Fresh home-made Almond Milk (3 steps)

Almond milk is so easy and good for you. If you live the milk-free lifestyle, but still love a cold creamy glass to go with your sweets, in your smoothies or even in your coffee then almonds milk is awesome. Although be aware that almond milk shouldn't be a substitute in regards to the calcium or protein you get from a source like cow's milk. When comparing the two researchers find that almond milk has 1 gram of protein vs. cow's milk having 8 grams. Milk made from almonds is very low in calories at 60 per cup, there is no cholesterol or saturated fats it's low sodium and has lots of Omega-3 fatty acids. There isn't as much calcium as they state milk has but it does have 30% of your daily requirement. Great news for your skin in terms of Vitamin E too:) almond milk has 50% of your daily intake. While I don't truly know if this is the best idea since we ALWAYS kept it refrigerated I read an article that states it can be left at room temperature safely. Always do your own research and always have fun in the kitchen!

Here is an easy three step process to have fresh almond milk in your kitchen in less than 10 minutes!

You will need:

Blender
Cheese cloth
Container with a lid

Prep time: 24 hrs (although I forgot to soak the almonds it still works but they release more protein and are easier to blend.)

"Cook" time: 5 minutes

Servings: approx. 9 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw almonds
7 cups of water (we fill the blender to the 9th cup mark)

Directions:

1. Soak almonds overnight

2. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes

3. Strain in cheese cloth (pulp included) and store in the fridge!

 To this mixture you can add a couple Tbs. of honey or agave to make it sweet. I prefer it plain, but The Hunebee likes hers with a hint of sweetness<3 We stored ours in large mason jars that have a screw on lid and put them in the fridge. This "milk" should keep for 2-3 days.

 ENJOY!

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Blue Mac 'n' Cheese...NOT from the Box

I asked for requests on Facebook and this one came from Grampa Brian Bigler. I posted this picture in my 2014 update, but it wasn't accompanied by a recipe. 

Tyler hates blue cheese, and my sister Amanda as well. They both loved this. Amanda makes her own version now:)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. of Macaroni "mini" shells

1 8oz. pkg. of mushrooms, sliced

12 oz. of sausage (I used breakfast Sausage links)

1 cup Boar's Head blue cheese crumbles

3 oz. or about 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2-2 cups of milk

2 tsp. dried parsley

salt and pepper

Directions:

Saute mushrooms and set aside. Do the same with the sausage, although it wasn't ground so you have to do that yourself, drain the excess oil and set aside. Cook your pasta in salted water, drain and then begin your sauce. Turn the heat to medium on the low side and add your milk and the mozzarella. You'll need a wire whisk for this part. Whisk the cheese until it fully melts into the Milk and no longer sticks to the whisk. Once it's fully incorporated add the blue cheese, and again whisk until its blended. At the end I add a little parsley, salt and pepper.(to taste) Mix in all the other ingredients and you're done! I have found this is a dish that should be eaten right after preparation. It still tastes great later or tomorrow, but the sauce thickens and loses it's creamy texture. 

ENJOY!