This gallery contains 14 photos.
Last week I talked about the beauty of Fall and suggested you get out and enjoy the season’s best attributes. Experiencing nature nurtures your physical and spiritual health. I reflected this week; however, about those of you who cannot easily … Continue reading
Basil and Parsley ready for the harvest!
Fall is probably my most favorite season of the year. I love the cool crisp air on sunny October days. The air smells fresh and clean and hopefully there are lots of sunny skies to motivate me to get outside. It is a time to bring summer activities to closure and get the yard and garden ready for the winter sleep. The goats need to be prepared for November breeding, and projects better saved till cool weather get into full swing. This year my husband and son are clearing a patch of land in our hay field. The locust trees will be harvested to make fence posts for my much needed new pasture for the goats. My chickens and quail will be getting a new home before winter sets in too, and if I’m lucky I will begin cleaning out the basement so I have a work space for the long winter months.
The yard dressed in early fall colors
One of the things I love to do in the fall is take a walk. I love to smell the earth and hear the crunching of the dried leaves beneath my feet. It brings back so many wonderful memories of times past and provides opportunities for the creation of new memories as I share days with friends and family. Walking is good for stretching out those leg muscles, getting yourself moving, and breathing in the fresh air. You can take it at your own pace no matter your physical condition. What a wonderful way to relax every evening before retiring to the house and bed-time ritual. Your kids will appreciate the family time and a walk in the cool air always helps induce a peaceful sleep. Don’t forget to take your dog or cat for extra enjoyment!
Fall is also a time to harvest pumpkins. I usually plant pie pumpkins so that I can cook them down for pies, breads or muffins, spiced butter, as a component of roasted vegetables, or soup. My son loves to decorate them for Halloween and then off to the oven they go. I bake pumpkins on a cookie sheet until soft, then clean out the insides and reserve the pumpkin seeds to roast for treats. Pumpkin pulp usually is watery and so I run it through the food processor to puree and then cook over low heat to reduce it down until a thick consistency. I don’t add anything except perhaps lemon juice or citric acid to help keep it from turning dark brown. At this point the pulp can be canned in a pressure canner or frozen. It could be dried in a dehydrater too but it needs to be very thick and spread quite thin to ensure proper drying. There are many good recipes out there using pumpkin and one of my favorite is for pumpkin butter. I cook the pulp down to a thick consistency, add a touch of lemon juice, brown sugar or agave to taste, and cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and coriander to taste. Mix well and refrigerate to use on hot biscuits or toast. The seeds need to be washed to remove all the strings and pulp. Dry on paper towels. Seeds can be dry roasted or try adding some canola oil to the seeds, and adding your favorite spice, such as cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon, etc and salt. Spread on a cookie sheet in single layer and slow roast in a 350 oven until brown. Stir occasionally to help them brown evenly. Pumpkin seeds are great snacks and healthy too.
This fall think about how you will enjoy your days; relaxing in the hammock, visiting with your family around a warm fire pit or stove, working in your yard, taking a walk or playing with the kids outside. Why not pack a picnic and visit a state park or public green space. The joy of fall is yours for the asking…don’t let this simple pleasure pass you by this year!
Fall is yours for the taking!
About Pullets
My pullets have begun to lay now that they have reached 5 months of age and I have more eggs than I know what to do with. Pullets are young female chickens. They are called pullets until they begin laying eggs regularly. Once the pullets begin laying, their eggs may be a bit unpredictable . Pullets don’t usually lay everyday and their eggs are smaller and may contain double yolks. It took my pullets about two weeks to make the transition and now I get big gorgeous brown eggs (two dozen) every day. So what do I do with all those eggs? We eat them of course. I sell them, store them in a second frig, and make a variety of egg dishes.
Farm Fresh Eggs
Scrambled eggs can be adapted for breakfast, lunch, and dinner by adding vegetables and different meats. One of our favorites is actually a Spanish dish. We add grated potatoes to scrambled eggs, along with bacon crumbles, and cheese. Chopped veggies like sweet and / or hot peppers, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes each add their own flavor so experiment with your favorite tastes to make a dish your family loves. Basil, cumin, curry, tumeric, parsley, rosemary and thyme herbs add distinctive flavors beyond the basic salt and pepper additions.
Deviled eggs and egg salad never last long in my house and they make great sack lunch or snack foods. I always get a bit creative when I make deviled eggs. I might add mustard, pickle juice, or top with hot pepper flakes instead of paprika. My family loves spice and the more the better. Egg salad recipes generally call for chopped celery, onion, and mayo in addition to the chopped eggs. I might top with green pepper slices, grated radishes, alfalfa sprouts, or cheese. Pitas are wonderful to make egg salad sandwiches for lunch because the pita holds up to the moisture better. Eggs are so adaptable! Its fun to experiment with eggs because they are so versatile.
Custard is a wonderful and light dessert that can be dressed up with sauces, fruit, chocolate, whipped cream, or toasted brown sugar……Creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts. Custard has few ingredients (milk or cream, eggs, sugar, and salt) assembles quickly and boasts the power of milk. You must submerge the baking ramekin in water at the level of the custard though to prevent the custard from getting tough from too high of heat. Eggs don’t like high heat!
I have two recipes for eggs that are used hand in hand. When the eggs are taking over the refrigerator I make egg noodles. A companion recipe is Angel food cake. The noodles use the egg yolks and the cake uses only the whites. Both are delicious ways to enjoy eggs. There is something quite special about a home-made angel food cake.
Egg Noodle Recipe
3 egg yolks
1 egg
3 Tblsp cold water
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Beat egg yolks and egg until very light; beat in water and salt. Stir in flour and mix to make a stiff dough. * I use the kitchen aid mixer or the food processor.
Divide dough into three parts. Roll each part out as thin as possible (paper thin). Dust the dough and the countertop with small amounts of flour to keep the dough from sticking. I use a granite rolling pin because the dough is stiff and the weight of the granite helps thin out the dough. Place each piece of dough between towels until partially dry (It will look like a chamois cloth).
Let dry until completely brittle before storing.
An easy way to cut into noodles is to roll the piece like a jelly roll and cut with a sharp knife into the size noodles you want. Another way is to use a pizza cutter and slice as it lays on the towel. Hang the noodles on a drying rack, dry in a dehydrator, or lay between towels to dry. Once dry break into pieces and store in a closed container or plastic bag. Make sure noodles are completely dry before storing them in a container or they will spoil. Noodles freeze successfully too! Egg noodles packaged in a cute holiday bag would make a great gift, especially with an attached recipe for chicken noodle soup.
A plastic snack barrel works great to store egg noodles in.
To cook: Add noodle pieces to 3 quarts boiling water with 1 Tblsp salt added, or use broth. Cook 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain. Mix with butter or olive oil. Noodles can be eaten as a side dish or add them to your favorite recipe! Tonight I made a gravy with the broth used to cook the noodles; then I added the noodles back in along with some delicious chicken my husband grilled. It was heavenly!
Eggs are the perfect food for healthy and quick meals from the kitchen. They are truly one of Life’s Simple Pleasures.
The Beginnings…
In my family the chicken came first. When my oldest son was 7 years old our good friend and neighbor realized how much he loved her chickens and she gave him a start of chickens for his birthday. Little did I know that 20 years later I would still be raising chickens. Over the years the chickens have been pets, meat, insect eaters, garbage disposals, broody hens, and egg layers. Today my hens function in much the same manor and their wonderful eggs have ruined any chance that I could ever eat another store bought egg and like it.
An Americana chicken lays colored eggs
We raised white leghorns, brown leghorns. barred plymouth rocks, white rocks, buff orpingtons, black sex-links, red stars (red sex-links), australorps, americanas, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, and cornish cross plus a few mutts. We enjoy both bantams (smaller versions) and standards (full size) and for nearly all the years, they have been free range chickens. Free Range Chickens are not caged and eat what they find in nature. (Mine eat grass/greens, insects, flowers, vegetables from the garden, left over feed from the goat feeders, and kitchen scraps.) They roam freely about my farm eating in the yard, occasionally the flower beds to my disappointment, the goat pens, the pastures, and always roost in the barn at night. We have endured our share of chicken massacres as fox, raccoon, possums, skunks, and weasels have banqueted on our flock. Thankfully my husband and sons have become great protectors and take care of unwanted preditors when the need arises. I know this sounds harsh but I value my chickens and its horrible to find them dead in the yard, or worse yet, only a pile of feathers. Its our job to protect them as best we can.
Black Sex-link grazing the yard one afternoon.
How could these simple creatures capture the attention of so many people? I am sure there are as many answers as there are people who raise them, but I keep chickens because they are functional, easy to handle, and provide a food resource. There is something special about going to the barn to collect the eggs I use to feed my family. I believe my chickens produce superior eggs to store bought in size, quality, taste, and color of egg yolk. Furthermore, chickens eat insects in the yard, and clean up all sorts of kitchen scraps that don’t make it to the composter. They can be quite friendly too and a source of amusement for those that take the time to observe them. The chickens provided a learning opportunity for my children as they watched a broody hen sit on a clutch of eggs for 21 days and hatch chicks, or realized life lessons about responsibility by incubating eggs, overseeing the hatch, and raising them to adulthood.
Pharoh (coturnix) quail are friendly and easy to handle for my special needs son.
My youngest son is now learning about poultry by raising quail. He shows them at the 4H fair and is so proud when his name is called to collect the trophy. We started with bobwhite quail, but quickly realized that the flighty nature of these birds was not in accordance with our son’s needs. He has Down Syndrome. A judge at the 4H fair suggested pharoh quail (coturnix) and they have been a big improvement because they are quite docile and don’t mind being handled. If the cage door is left open, not to worry because they are easily rounded up and returned to the cage. They mature quickly and lay a beautiful mottled egg.
Fresh, clean water, sanitary, protective pen, and game bird feed are crucial to healthy, happy birds.
The male’s call is unusul and interesting. They mature between 4-6 weeks of age and begin laying nearly daily. Coturnix can lay 200-240 eggs a year.
On Eggs
Eggs come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. I generally raise brown egg layers because I get bored with white eggs. Americanas lay blue to olive colored eggs and my kids won every egg class they entered with all six eggs selected from the same americana hen because of the uniformity in size and color and quality of egg shell.
Dark brown, cream, white, blue and mottled eggs from the farm.
Eggs need to be collected daily or more often when the temperature is very warm. They should be washed and refrigerated at 40 degrees to ensure proper storage. Cracked eggs should be discarded because of possible contamination and resulting spoilage. When properly handled expect farm fresh eggs to have 3-4 weeks of shelf life.
On raising….
Chickens require a safe place to roost, fresh water, and an adequate feed supply. Commercial rations ensure balanced nutrition but free range chickens seem to find what they need. Chickens should be offered oyster shell to promote strong egg shells and grit to provide something to grind the food in the gizzard. As with humans, I find my chickens remain very healthy when offered a wide variety and balanced range of food types. My son frequently fed his chickens raisins to promote colorful and glossy feathers when showing them. It also ensured that they liked to be handled.
Not everyone can let their chickens roam about freely and a chicken coop is recommended to safeguard the flock and keep them where they belong. Many cities allow hens to be kept within city limits but before purchasing please check with local ordinances to make sure chickens are allowed. Because of the popularity of raising chickens, ready made coops are available to meet the needs of small flock owners. A small barn/shed customized with laying nests and an enclosed pasture run would be the ideal home for your flock. Check with local extension agents for specific information about coops, required space per chicken, nutrition, health, and care of the flock.
Pullet eggs can be large with double yolks or small at first. Quail eggs are much smaller in comparison.
I was reading a national magazine included in our Sunday paper this morning and on the last page was an article espousing the joys of raising chickens.
It’s nice to see the rest of the world is finally starting to see things my way…… Raising chickens and quail are one of Life’s Simple Pleasures that I don’t want to be without!
Tomatoes Galore!
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and by the middle of July I can hardly wait until those first green tomatoes ripen in the garden. This year I got so desperate I made fried green tomatoes just so I could get a hint of the taste of fresh tomatoes. We love the taste of ripe red tomatoes fresh from the garden! My husband and I frequently eat them like apples and don’t mind the juice dripping down our hands and arms. Tomatoes allowed to ripen on the vine develop a spicy, bold and tart flavor you will rarely taste in a store bought tomato.
Hot Salsa, Spaghetti Sauce, and Tomato Soup...one won't make it to the canned goods pantry. Yummy salsa and chips!
Each year I can bushels and bushels of tomato products. I always make sure to have 30-40 quarts of whole tomatoes on hand so that if I run low on other tomato products during the winter I can use them to make a batch of whatever we need. I generally can about 30-40 quarts of salsa, 30 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 20 pints of pizza sauce, 20 pints of chili sauce, 30 quarts of tomato juice, and 30-40 quarts of tomato soup. I am the only person who eats ketchup in our household (German family who only likes mustard) so I can get by with only 10 quarts of ketchup every two years. I also can an assortment of stewed tomatoes, tomatoes and zucchini, and tomatoes and okra.
Supper anyone? Tomatoes, Italian spices, salt, red wine vinegar and olive oil. What more do you need?
We don’t always have tomatoes on the menu throughout the year but they are a great enhancement to so many dishes and when they are ripe from the garden we enjoy them every day. We especially enjoy tomatoes sliced fresh as a side dish. They are great on their own but sometimes I like to add a sprinkle of salt, basil and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. My daughter brought back a recipe she discovered while living in Spain, that I have made many times. Slice eggplant in 1/2 inch slices; sprinkle with salt and let drain for about 20 minutes. Dry with paper towel; top with sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, pepper and parmesan/ romano cheese ( or vegan substitute) and top with pine nuts. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven until brown and the cheese is bubbly. This makes a fresh vibrant flavored side dish for the carnivore and a great main dish for the vegetarian.
Soup and Spaghetti sauce out of the canner and cooling. After 24 hours they get rinsed with water and marked with the item and date before being stored.
Last year I grew 175 tomato plants but this year I cut back to around 75 plants. I usually mulch the tomatoes with straw because the cost is prohibitive for cages or staking devices given the number of plants I grow. I look forward to raising bamboo in the future and after harvest use it to trellis/stake the tomatoes. Tomatoes need to be kept off the ground to minimize rot. Tomatoes that touch the soil very nearly always develop rot and keeping them off the soil with good ventilation increases production substantially. Allowing plants to spread over the ground makes picking more difficult than harvesting from staked plants but I usually get better production when they are not staked, and have a good mulch.
I like Jet Star and Supersonic varieties as they are disease tolerant, produce abundant harvests of medium to large size nicely shaped fruit, have a good acid content, and taste wonderful. I have not tried heirloom tomatoes because I need great harvests to fulfill my families canning needs. I keep thinking; however, I should plant a few heirloom varieties so I can compare the taste with what I grow now. They are more prone to disease and don’t keep as well as commercial varieties but I have been told that the favor makes up for these weaknesses. I also love grape and roma, (also called plum) tomatoes. You only need a plant or two of grape or cherry tomatoes for the average size family because they are abundant producers. Plum tomatoes are great for sauces because they are meaty and have less seeds than standard slicing varieties. They are great sized snacks too!
Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow and harvest and there are so many ways to preserve them for later use. Even though I am up to my armpits in tomatoes right now, I can’t imagine not having this simple pleasure to look forward to each year.
Classical Archives: Don’t Miss This!: July 31, 2011
Take a moment and view the video in the link above.
I came across this video and had to share it because I am a music teacher and this video represents why I remain so passionate about my vocation: the value of music in everyday life. I’m sure you have heard of “spontaneous musical events.” If not, let me explain. In recent years, professional music organizations have ventured outside the performance hall venue to bring music to the people, where they live and work. Musicians are asked to “randomly” arrive at a location and perform a piece of music for passer-by’s. I have never been lucky enough to have witnessed such an event personally, but I have been lucky enough to participate in such events. I am so touched and awestruck by the power of such momentary interactions generated between the music and the people; young and old. Music is an art form that touches all of us in such positive ways. It can speed us up, slow us down, make us cry, make us laugh, bring us joy, give us strength, unify our causes and bring us peace. In short, music is a valuable and priceless gift…a simple pleasure to be treasured and shared.
Somewhere along the line in our current culture, the appreciation of classical music has been stereotyped to an older, affluent generation. While true that typical patrons of the arts are affluent and influential individuals or successful corporations; everyone, including you and me, can and should appreciate good music made well.
But music is more than good music made well. Music is a form of communication that transcends all barriers. Even the deaf can feel the vibration of music and experience it, or witness the expression conveyed through body language and feel it. It’s important to remember that each one of us has a voice. It may not be perfect and more importantly, it doesn’t have to be. We can sing the National Anthem with pride, join in the congregational singing of hymns, and send our best wishes and love to friends and family by singing “Happy Birthday.” Sing in the shower, Sing in the car, Sing with your friends, and Sing with Total Strangers. Making, sharing and appreciating music is truly one of Life’s Simple Pleasures… .
The last few weeks I have been preparing myself mentally and physically for return to a school schedule. I completed doctor and dentist appointments, made family visits, and scheduled time for a manicure and pedicure in the company of my daughter. I had a pedicure last October when my daughter married and I don’t remember ever having a manicure so this bit of pampering was such a pleasure! Every time I look at my fingers and toes I am reminded of the time with my daughter, and just as importantly, I acknowledge these are gifts I deserve and probably more frequently than once in a lifetime or once a year.
Pampering doesn’t need to come from scheduled appointments at a day spa. There are several treatments that can be made and used in the comfort of your own home. Home made bath salts and sugar scrubs are easy to make and store to be used at your convenience. Last week I spent three hours working in the garden. When finished my son, after one glance, told me I looked like I had just come out of the “trenches”; dirt covered and exhausted. I was thinking I couldn’t get into the shower fast enough, then remembered I had made bath salts called ” Tired Old Body Salts.” This was just the item to refresh, invigorate, and clean my body and spirits. I keep the prepared salt mixture jar in the bathroom with a wooden scoop inside to make using easy. A scoop of salts in the hand mixed with water and it makes a great scrub in the shower. My tired muscles and tennis elbows felt such relief after the spa treatment I gave myself at home that day. I prefer showers to baths, and using the salt as a scrub works great for me. Additionally, salts frequently are used as a bath or foot soak.
salt scrub with sage
Bath salts and sugar scrubs are easy to make at home because the ingredients are readily available and not overly expensive. These mixes are great gifts for men and women. Package in jars with a tight seal to prevent the essential oils from evaporating or the oils from thickening. Use your imagination and creativity to select and decorate the jar, and don’t forget to consider how to dress-up the gift presentation. You will have a gift that not only looks great and is easy to make, but one that will be appreciated with each “pampering.”
These recipes are taken from my soap-making workshop materials.
Just A Few Simple Ingredients Are Needed For Homemade Salt Scrubs
Exfoliating Salt Body Scrub
1/2 cup fine sea salt
1/4 cup oatmeal (ground, uncooked)
1/4 cup flaxseed oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 drops geranium oil
* Mix ingredients then massage over your body to exfoliate skin, it’s best to do this in the tub after a bath or shower.
Lavender Sea Salt Scrub
1/4 cup fine sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 to 5 drops lavender essential oil
* Mix ingredients together then use to exfoliate body. Add a bit of water or liquid soap as you scrub.
Favorite Scent Sea Salt Body Scrub
3 cups fine sea salt
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sweet almond oil
your choice of essential oils
* Mix ingredients together then store in a sealed glass jar. Use to exfoliate and scrub body after showering.
Peppermint Salt Foot Scrub
1 1/2 cups fine sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
3 drops peppermint essential oil
* Exfoliate your soles and heels with this mixture after a bath or foot soak.
Tips
* Mix and store ingredients in glass bowls and jars to prevent reactions with other materials.
* For something different, try adding a bit of gentle liquid soap to your homemade scrubs before using.
* Use a loofah or bristle brush when applying the salt scrub; gives a nice massage while exfoliating.
* Regular sea salts will work with these recipes; however, some believe Dead Sea salts are the most therapeutic, relieve pain from arthritis and helps achieves a “salt glow” to your skin.
Make Homemade Sugar Scrubs
Recipe #1 – Brown Sugar Scrub
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of almond oil
1/4 cup of liquid Ivory hand soap
1/4 tsp of vanilla
Recipe #2 – Lemon Sugar Scrub
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 TBS lemon zest (grated)
Recipe #3 – Lavender & Rosewood Scrub
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup almond oil
1/2 tsp vitamin E
6 drops rosewood essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
Recipe # 4 Brown Sugar and Coffee Scrub
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3 TBS fresh coffee grounds
5 tsp almond oil
5 tsp jojoba oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp vitamin E
1 tsp vanilla
Recipe #5 – Tea Sugar Scrub
2 cups white sugar
1 cup honey
2 TBS tea
5 drops vanilla
Recipe #6 – Yogurt Sugar Scrub
3 TBS baby oil
1 TBS yogurt
1 TBS white sugar
Directions:
* Mix ingredients till well blended, store in sealed container, and use as a body scrub/exfoliator.
This weekend why not pick up the ingredients and make one of the salt or sugar scrub recipes? Make enough to gift to a friend as a random act of kindness, then give yourself a home spa treatment and enjoy another opportunity to experience Life’s Simple Pleasures.
Canning 101 | Taste of Home Recipes.
I have been a subscriber to “Taste of Home” magazine for many years because it’s a great magazine that features no ads, offers a wide variety of wonderful recipes in each edition, and provides helpful cooking tips. The magazine’s on-line website provides many resources that will be of help to both beginner & experienced cooks. Rieman publishing also offers several other magazines that are of great aesthetic and practical value. I highly recommend this family of magazines so please take a moment this weekend to check out the link above and the variety of magazines Rieman offers!
I was browsing through the Taste of Home website this week and found an article I want to share with all the folks out there interested in learning how to preserve fresh produce through the canning process. The link above provides the basics of canning, giving step by step instructions, as well as, providing an overview of the process. The link will be of help to those wanting to try canning but who feel insecure about how to go about it.
One of the topics on my list of topics to address on this blog was the canning process. When I found “Canning 101” I couldn’t wait to share it with my readers. If you find this post helpful, please send me a comment and let me know. I wish you a long and productive “canning” life. Preserving produce you select or grow yourself allows you to take control of what goes into the food you eat. It also is the ultimate convenience food when you come home from work. All you need to do is go to your canning pantry and pull out the ingredients to prepare a nutritious and delicious meal your family will love. It is not only healthy for your body, it is healthy for your pocketbook too!
One of Life’s Simple Pleasures is hearing the “ping” as each lid seals in a batch of jars just out of the canner. Each ping is a testament that there will be another jar of something delicious to eat throughout the year; while affirming your hard work and dedication to taking care of yourself and your family.
I’m sure I am not the only person these days looking for ways to stretch my dollars. We are blessed with a comfortable home and land enough to raise children, animals and a garden. Yet there are times when I find myself “wishing” for things that would make my life easier or more efficient. During these times it’s helpful for me to be content with what I have. This allows me time to get over the “want” and determine if I really need the item, am willing to afford and make the purchase,or if the item is just fluff to waste money on.
It doesn’t take a lot of time or energy to be frugal minded, but it does take an openness of mind. Many people like brand named items to wear, use, and purchase. I am of the school of “use what you have and make due”. For instance, you get reusable wax bags every time you buy a box of cereal or crackers. Don’t throw them away. Recycle the box and reuse the bag to hold leftovers, odds ‘n’ ends, sandwiches for your lunch, or vegetables. I’m sure you can think of more items that need a storage bag. I keep all my bread bags too. These work great to store home made bread, contain sack lunches, and a dozen other things that come up each week at my house. I very rarely have to purchase storage bags and this makes my piggy bank happy. I do set aside a reusable bag to store all the wax, plastic, and bread bags that come in through the door and keep it handy so I can quickly get what I need. I purchase store bought bags sometimes, but I wash them out and reuse. My only rule is that if it holds meat, it gets used once and then thrown out.
I also save every glass jar and plastic container that comes in my door. I find myself using them to hold bulk food items, canisters for sugar, flour, & home made biscuit mix, cosmetics and lotions I make at home, refrigerator pickles, buttons, safety pins, Q-tips, dried herbs out of my garden, the “not enough to fill a canning jar” food stuff and the list goes on and on. Yes it takes storage room; if you live in a small apartment or condo you might prefer to put this on your “to-do” list for when you move into a larger home. But it might be worth your time, however, to get a plastic storage bin in a size you can manage and keep some of the glassware & plastic containers you purchase to use again.
This afternoon I had a cavity filled at the dentist and by suppertime I didn’t feeling like cooking. I rarely order out so I went through my frig and pantry and came up with a frugal and easy soup. Let me share what I came up with. Good for you if you have all or most of the ingredients in your garden; but if not, this is an inexpensive but satisfying and delicious meal.
Stick to Your Ribs Broccoli Soup
4-5 white potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 onion, chopped in small pieces
1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 c flour
2-3 Tblsp butter
2 cups milk
Velveeta Cheese to taste
salt, pepper, cumin, & curry powder to taste
Cover potatoes and onion with water or chicken broth and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add broccoli and cook until all vegetables are soft. In the mean time, melt butter; add flour and 2 cups of milk. Stir until smooth then add to the vegetable mix. Stir until smooth and bubbly. At this point, add as much Velveeta cheese as you like, in small pieces, and the spices to taste. Stir until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 4 people healthy portions or 6 people normal portions. Side dish suggestions: salad, crusty or home made bread, crouton garnish.
I found a recipe this week in a cookbook called “Buy Fresh Buy Local”, by B. Carlson for zucchini jam. Anyone who grows a garden understands the need to find ways to use all those zucchini that the plants produce even without rain and in miserable heat. I made the recipe because yes I am overwhelmed with zucchini and cannot stand to waste any; given how much it will be worth in the grocery store in a matter of months. (Even now at the peak of the season they are $1.49 a pound at my local grocery). After I made the jam, I realized this was an economical recipe too. Fresh fruit made into jam is a lot more expensive even if you grow the fruit yourself. So for those of you that need something else to do with your zucchini give this recipe a try. You will find it a sweet addition to saltine or town house crackers, biscuits and toast. It’s also quite easy on the pocket book.
Makes 4-5 pints
5 1/2 c grated zucchini
6 c sugar
1 c water
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
2 (3 oz ea.) pkgs. jello (any flavor)
Boil 6 minutes zucchini, sugar, and water. Add lemon juic and pineapple. Boil 6 minutes more. Add two 3 oz. each packages of jello. Boil 6 minutes more. Pour hot into jars, put on lid and screw bands. Jars will seal without processing if poured hot into hot jars using hot lids, but to be on the safe side, water bath for 15 minutes.
This recipe tastes fresh and would make a nice gift too.
One of Life’s Simple Pleasures for me is using what I have and being frugal when and where ever I can. I know this stems from my father’s influence during my childhood and young adult years. He grew up during the depression and resisted spending any money he didn’t have to…probably to a fault! In my adult life I have finally
I get outside and look for the beauty in my own back yard
found a middle ground which allows me to make thoughtful purchases without too much guilt, and which also allows me to enjoy finding ways to be frugal and a good steward of my household.
Being frugal can be one of Life’s Simple Pleasures. Go on….give it a try.
Splash of color from my garden
I am a teacher by profession and beginning next Friday I will be back at school teaching music to high school students. I love to be an educator! I love my students; most of the time. One of the biggest perks about being a teacher is witnessing kids grow as musicians and individuals and know that I am a contributing factor in their development.
Another perk about being a teacher is the summer I have to enjoy as I see fit. Today was hot and humid so I gave myself the luxury of spending time indoors. I finished a book my daughter gave me (The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson). I made 4 loaves of wonderful whole wheat bread that made the house smell divine! We had a loaf for supper along with a potato dish my husband grilled, called “creek potatoes,” and coleslaw made from cabbage out of the garden. We had fresh blueberries and double chocolate zucchini cupcakes for dessert. I made a gallon of black mint tea from mint growing outside my back door. Another indoor job today was to cut into bars the olive oil/goat milk soap I made yesterday and place it on the rack to cure for the next month. Tomorrow I will make shampoo bars and I have some napkins and kitchen towels I want to complete.
I made sure to spend time with my husband and boys today. Finding time to be together is a luxury when you work a job outside the home and my time is running out. Time with my family is one of Life’s Simple Pleasures that has to come first on my list of priorities. I sat with them, did chores together, talked about whatever came up and enjoyed sharing our meals. No matter how busy your life gets, you have to remember what is important; the people who share your life. Don’t take them for granted because they are God’s Gift to you and they won’t always be there. I lost my Mom and Dad and one brother, and very nearly my husband (to a heart attach). It has reinforced for me the value of just enjoying day-to-day life with those I love. You don’t have to make special plans to enjoy time together; just enjoy the time you have.
Tonight it cooled down to the high 80’s so I decided to go to the garden. It will be hot and humid again tomorrow and I thought an evening pick would be a wise choice. I picked cucumbers, zucchini & yellow neck squash, okra, broccoli, tomatoes and green beans. It was cooler than daytime but I was drenched through to the skin by the time I was finished. Which leads me to the best part of this wonderful summer day.
Earlier this summer we bought an 8 foot livestock tank on sale and my husband completed the “swimming pool” by adding a pump and sand filter. The pool is metal and indestructible, and on a farm with a dog, cats, chickens, goats, a lawn mower, and a 12-year old boy, this is a primary concern.
After I finished bringing the garden produce into the house, I made a quick decision and slipped outside in the twilight and took a leisurely dip in the pool. The water was so clean and refreshing! As I looked up I realized the stars were just beginning to peek through into the night sky. The fireflies were busy “glowing” in the pasture and my goats were taking advantage of the cooler temperatures to graze. The hay was baled yesterday and there was a wonderful aroma of new-mown hay to scent the evening. All in all this was a moment of heaven on earth to savor and appreciate all the gifts of the day; it was definitely one of Life’s Simple Pleasures.
Quarter Amish 