Ingredients
12 cups cold water
4 cups boiling water
6-12 tea bags * I use 6 but you may use as many as you would like.
1-1 1/2 cups sugar
2 pinches baking soda

Directions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a sauce pan.
2. Take boiling water off heat and add  tea bags, sugar, and baking soda.  Let sit covered for 15 minutes.  No longer this is what makes your tea bitter tasting.
3. Take tea bags out of sauce pan and pour your tea mixture into gallon size pitcher.
4. Add remaining water to pitcher. 
5. Let chill in refrigerator but if you can't wait pour over some ice and enjoy!

Homemade Oreo Cookies
Takes about an hour to make from start to finish.
Worth every second!  

This last time I made these I doubled the recipe for the chocolate wafers and tripled the cream filling and made double stuffed Oreos.  
Chocolate Wafers  

Ingredients
 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
 1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons Butter (1 1/4 sticks) ROOM TEMP
1 large egg  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In mixer thoroughly mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. Low speed add butter then the egg
4. Continue mixing until ingredients become a dough.
5. Roll the dough into large marbles size balls and then flatten with spatula or hand.
6. Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart
7. Bake on the center rack for 8 minutes
8. Once done baking let cool for a few minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Filling 
1/4 cup room temp butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted powder sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. In mixer place butter and shortening and mix at low speed
2. Gradually beat in the powder sugar and vanilla.
3. Turn mixer on high and beat 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy

 Assemble the cookies,
in a pastry bag or gallon bag snip off corner,
squeeze cream in the middle of the chocolate wafer. 
Place another cookie equal to size on top and press lightly.  

Get a big glass of cold milk and enjoy your homemade Oreo!

This little gadget for my kitchen is one of my favorite tools.   Maybe it is the memory of my Dad sitting at the kitchen table and eating more of the cheese than what was being shredded.  I hope one day my children will have the same fond memory.

Mom and I love to go on antique hunts and this one was life or death.  I told her if I couldn't find one, I would just kill her to inherit hers! 
After YEARS of searching we not only found one but two and of course my younger brother just had to have the other one.
This cool antique is call a Mouli Shredder.  It comes apart to change the disk for different cut styles.  It is also safe for children to use with an adult of course.
My next hunt is already in place for a vintage egg scale.
What are your favorite kitchen gadgets?

Just in time for Valentines day! 
Make them for yourself or for someone you love but DON'T break your budget.
I bought 2 pints of strawberries for $5.00 and the chocolate wafers for $5.00. 
Alright, Alright, they are not Neuchatel Chocolates and of course will never ever compare
but they are CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES.  I mean just where can you go wrong?!?!?!

INGREDIENTS
About 2 Cups of Chocolate wafers
1-2 pints of strawberries

SUPPLIES
Double boiler
Toothpicks
Cookie sheet
*candy mold

DIRECTIONS
I put the chocolate wafers in the double boiler (Sauce pan with metal boil on top) on the burner at med- med high heat. 
As this was heating I stuck the toothpicks in the top of the strawberries. 
When the chocolate completely melted I started to dip the strawberries and then place the coated strawberries on a cookie sheet. 
Once all of your strawberries are coated, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes.   Whaaaalaaa
** If you want the white chocolate you need to purchase the white chocolate wafers. While the strawberries are in the freezer start the white chocolate the same way as you did with the milk chocolate.  Then just use a spatula to let the white chocolate dip on the already dipped strawberries. 
* With the left over chocolate I used the candy mold that I use for the gummy candies.

Happy Valentine's day
from Moon, Stars,and Beyond

We were buying a grill cover every 6 months or more.  They would either blow away or they would shred.  After trying every single grill cover out there ( ok!  Not every but it felt like it)  I have found the one.  It did after 2 years rip but I have to say the reason why I am swearing by this company is because of what they did to keep me.   I contacted them last week because of the rip and I thought there might be a warranty on the grill cover.  I paid less than $35.00 plus free shipping from Amazon, 2 years ago. So I didn't expect much.  This was last week that I contacted them.  I filled out the online form and sent the required information.  Today (less than a week later) I received a brand new grill cover.  NO QUESTIONS ASKED!  Now that is what I call service. 
Classic Accessories, Thank you!

 I made this recipe for my family months ago and have made it ever since.  My son loves it so much he refuses to eat the stuff you buy!  He is not the only one in my home that feels that way.   I promise it sounds like more work than what it really is and you will enjoy the out come just as much as everyone else. 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/fabulous-homemade-bread/detail.aspx

I have followed this recipe many times and the bread always comes out amazing.  The first time I made this though I came to a point in the recipe where no more would fit in my Kitchen Aid mixer. I dumped the remaining dough which is very moist and I kneaded the rest of the flour into the dough.  You do not have to do this if you half the recipe but I always love having the extra loaves to give to family and friends.

* For perfect slices use a electric knife

Original Recipe Yield 6 loaves 
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup bread flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 10 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 cup bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.
2. Measure oats, 4 1/2 cups warm water, whole wheat flour, salt, 2/3 cup sugar, and 2/3 cup oil into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed slightly, and begin adding bread flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.
3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape loaves, and place in greased 8 x 4 inch pans. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above rim of pans, usually 1 hour.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until tops are browned. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.