From Pile to File ~ New Recipes Tried

 

I made Cajun Angel Hair and Sausage.  New recipe tried!  I had some organic angel hair pasta and wanted to use it.  I finally found some non-gmo smoked chicken sausages too.  The recipe includes fresh green onion in the recipe and I used freshly snipped home grown green onion to top it with.  Oh my!  I'll tweek the sauce part (needs more), but the taste was fabulous.  I made homemade Cajun seasoning for it.

This recipe was a favorite.  Normally, you cook meat or brown it first, and this recipe is a toss it all in but the pasta.  Loved it.  I didn't expect it to taste so good on account of lack of ingredients.  I used 2 homemade beef bouillon cubes (because that is what I had). I just added the pasta last, cooked some peas and shredded some cheese.  The recipe is online as well - Slow Cooker Chicken Bolognese Pasta.  Does anyone have a dry homemade mix recipe for chicken bouillon?  Or one for freezing in cubes?

Speaking of all this baking and cooking, I have a container of organic non-gmo shortening, but it has coconut in it.  Do any of you have recipe ideas this would taste good in?  I basically use shortening for birthday cake frosting and that won't taste good in that.

A "Getter' Done" Kind of Day ~ Homemade Neosporin ~ Lip Balm

 

I finally got a day to make a batch of homemade "neosporin" and some lemon balm lip balm.  The infused oil recipe for the "neosporin" is online.  The recipe for the lip balm is on Mountain Rose Herbs blog, but I make a lemon balm oil infusion vs. calendula.

Did some laundry, dishes, and did some tidying in the kitchen.

I finally finished making these ornaments.  The instructions are on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.

Extreme clean update:  I finally found a person to pick up the scrap stained glass.  First person never showed up.  All of the craft glitter is leaving the house.  Daughter T is taking it all. One pair of sweatpants left the house too.

Took this photo the day before the snow arrived.  Dolly Carton was enjoying her dirt bath.  Just a happy photo to share with y'all.

 

This and That ~ Winter Weather Advisory (and it's April!)

The bad:

I heard that Hobby Lobby is closing all their stores for good, due to government mandate involving health insurance and their beliefs.  Has anyone else heard this?  Or is this just rumor?

The good:

My dehydrator replacement door was back in stock and has been ordered.  Woohoo to that.

Something I learned: 

I watched a show on Create TV (cooking), and found out it's healthy to add garlic powder to your chicken feed occasionally.  I caught the 1/4 cup part, but missed per what amount of feed.  I'm trying to find the show online to re-watch it.  I think I found the show, but the station is operating on reduced power, so I'll have to check back later.

Something I learned:

You can make jelly from the red buds on the red bud tree.  I most likely won't get to try it this spring (the freeze), but will try it next year. My Mom has a tree.  It's also medicinal.  Fun and good to know.

I had a request for the recipe for homemade lip balm.  The original recipe I tried uses calendula and is found on Mountain Rose Herbs blog.  I now make an infused oil with lemon balm and make it that way.

As far as making homemade "neosporin" Here is the recipe I use, but there are other recipes online as well using optional essential oils (different ones) to try.  I love this recipe. 

Whelp, sadly the best pizza up by my husband's work has closed both locations due to no one wanting to apply to work.  He tried getting it for us last week and they were closed.  They are hiring, but can't get anyone to work (thanks to you Gov extending unemployment until Sept of this year, which is ridiculous).  More local businesses have closed on certain days or have closed completely until people apply to work.

I decided to cut most of the lilacs in hopes they'll bloom inside, so I didn't have to cover it.  I can't cover my apple or peach trees, so most likely no fruit again this year.

Well, this happened.  We got 4 inches.  A record I believe.  Crazy.  Thank goodness I had enough old sheets to cover some things out there.  The freeze comes tonight.  Oh the fun...

Signs of Spring

 

Yarrow

Lilacs are on.

Comfrey

Feverfew.

Bleeding heart.

So many signs of spring, but I'll be digging out the old sheets to cover during these next few days.  The daffodils and hyacinths are about done for the season, but will need to cover the asparagus, rhubarb and everything pictured in this post too.  Oh, and my green onions.

I went out to pick asparagus for dinner (finally have enough for a meal), I saw that some Russian kale and some collards were up.  Yummy!

Happy Homemaker Monday

Garden work has started.  We had a busy weekend too.  We added another roost to the existing chicken coop.  Plans for the new one involve using barn wood from the knocked down barn.  

We replaced the bottom board in one kitchen cupboard and purged what was under it.

Installed the new wall towel rack in the smaller bathroom, installed new solar lights outside, and repaired a part on the dishwasher, and Hubby mowed all weekend.

We ended the evening by grilling burgers, and toasting the buns on the grill.  We mixed in chopped garden jalapenos, garlic and onion, and topped them with homemade thousand island dressing and blue cheese (we were too exhausted to fry bacon for them).  Oh so good and great way to end the day. 

On this week's to-do list:
-boil eggs
-laundry

-sweep/mop kitchen

-dishes

-start back at the craft purge 

-pick an extreme clean project

-make homemade lip balm

-make homemade "neosporin"

-write out a shopping list

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

The weather outside is . . .

67°F/38 today, but tomorrow?  44/31°F and then Wed? 42/23°F

1-3 inches possible Tues./Wed.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Tired, although tickled pink we actually got some things done on Sunday.  

On the breakfast plate . . .

I'm going to make a breakfast bake, but use the very last bags of frozen zucchini and yellow squash vs. potatoes.  I tried a new way to bake the bacon - twist and bake on a foil like rimmed baking pan for 35 minutes.  Super crispy.  Recipe said 45 minutes, but my bacon was starting to burn, and 35 minutes at 425°F worked great!

On my reading pile . . .

On the TV . . .

Westerns on Amazon Prime

On the menu this week . . .

-two new recipes to try, roasted asparagus from the garden

-grilled cheese, home canned tomato soup

-baked chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans

-maybe an overnight casserole vs. a crock pot dish

-a new crock pot recipe

Looking around the house . . .

I feel so much better getting so much done.  I have a good to-do list, but the kitchen will be less cluttered after cupboard repairs.  I'm already making plans to get it all re-organized and purged under the kitchen sink.

To relax this week, I will . . .

If it warms up later in the week - play cards on the porch with my husband.  Otherwise, before he gets off work, most likely crochet.

From the camera . . .

This morning's sunrise.  The clouds sure scream weather change.

Something I want to share . . .

...because I'm an organizing nerd....how I whipped up a way to store my dish gloves.  It's a GM hook and a curtain rod clip that slides onto a curtain rod to clip on curtains (tea towels etc.).  I will be picking up some cheap placemats to put behind them on the door and under them to protect the wood.  It felt great "shopping" from the "junk drawer."

Something else to share - early birthday present from my husband.  I LOVE these!

Devotional, inspirational, prayer list or Bible verse . . .

Good Vibes ~ Pushing Positivity

 

I saw this at the store and thought, why not give it a try.  I mean it can't hurt to try.  Not sure if it will really elevate my mood and energy, but I could use it.  

Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy Cookies (found on Yogi online).

These are buttery and a hint of citrus flavor.  The tea itself smells amazing.  Great way to use up teabags if they are needing used up.

I also ordered a copy of this book.  I just gave up on the library for now.  I can always pass on one book to make room for this one.  Also giving it a try to lift my spirits.  I'll let you know if it's any good.

Bringing fresh cut flowers indoors helps boost my spirit. So glad I have an abundance to cut from.

Having something "good" to look forward to lifts my spirits.  Tending my seedlings give me something to look forward to - growing the garden.  My thyme has sprouted.

Taking affordable, spontaneous getaway trips has really helped boost our spirits.  We didn't get to go camping at all last year, and hope to this year.

Taking  beautiful photos (or of things that make me smile) boosts my spirits.  I love a good sunrise.

Baking makes me happy.

(chowder before the milk/cheese was added)

Crock pot dinners make me very happy.

Keeping a tidy house keeps me happy too.  It's been hard.  The hallway project is not finished yet and is driving me crazy.  I have now moved everything out from under the kitchen sink to replace the bottom piece in the cupboard.  Seeing all that stuff on the floor drives me nuts too.  I keep a list to try and stay on task, but getaways are needed too.  I'm trying to keep a balance and removing the chaotic feeling when the house needs tidying up.

It's been too much on us in our state, that depression has been taking over many of our friends and family.  I made the mistake of listening to the Governor's briefing yesterday.  He could not answer anything.  Won't change his mind on the "number" we need to be at in "cases" in order to lift restrictions.  He was speaking at Toledo University, and 3 local news people asked the same question about mask mandate because he didn't answer the question. He never did.  One asked if that number is even obtainable because his daughter has an health issue.  Never did answer anything completely.  Just went around them with blabbering. His only answer to any question was more need the vaccine and more mask wearing, and even though he put out numbers that 95% of people are wearing a mask, our state has been increasing in "cases" in a bad way.

 There are days I can barely get thru.  What do you do to stay positive under a lockdown, that feels like it's taken your right to live your life away from you?

Asparagus/sausage breakfast bake ~ Wild Violet Jelly

 

Wednesday's sunrise started out pretty nice, although they said clouds would move in.  I was slow to start the day, but put on some dance music and got to work.

Breakfast ended up a sage sausage/asparagus bake with some home grown basil, garlic, and kale.  I added a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese too.

I canned  jars of wild violet jelly.  I am so glad I picked the violets when I did.  Snow showers are expected today.  Wild violets are medicinal as well as making a delicious jelly.  I have a yard full of the white/purple ones too, but haven't picked any.

Wild violet jelly is a very fun process.

Violets are picked and steeped.  The color turns to a beautiful blue color.  Once the liquid is strained, and lemon juice added, it turns into a beautiful pink.  It smells wonderful and tastes even better.  A once a year jelly.