Ditch the Doubt ~ Toss it Out! New Recipe Tried and Misc. Tidbits

I have finally sorted the odd assortment of Christmas items from last month's purge, and yes some went into the trash.   If you need permission, ditch the doubt and toss it out!  The rest donated.  Job complete. ✔  

What else can one do when it's -15°F (again), and there isn't even "wind" outside.  It's cold here.  More snow is in the forecast.  

One new recipe that also went into the trash - a millet bar recipe.  I thought it would be "fun" to buy some organic puffed millet and make a really easy recipe, but it tasted horrible.  The small amount of puffed millet cost me $1.33. 

A recipe I will keep!  Oh my goodness it was so good.  By the way, it was a recipe I had, and wanted to try to the last two years.  Literally.  I don't think I have ever roasted acorn squash, because it was always one squash that never grew to size here (have no idea why as we can grow all other squash).

My husband kept telling me how his Mom baked acorn acorn squash, and insinuated that I make it the same way.  I did not.  I tried this recipe, and I prepared the inner mixings the day before (minus the squash), so it can be done that way too.

The recipe is online with Farmhouse on the Boone, called "Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples" but be aware that the website is heavily loaded with ads (recipe states "apples" but you use one apple).  Very annoying ads.  I used my cell phone to obtain the recipe, and even that way can be annoying, but the recipe is worth trying.  Especially if you have apples in your cellar or basement from your fall producing apple trees and/or garden grown garlic.

Who knew?  Sometime last year, a hotel we stayed at gave guests a free newspaper.  We found a free full page puzzle page for our entertainment, but I brought it home for "on the road" reading too.  Who knew it would come in handy for re-potting plants indoors during winter?  We don't get a newspaper here, so I was thankful we still had it "messy" jobs around here.

I can now take homemade hand lotion, and other toiletries that require refilling, on the road (travel or for home).  I have used amber glass jars for a long time, but when it comes to taking something on-the-go, glass is tricky.  These tubes came in two sizes, and the refill hole is a nice enough size to refill as often as needed.

I have a homemade hand lotion recipe that I make, but it leaves my hands "oily" for too long of a time.  I'm now on the hunt for a recipe that is much closer to one that I purchased last year (also homemade with organic ingredients).  It was thick, and it absorbed much better.   Thank goodness for the library and their inter-loan program, in order to access many books for this hunt.

One more fun item to share:

I honestly forgot about, until I came across them again to wash up.  I did not find these in your everyday box store either.  I found them at a store operated by the Amish last year.  They are salt and pepper shakers, with spring top lids to keep them closed off.  I thought they'd be great for outdoor grilling and/or camping.  They were just a few dollars too.

I don't have anymore "new" recipes to try, but I'm sure a few will sneak into the meal plan here and there. Oh, we do have one more recipe to try that uses home canned pickled jalapenos.

Ditch the Doubt ~ Toss it Out~  New Recipe Tried and Misc. Tidbits  ©  February 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart