Pioneer Woman at Heart

Garden season brings us fresh jalapenos, and we use them for so many recipes, canning recipes, salsas, etc.   In anticipation for summer garden goodies. . . I had a few fresh jalapenos leftover from a recent meal.  Store bought of course. I dehydrated those fresh jalapenos per the temperature guide that comes with my dehydrator.  Many people today have dehydrator settings on their actual kitchen stove, or even their air fryer.  I have an actual dehydrator.  I do like my smaller one, now that we are cooking for two.  I am able to dehydrate, using either 1 up to 5 trays at a time, so it's super adjustable. Once the jalapenos were dry, I ground them in a coffee grinder (specifically used only for such foods/herbs). I then mixed it equally with salt (and ran all of the mixture in the coffee mill/grinder), and I stored it in an airtight (or re-purposed spice jar) jar.  I used fine pink Himalayan salt for ours.  You can do your measurements however...

Could Spring finally be here to stay?  The heat has been shut off.  The first mowing has happened, and the grass is a beautiful and bright green again.  The flower beds look really nice again, and I have dug up and moved some flower bulbs.  New fruit trees were planted, and porch furniture covers removed. I've not been online much at all (hence the long post today, so grab a cup of java), and even hand wrote a letter this past week.  I've done a lot of cooking, but mostly the prep work for fresh salads to go with meals.  Soak, chop, slice and dice, mix....lots of good food, but a lot of dirty dishes too. Third Year Asparagus. First planted asparagus Our first asparagus is sprouting, the asparagus beds have been cleaned up and ready for a Spring harvest.  We planted more more new asparagus roots, and we are preparing a new area to expand the asparagus patch again (we never have enough to freeze). I planted rosemary seeds prior to a good rain. I have mor...

The living room looked like it threw up a bunch of yarn, so I then realized I needed to get busy on some blankets to donate.   Yarn has been put away and the living room is back to being the living room, ha ha! I dug out my crochet/knit journal, and started to write down the yarn brands and colors for my current projects.  I should have been doing this years ago, but it's getting done (so I can repeat one if I would like to). . . .lap afghan started (to donate to a charity, senior center or other). . . .a set of pot holders in progress (my on-the-go travel project).  I am seeking out places to donate it to, and it may go to the Senior Center Bingo (for a prize).  There is also another woman I know who collects items for women leaving battered life situations, and starting over with a new home. Not my handiwork , but some we saw for sale..... Oddly, anyone who doesn't crochet or knows their products, would not know that these were made with acrylic yarn.  Th...

  I've gotten off the path of sharing my "thrifty" or "frugal" anything on my blog.  Many of these are repeats, but each time I go the thrifty route, we save. Used my clothesline instead of the electric dryer.  Free solar dryer.  I use the clothesline year round, but from Spring to Fall it's used in place of the dryer.  I'm thankful to have a clothesline. Made breakfast with steel cut oats we bulk buy (cost is a lot less), and only a cup makes enough for us two for a few mornings. I brew my own teas, and tea infusions with bulk ingredients or free foraged ingredients. I use the library to look for new recipes, books, movies, etc.  Free.  Our library also provides free bookmarks. I try to go to the library during their book sales, because they give their magazines away free.  Yes, you can borrow them for free too, but I can read them at my own pace, and/or pass them on to someone who uses them for crafting. On my most recent visit to the library, I...

  Our weather continues to go up and down, but the spring flowers are either blooming or about to bloom.  The herb garden is waking up from it's winter slumber.  Although we had a 73 degree day early this week, it went quickly back to 36°F and very windy.  I am sure my blooms are struggling with  29°F weather. Daffodils with orange centers. And for a bit of foraging . . . Purple dead nettle. Wild violets.  Dandelions are coming up too. Spring Blooms   ©  April 2025 by  Kristina  at  Pioneer  Woman at Heart

                        I am on a biscuit mission, to enhance side options for breakfast sandwiches, soup dinners and even get togethers.  These were Cheddar and Chive Biscuits. We once, on our adventures this year, tasted the most delicious breakfast sandwiches, there were served on a cheddar and chive biscuit (made in the restaurant from scratch). Results:  Delicious! I used all organic ingredients, and cut the chives fresh from our herb garden.   The recipe uses a different method to incorporate the butter and makes a very light and fluffy dough (a tip from Cooks Illustrated?). Note:  The above biscuit recipe is online if you are interested:  Ridiculously Easy Cheddar Chive Biscuits (The Café Sucre Farine) Note 2:  Be sure to flour your biscuit cutter (or it will stick a bit). Homemade Biscuits   ©  April 2025 by  Kristina  at  Pioneer  Woman at Heart

April 9th - rain and snow mix, morning temperature was 21°F! April 10th - 38°, high of 44°F, rain April 11th - 30°, low chance of rain, partly sunny We should be picking asparagus, wild violets and wild dead nettle right now, but the weather is delaying it.  I surely hope we still get them all.  Time will tell. Despite freezing cold weather that is freezing my chickens water at night, my potted comfrey is already coming to life again.  The weather is to warm up again thankfully. I need help with deterring rabbits. Does anyone have any tried and true (non toxic) ways to deter rabbits from your flower beds and herb garden?  I read coffee grounds deter them, but they are not good for my herb garden.  I had motion sensor noise gadgets, but they did not work for the rabbits last year. A tree of some sort is growing in the edging (between the landscaping stone and chives of all places) of the herb garden, and it has thorns.  It needs to be dug out thanks to the b...