Spring Comes to NW Arkansas

Good Morning! Spring has sprung in the South---as evidenced by our super humid week so far and 1:00 am tornado warning last night! Whew! Thankfully, everyone in our area is safe---even if a little sleepy!

I hope everyone is having a beautiful week! Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party!

Homemade Chicken & Noodles {Chicken & Dumplings} --- Frugal Family Recipe

There are a few things that will always remind me of Leo Coller. One of them is homemade chicken noodle soup. My husband has always raved about his dad's homemade chicken and noodles and it doesn't matter how many variations I come up with, I never have made it, "just like Dad's". Still, this recipe gets lots of compliments around our table, even from Jamie, so I suppose I'll have to just let his Dad be the chicken noodle king and I'll live happily in his shadow!

Before I give you my recipe, here are a few tips concerning the preparation of this delicious comfort food:

The process of making this homemade soup is actually very simple, but the fact that it's all homemade makes me feel all Ma Ingalls-ish. It's a great low-cost recipe that feeds a large family. I suggest grabbing several of these whole chickens when you find them on sale and just storing them in the freezer. Sometimes you can get them for as low as .60 a pound---which would make your whole meal cost less than $5 for about 12-15 servings.

Do you have a pastry blender? I suggest purchasing one. I use mine all the time for biscuits and other easy bread recipes. Any time a recipe says "cut in butter using two knives", use a pastry blender instead. You'll save time and serious annoyance. {I'd love to hear from someone who has successfully turned this mixture to "pea-sized crumbs" using two knives. I've got to know your trick!}

I never worry about cutting uniform noodles. I just roll out the dough to about 1/4" and cut through it quickly with a pizza cutter. Super easy!

De-boning the whole chicken will give you enough meat for 12-15 servings. Some people only use white meat in their chicken noodle soup, but I say, "bring on the dark meat!" If you really must only use white meat, stick the rest of the bird in a large freezer bag and store it for making homemade chicken stock or broth later on.

Here's my recipe for Homemade Chicken & Noodles. Let me know if you give it a try!

Homemade Chicken & Noodles

1 whole chicken
3 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
6 TB butter
3 TB chicken bouillon 
2 c. milk

salt and pepper, to taste 

Put the chicken in a large stock pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then continue cooking chicken for one hour, or until cooked through. I like to turn it over now and then, and poke it with a fork to make sure it's getting done all the way through. When cooked, remove the chicken to a platter to cool.

While chicken is cooking, make the noodles. Start with 2 c. of flour in the bowl. Add 2 tsp. salt and 4 TB of butter. Use a pastry blender to mix it up until it's the size of small peas. Add 1 cup HOT water and and 1 1/4 c. of flour to the mixture. Stir and work the mixture until a soft dough ball forms then break off about a third and roll it out to about 1/4" on a floured surface. Cut the dough into strips using a pizza cutter. If the chicken is done at this point, remove the chicken and begin adding the noodles, one at a time, to the still boiling water. If the chicken is still cooking, layer the noodles on wax paper and continue rolling them out. They'll be fine on the counter for awhile until the chicken is done.

Before adding the noodles to the pot, add the bouillon and salt and pepper to taste. Then, drop the noodles, one at a time, into the boiling water. Add 2 TB butter and continue cooking. Whenever the chicken is done, add it in, too. Continue cooking until noodles have been boiling for at least 15 minutes. Then, add the milk, turn off the burner, cover the pot, and let it sit for about 1 hour. {Don't forget to taste the broth before serving to make sure it's just right!}

DIY Homemade Cinnamon & Clove Toothpaste --- Guest Post

I'm so excited to welcome my friend Audra as a guest blogger today! Audra is the one who encouraged me to start blogging so long ago. Thank you, friend! Check out her blog at audrasilva.com.

I had ‘make toothpaste’ on my to-do list for quite a while, but never seemed to get around to it. When Sarah asked for guest bloggers, I knew it was time to tackle this mini DIY project, at last. There were two recipes that stood out to me with ingredients I wanted in my own recipe, so in typical Audra style, I decided to create my own, pulling from these.

The first one was written by a dentist, and I cannot remember where I originally found it. I know it had baking soda, Xylitol, and food-grade peroxide. I chose to pull the Xylitol from his recipe.

The second one is what I used for the base of my own recipe. You can find the original ingredients and instructions at the Bulk Herb Store.

Here’s a quick breakdown on why I chose these ingredients (ignore the heart in the photo as I accidentally grabbed a jar left from a previous recipe)…

Xylitol is not only sweet in taste, but it also helps reduce plaque and tooth decay. In some cases, it may even reverse decay. Warning: it is toxic to dogs, so be careful if you have fur babies.

Cinnamon (not what you find in the supermarket) is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. It also fights bacterial and fungal infections. Plus, it has a nice flavor.

Cloves have the following properties: analgesic, anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial. Have a toothache? Check out this article on dental care and the benefits of cloves. Cloves freshen breath and leave your mouth feeling clean.

Baking Soda is a natural choice for whitening teeth, freshening breath, and scrubbing away tartar.

Sea salt has wonderful trace elements and minerals and is great for strengthening gums, fighting tartar and bad breath, and whitening teeth. It also causes your mouth to water more, and your saliva has anti-bacterial properties that protect your enamel. Cool huh?!

Bentonite Clay absorbs toxins, allowing them to be carried out of the body (in this case when you spit out the toothpaste). It also has re-mineralizing properties and gently scrubs your teeth.

Activated Charcoal whitens teeth, helps fight gum disease and prevent cavities, and absorbs toxins allowing them to be carried out of the body (when you spit out the toothpaste).

Caution: Bentonite Clay absorbs particles from metal and toxins from plastic, so use glass bowls and wooden spoons when working with it.

A couple of things to note: when I first made this, I added about ¾ tsp. of sea salt. It’s too salty for me. When I remake this recipe, I will only add a pinch of sea salt, which is what my recipe now reflects. You’re welcome.

Also, when you combine these ingredients, the end result is a green/gray paste that looks like something you’d smear on your face as a mask. I would advise against that as the Cinnamon might irritate, but I thought I’d warn you. It isn’t a ‘pretty’ toothpaste. You can make a pretty label for your jar instead. Smile.

Also, the paste is a thinner consistency than store bought toothpaste so I use a decent amount. I expect it might thicken over time, however, which is why I kept mine on the moist side. Nowhere does it say to refrigerate, but I’ll probably put my main jars in the fridge and store a small jar of toothpaste in my bathroom. Just personal preference for me.

Now, without further ado, here is the recipe:

Have you made your own toothpaste yet? Interested in giving it a go? For more tooth care goodness, check out Three Toothy Tips over on Simply Audra Marie.

Now, go forth and show those pearly whites (well, the white part might take some time).

Disclaimer: I am not a dentist nor do I play one on TV. I’m a mom who has researched, experimented and drawn conclusions. These I share with you in the form of a recipe designed to encourage healthy teeth and gums. Use at your own risk, and definitely do some research as you decide if this is something you want to try. 

Affiliate Links: This post contains affiliate links. These are products and/or companies I have personally used and recommend. It doesn’t cost you to use my links, but it does help me with the cost of blogging. Thank you.