Seasonal Tips

Finally.  I am back to blogging after a very long hiatus.  My break began back in mid-July when I began experiencing some digestive issues.  Eating wasn’t enjoyable and even the thought of writing about food was nauseating!  After about a month that issue began to improve, and after a few more months my appetite returned.  We all know how it goes however, when we let something slide.  The habit to do an activity turns into one of not doing!  School started back up for the fall and then my husband and I decided to take advantage of our new to us truck and camper.  During October and November we camped five weekends out of the six available to us!  What a great time we had!  We visited some of our familiar places and several new ones as well, in Oklahoma and Arkansas.  But again, traveling each weekend and preparing to travel during the week, left little discretionary time!  Then Thanksgiving arrived and all that comes with family and preparing food.  So I’m back and working to recreate the habit of sharing recipes, ideas, natural living tips, etc.

My first tip is a great discovery I made when the normal muffin papers I purchase at Walmart and Target were out of stock.  There was one type left at Target and since I really despise cleaning muffin off muffin tins I bought them.  They are made of parchment paper and let me tell you – they are fabulous!  You know how sometimes half the muffin stays attached to the paper?  Well with these there is none of that!  In fact if you want them to stay on they won’t!  But I don’t care.  I would rather have the papers falling off than try to eat paper stuck muffins.  The brand is Paper Chef and they are Culinary Parchment baking cups.  So get started making all those great muffins (esp. pumpkin!) you’ll want to serve during Christmas.  Right now I can’t get enough of the blueberry muffins I make using my sourdough starter.

The next two tips aren’t new but bear repeating.  It’s that time of year to get your elderberry syrup made.  With colds, flu, and respiratory illnesses headed our way you won’t want to be wishing you had made it!  Start now, take daily, and then several times daily if you do happen to catch something.  The symptoms should be less severe and of shorter duration.  It can be purchased but costs a lot more and doesn’t taste nearly as good.  The recipe can be found here.

And don’t forget about all the benefits of apple cider vinegar!  I’ve already had a friend tell me they used it when a stomach bug was going around their house with good success.  Here is the procedure.

So here is to more consistent blogging!  Do you have a habit you’d like to reinstate?