Pioneer Woman at Heart

I am going through old blog drafts that didn't make the cut for some reason or another.  I found this one from May of last year.  It's sort of funny too.   Check out the magazine recipe to the left!  It's the nettle hair tonic I made recently (only without essential oils), only this recipe states to leave the tea in and not rinse it out.  Although it's been about two weeks, I'll be leaving it in my hair from now on. The rest of this is a draft from last year:

The title should be "what's not happening" ha ha!  Hubby is still working 12 hour shifts.  I see him for about 2 hours from when he wakes up to when he returns to work.  Yesterday, I woke up early (surprisingly) and noticed he wasn't home. I texted that I was a bit worried.  He texted back "working till 10."  I texted, "can they do that?!"  That would be a 16 hour shift, and he has a one hour drive home.  Let's just say I was wide awake at that point. In the meantime. I have put 6 cups of shredded zucchini in the freezer.  It's not a lot sadly.  We need rain.  I can water with well water and some with rain barrels, but a good soaking is so very badly needed.  I put up about 2 more pounds of green beans too.

On a whim, yes I did it again, I tried a new recipe shared by my mother.  A recipe that was not in my "pile." Sigh. Recipes will just be getting the best of me here lately. These were so easy to make, and I had all the organic ingredients on hand too.

My ladies have been slacking in the egg production department lately.  Considering the amount of feathers out in the run, I'm guessing they are molting. The weather is now cooling down at night, but the forecast for the end of the week is in the upper 80's again.    I'm so glad I got my garlic planted this past weekend.  One more thing off my list. Wood splitting has resumed.  Thank goodness.   I was getting worried.  Although the dead trees are still standing (patience is a difficult thing). We need about six more good Saturdays to finish it up.

I pulled the last two bags of garden carrots from the freezer.  I added them to dinner last night, and made Honey-Ginger Carrots.  It's very simple to make too.   (Homemade tuna and noodle using homemade mushroom soup and soy free tuna, honey-ginger carrots and organic peas). Boil the carrots

Although these can wait to be finished, I did get one done for photo sharing purposes. Here's this year's next (I say next, because I'm always making more than one) newest Christmas ornament:

(this morning's sunrise) We got buckets and buckets of rain yesterday.  Just when a shower would end, another one started.  It was the perfect day to ignore housework, sit on the porch and write.  Just don't tell Hubby. 

(Elderberry Oxymel and club soda) I had no idea these even existed, and read about them at Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth .  They mention more information is at Mountain Rose Herbs (where I do buy my elderberries when they are in stock).  If you get a chance, go to their site and read about it.  It's basically a fancy name for a honey/vinegar mixture to help herbs taste better going down (and healthy).  I know honey makes mullein tea taste much better, but anyway.....

Two weeks ago, I placed dried elderberries and raw honey in a canning jar.  I let it sit in a warm location to infuse.    The result?  

I did not go looking for this recipe.  I found it in a library book - Pearls of Wisdom, Tops, Shortcuts, and Recipes from a Country Home , by Deborah S. Tukua, who adapted their recipe from Countryside Magazine.  The actual color is more of a amber brown than the color it shows in the photo.

With some fresh cut broccoli, and sugar snap peas, I thought it would be a perfect time to make a chicken stir fry (over organic brown rice).  I whipped up a batch of homemade teriyaki sauce for it.  And there really is organic soy sauce.  Check for it in the organic section of your store, or near the regular soy sauce.  Not all stores carry it.   Also, I use one brand (Wholesome Sweeteners) of light corn syrup that does not contain high fructose corn syrup.  It is organic and non-gmo verified.  I do have to order it online from a healthy living store.  Our stores here do not carry it. 

I have one kiddo who loves frozen yogurt.  However the stuff you buy in the store is processed with unhealthy ingredients (high fructose corn syrup etc).  I decided to buy some yogurt, and toss in some honey and my homemade vanilla.  The kids churned it in our ice cream maker.  As a kid, my siblings and I, always churned ice cream (on special occasions) with a hand crank ice cream maker.  I love my ice cream maker too.  We made goat's milk ice cream in it last year.  The results?

Yesterday I made 2 loaves of homemade Steel Cut Oat Bread.  This was a first time recipe for me.  I have never used steel cut oats in a homemade bread before. This is another "from pile to file" recipe....

I have some exciting news!  We got a letter from Son, who is at Parris Island, SC. He asked for us to send photos, especially of his dog.  I'll admit, he sounds homesick, but he's never been away from home before (other than short camping trips).

If spring weather is giving you a sore throat, make yourself some sore throat ice pops. They're not just for kids.  This recipe comes in handy for fall flu and sore throats any time of the year.

(the beautiful snowflake kitchen towel was part of a Christmas gift from my Mom) Here we go again.  Cough, cold, and flu season.  However, I used my youngest daughter's technique with Google ("no time to shop" but it's really no way to get out of the driveway,  and the fact I need to make it with what I have on hand and stay warm inside), and came up with a cough syrup recipe.  We got dumped with snow, and today by afternoon the temps will be that glorious -20° to -40F.  Even banks closed today.  So....  (don't forget to click on "read more")

I have been looking through some of the recipes I collected over last summer.  Recipes that I had not yet tried.  I found one that uses sorghum, and I just had to bake it!  I buy locally produced sorghum and honey, so I had the ingredients.  I just adapted it with organic ingredients and our fresh farm eggs. Sorghum is still a form of sugar, so it is not recommended for diabetics.  However, from the articles I have read, most forms of sorghum do not contain gluten.  And like Molasses, it is a good source for iron, potassium, and calcium.  In one article, I read that it contains more antioxidants than blueberries.  I find this interesting.

I happened to be thumbing through a book I got for free at the library, and found a recipe for a healthier zucchini cake.  Although the book had outdated information on healthy eating, some of the recipes looked good enough to try ( Foods that Heal , by Maureen Salaman and James F. Scheer, © 1989) I had purchased blackstrap molasses from my last trip to Amish country (where it has been the only location to find it other than on the internet). Hubby's co-worker shared two large zucchini's with us, so I made the cake to try, and shredded the remaining zucchini for freezing.   The only thing I forgot to buy to finish this cake, was the slivered almonds.  Tip:  One of my daughter's suggested simply sprinkling chopped almonds on it next time. Zucchini Cake 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 2 cups zucchini, grated 1 c. slivered almonds 1 c.  apricots, chopped 1 lime (or lemon) 1 c. safflower oil (cold press) 1 c. honey 1/2 c. blackstrap mol...

I needed Italian dressing for a steak marinade and did not have any on hand.  I checked my cupboards and made this from scratch.  If you are interested in the recipe, I got it from

I found this recipe in a library book - Food to Live By , by Myra Goodman. The recipe is more so a semi-homemade recipe, as you will see when you read it.  I did find an organic soy sauce at my grocery store (naturally brewed, and made by Kikkoman).