Walnut Shell Campfire Starters

Winter is a good time for me to sit and make homemade campfire fire starters, but I recently made another dozen. You can get directions here.

These come in handy to take camping or for starting a backyard fire.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Yield:  12

You don't even need a mixer for this dough!

Step 1: 

1/4 warm water with 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (or one packet) - allow to dissolve for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl add:

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup sugar

Stir.

Then add dissolved water and yeast

1 organic egg, beaten

2 tsp. homemade vanilla extract

Using a wooden spoon add 2 cups of organic all purpose flour.  Stir for at least 100 strokes with the wooden spoon.

 Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

It will look like this after 15 minutes.

Step 2: 

Add:

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Then add:

4 Tbsp. organic butter, softened

Add:

1 3/4-2 cups more flour, adding it about 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir well each time you add flour.

Flour your hands and knead the dough right in the bowl when you can't stir it any long (2-3 minutes).

Step 3:

Place the dough on a floured surface (pastry cloth or counter), and knead for about 7 minutes.

Step 4:  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl turning to coat each side and cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm area for about 1 hour (or until it doubles in size).

I use my dehydrator, since it's large enough.  I just place a pan in the bottom with water to keep the dough from drying out, and moisten a flour sack towel to cover it in the dehydrator.  Most dehydrators have "rising bread" selection.

Step 4:

Once dough has risen, remove from pan, and punch down.  Knead dough for about 1 minute on lightly floured surface, then cover with plastic wrap and let "rest" for 15 minutes.

Step 5:  

While dough is resting, mix these ingredients together in a bowl:

3/4 c. organic brown sugar, packed

3/4 c. organic pecans chopped

2 tsp. organic cinnamon

4 Tbsp. of softened organic butter

Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Step 6:

On a floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll dough to a 12 x 16 inch rectangle.  Dough should not spring back.  If it does, let it rest longer.

  Place mixture from Step 5 onto the dough evenly, leaving 1 inch at the top and 1 inch at the bottom free.  Starting at the bottom, and moistening the 1 inch areas with water, roll the dough slightly tight (not loosely).

Using a knife score the dough to cut 12 rolls.  Place rolls in prepared pan, buttering the edges of each one lightly to keep them from sticking together in the pan.

Cover again (plastic wrap or use your dehydrator with a damp cloth over it) and allow to rise for 35-45 minutes.  Or when they have doubled in size.

Note:  I place a piece of parchment paper over the pan before covering with the moistened towel in my dehydrator

.

Step 7:

Heat oven to 350°F.  Remove plastic wrap from your pan and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.

At this point, after baking them, you can do what you want really.  I leave them to cool in the pan, frost later and take out to eat whenever.  

You can also remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack, and drizzle the frosting so the sides get some too.

Icing

Mix together in a bowl

1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp. organic milk (or light cream)

2 Tbsp. of melted organic butter

A few drops of homemade vanilla extract

Note:  You can also use organic walnuts vs. pecans.

Puppy Pics ~ Morning Fog ~ Pathetic Garden Harvest

I've been on "puppy duty" for a few days now.  He's such a good puppy too, but I think he senses I am a bit sad inside.  He's been stuck to me like glue, refuses to nap until his "Mom" comes home, and literally barks at me and whines, to get into my lap (ha ha!).  Before someone tells me ropes are bad for dogs, we soak it and freeze it for teething and we keep it frozen so he doesn't eat the string.

He knows "sit" and will go to the gate or door to tell us when he has to go out, and if I'm busy at the sink or whatever, he'll bark to tell me he has to go out.  He's very smart.

Ha ha!  If he could speak at this moment, it would be "But I don't wanna go back in yet!"  He is such a stinker, but a cute stinker.

His Mom came home with flowers and a treat for me.  She said here Mom, I knew you were missing Jesse and thanks for watching my dog.  It put a smile on my face for sure.

The early morning temperatures have been what we call "great camping weather."

Even the chickens are slacking right now.  I don't want to make predictions just yet on the tomatoes, but I have a bad feeling it'll be like last year - small, not all ripe at the same time, not enough to can everything we need restocked (you can't buy bulk organic paste tomatoes from local produce stands).  The beans remain small, and the plants too.  The green peppers are getting starts on them, but plants are half the size.  Knowing all of this, we are now even more set to NOT plant a garden at all next year if rain is as bad as this year.  The struggle is real.  I'm about ready to trade in the house for a motor-home, with a toy hauler, and just go.

Anyway, not meant to be a "negative" post, but sharing the reality of our garden this year.  Not all of us have it good.

Finally Getting Rain

It took a full 2 days to tidy up and deep clean the kitchen, but man it looks fantastic.  Aside from replacing the drawer brackets.  

I even re-potted my indoor thyme plant (by the way, my outdoor thyme in the herb garden died during the heat wave - very sad face here).  I unpacked an order that sat for a week on the kitchen floor too.

I shredded a lot of papers that I left pile up over winter.  Why?  I was just too lazy to go fetch the paper shredder.  When I went to get the shredder, I must have been even lazier.  I found tons of old phone bills inside, but not shredded, ha ha ha!  Oh man.  Not gonna let that pile up again.  However, I now have a lot of it for campfire starting, ha ha!

I can wake up to a clean kitchen now, but to no help from my youngest.  She's off gallivanting with friends often, most likely since school will start this month.

I even got a few recipes written down on real recipe cards, the computer area cleaned up and mail sorted.  I also filed some papers (file cabinet will be deep cleaned over winter - nobody has time for that stuff during summer), but I was quite pleased with myself.

I think I've talked myself into putting the garage as my next "focus."  I sent text messages to two kiddos, since their "stuff" is in the garage.  Either they take it, or I take it to Goodwill.  

The last 3 bags of tomatoes (last year's frozen whole) finally thawed and the sauce maker was back in action.  I made spaghetti, but with ground beef.  We were fresh out of meatballs, and organic pork is no where to be found right now.  Speaking of which, I have a new place to check, but I think they are more beef and chicken products.

We are finally getting rain.  The tomatoes and the little bit of a garden I planted, really needed it.  Not to mention the herb garden and flower beds.

I literally broke down and bawled my eyes out the other night.  Missing Jesse.  What the heck is wrong with me?  I'm a grown ass woman and I cry over a dog?  Well, that's what happens when you have a bond and a close bond together.  Not to mention good care and complete trust of one another.  I so want to text and ask how he is, but I will give that more time for now.  We grilled out one night, and I think that's what did it.  He was the "grill guard" every time we grilled.  He couldn't stand it if he wasn't laying on the porch facing the grill, inhaling the aromas and awaiting his treat.

That's all for now.  I'm up early again. It's very foggy this morning, and the rain has stopped for now.

Tuesday Tidbits

Before the sunrise yesterday.  We are getting some beautiful morning views.  

Our 20 year-old's car has been broken down for a few months, and Hubby finally go to look at it.  The part is out that needs replaced, and we hope to get it up and running.  Finally.  That's his focus.   Next focus is replacing the plastic kitchen drawer brackets with metal.  All the pots and pans are still on my kitchen table for now (I have more drawers than cupboards here).  The people prior to us, put them in that way, and they have broken now (lasted about 10 years).

I had a lot to clean up in the kitchen, including clean the coffee pot.  It hasn't been brewing quick enough lately.  I even had an order that was shipped and not unpacked.  My focus stayed on the kitchen - good advice from Hubby.  

Instead of placing some orders for items we need, I simply wrote out the list and kept my focus on the kitchen.  I went from one counter to the next vs. trying to attack everything at once.

I did not weed a thing either.  I'm waiting on the rain that is to come today and tomorrow.  That'll make weeding go so much faster.

Focusing on the kitchen was a good thing overall.  We've been talking about having Hubby's family over for a cookout (which I prefer over a breakfast gathering).  Hopefully, we can get a date set soon.

Keeping busy is a good thing right now.  I'm really having a hard time with Jesse not here any longer.  I miss him so much it's ridiculous.  I don't have my porch pal, my pal to go to the chickens, my pal period.  Sigh.  Even the little things remind me he's not here.  Like eating a piece of toast, and him sitting by my side waiting to be treated the last bite.

Since we didn't plant much of a garden, there is nothing to harvest right now.  I need to buy some zucchini and yellow squash soon and put that in the freezer.  I just need to locate an organic produce stand or get it at the grocer (they carry it this time of year).   I'll have to buy broccoli and cauliflower this year as well.  Not to mention peas and a whole lot of other produce and fruit.  We got only a handful of our red raspberries this year, and the blackberries are just now turning ripe.  

Happy Homemaker Monday

A recent sunrise at the homestead.
Thank you all for your kind words about Jesse.  It's been rough days here since he's been taken to her apt.  I'm trying to stay busy.

Speaking of busy.  Since we were up early again, and I was rattling off my to-do list, Hubby gave me good advice - just focus on one thing today like the kitchen.  That's my focus this morning.  The kitchen.

It's been like "wild kingdom" out here this year.  We've seen a opossum, had a ground hog that had babies and moved on, had one ground hog come to the door (eating cat food), had lots of deer, have 3 red headed wood peckers, a wren that made a nest at our door in a flower pot, have butterflies, and a bat maternity unit in our barn so far this year.  We also have a hummingbird and my yellow finch is back.

If I was writing a book this summer, it would be titled "Saving the Tomatoes and Potatoes and other "GAH!" Gardening Moments."  I may just start writing it.

I have been weeding out the tomatoes.   I was tired one day, I left the chicken water bucket out in the shade with eggs in it.  They were still there in the morning though.

It's been bone dry.  First row causalities were 4.  They are small, but look good.  Photo is before the tilling was done.  Some tomatoes are turning red already and I have picked a handful of wax beans.

Third row had one casualty with the weed whacker.  It happens.  Got it all done now, so it's off to weed the potatoes next.

There are "good" moments out here too.  Like hearing the hen lay an egg, or one of the roosters trying to crow (ha ha!  Made me laugh it sounded so funny!).

I hope to be making homemade cinnamon rolls soon, so I can also share the recipe.  We had a family get together Saturday, so Romeo got to have a doggie day with his buds Zuri and King  (so he didn't have to stay home in his kennel).  He was so worn out when we picked up back up.  He slept all the way home.  

Sunday, we had planned to visit the county fair, but talked ourselves out of it.  We didn't want to pay $14 to get in, only to eat bad food, so we skipped it this year.  I most likely will enter something next year.  If I remember, ha ha!  I totally forgot about it this year.  Instead, we hooked up with a large group of riders and went for a very fun motorcycle adventure.  I had so many laughs I did not even take my phone out to take one photo.

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



On the breakfast plate . . .
Nothing yet.  It's 5am. Possibly eggs or scramble.


The weather outside is . . .
High of 89°F, no chance of rain (again)


Right now I am. . .
Posting this while Hubby and I sip hot coffee


On my bedside table . . .
I have no idea, and too lazy to go look, ha ha@


Reading . . .
Nothing

Movies I watched . . .
Nothing


On the menu . . . 
-Reubens with homemade sauerkraut
-Tacos (still haven't made them)
-Spaghetti (still haven't made this either - tomatoes thawing)
-Pulled Pork Nachos
-Something grilled with Cowboy Beans
-Leftovers

-a round of blueberry pancakes and side of bacon or sausage


On the to-do list . . . 
-clean out the fridge
-laundry
-garden weeding
-floors
-bathroom
-bake cookies (we are over due for some)


What I am creating . . .
Currently working on trying to finish that pair of hot pads. Oh, and one last bracelet order.


Looking forward to . . . 
A super clean kitchen today.


Looking around the house . . .
I still have lots of cardboard boxes to break down and store to use in the garden.  That's another days "focus."


From the camera. . .

A few of our butterflies.

Two stinkers who were trying to pull the corn out of the bags.

Tiger eating dried up corn husks, ha ha!  In the box!

Close up view of the wren's nest in the flower pot next to our front door.  It's like a cave.  There is a top on the nest to protect them.  Very interesting.  Mom and Dad continue to feed them.  That green part in the photo is part of the plant in the way of my camera. 


One of my simple pleasures . . . 
Crocheting or knitting on the porch.


Praying . . .
That daughter will bring Jesse back to the homestead.  If you didn't read about it, just go back a few posts.

He's Gone....

My heart just broke yesterday.  Daughter came and picked him up.  I watched out the window as he went running past her car, and back to the door to the house.  I could see that look on her face, of shock, that her dog didn't want to go with her.  She had to grab him by his collar and put him in her car.  I'm gonna miss this guy, but most of all worry about him.  I sure hope and pray she brings him back.

I'm pretty sure she won't be able to afford his flea/tick/heartworm meds, so that means he could be back soon.  Hoping anyway. 

We noticed her car was not fixed since her accident, so now we know where she got the money to pay a deposit for her apartment - the insurance check (shaking my head).