CRITERIA TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A GRAIN MILL:

* COST

* WARRANTY

* STORAGE SPACE REQUIRED

* NOISE LEVEL

* EASE OF USE

* SIZE OF HOPPER

* SIZE OF FLOUR CATCH PAN

ALTERNATIVES TO GRAIN MILLS:

If you are still waiting to invest in a flour mill, or not convinced you need one, there is an alternatives to consider so that you don't need to delay your commitment to better health another day. Since most people own a blender, it can be a wonderful alternative producing whole grain batters for pancakes, waffles, and muffins in about five minutes. 

A blender can also be used to make oat flour from dry rolled oats, very coarse cornmeal, or cracked whole grain used for cracked grain breads and rolls. A blender that will crush ice cubes will be able to create coarse grain meal or blender batters.

Another grain mill alternative option is to contract with a friend to grind your grain into flour in her mill. Sometimes church groups will consider a group purchase of a mill that is kept in the church kitchen or another suitable location so that many people can benefit from the freshly milled flours produced.

Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.

GROWING A BUSINESS GOD'S WAY

This story about The Urban Homemaker originally was written for EducatingforSuccess.com.

About 15 years ago, my husband was growing more dissatisfied with his job, but it wasn't really the job, he realized that God was calling him to be a different kind of father, a father who spent more time at home. Although he had often considered a mail order business, neither he nor I had any idea what we would sell or how a home business would supply sufficient income to enable him to quit a full-time job. Over the years, many father's have found themselves in the position of God having turned their hearts towards their children and their children's hearts towards their father, and many wives have agreed and wanted to get a home based business going so Dad could come home. But how do we do it? Can we trust God to provide for our needs?

This process doesn't happen overnight usually , nor does it happen by an act of our will, or by getting just the right product, just the right website, just the right education, or just the right combination of anything. This is a work of the Lord that he works out in our hearts and through our daily lives over time.

When we decided to be self-employed we did a lot of research into what it means to be self-employed. During the "doing our homework" process an acquaintance told my husband that he believed that "God was having more Christians go into business for themselves in order to get their attention." If you pay attention to the leading of the Lord, I believe a business will eventually be born and thrive sufficiently to support your family as you walk daily in faith that He is able to supply the needs of your family and show you the way in which to go. But He is also wanting to get our attention in order to purify us. Just as Job was brought to the end of himself, so too, God can more easily deal with us in that way in a business because although we in reality are no more or less secure, it is easy to feel less secure.

Let me tell you how God has led our family over the last 15 years. Duane's first attempt at business as a horticultural consultant flopped completely after about six months when the work abruptly stopped coming in. Not having any savings or deep pockets, this was a very difficult time for our family as we literally waited on God daily for our food and enough money to keep our house payments current. During this time, I learned by necessity a lot about canning, preserving and baking, so I continued to teach occasional baking classes in the local park and recreation district as Duane sought out full-time work. Months went by, no steadywork came, our finances and our existence were less than bare bones, but we did not incur debt either and our needs were always met.

One day I got a call from the large city newspaper about featuring me and one of my classes in an upcoming feature on Easter Breads for the Food Section. Wow! My classes filled up and I even added a few classes to the schedule. People wanted to buy some of the supplies and equipment I was using. I started a "newsletter" and a mailing list, keep in mind this was before the days of internet marketing. Enough orders came in to cover the expenses with a little left over to buy a bit of inventory to keep on hand. We wondered, should we keep on doing this business as we were just covering expenses. As we prayed, "Lord should be continue?", a phone call came in asking if I would do a class for a homeschool support group. We took this to mean, keep on keeping on.

A few more months went by, we were now living nearly one whole year without regular employment, just odd jobs and the grace of God. Then one day, the mail came with five copies of a Christian woman's magazine I had subscribed to. Printed inside the magazine was most of the information I handed out in my baking classes with my name and address as well as a letter accompaning the magazines requesting that I consider becoming a regular columnist. Another open door, but what would I write about? Yikes, I don't even like to write! Again, we walked through the open door to see what God would do.

The next month I received 100 letters from magazine subscribers interested in my "catalog" or having bread baking questions. At that time I had a one page "price list" of 10-15 items. I answered each letter personally and sold a little bit of product. I wrote articles for the magazine month by month, got more letters and occasional orders. Finally we decided to make a "catalog", a one page tri-fold brochure, and mail it to everyone who had written to me. I mailed this brochure with a newsletter to my little mailing list and got more orders. Enough orders came in and I decided to do another catalog - five pages now - and get a table at the homeschool conference.

My little avocation/hobby was turning into a business that made enough money that I could actually save some money each month.

After about two years of producing occasional catalog mailings we were faced with the decision of whether Dad should come home full-time to help me or if I should manage the business on my own and hire help. Eventually we made the step of faith for Dad to come home. Now we had to adjust to Dad taking over "my work" to do the work "his way".
Business prospered and we knew God had done it all, in His time and in His way.

God had our constant attention, as shortly after the decision for Dad to come home was made, one of our main suppliers started giving us grief and refused to sell to us anymore. The magazine I wrote for, our only advertising avenue and source of prospective customers, stopped publishing. It looked like the business was now done for. I wondered, "Why did I ever go into business in the first time?"

Nearly 10 years have passed since I thought we were out of business. We experienced huge business expansion and prosperity during the Y2K craze, of 1998-1999 followed by years of flat business. But we are still in business.

Duane has always wanted to have a family business to get the children involved in from the beginning. When they were younger, we used to pre-sort the catalogs and prepare the mailings around a table set up in our family room for what seemed like weeks at a time.

When the children got older, Laura, our oldest daughter, started answering the phones to take orders and answer questions at age 13. When business boomed and we couldn't get enough help, she did the shipping. She learned how to determine the best way to ship a package, whether via UPS or USPS. She learned how to maintain and order the box inventory and as well as maintain postage in the postage meter. She learned how to inventory product so we could keep the inventory replenished. She has learned to use her time wisely, set priorities, complete schoolwork and work for us at the same time. She has learned the daily discipline of working and maintaining priorities. Since she has always been paid for her work, she built up a substantial savings account over time which has paid for pursuing many of her outside interests including phototgraphy and Bible school.

My son, Stephen, at age 8 started out running packages up and down stairs (we did our packaging in the basement), and putting away incoming inventory. Later he learned to "pull orders" from inventory prior to their being boxed. Now he has learned how to handle all of the shipping. He has attended Ebay U and wants to sell some stuff. He wants to learn how to invest money wisely and get a return. We want him to master Cashflow 101. Mary, age 9, prepares outgoing catalog mailings weekly and does all the house cleaning and lunch dishes, enabling me to attend to my responsibilities in the business. In fact, she wants to eventually have her own cleaning business.

While our family and children have learned many job skills over the years, we have also learned that working with family members involves more than give and take. Resentments can build up when communication is not open. Asking for and giving forgiveness may be hard. Submission to authority teaches us to submit to our Lord. Envy and jealousy, and all kinds of fears associated with owning your own business can get in the way of doing what God has tasked us to do. Keeping on keeping on can get tedious.

We learn to "count it all joy when we face trials of various kinds" and that "In repentance and rest is our salvation, in quietness and trust in our strength" when business is flat. We have learned that "God will fulfill, his purpose, for me;..". (Ps 138:8) We learn to apply Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, and that nothing else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." We learn to apply all kinds of scriptures daily as the needs arise and that if we trust in the Lord with all our heart he will direct our paths.

When Christians go into business God gets our attention. He works it all out in His time, as we are faithful to do what he calls us to do. The Urban Homemaker, our family business, has spent the better part of a year re-doing our website with outside professional help at considerable investment in time and money on our part. We are committed to teaching "old fashioned skills to contemporary people" and we offer bread baking equipment, products for better health, and related books in the Spirit of Titus Two. We send out a semi-monthly e-newsletter committed to offering information of interest to homemakers, book reviews, family favorite healthy recipes, and occasional product specials. We remain committed to teaching old-fashioned skills to contemporary people so that they may fulfill the Titus Two mandate.

We hope that you will visit us on the web at www.urbanhomemaker.com visit , request our catalog, sign up for our e-newsletter and let us know what you like and don't like about our new website. We are here to serve you and learn with you as we seek His kingdom until the Lord returns.

CRAFTING WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN -Make 9 Musical Instruments

CRAFTING WITH LITTLE ONES - Musical Instruments
by Amanda Formaro used by permission.

(Ed. note: Getting organized is the best strategy I know for keeping little ones happily and purposefully active. Plan ahead by saving needed supplies before you plan to make the suggested instruments. Make one or make all and most of all have lots of fun with those little ones.)

For any of these activities, you can leave the items plain or decorate them. If you need ideas for decorating these projects, try any of the following items. We are sure this list will help you think of even more items you can use. Combine different things such as buttons and glitter or sequins and yarn. Let the children's creativity surprise you!

Keep some or all of the following items in a large see-through plastic storage container for easy access and quick clean up:

sequins, buttons, yarn, ribbon, masking tape, beads, glitter, sand, cellophane, construction paper, magazines, photos, crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint, and nail polish

When you are finished constructing your instruments, have a camera ready to take a picture of the band. Record this activity in your child's scrapbook so you can look back in years to come.

TAMBOURINE

2 paper plates
stapler or glue
hole punch
string
jingle bells
crayons

Staple or glue two paper plates together, facing each other. Using a hole punch, make holes around the plates and tie jingle bells to the holes with string. Decorate the tambourine with crayons.

Shake to play.

Note: Heavy duty paper plates may be more durable for this craft.
Safety note: If using a stapler, an adult should do this. When finished be sure to cover the staples with scotch tape.

DRUM
empty oatmeal box with cover
yarn
pen
2 pencils
2 spools
construction paper
crayons

Before beginning, you can decorate the oatmeal box with construction paper and/or crayons for a colorful effect.

Place the cover on the box. Use a pen to make a hole in the center of the cover and in the center of the bottom of the box. Through these holes, pull a piece of yarn long enough to hang around child's neck and down to their waist.

For the drumsticks, place the spools at the ends of the pencils, secure with
glue if necessary.

Beat to play.

CHIMES

ruler or stick
washers
nail polish
string
mixing spoon

Hang the washers from the ruler or stick with pieces of string by wrapping
the string around the ruler or stick and securing. Strike
the washers with the mixing spoon to play.


Note: You can make this craft colorful by painting the washers first with different color nail polishes, such as red, gold, glittery, etc. Parents should supervise this part of the activity closely.

HORN

paper towel roll
waxed paper
rubber band
pen

Cover one end of the paper towel roll with waxed paper, secure it with a rubber band. Punch a row of holes along one side of theroll with the tip of a pen. To play, sing a tune into the open end of the horn.

CYMBALS

two matching pot covers
yarn or ribbon

Tie the ribbon or yarn around the handles of the pot covers. To play, striketogether.

XYLOPHONE

tall glasses or jars
water
mixing spoon

Fill the glasses or jars with different amounts of water. The more water and the glass, the lower the pitch will be. Having less water in the glass or jar will raise the pitch.
To play, gently strike the glasses with a mixing spoon.
Note: This instrument should probably be played by older children in "the
band" because of the use of glass.

COMB BUZZER
pocket comb
tissue paper

Fold a piece of tissue paper over the tooth edge of a comb. To play, hum
hrough the tissue paper

GUITAR

empty shoe box
rubber bands
ruler or stick
Remove the cover from the box. Stretch the rubber bands around the box.
Attach the ruler or stick to the back of the box on one end
to act as the arm of the guitar.

To play, strum or pluck the rubber bands.

HAND BELLS

2 paper towel rolls
hole punch
4 jingle bells
string or yarn
Punch a hole in each end of the paper towel rolls. Tie two jingle bells to each side of the paper towel rolls by running string or yarn through the holes and carefully tying off.
Shake to play.
Have fun and let creativity and imagination run wild! Record the band's first
song and play back for some great giggle time. Enjoy!

Author, Amanda Formaro, is the mother of four children. She is the owner of the online family magazine, www.FamilyCorner.com.

AM I DEPRIVING MY CHILDREN?

by Lorrie Flem, Publisher, teachmagazine.com

"Do you know what causes this?" asked the lady who thought she was asking an innovative and witty (Believe me. Neither is true.) question while looking at our 6th sweet baby, Kiley. At times you want to avoid an uncomfortable question, one you would rather not answer for one reason or another. Maybe it's too personal; "Are you going to have any more children?" Perhaps it would require too lengthy a response; "Well, we were going to add on to the house but then Jim fell off the roof and broke his . . ." Or you are afraid the answer may offend the one who asked the question; " Do you believe women should wear pants?" asks the nice lady wearing slacks. A good way to divert a question and possibly avoid answering it entirely is to ask a question of your own.

Recently I was questioned about the wisdom of having such a large family in today's economy. The questioner was concerned that we were probably depriving our children of vital things. Let me ask you a few questions. Not to circumvent the answer to her question, but to answer it.

Am I depriving my children of social interaction? They live in a family with 8 brothers and sisters and a mom and a dad. They have a grandma and grandpa that live across the street and 2 more that spend a few days with them at least once a month. They go to church once a week if not more often and we have a weekly Bible study in our home. We have swimming, piano, and Spanish lessons weekly and participate in a weekly homeschool co-op.

We have found that time spent with a variety of ages, like God designed the family, is healthier for positive, unselfish attitudes than in artificial environments with children of all one age group. So am I socially depriving them by surrounding them with these people and activities? They learn on a daily basis the fun that can be had with people of all ages and the give and take that goes with it. They are learning to understand that their activity desires are not always going to be met. Sometimes what they want is not the best choice for our family. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children of love and attention? I make sure to have some one-on-one time with each of them weekly. John loves to keep me up with current events. Levi and I can wash dishes together. Drew often accompanies Jay and I on errands. Dessaly folds laundry with me. Kiley and I go high and low together and get the dusting done in half the time. Haley likes to walk up to the mailbox with me. Luke loves to sing songs with me. During all of these we have time to talk alone together. I give them individual attention whenever one of them is hurt, disobedient, or tells me that they need it either verbally or non-verbally.

Perhaps the best answer to this question would be to tell you that each time we have had a new baby the other children embrace the newborn with open arms. They argue over the honor of holding him and later playing with him. My little ones look up to their older siblings and the older ones happily help care for their needs, most of the time with no parental prompting. They learn from living in a large family that their needs are not always going to be met as soon as or in the way they want. They are beginning to learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Am I depriving my children of a 'normal' family life by having a large family? Soon after James was born our nearly sixteen-year-old son, John answered this question eloquently, "You know Mom, before James was born I was nervous about our big family. We already stick out so much in public and another baby would even make it worse." I'll remember this poignant moment the rest of my life, then he lovingly gazed down on his fourth brother closely cuddled in his arms against his chest, "I hope we have a whole bunch more." In a large family children learn that life does not revolve around them, their desires, or their preferences exclusively. They learn that mommy and daddy's love for them, and their love for each other is not diluted by having more children, but that it is a given they will always be able to count on. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by having them eat a banana or an apple for a snack instead of a bag of potato chips? I try to feed them the best fuel for their growing bodies. Which of these is superior? Child obesity is a problem on the increase in the United States. By cutting back on just a single bag of potato chips each week you will save $104.00 a year and make the better choice. Their taste buds do not always call for the best decision. They are learning that what we want is often not the wisest choice. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by having them drink water with each meal instead of milk, juice, Kool Aid, and soda? Americans don't drink nearly enough water. Besides, who made water? Do you want to argue with Him? By cutting out just one glass of soda per person per day would save $136.87. For a family of our size with 9 drinkers � well of soft drinks � $1231.83 a year would be saved to say nothing about our health. They are learning that the smart financial decision does not always involve large sums of money; a penny saved is a penny earned. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by not taking them out to eat at fast food restaurants very often? The quality of this food is appallingly low and the caloric content is atrociously high. Not to mention the mixed message I send by trying to teach them to make healthy eating choices by encouraging them to snack on carrot sticks and then feeding them French fries. Besides, I am blessing my children with a healthy marriage relationship. By not grabbing a bite to eat for lunch or a pizza on the way home even once a week at $10, I save $520 a year and Randy appreciates that. They are learning that a woman can be a helpmate to her husband in the decisions she makes. They are also learning that the advertising we are surrounded with is not necessarily showcasing the smartest thing to buy. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by not buying them every toy they like? Do I let 3-year-old Lukey eat all the chocolate he wants? Not unless I want him to be sick! I don't give my children everything they want. It isn't good for them and as a mother who loves her children, I try to give them what is good for them rather than what they want. Besides, watch them and you will see that they tend to play with a few favorite toys over and over. They are learning that often less is more. They are gaining a valuable life skill, the joy that comes from sharing your blessings. They are learning about real life.
Am I depriving my children by not purchasing each new piece of attire they see and want? Do I buy them the sweater that "everyone else has?" Not if I want them to learn that Godly attire is more often than not, not "like everyone else's." Just like with toys, they tend to wear a few beloved pieces of clothing anyway and they are learning how to carefully pick what to spend money on. They are learning that new clothes are new whether they come from the local thrift store, a friend, or a trendy department store. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by not buying them each a car or paying for each of them to go to college? Speaking from personal experience here, a car and 4 years of private, liberal arts college education does not ensure they learn to give it the best care and appreciate them. In fact, it probably has the opposite effect. A college degree does not equip you with the most important knowledge, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Cars and college education are probably more effective when they are paid for, at least in part, by the student. They will gain an increased awareness of the value of a dollar. They are learning that you have to work for what you want. They are learning about real life.

Am I depriving my children by choosing to stay home with them? I don't work outside of our home in part to protect them from the detriments that come from having lots of interaction with children of the same age, multiple cans of soda pop, bags of potato chips or Big Mac's a week, expensive (not necessarily the best because expensive is not synonymous with better) toys and clothing, and becoming latch-key children. If I were to go to work so my children can have these things the world would not consider me to be depriving them. If I become so active in church and other outside the home commitments that I am not there to kiss Haley's owies and listen to Drew's jokes, even most of my Christian acquaintances would not consider me to be depriving my children. But I believe I would be.

So am I depriving my children? Am I aware of what causes this? Thank you for asking and yes, I most certainly am.

Visit Lorrie at teachmagazine.com

Vapo-Seal Waterless Cookware

Why is heavy-duty, 304 Surgical Stainless Steel cookware the healthiest cookware to use?This set makes the perfect wedding or anniversary gift!

Because you can cook without oil or water. This is called "waterless cooking." Oil and water are the two great destroyers of flavor and nutrition.

Traditional cooking methods waste nutrients and energy. The more water you use, the more nutrition you are pouring down the drain because water dissolves the nutrients. Almost 50% of nutrients in food are lost when food is boiled. Using waterless high-quality cookware you'll retain nutrients and flavor by cooking on low heat with little-to-no water. The fit of the vapor-sealed lid is made with precision so that no flavor or nutrients escape into the air.

With heavy-duty 7 ply stainless steel cookware:

* You can fry chicken without a drop of oil.
* You can cook juicy hamburgers with no oil.
* You can cook delicious carrots with only a tablespoon of water.
* You can cook meats and poultry with 70% less shrinkage.
* You can cook in 14 the time, with 14 the heat.
* You can cook vegetables which are so tasty, you will hardly need seasoning.

The Wonders of Waterless Cooking

Here are some comments from happy housemakers:

Not tired after eating anymore. "I no longer feel tired after eating. I used to feel so drained after a meal, I would go to sleep. Now, I have real energy after dinner. Three cheers for waterless cooking!" -- Virginia

Stomach light after eating. "I used to feel so bloated and full after eating. Everything felt like lead in my stomach; like an iron ball from a cannon. No longer. Since my wife changed to waterless cooking, everything feels light." -- New York

Better than Kentucky-fried chicken - without the grease. "My fried chicken is tender as baked chicken." -- North Carolina

Extra juicy Hamburgers. "My hamburgers are juicier than ever. They hardly shrunk at all. They used to be so dry. We cook hamburgers with no oil -- even lean ones," -- Texas

Roasts are so tender, they melt in your mouth. "You really had to chew hard to eat my old roasts. Now, they are so tender, they just fall apart in your mouth."

Amazingly sweet cabbage. "The cabbage my wife used to make was horribly bland. I always used to get indigestion. Now I am amazed at the sweetness."

Cauliflower no longer gray. "For years my cauliflower would turn gray when I made them in my aluminum pot. Not anymore. They are as white as when I first put them in. They taste better too." -- New York

Food is much brighter. "I can't believe how bright and colorful my vegetables are after cooking. They are almost as fresh and bright as before I cooked them."

Best applesauce I ever made. "I always wondered why my kids never liked my applesauce. Now all of a sudden, everyone wants seconds." -- New Jersey

You can bake on top of the stove: With the 7-ply cookware, the heat is so even, you can easily bake pies, cakes and breads on top of the stove.

STOP cooking the old way! Stop using archaic cooking methods which destroys the taste of food. Most cookware is designed to last only 1-2 years. Our sets have a Lifetime Warranty! Vapor-sealed lids -- the secret to great cooking. The fit of the vapor-sealed lid is made with such precision, that NO flavor or nutrients escape into the air. If you can smell food cooking, it means you are using the wrong cookware and too high heat.

The DANGERS of popular cookware:

Aluminum: This is the worst cookware you can use. Aluminum is a dirty, filthy metal. It can cause every disease from headaches to cold sores to Alzheimers.

Teflon and Enamel: These chip very easily and can end up in your food. They are aluminum based.

Glass: This burns very easily and causes food to stick.Light-weight department store stainless steel: These are so thin, they burn nearly everything.

Our complete 17-piece Vapo-seal set contains:

A. 112 Quart Saucepan
B. 212 Quart Saucepan
C. 312 Quart Saucepan with 3 Quart Steamer
D. 712 Quart Dutch Oven with High Dome Lid.
E. Rack Insert for Dutch Oven with five egg cups for poached eggs, desserts, and puddings.
F. 11-Inch Skillet with two handles for safe, easy use. Includes Cover. The High Dome Lid also fits the skillet - This makes for a great chicken fryer.

This set makes the perfect wedding or anniversary gift!

Remember, it has a Life-time Warranty. Compare and Save!

This is the same set sold everyday in home parties for over $1600.00!!

If you haven't tried my blue ribbon winning Marilyn's Famous Whole Wheat Bread Recipe, here is the link to the recipe.

OPEN FORUM - Phone Seminar Transcript - November 3, 2005

Transcript of "Open Forum" Phone Seminar
November 3, 2005
Notes taken by Heather Tully

2 Parts to this seminar: 1) Updates/Information & 2) Questions and Answers

Updates/Information:
The topic for the next phone seminar on November 17, 2005 is vintage home keeping and hope chests. Our feature guests are Martha Green and Rebekah Wilson, both authors are introducing new books just in time for Christmas.

Marilyn is now contributing to a website that offers free menus sent to your email each week. Be sure to check out HYPERLINK " http://www.menus4moms.com/kitchen/weeklymenu/archive/ and sign up to receive the menus4moms discussion digest at this website.

New Product: Aqua Dome - Multi-Pure Drinking Appliance: This new product retails for $179.95, but with the savings certificate you can now obtain solid carbon filtered water system for $79.95, for a limited time.

Aqua Dome Drinking Water Appliance, which is NSF certified, and offers the highest quality water, removing many different contaminates!!! Much more convenient, economical and effective than bottled water. The filter connects to your faucet. The system is appropriate for either your kitchen or bathroom sinks and connects to the faucet with an adaptor.

Email Marilyn for a $100 savings certificate to purchase the system or to obtain the business opportunity information. If you share this opportunity with four friends, then you get another system free or credit towards a stainless steel unit ($179.95 credit). Email Marilyn at: marilyn@urbanhomaker.com or :urbanhome@tds.net. Please include your snail mail address and phone number so we can mail the coupon and product information material to you.

We still have complimentary copies of The Maker's Diet Books and the Fall 2005 Issue of The Old Schoolhouse available for any order of any size. Request Freemakersdiet for the book or item #6000 if requesting a copy of The Old Schoolhouse.

Questions and Answers:
How do I get my bread to not be so heavy? Here are some key points to remember when making bread:
Soft White Wheat or pastry wheat should be used when baking with baking powder such items as cookies, cakes, biscuits, pancakes (NO YEAST!) while Hard Red Wheat should be used for yeast breads because of the higher protein content. Try using spring wheat vs. winter wheat because it has a higher protein content which enables your bread to rise better. Spring wheat is planted in the Spring harvested in the Fall.

Add vital gluten to your bread making process. This will give your bread a protein boost and help it to rise better making softer, fluffier bread. (You could also add white flour, but this is not recommended as it compromises some of the nutritional value of whole grains.)
Marilyn recommends playing with the measurements for the vital gluten based on your taste preferences, but a good place to start is to add 1/3-1/2 cup vital gluten for 2 loaves or 2/3-1 cup when making bread from the Bosch or other large mixer
.
White wheat and read wheat are basically the same nutritionally, with the difference being the color and taste. (The white wheat is much milder in taste and lighter in color than the red wheat.)
Remember to pack your soft wheat into a measuring cup (like you would for brown sugar) when measuring the pastry flour for baked goods. This pastry flour can be used to replace all purpose white flour cup for cup in any recipe not containing yeast.

Should I use Sucanat or Turbino?
Author Sue Gregg, in her book titled "Desserts" recommends using Sucanat because it is less refined than Turbino, contains the original vitamins and minerals found in sugar cane juice, and has less effect on blood sugar.

How do you have time to do it ALL?
Remember to have balance in your life. God's ways are never burdensome! Try making one change at a time. Gradual change is much more likely to be permanent change. If you are feeling overwhelmed, just do the next thing, and avoid the tendency to be perfectionistic or take an all or nothing appoach.

Any tips for avoiding the flu?
a. Drink 2 quarts of filtered water each day!!!
b. Remember to wash and rinse your hands for at least 20 seconds. Don't forget to teach this to your children!
c. Herbalists now recommend using Elderberry vs. Echinacea to help build up your immune system to avoid getting the flu. Take 4 times a day if you are exposed to the flu and 6/day or every 2 hours if you have the flu. Shonda Parker's product of choice is Yummy Yarrow with Elderberry.

Can you recommend a juicer that will work for wheat grass, vegetables and citrus?
Omega 8003/8005 (see our catalog for prices): this juicer is great for wheat grass and vegetables! It will do some citrus but Marilyn recommends using a handheld juicer for that.
Remember to grow your wheat grass indoors (a kit is sold in the catalog), letting it grow to 3-4 inches before cutting it. See the book "The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore for more information on seeds to sprout and/or juice.

What is the difference between the Kitchen Aid and Bosch?
The main difference between these two products is power or watts. The Bosch is more powerful, making it better to use for wheat breads. The Boshc has 700 watts and a switch that automatically shuts it off if it were to be overloaded. Another difference is capacity: the Bosch can make 5 loaves of bread at a time while most Kitchen Aid's only can do 2 loaves. Also, the Bosch comes with a six cup blender. It is lighter in weight than a KA and takes up less counter space.

How can I get my yogurt to be less runny?
Marilyn recommends using gelatin, instructions are found in the catalog and at the website. A caller recommended adding additional powdered milk to thicken the yogurt.

Is it ok to grind flax seed in a Nutrimill?
Do NOT grind it in your Nutrimill but instead use either a coffee grinder or blender. All the high speed mills are recommended for dry beans and grains. Some customers have mixed flax seed with grain and successfully milled the flax that way.

Do the bread pans that you sell have a coating on them?
Yes, these tinware pans do have a light, nonstick coating but the pans still must be greased. Bread pans should be wiped out rather than washed if possible. While some worry about the aluminum bakeware, remember it should never be used for cooking under these two conditions: 1) when cooking with acidic food like tomatoes or 2) when stirring a pot with an aluminum spoon. Also, Teflon should not be used for baking at 500 degrees or higher but is okay if the temperatures are below this.

What kind of Coconut Oil should I use?
The authors of the book "Eat Fat, Loose Fat" recommend using organic extra virgin coconut oil. Be sure to listen in on February 3, 2005 when the authors, Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Phd. will join us! A caller recommended a brand of virgin coconut oil called Nutiva , which can be bought for $55/gallon with NO shipping at "http://www.nutiva.com"

What is Whey?
Whey is the liquid part of milk when it curdles. If you strain yogurt or kefir with cheesecloth, the clear liquid that separates from the curds is the whey. It can be used with fermented vegetables and in baking. You can add 1 tablespoon whey per cup of waterif soaking flour in the 2-stage process of bread making.

Again, if you are interested in the $100 Off coupon to purchase Multi-Pure's new Aqua Dome Drinking Water Appliance, email or contact us at urbanhome@tds.net with your phone and address, and we will get the information to you.

The next phone seminar will be Thursday November 17, 2005 at 9:00 PM EST. Both Rebekah,Wilson and Martha Greene will be my phone seminar guests when we talk about Vintage Homekeeping and Hope Chests.

Both Martha and Rebekah will be talking about their new books coming out just in time for perfect Christmas gifts for the young daughters you are training up to be keepers at home! Read more information below about Martha and Rebekah's upcoming new books and phone seminar.

For the transcript of the Phone Seminar from THE MAKER'S DIET on 10-20-05.

For the transcript of the Phone Seminar with Sue Gregg on 10-6-05.

To download my free ecookbook Fast and Health Recipe for Busy Homeschooling Moms, click on this link.

To receive my free newsletter ON MY HEART which is published twice a month with information, product updates and reviews, delicious recipes and much more in the spirit of Titus Two, click here.

If you haven't tried my blue ribbon winning Marilyn's Famous Whole Wheat Bread Recipe, here is the link to the recipe.

Complimentary copies of our 64 page catalog of products for homemakers is available here.

5 Steps for Busy Families

1. Buy whole grains and legumes in bulk, and learn to
prepare quick breads and yeast breads using the
2-Stage Process. Soaking, fermenting, or sprouting the
grain allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful
organisms to not only neutralize the phytic acids, but
also to break down complex starches, irritating tannins
and difficult-to-digest proteins including gluten. For
many, this process will lessen or eliminate their
sensitivities or allergic reactions to particular grains.

2. Avoid commercial, boxed cereals even if made with
whole grains. These cereals, although convenient, are
expensive, low in nutritional value, and difficult to digest
because they have not been properly prepared. For
best nutrition, think ahead, soak your oatmeal or other
whole grains overnight and enjoy a more nourishing,
economical alternative. Our family favorite Hot Whole Grain Recipes are at this link. Use Stainless Steel Cookware and Stainless Steel Bakeware for best results.

3. Use a variety of high quality fats including saturated fats, and
learn to make simple salad dressings and
mayonnaise. High quality fats include butter, sesame oil, coconut
oil, palm oil, and olive oil in ALL food preparation. Homemade
salad dressings use quality ingredients at a fraction of
the cost of bottled salad dressings which may contain
additives, highly processed oils, and other
undesirables.

4. Master brown rice preparation (below) as it is
economical, nutritious, and tasty. Start soaking rice at
breakfast. Consider investing in a rice cookers.

5. Make stock for soups, stews, and cooking grains
regularly. Homemade meat or fish based stocks are
very high in minerals, nutrients, and other factors that
make them very nutritious. Homemade stock is
economical and the foundation of many low cost
meals. Use a large stainless steel stock pot for stock making or to save time use a Duromatic Presure Cooker.

Basic Brown Rice
Brown rice is the highest of all grains in B vitamins, and
it also contains iron, and vitamin E. Nourishing
Traditions has recipes for many tasty, ethnic brown rice
variations including Indian Rice, Mexican Rice, Greek
Rice, Oriental Rice Salad, Wild Rice Casserole and
many others

2 Cups long-grain or short grain brown rice
4 Cups pure warm water, plus 4 TB kefir, vinegar, or
lemon juice
1 tsp. Real salt
2-4 TB butter

Combine the rice, water, and yogurt (or kefir OR lemon
juice) in a stock pot with a secure cover. Allow to soak
for 7 or more hours if possible. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, add salt and butter, cover tightly. DO NOT
REMOVE THE LID. Cook over lowest possible heat, for
about 45 minutes. (I soak my rice in my Duromatic and
pressure cook to save a lot of time.)
Variations: Use 1 cup coconut milk, or homemade
chicken, beef, or fish stock for part of the liquid.

HOLIDAY TIMETABLE - Let's get organized

We, at The Urban Homemaker, don't advocate complicated or expensive holiday celebrations, and wish to encourage your family to focus on the true meaning of the holiday season.

However, this twelve-week simplified timetable could be used as a checklist and is designed to be flexible in order to assist you in focusing in on your family's priorities for Thanksgiving, Christmas. We believe holiday planning promotes order and harmony, offering you time to evaluate what is really important to your family.

Remember, the timetable is merely a suggestion; rearrange, add, or delete activities from the schedule to meet the needs of your family.  The timetable is below.

Last year, Sheri Graham wrote The 12 Week Holiday Planner for The Christian Family So you Can Keep Your Focus on Jesus for the Holiday Season based on my Holiday Timetable!

Sheri says, "My desire in putting together this eBook is to provide a tangible way for you to plan out your holidays so they are enjoyable, less stressful, and more filled with the things that really matter."

Marilyn Moll's Holiday Timetable:

Week #1 - List Week Oct 3- 8
Make your lists of gift recipients, Christmas cards, menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, goodies to share or to give, favorite meals to prepare ahead, decorations needed, gifts to make.

Week #2 - Browse Week Oct 10-16
Develop and record ideas for gifts, decorations. Ask yourself the following questions:
* What would our ideal Christmas be like?
* What activities are particularly important to our family at Christmas?
* How much emphasis do our Christmas activities place on the spiritual side of Christmas?

Week #3 - Supplies Week Oct 17-23
After inventorying supplies on hand, purchase non-perishables needed for holiday baking, and supplies needed for gift making,, gift wrapping, etc.

Week #4 - Baking Week: Oct 24-30
Set aside the time needed to complete holiday goodie making. Make lists of toys, books, and clothes that children would enjoy. More...

Week #5 - Gift Making Week Oct 31 - Nov 6
Focus your energies on completing gifts to be made. More...

Week #6 - Shopping Week #1 Nov 7-13
Decorate your home for Thanksgiving and focus on gift buying for prepared list. Wrap and label packages as you go. More...

Week #7 -Shopping Week #2 Nov 14-20
Complete as much shopping as possible. Take advantage of many items that are on sale before Thanksgiving! More...

Week #8 - Thanksgiving Week Nov 21-27
Use this week to prepare Thanksgiving dishes, pies, homemade rolls, and enjoy the holiday with your family. Marilyn's Traditional Thanksgiving Stress Free Plans and Easy Recipes for Busy Moms are at this link. 

Start the Jesse Tree Devotional readings by Ann Voskamp.  The Jesse Tree Devotional is different than advent as it tells the whole story of the coming of the Savior starting in the book of Genesis.  The devotional includes 30 readings culminating with the birth of Christ.  If you purchase the Planner  you will get all the devotionals plus the beautiful, colored ornaments designed to be hung on a branch or a tree.  The ornaments are a terrific, hands-on way for the children to remember each bible story leading up t o the birth of Christ.

Week #9 - Mailing Week Nov 28-Dec 4
Complete package wrapping for gifts to be shipped...More.

Week #10 - Meal Making and Decorating WeekDec 5 -11
Prepare some favorite meals and other baked goods for the hectic days ahead. Decorate. Involve children in memory making! My recipes for Beef Burgundy and Honey Glazed Chicken and other reliable family favorites can be downloaded at this link.

Week #11 - Final Shopping/Wrapping Week Dec 12-18
Complete last minute details and enjoy holiday parties, concerts, and family activities. For quick and easy cookie recipes Click Here.

Week #12 - Enjoy Your Christmas Celebration Week Dec 19 - 25
Enjoy the Holidays with Family and Friends! Take time to drive the neighborhoods to enjoy holiday lighting displays. Enjoy family traditions and special meals. A complete holiday menu with delicious recipes is found at this link.

Some of information included in The 12 Week Holiday Planner for The Christian Family book:

*Detailed ideas of what to do weekly for 12 Weeks

*"Sheri's Tips"- tips to make your holidays meaningful

*Christmas Craft and Gift Ideas

*Memory Making Ideas for the Family

*Ideas for Baked Items to Share/Give Away

*Ideas for Meals to Freeze for Use during the busy weeks

*Decoration Ideas

*Supplies to stock up on ahead of time or when on sale

*Ideas for a Holiday Baking Schedule

*Kids' Gift Idea List

PLUS!!! "The Glorious Coming: A Jesse Tree Celebration of Advent" - Jesse Tree devotionals
If you would like to get more ideas of how to focus on Jesus as the reason for the season be sure to join our discussion!

The perfect companion to The 12 Week Holiday Planner is Holiday Open House - Open Your Heart and Your Home.  This ebook includes all the information you need to pull off a gracious, memorable open house or party.

Some of the information in this ebook includes:

Every Day Pressure Cooking

Just in case anyone reading this newsletter is under the mistaken assumption that I know how to do absolutely everything homestead related, let me lay that notion to rest right now. I have never used a pressure cooker. (By the way � this is one of the many things I haven't tried yet!). I have always wanted to, I know it's a really good thing to do, but somehow I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

So, I am very thankful for the wonderfully knowledgeable ladies who wrote in to share their pressure cooker expertise. I turn this column over to them. Lisa Vitello, Editor.

Pressure Cooker Testimonial

I have been using the Duromatic line of pressure cookers by Kuhn Rikon (Swiss Co.) for about 15 years. I was quite leery of investing in these expensive cookers since I had had a bad experience with a pressure cooker blowing up with beet juice and making a mess in my kitchen. Also, there was the constant replacement of gaskets, etc.

But, the demo was impressive so I invested and have never looked back. My high quality pressure pans are my pans of choice for cooking almost anything in my house. I cook almost all my vegetables in them because it saves so much time.

For example, broccoli is done in two minutes, potatoes in 5-10 minutes depending on whether quartered or whole. Brown rice takes 20 minutes. Kidney beans, if soaked ahead of time, take 8-10 minutes depending on how old they are.

Pot roast is moist, tender and delicious in about an hour. I like to do soups and broth in the cookers because, again, I save so much time without using questionable microwave technology.

I have never had a return of these pans in 12 years from a dissatisfied pressure cooker owner or found anything to be defective about them either. Truthfully, I think this is the only product we offer that has never had a return. Most people just tell me how much they love their pressure cooker and wonder how they ever lived without one.

In Europe, South America and other countries, most people have several pressure pans in order to save on energy expenses, which is becoming a bit of an issue here in the states as well. I have two pressure pans since I was without a microwave for many years.

Lastly, I think the Duromatics are superior to other pressure pans in that they more accurately tell you when full pressure is reached and cooking time can be accurately determined. There is no hissing or noise as in the older weighted gauge cookers either. Here is a testimonial:

Years ago, I was helping cook a banquet for 80 people. I cooked baby carrots in my pressure cooker for 4 minutes and they came out perfect. My friend cooked baby carrots in her pressure cooker, but she couldn't determine when the pressure was reached accurately enough and ended up with all her carrots turning to mush.

I can't recommend these Duromatics and pressure cooking too highly for those who are interested in better health and whole foods.

The New York Times called the Duromatic Line the Mercedes Benz of pressure cookers.

Here is a favorite pressure cooker soup that can easily be made in a stock pot:

Potato Cauliflower Soup
This recipe is fast and easy and often requested

4 medium potatoes, quartered
2 onions, quartered
1 head cauliflower, cut up
2 cups water or chicken broth (homemade is best)
2 cups milk, water or broth
1 TBS. Spike (vegetable seasoning)
1 8oz. cream cheese, diced
? to ? cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine vegetables with water or chicken broth in a 5 quart or larger Duromatic TM pressure cooker and bring veggies to a boil and allow pressure to stabilize at the second red ring for 5 minutes, then allow pressure to drop naturally. (Remove pressure cooker from the heat). When the pressure is off, puree the vegetable mixture with a potato masher or use a blender. Add 2 more cups of milk, water or broth, diced cream cheese and butter over medium heat and stir until cheese and butter are melted. Add the Spike, salt and pepper to taste, if desired. This recipe can also be done in an 8 qt. stock pot by bringing the veggies and broth to a boil, and simmer vegetables until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
Serve with homemade muffins!

Pressure Cooker Practice at a Titus 2 Meeting

This contribution is from my good friend, Karrie. She was a long time participant in our Titus 2 meetings until she moved 300 miles away (sniff!). After settling in to her new home and making a few friends, she bravely stepped out and held her own Titus 2 meeting! Her practical lesson was showing the ladies how to use a pressure cooker. Isn't that great?!

When I held my first Titus 2 Meeting, I showed the ladies how I make refried beans and shredded beef for burritos in my pressure cooker.

The beans are easy. First you soak the beans. I use the quick-soak method. This involves boiling the beans for a couple of minutes and then letting them sit in the water, covered, for about an hour. Drain the beans, add a few more cups of water, bring to pressure and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Saut� garlic and onions in oil, add the cooked beans and stir until creamy. Add enough chicken broth (homemade, of course!) to thin it out � otherwise it is like brick mortaryes, I know this from experience.

For the shredded beef, I just throw in chunks of stew meat (about 1" cubes) with some salt, pepper, cumin and garlic and bring to pressure, lower the heat and cook for about 20 minutes. Let it cool and then shred. Sometimes after I shred it I mix in some canned red enchilada sauce.

After I made this, we all sat down and ate dinner together. It was fun!

Put one large can pineapple juice and pork in the pressure cooker. I usually use the pork roasts that come in packages of three at Costco, and cut one up in chunks. You can also use country style pork ribs. Bring to pressure and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. It will mostly depend on how big your pieces of meat are. Release pressure, discard juice and remove pork to a baking dish. Cover pork with a good barbeque sauce, like KC Masterpiece. Bake in a 350� oven for 5-10 minutes. Sometimes I like to broil it for a minute so the sauce gets thick and glaze-like. You can eat in chunks with rice or you can shred it and put on sandwich rolls.

I cut stew meat into bite sized chunks and brown in oil in the pressure cooker. Add about 2 TBS. of flour, along with some salt and pepper and stir around. Add liquid to cover meat well. Bring to pressure and time for about 20 minutes (depending on the size of the chunks of meat). Instantly release pressure. Add cut up veggies like potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, mushroom, green beans and whatever else you like. Add any flavorings you like, such as garlic, red pepper flakes or sauces. Check to see if you need any more liquid � you don't need to cover those veggies with liquid. Bring to pressure and cook another 8 minutes. Release pressure and its done. If there is too much liquid, you can thicken it with some flour or cornstarch, or just serve it with some good, crusty bread to soak it up.

Porcupine Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup uncooked rice
2 TBS. minced onion
2 tsp. salt
? tsp. pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Combine everything but the sauce. Form into balls. Pour sauce into pressure cooker. Drop meatballs in cooker. Bring to pressure and cook for 7 minutes. Let cool a few minutes and then quick release under cold water.

I do my mashed potatoes in the pressure cooker. I just quarter the potatoes; add some water or broth and salt. I bring to pressure and cook for about 8 minutes. Then, I drain the liquid and add the butter, milk and use a potato masher. I also like to cook a whole chicken with herbs and veggies. Then, I have chicken for soup, casserole, chicken salad and I have broth to put in the freezer for later use.

Karrie Nunes
Redding, CA

I have had a pressure cooker for about a year and what I do is not necessarily "fancy". I cook basic ingredients that I can use in other dishes. My main trick is to steam rice in mine. It takes literally 8 minutes from start to finish!

I also just put a whole chicken in my pot, fresh or frozen, and let it pressure cook. It takes about 20 minutes. I have cheated about letting beans soak overnight. Once, when I wanted to make chili and I forgot until the last minute, I put all the ingredients in the pot and pressure cooked it and it turned out great!! We needed Beano on the table, since I didn't soak the beans beforehand and pour out the water. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this, but it turned out fine for us.

The neat thing about my pressure cooker is, although I never thought I would use it, I actually use it all the time. I also use it as a regular pan, without the lid. It was not inexpensive by any means, but it's the best pot I have, with or without the pressure lid!

2 cups white rice (Basmati or Jasmine works well)
3-4 cups water (depending on how "wet" you like your rice)

Put rice in the pressure cooker with the water. If I'm feeling tricky, I'll replace some or all of the water with chicken stock and add a little garlic or other favorite spices. Put the cooker on the stove and lock it shut. Cook it on the second or higher pressure for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pressure come down naturally (about 10 minutes total).
Option: Sometimes I use a wee bit of saffron in the rice when I can get a hold of it. I use chicken stock, a little garlic and leftover meat from previous dishes. Add some cut up vegetables and shrimp if you have it and, VOILA! � you have Paella, a traditional Hispanic dish. My husband is Hispanic and LOVES the stuff!

Serves 6 with leftovers

This could not be any easier. Put a whole chicken fryer in a 5 qt. or larger pressure cooker. If you have fresh herbs, now is a great time to use them! I put a couple of fresh rosemary sprig, or sage leaves, and half of an onion in the cavity of the chicken. For a real one dish meal, cut up some carrots, and other veggies and add them around the chicken. Add ? cup water to the bottom. If your cooker comes with a steaming plate, use it to lift the chicken off of the bottom. If the chicken is fresh, pressure cook it on the second or higher pressure for about 20-25 minutes, then take it off of the heat and let is rest until the pressure comes down naturally. If it is frozen, it may take about 45 minutes of cooking, which means you need to watch the heat a little more often so that the pressure doesn't get too high. This amount of time usually works well, but depending on your source of heat (electric, gas, etc.) the times may vary. Always go by what the manufacturer says. That is just what works well with mine in the altitude, etc.

Brandie Longoria
Marietta, GA

My pressure cooker has become my lifesaver! I have four children and we got rid of our microwave about a year ago. I've canned jam in it, made soup, rice, beans, roasts, chicken, sauceanything! Mind is a very large one that was given to me, so I like it better than the crock pot as it is faster and holds more. I think everyone should have one! LOL!

Mrs. Sue Gorecki
Pittsburgh, PA

I have picked up most of my pressure cookers from thrift shops for about $3.00. I always replace the gasket and air vent, which usually come together in one package at the hardware store. Handles, pressure regulators and other parts can usually be bought from the company that made the cooker. For Presto pans, the address for replacement parts is:

Presto also has a good book for older pressure cookers called Replacement Instruction Book for Older Pressure Cookers. Since it is very important to read the manual before you use your pressure cooker, be sure to ask for one from the manufacturer if you buy a used pan.

RoseAnn Kirsch
Springview,

Ed Note: Many older pressure cookers are made of aluminum. Buyer beware.

Part One of When Fear Meets Faith is found at this link

Part Two of When Fear Meets Faith is available at this link.

13 Easy Things to Make Your Day More Productive by Mrs. Lorrie Flem, Publisher TEACH Magazine.com

Do you know one of the keys to successful homeschooling? You can find it in Psalm 25.

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior."

God wants to be first in our hearts, in our lives, and in our homeschools. If we put Him second or third we are dooming ourselves and our plans to failure. He wants to manage our hearts and even our minutes. His ways are perfect.

As homemakers, homeschoolers, wives, and mothers we have so many different things calling for our attention it's all too easy to work all day long and at the end of the day wonder what we have accomplished. Following are 13 ways I have found to help insure that I spend my time as productively as possible.

1. Learn from experience.

Walking with the Lord, getting married, becoming a homemaker, and raising children, are all wonderful parts of being a Godly woman. Never forget that one of the most valuable resources you have is the wisdom of older women. I am always trying to learn from older women. Make it a point to find out the five areas that you must be diligent to always grow in, in order to be successful and happy on this earth.

2. Train their hearts first.

It is much easier to teach your children to obey than to willingly obey. Yet willing obedience is what God wants from us and wants us to teach our children. It is vital that you know what to do, when to do it, and exactly how to do it.

3. Make your husband the priest of your home.

Next to your relationship with the Lord there is no other relationship more important than the one you have with your husband. Make this a top priority and be sure that you know the one thing God says men need. You can't be the best wife without knowing this.

4. Give your children the gift of chores.

Children need to be taught responsibility while they are young. One of the best ways to do this is to teach them that the many tasks required to keep a household running well are a family affair and their help is needed and required. Make sure you teach your loved ones what the Bible says about working. It could revolutionalize your home!

5. Make family time happen.

There are specific things you, as the wife and mother, can do to make your husband shine. Make your dinners feasts that nourish their tummies and their hearts. If you want to help your husband be a Godly man make sure you know the things you can to make that happen. They are simple only if you know what they are.

6. Train your children to obey.

If your children do not obey you completely the first time you tell them to do something then they are not obeying. Knowing the definition for true obedience and how to teach your children that this is what you require.

7. Keep a time register.

You wouldn't dream of not keeping some sort of track of your checking account balance or you would easily over spend. Keep the same principle when it comes to time. Spend your time carefully and with an eye on the balance left. That way you don't spend too much on one thing and run short at the end. There is one thing that every homeschooling family needs in order to be successful and have more free time. Don't go without it.

8. Like mother, like daughter.

Moms often think that their sweet little girls will just naturally grow up and want to be their dear friend. Not so. Solid mother and daughter relationships take work. You have to make sure this happens. Don't wait for anything. Start today. Make sure that you know the 8 best ways to tie Mother Daughter heartstrings.

9. Be committed to homeschooling.

Satan is the master murderer. He does everything he can to divert, damage, deceive, and destroy. Don't be unarmed. He doesn't want you to be successful at homeschooling. He is after you. Ensure that you are prepared for what he is going to throw at you by knowing what he is going to do before he does it.

10. Talk and listen to God.

Use your time wisely and spend it with your Creator. This is key to more than just your day - it is the deciding factor for every day for the rest of your life. All women must know the one way to ensure that you always have time for Quiet Time.

11. Cook for company . . . even when no one is coming.

No matter what you're cooking, breakfast, lunch or dinner, always cook enough for two families or two meals. Divide the prepared food in half and either refrigerate or freeze one for your own family to have later. Two meals is not twice the work but the time saved is twice as much. There are many tricks to cooking food that tastes freshly made from the freezer. Make sure you know them and your family won't mind meals you cooked last week.

12. Wake up early.

Set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier than you normally do to get an early start on your day. Make sure you know what other things you can do today to get ready for tomorrow.

13. Decide what to do when.

We talked about spending time carefully but there is more involved in time choices than just how to spend it. You first have to decide what to spend it on. Always measure the things you are doing by what is eternally profitable. Don't try to do it all without the one Bible verse that tells you all you need to know for help in this area.

Pressure Cookers

Canning and Preserving

CANNING AND PRESERVING

 Phone Seminar - JULY 12, 2007

With Lisa Vitello, publisher of New Harvest Homestead Newsletter and Marilyn Moll

 
Lisa is a great, mostly self-taught expert on all aspects of canning including pressure canning and water bath canning. She has been putting food up for her family of eight for over 20 years and keeps a huge garden that meets a substantial portion of her family's needs for fruits and vegetables.

We discussed canning without sugar, and salt and other common canning questions.

Lisa recommends the following Getting Started Items:

Stocking Up by Carol Hupping or the Ball Blue Book

Villa Ware Food Strainer or Equivalent for Tomato Sauce, Applesauce, Salsa, etc.

Water Bath Canner or Pressure Canner

Home Canning Kit

Pomonas Pectin

Ball or Kerr Jars and Lids (no substitutes!)

7 Reasons Why Meal Planning Is A Great Idea

7 Reasons Why Meal Planning Is A Great Idea

Planning meals ahead of time is a great idea, since there are many benefits that come along with it. Meal planning affects many different aspects of life, including your time as well as your financial situation. No matter what situation one may be in, planning your meals ahead of time is always a good idea. Meal planning makes it possible for almost any size family to eat healthy meals everyday of the week on a budget.   It also gives you more time together as a family while spending less money.

Saves Time

Planning your meals ahead of time will save you a lot of time. When you visit your grocery store, take a list with you that shows everything you need for your weekly meals.  This way there will be no return visits to the grocery store for something you forgot, and you won’t waste any time deciding what you are going to have for dinner that night. Forgetting a key ingredient or having to fight in long lines at the grocery store can be very frustrating, but meal planning can completely eliminate that.   

Saves Money

Who doesn’t like to save money?  And if you can reduce the amount you spend on grocery bills, you can save it up for something really fun – like a special night out or a family vacation.  Meal planning saves anyone a significant amount of money, since meal planning is much cheaper than eating fast food. Also, since you will be bringing a shopping list with you to the grocery store, there will be no more impulse buys and wasted food.   We’ve all fallen victim to foods that we suddenly have a craving for when we are shopping only to get home and realize that we need other ingredients to turn it into a meal.  And having a shopping list will make it easier for you to clip coupons, since you know what you will be purchasing each week.  This means even more savings to you and your family.

Meal planning allows you to create a calendar of what you will have for dinner each night.  If you create a menu one month at a time, you can ensure that you aren’t having chicken nuggets five nights a week.  Have an overall calendar of meals will allow you to shop for foods when they are on sale and buy in bulk whenever possible.

Health

Planning out what you are going to cook for dinner will make it possible to ensure you are cooking a healthy meal every day of the week.  While eating out is convenient in our ever busy world, eating fast food or at restaurants is not nearly as healthy as cooking it at home.  This is largely due to the fact that you don’t have control over  what goes in those meals.   By preparing your own meals, you can choose healthy options, like baked chicken, and add any of your favorites for a side like a fresh green salad or steamed vegetables. Most boxed or frozen dinners contain a great amount of fat and sodium, but cooking the meal from scratch can eliminate them.   You control the flavor and the fat.  You can take steps to reduce the amount of fat by adding seasoning and spices to perk up the flavor.

Prevent Obesity

The rise of fast food chains in the world means that more people are becoming overweight and obese. Obesity can bring on many health issues, including heart or breathing problems. It is important to prevent a child from becoming overweight and teach them the importance of balanced meals.  Cooking homemade healthy meals can do this. When you plan out what you are going to make, you can be certain that it will be healthy for the entire family.   It allows you to have a better handle on the nutritional content of your meals.   You can also tailor it to each family member’s needs.  If there is someone who needs to watch their fat consumption, you can cook grill or broil instead of fry.  If there is someone that is trying to get more servings of vegetables in their diet, you can help by offering two veggies for side dishes.

Spending More Time With Your Family

Because planning out your meals gives you more time during the day, you can spend it doing something that really matters. Spending time with family should be the first thing on anyone’s priority list, and being able to spend more time with them is a wonderful perk to meal planning. You can use this time to either play with your children outside, or maybe talk with your spouse about their day at work.   With the time saved with meal planning, the family can enjoy a walk together after dinner, play yard games such as croquet or bocce ball, or compete in a board game night.  No matter how you use the time, it is special and necessary to keep a family running.   And when you kids are grown up and look back on their childhood, those will be the times they remember most fondly.  Just think about all the home cooked meals that you look back on warmly.  No one cooks it like mom does.

Teaching Essential Skills

By including children in the meal planning process, they can learn many skills that will carry with them into adulthood.   They can help to plan the meals, and learn about the different nutrition groups.   Learning how to assemble a balanced meal is a great skill to have.  Measuring different ingredients in the meals teaches children about fractions.   Younger kids can just play with the different kitchen utensils, which allows them to explore and learn about the huge world they have yet to explore and learn about. Spouses can get in on the fun, making it possible to bond with one another by cooking a meal for each other.   Meals where each person can individually tailor food to their liking, such as making your own pizzas or a taco bar, allow a great opportunity for the whole family to cook and learn together.

Reduces Stress

Our world is hectic.  We are being pulled in several different directions each day.  Because we live in a fast paced world, it is important to do everything possible to reduce your stress load.   We have enough stress with our every day lives without mealtime stressing us out.  Planning meals can reduce your stress since you won’t have to worry about everything that goes into making a meal for your family. As long as you bring your list to the store and buy everything on the list, you will be all set. You can choose to either visit the store each week or twice a month, rather than a million times like before. The increased time you have will allow you to relax more often, and even feel great when interacting with your children.  If you are enrolled in a food delivery service, having a handy list makes online shopping a breeze.  Have it with you when you log in to order food and you won’t have to worry about a thing.

As you can see, there are many benefits to meal planning.  From the ever crucial facts of saving money and eating healthier, to reducing stress and spending more time with your family.  Meal planning only takes a little extra effort.  And once you get the hang of it, it’ll become second nature and make you life so much easier.  You’ll be wondering why you hadn’t started meal planning earlier.  And will all the time and money you save you can spend on something that really matters – your family!