Menu Monday

Quiche, fruit salad

Italian cabbage casserole, garlic bread

Tacos, rice, beans

Chicken stir-fry, rice

Homemade pizza, salad

Chicken noodle soup, salad, berry crumble

 

This is the plan anyway.  There are 2 end of the year parties this week so we will see.

 

 

Purina One Cat Food & product testing

I have joined an online product testing company.  So every now and then I will have a product review on here.  The products I will test are free to me and I'm not paid any actual money. It is fun for us to get in a new box and see what's in it.  My reviews will always be honest if we like the products or not. I figure it's ok to post this here because by doing so I get bonus points and getting free stuff is definatly budget friendly.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

First blogging review:  Purina One Cat Food

I have fed my cats 9 lives for years because it keeps them healthy looking and it is one of the few they would eat. (picky babies)   Now I'm down to one cat and she was the more picky one.  So when I received the cat food to test I figured it was not going to get eaten.  Well, she really likes it.  It is a little more expensive than the other brand I normally buy but other than that it gets a good review.  Would I buy a bag? Yes I would.

@purinaONEcats

@Influenster

#ONEswitch

Budget friendly meals - Butterbeans

The butterbean aka dried lima beans is a  Southern classic that often gets overlooked.  Butterbeans can be cooked any way you like and many people have many twists on their favorite recipes.  I'm going to share with you my favorite way to cook butterbeans. We are having them for dinner tonight with some hot water cornbread. 

Put 1 lb. of butterbeans in a pressure cooker.  (I am using the small ones but any size is ok.)
Add in 8 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
About an hour before serving turn pressure on for 20 minutes.
Check for doneness.  If not done yet turn back on for about 5 minutes. (They do not take as long as some other beans.)
When done add in 1/4 cup of butter.
Stir & serve!

You can also do this on the stove top or crockpot. Just adjust cooking times.

Stovetop- approximately 1 hour, if soaked before
Crockpot- approximately 5 hours

Butterbeans make a great main dish or side dish.  Left-overs freeze well and they also taste even better the next day for lunch.

Enjoy!

Whole wheat blueberry pancakes

Makes about 6 medium sized pancakes.

1 egg
1 c. milk
1/8 c. coconut oil

1 c. freshly ground whole wheat flour (or could use white)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

blueberries

Whisk wet ingredients together & then whisk in the dry until no lumps.

Cook on griddle and dot with blueberries.

Flip and when done enjoy!

This recipe can easily be doubled if you need more pancakes for your family.

My Version of Taco Soup

My crock pot is a kitchen tool I really wouldn't want to be without. On days where we plan on being busy it is so nice to come home to a nice, hot meal simmering away.  Another plus is if I'm out later than dinner time the members of my family that are home can go ahead and eat if they want to.

This recipe could easily be cooked on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.  I just usually make it in the crock pot.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork (your preference)
2 c. cooked black beans
1 cup corn
2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. diced tomatoes w/green chili's (or just use plain diced tomatoes if you're not into spicy)
2 T. taco type seasoning
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder (or could use 1/3 cup chopped onion)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown your meat & drain off any fat.  Then pour everything else into the crockpot.  Add in just enough water to where everything is just covered.  Cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4.

You can serve this as is or you can pour some over some tortilla or frito chips. Then sprinkle on a little shredded cheese.

This is so easy & you can adapt pretty much any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

This makes about 7 good sized bowls.

A Short Word:

The Good Old Days:

 

God says:

  To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

      ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

It's all right to remember and treasure things from the past,

but God always wants us to enjoy each new day and live it to the fullest,

with gratitude.

What's up doc?

My daughter & my son's girlfriend hard at work peeling away!

Do carrots really help you to see better?
Sure they do.  Have you ever seen a bunny wearing glasses?
My son used to love that joke.

We finally got some rain last week so we went out, in the rain, and pulled up all of the carrots that were left in the garden.
Carrots are mostly tops so with the tops we had 2 laundry baskets full of carrots.

Sunday after church we sat out on the porch and cut off all of the tops & ends.

Then brought them in for a through washing & peeled them.

After we set all of the small ones in a pile and cut the others into coins.

The stove was busy.  Some of the carrots here waiting to be blanched and some tomato sauce cooking on the left.
 

Blanched them for about 3 minutes and then allowed them to drain & cool.

Then we packed them up in freezer bags & in the freezer they went.

We ended up with 10 bags full.

So now we've got plenty of squash & carrots put up!

I really appreciated the help I got from the family or I'd have been at this all day. With everyone helping it took us about 2 hours from start to finish.

As for all the green tops & peels they didn't go to waste. The chickens loved them.

Thanks y'all!

(You can easily can carrots, I just personally don't like the texture of a canned carrot)

Happy Pigs on the Homestead

We have 4 pigs on our homestead.  2 Hampshire & 2 Berkshire. 
Not much here goes to waste. All of our vegetable and fruit scraps go to the animals.
Yesterday after peeling all of those apples the pigs really enjoyed them.
They also got their mud holes filled up so they are muddy, but very happy! 

Apple Butter

Yesterday we picked a bushel of apples from the only apple tree on the homestead.  They are a green, granny smith variety.   They are much too tart to enjoy just eating plain but they make really good apple butter & applesauce. 
This year it was a family affair.  I really appreciated the help & it went much faster & we ended up with a delicious result!

I have 2 crockpots an oval traditional type and then I have an electric pressure canner that can also function as a crockpot. 

We used the apple corer, peeler, slicer and then handed that off to the next person who used a paring knife to cut off the remainder of the skin & any bad spots.  Then the next one filled up both crockpots with the slices. 

To each pot we added 2 cups of sugar, 4 tsp. of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. cloves, and 1 1/2 cups water.

Now time to wait! 

Put on the lids and cook for 8-12 hours.  Depending on your cooker.  Stir every couple of hours.  I let it cook over night.

The apples will turn to 'mush' and when they are all tender and dark it's done. 

If you like it a little chunky then leave it alone.  If not use a stick blender & smooth it out.  (I did)

You can store it in the refrigerator or freezer.  If you make a lot, like we did, you can also can it.

To can your apple butter place it in pint or half-pint jars. 

Canning time is 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

(Please look up canning procedures if you have never canned before & you do so at your own risk.)

Homemade Meat Sauce

We are fortunate enough have a big garden every year & I can all of my own tomato products. --Except ketchup.  Well, I actually have made homemade ketchup but my daughter really prefers the store bought kind so I do buy ketchup.

So now on to the sauce...

Homemade Meat Sauce

3/4 - 1 lb. of ground beef
1 quart or 4 c. tomato puree
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. chopped garlic
1 T. basil
1 T. parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown beef & drain off the fat. ( I add some salt & pepper to the beef while browning.)
Then add in all of the rest of the ingredients.
Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.- About as long as it takes to boil the water & cook the noodles.

That's it. Serve over pasta, vegetables, etc.

*I do not add sugar to my tomato puree or paste when I make them myself. If you are buying them in the cans taste the sauce before adding in the sugar. You may not need it.

Super Easy Oven BBQ Chicken & Roasted Veggies

Last night we had a really healthy & delicious dinner of oven BBQ chicken & roasted veggies.
The best thing about this recipe is the prep is very easy & you just throw it all into the oven for about an hour.

Oven BBQ Chicken, Roasted Veggies, & Green Beans
 

Oven BBQ Chicken:

Any chicken pieces you like.  Boneless or bone-in.  (I used chicken thighs & pulled off the skin)
BBQ sauce- any flavor
Cooking spray or non-stick foil

Spray your baking sheet with the non-stick spray or line it with foil.
Place the chicken pieces so they are not touching. 
Then paint on some BBQ sauce.
Bake at 350 until done.
Baste with the BBQ sauce 2-3 more times while cooking.


Roasted Veggies:
Any veggies you like cut up into bite sized pieces. (I used sweet potato, squash, carrots, onion, & mushrooms)
Drizzle with olive or coconut oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, & any other herbs you like.
Toss well & bake along with the chicken.

350 for about 30 minutes - 1 hour depending on what veggies you use.
Stir half way through cooking.

I served this meal with some green beans because I had them left-over from another meal.

Start Your Day Off Right!

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast foods. Actually we eat it for lunch sometimes as well.  Anyway...
I saw on an instagram  post where a woman makes oatmeal a lot and tops it different ways. 
I've also been trying to add in some 'good fats' to my diet. 
So this morning I made my old fashioned oats and then added in a tsp. of coconut oil, 1 T. brown sugar, 1 T. shredded coconut, 1 T. chopped walnuts, 1/4 c. blueberries, and 1/3 c. almond milk.
Talk about good!!!  I will definitely be doing this again!
Here are a few benefits of walnuts & coconut oil:

Fruity Smoothie

I threw a bunch of stuff in the blender this morning & it turned out really well.  I usually don't measure but today I did & wanted to share it with everyone.

1 c. low fat strawberry yogurt
1 c. light orange juice
6 strawberries
1/3 c. blueberries
1 banana

Blend it all up & enjoy!

Serves 2

Tres' Leches Cake

I've made this cake several times.  It's a favorite of my husband, children, and just about everyone who's tried it.  It is a Mexican dessert meaning 'three milks.' 

Tres' Leches Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (prepared according to package directions in a 9x13 pan)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk (any percentage)
1 container cool whip (or fresh whipped cream)

Prepare & bake cake in a 9x13 pan and allow to cool.
When cooled take a fork and poke holes all over the cake.
Mix up the 3 milks in a bowl.
Pour this all over the cake.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours.  You could even do this over night if you choose.
This allows the milk mixture to soak up in the cake.
Next ice your cake with cool whip.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

It might sound strange to have a sort-of soggy cake, but trust me it's delicious!


To make it even more traditional you could top it with some toasted coconut & a cherry.

Baby Chicks!

Well it's that time of year again where we allow some of our chickens to hatch their eggs. 

Black Astralorp Chick. When it gets feathers it will be solid black.

 

It's really easy.  You just allow your hen to 'build up' a nest of about 8 eggs and they will begin to sit on them. --Well most chickens anyway. Some have had it bred out of them & will not sit.

 

Our main layers are black astralorps.  These are the eggs that we typically eat.

We also have some silkies & bantum  chickens.  The silkies especially are great sitters/moms.

 

We took some of the astralorp eggs and allowed the silkies to hatch them out.

 

We have done this a few times now & it works out great. They have no clue that they aren't really theirs & will teach & protect them well.

 

 

 

 

Maleficent

Yesterday a couple of friends & I took our children to see Maleficent in 3D.  I have to say I actually enjoyed this movie.  I love the twists on fairy tales type of thing and this did not disappoint. 

It did have a few 'spooky' looking characters & big action/fight scenes and some deaths so maybe think twice if you have a really young child that is uncomfortable with those types of things.

There were 2 scenes where there is a kiss but not inappropriate at all.

I don't want to give away too much but I've also read where people are actually saying this lifts up the devil and things by her costume, etc.  Well, I didn't see it that way at all. She is a fairy and that is why she looks as she does & also she is not always evil.  Really, I get a little tired of everyone trying to distort everything to their own advantages.  It's a movie, it's fiction,  & it's entertaining. I personally did not have a problem with anything here going against my personal beliefs. 

I would definitely recommend this movie & give it 5 stars!

If you like fairy tales too I also suggest watching Once Upon a Time.  It is on ABC and past episodes are available on Netflix streaming. 

Grain Free Pancakes Using Coconut Flour

Let me first say I have a canister of coconut flour & I've tried a few different recipes using it and none have turned out well until today.  I have come to know that coconut flour is expensive, soaks up all the moisture so you have to add extra of that.  It also makes things 'crumbly.'  So if you have read, as I have on several pinterest boards & blogs, that it replaces regular flour in recipes that is just plain not true. 

Anyhow, being as I'm not one to let things go to waste I gave this recipe a try this morning & it is pretty good!

3 eggs (separated)

Add yolks to a bowl or blender

Add whites to separate bowl and set aside

To the yolks, add:

1 1/4 cup almond milk (or other milk)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or other oil)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp truvia (or pinch of stevia powder)

1/4 tsp salt

Blend then add:

1/3 cup almond flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup ground flax

1 TBLS Baking Powder

Set aside.

Beat Egg whites for several minutes until stiff peaks form when removing betters.  (This step is optional but it is the secret for fluffy pancakes so I recommend it.)

Gently fold batter into egg whites, stirring g-e-n-t-l-y just until combined.

 

In the meantime, preheat your griddle to a medium heat.  You know it is ready when drops of water sizzle when they hit the pan.  You want to cook these slowly to make sure they are done on the inside.  

pulled pork, coleslaw, Texas toast, chips & dip

soft tacos & Spanish rice
smothered steak, mashed potatoes, salad
blackened tilapia, parsley potatoes, squash, cherry pie bars
oven bbq chicken thighs, roasted vegetables, rolls
pinto beans, rice, cornbread
egg casserole & sausage

More About Potatoes

I had a couple of questions about the potatoes we harvested Saturday.

Kind- New Red Potatoes

When to plant- It depends on your area but here in Louisiana Jan-Feb.  You can also re-plant right now but we usually just till up that ground and plant something else.

When to harvest? When the plants seem to wilt/ begin turning brown & dying off.

How many did we get?  We did weigh them and ended up with about 180 lbs.!!!

Storage- We dust them off somewhat and then put into bags.  Burlap & crawfish sacks work great and that's what we use. We then put them in our large pantry.  You want them kept cool-room temp and dark. The burlap helps with that.    If you have a root cellar or basement & live in a less humid climate you would store them there.  (I saw where you can take a plastic tote and drill some holes to allow air to flow through & then store like that.  Looks like a good idea but I've not tried that.)

I check the potatoes about once a week. Look for any fruit flies & sour smells. If you have that you will need to search out the culprit potatoes & remove them immediately.

DO NOT store in the bags any potatoes that are wet or cut. They will rot & cause the others around them to rot too.  You can set those potatoes aside and use them first. 

You can also dehydrate & can potatoes.

What do we  do with all of them?  Eat them.  LOL  There are so many things to do with potatoes: fried, boiled, mashed, potato pancakes, potato salad, scalloped, etc.

We did grow a lot of potatoes but if kept properly they will last our family a long time.

I saw yesterday at the grocery store a 2lb. bag of small red potatoes was selling for $6.99!  So this year we are saving big!!!

Potatoes

We harvested our potatoes today. 

We will store them & they should last us through winter.  :)

Gardening is a lot of work but it's worth it!