homemade ketchup + fries

ately I've been making lots of sweeter treats with my surplus of berries, but when I saw this recipe for fries, I knew they'd be a perfect companion for the homemade ketchup I'd made with our harvest of tomatoes.  I've tried making baked fries before but with not much success.  Finding that balance of crispy and crunchy, but not burnt, but then also not soggy and starchy, without frying, has proven elusive.   I was pretty optimistic when I saw this recipe and they ended up turning out perfectly!  I'll be trying this same recipe with some sweet potatoes because sweet potato fries are my favorite and hopefully it'll work out.  I'll let you know the results if they're good! Last year when we had our first tomato harvest from the garden I made tons of tomato recipes, and this ketchup was one of them.  It was so good I couldn't wait until I got to make it again.  Of course it was a year later that I finally made it again and it's as good as I remember it being last year.  It's just not even worth it to use the Heinz ketchup after tasting homemade ketchup,  there's no comparison.  Ketchup is one of those things I never even thought about as being something you could home-make, but it's so good.  This recipe makes quite a bit, I think I ended up with about two quart jars full, so if you don't think you'll go through it, either half the recipe, or give some to friends! 
Homemade Ketchup (recipe via Bleubird) 5 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped 1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
4 tsp salt
1 1/2 t ground pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot.  Add the onion, stirring occasionally until nice and caramelized.  Add the garlic and cook down a bit, stirring making sure it doesn't burn.  

2. Next add the vinegar to de-glaze the bottom of the pot and then add tomatoes and all of the dry spices.   Cook for 20 minutes. 

3. Using an immersion blender (or blend in a blender or food processor in batches), puree your tomatoes until smooth. stir in brown sugar and molasses. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes until slightly thickened.

4. Let the ketchup cool and transfer to bottles or jars with air tight lids.  Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.




Baked Matchstick Fries (recipe via MinimalistBaker) 3-4 russet potatoes
1/4 cup Olive or Canola Oil
Sea salt and/or smoked salt Black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped


1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop potatoes into a long, thin matchstick shape.
2. Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper, if using foil, spray with non-stick.  Add your matchstick-cut potatoes and drizzle with the oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss to coat.
3. Spread fries a single layer, spaced so they aren’t touching too much. This will help them get crispy and evenly baked.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping at least once so they bake evenly.
4. 10 minutes before your fries finish baking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil and the minced garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until just slightly brown and aromatic.  Remove from heat and set aside.
5. When the fries are finished, remove from oven, sprinkle again with sea salt, and drizzle the garlic on top.  Add the chopped, fresh rosemary and toss to coat!  

peach huckleberry rustic tart

his weekend I was at the most gorgeous wedding and the bride and groom had pies for dessert instead of cake, and all the pies were made by friends and family.  I helped make a couple key lime pies along with some other friends and it was the first time I made key lime pie!  I saved the recipe so I'm going to try it again someday.  I like how people are getting more creative with their wedding desserts than just the standard tiered cake.

I made these little tarts last week before I left for the wedding.  They're a great size for sharing with a friend, or for slicing into wedges and serving as a bite size dessert at a party.  The leftovers saved really well in the fridge too, and were a delicious treat for breakfast!  

Peach Huckleberry Tarts

Galette Dough

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp table salt

8 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ c  ice water

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into flour mixture using two knives or a pastry cutter, until butter is in small pieces.

2. Add ice water and stir with a fork until the mixture starts to stick together in a mass.  Form the dough into a ball and split in two.

3. Shape each piece into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.  You can pre-make the dough as well and freeze it to use later!

Frangipane

¼ cup almond paste

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp butter at room temperature

2 tsp rum

1 small egg

In the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor, combine almond paste, sugar and butter. Beat until combined, then add rum and egg and beat until smooth, or until only small lumps remain. 

To make the tart:

Dough

Frangipane

1 peach, sliced

1 cup huckleberries

pinch sugar, pinch salt

1 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp sugar

parchment paper

1. Toss peach slices and huckleberries with the pinches of sugar and salt. Set aside. 

2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the dough balls from the fridge.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll one disk out approximately into a 9-inch circle, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough to parchment paper. 

3. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the frangipane into the center of the tart and spread toward the edges, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Arrange the peach slices, overlapping in a circle over the frangipane, then spread huckleberries on top. 

4.  Finish the tart by folding the exposed border over the tart onto itself, crimping to make a folded-over border. Chill tart in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.  Repeat with second dough ball to make a second tart.

5. Once the tarts have chilled for 10-15 minutes, take them out and brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle sugar over entire tart. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden. 

6. Let cool for five minutes on tray then slide parchment paper and tart onto a cooling rack and let cool 20 minutes before serving.  Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you're feeling fancy!

getting started on your essential oil journey

Interested in getting started on your own essential oil journey?  I hope so because that's probably why you clicked the link over here.  Or you're just curious about it.  Either way, yay!
The kit I started with and recommend everyone to start off with is Young Living's Premium Starter Kit. It is the kit of all kits. There are other options to choose from, and I will mention them below, but this $150 kit is by far the most bang for your buck!  It comes with 5ml bottles of Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, Frankincense, Peace and Calming, Thieves, Purification, PanAway, and Valor. What I love about this kit is that it gives you the ability to try many of the oils in the smaller bottles.  I mean, a bottle of Frankincense at the discounted price is over $70. Along with those 9 oils, you get a 5ml bottle of Stress Away, 2 sample packs of the top five oils, (lemon, peppermint, lavender, peace and calming, and thieves), Plus you also get the diffuser added in there!  So awesome (The diffuser is one of my favorite ways to use the oils!).


The wholesale member price alone for the diffuser is $75 (retail it's almost $100!). Total no brainer. This is why I recommend the $150 kit. You can’t beat getting 10 oils, 2 samples of the top five oils AND the diffuser for that price. The other two kits they offer are $40 and $75 don't make quite as much sense to me. The $40 kit comes with the samples, but not the diffuser or the set of 9 oils pictured above (not super helpful for starting off using essential oils, right?). The $75 kit comes with the diffuser and samples and stress away, but no kit of 9 oils. My issue with the $75 kit is, so you have the diffuser, but only a 5ml bottle of stress away and some sample packs to diffuse, you will obviously have to be buying more oils to use that diffuser, so why not just get 9 super practical oils for $75 more. The only time I recommend the $40 kit is if someone is anxious to get started and budget just doesn’t allow the $150 kit.  But!  People who ordered the $40 kit usually end up getting the $150 kit that month or the following month. So again, if budget allows, the larger kit is just the best value, hands down.


If you want to get going with Young Living for your essential oils, here's how you do it!  First, you are not signing your life away if you become a member. If you would like to purchase Young Living Essential Oils, you can do so by ordering retail from a member (like me!), or you can become a member and get the oils at 24% off.  Once you buy your starter kit (I’ll explain those later), you are NEVER required to order a certain amount each month. You are NEVER required to tell others about Young Living. You should NEVER be bothered by people to work it as a business. You simply are now able to purchase at the discounted price. Think of it like a SAMS Club or COSTCO membership. You pay a small fee to become a member to get cheaper prices, the only thing different is SAMS or COSTCO will give you a card, YL gives you a kit of oils and a diffuser.

To be honest, when I heard that Young Living was set up like a Multi Level Marketing company I was less than enthused.  I'd had experience with one in the past and it forced me to spend WAY more money every month than I could ever make back by selling and it was so disheartening.  I wasn't a fan of the whole MLM thing, but once I realized Young Living doesn't force you to buy hundreds of dollars in product every month just to keep your membership, you don't have to sell anything, and I actually like the product, I was on board.  Ugh, so refreshing.  All that is required to keep your Wholesale Member status is to spend $50/year on product, which I happily did about a week after my premium kit came because I wanted to try more oils!

Now that you aren't freaked out anymore about becoming a member, this is how you sign up! There is a visual you can follow here and step-by-step directions below.

Step 1: go to https://www.youngliving.com/signup/?site=US&sponsorid=1691741&enrollerid=1627216

Step 2: make sure “Wholesale Member” is marked off instead of “Retail Customer.” Wholesale Member is the only way to get access to the kit and the 24% discount you get afterwards. It’s really important!

Step 3: make sure my member numbers are in the blanks (they should be entered in there for you if you entered with that link in step 1) 1627216.

Step 4: Fill out all the information. It will ask you for your ss# but this is only for legal purposes so that you have the ability to bring in a paycheck (YL is a referral based business). If you never sign anyone up, your ss # will never be used.  I never want to pressure people into the business end…EVER. I want you to use and love your oils as a member whether you work the business end or not.

Step 5: Make sure you write down your pin, user name and password when you choose it because you’ll need that in the future to log into your account.

Step 6: Select the “PREMIUM STARTER KIT”  (It should be the first option). This is the one with the everyday oils kit and the diffuser. It will be $150. The other kits do not include the oils starter pack.

Step 7: Scroll down through the “Essential Rewards Kits” and click “no thank you, I plan on enrolling in Essential Rewards later” (you are not obligated to sign up for Essential Rewards at this time, but it does have some great benefits, but to be honest, I always tell new members to get the kit, try the oils out, and then talk to me before your next purchase. Then we'll see if ER is right for you).

Step 8: Click “I Agree” and “Next”

Step 9: Confirm your enrollment information (you should see my name as your enroller and sponsor, or the person who referred you).

Step 10: Add any oils, capsules, or products that you would like in addition to your kit if there are any that you would like.

Step 11: Check out and you are DONE! WOOHOO!

Yay! You are a member!  I remember how excited I was to receive my starter kit.  Much ripping open of boxes occurred.  Your membership will stay active as long as you spend at least $50 in a calender year. You do not have to continue to “renew” your membership…that kit was a one time thing and you will remain a member as long as you spend that $50 a year. Which trust me…will never be a problem.

While you are waiting on your kit to arrive…why don’t you go over and start reading How To Use Essential Oils. This is a great way to start learning all about the essential oils so you can start using them the minute they arrive.


Essential Oil Disclaimer:
I do not claim to be a medical practitioner.  I do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe any medical treatment or advice.  You should always discuss treatment of medical conditions with your medical practitioner before using any alternative therapies, natural supplements, or vitamins.  The following safety precautions are guidelines only.  You should consult with any aromatherapist about essential oil usage and always inform your primary care physician what you are using as they may not be conducive with his/her prescribed therapy and medications.

Essential Oil Rules for Safety:
1. Keep Essential Oils in a secure place away from children and pets

2. Use a variety of essential oils and rotate those which you use often to avoid sensitization and irritation.  If you use a blend for 3 days, take a minimum of 3 days off and use an alternate blend for those 3 days.

3. The following essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy:  Single oils: Basil, Birch, Calamus, Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Hyssop, Idaho Tansy, Jasmine, Lavandin, Mugwort, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, Wintergreen. Synergistic use the following with caution: Single oils: Angelica, Cedarwood, Chamomile (german/blue), Cistus, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove Bud, Cumin (black), Cypress, Davana, Fennel,  Bay Laurel, Marjoram, Mountain Savory, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Rose, Spearmint, Vetiver, Yarrow.

4. Read and follow instructions carefully.

5. Always take precautions with using Aromatherapy.

6. Unless otherwise stated, never use essential oils on your skin without diluting the essential oil with a carrier oil.  A skin test is recommended prior to use.  If you experience any soreness, redness, or irritation do not use the blend.

7. If an essential oil or essential oil blend gets into your eye, flush the eye immediately with a carrier oil or cold milk.  Seek medical attention if the stinging and/or irritation continues.

8. Do not use more than 2 drops of the following oils when used in a bath the first time: Aniseed, Black Pepper, Camphor (rectified), Citronella, Clove, Eucalyptus globulous, Ginger, Juniperberry, Peppermint, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme.

9. If allergic to certain foods, do not use essential oils or carrier oils that come from those foods.

10. The following oils should be avoided if you have epilepsy: Cajeput, Camphor, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Peppermint, Rosemary.

All information, content and product descriptions contained within this site are for reference purposes and are not intended to substitute advice given by a pharmacist, physician, or other licensed heath-care professional.  I do not advise you use the information contained within this website, or any other site for treating a health problem or disease or to make a self-diagnosis, without talking to your doctor.  Actual product packaging and materials may contain different information than shown on this website.  Contact your health care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem.  Information and statements regarding our products have not been evaluated by the FDA.

essential oils!

I've been exploring the wide world of essential oils lately.  It was kind of a random path that led me to essential oils, but also it was a long time coming.  I had a friend who started using them and they changed her life.  I was obviously a bit curious (and a lot skeptical), so after chatting with her for a bit, I decided that I wanted to give essential oils a try myself.  I knew that essential oils were sold at my local natural health store, but after doing some research and reading about essential oils, I knew that I didn't want to bother wasting my money with lower quality oils.  I'd also seen stories from people who'd tried using oils from natural health food stores and they didn't work... and then tried Young Living's essential oils, and they worked.  So I decided to start my essential oils journey with Young Living.  Since I wanted to go for it, I decided to become a Young Living member, which I think is the best way to do it.  As a member you get the wholesale prices, versus being a retail customer and paying the full retail prices, which are 24% more than the wholesale prices.  Do you own research before choosing which essential oil company you want to use.  There's a lot of conflicting information out there, it can be discouraging. I'd heard enough testimonials from people who used Young Living, I chose to go with them.

I'm still a newbie to the whole essential oil thing.  I know there are people out there who are 100% sold on the whole thing, and I'm still in the optimistic skeptic camp, but so far in my own little experimentations with them I've been very pleased and excited about the possibilities.  So far I've used my oils for quite a few things!  I'm a relatively healthy person, I don't have any chronic health problems or anything, so I wasn't sure if I'd be using the oils frequently, but it's amazing how many things can be replaced by essential oils!

My first attempt at using them was on chapped lips.  I had some crazy chapped, peeling lips from the winter climate and heard that Lavender was great for fixing that right up.  Not only did it instantly relieve the cracks in my lips, overnight Lavender healed them up and they looked better than ever.  I kicked a yeast infection in a couple days using Thieves and Purification (a couple essential oil blends).  I bit the inside of my cheek super hard and I know that whenever that happens it always turns into a horrible canker sore.  So bad that I can barely eat.  In two days of using Thieves on the bite, it was totally healed and never came close to becoming a canker sore.  Peppermint is great for headaches, and Panaway is amazing on my sore post-workout muscles (Insanity will do that to ya, let me tell you).  I've also started putting drops of Cedarwood in my conditioner to help promote hair growth after I lost a bunch of hair from using birth control pills, so I have yet to see the results from that yet.  Oh!  And Lavender and Peppermint helped soothe some period cramps too!  I haven't had those in forever since I've been on birth control and now that I'm off I guess it's back to that fun grind.  Cedarwood and Valor have both become my go-to insomnia-butt-kicker, for the occasional night when my brain won't let my body sleep.  I realized that even though I don't deal with any major health problems, I've found that oils have been great for just my regular I'm-A-Human daily issues.  And the best part is that I don't have to use any drugs.  I haven't taken any drugs since getting my starter kit.  Huzzah!

If you're interested in getting started with essential oils or just want a little more info on the kit that I started off with, click here!


I am required by law in the USA to state, “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products and techniques mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.” If you are under the care of a physician or taking prescription medications, please inform your doctor before using essential oils. If you are pregnant or nursing be sure to check with your physician before using essential oils. Keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

authenticity comes in all shapes // share your story

hen I discovered blogs, it was kind of life changing.  Prior to seeing any kind of online fashion blog, the only place I'd ever seen fashion or style was in the pages of a magazine, or maybe on TV.  I remember being a young adolescent, plagued by my big, unruly hair and I longed for the sleek, straight hair I saw on the pages of magazines and on TV.  I wished that my body would grow into a woman's body, but my idea of what a woman's body was?  What I saw on TV and in magazines.  I figured my legs would grow longer, I'd have full, perky breasts, and hopefully I'd learn how to tame my hair into something manageable.  
Fast forward to late-high school/college aged me, and I'd begun the process of accepting that not all women look like the women in magazines, and growing up doesn't mean growing into that.  At least, not for everyone.  I was the short daughter of a short mom and a average height dad.  I was the daughter of a woman who I thought was beautiful, but who didn't have long legs and large perky breasts.  I realized it was completely silly for younger me to think I'd look like a magazine model, because, well, genetics.  Duh!
But the fact is, even though I know that my mom never talked about weight or dieting or complained about her body (and I'm immensely thankful to her for modeling a body-positive mindset), the media informed me, sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtly, that I should aspire to a certain type of body, regardless of whether or not that body was in the cards for me genetically.  The truth is, whether or not we like it, the media plays a pretty big role in informing our preferences and our beliefs about others and about ourselves.

So when I randomly stumbled through the internet one lazy July afternoon in the kitchen of my parents' house and found myself scrolling with wonder through The Clothes Horse, I was mesmerized.  Real people, sharing photos of themselves wearing cute outfits, for anyone to see.  People my size and shape.  People with small breasts and big butts.  Big people, little people, tall people, short people.  It was crazy!  And the best part about it was how awesome it was to see beautifully styled outfits in real life.  These weren't models on a set with a stylist, hair and makeup, lights, and a professional photographer.  They were just girls who really liked getting dressed and wanted to be a part of a community that inspired them, and they were actually wearing those outfits out and about.  I knew I wanted to be a part of the community somehow, it was just so refreshing to see people like me wearing beautiful outfits.  I wasn't very stylish yet, I was still pretty solidly stuck in my jeans and t-shirt rut I'd been riding since high school, but I knew that I wanted to be around people who would inspire me to explore that side of myself.
In all the years I've been blogging, one of my favorite things has been seeing how the fashion industry has had to adjust itself to cope with the democratization of fashion because of the internet and, largely, fashion blogs.   Companies large and small want to work with bloggers because people like seeing clothes on people who aren't in the midst of a huge fashion shoot.  All of the bloggers I know actually wear all the outfits they style on their blogs out in real life.  It's a slice of something authentic, not something manufactured.  
The one thing that seems to be remaining in the fashion industry, resisting the pull of authenticity, is the photoshopping, casting of models, and manufacturing of plus sizes.  There are definitely some struggles (manufacturing plus sizes, especially for smaller, independent designers, can be a huge cost that they might not make back in sales.  Super slender models are cast because sample sizes are so tiny), but I think we're reaching a tipping point.  People are tired of being lied to.  People are tired of the before-photoshop and after-photoshop scandals.  People want to see themselves (and their bodies and/or ethnicities) represented in the fashion world as a whole.  
Over the years I've loved having the privilege of working with forward-thinking companies.  Companies who value their customers and authenticity.  I think it can be pretty hard to go against the flow in the fashion industry, but I'm always encouraged when I see people standing up for what they believe is right.  I've worked with ModCloth for years and have always liked how they include photos  and size info in the item reviews, showcase photos of their customers on their site and on their style gallery, and now they're taking it a step further by signing the Heroes Pledge for Advertisers, committing to not digitally alter the bodies of their models, and also to do their best to hire models of a variety of shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.  Susan Gregg Koger, ModCloth's founder and chief creative officer, just released an open letter sharing her thoughts on the fashion industry and her commitment to authenticity and transparency in advertising.   Interestingly Dove, who's been marketing with the "Real Beauty" campaign have, so far, declined to sign the pledge.  

It's exciting to hear so much momentum for body positivity and diversity in an industry that for decades has been pretty monochromatic.  I think that blogs have played a pretty big role in showing people that you don't have to look a certain way to be stylish or feel good about yourself.  But, you know, I might be a bit biased, being a blogger and all.  The internet as a whole has given regular people a platform and a place for voices to be raised and empowered.  We've learned that not only do our voices matter, but they can be powerful when we raise them in unison.  
So what's your story?  Have you felt like false, unrealistic advertising has adversely affected your body image, either now, or growing up?    42% of girls in grades 1-3 want to be thinner, 81% of 10-year-olds are afraid of getting fat, 78% of 17-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies, young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents.  Are you a parent trying to figure out how to fight the statistics for your daughter?  This is our story, but it doesn't have to be our kids' story.  How can we fight the harmful messages that are literally killing girls and women?  Are you still fighting for your own life?  To love your own body?  To believe you are beautiful just the way you are?  You aren't alone.  
Here’s how to participate:

 Write your own post on your own blog, sharing your experience with how the media has affected your body image, how you're fighting to change the harmful messages, or how you're changing the future for your children. Write it quick, don’t overthink it, just spill it all out, it can be pictures if you want, whatever. If you’ve already written one, feel free to link that up, too.

 Include a link in your post back to this post, so your readers can find others writing on the same topic.

 Enter the link to your post (the actual post link, not just your blog link) into the link-up tool thing there below.

 Tell a few people about your post,  either through social media or talk about it with a friend over coffee.  Click around and visit a few of the other posts linked up!

An InLinkz Link-up