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~

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Canning Applesauce ~ Extreme Clean Continues ~ Feta Salmon Pasta

Although Tiger is not supposed be sleeping on this good quilt, it was hard for me disturb him, as cute as he was.  That's how I feel at the end of the days here lately. Just give me a bed to curl up on.  I hate not feeling good.  And try to get me to rest when there is no one here to tell me.  Ha! 




Yesterday I tackled 12 pounds of organic apples.  I have to buy these at our grocer.  All of the orchards around here spray, and our trees have not started to produce yet.


8 pints of delicious, sugar free applesauce.  I use the ball recipe, but only add the organic lemon juice.



Although our inside "extreme clean" is about done (I keep finding things to purge, clean, and organize), and while the apples cooked down, I cleaned a cupboard.  Or two.  I pulled stuff from a corner kitchen cupboard, put in two twin turntables (Lazy Susan's).  Now I can find stuff. That was only one shelf in that cupboard.  Next, is the self above it.  Then the one above that too. I think I might need a few more turntables.


I had enough beets to roast them for dinner.  Our favorite way to enjoy them - olive oil, beets, onions, thyme and sprigs of rosemary.  Fold it up in foil packets and bake at 400°F for 1 hour.

 (carrots from the garden too)

I tried anther recipe in my pile, and I'll be honest I did not follow it completely.  It called for cooked salmon, penne, garlic, tomatoes, basil, feta, etc. I tossed in some sauce, because I was afraid the kids would not eat it (without some type of sauce).  I did not keep the recipe, because it's almost like making spaghetti, but with cooked salmon and feta (vs. Parmesan cheese).  Only with some fresh tomatoes and fresh basil too.

Hubby got a bad case of poison ivy, from last weekend's clean up.  So did two of his family members.  Try telling him to soak a rag in apple cider vinegar and put that on first.  Ugh.  Men.  He keeps lathering on that cream from the store, and I do not have any dandelion to make a poultice for it either.  All he has to do is soak a rag, and let it sit on the rash, and give it time to draw out the poison, then use the cream, and he'll be better in a few days versus weeks.
 
It's been raining and thunderstorms all night, and still this morning.  It's a good day, when you have a hard time finding something that needs purged, wiped clean and re-organized.  I even have a clean chicken coop thanks to a daughter who did not do her dishes on her dish night.  She was sure to do her dishes last night though.



13 comments:

Kim said...

I am glad that god is provide(one way or the other). I am expecting apples from a friend in a few days and they do not spray at all either. Not sure how many, which will decide what I do with them.

Sam I Am...... said...

I wish I was as far along as you and you not feeling good you still get more done! Of course, I am lots older and have 3 chronic diseases but who's counting? LOL! It's still very motivating and I keep plodding along. Your apples and applesauce look beautiful and I'll have to try your beet recipe as I love beets. I was so excited that Walmart was carrying more and more organic but when I went last time I couldn't find a lot of it so I asked and they said they're not going to carry it because no one was buying it. I was! They eat very unhealthy down here as a whole and don't seem to care or know or both.
I made your egg dip last night! Yum! Thank you for the recipe. I don't usually make dips but it's a holiday weekend so I thought I would "celebrate" in my own little way. It's very hot here, no rain and I can't wait for Fall weather. Enjoy your weekend!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, it will be interesting to see how bad the worms are for our trees when they do produce. This year I had worms and no apples, and they ate half of the tree leaves off.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I am, I too am in a place where stores carry very little organic. When I find it, I try to stock up. Our grocer sells organic meats, so I try to get one item each trip and add it to the freezer (very expensive, but worth it). Glad you like the dip. We are making it again this holiday weekend so our daughters (who are both visiting) can try it too.

Unknown said...

I'm making apple butter today, and applesauce tomorrow. I've done sauteed veggies from the garden like tomatoes, peppers, etc., tossed it into pasta with cheese and basil, yummy! Men are funny that way! It will be great when you get your own apples. It's 51 here today, chilly!

Mama Pea said...

I'm going to try making beets the way you did. Sounds easy and delicious. Beets are so good for us so I'm always trying to find different ways of preparing them.

It's too early for any apples around here to be mature yet. Doesn't matter much for our own trees (sigh) as it doesn't look like there will be much of a harvest this year. That's two disappointing years in a row. Phooey!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Nancy, apple butter sounds good too. That mix of veggies sounds wonderful too. It's still in the 90's here this weekend, and very humid.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, this is our second year to not get pears. I need to do some trimming on those trees this fall too.

RB said...

For poison ivy, I clean with Clorox, then dab on Tecnu Calagel (available by the Calamine Lotion in most stores). I've started doing the same with fire ant bites, and I always keep Witch Hazel in the cabinet for bites and rashes too cause that can work also. Works wonders, the old stuff does, doesn't it. LOL
Sorry you're not feeling well. I started vitamins again today. Been off them for a few months, but started them again to see if it helps with my lack of energy following the virus.
Hope everyone has a safe great week ahead.
God bless.
RB
<><

RB said...

In reading the other comments, I saw where you've been having trouble with worms and such in your fruit trees. I remember our Grandparents and Great-Grandparents always painting the trunks of their fruit trees with a lime and water mixture, they said to keep the ants and bugs out of the fruit. Have you tried that?
God bless.
RB
<><

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

That plate of food looks so yummy!
I love roasted beets. We didn't plant any this year.
We have those same vintage corel plates too!
Hope he listens to you and gets that ACV on that rash...
have a good evening

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Patricia, we had a vine growing next to the house and Hubby pulled it down with his bare hands, not realizing what it was. Then it spread from there.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, thank you for all those tips.