Pioneer Woman at Heart

I harvested one last bit of Russian Red Kale.  I saw new sprouts of our Swiss Chard.  It makes me happy to see it growing this late in the season.  I am already missing the garden.  Crazy as that sounds, but I am.  A funny to share.  I was working on the dinner in the kitchen when my phone rang.  Ha ha ha!  It was my husband.  He was home, so this was strange to me.  He said, "Well, I have discovered one problem with the coop.  Can you come let me out?"  Ha ha ha ha ha ha!  The door shut, and latched on him.  We are still laughing about it.  We will be doing something to rectify that from happening again.  Oh, they are still not laying eggs, but they deserve a break too.  They still get treats and such, so hopefully they will be laying again shortly.  Then again, they have new roosts, so they may be acclimating to them. Our little library is celebrating 100 years, and they are having a "home" Bingo...

  First, here is the link for the Pumpkin baked oatmeal with toasted pecans (The Real Dietitians).  One of my biggest challenges has been to cook and bake without white flour, sugar and pasta.  Per my husband's doctor's strict instructions (for the last 7 years), I am trying my best, but as a baker and cook from scratch gal, it's been a huge challenge.  Hence, the new recipe trials. I found this recipe on social media, but have no source for it.  I'm thinking someone just tossed stuff together.  Anyway...   1st - I added cinnamon and nutmeg, and I'm glad I did. 2nd - they are a bit on the "dry" side, any ideas on what to add that is healthy? 3rd - they need more blueberries Notes:  I used 1/3 cup monkfruit (I feel monkfruit is sweeter than real sugar), and used homemade vanilla. I tried this recipe first, as I had frozen (vs. fresh) blueberries, and plain greek yogurt.  Oven bake times may vary, as you see mine are a bit toasty on top. Mix ...

Tuesday started out just gorgeous.  Caught these photos after seeing it going out to fetch firewood.  Just makes a person smile.   BBQ pork chops went into crock pot yesterday.  We had leftover wild rice, and it was a perfect match.  The sauce is home canned, with added fresh onion, green pepper etc.  Yum.  Recipe is in the cookbook, "Fix it and Forget it."  Although I think it's called "Spicy" not BBQ in the book. Now if you just read the blogpost title and wondered (hiccup) if I indulged (hiccup) in that bourbon or (hiccup) not .  .  .   . . . Cherry-Bourbon BBQ Sauce was canned. Recipe is a "pile to file" keeper recipe.  I've had this on my list for over a year now.  It's from "The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving @ 2016."   And you bet I tasted it right away.  Yum!    I would recommend it for gift giving for any occasion too.  You can use it on meat, f...

After trying to convince our youngest daughter to go back to bed, she was on the bus to school, only to text and asked to be picked up.  She slept the entire day yesterday, and I whipped up a batch of homemade ginger-ale for her.   And speaking of whipping up a recipe.  I made the homemade make up remover wipes - water, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil, and virgin coconut oil.  The recipe is in this book: I will be back with an update, after the girls give them a whirl.   I sure hope they work.  Buying "organic" ones from the store is robbing my wallet. Update:  11/7/2017 - these wipes starting growing mold on them yesterday.  So saddened, as these really worked, and I had hoped to cut down my costs for the girls.  I can't add an essential oil, as they are used over your eyes, and I can't put them in the fridge either.  They were tossed out.   The kale is growing like wild fire.  I am super happy too.  ...

(before sauce reduced to half) It's been a canner-ganza week.  I'm thankful for that too, and we haven't checked our pears yet (no apples or plums this year again).  Homemaking goes to a new level when you homestead as well.  It's not just cleaning, tidying up, dusting, paying bills, vacuuming, sweeping, purging, baking, cooking, washing dishes, getting kids to appointments and off to school.....it's hard work.  My kids hate me this time of year, ha ha!  Literally.  Deep down, I know they appreciate it. I'm looking forward to a huge crock pot of delicious chili soon.  All these tomatoes are making me hungry. Got coffee?  Tea?  Adult beverage (ha ha!)  You may need one to sip while you read through today's post.  Sorry for the length.  Like I said - a busy kitchen week. I used about 23 pounds of those delicious tomatoes, to can up some seasoned tomato sauce (recipe is in the Ball Blue Book). I used p...

I've been spending more time in the garden and with outdoor chores.  The garlic is weeded, the asparagus is weeded, and the sticks are getting picked up. I loaded up a cart of firewood and stocked the hearth. Barns are getting a good spring cleaning, debris picked up that blew in over winter, and so forth.  The temperatures are typical too.  High's in the 60's in the middle of the week and down to lows of 27 over the weekend.   I got all the fruit trees pruned (apple, pear, plum, peach and elderberry).  I am tickled pink to see the p lum tre e ma de it .  Yay!  I just have to buy and rep lant the red raspberry and black berry.

 Well, some of my day anyway.....morning starts with coffee. Folded Saturday's towels I forgot about.  My "linen" closet is a vintage laundry basket.

Despite the weeds multiplying here this season, I am still getting some new blooms in the flower beds.  I've been dodging the rain showers (and storms) and cutting flowers to bring inside. You can see the bees are very busy this year in the flower beds too.

The most recent issue of Country Woman magazine contained an article about ginger.   They included a recipe for a Kale and Ginger Smoothie, and Youngest wanted to try it.  I was skeptical, as I have never put raw greens into a smoothie. But....

Our 18 year-old daughter wanted to make new winter shelters for the barn cats, so we decided on making one to see if they will use them.  We've always used totes at the door, packed with blankets, but this time we made these:

Although I am still coughing a bit, I donned my winter coat and boots, and finally shoveled out the clothesline.  As most folks driving by will turn their head, I had a nice time getting fresh air, listening to the birds sing, and enjoying the sunshine.  However, I probably should have stayed inside.

I wish I had a photo of last night's dinner.  Remember when I said I was increasing our salmon and greens?  Well last night I dug out two recipes from the pile.