Pioneer Woman at Heart

I got a little bit of time each day to catch up on handiwork. The rain helped me out, although I should have been shampooing carpets or something else, ha ha! I was thinking "from stash to cash" for this project, but I'm not so sure about it now.  Maybe just the coasters. I finished this coaster and cozy set for myself.  I was feeling the fall weather, with the dreary cold and wet weather we were getting early in the week. My "Grad" Daughter eye-spied it, and exclaimed, "I want one of those!"   She may get one.  In her stocking or for Christmas.  Maybe.  The only problem with the matching cozy, is that the granny square fits larger mugs only.  I didn't follow the pattern either.   Instead of two squares, I used one and then made the strap and added buttons.  I wanted an area to drink my coffee without getting yarn in my mouth.  I also used scrap, 100% cotton I had in my stash. I used buttons from my craft st...

My go-to produce stand had a few more pie pumpkins, so I stopped in and picked them up. He's getting to c lose it up I think. Those are roasted and in the freezer now too. I have 6 more cups now. Guess what else I'm doing?

I'm not really a fan of baking yeast rising breads when it's colder in my house, so I wanted to try this 1969 cookbook recipe for a sandwich bread. Homemade Bread, By the Food Editors of Farm Journal © 1969. The recipe caught my eye, because it uses carrots in the recipe.  My first choice in "shortening" in this recipe would be real lard, but I do not have access to any.  I used organic, non-hydrogenated shortening.  If I keep coming up with reasons for lard, Hubby may reconsider raising our own pigs too.

A few months ago, Hubby and I were gifted with a few bags of homegrown, local, English Walnuts.  We cracked them all, and froze them.  I decided to make a butter spread with them. Although I still have a bit of congestion and cough, I got up early and made the family French Toast for breakfast.  The butter is now "kid" tested, and approved.  I'm looking for more ways to sneak the nutrition of walnuts into our diet.   A few years ago, I gifted my family Cinnamon Honey Butter , and it won over well.  This butter is another healthy, homemade gift idea. Here is the recipe: