Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Cat's Favorite Places, Health and Knitting Update


Tiger loves to hang out on my writing chair, but since I've been using it more often, he's found another location - in front of the corn/pellet burner.

I keep a clothing rack in front of my corn/pellet burner, to dry clothes, when I cannot hang them outside, or when they don't dry completely (after being outside).  Tiger loves to stay warm there.

 I'm down to the last 10 rows or so, and adding the fringe, on my knitted shawl.  

 Although I found "In Defense of Food" interesting, I am enjoying this book more.  This book explains the content and benefits of specific foods that folks should be including in their diet more.  Growing up, I can't remember being served brussel sprouts, Kale, or Swiss Chard.  We have started growing these in our garden, but there are so many other foods we should be eating too.  Watch out kids, Mom's adding more vegetables!

Tonights frugal dinner - Ham Bone Soup and homemade corn bread.  I have a few ham bones in my freezer, which come in handy for an inexpensive, but healthy dinner.  I am thankful I have one bag of soup beans left.  

My ham bone soup:  Wrap a ham bone in 2-3 layers of cheese cloth and tie with cotton string.  Place in a crock pot and fill with good water about 1/2 full.  Add a mix of soup beans that have soaked over night (I just buy the dry bean mix at the store and discard the flavoring packet).  I toss in what ever I have - frozen garden tomatoes, dehydrated green peppers, chopped onions, chopped celery and sliced carrots.  Today I added some potatoes.  I salt and pepper as needed, but the flavor is so good with the bone, I don't salt it sometimes.

I remove the bone about 3-pm, and continue cooking for another hour or so.  I typically cook on high 1 hour, then lower the heat to "low" for the rest of the time (if the beans are pre-soaked and rinsed).  I think I cook mine about 7 hours or so.  I serve it with corn bread. 

9 comments:

Kim said...

That looks like an interesting read. I cook like this all the time and we are setting some savings goals for next year and I am sure there will be other ways for me to save as well.

Carolyn said...

I LOVE using ham bones for split pea soup. I beg, plead, steal ham bones from family/friends during the holidays to keep in the freezer for soups! I used to get funny looks when I asked for the "garbage" bone, but now I have a few people that actually know to save them for me!
Mind sharing your ham bone soup recipe?

Carolyn said...

Oh. I almost forgot....
YAY for kitty pictures!!!

Candy C. said...

My cat Bob would be right there with Tiger! We never had kale or chard growing up either but did eat Brussels sprouts and I hated them! It's funny because I LOVE them now! :)

Michelle said...

My cat Cleo favorite place is at my feet or behind my head.Dusty has to have my lap. It doesn't matter what I am doing( reading or needle work,) she will move it out of the way. Butter cup loves laying by my side. These little furry bodies work great to help keep me warm in the winter.

Beansieleigh said...

Can you believe our cat loves going to school? (0; I homeschool my son, and our cat Tuffy just HAS to be a part of it! Sometimes it's o.k., and sometimes he's too distracting, and we have to shoo him away. I often feel bad about that, but we do what we have to do, and I try to make it up to him later... And as for soup? It appears that great minds think alike. I've got Split Pea Soup going in my crockpot right NOW! Nobody in my family likes it but me, but that's o.k.. All the more for me; and I freeze it too! Yum!... Have a great weekend! ~tina

GrannyAnnie said...

That soup sounds wonderful!
I had soup tonight, too. I started with some leftover turkey broth and just kept tossing stuff in all day as I found bits of this and dabs of that that needed to be used up somehow. It came out really good. Saving the rest for lunch tomorrow may take more patience than I have. And that book looks like one I would love to read. I see it looks like you are taking notes as you go. I can't hardly read anything like that, either, without having a notebook and pen alongside me.

Unknown said...

I've always LOVED brussel sporuts, my Mom servedthem, like baby cabbages:) A little butter and salt, yummy!

SUSSEXMOUSE said...

We have 4 Cats. When it is cold outside I sometimes find them all in the airing cupboard ! Marion x