Simple Remedies

These are some simple, natural remedies that I use and work wonders for me and my family.

Indigestion/heartburn: Peppermint tea with a little honey

indigestion/upset stomach/food poisoning: Acidopholus - I use a chewable form that tastes great, followed with a glass of water

burns (1st, 2nd or small 3rd degree): Soak the burned area in 3 parts cold water with 1 part apple cider vinegar. The pain goes away almost imediately and it heals much quicker. Keep it soaked until it doesn't hurt when you take it out - length of time depends on severity of burn so possibly 30 min. to a couple hours. You may need to add an ice cube occasionally to keep the water cold. If you can't soak it then saturate a towel and place on the burn, just keep resoaking the towel. I've had a really bad 2-3 degree burn on my thumb (took skin off almost to bone) and within 3 days you couldn't tell where I had burned it.

nerve damage/inflamation: Drink aloe vera gel. Does wonders and I don't know why. Stumbled upon this one quite by accident. I had some nerve damage in my back from my first pregnancy and the doctors I saw said there wasn't anything I could really do for it so I lived with it for several months. I had some intestinal problems as well and they flared up so I started up drinking aloe vera daily and not only did my stomach issues clear up but my back pain did too. Whenever it flairs up I reach for the aloe and it works! It is also antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal so it has many uses!

nail fungus: Soak in apple cider vinegar mixed 1/2 with water for 15 min. twice a day for up to 1 week. Works great. My 2 yr old son had horrible nails (later we discovered they were due to a milk allergy) and we tried this and they cleared right up. Bad cracked and thick parts had to grow out but the yellow was gone very soon

Diaper Rash: Use straight zinc oxide. No need for anything fancy which alot of the times the perfumes and dyes make it worse.

I'll add more as I think of them. If you know of any that work for you, please add your comments

My Own Soup Recipe

This is a wonderful soup for the cold and flu season. Hearty, healthy and filling yet very diet friendly!

1 cup lentils
1 cup diced carrots
1/3 cup diced celery
2-3 red potatoes diced (depending on size)
1 zuchinni diced
1 yellow squash diced
1 can petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can navy beans drained and rinsed
8 cups chicken broth (this amount makes it more like a stew)
2-3 tsps dried onion (or use 1 fresh diced and cook before adding)
Sea salt to taste
Optional - a must for me - 1 Hillshire Farm Smoked Turkey Sausage diced and browned

Simmer lentils and carrots in broth for 1o minutes then add potatoes and celery. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add zuchinni, squash and remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 - 10 more minutes. Make sure lentils are soft before serving.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as my family does!

Gone Too Long

It's just been too long.
My camera broke, relatives came, holidays happened and next thing I know I've forgotten all about here! Fortunately I received a new camera for Christmas and things are finally getting back to normal so look for new posts to come!

Simple Chili

This is a very easy and wonderful chili for the cool days ahead.

1 lb. ground beef
2 cans stewed tomatoes (run through a blender)
2 cans Bush's chili beans (preferably hot or medium)

Brown the meat then add the rest - no draining - and let simmer for 20 minutes or throw in the crock pot on low for a couple hours.
That's it!
If you like a little more heat, add some chili powder and your favorite hot sauce. So easy and one that everybody will love.

Fabric Brooches

The new trend this season seems to be headed towards brooches and vintage jewelry. Vintage jewelry is great and fun to collect, but not always easy to find the good quality pieces. One way to follow this trend is with fabric brooches. They are a fun and inexpensive way to accessorize. No need to match either, the trend is to layer and not necessarily to coordinate which means you can wear whatever you like with whatever you like!

These fabric pins are also a great way to individualize that scarf you love, that somehow half your friends seem to have too. Or to accentuate your one-of-a-kind purse that you just saw someone else toting. I love to pin them on my jean jacket, trench coat, purses, my daughter's backpack, and to keep my scarf twisted and in place. They're also great added to gifts as an extra special treat and an easy way to make your package look extra special.

This is one trend that is easy to follow in these tough economic times. And what a fun way to add color to your day! The ones pictured can be found at thecoralfish.etsy.com.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

This is one of my favorite soups. I make it all through the Fall and Winter months, it is a staple in our home. It is also very easy to customize to your own tastes.

1 lb. lean ground turkey OR 1-2 cans kidney beans
1 1/3 cups sliced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp garlic
6 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
2-3 zucchini, diced
2-3 squash, diced
1 1/3 cups green beans cut up or 1 can
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried Basil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Brown turkey in sauce pan in a little Olive oil. Saute carrots, onion, garlic, zucchini and squash on low heat in large pot. Add turkey, broth, beans and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for about 15 mins. Serve and enjoy.

Cake Stand

I found this beautiful cake stand at my favorite antique store and didn't really know what to do with it at first...

I hated the thought of hiding it in my cabinet, so instead of keeping it safely tucked away (a decision I may later regret with 2 small children running around the house) I decided to use it to display my favorite seashells. This is a wonderful way to display some of your prize collections instead of just having your cake stand out the few times a year you use it for cakes. It would be wonderful to stock full of mini pumpkins or gourds for the fall, a few of your favorite Christmas ornaments or a mini Christmas scene for the winter, pile high with Easter Eggs, or whatever neat things you may have tucked away around your home. Change it with the seasons, holidays, etc. Enjoy the pieces you have in your home and think of new ways to use them, which always makes them more wonderful and special as the years go by.