Gluten Free Goodness. Frito Lay style.

I was at the local supermarket this morning, and had a hankering for some good salty chips, and some homemade guacamole!  Mmm!  (it was good too!) As we know my oldest is gluten free, so by association the rest of us are gluten light.  Solidarity!  So, when I buy groceries for the family, I keep it gluten free.  I just didn't want the lovely rice/sweet potato/blue corn exotic chips found on the GF aisle.  So there I stand on the plain old Chip Aisle reading the ingredients on bags and bags.  So, I came home and decided to check out the website and Frito Lay is so GF friendly!  Hooray!!! 

So for your snacking pleasure I have linked to their list of GF free chips and snacks!  Enjoy!

U.S. Gluten Free Products and Products Not Containing Gluten Ingredients | Frito-Lay

New Obsession

Ok, so I very easily get obsessed with new things.  I was into scrapbooking for a while and collected all this stuff.  I did a couple of albums and even set up my own scrapbooking area in our house when we moved about 6 years ago, and haven't scrapped since.  Pathetic!  I know! 

Anyway, thanks to Pinterest I'm trying things I haven't ever wanted to do.  I am all about making my own laundry detergent, fabric softener etc.  My friend gave me a recipe and I got one from Pinterest.  Since, I'm me, and I never just follow a recipe, I made my first batch with some alterations. 


The first recipe from Pinterest actually comes from this Blog post.  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/make-a-years-worth-of-laundry-soap.html
Jillee has a pretty cool blog and I'm excited about all the ideas I've gotten so far.  Here is the basic recipe. 

1 box  Borax
1 box Washing Soda
2 cups Baking Soda
2 containers Oxyclean
3 bars Fels-Naphta (grated)
1-2 containers Purex fabric softener crystals. 

My friend Lori, who is FABULOUS and all things natural, and Zen gave me this recipe.

1 box Borax
4 lb Box Washing Soda
4 lb Baking Soda
2 lb. oxyclean
3 bars Fels-Naphta or 2 bars Zote

I made the recipe given to me by my friend.  Because, I'm nothing if not Loyal!  However, I did adjust it a little.   I couldn't find the bars of Zote, and the Fels-Naphta had too strong a scent.  So, I used Bars of Ivory instead. 

It was great, I do think I got the measurement per load wrong though.  I have been severely oversoaping my laundry.  Even so, my clothes are clean and smell faintly good. 

I can't have perfumes in my detergent, activates my allergies so much that I can't even go into my laundry room.  Bummer! 

My next batch will be the Pinterest/Jillee recipe except for the Fels/Naphta adn the Purex fabric softener crystals.  I'll leave the crystals out altogether and substitute Ivory, unless I can find an unscented Fels-Naphta bar. 

Is there a detergent recipe that you have used?  How did you like it?  Feel free to share!

Auntie Beth's Dog Sitting Service

Boys and Girls, this is Auntie Beth, the Carpoolqueen's alter ego. 

I am Babysitting my  mom's 2 Cairn Terriers, Bonnie and Gus, since she is having surgery this week.  I couldn't be there with her, so I'm taking care of her babies. 

We are having an interesting time.  I have 3 dogs.  A black lab named Zeus, who is a Momma's boy, a beagle named Xena who is our alpha dog, and Zoey who we rescued last summer.  We think she is a miniature labradoodle.  She is a hoot and always ready to wrestle.  Gus and Bonnie, lead a life of leisure in the country.  Gus, is ok, with my girls (Xena and Zoey) but not so much with Zeus.  Can you say Napoleon Complex?

 Last night, we were home catching up on homework, and rest since Uncle D (aka CarpoolKing) has the flu!  Yay!  When my oldest daughter opened the front door to go get the sports drink from the truck, a bird flew into the house.  It's been raining a lot and I guess our uninvited guest wanted to get dry.  Ok, I now have 5 dogs in the house, and all of them decide to go crazy!  There was much barking, and running around and jumping.  I finally got all the critters into their kennels, since they'd chase Mr. Bird all around the house and follow him outside and down the street and keep after him. 

So, now Mr. Bird, is wondering why we don't want to share our warm dry house with him?  So, we got 2 brooms and tied a flat sheet to the handles to make a "wall" so we can escort him outside.  Hmm, guess who landed on our "wall" and flew right over?  Oh, yea!  So, we got the mop and long handled dustpan and made another wall.  Imagine our surprise when he kept flying back and forth. 

30 minutes later, a dozen failed attempts and much barking and whining later we finally got him to leave.  When we finally let the dogs back out, they had to search every corner of the house to make sure there weren't any feathered friends still lurking about. 

Is it just me?

I love Harry Potter!  I want to make sure you all know, that It has been a huge part of my life.  I have 2 kids who are as addicted as I am.  We've read the books, watched the movies, and listened to all the books on tape.  Heaven!  I'm sure you could write a book on ...Everything I've learned about life I learned from Harry Potter.  Anyway, so in the books, Harry was supposed to have green eyes like Lily.  They keep making comments about Harry's green eyes.  In the movie they don't have him wear contacts, or even CG his eyes.  Really?! 

Then in the last and final film, in a pivotal scene, where all is revealed.  And....Harry doesn't even have his mother's eyes.  For the one scene, and the close up, could they not have given her blue eyes.  I mean, REALLY!  7 books and 7 previous movies where everyone has to make the observation and in the final analysis they couldn't CG her eyes for a couple of minutes of film?!?! 

Latkas and Creamy Chicken

Was in the mood to cook
had only a weird selection of things since I haven't made it to the market since Christmas. Had some potatoes and some chicken....so here's what I came up with.

Latkas with Creamy chicken sauce. 

For the Latkas, I shredded 4 potatoes, wrung them dry in a clean dish towel.  Lightly beat 2 eggs.  I added a few tablespoons of besan/gran flour (made from ground chickpeas since we are gluten free) then the eggs.  Mixed well.  Put some butter/vegetable oil in a skillet over medium/high heat.  Dropped the potato mixture into the skillet using a tablespoon.  Sprinkled with salt and pepper once in the skillet.  Flipped after a few minutes, and cooked in small batches. 

My chicken in cream sauce:
I had boneless skinless thighs, which I salted/peppered/garlic powdered then seared in a skillet in olive oil.  Once cooked thru, remove them and saute onion and thinly sliced/cubed squash.  Once done remove them and set aside with the chicken pieces.  In the skillet melt a couple tablespoons of butter and add a couple of table spoons of the besan flour making a paste.  Slowly add milk (about a cup and a half) until fully incorporated.  Slowly bring to a low boil, then add 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, then add back in the chicken and vegetables.  Let simmer until it thickens (about 15 minutes or so.) over medium high heat. 

I used squash because it was all I had, but it was good and the touch of sweet with the creamy sauce meant my youngest Carpoolprincess would eat it.  There was a lot of sauce and it was so warm and comforting, perfect for a cold January night.  We brought out the fine paper plates because no one wants to do any extra dishes. 

Under Construction

So, I changed the look of my Blog!  I'm trying something new that is more earthy and my style.  I like color and whimsy but right now, I'm into earthy.  If you stop by and like what you see or prefer the older look, feel free to leave a comment!  Thanks for stopping by and visiting?

2013 Ongoing Reading List

Not sure how many I'm going to read this year, but I hope they are really Great!

January
1. Big Sky Counrty by linda Lael Miller~~~4 stars
2..  The Lady most Willing by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway~~~4.5 stars
3.  Maid for Love by Marie Force~~~3.5 stars
4. See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson~~~4.5 stars
5.  One More Day by Minx Malone~~~4 stars
6.  The Trouble with Valentines Day by Rachel Gibson~~~4.5 stars
7.  Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis~~~4.5 stars

February
8  Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis~~~4.5 stars.
9. Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis~~~4.5 stars.
10.  Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller~~~4 stars
11. Big Sky River by Linda lael Miller~~~4 stars

March
12.  Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros~~~finished 5 stars.
13. Fool for Love by Marie Force~~~finished 4 stars. Good but easy to put down
14. Immortal Ever After by lynsay Sands~~~finished 4 stars
15Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas~~~finished 3.5 stars
16. Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater ~~~finished 3 stars It was an Inspirational Romance.

April
17 True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson~~~finished 4.5 stars
18.  the Pirate Next Door by Jennifer Ashley~~~finished 4 stars
19. The Pirates Lady by Jennifer Ashley ~~~ finished 4 stars
20. Lone Wolf by Jennifer Ashley~~~finished 4 stars
21. Kiss of Pride by Sandra Hill~~~finished 3 stars
22. The Bride Bargain by Kelly Eileen Hake~~~finished 3 stars (it was ok)
23. The Bride Backfire by Kelly Eileen Hake~~~finished 3 stars
24. The Bride Blunder by Kelly Eileen Hake ~~~finished 3 stars

May
25.  Nothing but Trouble by Rachel Gibson~~~finished 4 1/2 stars
26.  The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James ~~~finished 4 stars
27.  Sawyer by Lori Foster ~~~3.5 stars
28. Vision in White by Nora Roberts~~~Still Awesome!
29.  Halfway There by Susan Mallery~~~finished 3 stars (too quick)
30. The Wanderer by Robyn Carr ~~~finished 4 stars
31. Mail-Order Mayhem by Kirsten Osbourne~~~3.5 Stars

June
32. Mail Order Mama by Kirsten Osbourne~~~4 stars
33. Mail Order Madness by Kirsten Osbourne~~~4 stars
34.  Mail Order Mixup by Kirsten Osbourne~~~4 stars
35. Mail Order Mistake by Kirsten Osbourne~~~4 stars
36.  Mail Order Maternity by Kirsten Osbourne~~~4 stars
       Morgan by Lori Foster dnf
37. Mail Order Matchmaker by Kirsten Osbourne~~~currently reading

Days 24 & 25 of 25 Days of "What Christmas means to Me"

Day 24 of 25 Days of "What Christmas means to Me"

 3 Wise Men who follow a special star for a very long time and a very far distance to honor a child born from God to Save all. For the wisdom of the "Great" to bow down and offer precious gifts, to humble themselves before Christ.


Day 25 of 25 Days of "What Christmas means to Me"
It is Christ the Savior. It is the faces of my children when they open presents chosen with love