Pioneer Woman at Heart

Finished this Christmas book and matching book blanket granny square.  It's about the 6th of 16-18 books of a box I bought at an antique store very early in the year.  I'll attach it to the blanket soon. Two of the kiddos who received the 24 day advent gift bags, have been in touch, and so far have really enjoyed them (and found it fun and love the "useable" theme I tried to adhere to).  One kiddo I have not heard one iota from.  Not even a thank you.  One loved the hand crocheted dust cloth (as it is reusable and saves them money), while one was ecstatic about the tiny sample jam jars we included.   The Christmas Spice Extract I "brewed" up was ready to strain and bottle.  Just a few lucky ones will be receiving it to try this Christmas season.  I was able to bottle this up early December, but have not tried it yet. The had-it-on-the-plan, but did not happen.  Yet. Homemade Seasoned Salt for another quick and easy gift idea. My Mom loved th...

  I decided to bake my Mom's sour cream cookie recipe for Christmas.  Although I am lacking my Christmas zippity do-dah, I got it done. Youngest slept the entire day.  I know she got much needed rest.  She went to Urgent care but was sent back home.  No meds, no real diagnosis, so it's Mom's remedies for now.  They also did a rapid virus test (came back negative). Our sunshine yesterday was gone as fast as it came sadly.  No sun makes a dreary lazy day for me. Apparently there are thieves cruising the area, who are stealing flat bed trailers.  We don't own one, but it does put one on more of an alert. I got out my iron and worked on the homemade cards to finish up Mom's gift. Sad news from afar.  Cousin  (she is my age)  M's husband  is in the hospital with covid.  It doesn't sound like it's good.  Please say a prayer for her husband.

Being stuck in the house day after day has gotten me lazy. I'm off track with homemade gifts this year.  Not to mention baking.  I am writing out a list to get back on track.  Oye.  I need out of this rut. Finished 4 of the Adli's quarter holder keychains.  I think they are adorable. I made cashew brittle for Christmas.  I hid this batch, but we'll see if they find it before Christmas. Made one batch of Paprika Dry Rub to gift.  It's for turkey or chicken.  Good for a year once made.  I recycled some glass jars that were the perfect size for gifting (organic tomato paste jars).  I just have to label them and pack the bags for delivery. Recipe is from Taste of Home (online). Recipe I want to try, but will cut recipe in half.  

  Here are the scrap fabric cards I am making.  I made heart ones to gift my Mom.  I'm considering making other ones for a few other people, but gifts won't be exchanged with either side of the family this year.  I may work on them for next Christmas though.  A great way to use up scrap fabric, and I am so blessed for the people who send me their scraps too.  I don't sew a lot, so what I get is a blessing for crafting/gifting.  I have a how-to on my   S.C.R.A.P. blogspot   too.  Gosh, I just realized I haven't posted anything on there for a good long time.  I just may get something posted soon. Pinto beans were soaked for soup beans and fried cabbage today.  It was suitable for our current weather.  Brr. Red onions made their way to the dehydrator.  I sometimes get into a situation during winter when I need red onions and have no vehicle or the weather is too bad to travel to the store.  Who wants to go out for o...

The moon early this morning. Breakfast yesterday morning.  First time to eat healthy in about 5-6 days.  Hubby's famous omelets, and this time he put jalapenos in them. When I can remember....I am scanning any good family favorite handwritten recipe when I use it.  I'm printing it on cardstock and will cut to size for a recipe box for my younger two girls.  The recipe boxes I want to buy them are no longer sold.  The general store that sold them closed.  I may see if my husband (hate to even ask him) will build me two wooden recipe boxes. One day when we had lucky leftovers, and I didn't have to cook dinner, I made this!  Honey roasted caramel corn.  It is the best I have ever tasted.  No kidding.  My Mom's taste test approved this as the best too.  It's not my recipe.  I found it online from the Stay at Home Chef.  She has a video on making it.  It uses butter, brown sugar, honey, salt, baking so...

Sam I Am (at farmgirlSam blogspot ) shared an ornament that reminded me of one I made for gift giving years ago.  The crocheted edging is different, but wanted to share. I found wooden rings at the thrift store and used canning lids (old ones) for the backs.  The directions can be found on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot if you are interested. I will be digging through my crafting supplies to see if I have more rings to make the ones she posted.  They are beautiful! Not much going on at our homestead right now.   I got a few organic celery cubes frozen for winter soups.  Speaking of soups, I will be bagging my corn off the cob into smaller bags more so than the 3 cup bags, so I can use it for soups (but in smaller amounts). I made crock pot leftover ham/veggie soup yesterday.  I left out the corn and added white beans and a small amount of lentils (shockingly high in carbs), leftover green beans etc.  I did some reading, and couldn't b...

Yeah, you read the title right!  My side of the family didn't get together in December like normal people.  Then again, what is normal? Thursday afternoon, our 18 year-old daughter drove to one of the "Big Cities" and had a 2nd job interview.  She wanted a new phone, so while she was there, she stopped at the area mall and phone store there.   Big mistake.  They had a rookie employee, and the boss.  The boss left, after trying to push sales onto her first.  Next, the guy had no clue what he was doing.  After almost five hours, with us trying to call and text her in panic as to where she was, she came in the house crying like a hot mess.  A serious hot mess.

Since I'm on a roll with new recipes. . .and because I have a reputation of "stirring" up the holidays with something of the alcohol nature (for the adults of course), I have wanted to try a new recipe of Homemade Strawberry-Watermelon Rum. 

We finally had our family get together (a winter, non-Christmas gathering) yesterday, with my side of the family.  I can share what Christmas gifts I gifted.  I ran out of time, then you know, got sick, so it was not very much this past holiday. I had them ready, other than the recipe to attach to the sage (but emailed everyone it, along with what to do with sage).

You finally get to see it.  We had our very last Christ mas-fam ily gatheri ng ye sterday. Here is what I gifted this year for Christmas.  1/2 pint jars of hom e canned s weet pickle relish 4 oz jars of hom e canned Queen Anne's Lace Jelly   Mom received a set 

I'm still cracking English walnuts.  I've put 3 pounds (and counting) in the freezer so far.   I have more to crack. This year, my herbal journey will be experimenting with mustard (s).  I'm looking into different ones for greens as well as one for the seeds (there isn't one plant that is good for both, that I have found yet).   In the past I have baked a honey mustard pretzel in the oven (store bought pretzel's with a mustard sauce baked on them). This past Christmas,

Like most of you, my hands, face, and lips are feeling dried up and awful already (cold and wind).  My younger two girls love the homemade lip balm, and we are almost out of homemade hand lotion.   That is now on my to-do list now al so. The last time I made the lip bal m I used small plas tic , round cont ain ers.   This time I u sed lip b alm tubes.  I used 10 of them.

You'd think there would be a scien tific term, for a syndrome defini ng ch ronic recipe colle ctors .  Specifically for those who collect new recipes to try, while att empting to try all the stashed recipes they already have.  It's an obsession I tell ya . Sigh.... New recipes find me w hether I want them or not lately.   Cranberry butter was a new, delicious butter for me to make. You can simply use it, freeze it or gift it. I'm sharing the recipe

How cold is it? Cold enough to freeze eggs in the coop overnight.  Not just one, but three.

Don't throw tomatoes at me just yet. Ha ha!  I found this wonderful book at our library.  It's full of edible gift ideas (many that are brilliant ideas for handmade/homemade Christmas gifts), and there are a few that I plan to try early this year.  Just sharing in case you are looking for new ideas.

I had some extra dark chocolate melting wafers leftover from the holidays.  And with the snowy weather, and slippery roads we are getting, I decided to stay inside.  I decided to make these delicious candy pieces that are made with sorghum. Sorghum, if you haven't heard of it, is sometimes called "poor man's sugar." 

"What's that?" asked my 19 year-old daughter, pointing to the large jar of mix on the kitchen table (and very curious to try whatever it was). "It's homemade hot chocolate?" I responded with a smile.  "Want to try some?"   Growing up, my mother made large batches of homemade hot chocolate, but I was determined to find one that was healthier.  Sorry Mom. 

Pear Berry Gingerbread Loaves 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 beaten eggs 1/2 cup molasses 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/2 brown sugar 1/3 cup milk 1 1/2 tsp. grated ginger root 2 med. pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries Pear Frosting 1 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. Pear Liqueur 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract For bread: Preheat oven to 350°F, and grease 2 loaf pan. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside. Combine eggs, molasses, applesauce, brown sugar, milk, and grated ginger root in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the eggs mixture in, all at once.  Fold in pears and cranberries.  Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing, and continue cool...

A few months ago, Hubby and I were gifted with a few bags of homegrown, local, English Walnuts.  We cracked them all, and froze them.  I decided to make a butter spread with them. Although I still have a bit of congestion and cough, I got up early and made the family French Toast for breakfast.  The butter is now "kid" tested, and approved.  I'm looking for more ways to sneak the nutrition of walnuts into our diet.   A few years ago, I gifted my family Cinnamon Honey Butter , and it won over well.  This butter is another healthy, homemade gift idea. Here is the recipe:

I don't subscri be to many magazines, but I do utili ze my local library.   Just be fore the library closed for the holiday s, I picked up a few of my fa vor ites.  I also picked up on e that I typically don't read - Ladie 's Home Journal. In th is particular issue, I found anot her unique recipe, and one wor th trying . Luck ily, the recipes are al so on-line, so I don't have to type it out , and I can direct you to the correct source. Fruit Jam Crumble Bars (Adapted from Ina Garten's Raspberry Crumble Bars ) I used the idea of Ina Garten's recip e, but utilized my home canned pear jam and homemade gran ola.  I initially wanted to use my canned wild b lack raspberry jam , but we ate it all . I did not have sliced almonds and could have used more of the crust mixture, f or the topping, but these were wonderful.  It was al most like eating pie with your fingers. I used an 8 oz. jar of jam also , even though her recipe call s for a 10-12 oz ja...