Cloth Diapers

Many of you might know that I use cloth diapers. I absolutely love them, and Hunter's little bum is always adorable with all the different colors of diapers that I have. If any of you out there have considered cloth diapers I highly recommend it. It has saved us a ton of money, and will continue to do so with every other kid that we have. Below are some reasons why cloth diapers are great. These ideas are a collaboration from several of my favorite cloth diapering websites listed at the bottom. (My thoughts are in italics and the information from the websites in regular font). Any questions about cloth diapering feel free to email me.

Cost of Cloth Diapering (from the Uncommon Bottom)

If you haven't already noticed, babies are expensive. Currently name brand disposable diapers cost near $0.20 per diaper. With an average number of 8 diaper changes per day, and an estimated 3 years of diaper changes equaling 1095 days, this amounts to a total of $1,752.00 spent on disposable diapers for one child. That's a lot of money, and store brands aren't much cheaper.

The good news is that reusable diapers cost much less. The cost being anywhere from $300-$1200 for those three years depending on the brand of diaper you choose and how many diapers you decide to purchase.

I personally bought two sets of cloth diapers. First I bought some Kissaluvs, (Kissa’s fitted diaper size 0), to use when Hunter was an newborn. He outgrew those by the time he was two months and then I bought some Fuzzibunz, perfect fit diapers which will fit him until he is potty trained. Overall I spent about $450 on my cloth diapers and will be able to use them for the next couple kids. I also made my own cloth wipes for about $20 but that is a whole other post.

There are also different types of cloth diapers: prefolds, all in ones, fitted and pocket. Whichever kind you use all depends on what works for you. Some of the brands I am familiar with are: Fuzzibunz, Kissaluvs, Bummis, Thirsties, Mother-ease, bumGenius and that is only the beginning. I choose mine because I found great deals on each. I bought my Kissaluvs used and my Fuzzibunz new. Cloth diapers get more absorbment the more they are washed so buying used is a great deal. Many moms only use the diapers for a short time before they give up and then sell them at a fraction of the cost.

Comfort for the Bum

Reusable diapers also provide a level of comfort to your child that a disposable diaper can't achieve.

We can't ask a baby whether they prefer reusable or disposable, but which underwear would you choose for yourself, plastic or cotton?

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 54 % of one-month old babies using disposable diapers had rashes, 16 % having severe rashes. A study done by a disposable diaper manufacturing company shows that the incidence of diaper rash increased from 7.1% to 61% with the increased use of throwaway disposable diapers.

Why choose Cloth? (from Jillian’s Drawers)

Cloth diapers are easy to care for

Perhaps cloth diapers were hard to care for at one time. But modern cloth diapers are so easy - with inventions like the Mini-shower and flushable inserts, the rewards are worth the little bit of extra work!

Cloth diapers leak less than disposables

Modern cloth diapers actually leak less than disposables! Did you know that many moms switch to cloth diapers because they were fed up with disposables leaking? Yes, it's true!

Cloth diapers minimize diaper rash

The rate of diaper rash has increased from 7% to over 78% since 1955, comparable with the increased rate of disposable diaper use. The chemicals, ultra-absorbent gels, and the formation of ammonia associated with disposables are the culprit. We have met many moms who finally switched to cloth diapers specifically to help their baby's bottom heal. Of course, they never turned back!

Cloth diapers are so soft against your baby's skin

Your baby's skin is so delicate. What could feel better for your baby than soft cotton or fleece? What would you rather have against your skin every hour of every day for two or more years? Cloth, of course!

Cloth diapers can save thousands of dollars

Depending on which cloth diaper system you decide to use, you can save approximately $500 - $1,000 per child. If you decide to use cloth diapers for more than one child, you can save thousands of dollars!

Modern cloth diapers don't require pins

Gone are the days of sticking you or your baby with a pin! Yikes, who would want that? Modern cloth diapers use snaps, Velcro, or a wonderful new invention created by a dad: a Snappi!

Babies that use cloth diapers potty train sooner

You can count on your baby potty training earlier with cloth diapers! Babies generally become more aware of their wet diapers, prompting them to potty train earlier. Average is about 1.5 years old.

Cloth diapers are better for babies

Disposable diapers contain dioxin, a carcinogen listed by the EPA as the most toxic of cancer causing chemicals. They also contain Sodium Polyacrylate, a chemical that was banned from tampons in 1985 due to its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome. Researchers have found that the scrotal skin temperatures of baby boys were significantly higher when they wore disposable diapers than when they wore cloth. The researchers concluded that prolonged use of disposable diapers as infants was an "important factor" contributing to the decline of sperm production among adult males. Finally, asthma has been linked to gases emitted by disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers are better for the environment

27.4 billion disposable diapers fill up our landfills every year. This makes them the third largest single consumer item in landfills. Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to manufacture disposables for one baby EACH YEAR.

If you would just like to try cloth before you commit the investment, Jillian’s Drawers has a program for only $10 that lets you do that.

Favorite Cloth Diapering Websites

· http://www.mother-ease.com

· http://www.diaperpin.com

· http://www.fuzzibunz.com

· http://www.uncommonbottom.com

· http://www.kissaluvs.com

· http://www.thecentsableshoppin.com (Yes she does cloth)

· http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/newtocloth

On Saving Money

I just wanted to share a quick tip today on saving money and saving your waistline! Since our dating days, TJ and I try to share meals when we go out. Most restaurants serve double what one person should eat in one meal. This means that if you order an entree, and eat it alone, you're probably maxing out on your daily calories....likely in one meal. Now, sometimes we do eat separate meals depending on the place and the occasion (and coupons), but sharing meals has been something that's worked really well for us.

You might ask, "What about people you go out with? What about your waiter?" We've only ever had one friend tell us he thought it was awkward that we shared our meal, only because we finished before they did. But you know what? Most people don't really care, and some friends have even followed our example. And as for more sit-down style restaurants, most waiters are really nice and have our meal split for us in the kitchen, or at least bring out another plate. And we're sure to always pay at least 18% for a tip.

There are rare occasions when we're not both completely full, but after letting our food settle for twenty minutes, we're fine! If we're still a little hungry, what better time to get a little ice cream to fill in the holes?

I feel like my husband and I are doing pretty well financially for our situation and our age, and it's little habits like this one that contribute to our frugality.

ratkins.

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This recipe was taught to me by my Grandpa when I was about 13. Now I see it popping up all over the place on Pinterest, called "Jalepeno Bacon Cream Cheese Poppers." To me, they'll always be simply:

Ratkins

1 pkg. bacon

about 15 jalepenos 

(the larger they are, usually the less heat they have)

2 pkgs. cream cheese or neufchatel cheese

1. Wash jalepenos, and cut in half lengthwise. Leave the stems on (this makes a little handle and is part of what gives them their name...because they look like little rats).

2. Using a small spoon, scrape out seeds and membranes (unless you like things really spicy, then leave the membranes in.

3. Fill each half level  with cream cheese (I use neufchatel because it's a third of the fat of regular cream cheese. In this appetizer, you can't really taste the difference. Besides, the bacon brings plenty of fat for flavor).

4. Wrap each half with about 1/3 to 1/2 of a strip of bacon.

5. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 425-435* oven for about 40 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked to your liking.

6. Take out of oven and let cool for a couple minutes (bacon grease is hot!).

7. Die and go to heaven. Because they're that good.

*These are simple enough to make, but can be a bit time consuming. Oh, and please be really careful not to touch your eyes when you're handling the jalepenos. Trust me, I've learned the hard way....more than once. 

Ever since I made these for TJ's family for something or other, they're now my assignment for every big game that requires food. Hence why I made them on Sunday (sorry it's too late for you to make it for the big game). If you're looking for a way to impress your man (or anyone) for Valentine's day (or any day), this is a winner: finger food and bacon (can't go wrong). If you're still working on a new diet resolution/fitness goal thing, I'm very sorry.

My Survival Guide

Lately I have been a little MIA, but I think I am about ready to resurface. Recently I have moved from a small 700 square foot apartment to a 1700 square foot home. I have been overwhelmed with how to keep it clean. A while ago a friend introduced me to the Fly Lady who has tips on how to keep your home clean by doing a little each day. I signed up for her news feed but was overwhelmed by the amount of emails. I decided to come up with my own game plan on how to clean my home which is similar to hers, but more personalized for me. Today is Day #1 and I feel strong. Below is my new life strategy. Hopefully this can inspire you, as well as keep me motivated.

The Housewife Survival Guide

Everyday Chores:
· Do the dishes after EVERY meal
· 10 minute house pickup
· Get dressed, fix hair and put on shoes

Room Cleaning Guidelines:
· Clean every room 1x per week

· Organize/declutter
· Vacuum
· Dust

Monday: Kitchen, Living Room

Tuesday: Bathrooms

Wednesday: Office, Meal planning, something fun

Thursday: Bedrooms, grocery shopping, Errands

Friday: Laundry, pick up house

Saturday: House wipe down, mop, ironing

Sunday: Relax

Pasta Salad

I made this salad for dinner the other night, and was able to have leftovers in my lunch for the first two days of school. I love it because it's so versatile!

First, boil some water. Add salt (to flavor the pasta).

Next, cook the pasta per package instructions. I like to use rotini, but any pasta would work. Except orzo. Don't use that.

Now, chop some vegetables. This time, I used a couple of carrots, half a cucumber, some red onion, and a red bell pepper. Oh, and I also cut some mozarella into cubes. I sometimes throw in a diced tomato (if I'm making it to share...not a huge tomato fan). I would also throw in some sliced olives, but TJ doesn't like them.

After the pasta has cooked and cooled, mix all of the ingredients together.

Now, poor on some storebought Italian dressing. Or homemade. I happened to have this, and it works great. I don't have an exact measurement....just as much or as little as you like.

The best thing to do is to let it refrigerate for an hour or so, but I was starving so I served it up right away. I also chopped up a piece of lunchmeat to put in it. My mom has done grilled chicken...like I said, it's versatile.

Mmm. The perfect summer salad.

The Shape of a Mother

A couple of months ago my sister sent me the most beautiful link from the Starving Artist website. Upon embarking motherhood, I have thought a lot my ever changing body and what it now looks like. The images that this artist shares give me the personal motivation to embrace the new me and all my stretch marks. It really is the "imperfections" that make life beautiful. The rest of the images can be found HERE!!

http://starvingartistink.com/the-shape-of-a-mother/#

A Collection of Amazing Blogs

I love food and food photography. These last couple of weeks I have been trying to find some good new food blogs and now have a new great collection of food blogs to stalk. Here are my favorite new blogs that will cause your taste buds to work in over drive. Soon, I won't be nine months pregnant and then I will want to cook again. Yeah!!!

• http://tastykitchen.com/
• http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/
• http://barbarabakes.com/
• http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/
• http://www.browneyedbaker.com/
• http://cookiesandcups.blogspot.com/
• http://bunsinmyoven.com/
• http://www.ourbestbites.com
• http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

I am still looking for some more food blogs and especially some more crafty blogs. What are your favorite blogs to stalk and be inspired by?

For a complete list food/craft blogs I read look to the right hand column.

Salad Dressing

I've learned a few things about salad dressing recently and I have tried to change my habits. Did you know that reduced fat dressing is way worse for you than full fat dressing? That's because your body needs the fat in order to digest vegetables properly. It's also because reduced fat dressings are typically less natural. Also, they may use fats that aren't as good for you, such as vegetable or canola oil instead of the better-for-you olive oil (because it is more naturally derived). I personally love a good vinaigrette. It automatically has less calories than creamier varieties. After looking at a few different recipes on the internet, I came up with my own. There are huge benefits to making your own salad dressing, the first being that you know exactly what goes inside. So, here's what I came up with. This is a basic recipe, that can be altered to your tastes.... or the type of salad you're having!

Vinaigrette

1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c olive oil (use extra virgin for a more fruity flavor, but really any kind will do)
couple dashes of salt
couple grinds of fresh pepper
1/2 tbsp honey or sugar
1/2 lime squeezed into dressing (or lemon or orange...any citrus really)
dash of garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic)

*Mix it all together really well. It would work best to put this in an empty dressing bottle, or a mason jar with a lid so that you can shake it to emulsify the oil and vinegar.
*The honey or sugar are essential to cutting the vinegary bite.
*These measurements are approximate. Play with it until it tastes good to you!
*I also added a couple dashes of chili powder for my southwest-style salad. You could add things such as dry oregano, dry thyme, and dry basil for an easy italian dressing. You could also add a tablespoon of mayonnaise for a creamy version!

National Ice Cream Day

This Sunday, July 17th is National Ice Cream Day!! It might be the best holiday of the year. If you need more than one day to celebrate ice cream, you are in luck. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and named the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day (which is this Sunday). Luckily for me, my husband's birthday is Saturday so I can celebrate both days with lots of ice cream. What are you going to do to celebrate?

Honey Crunch.

I know this is my second post for a recipe, but it's a good one, I promise! Click here to access the recipe I posted on my own blog for delicious Honey Crunch. It's my grandma's recipe, tried and true. Enjoy!

Hello!

Hello everyone! I don't know how many people read this blog, and it's been a while since I was made an author, but I thought I'd give a little introduction. My name is Kylie and I'm honored to be a friend of Janina's. I blog over at Love Always. It's just a little blog about the day-to-day. I post recipes from time to time, projects, and mostly the adventures of everyday life. I love crafting, learning new things, my husband (TJ), taking pictures, reading, and cooking. I'm excited to share ideas on this blog! For starters, here's a recipe I shared on my blog a while back. Now I'm hungry....

Mexican Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 head of romaine lettuce
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
2/3 can black beans
1 avocado
1/4 bunch of cilantro
1 lime
Optional: White corn tortilla chips
Optional: two boneless skinless chicken breasts

Dressing:
ranch
salsa verde

Directions:
1. Use a lettuce knife to chop lettuce into pieces, or tear by hand. (This prevents lettuce from getting brown.) Set aside in a large salad bowl.
2. Dice bell peppers and avocado into bite-sized pieces and add to bowl.
3. Rinse and drain black beans. Add 1/2-whole can to bowl. (If I'm not doing chicken, I'll season the beans with a bit of taco seasoning before adding them in.)
4. Give the cilantro a rough chop to release flavor and remove stems. We love cilantro, so I put more than some may like.
5. Cut lime in half and squeeze over salad.
6. If adding chicken, cook in a skillet with some olive oil and season with cumin and chili powder. Cut into bite-sized pieces and add to salad.
7. Just before serving, crumble some tortilla chips over salad for added crunch.

Dressing:

In a blender, mix about equal parts ranch and salsa verde (I like the Safeway Select brand). Add more of one or the other depending on your tastes. Drizzle over salad.

This salad is way easy and can of course be altered to your tastes. However, the dressing is NECESSARY for the full effect (credit to my mother-in-law and Cafe Rio for the dressing idea).

Happy eating!!

Watermelon Juice

I just finished whipping up some fresh watermelon juice for our dinner tonight. It takes like five minutes to make and about five seconds to drink, but it is worth every drop. It is perfect for any Memorial Day BBQ or picnic that you might be having. I would plan on at least doubling or tripling the recipe. Enjoy.

Watermelon Juice

• 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 10 ice cubes
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Place watermelon and ice into a blender. Pour in lime juice, sugar, and salt. Blend until smooth. Enjoy.

*Recipe from Allrecipes.com and picture from Evernewrecipes.com

"Deviled" Eggs

I am in love with eggs. If I go a day without eating some sort of egg, my husband is amazed. My love for eggs and my love for jelly beans make Easter my favorite holiday. Here are my all time favorite "deviled" eggs. There really are no words to describe these beauties. Have a wonderful Easter!

Deviled Eggs

• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Paprika or chili powder
  
• Red bell pepper
  

1. Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard and salt; mix well. Stuff or pipe into egg whites. Add devil horns by using sliced red bell pepper. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

*(Adapted from All-Recipies)

Pepperoni Pizza Bake

The other day I was looking for an easy dinner and just happened to have a can a Pillsbury Grands in my fridge. I came across this recipe in a quest to find something good and easy for dinner. It tasted heavenly and made my husband really happy. That's what a call a incredible dinner.

Pillsbury Pizza Bake

Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated original biscuits

1 can (8 oz) pizza sauce

2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

16 slices pepperoni (1 1/2 inch)

DIRECTIONS:

• CUT each biscuit into 8 pieces; toss with pizza sauce and 1 cup of the cheese.
• SPREAD in sprayed 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish. Top with pepperoni and remaining 1 cup cheese.
• BAKE at 375°F 22 to 28 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
• Enjoy.
  

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

Bake 28 to 34 minutes.

I'm Back

For the last couple of months I have been MIA. I could give you a variety of excuses of why I dropped the ball on blogging, but I won't. Just know I feel bad. The other day my sister told me that she loves this blog and uses it for a lot of inspiration. This gave me the motivation to get back into posting, and to keep trying to inspire readers like you. So I offer my sincerest apologies and will rally up my forces and hopefully keep this blog interesting and inspiring. Keep coming back for your bits of inspiration, and please send some inspiration my way. I could sure use it as well.

Baby Shower Favors

I am in the process of making some really cute baby shower favors for a shower I'm throwing in a couple weeks. I got the idea from http://www.creative-baby-shower-ideas.com/ and highly recommend the site if you ever throw a shower for someone. The specific link with step by step instructions is here: www.creative-baby-shower-ideas/nut-cups.html .

You basically fold the napkin in half, then bring two corners to overlap a bit. Bring the third corner up and safety pin them together...

Then fill them up with the candy of your choice. I chose to use York Peppermint Pattie pieces (they are delicious, but I personally love the Almond Joy pieces the most...the color of the peppermint ones worked the best). The website suggests whoppers, but I personally didn't want to put anything in there that resembled a messy diaper.

I happened to have this white basket in my boy's room which I thought was a perfect place to stash them. Very excited to hand these out to everyone who comes!

Ladies Night Out

Just because it's been a while since anyone has posted & I am thrilled about this new amazing product I had discovered, I am going to share my story with you all.

Or you can just check out my Blog: Advocareandme.blogspot.com

We are throwing a Ladies Night Out next week & everyone is invited. There will be door prizes, raffles, and loads more. Which will include nutritional wellness info while using Advocare.

Just Check out my Before & After pics!

Saving Money - Making Your Own Cleaning Products

Making your own cleaning products...sounds intimidating! Well, it does for me. I haven't actually ever made my own cleaning products. I do know that it is a great way to save money AND is better for the environment then using store-bought chemical cleaners. Hopefully, writing this post will motivate me to stop being a sissy and try it for myself!

Powdered Laundry Detergent
12 cups Borax
8 cups baking soda
8 cups washing soda
8 cups bar soap, grated (use fels-naptha, ivory, sunlight, kirk's castile, zote, or another more natural soap)
Mix all together and store in a sealed tub.
Use 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) per full load.

Dish Soap 2 cups soap shaving in a large bowl Stir until smooth. You can add more water if you need to. Add 1/2 cup lemon vinegar to fight grease. Shake well before using.

Dishwasher Soap
1 part Borax
1 part Washing Soda
Add 2-3 cups hot water and let sit overnight

Stain Remover
Put grated soap in a jar. Add boiling water. Pretreat stains by globbing this on them.
Use 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) per full load.8 cups bar soap, grated (use fels-naptha, ivory, sunlight, kirk's castile, zote, or another more natural soap)

Liquid Soap 1 bar of soap
6-10 cups water (depending on the size of the bar of soap)
Heat the water to a simmer. While the water is heating, grate the soap. Add the soap to the simmering water, and turn off the heat. Let mixture sit for 15 min. Beat with a whisk or in the blender until smooth. Let sit overnight until thoroughly cool. Blend again in the morning and funnel into a dispenser. Save extra in a large jar to refill your dispenser as needed.

(Note: These are my cousins' recipes. She has tried most them. You can check out her blog HERE to get her thoughts on these recipes.)

Before I started writing this post I was perusing a blog that I stalk and found some air freshener recipes/ideas. I wanted to share these with you too.

Mix 1/4 C. baking soda with water in a spray bottle. Shake well....& spray! The baking soda will absorb the odor. You can also add scents to this like vanilla extract or peppermint.

Spray white vinegar (undiluted) in the air. The vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, and will take the odors with it.

Take your parmesan cheese shaker from your spaghetti nights, and fill it with baking soda (you can also mix essential oil or cologne with it). Sprinkle it over the carpets and let it sit as long as possible (overnight for example). Then vacuum. You can add a bit of salt to the baking soda.....which sounds odd but it absorbs the moisture and acts as an abrasive when you vacuum - your carpet will look a lot better with a tad bit of salt added in than by vacuuming without it.

To get rid of odors heat white vinegar on the stove, but don't boil! Heat it for 30 minutes, and then take off the burner. The vinegar-ish smell will dissipate and take the odors with it.

Save your citrus peels from oranges, lemons, etc. Boil them in a pot with water.

Wash your walls with white vinegar and a wash rag. Simple.....easy, and best of all? Works better than any other expensive cleaner, without the scent.

For your bathroom, dampen a cotton swab with your favorite perfume, cologne, or essential oil and then swab the inside of the toilet paper roll. Each time you roll the toilet paper, the scent will release and fill the bathroom.

Purify your living room with vanilla extract! Dampen cotton balls with pure vanilla - put in a dish and let them sit. For a big living room you should be good with 3-4 cotton balls in a dish. Your living room will smell like you've been baking for hours!

Lastly make your own renuzit crystals. Mix 1/2 C. salt and 1/2 C. flour in a bowl. Add 1/4 tsp of essential oil, and 2/3 C. of boiling water and a few drops of your favorite color food coloring to create a custom shade. Blend them all really well, and form into balls, dry, and viola! Scented rocks!

Thanks, Sheryl @ Centsable Shoppin!

Pom Pom Toms

Upon reading the All You magazine I came across this adorable idea for pom pom toms. I am really good at hot glue and cutting felt out so I knew these would be right up my alley. I now have these four little adorable Toms sitting on my bookshelf. If you want to know how to make them go here. I think they would look adorable as centerpieces for our Thanksgiving dinner.

How to Bake the Perfect Pie

Some of you know that I love pies. I am really good at making them as well. Last night I taught a class on how to make pies at my church. There I gave away some of my greatest pie secrets. I stayed up late last night contemplating whether I should post these tips on this blog. The final decision was YES! Now you can bake the perfect Thanksgiving pie and astound your own family. First I will post my favorite pie crust recipe and the ultimate apple pie recipe, and then I will put a whole list of tips. If you have have further questions about pie baking email me at janinasbakesale@gmail.com.

Perfect & Flaky Pie Crust Recipe - 9 inch pies

Single Crust:

• 1 ½ all-purpose or pastry flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup COLD All-Vegetable Shortening
• 4 to 8 tablespoon ice cold water

Double Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose or pastry flour
• ½ teaspoon salt (plus an extra pinch)
• ⅔ cup COLD All-Vegetable Shortening
• 5 to 10 tablespoon ice cold water

1. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbles about the size of peas or lentils.

2. Sprinkle one tablespoon of ice cold water over part of the mixture. Toss gently with a fork; push to side of bowl. Repeat until mixture is moistened and can be formed into a ball. (The dough should hold together when picked up and pressed, and should not crack).

3. Flatten ball of dough into disks (one for crust, two for double crust). Wrap tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight

4. Remove one disk of dough from refrigerator. Turn onto very lightly floured surface. If the dough is too hard, allow it to sit for 5 minutes to soften. Roll dough gently. Do not roll over the edge or it will be thin. If dough sticks to surface, dust lightly with flour.

5. Transfer dough to 9-inch pie plate being careful to avoid stretching pastry. Trim edges of pastry ¾ inch beyond edge of pie plate.

The Perfect Apple Pie

(Adapted from the Better Homes & Garden Cookbook)

• 1 recipe double pie crust
• 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 2 ½ pounds)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries (optional)

1. Prepare and roll out pastry for double crust pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Trim edges of the pastry ¾ inch beyond edge of pie plate.

2. Sprinkle the apples with lemon juice. In a large bowl stir together the ¾ cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the apple slices, and if desired cranberries. Toss until coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pastry lined pie plate. Cut slits in remaining pastry; place on filling and seal. Crimp edges as desired.

4. Brush top pastry with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge with foil. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375°. Bake for 25 more minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 minutes or more until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy with ice cream.

Tips to Make the Perfect Pie

• For best results, refrigerate all ingredients prior to making the dough - even the flour (if not, just use cold shortening or butter with ice water).
• Use pastry flour or all-purpose. Bread flour has too much gluten to make a tender crust, and cake flour is too soft to give the proper body.
• Lard and shortening produce the most tender crusts. You may use half lard or shortening and half butter if you want the buttery flavor.
• The pockets of fat make the flakiness in the crust. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut in fat. Dough should still have some pea-size pieces. Handle as little as possible with your hands.
• All liquids should be ice-cold.
• Blend liquid in just until the dough begins to hold together. Overworking toughens the dough.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes for easier rolling and to slow down gluten development
• To prevent a soggy crust, refrigerate for 15 minutes before filling or seal by brushing with slightly beaten egg white, then refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Brush top-crust with milk or egg wash (egg-yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water or milk) and sprinkle with sugar to make an even, brown and glossy finished crust
• Bake pie for 15 minutes at a 425° to start bottom crust cooking before all of the juices flow out of fruit. Then lower temperature to recipe recommended temperature and cook the remaining amount of time
• Pie dough can be refrigerated up to two days.
• Cool baked pies on a wire rack set on the counter. The rack allows air to circulate under the pie, preventing it from becoming soggy from the steam remaining it in.

High Altitude tips: Pie crusts are often too dry and need slightly more liquid to become pliable (be careful: too much liquid can develop gluten and toughen crusts). Baking pie fillings all the way through takes longer than it would at sea level. Cover pies loosely with foil during part of the baking time to prevent the top crust from burning before the fruit beneath is completely cooked. For more information check out: http://www.highaltitudebaking.com/adj_recipes.htm