Busy Kitchen Day ~ Dogs

Quarantine day 17.

Daily disinfecting of switches, knobs, toilet handles/buttons, wiped once a day.

Photos of my day yesterday.  Well, some of them.

Fed well.

Boiled eggs from last pick up.  Didn't have enough of my own, and was craving egg salad and just boiled eggs for snacking.

(computer screen) Worked on gaining more points to keep our health insurance cost down while the eggs boiled.

Picked out a favorite recipe for our next meal.  Four Beans and Sausage.

Breakfast frittata with onion, zucchini, spinach and fire powder.

Check out the difference from our farm fresh eggs and the ones from the store.  I am hoping for more eggs from them today.

I baked King Flour's recipe for flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  They are packed with peanut butter flavor, but I still like Einkorn flour peanut butter cookies better.  The family was happy anyway.

I didn't get photos of the dogs, as I knew I'd wake them up, and that wasn't happening.  Yesterday was a much calmer day as far as it goes with the dogs.  They were just under a lot of stress yesterday.  We may just get the dog fence knocked off the to-do list soon.

My chicks are getting wings feathers.

Fall Colors ~ Tomatoes are Out!

We are seeing some beautiful fall colors right now.  Yesterday, we were blessed with another dry, but cooler and cloudy day.  Dry is the key word.  I put on snow boots (still can't get my ankle in my muck books, and high tailed it out to pull tomato stakes.  Rain arrives today, and for about 24 hours straight.  Inside work resumes today.

Yesterday I finally (finally, as my family patiently waited), got homemade (organic) sausage put into a dandelion/egg/jalapeno/potato and egg scramble.

Speaking of potatoes, I pulled the sweet potatoes from my grow pot.  They are pretty long, but only the diameter of about a quarter or less.  They needed a longer growing season.    I'm saving them for another breakfast.

The tomato stakes and wimpy tomato plants have been yanked.  I was utterly and fantastically surprised to see jalapenos.  I'm not sure how hot they are, but we are about to find out.  Yum.  I was just pleased to make a bit of progress in the deconstruction of the garden.

Whiskey - Bacon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.  Oh so good.  I sure missed them, but now it's the season, we are enjoying (just not homegrown this year).

We have a stray young cat coming around.  It responds to "kitty, kitty, kitty" and came somewhat close to the house.  It also comes to the cat food bowl.  I'm trying to get close so we can give it a safe place this winter, but it's slow going.

We tasted "Cowboy Beans" and they are somewhat like Four Beans and Sausage.  Similar taste, just different beans and meat.  It was good, but nothing to rave about, but a good hearty one pot everything meal. 

We have decided to put getting a rescue puppy/dog on hold until next year.  I need my leg healed first.  Medical bills are rolling in, and will roll in more if the surgery is approved.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We had a wonderful weekend.  We spent two days with our daughter's family and grand-kids.  Oh my gosh we had loads of fun, and saw her laugh, made the kids giggle and what not.  It did a world of good for them all.  

We also gave her the necklace we put together, along with this bracelet.

From left to right, "Just Breathe" a cross, "Guardian Angel" angel wing, his birthstone, and the first letter of his name.  She loved them both.

Also, after two months of not riding, I finally got my biker boots on (right foot wasn't easy to get on, and very tight) and went on a ride.  We also visited Hubby's sister in the nursing home.  Felt great to ride too.

Other sort of good news....Hubby is trying to get in touch with our 21 year-old, to see if she'll bring Jesse here for a visit with me.  Oh happy day if it happens.  I'll be sure to post too.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

On the breakfast plate . . .
Have no idea yet.  Hubby is still in bed at the time of posting this.  He doesn't go to work until tonight.


The weather outside is . . .
It's pouring down rain this morning, but they say a high of 90° in some areas later today.  Crazy weather, but so glad for the rain.  I hope it plumps up both types of peppers out in the garden.  It's the last hoorah for the garden as far as weather goes.  Then I start yanking.


On my reading pile . . . 
Still reading the same book.


On my TV . . .
Whatever we find good on Amazon, otherwise I have movies on order at the library.


On the menu . . .
-Southwestern black bean burritos
-pasta/pesto, veggie
-four beans and sausage
-meatball cabbage rolls


On the to-do list . . .
Laundry
Dishes
Dehydrate sage
Grocery store trip
Visit Hubby's sister and take her some pretty flowers 
Start cleaning up and tidying up one bedroom
(shortest to-do list you'll ever see, ha ha!)
Turn air conditioning back on (should be the last day for it)



What I am creating . . .
Current project is to finish a set of pot holders that someone ordered from me.


Looking around the house . . .
It's not too shabby, but some rooms need major tidy control.


From the camera . . .

I have nothing on the camera (other than lots of pictures of the grand kids).  The last thing was the island trip.  Boy do we miss them both.  I think the island may be calling us just one more time if we can swing it.  Hubby is going to nights for a while.  We can't make any plans until we know how long.  Could be a few days, a week, two weeks, three weeks.....


On my prayer list . . .
Me (leg), our daughter and her family who lost their son, our family, my friend's mother who is in the hospital with pneumonia, and other personal requests.

Randomness ~ Four Beans and Sausage

Tiger is feeling better now.  In fact, the day we took him to the vet he got a shot and when we got home, he was running around the house chasing nothing, ha ha!  Then later I found a ball of yarn that was dragged all down the hallway, ha ha!

Every year we joke about what will get left out, after putting all the Christmas decor away.  I did it again this year!  Ha!  While pulling dried clothing off the drying rack, I noticed all the stocking holders sitting on the breakfast bar.  Hmpf!  Guess I'm digging out a tote to fit them in.

I finally got around to locating a Tupperware dealer.  I have lots of items that are cracked and need replaced.  I just have to pick up the phone and call her now.  Then go around and collect all the cracked stuff.

Has anyone used psyllium husk powder in a recipe?  I have a new recipe I want to try, and wonder if this stuff is available in most stores?  It's the "glue" in a recipe I want to make, but un-assure that I will be using it all before it goes bad.

It was another crock pot day, and we love this recipe, but it's adapted to using organic ingredients.  Organic smoked sausage is a thing, but hard to find.  In fact, we have plans to visit some health stores after this nasty weather breaks.

Here is the recipe (adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook)

Note:  I have used cooked dry beans for this before as well.  I do have stores close to me that sell BPA free canned organic beans, but supply is limited.

1 can organic Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can organic butter beans, rinsed and drained*
1 can organic red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups home canned (homemade) ketchup*
1/2 cup organic diced onion
1 organic green bell pepper, diced*
1/4 cup organic brown sugar
2 home grown cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
1/2 tsp. organic dry mustard
1/2 tsp. home canned hot sauce (or Tabasco sauce)
1 lb. organic smoked sausage, sliced into bite size pieces

Place everything in your crock pot and cook on low for 9-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

Plan ahead during gardening seasoning, and freeze your green bell peppers to make this recipe even easier.  You can dehydrate your onions and re-hydrate them also.  Of course you can also dehydrate your garlic, but our supply of fresh is still providing.  I am getting low on home canned ketchup, so I am praying for a good garden year this year.  I may give it a try to grow black beans along with our usual pinto beans this year too.  Maybe even lima beans.

I have used Annie's organic Worcestershire sauce and personally do not like the taste at all.  For the amount used, I use a regular brand.  I cannot buy organic butter beans in any store close to me, so I stock up when I get to a store, or it can be ordered online as well.  I have substituted other organic white beans for butter beans, so feel free to mix it up.

The link to: Homemade Canned ketchup
The link to:  Home Canned Hot Sauce