Pioneer Woman at Heart

  It is tough getting the day started this week.  The cooler weather, just screams "sit, sip and enjoy the morning while you can" and then I delay the day ha ha ha!  It's worth it, as we are heating up now to the 80's again.   I picked all of the hot peppers that were on the plants.  I don't think we'll get  anything more, as this could be the very last warm fall week we have this season.  There were zero Anaheim  peppers, two baby hot banana, no serrano, and just these jalapenos.  Not enough to can hot pepper jelly this year.  I could buy extra from a farm stand, but I decided not this year.  I will freeze these remaining jalapenos, and keep a few for cooking this week and next. If you read yesterday's post, I forgot to pack my husband's breakfast for the day (2-day's prep in photo).  I decided to use up some of the smaller eggs, from the newer laying hens, and scramble them.  I added them to his breakfast (and mine)...

  It's nearing the end of our garden season.  The rain is arriving here, so I will wait for the garden to dry up before pulling some more plants/stakes. The hot peppers are doing okay this year, but some did not make it.  Oddly, I got one lonely Anaheim pepper from 3 plants I grew from seed.   I brought in another 15 green bell peppers as well. It's getting down to the 40's at night this week, which is perfect weather for camping.  Speaking of that, we got our very first camping trip in this year.  It was so nice and relaxing, and the campfire meals were delicious. One breakfast we made - omelets with garden bell pepper, onion, spinach, bacon and cheese.  The other breakfast contained spinach, feta, bacon, and topped with homemade fresh salsa (made with garden goodies). We took a walk, played cards, I brought handiwork along, and a book.  On the drive home, I pulled out my knitting project, only to find out that we must have accidently l...

  First time to try using a seedling heat mat to start the hottest of the hot peppers.  I typically do not have any problems starting my jalapenos, but the hotter peppers like the Serrano etc. I do. I bought my heat mat online, and about $10.00 less than at our hardware/garden store (be sure to check reviews). The one I bought was a simple, plug it in and put your seed tray on it.  There were a lot of "don'ts" so I put my mat and tray on my wood stove hearth (we are not using the wood stove right now). In 6 days the serrano pepper seeds started to sprout. In 7 days the cayenne started to sprout. In 9 days the Datil started sprouting.  Did you know these are native to St. Augustine, FL?  I just learned this fun fact. In 10 days the Cherry Bomb peppers, and Anaheim peppers started to sprout. My hot banana have not sprouted yet (those were saved seeds), so I will keep an eye on that.  So far, it's helped the hot peppers to sprout much better than without the m...

  It's been crazy busy around here.  I cooked a meal and delivered it to a family friend who had foot surgery, and we had to drive 3 hours to go pick up our truck keys.  Just strange all around, but we have the keys.  I just don't have the truck ha ha! It is still in the body shop getting fixed from the deer hitting it.  I however, have not run out things to do. Our hot peppers are doing exceptionally well this year.  The bell peppers however are still small and a small harvest. I canned some sweet chili sauce - new recipe.  I cannot wait to taste it. Canned hot pepper jelly.  Taco sauce got canned. I purchased Meyer lemon seeds from someone on Etsy.  I tried to sprout one all summer.  Every single seed was a dud.  Guess I'm spending a fortune next year on a plant. It's getting difficult to not only budget other food we need, but to even find what we need.  Daughter E cannot find her cat's cat food anywhere.  I could ...

Froze the last of the green bell peppers. Jalapenos and green bell pepper went into this breakfast, topped with freshly cut chives. Froze the last of the mad hatters and some more hot banana peppers. Made hot sauce with some of the habaneros.  New recipe.  I'll let you know if it's good or not. Filled the dehydrator with a mess of peppers for more fire powder. Dinner last night.  Something I haven't made in a long, long time - pumpkin/ricotta stuffed shells (recipe is still online with Country Living) with basil and sage.  I sliced home grown carrots and put them in the crockpot with honey, butter and thyme. Sadly, another extended family member on my husband's side of the family, had passed away from covid.  

I finally found some habaner o peppers, so another batch of hot sauce was canned.  I used my own serran o and jalapeno pep pers for this batch. I got exactly 4 - 4 oz. jars this time, and boy i s it hot !  Personally , hubby and I much prefer the first batch using cherry bo mb (hot , but not burn-your-mouth -off hot).  It's all up to your taste I guess. Did I share the recipe (BHG) link?  Trip le Pepper Hot Sauce I put more dandelions on the freezer.  I am pretty sure we 'll be well stocked with greens, but I have another l ist that needs filled before the snow even thin ks about falling.      T he barn cats are eating up a storm.  I am taking this a s a warning to prepare for a bad winter.  They are already trying to fatten up.   To day ?  It's another day with tomatoes.   And the next day too .

I'm reclaiming my vegetable garden . . . . . . cleaning  it up