Chocolate Ricotta Cookies and How to Make Homemade Ricotta

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My neighbor, Vito has been supplying me with fresh, sweet goat milk! While my tries at making mozarrela cheese have been disappointing, to say the least, making fresh ricotta cheese has been. . . . Simple ~ Creamy ~ and Delicious!

DIY Coffee Liqueur for Baking

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Liqueurs and extracts are expensive to buy, but relatively easy to make!

DIY ~ Homemade, Washable, Stool Covers

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I've been messing around with the idea of making washable seat covers for my padded stools for quite some time now. I'd pulled out my 18-inch pizza pan to use as a pattern, but it was too small . . . I needed a 23-inch round for hemming and putting in elastic for a snug fit and easy removal for washing.

DIY ~ Monkey Business!!!

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Around 4 years ago I purchased Curious George monkeys for all the Grands . . . For the girl monkeys I added blush, earrings, ribbons, pretty dresses, ballet skirts and Maggie, Katherine, Molly and Abby were born! For our Grandson, John Isaac, I made a safari outfit for his George. A year later, Jude Michael was born and we gave him a smaller Georgie in flannel PJs!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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We grew almost 100 lbs. of Sweet Sugar Pumpkins this year! That means a lot more pumpkin recipes to come and . . . Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!!!

DIY ~ Making Creole/Cajun Seasoning

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I used to buy Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning, but it had too much garlic powder to suit my taste. Then I tried making Emeril Lagasse's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning about 5 years ago, and I've been making my own Essense ever since!

DIY ~ Fruity Vinaigrette and Ranch Dressing

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Will and I made a decision this year that we would do without prepared foods that use margarine and hydrolyzed oils, particularly those with soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup. That basically means no store bought salad dressings, bread, hot dog or hamburger buns, no crackers, desserts (pies, cookies, sweet rolls) or flour tortillas . . .

DIY ~ Nilla (Real Vanilla) Wafers

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Writing this blog brings me great joy, but there is also a more serious side . . .

DIY ~ Remineralizing Toothpaste

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I finally took the plunge . . . and made my own Remineralizing Toothpaste!

My Favorite Thin-Crust Pizza Recipe

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I know we're supposed to be low carbing it, but sometimes (especially after 4 weeks without pizza) you just have a craving for a homemade pizza!

DIY ~ Knitted Washcloths and Dishcloths

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I love the feel of yarn moving through my fingers . . . It is so relaxing and productive all at the same time!

DIY ~ Elbow Grease ~ Moisturizing Healing Discs

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We live in a climate where the sun shines most of the time and our humidity is usually 13%. That means our skin dries out real easily, especially in the wintertime. My sister lives in a climate that's cold and dreary in the winter, and her hands crack and bleed! We need an INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MOISTURIZER with STAYING, HEALING POWER!!!

DIY Making Barbie Clothes & A Photo Shoot in the WildFlower Garden

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Remember those seeds I planted back in October, the ones I thought were too old to germinate . . . Well, they have turned into the most beautiful spikes of multicolored wild flowers!

DIY ~ Homemade "Buttermilk"

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You can make your own buttermilk if you have a milk cow. You can buy buttermilk from the dairy case or in powdered in baking section of your grocery store or . . .

DIY ~ Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

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I use waterproof mascara because it actually stays on and doesn't run, but it's difficult to get off!

DIY ~ Pink Grapefruit Styling Gel

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Just 5 ingredients . . . easy to make . . . safe . . . and cheap!

Kick-n-It Zucchini Relish

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Yeah, I know most of you are sitting with some wicked-cold weather right now, (don't hate me) but here in central Arizona the weather has been kind to us . . . So kind that I was able to grow enough Black Beauty Zucchini to make our Grand's favorite hot dog relish!

DIY Old Fashioned Soap on a Rope

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Was planning on making more cold processed soap, for soap on a rope, but being sick put me behind schedule . . . So, I dug through my "unmentionable" drawers and came up with some lovely scented handcrafted soaps to use in place of my own homemade soap!

Homemade Memories ~ DIY Style!

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Especially this Christmas season, I realize that homemade takes precious time to produce!

DIY ~ Roasting Anaheim Chilies

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As southwestern transplants, it's important we know our way around chilies!