Manna Milling Moms

Home-Made Mayo

Making my own Home-Made Mayo has served 3 specific purposes for us.

*Cost:  Our brand of choice is usually Helmann's made with Canola Oil.  But the price has gone up to just under $5 a jar  ... too expensive for this penny-pinchin' gal!

*Healthier than store bought:  I use the Canola oil type because of a soy allergy.  But on the other hand, there are other *additives* in there that are not healthy.

*Taste:  We like the taste much better than any store bought brand. 

So, I went on a search for a home-made, all natural recipe.  I'm not sure where I found this one ... it may have been on one of your blogs .  And if it was your blog ... A MILLION THANKS!!!

Home-Made Mayo

1 Egg

2 tsp  Sugar (I use All-Natural)

1/4 tsp Salt

1 1/2 tblsp Vinegar

Dash of Pepper

1 c.  Oil  (I use Canola)

Put all in blender EXCEPT the oil.  Blend adding oil slowly, until Mayo is thick (to your liking)

Learning to knit

For quite sometime, N and I have been on the hunt for an understandable (to us) teaching resource.  We have used numerous DVD's and books from the library and Youtube videos, but they all seem to be communicating to us in an unknown language. 

Then last weeks trip to the library, we happend upon a new arrival... 

On this DVD, 7 year old  Ryan Anderson teaches the basics of knitting. 

Guess what?  He was talking our language!

He's even taught his Momma, Grandma and NaNa how to knit. 

Who ever said we can't learn things from children. 

Now that we've learned some of the basics ... the slip knot, cast on and the knit stitch ... we will practice, practice, practice!  And when we are ready for more instruction (purl stitch, cast off, etc...), we will go to the library and borrow the DVD, again.  Little Ryan teaches that stuff, too!  

Have a great day!

Jill (the big sister)

Living the dream, sort-of!

I'm getting a very small taste of the 1800's style homesteading experience.

About a month ago, my clothes dryer quit.  Mind you, no sunshine lines allowed here, in the community where I live  .  OK, so we hang the laundry to dry in both the bathrooms.  Iron what needs ironing.  I don't mind!  (Back in the 1800's, in the winter months, they usually hung their laundry in their little claim shanty or soddy.  They had outhouses, not bathrooms, so their laundry hung on a string that was strung from one side of their small dwelling to the other. )

Wednesday night, I put supper in the oven and potatoes on to boil.  While that was cooking, I was washing up a few dishes when I heard a POP.  I thought *OH NO! The glass pan in the oven broke.*  But that was not it.  The oven door locked, the whole thing just shut down.  Then it started beeping non stop.  To make this even longer story short, I did some research thru the manual and online to find that the brain of my electronic oven died. 

I don't own a microwave or a toaster oven or a woodstove.  The fireplace is a just-for-looks kind.  But N has a single burner that she uses to melt wax for candlemaking.  So we are using that for a few things.     Oh well, we've been trying to incorporate more raw food into our diet, anyway.    I sure wish my garden was in full bloom. 

So, as I see it ... my electric bill will be less expensive for a little while    Til I can afford to get things repaired.  I'm not in any hurry for my sake.  It is a little difficult to adjust to, especially when my daycare kiddos love chicken nuggets for lunch.  But, so far, they have been fine with grilled cheese or PB & J sandwiches.  I may cave in and buy an inexpensive toaster over ... but, I'm not to that point, YET.   

I just take one day at a time ...

Have a great day!

Jill (the big sister)