This and That ~ Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds

 

I enjoyed yet another spectacular sunrise, and this particular day the temperture got up to 80°F.  I don't remember November ever getting that warm before.

I'm am enjoying the "down" time here lately too.  I spent more time searching the local library catalog, and have ordered a few books via their interloan borrowing system.

I even have had some "me" time, and finished another lap afghan.  It is the right width at the bottom.  It looks weird due to the angle I was holding the camera.  Anyway, another one done.

I cook from scratch, so most days here involve some sort of  kitchen duty, so I relish leftover days.  I tried a new recipe for pumpkin oat pancakes.  The chickens are still on hiatus, so I switch to oatmeal bakes, steel cut oats, pancakes, waffles, or anything using less eggs.  Bacon is very expensive now, so we have been swapping it with Canadian bacon.

(one of the recipes - Tahini Date cookies, recipe from Thrive Market)

I had a day with dates, and made us two recipes to enjoy for the week.  These medjool dates are also getting expensive, but are so healthy.

I also did something new this year - roasted spaghetti squash seeds (waste nothing).  The chickens got their fair share, but we are enjoying these for the first time.  We typically only roast the pumpkin seeds.

We woke up to rain this morning.  Humidity is 86%.  I'm also taking care of my over stressed husband, who woke up abruptly sick today (people at his work place are sick).  His temperature was 104.2° so he's being cared for, and sipping some feverfew tea.  I'm hoping he can keep it down.  

The up and down weather can play a part in fall sicknesses unfortunately.  It's another warm day here, but there may be some homemade chicken and rice soup, or chicken and noodle soup getting made.

I thought I shared a recipe for a soup starter in a jar gift type recipe, but cannot find it.  I think it was for a chicken and rice soup starter.  I'll be looking around for that, as it sounds like it may be useful.

This and That ~ Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds © November 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Reset ~ Recharge

It wasn't really planned, but the first day of November was dedicated to resetting my home and health, and recharging for the fall/winter chores.

The travel coffee maker (single, but cheap brand) was cleaned up and put away.  The cooler we traveled often with, was also put away.  Counters completely cleaned off and sanitized (I like my homemade 4 Thieves cleaner), extra purchased dry goods were canned and vacuumed sealed, travel totes with paper plates etc. were put back in storage, and the suitcase put back in storage.

I have two absorbant coffee pot/grinder mats.  While one is being washed the other is put out.  It really helps keep the coffee pot area tidy.  We like coffee.

I double checked canning supplies, expiration dates on pectin, and so forth.  Checked the winter tea supply, and even dehydrated more sage.

I had a half bag of sugar sitting on the counter for a few weeks, and finally put it canning jars, and vacuum sealed them.  I did not can a lot of my regular condiments this year, due to lack of garden harvest, and it needed to be stored for future use.

I did the same with some extra oats I purchased as well.  I am, however, running out of wide-mouth canning jars.

There is nothing better, than to wake up to a spic n' span cleaned up kitchen.  It was then, that I could light a candle, relax, re-write my to-do lists, and really recharge physically and mentally.

 Kitchen Tip:  Did you know that if you are out of baking soda, you can substitute 3 teaspoons of baking powder for 1 teaspoon of baking soda?  

I just learned this, but typically we have more baking soda on hand than powder.  I thought I would share this tip, but I have not needed to try it.

The first Sunday morning (time change for us), despite it being 36°F out, I took my coffee to the porch to watch the sunrise.  There were 4 deer that came out for viewing.  There were 3 bucks and a doe grazing in a harvested corn field. You can see the bigger buck the very right.  We saw two more later in the mid-morning (doe and a buck).

We finally did a garage clean out.  Whew!  I could not believe how much we were able to donate, give away and toss out.  It really was a big mess in there.  I even moved all of my empty plastic drawers (used to store yarn) out there to organize things.  

No menu plan yet this week, but I came up with the most delicous breakfast burrito with leftovers.  You could eat this as a scramble too.

(husband added hot sauce to his, but you could also add jalapeno if you froze any, or even fire powder)

I used leftover scrambled eggs from my husband's to-go breakfast, diced up leftover brisket, cooked half of a butternut squash that was already cubed, added bell pepper, onion, garlic, rosemary and sage.  We added just a bit of shredded cheddar cheese.  It turned out so good, and we wasted zero leftovers

The to-do list is pretty much the typical list for November, although much of it was done in October last year.  We are finally getting rain this morning, and we are expecting a warmer month.  I'm still waiting on cooler days to roast and preserve pumpkins, spaghetti squash, acron squash, etc.  I have tinctures in the making, and oils infusing for salve making, so the month will not be idle (but yet a much slower pace).

Until next time.  Toodles.

Reset ~ Recharge © November 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart