Shopping for Bulk Goods

This beautiful sight is of the bulk section in our local Whole Foods. Most dry goods bought in the bulk section of stores are less expensive than buying it in a package on the shelves AND you reduce the amount of waste that goes into the trash. Beans, grains, flours, nuts, dried fruits, salts, sugars, spices, cereals and even raw local honey and maple syrup. Buying in bulk has become popular again just like many other old fashioned ways of living. I love when things come full circle.

Here is what I brought home one day. Although I used the bags available in the bulk section, I learned that you can bring your own containers and have them weighed before filling so that way the cashier can deduct the weight of the container from the total weight. Once you get home you can just put your beautifully filled jars on your counter or in your cabinets.

Tea Making Tips (1941)

 

Tea Time!

I love making a cuppa tea (as the British call it) in the middle of the day and my 2 year old daughter loves joining me!  I usually choose Raspberry leaf, Peppermint, Ginger, Chamomile, or decafe Irish Breakfast tea.  Recently I had to give up my daily cup of java (except for the occasional decaf coffee) because of digestive sensitivities and anxiety issue.  Since I love coffee for it's full body and flavor I knew I had to find a tea alternative that wouldn't make my tummy hurt and didn't taste "watery" or "thin".  I found Irish Breakfast tea to fit the bill pretty closely.  The flavor is full and heavy.  I add coconut creamer by SO Delicious and a little raw sugar.  It's my perfect coffee alternative.

Above is a sweet and touching video of British tea making tips filmed during WWII.  Check out the size of the tea pots they use for the soldiers!  Huge!  Making tea is an art form and this video will show you how to make the perfect cuppa tea.  In Britain they drink tea like we drink coffee.  I think I will make 4 O'clock tea time a regular happening in my home.  Now to find some gluten-free "biscuit" recipes.  

Gorgeous Tea Set from Anthropologie!

This Tea Set from Anthropologie is beautiful!  It's called Shipwrecked which makes it even more charming.  Can you imagine finding this on an island somewhere?!?!  I WANT this ridiculously priced item.

Tea Infuser

Tea Strainer

Don't forget a tea infuser or a tea strainer because to make a proper cuppa tea you need to use loose tea leaves.  I don't get any money or discounts for constantly suggesting them BUT Mountain Rose Herbs has some of the best loose leaf teas and prices to boot.  They give discounts for buying bulk!  I buy most of my herbs from them and have been very pleased with everything.

Hopeful the vintage video will help you make a better cuppa tea.  I know it has helped me!

Tea Biscuits by Whipped Bake Shop I want to try and make these!

 

Simple Strawberry Jam

Simple Strawberry Jam

2 quarts strawberries, crushed
6 cups sugar

Combine berries and sugar in a large sauce pot.

Bring slowly to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick, about 40 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Pour hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: about 4 pints.

Tip of the Week
Save the box that your jars came in to store your canned items and your empty jars as you use them. The boxes can easily be stack on top of one another.

Tip of the week

Even though my computer is acting up I'm going to try and post again because I miss it so much! Here we go. Tip of the week.


My husband and I try to eat raw most of the day for many reasons so we buy lots of vegetables and fruits. Sometimes we don't eat our produce fast enough and the broccoli, radishes and carrots tend to get "floppy" or soft so I came up with the idea of plunging the vegetables into ice cold water until they firm up. It's amazing how, soft and floppy broccoli can firm right up. Most of the produce will firm back up but some may not. Remember there is a differences between soft spoiled food and soft edible food.

I like to keep the radishes in a little water in the fridge, as well as, the celery. Another vegetable that can get soft but still be edible are potatoes. I peel them and add them to ice water and they too firm back up.

Cinnamon Rolls mmmm...

I used Nana's Yeast Roll Dough to make cinnamon rolls. I rolled the dough out into a rectangle and spread soften butter all over it leaving one inch from the edge of one long side without butter. I sprinkled sugar and cinnamon over the butter. Rolled it up tightly and sealed the edge that had no butter. Using floss to cut cinnamon rolls is a great tip. I learned this trick a long time ago and it works every time.

I placed them in an oiled pan and set aside to rise.

Here they are rising. Look how plump they are getting.....so yummy.

These are covered with a basic powder sugar glaze.

And these...my favorites, are covered with a rich, cream cheese frosting. I took a block of soften cream cheese and added powder sugar to taste. I didn't add that much because we like the taste of the cream cheese.