Tuna-Corn Pie ~ A Meal from Leftovers

It's 13°F (feels like -1°F) this morning. The pups are sporting their winter coats and their hand crocheted dog scarves.  Brr.

I now have a slight cough😟, regardless of resting and remedies.  I am however, resting again today, although last night I was feeling good enough to resume my exercise today.  I will do a few yoga stretches.  In the mean time I have lots of handiwork, and many library books to look over and read.

I do have two good herbs here for coughs - mullein and comfrey, and will be adding more thyme to my soup today.  I will also either steam with eucalyptus or take a warm soak in the tub.  

After our 18-year old babysat, she did grocery shopping for Mom, and I explained to all that I would not be going out until I was much better.  Considering what happened the last time I visited a hospital.  The flu is horrible here, and two of the little ones (great great nieces to us) became sick at the meal after the funeral and now have the flu.  We heard from our missing in action daughter (my step-daughter) and one her her littles have the flu (she has two we are grandparents to, but never see her).  It's just a good time to stay home and out of places.  For me anyway.  

Thyme - 

Did you know thyme is high in anti-fungal properties as well as antioxidants?  It helps boost the immune system, and it helps break down mucus and remove it from your body.  Gargling with salt water helps put a stop to it draining down your throat, but you can gargle with a thyme tea as well. 

Thyme is very easy to grow too.  In our area, it is a perennial plant.  I do not have to bring it in during winter thankfully.  However, I do have to plant a lot of it, so I can dehydrate it for the winter months.  My first step into self sufficiency, and homesteading, was growing an herb garden when I lived in the city. I dug it up and transported it during our next two moves, which landed us here.



Back to the Tuna recipe. . .

I love to whip up leftovers into another entirely different meal, and especially around any given holiday, get together, or party.  I love dreaming up new meals, so the leftovers are not so mundane (as one child reminds me).

I whipped this up over a week ago, and wanted to share.  

Leftover creamed corn and mashed potatoes combined with a few other ingredients make one delicious "pie."

You can also simply make these to ingredients or buy creamed corn and mashed potatoes if you so desire to as well.  

. . . from the gratitude journal

In light of yesterday's thrown together soup, I am posting a gratitude post today.  

I used everything I think  - home grown tomato juice, carrots, beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, habanero and jalapeno peppers, zucchini slices, corn...just about everything I had on hand.  It was an "everything but the kitchen sink soup" and spicy enough to clear out one's sinuses.

We may not have everything that I want, to maintain our homesteading lifestyle, or everything on our road to complete self-sufficiency, nor all the tools I need or want, or have the meat and dairy animals I would like to raise, but. . .

Today I am thankful for:

Random Tidbits

Zuri-raptor has landed again.  This time she stole a stuffed animal from the box heading to the thrift store, and simply ripped out the head.  I do declare.  That dog!

I got a lot of rest yesterday, but Hubby had to go to work today.  He is the one keeping me from over-doing work, and resting more.  He even cleaned the tub so I could take a hot soak in tea tree oil.  He wasn't feeling good and we both took a long nap together. 

I'll have to keep myself on track today. I don't think it will be a problem either.  I'm only up to get one kiddo off to school, get the fire going, and make sure another daughter is up to take dogs out and feed the cats. 

Today it will be a repeat of yesterday - rest, warm soup, mullein tincture, herbal teas (many with ginger), four thieves vinegar, essential oil diffuser, homemade vap-rub etc. 

Oh, and Mom is home now.  Thanks to my 18 year-old, who went up to transport her.  

Turkey Lentil Frittata

Here is the recipe I promised to share.  The original recipe is linked, and below I will explain what I added.

I found the "protein packed" breakfast recipe online at Lentils.org (click Lentils.org to the left to go directly to the recipe), and changed it up a bit to try. Lentils for breakfast?  I mean why not, I add black beans them too.  Lentils are high in protein and low in fat, and provide many nutrients as well as fiber.

First I made my lentils the day before, and that way I had that job done.  You need cooked lentils to make this frittata.

I still have homegrown sweet potatoes (they lasted much better than all the other potatoes too).

Yeast Roll Trials

A few new recipes were shared with me by blog followers, just before the holidays.  I failed miserably at trying them, but chalked out a few days to try them this month.

First, I made the rolls you roll up like crescent rolls (using oil).  I love the idea you can let the dough "stand" for the night, and then again in the morning, so you have the job done in small bits, leaving time to do whatever you need to in the morning.

I'm back

I can't say things are back to completely "normal" yet, but getting there. I've tried my absolute best to maintain my good diet and exercise, and continue to do something I enjoy each night, while sending prayers up for just about everyone.  Hubby reminded me to get back to my blog, as it too is part of what I enjoy.  So here I am.

In the process of keeping things normal, I think I converted our vegetarian daughter back to a meat eater.  While baking meals for the extended family, and the aroma and wonderful taste of casseroles from years ago, she's eating meat again (18 year-old).  Big shock to all of us, but we also giggled when she slobbered over that recent meatloaf I made. 

And in the process of so much talk about meat, Hubby is about 98% agreeing we raise meat birds this spring.  It'll be a matter of if we can whip up housing for them.  We used to raise them in a part of the old big barn.

Hiccup

Yesterday we were called.  Our great nephew (21 years old) passed away due to a bad car accident, then we found out our great niece (even younger) is in another hospital for (admitted for another reason the night prior) and this morning my mother is in the hospital. I'll be back when I can.