February 1-9, 2013

Ok, so the meal is uncooked in the top photo, but the end result was excellent.  Both these dishes are the result of a Wildtree Freezer Workshop that I took part in via Skype.  The end result was at least 10 freezer meals for everyone.  I ended up with a few more because I doubled some of the recipes.  The top is a Rosemary Herbed Pork Tenderloin Roast and the bottom is a Steak Fajita filler.  With a million and one things on the calendar, I was grateful that my friend allowed me to take part in this way.

And a couple pics of the yard from the early part of February.  Believe it or not, this is the most snow we’d had all winter, and it’s not as much as my family would’ve liked.

Frosted trees are so beautiful.  I really enjoy winter and the beauty of it…even when it’s snowing and blowing.  It doesn’t bother me when I’m at home looking out my kitchen window!

I also want to note that Angelina, Zeke and Dash all competed in 4-H and FFA Crop Judging at Little I in Fargo on the 8th.  They had fun and did well.

My mom came to stay with us on the 3rd.  I had surgery on the 4th, so she came to help with the kids for the week.  I needed to leave Marcus home, so I felt most confident leaving her with him.  I was unable to nurse him for 48 hrs and he refused to take a bottle – no big surprise there.  The other option was a medicine dropper, so that is how he ate.  He doesn’t eat much during the day anyway, so this actually worked out ok.  He still didn’t like it, but at least he was getting something.  The surgery went well.

December Recap in Pics #4

 

I made stollen (it was a kit from King Arthur Flour)!  And I enjoyed it.  However, since it has almond paste, it probably won’t be something I make often.  Louis still reacts to some nuts, so we are avoiding all tree nuts.

Our family Christmas photo – I was running a little behind this year – for me.  It was still well within Christmas.

Tummy time for Marcus.  He already has favorite toys – Sophie giraffe in any of her three forms (that we own) are at the top of the list.

Bake for Family Fun Month

Sponsored by The Home Baking Association, this looks like it could be a bit of fun.  My favorite baking site, King Arthur Flour, is also getting into the act to promote this family activity on its blog.

The HBA has themed baking activities for each week based on grade level.  I hadn’t checked this site out before, but it looks really great.  Angelina has been in a baking mood this week and Dash offered to cook this morning, too.  Zeke makes his own eggs for breakfast on most mornings. 

The site even has educational resources, videos, tips, and recipes.  I plan to check it out further… you should, too!

31/52

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.

This has been a fun, action-filled week.  I forgot about taking pictures on Monday and Tuesday – just too busy enjoying our visitors. 

 

Monday: Eric, Dash and Angelina left at about 5pm to run their 4-H exhibits to Clover Days in Litchville.  By the time they returned, the Methe Family, from NE, had arrived in time to share supper with us. 

Tuesday: Eric and Dash left early for Fargo and dentist appointments; Kevin and his oldest son, Mr. J, tagged along for the ride and to visit.  Michelle, I, and the rest of the kids hung out at the farm chatting and prepping food in the kitchen.  Getting re-acquainted with old friends is the best way to spend a warm summer day.  Overnight rain left the fields too wet to harvest with only a couple hours left to go…the Methe boys were happy! 

Michelle, Angelina and I headed to Litchville to pick up the 4-H exhibits.  Dash and Angelina received blues on everything they entered.

Wednesday: The oldest girls, Miss M and Miss R whipped up a batch of Mocha Brownies.  They were enjoyed by ALL!

In the afternoon, the guys all headed out to harvest those last strips of the winter wheat.  They finished up, even with a break-down!  Mr. J (Methe) was absolutely thrilled to ride in the combine and even drove for a short time. 

We finished the day by leaving the kids at home to have pizza and root-beer floats while the adults enjoyed a quiet meal at Centerfield’s in LaMoure.  Great food and great friends.  Always lots to talk about – everything from homeschooling, to food, to kids, to curriculum, to discipline, to faith, to Regnum Christi, to old friends, to gardens, to health and back again!

Grandma and Grandpa Golden Acres arrived late that night, in time to share a glass of Red Ass Rhubarb wine and a bit of cheesecake.  The wine was tart.

Thursday: Bright and early start to get the chicken butchering area set-up and ready for action.  This year, we had an amazing group to get the job accomplished.  Went fast and smooth.  Everyone chipped in and did their best to get the 35 chickens cleaned and ready for freezing.  The Methe family, Grandma & Grandpa Green Acres, Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres, and a neighbor and her two children showed up (thanks to Facebook!) to help.  That’s a total of 9 adults and 13 kids (although one of the older girls did stay inside to watch the four youngest kids who were too little to help in the process). 

Anyway, there’ll be more on this day, later!  Lots of great pictures of all the action.

By 11am, we’d started to clean up outside and the carcasses were all in water, cooling.  I headed inside to get lunch/dinner ready at about 11:30am and we were eating by Noon. 

The Methe family packed up and we said our long good-byes around 2:15pm.  Promise it won’t be so long before we see each other again!!

Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres, Grandma Green Acres and I thoroughly washed, tied and sealed the chickens in bags for freezing.  We started at about 2:40pm and were done by 5:30pm.  Eric kept the kids entertained and out of the kitchen.  Grilled pork chops, green beans, and a lettuce salad for supper tasted wonderful.  My parents, Eric and I sat with our feet up, Bulldog in hand to end the day.  Beat, but happy.

Friday: A day of catch-up on laundry, errands, emails, phone calls, and fly-swatting (will it never end! … I suppose with the first frost.).  Angelina left very early (6am) Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres to head to her Aunt Julianne’s home.  She’ll help watch her cousin while everyone else does a few projects around the farm and home.

Loving life on our little farm.

Peanut Butter Finger Bars

Fresh eggs from the layers … fewer eggs now due to fewer hens.  That’ll all change in a couple months time!

My dad, Grandpa Golden Acres, on the right.  Eric on the left with Zeke, Graham and Louis in front.  Examining the wheat field and learning how to eat wheat berries.

Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres’ mode of transportation and boarding on this trip … we are the first stop, then on to my sister’s, then on to a grandson’s 4th birthday, back to my sister’s, then to Bismarck for a meeting, and finally back home again. 

Monday DayLook: August 1, 2011

Looking out from my back porch... it stormed this morning.  All is very WET!

I am thankful for... newly cleaned bathrooms.

I am reading… articles about combining flocks and poultry breeding in the Backyard Poultry magazine which arrived on Saturday.

I am praying for...good harvest weather and an end to the mosquitos and HORSE FLIES!

I am hearing... Dash mowing outside – even with the wet.

I am wearing…moss green capris and an orange shirt.

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… there’s a load of towels (mainly beach towels) every other day.  Caught up on laundry for the time being.

From the School Room... minor cleaning and organizing of art supplies.

From the Kitchen... cherry crisp – never tried it before, but it was excellent.  The lug of Bing Cherries had quite a few with bad spots…couldn’t just pop ‘em in your mouth and eat ‘em.  In searching around for a way to use them, I came across a Cherry Crisp recipe on King Arthur Flour.

From the Garden…  green beans galore, peas are at the end, strawberries are blooming again, Huckleberries are starting to ripen, there have been a few more blueberries, green zucchini are doing well and the yellow still continue to rot on the vine, can’t find many tomatoes set, onions are drying (although some were moved and replanted to see if they’ll start growing again).

From the FarmYard…  plan to merge the Barred Rocks, Buffs and Ameraucanas later this week (after the Broilers are butchered on Thursday/Friday).  One of the sheep has a nasty wound – we thought it was ring worm and are treating it – that is taking a long time to heal. 

A successful moment… Dash built a garden arbor (from a kit) on Saturday; it looks great!  He also put together another garden hose holder.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Last minute cleaning.  Friends and Dash’s Godparents (The Methe Family!!!) from NE are coming to visit for a few days.  Clover Days in a nearby town mean the kids can show a few of their 4-H static exhibits again.  There is the possibility of harvest all week (or until the Winter Wheat is done).

Tuesday: Dentist appointments for Dash and Eric.  Hang out with Methe’s.

Wednesday: Hang out with Methe’s.  The guys may golf this morning.  In the evening, the adults may be able to enjoy a night out while the kids feast on pizza.  Prep for chicken butchering.  Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres may arrive late.

Thursday:   Chicken Butchering and Methe’s leave for home.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday:  Chicken Butchering, Angelina wants to attend the Missoula MT Children’s musical production in LaMoure, Cousin’s 4th birthday celebrated at the Lake Sally, 1st class in our next CCL series.

A picture memory...

This is the last time the Methe and Lahlum families were together!  Back in July of 2007 – four years too long ago.  Above are all the kids we had at the time … one more has been added to each family.  Below are Kevin and Michelle with Dash – they are his Godparents.

Eric and I are sitting with our Godson, Mr. Methe (in the middle) and a 1yo Graham. 

30/52

 

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.

Been in a baking kick this past week.  Every few months I get in a sourdough mood – I need to be home for at least two days in a row – and not stressed about other things!  I was craving sourdough grilled cheese (with tomato soup) for lunch tomorrow.  Ya need to start early with sourdough!  And then, I’d always wanted to try Breadchick’s Sourdough Sweet Rolls with Butter Crème Frosting.

 

I cheated just a bit in the rising times and used a warmed oven to speed things along.  Above is the rising, below is the done and ready to eat.  Frosted with orange flavored butter crème frosting…MMMMMMmmmmmm.

Dash, Eric and Grandpa Green Acres started the wheat harvest today.  Eric was disappointed with the yield on the winter wheat thus far, but the protein is super high.  We have entered the Fall Lunch-Box season.

The oldest three boys and Eric headed into LaMoure for a haircut this morning.  Louis had his haircut at home, via the in-house barber.  Not too bad!  Darn he’s cute!!

Before and After VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Angelina and I canned cherries on Thursday.  They turned out OK; I think there are at least two jars she’ll be able to exhibit for 4-H (might need the Grandmas to pre-judge!).  Some skins split, even though we pricked each with a pin … guess we’ll have to use something bigger to do the pricking next time.  And then, some floated up and are touching the seal; big no-no for showing/exhibiting.  Neither of these problems affect the taste of the cherries, thank goodness.

Odds and ends and starts

 

1. Zeke doesn’t slice his apples or peel his oranges in the normal way … wish I had a picture to help explain … he likes to use a paring knife to cut little slivers and chips from each.  He’ll actually cut the peeling off the orange.  I think this is some sort of fascination with knives.  Maybe he needs a pocket knife.

2. The Missouri River crest was lowered 1 foot!!!  This is awesome news.  Also, it is theorized (they could check this … why they don’t is beyond me) that the river, which is usually only 20 feet deep at it’s deepest, has actually cut down to 40 feet.  The pictures are amazing right now, but THAT will be a sight to see when the water eventually recedes.

3. Progress is being made on the patio! 

4. I almost given up hope that my second clematis had survived our winter.  In fact, I was on my way out to plant sweet peas in it’s spot … and THIS is what I found.

5.  Three meals of lasagna for the freezer.  One will most likely end up being a meal for someone else … lots of babies being born in the next month or so.

 

6.  We are getting a dog.  A black lab cross, she’d about 2.5 to 3 years old.  Of course, this is all dependent upon our being approved (I didn’t know you had to be approved!). 

The kids (Angelina, Zeke, Graham) and I stopped at the Humane Society after swimming on Tuesday to check the dogs available.  We’d seen pictures on Monday at the grocery store that looked promising.  We came away interested in two that seemed to be of similar temperament and about the same size.

Yesterday, Eric took the kids to swimming and stopped by to see the dogs again afterwards.  We wanted the kids to be able to spend a little more time with the dogs …

Eric started the adoption process.  Our plan is to pick her – current name is Sheba, but we’d like to change that – up next Friday.  However, if we pick her up earlier that’s fine, too. 

Then, Eric and the kids stopped to purchase necessities and not-so-necessities!  He generally comes back with more than I would …which the kids consider awesome.

7. Dash mowed our lawn for the first time.  He didn’t have time to do the whole front, but the back looks much better now that it’s all one length.

Monday DayLook: May 30, 2011

Looking out from my back porch... it’s just plain wet.  However, the lawn looks so green and lush; it’ll need to be mowed for the first time very soon.

I am thankful for... Life, Health, Happiness.

I am reading… StAR magazine.

I am hearing... the kids playing Wii downstairs.

I am wearing… khaki capris, blue t-shirt

From the sewing/craft room (aka. laundry room!)… finally getting the sleeping bags from the camping trip washed.  Hope to do a bit of sewing on Angelina’s 4-H projects.

From the school room... standardized test results were returned last week.  No surprises on the scores.  Angelina finished up her Latin final exam.  Dash still has some work to do on a couple final papers.

From the kitchen... Banana cake w/ pecans and caramel frosting, Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie, Whiskey cream sauce, BBQ ribs …

Rosemary Potatoes: this picture really doesn’t do the dish justice.  They were quite yummy.  The recipe is from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Berry Trifle (thanks to my friend, Sarah Grant, who’s family was out to the farm visiting yesterday):  we ate so much steak, Rosemary Potatoes and Berry Trifle, that we couldn’t eat the Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie!  I divided the pie and sent it home with them to eat today!!

From the Garden…  darn deer found the strawberries.  Although one plant was tugged out of the soil, I was able to replant it.  I do not believe any plants were lost because little leaves at the soil surface were visible.  However, I did fence both the strawberries and blueberries, which have bloomed.  Future to-do will be to fence the entire garden.

From the FarmYard…  it’s a soggy mess to get from our home to the animals, but all the critters are doing well. 

A successful moment…  Eric and I synced our calendars this morning.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Happy Memorial Day … kids are having a pajama day.

Tuesday: Written driver’s test for Dash.

Wednesday: Dash drives today, Swimming registration, Angelina and 2 girl friends plan to do clay projects in the afternoon, Angelina is helping Grandma Green Acres at an Apron Show in the evening.

Thursday:  Happy 5th Birthday to Graham!  4-H Communication Arts Contest for Dash and Angelina.

Friday:  Dash drives today.

Saturday: Family Wedding in the early evening.

Sunday:   Happy 11th Birthday to Angelina!

A picture memory... our first blooming tree … in our yard.

 

 

 

The Eggnog Fudge…

 

Here’s the link to the Eggnog Fudge … just in case someone wants to try it.

NOTE:  I didn’t have rum extract on hand, so I substituted vanilla.  It’s a very sweet fudge.

Holiday Goodies

For the last couple weeks, holiday prep has been entering my thoughts.  I like to get a jump start and freeze a variety of treats in October/November.  It really makes Advent seem less rushed and most of my favorites hold up very well in the freezer.  Besides, I'm usually baking at least 6 dozen holiday treats for my college fraternity's Fall/Winter fundraiser held the first full weekend in November.  Why stop at 6 dozen?? 

This year, the addition of a new little one has me thinking farther ahead, and our local country church has their fundraiser next weekend (I'm assigned to bring a pan of bars).  I'd make them this week and freeze the bars, but they don't want them cut!  I'm sure that makes sense because then they will all be the same size ... but, for someone trying to check off items on the To-Do List, it's not very convenient.  The bars will need to wait.

These are the goodies I'd like to make this year, in prioritized order ... priority really meaning favorites first!  I've made most of these every year, except for Pizzelles.  Last year was the first year, and I invested in a pizzelle griddle because they were on sale.  Grandma Golden Acres and I had a fun time experimenting, but they are so easy we decided to make it an annual addition to our treat list.

• Divinity
• Cashew Brittle
• Pizzelles
• Turtle Cookies
• Suzie's Favorite Sugar Cookies
• Creme de Menthe Brownies
• Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Jam Thumbprints

I like to try something new each year.  In looking through my stack of holiday and cookie magazines, I came across a recipe for Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints (pictured below).  So, if there is time, I'd like to make that my experimental recipe for this season.  If the kitchen experiment actually happens, you can be sure I'll post pictures!

Four AM Fun

Is it fun to wake up at 4a??  Well, no, but if I'm going to be up, I might as well make myself useful.  Today, it was an allergic reaction that woke me up.  My throat and roof of my mouth were so itchy!  That happens to me this time of year - weeds are at their most potent, small grains harvest, and lots of dust.

But, I still can't get back to sleep after taking medication, so I might as well make myself useful.  I was planning to can peaches today anyway.  I just wasn't planning to start so early in the day.  It was actually quite nice: no interruptions, canning in my pj's, no shower (but still plenty of time to take one before the day really begins), 1/2 lug of peaches canned by 6:10a.

1.  Prep stage:  I'd washed the peaches last night, so just need to quarter/halve and peel.  The peeled peaches are in a water/lemon juice mixture to prevent browning during the prep stage.  I've also started water boiling in the canner, mixed the light syrup and started heating it, and placed the jars in the dishwasher so they are hot when I'm ready to pack.

2. Packing:  Half the peaches are cut and peeled (my bucket is full), so I packed about half the jars.  I like to put the jars in a towel covered pan.  My lids have been sterilized with boiling water and the rings (screw-bands) are nearby, too.  I was able to pack 4 quart jars, but decided to peel the rest of the peaches to see if I could fill the canner.



3. Canning:  The canner is filled and the jars are covered with about 1 inch of water.  Quarts are processed at a full rolling boil for 25 minutes.












4.  Done!  When the time is up, I remove the jars to a towel covered board.  The jars are supposed to sit out and cool for at least 24 hours.  At the end of that time, I remove the bands and clean the jars for storage in the root cellar.

Cooking Double-Time

This week, I've been doing one of the Once a Month Cooking Mini-sessions - very, very spread out. Every time I've made a freezeable meal, I've doubled it (Chicken Pot Pie, Tater Tot Hotdish, Pepperoni Spaghetti Pie) so I've had a dish to freeze. I've also asked Angelina and Dash, who like helping in the kitchen, to make cookies or bars to freeze (Frozen Peanut Butter Bars, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies). When I browned ground beef earlier in the week, I prepped 5 lbs. This morning, I poached and diced 8lbs. of chicken for a couple different recipes. Most of the meals will be good for 3 months, but they'll never last that long!!

Harvest is coming up, so things get a little busy around here. The cookies and bars go in the packed lunches to take to the field. Homemade goodies are healthier and less expensive. The kids and I eat alone more often, too. Usually the meals last a bit longer with one less adult (and maybe one less 12yo!) eating at the table.

If you want to know more about OAMC, check out http://www.30daygourmet.com/