Pioneer Woman at Heart

  Snow is predicted Sunday/Monday.  Nothing new.  It has snowed in October here.  I took one last look at the herb garden, before it rests for the winter.   I dehydrated more green onions, and froze a bit more.  The dehydrated ones were left whole to dehydrate, then I store them in a canning jar.  I do this with chives as well.  I mostly use the frozen ones for baked egg dishes. I use a small vacuum that works for regular and wide mouth jars.  So far, it's worked great, and I've had it for a few years now. I love to make ground vegetables, in cases where I have a larger harvest of something.  It adds flavor to any dish.  I ground some of the dehydrated green onions, and filled a repurposed spice jar. I had to keep adding the dehydrated green onions to the grinder, as they are so light, it helps the process of grinding it all down to a powder. A "first" for us this year.  I think it would be great on homemade crackers, and ...

  I sliced up 6# of apples and cooked them down, while I multitasked.... ...and sliced and diced 6# of onions and filled my large dehydrator. Part of them will be ground into onion powder and part will be saved as they are. I'll probably make applesauce again.  I didn't write down any notes on my recipe (basically instructions with number of pounds), and may have doubled it last time.  Thankfully I thought ahead for the busy day.  I put an all-in-one dinner in the crock pot.  Four beans and sausage , with home grown green bell pepper and home canned ketchup. I cut up yellow netting, and it took almost 3 hours to cut enough strips for 11 scrubbies.  It's sort of back breaking work, as it is a lot of netting and I cannot just simply fold it over several times (10 yards) and cut it quickly.  I'm not sure how many more years I'll be selling them. By the way, two tips with homemade scrubbies.  I've had someone buy them for her husband and said he uses ...

  I pulled all of my hot pepper plants and brought in 2 strainers full of hot peppers. I brought in some swiss chard and one small bell pepper, which went into breakfast.   Our weather is changing and evenings are getting pretty cold.  We will be picking up some free ash that is already split too, as we'll need to fire up the wood stove soon. I drained the rain barrels and have them flipped over for winter storage.  One has the spigot completely ripped off.  Our mower guy must have gotten too close.  It's fixable though. Daughter K went back to work.  She's feeling better thankfully.

  My book arrived.  I just hope it isn't one I already read from the library over the years ha ha!  I hope to get some reading done ASAP.  I need a mental break from life overall. We are getting some very nice weather this weekend.  Possible high 70's degrees on Sunday.  Crazy! We are still seeing beautiful colors around the homestead. When something goes out of the freezer, something goes back in.  Keeping things stocked, with a world of uncertainty. A head of organic cauliflower and a few yellow squash (organic) were blanched. Called my Mom.  Didn't talk long, as she was babysitting.  Got caught up with dishes, folded laundry, took scraps out to the chickens, and other mundane tasks. I put together my barter, now I need a date and time to get it to her.  I hope she likes everything.  She is the family member who had 4 boxes of canning lids shipped to me.  I decided to include a set of homemade cards and a jar opener. I ordere...

I got 25# of tomatoes off my tables, but went out and picked more, bringing 22.5# more back in. Pizza sauce is restocked now. Somehow, in all that work of canning, I put chili in the crock pot for dinner, but did not have the time or energy to make my delicious buttermilk cornbread. I made this spread the other day, and haven't made it since we had dairy goats I think.  The recipe is on my blog:  Easy Layered Dip. This was at our local area Meijer the other day.  I sent it to a friend who was looking for wide mouth quart jars.  They also had other sizes, but no lids. My indoor rosemary plant got a new pot.  My cilantro did as well, but you don't a picture of that one.  I sort of neglected it, so hopefully, it will spring back having been re-potted for winter. I haven't had any time to do handiwork.  Hopefully soon, as the garden is starting to slow down a bit.  I brought in another dozen bell p...

Celery freezer cubes have been started for winter food prep.  I do this every fall, so I have ample supply for winter cooking.  It comes in handy for soups/stews, and I don't have to worry about running out in a snow storm to get it.  I simply dice up the celery, place it into an empty ice tray, add enough water to cover celery, and freeze.