Chicken with Gravy

I'm am SO excited about this! Here is THE easiest way to make a whole chicken and gravy to go along with it!!!!

To be honest, before I found this way to make a chicken, I was scared to make whole chickens. Everytime I made one, it made a mess of my oven because of the splattering and the outside would get too done while the inside not done enough. Then when the chicken finally did get done, I had to take it out of the pan and scrap the pan to get the drippings, melt butter, add flour, drippings, etc etc to make the gravy. (I still make gravy that way if I make a roast, but I make chickens way more than I make roasts, so that is why this is so cool!)

I talked to a lot of different people, including 'wiser' and 'older' women and still nothing helped me to make chickens easier!

THEN.....

I ordered this homesteading DVD that shows a bunch of basic homesteading skills from anything from planting a garden, butchering a chicken, making butter, etc and it just happened to have a meal preparation portion on the DVD that showed how this particular lady made her chicken dinners and I have done it each time since (I only found this a couple months ago!) and the results have been AMAZING!

Here's the scoop!......

FIRST.....(this is THE COOLEST part and something I NEVER even thought of before!) is that you take the chicken directly out of the freezer WITHOUT thawing it! The reason why I think this is the coolest part is because I would ALWAYS forget to take the chicken out the night before so during the day I'd be thinking about the chicken we are having for supper, just to realize I didn't take the chicken out to thaw and then I would have to find something else to have for supper that night. With this, you can take the chicken out right when you're ready to cook it!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Okay, so you take the chicken out of the freezer and put it in a roasting pan, breast-side down. The pan was something else that I had problems with before! I was using a roasting pan with no cover or just a shallow 9x13 pan or something like that since some women were telling me those would work fine. Well, I found a better way! I bought one of those black speckled roasting pans that has a big lid on it and it works wonders! Best $13.99 I spent!

So with the frozen chicken breast-side down in the roasting pan, pour about 4-5 cups of water over the chicken. (I use about 4-5lbs chickens, if they are bigger you would neeed to adjust). After the water is poured over the chicken, dice up an onion and put it in the pan, with some of the pieces sitting on top of the chicken. Then sprinkle the chicken and surrounding water with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and a pinch of basil. Put the cover on the pan and throw the sucker into the oven and in 2-1/2 hours, voila!, a perfectly cooked chicken!!!

Gravy

And for the gravy (this is another cool part!), just take the chicken out of the pan after it is cooked and set on a plate to be cut up, etc and dump all the liquid from the roasting pan into another pan to go onto the stove. I usually will strain out about half of the onion chucks so the gravy isn't so chunky, but that's just a personal preference, do what you like! So once you dump the liquid into the pan, bring it to a boil. While you are waiting for it to boil, mix together about 1/3 cup cold water with a few tablespoons of corn startch (or flour) and once the liquid is boiling, slowly stir the corn startch mixture with a whisk until it thickens as you like it. Add a little salt and pepper if you desire and there's your gravy! It's SOOOOO easy!!! And it tastes amazing because of all the chicken drippings that flowed into the water while it was cooking!

So there ya go! With about 2 minutes of prep before and about 5 minutes of 'work' after with thickening the gravy, you have an impressive chicken dinner that everyone will love! (You can use the time while the chicken is in the oven to get your potatoes cut up. Just leave them in cold water until you are ready to boil!)

Happy Chicken Making!

Applesauce Muffins

1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil (I use coconut oil)
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1-3/4 cup whole grain pastry flour
1/2 tsp soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Mix egg, oil, applesause, and honey in small bowl and set aside. Put the dry ingredients in a seperate, little larger bowl, and mix well. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk gently. If adding nuts and/or raisins, fold in gently to avoid over-stirring. Filled oiled or lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

What I do with these muffins is make them ahead of time and keep them for a quick and easy breakfast! They will freeze easily if you want to throw them in the freezer for a future use. Just take them out the night before and voila!...added with some fresh fruit and a glass of milk, you have a quick, healthy, and delicious breakfast in a flash!! :)

Laundry Soap

Yes! I do make my own laundry soap....it's SOOOOO easy and SOOOOO cheap!!! It costs about a penny per load! (Based on about 1/4 cup, but even if you use double or triple that, it's only 2 or 3 cents a load :) My friend gave me the recipe and her recipe made 5 gallons! Well, I didn't need QUITE that much so I halved it and it made about 2-1/2 gallons. This is the recipe for 2-1/2 gallons and if you want, you can halve it again, or double it or whatever fits your needs! Otherwise this recipe filled up about 4 (I think?-maybe 3-1/2) empty liquid laundry jugs. I just kept them as they got empty or asked friends for their empty ones, etc.

Laundry Soap
1 bar soap
1 to 1-1/2 cups Borax
1 cup powder laundry detergent
about 2-1/2 gallons water
pail big enough to hold 2-1/2 gallons liquid
*optional--few drops of an essential oil like lavendar to make your clothes smell pretty :)

Directions: Dissolve bar of soap in about 2-3 quarts boiling water. Add Borax and laundry detergent to boiling water. Mix well until all dissolved. Dump into clean pail. Fill rest of pail with warm water to make 2-1/2 gallons. Stir well. Voila! You have a WHOLE bunch of laundry detergent! :)

Notes:
*I use a glycerin bar of soap and that dissolves on it's own in the water, otherwise if you get a bar like irovy or something I'm pretty sure it has to be ground up before you put it in the water.

*You can add more Borax/detergent if you think it's going to be for really soiled clothes (although Nathan's clothes are DIRTY when I wash them and it seems to do just fine!), or add it to the load that you are doing at the time...ex) you are washing a load of heavy soiled whites...well, just add a dash more borax to just that load)

*I wait until the mixture is cooled before I put it into the jugs to store, although I'm not sure if you need to, it's just what I do :)

* I usually use about 3/4 of the cap of the laundry jug per wash, so about 1/2 cup per load.

*The detergent I use is Arm and Hammer Fresh Scent powder detergent.

How I figured the price per load using the ingredients I used:
1 bar of soap= $1.20
Box of borax (55oz) $2.23 = .04/oz x 10 oz = .40/batch
Box of detergent (128 oz) $10.00 = .078/oz x 8oz = .625/batch
1.20 + .40 + .625 = $2.23/batch
2-1/2 gallons = 320 oz/batch
$2.23 / 320 = .00696875 cost per oz .
00696875 x 4oz (1/2 cup soap) = .027875

So a little over 2 cents for 1/2 cup!!! Now THAT'S cheap laundry soap!! 320 oz/4 oz = 80 loads of laundry!! Although if you use 1/4 cup like my friend who gave me the recipe, that's 160 loads!!! Either way, it's a good deal!!

Feel free to pass this on to friends, family etc that might benefit from saving some $$$ on their laundry!!

TV!!---(no longer for sale)

TV for sale!!

Here is a great TV at a great price!

JVC 32" Model # AV-32432

We bought it in 2004 for $360 and never have had any problems with it. Picture is great and if it were up to me, we'd keep it! But since we move every few months, we needed to find a smaller/lighter TV to make moving easier. Asking $50.

This is what the product description said: "Affordably priced, this feature packed 32" Stereo TV offers something for everybody. With superior standard features this 30 Series unit offers JVCs exclusive Hyper Scan, MTS Stereo with SAP, 3-Line Digital Comb Filter, Component Video Input, 2 AV Inputs, S-Video Input, XDS Auto Clock Set, and a Unified Remote Control make this unit very attractive and affordably priced."

They also gave these dimensions:

Width: 30.25 in

Depth: 21.5 in

Height: 26.25 in

Weight: 112.8 lbs

Since I am NOT going to be shipping this puppy, you may purchase it from us if either 1) you currently live by us OR 2) you live in the St. Cloud area. If #2 is the case for you, I can bring it with me when I come to visit in March and drop if off for ya!

The Total Money Makeover!

Here is a book that I have for sale......

It is BRAND-spankin' NEW! It's Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover book!! The retail price is $24.99 and I am selling it for LESS than HALF PRICE and FREE SHIPPING!!!!

This book has changed our lives and the concepts that Dave teaches are SO easy and practical! I could go on and on about the book and about Dave in general, but I won't :) The book walks you through the seven step process to get you out of debt and be 'financially fit'. It's super easy to read and once you start, you'll have a hard time putting it down!! So if you want to know Dave's "proven plan for financial fitness", then get this book!! It also makes a wonderful graduation or wedding gift! (I wish someone would have given it to us for our wedding!!)

$12.00 and FREE SHIPPING!

Remember this is first come first served, so act fast! Email me at truedelights@hotmail.com to order! (Then you can easily pay thru paypal or use snail mail to send cash.) You can also learn more about the book or Dave Ramsey and see his other products at his website www.daveramsey.com

Granola!

Now YOU can order some of our wonderfully delicious granola! Granola makes a very nutritious snack, topping on dessert, or a great breakfast cereal!! Who wants to wake up in the morning and fill their bodies with artifically flavored, sugar filled, and processed boxed stuff?? Not me! Enjoy granola in a bowl of milk and you have a quick and simple (and healthy!!) cereal! Add some banana or other fruit like blueberries and your body will be thanking you! You can also add it to some yougurt for a refreshing snack or put it on the top of your vanilla ice cream for a fabulous treat! Toasted to perfection, this stuff will make you a 'granola fan'!

Enjoy it plain..............................................................Or spruce it up with some raisins & bananas!



Here are your ordering options:

The orders come by the 1/2 pound. (1/2 lb, 1 lb, 1-1/2 lb, etc)

1) BASIC: (Oats, honey, butter, salt, vanilla & wheat germ)

** $1.82 for 1/2 lb
** $3.64 for 1 lb

2) BASIC + COCONUT + CINNAMON: (My FAV!!!)

** $2.11 for 1/2 lb
** $4.22 for 1 lb

3) BASIC + COCONUT + CINNAMON + NUTS

** $2.51 for 1/2 lb
** $5.02 for 1 lb

4) THE WHOLE SHE-BANG! (basic + coconut + cinnamon + nuts + raisins + dried cranberries)

** $3.11 for 1/2 lb
** $6.22 for 1 lb


You can easily add raisins or dried cranberries at your home right before use but if you would like me to include them in your package for an "all in one" treat that doesn't need any other ingredients, please add:*

RAISINS
** $.50 for 1/2 lb order of granola
** $1.00 for 1 lb order of granola

DRIED CRANBERRIES
** $1.00 for 1/2 lb order of granola
** $2.00 for 1 lb order of granola

*(Both raisins and cranberries will be packaged seperately from the granola to keep the granola as crispy as it can be! Just mix with granola right before eating! :)

*If you would like an ingredients omitted (ie: coconut, cinnamon) please just let me know!

Just email me at truedelights@hotmail.com to order!! Just give me the number of your choice and how much you want of it (along with any options your choose ie: raisins, etc) and I will email you an invoice. Once I receive payment by paypal, I will ship your order right to you!! (If you don't have a paypal account, it's super easy to sign up! Just go to paypal.com and follow the instructions and you can send money via any major credit card/debit card through paypal! Easy-Peasy! (Of course I will except cash payment thru snail mail, it just takes longer!) Please make sure to include your shipping address in the ordering email as well.

SHIPPING RATES:
**1/2 lb and 1 lb orders = $5.50
**1 lb - 3 lb orders = $6.50
**contact me if you want to order more than 3 lbs to get you the best shipping rate!

(All granola is 'made to order' and comes packaged in heavy-duty ziploc bags. I can also vacuum seal it in bags if preferred, just say so when ordering --this is ideal if you order a lot--I can have some in a ziploc to eat right away and some vacuum sealed to keep fresh for a long time!).

Thanks for your orders!! :)