messenger

Quick, its Five Minute Friday and I've got a few hours to sneak a post in before times up. A few minutes if you count the time I plan to be awake much later tonight. So here's a little message about my Mama Made blog and why I spend a little time here...hoping you want to hang out here a little, too.

The thing is...when I became a housewife I didn't know a lick about making a home. I tried and failed many times in those early days and I'm still struggling through knowing how to run a home well as each season changes. When I became a mother...making home got amped up times 10. My attempts never outweighed my desire to do it well though. I love nothing more then creating home... home for my people, home for friends who enter here, home for our neighbors, home for all who enter. It's been a piece of my heart from the day I rented my first home as a young college newbie. I love to make home.

What home is though for so many is more then 4 walls and a place to sleep at night. It's a place to grow your heart. And that, my friends, looks very different to everybody. The beauty with making a home is we are all different in what we need to feel at home. I blog here to share some of my favorite things along the journey of home-making. I love to see nothing more then Mama's create their home and offer a safe heart landing place for all who enter. I truly enjoy home-making and believe that hearts are grown when the home is created with feeding the souls that hang in it.

I want our homes to be comfy and cozy and real and tasty and fun and creative and faith filled and family focused and life-giving. I keep trying things and sending some of what I love your way through this blog. Kinda like the messenger bringing you a little something to open up and try for yourself. You may love it. You may hate it. Either way, I know we can all give the message to our home dwellers that they are loved and valued and welcomed in the way we make home... What we do, how we live, and where we spend our time sends the message of home. I'm simply giving you what I love about home-making here so you can be the messenger in your house... making home as you give it all away.

Welcome to Five Minute Friday 

We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that Lisa Jo Baker post on her  website starting at 10pm EST on Thursday night and all through Friday. 

It started because Lisa-Jo had been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And she figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.

So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.

Your words. This shared feast.

It’s easy to join in. Link up on Facebook here!

Blueberry Greek Muffins

It's the time of year when berries all across the state are ripe and fresh and oh, so sweet. I'm addicted to berries this time of year, all kinds. But one of my favorite is the blueberry! Warm blueberry muffins right out of the oven could be one of the things served in heaven as far as I'm concerned. Along with loving blueberries, I also love exploring in the kitchen. It's like an art, really. One everybody can play around with. That's the beauty of foods... its a fun way to express your preference and your taste buds and your creativity. There aren't too many kitchen experiences you can't give something to or take something away... 

Today I fell in love with the blueberry muffin all over again. Here's my latest masterpiece...

Blueberry Greek Muffins

(Easy 1-2-3 Directions)

1. Mix together: 2/3 C Sugar, 1 Tsp Baking Powder, 1 Tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 Tsp. Salt, 2 Large Eggs, 4 Tbsp. melted butter, 1 Tsp Vanilla, 1 1/2 Cups Greek Vanilla Yogurt, 2 Tbsp Raw Honey. Whip this until a smooth, creamy consistency. 

2. Add in to your above ingredients: 2 Cups Flour, 1 Cup Raw (plain) Oats. Throw in 1 Cup fresh or frozen Blueberries. 

3. Spray a muffin pan, spoon muffin batter evenly amongst muffin cups, and bake at 350 for about 15-25 minutes. Depending on your muffin size!

 Pre-wash fresh berries and taste as you go...:Obviously :)

 Sprinkle dry oats on the top right before you bake them for a finished look to your muffins.

And serve to all your big and little people around the table. Especially the littlest. They're my favorite. 

As always, serve with joy in your heart...a smile. Enjoy!

3 easy ways to say Welcome!

No matter what stage of life we are in, our home is one place we can all open doors up at. Whether it's a a few minutes or a few days...home is one of our easiest places to invite people into our lives. Mama's often set the tone for home. Saying welcome to friends and family need not be a time to cover up imperfections or hide the mess. Saying welcome can come easily when you first open your heart before you open your door. There are some very easy solutions to making a welcome come naturally for you when those beloved guests arrive...

1. Nothing says "we're glad you're here" better than fresh flowers. Pick them from your yard, buy them at the market, or arrange a handful of them on a walk through the woods. Wherever you pick your bouquet from, simply set them as a center-piece on the table, place them on your kitchen counter, or have them by the front door. Fresh flowers always say welcome. By the bedside for over-night guests is cozy, too!

2. A first glimpse into a home is always calming and comforting when you first see... nothing. Cleared counter-tops, empty tables, and clean spaces give a calming effect to those living in your space. Spend 10 minutes and clear off your counters, wipe down the table, and give the impression you have room to invite people in...because you do. Walking into a cluttered, over-stimulated home often leaves guests feeling a tad bit unsure of their warm welcome. Cleaning counters is an easy way to make that welcome a happy one.

3. And last, and maybe most important. Just be real. So sometimes the flowers can't be cut and the counters still have dishes on them and the floors are a kid marked mess. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect to just let people in. A little realness makes us feel comfortable, like we're just home. Live in your space, let those who come in see the real way you do just that, and be yourself. A cup of coffee over a milk stained floor can go a long way...

Open your doors today. Tomorrow. Sometime soon. Home is meant to be lived in together. Mama's make home happen when they say...welcome!

Krispie Coconut Cookies

Around here we eat pretty healthy. But don't get me wrong. We enjoy foods, too. Food brings people together and sometimes that means whipping up what most consider "good" food. and everybody considers cookies good food! 

I love coconut and peanut butter in home-made granola bars. And these coconut cookies with rice krispies is one of my kids favorites...as well as the kids from the neighborhood who finds themselves in our yard this time of year. I can see why...

Butter.

 Home-made baking.

Gallops of peanut butter. 

Rice Krispies for the crunch effect!

Perfectly even baking on stoneware. (Ya'll should get a stone pan if you haven't yet!)

Perfection. Well, to this peanut butter, coconut, crunchy eating gal anyways.

Warm up the oven and throw these out today!

Krispie Coconut Cookies

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. white sugar, granulated (I cut back to 1/2)
1 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
1/2 tsp. salt (I hand tossed in, estimate here)
1 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
2 c. Rice Krispies
2 large eggs     
1 tsp. vanilla extract                                                                                                                
1/2 c. Peanut Butter                                                                                                                       
2 c. all-purpose flour                                                                                                                   
1 tsp. baking soda                                                                                                                           
2 c. oatmeal (I used old fashioned rolled oats here.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Hand stir in flour, soda and salt. Fold in coconut, oatmeal and Rice Krispies, mixing just until you have a firm dough. Shape cookies into large balls (approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and arrange on a stoneware or baking sheet. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes. 

We especially love these warm out of the oven. One of my go-to cookies for after school snacks! And when doing that...serve with a smile and enjoy! :)

superfood granola

As a food junkie, crunchy food during the week is a must. Just something about a tasty, crunchy treat that makes my mouth happy! I have a really bad habit of throwing things in a pan and guessing how it will turn out. It makes a really good habit though of discovering new ways to indulge in some of the boring old basics. Home-made granola is not a new trick in the kitchen, but I had fun playing around with some good ole super-food granola. Crunch (plus) toasty oats (plus) good for you (equals) perfection! Well, perfection for this gal's taste buds... you can be the judge of your own :)

You'll need: 

1 Cup Rolled Oats

1/2 Cup Steel Cut oats

1/2 Cup uncooked Quinoa

3 Tbsp. Flax Seed

2 Tbsp. Chia Seed

1 Cup chopped Raw Almonds

1 Cup chopped Raw Cashews

1/2 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds

1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 Tbsp. Raw Organic Honey

3 Tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil (heated to liquify)

Easy Directions:

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.

Blend heated coconut oil with your honey and vanilla.

Drizzle your wet mix over your dry ingredients. Stir well.

Layer on a baking stone or baking sheet/pan.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt (I didn't measure, just sprinkled)

Bake at 250 for about 2 hours, stirring a few times as it bakes. 

And simply serve with a smile and enjoy!

friday night pizza dough

I blogged about this before. It's one of my most asked for recipes though, so here it is again! I love traditions and my kids love pizza. Someday Friday nights will be filled with too many things to have us all home at the same time for family pizza night. I know we will go through seasons when one or two or five of us will have commitments outside of home. But I am hoping that by building these early traditions of a simple home-made pizza and movie night, that Friday nights will eventually bring us all back together. Traditions don't have to be fancy or big or overly planned... they just have to mean something to you and yours. You can do anything! Just build traditions! Or eat pizza on Fridays. Both are fun.

Friday Night Pizza Dough 

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 1/3 cups flour (unbleached white and whole wheat is what I use)

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let sit 10 minutes. Stir in salt, oil, flour. Knead, form ball. Let dough rise to doubled its size. Roll out. Use favorite toppings, bake at 425, 15-20 minutes.

Caramel Corn

It has only taken me 11 months, 15 days, and 1 week to finally post this recipe for my most patient friend. Okay, I don't know the exact numbers, but I do know she asked for this recipe almost a year ago! I remember making this, capturing the photos, and laying the dirty spilled on recipe card...??? Well that's just it. I did not remember where I placed the recipe card at. For months. Until I opened my pie recipe book this fall and there nestled in nicely between freshly picked cherry pie and sweet potatoe filling was the surprise of my caramel corn recipe. Still stained and much more then book-mark worthy and bringing the thoughts of my patient friend all back to me while I saved it from the pie book and placed it safely back in it's "Sweet Things" recipe box spot. So here it is, friend...sorry it took so long!

Caramel Corn (worth waiting for :)

6 Quarts Popped Corn

1 Cup Butter

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Light or Dark Corn Syrup

1 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250. Coat large baking pans with cooking spray. Place your popped corn in the pans.

2. In a stove top pan slowly melt butter, stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

3. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

4. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.

6. Pour over your popcorn and mix well together.

7. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

 Do not use margarine or some light thing... only the real good stuff.

 Get your kids involved for this one!

 Especially since the science experiment with the baking soda looks so cool...

 Mix well so every kernel gets some lov'in

 And use a plenty big enough pan for stirring it around...

And as always, serve it with a smile and enjoy!