Pioneer Woman at Heart

We are getting hit with a ton of rain and wind.  Flooding is happening in some areas.  The temperature has really dipped too.  We woke up to 48 degrees this morning. I went scrambling for my chili recipe and could not find it.  I think I have too many tab options in my recipe box ha ha! I found it in the "camping" recipes, but I adjust it to make on the stove and in the crock pot. I basically cook the bacon and ground beef first on the stove top (or oven). Then put all remaining ingredients in the crock pot.  I add jalapeno for some heat too. I'm putting the recipe here, but if you want to make it over a campfire, you'll need a dutch oven and hot coals. Dutch Oven Chili 2 lbs. ground beef, organic 1/2 lb. bacon, organic 2 5.5 oz. cans tomato paste, organic 2 large yellow onions, diced 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. chopped celery (optional) 2 tsp. cumin 2 - 28 oz cans of whole tomatoes (I use frozen garden tomatoes when I have them)...

After reading a post on another blog, I remembered taking a dutch oven cooking class with my oldest daughter and best friend from high school.  That was April of 2011.  I haven't really done anything that exciting since then either.

My hubby and I took our two younger kids to a state park fall campout this weekend.  It was a load of fun - absolutely the best camping trip yet with the kids! I had my doubts as it rained all day Friday.  I still packed up and away we went, and headed out about 6pm Friday night. That night we decided to skip a fire and watch the campground moonlight movie.  They have an outdoor amphitheater, and the movie was Harry and the Henderson's.  They served ice cream, rootbeer floats, and popcorn.  After that we simply went to bed. The next morning we had trouble getting our fire going - took forever to get breakfast made.  After that we drove down to the boat launch and they offered free canoe rentals for 2 hours.  Only 4 canoes went out that morning. My 9 year-old was a bit hesitant, so I stayed with her while hubby and my 12 year-old went out.  She later regrets not going out. When we returned, we participated in cookie decorating.  Th...

We are another step towards complete self-sufficiency.  I made liquid hand soap for the first time.  It's not really a necessity, as we have the handmade goat's milk bar soap.  However, it is useful to have at all the sinks.

Pear picking has begun.  Deer have ripped down a branch, but the trees are loaded.  We carried back what we could, but need to go back out.  It may be the year to make pear wine.  We need more practice at it anyway. I also picked another 6# of tomatoes.  Those went into the freezer with hopes for more.  Some plants are dying, while a few are thriving. I was able to get 1 head of organic cauliflower in the freezer.  I snatched up one on clearance - $1.49.  I am hoping for more. Here's what went with that leftover corn bread - dutch oven chili with bacon (but cooked in the crock pot this time). Baked a blueberry-lemon bundt cake.  I felt bad when Hubby asked on Monday if I had baked anything "sweet."  Monday was a busy day.  It sort of stuck in the pan this time - added extra blueberries.  Lip smackin' good. Got some more weeding done until I ran into this..... I'm waiting on rain or Hubby to extract th...

  The last time I journaled (long time passion of mine), was Feb. of 2020.  I'm not kidding.  I guess I am not sure if that is good or bad, but I would have just repeated over and over about the pandemic, and doing that is depressing as it is.  Seeing our government ban a treatment for covid patients (one that my husband should have had), is unbelievable.  We have had friends receive the treatment and were better the next day.   Anyway, the journal is back out, and the pen is going again.  It's my "main" journal.  I have many, many other ones, including a journaling Bible that I plan to get out this week.  I have lots of questions right now. The weather continues to be cold, my tabs are still up on the computer awaiting to place a yarn order (waiting for a good deal on shipping, because it's needed but not an emergency for any personal order either). While out and about yesterday, we made a quick stop at a large grocery store. ...