Freezer/Pantry Stash

I have been getting creative with my freezer and pantry stash.  I am trying to rotate out, so I am prepared for the new garden stash to go back in.

I made another new breakfast recipe - Blueberry Baked Oatmeal (Cookie and Kate online).  I followed the recipe completely, other than adding a bit more blueberries.  I am going to need to re-stock my organic oats soon though.  

I'm looking into making herbal packets to sell for facial steams.  Has anyone done one?  There are so many recipes for different skin types.

I haven't heard back from the General Store on selling an item.  Hopefully today I will.  I sent another email in case it got missed for some reason.

A few deer came to see us the other night.  They were scrambling to find grass and found it just outside our house.  Look at all those mole mounds!!!  Sigh....haven't had those in years.  Guess I'll have to take care of those before the garden gets planted.

Motivation Returns ~ From Pile to File Recipe (Sweet Potato Egg Cups)

We have a lot going on now.  Woot!  I heard it from my husband's mouth!  His goal is to finish the hallway completely this weekend.  What's on the list?  Well, for starters, I have boxes in the hall (again) that need delivered.  After that we finish the hallway flooring and trim.  I'm excited to see him motivated, but the weather may have something to do with that too, ha ha!  Although it's a bit chilly this morning.

The purge continues, but at a slower pace unfortunately.  I have done it again - printed new recipes to try.  I want to switch up our breakfast meals, try a few for larger group meals, and some for potlucks/summer cook outs.  I'm having a family get together one way or another (for whoever wants to come).  I miss family.

You may see lack of posts from now until later in March.  There are two possibilities for the bathroom remodel.  Not sure which way we'll go.  

New Recipe!  Baked Sweet Potato Cups (Skinny Taste online).  The next time I will add garlic powder.  So good!  It's a keeper!  The only difference with the instructions, is that I had to bake the eggs longer (18 minutes for mostly cooked yolks), and I rotated the pan.  The one egg that was under the oven light was baking faster.  Will definitely keep this on the breakfast menu.  Oh, I also used parchment paper cups vs. non-stick spray, and it worked great.  The sweet potatoes do not look orange because they were organic hannah sweet potatoes (have a white color to them).

Finally got around to making kamut flake bars.  I added dried cherries, pecans and hemp seeds.

Had to drain a jar of homemade vanilla to make the bars though.

I have more recipes to try, but need a few ingredients.

I've started two trays of seeds, but need two more trays and soil.  The sun is shining most days and it's been so enjoyable.

Nothin' Much.....

Nothing much going on here lately.  We were conserving hot water until our propane was delivered.  Someone forgot to check the tank, but thankfully we prepaid last fall and delivery was the same day.  However, that meant dirty dishes piled up, ha ha!  Oh boy, I guess we'll keep a better eye on it. At least we didn't run completely out.

I felt bad for the guy delivering the propane too.  He had to walk through a 4 foot drift of snow around the garage to do it.  The snow is slowly melting here.  I've been busy shoveling snow away from the house foundation, garage doors, entryway etc.

Our propane company pulled in the drive again yesterday.  I went out with our receipt and told him they already filled us up.  He wasn't happy about it, but that's not my problem.  Their company had routes double booked I guess.

We are melting away here.  Love the weather, but the one side of our drive was pretty much flooded.  I had to tell Daughter T to not come over unless she had rain boots.  She opted to stay home.  Later last night the water receded.  Thankfully, it's melting at a nice pace, but a muddy mess as predicted.

The chickens are going stir-crazy.  We are upon coyote mating season.  I can't let them out and alone for too long at a time, and the gigantic snow drift in their run has not melted.  The younger ones absolutely hate the snow, ha ha!

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Today's post is a dewzie.  Meaning long.  I tried a few new recipes this past week.

I've been doing some searching on the internet lately, and have been reading up (Better Homes and Gardens) how to make my own seed tape.  It will make planting my new green onion seeds so much easier this spring.  I may also just plant them in starter trays this year for easier planting.

Good news!  We are warming up, so this snow will start to melt and we can get outside comfortably to fix the wood splitter.

Thank you all for your oohs and ahhs over the new switch plates.  I have them up for now and deciding on if we need to replace receptacles with another color.  So far I LOVE they way they look, but missed buying for one more outlet.  

.....and guess what?  I think I want them for our master bath now, and one for the living room.  Sigh, I just think we are due for upgrades in this house to perk our spirits.  The old switch plates and screws will be bagged and donated either to the thrift or Habitat location.  I have more ideas for the kitchen.

I've been working on making Monday's and Sunday's an all one meal crock pot day.  It gives me a break in the kitchen, and if we are working outside or in the hallway, we can relax when we are done for the day.  Sunday I made Four Beans and Sausage.

My husband's way of a quick fix (wood splitter) on Sunday?  Buying about 1/3 of a cord of wood.  It was really too cold to be out and fixing the wood splitter.

Woke up to 7° yesterday and today?  At 5:30am it was 38°F.

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

The weather outside is . . .

38°F/31°F, but may hit 36°F during the night tonight.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Feeling like our weekend work was simply problems that needed fixed, so no work done on the hallway.  Otherwise feeling good.

On my mind . . .

I was happy to see a bill passed a second time to reduce our Governor's control on lockdowns etc.  It has a better chance this time, as more were for yay than nay and that stops him from putting a veto to it.  

I'm starting to know what the empty nest feels like.  We haven't seen Daughter E (youngest) since last Thursday.  She doesn't like the long drive with the snow.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Not sure, but this is what we had yesterday.  

On my reading pile . . .

As the Earth Turns

On my TV . . .

I love watching Create (cooking shows) during crochet time.  Avoiding talk shows and news has definitely lifted my spirits (sick of the lies, and tired of biased shows).  As for evenings we rely on netflix, movies we own (the best out because they are older movies or funny) or Amazon prime - whatever looks good.

On the menu . . .

-Crockpot roasted turkey breast, roasted asparagus or brussel sprouts

-Beef stew (Monday crock pot meal)

-Philly stuffed green bell peppers

-Sunday crock pot meal - sweet potato chili or a roast with veggies

- Snacks, homemade hummus, kamut flake bars with nuts/seeds

From the camera . . .

Looking around the house . . . 

Looks the same as last week. I need to take boxes to donate and deliver purged crafting supplies.

To relax this week I will . . .

Watch Create (cooking shows) and crochet.

New Recipe I tried or one we tried and really enjoyed. . .

Pizza casserole (my version)

1 lb. sausage of your choice (we like homemade sausage using organic pork)

1 box Organic Einkorn Penne

1 organic green bell pepper diced (or equivalent from your freezer)

1 onion, diced

2 pints home canned pizza sauce

2 cups your favorite pizza topping cheese or cheese blends (we love some Parmesan in ours).

Cook sausage in a skillet. When the meat is halfway cooked, toss in the diced green bell pepper and onion (and any additions you'd like - olives, mushrooms, pepperoni).  Stir in the pizza sauce and heat.  

Cook noodles per package instructions and strain water.  Add cooked noodles to the pizza sauce mixture and combine well. 

Pour half of mixture into a prepared 9 x 13 baking pan, layer with cheese, add last half of mixture.  Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.  Add another layer of cheese and bake until cheese is melted.  Serve.  Note: You could also add extra pizza toppings with the last layer of cheese.

Crispy baked chicken.

Recipe is online from the Salty Marshmallow.  I adapted organic ingredients.  I can only find organic chicken drumsticks, so that's what I used.  It was so easy, healthy and delicious.  A keeper recipe.  If you are interested in my favorite way to make sweet potatoes, it's basically diced sweet potatoes, loaded with thyme, some fresh minced garlic and olive oil cooked in the crockpot all day.  The other recipe is a corn and zucchini saute (also very delicious, but I prefer to make it with fresh organic zucchini and our corn off the cob we froze).

I really like the chicken recipe, because it's something we could make on vacation when renting a home or cabin.  The chicken tastes great re-heated the next day too.

Something I want to share . . .

Ideas for revitalizing and energizing yourself (cont.)L:

51. Don't do wrong

52. Learn to let go

53. Allot time for daily meditation

54. Engage in organized religious activity

55. Encourage your gentleness

Prayers . . .

Texas.  Mom - she gets her vaccine this week (shipment was delayed).  Youngest - she is still mentally having a difficult time after losing her boyfriend last year.  Some things just remind her of him.  Some times too often for her to handle. 

Consignment Sales~ Whoops! ~ Repairs

 

Good news!  I am looking into selling my jar openers in a smaller town with a general store.  I have to raise the price due to the percentage they want to sell consignment, but happy they are considering.

Whoops!  I did it again!  While waiting on my husband to open the wall access, I came up with another craft.  By the way a fitting came apart and yes, another water leak as we guessed.  Kitchen drain is thawed.  Two down one to go today - fix the wood splitter.

You can find the easy instructions for the mini-sun catchers on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.

They are perfect as they are, or can be Christmas ornaments or given as sun catchers (random act of kindness during these uncertain worldly conditions).

Our warmer weather is arriving starting today.  It's a brisk 7°F so I am thrilled we are moving to warmer weather.  I haven't been able to put anything on the clothesline this winter.  It feels so wrong ha ha!

A Warm Up

 

Although they say we'll dip to a low of 5°F tonight, yesterday the sun was out all day and the icicles started to melt.  What a joy that was to see.   I knocked them down over the door to avoid any falling on us.  The warm up is approaching thankfully.  I am prepared for a big muddy mess, but so glad to be moving out of the cold spell.

I had a lot of indoor house chores, and after doing laundry all day, I pulled the rug from the washer only to notice water on the floor.  Yep.  Guess what my husband is doing today?  Ha ha ha!  Fixing the softener line that runs into the water lines behind the utility room sink.  Water is shut off, so thankfully I had jugs of water to make coffee this morning.

Speaking of rugs, the rug at my master bath shower is a rag rug, crocheted from old bedding.  I do think it's time to make a new one, but time will tell.  I was exhausted from housework, but at least that is done and will free up time this weekend.  We need to tackle fixing the wood splitter too.  

Mail is running very slow in our parts.  There has been times when we are not getting anything for 3 days, which is very unusual.  We typically don't go one day without something (mostly junk mail), but I do worry about a late bill, so guess what I am doing today?  Writing down due dates and bill names on my handy dandy planner.  I pay them all online, so I can check my planner every day from now on.  

Oh, and speaking of late mail, the IRS said we didn't pay our taxes in 2020.  I typed up a letter, gave them the online bank confirmation number, sent them the interest they were charging us (which we should have had to pay).  Guess what they sent back?  Yep.  They interest.  Guess it was worth writing a letter with a real check vs. paying online this time.

Okay, sorry for the boring post.  I'm trying to get my husband to start this day.  I had to tell him about the mess in the utility room as he was literally walking in the door from work last night.  Hallway progress will depend on how long it takes to tackle today's repairs, and of course splitting some wood so we can turn off our expensive electric heat.

Crafting ~ New Kitchen Project

Not sure if we will get more snow yet today, but we definitely got at least 3 inches yesterday.  Had to shovel out the mailbox (again).  After getting sweet potatoes in a crock pot, and walking 2 miles on the treadmill, I piddle-dinked around with the scraps of wall paper.  I just want this particular project done so I can really resume the purge.  Got one more dish scrubbie crocheted too.

My new switch plates arrived for my kitchen.  USA made.  I just need my handyman husband to replace the receptacles to match the color.  Although, after he saw them he thinks the color of receptacles we have may look okay.  I'll be putting one up to day to see.

There was of course more shoveling of snow to do, so I warmed up with a mug of homemade hot chocolate and a splash of peppermint vodka.