Clean Eating Wins Again ~ Minestrone Soup with Quinoa

For dinner, we made Minestrone Soup with Quinoa, from Clean Eating Magazine.  It was the first time for any of us to eat Fennel also.  The recipe calls for plum tomatoes, peeled, and seeded.  I did not do that.  I had roma tomatoes from the garden and simply used those.  I used fresh Thyme and Basil from my herb gardens.  It's time to start growing them inside for winter use (fresh).

I was surprised that I could function, with my hands, enough to chop the vegetables, but I did.  The soup did not really fill my kids up, so for us it would be a side dish.  The best part of the recipes is that it does not require a store bought chicken or beef broth.  The vegetables and herbs create a wonderful flavor, and all without the sodium.  We give this recipe "2 thumbs up."

Farm Fresh Eggs ~ So Good!

Due to a surplus of our chicken eggs, I am using whites to make homemade angel food cake and the yokes to make homemade noodles.   This will be the first time making either of these.

Here is the final results of the cake!  Unfortunately my children refuse to allow me to share my family age old recipe, but Citrus Angel Cake is similar.  This is my start at avoiding cake mixes in a box and making them from scratch in a self-sufficient, healthier way.  One more benefit of raising chickens for eggs.

With the weather being a bit nicer, other than today's rainfall, we are able to let the chickens free range from early morning to night.  However, they sometimes will lay eggs outside in the grass so we keep their roost open too.

We are pretty sure we will raise meat chickens and turkeys next season.

Wood splitting progress

I measured my stack of cut wood today.  I'm not quite halfway to one cord of wood.  My wood pile measures 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 feet.  I'm done for today.  Phew!

Writing, writing and writing

I have found another Web site to write articles for.  Meanwhile, I have also encourage my 18 year-old son to write for it as well.  In the last two days he has applied for two job openings.  I've lost count on how many he's applied for.  He has not been called for one interview, even after making follow-up calls.  Because the managers are getting upset with people you call back, he has resorted focusing on applying and hoping for the best.

Spicy Sorghum Molasses Cookies

Despite working hard with splitting wood today, I made the family Spicy Sorghum Molasses Cookies.  They are in the Bear Wallow cookies for using honey, sorghum etc.  If you are lucky to still find real sorghum, these cookies are delicious.

Bear Wallow Books 

Information about Sorghum Syrup

Splitting my first cord of wood

I have already split wood before today (by hand), but am making a goal to split one cord by myself.  For every woman out there who has ever split a cord of wood by hand, I give you a great big hug.  My fingers, thumbs, and wrists are so sore after today.  We had many stump pieces about 3 feet wide by about 1 1/2 feet tall, that needed split.  I definitely won't be splitting a full cord today.

Finished Project ~ Crocheted blanket

I have a very happy 8 year-old daughter today.  I finished her crocheted blanket, and she is so excited to curl up in it.  I didn't get the chance to make final measurements (she ran off with it too fast - ha ha!), but it fits the top of a king mattress.  I simply chose a pattern from an old library book, and chose colors at the store.  Now I am so used to crocheting every night, I'm not sure what I will do with myself.  I will be starting the next blanket for my 16 year-old daughter.  She is deciding on colors for me to work with.