Buttermilk Blueberry Morning Cake

With blueberries on sale right now I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes that use them. I have tried many blueberry quick bread, muffins, and cakes before and I have to say this one is the best.  It is moist with a light texture and the blueberries are just enough.  I only used a heaping cupful of berries instead of the two because I was using frozen ones and it turned out perfect.  I also used sour milk instead of store bought buttermilk but that's a standard substitution.  The whole family raved about it and it is definitely going to become a standard on Monday baking day.  You could use any berry or chopped fruit in this cake.  It's wonderful with coffee or tea.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Serves 6-8

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Hartz Mountain Lickable Dog Treats Review and Giveaway!

Squeaky with a kitten

I have two very very small dogs. One named Izzy who is a female cairn terrier mix and her son Squeaky who's dad was a chihuahua.  They both weigh under 10 lbs, and are full of energy (from the terrier in them)  They are great little alert dogs and let us know whenever someone is around the house.  They are also very loving loyal little souls.

 Now as any small dog owner (or owner of a really elderly dog) will tell you, it is hard to find treats small enough for those little mouths.  This is especially true if you have an older small dog!  

Hartz Mountain Corporation introduces Delectables, the first lickable stew treat for dogs, available at Walmart, Amazon.com and select retailers around the country.  “Delectables Stew Lickable Treats for dogs represents a true innovation in the canine treat category,” says Susan Burris, Brand Manager, Dog Treats, Hartz Mountain Corp.  “Perfect for small dogs, Delectables Stew is a delicious and lickable wet dog treat that provides a new occasion for treating and healthy snacking and is ideal for dog parents who love to pamper their pets.” 

Izzy with her crazy hair

I really like these treats for my little dogs.  They LOVE them.  It's like watching a shark feeding frenzy whenever I put the treats down!  And now they are begging for them all the time.

Ideal as an in-between meal treat or as a savory topper for dry food, Delectables Stew Lickable Treats’ convenient, single-serve pouches provide dogs with appealing, low-fat treats made with real chicken, beef, cheese, and vegetables, without meat by-products. Delectables Stew Lickable Treats are available in four varieties, including Chicken, Chicken with Cheese, Chicken with Beef and Chicken Senior Formula

The Giveaway!

Hartz Mountian has invited The Renaissance Mom to host a giveaway with entrants invited to share a photo of their dog for the Delectables “Tongue Out Tuesday” .  Just post a pic in the comments below of your dog with a good email address!  They will send the winner a 12-pack of Delectables Stew Lickable Treats.  Giveaway ends 5/30/17. Open to US entrants only.

The Renaissance Mom 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 post may contain affiliate links. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, Pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the Giveaway form which uses Random.org.  The winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  The winner has 24 hours to respond to the email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to the US only.  All winning Entries are verified.

Two Bonne Maman Giveaways!

I am excited to be giving away one jar of gourmet Bonne Maman Preserves to a lucky Renaissance Mom Reader!  Good luck and happy Mother's Day!

Also head over to the Bonne Maman page HERE to enter to win one of dozens of prizes. It's a very easy one click entry!

Entry-Form

The Renaissance Mom 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 post may contain affiliate links. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the Giveaway 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 winning Entries are verified.

Bonne Maman Gourmet Preserves and Jams Review And Giveaway

Have you ever had homemade jams, preserves, or jellies?  If you have you know that they taste so much better than what you can buy in the store.  Or so I thought!  I put up dozens of jars of jams and preserves every year, and it spoiled me for store bought.  The taste, consistency, and ingredients are just not as good as what I make at home.  That is until I tried Bonne Maman!

 I was sent three different preserves for the purpose of this review.  Strawberry, Cherry, and my favorite Red Raspberry.  These are the best tasting jams I have ever tried!  The flavor is a burst of fresh berry's and very intense.  And it's no wonder when you read about their standards and ingredients.

Their Story

The secret of Bonne Maman Preserves and Jellies is simple – our ingredients. Made from the same time-honored traditional French recipes used to create the brand, our preserves and jellies are made with natural ingredients and feature only the finest quality fruit.

Bonne Maman Preserves and Jellies, produced in France, are Non-GMO Project Verified, have no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial coloring or no preservatives added. Everything in Bonne Maman Preserves and Jellies could easily be found in your Grandmother’s kitchen cabinet.

I love their packaging too, because it looks like something you would get from a sweet grandma!  What a great gift this would make for that special Mom in your life!  There are so many ways to use them not just for toast.  But think of a dollop of strawberry preserves on crepes or pancakes!

You can find Bonne Maman in many grocery stores and also online HERE.  

Two Giveaways!

Click HERE to be taken to the giveaway page

The Renaissance Mom 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 post may contain affiliate links. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the Giveaway 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 winning Entries are verified.

 

Guest Post - Wen Hair Care

The Real Benefits of Using WEN Hair Care

A revolutionary and innovative approach to hair care, the WEN® hair care product line was created by celebrity stylist Chaz Dean. There are several different formulas that are designed for different types of hair, helping people to find the products that work the best for their hair.

Cleanse Your Hair With Conditioner

Central to the WEN product line is the cleansing conditioner, which simultaneously conditions and cleanses the hair in a five-in-one product. Using natural herbs and botanicals, the cleansing conditioner gently restores the hair's strength, shine and vitality in a single step. There are no harsh chemicals included in this product. When you use the WEN cleansing conditioner, you will not need to use any detangler, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, regular conditioner or shampoo because it replaces them all. The ingredients that are contained in the cleansing conditioner include the following:

• Panthenol, which makes your hair stronger and more resilient
• Glycerin, which moisturizes your hair
• Chamomile, which calms and soothes
• Rosemary, which has soothing properties
• Wild cherry bark, which helps with hair conditioning

Many people who try the cleansing conditioner report noticeable differences after just one use.

Boost and Lift Your Hair While Repairing It

Another essential hair product in the WEN product line is the WEN nourishing mousse. This lightweight formula contains sweet almond oil and botanicals to help repair damaged hair while providing you with the lift, hold and shine that you desire. It is not sticky and will not flake, leaving you with beautifully styled and shiny hair that stays in place. It is formulated to work well with blow-dryers.

Get Anti-frizz Styling

The WEN anti-frizz styling creme is another terrific product to add to your hair care regimen. It adds body and shine to your hair while smoothing frizz away. Lightweight, it keeps frizz at bay for up to eight hours. When you use it, it also helps your hair to become stronger and to experience significantly less breakage. It contains botanicals to help to add shine and softness to your hair. It also has panthenol for added strength and propylene glycol, which conditions and provides nourishment to your hair.

Get a Spa-like Hair Treatment at Home

With the WEN Re Moist intensive hair treatment, people can enjoy the benefits of the type of intensive moisturizing treatment that they might expect to receive at a spa. It contains shea butter and sweet almond oil for an intensified boost of deep moisture, softness and shine. When it is used on a weekly basis, you can receive hair that is beautifully shiny, strong and soft.

WEN's hair care products offer terrific benefits to people who have all types of hair. People may find the formulations that work best for their hair and then be on the way to having terrific, beautiful and shiny hair.

For more information, visit WEN on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Renaissance Mom was compensated for this post. Renaissance Mom is in no way responsible for The opinions and statements of this post.

Cave Tools Salad Spinner Review Plus Coupon

Today I am reviewing a salad spinner I received from Cave Tools.  They are a great company that makes the highest quality outdoor cooking accessories that last!  Just look at their return policy - Our guarantee is simple. If at any point, you feel you have received less value than what you paid for your item, then feel free to contact us for your full money back...GUARANTEED. Now there is a policy you can really count on for getting a good product!

I received the Salad Spinner and immediately took it out to try it. Click HERE to go to the amazon page or HERE to go to the product page on Cave Tools website.  I've actually never owned a salad spinner or used one. Many times though I have wanted one when dealing with fresh greens from my garden.  Anyone knows that when you have home grown salads they are very dirty first coming in.

But it's too early in the season for any salad greens from my garden.  I did have a bunch of store bought strawberries.  The neat thing about a salad spinner is that you can use them on berries as well as greens and veggies.

The salad spinner I received is very simple to put together and use.  It took me about 5 seconds.  Also it is easy to clean which I love because right now we have no dishwasher so everything is done by hand.

My strawberries came out squeaky clean and didn't get bruised at all.

I highly recommend Cave Tools.  They have a large selection of really cool products for cooking outdoors.  My husband loves to BBQ so he wants them ALL!  Barbecue Season and Father's day is coming up so take a look HERE for that great guy in your life.

Also as a bonus receive 15% Off by using the below coupon code when buying your own salad spinner from Cave Tools!

SALAD15

Using Chickens to Clear Land

Now that we have moved into a new home I  wanted to plant a garden.  I knew in our last house was only temporary until we found something more suited for our family so even though I was itching to plant I didn't do more than some tomato plants.   I never really knew how much I loved gardening and canning until I was suddenly unable to do so.  Last year I was so ill all summer that I was happy just to be breathing and couldn't even think of gardening.  But this year I so wanted to get my hands into some dirt again!

The problem was that although we could garden as much as we wanted the entire yard is in grass which is such a pain to clear.  Both husband and I revolted at the thought of the back breaking labor of breaking sod after all the work we have been doing for a solid two months so we took the lazy mans approach that is slower but just as effective.  We used our chickens as land clearing machines!

I'm sure you all know that if you leave chickens in a run long enough they will turn it to bare dirt.  The smaller the run the faster it goes to dirt.  They eradicate every blade of grass, every weed and weed seed, and every bug in the area.  Chickens are quite wonderful in this way.  So husband and I set their run over the area we wanted cleared and BAM! Two weeks later weed and grass free land well fertilized and ready for planting.  Husband turned over the dirt a few times and I watered it a every day for several days to mellow it out and now I just planted some seed perfect for a fall crop.

I planted

beets

broccoli rab

peas

kohlrabi

Here are some picks.  We have 10 chickens in the run

BEFORE 

ONE DAY AFTER THEY ARE MOVED ON

AFTER AND READY FOR PLANTING

Oh chickens how I love thee!

Considerations When Buying Your First Chickens/Chicks

Black Austerlops

I always recommend to people wanting to get chickens that they first and foremost read a good book on home chicken raising first! These are living breathing feeling animals and have a right to be raised in such a way that make their little chicken lives enjoyable. Almost every library in our nation has at least one book on chicken raising so you don't even need to spend money to learn if you really want to embark on a chicken adventure. One of the most complete books on chickens that I have read is Story's Guide to Raising Chickens 

with a close second being The Encyclopedia of Country Living

 Both are full in information on the realities of chicken rearing.  And here are some good kindle editions  as well









That being said you don't have to do much to make chickens happy. Food water and a clean shelter is what they most desire with occasional scraps thrown in to make life interesting. Because we live in town our chickens are not let out to roam (chickens don't understand property lines and like to explore) but have an enclosed run. When we lived in Wyoming our chickens free ranged at will and we only lost one chicken to unknown causes. Chickens are the easiest farm animal to raise in our opinion.

Barred Rock Hen

OK so here is what we have learned from keeping chickens in town.  Part one is going to be about what you should consider before you even get your chicks.

The most important consideration is if you can have chickens legally in your town.  Surprisingly many cities and towns are now making it legal to have chickens .  Many times up to 10 hens although roosters are often banned due to their joy in crowing.  Or you might live in a town that doesn't have a law either way. That is true in our case.  Our town only stipulates that you get the city councils permission to have chickens.  My daughter (who does chickens in 4-H)  wrote a presentation on her chickens, got written approval letters from all our neighbors, took pictures of what we were going to use as a chicken coop, and also outlined how many chickens/what breed/fly control/waste disposal that would occur.  The city council loved her presentation and approved us on the spot.




So after you figure that you can have chickens what else should you consider?

First off what do you want out of your chickens?

Do you want exotic beautiful birds just to look at and enjoy?  Lots of eggs? Occasional meat? A little of everything?

These are important thoughts because many of the best egg layers are rather ugly and have skinny frames for eating when they are past egg laying prime.  And the more exotic chickens don't lay as well as a commercial egg laying breeds.

Buff Orphington Hens

For us we want both egg laying, pretty birds, and a decent rack for when the hen gets old.  Plus I wanted to get heirloom breeds to help keep them from going extinct.  The breeds we enjoy most are Buff Orphingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Black Austerlops, and Barred Rocks.  All of these birds are very attractive and lay eggs like crazy.  They are also gentle and non aggressive for the most part.

From our 9 laying hens we get about 7 eggs a day in summer, a few less in winter.  We do not keep a rooster because they are very noisy.  Hens do make noise when they lay an egg.  They let out a cluck cluck squawk call for a few minutes, but that is much quieter than a rooster.  Our neighbors don't mind our chickens at all, especially since I give them periodic gifts of eggs.  Bribery works!

There are hundreds of chicken breeds so you are bound to find a breed that suits your taste in color, size, feathering, laying capacity, egg color, and temperament.  If you are looking at getting banties then also consider that they lay small eggs and not as well as the larger breeds, but as an upside they are very broody and make excellent mothers.  We once had a little black banty hen that was the best setter and mother we have seen.  So if you want to raise chicks (you need a rooster here to get fertile eggs) then having a banty or two will be a good choice.

Also I have to say that there is nothing like really fresh eggs for cooking and it is so exciting when you go out and gather your first eggs!

Happy Easter!

Rejoice! Today is Good Friday!

Uses for Wild Violets In Your Yard

I love wild violets.  They are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring and have a sweet floral fragrance. Something about them minds me of my girlhood and the innocent happiness I felt back then, even though where we lived I never saw them growing.  My children love to pick them and give me little bouquets. Little did I know till a few years ago that violets have many medicinal uses as well.

Violets bloom in spring in your yard and if you have shady places they can bloom all summer.  Both the leaves and the blossoms are edible and useful medicinally.  So the other morning we went out and picked wild violets growing in our yard.  NOTE!  Only pick from areas you know were not sprayed or treated with chemicals!


 Here are a few links to pages on the uses of violets and different ways to process them.  I dried the leaves for tea and then used the flowers for making violet soap. You can also eat the flowers in salads and use them on cakes if you Candy them.

Candied Violets

Violet Soap

Health Benefits Of Violets

I also love the scent of Violet Perfume.  It is perfect as a first perfume for a young girl who is old enough for a perfume but still young.  Here is a Violet Perfume from Amazon that has great review.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to my amazon affiliate.  I may receive a small commission if you buy something.  The money helps to run this blog :)!

Enter to win Three Sterling Silver Easter Charms From Rose Blossom Cottage!

If you read my last post about the beautiful jewelry over at Rose Blossom Cottage you will be excited to hear that they are having a giveaway over at their blog for not one, but three, sterling silver Easter Chick Charms!  Just click HERE to be taken to the giveaway post!  Be sure to tell them in your comment that The Thrifty Housewife sent you. Good Luck :)

Beautiful and Unique Mother's Day Gifts from Rose Blossom Cottage

Mother's Day is coming up soon and I know you are wondering what you can get that special mom in your life that will be beautiful and meaningful to her faith.  I love the jewelry and home decor over at Rose Blossom Cottage and have seen nothing like it so far.  

The Virgin Mary Porcelain Pendants are my favorite, especially the ones that feature the infant Jesus!  What a beautiful necklace to present to a mother!

There is also several sweet necklaces with violets on them.  The violet is rich in symbolism associated with our Blessed Virgin Mary, the Latin name Viola Odorata, meaning Our Ladies Modesty. It was said to have blossomed when Mary said to the Angel Gabriel, who had come to tell her she was to bear the Son of God, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord."  In the Language of Flowers to give someone violets means love and faithfulness.  Wonderfully appropriate for a mother, don't you think? 

This exquisite cross features delicate pansies, which mean "loving thoughts" and "thoughts of you".

Honestly I could list so many things I adore in Rose Blossom Cottage!  Vintage looking linens, tea time accessories, jewelry and home decor! There is something for every mother you know!

Easy Icebox Desserts for Easter

Easter is almost here and I am starting to plan the menu for that days special dinner.  I try to make festive meals as special as possible without over-stressing myself.  I want to be able to enjoy the day with my family and not be in the kitchen the whole time!  My solution is to make things ahead of time and choose recipes that can be adapted with that in mind.  Ice box cakes fit the bill perfectly!  They are delicious, impressive, and crowd pleasers.  And best of all they can be made the day ahead, and in fact should be!  make one or two of these for your Easter gathering and be ready for compliments.  These are recipes I have found to be excellent.  Click on the links to be taken to the recipes.

4 Layer Lemon Icebox Delight

No-Bake Banana Split Cake Dessert

Éclair Icebox Cake



Easy Southern Banana Pudding 

Ice Box Cake

Grandma's Icebox Cake

Healthy Homemade Kool Aid

During the heat of summer I try to get my children to drink water or liquids as much as possible to ward off dehydration.  The problem is that they want flavor in their drinks and as I don't buy pop and juice is so expensive!  I have used Kool-Aid but always feel very concerned about what exactly is used to make it?  Plus Kool-Aid needs allot of sugar to make it palatable.  So I have found a way to make my own homemade Kool-Aid from herbal teas!  You can find many of these herbal teas at the grocery store, but ours didn't have a good selection so I ended up ordering from amazon which I find has the best prices and the best selection.  I chose teas that I thought would be good cold.

I ordered

Country Peach Passion

Wild Berry Zinger

Cranberry Apple Zinger

Black Cherry Berry

For a half gallon of drink I used six tea bags and poured half a jug full of boiling water over it.  Then I let it steep for 15 minutes.  These are caffeine free and made from herbs and fruit.

After steeping I filled the rest of the way with cold water and added about 3 tablespoon of sweetener, I used honey.  Compare that with a full cup of sugar for standard koolaid!

Then I just pop the jug into the fridge until cold and serve over ice.  So far the favorite for our family is the Country Passion Peach which is amazing!  If you like peaches you will love this one.  It has an intense peachy flavor.

Recipe

6 standard bags Celestial Seasoning Fruit Tea of your choice

4 Cups Boiling Water

Sweetener To Taste (honey, sugar, stevia)

Additional fruits such as lemon/lime slices, crushed berries

4 cups cold water

Instructions:  Pour boiling water over teabags in a large pitcher, let steep 15 min. at least.  Remove tea bags and add fruits, sweeteners, and cold water.  Chill in refrigerator and serve over ice.  Keep refrigerated.