Pioneer Woman at Heart

  I have yet to remedy the websites using my blog for whatever they are using it for.  The views cut down by about 200, but considering I posted a very, very short post yesterday, it's still getting 300 views from advertiser businesses and other businesses.  All to read about how they are using my blog too. It is very annoying to be honest.  I have not had a lot of time to work on putting a stop to it, but I did look into a few of the sites to "opt" out and there were no options to remove my blog.  Not sure what to do next.  If I do remedy the situation, I will remove the page breaks on my posts. The majority of viewers are from Hong Kong and Singapore (huh?).  Like it's been suggested, AI may be the reason, and one we cannot avoid, as Blogger has very little privacy options.

Last fall, I roasted the last of the mashed potato squash we grew in the garden, and froze them.  I thawed a container for a dinner, and it thawed very nicely.  Hardly any water in it, and I just gave it a good stir before reheating. Reheated with some salt and butter, and it tasted as good as freshly roasted mashed potato squash.  Yum!  I'm happy to report it worked out very nicely to roast, freeze, thaw and reheat.   We will be growing mashed potato squash again this year.  I'm so glad we discovered this squash. Mashed Potato Squash ~ Does it Freeze Well?   ©  May 2025 by  Kristina  at  Pioneer  Woman at Heart

  Mashed potato squash was a new garden treasure to grow last summer.  There is very little information about it online, and very little information if it freezes well.   We do not have a root cellar, so as of now, freezing our roasted squash is are best option at preserving it for the winter months. I roasted the last of our mashed potato squash, and allowed it to cool.  I scooped out the flesh and froze it.  I know it will thaw somewhat watery, as it is that way after roasting it.   The plan will be to mix it with pureed squash, add it to tomato sauce, or other dishes.  I am not sure if it will not be solid enough to enjoy on it's own, after thawing. I'll update as we thaw and use it in our meals.  I purposely waited to roast them, thinking it would help heat up this house. Mashed Potato Squash ~ Roasting and Freezing Trial #1   © January 2025 by  Kristina  at  Pioneer  Woman at Heart

  The photo pretty much depicts the recent snow storm.  We did get a slight bit of sunshine yesterday.  I think we got about 3 inches.  My husband finally got to use his drivable mini snowplow (he bought it from an auction a few years ago and never needed it).  He walked in the door that day giggling that he was happy to finally try it out on snow.  Ha!  I have to say it worked perfectly.  All those years I joked he was a collector of such do-hickies, but it sure came in handy for us. However, I did hand shovel the side patio to get out to tend the hens (there is a side story to this) and get the mail that particular day.  There was 2 foot drifts to get to the coop, and I slipped slightly on the underlying ice (which I didn't see until I shoveled).  Anyway, when I put my right foot down to catch myself, it shot pain right up that already beat up leg.   I put in a call to our main doctor, and the nurse called me back.  I, a...

  My meal plan was going pretty well before we both got sick.   We had roasted more of our home grown mashed potato squash, and paired it with some air fryer (can be done in the oven too) blackened chicken tenders (local chicken), and I thawed some garden green beans and local bacon to make the BBQ crock pot green beans. The blackened chicken is simply chicken patted dry, seasoned with a mix of seasonings, and air fried (or baked).  There are so many online recipes for the chicken, but we love it (first time trying it). Here is the recipe for homemade meatballs.  A friend shared it with me.  We buy our meat from a local butcher, buy the organic oats from an Amish area that is a quick a drive, but the only place to buy it anymore. Homemade Meatballs Meatballs 3 pounds ground chuck (see notes) 2 cups oatmeal, organic 2 eggs 1 cup chopped onion 13 oz. can evaporated milk, organic 2 teaspoons salt 2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic powder (I use homemade) 1 tsp....

Grab a cup of java.  I apologize, this post ended up too long.   October was a busy month for us.  We had so many plans, our plans had plans.  Whew!   Three weddings - one in another state up on a hill (they drove us up with a tractor and wagon) over looking a river, the other on a hill at a castle, and the third we didn't make it to. There were car shows, trunk or treats for the littles, a long distance trip to re-stock baking/cooking supplies (it's hard to find organic non-gmo in our area), garden work,  yard work and more.   One thing that did not happen, was our last camping trip, and it's probably a good thing considering.  The state put a burn ban on the campground, and the nights were down to the 40's.  The whole point to go camping (for us anyway) is to go off grid, enjoy nature, campfire cook, and enjoy an evening campire.  No being allowed to have a campfire, was the ticker that crossed the last camping trip off the c...

  We finally got rain on September 22nd, and it just kept coming, and coming.  The hurricane rolling in by Florida is bringing us much of the rain our way, forcing us to cancel our third  planned camping trip.  There was no point in hauling the camper over an hour away, only to spend the entire weekend inside the small camper (there was not much to do in the area indoors either).  No campfires, no campfire meals, and no hiking.  I was pretty sad hitting that "cancel" button. (husband's packed breakfast with daikon root hashbrowns) One vegetable I did not get to plant this garden season - daikon radish.  I am however experimenting with it in recipes, and actually grating it for a healthier hashbrown, and using it cubed in place of potatoes in some soup recipes.  I have yet to make kimchi, but it is still on my list. New to the garden this year, and new to us - Mashed Potato Squash. One mashed potato squash came off the vine, so I brought it in a s...

The start of August regarding rain. . . I do not have a rain gauge here, but I will be getting one for next garden season.  The news finally called it a drought, but said lots of rain was coming.  We had a tornado warning, and a boat load of rain with it, but that has been all we've gotten this month (so far as of today August 14, 2024). The squash bugs were infesting all of our squash.   Do you have a sure fire solution to organic pest control for squash bugs?  We have tried Captain Jack's organic garden dust, and we have tried organic neem oil spray.   We may not plant squash next year, in hopes to eradicate the nasty varmits (squash bugs).  It will mean no squash at all. I don't know what continued to eat the greens, but the neem spray did not keep it away.  Just when it was looking great, it started looking like this.   Frustrating for sure. (2 1/2# that I had planned to can into hot pepper mustard sauce, and I still had another...