Pioneer Woman at Heart

  I tried a new recipe this month already - a spin on the traditional green bean casserole, but I left out the "fried onions" it called for.  I used homemade mushroom soup as well. Recipe is from  Mennonite Girls Can Cook.   I adapted with organic ingredients, and of course, homemade condensed mushroom soup (it really is the best). Results:  We love this casserole!!  Of course we had the delight of trying it with freshly picked, homegrown asparagus, so it will be on the meal rotation, as well as a welcome substitute casserole for the traditional green bean casserole at the holidays. Note:  We both felt that 2 cups of asparagus were not enough.  I will be using more asparagus when we make this recipe again.   If you saw my last Christmas countdown post, you read that I was making something handmade for the advent gifts next. Here it is. . .  I made a hand crocheted item to add to the advent gifts this Christmas - Dust cloths.  Y...

  I made myself a binder (nothing special, just to organize) for Christmas preparations years ago.  I keep recipes (which I should also copy and keep in my regular recipe box), Christmas gift ideas, games and so forth. There is not too much in the binder, as years went by, and we continued to remove very old (and dog ruined) carpet, and do home repairs and updates.  We just didn't host any holiday here, and we continue to do that (much needed repairs, updates, purging, painting etc.), but in the mean time. . . The binder reminds me to try a new recipe, or write down a homemade edible food gift idea etc. Back in the day, January and February were my months to made handmade Christmas tree ornaments for the next Christmas.  I LOVED making Christmas ornaments, and my family was given a plenitude of them.  Trust me when I say in abundance, ha ha!   I then resorted to steering those same energies to making them and selling them.  I have now left the cra...