Pioneer Woman at Heart

  How each container looks before I mix the "water" solution into the oil mixture.  I use a hand held immersion blender (specifically for non-food mixing). I use Rosemary Gladstar's recipe for this, using grapeseed oil/apricot oil and shea butter (vs. cocoa butter or coconut oil).  The recipe is now online (video with Mother Earth News, as whipped face cream) as well as in her book. New to the medicine stash - yarrow salve.  I've already used it for a scraped up arm.  Works great to stop bleeding, but has other uses.  You can find free recipes online for different amounts, and you can add essential oils in the end if you'd like to.  It's a basic melt down and pour type making, and very easy to make (you'll need to infuse an oil with the yarrow first). Both are very easy to make. I do have utensils that I only use for making homemade items such as these, and the face cream requires a blender or hand held immersion blender (which is what I use for an eas...

  It's been fun to concentrate our meals based on the oldest of whatever we have in the freezer.  It also makes me pay attention to what we use more of, or less of, and what other ideas think of. One idea, was to thaw a pound of ground chicken and try making breakfast "sausage" patties for breakfast sandwiches with egg, and cheese.   The results? Bagels were too big for the Sandwich. Delicous!  We discovered (if I didn't already mention it), that the yogurt bagel recipe (making 4 bagels), makes bagels too big for breakfast sandwiches.  Next time I will make bagel "thins" for this purpose.  Homemade English muffin would be good for these too. Back to the chicken pattie, that is mixed up with sausage flavorings....so good!  It's a nice change in breakfast meat, and much healthier than sausage and bacon.  It's added to our rotation now.  It does not taste as good as a sage sausage would, but it's pretty good.  It passed my picky husban...

  Hot Mess Express here to tell you another tale (or two).  I had opened the dishwasher, while standing at the sink to load it, and to set it to wash, when 2 seconds after opening it my mind took a quick turn.  I saw the drain the sink needing to be cleaned, so I had picked it up out of the sink, and turned to walk to the trash. When the dishwasher door is open and the tray is not pulled out, it is all gray, which is the same color of our flooring. You probably know where this is going, right? I hit the open dishwasher door with both legs, flew over the door, landed on the other side on my right knee.  Yes, I have bruises, and no the dishwasher didn't break, but the door needs some TLC (my husband will look at it).  He laughed, and asked if I had it all on video.  It's funny now, but not when I look at my bruises.  Thank goodness for Arnica cream. What did I learn from this?  Turn on more lights when it's dark and dreary outside, and maybe put a l...

  I thought this was funny, because, with my husband's full-time job, and the very (way too early) winter darkness that sets in, we have felt like nothing is progressing.  Or should I say progressing fast enough for the both of us? My new washer and dryer has been delivered.  We were not at all happy with the delivery service they use.  First, the salesman at the store told us a completely different story.  The delivery service called 30 minutes before arrival (they never showed up until after 6pm), and told me we had to "disconnect everything" before they arrived.  Not what we were told.   Second, these were to go on our pedastal drawers.  One guy refused, saying it was against "their policy" and again the salesman said they would place them on them for us.  Third, their truck had no ramp, so we literally watched one guy lift the dryer out off the end of the truck and put it in the driveway hastily. Oh, and they had their grade school kid wi...

  I had a friend tell me once, "if you give everything away, you'll have nothing."  Believe me, what we are getting rid of, is no longer used, or even needed.  However, we replaced our nightstand lights and had the two antique lamps to deal with.  My husband wanted to keep them, and I was ready to sell them.  However, we made a compromise.  The cords were an electrical hazard, and he just didn't want to take the time to replace the cords.  I got tired of staring at them in a box on the floor. I had an "aha!" moment.  I cut the cords off (he can replace them any day he wishes if that's the case), and bought two chargeable light bulbs.  We have end tables in our living room, where it needs light, but no way to plug a cord in.   The bulbs work great!  Three settings, comes with remote with dimmer and timer.  I'm happy, we have extra light (especially in the dark days of winter), and he's happy we have the lamps. I am however,...

  I brushed the tops with milk and sprinkled homemade everything bagel seasoning on the tops.  The original recipe stated to boil them, just like you would yeast bagels, and I did not. I went online and searched for the recipe and found several, but for this one, I had to convert grams to cups to make them.  I was shocked at the results.  First, I doubted the dough.  After kneading it, it turned into a nice dough, although started out crumbs.  Baked at 400°F for 25 they turned out nice, but they do need toasted.  The inside is slightly doughy if they are not toasted, but a nice bagel for a breakfast or whatever, if we need a few in a pinch.  I like the fact, it only makes 4 for the two of us as well.  Yes, it requires white all-purpose flour, but I do use organic/non-gmo.  I used organic greek yogurt, and non-gmo baking powder (original recipe uses self-rising flour). Results?  Pretty good.  They don't stick to the parchment pa...

  The porch hanging pots are still blooming in late November, which is absolutely unbelieveable.  Never, has this happened in the last 16 years.  However, they all came down, as the weather will dip very cold today.  In fact, they are predicting windchills in the low 20's, so the water hoses were drained and put away in storage (before more rain rolled in). Yes, we woke up to snow, but it's a dusting.  The weather reporters have been so annoying about it too.  They act like we will be snowed in.  It literally rained the entire day yesterday. Watering cans were put away, porch plants taken down and discarded, porch furniture covered for the winter, and outside Christmas lights put up (before it gets too cold to do).  Leaves blown off all entryways. Breakfast these next few days will be Chedder and Chili  Egg Casserole, and some local blueberry sausages (from the freezer).  Recipe is from Rachel Ray Magazine (from years ago), but adapted w...

  It's been raining here for the last two days, which has delayed any outdoor work, and the AC units have yet to be removed.  It's a battle to get anything done after work hours, as the darkness sets in way too fast.   It's a very foggy morning this morning, and they are predicting a slight dusting of snow tomorrow (first snow of the season if it happens).  I don't lack indoor work at any rate.  I started purging/cleaning/re-organizing both the utility room and the "office" and have started yet another donation box.  I'm sort of ping-ponging around the house in hopes to complete areas of chaos, including Christmas totes.  I'm going through the totes to remove any old, worn decorations, lights that don't work, and extra items we can live without. I finally drained my homemade oregano oil for the winter.  I plan on using it on homemade pizza as well as for an medicinal purposes. I failed to re-stock the mouse traps, and our weather will be dras...

  My meal plan was going pretty well before we both got sick.   We had roasted more of our home grown mashed potato squash, and paired it with some air fryer (can be done in the oven too) blackened chicken tenders (local chicken), and I thawed some garden green beans and local bacon to make the BBQ crock pot green beans. The blackened chicken is simply chicken patted dry, seasoned with a mix of seasonings, and air fried (or baked).  There are so many online recipes for the chicken, but we love it (first time trying it). Here is the recipe for homemade meatballs.  A friend shared it with me.  We buy our meat from a local butcher, buy the organic oats from an Amish area that is a quick a drive, but the only place to buy it anymore. Homemade Meatballs Meatballs 3 pounds ground chuck (see notes) 2 cups oatmeal, organic 2 eggs 1 cup chopped onion 13 oz. can evaporated milk, organic 2 teaspoons salt 2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic powder (I use homemade) 1 tsp....

  I'm calling it Monday Madness, as we return to a week of a regular work load, and trying to catch up for what we did not get done around here.  The bathrooms need a good cleaning, trash taken out, dusting, sweeping, dishes etc.  It also means, I am back to the kitchen for some homemade cooking and baking this week. I'm dehydrating plantain, as the weather was good for it, and we needed it.  I have tinctures to strain, and salve making to do this month. My husband is feeling better faster than me, and in doing so, has prompted the start of several projects that are overdue.  I'm not sure which one will be done first, but we have acquired the new window (will require some drywall work as well), lumber is ready to start the chicken run build (and we have stand by help for both), he's on board with the office purge (so old carpet can be torn out and the new flooring put in), utility room purge/clean up will once again start due to the fact we will soon need to rem...

First, thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers.  We are both feeling better, but boy the fatigue is dragging on and on. My day starts pretty good, by by afternoon I am feeling exhausted.   The weather here sort of helps me be able to curl up with a book or yarn too.  It's been dreary days the last few days. Rest was/is on the top of the list, but one food item I totally forgot about (when sick) is applesauce.  Home canned applesauce, from our apples.  The raccoons got our apples this year, as it was a drought year.  Any other year, they leave them alone.   When it's a very dry season, we seem to have more of a wild animal/rodent problem.  Thankfully, we can buy apples nearby, but still not the same. I had it on the canning radar, but it totally slipped my mind with our overly busy October.  It's back on the list.  It truly is the best tasting, but if we are too late for our area's apple season, I can atleast stock up a few ...

  Although not nearly as bad as my husband got it, I caught the virus from him regardless.  I do feel taking my 4 thieves, and drinking a good amount of water kept me from getting it as bad as him. However, I was unprepared for waking up ill, as far as food goes.  I realized, after resting for several hours, that I needed to go tend the hens.  It was the worst, cold and windy day outside as well.  Yes, I did it in pajamas and muck boots, but left the other chores for my husband after he got home. The only soup on hand was home canned tomato soup, but I did have broth.  I always make sure we have ginger in the freezer.  You can freeze it. How to Freeze Ginger (is in this post) I am out in the boonies, so to ask a friend to come by was out of the question, so it all got me thinking.  I also have a limited amount of family, and they all work full time.  It's not like I can get door dash either.   I need to be better prepared in regards...

  The scarf pattern I used in yesterday's post is on Youtube by Hooked by Robin.  It is my favorite scarf pattern to use.  Here is the video location. Well, it's not the actual video link.  I attempted, but blogger is being a bugger today.  The pattern is by Hooked by Robin (she is on social media and on Youtube (for this pattern).  She has a website too, but I did not see this pattern on it. Pattern is by:  Hooked by Robin  (link to youtube pattern, hoping it works) Pattern title on Youtube:  Quick & Easy Crochet Scarf, One Row Repeat. On social media (facebook) title for her video there, is "Easy Crochet Scarf" I hope this helps locate the pattern.  It'a a basic double HDC stitch repeat.  If you cannot locate the pattern on youtube, please comment below or facebook, please comment below.  I will try my best to get the actual video shared.   I started my scarf with 26 single crochet, followed by the repeat stitch...