Christmas Gift Guide - FootSmart Naturalizer Boots Review and Giveaway!

If there is one thing that I am willing to shell out extra money for its good shoes that are quality made and support my feet.  Having supportive shoes can help prevent a whole slew of problems in your life.  I have high arches and if I wear cheap no support shoes I get terrible tendon pain.  Not to mention if you buy really cheap shoes you end up having to replace them way more often which means you are spending either the same or more money on shoes that hurt your feet.  I have reviewed FootSmart before and have always been pleased with the quality, comfort, and attractiveness of their shoes.  So when they wanted to pair with my blog for a Christmas Review I was very excited!


Here is some info on the company

FootSmart, the largest direct retailer of foot and lower body health care products in the United States, understands that when your feet hurt or are not properly cushioned or supported, your entire lower body can be negatively affected.

Online and via our mail-order catalog, FootSmart sells over 3,000 comfort, health and pain-relieving products designed to effectively improve your quality of life. A division of Benchmark Brands, Inc., FootSmart has been working to soothe or solve your lower body health related problems and discomforts since first opening its doors in 1989.

FootSmart cares about its customers, and has partnered with leading healthcare professionals to compile a group of carefully selected foot and lower body healthcare products.

The first thing I noticed was the HUGE selection they carry!  I mean there are hundreds of different shoes for women alone!  And they don't just carry shoes.  They also carry boots, sandals, socks, hosiery, foot health products, slippers, and diabetic supplies.  I have a weakness for wool socks so I adore these wool slipper socks!  I would love to get a pair for each of my family for this fall and winter!

I really wanted to try a pair of FootSmart Boots because boots are so in fashion right now. My holdup is that I have always been concerned about boots not being comfortable and leaving my feet aching after only an hour of wear.  But with FootSmart I can choose a pair that is designed to be comfortable and support my feet in the way I need them to.  That is something I really like about FootSmart.  I can search for shoes or boots based on my specific foot problems so I don't have to sift through hundreds of shoes.  This option is pretty important because FootSmart has such a huge selection of Boots to choose from.


 I finally decided on the Naturalizer Women's Jersey Wide Shaft Tall Boot in oxford brown.  These were so cute and I honestly felt very pretty in them.  But best of all they are so comfortable!  I wore them all day on Thanksgiving and was on my feet cooking most of the time.  By the end of the day I was tired but my feet still felt fine!  I get tons of compliments on them and wear them with leggings, skirts, and jeans.
  

In conclusion I was impressed with the selection, ease of using the website, and prices of this company.  They not only have products that address a variety of foot problems, but their selection is really fashionable and cute so you don't feel like your wearing medical shoes.  They also would make amazing Christmas Gifts for the ones you love!

Right Now FootSmart is running an amazing Black Friday sale of 20% off Shoes, Boots, and Slippers plus you get free shipping when your order is over $59.00!

 

Connect with FootSmart

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Facebook

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Pinterest
 

Giveaway!

The FootSmart people have been super generous in offering to give one lucky Thrifty Housewife reader their very own pair of   Naturalizer Women's Jersey Wide Shaft Tall Boot (winners choice of color) a $200.00 value!  Use the rafflecopter below to enter and good luck! 

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb958/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.

  

My Favorite Poem (and song) For Thanksgiving

I have a very large extended family and every year on Thanksgiving we would all get together for a huge feast.  I remember playing in my grandparents  basement with my cousins  while the adults had fun upstairs watching football, playing football, and preparing the meal. The women gossiped and shared stories in the kitchen, the men cheered on the team in the living room and then we would all stuff ourselves with delicious traditional foods at dinner.  I miss those get togethers and am looking forward to when my children are grown up and bring their spouses and children to my home for a fun filled day.

Here is my favorite poem of Thanksgiving and the history behind it.  This talented women also wrote books that I own and I highly recommend them for the modern reader.  They are amazingly wise and modern in thinking and have some very good ideas for raising children.

The American Frugal Housewife

http://product.half.ebay.com/The-American-Frugal-Housewife_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ555583

The Mothers Book

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She also wrote the first childrens magazine and a book just for girls.



"Over the River and through the Woods" is a Thanksgiving song by Lydia Maria Child. Written originally as a poem, it appeared in her Flowers for Children, volume 2, in 1844. The title of the poem is, "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day". It celebrates her childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House. Lydia Maria Child was a novelist, journalist, teacher, and wrote extensively about the need to eliminate slavery.




It is sometimes presented with lines about Christmas, rather than Thanksgiving. For instance, the line "Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!" becomes "Hurrah for Christmas Day!". As a Christmas song, it has been recorded as "A Merry Christmas at Grandmother's".

Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house we go;

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood—

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose

As over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood,

To have a first-rate play.

Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding",

Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood

Trot fast, my dapple-gray!

Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound,

For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood—

And straight through the barnyard gate,

We seem to go extremely slow,

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood—

Now Grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

The Foods That Founded America part three: Winter Squash

 

Pumpkin for breakfast

Pumpkin at noon

Without Pumpkin

We'd be undoon

Rhyme from the colonies

 

Winter squash was first discovered in America and was already a staple of the native American diet when the first colonists arrived.  What a boon to the inexperienced colonists. It is easy to grow, harvest, and store for the winter.  There are hundreds of varieties with every possible size, favor, and color.  There are blue Hubbard's that get over 60 lbs and tiny sweet dumplings that are the perfect serving size. 

 

The above poem shows how dependant the colonists were on pumpkin.  In one journal a visitor noted that the people ate pumpkin at every meal.  And really winter squash can be used in so many ways.  They can be turned into soups, pies, breads, roasted, dried, pickled, mashed, and even fermented.   They are a high quality food with lots of vitamins and nutrition.

They require little effort to preserve for winter as you can store them for up to six months in a moderately warm room.  You can also simply slice them and dry them till leathery and add them to soups later.

Add to all its other virtues winter squash makes a good winter animal fodder.  Many farmers used pumpkins to feed their cows, goats, sheep, and pigs until spring.  

As America grew up and expanded the settlers brought their favorite squash seeds with them to plant at their new homes.  Often it was the best harvest they had that first year on the new broken land since grain crops did poorly on the fresh turned land.

Now winter squash is a traditional part of the American diet.  Pumpkin pie is the most common dish at a holiday table, but roasted squash and squash soup are often served on the fall table.

Our family loves roasted butternut, buttercup, and sweet dumpling squash with dinner. I often make pumpkin bread, muffins, and cake.  This year for us was somewhat like it must have been for the settlers of early America.  Our garden was new in many areas of our land and the pumpkins, winter squash, and summer squash did the best out of all our endeavors.

 

Amish Sugar Pie Pumpkins from our garden

What a Colonial Kitchen Looked Like

Colonial Pumpkin Pie

2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin or (16 oz. can of pumpkin)

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 cup light cream

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell



Combine pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt. Blend in eggs and cream. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 400 until knife inserted off center comes out clean. 40 to 50 minutes. Cool (filling may crack)

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

My family loves this cake turned into cupcakes.  It makes a huge sheet cake so be prepared!  Also try grinding your own spices, they are much more fragrant and flavorful fresh ground.  I use an electric coffee grinder.

3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ground cloves
3-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1-1/2 t. salt
Garnish with whipped cream

Beat together sugar, oil and eggs.  Add water, mix well.  Beat in pumpkin and spices, set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine flour baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir into pumpkin mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Pour into a greased 13"x9" baking pan; bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean.  Cool slightly.  Serve warm or cold, garnish with whipped cream.  Serves 12

Barely There Mineral Wear Review and Giveaway!

Did you know 99% of pregnant women in the USA tested positive for high loads of chemical cocktails.  And I'm not talking about prescription drugs, I mean chemicals that are used to manufacture stuff.  Read this study HERE for more info.  Long story short studies have shown that exposure to unborn children of these chemicals can cause miscarriage and low birth weight and head size!  Now think of what our constant exposure to these chemicals is doing to us over 30 or 40 years.  These chemicals were never tested for long term exposure so no one knows what the effects on the human body is.

One of the things that doctors recommend is to avoid non natural makeup.  Think of your constant exposure to the chemical cocktail you get every day as you apply lipstick, powder, blush, etc to you face.  We as women are doing that EVERY day!  It used to be your only option was to go full Amish and wear no makeup.  But now there are companies that specialize in natural toxin free makeups that not only reduce our chemical load but look great too!


When Barely There Mineral Wear offered several of their products for review I was thrilled!  I had never heard of them before so I was eager to see how their makeup worked on my skin.  I have had a very hard time recently with makeup and skin care products.  I seem to be allergic to something that is commonly put into many products and it causes me to break out not in acne but actual sores.  They look terrible!

The first thing I tried was the Oil Control Veil which right now is only $5.00!  It is a base powder that is very sheer and helps those of us with oily skin.  I have always had a problem with oily skin and hated how shiny my face constantly looked no matter how much powder I would apply.  The  Oil Control Veil works amazing!  I love how my skin looks with it on.  It lasts pretty much all day.  I apply it as a base before I put on my foundation powder.  Barely There also carries a veil for normal dry skin and an Aloe Veil.  All on sale right now for $5.00!

Next I applied the foundation powder.  Barley There has several different kinds to choose from but I choose the original to review.  There are 20 different shades to choose from so you can get a perfect match to you skin tone.  I applied it all over and then used an eyeshadow brush to apply some to my spots.  It covered it really well without making it look "covered" if you know what I mean.

Next I tried the eyeliner in brown.  I have a very fair skin tone so black makes me look a little weird.  Finding a really all natural eyeliner is very difficult.  So I was very eager to try Barely There's.  First off it applied beautifully, did I mention I used to be a Mary Kay consultant?  So I know allot about makeup application.  It is very creamy but not too soft or you couldn't apply a nice line.  I also use it for a brow liner.  I love it!  Never going back to the standard stuff!

I also received some Eye Shadows that look very nice and apply great.  No cakieness to them and I feel very happy knowing that I'm not getting chemicals in my eyes from flakes falling into them or inhaling them.

I also received a jar of their Under Eye Concealer.  I have very dark circles under my eyes.  This product is amazing!  It is creamy and goes on very smooth and helps so much with my eyes.  They look great after I apply it!

Last but not least is the Gluten Free Vitamin B3 Serum.  I have not been able to use any sort of lotion or moisturizer on my face for years.  It always results in me breaking out into sores, not zits.  So I was very nervous about trying the Gluten Free Vitamin B3 Serum.  However it turned out great, I didn't break out and I have noticed my skin looking smoother and clearer.  This is also on sale right now for $5.00 which is 75% off!

I would recommend Barely There Mineral Wear to anyone.  Their products look amazing, are vegan and chemical free, are VERY reasonably priced, and help prevent breakouts.  And everything in the store is On Sale right now!  Their products would also make a great gift for a special lady in your life who deserves healthy makeup.

 

Connect with Barely There Mineral Wear

 

Website
Facebook

 The Giveaway!

 

Barely There Mineral Wear has generously offered to give one luck Thrifty Housewife reader a $25.00 Gift Certificate the their store!  Use the Rafflecopter to enter, all entries are optional, all winning entries are verified so if an entry is not completed then I pick another winner.

 

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb957/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org. All entries are optional.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only. 

Get a Free Photo Book From York Photo Deal

'

 

I love photo books and take advantage of the free only pay shipping deals every chance I get.  I absolutely hate scrapbooking and have never had the time for it in any case, but photo books let me put all my pictures into a professional looking book that will last a lifetime!  And with only shipping it is MUCH less expensive than printing it out and putting it into an album.  Click HERE for the deal!

Christmas Gift Guide- Educational Insights Freeze Up Electronic Game Review and Giveaway!

 

 

Having fun games (non video) on hand is very important to me. They are indispensable for rainy days, long car rides, and "I'm Board" moments.  I also want something the children can play themselves after a introductory game or two with mom. So when I found Educational Insights I quickly grew a huge list of wants for my kids.  Educational Insights is a company that provides high quality affordable educational toys and products for children. So when Educational Insights offered to send me one of their electronic games I was thrilled!

 

Here is a little blurb from the company:

Based in Southern California, Educational Insights, is the manufacturer of playful products with serious educational value, including subject-specific classroom products, teacher resources, educational toys, and games. Our products are designed by seasoned educators and parents who know that, first and foremost, learning must be fun.

 

One of the games they sent me was Freeze Up ages 8-99 $24.99.  It is a fun electronic game that asks the players to say a word from a certain category starting with a certain letter before the time runs out.  So you might have to think of a flower starting with the letter W!  This game was allot of fun not only for my children but for me and my husband!   We got stumped several times and then you can choose a new category or letter.  It is a fast moving game that doesn't go on forever so it keeps the attention of younger kids without frustrating them.

This is a great game and would make a perfect Christmas present for not just kids but also families and teenagers.

 

Connect with Educational Insights

 

Website

Facebook

Pinterest

 

The Giveaway!

 

Educational Insights has been super generous in giving one of The Thrifty Housewife's readers a Freeze Up ($24.99 Value) of their very own just in time for Christmas!  Use the rafflecopter below to enter, all entries are optional, all winning entries are verified.  Good Luck!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb956/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org. All entries are optional.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only. 

Christmas Gift Guide - Weavers Coffee and Tea Review and Gormet Giveaway!

Now that settled cold weather is upon us a good hot cup of coffee or tea is a pleasure in the morning before I get the woodstove fired up. But I do not like cheap stuff.  When I make black tea it is loose leaf.  And I love gourmet coffees.  It is one of the few splurges I allow myself.  So when Weavers Coffee and Tea offered to let me review their products I was so excited!

Weaver's Coffee and Tea is a company dedicated to providing Loose leaf teas and Coffees of superior quality.  They take care that every step from harvesting to roasting is done properly to get the utmost flavor from their beverages while at the same time striving to ensure their products are as green as possible.

Weaver's sent me six products to review.  Two were their gourmet coffees.  The first I tried was the Astral Blend 100% Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, this full-bodied blend is sweet and smooth with a natural, earthy finish.  I loved every drop of it!

The second was the Costa Rica -  (Fair Trade Certified and Certified Organic).  Grown in the Central Highlands, this medium-bodied coffee has a buttery-rich acidity with bright lemon-citrus flavors which flower in the cup that was great in the morning.  Both my husband and I loved these coffees and I thought they were much better than Starbucks!

They also sent me four black teas. Breakfast Blend  Mango Black Earl Gray, and Pomegranate Green .
All four are very good and have a strong well balanced flavor. My favorite surprisingly was the Earl Grey.  I say surprisingly because I am generally not a fan of the bergamot flavor, but Weavers added just enough so that it wasn't overpowering.    I absolutely love the black teas.  They are flavorful and of high quality, not just powder!  The mango and pomegranate were very nice with just a touch of fruit.  I don't like too much of a fruit flavor in my teas so that was perfect for me.

The price on all of these is about what you would pay in a grocery store for better quality non organic coffee or tea, but the added bonus is Weavers Coffee and Tea products taste better and are organic!  I would recommend Weavers to any coffee and tea lovers who want a better quality products.  Weavers Coffee and Teas would make a great gift for Christmas as who doesn't love to receive gourmet coffee and tea?

Connect with Weavers

 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Youtube

 

The Giveaway!

 

Weavers has generously offered to give not one but two lucky Thrifty Houswife readers a Christmas Gift Set of the coffee and teas I reviewed.  That's two coffee's and four tea's!

A $50.00 value

 

Use the rafflecopter form to enter.  All entries are optional, all winning entries will be verified. Good luck!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb955/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 he Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified.

Vinyl Disorder Wall Decal Review and Giveaway!

I am sure that everyone has heard of vinyl wall decals.  There are just tons of different cool projects that you can use them for.  So when Vinyl Disorder offered to let me review one of their decals I was super excited!  I knew just what I wanted to do as well.  I have been wanting to do a "Family Tree Wall"  ever since I first saw them on Pinterest.  Lucky for me Vinyl Disorder carries tons of Tree and Branches kits to choose from.  In fact they have so many the main problem was choosing one!

Vinyl Disorder is a custom vinyl company that produces vinyl decals, care decals, Band Music Stickers, sports stickers, banners, vehicle lettering, dirt bike and sport bike graphics, boat lettering, business decoration, website decals, and of course wall decals!

They have an absolutely staggering selection.  Hundreds and hundreds of decals to choose from that are completely customizable on not just size but also on color.  So you can match your décor!  Not only that but they can make any decal into a chalkboard!

 

I choose one of their trees as I said before.  This was going to be a BIG tree so I was eager to see how hard it was going to be to put up.  This was the wall before putting it up

 

 

After putting up with paper still on it

  

 

After peeling the paper off



 

 

 

 

 And done!  this is the finished project with the pictures of my lovely family hung on it.  I love how it turned out amazing!  I have gotten tons of compliments on the tree.  It was very easy for my husband and I to put up!  The whole project took 1/2 hours and that's it!  These decals are easy to remove and leave no marks on the wall.

 

So my opinion of the Vinyl Disorder Company

 

• Nice looking easy to navigate website
• Very reasonable prices
• Absolutely gigantic selection of decals, especially when compared to other companies
• Features an easy use customizable option for color and size on all decals
• Helpful customer care
• Fast shipping
• Free application tool with decal and easy to understand instructions including an online video that shows you how to do it.

 

 

I cannot find any cons to this company.  So Vinyl Disorder is a 5 stars in my humble opinion! 

 

Connect with Vinyl Disorder

 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

The Giveaway

 

Vinyl Disorder has generously offered to give one lucky Thrifty Housewife reader their choice of any decal up to a 23" inch size (no specialty colors).  Use the rafflecopter below to enter.  All entries are optional.  All winning entries are verified.

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb954/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views and statements are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified.  The Thrifty Housewife is no responsible for prize fulfillment.

Tropical Traditions Buy One Get One Free Gold Label Coconut Oil + Free Shipping!

There is a great deal over at Tropical Traditions today for buy one get one free on 16 oz Gold label Virgin Coconut Oil plus free shipping! Click the link to buy, by clicking the link I may get a small bonus, this does not effect the price for you!  Go HERE to purchase

• FREE Shipping - One Day Only - TODAY!
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• 20% OFF Organic Fair Trade Whole Bean Coffee
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The Foods That Founded America: Part Two- The Forgotten Pig

Ahhh the pig.  What an unsung hero of the American founding she is!  We hear more about the turkey than the pig when, in  reality, the pig has done more for the colonists and pioneers than any other animal. But first I must clarify for my honored readers the great difference between the modern pig and her more rustic predecessor who was used by the colonists and pioneers. A little pig history if you will.

Up until about 100 years ago the pig served a much different purpose than it does today.  The pig in essence was a fat factory, its main purpose was to make lots and lots of fat.  Why fat you say?  Well before the industrial revolution there was no such thing as petroleum products or electricity.  So all soaps, candles, and oil had to come from animal fats.  Trying to farm oil producing crops was not yet possible for the average farmer due to the fact that one man and a team of oxen could only farm so much land a year.  So where could a reliable source of good quality lard and tallow come from?  Cows have a lot of fat but take at least two years to reach butcher weight and require lots of hay and pasture to get there.  Chickens produce fat but it is too soft for good soap or candle production.  However the pig is glorious in its capacity to put on loads of nice hard fat in less than a year.

For the early Americans pigs were absolutely essential to life.  They were easy to care for, ate waste foods and rooted for themselves, and reproduced in abundance.   They provided the fat necessary to make lye soap, candles, and lard for cooking as all products not produced at home had to be shipped in at astronomical expense and unreliable transportation.  Pounds and pounds of soap had to made every year to provide the family with something to clean laundry and themselves with.  Lard was used to bake and fry foods with, and also as a form of preservation.  Housewife's would make dozens of mince pies in fall after hog killing and then pour rendered lard on top of the pie crust thus sealing it against air.  Then they would be placed into a secure unheated room where it promptly froze.  The first frozen food!  Candles were considered a luxury so most of the lard went into soap or food production.   When the colonists first arrived on the northeastern shores they stared in dismay at a vast forest with no seeming end.  In fact this became known as the Great Forest, and it stretched from the furthest north of Canada down to Florida and from the edge of the east coast all the way to the Dakotas.  This may seem to us as a good thing but the colonists were a bit more practical.  With out any valleys for grass hay a cow, ox (the preferred animal for hauling) or horse couldn't survive.  In fact grass seed had to be brought to the colonies because the little grass growing on the eastern seaboard was so low in nutrition.  One horse goes through at least a ton of good grass hay a winter, and needs ample pasturage from spring through fall.  A milk cow requires the same. So that meant that for almost 15 years very few people had these animals until they could clear enough forest and as an extension there was very little butter for cooking and baking.  Rendered lard was happily adopted.

 

 None of the colonists were hunters as wild game was almost extinct in Europe and what there was left was jealously guarded by the aristocracy.  Luckily most of the colonists brought pigs and goats with them.  Goats are more like deer in their eating requirements and took to the forests like ducks to water so at least milk was available.  The pigs themselves were so well adapted to the forests that they must have been a great blessing.  Soon after the first colonist arrived half wild pigs began taking over the forest.  For those who are not blessed with a love of pigs I should tell you that they have a wild sense of adventure and love nothing more than to break the chains of civilization and go off on their own to conquer the wilderness.  Soon wild pigs became so common that most colonist didn't even bother keeping them.  They just went out into the forest and killed a few and then brought them home.  Numerous reports indicate that they were a dangerous pest.  Many people were attacked and children were frequently killed by them.  Numerous laws were enacted to try and solve the problem.

Feral Hog

It is surprising to most people that pigs were able to survive the harsh northeastern winters.  But this is because we still have that pesky mental picture of the modern pig in our minds.  The pigs of yesteryear were huge, with a fat layer sometimes 6 inches or more thick.  They were covered in a thick coat of hair and were generally not pink but brown, black, or spotted and they had teeth and tusks that could rip an enemy to pieces. Kind of scary huh?  A good hog could reach over 2000 pounds.  Imagine that coming at you in the middle of the night!  The pigs had ample food in the Great Forest as almost 50% of the trees were oak.  They laid down literally feet thick layers of acorns every fall, and as any foodie can tell you the best pork comes from acorn fattened hog.  This food source was good even in the depths of winter as nuts don't decompose or rot easily.  All the pigs had to do was root for it.  Ahhh the good old days!

As the westward expansion grew pork became even more important.  For most pioneers side pork ( a slab of really thick cured bacon) was their only meat besides what they could get in the wild, and was also the fat they used for frying.  Lard was used in place of butter on pancakes and biscuits.  Bacon, cornmeal, and beans formed the main diet for most of the people.


As farmers grew more prosperous pork still remained an important part of the American diet, and sausage making is still an annual tradition in rural America.  Pigs were as important to the founding of our nation as any other food and perhaps more so because they also provided light and cleaning agents.  So this Thanksgiving we should thank God for the pig!

Nielsen-Massey Gormet Vanillas Review and a Giveaway!

 

I love to cook and bake, and I have found that there really is a big difference when it comes to herbs, spices, and extracts.  Buying better quality is worth the small price increase in what you get in flavor. 

 

So when Nielsen Massey Fine Vanillas and Flavors offered to allow me the chance for review I was thrilled!

 

Nielsen Massey Fine Vanillas and Flavors is a company that have been crafting the world's finest vanillas and flavors since 1907. Founded by Richard Massey, who later partnered with Chatfield Nielsen, Sr, our company is still a family-owned operation run by the third generation of Nielsens: CEO Craig Nielsen, COO Matt Nielsen and Chief Culinary Officer, Director-International Beth Nielsen. Having grown up with the company and amidst the rich aroma of vanilla, they've spent their entire lives learning, studying and researching the best methods to produce pure flavors as well as how to achieve the best results in recipes and applications.

 

Having branched out from their humble origins in Sterling, Illinois the company now possesses state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities at its headquarters in Waukegan, Illinois, USA and its plant in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Our products can be found throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand and are enjoyed by restaurant and bakery chefs, manufacturers of premium foods, gourmet food shops and grocers and discriminating home consumers looking to enhance their fine cooking and baking.

 

Nielsen Massey sent me several of their products to try.  I received for review their Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste, Pure Almond Extract, and Pure Chocolate Extract.

 

I have tried all of them and must say that the flavor is much better than that of a regular store brand of pure extracts, and worlds better than imitation extracts.  I love the almond extract in sweet baked goods, and I put the chocolate extract in a chocolate cream pie and chocolate cake I made.  It added an extra chocolaty oomph.  But my absolute favorite is the  Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.  You can use it wherever you use vanilla extract but it is especially nice in things where you can see the flecks of vanilla bean.  Things like whipped cream, ice cream, scones, cookies or drinks benefit from this little added visual appeal.

 

I used the  Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste in my Homemade Hot Toddy (Hot Buttered Rum Mix).

 

 

 

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

1 lb softened real butter -  do not use fake butter

1 pt. vanilla ice cream softened - the better the brand the better the flavor haagen daz is good
1 lb brown sugar
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
1 teaspoon allspice ground

 

 

Fresh Nutmeg and Allspice

Whole spices like this last almost forever in the cupboard as apposed to the pre-ground spices you buy which will only have a good flavor for a few months and then you have to throw them out.

 

 

 

grinding the spices in a simple home coffee grinder brings a way more intense flavor

 

 

 

The Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.  You can see the flecks of vanilla!

 

 

 

Mix the sugars and butter until light, then add the spices and vanilla until combined well, then add the ice cream.   Keep in an airtight container in the freezer.

 

To use add desired amount (start with a tablespoon and add more if needed) to a cup of boiling water or milk.  Add rum, brandy, or whiskey if desired.

 

Conclusion of my review:  Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Fine Extract makes great products that are of the highest quality and flavor.  At being only slightly more expensive than regular pure extracts they are worth the price, even for the thrifty minded like me!

Connect with Nielsen-Massey

Website

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The Giveaway!

 

Nielsen-Massey has generously offered to give one lucky Thrifty Housewife readers two products of their choice!  Use the rafflecopter to enter, all entries are optional, winning entries are verified. 

 

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb953/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views and statements are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified.  The Thrifty Housewife is no responsible for prize fulfillment.