Random Tidbits

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 baby food jar that was given to me.

I baked my first pumpkin poke cake, making the cake mix from scratch and using homegrown pumpkin puree.  Oh, and used homemade whiskey butterscotch sauce for the filler.  I'll have another post with the recipe.

I lied about the tomatoes.  I went out to pull stakes and plants and ended up picking another 6#.  

I made more homemade "lysol" wipes.  I have a big cleaning day in my bedroom and just about anywhere else after that.

I planted parsley and basil seeds in my kitchen window pots.

Emptied the dehydrator of lemon balm and filled it up with parsley.  I love the smell of fresh parsley.  The stems went into the freezer for future broth/stock recipes.  Tip:  Tie the stems together and simply toss them into the pot or roaster pan you making your broth/stock in.

I whipped up some organic buttermilk corn bread.  I make my own buttermilk by measuring 1 cup of organic milk and adding 1 Tbsp. of organic lemon juice.  

Today's plan?  It all depends on the weather.  We woke up to a chilly 42°F.

Carrot Top Mouth Wash ~ Carrot Tops ~ Food delivery and tidbits

Although our carrot harvest was zero this season, we still had carrot tops.  You know our family motto?

Waste nothing.  Not that there was much to waste either.

I used some of the tops to make homemade mouthwash.

Boil 3 cups of water, and add a half cup of chopped organic carrot tops.  Simmer on the stove top for about 20 minutes.  Steep for an additional 30 minutes then strain.  Store in the refrigerator.  Simply gargle each day in place of your store brand mouth wash.  Carrot tops have antiseptic qualities.

We stole off on a motorcycle ride the other night, and delivered meals.  I just happened to get a call the night I made salmon romanoff, from one of the girls.  Of course she asked, "what's for dinner?"  and "can you bring me some?"  Luckily, I was already delivery a meal with pie to my Dad, so we packed up another meal for her.  She later texted me "OMG that was heaven" ha ha ha!  Kids!  

It's that time of year again, when I have to rack up points in order to keep our health insurance at the same price we pay.  What a joke it is too.  I have to sit at the computer and watch the most boring videos and click a hundred times to "read" articles and then take a test to pass.  Just a waste of my time.  I don't even watch or read, I just click and flip thru the questions.  I know them all anyway, especially the eating well stuff.  Man, it's taking a lot of time that I could be ripping out the garden (which needs done in a bad way).  

You would not believe how much time I waste just for 25 lousy points, and we are each to acquire 1,000 points.  Some slideshows are 38 minutes long and while watching one, it logged me out 3 times.   You can't just play it and go clean something either.  They randomly ask questions for you to click on for the slideshow to continue.  

Okay, off my soapbox on the insurance points.....

I went with my youngest to the "big city" and we both got real haircuts.  Boy it felt great too.  First time in two years for me, about a year for daughter.