My Favorite Time Of Year

As a child I remember the weather turning colder and that was a sign for my family to start preparing for winter. My dad taking the pickup truck out in the woods to find firewood. Bringing it home and then my dad getting out his chainsaw and cutting the wood and all of us kids piling the firewood on pallets. My mom getting everything from her garden that was still there, canning and swapping out summer clothes for winter clothes, and weather proofing the windows. Getting outside toys put away for another winter. I loved getting ready for winter as a child and that has carried through to adulthood/mommyhood.
For the last week I have been going through my girl's closets and swapping out summer for winter clothes and reorganizing bedrooms. Getting the hats and mittens out and ready for colder weather. Purchasing new furnace filters, window weather treatments and new weather strips for the doors, making sure I have plenty of feety jammies for the girls, we all have a good pair of slippers, and I purchased a nice warm blue robe for my husband.
Another thing I do to get ready for the cold weather is hitting all the second hand stores and purchasing new movies, toys and books and putting them away for when it is too cold to go out and KL is feeling restless. I have also purchased lots of craft stuff from the Dollar Store and put it away. She loves doing crafts and it really keeps her busy. I purchased construction paper, new crayons, scissors, stickers, glue and stamps.
I will be going to the second hand stores after Halloween and purchasing any leftover costumes to put away in her dress up tub. I will be getting more wands, crowns, jewelry, boas, and fake makeup from the Dollar Store for her dress up days.

This is KL's room. She does not have a dresser, but she has a fabulous Closet Maid and we really put it to good use. I would recommend one of these to everyone. I love it!


This is VJ's dresser and closet. I have many more clothes, I just ran out of hangers, and the rest are still in Neb and I will get them in November.



Getting extra blankets out for my girls!


KL has been enjoying picking berries off of our bushes. She knows she can't eat them, but she puts them in piles on the sidewalk for the birds and the squirrels.





A sound I hear constantly now is the squirrels on the deck, the tree next to the deck and the swing set chewing open walnuts and leaving the remnants behind. I hear it all day long and I love it. It is just another sign that winter will soon be upon us.

1st Time Bowling

Today we took KL bowling. We found out that the local bowling alley has Bumper Bowling on Thursdays. For $5.00 she gets a full game, shoes, fries and a drink. Any extra games are $2.50. What a fun way to spend Thursday morning.


Daddy showing her how to bowl.



She did it all by herself!



Mommy and KL wearing our matching shirts. This is the second time this week we wore matching shirts.


She called this 'The Ball Bringer Back Thingy'. Too cute!


I am very picky on what VJ eats, and she is on an eating schedule. But she was reaching for our fries, and I couldn't resist!


Check out those cheeks! They are almost as big as her thighs!


We had such a great time that we are going to plan on doing this every Thursday before daddy goes to work.

Playdate & A Superb Lunch

Today the girls and I got up early because we found a mommy/kids playgroup at one of the schools near by. They meet every Wednesday from 9:30-10:30am. They use the gym and have toys of every kind, and the stage is used for crafts, and they put out tables for snacks. KL had a wonderful time, and we will plan on going back.

I needed to think of an easy lunch for today, so I chose to make a creamy chicken pasta meal with lots of veggies and corn bread on the side.
I had some cooked chicken in the fridge, so I added chopped chicken, carrots, zucchini and onion to the pot. Then I cooked some pasta and added pasta and chicken broth, then I added about a cup of homemade Cream of Soup. It was very tasty!

Cornbread Recipe:

1 stick butter
1 1/2 c buttermilk, yogurt or sour milk
2 eggs
1 c flour
1 t. salt
1 c cornmeal
1 t. baking soda

Put butter in cast iron skillet and place in oven. Turn oven to 400 degrees allowing butter to melt. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs and sugar. Mix well. Pour in melted butter, leaving about a tablespoon in pan. Roll around remaining butter to 'grease' the pan.
Add cornmeal, flour, salt and baking soda to wet ingredients. Mix well, pour into skillet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. You can top with butter, honey or maple syrup.






Recipe for Cream of Soup:

2 cups dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup chicken broth powder
2 T. dry onion flakes
salt, pepper and parsley.

Mix and keep in sealed jar in your pantry.

To use:
1/3 cup cream of soup mix to 1 cup hot water. You can either cook this in a pan on the stove, or put in microwave for 45 minutes. Watch carefully, you don't want it to scorch.

Great Food/Great Finds

Yesterday we drove to another town to pick up our co-op order. I ordered 3 lbs of American cheese, a whole box of my family's favorite suckers, and 5lbs of green lentils. Yes, 5lbs. So, I found some great green lentil recipes, and the one I posted looks absolutly delicious! So we will be having it sometime this week.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 pound French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
• 3 cups medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
• 3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

After getting back from co-op, we met Grandma Nicholls at our house and we drove to the Salvation Army in Battle Creek. I love the Salvation Army! Great finds, great prices. So we were on the hunt for a Halloween costume for KL, and some fall decor. One persons trash is another persons treasures! I found a great pumpkin candy dish, and a candle holder. They had a great selection of costumes, so I started going through them and KL changed her mind 100 times. Finally, the last costume I held out she fell in love with. I am not sure if I am going to make her into a princess with wand and crown, or if I will put some black tights, black shoes, bumble bee headband and make her the Bumble Bee Princess. Any suggestions?

Nebraska Bound

We are finally making it public knowledge.......... based on when Ty finds a job, we will be moving back to Nebraska. We feel that this is a good move for our family. We have a lot of reasons for going back. We are ready to close the Michigan chapter and open a new one in Nebraska.

A Productive Saturday

I knew I was going to have a super busy day today. Saturdays are usually a very busy day for me because I use them to do some catch up work while my husband is home to take care of the girls. So I started out with a nice brunch for the family. Zucchini muffins, hard boiled eggs, fresh cows milk and apple cider.

After eating, I had my list: Make hand soap, dish soap and laundry soap, make butter, do laundry and clean the house.

I bought Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap at the health food market yesterday. And I planned on just refilling my old bottles

Hand Soap:
2 T Castile Soap-10 T water

Dish Soap:
1 cup Castlle Soap to 1/4 cup water, a few drops of essential oils



Then it was on to laundry soap. This one is pretty easy as well, just a hot job.
You will need a large pan, spoon or wisk, 1/3 c shaved soap (I purchase mine online, and I order goats milk soap) 1/2 c washing soda, 1/2 c borax, and a large bucket. I got mine from a bakery.




Put shaved soap and 6 c water. Cook until the soap melts. Add washing soda and Borax. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.




Add 4 c hot water into bucket (I keep a pot of hot water on the stove until I am ready to use it),
Add soap mixture and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups water. Let soap sit 24 hours before use. And use 1/2 c per load.



I have been making my own soap for about a year now, and I love it. It cleans well, and smells fresh.
I still run my freshly washed clothes through a vinegar rinse cycle to get all extra residue out, but I do like knowing what I am washing my families clothes in.

Next on my list was butter. I am still learning this. I never seem to get as much butter as my milk lady does, but I got about 1/2 lb today. I will have to say that I hate using store bought when I do not have enough homemade. There is a huge difference in taste.

And I am happy to say that I did get 3 loads of laundry done and I have a very clean house.

And that was my Saturday!

Soaking Beans & Rice

In the book Nourishing Traditions (by Sally Fallon), it talks about the benefits of soaking beans. In this book she talks about something called ‘phytic acid’. Phytic acid is naturally found in all grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Phytic acid blocks the absorption of minerals in your body. To neutralize phytic acid (it will also make them easier to digest) you need to soak your grains and beans. Soaking grains and beans also increases their nutritional benefit. If you would like to read more about this (and other nutritional information) then I highly recommend Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions.

I menu plan all my meals. It makes it easier for me at the market. I know exactly what I need and for what day. Not only does it keep me organized, it is much cheaper when going to the market. I am not filling my cart full of items that are really not needed. I write my meals down for 2 weeks and put the list on the fridge. If I see that I am going to need beans for my next meal, I make sure they are in a pan full of water to be soaked throughout the night. When I wake up in the morning, I drain the water, fill the pan back up with water, add 2 teaspoons of salt, and start cooking. Usually it takes about 2 1/2-3 hours to cook. When I soak my whole grain brown rice in water, I add 1 Tablespoon of whole, plain yogurt. The next morning, I do not drain the water. I just add 1 teaspoon of salt, turn my burner on and cook it 40-50 minutes. The yogurt makes the rice fluffy and soft and I think it makes the rice taste better. I am not a huge rice fan, but I really like the taste of it when it has been soaked with the yogurt.

Lunch

I have been enjoying cooking beans for my family lately. It is healthier and cheaper than buying meat. I have a friend who is a Vegan, and I got this fantastic recipe from her.
Today we had Chickpea Cutlets and mashed potatoes mixed with fresh cows cream and homemade butter.

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a Microplane grater
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• Olive oil for pan frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no chickpeas are left. Add the remaining ingredients and knead together for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed.
2. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, divide the cutlet dough into 4 equal pieces. To form cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape. The easiest way to do this is to form a rectangle shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.
3. Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They’re ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch.

Fall Is Here!

Just a few random shots of our little girls. We love being parents, and even though we will be thrilled if our next one is a boy, we both have to agree that little girls are just so much fun and we are enjoying all the stages our girlies go through.





The other day I walked out on my deck and counted 6 deer eating and frolicking through our backyard.




We snapped a few 'fallish' pictures on our way to get milk yesterday. The leaves are changing so fast! This is my favorite time of year! I have my house decorated for fall. Getting the girl's Halloween costumes ready. Apple picking, fresh zucchini, pumpkins.... I love it all!




Along with everything else I love about fall, my favorite is the baking. And since KL loves baking and cooking so much, this is great for her. I am teaching her all that I know. We have been enjoying zucchini bread, fresh whole wheat bread, cornbread. We even tried our hands out at making hamburger buns. And we have been trying different kinds of chili.





This is our Black Bean Chicken Chili. I soaked my beans the night before, then cooked them for 3 hours. Using the bean broth and some fresh chicken stock, I added chicken, corn and onions to the beans. This was a fabulous chili that we will be doing again. Put that with some fresh out of the oven cornbread and homemade butter..... DELICIOUS! This was a nice surprise for my husband who had worked all day on a Saturday. We thought he deserved to come home to this meal, and he was very pleased.