Dehydrated (and ground) Asparagus Ends

 

I believe last year(how we did it) was the first year to do this with the woody ends from our spring asparagus.  I think I will try adding them to vegetable dips this year, or to meat and/or vegetable sauces.  It all depends on the amount of dehydrated ends we have this spring.

We are still getting asparagus thankfully.  We got more rain, and it looks like we may get a few days break from it now.

A lot is happening around here, and some work is still on hold, such as preparing the actual vegetable garden (much too wet).

Dehydrated (and ground) Asparagus Ends ©  May 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Pesto Dip ~ Catching Up (or trying to)

 Happy first day of May!  May is a very fun-packed month for us. If you were wondering, yes another day of rain here.  There is more coming, and our day started at 37°F this morning.  Brr.

Our area grocery store gave me a coupon for a free 16 oz. container of cottage cheese, so I whipped a cup of it in my small food processor.  I had pesto on hand, so I mixed in some of that, and more garlic.  Instant dip for veggies.  Yum.

I'm, ever so slowly, getting some book blanket granny squares crocheted.  I'm still behind, and this one needs ends sewn in.

I figured out why I am getting behind, as I'm getting way more books finished than I thought I would.  One, I am only crocheting while watching TV, and that time is limited lately.  

I've oddly become a book critic with all these books too.  In one book, the author failed to do proper research for, like boiling freshly laid eggs from chickens.  Anyone with chickens knows, you have to let them sit a few weeks, or they will not peel.  I mean, you can technically boil them right out of the coop, but the shell won't peel off.  One book ended poorly, and another contained way too many pages of text messages going from one to another.  Who wants to read 12 full pages of that in a book?  Plus, emails, and use of social media aps etc.  Not me.

I'm slowly going through cookbooks I borrowed from the library.  I literally got a kitchen cupboard renovation idea from this book.  Love it when things come to me when I'm not looking for them.  I found a garlic aioli recipe in this one too.  Oh, I found LOTS of new recipes to try, but it's going back to the library before it causes me more trouble, ha ha ha!

I saw where one library posted cookbook recipe reviews online, to promote and share books they have in the library.  Thought it was a neat idea anyway.

Pesto Dip ~ Catching Up (or trying to)  ©  May 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Taste Testing the Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

 As promised, I am back with an update on the seasoning.

We tried the seasoning on a sheet pan dinner, with chicken sausages, potatoes and carrots.  I normally use a blend of "Italian" seasonings for this dinner, but we tried the homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning recently.  It is good, but has a much more "pepper" flavor than with using the Italian for this dish.

Next up?

We grilled sirloin burgers, as that is what my husband loves to use the original seasoning on.  The results?  Delicious!  He prefers only to use the seasoning on ground beef burgers, but it was very good on the sirloin burgers.  

Homemade for the win!  Healthier and less expensive.  I hope you enjoyed this update.  Original post on the homemade seasoning is HERE.

Taste Testing the Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning © June 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Tidbits ~ Have you ever?

We had a frost warning for last night, and woke up to a wind chill of 35°F.  It's still April.  We typically can't plant anything until after the last frost, which in our area, is about or after Mother's Day in May (mid May or later).  One year, however, we had a frost in late May, after we planted the entire garden and lost everything that year.  Every year it's different, so we just wait it out.

Not only is it cold right now, but the rain is moving back in.  A lot of it.  I'm not looking forward to a flooded chicken run again.

 

My new laundry basket.  It is the least expensive one we could find ($16.99  Big Lots) to at least make my life easier during then next 2-3 weeks (or longer).  My husband had to drive about 22 miles to get it, but I have never been this excited about a laundry basket.  I know this one won't last very long, as it's all completely plastic, including the wheels, but like I said, laundry will keep getting done.

It will will make laundry duty much easier, and could be used for other things too.  Like toting a bag of yarn to a room to work on (ha ha!).

(photo source:  Lehman's)

Lehman's has a very nice set up, where you can place your laundry basket on a gadget with wheels, but it's very expensive ($159.95).   I do like their version, as you don't have to bend over so much,

Have you ever?

 Has anyone made dandelion green pesto with pumpkin seeds?  Or any dandelion green pesto at all?  I'm wondering if it's bitter.  I've always blanched my dandelion greens and frozen them for future meals.   

Has anyone made a smal  batch recipe off  homemade cuticule cream?  Any recipe recomendations?

Has anyone crocheted (or knitted) a baby blanket using Red Heart acrylic yarn?  I've only crocheted baby blankets with Bernat baby yarn (acrylic).  Pattern suggestions?  I'm thinking I may go through some yarn and use a recent pattern I found a year ago, but smaller.  I will be looking online at Yarnspirations patterns as well.  Sometimes the yarn company themselves, have free useful patterns.  

Has anyone made lavender syrup?  

Tidbits ~ Have you ever? © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Rain Rain Go Away ~ Chit Chat

The rain has not left us yet.  It's been on and off for days here lately.  The chicken run has been flooded more than once, and is now a muddy swamp mess.  I tossed some straw down, to keep from bringing in a muddy mess, but it's still a squishy, sludgy, chicken run.

The weather-man keeps promising sunny dry days ahead, but who knows when they'll arrive again.  I just keep telling myself, that the spring herbs and garlic are loving the rain.

However, it has been cold here as well.  The wind chill this morning was 29°F.  We had a freeze warning.  The sky has been showing some strange coloring as well.

The sun was not out when I snapped this photo, but....

The ornamental apple trees are producing blossoms already.  The trees are very pretty, but the birds plant way too many of them.

Are there any Yerba Mate tea drinkers here?  I tried loose leaf for the first time.  It is so fine, it was coming out of the sides of my larger tea-ball, so I switched to my smaller one and it still came out of the tea-ball.  I also forgot to "wet" it as per the instructions before brewing the first time.

My question is, do you really need to check the temperature before you brew a cup?  I'm thinking this is where my accidental purchase of disposable tea bags will come in handy.  I had to strain it again, after it brewed in the tea-ball with the smaller holes.

I did not find this bitter, as it said I would.  I read up on the benefits, and have added it to our regimen.  

Are you in the path of the upcoming eclipse?  We are so tired of hearing the word "totality" in our part of the woods. I get it, but come on, every single minute on TV and the radio? Literally.  All they are talking about, and how they expect 260,000,000 people to show up in my hometown to view it.  They are already getting ready to give tickets to anyone who parks on the side of the road, where parking is prohibited, but will they have enough staff?  Probably not, or the number they expect is way off.

We are being warned of power outages, cell service outage, internet outage, stores being sold out of items, traffic jams, etc etc.  If you are in the path of it, you are much like us.  Eye rolling at the redundant daily news.  Most of the area has to go to work.  People have jobs, so the expected number is crazy to believe. 

Update:  Now they are predicting cloud cover during the eclipse, and a comet of some sort?  

Like I said earlier, the approaching eclipse, has been giving the night sky (and sometimes morning) strange coloring.  Weird things (yes more of those) have been happening.  A bank in my hometown was robbed this week, and they have not caught the person on the run.  There is someone going around at night cutting brake lines in our small town.  As for the brake lines, it could be the same unsupervised youth that smashed eggs for the local egg hunt over Easter.

 Another update on the homemade window cleaner . . .

I've been cleaning the windows in the last few weeks, and my husband and I were not happy with using windex (which is what I had on hand).  I have also used a mixture of vinegar and water before too.

I then came across a recipe for homemade window cleaner.  I mixed it up and gave it a try to compare with the windex cleaner from the store.  I'll admit, I was intrigued, as it uses arrowroot powder in it (or cornstarch).

I shared the recipe for this window cleaner, in a recent blogpost (under "Looking around the house").  I'm just happy as a peach with the clean windows.  The crisp views are lasting a lot longer, and we are enjoying it.

Rain Rain Go Away ~ Chit Chat  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ First Day of April

 I hope you all had a nice Easter weekend.  We had some excitement going on here so to speak.  First the power went out for several hours, along with an internet outage.  They could not locate the cause, or at the point of powering back on, did not disclose why they both went out of service.  It was a good spectrum of an area to lose both services.

Secondly, we had to cancel our weekend plans. My husband was on the forced overtime list at work.  He worked the entire Easter weekend.  Hence the unfinished home repairs.  

Thirdly, two very suspicious looking people landed on our front porch.  No vehicle, no cell phone (according to them), and their story was that they were "left by the side of the road"  and wanted to use my cell phone or call for a ride etc.  They also said they were from another state, and not from around here.  I was not about to do that, so I shut and locked the door, and called the Sheriff.   Mind you, we live in the country, so we have prepared for such situations.  

I in the meantime, had prepared a new breakfast, and it involved green beans.  

My husband told me that it's because I prepared a "weird" breakfast, that "weird" stuff happened.  I have promised not to put green beans in our breakfast, ha ha!

I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

It's pouring down rain, we are to have rain for a few more days.  Mostly 40-50 degree days.   Possible snow mid-week.  Possibly a sunny 70 degree Sunday.  Weather is all over the map again.

Right now I am . . .

Filling a diffuser with water and lemon essential oil.  The air in the house is super dry this winter.  I also got out our smaller humidifier.

Thinking and pondering . . .

To garden at all this year, or not to garden.  We are still on the fence with giving the soil a rest this year.

To blog or not to blog.  I love to write it, but lately I feel it's monotonous and time consuming. Most of my posts, after so many years of writing, have almost zero comments, so hence monotonous (and boring?).

Blogger continues to have issues, and the photo loader is once again not working.  

The flower beds definitely need some upkeep work done.

I have lost my mojo to do interior house painting.  I'm a bit burned out from that job.  It's getting a rest for now.

I wrote down 3 things to do in the gardens on good weather days.  One has been crossed off the list now.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired, but ready to tackle the week ahead.  Due to an extra trip to town, I got a head start on my "to-do" list for the week.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Well, it's not green beans (ha ha!).  I have no idea just yet.

Breakfast enchiladas went into the oven.  I used a spinach tortilla.  Kroger has the ones we like with lots of veggies and non-gmo, when I don't want to make them myself.

On the menu . . .

-leftovers
-soup beans, homemade cornbread, maybe a salad too
-not sure on the rest of the week just yet.

On the reading pile . . .

I am not sure when I purchased this book, but it's off the shelf and I am very much enjoying it.

The back of the book. . .

It starts by saying "Molly Pink has become a yarnaholic."  The book includes a free crochet pattern and a recipe.  

On the TV . . .

It's been difficult to find anything worth watching.

Looking around the house . . .

Windows look great!   I am a firm believer of a homemade window cleaner recipe I found online (link).  It did a fantastic job.  It's rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, arrowroot powder, and distilled water.

On the to-do list . . .

-take items to the local blessing box
-start sorting more yarn, scraps from donations
-sort more craft inventory for donation locations
-bake us a breakfast casserole

-catch up on laundry

-brew tea infusions with nettle/oat straw

-sweep floors

-write out a re-stock shopping list

I need to put together our newest (second) mole-chasing windmill.  It's the perfect time to get the grounding rod in the ground (while the rain has softened the soil).

For the week:

(still on the list)

-wash upstairs windows

From the camera . . .

What I am crocheting . . .

Finished!!!   I got this done on the last day of March.  It measures about 9 inches wide.  It's the second doily I started over a year ago, and it landed in a basket (while we tore up floors and painted walls and ceilings).  So happy it's finally done.  One more unfinished project off my list.  Technically, only one unfinished project remains on that list.  The rest are just items to use up yarn, and keep on hand for gifting.

Progress on the baby blanket.

I used the last bit of leftover gray yarn to start a scrap lap afghan.  By "scrap" I mean those small hand size and golf ball sized balls of leftover project yarn.

I'm still crocheting baby washcloths, but only when I have long drives here or there, or sometimes when we have nice porch sitting weather.  I am blocking the washcloths when I finish each one.  I'll package them up in sets for gifting.

Devotionals, Bible Verses, Prayers . . .

I do not have any prayer requests this week.

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ First Day of April  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday

 Happy New Year!  I do not write out resolutions for the upcoming year.  I started working myself  (physically, and there may be an update this new year, we'll see).  I'm just glad the holidays are done with this year.

On to other news . . .

A little homemaking tip:  I fill a small spray bottle with vodka (sanitizer) and add a few drops of lavender essential oil.  I spray our mattress when the bedding is being washed.  It cleans the mattress and leaves a lovely scent.

Self Care:  my self care this week was to buy myself a new set of casual dress boots (tossing out a very old, and very worn pair too).  I never find anything in the size I wear, so this is a pamper me moment.  A big bonus, was that the price tag said $55.00 and they were on sale for $14.99!  What did you do for yourself last week?  Or do you plan some self care next week?

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. 

The weather . . .

It rained all weekend, and we are so stinkin' tired of it.  We did not get any work done on the coop either.  Woke up to more rain, and a slight possibility of a snow shower today.  Temps are in the high 30's/low 40's here right now.

Right now I am . . .

Making coffee, and will be putting the Christmas tree in storage for the year.

Thinking and pondering . . .

I'm considering hiring someone to paint one ceiling, and possibly more.  It all depends on my energy level this winter, ha ha!  Also, the cost.  

I'm also thinking about changing my blog background/theme on blogger too.  There is much on the side bars that can be removed too.

How I am feeling . . .

Honestly?  Pretty good, and I feel on task too.  I got all of the Christmas decorations put away, other than the tree, and life in general is pretty good.

On the breakfast plate . . . 

Leftovers.

On the lunch plate . . .

Not sure.  Maybe homemade cauliflower crust pizza with home canned sauce.

On the dinner plate . . .

Chicken Spaghetti using garden spaghetti squash for the pasta.  Garden green beans.

On the menu . . .

-One pan Pork Loin with Brussel Sprouts and Apples (new recipe to try - The Real Food Dieticians)

-Chicken Spaghetti using Spaghetti Squash (new recipe to try), roasted vegetables

-Crockpot Sweet Garlic Chicken, Green Beans baked with garlic powder

-grilled ham/cheese sandwiches, home canned tomato-basil soup

Snacks

-Greek Hummus Dip (new recipe to try, for a summer dip when the garden is in full swing)

On my reading pile . . .

Top two books are borrowed from the library.

On my TV this week . . .

Anything but Christmas movies ha ha!

Looking around the house . . .

I know some people get upset when people paint wood, but these dark wood doors need to get a new look.  I'm back to priming and painting some interior doors.  One door is completely done and back up where it belongs, and another down on the saw horses for a new, and brighter look.

I got the drill out, removed an old curtain rod (missing a part since last summer), installed the new one and put the curtain back up.  Some days, it's the "little" unfinished, now finished jobs that make my day complete.

I've also filled two boxes of purged/no longer needed items to donate soon.  I have a small stack of books to donate to a free little library soon as well.  If not, the books will be donated to the library book sale.  

To-do list . . .

-wash a kitchen rug (I can only do one at a time, as they have to dry flat, and I only own one drying unit for doing that).

-laundry

-dust

-put Christmas tree away, and other decor

-wash oven mitts (I try to do this once a month, but if I use them daily, then once a week - Homemaking Tip)

Use a clothes hanger with these hooks to hang dry your oven mitts.

Deep Clean for the week

-Clean oven and oven racks

From the camera . . .

In case you didn't see the recent post, my bunching onions are doing great!  I harvested some the other day.  they are larger than normal green onions, but seem to be hardy for this time of year.  Of course, all of this rain is helping, so I am harvesting more and enjoying them.

Devotional, Quote, Prayers. . .

No specific prayer requests at this time.

Happy Homemaker Monday © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Egg Laying ~ How to Half a Recipe Chart

Something I've learned baking with coconut flour - it requires a lot more eggs than Einkorn or organic all purpose flour.  Eggs of which are not getting laid by the chickens right now.  Hmpf.  I guess they are all on strike again.

I printed this helpful chart and pinned it on the cork that I glued inside a kitchen cupboard.  Sharing in case it could help others.

Do you follow MRH (Mountain Rose Herbs) blog?  They have a syrup recipe for the "blues" and it can be put on pancakes/waffles.  Hubby can't have honey, but we can.  If I can find hawthorn berries, I'll try it.

No, we didn't get wood cut last night.  I was dressed and ready to go out as Hubby walked in the door.  He said, "it's raining out."  Yeah, no wood was cut.

One of my simple pleasures. . .
Holding and reading a book.  I forgot how pleasant this feels.  I just put if off due to other "busyness."  I'll continue to work harder and keeping up with clutter, cleaning etc. so I can continue to keep this in my life.

Philly Fritatta ~ Gloomy Weather

A bit late in sharing, but remember the "philly" stuffed peppers I made?  Well, we had some leftover steak, and green pepper/onion mix.  Guess what I used it for?  Although omelets sounded good, I baked up a "philly" frittata.

I added some extra red bell pepper diced.  Mushrooms would have been nice too, but I was fresh out.  

I topped it with fresh parsley.  I should have added more garlic, but it was very good.  I did not add cheese to this either.

It seems like 99% of my day rotates around the kitchen with baking/cooking and doing the dishes.  Literally.  Saturday my husband took overtime, so while we got more rain, he went to work.  Youngest daughter went to visit her boyfriend, so I took advantage of an empty house, on a rotten weather day and crocheted.  I should have been cleaning again, but I have one more order to fill.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Did you know you can freeze buttermilk?  I did not know this.  According to Food Network you can.  Pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, and store in freezer containers.  Organic buttermilk is hard to find, so I'll be keeping this on the to-do list.  It keeps up to 3 months.

I put a few hand crocheted "heart" bookmarks up on my "shop" blog.  

The grain free fruit and nut bars went quickly here.  I will be making more this week.  Very healthy too.  Gotta get those nuts and seeds in our diet one way or another.

Our weekend was pretty much a "stay in pajamas" kind of weekend.  I got a lot of crochet time in.  In fact, so much, my eyes need a break today.  

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today.  


The weather outside is. . . .
14°F (feels like 5°F)

On the breakfast plate . . .

I have no idea yet, but this is what my husband made me yesterday.  Mmmm!  So good.


How I am feeling this morning . . .
Tired.  I think I "sat" around too much over the weekend, ha ha!

On my mind . . .
Wondering if we'll get a winter getaway or not.


On my reading pile . . .

Still reading this.  My goal is to finish it in January.


On  my TV . . .
Movies from the library


On the menu . . .
Split pea/ham bone soup
Salmon patties or something with salmon
Tuna/noodle, mashed potatoes, veggie
Leftovers


From the camera . . .

My favorite pen has gone missing.  Urgh.  Kids!  Next trip to the "Big City" I'll have to see if I can find another one.  It's a Pentel pen, but the reviews on Amazon, say the new ones do not write like the older ones, so if I can't locate them in stores to try again, I'll be on the lookout for another favorite pen.  A writer always has a "favorite" pen to write with.

Looking around the house . . .
It's looking great these days!

Chore I am not looking forward to . . .

Cleaning the toilet.  

To relax this week I will . . .

Write.  I am really looking forward to this!

On the to-do list . . .
-clean master bath
-laundry (bedding is already washed and dried)
-sweep and mop kitchen
-work out (doing it later when the house warms up)
-bake a frittata for the next few days
-work in the utility room for a bit
-write up a list of what needs restocked for next year's craft show.  Now that I am down to one order I can get back to UFO's and restocking items for sale.



Prayers . . .
A family member on my husband's side - has MS, is in the hospital for a brain bleed and pneumonia, and continued prayers for Mom.

Prayer update:  On the missing 14 year-old.  They found his body inside a chimney of an abandoned house.  No foul play considered in his death.

Rain ~ Work ~ Bruschetta Chicken ~ Reading Challenge

The forecast is expecting 6 weeks of rain in two days here (starting today).  It seems like this happened the year we had a bountiful garden, so I'm praying the Weather Gods are good to us and we get through this upcoming flood.

Photo from 2016.  Just came across it and found it cute!

Hubby has been taking overtime lately.  He's been leaving the house at 6:30am and not returning until after midnight.

(not my photo)

I don't sleep well when he works so much either.  I know we could use the extra cash (new coop, new barn roof, and on and on), but it does mess with my sleep.

Making meals from the freezer and pantry has been a success.  I whipped up a zucchini and swiss chard frittata for a breakfast.

By the way, freezing organic ricotta, cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream has been very handy for baked meals.  The texture changes when thawed, but works great for baked recipes.  I will do that again, since I have no access to raw milk of any kind in our area.  By the way, does organic Parmesan cheese freeze well?

I baked some banana bread and we had Bruschetta chicken and Italian roasted cauliflower for dinner - YUM!  I made homemade balsamic drizzle for it too.  Aside from not finding fresh basil (my indoor plant didn't have enough), it was amazing.

Here is a photo of the book I borrowed from the library.  It contains the heart cross stitch pattern I used on my kitchen towel.

I think I will do this.  It will inspire me to read more.  Does "blueberry" count as a "color" in a book title?  I'm gonna say yes.  I have a book to finish.


Do not start a new project.

Do not start a new project.

Starts new project.😆