Homemade Garlic Powder

 

The tool on the left is used for removing the garlic skins.  you place the garlic inside the tube and roll it with your hand.  The tool on the right is used to slice the garlic.

You put the top piece of the slicer back on top and twist the bottom as you press down the top. I have learned to not over fill this, making it much easier.

I know this is a repeat post, and I do make it yearly most garden seasons.  If you have never made garlic powder you can click on my post below on how I make it, after the garlic is dehydrated.  

My very first years making garlic powder, I would hand peel, and hand slice.  

How to Dehydrate Garlic and Make Garlic Powder

Tips:

-Use latex gloves.

-Rinse all the tools/knife if you are not going to do dishes right away.  Garlic dries rock hard, making washing things difficult.

-I only have 4 mats for my dehydrator, so I use parchment paper some times, so that I don't lose the very small bits of the garlic.  I do recommend parchment paper over simply using your trays.  It is much easier to un-stick the garlic from the paper, push it to the center, and fold the paper in half to slide it into your grinder.  It makes way less mess, and clean up much easier.

-Save your garlic skins to make broth or flavor other dishes.  Store the skins in a freezer bag.

Homemade Garlic Powder © Nov 2023 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Pie Pumpkins Done~ Pumpkin Waffles

 I have roasted and preserved all of our garden pie pumpkins now.  I saved some puree for baking/cooking.  I typically freeze the puree in containers, but I ran out of them, so I froze the rest in ziploc bags, and froze them flat on a baking sheet to save space, and store more easily.

New recipe tried - White Bean Turkey Pumpkin Chili (SkinnyTaste online).  There are no tomatoes in this chili.  We found this to lack flavor, so I added more chili pepper and some diced jalapenos.  

I have also saved some fresh puree for making pumpkin waffles.  There may be some cookies, muffins or other baked this coming week.

Tip:  Did you know you can use pumpkin in place of eggs, butter and oil, depending on what you are making?  There is a good article about it HERE.  I am thinking of trying the Pumpkin Alfredo recipe shared on that article.

Sunrise ~ Stormy Weather ~ Roasting Pie Pumpkins ~ Nothing Wasted (Our Motto)

 Winter is on the way.  These very short beautiful snippets of a sunrise are coming to an end.  We enjoyed one, mostly likely the last, grill out on the porch.  

Stormy, rainy days moved in here and there, and the camper was finally cleaned out for the season.  Leaves are starting to change color around the area now.

I use my melon baller to remove the seeds/stringy innards.  I use it for all of my squash.  It works great.

We got 9 pie pumpkins this season.  One rotted before I could bring them inside, and we gave one to the chickens for a treat.

I line my baking pans/sheets with parchment paper and roast at 350° for 60 minutes.  I typically check them, and continue roasting if necessary.  The above pie pumpkin (Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkins from Baker Creek), weighed in at a little over 5#!  Not all of them are that large, but wow!  Save those delicious seeds to roast.  Here is our favorite recipe:  Whiskey-Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I have also used Sherry in place of the whiskey, and they tasted great.  You can simply roast them too, but flavoring them is fun and delicious.  I bake these at 275° for 1 1/2 hours, stirring during the baking time.

I remove the baked pumpkin pulp with a spoon, and puree it all in my food processor.  I put it in freezer containers by the pint, cool it, and freeze it.

The chickens get the last bit of what's left after cleaning out the seeds.  Nothing wasted.  You can compost the skins.

Sorry if this is all a repeat from all the previous years.  I feel like it is, but sharing again.  I will be trying some new recipes with pumpkin.

Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash (roasted) ~ Bell Pepper Oven Fries ~ Wild Rice Soup (with chicken) ~ Turmeric Honey?

 I decided to try this combination, after seeing it on SkinnyTaste online.  They recipe simply states to add 6 sprigs of fresh thyme and black pepper.  Well, in my opinion, it needs more flavor, such as garlic perhaps.    Anyway, I had the butternut squash in my freezer, and it needed rotated out, so I thawed it and used that.  The squash cooked to a soft texture, but it was all good.  I will try fresh butternut next time, and add garlic powder or even sliced shallots or onions.  

I make this side about once a year, with homegrown bell peppers.  I used the healthier version of "panko" this time, and we loved it.  The dip is hand made as well.  I believe the recipe is online with Delish (Bell Pepper Oven Fries).

What are you cooking for your fall side vegetable dishes?

Thank you for the tip on freezing chicken rice soup.  I found a recipe that I will be trying during our next cold spell.  It is on another blog, and the recipe is here:  Wild Rice Blend Soup.

On another note regarding medicinals, has anyone used a blend of turmeric and honey for illness?  It's not a jar method, but mixing ground with honey and using on the spot.  I'm just trying to be prepared.  Two weeks of feeling ill was not fun, and we want to have many options on hand if people start spreading sickness again.

Green Bell Pepper Powder ~ Dehydrating

 

I decided to dehydrate some of the last of the green bell peppers.  Sorry for the bad photo.  I am using my cell camera for now.  My download cord to my actual camera died, so I need a new one (it's on the way).

I made green bell pepper powder.  I will try this in scrambled eggs, sauces and dips for now.  It smells so good!  Have you made/used green bell pepper powder?

Garden Re-Cap ~ Tip for Baking with Pie Pumpkin Puree

 

I took a walk out to the bell peppers, and brought in the last 28 of them.  Even the smaller ones are very thick and smell wonderful.

As for the hot peppers?

There are a few baby jalapenos on some plants, but that is it.  Oddly, the 3 Anaheim plants have tons of flowers.  It's pretty cold here now, so I'll be pulling the plants in a day or so.

We harvested the pie pumpkins, spaghetti squash, and there was only one very small acorn squash.

I follow King Arthur's Blog, and they shared a tip for when you bake with your pie pumpkin puree:  Blog Post Here.

...from the handiwork journal

 I have not ordered or purchased yarn in a while, because I am trying to use up my supply I already have.   However, at some point in the past, I purchased cotton yarns from Herrschners online.  

Beware, that the Village Yarn they sell, is made in China.  They do not tell you that on their online store.  They simply say "imported" and I somehow missed this.  Luckily, I only have a few balls of their yarn, but wanted to let all of my crochet/knit people know.  I also feel it is thinner than the typical 100% cotton yarn from Peaches & Creme/Sugar & Cream.

. . . I am back to knitting dishcloths for a winter Holiday craft show.  I thought I had a bunch of dishcloths already made, but when I looked through the totes, I did not.  I have a lot of cotton balls of yarn, as it was one item my Mom always liked, and purchased from me (she was always gifting someone).  It takes me almost 3 hours to knit one of these.  I make mine 52 stitches.  I will not offer a 3 for $ price on these this winter.  They take took much work to make.  Or am I just a slow knitter?

. . .I have had a request from someone for an XL hot pad, so that is on the afghan hook.   These are crocheted, and my own pattern.  I am limited to colors for this, as I need my cotton yarn to be on a cone.  They have discontinued many of their yarn colors that are sold by the cone.

We are getting rain.  I think the rain will not end until Friday this week.  Sunday looks great though.  I changed the menu a bit, and we had home canned tomato soup and grilled cheese last night.  My husband wasn't feeling all that great.  

A co-worker that works with my husband came to work sick last week, and now my husband has a sore throat, feels fatigue and not well.  Wonderful.  He has been taking Four Thieves Vinegar.

I'm busy in the kitchen, but hope to get a bit of order back in the rest of the house.  I gave up on finding some grocery items I needed, and placed an online order.  It's frustrating, that I cannot find healthy ingredients in the stores anymore.

If the rain quits a bit today, I hope to go check on the hot peppers and bell peppers today.  I am trying to focus on getting the herbs either dehydrated or frozen before the fall frost arrives.

Day on the Sanity Saver ~ More Green Bell Peppers

 

Posting late this morning, and after the sun is coming up.  We slept grand last night.  My husband set up a motorcycle ride with some friends and family on Saturday.  We were literally on the bike from 10am to past 7pm.  It was a long day, but a very nice ride, and we both needed it.

Although, the ride day put us behind on the chicken coop, it was great weather for us.  When we arrived home, the wind picked up, due to neighboring weather, and the island ferry (hour away or so) shut down.  The wind was that bad.

That's me on the left.  The homesteader with a passion for riding our motorcycle.  A friend took this photo.

Marble Lake, Coldwater, MI.  I thought we were in Quincy, ha ha!  That's the fun of a ride.  We did go through Quincy, but the ride ended at Marble Lake.  Beautiful trees, and blue water there.

I'm terrible at getting photos on a motorcycle ride day. My cell is in the trunk of the bike the entire time, as it should be.  It's just a time to relieve the mind of everything.

I have not even thought about meals today either, ha ha!  The wind has subsided this morning.  We are in the 70's now, which makes outdoor work easier and more comfortable. 

We are still getting some decent size green bell peppers.  We have not had rain in a while, and may get some later next week.  I am not watering anything that we left in the garden.  The 200 feet of hose is being reeled in and put away for now.  If the peppers produce more, we are thankful, and if the plants die off, it will be time to yank them for the season.  These 7 that I picked may be slightly small, but they are thick and nice and fresh.  I will use them for either a breakfast or dinner dish.

The weekend is not over yet, so we hope to get more work done, followed by some down time.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Bittersweet ~ Year of Changes (good ones)

 

The arrival of fall, and end of garden season (for the most part), is bittersweet.  I am thrilled to get a break from the work, but will really miss the fresh vegetables.  Next year I am planting cantaloupe and watermelons.  The price of fresh fruit this year was outrageous, and you can't really "clean" a cantaloupe from the store.  At least here, I know what is put on it or not put on it.  I may add honey dew to that list too.

The last of the last yellow squash was taken care of.  I know I said I wasn't going to freeze any diced, but I was at the point of just being "done" with it.

The last of the picked jalapenos were sliced and flash frozen for the up coming months.  I think we will have enough, although the hot peppers produced a lot less this year.

Order is resuming in parts of the house, and it feels pretty darn good.  It's funny how just having all the sinks in the house clean at the same time can make a person feel more at peace.  I absolutely love my coffee pot mat.  It soaks up the spills, and is washable.

A little at a time.  I have much to do yet, but I now carve out a "porch" time with some handiwork.

People often wonder what I will be doing all fall and winter, because I stay home.  Well, I won't run out of things to do.  We will be resuming other projects we abandoned this year.  We are still working on the chicken coop, and still plan to clean out the garage and re-organize it completely.  We still have interior doors to paint, the complete overhaul of the office (still has carpet), the upstairs in still in progress, part of the kitchen ceiling still needs a new coat of paint and so forth.

The chicken run door has finally arrived, and is solar charging for installing soon.

All Work and No Play? ~ Sittin' n Knittin'

 

I've been trying to enjoy the sunrise with my morning coffee, as these days are soon approaching colder weather.  It delays my start to my day, but worth it.

Lately, I feel like all I do is cook and clean.  Time goes too fast too. It seems like yesterday, that I was excited to bring in a bowl full of freshly picked green beans.

I tend the hens, collect the eggs.  Check the garden(s) and bring in whatever is ready.  I brought in another spaghetti squash.

Bulk spices were refilled.

Homemade taco seasoning made and refilled.

Someone in your household thinks there is a toilet paper fairy that magically restocks the toilet paper in the bathroom(s).

Bathrooms are cleaned weekly.

There are always dishes to wash, a dishwasher to load or unload, and then more dishes.  Cooking and baking from scratch, or preserving food will cause that.  I sometimes wash the larger dishes 3-4 times a day.

Maybe I just feel this way, due to the suffrage the house goes through during canning season?  There are always clean linens to fold and put away.

Sittin' n knittin' is much deserved time around here.  Handiwork is slowly coming back into action around here.

Chicken Castle is delayed temporarily.  The brakes on the truck need replaced.