Helping the Hoppity Hare and Your budget continued

            Putting the Shell on your buttercreme Easter eggs!



The cheapest, and very satisfactory, way is to buy "almond bark" for your covering. It is found near the chocolate chips and comes in chocolate, vanilla and sometimes, butterscotch flavors.

Melting it in the microwave is the easiest way but you may use whatever coating type and melting method you prefer.

Whatever method you use, be extremely careful not to let liquid or even steam get into the coating!

• Melt coating over very low heat or in the microwave, stirring often until melted and smooth. Note: the coating usually holds it shape until you stir it so don't be fooled by it looking like it is still hard.
• Only remove one tray of eggs from the refrigerator at a time so they will stay cold. 
• Using a fork or similar item, spear the bottom of each egg and dip into the coating. Allow excess to drip back into the pan.
• Return the egg to the tray, and when full, return the tray to the refrigerator.

Note: If you have coating left but have to put it aside for a while, just leave it in its pan or bowl, remove from heat, cover, and leave at room temperature for a few hours until you can get back to it. For a longer period of time, store the container covered in the refrigerator.

FINISHING TOUCHES!

Most years that completed the eggs. 

In more ambitious times, I drizzled squiggles of another flavor or color of melted bark on the coated eggs. To do this: place a small amount of melted coating in the corner of a snack-size

zip-lock bag, cut off a tiny piece of that corner and made "swirly" patterns on the previously dipped and hardened eggs.  

The eggs can be sprinkled, before the coating hardens, by sprinkling with tiny candy decors, colored "glass" sugars, chocolate shot, etc. 

On rare occasions I used decorating icing to make small flowers, bowls, chicks and bunnies on the eggs. 

Different toppings can be used to identify the different fillings, you can leave the bottoms un-dipped to identify the flavors, or you can dip them completely and take "potluck" when distributing the eggs or choosing one to eat yourself. 

AND. . .The Dipping Can Go On When The Fillings Are Gone

If you have melted coating left after you have finished your dipping, look around for other things to coat. You are limited only by your imagination. Possibilities include:

• washed and well-dried strawberries, stemmed cherries, pineapple pieces
• frozen banana chunks
• marshmallows
• cookies or peppermint sticks (maybe dip them only halfway)
• crispy Chinese noodles or nuts (then drop by clusters)
• pretzels, or even potato chips!

Sixteen years ago when I first self-published the "bookette" containing this recipe, well known mail order catalogs were selling chocolate or white dipped pretzels that were "drizzled" with the opposite flavor for approximately $1.00 per ounce!!!

When our kids started leaving the nest --- the eggs flew to them --- to colleges around the country, missionary apartments and military bases throughout the United States and the far reaches of foreign countries. Some landed in better shape than others. 

In our efforts to have the eggs arrive somewhat intact, many packaging methods were tried with varying degrees of success. No matter what condition they were in when they finally arrived, they were excitedly received. 

Wrapped in plastic wrap and nestled in popped corn worked best. However, what a revelation when our grandchildren were old enough to talk on the phone and, to the dismay of their parents, thanked us for the popcorn!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk 

(recipe equals one 15 ounce can)

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 boiling water

1/4 cup margarine

1 to 1-1/2 cups dry powdered milk (amount will vary with types/brands)

Put sugar, boiling water and margarine in a blender or food processor. Process at low speed until smooth. While turning processor on and off, add dry milk 1/4 cup at at time until the condensed milk is the right consistency (thick and creamy like the commercial product).

Note: success varies when using this in a recipe that requires baking.

Now that I have shared recipes for our fun part of celebrating Easter with small 

(and used to be small) children I cannot leave it without saying that these eggs were just a small part of the celebration. 

Our main focus was/is celebrating the true meaning of Easter --- the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. May His blessings be with you always.

Until next time,

        I am Simply, Gail

Helping the Hoppity Hare and Your Budget by . . .

Making Your Own Buttercreme Easter Eggs!

          When I was young there was a wonderful candy store in our town ---  the kind where I longingly pressed my nose to the glass so my eyes could devour the tempting confections nestled there.
          Each Easter, as a teenager, I would enter that special store and purchase a cellophane-grass-filled box containing three small icing-rose-decorated, cream-filled, chocolate-covered eggs as a gift for my current boyfriend.
          Even then, more than 50 years ago, the small, two-bite morsels were quite pricey, selling at three for $1.00.


Several years later, with six children and resources that  were constantly challenged, my mind wandered to that candy store as I scanned the food section of the newspaper.

There, right before my eyes, were mini, buttercreme-filled, chocolate-covered eggs ---- with directions!!!

One recipe's worth and our family was convinced this needed to be a yearly tradition!

With hundreds, no, thousands, of buttercreme eggs under my belt (unfortunately I mean literally as well as figuratively), I pass this recipe on. Please don't be put off by the length of the instructions. The eggs are very simple to make, they can be done in advance, and can be made over a period of time.We have made them (and shared them)  in small groups with friends and neighbors and in classes.  As well as simple, they are very affordable.

Although you can make them any size or shape you wish, we prefer the small two-bite size, and at this size, the following recipe makes approximately FIVE DOZEN!

Basic Buttercreme
1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cubes margarine or butter at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. salt
3 pounds (approximately) powdered sugar


With electric mixer, combine all but the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar. When it becomes too stiff for the mixer, continue to knead the powdered sugar in with your hands until you have a smooth dough that is not stick, but not too dry. 


When you are ready to form the eggs, decide how many flavors you want to make, and divide the buttercreme accordingly into bowls and cover each so they won't dry out. 


Choose from the following possibilities or create your own:

• mint flavoring with green or pink coloring
• orange flavoring with red and yellow coloring
• powdered chocolate drink mix or cocoa powder
• well-drained and finely chopped maraschino cherries and/or chopped nuts
• shredded coconut and almond flavoring
• maple flavoring
• mini-chips or other mini-candies
• crushed peppermint sticks or candies
• cocoa powder and orange or raspberry flavoring
• malted milk powder

Working with one flavor at a time, take walnut-size portions (for small eggs) and, using palms of hands and fingers, form into an egg shape. Place on waxed-paper lined cookie sheets. Chill several hours or overnight.

Friday I'll be back with the simple chocolate coating, and ideas for decorating them if you are that ambitious! Also, our experiences with packaging them for mailing and a cheapskate recipe for homemade sweetened condensed milk. 


Until then, I am Simply Gail with Simple and Cheap Ideas --- Have a great week!

Barbecues and Bugs!

What do these have in common?



Barbecues come in many shapes and 
sizes and use different types of fuel---

Bugs come in many  shapes and sizes and use US for fuel!


Our small community publishes a newsy newsletter monthly. In preparation for spring and summer --- and all this includes --- two handy hints have been included in recent editions that I would like to share.

I haven't had the chance to personally try
them yet but the sources are usually reliable.

MOSQUITOES BEWARE


Original hint from an unknown source:   "I was at a deck party awhile back and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children's swing area, and the standing water nearby. During the summer, I don't leave home without it!"

Our resident's comments: "I tried this on my deck and around all of my doors. It works -- in fact, it killed them instantly. I bought my bottle from Target and it cost me $1.89. It really doesn't take much, and it is in a big bottle, so it is not as expensive to use as the can of bug-spray you buy that doesn't last 30 minutes ...this will last a couple of days...and is EARTH-FRIENDLY TOO!!! Do not spray directly on a wood door, but spray around the frame. Spray around the window frames, and even inside the dog house."

Simplify cleaning the grill of your charcoal barbecue: 

Mix 1/2 cup of a liquid cleaner with 1 gallon of water and pour it into a heavy duty plastic garbage gab. Immerse the grill in the a bag, secure the bag with a twist tie, and allow the grill to soak overnight. The next day, simply brush away the burnt on soil, rinse, and it is ready [for you to start "gunking" it up again!]

Eleven Non-Traditional Uses for the Dishwasher

My last post introduced you to  less common uses for your microwave.

Since then, I’ve run across an article from an older issue of Real Simple —“Surprising Uses for Your Dishwasher” by Sarah Stebbins.

As is usually the case, comments ranged basically from “wonderful ideas” to “worthless article.” I found some that, in my opinion, fit both descriptions.

I am reprinting the article (including Sarah’s parenthetical comments.)


You may be enlightened. . .
You may be amused. . .
You may be appalled. . .


You be the judge!

Eleven Things you can put in the dishwasher

• Baseball caps can get bent in the washing machine but hold their shape in the dishwasher, especially inside a contraption like the Ball Cap Washer ($7.50, amazon.com). Don’t wash them with dishes; food can get trapped in the cloth.

• Action figures and other small toys can ride in a mesh lingerie bag on the top rack (but don’t wash Barbie or she’ll have a horrible hair day).

• Rain boots should have the liners removed and lie horizontally. Hook flip-flops on tines in the top rack. (FYI, Crocs are not dishwasher-safe.)

•  Tools with metal or plastic handles will be fine. Towel-dry afterward to prevent rusting.

• Ceramic cabinet knobs do well in the silverware basket, so if you feel like embarking on the process (remove, wash, replace), go for it.

• Hairbrushes and combs made of plastic can take a spin, but not wood or natural boar-bristle brushes. Be sure to remove all the hair first to protect the drain.

•  Fan grilles, switch plates, and vent covers are in if they’re plastic, aluminum, or steel. Enameled, painted, or plated should stay out. 

•  Shin guards, knee pads, and mouth guards―toss them all into the top rack.

• Garden tools may have come in contact with pesticides or animals, so don’t mix them with a load of dishes. (And don’t wash those with wood handles.) 

•  Light-fixture covers are fine in the top rack, as long as they’re not antique, enameled, or painted. 

•  Potatoes can get nice and clean in the top rack with a rinse-only cycle (no detergent). Sound crazy? It makes mashed potatoes for 20 a lot quicker.

And ---Eleven Comments from readers:

• You better make sure you don't have rinse aid in your dishwasher before you use it to wash potatoes.

• Be advised...the water temperature will strip the color out of dark hats! I've learned the hard way...

• How about putting your ref. shelves in the dishwasher,the glass ones that are a real pain to clean, most dish washer top basket comes out, then just stand the shelves on edge and give them a short wash, with your dishwasher detergent, works great and quite fast

• My mother told me to put the filter for above my stove in the dishwasher (I didn't realize it was greasy and stained). It came out bright and like new!

• This article really came in handy for me, as last week my toddler had a serious blow-out while sitting in his plastic booster seat. After I sprayed it down, I threw it in the dishwasher (by itself) on a heavy/sanitize cycle w/a standard scoop of detergent. The seat (and the nylon straps) came out squeaky clean!! And the best part was that it made the task much less painless for me, as I didn't have to hand-scrub it with bleach, etc. I never would have thought of that if I hadn't read this first. Thanks!

• We put our son's football helmet, baseball batting helmet and catcher's mask in the dishwasher. Cleans all 3 up very nicely especially after they are muddy.

• For years my late husband used to use the dishwasher to clean his tools and I thought he was a little crazy!

• Not too sure about some of those things. I would not recommend putting garden tools in there. We did that once and it took us forever to get the little bits of potting soil out of the dishwasher.

• Good article, but somewhat narrow. Think of a dishwasher, not as a machine for dishes, but as a self contained, fully enclosed, water spraying system. Many models are even designed to be able to easily remove the top rack, to allow taller items, including 5 gallon buckets and even small garbage cans.

• I can't imagine writing such an idiotic article. Boots, garden tools in the dishwasher??? What can you be thinking about sanitation when you actually wash dishes?

• I use my dishwasher as a filing cabinet to help keep my kitchen counters clear. I hand wash my dishes.

Do you remember what we do with our dishwasher? 
http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2012/01/dishwasher-pantry.html 

Creative "Chores" for the Microwave

Supposedly, the #1 use of the microwave is popping corn!

If this is the major use of your microwave -- or maybe defrosting -- you are not taking advantage of this versatile workhorse.


TRY:

• Disinfecting and deodorizing sponges -- Soak a dirty sponge in water and white vinegar or lemon juice. Without wringing it out, place it on a microwave safe plate and zap it on high for one minute.
• Disinfecting plastic cutting boards -- Wash the board well, rub it with the cut side of a lemon and then heat it for one minute.
• Making s'mores -- Put the marshmallow on a graham cracker, zap it until puffy (watch carefully). Immediately top it with chocolate squares and a second cracker, smoosh it down and enjoy! (Instead of expensive Hershey bars, I often make chocolate frosting and frost the graham cracker instead.)
• Watch a "Cheep" expand -- A silly but popular pastime when the traditionally yellow addictive chicks fill the candy shelves in Spring.
• Toasting nuts, bread crumbs or coconut -- Spread them out on a plate and heat on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Watch carefully, usually they will continue to toast for another minute after removing them from the microwave. 
• Roasting Garlic -- Slice off the top of the head of garlic to reveal all the cloves. Place the head in a small, deep dish, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of water into the bottom of the dish, cover with plastic wrap and cook at medium power for 7 to 7-1/2 minutes. It takes 45 minutes to roast small garlic in the big oven!
•  Getting more juice from citrus fruits -- If you need lemon, lime or orange juice and your fruit has been in the refrigerator, microwave the piece for 20 seconds before squeezing the juice out. More juice is released from room temperature or slightly warm citrus fruits. 
• De-crystallizing honey -- If your honey has solidified, it can be restored to its liquid state by uncovering the jar and heating on medium power for 30 seconds to one minute. (Note: If it is in a plastic container that is not microwaveable, transfer it to an appropriate container before doing this.)
• Steaming vegetables -- frozen vegetables can be steamed without adding any water. Fresh vegetables can be steamed with just the little remaining water that clings to them after rinsing them. Simply place them, as much as possible, in one layer in a dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook on high. Timing will vary so watch and check. Tender items (spinach, mushrooms, snow peas, etc.) should be checked after 30 seconds. Crunchy items like carrots, after 4 minutes.
• Partially cooking vegetables you are going to grill on the barbecue to save cooking time -- Prick new potatoes so steam can escape and heat them for 2 minutes, bell peppers for 1 minute.

What If . . . your first aid cupboard is bare

Someday the situation may need more
than a kiss to make it better!
 Being ready "just in case" brings
peace of mind.

when there
is an emergency? 
   
Maybe this blog will spur you on in this important area of preparedness. Don't let the length of the list scare you off.
The items  can be acquired over time
and divided among a group.


Several years ago our women's church group began making plans to assemble simple but  comprehensive first aid kits                                       
to have at the ready for emergencies---not the type you would use (or break into) for minor day-to-day scrapes and scratches.                                               


We decided on an assembly date three months in the future, had
sign-up sheets for those interested in participating, and asked everyone to begin setting aside a few dollars whenever they could, so money would not be a burden at assembly time.


A local pharmacist helped us by compiling a list of basic needs, and also offered a discount on the supplies he could. We decided the entire kit needed to fit in a 5-gallon plastic bucket---waterproof and portable.


There is nothing exotic nor extravagant ----  basics you would find in medicine cabinets of long ago. 


We included instructions for use as necessary, as will as expiration dates when applicable.


Note: The "vials" listed are small pill containers/bottles from the pharmacy. 


First Aid booklet
1 pencil
2 plastic spoons
1 tweezers
1 scissors
1 eye dropper
3 medicine measures
3 paper cups
3 paper bags
8 tongue depressors
1 roll toilet paper
1 flashlight with batteries 
1 box strike anywhere matches
1 spool white thread
2 needles
4 safety pins
1 single edge razor blade
1 bar hand soap/bottle hand sanitizer
1 vial household bleach
2 surgical gloves
1 rectal thermometer
1 vial baking soda
1 vial table salt
1 bottle Paregoric
1 bottle rubbing alcohol
1 bottle hydrogen peroxide
1 bottle betadine
1 bottle aspirin
1 jar vaseline
1 bottle caladryl
1 vial oil of cloves
1 bottle Milk of Magnesia
1 tube Neosporin
1 Jar Mentholatum
1 pkg. Boric Acid Powder
1 bottle coke syrup
1 botttle Spirits of Ammonia
1 box Epsom Salts
1 bottle Ipecac
1 box assorted band-aids
4 Kerlix sponges
1 roll @" gauze bandage
1 roll 1" adhesive tape
1 4" elastic bandage
2 plastic trash bags


"When the hour of need arrives, the hour of preparation is past!"

Where's the Post?

OOPS!

Today is Friday! Monday I told you I was going to start posting on Tuesdays and Fridays.  


I wrote Friday's post on Wednesday and . . . simply pushed the wrong button! 


I'll be back on Tuesday!