The Homemaker’s Mentor Library

The Homemaker’s Mentor Lesson Library Volume One
http://thehomemakersmentor.com/

As a stay-at-home mom I am always interested in finding new ways in possibly making life at home easier for everyone.   I think our kids are very helpful when it comes to help around the house but we all could use some help in being more effective in our routine in organizing our home.   So when the opportunity came for me to be part of a team of blogger to review The Homemaker’s Mentor Lesson Library Volume One, I decided that it could be great to check out what I could gleaned from it.  In this CD you will find 110 lessons that will inspire and encourage you as you learn to become more effective in taking care of your home.  

What is The Homemaker’s Mentor?

The Homemaker’s Mentor grew from the creative idea of Martha Greene and Rebekah Wilson --  both long time homemakers, wives, mothers, author’s and small business owners who specialize  in offering books, products, help and encouragement to homemakers, mothers and families. Between them, Martha and Rebekah have answered many questions from frustrated homemakers and  realized there was a true need for a basic homemaking class to teach lessons on the basics of homemaking and running a home.  From 2008 – 2012 , Martha, Rebekah and other like-minded homemakers shared their experience, expertise and practical “know-how” on a special website called the Homemaker’s Mentor.   This produced a huge library of homemaking lessons that have helped thousands of readers to bring peace, order and delight in their home.  

What Could I expect to find in the CD?

Lessons included in the volume one are:

• Amazing Simple Recipes: Black Bean Basics, Breaded Italian Chicken, Breakfast, Cheesy Skillet Spaghetti, Chicken Strips, Chick-Ka-Bobs, Pancakes, Meat Red Sauce, Honey Roasted Chicken & Sides, Sunday Beef, Chicken 101, Three Little Piggies, Oatmeal Cookies, Porch Swing Recipes & Snacks, Salmon Patty, Simple Simon Chicken Meals, Farm House Stew.
• Making an Apple Box Oven
• Aprons for Mom and Me
• A Thankful Home – perfect for Thanksgiving!
• Baking Bread Bowl
• Beans: Beans, Beans and More Beans, Bean Noisemakers & Template, Bean Recipe Card Packs, Dried Beans 101, How to Can Dried Beans, Bean Sock Game, Burlap & Beans, Have a Hobo Party, Window Beans
• Bettina’s Stories: Bettina’s First Dinner, Bettina’s First Guest, Bettina’s Emergency Shelf, Bettina’s Firelight Social
• Bubbles & Bath: Bath Salts & Bubbles, Bathtime Soap for Littles, Freshen & Perk Up Your Bathroom, How to Make a Bath Scrubbie Puff, How to Make a Shower Curtain, Making Potpourri
• Cakes: Cakes from Scratch, Cake Decorating 101, Petits Fours – Cakelettes.
• Cast Iron Care: Seasoning & Caring for Cast Iron.
• Closet Advice
• Cookies: A Cookie Fixes Everything, A mini Cookbook for Cookie Bakers, Frosted Mocha Cookie Tutorial, Make a Cookie Jar, Oatmeal Cookie Tutorial, Ready Bake Cookies, Ready Bake Cookie Dough Container, Shortbread Cookie Tutorial
• Day Lily Home: Is Your Home a Day Lily or an Oak Tree?
• Dining In: My Kitchen a Restaurant?, India Palace Dining
• Easy Embroidery Fun: Gingham Embroidery, Day of the Week Embroidery Patterns, Pillowcase Embroidery
• Fall & Winter at Home: Fireside Cheer, An Old-Fashioned Midwinter Gathering, Winter Salads & Odds & Ends
• Granola: Grand Granola & Gifts, Marmee Dear’s Granola, Rise & Shine Granola
• Herbal Home Remedies
• Home Pizzeria & Ice Cream Parlor: Baking Pizzas at Home, Ice Cream Parlor Treats, Recipe Card Pack, Coffee Delights, Delicious Tomatoes, Live Centerpiece, Salad Dressings, Salami, Stromboli, Veggie Trays, Cloth Napkins.
• Homemade Candy
• Homemade Light
• Jerky & Fruit Leather
• Kitchen Sparkle
• Knitting with Frames
• Master Bedroom Detailing
• Mom & The Medicine Cabinet
• Quick Mixes
• Quilting Memories
• Small Steps to Machine Sewing
• Sugar & Spice Unit Studies: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sugar.
• Treasury of Homekeeping Skills
• Vintage Classics – Bonus Resources: American Frugal Housewife, Stitchery for Girls, When Mother Lets Us Cook, The Mary Frances Cookbook, The Mary Frances Sewing Book, The Mary Frances Adventure Among the Doll People.

My Thoughts

I seriously think that many homeschoolers could benefit in reading the various files on this CD.   I often see people commenting about their poor housekeeping skills on facebook and I suspect that others like me need to learn from somewhere else.   Don’t take me wrong.  I have learned a lot with my own mom while growing up but I find that I lack in places…   Though I am forever thankful for my husband to have purchased a Roomba which makes my life way easier (I dislike passing the vacuum…).  Needless to say, if I want my kids to be good housekeepers in the future I need to teach them important skills on how to care for your home.

As soon as I received the CD, I proceeded to check out the lessons I could print. The one that immediately caught my eyes was the Quick Mixes one.   Essentially, the Quick Mixes pages will allow you to make ahead some delicious mixes that you can use in your everyday life cooking .   I will admit that once when I was in the US I have purchase the quick mix for biscuits.   It's not available in large boxes in Canada and I was immediately drawn to it.   Bad choice of purchase apparently.   Not long after we brought it home, I discovered that it’s better to make your own.   Ugh!   Okay.  But how can someone make its own.    I wasn’t motivated whatsoever to try to find a recipe and slowly forgot about it.   Imagine my surprise when I saw the “Homemade Biscuit Mix” through the pages of Quick Mixes.   Fabulous!   So I decided right there and then that this would be the first thing we would do while using The Homemaker’s Mentor Lesson Library Volume One.

It’s easy as saying your ABC.   All you need to do is mix the ingredients and put it in a container for future use.

HOMEMADE BISCUIT MIX

10 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup white sugar (may substitute with fructose).

Use a wire whisks to cut 2 ups of vegetable shortening (I used butter instead as we don’t buy vegetable shortening) into the dry ingredients or use a pastry blender or large fork and knife and cut the mixture until it resembles to small peas.  Take caution using a kitchen mixer and do not over mix or it will be a ball of dough in a matter of seconds instead of a coarse crumbly mixture.  

The add in 2 cups of dry milk powder.

Store in a covered, sealed container.   And you can use this for any recipe calling for Bisquick type mix.

The next day, we proceeded to make Blueberry Breakfast Treat.   What I had not realized though is that I needed a “Crunch Mix” to make this recipe. So while my son, Dominic, were gathering the ingredients to make the Blueberry Breakfast Treat, I proceeded with this other mix that we needed.

CRUNCH MIX

2/3 cup of brown sugar packed
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp firm butter, cut in small pieces

Combine all and cut with a fork and knife until mixture is crumbly.

And now here’s the recipe of Blueberry Breakfast Treat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In a mixing bowl, place:

3 cups of Homemade Biscuit Mix
1 1/4 cups water
2 tsp vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (can substitute with cane sugar crystals or white sugar)

Mix together lightly only until combined and place half the batter mixture in a 8”x10” baking dish that has been slightly greased with soft butter.  On top of batter mixture in pan put 2 cups of fresh or slightly thawed blueberries.  Sprinkled over it 1 cup of crunch mix.

Then place the remaining batter over layers of batter, blueberries, and crunch mix.  Sprinkle top of batter with 1/4 cup more of crunch mix for a good topping.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.  Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or melted butter drizzled over.

I modified a bit of the process as I had a bigger dish than the one suggested.  So I ended up putting all the batter in it, putting the blueberries on top and covered it with about 1/2 cup of the crunch mix.   We served it as dessert that evening (I know it says breakfast in the title of the recipe but it could be a great dessert too!).  We served it with ice cream.  The result was a delicious dessert that quickly got the approval of everyone around the table.  My husband even said: “That a keeper!”.

Seeing how much were left at the end of the supper time, I believe it is.  *grin*

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The Stir Up Your Own Mixes contains other mixes that you can do at home. 

• Un-Canned Cream Soup Mix – Tomato Soup, Mushroom Soup, Creamy Chicken, Creamy Celeri, Cheese Sauce.
• Blueberry Muffin Mix
• Granny’s Oat Cookie Mix
• Breaded Chicken Coating Mix
• Homemade Biscuit Mix & Crunch Mix  (see above)
• Martha’s Original Fiesta Rice Mix – Basic Small Mix, Bulk Mix Amount, Fiesta Spice Mix, Bulk Spice Mix.
• Blackened Chicken Spice Mix
• Soft Sandwich Bun Mix

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I think that this CD can be a blessing in disguise for anyone who wants to become more effective in their housekeeping, in the kitchen, and in caring for their family.    I have discovered jewels of recipes and tips and tricks that will last a lifetime.   I am still exploring the CD as I am always looking for something new to learn. 

I suspect that other volumes will follow this one.  It is a wonderful idea to have package the files into one CD.  If you want to become a better homemaker or have a young lady in your life who will be flying on her own in a near future, I think this CD can be a wondering gift.  Why not considering putting this product on your wish list this Christmas?  You might be surprised on how this item will not only bless you but your whole family at the same time!

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CANALADIANLADYBUG REVIEWS GIVEAWAY

I have been authorized to giveaway two copies of The HomeMaker’s Mentor.  If the winner is in the US, he/she will receive a physical CD.  However, if the winner is located internationally (including Canada), a zip file will be send to the person.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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GIGANTIC GIVEAWAY!

One lucky winner will receive an amazing Grand Prize Bundle with over 400$ of prizes.   There will also be 10 runner-up winners.   Check out the Gigantic Giveaway at The Homemaker’s Mentor giveaway page.

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Currently the product can be purchase with a 10$ off reduction.   Until October 18th, the price of The Homemaker’s Mentor Lesson Library Volume One is 37$ U.S. with free Shipping.  Regular price is 47$ U.S. – this price will be in effect on October 19th and beyond.  To purchase go to the website.