Macaroni a la Turk

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. Macaroni
1 tbsp. Butter
1/4 c. oil
2 tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 (32 oz.) container plain Yogurt
1 c. water
2 large garlic cloves
salt to taste

Directions:
Heat a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add macaroni.  Cook according to the package directions or until tender.  Turks prefer macaroni fully cooked not al dente.  Drain and place in a service bowl.  Add butter and stir until macaroni is coated with the butter and the butter is completely melted. 
In a separate bowl mix yogurt with 1 c. water.  Stir until smooth.  Crush garlic cloves and add to yogurt.  Salt to taste.

In a small skillet heat oil over medium-low heat.  Add tomato paste.  Stir for about 5 minutes or until the oil turns a nice red color. 
Ladle half the yogurt over the macaroni.  Then drizzle the oil and tomato paste over the top.  Salt dish to taste and serve.
With the leftover yogurt you can eat it as is or make it into Cacik by mixing a grated cucumber up with it.

BB's 1st Camping Trip

This was my son's first camping trip.  He is an outdoors man by nature.  He just loved the time outside and all of that fresh mountain air.

BB in the Ergo carrier ready for a hike.

Playing at the river's edge.

Bushkill Falls, PA

We made a day trip to Pennsylvania's Bushkill Falls on Saturday.  It poured basically from when we got there to when we left :(  I had been there once before and the same thing happened.  The rain didn't seem to bother BB.

Throwing stones down by the creek.

Bulgur with Yufka

Bulgur Wheat with Yufka

Bulgur is one of my favorite grains.  This is a Turkish recipe for bulgar wheat with yufka.  Yufka is a dry thin flat bread that is similar to a flour tortilla. 

Yufka from Turkey

Ingredients
1 c. bulgur
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
yufka or 1 flour tortilla

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add bulgur and boil 10 minutes or until tender.  Drain in a colander.  In a small skillet heat oil over medium-low.  Tear yufka or tortilla into pieces and fry in the oil until browned and crispy. 

Fried yufka

Put bulgar in a serving dish and sprinkle salt on top.  Add oil and fried yufka to bulgar and mix well. Serve.

And the Winner is...

The Winner of the wool soaker is Amanda from The Fun Mommy .  Congratulations!! Thank you to all who commented and entered. 
I handwashed 2 loads of flats today.  I wanted to handwash all of the flats I used during the challenge even though the challenge is over.  I am now thinking of doing the 30 day challenge but I don't know if I am entirely committed to that idea yet. 
Congratulations to all of the Mama's who participated in the challenge and completed the week.  Kudos to you all.

Day 7 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
Today is the last day of the challenge and I am almost sad to see it over.  It was a fun if not stressful week.  This challenge has taught me that there is a way to diaper a child from birth to potty for under $100.  I wish I knew this was possible 2 years ago when I bought hundreds of dollar worth of prefold, covers, and aio's.  I definitely feel more confident teaching people about cloth and hope to become a cloth diaper ambassador of sorts.  If other people only knew how easy it really was all babies would have fluffy bums once again. 
I was initially scared of washing the flats especially while camping but again was surprised at how easy it was.  It wasn't a big deal at all.  By day 6 the washing was just part of my daily routine.  I am happy to have reclaimed the skill of handwashing while so many are losing it.
One last thing that I learned from this challenge and it is has nothing to do with cloth diapers is that if I really commit myself to something I can accomplish what I have set out to do and that makes me incredibly proud of myself!! 
Tomorrow I will annouce the winner of the wool soaker. To enter leave a comment below.

Hanging Handwashed Flats while camping

Day 6 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
This is a day late because of my camping trip but I guess better late than never.  Since today we can write about anything I wanted to share my technique for using flats.  I actually think Kim from Dirty Diaper Laundry has now named this the Jo fold but I am not sure.  I like to think that I invented it though.  I have been using this fold for about a year on the rare occasion that I would use a flat.  If you know how to use a prefold than this fold is a piece of cake. 

Size Large Prefold

Right Prefold. Left receiving blanket.

So I used my son's prefolds as a reference and folded the flat into a rectangle roughly the size of the prefold.  I put the part with the most folds in the front for extra absorbency in the wetzone. 

Receiving Blanket

Then I fold the sides in to form a v-shape.  It is easier to lay the baby on top first to make sure it fits well around the legs.  Then just pull the front up and snappy or pin the back wings to the front.  And Ta-dah.  Easy as pie.
Reminder Monday I will be giving away a wool soaker.  To enter please leave a comment below.

Day 5 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
So I am about to freak out.  I just wrote my post and before getting to save it my computer did something and poof it is gone :( So I am rewriting everything.  On top of that I am getting ready to go camping.  I am so stressed out about the diapers drying fast enough and having to handwash while camping.  My whole extended family is going and I can't wait for their reaction to me handwashing diapers. 
I originally didn't want to buy anything for the challenge but after the week of weather we had I went out to Target and got myself a set of flour sack towels. The 8 diapers I had just wasn't enough. 
Some tips that I have learned from this experience is that it's better to stick to the folds you know and trust.  I tried the fancy origami fold and it failed miserably.  I tried ironing the diapers yesterday to help them dry and it is not worth the effort.  I still ended up having to wait nearly 12 hours for them to be dry.  The humidity here is 88%.  I can see the moisture in the air!  Despite the fact that I am totally exhausted I do see this as a doable option.  I travel a couple of times a year and now have a way where I can easily cloth diaper.
Anyway I am so tired that I can barely focus enough to write this post.  Forgive me if it's a little all over the place.

Diapers Drying

I want to remind everyone that I am giving away a soaker on Monday to celebrate the end of the challenge. To enter please leave a comment.

Day 4 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

Here is my son in the pillowcase turned diaper.  Is it wrong that it's the Little Mermaid?

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
Half of the challenge is focused on handwashing.  I have only done this a couple of times before and never on anything covered in poop and pee so I wasn't sure what to expect.  But to be honest it isn't that bad.  The diapers are getting clean and I'm getting a workout.  After 3 days I think I have found a wash routine that I am comfortable with.
A couple of months ago I started wet pailing soiled diapers and have continued to.  After a nice soak 99% of the poop is off the diaper and all I need to do is dump it down the toilet.  For this challenge I am using a small basin to soak the poopy diapers until I am ready to wash and, a 5 gallon bucket for pee pee diapers and washing.  Once I am ready to wash I dump the dirty water and fill it with cold water and about 2 tbsp. of my homemade laundry soap.  You can find the recipe on one of my favorite blogs Down to Earth. After a good pre wash I dump the water and fill the bucket with the hottest water I can get from the tap and another 2 tbsp. soap.  After a couple of minutes and once I feel the diapers are clean I dump the water again and start my final cold rinse. I dump the water from the final rinse into my basin for soiled diapers so I can conserve some water.  Since I am doing a soak by the time the diapers make it to the wash round the water stays pretty clear.  I am able to wash 5 diapers at a time and so far have only needed to wash once a day.  Today I am going to have to do a second load though because I doubled up diapers twice yesterday.
I am struggling with the drying part of the challenge though.  The weather here has been overcast and rainy.  Everything is taking forever to dry :(
P.S. Today multi-tasking at its best nursing a 20 month old and hand washing diapers at the same time! Also remember that I am having a giveaway to celebrate the end of the challenge. (See side panel for details) Winner will be announced Monday.

Day 3 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
Yesterday was tough.  I experienced one of the worst poopy diapers ever.  It actually wasn't so bad but I couldn't get the diaper off quick enough of then my son started crawling all over my bed with the diaper half on.  Let's just say we both had a shower afterward.  In the process the only dry diaper I had got dirty.  I ended up cutting some jersey fabric I had in half and got 2 more diapers to last the rest of the day.  They didn't work that great but I didn't prep them so that could have been the reason. 
The washing isn't really bad at all.  I ended up adding the clothes that got dirty from that most memorable diaper change to my wash bucket.  I used a pocket diaper yesterday with the jersey material that I cut as an insert because my husband was helping change the baby. My husband already thinks I'm crazy when it comes to cloth and this would just prove his point.

2 flats fastened with a snappi

This morning my son's speech therapist was coming so I really didn't want any leaks.  I doubled two flats for maximum absorbency. I don't even know if the fold that I am using is called anything but my method is just to fold it into a rectangle the same size as his prefolds.  If I am using a cover instead of a soaker then I just do a padfold.
Remember I am having a giveaway to celebrate the end of the challenge.  (See side panel for details) To enter leave a comment.  I will announce the winner Monday.

Day 2 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"
1 day down 6 more to go.  Today's topic is supplies.  I only heard about this challenge Sunday so didn't have much time to prepare. I didn't want to buy additional supplies for the challenge either so I decided to make do with what I have. 
My diaper arsenal for the challenge includes 6 birdseye flats and 2 flannel receiving blankets.  I am nervous that this might not be enough.  It has been rainy and will be the rest of the week.  I have diapers hanging all over the place and as of now only have 2 dry diapers.  Yikes!!! I want to try the iron method to help dry them but worst case scenario I can cut up some fabric I have.  

Yesterday I got the idea of using a flannel pillowcase. It is around the size of a prefold but then I remembered that the diapers can only be 1 layer. So I grabbed my trusty seam ripper and ripped open the seams to make it one layer. I will let you know how that works out.

Here is my diaper caddy that I got at the dollar store a couple months ago.  I have a squirt bottle of water to wet wipes, a spray bottle with Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion in it, snappies, mason jar of coconut oil and a bar of soap with pins stuck in it.  The little pink basket has all of my cloth wipes.  The easiest way to make your own cloth wipes is to cut the sleeve off of a t-shirt.  The material rarely frays and it is already double layered.

I hope everyone is having fun with the challenge!!  To celebrate the end of the challenge I will be having a give away!!  I will be giving away a handmade upcycled wool soaker size newborn/ small.  If you are interested leave a comment daily on each post, one per day.  The winner will be announced Monday.

Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge

"I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!"


Most people might question why would I commit myself to hand washing and using flats when there are easier ways.  I am not living in poverty, I own a washer and dryer and I have every kind of diaper imaginable.  So why.  Well I wasn't always in this position.  When I was growing up we were poor.  Our well dried up when I was 5 or 6 and we lived with out running water for 3 years.  I don't remember much since I was so young but some things I can never forget. Like going to the YMCA once a week to shower or using water from our pool to flush toilets. Times were tough. This happened in a suburban town in America.  For many people around the world this is life everyday.  As a newlywed in rural Turkey the people in the village that we lived in go every summer with limited supplies of water.  We all had to choose between water for our crops or water for ourselves.  Everyday me and my sister-in-law would walk down to the mosque and fill buckets with water and then walk home. 
I want to complete this challenge to prove to myself that no matter what situation I find myself I will be able to take care of my family.