mjkisner – Page 29 – Mary's Musings

Time to Make Pizza

Many of you know that I can’t eat eggs or dairy products. However, I can still eat meat…so I’m a vegan that can eat meat! Go figure! Commercial pizza is out of the question because of the cheese restriction. I’ve tried pizza without cheese and it just doesn’t taste right. So, we basically avoid buying it. I’ve tried making my own pizza, but still…no cheese makes it a boring meal.

If you recall, back in August when we were blessed with an overabundance of lovely tomatoes (see https://marykisner.com/time-to-make-pizza-sauce/), we made a big batch of sauce and labeled it pizza sauce knowing it could be used with many other recipes. I was always hoping I would find a good substitute for the cheese.

We were cruising Trader Joe’s last week and found a bag of vegan shredded mozzarella style cheese…a “cashew cheese alternative.” The description on the back of the bag sounded interesting. Time to give pizza another try!

I really do hate to waste my time making pizza crust from scratch if I won’t be able to eat it. Unfortunately, the prepared pizza crusts found at the grocery store (the brand is Boli…or something like that) say they have “milk” in them…which usually means they’ve seasoned it with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings. However, we found these Mediterranean Flat Breads that baked like a thin crust pizza shell! They worked great!

Bert likes cooked meat on his pizza so he cooked hamburger with onions. We opened a can of sliced black olives and a can of sliced mushrooms. Bert used regular cheese and I tried the new stuff. One half-pint jar of our pizza sauce was just enough for both pizzas.

Here’s my pizza ready to go in the oven.

After 15 minutes at 365 degrees, my fake cheese looked sort of melted. However, it tasted GREAT!! I consider this a win! Boy am I glad we made all that sauce. Now it would be worth it to make my own crust…or not! The flat bread came out crunchy and was delicious.

Almost forgot to take a picture before I polished it off!

Now I’ll be excited to take good care of next year’s tomatoes, knowing we’ll put the sauce to good use! I can see t his fake cheese being useful in many dishes where cheese is used as a topping or minor ingredient. I’m not sure I’d like a whole dish of macaroni and this cheese. It tasted good but the mouth-feel was a little different. However, this pizza was a great success. Give it a try! Enjoy!

Please comment or send me an email directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

More Creative Mending

My dear son-in-law gave me a new challenge at Christmas time. He is in construction and landscaping and his hard work is reflected in these sweatshirts! (I do suspect he asks me to try to mend things just for fun.)

This particular challenge involved two hooded sweatshirts that probably should be thrown out, but the main issue was the pocket pouch on the front of each. They were ripped and shredded because he shoves his keys and tools, etc. into them. He also gave me a third sweatshirt that I could use as replacement fabric. Apparently, he wants to have his company logo visible, not a football team. I offered to buy him a new sweatshirt, but noooo, he thought I should try to fix these! See what I mean…he’s teasing me!

Here are the steps I followed to mend them:

First, I cut the damaged pocket pouches off the shirts.

Note the stress holes where the old pocket was attached.

Next, I prepped the inside front of the shirt with a large piece of sturdy cotton so the pocket would have a stable base to be sewn to.

Then I used the old pocket as a pattern on the extra sweatshirt to cut two new pockets. I used the fabric under the arm because it didn’t have much wear and tear.

I sewed a hem on the curved sides of each pocket and placed them on the front of the shirt. I was not about to try to unstitch the leftover pieces of the old pocket. They aren’t pretty, but don’t affect the new pocket’s use.

I pinned and sewed the new pocket down.

I also took the ribbing off the bottom edge of one of the old shirts because it was shredded. I used the ribbing off the replacement shirt and fixed that too.

If either of these sweatshirts end up back in my mending basket, I guarantee they will be disposed of! However, each time I take on a job like this, I learn something new! Enjoy!

Please comment or send me an email directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Pocket Hand Warmers

After making hot or cold neck wraps last week I was left with assorted scraps of fabric.

I started cutting some of the scraps into 4 1/2″ squares. I made little pouches (like a bean bag) and filled them with 1/4 cup of flax seeds. They can be warmed in the microwave and placed in your pockets when you head out on a cold day.

To make two pocket warmers, you’ll need 1/4 yard or one fat quarter or scraps of:

cotton fabric, cotton flannel and muslin; cotton thread; and 1/2 cup flaxseeds.

Here are steps to make one pocket warmer:

Step 1: Cut out two 4 1/2″ squares: one of cotton and one of cotton flannel fabric. Cut out two 4 1/2″ squares of cotton muslin.

Step 2: Stack the squares with the fabric pieces right sides together and the muslin pieces on each side.

Step 3: Stitch around the edge, leaving a 2″ gap so it can be turned right side out. Trim the corners.

Step 4: Turn the pouch right side out and top stitch around the edge, leaving the gap open for filling.

Step 5: Fill the pouch with 1/4 cup (plus a little more if desired) of flax seeds.

Step 6: Top stitch the gap closed.

To Use the Pocket Hand Warmers:

Place two hand warmers into the microwave and heat for about 15-20 seconds. Put them in your coat pocket. They should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and leave behind residual heat for about 30 minutes.

This was a great way to use up fabric scraps and doesn’t take very long. Enjoy!!

Update on Several Projects

Many of the projects I write about are experiments and represent the first time I make something. After I’ve made something several times my techniques get more consistent. Sometimes the project is a total bust…it doesn’t work like I thought it would. Other times, because I made a dozen of something, you did not see the final result. I’d like to update you on a few of the projects I’ve made over the last several months.

This post will share 6 project updates:

The car air freshener…does it work?
A better way to store the lotion bars.
The DIY perfume experiment…which formula worked?
The finished ornaments made with recycled vintage lace.
A tool to keep the roller balls from falling over.
Using a pipette to transfer hot liquid instead of pouring into tiny containers.

The car air freshener…does it work?

Here is the original post: https://marykisner.com/make-a-simple-car-air-freshener/

Quick answer…YES! It worked great. After soaking the wood several times with essential oil I put it on the vent in the car. the first day it was quite strong (probably because the oil was freshly applied) but once it dried out a little it was perfect. The scent lasted over 3 weeks. I started a second one with a different scent and stored it in a zip lock bag until I needed it. I will keep them in labeled bags so I don’t mix them up.

2. A better way to store the lotion bars.

Here is the original article: https://marykisner.com/healing-lotion-bars-with-manuka-essential-oil/

The lotion bars store well in the 2 oz. tins that I’m using…EXCEPT…they tend to stick to the smooth inside of the tin. After using the plastic grid squares that I used for the travel soap (https://marykisner.com/travel-soap-that-works/) I thought I’d try it in the lotion bar tins. It worked great! It kept the bar from sticking to the tin. A simple solution to an annoying problem!

I cut this 12″ x 18″ sheet into 2″ squares and trimmed the corners.

3. The DIY perfume experiment…which formula worked?

Here’s the original post: https://marykisner.com/diy-perfume/

I ended up making only the roller ball perfume and the solid formula perfume. The spray will have to wait for now. The solid perfume was harder to apply and the scent did not last. The roller ball perfume was OK but applying it was much easier. HOWEVER…after a few weeks of just sitting on my dresser, I shook it up and tried it again. Amazingly, it smells wonderful and lasts all day. I was so surprised! I had read that the scents would blend and mellow over time…and they did! I guess the roller ball perfume, made of just grapeseed oil and three scents, will be something I’ll use more frequently!

4. The finished ornaments made with recycled vintage lace.

Here is the original article: https://marykisner.com/adding-vintage-lace-edging-to-ornaments/

I worked on the ornaments for a month or two and by early December, they were all done. Before I gave them out as gifts at a luncheon, I displayed them on my “ornament tree” so I could take a picture of them. They did not all fit but enough did to show you the variety. I have a few left over, so I’ll add them to my stash of homemade ornaments.

5. A tool to keep the roller balls from falling over.

Here is the post about using the roller balls: https://marykisner.com/essential-oils-and-nail-care/

It wasn’t until I was trying to make more than one roller ball at a time that I realized it was important to find a way to keep them from falling over while I carefully dropped essential oils into them. When making the nail serum I finally used one of the tiny cardboard boxes they were mailed in to keep them upright. That worked, but they were not very durable. Bert to the rescue! He had just made me a holder for the lip balm tubes. The holes were too small for the roller balls. So…he made another one with bigger holes. I think I could use it for the lip balm tubes too. They don’t have to be held tightly, they just have to not fall over if I bump them. Problem solved!

This small divided cardboard box worked but the tubes were almost too close together.

The roller ball holes were just a little bit bigger. I think I could use this for the lip balm tubes also.

6. Using a pipette to transfer hot liquid instead of pouring into tiny containers.

Here is the first attempt to pour into 5 ml containers: https://marykisner.com/essential-oils-and-nail-care/

When I melt ingredients I work with heat-safe glass measuring cups. They work great to pour into large molds, but pouring into tiny tubes or containers is impossible. You saw the evidence of that when I tried to pour hot melted mixtures into tiny 5 ml containers or lip balm tubes. I discovered some recipes suggested using a pipette, which looks like a tiny turkey baster! What a great solution! I ordered a bag of 100 disposable tubes and I’m no longer afraid to try to fill tiny containers.

The disposable pipette shown at the bottom of the picture solved the problem!

That’s an update on a few projects. Every time I try something new I learn something about my ingredients and my tools. If nothing else, I’m having fun! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly if you have questions: marykisner@comcast.net.

Hot or Cold Neck Wrap

My first attempt to make a microwavable hot or cold eye pillow was back on May 25, 2021. It was just a small pouch filled with flax seeds (about 9″ x 5″) that could be microwaved for 20-30 seconds and felt good on my forehead…or in my case, on my jaw before a root canal. I made a second one so I could keep one in the freezer to be a cold compress. It wouldn’t melt like ice cubes and could be re-chilled and used again. (See: https://marykisner.com/making-a-hot-or-cold-eye-pillow-for-headaches-or-toothaches/)

I’ve been asked by a friend to make a longer version that would wrap better around the neck. From what I could read about making and using a neck wrap, if I just made one long “pillow” the stuffing could shift all to one end. If it was too full, it wouldn’t wrap around the neck and stay put. Time to experiment!

First, I had to go to Nature’s Pantry to buy more flax seed. Luckily, they carry it in bulk so I could get a bag full! Flax seeds are not terribly expensive. This bag cost less than $10.

Then I had to make a pattern. I use this thin grid “paper” to make patterns. It looks like it’s marked in 1″ squares, but be careful. The grid lines help to keep it lined up with the grain of the fabric, but it is not an accurate way to measure. Look at the discrepancy:

I wanted a pattern about 24″ x 5″. I decided to compromise and cut the pattern on the line so at least the edge would be straight. Since I’m experimenting, I was guessing anyway!

To make the bag sturdy enough to resist flax seeds poking through the fabric, I decided to line it with muslin.

To Make a Neck Wrap, you will need:

2 pieces of muslin, about 24″ x 5″

1 piece of cotton fabric, about 24″ x 5″

1 piece of cotton flannel, about 24″ x 5″

Cotton thread

About 3 cups of flax seeds

Making the Neck Wrap…First Try

Step 1: With right sides together of the cotton fabric and flannel and the muslin pieces on the outside, sew around the rectangular “sandwich” stack of fabric, leaving a 3″ space at one end to turn it right side out.

Step 2: Trim the corners.

Step 3: Turn right side out.

Step 4: Top stitch close to the edge around three sides leaving the end open for stuffing.

Step 5: I marked the stitching lines that I would use as I filled each section. Mark out larger sections on the end with the smallest section in the center. I thought the smaller sections around the back of the neck would help it bend better.

Step 6: I started with 1/2 cup of flax seeds in the larger sections on each end, with the center section having only 1/4 cup of seed. As I filled each section, I stitched it closed.

When I was done, it wrapped well around the neck and the larger pockets on each end anchored it to stay put. It just seemed a little flat. I’m not sure if it will hold enough heat.

I passed the neck wrap on to the person requesting it to see if it would work for her. If it does, I’ll make a second one for her husband. I think it could be rolled up and fit well in the microwave.

Second Try…Revising the Pattern

I’m already considering alterations, with fewer sections, so I started another neck wrap. I think this might feel softer and still bend easily.

I marked the stitching lines…5″ from each end and a line in the center which turned out to be about 6″ from the first line.

This time I’ll put 1/2 cup of flax seeds in each end section and 3/4 cup in the two center sections. I think I’ll make a few more so I have them on hand…you never know when I might wish I had one too! Enjoy!

Maple Bourbon Apple Crisp

A few weeks ago Bert found this recipe in a magazine he receives, MuzzleBlasts, that is all about Muzzle-loading rifles and events. The magazine even has a recipe and a monthly quilt block article with instructions for the rest of the family. Of course, we like apple crisp, but I guess the maple flavor and bourbon ingredients sounded interesting. We bought apples and then got busy with other projects. The apples were shifted around on the counter for a few weeks while other activities took our time (like cookies)!

I finally decided it was time to make this recipe before the apples spoiled. You can see from the photo below that trying to follow the recipe with all the background pictures was difficult. I retyped the recipe into the format I prefer and that follows the magazine picture.

The recipe was not too hard to follow. Bert didn’t have any bourbon around so he substituted whisky. The hardest part was cutting up the apples!

I put the apples in cold water to keep them from turning brown until I got them all cut up.

This large casserole dish worked well. It was deep enough that if it bubbled up it wouldn’t spill over the top. Of course, we had a taste before I could even get a picture!

Not bad! Next time I would skip the bourbon or whisky, but the maple syrup added lots of flavor. Pretty quick and easy…except for the time to cup up the apples. Give the recipe a try! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Remembering My Dad, Paul Bixby

Today would have been my Dad’s 108th birthday. He passed away in 2012, just a week shy of his 99th birthday. He grew up on a farm in Minnesota, the oldest with 4 younger sisters. He always yearned to see the world. As a child, he thought being a “diplomat” would be the most exciting career. As a lifetime educator, his yearning led him to opportunities to explore the world. He married my Mother in 1935 and headed off to college in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

From there he continued his education in New York at Columbia University. By the time I was born (1946) he was ready to continue his career in Higher Education at Penn State University.

We spent 1955-56 in the Philippines, while Dad taught at the University of the Philippines. He was enjoying the challenges of international travel and education, while Jean, Mark and I experienced normal life appropriate to our age levels. Jean had just graduated from high school and was learning about native Philippine music and dance; Mark was a sophomore in high school and experiencing high school life in another culture; I was in 4th grade and trying to figure out how to fit in in elementary school. Mom was just trying to hold us all together! We each had our challenges!

Here is a picture of my Dad in 1968 when Bert and I got married (or should I say, celebrated our wedding…ha ha…that had happened in 1967, when we eloped but didn’t tell anyone!). That’s another story!

Here is Dad around 2000. He was definitely in “elder statesman” mode and enjoyed living in Foxdale after Mom died. He served on many committees and was acclaimed as a great listener. He stayed actively involved in the development of Foxdale as a mature, continuing care facility.

And finally, as a father of three, grandfather of nine, great grandfather of 17 and great-great grandfather of 4, everyone loved to come visit him, to pick his brain for great stories or share their own life adventures.

After he passed, I was reminded that he wasn’t just my Dad…many people saw him as a “father figure” or as a kindly, interested “grandfather figure.” Each year, this close to Christmas, he’s never far from my thoughts.

If you have a treasured memory you’d like to share, leave a comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net. Thanks.

Two Lip Balm Flavors and a Cool New Tool

Yesterday I was ready to try two new lip balm flavors: Maple Coffee and Orange Vanilla. I wanted to do this last weekend, but I had to order the ingredients for the Maple Coffee (of course, from Amazon).

Usually, I insert the empty tubes into this holder and when I stand the holder up, I can pour the hot melted lip balm from the top:

However, the latest batch of holders were from a different company and they fell right out before I could flip the holder over. On to plan B!

I had to change how I filled the tubes. I decided to line the tubes up on a paper towel and fill them with a disposable pipette. I had to be really careful to not bump the tubes as I filled them so they wouldn’t fall over:

It took longer to fill each tube but luckily I didn’t tip any of them over filled with hot stuff.

Now…on to the recipes!

Maple Coffee Lip Balm

First, I made the Maple Coffee Lip Balm. Here is the recipe:

Here are the ingredients:

The Candelilla Wax has a higher melting point than beeswax and is similar to Carnauba Wax. I should be able to use it in other products. I can use the Maple flavoring in soap or cooking. I will have to research how Pumpkin Seed oil and Coffee Bean Butter can be used. Since I don’t care for the smell or taste of coffee, the coffee butter will probably be used only in lip balm for others! I’ll have a few coffee lovers test the lip balm for me!

Following the recipe, I melted down the wax, cocoa butter and coffee butter; then I added the pumpkin seed oil and maple flavoring.

This lip balm turned out darker (like coffee!) but I think it was the Pumpkin Seed oil that did that.

Orange and Vanilla Lip Balm

Here is the recipe:

Here are the ingredients:

Following the same procedure as above, I melted down the wax, cocoa butter and coconut oil, added the orange and vanilla essential oils and carefully filled the tubes with the pipette.

They turned out great!

Bert’s Invention

Bert watched me filling the tubes and said he had an idea. I sent him out to the shop with an empty tube to make me some kind of holder for the next time. This morning he presented me with this great holder!

The tubes just fit and I can do two batches without knocking anything over! I did have to order some more disposable pipettes, but YEA! Next time, I’ll enjoy using Bert’s cool tool to hold the tubes! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Bert’s Yearly Cookie Marathon

For as long as I’ve known Bert (58 years to be exact!) even before we were married, he has made chocolate chip cookies. He started baking with his Mother using the recipe for Toll House Cookies on the back of the chocolate chips bag. He would usually end the baking with one very large cookie the size of a pizza pan! Over the years, the number of ingredients has expanded along with the actual volume of cookies. At the beginning the cookies were just for family. Now, he mails 10-12 boxes around the country to family and friends that have moved away. Of course, some local friends and family benefit from his obsession with chocolate chip cookies too. I get to benefit with how wonderful the kitchen smells while he’s baking! (With my allergies to eggs and dairy I haven’t tasted them for several years!)

When he first started baking, he mixed everything by hand with a very large wooden spoon. Here it is next to a regular wooden spoon and silverware.

Several years ago, he invested in a large commercial mixer that makes the job much easier.

He mixes up all the dough in one day and stores it in the garage in giant stock pots and bowls.

His recipe is impressive and the ingredient list is no longer being tweaked. This year he was unable to get Soft-as-Silk cake flour, so he got a different brand. He noticed the difference!

Here is the recipe. I think he made 10 batches in one day! Crazy, I know!

I just found his tally from 2014 that figured out the total ingredients in pounds. He said this year he made about 170 pounds of dough, which will make about 120-130 dozen large cookies!

And so the marathon begins:

So, the question is…do I bother making cookies at Christmas? Absolutely not! I may, however, make a batch of oatmeal bread in the big mixer when it’s sitting right here in my kitchen!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Exploring the Boalsburg Heritage Museum

Yesterday I attended an Open House at the Boalsburg Heritage Museum. This is truly a hidden treasure in our small community. I’ve known about it for years but had not managed to make the time to explore the building and grounds.

At least 40 years ago, when I was teaching elementary school in Boalsburg, one of my colleagues was actively involved in helping her young classes learn about the history of the local area. These youngest students would learn to read using stories about the “olden days” in Boalsburg. She was instrumental in developing curriculum materials and organizing field trips to see the artifacts to learn how folks lived in the Boalsburg area back in the late 1800’s. Ruth Corter’s advocacy stimulated community interest in collecting and preserving tools, household items and stories in a museum that could be enjoyed by all residents of the area. Her work inspired us all!

In 1983, the Sarah Sweet house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Aikens who presented the property to the newly formed Museum Association as a gift. The property of the Sarah Sweet House, currently the site of the Boalsburg Heritage Museum includes the house itself along with the Light House, the 2008 rebuild of the Bank Barn, and the Summer Kitchen. You can read more details about how the house and property became the Boalsburg Heritage Museum as their website, https://boalsburgheritagemuseum.org.

I’d like to share a few special displays that I found in my exploration of the museum.

How wonderful to see this tribute to Ruth Corter (1907-1997) presented in 1996:

If you’d like to know more about Ruth, you can see her obituary at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86721164/ruth-h-corter. She was a most inspiring educator!

The first room in the Museum had information about how ice was collected and stored before electric refrigerators were common. The displays about the process and the giant tools used to cut and collect the ice were very interesting.

I love the display of the ice box with instructions to the housewife:

Many musical instruments were showcased, from brass instruments from the Boalsburg Brass Band (around 1861-1865) to the Parlor organ:

Who knew Dr. Richard Ishler (our family doctor) and his wife donated this Parlor organ!

One of the upstairs bedrooms was set up as a one-room school. I found this interesting, since both of my parents and my grandfather taught in one-room schools. Mother shared many stories about being a “city-girl” trying to adapt to a “rural school” setting, with keeping the stove fire going and handling all the grades in one room. Some of her students were bigger than she was!

And of course, what child in 1900 wouldn’t want to play with this doll house!

I took the time to see the “Summer Kitchen” in a separate outbuilding near the back of the house. I could imagine all the bread and stews that were cooked in that kitchen!

On a nice day this summer, I’ll explore more of the outbuildings. For this tour, the drizzling cold rain limited my tromping around.

Please check the Museum’s website for more information. They are an integral part of our yearly Memorial Day activities and offer a wonderful look into our past.

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.