DIY Bacon Candle

Anyone who knows me, knows that my love for bacon runs deep.  Deep in my veins and all through my heart. I love bacon.  Nom.  When a friend sent me a link this morning for a bacon scented candle on ThinkGeek, I was like omg I need this. 

Problem is, it's an expensive CHEAP candle. It was $15 and made from artificial fragrances and cheap unnatural waxes. That is not exactly the stuff I want burning in my house. I started to think of all the DIY tutorials making tea lights from orange peels, or oil lamps using olive oil.. There HAD TO be a way to burn the meaty salty deliciousness that is my true love as a candle. With great pleasure and a full belly I bring you:

You will need:

• bacon grease (new or old from the fridge)
• a jar
• wick
• scotch tape
• 2 wooden skewers or chopsticks
• bacon (to eat while crafting)

First step, tape your wick to the bottom center of your jar like so...

 

Use your skewers or chopsticks to hold your wick centered and upright. 

 

If you are using left over bacon grease, warm it up using the double boiler method. Burnt bacon is not a tasty smell, in fact it's up there with burnt broccoli, so it's very important you double boil!!  If you are using the fresh hot grease from the bacon you just prepared to snack on while doing this, please allow it to cool for a few minutes so you don't get burned. 

Once the grease is at a reasonable temperature, pour it into your jar.  Leave at least a half inch space at the top. 

  

Allow it to set for a bit so you can move it without moving the wick.  I can't say how long exactly, depends on room temperature in your house. You will notice it starting to firm up. Once it does, you can move it to the fridge to harden. From that point, it should only take a good 30 minutes until you have yourself the best smelling candle known to man. 

What can I say, sometimes a girl just wants her house to smell like bacon. Laugh if you want to, but this thing is going to come in handy. 

Next time I am upset with my husband, I will just light it and fill the house with a delicious bacony aroma and then leave. He cannot turn on an oven much less cook. Haha, torture.

Zucchini Cakes

You will need:

a food processor

2 medium sized zucchini

handful of bunching onions

1/2 cup of a gluten free flour blend

4  eggs

coconut oil for frying

sea salt (to taste)

Shred your zucchini in the food processor. Once you are through, you want to remove as much of the moisture as you can from the zucchini. I usually just smash it into a strainer.

Next you want to add the eggs, your gluten free flour blend (usually I make my own, but I used Bob's this time), and chopped bunching onions, and mix.  I prefer bunching onions because they are not so harsh on our stomachs (sulfur issues), and they do not alter the wet dry ratio in the mixture. I have used yellow onions in the past and the cakes fell apart way too easily, and were a wet mess.

Heat coconut oil over medium heat. I usually drop a shred of zucchini into the oil as a gauge to see when it's ready. Once it starts bubbling, you are ready to go. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of mixture into the oil. It takes anywhere from 2-3 minutes per side. Just watch them. You want them to reach a golden color before flipping. 

Sprinkle with sea salt when done. 

Shockingly, my kids LOVE these things. My favorite part about them is that they can be frozen and reheated easily and still taste delicious!  Just pop them in the toaster oven at 350° for about 5 minutes.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream

Ice cream is one thing I struggle with finding that will accommodate the dietary needs of my entire family.  I think one or two brands may work for us, but with all the sugar those little containers carry, I just cannot bring myself to buy them. I enjoy making ice cream for the kids often because most recipes are so healthy I don't even mind if they eat it as a meal.

Today's ice cream tasted like frozen chocolate covered strawberries, so Lil Miss and I decided to call it that.  Maybe I have been dairy free for too long, but this stuff was so delicious it seemed too good to be true.

 You will need:

• Ice cream maker
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (if you know how to make this stuff, let me know!!!)
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar crystals
• 3 tbsp cacao
• 3 tbsp of coconut oil
• 6 strawberries
• 4-6 tbsp Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients together, and pour into ice cream maker and turn it on. The end :)

Thrifty Thursday: $3 outfit

I like to think of myself as a "Super Thrifter". I would say a vast majority of our toys, books, clothes and household items are from the thrift store. I started to really get into thrifting last year after we made a few lifestyle choices that required us to budget differently. 


My obsession became really hot and heavy after my first "half-off sale day". I spent $70 and came home with 6 garbage bags full of quality clothes, toys, games and books for the kids, my husband and myself. My husband was absolutely amazed at the condition of the items and the fact that they were pretty much 98% off original price.


From that moment forward, he never batted an eyelash when I said I wanted to go shopping.

This particular outfit is my $3 outfit. Little Miss was not cooperating and kept hunching over, so you cannot see the pink flower on her waistband.  It's there, so it still counts lol.

• Pink Baby Gap halter  $0.45

• OshKosh B'gosh skirt $0.90

• Flower in hair $1.00

• Necklace was homemade w/ LOVE 

  "No more pictures mommy, I'm all through."

Fair enough. 




Linking @ Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma