31 Weeks Until Christmas ~ Christmas Countdown 2025

 New Sweet Tasty Treat!  New Recipe Tried.

Pomegranate-Vanilla Cashews.

These would be great for simply gifting at Christmas, to take and add to your charcuterie board, a side to go with a cheese appetizer, etc.  They are addicting, so be careful, ha ha!  They would be tasty as an ice cream topper too, if you do a sundae bar for a gathering or for own ice cream treat.

3 cups of raw (unroasted, unsalted) cashews came out to about 1 pound (16 ounces) of cashews.  

One note:  I think I would use a slotted spoon to spoon it all out onto the parchment paper, vs. dump the entire mix onto it.

Here is why.

Where the extra coating puddled, the cashews stuck a lot more to the parchment, and although they are also still on the crunchy side, I felt the pieces that sat and baked in the extra coating came out more soft and sticky.  To get all the pieces nicely crunchy, and come off the parchment much easier, I think eliminating the extra liquid would help.  The recipe stated to just mix, dump and bake.  Anyway, those are my thoughts, but yes, it's a keeper recipe.  

I used a non-gmo pomegranate 100% juice, my homemade vanilla and regular sugar (I did not have cane sugar, but will get some now).

The recipe is online at:  Veggingonthemountain

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Just some more Christmas gift giving thoughts to share.

One year I gifted homemade taco seasoning to my family. I saved baby food jars (from someone) and filled them.  I painted the lids, and made a handmade refrigerator magnet to top the lid too.  

                     

Old photo from years ago, but you can see the lids painted gold, and the fridge magnet on the top.  I used bottle caps and crocheted granny rounds with cotton #10 crochet thread, and clued it on the inside of the bottle cap, and glued on a magnet.  I have no idea if anyone ever used the seasoning or used the magnet, but there was apparently a lot of thought (or over thought) to this gift (ha ha!).

I was making a new batch of homemade seasoned salt (linked post for recipe), and remembered, that I gifted some to my Mom one Christmas.  She loved it.  In fact, she loved it more than the seasoning from the store.  I have no idea where I got the recipe from either, as I have had it that long now.  Sharing just another idea to gift, if you need some more ideas.  

               

One year I gifted dried rosemary from the herb garden, and attached recipes.  I even gave one to the kids bus driver at the time.  We had a lot of rosemary that year.  One year I gifted sage, as well as recipes, and a note about medicinal sage tea.  I can't recall if I gifted other herbs, but they make nice gifts too, if you have an abundance of a homegrown herb.

I am hoping I have enough sage growing this year to dry a good amount.  We'll find out come summer and fall.

31 Weeks Until Christmas ~ Christmas Countdown 2025 ©  May 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

33 Weeks Until Christmas 2025

I have tried a few new recipes, but not sweet treats.  I do have one of those sweet treat recipes to try, but I have just not had the mojo, nor the time to make it.  🎄🎅🤶

Here is what I did make to try. . .

Crockpot  Scalloped Potatoes {Slow Cooker recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook}

I am always looking for ways to make sides without the oven, due to space constraints on some holidays (or I used to).  I gave this recipe a whirl, and yes, you can use homemade condensed mushroom soup for a richer flavor (because it's made with shallots and fresh mushrooms with butter).

It is a much easier way to take potatoes to a get together, but I also consider if there will be enough outlets to keep the crock pot warm too.  

One year I took a sweet potato dish (in a baking dish), and it was left in the oven during the entire meal, so I went home with the entire dish.

Anyway, back to the potatoes....

Slice those bad boys up with a mandolin, as well as the onions, and this is the easiest potato side dish ever!

Top with shredded cheese for some more goodness like we did.  Not limited to the holidays, but boy is it a nice additional side for any holiday.

Yum!  It's a keeper recipe.  Although, the first time making these, we said it was "good" but no "wow" factor (had used a mix of mushroom and celery soups).

Notes:  Recipe states you can mix mushroom soup with celery.  We found that more bland than using all mushroom soup (homemade is the best!! So much more flavor).  We also felt it needed more seasoning than just pepper and paprika.  Cheese on top adds even more flavor.  We will make these again, and add either ham or even chopped up Canadian bacon and try them that way next.

Of course, the recipe is not limited to Christmas, but we tend to have little oven space when cooking for a crowd at the holidays.

Now on to the next recipe we tried.

Pea Salad.  Also called Bacon Pea Salad.  New Recipe Tried, but not limited to "Christmas" or holiday meals.

Delicious!

Honestly, I'd crumble the bacon and add it right before serving to give it a crispy crunch to the salad.  

The original instructions I got were to mix it all up.   I used organic peas from the store, but if your garden produces some wonderful home grown peas, you are in business.

You could also use homemade mayo if you have fresh eggs, and of course make your own sour cream if you have what's needed to make it.  

Here is how I made it.  First cook 8 strips of bacon, cool and crumble them.  If you raise your own pork, kudos to you.  If not, like myself, I buy from a local butcher if I can.

Continuing . . .

In a bowl mix:

4 cups of organic frozen peas, thawed
1 "handful" of shredded organic cheddar cheese (I used a medium cheddar, and hand shredded)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/3 cup organic mayonnaise
2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
(1 Tbsp. sugar - optional?? Was told to add this, but does it really need it?)
A quick dash of salt and pepper 
Add the cooked bacon.  Stir and chill.  Enjoy!  

I'm definitely adding this to my all year round side dish, and for just about any meal, picnic, summer outing, holiday gathering etc. 

Lastly, if you are still with me with this much longer post . . .

Crockpot Turkey Breast (bone in)

Have you ever thought to cook your holiday turkey in a crockpot?  Not me.  Not ever.  It does save oven space and it is very convenient.

I did not go buy a turkey breast either.  I had one in the freezer from a gathering fail here, so I needed to rotate it out of the freezer.  Nothing like 3 days of turkey ha ha!  Healthy anyway.

I had a 5 pound organic turkey breast.  I went searching on the internet, and there are many recipes for a turkey rub for cooking your turkey breast in the crockpot.

I adapted my own seasonings to a recipe I found online, but cannot link it for you, as it is heavily loaded with ads. 

 Allrecipes has one recipe, but they use a packet of dry onion soup (if you make your own). It might be good.  I went with a mix of homemade seasonings, with some others.

What I used:

-homemade seasoned salt

-homemade Italian seasoning

-homemade garlic powder

-homemade onion powder

-Paprika, and black pepper (salt is in the seasoned salt)

I used olive oil to make all of the seasonings stick to the turkey.

Cooking time is based on the size of your turkey breast, and if you have completely thawed it, or partially thawed it. I used a thermometer to check ours.

I read a few recipes, and cooked ours on high for 1 hour and then turned the crockpot to low.  The turkey turned out great.  

By the way, the only way I have ever (and I mean ever) had a tenderly, moist cooked turkey, was when one of my brother's smoked one.  Oh my gosh, it was the best turkey I have ever had (if you have a smoker, and we do not).  

The crockpot perfect for cooking a turkey breast with bone in.  We are so glad we tried this.

On another note, yes, my brain is drumming up these ideas and for one last share. . .

                                   

December of 2020 I gifted a few family members homemade Paprika Dry Rub.  I saved jars from organic tomato paste I think (smallish, but not really small). The recipe is online with Taste of Home. 

I did not have any made, but you need to note (if you are diabetic) that the dry rub from Taste of Home contains brown sugar.  The rub is good on turkey or chicken.  I have not tried it on pork, but a pork tenderloin might be good with it.  

That's all for this Christmas countdown post.  I hope you enjoyed it, despite that it's May.

 33 Weeks Until Christmas 2025 ©  May 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

New Recipe Tried and Other Tidbits

 

I found a few printed recipes in the back of my binder, when I changed them out to new binders recently.  I found a recipe I had printed back in July of 2021, and gave it a try (without reading any reviews).  Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole.

It's delicious.  However, the next time I make this, I will finely dice the sweet potatoes, roast them, and then layer it all to bake.  I found the shredded sweet potatoes gave it a "mushy" bottom texture.  It is very light, and not a "heavy" breakfast.  

The only thing I did different, was that I used real meat instead of the "vegetarian" meat the recipe called for.  Oh, I also added 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground garlic (homemade) for added flavor and some salt and pepper. I found it strange that the recipe did not call for any seasoning at all.  The recipe is still online at allrecipes.

Tidbits. . .

We woke up to 21°F this morning.  The cold has returned, but thankfully no snow this March (like last year).

I have somehow lost my blog writing mojo.  Maybe it's the transition from winter to Spring, with it's back and forth weather?  I don't know, but I just haven't had much to write about this month.

I took advantage of the cooler weather and seasoned our new cast iron pan.  I had asked if anyone had one, and there was no answer, so we are giving it a try.  Even the clerk at the store, gave me her name, and asked for me to give her a review the next time we were in the area (not sure that will happen, ha ha!). Anyway, I will be cooking with it, and if we like it we very well may go back for a 2nd one.   

We are still focusing meals based on what's still providing from last year's garden.  We still have frozen garden vegetables, canned sauces, and of course the copious amounts of green beans.

I have yet to jump on the sourdough bread band-wagon.  We just don't eat bread that often, so two loaves of Amish baked sourdough, went into our freezer.  We have a friend who also bakes it, so I may just buy from her next time (all organic ingredients).  

We are still getting more outdoor walking in this year despite weather changes.  In fact, 100% more than last year (we did not do outdoor walking this  time of year, last year).  In fact, last weekend we walked 3.31 miles (we tracked our distance for health purposes).  My husband's sugar reading tests are much lower, and we are very happy about that.

Our Spring Daffodils continue to emerge, but no actual blooms just yet.

Although the weather is on the chilly side today, there is nothing more invigorating than a deep breath of morning fresh air.  

New Recipe Tried and Other Tidbits  ©  March 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Chit Chat

Sort of a boring post today.  I know not everyone can afford "organic" groceries anymore, but wanted to share some things.

 I have been reading the ingredients on the black eyed peas in stores here, and we cannot buy "organic" canned in any of the stores in the area.  

The non-organic cans of these beans contains an ingredient I was not familiar with - diosodium EDTA.

I did some searching on google (I know it's not the best resource), but I did find this information.  I am reading it is mostly used in cosmetics.  Anyway, I found organic black eye peas do exist, but I have to order them online.

Organic canned black eyed peas do not contain the Diosodium EDTA.  In the brand we found, it contains Kombu Seaweed.

By the way, you can buy these dried, and soak and bake them yourself. I am looking into that variety as well.  I found another "dip" recipe that calls for black eyed peas to try, but I think we love the last one we found (in moderation with other healthy foods).

The holidays usually involve a lot of cookie baking, candy making and other comfort food making.  One is the traditional "Chex Mix" recipe that most people love.  Over the years, we stopped buying the three Chex cereals, and my Mom (when she was with us) started making it with just Crispix cereal.

It was Mom's favorite holiday treat to eat.  I have found a way to make it, but with organic/non-gmo ingredients.

The cereal we used this past Christmas, was Cascadian Farm multi-grain squares.  By the way, of course we could not find this in any stores in the area either.  I had to order it.  It was about as expensive as Crispix cereal is, but with no shipping cost.  It's a once a year treat, so I did order it to try.  By the way, it was kid tested too, and we all agree it was a good swap. 

I buy a non-gmo nut mix, which is also hard to find, but I can buy them in an area store.  There are no added bad oils in these deluxe mixed nuts.  Many nuts sold in stores have bad (unhealthy) oils added to them, and most people don't read the labels, because they think it's just "nuts" in the container.

And finally, you can now buy organic/non-gmo pretzels in stores.  They are sold in many stores here actually. 

That brings us to the last ingredient - garlic bagel chips, rye chips, or rye bagel chips.  You cannot find them organic anywhere, but you can bake your own sourdough rye bagels and make your own bagel chips if you prefer to add them.

As for the seasoning, I make my own onion powder, garlic powder, and our own homemade seasoned salt.  You can

 make your own butter as well, but we buy organic.

I have a question for sourdough bread bakers. . .

Do you have a recipe for sourdough rye bagels?    Is there such a thing?  Or can you direct me to a resource that has a recipe?  I have been looking online and have not been able to find a recipe.   I have not located a recipe book with such a recipe either, and our stores do not sell a sourdough rye bagel.  Or even just a rye bagel recipe maybe?  I don't mean a rye bread recipe either.  A bagel recipe.  Crazy request, but I thought I would ask here first.

We have a friend who is a sourdough baker, and she is just now experimenting with rye.  I may be visiting her for a sample yet.  We are just exploring more on the bread department of our diet.  She has offered me a sourdough starter, and I just might take her up on the offer.

As for more boring news, we took down the outside Christmas lights yesterday.  The weather is very warm this weekend, but rain is in the forecast for the entire day Sunday.  We have been talking about taking our tree down this weekend as well, and packing up the Christmas decorations.  I hope to be back with a more interesting blog spot next time.  Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the joy in every moment.

Chit Chat © December 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

What's Cooking? Homemade Meatball Recipe

 

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. black pepper

Mix well.  Shape into balls (I use a large cookie scoop), place on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, package and freeze until needed (or bake).

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Note:  I use half groung chuck and half ground pork, but you could use what you like.

The recipe uses oats in place of bread crumbs.  My recent batch was made with local pork sausage, because the butcher accidently gave me that instead of ground pork.  We'll see if how it tastes soon.  I already had the ingredients mixed before opening the meat packages.

I mix, roll the meatballs, and line a pan and freeze them.  I then bag them for future meals.  You could cook them ahead of time as well. It's all up to you.

What's Cooking?  Homemade Meatball Recipe © November 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

End of September Garden ~ Winter Medicinal Prep ~ Tidbits

 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 second one and roasted them.  I have never grown these, so I am relying on whatever baking instructions I can find online. 

We tasted it by itself, and then we seasoned it with salt, pepper and a bit of butter.  Oh my goodness!  Tastes better than mashed potatoes.  So good!  I will be planting these again.  It is a squash you cannot find at any produce stand or grocery store.  I have a few more to roast, and may even try mixing in some pesto.  We are both amazed at how good these squash taste.  I cannot believe, that not one produce stand grows and sells them.

The bell peppers rolled in all month long.  I made stuffed peppers for breakfast, stuffed peppers for dinner, froze stuffed peppers, froze the peppers diced and sliced, and made other "stuffed" recipes with them.

Dug up the last of the garden potatoes.

I tried a new crustless quiche and we loved it.  I am taking advantage of the herb garden as long as the season lasts. The quiche had asaparagus, dried oregano (from the herb garden), fresh green onions, and chives (I measured those fresh herbs with my heart).

I was harvesting goldenrod for one of the kids, and learned that it not only helps heal a runny nose, but also sinus infections, and helps treat the flu.  I also started a tincture.

Tips:  I keep extra lids from my mayo/peanut butter jars, as they fit any regular lid canning jar.  When I give dried herbs for cooking or teas to a friend/family, the lids come in handy.

I also keep disposable teabags on hand.  I gift them with the dehydrated teas when someone is sick or needs a tea (most people do not own a teaball or such).

Pickled radishes with a garden jalapeno.  These won't last long, but they are good for up to 6 months, according to the recipe.

My husband finally got his homemade corndogs.  I told him I would only make them once a year, as he is diabetic, but it has been about 3-4 years since I made them.  I use all organic ingredients in the batter (all beef hotdogs), and this time we made homemade fries with home grown potatoes and fried them in local beef tallow.

I started a jar of Four Thieves Vinegar.  It will last up to one year, and we like to have it on hand "just in case" for feeling ill or preventing illnesses.

A "sleepy time" tincture started (we still like our evening tea too), and a new honey based elixir for a new "cure all" for winter/spring.  It will last up to 2 years, so we are trying something new, along with the Four Thieves.

Walking is the elixir to mental health, overall health, and just feeling physically healthy.  I'm so glad we are spending more time with nature this year.

We have been getting a few hikes in this month (until the rain rolled in).

The only handiwork that got made during the later part of the month  - another dish scrubbie for us.

Strawberry Margarita Pie

I am still purging books, and am trying new recipes from one of the cookbooks (deciding on donating or keeping), and other home updates/repairs.  The dishwasher (we bought used) quit working, and now the dryer is on the fritz.  I had to use it, as the mowing was getting done, and the rain was arriving, but glad I used it.  I had not used it all summer long, and it is almost 16 years old.  Time to start looking for a new washer and dryer.

I hope all is well with everyone.  We will be getting rain until the very last day fo the month (maybe more).

End of September Garden ~ Winter Medicinal Prep ~ Tidbits© September 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Just the Bits

 We are on the hunt for a wider ridge cap for the chicken coop.  We will need to be creative and resourceful, if we cannot locate one.

We have another leak in the kitchen, but it's under the floor, so yay us.  We may have to cut out the bottom of the cupboard and check under it.  Not what we need right now at the holidays.  It could be another issue.  

The  weather turned much colder and brought rain.  Lots of rain.  

Has anyone who crochets, noticed that the "I" hooks are getting made now with new handles, but the measurements are not the same as the original hooks?  Top one says 5.50mm and the newer one says 5.25mm.  Both say they are an "I" hook.

Yay!  The photo upload function works again on blogger!

The kids were over for Thanksgiving, and two mentioned that medical workers would buy "boot" cuffs for their 40oz. Quencher Stanley cups.  It keeps the tumbler from scratching surfaces, but I do not own one to measure.  Does anyone have one to measure the width of the bottom, and the height up to where it goes wider?  I may just take this one to Wal-mart and try it, ha ha!

Homemade seasoned salt was restocked.  I don't use this very often, but I do make it homemade.

I am thankful the library gave out 2024 calendars for free this year.

I found a project to use up scraps of cotton yarn.  Particularly solid colors, but we'll see.  It will be gifted, so I can't share it if I am successful (just been too busy to crochet much).

Happy Thanksgiving!