Easter has come and gone and if your house is like mine, the treat baskets are already empty.
Along with the sweet treats this year, I was happy to receive a copy of the premiere issue of Oprah Winfrey’s magazine O. The headline read Live Your Best Life! I found that quite inviting, and could not wait to get started. Unfortunately, baby Skyler needed a snack, Rod needed a ride and Carter rolled his little red wagon and I needed to go and be a tow truck driver.
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Later that night when I should have been going to sleep I was reading the new O magazine. Like other large magazines, there are many pages of advertising. But what is different is the content of the articles. There are true life stories, expert advice and monthly personal missions. But the part I really liked is a section called Portable Inspiration, which lists Oprah’s favorite quotations on tear-away cards that are pretty enough to frame, or hang on the refrigerator.
There are many other great publications that have come across my desk and ended up on my night table — the place for favorites. Today’s Alberta Woman was given to me by my sister-in-law. Its stories are written to inspire and motivate people to be the best that they can be. Call 780-433-1525 for information.
The Wealthy Boomer, for those of you who are looking for information on wealth, wisdom and well-being, is aimed at baby boomers, but educational for anyone. This personal finance resource is welcome. Call 905-475-6400 with your inquiries.
The book Children Are From Heaven was written by John Gray, the author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are from Venus. As a parent I need help to raise co-operative, confident and compassionate children. Some tips include allowing kids to make their own mistakes and have their own opinions that express their individuality, even if you do not completely agree. If wearing different colored socks is in, so be it.
A luscious lemon treat
While honored women are sipping tea and reading new books and magazines on Mother’s Day May 14, why not treat them to a delicious lemon dessert.
Lemon pudding delight
1 cup cold butter or
margarine 250 mL
2 cups all-purpose flour 500 mL
1 package 8 oz./250 g 1
cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar 250 mL
2 cups whipping cream, 500 mL
unwhipped
3 cups cold milk 750 mL
2 packages 3.4 oz./102 g 2
instant lemon pudding
In a bowl, cut butter into the flour until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch (33 x 22 cm) baking pan. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until set. Cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat whipped cream and fold one cup (250 mL) of it into the cheese mixture. Spread over the cooled crust. In a bowl, mix milk and pudding on low speed for two minutes. Carefully spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour. Makes 12-16 servings.
Soap opera
Last winter TEAM received a request for a homemade soap recipe that contained oil of coconut, canola oil, avocado, beeswax, purified water and essential oils. This soap was purchased at a craft sale and was well liked by a reader who would love to get her hands on the soap and/or recipe.
I did not find anything with those exact ingredients after an internet search and reading through various soap-making recipes. If any of our readers know of this particular recipe, we would appreciate the information.
I also called some local soap makers and they did not know of that particular mixture, but said custom soaps can be made. Prairie Wool Farms was my first source. It specializes in many varieties from traditional, like rose and glycerine, to medicinal, like tea tree soap, to varieties that use no animal products. They gave me some new varieties to try before I included them in my article. The goat’s milk and honey with vanilla oil was great. My skin felt so soft after using it. The aloe and glycerine is known to ease shaving and the wheat germ and honey with cinnamon smelled nice.
I also contacted a duo called Sister Soaps who make varieties like oatmeal, peppermint, lavender and patchouli.
Both groups are experienced soap makers who travel to craft sales and farmers’ markets. Both were willing to custom-make batches, and both offered tempting varieties. For information call Prairie Wool Farms, 306-882-4542 or Sister Soaps, at 306-856-2209 or 306-856 4490.
For those who would like to experiment on their own, here are some simple soap recipes. According to Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty for all Seasons, this is an easy one to start with.
Basic vegetable soap
Equipment needed:
- Two candy thermometers — one for the lye solution and one for the oil mix.
- Large glass heat-resistant jar with lid. With an ice pick or nail, punch two holes in the lid, one at 12 o ‘clock and one at 6 o’clock. The jar should be large enough to hold the lye solution.
- Large glass, steel or enamel pan for heating the oils.
- Wooden spoons with long handles.
- Soap moulds — old baking tins, empty shoe boxes, or small wooden boxes.
- An old towel or blanket to keep your bars warm as they cure.
Ingredients:
1Ú2 cup olive oil 125 mL
1Ú2 cup coconut oil 125 mL
1 cup vegetable shortening 250 mL
1Ú2 cup lye granules 125 mL
2 cups cold, distilled water 500 mL
Mix the lye with the cold water in glass jar. You may want to do this the night before, because it takes a while for the solution to cool. Work in a well-ventilated area, wear rubber gloves and keep some vinegar nearby. If lye comes into contact with your skin, the vinegar will neutralize it.
Place the olive oil, coconut oil and vegetable shortening in a large saucepan and gently heat them on medium until the shortening is melted and the temperature is 85 F (29 C). Check with the candy thermometer. Make sure the lye is at 75 F (24 C). If it’s too warm, let it sit. If it’s too cool, heat by placing in a pan of warm tap water.
Using the two-holed lid on the jar, pour the lye solution into the oil mix in a thin steady stream, stirring slowly and evenly with the wooden spoon. You should not apply heat to the mixture at this time. Continue stirring until you have a thick, pudding-like texture. It should take about 15 minutes.
If the soap mixture does not become thick within 30 minutes and there is a greasy layer on top, it may be too warm. Keep stirring.
Pour the thickened mixture into oiled moulds. Cover and wrap the mould with an old towel to keep it warm, which prevents it from separating. When the soap has set to a point where it feels firm, which will take one or two days, remove from the moulds and cut into bars. You may also want to trim the soaps using a sharp paring knife. Allow soap bars to age for at least two weeks in a dry place. Yield: two bars.
Variations to try:
- Cleansing almond and oatmeal — Add five to six drops of almond fragrance oil, ground almonds and ground oatmeal.
- Relaxing lavender — Add five to six drops lavender of essential oil and dried lavender flowers.
- Romantic rose spice — Add five to six drops of cinnamon essential oil, ground cinnamon and dried rose buds.
Easy moulded soaps
If you want the look of homemade soaps but do not want to go through the whole process, melt down bars of your favorite soap or combine small pieces and add ingredients.
Materials and ingredients:
- Cookie cutters
- Cookie sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Six cups (1.5 L) grated soap
- 1Ú3 cup (75 mL) water
- Double boiler
- 1Ú4 cup (50 mL) dried lavender, ground almonds or ground oatmeal
- Essential oils
Prepare cookie cutters by oiling them and covering one side with aluminum foil so they form a shallow container. Place them, open side up, on a cookie sheet. Combine the soap and water in a double boiler and melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. Do not boil.
Add oil-based scents as alcohol-based perfumes may separate the mix. Work quickly and fill moulds generously. After cooling, trim the excess. Remove moulds and let air-dry for at least 24 hours.
