Crock Pot Jalapeno Creamed Corn

Our jalapenos are starting to roll in.  I picked a few to make crock pot jalapeno creamed corn.  Here is how I make mine.

In a crock pot, heat 6 cups of thawed frozen corn (off the cob - see recipe here).  This corn works great since it already has butter in it.

Add 1/4 stick of organic butter, 8 oz. of organic cream cheese, about 1-1 1/2 cups of organic shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeno to taste.  I just depends on how hot you want it.  Let cook for at least 1 hour, but I have had it in the crock pot for up to 3 at times.  Just watch it and put it on warm if you need to.

It is wonderful to take to cook outs or family gatherings. 

Romeo ~ Life

While picking up chicken feed, I couldn't help but spoil Romeo with a new dog bed.  It's supposed to be on the floor or in his kennel, but obviously it's on the couch, ha ha!  He loves it though.

I got those green beans blanched and put into the freezer.

Just my luck.  Just when we get daughter a car, and I get a vehicle to myself, the car breaks down.  Life.

We canceled our weekend camping  trip to stay home and do the car repairs.  

The weather is absolutely wonderful this weekend too.  Windows are open and air is off. 

Whew! Lots Checked off the "To-Do" List!

Lately, it's been puttin' up, stocking up and just plain busyness in the kitchen vs. housework and garden work.  That time will come soon.  Cleaning that is.  We've been getting rain at night, so weeding has halted.  We got more storms last night again.  

Although not all from my garden, I canned one batch of hot banana pepper relish.  It's Hubby's favorite and we did not grow cucumbers this year, so I won't be canning sweet pickle relish.

It should last the 3 of us all winter too.  The jalapenos in it came from the garden and they are good!

I got some organic asparagus blanched and in the freezer.  Three bunches and the ends were saved for soup this coming winter.  I had 1.6# of ends, and my soup requires 2#, so it was labeled accordingly, and I hope to put up more this week or next.

Got more dandelion greens in the freezer, but I need more chard, collards and kale yet.

I made a pan of homemade granola bars with oats, almonds, blueberries and hemp seeds.

I also made 2 trays of homemade beef bouillon cubes, using real ingredients.  These come in handy for soups etc. when I am out of broth/stock in the winter.  They can flavor any sort of beef dish/casserole, soup or stew.

I even checked on the green beans (shocked I had any to pick), and got some laundry on the line.  I also finished a crocheted bracelet and counted beads for another one.


Hubby and I both have come to the realization, that we'll get no tomatoes this year.  There are some here and there, but there is most likely no way we'll be canning one thing this fall.  Sadly.  The worst garden year in 11 years.

Hot and Humid

It was so hot and humid yesterday.  I had a smoothie for my lunch.  There was spinach and kale in it too.  Yum.

I put together another emergency crochet kit too.  Most items were only $1 each.


Oh what a mess it is.  It's the last thing to try and save.  The potatoes.

Day 1.  It doesn't look like I weeded much of it, but I un-buried about 8-10 potato plants.  

Day 2.  Not gonna happen.  If anything grew I'll know when I go to dig it all up.  Just not worth the aggravation right now.

It's back to the herb garden and flower beds.   All depends on the rain.  We got more last night.  A lot of it.  The herb garden is a total mess this year.  I don't have enough green onions to keep the grass down.  I'm about ready to dig the entire herb garden up and start over.  Hubby said no, but I'm tired of dealing with the grass. All of my thyme died too.  Maybe it is time to dig the entire thing out  and start all over.

Tuesday Tidbits

Before more morning fog rolled in Tuesday morning.  Pretty too.

I'm using a new method of natural remedy for my bite.  Still not sure what it was or where it happened, but the new method is working good.  I'll post what I did if it heals as fast as I as told.

I armed Hubby with wasp spray last night, and made sure doors were open so he could run in if he had too (last time he ran in a wasp followed him in).  We are hoping this kills them all off and we can start working on the old truck.

It's been difficult to locate hot banana peppers.  Even at local produce stands.   They are never sold in the stores either Tomatoes are slime pickin's too.  It's just limited almost everywhere due to the weather here.

I didn't get my homemade laundry detergent made yesterday, so it's first on today's list.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We were so thankful to see the rain arrive.  The garden and flower beds were so dry, not to mention the herb garden (I now call the "weed" garden).  The beets and carrots are very small right now.  I hope we have a good fall season to fatten them up.

We had a family breakfast Sunday morning. On our way there we had a major storm, taking out our power for 3 hours.  It was 86°F but a heat index of 97.  

We came home and Hubby worked on one daughter's car (in the heat no less.  I was watching out the window and saw him running.  Wasps had made a nest in her side mirror and one stung him.  Funny thing is, is that I had just picked plantain, and had fresh to grind up and put a poultice on his bite.  Anyway, car is finally fixed and delivered.  One more "to-do" checked off the list.

Hubby has been pretty good on his to-do list lately.  He even installed a new dead bolt on one door, and has more to go.  His priority now is fixing the old truck.  He plans to pick up a new drawer bracket for me today too.  Another job hopefully checked off this week.

Somehow, over our recent camping trip (best I figure because I woke up Sunday with a red spot on my ankle that was sort of feeling like a burn).  Not sure what it was but most likely in the spider family.  Plantain poultice to the rescue (and homemade neosporin).  Guess I'm going to start wearing tall socks under my jeans next camping trip.  I had shoes on with short socks.  Lesson learned.  We will also check under the camper mattresses each time we pop up the camper.

I finally ordered my instant read thermometer.  It's been a long time waiting on doing this.  I have one, but it's not an instant read.  I was watching America's test kitchen and they recommended it.  Once it arrives I'll share a picture of it.

Today I'm joining Sandra at Dairy of a Stay at Home Mom.  I already have a lot crossed off my to-do list.  I'm up early every day.



On the breakfast plate . . .
Breakfast burrito with scramble made with dandelion greens, and a homemade cinnamon roll.  Cup of organic coffee.


The weather outside is . . .
High of 86°F, Sunny with a chance of thunderstorms again tonight. Possible rain again today too.


Right now I am . . .
Trying to get my daughter to get out of bed.  It's almost 11am.


On my reading pile . . . 
Sorting mail and filing recipes if that counts for reading, ha ha!


On my TV this week . . .
Eat My Dust  and Urban Cowboy- movies on Amazon

On the menu . . .
Cabbage/potatoes and sausage
Tacos
Cheesy pasta broccoli bake
Blueberry pancakes and sausage

Leftovers


On the to do list . . .
Master bath
Laundry
Fold towels in laundry basket
Dishes/kitchen clean up
Run dishwasher
Floors
Water porch pots
Take clothes off drying racks and put them away
Make a bucket of homemade laundry detergent
Pay school fee 
Make a trip to the store for wasp spray
Place order for drawer brackets
Place order window switch for one daughter's car
Order a new spray nozzle for homemade bug spray
Take recycling
Call for Septic (might actually and finally get done)
A few things need canned this week
Clean up computer area


What I am creating . . .

Finished these two sets of pot holders and started another one.  I hope to have time to start another bracelet - got two more orders.


Looking forward to . . .
Our next motorcycle ride, camping trip - just anything relaxing.


Looking around the house . . .
I'm getting some ideas for different storage items in the kitchen.  Already ordered some containers for my canning rims


From the camera . . .

A picture that daughter took when Romeo had a sleepover weekend with the kids at their apt.  Zuri is warming up to him.  What a happy sight for sure.  King is too, Romeo just curled up with Zuri.


Thinking about . . .
Building a bat house.  We really need to get the bats out of the barn.


Prayers . . .
The world in general, private requests, super quick healing of my darn spider bite.

Weekend Work ~ What's Growing and What's Not

Sunrise from a few days ago.  We are finally getting rain this morning.  Even thunderstorms.

Now that we have car shopping off the list, we can get back to other jobs this weekend.  Youngest daughter now has her own car and can drive to school.  No more long bus rides and she's very very happy.

What was on the weekend work list?  Well, cutting more trees.  That's done.  We had to put a new part in our other daughter's car and pray it's the fix for it.

I had to make homemade cinnamon rolls too, for a breakfast with the family.  Why I volunteered rolls is beyond me.  Sigh.  I know they'll appreciate them, but I'm cutting them all in half so I (he he) don't have to make two pans for the entire clan.  I also had to make 2 pans of over night baked french toast.  

Schools are starting, so it's already an onslaught of fundraisers for youngin's in our family.  I'm only going to do a few this year.  They are getting too expensive.

Among the weeds, my gladys are starting to bloom.  I'm getting a few pink and white right now.

Second picking of beans.  Pretty pathetic.  Just a rotten year.  Probably our worst ever.  I'm about ready to pull tomato stakes too.  I am pretty sure, unless we have a warm fall (and a wet one), we'll get nothing from the 50-some plants and it just makes me sick.  We didn't get more than a few red raspberries this year, and now the blackberries are dying off before even ripening.  

Has anyone ever put scrambled eggs in a crock pot for a group breakfast or brunch?  Just wondering if they dry out or if it can be done successfully?