Life as a Dill

'round and 'round

Individual Mason Jar Peach Cobblers

August peaches are the best.  So drippy that you have to eat them over the sink with your sleeves rolled up.  Came up with this recipe as I’ve been craving pie made with said drippy peaches.  The Mason jars make great single-sized servings for me, since hubby doesn’t like peach pie (the horror!)
 
Individual Mason Jar Peach Cobblers

4 peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
4 T granulated sugar, divided
1/4 t corn starch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/8 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and chilled
1/2 cup milk
freshly grated nutmeg
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Toss together the peaches, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and the cornstarch.  Divide into 4 shallow Mason jars or other glass/ceramic containers (1/2 pint size).
 
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and salt, the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture has a pebbly texture.  Using a fork, stir in the milk.
 
Dollop the biscuit batter on top of the diced peaches.  Grate nutmeg over each jar.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned and the peaches are bubbling.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

~Linking up at Serenity Now~

Almond Banana Coconut Muffins {Gluten Free}

Unbelievably moist.  Also quite nutritious, so I didn’t hesitate when Finnian requested one for breakfast.

Only added coconut to the original recipe found on Honest Fare since I didn’t want to open up a brand new bag of almond flour.  It was a great move :)

Almond Banana Coconut Muffins {Gluten Free}

8 oz. almond meal
2 oz. unsweetened dried coconut
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3 oz. sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 ripe bananas (lightly spotted)
extra ½ banana, thinly cut, and sliced almonds for topping

Preheat oven to 300F. Grease muffin tin and dust with flour or line with shallow baking cups.
 
Mix together almond meal, coconut, and baking powder.  Set aside.

Process eggs, sugar, bananas and cinnamon for 3-5 minutes in a food processor.  Stir into the almond meal mixture.

Divide into 12-15 muffins, filling about 2/3 full.  Top with thinly sliced bananas and almonds. Bake about 35-40 minutes or until top is browned and toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in muffin tin for several minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

Soapmaking

Concocting homemade bar soap has been a hobby of mine since my undergraduate days in college.  At that time I had a streak of making my own bath products, including bar soaps, body scrubs, lotion bars, herb-infused hair rinses, and fizzy bath bombs.  Bar soap was always a favorite!

For the past several years goat’s milk has been my liquid of choice, which results in a creamy, moisturizing bar.  Branched out to coconut milk in this latest batch and had smashing results.  Other milks such as almond or hemp would likely work just as well. 

Utilizing the cold-process soap method does come with a risk—handling caustic lye.  Should you take the soapmaking plunge, keep a bottle of white vinegar handy in case of accidents, and always use goggles and rubber gloves when handling this substance.  Take it from the girl who foolishly spilled concentrated nitric acid on her sandaled feet in college chemistry lab, and has some small scars to prove it!

A few years ago a 3-pound wooden mold and cutter from Creekside Soaps came into my life.  Love these and would highly recommend them to anyone interested in making their own bars.

Making your own soap is very gratifying, which I am reminded of each day after sudsing up with a bar in the shower.  This soap can also be used as an ingredient in homemade laundry soap, and makes a thoughtful gift :)

Megan’s Milk Soap

Equipment:
Protective mask and gloves
2 Plastic stirring spoons
Candy thermometer
Electric hand blender
Spatula
Large bowl
Pitcher
Soap mold, lined with freezer paper
1-2 cookie racks

Ingredients:
12 ounces partially-frozen coconut or goat’s milk (freeze half ahead of time in ice cube tray)
4 2/3 ounces lye
12 ounces olive oil
12 ounces coconut oil
8 ounces palm oil
1-2 oz. essential oil of choice (or, infuse oils with fresh herbs as I did for this batch)

Melt the olive, coconut, and palm oils together in a pot over low heat.  Remove pot from heat, and place in a cold water bath to bring the temperature down to 100 degrees.

Wearing goggles and gloves, place frozen and liquid milk into large bowl and slowly add lye. Stir until the mixture is smooth and without lumps. An exothermic reaction will result, bringing the temperature of the milk up and melting the frozen milk. Cool mixture to around 100 degrees, if it is above that level.

Next, slowly add the milk mixture to the oils, using a hand blender to combine until "tracing" occurs–- when drips from the blender leave a noticeable path in the concoction.  This usually takes no longer than 5 minutes (without the hand-blender, it can take all day-- I know!)

If desired, add essential oils or additives such as cinnamon, turmeric, cocoa powder, ground oatmeal, poppyseeds, or dried herbs using a plastic spoon or spatula.  This will also remove bubbles. 

Pour the mixture into prepared soap mold, cover, and leave alone for 24 hours.  Then remove soap from mold, cut, and cure on cookie racks for 3-4 weeks.

Finally, pat yourself on the back and enjoy your homemade goodness!

~Linking up at Tatertots and Jello, Serenity Now, Under the Table and Dreaming, The Shabby Nest, Skip to my Lou~