Surprise in the Chicken Coop ~ Chocolate Pie ~ Dehydrator Jerky ~ Skipping Thanksgiving ~ Tornado

I didn't write this ditty yesterday, as my blog was so very long already for the day. 

I've been free ranging the ladies and stud muffin Sparta all day after about noon lately.  One, they get their grit and dirt baths, two they help me reduce the bug numbers, and three it cuts the organic feed cost down. Oh, and four, they help "till" up the garden too.

I went to put them all in, and I had left the coop door open.  The barn was shut, but once I opened the barn door, the hens followed me in. 

I had a container of goodies in one hand, and a bucket of water in the other hand.  I started to fill the water when all h-e-double hockey sticks  broke loose.  

At first I thought a raccoon was in the coop with me.  It was that dang stray gray tabby that's been hanging around.  It took forever to find the door out, and was literally climbing the chicken wire at high rates of speed.  Once I realized it was just a cat, I stepped back until it found the door.  

Oh my land.  The ladies and I had a scare.  Oh, and one hennie looks iffy.  Not sure she'll be around much.  I'm worming, but hmm.  She's not looking so perky.  Doesn't want to hop up to get in the coop. 

If you read yesterday's post, you saw I made homemade chocolate grahams.  I used 3 cups of them finely ground to make a pie crust.

I tried the new recipe.  Actually two.  The first? 

Chocolate Mousse Pie.  I have wanted to make a chocolate pie for a long time.  Hubby raved about his mother's cake, and I didn't want to pie using chocolate pudding (processed) in it.  

The recipe is in this book (right), "Christmas Made Easy" and you can also find it free online with Mr. Food, although it requires you to register to see recipes for free.

It's worth the look.  My family devoured the pie, and one was moaning as she ate it.  I've pretty much stuck to fruit pies lately and this was a sweet treat to try (for taking to holiday gatherings).  
 
I also made my first teriyaki beef jerky.  I used the oven first, then transferred it to the dehydrator.  Then I realized my dehydrator goes up to 165°F.  Duh!  

I didn't do too bad for the first time.  It tastes great too.  It is a teeny tiny bit over-dried, but still good.  I'll be making more when meat is on sale.  Or Hubby gets a deer this year. Hubby loves it!  Much easier to eat than organic (hard as a rock) jerky from the store.  I'm seeing a meat cow out here one of these days.  I really am.

The recipe for the marinade is from this book.  

I borrowed it from the library several times, and finally gave one recipe a whirl.  I had the meat guy cut the meat for me too.  I will be checking out more jerky books to see which one will land on my "wish" list next.  This one has a lot of recipes, but the author spends a lot of time on "cleanliness."

For now, I can't really try new holiday recipes, although one remains to be tried (sigh).  It's getting too close to the big day(s) and I need to save up for the supplies.  

We had plans to skip Thanksgiving.  Yes.  Skip it.  Hubby's suggestion.  We were to call and get reservations at a restaurant known for their very delicious holiday meal.  I forgot to call.  I'm sure it's too late now.  Sigh....I may be cooking it this year.  Double sigh.  I was sort of looking forward to skipping it (shhh, don't tell the kids). 

As for Sunday's entertainment?  We all went to the movies.  Hubby had 4 free admission tickets and we headed south to the other "big" city.  It was storming, and just as we had left, a (what they believe to have been) tornado hit a trailer park not far from where we had left, taking back roads.  It was very dark, raining so hard you couldn't see where the road was, and as we passed through another smaller town, several trucks from a fire station were sent out.  We were darn lucky.

That's a lot to take in for our Sunday here, and I may still join up with Monday's Happy Homemaker. I kind of need to get back on track after a day off.  Sort of a day off.  I still had a few minutes on the porch.

...until the bugs attacked me.  And before the really bad storms rolled through.  See the wet porch floor?  Rain was blowing up under the roof.

Oh.  We got more rain last night.  Like we need it.  Flooding everywhere here. 

Reubens ~ Homemade Grahams ~ Mullein Tincture

First thing yesterday morning, after warming up with a pot of hot organic coffee, I put corned beef into the crock pot.  Yum.  It smelled so good cooking all day.  Remember that homemade sauerkraut I fermented?  

Well, we enjoyed ruebens again.  Using that delicious loaf of homemade bread, the meat, sauerkraut, homemade thousand island dressing (made with my canned sweet pickle relish and canned ketchup) and swiss cheese.

I also made a batch of chocolate grahams - homemade of course.  Yum.

Started a new jar of mullein tincture.  Only this time I have to use dry herbs vs. fresh.  I am tickled I found it growing wild this year though.  It's just not enough. Unfortunately, this will take 6-8 weeks to sit before I strain it.  I don't use anything higher than 80 proof either.  Stronger is not always better.

To read about the uses and benefits of mullein, there are many herbal books at the library  (and you can google it online too). 

I recently borrowed this book to check it out (because there is not one complete herbal book printed just yet).   I don't always like to share a link anymore. The ads are terrible on some sites.

Hubby had to work Saturday, and it rained off and on, and continued to be cold.  The girls were both gone, despite neither feels completely better.  So, happy to be home alone, I got up to 6697 words out of this month's 50,000.  Not including the short story. 

Hubby texted he'd be rather late, so we would be skipping the wedding reception.  I guess a mechanic had to go to the hospital for stitches.  Anyway, it was getting dark early, so I put the hens in for the night (more on that later), took the dogs out one more time, and put on my cozy clothes, aka pajamas.  

I spent the night crocheting a handmade gift for one of the girls.  I just hope it turns out nice, that I can finish it, and that I can keep it a secret.  The kids may be getting all homemade gifts this year.

The budget crunched on us again.  

Another medical bill showed up.  And it's larger than the last one I shared.  Gulp.  I am calling insurance Monday morning to be sure the bill is correct.   

On a happier note.  I didn't let that bill stop me from enjoying my day.  I also put up Christmas tree #1 - the bathroom tree.  It's red, white and blue, ha ha!  Not on purpose.  One string of lights stopped working too.  I don't have the money to buy blue lights on white cords, nor a new tree skirt (as planned), so the old red lights went on, with my thrift store blue ball ornaments (obtained several years ago with an all blue Christmas in mind).  Sort of looks funny, but in the day, very pretty.  My "happy" part of my day.

This and That

The noise I heard late into the night Thursday night was rain.  Wahhhh!  Okay, so I get more indoor time, but I'm gonna get fat.  Oye.  I find that now I'm writing more, my fitbit has less steps.  The bathroom scale scared me the other day.  Did I really gain a few?  Oh my land, call in the troops, I need to be vigilant and keep my joints moving. 

I found out I can freeze my pear butter I made.  I just didn't feel like dragging out the big ol' canner pot just yet.

I made a trip to the "big" city and hit 3 stores.  That didn't even include the farm feed store.  I spent $2 and picked up a scrub brush and rubber gloves.  The chicken watering unit needs a good scrubbing before winter.

I even forgot a few items.  However, I made it home just after noon, and got a loaf of bread rising.  While that was going on, and got other stuff done.

Made rose water.  Looks pretty, huh?

Made homemade pickling spice(online at Taste of Home) for a meat marinade.

I did some dishes. Laundry was done before I left the house.

Two kids are sick now.

As for the bad memory (and not writing items down on the list, which I stick to like glue), it gave us an excuse for a motorcycle ride.  

It was a cold one, be we laughed about it.

 

As for my writing time?  The only writing I got was this blog.  I will write double time today.  It's a cold 40°F morning, and there is no way I'm going out to do outdoor work just yet.  Writing in my thick bathrobe and wrist warmers on, with thick socks and slippers sounds about right.

November Writing Month ~ Pear Butter with Sherry

November 1st sparked the start of National Novel Writing Month, and I am back to it this year.  Last year I didn't get to participate, but this year I am fired up. 

Of course it helps to know that I need to submit a contest short story piece, but that will only entail 8,000 words.  NaNoWriMo requires 50,000 words in 30 days.

Baking continues . . . 

English muffins for some breakfast sandwiches.  A sausage/potato/kale frittata as well.

All of my regular chores are still in action too, so I'm hoping to keep a balance somehow.   And of course our Staywell health insurance program has a bonus day on Nov.1st to obtain 15,000 steps (to earn 50 points).  So exercise was not left out either.

Garden work continues, although cold.  I'm yanking green bean plants, weeds, and a few last tomato plants/stakes.  If there is a will, there is a way. . . and I call it quits when I can't feel my fingers any more.  The days are getting colder. 

Although rain arrived again, so that put a delay on it (again).  But the rain brought us a 64°F day too (smiling).  The wind was wicked, so I hope it dried up the garden.  It was pretty wet out there yesterday.  It's very dark out still, so I can't see yet if what I heard at midnight was rain or not.

Speaking of green beans.  I left some pods on the table before taking Youngest Daughter to the doctor the other day.  Even though the older daughter was here, the dogs got into those beans.  I found chewed up seeds at the doorway.  I picked them up and reached my hand out to see who was the culprit.  Zuri licked my hand, and King went around the table and hid behind Zuri.  Hm.  I pretty sure King swiped my seeds.  

When we picked the pears, I placed a few into a brown paper bag to speed up the ripening time.  Pears ripen after they are picked, so every one we picked directly from the tree was rock hard.  Those from the ground were halfway ripe.
  

Pear butter was made.  Although I love the pear butter with star anise, I made a new recipe this time. Because I have sherry to use up.

The chickens loved their sweet treat of peelings too.

3 lbs. pears, peeled, diced
1 cup dry sherry
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place all ingredients, but the cinnamon, in large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat 1 hour or until liquid evaporates.  Find something to do near the kitchen - deep clean a drawer, wash a window, as for me?  I wrote. I put towels on the line, I made herbal tea for my sick daughter, and made myself lunch.

Process in a food processor until smooth.  Stir in cinnamon.  Don't forget the cinnamon.  I did, ha ha!  Darn multi-tasking failure!  I had to stir it in after I had the jars filled.


I'm not sure if you can freeze this.  Does anyone know?  I know you can make it with pectin and freeze it. Hm.  I put mine in the fridge to enjoy right now.

I love my homemade calendula cream.  It's a nice spreadable lotion that soaks in after a minute or so. Probably the best combination of ingredients I've tried for a lotion.  I'm using it on my varicose veins too, as winter is arriving and my legs are getting dry skin. The site has a ton of adds, but if you want the recipe it is online with Natural Living Ideas.  It's basically made with calendula infused oil, beeswax, water, and essential oil.  I purchased a hand blender just for making these lotions too.  I have labeled the box it's stored in, so no one uses it with a food recipe.  I have another one I have stored that I use only for soap making too (with lye).  Just some info.

I love the make up remover wipes I made.  They work great, but you have to use a cleanser afterwards, or a bar of goat's milk soap (thankful to still have some). 

I have to buy more vitamin E oil now, as my bottle is down to the bottom.  Does anyone have a resource to purchase it (a good quality of oil)?  This last bottle came from Mountain Rose Herbs, and was rather expensive.

Have a good weekend.

Storing Sweet Potatoes without a Root Cellar/Basement

I have found several ways to store up my sweet potatoes this winter.  Aside from the potato bin indoors, and the burlap bags in another cool/dark room, I am stocking them up in other recipes.

Ginger-Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Butter.

This is a Better Homes and Gardens canning recipe, but it is not boil canned. It goes in the freezer.  Recipe is not online, but is in their magazine (Canning, preserving, freezing and drying) and book I believe.

Frozen Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  I had been told by so many people "you can't freeze potatoes."  I beg to differ.  You can, but you bake and mash them first.  I add nothing to them.

I have been very successful with this process (this works well with white potatoes as well).  I bake the sweet potatoes, mash them, and freeze them on a baking sheet in 1/2 cup servings.  I take them out, and place them in container or freezer bags and simply heat in the oven when needed for meals.  I used foil the last time to line my sheets and the foil stuck to the potatoes.  I used parchment paper this year, and it worked perfect.

Aside from enjoying these with a meal, I can also thaw them to use for sweet potato breads, muffins, and even brownies.

Also, freeze the white mashed potatoes (or red), in 1/2 cup servings.  I utilize this for making rolls too vs. using "potato flakes" in the recipe I use.

You can always dehydrate sweet potatoes as well.  This will be my first year and test tasting them this way.  I have dehydrated (and canned) white potatoes in the past, but the texture after dehydrating is not the best tasting.

And for the first time, I will wrap a few up in newspaper and attempt at growing my own slips without a root cellar/basement.  I'll be storing them in the refrigerator or in a burlap bag of their own.   According to my research, the larger the sweet potato, the longer it will keep in a cool/dark location.


As for storing white/red potatoes?  Canning (pressure canning) has been the best option for me, along with freezing them mashed in single servings.  The taste is much better than dehydrating. 

You can pressure can sweet potatoes too, but I have yet to purchase a pressure canner. I borrowed one to can the white potatoes (to give it a try and check out one of the brands).

You can read my post on our experience canning the white potatoes: here.

Random Tidbits

After trying to convince our youngest daughter to go back to bed, she was on the bus to school, only to text and asked to be picked up.  She slept the entire day yesterday, and I whipped up a batch of homemade ginger-ale for her.  

And speaking of whipping up a recipe.  I made the homemade make up remover wipes - water, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil, and virgin coconut oil.  The recipe is in this book:

I will be back with an update, after the girls give them a whirl.   I sure hope they work.  Buying "organic" ones from the store is robbing my wallet.

Update:  11/7/2017 - these wipes starting growing mold on them yesterday.  So saddened, as these really worked, and I had hoped to cut down my costs for the girls.  I can't add an essential oil, as they are used over your eyes, and I can't put them in the fridge either.  They were tossed out.
 

The kale is growing like wild fire.  I am super happy too.  So is my swiss chard.  They survive a hard freeze, and the best part of this colder weather?  No bugs, so there is more to eat and stock up with.

I decided to put some of the kale into the crocky too - Lentil Barley Soup (recipe from the book above, and thank you Mama Pea for the book suggestion).  A wholesome meal packed with warmth and nutrients. 

I added a finely diced habanero for heat and health as well.    I didn't have a leek, so I used chopped green onion and one shallot.  I still didn't have a lot of spice to the pot, so I ended up adding some "fire powder" and red pepper flakes.  Fire powder is just a mess of hot peppers dehydrated and ground up (at the end of the season).


Apparently Lagom (Swedish) is the new Hygge (Danish).  I just read an article on it, and I pretty much try to live that way - living life to the fullest, staying spontaneous,  trying new things, yet being responsible.


I've been using simply borax to scrub my toilets.  We have a septic system, so I have to be careful of what I use.  I just read a blog (Hibiscus House) that suggested you use baking soda, white vinegar and tea tree oil.  I did some more research, and from what I found, it's also septic safe. I gave it a try, and it works great.  

Send good thoughts and prayers my way.  I'm writing a short story for a contest.  A contest is always a shot in a million, but I love writing too.  There is a pay out for the winners too.

I'm making progress on the mug sets.  They are looking pretty good so far.  I need to crochet the straps on next. 

Happiness is when I find another pint of homemade granola in the cupboard.  I love it on my yogurt.

Monday Fun

Monday flew by fast for me.   For one, it flew by because I overslept.  I guess I needed it.  However, I overslept the bus arriving too, and found a daughter still in bed (yikes!!).  I had to get her up and over to school, although late.   She woke up not feeling well either.

It rained all day long.  I just wanted to crawl back into bed, put on warm cozy clothes, and binge watch netflix.  Seriously, I did.  

But alas, I got some things done.The TV stayed off.

I didn't do much cleaning per-say, but I deep cleaned one bathroom drawer.  It holds most of the medical supplies, bandages, gauze etc.  It was a mess I tell ya'.  Only one drawer left to clean now.

The rest of the day was pretty much fun stuff.  Low key, and relaxing.  I vacuumed, and did other mundane chores, but was limited to some due to finger injuries. 

By the way, after putting a plantain poultice on the tips of those two blistered and bruised fingers, it's much better today (but still tender to use).  The swelling reduced a lot.

 Although my sage supply runneth low, I used some (amongst other herbs, spices) to make my first "Four Thieves Vinegar (Rosemary Gladstar recipe).  It'll be done in 4 weeks.  

I also refilled my lavender antiseptic and calming spritzer bottle.  Also a Gladstar recipe.

And, because someone was trying to convince me to make biscuits and gravy the other day (after a long outdoor work day), for dinner....I did.  Just a different day when I was not worn out.

I snapped this gorgeous photo when I went out after dinner, to pick kale.  The sun was shining so brightly over the ornamental apple tree (planted here before we moved here).  The rain stopped for a bit, and boy it was just so pretty.  Cold, but pretty.

As for "ill" daughter, I made her a hot cup of mullein tea and put fresh ginger root on the shopping list.