Yogurt Cheese

I've been playing around with different things we can make on our own.  Yogurt is one of those things.  I have a yogurt maker and made a batch up yesterday.   I've been seeing all over the web about how much people like greek yogurt better than the regular.   Greek yogurt is yogurt that has been drained of all the whey, making it thick and cream cheese like. 

Here is how you do it:

Line a strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth.  Place the strainer inside a large bowl.

Pour a large container of plain yogurt into the strainer.  Place into the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning you will have a nice, thick and creamy cheese.  You can eat this like you would greek yogurt.  Or spread onto your bagel.  Use like you would any kind of cream cheese.  We used this today on our tacos instead of sour cream.

I'm liking up with Deep Roots at Home.

Comparing Myself with....

Do you ever feel as if you do not measure up?  I do all the time.  I love reading blogs, websites and books on homemaking.  But the more I read the more I feel as if I am not measuring up.  Then it hit me...measuring up to whom?  I'm trying to be like every other woman out there. I see posts about people sewing, decorating and making 3 course meals often.   I'm not allowing God to mold me into the wife and mother He wants me to be.   I'm trying to be like everyone else.  That is causing me to feel like I'm being pulled in many different directions.

I would love to be like that woman in the picture.  I have an apron, but honestly I always forget to put it on.  Simply put...I find it gets in my way.   Does that make me any less of a homemaker?  I do not think so.  I like the sew and crochet,  but I find it difficult to follow a pattern.  Our home looks like people live here on any given day.  I do not stress over everything being put in it's place.  I want people to feel comfortable being here....including my family.   It doesn't mean our house is messy...just lived in. 

I was reading in Colossians the other day.  One particular passage stood out to me Colossians 3:23-24, "And whatever, you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

No matter what we are working on or at, we need to be doing it for the Lord...no one else.   I've been trying too hard to impress others.  Don't get me wrong...I love my family and doing things for them.  But I think I've had the wrong focus all this time.  I'm to be working hard, but my focus has to be on God.  Not keeping up with those I think are doing it "right".   I need to keep my focus on God and what He wants from me.  If I do that then the rest will fall into place.

Does any of this make sense to you?  I pray it was an encouragement to someone.  God gave us the example of the Proverbs 31 wife as a model not a mold. 

This post is being linked with the Thankful Homemaker.

Sourdough Starter Day 1 and 2

Sandra over at Diary of a SAHM made a sourdough starter from the recipe the West Ladies shared on their video "The Art of Breadmaking".  I decided to give it a try.  Little did I know I would be blessed the next day with the video!!

DAY 1

- Put the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the jar.

Next add the warm water. Stir well!

Now watch the bubbles appear!!

Just an FYI:  Make sure the jar you are using is large!!  My first batch over flowed...creating a big mess! LOL!  No pictures of that...sorry!

DAY 2

I noticed yesterday my starter looked like this!  My first reaction was ewww!  What did I do wrong??  So I went back to the video and noticed they said I need to stir it from time to time.  So after I stirred it, it began to look ok again.

Tada!!  There are no bubbles, but I'm going to feed it later and I'm sure the bubbles will come back.  Like the foil under my jar?  I'm not cleaning up another mess on my counter!! :-)

How is your sourdough starter?  If you have not ever made this, give it a try!  It really is hard to mess up...I think...LOL!

If you have questions like I did you can go HERE and read all about your starter.  This website is full of information and pictures.  I like pictures :-)

My Birthday Blessings

My husband has spoiled me this year with birthday blessings!!  We usually do not have the money for gifts but last year we decided to save up through the year for gifts.  Our birthdays are exactly 1 week apart.  Hubby's is the 19th and mine is the 26th.  Until this year we always went out to supper to celebrate.  So now for what he got me....

A pressure cooker!  I've been wanting one of these for a long time.  This is the Nesco 3 in 1.  It is not only a pressure cooker, but it is a slow cooker and steamer!  WOW!  I can get rid of my slow cooker and replace it with this....maybe having 2 would be great!

NEXT....

He also got me 6 of the Homestead Blessings DVD!!  OH my how I've wanted these for so long.  I'm watching The Art of Canning as I write this post. 

The other ones he got me are:

The Art of Gardening

The Art of Herbs

The Art of Breadmaking

The Art of Soapmaking

The Art of Candlemaking

Everyone I know will be getting things I make this year for Christmas!!  I love the handwritten note that was enclosed by the West lady who packaged the DVD's.  Such a personal touch!

Pondering Home PT 2

I posted a few days ago about pondering home.  I posted the Beatitudes For Homemakers by Ella May Miller and said I was going to post my thoughts about each section.  I was a bit ambitious in saying I'd do it daily...LOL!  I'll do it weekly hopefully on Saturdays.

Blessed is she whose daily tasks are a work of love; for her willing hands

and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God.

Until recently I looked at my daily tasks as something dreadful!  Something I just did not want to do.  But I realize now that everything I do needs to glorify God.  If I am complaining and grouchy each time I have to complete a task or do something I just don't want to do I need to stop and thank God for the healthy hands for which I will complete my tasks.  Also, thank Him for my healthy family for whom I am caring for.

I can not train my daughters to be keepers at home if I myself and not keeping home with a joyous heart.  Once we are back home I'm going to work very hard at being joyous in my daily chores.

Psalm 35:9

 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.

Pondering Home....

But housekeeping is fun, and I think the women who hate it lack

imagination. It is one job where you enjoy the results right along

as you work. You may work all day washing and ironing, but at night

you have the delicious feeling of sunny clean sheets and airy

pillows to lie on. If you clean, you sit down at nightfall with the

house shining and faintly smelling of wax, all yours to enjoy right

then and there.  And if you cook---ah, if you cook---that creation you lift from the

oven goes right to the table.

~~Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Seasons~~

I recently came across Stillmeadow Seasons a series of books written by Gladys Taber.  These are GREAT books, if you can find them.  Check out your local library OR look in thrift stores.  I would love to read these books.

I've been thinking alot lately about keeping home.  What kind of homekeeper am I?  I do not really know the answer to this question.  I am a little bit of everything.  Sometimes our home is so clean it looks and smells great!  Those are the days I WISH people would just stop over for some coffee!! Then there are other days when our home is such a mess that I have no idea where to start. 

Not being in our home has made me want to share more about who I am and what

 Christ has done with me in a number of areas and my role as a homemaker is a favorite. I am sharing all of the good only possible by the Light that Christ shines through me to give HIM all the glory for and it allows glimpses into the not so good parts of me that show just how weak I am without Him.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

 and comes down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Beatitudes For Homemakers

by Ella May Miller

*Blessed is she whose daily tasks are a work of love; for her willing hands

and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God.

*Blessed is she who opens the door to welcome both stranger and well-loved friends;

for gracious hospitality is a test of brotherly love.

*Blessed is she who mends both stockings and broken toys and broken hearts;

for her understanding is a balm to her husband and children.

*Blessed is she who scours and scrubs; for well she knows that cleanliness is one expression of godliness.

*Blessed is she whom children love; for the love of a child is of greater value than fortune or fame.

*Blessed is she who sings in her work; for music lightens the heaviest load and brightens the dullest chore.

*Blessed is she who dusts away doubt and fear and sweeps all the cobwebs of confusion;

for her faith will triumph over all adversity.

*Blessed is she who serves laughter and smiles with every meal;

for her cheerfulness is an aid to mental and physical digestion.

*Blessed is she who introduces Jesus Christ to her children;

for Godly sons and daughters shall be her reward.

*Blessed is she who preserves the sacredness of the Christian home;

for hers is a divine trust that crowns her with dignity.

I am going to do a post on each one of the sections listed above.  I found this online a while ago and it has become something I read over often.  I will post more about this tomorrow with the first one listed!

Homestead Blessings DVD Give a way

I've been looking at these DVD's for a long time now.  They would be such a wonderful addition to our curriculum.  Well now you have the chance to win the set of 10 of these.  If you have never heard of them go on over to Franklin Springs Media and check them out. 

Titles included are:

The Art of Quilting

The Art of Sewing

The Art of Dairy Delights

The Art of Canning

The Art of Gardening

The Art of Herbs

The Art of Cooking

The Art of Soap Making

The Art of Candle Making

The Art of Bread Making

Go on over to Raising Homemakers to enter for your chance to win these DVD's.