Taco Seasoning

We like Mexican food at our house. A lot. Looking at our bellies, possibly too much... but that is for another post. Anyway, the pre-packaged taco seasoning is chocked full of all kinds of things I can't pronounce and that I'm pretty sure I don't want to ingest, so I make my own. This is how I do it. BTW, the amounts listed are close approximations. Here at Chez Jerritt I do not do a lot of measuring in my cooking unless I am baking something very sensitive.


Taco Seasoning

To 1 - 1 1/2 pounds of browned ground hamburger, ground turkey, or veggie crumbles add:

And, yes, I know all fresh, homegrown, or even bulk would be better than some pre-packaged spices, but like you I am working towards self-sufficiency... and it is a process, so bear with me.

• 1/2 - 2/3 cup of water
• 2 T chili powder
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (I really like garlic, so I have a heavy hand, judge accordingly for yours)
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• heavy pinch of pepper
• some red pepper flakes or ground cayenne (or a pepper cut up if you have one -- I have to tread carefully here, as I love spicy things, but my kids not so much)
• 1/2 an onion or 3-4 green onions or a small handful of chives (I have some in my yard now so today mine are yummy and fresh!)
  
  

Let it heat through and enjoy. My kids love nothing more for dinner (well, maybe pizza, but...) than make your own taco night.

Homemade Cleaning Products

Cleaning products are another area where you can make major changes that will drastically reduce both your ecological footprint, and the money you spend for your home.

If you remember nothing else, remember this, having a large bottle of white vinegar in your home at all times is essential. It also helps to have a couple of spray bottles on hand. You can reuse bottles, but I would only do so if they initially contained something non-toxic. For example, I have reused two old Method cleaner bottles for all purpose cleaner, but I would not reuse a cleaning bottle that had had caustic chemicals in it. It's very hard to get all of that out of the bottle and know it's going to be safe for your family. Otherwise, I would suggest checking your grocery store or garden supply store for empty spray bottles. Typically I can find them for less than a couple dollars a piece.





All Purpose Cleaner

Fill bottle

• 1/3 full of white vinegar
• 2/3 full of warm water
• 8-10 drops of your choice of essential oil

I like sweet orange essential oil for cleaning (I think it smells fresh and clean). Adam likes peppermint. Mix it up and enjoy. The oil is simply to kill the smell of the vinegar, so it is not necessary by any means.


Glass Cleaner

Fill bottle

• 1/3 full of white vinegar
• 2/3 full of warm water

Do not use essential oil for cleaning glass or mirrors. It will leave an oily streak.





Mold & Mildew Killer

Fill bottle with:

• 4-5 cups of warm water
• 2 tsp of tea tree oil
• 8-10 drops of essential oil (optional)
  

It's up to you whether you want to kill the tea tree oil smell or not. It is very medicinal, but sometimes that's nice when one is killing mold and mildew. I spray generously and let it sit on there for 10-15 minutes before wiping down.


For Scrubbing

When you need something abrasive for scrubbing you can use an oxygen-based cleaner (like an Oxy Clean, etc), just try and make sure it does not have any chlorine bleach added to it. You can also use straight baking soda. Either of these can be applied, slightly damp, allowed to sit and then scrubbed hard into the surface. They will dry out and get nice and hard and able to scrub very good.

Later I will share with you my favorite laundry detergent recipe, but that is for another post.

Enjoy cleaning!

I Made Granola Today!

Mmmm, it's yummy. The kids devoured it warm out of the oven.

My recipe is adapted from both the Make it From Scratch and Little Birdie Secrets recipes.


Homemade Granola

6 cups of old-fashioned oats
1 cup of wheat germ
4 T flax seed meal
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 T vanilla
1 T salt
1/8 cup cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped almonds
1 cup craisins or raisins

Mix all ingredients. I like to use a turkey roaster lightly greased, as I can stir it up really well without it flying out. I mix it and cook it all in the same pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir well. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately scrape the pan to prevent it from sticking. When it's completely cool you can put it in a jar. I store mine in an empty oat container (it's about the right size, and I often have a spare one after I make the granola). Try some warm, though, before you put it away, it is SO good.

Making your own Sourdough Bread

Probably one of the easiest ways to make a small change in how your family eats, if you like to bake, is to make your own bread. Whether you make all of your bread, or just an occasional loaf with soup, it makes a difference in your food bill and your foot print. My family loves sourdough bread. For sourdough you will need a

Sourdough starter:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Place ingredients in non-metallic bowl (I use an old glass applesauce jar -- seems to be the perfect size and I can put the lid on for shaking/storage when needed). Cover loosely (in the beginning, I use a piece of saran wrap or a towel, with a rubber band around the top). Make sure you put the whole container inside something (like a 9 x 9 pan or baking sheet). Sourdough starter is a freaky science experiment and will often overflow the first or second day. That's okay, just clean it up some and go on with your business. Leave in warm place to ferment for 4-8 days. It will get very bubbly. It will likely separate and leave a watery alcohol layer on top. All of this is to be expected and totally normal. When it has a pleasant sour smell you can use it to bake with. If it turns a funky color (i.e. anything other than beige) -- dump it and start again. Keep it in the refrigerator if not using it. When you use it, make sure to put back in equal parts flour and water and a pinch of sugar. For example, if you use 1 1/2 cups of starter in a recipe, add back in 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of flour and a pinch of sugar. I always then let it sit out on the counter for a day before refrigerating it, to let it get a good start again. The older the starter gets, the better your bread will be. I promise.

Mmmmm, fermented goodness!

Then, once your starter is all ripe and stinky (yum!), you can make sourdough.

Sourdough Bread:

• 4 3/4 cups bread flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (.25 ounce) package or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk (can sub soy milk -- we do)
  
• 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
  wash for just before baking
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

I use the "lazy mama with too many kids" method of bread making. This is achieved by dumping all ingredients into the stand mixer together and then using the dough hook to beat the crud out of it for about 10 minutes. Thus far, it has worked like a charm in my bread making endeavors.

Then you oil the bowl with a bit of olive oil, and let it rise in a warm spot under a towel for about an hour (or you remember to check on it).


Then you want to roll the dough into two fat footballs, and make a few shallow cuts across the top to let the air out when baking. I use a slightly damp bread knife to do this easily.



Cover them again and let them rise for another hour or so.

Paint them with the egg wash from above. Beat the egg, add some water, and then lightly brush the wash over the bread with a pastry brush.



Bake in a pre-heated oven on a lightly greased baking sheet for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool on wire racks, but not too much. It is best enjoyed warm, slathered in butter or margarine. Mmmmmm.

TOTALLY worth the effort. I promise you! Your family will consider you a rock star.