How to (more) Safely Keep Earbuds in a Gym Bag

Toilet Paper Tubes and Socks to Hold Earbuds

I recently joined a gym.  Last year I made a great effort to become more physically fit by eating more wisely and exercising regularly.  I started by walking with our dog, Anabaena, and using the elliptical machine we have in our home while counting calories like a mad woman.  While that did work quite well, I felt it was time to switch my routine up a bit.  I wanted a variety of cardio workout options and running isn't really my favorite thing to do.  Especially since every time I have tried, I have felt compelled to bring Anabaena.  She pulled me down the street in her enthusiasm with the increased pace I was setting for her.  So, I found a local gym that wasn't overly fancy (i.e. not expensive) and joined.  I'm as pleased as punch.  Anabaena stays home and takes a nap.  That's after our daily walk together. 

A Messy Gym Bag

One of the adjustments from working out at home to at a gym is having a gym bag.  I throw all the stuff in there I think I might need before, during, and after my workout and head out the door with it all rolling around together.  When I get to the gym and open my bag I see my earbuds in a messy wad surrounded by a water bottle, banana, sweatband, socks, deodorant, moisturizer and a padlock.  I have to be careful not to tug to hard and break the wires when I pull them out.  Hmm...that could be better.

Materials Needed

To keep them from getting mangled, crushed, and dirty, I wanted a pouch to hold my earbuds separate from the other things in my bag.  Toilet paper tubes make great pouches.  You just have to close the ends somehow to keep everything in.  Ankle socks fit over the toilet paper tubes and can tuck in quickly and securely.  Here's how I made my earbud and mp3 pouches to toss into my gym bag.

It is as simple as tucking the earbuds into one end of the tube while holding your hand over the other (or put the tube in the sock first and roll the sock down to access the tube opening).  Put the tube in the sock and tuck the excess sock into the tube.  Bonus that my socks look like sneakers!  They were a birthday gift from my best friend, Beth.  Thanks, Beth!

"Victory" by Trampled by Turtles

      

Vitamix - Pecan Butter

Move over peanut butter!  I don't say that lightly; I love peanut butter.  Love, love it.  However, pecan butter made a recent arrival into my life and I now have a new object of culinary ardor.

I've made peanut butter and almond butter successfully.  I have a bag of pecans.  I also have a Vitamix blender (awesome, by the way).  Naturally, I made pecan butter.  There really was no getting out of it.

I didn't expect to be amazed by the outcome, but not only am I impressed with pecan butter, Joe loves it too.  Joe likes peanut butter, but not with the same vehemence that would drive me to eat it with a spoon from the jar.  Plus, Joe doesn't really like pecans.  There is something about pecans that makes him skip over them in a bowl of mixed nuts.  So when I announced that I had made pecan butter he shrugged and nonchalantly accepted the sample I held out to him.  He looked at me wide-eyed and said, "that's pecan butter?  Really?  It's amazing!".

If you want a truly amazing sandwich, pecan butter and pear jam on homemade bread is true bliss.


Pecan Butter:

3 cups pecans, unsalted

in the blender with a tamper

4 teaspoons olive oil

 Place oil and pecans in a food processor or blender.  If your blender has a tamper, use that.  Blend on high in short intervals to prevent the blender from overheating.  Blend until smooth.  Pecan butter is drier than peanut butter, adding oil will make it more spreadable.  Add the oil a little at a time to achieve the smoothness you desire.  The 4 teaspoons was great for me, I could have stopped at 3 and I would have been happy with that too.  How much oil you add will depend on how fine your blender processes the pecans as well.     

It may not look like much, but it's fantastic!

           

CPT SCARE

For this year's scarecrow we decided to go with a slightly different theme.  Last year was the first year we made our family scarecrow for Halloween and Thanksgiving (see post).  We went with the traditional coveralls and flannel shirt.  This year the kids found a set of my old Army uniforms and suggested an Army theme.  My old BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform) was still on the hanger, perfectly pressed and starched.  In other words, it was in perfect shape to be stuffed with straw and thrown out into the elements.  The kids suggested the name CPT Scare.  We had a lot of fun putting CPT Scare together.  He now proudly stands in our front yard with his right hand in a pseudo salute to the passers by.

Steel Cut Oats (from the Crock Pot) to Start the Day

CROCK POT OATMEAL - AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!

A love of oatmeal and my family's rapidly declining interest in microwaved old fashioned oats led me to the internet to see how other people fancied up their oats.  I found a few good ideas and have since altered them to our particular tastes.  One of my favorite ideas is steel cut oats made overnight in the crock pot.

Crock pot oats appeal to me for many reasons:
#1 I don't have to cook in the morning.
#2 Warm, hearty breakfast keeps us full longer and makes the day more enjoyable.
#3 Waking up to the smell of breakfast wafting from the kitchen is just as delightful as falling asleep with the aroma of fresh baked bread cooling on the counter top (more on homemade bread later).

The following recipe is how I make oatmeal for the four of us.  It's good as-is but we also like to top it with walnuts, jelly, yogurt or raisins in our bowls.  Sometimes when I know we will be adding something sweet to it in the morning I leave out the honey.  Like most recipes, it's a matter of personal preference.  Crock pot oatmeal is very versatile, I hope you try it, like it and find your own favorite flavor combination.   

Ingredients:

1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups almond milk (or other milk)
1.5 cups water
2 Tablespoons chia seeds or flax meal
2 Tablespoons honey or other sweetener
oil to coat crock pot

optional add ins:
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pieces of fresh fruit (apples, bananas, peaches) or 1/4 -1/2 cup dried fruit or 1 cup frozen fruit

Method:

-Oil the crock pot.  Honestly, I don't know what it's like if you don't.  Everywhere else on the internet implied that if you skip this step you will be scrubbing and crying.  With the crock oiled it does stick to the sides.  Once it cools down it scrapes away more easily (if you want to get every last bit out - and that's the good crunchy part, so go for it).  I soak it for a bit in the sink and it comes right off.  I don't know if it would do the same if you didn't oil the crock.
-Add all ingredients, stir and set the crock pot to low for 7-8 hours.
-It keeps in the refrigerator and reheats nicely.  We had leftovers once, and they didn't last beyond the next day but were still good then.  I added a little more milk when reheating to hydrate the oatmeal.

Cooked oatmeal in the morning, before stirring, with a crunchy ring around the outside.

The oatmeal after stirring.  This batch was made with dried peaches, vanilla and cinnamon added to the main recipe.

HOMEMADE PIZZA ON FRIDAY, AN EGGERS' FAMILY TRADITION

THIN CRUST WITH CHICKEN OF THE WOODS, BROCCOLI, ONION & BELL PEPPER

For the past five years we have had a tradition in our house of homemade pizza on Friday.

One of the more memorable pizza nights for me was on a Christmas Eve that had us snowed in at home.  That evening we had bread sticks dyed and twisted to look like candy canes along with the pizza.  It was a very cozy evening filled with love, smiles and warm comfort food. 

There have only been a handful of times when we have wavered from this custom.  Those occasions were always while we were far from home and were often met with stern discontent, especially on the kids' end.

We have made a fair amount of pizza and our recipe has developed into something we love to share with friends and extended family (even on non-Fridays!).  Typically we do not use the standard pizza toppings like pepperoni, black olive slices, etc., though if we have those things they go on there too.  A lot of leftovers are cut up and used as toppings.


Here are a few topping ideas:

NO NEED TO SHRED THE CHEESE

-bacon from Sunday brunch roughly chopped
-bits from leftover stew, strained a bit so it doesn't make the pizza dough soggy
-wild foraged mushrooms sauteed in onion and garlic
-fresh vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, halved cherry tomatoes, green beans, whatever is in the garden!
-meat ends bought from local deli (the ends of the lunch meat loaves that you can have sliced for you - check in the deli section where you shop, they may be sold for a reduced price!)
-cheese ends (same deal as meat ends)  they don't need to be shredded, just chop or tear them into bits

THE ABOVE PIZZA AFTER BAKING

-homemade tomato sauce...so easy and so good.
-pesto as sauce                
-precooked or canned beans
-chopped spinach or swiss chard
-cut up bratwurst and sauerkraut

PRETTY MUCH ANY LEFTOVER CAN BE USED TO MAKE GARBAGE PIZZA!

INGREDIENTS for PIZZA DOUGH:
(makes two pizzas)

1 packet or 1 Tablespoon yeast (technically one packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons but I eyeball and approximate)
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whey or water, lukewarm
2-4 cups flour (to get correct dough consistency)

METHOD:

-If using whey that is stored in the refrigerator, heat it up to lukewarm for faster rising dough.  I put it in the microwave for one minute.
-Put all ingredients but NOT FLOUR into a food processor, stand mixer or bowl.  I use a food processor; use what you have and it will work!
-Slowly add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the right consistency is reached.  When using the food processor I add flour until the dough turns around in a ball.  I flour my hands, remove the dough and test if it is too sticky or right on.*
-Turn off the food processor, flour your hands (to prevent sticking), remove the dough and form a ball.  Flour the outside and drop it back into the food processor for the first rise.
-Once your dough has risen (double in size is the standard) turn on your food processor to "punch it down" or reform a ball.
-Remove the dough, divide into two balls, dust the outer surface of each with flour and spread onto two oiled pizza pans.  Use your hands or a mini rolling pin to spread the dough.
-Allow the dough to rise again (can be used now if you are in a hurry).
-Top the pizzas.
-Bake 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes (longer if you used toppings that are more wet).  I like to bake the first pizza 10 minutes, remove it and bake the second pizza for 10 minutes.  Then I reset the timer for 5 minutes and bake both pizzas together.  That way they are both warm and done at the same time.

 *This is the part, in my opinion, that really makes a difference in the finished crust.  Learning to identify when when the dough has the right amount of flour will be easier with practice.  The dough should be pliable, sort of rubbery.  If the dough is very sticky it needs more flour, if it is hard or flaky it has too much.  It is easier to add more flour than to fix dough that has too much flour, so add SLOWLY until you can ID your dough with confidence.

TONIGHT'S PIZZA with MEAT & CHEESE ENDS, GREEN BEAN, CARROT, BELL PEPPER & CHERRY TOMATO

Things people throw away

We often find it simply amazing at the things people throw away.  Much of the furniture in our house has been rummaged from a garage sale or simply found along the side of the street awaiting the garbage man.  This piece is the newest acquisition.  We initially passed this beautiful piece along a busy road after visiting a friend in a nearby neighborhood.  We drove right on by it after one adult insisting to stop and look while the other insisted that we need to get home so the kids can get ready for bed.  The other seemingly more responsible adult won the coin toss and we continued on home.  Of course the first adult wound up driving back to take a look while the kids got ready for bed only to find an amazing 6 drawer chest with intricate hand painted oriental design on the veneer front.  The entire piece was solid veneered lumber – no MDF.  The only problem was that the first adult was now alone with a 100 pound piece of bulky furniture and his 2005 jeep liberty with the back seats already flattened out to make room.  How does one get this item into the vehicle by himself without scratching and ruining it?  The solution is quite simple; I had a piece of paper with Abraham Lincoln’s picture on it.  A passerby was more than happy to exchange 5 minutes of muscle power for this portrait of our 16^th POTUS.  This young man was quite silent and I believe English deficient, but through the art of communication (facilitated by Mr. Lincoln) the dresser was loaded without a problem.  It now sits in our bedroom and has replaced our previous one that has been demoted to board game organizer in the game room.

COLD PROCESS SOAP MAKING

 I have been making cold process soap for a little while now.  It is something Joe started several years ago and he got me hooked on it.  We are most definitely a "bar soap" family and in the movement away from chemicals we don't need to be putting on our bodies (found in many commercial cosmetics, including soaps) we exclusively use homemade soap.  That being said, I do use fragrance oils, but I am picky about my sources.  Of course there are soap brands that are nice and green, and many people make and sell wonderful soap (farmer's markets and even online) but why pay someone else for something I can and like to do?

Soap can be made so many ways, using a variety of ingredients/additives, colorants, scents and molds.  Up until last week I was only doing the cold process soap method and scenting with fragrant oils.  Read about hot process soap here.  I did a few batches with oxide colorant that turned out nicely and added another level of difficulty to the process.  My favorite mold is a wooden one Joe made.

My favorite recipe:

40gm castor oil  

320gm coconut oil

320gm palm oil

320gm olive oil

This a very general description of my soap making process:  I run my oil amounts through a lye calculator to find out how much water and lye* is needed.  Every fragrance oil and essential oil is different.  The amount used can vary widely so I like to check with my source to find the maximum percent I can safely use in soap.  Most of the time I use 2 fl.oz. of fragrance oil in my above recipe. 

*A special note on lye.  Lye is dangerous!  It can burn your skin.  Imagine the damage it can do internally if you inhale the fumes - horrible.  If you make soap do your research and be careful with lye.  Keep children and pets away when making soap and store lye and other soap making supplies out of reach.  Always add lye to water, never the reverse!  When I make soap I wear goggle and gloves.  White vinegar should be used to neutralize lye when cleaning all equipment and surfaces.  I like to rinse my hands in vinegar when I am all done just for good measure.  Ever take chemistry lab?  Remember that a strong base is just as powerful as a strong acid.  The word "acid" sounds scarier, but a strong base is just as dangerous.  When you make soap imagine you are in a lab working with a strong base...because you are!  Skin protection, ventilation, goggles!

With cold process soap you add lye to water and there will be a chemical reaction, producing a lot of heat and fumes.  Be cautious.  Separately, you heat the oils/fats/butters until they are blended.  When the lye mixture has cooled and the oils are melted they should be the same temperature.  Use of an ice bath to reach even temperature is common.  Most instructions say the ideal temperature is somewhere between 100 and 115 degrees F.  The two pots should be identical temperatures for best results.  Add the lye mixture to the oils slowly and beat with a stick blender or by hand.  The first few times Joe made soap he used a spoon to stir, but it took a long time.  Stick blenders can usually be found thrift stores.  We have worn out a few and have two right now, none of which we bought new.  Blend the mixture until trace, that's when it thickens like pudding.  Add scent and color and pour into molds.  For my wooden mold, I have to line it with a plastic bag or it will not come out of the mold.  Cover the mold and let the soap set for 24 hours.  It is still volatile at this point.  During the next 24 hours your soap will go through a gel phase where it continues to heat up, becomes transparent and then opaque again.  It will harden and you will be able to un-mold and slice it into bars.  Lay the bars out on paper and flip every few days.  Cold process soap needs to cure for about a month.  During this time the bars will harden significantly.

Another safety note:  I use a lot of kitchen equipment to make soap.  I don't use any of my soap making equipment for food preparation.  If you decide to make soap have a separate set of bowls, crock pot, spoons, pots, etc. that you use only for soap making.  Most of my equipment came from thrift stores, including the silicone loaf mold in the photo.  Keep soap making equipment in a separate location like a tote in the garage or basement.

My soaping supplies

Four fragrances from left to right: orange clove, witchy, monkey farts & bubble gum.  Monkey farts is colorant free.

Scented with chocolate fragrance oil, colored with coffee it looks and smells like cake!

HOT PROCESS SOAP MAKING

Last week I tried hot process soap for the first time.  It is very similar to cold process but you don't have to worry about temperatures so much because you are cooking the soap.  Another difference is that your soap is ready to use as soon as it is hard (the next day is fine).  You don't have to let it cure.  As soon as it is finished cooking, it is not volatile.  I put my oils in a crock pot, did the lye thing as normal and added the lye/water to the oils in the crock pot.  Stick blend to trace and put the crock pot on low, covered.  I kept a watchful eye as I have heard hot process soap can "volcano".  I did not stir until the soap was uniformly transparent - done.  It took about an hour to cook.  You can see the photos below on how that transformation went.  I don't have a photo of the soap just after trace but it was all opaque like what you see in the middle of the first photo.  Once it is transparent, stir, add scent and place in mold to harden.  This was a shampoo bar so I added essential oils of rosemary and peppermint.  The next day I took the soap out of the mold and sliced it into bars using a chef knife.  It was ready to use right after slicing but hardened over the next few days.      

Hot Process Soap, cooking in a crock pot.

Soap is done cooking, ready to have scent added.

Soap in a silicone bread loaf mold for 24 hours (or until hardened).

Soap sliced into bars using a chef knife.

Several batches of soap curing on paper (hot process on left row).

Second batch of hot process soap, sandalwood scented and colored with paprika.