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Crockpot Western Baked Beans

Slow cooked western baked beans in a crockpot are delicious. I have been working on improving my dried bean cooking skills. I want to be able to cook tasty beans from my stored bean supplies.

I love western style baked beans and set out to make my own. I read several different recipes and took a few ideas from several different sources to create my western baked beans. I made these beans from scratch and started out with 2 cups of dried white navy beans.

One important tip that was given to me was to not add the salt until after the beans have cooked 2 hours. This aids in the softening process of the beans and helps them not be hard.

Here are my final beans. They have a wonderful BBQ baked bean flavor and go great with hot dogs and burgers.

Western Baked Beans Crockpot Recipe:

2 cups white navy beans (soaked overnight) in crockpot
Drain and rinse.

Then add: Continue Reading →

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Hard Boiling the Perfect Egg

My husband loves hard boiled eggs. I’m always boiling eggs for his lunch and sometimes they come out good and other times they don’t. Sometimes they won’t peel for anything. The shell sticks to the egg white and it turns into a big mess. You know what I mean if you’ve ever struggled with peeling a hard boiled egg that doesn’t want to peel.
It’s miserable and you end up throwing most of the egg out.

After experimenting with several different cooking methods, here is my recipe for hard boiling the perfect very fresh egg.

  • Starting with cold water in a sauce pan, add a dash of salt.
  • Add eggs to water in sauce pan. The water should be covering the eggs.
  • Bring to boil and then turn off. Leave the pan on the burner and cover it.
  • Leave on burner for 20 minutes. Remove and uncover the pan. But don’t pour out the water.
  • Leave eggs to cool in original water in the pan.
  • Once cooled, refrigerate the eggs.

    • Conclusion: Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs that usually peel easily.

    ETA: My eggs are very fresh and this method is designed for very fresh farm eggs.

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    Reusing Plastic Containers

    Reusing and repurposing plastic containers such as bleach and juice jugs as well as a ketchup bottle can be very useful.

    Here is a wonderful idea for reusing a bleach jug to create a bird feeder. Just cut the jug using some sharp scissors and hang it up for a unique recycled bird feeder.
    Photo Credit: Indiana Ivy Nature Photographer on Flickr

    Cut the bottom of a bleach jug off at an angle for a handy scoop to use for dirt, grain, sand or other material that you need to scoop up.

    Photo credit: Erica McCartney

    Here is example of a Ketchup bottle being reused for pancake batter. It allows for easy batter pouring and provides a perfect shaped pancake.

    Photo credit: Mark Lund

    Here is a recycled plastic apple juice container. It makes an outstanding watering jug for your garden. Just poke holes in the lid with a nail to make a water spout. I used a hammer and a nail to punch the holes around the top of the cap as shown. Just put the cap on a old board and hammer the nail through the plastic to create your watering holes.

    You can gently sprinkle water on plants or squeeze the jug to create pressure which allows you to spray water quite a distance.

    Conclusion: Plastic containers can be recycled and repurposed into new and useful items.

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    Homemade Apple Pie Moonshine

    Here is my recipe for homemade apple pie moonshine. I researched the process and checked out a few different recipes and home brews to come up with this small batch recipe.

    Homemade Apple Pie Moonshine

    Apple Pie Moonshine Recipe

    1 qt apple juice (32 oz)
    1 qt apple cider (32 oz)
    3/4 cup of brown sugar
    1/4 cup of white sugar
    3 cinnamon sticks
    1 fifth of cheap 100 proof vodka
    3 qt jars and lids

    In a large pot, combine juices, sugars, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil as you stir occasionally. Once at a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add vodka and stir well.

    Pour into sterilized Mason jars with one cinnamon stick in each jar. Store in a cool, dry and dark place for at least a month.

    Makes 3 quarts.

    Conclusion:
    After 3 weeks in dark cool storage, I had to test my moonshine. I served it over ice, and it was delicious. It has a good mixture of spicy, sweet apple flavor with a refreshing taste. Overall I’m thrilled with my very tasty homemade moonshine.

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    Citrus Vinegar Spray

    Homemade Citrus Vinegar Spray

    Useful Idea for the Day:
    Save those pieces of citrus peelings to make a homemade citrus vinegar cleaning spray. Save the peelings from oranges, grapefruits and lemons. Here is a leftover piece of lemon slice I had from a water glass. Cut it into small pieces as shown to put into a bottle sprayer. Add vinegar to the sprayer and use the homemade citrus spray for cleaning countertops, sinks, and your bathroom.

    Lemon Slice Pieces of Lemon cut

    After a month or so, the peelings do begin to break down. I use a strainer to remove any decomposed pieces as needed. Add more vinegar and peelings to keep your homemade citrus cleaner filled. You can use the old pieces as a scrub too for your sink before throwing them out.

    Conclusion: The citrus vinegar solution makes a useful homemade cleaning solution that leaves your kitchen and bath looking and smelling wonderful.

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    Holding a Nail for Hammering

    I just saw this niffy idea on how to hold a nail for hammering. This is especially handy when you have a small nail and need to be precise with your hammer hits.

    I just love this idea and found it so useful that I wanted to share it. All you need is a clothespin. Here is my personal photo using the unique nail holding technique.

    I can’t wait to use this idea next time I have a nailing project. I’m sure it will save on my thumb too. 🙂

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