Homemade Lean Turkey Sausage ~ New Breakfast Recipe and other tidbits

 

To make the new breakfast casserole, I needed sausage.  The recipe called for Italian, but I simply used my homemade sausage recipe, by swapping out the pork with lean ground turkey.  I put the extra into the freeze for other meals.

I made a new breakfast casserole, but after putting it together it is basically like a bake I make, only the potatoes are swapped out with cauliflower.  It's very good, but I will season it up next time with either jalapenos, garlic or fire powder.  I topped it with dandelion greens as well.  

Today, I am on the hunt for someone to at least remove the popcorn ceiling.  Wish we luck.  Nothing is cheap anymore.  We can do the painting, but I have never removed the popcorn ceiling.  The floor work is slow going right now, which is driving me crazy.  

I signed up to make rolls for one Thanksgiving, and yesterday realized, I cannot get to my recipes.  They are buried in my office, where the door is in the living room.  It's packed with stuff from the living room, and of course the floor is not in yet.  I guess I'm off the hook for that this year ha ha!

I may take a mashed cauliflower dish.  I mean, I need something my husband can eat.  That's the bad thing of a get together - all the options are not healthy, other than maybe deviled eggs.  When I think about it, almost all but the meat is bad - cheesy potatoes, corn casserole, sweet potato bakes have brown sugar toppings, stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes, corn, any side salads with pasta in it....heck even my BBQ crock pot green beans have brown sugar in it.  I guess I'm on the hunt for some other healthy sides, besides sweet potatoes with garlic, butter and thyme.

Well, we are to get rain and snow today.  And it's another day waiting on a quote to get the gutters cleaned before the weather gets too bad.  

Millet Crust ~ Fruit Trees

Looking for ways to cook green beans? Or Millet?

We had a very good harvest of green beans and this combination of vegetables was not only delicious, but utilized my garden goods we stocked up on.

Here is what I did using organic and homegrown ingredients.

Shopping Day ~ Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Saturday was a big shopping day.  We hit four stores to restock dog food, salt for the softener tank, organic meats, and so forth.  We had to make one stop for a new printer too.  We had the trunk filled, our stomachs were empty and screaming for dinner.

Thankfully, before we left, I filled the crock pot.  It's my healthier version of Pasta e Fagoli.  I make this with whatever I have, and it always tastes good.  Some years I use tomato sauce and paste, with extra broth, but this time I used some tomato basil soup and paste.  The combination was delicious.  I just had to boil the penne noodles and add them when I got home.

Wonky, fra-dazzled day....

I started the day by skipping my work out one more time.  I just thought another day of resting up was in order.

After working outdoors, which seemed rather short, I gravitated to the kitchen.

The night before must have started something, or it's these meds that are making me feel wonky.  I had to rip out an entire, almost completely done, knitted dishcloth.  I have no idea where I messed up, nor how.  I have made quite a few, and this was not such a happy moment.

Back to yesterday. . .

Spicy Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder

As promised, I am posting today the review on a recipe. I used organic ingredients, or home grown from the freezer, and home grown oregano.


Here is the recipe: 

Cardinals ~ Weather ~ Peace Treaty ~ Cookies!

More photos from the other day.  I went outside for these, and most flew off, but a few came back.  Much better to see instead of through a dirty window, ha ha!

Snow moved in, and we were told it could bring 4-6 inches 7 in other areas.  We woke up to maybe 2 inches and it is 32°F not the 8 degrees they said it would be.  It's still snowing though.  School has a 2 hour delay.

On the breakfast plate . . .

A garbage frittata with some sliced zucchini, topped with garden chives.  I added a pinch of fire powder to boost our metabolism too.

I've been taking treats (peace treaty) out to the chickens when I feed/water and fetch eggs.  So far, it's sort of working.  

In the morning I brought in 3 eggs, and later in the evening 2 more, but that darn rooster went at me again.  I think he has cabin fever or something.  I can't wait for a warmer day to send them out into the run.  Oh, he went at Hubby too. 

Speaking of eggs, I broke down and made biscuits for dinner.  Sigh.  Hubby isn't supposed to have all those carbs, but I've been doing so good at keeping them out of our meals, so I am caved in and made sausage and gravy for dinner.  Along with scrambled eggs etc.

I've been hankering a sweet treat lately.  I've stuck with the low carb/low sugar etc. thing with the Hub-ster, and I needed a treat.  Not being able to make my regular cookies, I googled for a low carb shortbread cookie and wa-la!  

However....they tasted terrible.   Like a mouth full of almond flour.  I'm just gonna bake my regular recipes, but only once in a while.

I got another cross bookmark finished, read my book a bit, and one yarn order arrived for the baby blanket.  I'm waiting on one more color to arrive and I can start that.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We had a very muggy and hot weekend.  The humidity was so thick you felt like you were swimming in the air.  

We attended our grand niece's graduation party.  So proud of her.  She's about the same age as Daughter E.  She has 2 jobs, bought her own car, and has bought her own trailer to live it.  Most kids her age are living on unemployment these days.  Oh, and she graduated with honors, just like Daughter E did.

(hubby took a photo just after slicing he was so happy to get a blueberry pie)

Anyway, about the only other thing I got done, was bake a blueberry pie (didn't get that crust pinched together though) for my husband for Father's Day.  He was overjoyed.  It was completely spontaneous too.

Father's day was just us two.  It was also my first Father's Day without my Dad. The girls had to work and the others kids made no contact, so we took off on a motorcycle ride.  I thought it would be hard to get into a place to eat due to it being Father's Day, but that wasn't the case.  

It was difficult to find a place due to lack of employees.  First place had a long wait time, second place was closed, third place we got right in.  However, outside bar and seating closed and a slim staff.  I heard one guy tell a customer that they couldn't get anyone to work.  Even the cook was serving and seating people.  So sad.

Oh, and prices are up.  

This was posted at our table.  It's happening everywhere.  They can't get what they need, and when they do it costs double or more for them to get it.

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

(will link up when she posts)

The weather . . .

78°F/48°F, Thunderstorms this morning so far, and so glad to get the rain.  We needed the humidity gone, and the gardens watered.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

A little overwhelmed with chores, but ...

On the breakfast plate . . .

A breakfast casserole - sausage, yellow squash, shallot, eggs and green onion.  Oh and some fire powder in it.

On my reading pile . . .

I finished reading this book, and it was so worth buying.  If you didn't see my post, I finished it in 3 days.  A record for me.  It was that good.

I'll be picking up another book I never finished.  Apparently, I have more than one to choose from.

On my TV . . .

Heartland ( I think we are in season 8)

On the menu . . .

-chicken chili
-baked walleye, steamed broccoli

-BBQ Pork chops, roasted brussel sprouts

-tuna/noodle, mashed tades and corn

-leftovers

On my to-do list . . .

-dishes
-laundry

-tidy up bedroom

-vacuum

-sweep/mop kitchen

-clean master bath

-bake a breakfast dish

What I am crocheting, knitting, sewing or creating . . .

Honestly nothing the last few days.  I spent my free time reading this past week.  Hopefully the rainy days will give me more time to pick up a hook.

Looking around the house . . .

(see to-do list)

To relax I will . . .

Read.

From the camera . . .

(see previous post for flower photos)

Something fun to share . . .

The only thing I can come up with for this prompt, is that I'll be dehydrating something new.  Stay tuned.

On my prayer list . . .

11 year-old Annabelle, Daughter E, personal requests, for the judge to rule in favor of keeping the pipeline open that runs thru MI to a state oil refinery.  If they shut it down, it will end thousands of jobs and really hurt the economy.

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

The Battle of Planting Saga Continues

Youngest and I spent about an hour on the porch Fri. night waiting on Hubby to arrive home.  We read books and watched all the motorcycles go by (Bike Week). Hubby had good intentions to till, but it didn't happen.  Again.

We also watched about 7 deer come out of the woods across the street.  One doe and a lot of young bucks.

I got two more tomato plants in the tomato garden Saturday morning - making the total up to 70 plants so far.  I also put down 453# of mulch down in the flower beds, but need more.  By 11am, they downgraded the storm, and had only 45% of rain.  

I've been asked, "what do you do with all of them?"

Tomato sauce
Pizza sauce
BBQ sauce
Ketchup
Taco Sauce
Tomato soup
Tomato paste
Crushed tomatoes
Frozen tomatoes
Dehydrated tomatoes (soups, crackers etc.)
Salsa
Green tomato salsa
Green tomato chutney
Fresh tomatoes to eat
Baked stuffed tomatoes for dinner
...there's probably a lot I'm forgetting too.

I had mulch to dump in the flower beds, because the tilling was not yet done.  We really need a new one, 'cause it's older and tricky to run, so Hubby does it vs. me.  Anyway, the mulch that I had was put in the beds.  To get him to till, with his work schedule and the rain, it's been a HUGE battle to plant the garden.  I'm doing it on my own this year.  I do plan to call out to the kids for help, and those who do will get fed well.  Hubby is tilling, I'm planting.  And it's not a small garden.

I have over 54 jalapenos and over 54 green bell pepper plants waiting to be planted.  Of course the rest of the garden too.

Why so many jalapenos?
-cowboy candy (takes a lot to make)
-frozen jalapenos
-salsa
-fire powder (dehydrated hot peppers)
-hot pepper relish

Speaking of hot pepper relish, not one of my hot banana pepper seeds sprouted that I saved last year.  I will be searching for them in produce stands this summer.

Why so many bell peppers?
I have great intentions to get some stuffed bell peppers in the freezer, some diced and sliced for freezing, and I need some for salsa and other recipes and canning recipes.  It's great for dipping fresh into hummus too.

However....rain arrived.  Storms, and lots of rain.  I left the last year's black plastic out in the veggie garden in, in hopes it would help keep those rows dry.  Right now there is a chance for tilling and planting, but no motorcycle ride to bike week events.  Rain all day in that city, but off and on here.  I guess we'll see.

Oh, and Hubby has mentioned his work schedule of working 6 - 10 hour days will continue for a few more weeks or more.  Yeah, I'm cringing.

Putting Up Peppers

Froze the last of the green bell peppers.

Jalapenos and green bell pepper went into this breakfast, topped with freshly cut chives.

Froze the last of the mad hatters and some more hot banana peppers.

Made hot sauce with some of the habaneros.  New recipe.  I'll let you know if it's good or not.

Filled the dehydrator with a mess of peppers for more fire powder.

Dinner last night.  Something I haven't made in a long, long time - pumpkin/ricotta stuffed shells (recipe is still online with Country Living) with basil and sage.  I sliced home grown carrots and put them in the crockpot with honey, butter and thyme.

Sadly, another extended family member on my husband's side of the family, had passed away from covid.  

Tuesday Tidbits

While we are getting things checked off the to-do list, one thing remains - chimney sweep.  They called and canceled on me.  They guy called in sick.  They later called back and rescheduled me for Saturday, so any Saturday afternoon plans are now off the books.

We got new solar lights on our driveway poles have been installed.  I also put two reflector poles near the new trees we planted, so plowing won't destroy them this winter.  I got my garden house unscrewed from the outside spigot, but still need to put it away.  Today, I'm taking down my shower curtain and liner and washing them both.

It was cloudy yesterday, but windy.  Although I am down to two clotheslines (we took the 3rd one down), I crammed it all on including bedding.

While laundry was getting washed and put on the line, I delegated some chores to Hubby and Youngest.  They now have their own to-do list, and it frees me up and less stressed.

Since Plan A didn't pan out, Plan B went into place.  I tackled the hot peppers.

I used a new recipe for the hot pepper jam.  I was a bit concerned it would not set up thick.  We did a taste test.  I put all hot peppers in, with the seeds, including habanero.  It was amazing.  Hot for once.  It wasn't as thick as I would like it, but a nice spread for cream cheese and crackers.

I decided to drop all remaining hot peppers into my food processor and dehydrate them for "fire powder."  It was much faster than slicing to dehydrate.

After doing dishes again, I called it "quits" and brewed me a gallon of home brewed iced tea, and knitted for an hour.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

I made a batch of refried beans. We eat a lot of beans and greens, especially during the winter.  I use a box of organic dry pinto beans (soak the night before, and drain and rinse), add onion and garlic, cook all day in the crock pot.  I then let it cool, strain off any extra water, and blend in the blender (adding any extra flavorings like "fire powder" to it.  You can freeze extra for another day.  We eat beans with breakfast, lunch, dinner and for a snack.  Much healthier and less expensive than canned refried beans.  

Speaking of freezing food, I need to get more containers.  Someone has not been bringing his breakfast and lunch containers (hmpf).

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

The weather . . .

43/33°F today, and we dip down to the teens at night by the weekend.

As I look outside my window . . .

It's cloudy.

Right now I am . . .

Starting a load of laundry and getting ready to make homemade turkey sausage.  Then I will bake a breakfast casserole.

Thinking and pondering . . .

We are still talking about possible gas fireplaces, but we are also looking at the cost of propane and a propane tank for them.  The costs for the tanks alone have skyrocketed.  The best time to put in your gas lines, is when the floor is open (for us anyway, without an actually crawl space per say).

How I am feeling . . .

Worried the living room subfloor won't be in before the weather dips this coming weekend.

On the breakfast plate . . .

New recipe I've been wanting to try.  Will update later.

What I am wearing  . . .

Long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, sweatpants and slippers.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing right now sadly.

On my TV this week . . .

Out for Justice.

On the menu . . .

-Air fryer salmon, air fryer cauliflower (new recipe)
-Chicken bruschetta casserole (new recipe)

-leftovers

Looking around the house . . .

Welcome to week 2 of putting the living room floor back in.  Now our handy man says he's not sure about taking our old popcorn ceiling off, so it's either we do it ourselves, or get a quote from someone else.

On the to-do list . . .

-make breakfast casserole
-make homemade turkey "sausage"
-put stuff back in camper

-clean up boot pile

-vacuum and sweep where I can lol

-make hummus

-purge one dresser drawer, re-organize it

-copy down a recipe from my cousin

-pay some bills

-laundry

-clean both bathrooms

From the camera . . .

I finished another "blessing blanket" to donate.  It will be donated to the same senior center, that we borrowed a transit chair and other supplies from for Mom.  They do a trivia contest with seniors they help, and the winner gets a donated basket of goodies.  This blanket will be in their next "basket" of goodies.

Devotional . . .

All of my books are buried into the office, so I may be looking to buy a new devotional.  

Prayers for me finding more new recipes to cut my husband's sugar/carbs the best I can.  His last report was not good (he was sneaking donuts at work of all things), so I am doing my best to find simple lean meat and veggie recipes.  So far so good.

Homemade Fire Cider ~ Winter Illness Preventative

I decided to leave a few cayenne, jalapeno and our only hot banana pepper plant in the garden a bit longer.

I wanted the peppers to make more ground cayenne powder and also use the jalapenos for making our very first Fire Cider.

Beautiful Spring Day

 

The weather has been beautiful.  Today the high is 71°F.  Porch weather, and we are loving it.

I have not run out of things to catch up on or clean.  My kitchen is full of door wreaths of Mom's I put one on each door, and plan to donate the remainder.  She had a knack for finding the most beautiful ones.

Considering my brain has not yet re-charged, I will be relying on notepads to keep me in check.

I'm considering getting a barn cat this year.  We are getting a few field mice.  I think Jasper, who is a great mouser, is on leave ha ha!  Country life at it's best.

My homemaking tip today:  sure fire way to catch a mouse in 24 hours or less.  Use the snap traps.  Put a small piece of cheese on it, covered by clear tape, poke a few holes in it and wa-la!  Their teeth catch in the tape and tripper the trap.  Otherwise they get away with the snack and trap never goes off.

How long does arrowroot powder last?  My bulk buy container does not have an expiration on it?  Hm?

Short post today.  I'm off to get this day started, and dig thru the freezer for something to grill.  We'll be taking advantage of this beautiful day.

Homemade Applesauce

I was starving for a good breakfast, so I tossed onions, potatoes, green pepper and zucchini in a pan to cook for

Random Tidbits ~ Mustards ~ Homemade raspberry honey mustard ~ Extreme Clean Resumes

I'm still cracking English walnuts.  I've put 3 pounds (and counting) in the freezer so far.   I have more to crack.

This year, my herbal journey will be experimenting with mustard (s).  I'm looking into different ones for greens as well as one for the seeds (there isn't one plant that is good for both, that I have found yet).   In the past I have baked a honey mustard pretzel in the oven (store bought pretzel's with a mustard sauce baked on them).

This past Christmas,