Home Made Potato Cooker (How To)

Camping season is right around the corner and that means warm nights under the stars, beautiful scenery, and of course delicious outdoor meals! No camp out is complete without some kind of adventurous cooking. This how to is a step by step guide to making your own potato cooker for next to nothing from your wallet.

To start, gather the following supplies. Most of the following can be easily found in any household. You will need 1 metal coffee can (#10 can), 1 wire hanger (some are thicker than others, get the thickest possible), 1 wood screw, 1 piece of wood (handle), 1 drill, 1 pair of pliers, 1 hammer, 1 ice pick, and 1 bottle opener (the church key type).

 Step 1: Using the triangle side of the bottle opener (church key), cut 8 holes in the bottom of the can and 4 holes in the top of the can. These will serve as vents for the cooker.

Watch out for those edges!

Step 2: Use the pliers to bend the top cuts back so that they are not sharp. You will be reaching in and out of the cooker so the sharp edges got to go.

Step 3: Use the hammer and ice pick or the drill to poke 8 holes in the side of the can. The holes should be about 2 inches from the bottom and all should be equally spaced apart; these holes with hold the wire that will separate the potatoes from the hot coals.

Step 4: Poke a hole in the center of the lid then attach the handle to your lid with your wood screw and drill.

Overlap the wires

Step 5: Run the wire through the holes in the side of the can. The trick is to overlap them all differently so that they all support the potatoes equally.

Step 6: Poke two holes in the side of the can near the top and across from each other. Then run the remaining piece of wire from your hanger from one hole to the other. This will be your carrying handle in case you need to move the cooker while it’s hot.

Step 7: Cook some potatoes! Prepare the coals in the bottom of the cooker. I usually use 5 or six coals dosed in lighter fluid. Light the coals and after a minute or two the flames will go out but the coals will be white hot. That is when you place your foil wrapped potatoes in the cooker and place your lid on the cooker. Let the potatoes cook for about 1 hour. If desired you can turn the potatoes after 30 minutes to help equalize the cooking. Be sure to use a pair of tongs and gloves when using your cooker. The whole can will be hot!

Be safe and know your surroundings. Do not use the cooker indoors or near any kind of dry brush or other flammable objects. Dispose of the coals in a safe a proper manner to ensure that they do not start a fire. Enjoy those delicious potatoes!

Top 5 Inexpensive Essential Oils

     One thing I often hear is how expensive essential oils are. Well, first I would say why are you buying at retail?  When doTERRA makes it easy to be an Independent Product Consultant, with no monthly minimums, I can't see any reason why someone would not join for personal use. With that being said, the prices I am giving you are wholesale prices. When I look up a symptom, I immediately scan the top oils to see which ones are the least expensive. I try those ones first, and then proceed from there if I don't get the results I am looking for. You can buy less expensive oils at the health food store, but they are not certified pure, therapeutic grade oils. You would have to use many times the amount to get the same benefits as using doTERRA's certified pure, therapeutic grade oils. The following oils are my top picks for under $20:

Lemon Lemon is so versatile! It is anticancer (see Modern Essentials for resources), antidepressant, antifungal, and antiviral. To me, lemon is a powerhouse! I use it in my water to help detoxify. Lemon dissolves petrochemicals. Try this at home. Put two drops of lemon essential oil in a Styrofoam cup. Now place the cup on plate, and prepare to be amazed. The lemon oil will literally dissolve the cup. It will not, however dissolve organic matter, which is why it does not harm us to ingest it. I use lemon to clean and freshen the house (see the post on green cleaners for recipes). I also use lemon for bug bites, allergies (with lavender and peppermint in a capsule), cold sores, poor concentration, for energy, and colds. Lemon is beautiful to use in a diffuser, it freshens the air and makes the house smell clean and pure.

Lemongrass First of all, I love the smell of lemongrass. If you have never experienced Lemongrass, you should give it try. Lemongrass is a warm oil, and just from personal experience, I would always dilute it with coconut oil before applying it to the skin. It is analgesic, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, repels insects, sedative, and vasodilator. I love using lemongrass (diluted with fractionated coconut oil) for fibromyalgia pain. Of course, it could be used for other pain as well. Carpal tunnel, cramps, sore muscles and sprains could all be treated quite nicely with lemongrass. I gave lemongrass to a friend that had a urinary tract infection, and she had relief from her pain in about 30 minutes, and called to tell me it was gone the next day. I have also used lemongrass to help relieve swollen lymph nodes.

Wild Orange The delightful smell of Wild Orange makes it one of my favorites. It is anticancer, antidepressant, antispasmodic, digestive, and sedative. I used wild orange combined with lavender in my diffuser for a friend that was going through a tough a time and was experiencing moderate anxiety. I love wild orange and peppermint for concentration, and energy. It is the perfect blend for diffusing during homework time! A dear friend of mine who suffers from insomnia, uses wild orange to help her sleep. She puts a drop on her upper lip so she can smell it while drifting off to sleep. Use caution with any citrus oils when going out in the sun. It can cause the skin to be photosensitive. Other common uses are detoxification, colds, bronchitis, and digestive ailments.

Rosemary Blend Lemon and Rosemary in a diffuser for a clean, fresh scent. I put 4 drops of lemon, 1 drop of rosemary in my whisper diffuser. Rosemary is analgesic, antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and an expectorant. It can be used as a vasodilator to help make having blood drawn easier. Rosemary is also great for arthritis pain, constipation, influenza, headaches, kidney infections, low blood pressure, memory, chronic fatigue, candida, and sinusitis. Avoid Rosemary if you are dealing with high blood pressure.

Wintergreen My beloved Wintergreen has been used on many aches and pains! From fibromyalgia pain, to bone pain, arthritis, cramps, and sore muscles. It has a strong penetrating aroma, which I happen to love. If you don't love the aroma, you will come to love it when you feel the relief. It is analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, disinfectant, stimulating, and warming. Another use is to put it in squirt bottle with water and use it for dandruff. Do close your eyes when spraying it on though. If I am feeling stressed, I will place wintergreen right over my heart for hypertension relief. Wintergreen might also help bladder infections, gallstones, infections, kidney stones, swollen lymph nodes, osteoporosis. My favorite use is for bone pain. That is a pain that is not easily treated, but I see great results with wintergreen. A close friend of mine uses it for his bone pain after chemotherapy, and he touts it as being very effective.

Homemade Gifts for Valentines Day Using Essential Oils

Holidays can get expensive, and we often end up buying stuff we don't really need. Expensive perfumes contain toxic ingredients that cause hosts of symptoms for many. Even innocent bystanders are effected by our choices in fragrances. Would you like to make some homemade gifts that will not harm, but have health benefits?

Homemade perfume

Small glass spray bottle

10 drops of Whisper essential oil

5-10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil

doTERRA Fractionated coconut oil

I get my glass bottles here:  https://www.aromatools.com/Clear_Glass_4_ml_Sample_Spray_Bottles_p/9112.htm

Combine oils in glass container, and then fill the container with fractionated coconut oil. Whisper essential oil blend contains Patchouli, Bergamot, Sandalwood, Rose, jasmine, Cinnamon Bark, Cistus, Vetiver, Ylang ylang, Geranium, Cocoa Bean extract, and Vanilla Bean extract. It can be used as an aphrodisiac, frigity, and hormonal balance. It is also very calming and soothing. Ylang Ylang is used as an aphrodisiac, helps to reduce high blood pressure, is calming, and reduces palpitations and stress. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I put this perfume blend on my wrist, then put a small amount behind each ear, and a small amount over my heart. It instantly lifts my spirits, and gives me a feeling of peace.

Sugar Scrub

2 Cups sugar (I used organic raw sugar)

2-6 Tablespoons pure Olive Oil or Fractionated Coconut oil

20-30 drops of essential oil

Combine oil with essential oil in a small glass container. Pour over sugar, and mix well. To use sugar scrub, wash hands, while hands are still wet, apply 1-2 teaspoons of scrub mixture and massage into hands focusing on cuticles. Rinse and apply homemade scented lotion (recipe follows). This can be used on feet as well. I recommend Citrus Bliss, Wild Orange and Peppermint, Lavender, Lemon, Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Roman Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Elevation, Serenity, or Whisper.

Homemade Scented Lotion

Aloe Vera Gelly

Olive oil

20-30 drops of essential oil. If you are giving this as a gift with the sugar scrub, I recommend coordinating the scents for a layered effect. 

I get the Aloe Vera Gel here:

http://www.vitacost.com/lily-of-the-desert-aloe-vera-gelly-soothing-moisturizer

If you decide to order from Vitacost, you can use my referral code to get $10 off your purchase. Just email me for the code.

Keeping Your Family Healthy With Essential Oils

Why get the Family Physician Kit?

There are several reasons to get this kit, but I will just give you the basics. First of all, what is the Family Physician Kit? The Family Physician kit comes with 10 of the top oils that families use on a regular basis.  The kit includes 6 single oils and 4 essential oil blends that are exclusive to doTERRA. It has Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Melaleuca, Oregano, Frankincense, Deep Blue, Breathe, Digestzen, and On Guard essential oils. 

What can you treat with the Family Physician kit?  The following are just a few of the uses you might find helpful:

Lavender: Lavender is calming. You can use it to calm anxiety and soothe emotions, help fight insomnia or restlessness, and soothe and cleanse irritated skin, scrapes and wounds. It can help to relieve insect bites and stings, and regenerate burns and damaged skin.

Lemon: Use Lemon to clean and freshen. Lemon eliminates germs, viruses, and microbes. Soothes sore throat, neutralizes odors, and reduces toxic stress.

Peppermint: Peppermint is cooling and invigorating. You may find peppermint helpful in reducing body temperature, opening airways, and reducing chest congestion. Peppermint can help calm headaches and coughs, it energizes and invigorates the body, it helps to ease digestive complaints, and it can help improve mental focus. I use peppermint in a water bottle to increase my workout stamina

Melaleuca: Relief for the skin. Melaleuca soothes blemishes, rashes, and skin irritations. It encourages healthy scalp and hair, and can help eliminate nail and foot fungus. Melaleuca may help calm cold sores,  control candida and yeast, and reduce acne.

Oregano: Supports the immune system. Oregano can stimulate immune responses, and eliminate warts. It can also be used to do a cleansing regimen for a healthy GI tract.

Frankincense: Enhancer and equalizer. Frankincense has the ability to cross the blood brain barrier. (See more on that here: http://doterra.squarespace.com/storage/education-tab/information-sheets/FRANKINCENSE%20information%20Sheet.pdf) It is antidepressant, relieves stress, and may help with nervous conditions. Frankincense can be helpful for pneumonia, respiratory problems, aging, allergies, sedative, and is an immune stimulant.

Deep Blue: Muscle and Joint support. Deep Blue helps support tired aching joints, relieves muscle discomfort, calms headaches, and relaxes tissues and eases tension. It may also relieve cramps, including menstrual cramps.

Breathe: Respiratory Support. Breathe can help clear the lungs and sinuses, improve respiratory discomfort and congestion, and calm asthma attacks and symptoms. Breathe is great for soothing cold and flu symptoms, and calming coughs.

Digestzen: Digestive support. Digestzen can ease stomach and digestive discomfort, relieve nausea and motion sickness, calm heartburn and acid reflux. It maintains a healthy and consistent digestive system.

On Guard: Natural Defense. On Guard can stimulate immune support, sanitize and protect, and eliminate airborne pathogens and germs. On Guard is helpful in oral care, and can be used to prevent illness.

DoTERRA essential oils are certified pure, therapeutic grade oils.  It is really important to make sure your oils are pure and do not contain any artificial ingredients, or fillers.

When someone emails me and asks me what oil to use for their particular symptoms, chances are, if they have a Family Physician kit, I can direct them to one of the oils they have on hand.

If you are interested in becoming a doTERRA Independent Product Consultant, contact me to become part of our team. For those that sign up as an IPC with a Family Physician Kit, I will buy you the Mini Modern Essentials 4th Edition book. This book is a guidebook for how to use the essential oils to treat your symptoms. This book contains the Personal Usage Guide section with commonly used oils and application methods, along with the Science and Application section, containing detailed information on the history, science, and proper application of essential oils—with detailed instruction on how to perform the AromaTouch™ Technique. View the details here: https://www.aromatools.com/Mini_Modern_Essentials_Mini_ME_4th_Edition_p/1152.htm

This offer is only good until March 14th, 2013, so don't delay!