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~

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Pinto Beans ~ Pantry Lunch Packings ~ Handiwork Developments



I finally broke down and rinsed our home grown pinto beans.  The piddly harvest....we all know that story right?  Either way, I am cooking them to go with breakfast burritos, snacks and after school burritos.   We get creative with breakfast burritos.  Which reminds me, I better open a jar of zucchini salsa too.



The roads were not that greatest yesterday morning, and I was getting over a very bad migraine, so my goal was to create lunch packings with what I had in the pantry and refrigerator.

I checked my ingredients, improvised on some, and set the oven.  I thought I'd better make more than one, to not waste heating up the oven.

 I baked two loaves of organic pumpkin bread.....




I baked a batch of homemade chewy granola bars (had just enough dried apricots, thankfully)......




...and because I had almond milk that needed used up, I baked these orange-walnut muffins (allrecipes), but improvised on the orange juice.  I substituted water and homemade orange peel powder.  They are not the tastiest, but are pretty good with a layer of home canned jam on them (quick breakfast for kiddo's on the run too). 



More Handiwork developments:





The baby blanket will take me a while.  I need 96 granny squares with pink flowers, and 96 with yellow.  I think I have two pink ones and about 16 yellow ones.  I just decided it was too beautiful not to finish the blanket.  

The squares can easily travel too, so I am currently crocheting the center yellow and pink flower parts first.  Then I only have to tote the other colors on road trips, camping trips and appointments. 




The current project is a #5 cotton crochet thread dishcloth.  I finished it two nights ago, and last night sewed in all the ends.

I had abandoned my netting over the last two years, so I'm digging it out, cutting the 10 yards into 3 inch strips, and rolling them into balls for future dish scrubbies.   

I had one strip of purple that was not quite 3 inches, so I crocheted a simple scrubbie and tossed it into our camping supplies.

Although it's pretty cold outside right now, the sunrise was beautiful (despite a few clouds).  Today, my only goal is to cook a dinner from the pantry/freezer.  I'm down to one bunch of organic collards, so I may dig out some ground beef and whip up a pasta, and toss in the greens.  I have plenty of frozen vegetables to pick from to go with it.  Dessert can be canned applesauce, or something with frozen blueberries.

12 comments:

Mama Pea said...

No doubt about it, Kristina. You're earning several Gold Stars for your efforts at completing unfinished projects. You've inspired me to haul out a baby blanket I've been working on (off and on) for a couple of years. Made it to knitting the ending border last night. Good thing I didn't start making it for a new little babe because he would be in college by now!

I complain now and then about preparing three meals a day for me and hubby but then realize I don't have any reason to do so when I think of you feeding your family with the hungry, growing kids plus lunches to pack, snacks needed, etc. You be one amazing woman!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, It is time consuming to prepare meals, and lunch packings, but I don't want to feed them Little Debbies either. Hubby thanked me over and over (he packs a lunch for work too). I'm not certain how long it will take to finish the blanket, but I'm chugging along. Glad I can inspire you.

Mary said...

Where do you find netting? I've been thinking about getting some to tack onto the dish cloths I've started making. I'd thought crochet or hem on a layer of netting on one side of a dishcloth to see how that would work. Any thoughts? I'd gotten back into using dish cloths as I kept reading about them being crocheted.. and as I've been teaching myself to crochet and so I started making a few to practice my stitches.

My Garden Diaries said...

You so rock it! I have no idea where you find the time!!! Your loaves and your granola bars look amazing!!! Have a great week friend! Nicole xo

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mary, I find netting by the yard at our large craft store (in where they sell fabric). You can also save up the netting from produce bags, although it gives you a lot less to work with. I have made small scrubbies with the recycled netting, and crocheted an edge with cotton, and also crocheted around a round scrubbie, but I have not tacked it to one side of a dishcloth. It sounds very useful and could work too.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Nicole!

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

Can almond milk be substituted for regular milk? I don't think it can for bread but if you don't know I may ask King Arthur...they have a baking hotline I've used before.
I don't buy regular milk except for cooking so if I could use the almond milk it would be great.
I shopped today so tomorrow I cook and bake! You won't believe what I did last night...I made stir fried rice with the last of my eggs and using brown rice and then at the end grabbed the soy sauce and put 1/4 C in before I realized it was Worchestershire sauce! AHHHHH!!! I'm eating it but it's not your usual stir fried rice that's for sure! LOL!
You reminded me I have pureed pumpkin in the freezer too and rhubarb. Time to make some quick breads. I love them in the evening with some hot tea. TTYL!

RB said...

Good gracious, for someone just getting over a migraine, a lot was accomplished; all I want to do after a migraine is sleep.
The crocheted washcloth is gorgeous and in my colors; my bedroom has been tan, aqua and white for years, and I love it.
Continuing in prayer for Sadie.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I loved the colors in the dishcloth too. We are using it now. Thanks for the prayers for Sadie. She is still with us.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I am, I just used the almond milk to make eggless muffins yesterday. I'll post the link today.

Lisa B said...

Is your homemade granola bar recipe somewhere I can pilfer it? Pretty please!! LN eats Oats and Honey store bought but I'd like to find some recipes to home make them. Please and Thank you ;]

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Lisa, I sent an email your way.