Wisdom From Grandma

These cookies are my personal favorites. You really have to refrigerate them for one hour before cooking. It’s Grandma’s secret tip for making them turn out right. Also, you need to sift your flour and then measure out your three cups.

Ingredients:
3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (The easiest way to do this is with your sifter. It doesn’t hurt the flour to be re-sifted.) Set your dry mixture aside.
2. Combine and bean butter, sugar and eggs until they are light and fluffy.
3. Blend in the sour cream and vanilla until the mixture is nice and smooth.
4. Add your dry mixture gradually.
5. Refrigerate your cookie dough for one hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
7. Drop tablespoon sized cookie dough mixture onto your greased cookie sheet, making sure they are about two and 1/2 inches apart. (Dough will puff up and spread out.)
8. Sprinkle your cookies with topping.
9. Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are a light golden brown color.

Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies.

Grandma’s meatballs were not quite world famous, but everyone who knew her raved about them. More recent family members have substituted turkey for hamburger and these new turkey meatballs are still wonderful.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey (7% fat is best)
2 tablespoons Parmesian cheese
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1 tablespoon onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients together.
2. Form balls of one and a half to two inches around.
3. Brown balls in oil or in a non-stick pan coated with non-stick spray for about seven minutes.
4. Add balls to sauce and cook for three minutes.

There are an untold number of ways that you can use essential oils in your home. Below are some tried and true recipe blends for common household tasks. Try them and see if doing things the “Old Fashioned Way” doesn’t actually turn out to be the Better way!

Air Freshener- Mix 20-30 drops of the blend in 3 oz. water.

20 drops Lime
14 drops Bergamot
4 drops Ylang Ylang
2 drops Rose

Disinfectant Room Spray- Mix per one ounce of water. Combine and shake well.

3 drops Eucalyptus
1 drop Peppermint
1 drop Tea Tree
2 drops Bergamot

Kill Airborne Bacteria - Put in a simmering pot of water. Not boiling water though!

5 drops Eucalyptus
2 drop Peppermint

Tub & Shower Scrub- Use with a damp sponge or cloth.

1/2 cup baking Soda
10 drops Tea Tree
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Geranium

Kitchen Sink Scrub- Cleans and leaves stainless surfaces shiny.

1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/8 cup Vinegar
5 drops Lemon
5 drops Orange
Can substitute Lime or Bergamot also

Lemon Lime Cleaning Powder- Cuts grease and acts as mild abrasive cleaner.

10 drops Lime
10 drops Lemon
1/4 cup Baking Soda

Anti-Bacterial Cleanser- Mix oils & use 8 drops per 2 cups of final rinse water.
Use in spray bottle to spray down sick room surfaces. Multiply recipe to make larger amounts and store in airtight container between uses.

10 drops Fir Needle
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Tea Tree

Dishwashing Liquid- Use with liquid castile soap or other natural liquid soap.
Not suitable for use with automatic dishwashers. Mix oils with soap and shake well before using.

10 drops Lemon
10 drops Lavender
10 drops Orange

All Purpose House Cleaner-
Take a handful of dried lavender flowers, rosemary, sage and thyme and put in a widemouth glass jar 3/4 full. Fill jar to the top witrh white vinegar and leave in the sun for 2 weeks. Strain through cheesecloth. Use the scented vinegar in a spray bottle or add some to baking soda for abrasive scrubbing action.

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Buffy Hall, RN Ret. worked as an registered nurse for 12 years in labor & delivery and home health areas before retiring in 1993 due to complications from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. She is a long time student of natural healing and alternative therapies and practices many of them in the management of her own chronic illness.

She is also the owner and Soaper-in-Chief of BodyBubbles, specializing in handmade cold process soaps, natural skin care and home spa aromatherapy products. Visit her website at www.bodybubbles.com or contact her anytime at blogstuff@bodybubbles.com.