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A glass jar with money in it and money spilled out around it.

Why You Should Create a Homeschool Budget

  When I first decided to homeschool I never really thought about the cost.  It wasn’t until a girlfriend of mine who had put both her children through homeschool said, “How much did you plan for your homeschool budget?” that I even realized it would cost me money.  When I asked her how much I should plan for.  She told me that a reasonable estimate was $800 a year. This was a shock to me as I am a money conscious person and I like to save my pennies anywhere I can.  I thought she was joking.  Then I started to take a look at the curriculum available and realized that her estimate was pretty accurate.  It could not only cost that much but even more depending on what I purchased. Preparing to Budget The number of homeschool options is overwhelming.  The truth is that even if you do all your research to pick a great program, that program might not be great for your child.  This can be costly or even frustrating to a parent as you may need to switch your curriculum to meet the needs of your child.  So the best thing you can do is start with a budget.  It doesn’t matter if that budget is $100 or $1000.  It’s important to have an idea of how much you are willing to spend on your curriculum each year.  This insures that you are able to plan and save for the things you need. Be prepared to go over budget as well.  Have an estimate of how much over you are willing to go.  Just like with public school additional expenses will come up.  You will want to take field trips and get school supplies. School Supplies Speaking of school supplies, look for discounts.  There are many different ways to get discounts on these.  There are online sites like the Discount School Supplies Company.  They offer great prices year round. As a homeschool parent you also have the ability to get a teachers discount through Michaels.  You will need to get a homeschool id card and fill out their online paperwork.  But the extra work is totally worth it.  I get a discount every time I go there. Another way to get savings is by waiting until the school year starts and then purchase school supplies when they go on sale at the local stores.  Since I’m not on a time crunch like all the other parents I can wait and get them a few weeks later than everyone else.  The 50% savings or more is worth my patience. Curriculum Discounts As for discounts on curriculum, the best way to get them is to sign up for email subscriptions to your favorite ones.  A lot of them will run specials for different things throughout the year.  I’ve started to purchase curriculum in advance of the next school year when it goes on sale.  But only for the curriculum I really like.  You can also look into purchasing a lot of these used on online bookstores.  But be careful.  I have purchased used curriculum that said it was in “like new” condition and it was completely written in when I got it.  Don’t just buy from anywhere because its low cost.  Make sure you trust where you are getting your items from and that they have a good return policy. Final Thoughts Keep in mind budgets are not set in stone.  If they are not working for you, consider modifying our changing them up. Don’t forget to plan ahead.  Think about purchasing next years projects early or even after public school starts.  This saves a lot of money.  Feel free to let me know how you plan for and cut costs on your budget.

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Two kids sitting in front of a television on the floor.

Where I Find Educational Videos

  So I really like to add videos to my curriculum.  I’m definitely an old school mom when it comes to technology.  I want my child to find joy in the great outdoors.  There will be time enough for digital devices in life.  But educational videos can be a useful tool. They can explain a subject much better than I can.  They can be used to keep a child engaged in an otherwise uninteresting subject.  So we spend most of our educational time off devices.  But, I definitely think they have their place. YouTube When I first started school I used YouTube a lot.  There are some really incredible educational shows out there like the Amoeba Sisters.  But my problem with YouTube is that there is so much content that I don’t want my child exposed to. Even on kid friendly channels

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Ginger Ale Syrup sitting on a table that has a pretty floral tablecloth.

Ginger Ale Simple Syrup

  Ginger is one of my favorite spices.  Growing up in a Asian family we used it medicinally as well as for food.  It’s good for so many things such as stomach upset and digestion.  I used it for morning sicknesses as well.  I just love its spicy flavor. So it’s no surprise Ginger Ale is one of my favorite soda flavors. But I gave up drinking regular soda years ago.  Too many things in it I just don’t want my family eating.  I started making soda syrups so we could enjoy the occasional splurge and still feel good about it.  Basically, a soda syrup is a concentrated syrup that you mix with carbonated water to produce a soda.  Anyone who has worked in a restaurant can tell you that’s how all soda fountain machines do it.  They mix boxes of syrup in a machine with carbonated water to give you your beverage. Carbonation Machines If you want your own machine, you can use a Soda Stream like we do.  We don’t use any of the pre made syrups that come with the machine because we make our own.  In essence, we just take out the middle man and do it ourselves.  If you have never heard of a Soda Stream, it is a carbonation machine that adds C02 to water for you.  You can have it made whenever you need it.  It’s really handy. About This Recipe This recipe only requires two ingredients.  Sugar and fresh ginger.  You will notice I recommend using organic cane sugar. I personally use only organic sugars.  But that’s a post for a different day.  I prefer both cane sugar and/or a turbinado sugar in this recipe for the caramel flavors they produce.  It adds a depth to this syrup which I really like.  If that’s not your thing.  Either go with a lighter cane sugar or you can use white sugar as well.  Just know that the flavor will be less caramel like at the end. The ginger needs to be as fresh as possible.  The fresher it is the less you need to peel it.  So if its fresh just give it a rough peel. If its from a farmers market and the quality is amazing, you could skip peeling it all together. After you peel it you will want to slice it. Once it is sliced just rough chop it.  If it is an older piece of ginger just make sure that it is peeled well and remove any unwanted pieces.  Ginger is notorious for getting mold on the ends when it gets old.  Throw any of that out.  You don’t need to be super precise with the cutting.  You just want to give the ginger as much surface area as possible.  The smaller the chop, the stronger the ginger flavor will be.  I went with a medium chop in this case. Once it’s chopped place it along with the sugar and water in a pot. Turn it on medium and allow it to simmer for five minutes. Then allow it to sit and steep like a tea for 12-24 hours.  Longer is stronger people. How to Bottle and Store Once it’s done steeping you will need to strain it either through cheesecloth or a super fine strainer to remove any pieces of ginger which could later cause mold.  I actually used two strainers.  The one pictured was the larger one.  I did squeeze the ginger to remove all the juice.  Then I used a fine strainer to remove the small pieces. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to use. The syrups can last anywhere from a week to two months in the fridge depending on how high the sugar concentration is. To use, start by adding 4-5 Tbs of syrup to 8 oz carbonated water.  If its not strong enough for you add more ginger, if it’s too strong add more carbonated water.  It’s that simple.  Add this to hot water to make  ginger tea when you are sick or you can use it as a sweetener for your iced tea.  This also makes a wonderful cocktail syrup.  It’s even good on oatmeal.  Feel free to share what you end up using this syrup for. A simple two ingredient syrup to make your own at home Ginger Ale Soda or cocktail syrup.

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A variety of Fermentation Jars on a table to show the differences.

Fermentation Jars and Lids

  When I first started fermenting in jars, everything I made came out moldy or gross.  It’s amazing I didn’t give up.  Most fermentation of old was done in dark cool places.  This does not describe where I live.  It’s hot and it’s dry.  It’s not an easy place to ferment foods.  Then one day I discovered fermentation jars and lids and my whole world changed.   If you have never tried these, you’re missing out.  There are many different kinds which we will talk about.  I’ll also talk about my favorite. Types of Jars There are a few types of these jars and lids readily available on the internet.  So if you can’t find them near your house, you can get them shipped to you.  They are: Fermentation CrockBubbling Airlock Lids and JarsSuction Style Airlock LidsPickle Pipes Fermentation Crocks Fermentation crocks are the original fermentation jars made of either ceramic, stoneware or earthenware jars most of the time.  They sort of look like cookie jars with or without lids.  They can also come weighted or without weights.  Some of them can be sealed with water to make them airtight as well.   If used properly these can last for years and produce wonderful ferments.  There is a reason they have stood the test of time.  There are some downsides to them.  They are the most expensive of the group especially if you get a good quality one.  They are not as no fuss as some of the other options either.  You must check on your crock and remove scum from the top as you ferment if its not water sealed.  There is definitely a learning curve to getting these right.   The nice thing is that fermentation crocks are easy to clean and sanitize.  They are made to last for years so you won’t need to replace it unless you damage or break it. Bubbling Airlock Lids and Jars These are an amazing invention.  The bubbling airlock can consist of a jar and separate lid combo which is usually attached to a mason jar.  It can also be one complete jar and lid unit.  It can have a single bubbler or a double.  The main thing you are looking for is quality.  Make sure the lids contain a seal inside the lid and that all the components fit together tightly. Once the airlock jar is sealed, gases form inside the jar from the fermentation process.  Those gases push up and force oxygen out through the bubbler which gets expelled outside of the jar.  This creates an extremely low oxygen environment and prevents mold growth.   I absolutely love these jars and lids.  I use them all the time.  They are the jars I used to make my Fermented Chopped Garlic recipe.  They are my go to fermentation jar.  The only time I have ever had one fail was from user error.  I overfilled my jar and it exploded through the bubbler.  My bad! They are easy to clean and maintain.  They last a long time if properly cared for.  The only negative is that there are a lot of parts, but even that is worth it. Suction Style Airlock Lids Suction style airlock lids are a newer take on the airlock lid.  They are a screw on lid that goes on your mason jar at home.  They have a gasket ring on the inside to seal the jar similar to the airlock.  Once you have the lid on you use a suction pump (like a reverse bicycle air pump) to pull out the remaining oxygen from the jar.  As the jar ferments, gasses are allowed to escape through the one way valve you use to suction out the air.  Again similar to the airlock jars.  Some of them even have dials on them that let you know when you started your ferment. I have a set of these and they definitely work.  Although I do have the occasional jar fail.  I find that certain ferments work better in this jar than others.  The nicest part about these is that they are definitely more space saving than the crocks or the airlock jars.  Which is really nice if you have a small house.  Suction style airlock lids are also really easy to clean.  The main drawback to these are price.  They cost almost double what the airlock jars do.   Pickle Pipes I had my first experience with Pickle Pipes at my cousins house where she was fermenting some food.  I thought these were fascinating.  It’s a small ring of silicone with a nipple on the top kind of like a baby bottle.  You can attach it to any mason jar to turn it into a fermentation jar.  My cousin just loved them and they worked great for her. So I ran home and bought a set of Pickle Pipes.  I love the design.  They take up almost no space and are almost stackable.  They cost about the same as the airlock lids.  So I gave them a go and immediately had mold growing within a few days.  I assumed this was user error so I tried another batch.  Mold again.   What I think is happening is that while these are referred to as airlock lids, they do not keep as much out as an actual airlock jar or suction style lid.  The other problem is the climate I live in.  It’s already not a great environment for fermentation.  Which is why I think they work so well for my cousin.  She lives in a much cooler area in the mountains.   So while I think these probably work great for some people, they aren’t for everyone. Final Thoughts So the truth is you can ferment in any jar with a little work.  But I’m lazy and I like a very low rate of failure when I ferment foods.  It takes time, energy and money to produce them.  I personally hate throwing them away.  So while any of these

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Himalayan Pink Salt being poured into a wooden bowl.

What Type of Salt Should I Use?

  I never really understood the importance of salt until the day my mother was hospitalized with an auto immune disorder. Her body started to purge all the salt in her. She began to swell up and she nearly died. Turns out you really can’t live without salt. So you could say my family is now a little obsessed with salt. With that in mind, lets talk about types of salt today. So most people have plain old salt. You know the one with the little girl holding the umbrella. It’s also called table salt. It is usually processed from underground mines and then cleaned to removed impurities. After which it is fortified with iodine to help people with thyroid function. I do not keep this salt in my house. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I do have it. I just use it to clean my cast iron skillets. Nutritionally, there really isn’t anything wrong with table salt. It is salt after all. But I’m not fond of it in cooking. I find it gets saltier tasting as you cook with it. Personally, I can taste the differences in types of salt. I also like my foods to be as nutrient dense as possible. So I choose other forms. How do I decide which? Well, lets talk about a few. Himalayian Pink Salt Himalayan Pink salt is such a pretty color. It has up to 84 trace minerals that are not found in table salt. One of these, iron in particular, gives it that pretty pink color. It also contains calcium and potassium. It’s also a minimally processed food which helps it to retain minerals. It comes from a salt mine near Pakistan. This can be used in place of regular table salt. But keep in mind, there are many different grinds of this salt. Everything from course to super fine. You will need to adjust the salt based on the size of the grind. The finer the grind, the less you need. Kosher Salt Kosher salt is another minimally processed salt. It mostly comes from salt deposits. This helps it to retain its white color. It’s a course salt with uneven grains. It has no added ingredients, iodine, minerals or otherwise. These lack of ingredients and it’s crunchy texture are what make its flavor so appealing to chefs. It creates a light flavor of salt in food. My favorite place to use it is for foods that will have a long cooking time such as soups. This salt never gets saltier as you cook. So what you put in, is what it tastes like from beginning to end. It’s also my choice of salt for pickling foods as well as brining. This is the salt I use for my Fermented Garlic Recipe.  Let’s not forget those margaritas. Kosher is the salt for this application as well. Hawaiian Red Alaea Sea Salt I first tasted this fantastic Alaea salt on my trip to Hawaii. It is sometimes referred to as Hawaiian table salt. It it a beautiful red color which makes it easy to identify. It’s typically extracted from lava veins in Hawaii. It contains up to 80 natural elements, electrolytes and trace minerals, like potassium and magnesium. Red alaea is also rich in iron oxides, which makes for a great digestible form of dietary iron. It has an earthy flavor profile. It’s typically a larger grain of salt which gives it a crunch when you bite into it. My favorite way to eat this is as the Hawaiians do, on top of fruit. It is absolutely fantastic on things like pineapples and watermelon. In Hawaii it is used as both a finishing salt as well as a salt to preserve foods. It’s a staple in Kalua Pig. Hawaiian Black Sea Salt Known in Hawaii as Hiwa Kai this is a pacific sea salt that is typically mixed with activated charcoal derived from coconut shells. It has all the benefits of natural sea salt with the added benefits of activated charcoal. Charcoal is naturally a detoxifier. It can help to assist the kidneys in filtering toxins. It can help with intestinal gas and diarrhea. I use this mostly as a finishing salt. It has an awesome black color that looks great on food. As far as taste, it tends to have a more earthy flavor due to the charcoal. No surprise. Maldon Flake Salt Maldon salt is a gourmet sea salt that has been harvested from the Blackwater estuary in the English town of Maldon since ancient times. It literally looks like flakes of snow. If that snow were shaped like a pyramid. It’s not overpoweringly salty. It’s prized for not only it’s extremely crunchy texture. But also for it’s lightness. I absolutely love this salt. It’s hard to describe, but it doesn’t taste like any other kind. It’s not as salty tasting and the crunch is lovely. I use this for all kinds of things. It’s unique shape and subtle flavor is not meant to be cooked with. This is a true finishing salt. This is the salt meant to go on top of your carmels and your favorite ice cream. It’s a crunchy salty topping for your salads. It is fabulous on popcorn. Things to Keep in Perspective When we are talking about the nutritional value of salt, it’s important to keep in mind we are talking about very small amounts. Trace amounts in fact. No one is eating buckets full of the stuff. However, in my humble opinion, every little bit helps. We humans do not get enough nutrition in our diets even at the best of times. So if I can increase that, no matter how small, I will. Lots of small things equal big things later. Which Salt Should I Use? The answer is, all of them. All of these salts have their own unique flavor profiles and uses. Some are meant to cook with and some are meant to go on top of

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Fermented Garlic sitting in a bowl on a bamboo plate.

Simple Fermented Chopped Garlic

  I can’t for the life of me remember why I started making this Fermented Chopped Garlic recipe. It could be because it only requires two ingredients, Salt and garlic.  Maybe it’s because I hate messing with and chopping garlic.  It could also be that I forget to purchase it from the store when I run out. This recipe serves all of my lazy girl needs. I only have to make this once every 6 months because it lasts forever in the fridge. Which also means I only have to deal with garlic every six months. Win win. If you don’t wish to deal with fresh garlic at all you can simply purchase the pre-peeled bags of it to make this recipe. I’ve done it. Both ways work. Just know fresher is always going to taste just a little better. In this recipe I use either Kosher Salt or Himalayian Pink Salt.  If you are unsure of which salt to use read my post on Types of Salt.  It will explain more. A Word About Airlock Jars The only piece of hardware I really recommend is an Airlock jar. I have used many different jars for fermentation. Airlock jars are my absolute favorite. My husband handmade mine. But, if you aren’t into that you can simply purchase them on the World Wide Web. If you don’t know which kind of fermentation jars to get be sure to check out my post all about them HERE.  I like to leave this to sit for at least two weeks. But it’s usually longer. The garlic will change in color slowly. It will naturally darken. I’ve had some of it turn green. It’s totally fine as long as its not moldy. This usually has to do with either the age of the garlic or the compounds in the garlic changing from the fermentation process. Make sure not to fill the container less than an inch to the top. The garlic will expand after several days due to the fermentation process. If you over fill the jar, the garlic will attempt to escape your container. This is why I love airlock jars. Most fermentation needs as little air as possible to prevent mold growth. So typically you want your product either submerged under liquid or filled near the top of the jar to prevent oxygen. But with the airlock it removes most of the oxygen due to the expanse of gases pushing more air out of the one way valve without the need for extra food in the jar. It prevents mold and you don’t need to overfill the container.   How to Fill the Bubbler Once you have the product filled make sure to fill the top bubbler to the designated line.  Most people use water which will work fine.  I however, like to use vodka.  Vodka tends to keep it mold free and more sanitary which I’m all about.  For some reason I also find it makes it the airlock work  better. Either way, make sure if you keep the jar fermenting for several weeks you check on the liquid level in the bubbler and refill as needed. Do I Need a Weight for This? So I use fermentation weights for most of my ferments.  This is one of the exceptions.  It is a very dry ferment.  So there is not a lot of liquid.  There really isn’t anywhere for the fermentation weight to go.  So it really isn’t necessary or very functional. Making the Next Batch and Storage Once you have leftover garlic from your first batch, make sure to mix a little with the new one. This will help the fermentation process to go much faster on the next batch. Be aware that when you break the seal to open it, the scent of garlic will knock your socks off. The garlic scent as well as the flavor increases with the fermentation process.  So you can reduce the amount of garlic in your recipes if you like. Storage and Cleanup Once you are all done, store it in the refrigerator and use as needed.  It will keep for around six months.  I recommend keeping one airlock jar just for garlic if you can.  I also recommend hand washing your container and airlocks even if they are dishwasher safe.  If you don’t it will make your dishwasher smell like garlic for a week.   This recipe is easy to double or even triple. I make a pound and a half at a time. Don’t forget to use it to make garlic bread. You’ll never want store bought again.  Fermented Chopped Garlic    

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