Pioneer Woman at Heart

  We were able to get some work done on the new chicken coop over the weekend.   We actually had help on Sunday.  We were so thankful for the help.  The door is built now, but the roof still needs put on it.   We have had some rather warmer fall days, which were great for outdoor work, other than the mutant ladybugs were out in full force (and they bite).  I finally got my kitchen sink leak fixed!  The gasket had broken off and fallen down into the drain pipe.  I'm drying out the cupboard (again) and will be using this situation to purge, clean and sort what goes back in the cupboard.  I just have to get it it good and dry, put the mat in, and get everything back into the cupboard.  Until then, I'm sort of tripping over stuff in the kitchen. Although I am thankful for the work on the coop, it always puts my indoor work behind.  I have a long week ahead of me.  I also realized I don't have a planner nor calendar for 20...

  It was another cold miserable, dreary day.  Of course I am not out of inside work either.  However, I managed to squeeze into my day, by making w hiskey butterscotch sauce .  We drizzled it over the apple crunch cake for dessert.  No we didn't need the sugar in our diet, but it is so good. I only make this once a year if that. Now that my youngest has found out, she wants my flourless brownies for sundaes.  The sauce will last in the fridge for 1 month, so it may happen. We did not plant pinto beans this last summer, so I had to order those (dry).  Our stores do not sell organic brands of those. First it was the mower that broke down (it's old and passed down), then the smaller AC unit died.  Now?  My 20-some year old Kitchenaid mixer.  Sigh.  I use it a lot.  My husband wasn't happy that he couldn't do anything to fix it either.  I guess I will be hoping for fall sales (if we are lucky to get those this year). It's stil...

We had a very nice day yesterday.  The temperature went up to 70°F.  We were swamped with a wet ground, but we cleaned up the front porch. My husband even got some mowing done too, and we grilled out for dinner (although our propane is now out for the grill). I baked flourless brownies and made whiskey butterscotch sauce for a rare treat. I also froze a bit more zucchini. I dehydrated a small amount of mushrooms too. Laundry went out on the line. I am finishing up on cross bookmarks.  I am putting the tassles on next.

Unexpectedly, I deep cleaned under my kitchen sink.  We have had issues with the faucet since the last freeze, and I had to empty the cupboard for Hubby to get under there.  Oh man, did I find some odd items.  Most of my house was deep cleaned over the holidays, but not this cupboard.  That's done now.  I'm just praying we fix the sink issue prior to Tuesday.  We are going to be having the worst freeze this winter from Tuesday to Friday. Although not the best photo, I whipped up a dozen flourless brownies (from Family Circle - Flourless Brownie Sundaes online).  I don't make these to avoid flour, they just taste wonderful with.... A glob of ice cream and drizzled with homemade whiskey butterscotch sauce.

Thaw 2 cups of home grown pumpkin puree from your freezer (or purchase pumpkin puree)  Mix: 2 1/4 c. organic all purpose flour 1 1/2 c. sugar 3 1/2 tsp. non-gmo baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. homemade pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. organic cinnamon* optional Add the pumpkin puree to the dry ingredients, and add 1 tsp. of homemade vanilla extract .   Bake in a 9 x 13 in baking pan sprayed with organic non-stick oil spray.  350° for 25-30 minutes.  Check center with a toothpick. Allow to cool completely. Using the handle of a wooden spoon poke holes in the top of the cake and drizzle homemade whiskey butterscotch sauce.  I do not measure.  I simply drizzled it into each hole made.  Top cake with organic whipped cream,  sprinkle a bit of homemade pumpkin pie spice on top and drizzle more whiskey butterscotch sauce and if preferred some chopped organic pecans.  Store in refrigerator. This is good, but it's bett...

It cooled down quickly (woke up to the 40's) here, so home grown sweet potatoes, green bell peppers and garlic went into good use - sweet potato chili.   After running into the basket in the kitchen too many times, my extent of "fall" decor was placing those hard-as-a-rock pie pumpkins on the porch ledge.   The dead bolt on one of the doors broke.  I had to gently lay that news on Hubby.  It was stuck locked, and the latch to turn it broke.  Good thing I have another door to use.  Avoiding the garden for the most part of the day, I baked some flourless brownies... Whipped up some more whiskey butterscotch sauce .... Made a jar of homemade pumpkin pie spice. Homemade pumpkin pie spice 3 Tbsp. organic ground cinnamon 2 tsp. organic ground ginger 2 tsp. organic ground nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp. organic ground all-spice 1 1/2 tsp. organic ground cloves Mix and store in an airtight container.  I used a recycled bab...

Monday we woke up to lots of fog.  Although school was delayed, our youngest still had to be up at her school (33 minute drive) earlier than normal bus pick up time.  She was heading to her first hair show.  I'm gonna assume next year she'll be going and spending more money as she learns more. The temps heated back up again, but it came with rain.  So frustrating as I cannot get in the garden to get the garlic planted.  I don't want to say it, but it may be the first fall we do not plant garlic.  This year has taught me that planting too late is just not worth the work followed by loss of harvest. I remembered I had pears in the freezer, so those pie crust crumbles came in handy.   It was my very first time to bake a pie using frozen fruit vs. fresh.  I thawed them completely, but they didn't look like the normal 2 1/2# fresh (meaning not enough).  I thawed 5# of frozen and drained them. It turned out perfect.  A...

Not to let this awesome birthday week end without another "bang" of goodness, I made.... Flourless brownies and whiskey butterscotch sauce for sundaes.  Yes, yes and yes.  I ate them both with organic ice cream (too lazy to make homemade ice cream).

We finally got another rain shower last night.  I haven't checked the weather forecast yet today, but it's wet out.  I'm running behind today.  I'm just plumb worn out, and needed the rest.  Don't we all? The humidity yesterday morning was thick.  My camera continued to fog up.  Here is Timmy resting in the heat.  See that pot?  It was one that was ravaged by a raccoon (or two or three), and there are green starts in it.  In fact, all but one (horehound) are showing signs of life, despite them getting turned over so many times.

Hubby's birthday is coming up soon, and has put in a request for flourless brownies, topped with organic vanilla ice cream, and of course whiskey butterscotch sauce.   I whipped up a batch of sauce before the weekend, so I could have that ready.  Not sure what the birthday dinner will entail just yet, but I'll be guessing he'll ask for tacos.  Maybe. 

Sunday we finally sat around and simply enjoyed ourselves.  We tossed around the idea of going bowling, but the more we relaxed and took time for ourselves, the more we wanted to simply hang out (in pajamas no less). It's hard for me to sit around and do nothing, which was what we told Mom to do (she had another ER visit) for the next few days.  I was reading through a library book, on handmade gifts and decided to not let the year end without a "bang."  I went to the kitchen and made Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce.