Pioneer Woman at Heart

I can't say we area carrying on my childhood traditions, but I wanted to write today and share them.  My kids are older now, and well, I can't really stay up that late (ha ha ha!). As a child, Mom would fill the kitchen table with leftover Christmas cookies, chips and dips, cheese ball and crackers, and punch. Lights would be off and candles would be lit. The real Christmas tree would still be up, covered with that thin, silver tinsel, homemade ornaments and blinking lights.  There was a star light on the top.

Friday was like my typical Monday - busy, busy, busy.  I removed everything from kitchen counters, sorted, washed, washed and dried and put away, washed some more and scrubbed and .....reclaiming my kitchen.   I set the rules straight with the girls, but this morning I woke up to dishes drying on a towel.  Sigh.  I had high hopes they'd get the message when I told them the kitchen was closed until they finished their "to-do" list I gave them.  I want to wake up to a clean kitchen every morning now.  That is the goal anyway. I posted a few days ago, that I made our traditional Hot Cranberry Punch on Christmas this year.   I guess over the years I have forgotten to share the recipe.   Although it's a Christmas/New Year's tradition,  I have made this punch throughout winter.  Just be sure to stock up your fresh cranberries while they are in season in the fall first.  I freeze mine, and they work just fine for this reci...

These cold frigid days remind me why I stocked up.  No one needs to be out in these temperatures.   Our leftovers are dwindling down to a few pieces of pie, ham, BBQ green beans, etc.  I whipped up a crock pot of ham soup, using celery cubes I froze, onion, home canned tomato soup (vs. tomato juice), some frozen garden tomatoes, carrots, dehydrated mushrooms, chili powder, fire powder etc.  It's deliciously spicy and just what will warm me up even today.   I never had time to try both roll recipes, so I may take some time in the next few weeks to try them.  Maybe today, if I get done with chores early.   Yesterday I had a good amount of chores and made homemade yogurt. My main barn door is froze shut, but I can gain access to my ladies and gent via another door.  I am rotating a watering unit daily as it freezes solid at night.  I know they make electric ones, but I prefer this way.  Our electric is the hig...

There was a request for the other brittle recipe, so here it is: Macadamia Peanut Brittle (you need a candy thermometer to make this) 1 cup sugar, organic 1/2 cup light corn syrup, organic 1/4 tsp. salt  1/4 cup water 1/2 cup peanuts, organic 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, organic 2 Tbsp. butter organic, softenend 1 tsp. baking soda  Prepare a baking sheet by greasing it with organic shortening.  Set aside on a hot pad.  Measure butter and soda and keep nearby. In a medium saucepan mix sugar, corn syrup, water and salt.  Place candy thermometer in pan.  Bring to a boil.   Toss in nuts and continue to boil. Stir consistently, but slowly so you do not slow down the temperature, but keep it from sticking to the pan. When it reaches 300°F remove from heat and remove thermometer, add butter stirring.  Once the butter is melted, stir in the baking soda and pour onto prepared pan.  It will foam up.   Spread the mixture ...

I am on a roll this Christmas.  What cookie was chosen next? Well, it was random.  Everything is random today. Whiskey Caramel Cookies.  The dough is made with my homemade yogurt (recipe calls for "greek" yogurt).  No eggs.  It's a "Taste of Home" recipe if you are interested. I have become intrigued with reading vintage cookbooks lately.  I don't know why, but some times I find a hidden gem inside, and continue to read them. King has become obsessed with socks.  He doesn't eat them, he just picks them up and takes them to other places.  He did this to my daughter's friends while they slept over recently (ha ha ha!). What is something you enjoyed getting as a gift, but never asked for? The first thing I thought of - books and jewelry.  I love surprises, and winter is the best time to read a book around this homestead. Or summer camping trips, or porch time. . . I never find an open jar of peanut butter here.  Why?...

I woke up yesterday thinking, "hm, a good day to clean the coop, or maybe the next?" I checked the weather. Oh boy.  Our temps will plummet to the single digits at Christmas, and Tuesday was the warmest (high of 48°F). So...I skipped on out to the barn and mucked the coop, giving those lovely egg layers clean straw and warm beds. I needed the vitamin D and fresh air anyway, and a break from the kitchen.  I had a sink full of dishes anyway.  I then decided to spend about two hours digging out photos for our youngest daughter.  She had her party, but her sweet 16 birthday is approaching. I also took advantage of the day and put the laundry on the line.  The wind dried it very quickly too. Here is the book I borrowed from the library.  I have no idea if I'll get time to read it.  I'm still crocheting two scarf orders, but not complaining either.  It intrigued me, as my other blog (store) is called "Rooster's Crow Farm."  It's...

I find myself hanging around at the computer a little longer in the mornings, as winter rolls along.  That's okay too.  Winter is my time to relax a bit more, but I have neglected some housework too. I delivered the last scarf order to the big city, but need to go back to collect the cash.  Now, I am working on another order that my youngest daughter got me. Photos to follow soon. Hubby, as he walked in the house: "Hun!  The library wants to know if you are sick?" Me: "Huh?" Hubby: "Yeah, there is only one book in for you and it's normal." Ha ha ha ha ha!  True! Not sure if I'll get to read it before it's due back.  Like all the other books I've borrowed, ha ha!  Photo to follow soon. I finished up a few more Christmas goodies, including a new recipe: Macadamia Peanut Brittle.  It tastes like caramel corn, but very good.  This recipe is a stove top recipe, and the mixture is then poured onto the pan to cool.

I'm joining up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today.  Although I posted already today (go back one post to catch up on), I need to stay on track, and making a list will help. On the breakfast plate. . . Leftover fried potatoes, gravy with homemade sausage, homemade biscuits and home raised eggs (photo from yesterday).  Homemade yogurt will be my lunch with this lumber-jack breakfast (again). Right now I am . . . Heading out to do hen chores and empty ash bucket. The weather outside . . . Wow, warmer and in the lower 40's.  Although cloudy, the warmer temps are much welcomed. Looking around the house . . .   I see I need to tidy up and wash a few tablecloths. On today's to-do list . . .in no particular order -exercise -hen chores -laundry washed, bedding etc. and on the line -empty ash bucket -bathroom  -bake cookies -make brittle -fetch mail -check library returns -water plants -walk dogs -vacuum, sweep -din...

Sunday was a work day for us. First thing, I got up early and baked homemade fresh biscuits.  They look yellow because the lights were on an it was still dark outside.  It was foggy as well.  The weather is a teensy warmer, so hence the morning fog. The recipe is on my blog:  Here Coffee was brewed, and Hubby and I ate a "lumber jack" breakfast of home grown fried potatoes, gravy made with homemade organic sausage, and home raised eggs.  The kids slept in.  Then we got to work.  The girls were to do the dishes but later I found it they didn't.  It was Hubby who did them all. We cut another load of wood from the barn beams and boards.  I donned my steel two boots and headed out to the rubble.  The nice part of cutting barn beams etc. is that it's just cut, haul and stack.  No splitting required.  Evidently, I removed enough nails to provide kindling for two more loads in the future.  We brushed...

Good morning y'all!  It's a frigid 17°F here this morning.  It looks like we got about 3-4 inches of snow last night, and taking the dogs out this morning was not exactly peachy.  First, they were so excited to play it in, they kept forgetting what they were out there to do.  Second, traffic is traveling at about the speed of a turtle.  Roads look terrible from what I can see, and those slow vehicles kept distracting the dogs.  Once that task was completed, I had hungry barn cats and indoor cats to feed, a fire to stoke and coffee to brew.  School is delayed two hours for now.  I wouldn't be surprised if they canceled it. I took this through the door from the inside last night.  What in the world makes long, wide drag marks?  About two hours prior to this photo, there were two very long ones to the right of it coming up to the cat food and then leaving. I wish I took a photo then, as the marks were better to see.  What do yo...

I have been drinking organic, store bought dandelion root tea.  I have depleted my homegrown stash of dehydrated root.  I love the little tags that come on them.  So inspiring. I finished another scarf order last night, and have one left to do.  Then it's onto making new stuff to add to the inventory, plus one daughter's requested scarf.

Sorghum molasses candy is one of our family favorite Christmas candies to make.  Once I started making it, I stopped making toffee for several years.  Although much of my family loves them both.  I just may make some toffee yet.  The sorghum cooks into a honeycomb type candy, is broken up, and then coated in dark chocolate.

Hello?  Anyone out there in "cyber" land? I love smoked almonds.  However, the ingredients in them are typically bad for good health.  Usually, they include bad oils and a form of soy.  In my opinion, all soy, unless it's organic/non-gmo, is bad for good health.  Very bad. If you saw how many times they spray the soybean field in my state, you'd never eat anything with it again.  Anyway.... I decided to make my own. First, I made homemade celery salt using dehydrated organic celery leaves and salt. I had about 1/4 cup of dehydrated celery leaves, so I ground them up with a small amount of salt.  I didn't measure.  I just "eye-balled" it.  Tip:  When you purchase organic celery with leaves, to freeze celery for winter, dehydrate your leaves for celery salt or to simply use in soups/stews, pastas, and other dishes too. Then I made the almonds with the celery salt and other ingredients.   How did they taste?   ...

(these are older pictures, but you can see who is who) The cats have both been to the vet this week. Somehow, with the "car shuffle" we managed it.  Jasper had to be seen because of his teeth.  He has gum disease.  He's going back for a teeth cleaning to prevent it from getting any worse.  There is no cure for gum disease in a cat sadly.  He's on antibiotics until then, and he's not liking getting it.   Tiger is sick.  He started to vomit all over the house, so we switched his food, and he'll only eat one wet type (and it has to be cold).  He was keeping it down, but now his back bones are sticking out too much, even though he was eating.  Now his hair is falling out in large clumps.  The vet looked him over, and blood work is getting processed.  We'll get results soon.

Hubby and I had a long Monday.  Who puts events on a Monday evening anyway?!  Well, the public vocational high school, that our youngest daughter will attend next year, held their "career" night Monday night.   She is the one kiddo who will go to school to learn to be a full service cosmetologist.     More vehicle troubles - Hubby's brake line broke while driving home on the highway.  We went to fetch daughter's old car (still need to transfer title), but she let the tags expire.  So....back to square one. "Grad" Daughter got herself a second job.  She was hired during the first interview for Christmas help in a retail clothing store.  She is super happy.  She will need the money to pay for her car insurance. Not much to update in the sense of homesteading lately.  I miss our goats right now (for some odd reason, maybe due to lack of outdoor garden work?).  The hens are continuing to supply me, so I am stashing ...