This recipe has changed my life.  Before it, I thought that pie crust was one of those incredibly complicated domestic feats that only Martha Stewart disciples should attempt.  Based on my chewy crusts and flour encrusted counters, I was right.

After several pie crust fiascos, I resolved to chuck those pre-made crusts into my cart while feeling pangs of environmental and economic guilt.  Still, there was no way I had the time or expertise to pull off a perfect crust.

Then a friend introduced me to this recipe that cannot be fouled up.  (Believe me, I have tried!)  You can’t overwork, over-mix, or over shape this hearty dough. And although it is incredibly simple, it tastes decadently complicated.  Also, it just happens to be vegan!

For easy clean up, roll it between two sheets of waxed paper.  You’ll have a perfect crust without the mess.

Simple Pie Crust

• 3 C. flour
• ¾ C. oil
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 3/8 C. whole, skim, or soy milk

Blend, form into two equal balls, roll out each ball between sheets of waxed paper.  This recipe will make two pie crusts.

As a child my favorite part of homemade pie crust were the scraps that my mother would sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake just for me.  We’ve continued this tradition with my son–which has make him a huge fan of homemade crust as well!

Does anyone else have a favorite crust recipe?  Do you happen to roll out several batches and freeze them between waxed paper?  (I haven’t tried this yet and would love to know if it works!)  Please divulge your pie secrets!

For many people who are limiting holiday budgets there may be unexpected benefits.  Maybe we’re more focused on the meaning of the holidays than the commercialism—which is good for the planet and our pocketbooks.  Are you re-prioritizing for the holidays this year?  Are you making more homemade gifts or perhaps embracing a simpler Thanksgiving feast this year?  How has the recession affected your festivities?

I was recently surprised by my friends’ lack of applesauce knowledge:

Lee: I have too many apples. What should I do?

Me: Make applesauce!

Tom: You can borrow my food processor.

Me (loudly): She doesn’t need a food processor!

Tom: What do you use?

Me (shrilly): A knife!

Drew, Lee, and Tom: For applesauce?

Okay, this conversation is not very interesting. But it went on for a while. The point is, you don’t need any special equipment to make applesauce. Just a knife and a pot will do.

The Joy of Cooking recommends using a blend of two or three apples for this recipe.

Simple Homemade Applesauce

3 lbs. apples, peeled or unpeeled. Core and slice. Place in a heavy stockpot.

Add a little bit (1/4 cup) water or apple juice and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Add spices such as cinnamon if desired.

Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar or honey if desired. I usually make completely unsweetened applesauce.

Mash with a wooden spoon for chunky applesauce. If you desire a completely smooth texture, run it through a food mill.

If you are making applesauce for baby food, we recommend omitting the sugar. Do not sweeten with honey for children under a year old. Mash to avoid large chunks that could present choking hazards, but don’t worry about getting it extremely smooth—most babies enjoy experiencing a variety of textures!  Enjoy it as a Thanksgiving side dish, and freeze any leftovers for later.

Beyond blankets and booties, parents always appreciate getting functional stocking stuffers for their babes—especially when those little ones are up at all hours of the night with aching gums.

My favorite teething remedy is Hyland’s Homeopathic Teething Tablets.  They dissolve quickly when placed on the tongue and provide immediate relief.  We stash a bottle of these in the medicine cabinet, the diaper bag, and in our travel bags to use while on the go.

Since so many mainstream teethers come with BPA, an ingredient of flexible plastic that has been linked to several illnesses, it’s wonderful to give baby a BPA free toy that they can gnaw on for hours.  The Lifefactory Multi Sensory Silicone Teether is made entirely of silicone and has several textures for baby to experience while she chews.

Green Sprouts teethers are all BPA and PVC free and come at reasonable prices.  Some are water filled while others are made of cornstarch–but they all offer safe and comforting surfaces for aching gums.

Have you found any other teething remedies that work for you?  What are your favorite natural alternatives to mainstream plastic teethers?  In this vintage post I wrote about using cold celery and a polished agate for my little one!

Chinese prefolds, diaper covers, all-in-ones, pocket diapers, hybrid diapers—agh! If you are expecting a baby and looking into cloth diapers, you may have noticed just how many kinds of diapers there are. The abundance of options may have some parents running to disposables. But don’t worry. The Green Baby Guide is here to sort everything out.

What kinds of diapers do we like best? Well, Joy prefers pocket diapers. I stand by the old-fashioned prefolds with covers.

Okay, so what should I get? Remember that you don’t have to have the next 2.5 years of diapering all mapped out. Go ahead, buy a newborn pack of disposables (Seventh Generation makes them chlorine-free!) for the first week or two. Then think about it: What do you want out of your diapers?

I want them to be cheap. For the most bang for your buck, go with prefolds and covers. Still, if you have your heart set on pocket diapers, look for them used at consignment shops or even ebay.

I want them to go on like disposables. Then you want pocket diapers or all-in-one diapers.

I want them to be all-natural—no manmade materials. Try organic cotton prefolds with wool covers or Swaddlebees organic diapers.

I want them to be as expensive as possible—I have a lot of money to blow on this kid! Okay, so you don’t fall within our normal demographic, but we’ll still try to help you out. You might be interested in these wool soakers for overnight use—just $40-60 each!

I want to flush them down the toilet. It looks like you don’t want to use cloth diapers at all. Try gDiapers!

I want to throw them in the garbage. So cloth diapers aren’t your thing. Go with Seventh Generation or Nature’s Babycare disposables.

If you’re still searching for the perfect diaper system, what are your concerns? We’ll try to help you out. Or, for you parenting veterans: What diaper system did you end up getting? How has it worked for you?

Prefolds with diaper covers worked for me! For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to We are THAT Family.

Most of us are faced with an environmental conundrum  when considering an upgrade to LED Christmas lights.  We could save eighty percent more energy with the LED variety, but that would mean tossing our tangled green strings of lights into the trash.  How is that eco-friendly?

Luckily, Home Depot has a deal that will help us save energy and recycle those pesky old ones—even the defunct strands with burnt out bulbs.

Until November 15, take your strings of old holiday lights to Home Depot and receive a $3.00 credit toward a strand of LED lights.  Why would you want to go to all this effort to switch out your stock of holiday lights?  Here are just a few benefits of LED lights:

• They last up to ten times longer.
• Because they’re cooler they pose less of a fire risk on a Christmas tree.
• They don’t have filaments or glass which make them much more durable.
• As I wrote earlier, they use 80% less energy than traditional holiday lights.

Are you even thinking of Christmas yet?  Are you preparing for the season or just bracing yourself for the holiday consumerism?  (I have to admit I’m doing a little of both!)

Those of us with tiny babies are in a rough spot this winter.  Should we get vaccinated for swine flu while breastfeeding or take our chances?  My little one is just four months old and as an educator I’ve already seen the virus leave very sick teachers and students in its wake.  I don’t want to bring it home to our baby but I’m also hesitant about getting the shots.  After much deliberation and a visit to the pediatrician, we stood in line for five hours with both our children just to have a bit of vaccine squirted up our noses.  Do you fall in the high risk group?  How do you feel about getting vaccinated?  Are you avoiding public places where your child could pick up the virus? Will you just let your child lick a pig instead? (Kidding!  But it would be easier…)

It’s the beginning of November, and my tomato plants are still churning out tomatoes. The beans bit the dust weeks ago. Aphids attacked the carrots, so out they went!  Once everything gets ripped from the ground, how do you get your garden beds ready for winter? Here are some tips I learned from The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith:

Prepare the soil. Edward C. Smith, or “Ed” as I like to call him, recommends preparing the garden beds in the fall rather than waiting until spring. Once you’ve harvested your veggies, take a broadfork or pitchfork and loosen up the soil. Add in some compost.

Plan ahead. If you know where you’re planting what next year, you can amend the soil accordingly. Carrots like leaf mold and cabbages enjoy lime or wood ashes, for example.

Mulch. Ed says mulching is the number-one most important thing to do to prepare your garden for next year’s planting. Cover those beds with a thick layer of leaves or hay. Or, try planting some winter rye. Till it into the ground once it’s 8 to 16 inches long.

Here is a picture of one of my prepared garden beds. I have left the parsley and scallions, which I can eat all winter long, and covered the rest with red dogwood leaves. In the spring I’ll work the decomposed leaves back into the soil and plant some new crops.

Do you have any other tips for fall gardening? Let us know!

When the last piece of Halloween candy has been devoured and the sugar high is over, it’s time to look forward to the cozy festivities of Thanksgiving.  If you happen to be preparing the feast this year in addition to being pregnant or the mother of a little one, you may feel oppressive exhaustion just thinking of a centerpiece.

Fear not!  There are several gorgeous things to choose from which are probably laying in your front yard or in the park up the street.  On a brisk autumn walk you and your child can easily gather lovely items to display on Thanksgiving without breaking a sweat.

Here are some of Mother Nature’s offerings that will make for an elegant display:

Do you have other easy ideas for Thanksgiving centerpieces? Are you in charge of the cooking this year?  Do you have tricks to share with the rest of us? Do tell!

My cousin invented this autumnal drink, which young children (over one year) and adults will enjoy:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Simply blend together:

1 cup pumpkin puree

a peeled and chopped persimmon

¾ cups almond milk (or more to thin out as desired)

½ cup yogurt

pumpkin pie spices

I plan to make pumpkin pie smoothies a lot over the holiday season. This recipe is also a great way to sneak in a vegetable if your kids are opposed to more savory pumpkin dishes. 

This post is a part of the Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival–the holiday edition! Head on over to We are THAT Family for more holiday ideas.