Follow your Heart

Honey For Sugar?

Hi Everyone, I am trying to buy all of our foods that we are not growing ourselves as locally as possible. This brings up an issue for my baking. Can I substitute honey for sugar? If so, is it a straight switch or can I reduce the amount of honey compared to sugar? Also, does that affect the consistency of baked goods since honey is a liquid & sugar is not?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Wendy

We went "organic" about four-five years ago, but just last year we started using honey instead of sugar in everything. The only thing we do special is if we can, we add the honey in with something room temperature or liquid we can mix and dissolve it that way it doesn't clump up in the batter. I love honey in lemonade instead of sugar. Gives it a tangy taste. I also use honey in spaghetti sauce instead of ketchup (ick!) or sugar.

I say go for it. If it doesn't work in some things then you'll know, but in most, if not all, honey works great.... same measurement as you would use for honey and it doesn't seem to affect the texture at all.

Miss Jocelyn

Saturday Psalm & Praise: He Hath Delivered Me

Today... Happy 4th!

I took the girls to the parade.  They decided at the last minute to help with the church's float, so I took them.  It's about 30-35 miles from our house, so we got up early and got some chores done then left.  The Parade theme this year was REMEMBER WHEN... and our church's float was small (just a pick-up truck with several walkers walking by it).  They had signs that said "Wise Men still seek Him"  and 3 wise men in the back of the truck with a wooden camel.  They got lots of cheers, I guess, through out the parade, so they knew people appreciated the thought.  My kids handed out flyers with the rest of the walkers... they has small children's booklets and magazines to hand out and a few adult flyers as well.  I just watched from a friend's house which is the very corner the parade starts and while we saw all the floats, many weren't in sync until after the first block. 

After the parade, I quickly ran into town with a friend's keys to her store and picked up as many empty boxes as I could fill in our mini van for the BIG FIRE CLEAN UP!  I so appreciated the boxes, that means I can start right away (and we did this afternoon), just removing dirty items from the immediate house and have them out of the way for the cleaners.  I packed up my cookbooks and then boxed up all the food they told me to throw and I also inventoried it all.  My girls packed a few boxes of items they did not want to have messed with when they are away at camp.  

We are to record our time cleaning and boxing items and we can work off our deductible.  The insurance adjuster told us to keep track of times.  He does not have the exact rate we will be paid at, but it will be between $8-10.  I figured if we got the rate of $8, we need to work off 132.5 hours.  So far, we've logged 16.25 hours.  Not much, but it's hard to do much when they say you can't clean until the cleaners come.  But some things like laundry and boxing up items we can do (now that we have approval).  I have four pages of inventoried items from my spice cupboards.  The adjuster said I'd likely have to take a price shop and get some prices on the items and then figure the cost... by how much was left in the packages.  Full, half, 1/4, etc.  I am really hoping that turning in sheet with prices will be adequate.  Rebuying everything right now seems just over my head.  First, there is no where to put it, and second, I just want the house clean before I think about restocking the cupboards.   I will say however that fried potates with no seasonings aren't as grand as one might think... LOL.  I really should buy a little salt and some garlic or a couple seasonings... but then again... maybe I just shouldn't fry anything!!!  That's bad for my health anyways!  

I am feeling a bit better today.  I was thinking about how overwhelming this process is really turning out to be.  And yet... I recall that recently I was stunned by the doctor's diagnosis of depression.  As I was thinking of the garden... if you are gone 1 week, it takes nearly 3 weeks to catch up with weeding... things just don't stop growing!    As I looked at the house and noted my past couple years worth of keeping house (little was done when I was dealing with my daughters illnesses, our hard sheep year, and my depression)... I realized I kept the family areas clean... as clean as say... there wasn't food stuck to the furniture, but dusting was done every couple of months rather than once a week... I had lots to catch up on... and if it worked out like the garden... even though I am getting my energy back, trying to keep up and catch up at the same time was still going to be a lengthy process.   Now I am offered help.  I was at first mortified that they are cleaning EVERY little piece of my home, but I am beginning to be grateful for this opportunity... I mean how often does one get a full cleaning and professional cleaning help when one does spring cleaning?   I simply have to humble myself and just admit that I need help to get back on my feet... and Wow, God already provided that help!  Even before I asked.  How great is that?  God is sooooo good to me sometimes that I know I hardly deserve any of this (I don't deserve any of it!), but oh how grateful I am to be His child!    

Warmly, ~Melissa

Small Fire Update: Adjuster news...

Yesterday morning the 2nd cleaning place was here and the adjuster stopped by as well.  The cleaning place said they would put their bid in, but we haven't heard what it is as of yet. 

The adjuster went on to say basically after looking things over, this is going to take some time.  It is going to be like we all are invading your entire life.  We however will help you through it and it will be over in a short time, but it will likely seem like an eternity going through it.  Having said that, he also says that we need patience.  NO CLEANING is to be done until the cleaners come... so much damage can be done by cleaning soot that is irrepairable.  I told him that DH had already started because he was embarrassed by the sight of all these cobwebs (which are soot webs, not cobwebs... we learned so much these past couple days!)  We notice a couple places where dh had the vacuum stick and hit the tile or something and it actually made skid marks that Dh then tried to get out and couldn't... he likely made it worse.  The insurance adjuster just raised his eyebrows, but understood since no one told us what to do... they try to get out the day of or the next morning, but our insurance companies fax wasn't working and once back online... they forgot to call over the weekend and they took a holiday off on Monday... so nothing was told to us until Tuesday.  We have been eating food in the cupboards they deemed unsafe and have basically told me to inventory and throw out.  We have been living in a house that they are making to sound unliveable until it is cleaned.  That has been changed to be you can live there, but you should really be careful what you touch, what you track back and forth and washing dishes before you eat.. .regardless of whether they look dirty or not.  I'm like Uh-huh... he knows we have a 3yo and that this goes beyond her comprehension. 

The adjuster also said this takes steps.  We can replace the stove and hood as soon as we want... that will totally be replaced so we can go ahead and go shopping and turn in the bill.   But otherwise, the cleaning needs to be done first.  After the cleaning is done, then they will assess the damage.  Then we will have to get bids, then approval for work to be done, then the last of the repair work should get completed.  The cleaning will take approximately one week... maybe a little longer.  They asked what we were willing to clean and we said the microcleaning, which he is happy for.  They will clean the big areas, the ceilings, walls, and floors... and the entire kitchen area (washing cupboards, dishes, etc.).  That leaves me to pack everything up in the house in boxes and get it out of the way so they can do that... I then will have to wash everything before putting it away again.  Steve will help, but he has a full day at work next week and I will likely be alone doing much of the cleaning and trying to entertain Paige in the process. 

I am beginning to see the reason of why this happened... and I smile and grimace all at the same time... In one big swoop my house will be cleaned and decluttered all at once.  Likely in two weeks... Everything will have been cleaned and sorted and replaced into it's home or taken away to the dump or given away as donations.  DONE!  For those who have been keeping up on my blog you know my decluttering journey is very slow.  I take it one box at a time... and slowly go through items.  I recall taking things to the basement last fall and this spring the prized items went upstairs to be sold online... which in all honesty... things are selling.  I am going to the post office 1-2 times a week to mail off items.  Anyways, I will no longer need to bore you on my decluttering process because... it will be done!  (if I stick to it and work with the process... which Dh says he will stick me to it!  LOL). 

You know... in my last fire post I was trying to figure this out and praying about it because it made no sense to me at all.  NONE... so I went to bed with a heavy heart.  But in the morning I awoke dreaming about something I only recall the meaning of now... and yet I know it was of giving things away... And I recall sleepily replying to this thought, but LORD, I thought you wanted us to sell it and then give to the poor... and to which I felt a deep need to read my proverbs chapter of the day.  I wake up more fully, opening my eyes and I sense the words... The Lord will supply all your needs... and then remembering my dream of giving things away... I then eagerly rushed for my Proverbs book (It is just the book of Proverbs in one little paperback that I use for my daily devotions)... and I read the following...

Proverbs 22:1  ¶A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Yes, I know that Lord.

Gone On Before Us: Rachael Emily Kligmann