seriously and with lots of cream and sugar. In recent years, I have scaled back on the sugar, not because I don't love it, but because I'm not getting any younger and its no secret that sugar isn't the healthiest thing out there. But I'm not messing around with Splenda or any of that other healthy alternative sweetener shtuff. I give all of you who do make breakfast and use sugar substitutes my utmost admiration, but it's not for moi. Can't even do it. I have limits and I don't like to push them (usually).

However, since I am trying to live a TAD bit healthier in my elder years (pushing 30, yikes huh), I've been TRYING to stay away from prepackaged and over processed foods, as much as I can anyways. It makes me a bit sad that I don't know half of what the ingredients are in these delicious, easy prepackaged junk foods or even how to pronounce some of those ingredients!?!? One of those mystery ingredients could be the soles of old boots or deer dung for all I know (YIKES), and it makes me pretty uneasy really. I'm not one for surprises like that or mystery ingredients that could very well be causing mystery illnesses. Unfortunately, my beloved coffee creamer is no exception. It is packed full of garbage ingredients, half of which I can't pronounce nor do I know what they truly are. It's not just cream that's for sure!!! So....I decided to kick the overpriced, mystery ingredient, store bought creamer to the curb. To my pleasant surprise, it's easy to make your own coffee creamer and the flavor combos are truly limitless!!! ADDED BONUSES: It's also cheaper than what I pay for the store bought at my overpriced local grocery store and I KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE (and that's what really counts right lol)!!!

The first recipe I tried was from a marvelous Pinterest search which flooded me with everything from basic French Vanilla to flavors like Samoa Girl Scout Cookies or the seasonal flavs like Pumpkin Spice. I will say if you decide to add cinnamon to your homemade creamer... heat it up a bit otherwise you'll get lumpy cinnamon clumps instead of a creamy cinnamon CREAMurrr! Not so awesome, it was still good, but not what I had envisioned it would be lol! I intend to play around and make a wide array of kooky flavor concoctions because really the flavor possibilities are limitless! Today, I decided to make a Chocolate Almond Flavored Creamer. It just seemed like the right thing to do, I ran out of my last batch, and I had all 4 INGREDIENTS handy, so it seemed like fate wanted it that way :)






~Chocolate Covered Almond Creamer~
The base creamer recipe I've been using includes:
Approximately 1&2/3 cup ~ 2 cups Whole or 2% Milk (you could probably use skim or whatever milk you generally drink, but I'm not a skim milk gal and I can't say how that would turn out)
And 1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
From there the flavor possibilities are truly limitless (well mostly anyways) For basic french vanilla, add 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract. WHALA you have French Vanilla Creamer. I will say it is always better to add more later if you want a more intense vanilla or whatever kind of flavor rather than to add too much at the start and regret it come taste time. A little goes along way sometimes with spices and too much of a good thing can turn REALLY BAD quickly and taste super unpleasant!





To pump up the base creamer recipe:  I added 3 TBSP of Chocolate Syrup and 2 tsp of Almond Extract. I put all 4 ingredients in a clean, quart sized mason jar with a lid and gave it a good shake. You'll want to shake it before each use as well because the ingredients tend to separate, especially the sweetened condensed milk. It's heavy, sticky, and likes to chill or settle on the bottom of the jar, so a good shaking is highly recommended. Keep refrigerated just as you would a store bought creamer. I've never had to worry about the longevity or lifespan of creamer with the amount of coffee I consume, but it should last a week or two refrigerated just as the store bought does if the ingredients used are fresh. Don't use milk that is on the verge of badness/expiration and expect the creamer to remain pleasant for too long :)

(If you look closely, you can see the sweetened condensed milk chillin' on the very bottom like it likes to do :) So give it a super shake to fully blend all the ingredients)!

Hope you enjoy your next cup of coffee, especially.... knowing how to pronounce ALL the ingredients in your very own homemade creamers. Cheers!

     

 P.S. Here's a link to a site I found on Pinterest that offers numerous easy flavored creamer concoctions.... give it a glance if your not into chocolate almond or are just looking to switch it up and not much into the winging it game. The base creamer recipe is similar, it's just up to you how you want to elevate it into creamy flavored greatness!  http://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/2013/03/homemade-coffee-creamer-over-20-flavor-varieties/?_szp=484488

Growing and Preserving Green Onions

Who doesn't LOVE a fully loaded baked potato, fully loaded fries, fully loaded nachos or FULLY loaded pretty much anything??! If you said moi... just find the cyber door now because I'm not sure we can ever FULLY connect or be pals lol! Just teasing, but kinda serious though :) To moi, life is better fully loaded!! Think about it....Do you want a baked potato or a FULLY LOADED potato with all the fixins' ?? I know where my heart and stomach belong, not that a plain ol baked potato isn't lovely on it's own, simply classic, but I'll take mine with sour cream, butter, bacon and green onions 99% of the time given that option! Sooo on to the point of this post already

 GREEN ONIONS. Glorious, good, homegrown and crispy lil green onions that add a bit of WOW factor freshness to almost any savory food. Some folks like to garnish with parsley, but for me the dish becomes a fully loaded masterpiece with a sprinkle of green onions on top. Just keeping it real here folks, not that parsley or any other lovely greenish garnishing element is really bad in my book. They all hold a wonderful little spot in my ticker, but my one true love... my go to guy is definitely the green onion. He's fully loaded with flavor, easy to grow, handsome on a plate, versatile, adds a nice pop of freshness, and can even be preserved in a freezer! That's right the green onion is fully loaded with awesomeness!

So in previous posts, I mentioned I am a reformed plant murder, black thumb turned dedicated garden- loving, green thumb. Meaning, (translation please lol :) I use to kill the hardiest of plants, but I have really started to do okay at this gardening stuff in more recent years and I LOVES IT BERRY MUCH!!! I also enjoy experimenting, trying new things, saving moola $, and being crafty or anti-conventional!I'm all about ol school with a dash of modern or how can I make a classic feel new type of shtuff?Awhile back, I discovered how easy it was to grow green onions and it didn't cost an extra dime! (Thanks Pinterest) Well...to be exact it cost about ten dimes or 99cents to buy three bundles of green onions from the local produce section at the grocery store, but I was buying them anyways, consuming the green ends, and just throwing the roots or white parts in the trash. Really, there was no losing to be had in the experiment other than not trying it. Safe investment huh, I know right!? 

When, I discovered that these could actually be salvaged and used to grow fresh green onions right in my very own kitchen, I thought well, that'd be freaking AWESOME! One of the best days of my goofy little life looking back now lol! It changed my world really. The green onion actually brought out the green thumb in me and turned me into a plant lover instead of a loather. LIKE I CAN TOTALLY GROW AND KEEP SOMETHING ALIVE (other than myself and my pets) epic life moment, bells rang type of stuff, the impossible became possible and my little life was forever transformed. My love of gardening, plants, and nature truly blossomed with those little green onions growing in my kitchen <3 I promise, it doesn't get any easier than growing your own green onions from the root bulbs you'd probably just throw away anyhow! AND even if it doesn't work out the first time it's not a loss or costly gardening investment! Win/Win. 

 Simply cut off the green part of the green onion until you hit the thick, mostly white root stalk and bulb and place it in a tall glass with enough water to just BARELY cover the roots/bulbs. Too much water will cause them to rot which is way icky and smells like onion vomit :( so less is def more in this case!!! 1/4 cup water would prob be just about right, if it looks dry add more water later, but you don't want the bulbs floating! You just want the roots covered!! Then place the cup in a fairly sunny location, I keep mine right next to my kitchen sink window sill usually, and pretty much let nature do her thang lol. Its that easy, no need for dirt even, but if you feel more comfortable using dirt.... do so. Just poke your finger in the soil deep enough to fit the bulb you are trying to cover (about half an index finger deep, like them fancy measurements lol), you want the tops or slender stalks still visible above the soil. Then just give them a nice drink of water. BAM, you'll be growing green onions in no time! Be sure to give them a drink of water when the soil is dry and make sure the get some steady sun. That's really it, it's that easy! I was planting mine in dirt for months until I neglected them for a few days, and WHALA they were growing just fine in the cup I used to revive/soak the roots!!! So, I just let them go and let them grow right there in the cup :) I have a small petting zoo or so it seems lol, which means the less plants the cats can knock over with dirt in them the better for my sanity/house cleanliness. Urgh cats lol. N.E. WAYS.... However, I'm the main consumer of the green onions or really anything green in my house, so before I knew it, I actually had MORE GREEN ONIONS THAN I KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH!

It was a little awesome, well just knowing that they were growing (since I could barely keep cacti alive back in my day lol) and to boot growing like wildfires, but I'm also not one for waste. Truly, it makes me sad, especially with all those in the world hungry or those who need things they just don't have! Besides not being good for my heart...it's bad for the wallet! Waste truly is like throwing cash in the trash and being a penny pinching/thrifty gal, I'm most def not down with all that trash and wastefulness :) GOOD NEWS IS.....YOU CAN FREEZE GREEN ONIONS! <3 That is correct, they can simply and easily be frozen to prevent all that unnecessary waste and needless cash in the trash! Here's how:

 If you notice your green onions starting to fade or looking on the verge of badness and you really can't consume them or they don't go with your meal plans, IT'S ALL GOOD, just freeze them lil beauts! Simply clean and dice them as you normally would, like you were going to consume them right now. Then place them on a clean paper towel and allow them to air dry for about an hr or two. I put mine under my oven exhaust fan on a paper towel covered baking sheet on low, just to speed the process along, but patience isn't my strongest suite lol! Make sure the diced green onions have room i.e not piled on top of each other, give them some space, and insure they are in a nice single layer, this will speed up the drying process.

Once they are completely dry, than take that same baking sheet you dry them on and spray with a little Non-Stick Cooking Spray, (get rid of the paper towel) and place them in the freezer to flash freeze, uncovered for about 2hrs or until they are all firm to the touch ie not still springy and fully frozen. Remove them from the baking sheet and place them in a clean sandwich bag or storage container of choice and put them back in the freezer. It is that wonderfully easy folks! SHAZAM, no more wasted green onions AND you can have those glorious green beauties growing fresh in your very own kitchen in no time, no matter how limited the space! If I can do it..so can you (trust me, I was bad lol) Fully loaded and frugal folks :) The frozen green onions might not have the same crispness of the fresh green onion (can't win um' all right lol) but they can still make a wonderful garnish or pop of flavor to a soup or tater and won't be going to waste! Now, go get your GREEN ON (and feel free to send me a loaded baked potato if your feeling extra generous hehehe)!

  

Gnat Happening

I'm a firm believer that every creature on Earth has a purpose, some reason for their importance to this life, a contribution, destiny, and overall reason for being alive. But some are a little less clear than others. Pests such as gnats or other irritating little buggers don't seem to have a clear purpose like most other creatures and I would be lying if I said I didn't wish we could rid the world of things like gnats or flies lol! The only clear purposes a gnat has to me is testing my patience and haunting one's home!! Seriously....what does a gnat really do other than drive you bonkers and make you swat at the air repeatedly like a crazy person?!

Moving on to the destruction and massacre of these irritating little pests. They can live peacefully outside in nature, but they are most definitely NOT welcome to dwell in my home. NOPE, not happening gnats. Problem is...I have many houseplants and like to have some sort of fresh fruit in my home on a regular basis which quite often results in these lil jerks thinking they are welcome to linger uninvited in my domain lol!

 I decided to do a little gnat destruction research on Pinterest (which when all else fails folks look on pinterest, seriously, people are ahhmazingly creative, crafty, and ingenious at times, and it is like an ocean of ideas, handy tips, and just plain awesomeness). Needless to say I found many o' different hints, tricks, ideas, and different concoctions for desolating gnats! Problem was... I didn't have all the same ingredients as most of these gnat traps called for and some seemed a bit over the top ie unnecessarily complicated for bug slaying. I like to keep things simple, but effective and that is why I'm sharing this method with ya'll. It's simple and it works. Even my fiance was rather impressed, surprised and pleased since the gnats were driving him batty as well. Honestly, he doesn't always have faith in my crazy concoctions (can't say I blame him, can't win em' all right lol), but once he saw the cup full of pesty dead gnat bodies and noticed the interior peace had been restored, he gave me MAD PROPS :) and he said I should blog about that lol!

So here I am....blogging my simple, but way effective gnat trap, hoping this provides easy relief for somebody else in the world that is way over those little jerks buzzing around in their kitchens. Most traps I found on Pinterest called for covering a cup with plastic wrap, poking holes in it, apple cider vinegar and soap and really a much larger production, and a way more specific ingredient list than really necessary! Gnats or fruit flies as some call them are clearly attracted to fruits or sweet sugary stuff. So give them little pests what they want mwuahaha, bait them in with juice or a lil fruit mixed with water that is on the verge! Its that simple.

I used an old personal sized container of apple sauce that had been in my fridge FOREVER, okay not forever, but it was no longer a safe bet for human consumption lol! I mixed in a dash of dish soap and white vinegar and by the next morning I had at least 20 to 30 dead gnats in the cup! I placed it by my houseplants, away from my kitchen counter, where they seemed to be lingering about and BAM, my kitchen was gnat free within a few days. It's a tad gross aka a bit of an eye sore, but know what's even grosser?? Going to get a drink of your coffee and seeing a gnant floating in it URRGH/ICK!!

What you need:
~An 8oz cup or larger
~Something fruity and sweet~ a little juice, applesauce, old piece of fruit or something similarly sweet to bait them suckers in
~They can't swim so a sweet liquid will attract them to the cup where they shall be doomed, I used a little white vinegar, but water would have worked fine mixed with the ol applesauce. Or you could use a dash of fruit juice and water.
~Fill the cup about half way  and put it in a place where it isn't in the way, where you'd like to attract them to or where you notice them lingering most. I put my gnat trap on my plant stand by my houseplants to steer them away from my counter area and it worked extremely well. Either way, it will attract them if it is a sweet and fruity liquid and they will fall in and cease to be a problem in your house forever more. No need for a funnel, plastic wrap or super fancy ingredients, just a sweetened liquid of sorts, a cup and for good measure a DASH of soap and WHALA gnats no more! Don't go overboard on the soap because the bugs aren't attracted to the dish soap they want the fruity sweet stuff and adding to much might steer them away. Hope this helps you as much as it helped us, it's really gnat a problem and my pleasure ;)

Chicken Cordon Bleu ala' Grilled Cheese

Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese

 So yesterday I was scrolling around on Pinterest looking for easy leftover chicken recipes. I had left over shredded chicken that needed to be used up or go to it's rightful home in my belly in some sort of delicious way. Waste not, want not right!? Really not feeling the obvious cold chicken salad choice, and the produce in my house was a little lacking at the moment so soup wasn't gonna work either :/ Because really what is chicken noodle soup without some carrots or a chicken salad without crisp veggies of some sort lol?! I was trying to find something that really squawked at me to make for dinner and of course the choices were anything, but limited!!! Then I started envisioning what I had in my fridge and cupboards that could mesh into any of these dishes, and my choices become quite a bit more bleak lol...

 I wanted something warm, hardy and comforting, but still easy and HEY....I just so happen to have shredded chicken, Swiss cheese slices, and sliced ham! WHALA!!! One of my ABSOLUTE FAV MEALS EVER is Chicken Cordon Bleu. I would probably eat it out of a boot, okay that's pushing it, but you feel my drift; that stuff rocks my boat in a very good way LOL. Normally, Chicken Cordon Bleu isn't made with shredded chicken, but this recipe has all the same yummy elements and is SUPER EASY so its a dinner winner for me and I hope you enjoy my simple twist on these great classics! Extra Bonus: minimal dishes and clean up required here, your welcome folks hehe!

 Sorry for my horrible kitchen mood lighting! It's good for relaxation, energy costs, and not feeling like your in a hot seat, BUT NOT SO HOT for pic taking lol! I'm working on it though folks so bear with me kapeesh

 As you can sort of see (lol) I have about two cups of shredded chicken, a stick of margarine, sliced ham, thick white bread (from the future hubbies bakery) and Swiss cheese slices. Not too many ingredients, not to complicated.

 I placed four slices of precooked ham in with the leftover (fully cooked) chicken in a frying pan and poured about a half cup of the leftover broth (I made in my last post) in the pan. This was mainly because I didn't want the chicken to be dry and chalky, but you could use a little olive oil, butter, or any other liquid agent you prefer (FYI my broth is purdy good though and it helps unite the dish lol) I also sprinkled a little lemon pepper seasoning, Italian blend seasoning, and red pepper flakes on the meats for a little extra umph! But you can keep it pretty basic or add whatever seasonings your lil taste buds desire to suite the family's likes or dislikes, I know how that goes, my fella is a bit of picky eater at times. It'll be delicious whatever way you decide to go about it! All I'm really doing is heating the meats up on medium/low heat so we don't have a mixed up temperamental sandwich. We don't want the outside to be hot while the inside is like the arctic lol.  

 Once the meat is nice and warmed up (it's already cooked so it should only take a few minutes to heat), I removed the chicken from the frying pan back into the leftover chicken container and mixed in approx. 2 tablespoons of mayo (or use enough to lightly coat the chicken amount your using) and I squeezed a tiny squirt of basic yellow mustard in and gave it all quick stir. This gives the borderline dry chicken even more moisture, creaminess, extra flavor, and will help hold it all together better! Otherwise, your probably going to have a heck of time keeping it in decent sandwich form and that's no fun to flip or try to eat lol.

 Then using that same pan I used to warm the leftover chicken and ham up in, I constructed a gourmet chicken cordon bleuish grilled cheese. I buttered one piece of thick, Texas style white bread and laid it butter side down in the pan on low/medium heat. Then, I topped it with 2 slices of ham. On top of the ham, I spooned about a half a cup of the warm chicken salad mixture and than topped it with a slice of Swiss cheese and another piece of the buttered bread, butter side out (for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the grilled cheese process). By the time you get all the layers on, it will be about time to flip the beaut, I'd suggest two hands while attempting the flip. Because this is a beastly, hardy sandwich, but hey if you've got mad flipping skills go for it lol. I'm just a better safe than sorry sort of gal sometimes! Cook for about three minutes on each side and you should be good to go and ready to enjoy your Chicken Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I served mine with homemade garlic and green onion topped mashed potatoes, but this sandwich would go great with a soup or salad too. It is such any easy sandwich, but with a dash of fancy. Hope you enjoy it as much as me and the fiance did!!!

How to make Homemade Chicken Broth (Soupa' Savings)

 I have always loved how the Indians or Ol' School folks always utilized every part of the animal i.e. they didn't waste a thing. The animal wasn't just killed for their meat, their fur used for garments, blankets, and warmth; their bones used for weapons, jewelry, and a wide array of other purposes I'm sure like making STOCK OR BROTH.

Let's brace ourselves because winter is coming. There is no avoiding it here in the Midwest, the winter doesn't play around round' here lol! One of the few things I do really enjoy about the winter is a good soup. Which generally involves some sort of broth or cream of something or other! How great would it be to not have spend extra bucks on broth or know what ingredients are all in your soup??! It'd be grrreat, I know right! Truly it doesn't get much simpler than making your own broth, which is talking my language EASY,CHEAP, and MINIMAL EFFORT are my bag so to say :) Moving on to the recipe I used which produced at least 2 quarts worth of freezable broth and that's probably quite the underestimate, IT WAS A BUNCH lol!Granted I had a large bird somewhere around 6lbs so yeah....

 Most recipes I scrolled through called for carrots and celery which were for added flavor and disposed of afterwards. I don't like to waste and didn't have those items in my fridge so I winged it and it turned out like broth lol. I used two sliced lemons, pepper black and red, a large onion, a few sprigs of fresh dried tarragon, garlic powder, a dash of Italian seasoning, and little salt. You could really use what ever kind of seasonings you prefer, that was just my combo and what I had handy.

 Place your bird in a large stock pot with flavoring ingredients to your taste preference, traditionally this is w/ carrots, celery, and onion,salt and pepper, but I'm not a traditional orthodox gal lol! I like to try different things and I love lemon pepper chicken so I thought why not make a lemony peppery chicken broth and my lemons were on the verge of badness so I figured I better use them puppies for something stat lol! Simply pour enough water over the chicken to completely cover it and a little extra just to be safe the bird has a nice full bath and bring it a boil. Once it comes to a nice boil, lower the temp to simmer or lowish and cook for another hour and a half to 2hrs on low. When the leg feels like it is about to fall off or tear away from the bird with minimal resistance, it is done or to be safe you can pull out the thermometer and go the legit route lol! Let the chicken rest a while after it is done before pulling it out and shredding the meat from the bones to let the juices redistribute and because it is hot as heck and you will likely burn yourself, don't do what I did being overly eager about the broth or situation LOL! Once cooled strain out the large chunks of onion or whatever you choose to add and WHALA, you have broth. You could take this further and make stock by re-adding the bones to the liquid and really get some intense flavor. I didn't do this yet, because it was my first time making broth and my fiance got home and we were starving, but next time I'll give it a whirl and compare flavors then. As for now, hope you enjoyed my simple, vague broth making blog and cut costs and improve flavor for your next bowl of soup. Cheers and think outside the box or can! :)

Helpful hints to keep you out of a Pickle

Though, I by NO MEANS claim to be a gardening guru, an environmental expert, or nature whisperer OF ANY SORTS lol, I do want to share my recent adventures in growing my very first batch of cucumbers with anyone interested in doing so themselves. Like previously stated in my intro blog, I once was a cold-blooded plant killer! I'm not proud of the lil lives that ceased to be or the numerous casualties committed while I honed in on my inner green thumb, but it is what it is or was what it was.... and at least now, I think most plants have a pretty fair chance with me as a good little gardening mum! Nurturing them happily along into the beauts they will become on this lovely spot in the world :) So, yeah maybe I'm a tad overzealous about my recent success in being able to grow ANYTHING or keep any plant form alive, but I know plenty of gardening newbies that could use as much help as they can get!(I once was one of those couldn't keep a cactus alive people too, and I still encourage any and ALL information, tips, and true expertise to help me grow as a gardener or just a better, more eco-friendly human being... see what I did there hehe, I'm a cheeseball, I know right!) Moving on to a few helpful tips for the first time cucumber grower:

 These are two from my very own garden and they looked and tasted much better than the tiny store bought ones I had in my fridge, but that might have all just been in my head :)

 though my photography skills are a bit lacking, here is proof of the cucumbers latching onto a nearby branch

 They have literally taken over ....

 They actually battle it out with everything within their reach so give them room lol

     1. If planted in good, decent soil in mounds or hills (not flat level ground or planted in a hole like most plants) with ample sunlight and water, Cucumbers will GROW. This meaning, be extra sure to give them sufficient space to sprawl out because A. they will sprawl either way B. they will take over and even possibly smother other plants nearby including the other cucumbers searching for their lil spot in the sunlight. No joke! Since my growing or gardening experience hasn't always been successful, I didn't heed some of the internet advice that I had discovered. I almost assumed that my cucumbers wouldn't be very successful lol. This being said....BELIEVE ME, these guys want plenty of space and they should even be given a little extra room in your garden to prevent UFC style battles with other cucumbers or nearby plants and structures. If you have the room, give it to them and plant them approx 8 in. apart about three/four seeds per mound.

     2. Cucumbers are climbers. So give them lattice, a ladder, or something to climb upwards on. I'm not talking a tiny structure, I'm talking height!!! My cucumbers have actually climbed up so much that they have latched onto nearby tree branches, No Joke! Give them horizontal space and plenty of vertical space to latch onto.    

     3.These little guys like plenty of sun and a good, frequent drink of water. I water mine daily unless it rained that day than that amount should be substantial, but if it was just a little sprinkle and they look dry or thirsty water them. Just like anything else though too much of a good thing is bad. Don't over water them and don't neglect to give them a drink on a hot, sunny day.