Chilly Weekend

 

I made us a crock pot of chili for the weekend. Brr.  Woke up to snow on the vehicles, but that's about it.  I'll be freezing half of this for a future meal.

We have decided to install a gas heater in the kitchen and living room.  It will be more cost efficient for us, and most likely heat better than our wall (floor) electric heat.  The gas lines are going in before the subfloor goes down.

Speaking of heat, I cannot wait to fire up the wood stove.  Thankfully, the weather will be a bit warmer next week.

I'm down to the last skein to complete Daughter K's blanket.  I should be better prepared myself with yarn, before I was cut off of access to the upstairs.  I guess we both didn't think the living room would take so long.  

Anyway, I guess if I run out of projects with what I have downstairs, I will make a run to a craft store.  I do have some cleaning I can also do in our bedroom closet, but spring/summer is the best time to work on that (due to no heat in there, which we plan to do some renovations to add a vent next year).

I am narrowing down my list of what I can do, get done, and what I can do, to not lose my mind.  I do miss having dogs to take out (believe it or not), I miss taking care of goats.  I guess you start to miss these things when you are literally stuck in one room of the house (minus the kitchen/utility room). 

Butternut Squash Breakfast Casserole ~ Stocking Up ~ No Shows and more delays

First time making a breakfast with butternut squash, but it was rather easy, and simple ingredients.  I pre-cut the squash the day before though.  I used the homemade turkey sausage I pre-cooked and froze as well.   I do need to freeze more spinach.  I better put that on my grocery list right now. 

I would like to do a breakfast with ham, but it's hard to find.  The last "organic" ham we bought tasted terrible.

I blanched and froze the other butternut squash I bought.

The guy who was to come quote us for gutter cleaning 9 days a go, has not messaged, or even come out.  The guy to come give a free quote for the removal of the popcorn ceiling has also been a no-show, and not even a text message.  I guess we are going to do that ourselves now.  You just can't count on anyone anymore.

Our handy-man's supply run was another long part of the day again.  The hardware stores, in either direction, are between 25 to 30 minute drives.  

 

Ramblings

 

I got a bit more cauliflower blanched and froze.  It's hit or miss at the store, so I grab it when I see it.  We did not grow any over the summer.  I asked my husband to bring home sweet potatoes, and he said they did not have any.  It's a growing concern.  I will watch for them, and mash and freeze when I do see them.

Getting to the store during the week is about hit or miss as well.  Guess who has to go get more wood for the floor?  So, yeah, my truck is borrowed way too much for my liking.  I have already had the discussion with my husband, that if we hire someone we know, they must have their own vehicle, and we'll get supplies over a weekend.  I'm just (whining I know) tired of not being able to just go when I please, get my hair cut, etc.

I didn't get any answer yesterday on to blanch or not to blanch butternut squash, so I guess I will try and do more research.  I am unable to get to any of my homesteading books right now.

My husband said the floor would be ready to add subfloor in two days.  He said that last Monday, and here we are Friday and no subfloor.  

I'm trying a new breakfast today.  It has butternut squash in it.  So far, everything I've changed (this one has zero cheese, watching those fats as well), my husband's sugar continues to go down.  So thankful for that, and he now knows better to now take any sweet treat offers while at work.

This and That

 I haven't lost my mind with this living room project just yet.  Getting to town is hit or miss.  The truck is needed to haul wood and blocks etc.  

Also, I get so excited to add a new recipe to my "Christmas" binder and then realize it is buried in the office.   I got excited about a free ornament pattern to make for a daughter, then realize the yarn I need is upstairs.   Patience....patience.....

Another thing about shopping is, for some reason, prices at our Kroger are much higher for some items that are sold online with their sister store - vita-cost.

Literally.  I just ordered items, free shipping, and right to my door.  I needed almond flour and other items, and I also noticed that Monkfruit sweetener is much cheaper at our nearest Big Lots.  I have to do hurdles, but will be really watching where to buy things we need.

My husband had to stop at Home Depot for more flooring supplies and brought me home these.  I won't have to worry about my feet freezing this weekend. Cute too!

Once again, I forgot to take a photo, but I made a mac n' cheese using a quinoa pasta, no flour rue, and made with sour cream, cottage cheese and two types of cheddar.  Although I added onion and garlic powder, it was not that cheesy or flavorful.  The main question for us, is did the quinoa pasta affect my husband's sugar?  Nope.  In fact, it went down.

Update on the floor - we are a day behind due to a supply run day that went hilter skilter.  We were short on boards and needed other supplies.  Menard's said they had, but found out their computer was wrong.  Had long waits, and had to go to two stores for supplies.  You just can't find certain things right now.

I finally found a craft show in December, but soon did the math.  There is no way the living room will be done in time.  Another year without a show, but I guess that gives me winter to re-stock items I am out of.  At least when the subfloor goes down, I will be able to access my yarn and put some items up for sale possible.  I do ship.

Question:  Do you have to blanch butternut squash to freeze it?

I just realized I posted two blog posts today.  Whoops.  Happy Reading ha ha!

The Safety Cone Story

 

I had to order the yarn to make this for our youngest daughter.  It's a bit larger than I thought for a Christmas tree ornament, but it turned out super cute.  

There is a story behind the safety cone.  If you have been following my blog, you know that her high school boyfriend and his bed friend died in a car accident, the night before her graduation party.

Prior to that happening, she hosted a surprise birthday party for him at our house.  They never woke us up in the night, surprisingly.  

The next morning, it was awfully quiet.  I came into the kitchen to brew coffee, and lifted my eyebrows when I saw a giant safety cone on my kitchen table.  I kid you not.  I just chuckled and went back to my bedroom sipping my hot coffee.

The boys, apparently had a history with taking these cones from various places and returning them later.

Hence the safety cone Christmas ornament to lift her spirits and always make her chuckle when she sees it.

Healthy Banana Cookies ~ New Dinner Recipe and Tidbits

I baked us some healthy banana cookies.  It takes organic oats, bananas, oil and I used diced apples in place of the dates.  I have no access to my  home canned applesauce to cut the oil, but anyway....

They tasted great.  Good enough to eat more than one, but I will add more cinnamon and nutmeg next time.   Recipe is from Allrecipes, called something like Healthy banana cookies?  Anyway, my husband loved them and the oats did not make his sugar go up thankfully.  They say oats can affect people differently.

I also make a new dinner recipe called chicken bruschetta casserole.  You dice the chicken and cook it first, layer it in a 8 x 8 baking dish, and top with goodies.  I simple used a 1/2 pint of "Bruschetta in a Jar" I canned, then added some mozzarella cheese.  It was good, but I think it would be more beneficial to simply can canned tomatoes and add the garlic, fresh basil etc. to the dish.  I forgot to take a photo, but will can tomatoes by the pint vs. half pint.  We needed more tomatoes, and I cannot get to them until the floor is in, in the living room.

I have two people now in line to quote us for the removal of our old popcorn ceiling.  We are praying it will not be expensive, as they don't have to worry about furniture or curtains in the process.

Another day has gone by and no word from the person to clean our gutters.  Getting frustrated as the weather is changing.

Homemade Lean Turkey Sausage ~ New Breakfast Recipe and other tidbits

 

To make the new breakfast casserole, I needed sausage.  The recipe called for Italian, but I simply used my homemade sausage recipe, by swapping out the pork with lean ground turkey.  I put the extra into the freeze for other meals.

I made a new breakfast casserole, but after putting it together it is basically like a bake I make, only the potatoes are swapped out with cauliflower.  It's very good, but I will season it up next time with either jalapenos, garlic or fire powder.  I topped it with dandelion greens as well.  

Today, I am on the hunt for someone to at least remove the popcorn ceiling.  Wish we luck.  Nothing is cheap anymore.  We can do the painting, but I have never removed the popcorn ceiling.  The floor work is slow going right now, which is driving me crazy.  

I signed up to make rolls for one Thanksgiving, and yesterday realized, I cannot get to my recipes.  They are buried in my office, where the door is in the living room.  It's packed with stuff from the living room, and of course the floor is not in yet.  I guess I'm off the hook for that this year ha ha!

I may take a mashed cauliflower dish.  I mean, I need something my husband can eat.  That's the bad thing of a get together - all the options are not healthy, other than maybe deviled eggs.  When I think about it, almost all but the meat is bad - cheesy potatoes, corn casserole, sweet potato bakes have brown sugar toppings, stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes, corn, any side salads with pasta in it....heck even my BBQ crock pot green beans have brown sugar in it.  I guess I'm on the hunt for some other healthy sides, besides sweet potatoes with garlic, butter and thyme.

Well, we are to get rain and snow today.  And it's another day waiting on a quote to get the gutters cleaned before the weather gets too bad.