Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Easy Peasy Cheddar Cheesy ~ Healthy Garlic Cheddar Biscuits ~ Tales of an Accidental Baker

The wind chill was a perfect time to bake a side dish to go with our big pot of chili.  I typically make a buttermilk cornbread, but we have to keep an eye on my husband's diet.

By the way, this morning we woke up to 23°F outside!  Wind chill is 14°F.  Feels like a heat wave after that sub zero weather we've had.

I resurrected this draft (while looking for something else), that I have had for a few years now. I have no idea who gave me the recipe, but there are so many variations of them.

I can't make this stuff up, ha ha!  

First, my "whoopsie" below happened from using my recipe in my recipes, not off of this blog draft (thankfully).

It wasn't until I made them again, that I realized my blog draft said "baking soda" and my home recipe stated "baking powder."  Had I not even found this draft, messed them up again, and looked at both recipes, I would have never noticed until someone else baked them. 

Photo is when I forgot to add the baking powder (baked for 10 minutes), and they were still very good!  I said something to my husband about how they were small-ish.  He said, "I like them that way."

Funny story (again), the very first time I made them I left out the butter, and they were still good.



I made them again, but this time used the correct ingredients.  They are taller, but I still want to make them again, and swap the sour cream with greek yogurt (just to try).


 Call me the experimental cook?  Accidental baker?  Oh boy, ha ha!


They are delicious, and a nice substitute for cornbread if you, or a loved one is watching their sugar/starch. Top them with a bit of butter, and they will not last long in the house.

 Here is the recipe for the "Low Carb" Garlic Cheddar Biscuits I made the other day:


1 1/2 Cups Organic almond flour (superfine)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder (non-gmo)
1/2 tsp. homemade garlic powder (organic)
1/2 tsp. homemade onion powder (organic)
2 large farm fresh eggs
1/2 cup organic sour cream (or homemade)
4 Tbsp. organic butter, melted
1/2 cup organic shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside.  Mix wet ingredients, then add we to dry and mix well.

I lined my muffin pan with parchment cups for easier removal (which worked great), otherwise use a non-stick spray.


Makes 12 muffins. Batter is slightly thick, but bakes up so nice.

Bake at 450°F for 10-11 minutes.  

Note:  I sometimes freeze organic sour cream, and had thawed it, stirred it and used it in this recipe.  It will be a thinner texture of sour cream, but worked great for baking.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Brunch Pie with a Twist

Temperatures remain cold here - 3°F with a wind chill of -15°F this morning.

I follow the blog Mennonites Can Cook, and they recently shared a recipe for Brunch Pie.  I can easily get distracted with new recipes, or they can inspire me to use up what I have (so I did).

I used canned mushrooms (we do need a lot of that vitamin D in the winter).  I need to dehydrate more next winter.  

Although the sun was shining for a few days, I'm not always out in it long enough.




I decided to try it next, but I swapped out the frozen hashbrowns with frozen rutabagas, that I froze last year.  

Also, from the freezer, I used my garden green onions, (I had fresh bell pepper) and added frozen and cooked watercress greens and a pinch of homemade fire powder.  Hot peppers are a good source for a lot of goodness for our health.

Not to forget about all the condiments I canned last year, we topped the breakfast with some home canned cowboy candy too.  

We added a side of fruit.

Brunch Pie with a Twist © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart


Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Teabag Tidbits

We made it to 8°F with an early wind chill of -6°F this morning.  The snow is falling as well.  Hot water is flowing again, but somewhere my husband heard we will hit a -15°F tonight, and through Wednesday afternoon.  They have issued a wind chill warning.

My husband was the next one to take a fall.  He beat me to the chicken coop, and as I was reaching for the door, I see him down on the ground, chicken feed scoop flown, and watering unit busted in pieces.  

I brought up the fact it was high time to get those spikes on our muck boots, and we never did go looking for them.  It's first on the to-do list today.

We've put in place all of the "just in case" happens.  We are always pretty much prepared, but we did refill propane grill tanks (in case we needed extra heat, but our propane heat stays on if the power goes out), and we picked up a small propane tank for the small grill (as an alternate source to cook).  


 Let's talk "tea" today.  I have blackberry leaf tea, but do any of you tea drinkers have a favorite "brain boost" tea or tea mixture?



I also like this tea for evenings, to help with a good night's sleep, but do any of you like a different tea for that?  




Do you find better health results by buying medicinal teas bulk and using a tea infuser/teaball or homemade teabags?  






My holy basil finally showed up, so I mixed the tea for seasonal stress (Backyard Patch Blog) I shared and made my own brew bags.

Also, I accidently bought brew bags for a full tea pot to brew.  Oops.  I may be using those for summer iced teas.


Teabag Tidbits © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Monday, January 15, 2024

Still Cold

 Today the weather is 0°F, with a wind chill of -15°F. 

The forecast was for cold weather for the weekend and maybe Monday.  Now the sub-zero weather is predicted the entire week.

We have cold water, but the hot water pipes froze.  Many people in our area are dealing with all frozen pipes.  We installed heat tape over a year ago too.  The horrible high winds, combined with the bitter wind chill are just too much this winter.


Here is the crocheted scarf I finished.  It literally used an entire skein of yarn.  I'm happy with the coloration too.  Just in time for this freezing weather we are having.

Stay warm!

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Baby it's Cold Outside!

 Winter arrived all at once, with rain, snow, high wind (high wind warnings), flood warnings, and now freezing temperatures.  We woke up to 3°F with a wind chill of -18°F.  

All is well, other than both of us have been best friends with biofreeze.  I took a fall in a parking lot.  It was the only patch of ice that wasn't salted.  Go figure.  I was stepping out of the truck and wooosh, down I went.  I caught myself with my forearm (on the foot area of the truck) and wailed myself back up, but with a sore bum, neck and arm.  Not to mention bruises.  Go figure, we are out of comfrey poultices in the freezer too.

Has anyone made a poultice with dehydrated comfrey?  I'm wondering if it would work too.  

Either way, I'm digging out my spikes to put on my muck boots today.  We'll be dealing with sub-zero temperatures for a while.  At least the beautiful sun is shining for us today.  For now anyway.

I also spent a few days under the weather, which slowed me down, but I'm slowly regaining energy.  Nothing like this weather to throw your inner health off. It put me behind in painting again, but I should be back to that task next week.

I finished my winter scarf in time for this weather, but will be starting on a new hat, as I gave my last one to one of the our daughters. It's now like I'm out of yarn ha ha!  I'll try and get a photo of the scarf to share with you all.

Thank goodness for my blog, as I have lost my pattern for the hat pattern I wanted to make.  I found the pattern online again, but cannot remember what hook size I used.  I sure hope I guess correctly.  I am sure I did not use a "J" hook as the online pattern states.  


I was asked about the measurements of a lap afghan, and the charts on the internet are all different.  Most say 36 in. x 48 inches.  I have to dig out my measuring tape to double check the one I finished, but my notes measure by how many colors to use.  I'll be back to up date on that.

 



Tuesday, January 9, 2024

. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat

 Winter time is the best time to catch up on handiwork, but I am also very busy trying to catch up on abandoned home projects that need finished.



Finished!  One more scrap yarn lap afghan done.  Although it looks too short in the photo.  I need to re-measure and make sure it's large enough.  It's checked on my unfinished project list now.

I'm still tackling the rest of my list, but it's getting done.  I have, however, started a new blanket, but this was a plan from spring of last year, to use up other yarn I have.  Winter is the best time to crochet blankets (small or large).

I have had to frog two blankets, and I think it's due to me trying to finish them faster than usual.  Ugh.  I have more on the handiwork list to finish.

Bad weather is moving in fast.  It has been pouring down rain and the forecast is saying snow next.  It's not good. I am hoping it misses us, or for the most part misses us.  The beginning of next week is looking like there is the possibility of below zero temps.  I'm tellin' ya' the weather is all over the board right now.

We were not able to pick up straw due to repairs on the truck.  First, we replaced the front rotors.  Next, we thought we only needed two new tires, but we ended up with 4 new ones (which took 2 hours to get done).  Now, it's the back brakes.  If it's not one thing, it's another.


. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Monday, January 8, 2024

Happy Homemaker Monday

 On the home winter project list, we have decided to completely remove the hallway paneling.   When the carpet was removed a large wooden storage box was moved to the hallway (to get it out of the way of work).  I am now going through it, and hopefully passing it on to other family members.  The box itself will be donated if no one can find a use for it.  I have contacted our historical society in the past, and they were not taking any donations.   There are some old family items in this storage box, and I can no longer store them.  

After cleaning my Dad's place and Mom's after they passed, I have a different look on what I keep and do not keep.


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

I will link up when she posts.  I'm running behind today.


The weather . . . 

High 30's, low 40's, some weather moving in around towards the weekend, with rain/snow.


Right now I am . . .

Brewing a late pot of coffee, and posting this.


Thinking and pondering . . .

Looking through my seeds and working on a seed order if necessary.


How I am feeling . . .

I'm not liking the lack of sunshine right now.  I do believe it plays a part in how a person feels.  Did I mention the tea recipe I will be trying?  I posted a link for it.  It is said to help with seasonal stress.


On the breakfast plate . . .

Egg/sausage scramble, Coffee.


On the lunch plate . . .

Have no idea yet.


On the dinner plate . . .

Perch, and a vegetable


On the menu. . .

No idea yet.  However, I do look in the freezer/fridge and pantry before writing it up.  I will work on that later.


On my reading pile . . .

I have not had any time to read over the last week.  I'm okay with that, as I am making progress on the winter project list.


On the TV this week . . .

Fool me Once (series on netflix)


Looking around the house . . .

If you haven't read my recent post on our winter project list, I am working on painting interior doors and door trim.


The to-do list . . .

-muck coop
-catch up on any laundry
-dust
-make some calls, the truck just got new rotors, but now it needs new tires
-water plants
-sweep/mop floors
-purge a storage box we no longer have room for


From the camera . . .

We were lucky to have a few beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but with the rain and snow moving in, the skies have been cloudy the last few days.


Devotional, quote, prayers . . .