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	<title>The Country Basket</title>
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	<link>http://thecountrybasket.com</link>
	<description>Tips &#38; ideas to run a smooth household, recipes &#38; gardening</description>
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		<title>Growing Potatoes Part 2: Choosing Seed Potatoes, Preparation</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/growing-potatoes-part-2-choosing-seed-potatoes-preparation/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/growing-potatoes-part-2-choosing-seed-potatoes-preparation/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 May 2012 20:09:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1796</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Potatoes, spuds, taters, whatever you like to call them, originated from South America. According to Wikipedia, there are a stunning 5,000 different varieties across the world today! Planting potatoes is really not that tricky, but you have to start somewhere, and the &#8220;somewhere&#8221; might be in selecting which variety you want to grow. The selection is great; -5,000 types, remember? Well, really now, only a very small fraction of these varieties are in reality available to us, and  for the most part you only need to worry about which characteristics you want to focus on: Do you want a so-called white potato, red-skin, baking potato, or perhaps a beautiful, yellow Yukon? These taters are all quite different from each other, and some of the main differences are the content of starch versus water. White and red-skin potatoes contain a lot of water and sugar (but are low on starch), and are ideal for soups and stews, and also for potato salads, as they hold their shape well when they are done cooking. For mashing, however, you&#8217;ll want a different variety, because potatoes high in water makes for soggy mash. You can&#8217;t add much milk as they already contain so much moisture. That brings me to baking potatoes (same as Russet or Idaho), which is the ideal potato for mashing because they are starchy and low in water. Therefore, you can add plenty of milk and get that nice, creamy [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Growing Potatoes Part 1: Getting Started</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/growing-potatoes-part-1-getting-started/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/growing-potatoes-part-1-getting-started/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2012 13:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1673</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; I have grown potatoes for only two seasons so far, but in that process I have absolutely fallen in love with this rewarding crop! It&#8217;s my favorite of all the different vegetables I have grown! I mean, what is there not to love about it? Really! Just look at this one: In this post, Part 1 of 4 total,  I will touch on some general information regarding growing potatoes, and share some of my own experiences. In the upcoming parts, which will be posted in the near future, I will discuss choosing potatoes and preparation for planting in Part 2; the planting and growing of potatoes, and alternative methods in Part 3; and in Part 4, harvesting and storage. This plant is a little bit different from other vegetable plants, but once you know what to do, you will find that they really are quite easy to grow, and the excitement is on an all-time high once harvest time comes along! Once they are ready to be harvested, we usually dig only what&#8217;s needed for that day&#8217;s dinner. I’ll typically send one of the kids out to the garden come dinner time, or I’ll go myself with a pitch fork. Fresh out of the ground, the potatoes are firm and crisp like a fresh apple; in fact, in certain areas of Norway, they sometimes call potatoes “earth apples.” Perhaps from the crispness of the freshly dug potatoes, closely resembling [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Dinner Menu Planning to Reduce Stress in Busy Households</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/dinner-menu-planning-to-reduce-stress-in-busy-households/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/dinner-menu-planning-to-reduce-stress-in-busy-households/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:02:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Household]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In the Kitchen]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1716</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Dinnertime can be a stressful time of day in an active household. To try to run this busy time more smoothly, I have found that a planned menu is very helpful. I first tried a similar system a few years ago, and failed, but the adjustments I have made since then have been very helpful for our family. The way I tackled it the first time did not work, and here&#8217;s why: I created a large menu plan that would repeat once we reached the end of it. We would then start over from the beginning instead of going through the effort of making a new menu. I created a menu that extended over 7 weeks, to give us variety. It turned out that 7 weeks was not enough time between certain dishes, and we got really tired of dishes that we used to enjoy. We have found that we can eat some meals quite often without ever going tired of them, while others are only enjoyed if served infrequently. Another problem was that over the course of several months, our daily schedule changed too much to work with the current menu. I also found that the amount of leftovers changed as our young kids grew and ate larger portions. All in all, too many adjustments needed to be made, and it became too complicated to continue. The new menu plan that works for me! What does work for [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vanilla-Cinnamon Roasted Almonds Recipe</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/vanilla-cinnamon-roasted-almonds-recipe/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/vanilla-cinnamon-roasted-almonds-recipe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:52:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Appetizers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Desserts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holiday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1675</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; Walking through the mall, smelling those freshly roasted candied almonds, a hint of cinnamon in the air mixed with vanilla sweetness&#8230;. Why are those little delectable things so expensive??? The senses are wide awake, there is longing, but the pocketbook tells you to walk on by. Ignore, ignore. If you can. It just doesn&#8217;t seem fair, does it? Well, long no more! Here it is, the recipe that allows you to enjoy the scent AND the flavor, without breaking your piggy-bank! Better yet, it is so easy to do at home you&#8217;ll never want to waste your money at the mall ever again! This particular recipe is especially aroma filled, and adding a little extra salt to these gently sweetened almonds helps to bring out various flavors. They contain more vanilla than almonds from many other recipes, as well as extra cinnamon as well, though tastefully so and not over-the-top. Just more of the good stuff, more of what makes roasted, candied almonds so special. Addicting, that they are; be warned! Here are the steps to take you through it; not that you&#8217;ll need it, as the recipe itself is quite self explanatory. But, being a visual person myself, I always appreciate pictures whether I need them or not. You start by measuring and mixing the various ingredients, and setting them aside so that they are ready when needed, without much delay. It is also a good idea [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
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		<title>Saving Money on Quality, Inexpensive Discount Herbs &amp; Spices</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/saving-money-on-quality-inexpensive-discount-herbs-spices/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/saving-money-on-quality-inexpensive-discount-herbs-spices/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:57:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[In the Kitchen]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1394</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; Herbs and spices are essential in cooking and baking. However, they can be quite costly, especially if you need a lot of them, such as when you make rubs and marinades. I have found that you can save a lot of money by purchasing in bulk, at discount stores, or even store brands. Some people are reluctant to purchasing discount or store brands, even if they will save money by doing so, because they believe they get a tastier and healthier product by purchasing brand name foods. If you are one of them, you may want to CLICK HERE to read this very interesting article by Consumer Reports, which includes taste-test results of store brands vs. name brands; you may be surprised, and find yourself going for store brands soon! Here&#8217;s a quote from the article, though please read the article itself if you have a chance, as it is quite interesting: &#8220;Don&#8217;t be reluctant to give any private-label product a try. In fact, our results may knock some of those iconic brands off their pedestals.&#8221; Here are a few examples of price differences, though you may be able to do even better than I did if you have bulk stores near you. I probably do as well, but I haven&#8217;t been able to locate any, so far. I did go to our local supermarket to compare prices of brand name spices (McCormick), to store brands and other [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://thecountrybasket.com/saving-money-on-quality-inexpensive-discount-herbs-spices/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Herbs &amp; Flowers to Naturally Control &amp; Deter Pests</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/herbs-flowers-to-naturally-control-deter-pests/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/herbs-flowers-to-naturally-control-deter-pests/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:04:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gardening]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1595</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lavender &#160; This upcoming summer season of 2012, I will be experimenting with planting certain herbs and flowers that are known to repel garden pests, such as tomato hornworms, flies, beetles, and more. This natural form of pest control, adding beauty to our gardens or nutrition to our bodies, sounds so much better than the spraying of chemicals, don&#8217;t you think? After reading a variety of articles on the internet and becoming especially interested in a few such plants, I studied each one individually; not extensively, but enough to get a good feel for each plant and its benefits and drawbacks. I found some information that surprised me and helped me make a decision on whether I should plant them or not. In this post I will go through which ones I will or will not plant, and the reasons behind it, though the information below is only meant to give you an idea of what to expect. I am by no means an expert in the field, I don&#8217;t even have the personal experience as of yet. It is simply information that I have come across while reading, much of it double and triple checked to try to avoid giving you false information. Even so, it is a good idea to do your own, personal research before making a decision on what would benefit your own garden. One of the things I wanted to find out, was whether the [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Leg of Lamb for Easter Holidays, a How-To Recipe w/ Pictures</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/crock-pot-leg-of-lamb-recipe/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/crock-pot-leg-of-lamb-recipe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:29:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dinners / Main Dishes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Holiday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=579</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; A leg of lamb; just how do you prepare that? As I started reading about it, I found a lot of conflicting information. Some methods say to slow cook on low heat, others suggest higher heat. I cooked three boneless legs, around 4-5 Lb each, over a period of time using slightly different approaches, with only small differences in the results. All three ended up with tough connective tissues in them, which I later found out is just the nature of the leg portion of lamb. I also found out that leg of lamb is considered a lean and tender cut of meat, and dry, moderate heat is recommended to preserve that tenderness and moisture. This is confusing, since other sources say that with the tough connective tissues in leg of lamb, it needs to be cooked low and slow to help tenderize these tissues. I didn&#8217;t know any of that when I cooked up these three pieces of meats, so I cooked at medium heat once, and low heat twice, but all three methods were moist heat. The results? All three ways resulted in nicely moist  meat, though I thought the medium-well legs were a little less tender than the leg I cooked to well-done. This may have been a carving problem, as you are supposed to cut against the grain, and I&#8217;m not sure I did a very good job at ensuring that the first two [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Homemade Tear-Free Eye Make-up remover; Easy, Save Big Money</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/homemade-tear-free-eye-make-up-remover-easy-save-big-money/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/homemade-tear-free-eye-make-up-remover-easy-save-big-money/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:00:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Household]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; I have tried several brands of eye make-up removers. Some brands were cheap, and some expensive. They all had one thing in common: if I got some of it in my eye, which is inevitable when removing make-up from eyes, it wasn&#8217;t pleasant. Some of them down-right stung, which seems odd when you consider what they were made for; the eyes! Using plain water doesn&#8217;t work, of course, and soap stings as well. There is a solution to the problem, however, and the solution is not to go to the department store to purchase the most expensive bottle you can find. It is simply to make it yourself, using a product readily available at any grocery store, or may already be in your bathroom if you have a young child: Baby shampoo, or baby wash! Baby shampoo is made to be tear-free, and though not 100% neutral when in the eyes, at least it&#8217;s more gentle on eyes than anything else I&#8217;ve ever tried. It also works great for removing sticky mascara or other eye make-up. I have made my own for years now, and saved a lot of money. When it first was suggested to me via a message board (sorry, can remember who that was, but will try to find out), I jumped to the idea! It was brilliant! And I simply re-use my old Mary Kay eye make-up remover bottle, though any bottle will be fine. [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
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		<title>Save Money on Easy Homemade Baby Wipes! Versatile Recipe</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/money-saving-tips-homemade-baby-wipes-you-choose-recipe/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/money-saving-tips-homemade-baby-wipes-you-choose-recipe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:14:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Household]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; Babies are cute and cuddly, so very sweet! They do, however, need a good clean-up now and again, and baby wipes can come in very handy. Purchasing ready-made baby wipes can really add to the price of having a baby, so when had my first baby and heard about making homemade baby wipes, I jumped right to the idea. I tried them, and never looked back. I was sold! It is now several years ago since the youngest of my three kids was in diapers, but I decided to make a batch again to show you how, then donated them to a friend who has a little one. Baby wipes can be used by the whole family, whether you have a child in diapers or not, for freshening up or keep in the car for a quick clean-up when out and about. Some benefits to making your own, is of course the money you save, for starters; your highest cost will be the paper towel roll, which will (depending on the size and brand) give you 200-300 wipes per big roll. The ingredients you add cost very little. I will explain in a little bit. First, I would like to point out that with this recipe, you can pick and choose which ingredients you want to use, so that you can adapt the recipe to fit your individual baby&#8217;s needs. Some infants are very sensitive to fragrances, and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://thecountrybasket.com/money-saving-tips-homemade-baby-wipes-you-choose-recipe/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Mild &amp; Tangy Potato Salad with Eggs, Recipe</title>
		<link>http://thecountrybasket.com/mild-tangy-potato-salad-with-eggs-recipe/</link>
		<comments>http://thecountrybasket.com/mild-tangy-potato-salad-with-eggs-recipe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:35:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terese</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sides]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://thecountrybasket.com/?p=1339</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Potato salad is a great addition to almost any lunch or dinner meal. Purchasing potato salad from the deli can be very convenient, but making it at home can be oh, so worth it! The main problem I have with potato salad purchased at the grocery store is that the potato cubes usually are far too firm. Sometimes they are downright crunchy! Who enjoys eating crunchy potato salad? Well, not I, I can tell you that much! Perhaps the potatoes are kept firm to keep them from losing their shape and turn to mush rather than salad, which I can understand and appreciate. Personally, I still think that flavor and tender potatoes is more important than shape, though I too, try to avoid making mush out of my salads. My potatoes do loose their shape a little bit when stirred, but not enough to cause a problem. Instead, we often find ourselves taking second helpings of this potato salad, because it tastes so good and the texture is right. It is creamy and moist, a great addition to the meal served. I adapted this potato salad recipe from the recipe that my mother-in-law used for her family during my husband&#8217;s childhood, and still uses today. I have made a couple of minor changes, but the credit otherwise goes to my dear mother-in-law for this deliciously mild, but tasty, potato salad. It contains eggs and sweet &#38; tangy pickles, I [...]]]></description>
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