Pioneer Woman at Heart

  We were able to get some work done on the new chicken coop over the weekend.   We actually had help on Sunday.  We were so thankful for the help.  The door is built now, but the roof still needs put on it.   We have had some rather warmer fall days, which were great for outdoor work, other than the mutant ladybugs were out in full force (and they bite).  I finally got my kitchen sink leak fixed!  The gasket had broken off and fallen down into the drain pipe.  I'm drying out the cupboard (again) and will be using this situation to purge, clean and sort what goes back in the cupboard.  I just have to get it it good and dry, put the mat in, and get everything back into the cupboard.  Until then, I'm sort of tripping over stuff in the kitchen. Although I am thankful for the work on the coop, it always puts my indoor work behind.  I have a long week ahead of me.  I also realized I don't have a planner nor calendar for 20...

We had a very nice day yesterday.  The temperature went up to 70°F.  We were swamped with a wet ground, but we cleaned up the front porch. My husband even got some mowing done too, and we grilled out for dinner (although our propane is now out for the grill). I baked flourless brownies and made whiskey butterscotch sauce for a rare treat. I also froze a bit more zucchini. I dehydrated a small amount of mushrooms too. Laundry went out on the line. I am finishing up on cross bookmarks.  I am putting the tassles on next.

Unexpectedly, I deep cleaned under my kitchen sink.  We have had issues with the faucet since the last freeze, and I had to empty the cupboard for Hubby to get under there.  Oh man, did I find some odd items.  Most of my house was deep cleaned over the holidays, but not this cupboard.  That's done now.  I'm just praying we fix the sink issue prior to Tuesday.  We are going to be having the worst freeze this winter from Tuesday to Friday. Although not the best photo, I whipped up a dozen flourless brownies (from Family Circle - Flourless Brownie Sundaes online).  I don't make these to avoid flour, they just taste wonderful with.... A glob of ice cream and drizzled with homemade whiskey butterscotch sauce.

It cooled down quickly (woke up to the 40's) here, so home grown sweet potatoes, green bell peppers and garlic went into good use - sweet potato chili.   After running into the basket in the kitchen too many times, my extent of "fall" decor was placing those hard-as-a-rock pie pumpkins on the porch ledge.   The dead bolt on one of the doors broke.  I had to gently lay that news on Hubby.  It was stuck locked, and the latch to turn it broke.  Good thing I have another door to use.  Avoiding the garden for the most part of the day, I baked some flourless brownies... Whipped up some more whiskey butterscotch sauce .... Made a jar of homemade pumpkin pie spice. Homemade pumpkin pie spice 3 Tbsp. organic ground cinnamon 2 tsp. organic ground ginger 2 tsp. organic ground nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp. organic ground all-spice 1 1/2 tsp. organic ground cloves Mix and store in an airtight container.  I used a recycled bab...

Not to let this awesome birthday week end without another "bang" of goodness, I made.... Flourless brownies and whiskey butterscotch sauce for sundaes.  Yes, yes and yes.  I ate them both with organic ice cream (too lazy to make homemade ice cream).

We used the last "can" of homemade mushroom soup in our freezer, so I'll be spending the day mixing up more and re-stocking the supply.   This time I will make a few cream of chicken soups as well. Yesterday, I spent the morning in the kitchen making breakfast.  I started by cooking a shallot, red pepper, and chopped kale. Later I added one small minced garlic.