Skirts....Really???

You know how you can go along in life and never really think about certain things? Then one day, out of the blue, BAM! A thought enters your head and no matter how you try to push it out, it remains...and festers, until you just have to give it some consideration. Well, that has happened to me. Now, it isn't anything earth shattering or world changing but it is just something I can't get out of my head. I am thinking of wearing skirts. There, I said it out loud and threw it out into the universe. I asked hubby what he would think of me in skirts more often. I mean, I wear skirts but it is usually only once a month and on a Sunday at that so it isn't like I he has never seen me in one. Hubby (Mr. Practicality) looks at me and says "Well how are you going to mow grass in a skirt?" Hmmmm. Ok, so maybe I won't wear them EXCLUSIVELY but maybe a couple days a week for starters. He then told me that he thought they would probably be cooler in the summer and that maybe he should start wearing one. He would wear a kilt and go commando. Yes, the conversation went downhill from there but he is really sweet about letting me do what I think I need to do without judging. Or laughing. At least not in front of me! So....skirts? Really? I have nothing against them personally. I do have something against my legs, however. My thighs to be exact. I love my legs from mid thigh down but those upper thighs???? They kinda sorta maybe rub together a teensy bit every once in awhile and I CAN'T STAND that feeling. I wear shorts, EVERYDAY! Doesn't matter if it is 100 degrees or 20 degrees. I don't like my legs feeling hot and, as I already stated, I don't like my thighs trying to start a fire, so shorts have been my go to clothing item. I love my shorts. But then again, where is this skirt idea coming from? Certainly not from me. I have never been interested in them. A few blogs I read, the ladies mention that they wear skirts but I have never been one to be easily influenced by others in the clothing dept. What if God is telling me this? What if He wants me to be a bit more feminine? What if I don't listen? Well, I already know the answer to that last one. I have already been "dealt" with when I don't obey Him. More times than I care to admit. I guess I could give this whole skirt thing a try. My daughter has already stated that she wants to wear them more often so I think maybe I will slip one on and see how it goes. Wish me luck...and my thighs!

Honey Oatmeal Bread

As you have probably guessed, I LOVE BREAD!!! I love to make all different kinds, experiment with different techniques. When a loaf doesn't turn out quite nice, I make french toast out of it so it is a win-win situation. This recipe is a great sandwich bread. Nice high rise, light and fluffy texture. All around great bread. It isn't soaked but I am going to experiment with it and see if I can turn it into a soaked recipe.
In the meantime, enjoy this tasty lil' gem!

HONEY OATMEAL BREAD

4 1/2 Tsp. Active Dry Yeast
1/2 C. Honey (Raw is best)
4 Tbsp. Butter
2 1/4 C. Water
1 Tbsp. Real Sea Salt
2 C. All Purpose Flour (I had Bread Flour so that is what I used)
4-5 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour (I used Hard White Whole Wheat)
1 C. Quick Cooking Oats
1 Egg

In a saucepan, combine the butter and honey. Stir over medium high heat until butter is melted. Add water and stir. Take off heat and check to make sure that it is very warm but not too hot to touch (if it is, just let it set for a few seconds to cool down a little). Add yeast and let sit until it is nice and foamy ( about 10 minutes).

While the yeast is getting foamy, combine salt, 2 c. whole wheat flour and 1 c. bread flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix it up. Add the yeast mixture and stir on low just until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in the egg and then add 1 c. wheat flour. Beat for another 2 minutes. Stir in oats, 1 c. wheat flour and 1 c. all purpose (or bread) flour. Use the mixer to knead the dough until it cleans the sides of the bowl and looks smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed. (Depending on the weather, I add anywhere from 1/2 to 1 c. extra flour). Grease a large bowl and place dough in it, flipping it over to grease the top. Cover and let sit in a warm place for an hour.

Punch down dough, flip it over and let it rise again, covered, for 15 minutes. Divide dough in half, shape into loaves and place in greased bread pans.

Put them in a warm place for about 35-40 minutes to rise for the last time. Bake at 350 for 35 or so minutes.

Enjoy with some butter. Gobs and gobs of butter!

Post being shared at:
The Prairie Homestead
The Way Grandmama Does It
Frugally Sustainable

Mustard & Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

I like fish. Only I don't like my fish to taste "fishy". That is why I usually stay away from salmon because it tends to be a bit strong in flavor to me. HOWEVER, I love this particular recipe for salmon. I had to change it a bit because I was out of a few ingredients but it tasted almost exactly the same as the original. If you have been avoiding salmon because you don't like strong fish, this is a good way to introduce it to your diet.




Photo: Prevention.com

MUSTARD AND BROWN SUGAR RUBBED SALMON
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar ( I used Sucanat)
1 1/2 Tsp. Real Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
1/4 Tsp. Dry Mustard (I was out of this so I used the same amount Turmeric)
4 Salmon Fillets, skin removed (approx. 6 oz each. I have used bigger fillets and the rub was enough to cover them too)
Olive oil

Mix together the brown sugar (or sucanat), salt, pepper, cumin and mustard in a bowl and set aside. Lay out salmon fillets and put the seasoning mixture evenly over the top of the fillets. Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet and place the fish in, seasoned side down. Cook until the rub dissolves and darkens (about 4 minutes). Flip fish and cook until done. It's that simple. And yummy! Even the kids love this recipe.

This is being shared at:
Frugally Sustainable
The Way Grandmama Does It
The Prairie Homestead

Such a Loss...

I was going to post about something else today but, while I was on the internet, I came across a news story that has broken my heart. A father, who was accused in the disappearance of his wife, murdered his 2 little boys and committed suicide. Josh Powell hacked his precious babies with a hatchet and then set the house on fire. All 3 died of smoke inhalation so the boys were still alive while the house was burning. The whole story just turns my stomach. In case you are not familiar with this family, Josh and Susan Powell lived in Oregon with their 2 little boys, Charlie and Braden (I think that was their names. I can't bear to look at the article again to double check). Josh claims that he took his sons camping at midnight in the middle of a blizzard and, when he returned home, his wife was gone. Shortly after this happened, he up and moved his boys to Washington State to live with his father, denying any visitation of the boys with his wife's parents. Last fall, Josh's father gave an indecent interview claiming truly disgusting things about his daughter in law. A couple of weeks later, the father was arrested on child pornography charges and voyuerism. He also had nude pictures of his daughter in law taken without her knowing. This guy was a real creep. He claimed in his interview to have had sex with his daughter in law because ," Hey, she was attractive." His DAUGHTER IN LAW!!!!! Anyway, Susan's parents requested custody of the boys and were granted custody of them soon after. Josh had supervised visitation with the boys and that is when the unimaginable happened. The person supervising the visit pulled up to the house and the boys ran ahead of her to the door. Josh let them in then closed the door to the supervisor. He refused to let her in and she called her supervisor saying that she smelled gasoline. Inside the house, Josh used a hatchet on his boys necks and then set the house on fire, killing all 3 of them. I am having such a hard time NOT being glad that Josh is dead. I know, he was one of God's children and He loved him every bit as much as He loves me but still, I struggle having any sympathy. My sympathy lies with the family left behind and the 2 little boys who must have known at some point that daddy was killing them. I cannot even put into words the agony, as a mother, this makes my heart feel. I don't know why this story affects me this way. I don't know this family. I have never had a tragedy like this in my life. But something about it just hurts me. Susan's parents said that they are sure their daughter is dead (her body has never been found) and that their grandsons are now safe in her arms again but how do you recover from this? I have been talking to God a bit today about it. Unfortunately, our conversations are so one sided. I am sure He will reveal something to me but for now I just pray that those left behind can find some comfort peace.

BBQ Quesadillas

We just had these for lunch and I had to share how awesomely yummiful they were! They were so good and went so quick that I didn't even have time to snap a pic. The other day I made some BBQ from a very small pork roast that was in the freezer. One of the pigs hubby hunted was only about 60 lbs so her roast was a bit too small to make dinner for us. Anyway, I cooked it up one morning and made BBQ sandwiches and had a bit left over. I wanted something other than sandwiches for lunch so I took some whole wheat tortilla shells and put them on a cookie sheet. I spread half of each one with leftover meat and some shredded cheese and folded them in half. I cooked them at 350 for 5 or so minutes on each side to get them nice and crispy on the edges. When they were done, I put a little bit of BBQ sauce and sour cream on top. Oh sweet Jesus, they were good. Hubby didn't even take the time to bring his lunch back to his desk. He ate it standing at the kitchen sink! We rounded out the meal with some carrot sticks and homemade Ranch dressing and some grapes. Best thing is, there is just enough for one or two more....they're mine, I called it!

Baked Linguine

I came across this recipe years ago in a Southern Living magazine. While the whole family loves it, my son is especially enamored with it, so I am grateful that this recipe makes a very large 9x13 pan. That boy eats like a horse and he's only 12! Leftovers are pretty scarce around here and, if there are any leftovers, he  "calls" them so no one else can eat them the next day. I wish "calling" things worked for adults. "That's my parking space. I called it." "That's my brand new car. I called it."  ANYWAY.....

Baked Linguine

1 lb. Ground beef (I used venison)
2 cloves Garlic, minced (ok, mine came out of a bottle)
1 28oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 8oz can Tomato sauce (I used a 15 oz can because I used 2x's the noodles)
1 6oz can Tomato paste
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar (I used sucanat)
8 oz Uncooked Linguine noodles (Since my boy was eating this, I cooked the entire 16oz box)
1 16oz container Sour cream
1 8oz Cream cheese (softened)
Green onions (optional)
2 c. shredded Sharp cheddar cheese

Cook ground meat until no longer pink. You can salt and pepper the meat, if you like. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients and let simmer for about 30 minutes. While sauce is simmering, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and put them in a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix together the sour cream and cream cheese until it is nice and smooth. Stir in onions, if using. Spread this over the noodles then pour the meat/tomato sauce over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

This post is being shared at The Way Grandmama Does It

A Couple of Updates

Back in December, we decided that we would not be eating out the entire month of January. We almost made it. Twice, I took the kids to lunch when we were out grocery shopping, once my husband took our son to lunch because they had errands to run in town and once I picked up KFC just because I couldn't think of one thing I wanted to cook! Not perfect but we saw progress. I cook 3 meals a day, EVERY DAY so sometimes I just needed a break. The main thing I learned was that A) It isn't that hard to cook from scratch once you know what you are making and B) I kinda like my cooking better than any restaurant. I think we will be continuing this through February.

In January, I tried the no-poo method of washing my hair. After 3 1/2 weeks I am dropping this for a couple of reasons. First, I really don't like the smell of apple cider vinegar. Even though you cannot smell it in your hair once it is dry, it really stinks up the shower while you are in there! Second, part of the idea was that I would be able to only "wash" my hair a few times a week. Nope. I had to do it every single day or the greasies took over. Third, I am not quite happy with some of the results. I do love that my hair is much fuller at the crown (usually that only happened when I colored my hair) and that I wasn't using anything toxic on my head. However, my hair never really felt clean. There were a couple of times when I had to put my hair up because it just looked a bit greasy even after I showered. My ends are also in serious bad shape. Not because of the no-poo, though. They were rough when I started so I will be going and getting a bunch of it cut off :-( I think I will look for a shampoo/conditioner that doesn't contain harmful chemicals and that doesn't stink like ACV!!!!

Our goal for February is to continue eating most meals at home as I really love saving the money! I will get hubby out for a date night once in awhile, though! This is also the time to begin starting my seeds and prepping the garden. I want to grow 75% of our fruits and veggies this year. I will be doing MUCH canning and preserving over the next several months. I CAN'T WAIT!!!! Funny how, at the end of the growing season last year, I was so happy for it to be over and now I can't wait to get my hands dirty again. Go figure.
This month I will also being trying a new recipe using a familiar meat in a new way. Nothing ground breaking for those of you that are used to eating wild game but quite a first for me. I have used venison ground, cubed and stewed but never have I used the tenderloin. I tasted it once, years ago, and hated it. But then again, I hated venison period at that time. Since hubby hunts a lot, deer is our main meat source so I am giving it another shot. Plus the tenderloin steaks will be wrapped in bacon so how bad could it be??? I am thinking of making them for Valentine's Day so I will post about it then.

On the cleaning front, I have journeyed into making my own laundry detergent. Just started using it this week and, so far so good. I'll post the recipe I am using for that later once I use it a bit more. The real test will be when we start working outside again and get all dirty, smelly and grimy. As far as household cleaners, this is what I use:
Granite counters- combo of castille soap, hot water and tea tree oil all mixed together and kept in a squirt bottle. I have read some blogs that use vinegar on their granite but I have been told that, over time, vinegar will pit granite and I am NOT taking any chances!

Sinks, showers, tubs, toilets- Good ol' vinegar and baking soda. Honestly, there isn't anything better! Plus, no bad chemicals to mess with the delicate balance of organisms in our septic tank! If you have ever had septic tank trouble you can appreciate that!

Carpets- To freshen, baking soda mixed with some essential oil, sprinkled all over and later vacuumed up.
To clean- Baking soda and tea tree oil mixed with hot water and poured into the cleanser dispenser on my carpet cleaner. Makes the whole house smell fresh and my carpets are clean and oh so soft!

Mirrors/windows-I just use vinegar in a spray bottle but some people say to mix either water or alcohol with it to keep it from streaking. I haven't had a streaking problem so I am sticking with it.

Hand Soap- I ran out of my chemical filled hand soap refill so I made my own using a grated bar of Ivory, glycerin and water. It is a bit runnier but works just fine. I'll post that recipe soon.

Facial Cleanser-I still have some of my oil of olay left so I will use that until it is done then I will use what my kids use which is the cleaner I use on my counters. I LOVE things with multiple uses!!!

As soon as I use up my chapstick (I am an addict to them!), lotion, moisturizer and deodorant, I will be making those myself too. I will post those recipes as I make and use them.

Well, that is about it my friends. Things are getting pretty busy around here. Just the way I like it!