We primarily heat our house with wood throughout the cold months.  It’s a lot of work, but the heat, the type of heat even, is so wonderful!

Every once in a while, we’ll let it die down because of an especially pretty day… or even sometimes,time just gets away from from us and we need to start over with the fire – not enough hot coals are left to really get it going again.

I usually leave the fire up to my husband to handle, but since I’ve taken some time off work due to health reasons, I find myself needing to tend the fire more often.

This morning as he was walking out the door for the day, he told me the fire was being testy and not wanting to really grab hold.  I got up andstarted tending.

I finally grabbed a couple of cinnamon scented pine cones I’d bought for the holidays and tossed those under the wood, put a few pieces of paper in and poof…. I have a nice fire burning.

To make the pine cones more burnable like a fire starter, I decided to make my own using a few more of the pine cones.

First, I lined a pan with aluminum foil.

Then I spread out several pine cones.

Next I went scavenging through the drawers to find odd pieces of wax, crayons and candles.

I placed a few pieces on and stuffed into each pine cone, the placed in the oven for about 10 minutes on 250 degrees.

I used an old birthday candle on each pinecone, so there is a wick already set to light.  Not much wax on each one, but this should be plenty to get the fire going when it’s just died down… probably not a fresh fire though.

Here’s what I think I’ll do to make some start from scratch fire starters:

Line a muffin pan with cupcake holders – just the paper kind – not the foil.

In each holder, place broken bits of crayon, wax, etc. so the cup is about 1/3 to 1/2 full.

Set in oven at 250 degrees until melted.

Top with some dried paper, leaves, shredded bark, bits of pine cone or saw dust or even shredded peices of paper towel cardboard.

Now would also be the time to add a drop or two of scented oil, if desired.

Next, press in a pine cone firmly into each cupcake holder, holding until set.

Closely placing a birthday candle into the wax next to each pine cone will give you a lighting place for the fire starter to light.  Using an old candle will give you a nice waxed up wick to use to make starting easy.

A very simple creamy soup that will satisfy your soup cravings plus get some vegetables into your diet.

Homemade soup from scratch helps control the nutritional content and it can be quicker and easier than you realize!

Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped (approx 1 cup)
4 large vine ripe tomatoes, dices (approx 4 cups)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 TBSP chopped fresh tarragon (may substitute with basil)
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

- Heat oil over medium in a medium sauce pan.
- Add chopped onion and sauté until softened.
- Add tomatoes and water, bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

- Transfer soup to a food processor or blender (taking care blending with hot liquids) and puree until smooth.
- Using a strainer over the saucepan, pour the puree through the strainer.
- Discard the seeds and skin.

Whisk the sour cream and tarragon into the soup. Stir over low heat until soup is hot, but not boiling. Season with salt & pepper.

Nutritional information, per serving:
108 calories; 40 calories from fat; 4 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fat); 7 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 176 mg sodium.

Credits: Recipe and information from Dayton Daily News, Life section, Monday May 12, 2008, by Jim Romanoff

Why buy caramel sauce in a jar when you can make your own so easily at home? I mean, homemade caramel sauce… ooooh my!

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
1 1/4 c. heavy cream (an extra 1/4 c. to serve at room temp)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
3. Uncover. Increase the heat to boil until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
4. Watch it carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly.
5. Carefully and gradually, add the cream and vanilla extract.
6. Simmer until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.
7. Serve warm, or add another 1/4 cup of heavy cream and serve room temperature.

Ideas:

- Serve over ice cream.
- Serve over cake AND ice cream.
- For a coffee-caramel flavor, add 1 TBSP instant espresso or coffee powder to the water.
- Drizzle over homemade whipped cream topped specialty coffees (like a frappuccino or a caramel cooler – homemade, of course!).