Snippets ~ March comes to an end

Bedding dried on the clothesline smells the absolute best!

Birds chirping make you smile.

Sunshine is medicine for the soul.   Enjoying it as much as I can.  Rain returns this weekend.

The chicken coop was spring cleaned.  Man it needed it.   I was hoping we'd have them moved by now, but nope.  Anyway, they are happy ladies.

Although a pine tree fell and slightly damaged the lilac bush, it has spring buds. 

There is a lot of debris that needs cleaned up before the first mowing.  The main trees were cleaned up, but limbs and twigs remain.

New recipe tried.  Einkorn banana muffins (recipe is from A modern Homestead online).  These muffins are basically a one bowl recipe if you sift your pre-measured flour (I used einkorn all-purpose flour) over the mashed bananas.  They use 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup.  They bake up very nicely and are very good.  I will be trying these with some added cinnamon/nutmeg maybe, and there is a possibility of making them with date syrup (to replace honey/maple syrup).  Either way, these are delicious.

 

I was winding leftover yarn into a ball, and about to cut up a rutabaga for dinner, when the doorbell rang.  Confused at who would come out for a visit, but happily surprised at the delivery.  My husband sent me these, along with a box of locally made chocolates (like about 3 hours away local), and I'm sure it cost him a pretty penny.  I tell you what.  It made my day.

Did you know that local chocolate makers are having a difficult time right now?  We found out the florist is having trouble obtaining the boxes of delight.  Why?  We are told that cocoa is up 129% in cost right now.  It's true.  I read a few articles about it.  Then again, what isn't up in cost right now?

Dinner turned out fantastic this time around. I decided to use my crockpot vs. the oven this time.  I wanted the oven to roast the rutabaga, so here is what I did....

The above photo was my husband's plate.  He mixed a bit of sauce into his rutabagas.  Roasted rutabagas are so good, if you haven't tried it yet.  Anyway.

I thawed 2 cups of frozen garden grown spaghetti squash, and layered it in the bottom of a crock pot. I then added half of my home canned herbed tomato sauce (I can Ball's recipe), and then layered in one cooked (cooked them frozen from the freezer) dinner serving (about 15) homemade meatballs (made with organic oats vs. bread crumbs), then topped it with the remaining sauce.  I put the crock pot on low all day, and the squash made the sauce so thick and delicious.  I will be doing it this way from now on.  Three ingredients and that was it.  I got some fresh parmesan out and we sprinkled a bit on top, but we really didn't need it.  

We both had high ambitions to put the "done" stamp on the hallway project by the end of March, but life happens.  However, we are giddy happy, that we are very close to being done.  We just have to make a trip for a few supplies to finish the floor trim and the second step.

I have put the official "done" stamp on this crocheted blanket.  I took the photo yesterday, but the ends are sewn in, and it is completely finished.  My goal was met for this project.  Done before the end/by the end of March.

The last bit of gray yarn from this blanket.  In fact, the last of all of the gray in my entire yarn stash.  It's enough scrap yarn to use in a scrap yarn ripple lap afghan.  

Have a fantastic Easter weekend!  Cheers to all of your end of March goals!  

Snippets ~ March comes to an end  © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Sweet Potato Breakfast "Bowl"

Today I am sharing how I made these delicious breakfast "bowls" by starting with sweet potatoes.

The first time I made these, I used organic hannah sweet potatoes, and this second time I used locally grown sweet potatoes (which both were very good).

Prepare fresh spinach, by cleaning it, and then slicing it.  Set aside.  I used two bundles of fresh spinach.  Set aside

Prepare homemade cilantro-lime sauce.

In a food processer, mix 2 full cups of cleaned organic (or home grown) cilantro and:

-1/2 cup organic plain Greek yogurt (I have yet to use homemade for this), plus more to thicken to your taste

-juice from one lime (not the bottled kind)

-1 small can of organic salsa verde (or homemade), or about 14 Tbsp.  (cut the recipe in half to reduce the amount, but we really like the sauce on this breakfast dish)

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper

Process until smooth, and like I mentioned above, add extra yogurt to make your sauce as thick as you like. 

(I pack this separate to pack a breakfast to go)

Clean and dice some garden green onions (I also pack these separate for a breakfast to go).  Set aside.

1.  Wash, peel and dice enough sweet potatoes for your family.  I cut up about 3-4, depending on size.  Roast them in a stove top pan, using oil, salt and pepper and 1/2 tsp. of homemade garlic powder.  I have not used freshly minced yet, but will be trying that next time.  Set aside.  I use this as our first layer in the "bowls" I created.

2. Rinse and drain 1 can of organic black beans, and add that to a stove top pan, along with 1  1/2 cups organic frozen corn (I do not thaw mine).  I heated this up with some cumin (give it a taste test to your liking), until heated throughout.  Set aside (second layer of the breakfast).

3. Dice one onion, and add the same amount of diced bell peppers (I used frozen bell pepper from the garden).  Heat until both are cooked. I added salt and pepper.  Keep in the pan.  Add your prepared spinach, and cook down.  Set aside (third layer in this breakfast).

4. Cook two eggs.  Layer as I did, and top with homemade cilantro-lime sauce.  I prepared bacon the second time I made this and added a few slices to the top.  

To serve, layer ingredients and enjoy.  I prepare everything ahead of time, then I reheat each morning, layer and cook two eggs per breakfast.  Top the eggs with the sauce and diced green onions.  Add bacon if you want that too.  Delicious and healthy.

I know this all sounds like a lot of work, but it was very good and worth the work.  I got the idea from a dish that Bob Evans now has on their menu.  I have not tried their version, but I looked it up online and re-created it with my own ingredients here at the homestead (based on what they say is in their "bowl").

Sweet Potato Breakfast "Bowl"  © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart