Growing Herb Plants Indoors

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/growingherbsindoors
http://www.chow.com/stories/11580/2

Green All Purpose Spray

32 oz Plastic spray bottle
2 cups water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tsp pure castile soap (Dr. Bronners)
3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
20 drops tea tree oil
20 drops lavender essential oil

Fill bottle with water. Add all other ingredients.

Good for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble, and granite

**Recipe is from Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano

Cosmetic Database

Cosmetic Database Parents Guide

Great Blogs for Doing It Yourself Stuff

Passionate Homemaking

Working From Home Tools

10 Unconscience Cues to Create a Work-Life Balance

Cookies & Creme Pudding Pops

This is a recipe from Kraft Foods.com that I would like to try

1 pkg (3.9 oz) Jell-O Chocolate Pudding (instant)

2 cups cold milk

6 oreo cookies

1/2 cup thawed cool whip whipped topping

Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with wisk for 2 minutes

Place cookies in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies

Add cookies and cool whip to pudding; stir just until blended

Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic cups (the kind you use in the bathroom)

Insert wooden pop stucks or a plastic spoon into each for handle. Freeze 5 hours or until firm

*Tip: to remove from cup: place bottom of cup in bowl of warm water 15 seconds. Press up on bottom

April Fools' Sushi

This is a recipe from Parents Magazine in April, 2009 that I would like to try:

In a medium bowl, melt 1 cup mini marshmallows and 1 Tbs. butter in the microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir in 2 cups crispy rice cereal.

With buttered hands, spread mixture on was paper to 12" X 5 1/2 " rectangle. Place 8 pieces with dried pineapple, papaya, and apricot lengthwise along the middle of the sheet of cereal. Roll sheet lengthwise to enclose dried fruit; press to seal.

Wrap grape-flavored fruit leather around the roll; three .8 oz packages should be enough. Cut the suchi into 12 pieces and serve with chopsticks and a healthy drink.

Breadstick Snails

This is a recipe I would like to try from Parents Magazine in April, 2009:

Spread 12 unbaked refrigerated breadsticks with 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce. Roll each into a coil, curving one end under to make the head. Place snails upright onto a baking sheet, secure with a toothpick, and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until golden. To serve, poke holes for antennae and insert two carrot slivers. Refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat at 350 degrees.

Makes 12

Granola Bars

Cranberry-Apricot

This is a recipe from the April, 2009 Parents magazine that I would love to try:

Line an 8 X 8 baking pan with foil, letting it extend over the edges
Spritz it with vegetable oil.
In a large bowl, mix 1 cup low-fat granola, 1 cup folled oats, 1 cup finely copped apricots and cranberries, and 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup canola oil, and 1/3 tsp cinnamon.
Stir into granola mixture, then pat batter in the pan
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until browned
When cool, use foil to lift from pan
Cut into bars
Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

(Makes 15)

Nutrition Info: 157 calories; 5 g fat

Here is a recipe from Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy

3 cups any granola

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup chopped peanuts and/or chocolate chips

2 eggs

Combine well and press into a greased 8 X 8 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, slice into bars after it cools.

Crispy Coconut Chicken

This is a recipe from the December, 2008 issue of Parents magazine that I would love to try (picture is also from parents magazine): (this is under working moms dinner - but I think it is a weekend working moms dinner)

2/3 cup crushed multigrain crackers (about 8) (or a bunch of saltines or ritz)

1/3 cup flaked coconut

1 jar (9 oz) mango chutney 

3 Tbs. lime juice (

1 tsp curry powder

8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 cup cooked brown rice (or whatever rice I had on hand

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees


2. Place chrackers in large zip-top plastic bag and crush with rolling pin


3. Add coconut to the bag and shake.


4. In a small bowl, stir together the chutney, lime juice, and curry powder.


5. Remove 1/4 cup of chutney mixture and set aside.


6. Dip chicken drumsticks, one piece at a time, in the remaining chutney mixture, then place inside the bag. Shake to coat


7. Bake drumsticks on foil-lined shallow baking pan for 40 minutes, or until they're done. Cover chicken loosley with foil for last 10 minutes to prevent over browning


8. Toss peas with reserved chutney mixture in a bowl.


9. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated


10. Combine Peas and rice and serve with chicken.

Chicken Pineapple Fajitas

This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens (March 2008) and I would love to try this recipe (picure comes from BHaG too):

8 six inch tortillas

4 one inch slices peeled fresh pineapple (although I am sure I will use canned)

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast halves (although I am sure I will use whatever meat I have on hand)

2 red or orange sweet peppers (although I am sure I will use green because they are cheaper)

2 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning

1/8 tsp ground black pepper (a few shakes of the shaker)

1 Tbsp cooking oil (turn the jar over for a few seconds - don't bother to measure)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven (although I am sure I will use the microwave)


2. Coat 12 inch skillet with cooking spray, add pineapple slices; cook 4 - 6 minutes until browned (turning once)


3. Cut chicken in strips; toss with peppers, seasoning, and pepper.


4. Heat oil in skillet; add chicken and peppers. Cook and stir over medium-high 4 - 6 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.


5. mix with pineapple and serve with cilantro and lime

Aparently this recipe is $2.77/serving - although I think I could get it down to less with green peppers, canned pineapple on sale, and tortillas on sale

Fun Focaccia

This is a recipe from the March 2008 edition of Parents magazine that I would love to try (and the picture comes from the magazine as well):

1 tube (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza dough

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into halfs

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unroll and slightly stretch dough onto a greased baking pan

Combine next four ingredients in a glass bowl. Cover and microwave on high 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and drain.

Sprinkle dough with parmesan. Top with tomato mixture. Bake 20 - 22 minutes or until crisp and browned. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Homemade Baby Wipes

2 cups boiled water (then cooled)*
2 Tb baby shampoo
1 Tb baby oil

* Not sure why it needs to be cooled, but that is what I did

Cut paper towel roll in half (I had to use a saw, although the website said a regular sharp knife would work....guess I have dull knives...) and take out the cardboard tube from the middle. Put it in a round tupperware.

Pour the mixture of water/shampoo/oil over the paper towel roll. Put the cover on the tupperware and turn it upside down for 30 minutes.

This worked great!

Websites About Cooking With Kids

Here are some websites about cooking with kids:

Kids Cooking Activities.com
Family Fun