The Gluten-Free Homemaker

When we moved into this house five years ago, I was thrilled with the size of the eat-in kitchen.  We remodeled the whole thing, but one thing that didn’t need to be done was the floor.  The previous owners put in new ceramic tile before selling it.  The tile extends into the hall, powder room, and foyer, so I have a pretty large area of tile.

I never had tile in a kitchen before moving here, but I new from others that I probably wouldn’t love it.  First it is very hard to walk and stand on.  Second, it’s very hard for dropping things on.  Dishes and glasses break easily and the pieces slide a long way across the floor.  However, what I didn’t realize would be a problem was keeping the grout clean. 

I had experience with grout in bathrooms, but on my tile floor the strips of grout are much wider than in the bathroom, plus the fact that there is a much larger area of tile.  My tile is a light beige color and the grout is also light.  At least, the grout is light when it’s clean.  Having light color tile surrounded by dirty brown grout is not appealing to me, but until recently I didn’t have a good way of getting it clean.  I thought some of you might have the same problem.  Are you ready to see some dirt?  Here’s a tile and grout from one of the dirtiest sections.



Here’s how it looked after cleaning.  I’m sorry the colors are so different.  I probably took the pictures at different times of the day.



Maybe this picture will be more helpful.  It shows a larger section from the same area as the above pictures.  The grout at the bottom of the picture has been cleaned.  For some reason the tiles themselves look lighter too, but I think that’s just the lighting.



Here is a picture of that same area after it was all cleaned.  It’s not perfect, but you can see that the overall effect is much better.


So, you might be wondering how I cleaned it.  I used OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover.  I like that it does not contain chlorine bleach which gives me a headache.  I put about 1/3 scoop into a 32 ounce spray bottle with water.  I sprayed the grout well then let it sit for 30 – 60 minutes.  Next, I used a sturdy brush (mine is actually a grout brush but any will do) and scrubbed the grout to loosen the dirt, adding a little water if it had dried.    I then mopped it up with clean water.  I found that the OxiClean does the work and not a lot of effort is required scrubbing.  Extra scrubbing didn’t produce any better results. 

Because I have a large area of tile, I did this in sections over a number of days.  It works best to do it in narrow strips that you can easily reach from either side. It also works best to use a fresh mixture of OxiClean, so after the first time I only made half a bottle or less.  When you are not using the spray bottle, loosen the sprayer so air can escape.  Otherwise you will end up with the mixture leaking out the top. 

How do you clean grout?  Any tips?

For more great ideas visit Works for Me Wednesday at We Are That Family.

Labels: homemaking tips

I had a review and giveaway to post today, but I'm still waiting on affiliate approval so I decided to pull a post out of my archives. Be looking out for the giveaway, though!

While pressure cookers have grown in popularity, I know that many of my readers don't own one.  For that reason, I try to include directions for traditionally cooking things that I cook in my pressure cooker.  You might see a few pressure cooker only recipes in the future, though.

A few years ago I looked into pressure cookers and decided to put one on my Christmas wish list. My husband bought me a very nice high quality set and I have loved it! It's called the Duromatic Duo by Kuhn Rikon.

The large 5 liter pot is what I use most.  In fact, I bought a second one on eBay not long ago.  It's not unusual for me to have meat in one pot and potatoes, rice or quinoa in the other.  Here are some of the things I use my pressure cooker for:

Roasts
Stew
Chicken pieces - usually only if I just need to cook it so I can use it in something like chicken salad
Soups - just about any kind of soup, but split pea soup is particularly good and much faster than normal cooking
Potatoes
Rice - brown rice takes about half the time
Quinoa
Millet

You can go to the Kuhn Rikon web site to learn about the benefits of pressure cooking, but in a nutshell it is healthy, uses less energy, and is faster than conventional cooking.  Pressure cookers are not cheap.  Click here to see Kuhn Rikon prices on Amazon.  I realize that these days it may not be feasible.  If you're interested in buying one, try looking on eBay. Also take a look at prices of Fagor pressure cookers.  They are more affordable and I have heard they are good.   

I used to use my crock pot a lot. So much so that I had two until recently. Since getting the pressure cooker, I have found that my crock pot gets very little use. I love being able to put a roast in the pressure cooker and have it done in an hour. The next night I make soup by throwing the leftover beef along with some veggies, potatoes or rice, maybe some beans, broth and water into the pressure cooker and cooking it for 4 minutes under pressure. My family loves the soup and we enjoy it often during cold months.

I do not cook vegetables in my pressure cooker unless they are part of a soup.  They cook so quickly that I inevitably overcook them.

I should add a note that many pressure cookers with only one pressure setting give instructions not to cook rice and split pea soup in the pressure cooker. The Kuhn Rikon pots have a high and low presser indicator. Their instructions say that these foods can be cooked under low pressure.

I cook split pea soup for 20 minutes and it turns out great. In fact, I didn't even like it until I made it in the pressure cooker. I first made it as a treat for my husband since he did give me the pots. It smelled so good I had to try it and I've been eating it ever since!

Labels: homemaking tips, tools of the trade

One of my favorite small kitchen appliances is my electric teapot (kettle).  I keep it on the counter and use it daily.  It’s not that I’m a big tea drinker.  Sometimes I am, but I go through phases with it.  It’s that the pot is very efficient at heating water for anything. 

It’s great for drinks like tea or hot chocolate.  I especially like the fact that it’s easy for the kids to use. 

• Put the water in using measurements on the pot. 
• Turn the pot on. 
• Wait for it to click off when it reaches boiling. 
• Pour from a pot that does not get hot at all on the handle.  (The outside of the pot itself does get warm.)

It’s great for cooking.  I always use it to heat part of the water for cooking pasta.  I also use it to get other foods started faster, like when steaming vegetables or cooking potatoes.  I often heat some water at the beginning of getting dinner started so I have it ready.

The pot I have is cordless.  The base has  a short cord, but the pot itself simply sits on the base and does not have a cord.  It holds up to 7 cups and heats the water at about 1 minute per cup.  There are different brands and styles of electric kettles to choose from.  If you’re in the market for one, I think the cordless feature is definitely worth getting.

For more great kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

If you or someone you know is on a gluten-free diet, I have a great gluten-free giveaway going on this week.

Labels: homemaking tips

As you can see, I'm not all that great at icing a cake, but I have learned on trick. To keep the cake plate (or in this case plastic) clean while frosting, place three sheets of wax paper under the cake. The paper should be in narrow rectangles and arranged to form a triangle that covers the surface area. When you are done frosting the cake, carefully pull the wax paper out, and any stray frosting will be removed with it. You need to pull each piece a little at a time to keep the cake from shifting one direction on the plate.

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

Labels: homemaking tips

I didn't think I would have a kitchen tip to post today, but last night I was reminded of one as I was making muffins. Toasting nuts brings out their flavor. It's easy to do and makes anything you add the nuts to more tasty. If I'm baking something like muffins, I put the nuts in the oven while it's preheating. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and bake about five to ten minutes. It's best to toast them whole and chop them afterwards. Chopped nuts will burn quickly. You can also toast them on the stove top in a heavy skillet. Stir them often until they are golden brown and you can smell their nutty fragrance.

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

We love Thanksgiving. We love food, fun, family, and friends. However, lots of people and lots of food make for lots of clean up. I suppose there are a few people in the world who enjoy doing dishes and cleaning up greasy, splattery messes, but most of us don't. I'm no expert, but here are a few ideas to consider that might help make clean up easier.

• Soak pots and dishes that have cooked on food, such as turkey, vegetables, and stuffing in hot soapy water. Start them soaking before you're ready to wash them. The longer they soak, the easier it will be.
• Soak pots and dishes that were used to cook starchy food, such as potatoes, in cold water. You can wash with hot water after you've gotten the food loose.
• Enlist the help of those who didn't cook. If you think they will be resistant, try asking them to clean up just a few things. Several people cleaning several things each can make a big dent in the job.
• As much as possible, clean as you go. Wash a mixing bowl and other things you used for preparation, while food is in the oven or on the stove.
• Play music while you clean. Something upbeat or fun will help the work go more quickly.
• Use your dishwasher. Run several loads if necessary. Have dishes soaking while others are washing.

I'm sure there are other great clean up tips out there. Please leave a comment if you have a tip to share.

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

I have a set of old Pyrex mixing bowls. Each bowl has its own color. They came from my grandmother, and maybe that's why I love using them. Sometimes I mix dry ingredients for muffins or cakes ahead of time and cover the bowl until I'm ready to mix it later. The problem is that plastic wrap doesn't seem to stick to these bowls well.

When that happens, I wet my fingers and then wipe them on the underside of the plastic wrap. Voila! The plastic wrap sticks to the bowl!



For more kitchen tips, visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

I'm not good a decorating. I don't have a natural talent for it, and I hate spending lots of money on something that just hangs on the wall. However, I do want our home to look nice, and I prefer to not have totally bare walls. As a result, I have come up with a few inexpensive decorations over the years.

When I wanted something to decorate a long stretch of soffit in our kitchen eating area, I decided to go with a bird theme. I bought a box of note cards. Each card has a different bird on the front. I then bought some inexpensive frames at Ross or somewhere similar. If you look closely, you can see that the card is a little smaller than the frame on the sides. I suppose some matting would take care of that, but like I said, I'm not a decorator, and it's hardly noticeable when they are high up on the wall. I don't remember how much I paid for the cards and the frames, but it was relatively inexpensive.



Here is a picture I bought years ago at a yard sale for a few dollars. I did replace the frame at some point.

Here is a picture I got from my local freecycle group. It was free!



These wall plaques I bought at Kohl's when there was a good sale and I had a coupon. They were pretty inexpensive. They are small so they look nice in bathrooms or other small areas.



I have a fruit theme in the cooking area of my kitchen. Inexpensive plates like this can be found at thrift stores, dollar stores, and yard sales. Maybe you'll even find a plate hanger to go with it. While this one isn't anything fancy, it helps fill in some space.

A few other ideas:

• Frame a child's artwork.


• Frame a poster.


• Hang homemade/crafted items


• My son took it down so I can't get a picture, but at one time he had a deck of cards placed randomly and overlapping in a circle on his wall. The face cards were facing out and the rest of them were facing the wall so you saw the design on the back of the card.
  

For more Frugal Friday ideas visit Biblical Womanhood.

Labels: frugal tips, homemaking tips

Dinner is over, and you've wiped the table and counter tops. You think they're clean, but are they really? I'm not talking about germs and bacteria. I'm talking about what you can see with your eyes. "They look clean to me," you say. But do they pass the eye-level test?

Try this. Squat down until you are eye level with the counter or table. Now what do you see? Most likely you see at least a few crumbs or traces of flour. Maybe you see a lot. Stand up and wipe again. Did you get it all? Maybe not even on the second try.

Now I don't clean like this every day, but doing it once in a while keeps me in the mind set that there is probably more there than what I realize. It reminds me to do the job well. It's especially important to people like me who have celiac disease. I get sick from a small crumb that contains wheat. I take other precautions such as keeping the gluten my family eats in its own cabinet at the end of the kitchen. But they still eat at the kitchen table, and their plates still get carried to the dishwasher, or the sink, or maybe the counter next to the sink. So I'm especially careful.

Think about it, though. If that many crumbs are still left, how many germs are still left? Give your counters the eye-level test and let me know what you see!

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

I have done menu planning before, and I will probably do it again. Right now, though, I don't do it. I have spent weeks thinking that I should get back to it, but I have finally decided that I'm not going to. At least not right now. Here's why.

It works for me.

• I've done this dinner thing enough that I don't find myself spending too much time deciding what to fix. I start thinking about it early in the day, if not the day before.
  
  
• When I shop, I buy meat and other items that are on sale, and I keep some meat in the freezer. I buy an assortment of fruits and vegetables and keep potatoes, rice and pasta on hand. I also keep on hand things like spaghetti sauce and canned food that I commonly use.
  
  
• If I come across a recipe I want to make that uses ingredients I don't have, I put it on my shopping list and make it after I have gone to the store. I don't make little trips to the store for things like that.

I save money. I know that sounds backwards, but for me it's true.

• When I plan a menu, I usually plan for more food than we really need. I end up with lots of leftovers that don't always get used.
  
  
• I also tend to plan more expensive meals than what I would cook normally.
  
  
• I don't know what will be on sale when I plan the menu. That is because I never liked planning one week at a time. I really prefer to plan one month at a time.
  
  
• I simply don't take the option of eating out. Instead, when I find myself in a jam, I make due with what I have, even if that means eggs and toast for dinner. We like breakfast for dinner anyway.

So now you know. And since my secret is out, I can be free to say, "I don't menu plan!" and not feel guilty about it. Do you menu plan?

Labels: homemaking tips

For today's kitchen tip I'm following up on a promise I made last week. Some of you are wondering what a turbo oven is. You can see one here, and now you have an idea of the price also.

I'll tell you up front, the turbo oven is not super fast at cooking food. It definitely doesn't match the microwave when it comes to speed. It is, however, faster than a conventional oven, and is useful for cooking things that you wouldn't cook in a microwave.

What it is:

It is very simply a countertop convection oven. Convection ovens use a fan to force heated air to circulate around the food. Convection ovens cook food faster and at a lower temperature than conventional ovens.

What I like about it:

It was great having this oven during the hot summer months. It is very rare that I use my regular oven during the summer. The turbo oven allowed me to do things like roast a chicken without heating up the kitchen. Even in the winter I plan on using it this way unless I have something else to go in the oven with it.

I like the way it reheats food much better than the microwave. For example, when I reheat leftover pizza (gluten-free of course)in the microwave, it softens the crust but leaves it rather spongy. When I reheat pizza in the turbo oven, I place the pieces directly on the rack that sits in the bottom of the bowl, set the temperature 400 and heat it for several minutes. The crust comes out soft inside, but nice and crisp outside.

I have never liked meat cooked or reheated in the microwave. It always seems to come out tough and rubbery. I can heat leftover meat in the turbo oven by putting it on a plate and setting the plate on the rack. I set the temperature to 350 and heat it as long as necessary. The meat stays tender, has great flavor, and I often think it tastes better than the first time.

The glass bowl is easy to clean. With the top removed you take the bowl out of its stand and wash it in the sink. If there is stuck on food, simply add some soapy water to the bowl, put the top back on, and heat it at a low temperature for a few minutes.

What I heat/cook in the turbo oven:

Whole chickens (it browns nicely and cooks at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes per pound)
Roast beef (although I usually use my pressure cooker for that)
Roast potatoes
Roast vegetables
leftovers
toasted bread
nachos
frozen french fries
other frozen foods
some baked items (see below)
casseroles (see below)

What the turbo oven is not good at heating/cooking:

liquids in a glass container (the glass gets hot, not the liquid)

baked goods - I have tried corn bread and cinnamon rolls. They quickly get brown on top because it is closest to the fan. The glass dish (I also tried a silicon pan) didn't allow the bottom to heat well. I wasn't about to let anything go to waste, though, so I simply flipped the items over in their dish and cooked the bottom. They didn't look quite as nice, but they got cooked through and tasted good.

casseroles - Again, the glass dish is the problem. When food is in a dish with sides, it is mainly heated from the top. Casseroles can work if it is an item you can stir occasionally as it heats.
________________

A big drawback for many people is the size. I am fortunate enough to have space for it on my counter. I don't like to leave appliances on my counter that are not used regularly, but this one definitely is. It has been used almost every day to either cook or reheat something or both.

If you are considering buying one and have question, I'd be happy to help as much as I can.

For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

Labels: homemaking tips

Did you know that in 1991 there was a microwave related law suit in Oklahoma? A woman died from a blood transfusion because a nurse had warmed the blood in a microwave. Warming it wasn't the problem, that is routinely done, but not in a microwave. The blood warmed in the microwave was altered enough to kill the woman, which leaves us wondering, "What else do microwaves alter, and how is it affecting us?"

Some people believe they alter anything they heat. Microwaves work by creating molecular "friction" which produces heat. The friction also damages surrounding molecules by tearing or deforming them. (Microwaves from the sun do not produce this type of heat.) This can significantly lower the nutritional level of foods, but there seems to be more concerns than that. A controversial (of course!) study by the scientist Hans Hertel in Switzerland showed that not only were nutrients changed, but there were negative changes in the blood of the participants who ate microwaved food.

I don't claim to have much knowledge in this area, and I can't say I'm 100 percent convinced, but it is something that's been a growing concern of mine. I know there is the other side of the story, and people who say that microwaved food is completely safe. But I think we've also learned through the years that sometimes what we're told is safe is often proven over time to be unsafe. I would rather be safe than sorry. So I have been working towards eliminating the use of the microwave in our house, but we're not there yet. One thing that has helped me in this endeavor is the Turbo Oven. I hope to write about it next week.

If you're interested in learning more, there's lots more to read with a little web searching, and here are a couple of links to get you started. These are different articles with the same title so I have numbered them.

The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking #1

The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking #2


For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes.

Labels: homemaking tips

I have to admit that one of my weaknesses is buying organizational tools. I see a good organizer in the store, and I always stop to look at it longingly. I'm not super organized, I just like the things you use to get organized.

So for today's kitchen organization edition of Works for Me Wednesday, I thought I would write about wrap racks. For many years I have used these racks which are now hanging on my pantry door. The racks are made to be the right depth for storing boxes of foil and plastic wrap. I put some boxes in for this picture, but if you look closely you will see that my door won't close because the boxes would hit the shelf. In this house I use the racks to store packages of pasta like you see in the top rack. I also have a chip clip stuck on the top rack and a big plastic hook hanging off the bottom rack which holds a small dust brush and pan.



I have found these racks to be an efficient use of space, and they have enabled me to store things that I didn't know what to do with otherwise. The racks are sold at home improvement stores and Amazon.


For more tips see The Kitchen Organization Edition of Works for me Wednesday.

Labels: homemaking tips

Last week I wrote a post about making cloth napkins. I mentioned a tip I had picked up from another site about using different napkin rings for each member of the family. Used, but not too dirty napkins can then be saved and identified for later use by putting them in the napkin rings.


This week my 12-year-old son and I made some clay napkin rings. My son made most of the ones shown including the pretty purple flower for me and the hammer and saw for his dad.

Here are a few tips for making clay napkin rings and working with clay in general.

1)Buy a single ceramic tile from a home improvement store. Look for one that has a smooth surface. Use this to work with the clay and roll it out. When the piece is ready for baking, leave it on the tile and put it in the oven.

2)Having special tools isn't necessary, but if you work with clay much it is very helpful. My son put tools on his birthday list last year. This picture shows a few that he uses often.

3)To bake the napkin rings, I slipped them over the neck of a glass bottle. This helped them hold their shape and not get flat on the bottom.

4)We didn't do this, but putting a piece of wire inside the ring will add strength.

5)Be creative and have fun!

I hope this can count as a Frugal Friday post since it's about making something rather than buying it. For more frugal ideas go here.

Labels: frugal tips, homemaking tips

First, I apologize for last week's faulty Works for Me Wednesday link. If you didn't find your way to it, and you're still interested in an easy, fun, dinner you can read it here.


I like to sit and read magazines....while I'm waiting for kids at the orthodontist or dentist office. It's about the only time I read them, and there is usually enough selection that I can find something of interest. Recently I saw a magainze I wasn't familiar with--Ready Made. It had an idea for storing earrings that I decided to try.

Find a belt that has decorative holes in it. Hang the belt by the buckle and insert your earrings into the holes. I have the belt hanging on the wall next to my dresser. I can easily see my earring choices and quickly slip them off and on the belt.

The earrings in this picture were given to me as gifts from my husband. I told him what store sells the kind of earrings I like, then I showed him a pair I had and explained what I liked about them. He was then able to find a couple of racks with similar earrings and surprise me with something he chose. I think he did a great job.


For more great ideas visit Rocks in My Dryer's Works for Me Wednesday.

Labels: homemaking tips

I recently cleaned out and bought new food storage containers. My old ones were cracking, and the whole lot had become a mixed up mess. I was thrilled to find these Rubbermaid containers at BJ's. I got a 54 piece set (that includes lids) for $20. The thing I really like is that one lid size will fit several sizes of containers. I also like the fact that the lids stack together nicely. Having different sized containers that stack together and lids that stack make storage simple and easy.



I have my plasticware in a cabinet that has a pull out shelf on the bottom. In our old house, I bought a sliding container to put in the bottom of a cabinet so I could reach the things in the back. I found it to be well worth the money. It helped me keep things better organized and easier to find. When we remodeled the kitchen in this house, I made sure I had a cabinet with a sliding shelf built in.

After several weeks of use, my plastic ware is still orderly. It's so nice to find what I need without digging around and trying to find a lid that matches!



For more kitchen tips visit Tammy's Recipes-Kitchen Tip Tuesday.

Labels: homemaking tips

After reading a number of posts on other blogs about using cloth napkins rather than paper ones, I decided to make the switch at our house.

I started by going to the thrift store to see what I could find. I came home with 8-10 napkins which we tried out as soon as I washed them. I soon learned two things: (1)the size was much bigger than we needed for everyday use, and (2) we were going to need a lot more napkins!

One way to help solve both of those problems was to cut the napkins into quarters, thereby reducing the size and increasing the quantity. I also went to the fabric store and bought two yards of flannel in two different patterns. I then made 12 napkins from each yard. Some of the napkins I bought from the thrift store were red, so I also bought a flannel pattern of the same color red which enabled me to use the same thread. I have also decided that red is a great color for napkins since we eat a lot of meals that have at least some tomato in them (Italian, Mexican, hamburgers with ketchup...). I chose the bee pattern because I thought it was cute, but not so cute it would cause my teenage boys to gag. :)

When I first started out sewing the thrift store napkins I was having trouble with the corners. Even though I clipped the fabric, the corners were still thick and one end of the hem would hang out. Then I noticed that the red napkins had different corners and quickly figured a way to do something similar. Here is what I came up with.

First, cut a triangular piece off each corner.

Then fold the cut corner over and press. I don't have exact measurements for this so you have to do it by trial and error, but I quickly figured out about how much to cut and how much to fold.

I then ironed the first fold of the hem, and finally the second fold.

When you iron the second fold, the corner should line up nicely. If you don't have enough room and the two sides are overlapping, redo that first fold where you brought the corner in. Make the fold a little deeper, but not much. If you find you have too much space, make that fold a little more shallow. This is the part you will get the hang of, or maybe you will figure out exact measurements!

You can buy paper napkins pretty cheaply, and it does cost money to make and wash the napkins, but I still think there is some savings in the long run. According to Melissa Breyer, it is definitely greener to use cloth napkins. Here is a post from Frugal Upstate about using cloth vs. paper. I like the idea of using a different napkin ring for each member of the family so that napkins can be saved and reused if they're not too dirty. One of my kids likes using clay. I think I'll have to talk him into making some napkin rings.

As for those dirty napkins, I recently bought a wicker hamper set that included a waste basked and a couple of fabric lined baskets. The waste basket now sits in a corner of the kitchen and we toss the dirty napkins into it. The lined baskets are used to hold the clean napkins.

Labels: frugal tips, homemaking tips

Some nights when the kids ask me what’s for dinner, the answer is yo-yo. Yo-yo is short for you're on your own. My kids love yo-yo nights. It’s fun for them to choose what they will eat. I usually have on hand some of the following to choose from: leftovers, frozen items they could heat in the microwave, eggs, fruit, and fresh veggies. Any other food is also up for grabs. They know there are general guidelines such as not having dessert for dinner. The kids often get creative with their food. They can fix something weird because only they are going to eat it. Sometimes one of them will fix something that looks so good everyone else wants it too.

Yo-yo is obviously easier if your kids are old enough to fix their own dinner, but you could always have older kids help the younger ones, or ask dad to take care of this one. My husband is the only one who isn’t thrilled with yo-yo. He is not a cook at all and would rather have me fix a meal for him. So usually I’ll fix enough of what I’m having for him to have also. Or one of the kids fixes something for him. Otherwise it’s a win-win situation. I get a night off and the kids have a great time.

Yo-yo is something you can do as often or as little as you like. You can save it for occasional treats, or do it on a weekly basis. But if you’re not doing yo-yo at all, I definitely recommend giving it a try.

For more great ideas visit Rocks in My Dryer's Works for Me Wednesday.

Labels: homemaking tips