All Things go Wrong ~ Granny Squares

Just when I think we are gaining, the all-things-go-wrong storm continued.  

The chicken barn door froze to the ground, daughter's work called her in, so no car was available to pick up anything (when I was about to head out the door to do that), chicken feed can was emptied, fire wood ran out.....I'm trying to be the half-full kinda gal, but man.

The truck is running, but the car is not.  Daughter is paying for parts but her dental bill arrived ($300.00).  We are now not even sure she can afford the car insurance let alone the repairs needed (maybe $160.00 plus).

Well, I dug through the un-split felled tree and pulled a sled full of wood to the house.  The "glass is still half full."  At least I gained on that troubling situation.

My most depressing moment was calling the hotel and canceling our anniversary trip.  I had exactly enough earned from my recent craft sales, until truck parts were needed.  I'll admit this was a tough pill to swallow, as we have not been out on our anniversary for over 17-18 years and we are going on 20.  I sulked and sighed, and dug through my pantry for comfort food.  

I came up with a cheese and cowboy candy grilled sandwich and home canned tomato soup.  It helped, but it took an entire day for me maturely wipe those oh-poor-me emotions from my head.  A bottle of wine would have come in handy.  I got over it and pulled on my "big girl panties."

I pulled back my shoulders, ate a few pieces of fudge, turned on the Christmas music and told myself, "it could be worse."

Granny squares were created by the numbers to de-stress.  Or at least it looks that way.  The dogs, thankfully were troopers and slept quietly by the wood stove.  Most of the time.

Wild Animal ~ Salted Caramel Fudge

Good morning y'all!  It's a frigid 17°F here this morning.  It looks like we got about 3-4 inches of snow last night, and taking the dogs out this morning was not exactly peachy. 

First, they were so excited to play it in, they kept forgetting what they were out there to do.  Second, traffic is traveling at about the speed of a turtle.  Roads look terrible from what I can see, and those slow vehicles kept distracting the dogs.  Once that task was completed, I had hungry barn cats and indoor cats to feed, a fire to stoke and coffee to brew.  School is delayed two hours for now.  I wouldn't be surprised if they canceled it.

I took this through the door from the inside last night.  What in the world makes long, wide drag marks?  About two hours prior to this photo, there were two very long ones to the right of it coming up to the cat food and then leaving. I wish I took a photo then, as the marks were better to see.  What do you think left this drag mark?  A weasel?  Fox?  Coyote?  It's much wider than a cat tail dragging, and cats don't drag their tail like that.  

                                      

Yesterday I dug my way through the pantry.  Guess what?  I had the ingredients to make Salted Caramel Fudge!

Here is the recipe.  It really tastes like caramel too.  I use organic ingredients, and the organic sweetened condensed milk is never sold in stores around here, only about 3 hours south of us in large health stores (or online).

Salted Caramel Fudge

1/2 cup butter

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk*

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 cup white baking chips

1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with foil and light spray with organic non-stick spray or lightly coat with organic olive oil.  

I did not have spray, so I used my olive oil.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.

Add the condensed milk, brown sugar and corn syrup.

On medium high heat bring to a simmer, until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to bubble.  Reduce to low, and stir constantly as it cooks 10 more minutes.

Remove from heat, wait a few seconds for the bubbles to stop, toss in the white baking chips, stir and then wait 2 minutes.  Stir again until the chips are melted, and pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the top with coarse salt, and refrigerate 2 hours before cutting.

I store mine in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

*You can also make your sweetened condensed milk from scratch vs. buying it organic.  It just takes (all organic ingredients, and homemade vanilla) whole milk, sugar, butter and vanilla to make it.  There are many recipes available online.

I'm still working on "Vet Tech" Daughter's scarf.  It was cold enough to wrap my legs with an afghan yesterday too.  I'm whipping up some new items for the next craft show too.  The next one, if they hold it, won't be until sometime in February.

Dog duty is on me today.  My "Grad" daughter stayed overnight at Gram's house to avoid driving home in the snow storm.  She is still driving my car, and said in-town driving was terrible. She delivered Jesse his doggie scarf and I am told it fits him perfectly.  He's going to need it today. 

Speaking of Jesse.  "Vet Tech" daughter now has her dog registered as an "emotional support" dog.  I asked her what was wrong with her, and why she needed to do that.  She answered, "I'm a college student."  Either way, now she can rent any apartment with him.

Teabag Tidbits

I have been drinking organic, store bought dandelion root tea.  I have depleted my homegrown stash of dehydrated root.  I love the little tags that come on them.  So inspiring.

I finished another scarf order last night, and have one left to do.  Then it's onto making new stuff to add to the inventory, plus one daughter's requested scarf.

Sorghum Molasses Candy ~ Tidbits

Sorghum molasses candy is one of our family favorite Christmas candies to make.  Once I started making it, I stopped making toffee for several years.  Although much of my family loves them both.  I just may make some toffee yet.  The sorghum cooks into a honeycomb type candy, is broken up, and then coated in dark chocolate.

Homemade Smoked Almonds

Hello?  Anyone out there in "cyber" land?

I love smoked almonds.  However, the ingredients in them are typically bad for good health.  Usually, they include bad oils and a form of soy.  In my opinion, all soy, unless it's organic/non-gmo, is bad for good health.  Very bad. If you saw how many times they spray the soybean field in my state, you'd never eat anything with it again.  Anyway....

I decided to make my own.

First, I made homemade celery salt using dehydrated organic celery leaves and salt. I had about 1/4 cup of dehydrated celery leaves, so I ground them up with a small amount of salt.  I didn't measure.  I just "eye-balled" it. 

Tip:  When you purchase organic celery with leaves, to freeze celery for winter, dehydrate your leaves for celery salt or to simply use in soups/stews, pastas, and other dishes too.

Then I made the almonds with the celery salt and other ingredients.  How did they taste?  

Delicious!  I used all organic ingredients and the egg white from one of our layers.

Cats to the Vet ~ Harry Potter Scarf ~ Calendula Cream Update ~ Cashew Brittle Recipe

(these are older pictures, but you can see who is who)

The cats have both been to the vet this week. Somehow, with the "car shuffle" we managed it.  Jasper had to be seen because of his teeth.  He has gum disease.  He's going back for a teeth cleaning to prevent it from getting any worse.  There is no cure for gum disease in a cat sadly.  He's on antibiotics until then, and he's not liking getting it.  

Tiger is sick.  He started to vomit all over the house, so we switched his food, and he'll only eat one wet type (and it has to be cold).  He was keeping it down, but now his back bones are sticking out too much, even though he was eating.  Now his hair is falling out in large clumps.  The vet looked him over, and blood work is getting processed.  We'll get results soon.

Random Tidbits ~ Cashew Brittle

Hubby and I had a long Monday.  Who puts events on a Monday evening anyway?!  Well, the public vocational high school, that our youngest daughter will attend next year, held their "career" night Monday night.  She is the one kiddo who will go to school to learn to be a full service cosmetologist.    

More vehicle troubles - Hubby's brake line broke while driving home on the highway.  We went to fetch daughter's old car (still need to transfer title), but she let the tags expire.  So....back to square one.

"Grad" Daughter got herself a second job.  She was hired during the first interview for Christmas help in a retail clothing store.  She is super happy.  She will need the money to pay for her car insurance.

Not much to update in the sense of homesteading lately.  I miss our goats right now (for some odd reason, maybe due to lack of outdoor garden work?).  The hens are continuing to supply me, so I am stashing some for Christmas baking.  It's been raining and cold, so the barn wood job is on hold for a day or so.  It's been cold too.

Cashew brittle was made.  I haven't made it in years, so it was due time this year.  I made two trays, but I think I will make one more.  It's not a hard rock brittle, so it's easy on your teeth.  We love it.  And of course I use organic/non-gmo corn syrup to make it.  One kiddo said, "Wait? you made it this early??"  Ha ha!  I told her, "you do realize there are only 20 days until Christmas?"  Hubby already found my stash and ate a good handful or two.  I'll have to re-stash my stash.

I decided to send the next finished scarf off to CA, considering the length of delivery time, and work up the next four for the local sales.  I'm saving the gifted one for my other daughter last.  I have only a few more rows to finish another scarf today, then I'll start another one.  I also sold another mug set and 4 dishcloths.  

Its a brisk 29°F out (feels like 17) and it'll only get up to a high of 40 today.  Yesterday we had almost zero sunshine, but today we should get some.  Ever so thankful for that sunshine too.